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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
ONE day when she was younger and better-looking, and when her voice was stronger, Nikolay Petrovitch Kolpakov, her adorer, was sitting in the outer room in her summer villa1. It was intolerably hot and stifling2. Kolpakov, who had just dined and drunk a whole bottle of inferior port, felt ill-humoured and out of sorts. Both were bored and waiting for the heat of the day to be over in order to go for a walk.
All at once there was a sudden ring at the door. Kolpakov, who was sitting with his coat off, in his slippers3, jumped up and looked inquiringly at Pasha.
“It must be the postman or one of the girls,” said the singer.
Kolpakov did not mind being found by the postman or Pasha’s lady friends, but by way of precaution gathered up his clothes and went into the next room, while Pasha ran to open the door. To her great surprise in the doorway4 stood, not the postman and not a girl friend, but an unknown woman, young and beautiful, who was dressed like a lady, and from all outward signs was one.
The stranger was pale and was breathing heavily as though she had been running up a steep flight of stairs.
“What is it?” asked Pasha.
The lady did not at once answer. She took a step forward, slowly looked about the room, and sat down in a way that suggested that from fatigue5, or perhaps illness, she could not stand; then for a long time her pale lips quivered as she tried in vain to speak.
“Is my husband here?” she asked at last, raising to Pasha her big eyes with their red tear-stained lids.
“Husband?” whispered Pasha, and was suddenly so frightened that her hands and feet turned cold. “What husband?” she repeated, beginning to tremble.
“My husband, . . . Nikolay Petrovitch Kolpakov.”
“N . . . no, madam. . . . I . . . I don’t know any husband.”
A minute passed in silence. The stranger several times passed her handkerchief over her pale lips and held her breath to stop her inward trembling, while Pasha stood before her motionless, like a post, and looked at her with astonishment6 and terror.
“So you say he is not here?” the lady asked, this time speaking with a firm voice and smiling oddly.
“I . . . I don’t know who it is you are asking about.”
“You are horrid7, mean, vile8 . . .” the stranger muttered, scanning Pasha with hatred9 and repulsion. “Yes, yes . . . you are horrid. I am very, very glad that at last I can tell you so!”
Pasha felt that on this lady in black with the angry eyes and white slender fingers she produced the impression of something horrid and unseemly, and she felt ashamed of her chubby10 red cheeks, the pock-mark on her nose, and the fringe on her forehead, which never could be combed back. And it seemed to her that if she had been thin, and had had no powder on her face and no fringe on her forehead, then she could have disguised the fact that she was not “respectable,” and she would not have felt so frightened and ashamed to stand facing this unknown, mysterious lady.
“Where is my husband?” the lady went on. “Though I don’t care whether he is here or not, but I ought to tell you that the money has been missed, and they are looking for Nikolay Petrovitch. . . . They mean to arrest him. That’s your doing!”
The lady got up and walked about the room in great excitement. Pasha looked at her and was so frightened that she could not understand.
“He’ll be found and arrested today,” said the lady, and she gave a sob11, and in that sound could be heard her resentment12 and vexation. “I know who has brought him to this awful position! Low, horrid creature! Loathsome13, mercenary hussy!” The lady’s lips worked and her nose wrinkled up with disgust. “I am helpless, do you hear, you low woman? . . . I am helpless; you are stronger than I am, but there is One to defend me and my children! God sees all! He is just! He will punish you for every tear I have shed, for all my sleepless14 nights! The time will come; you will think of me! . . .”
Silence followed again. The lady walked about the room and wrung15 her hands, while Pasha still gazed blankly at her in amazement16, not understanding and expecting something terrible.
“I know nothing about it, madam,” she said, and suddenly burst into tears.
“You are lying!” cried the lady, and her eyes flashed angrily at her. “I know all about it! I’ve known you a long time. I know that for the last month he has been spending every day with you!”
“Yes. What then? What of it? I have a great many visitors, but I don’t force anyone to come. He is free to do as he likes.”
“I tell you they have discovered that money is missing! He has embezzled18 money at the office! For the sake of such a . . . creature as you, for your sake he has actually committed a crime. Listen,” said the lady in a resolute19 voice, stopping short, facing Pasha. “You can have no principles; you live simply to do harm — that’s your object; but one can’t imagine you have fallen so low that you have no trace of human feeling left! He has a wife, children. . . . If he is condemned20 and sent into exile we shall starve, the children and I. . . . Understand that! And yet there is a chance of saving him and us from destitution21 and disgrace. If I take them nine hundred roubles today they will let him alone. Only nine hundred roubles!”
“What nine hundred roubles?” Pasha asked softly. “I . . . I don’t know. . . . I haven’t taken it.”
“I am not asking you for nine hundred roubles. . . . You have no money, and I don’t want your money. I ask you for something else. . . . Men usually give expensive things to women like you. Only give me back the things my husband has given you!”
“Where is the money? He has squandered23 his own and mine and other people’s. . . . What has become of it all? Listen, I beg you! I was carried away by indignation and have said a lot of nasty things to you, but I apologize. You must hate me, I know, but if you are capable of sympathy, put yourself in my position! I implore24 you to give me back the things!”
“H’m!” said Pasha, and she shrugged25 her shoulders. “I would with pleasure, but God is my witness, he never made me a present of anything. Believe me, on my conscience. However, you are right, though,” said the singer in confusion, “he did bring me two little things. Certainly I will give them back, if you wish it.”
Pasha pulled out one of the drawers in the toilet-table and took out of it a hollow gold bracelet26 and a thin ring with a ruby27 in it.
“Here, madam!” she said, handing the visitor these articles.
The lady flushed and her face quivered. She was offended.
“What are you giving me?” she said. “I am not asking for charity, but for what does not belong to you . . . what you have taken advantage of your position to squeeze out of my husband . . . that weak, unhappy man. . . . On Thursday, when I saw you with my husband at the harbour you were wearing expensive brooches and bracelets28. So it’s no use your playing the innocent lamb to me! I ask you for the last time: will you give me the things, or not?”
“You are a queer one, upon my word,” said Pasha, beginning to feel offended. “I assure you that, except the bracelet and this little ring, I’ve never seen a thing from your Nikolay Petrovitch. He brings me nothing but sweet cakes.”
“Sweet cakes!” laughed the stranger. “At home the children have nothing to eat, and here you have sweet cakes. You absolutely refuse to restore the presents?”
Receiving no answer, the lady sat, down and stared into space, pondering.
“What’s to be done now?” she said. “If I don’t get nine hundred roubles, he is ruined, and the children and I am ruined, too. Shall I kill this low woman or go down on my knees to her?”
“I beg you!” Pasha heard through the stranger’s sobs. “You see you have plundered30 and ruined my husband. Save him. . . . You have no feeling for him, but the children . . . the children . . . What have the children done?”
Pasha imagined little children standing17 in the street, crying with hunger, and she, too, sobbed31.
“What can I do, madam?” she said. “You say that I am a low woman and that I have ruined Nikolay Petrovitch, and I assure you . . . before God Almighty32, I have had nothing from him whatever. . . . There is only one girl in our chorus who has a rich admirer; all the rest of us live from hand to mouth on bread and kvass. Nikolay Petrovitch is a highly educated, refined gentleman, so I’ve made him welcome. We are bound to make gentlemen welcome.”
“I ask you for the things! Give me the things! I am crying. . . . I am humiliating myself. . . . If you like I will go down on my knees! If you wish it!”
Pasha shrieked33 with horror and waved her hands. She felt that this pale, beautiful lady who expressed herself so grandly, as though she were on the stage, really might go down on her knees to her, simply from pride, from grandeur34, to exalt35 herself and humiliate36 the chorus girl.
“Very well, I will give you things!” said Pasha, wiping her eyes and bustling37 about. “By all means. Only they are not from Nikolay Petrovitch. . . . I got these from other gentlemen. As you please . . . .”
Pasha pulled out the upper drawer of the chest, took out a diamond brooch, a coral necklace, some rings and bracelets, and gave them all to the lady.
“Take them if you like, only I’ve never had anything from your husband. Take them and grow rich,” Pasha went on, offended at the threat to go down on her knees. “And if you are a lady . . . his lawful38 wife, you should keep him to yourself. I should think so! I did not ask him to come; he came of himself.”
Through her tears the lady scrutinized39 the articles given her and said:
“This isn’t everything. . . . There won’t be five hundred roubles’ worth here.”
Pasha impulsively40 flung out of the chest a gold watch, a cigar-case and studs, and said, flinging up her hands:
“I’ve nothing else left. . . . You can search!”
The visitor gave a sigh, with trembling hands twisted the things up in her handkerchief, and went out without uttering a word, without even nodding her head.
The door from the next room opened and Kolpakov walked in. He was pale and kept shaking his head nervously41, as though he had swallowed something very bitter; tears were glistening42 in his eyes.
“What presents did you make me?” Pasha asked, pouncing43 upon him. “When did you, allow me to ask you?”
“Presents . . . that’s no matter!” said Kolpakov, and he tossed his head. “My God! She cried before you, she humbled44 herself . . . .”
“I am asking you, what presents did you make me?” Pasha cried.
“My God! She, a lady, so proud, so pure. . . . She was ready to go down on her knees to . . . to this wench! And I’ve brought her to this! I’ve allowed it!”
He clutched his head in his hands and moaned.
“No, I shall never forgive myself for this! I shall never forgive myself! Get away from me . . . you low creature!” he cried with repulsion, backing away from Pasha, and thrusting her off with trembling hands. “She would have gone down on her knees, and . . . and to you! Oh, my God!”
He rapidly dressed, and pushing Pasha aside contemptuously, made for the door and went out.
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1
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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2
stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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5
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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9
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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10
chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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12
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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15
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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16
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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17
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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18
embezzled
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| v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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20
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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21
destitution
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| n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷 | |
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22
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
squandered
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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25
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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26
bracelet
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| n.手镯，臂镯 | |
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27
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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28
bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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29
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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30
plundered
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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32
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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33
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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35
exalt
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| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
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36
humiliate
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| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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41
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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42
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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43
pouncing
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的现在分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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44
humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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45
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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