The Moon And Sixpence 51.3

月亮与六便士【中英字幕】

"It wasthen he told me of his wife in England. 'My poor Strickland, ' I said to him,'they've all got a wife somewhere; that is generally why they come to theislands. Ata is a sensible girl, and she doesn't expect any ceremony before theMayor. She's a Protestant, and you know they don't look upon these things likethe Catholics. '

"Then hesaid: `But what does Ata say to it?' `It appears that she has a beguin for you,' I said. `She's willing if you are. Shall I call her?' He chuckled in a funny,dry way he had, and I called her. She knew what I was talking about, the hussy,and I saw her out of the corner of my eyes listening with all her ears, whileshe pretended to iron a blouse that she had been washing for me. She came. Shewas laughing, but I could see that she was a little shy, and Strickland lookedat her without speaking. "

"Was shepretty?" I asked.

"Not bad.But you must have seen pictures of her. He painted her over and over again,sometimes with a pareo on and sometimes with nothing at all. Yes, she waspretty enough. And she knew how to cook. I taught her myself. I saw Stricklandwas thinking of it, so I said to him: 'I've given her good wages and she'ssaved them, and the captains and the first mates she's known have given her alittle something now and then. She's saved several hundred francs. '

"He pulledhis great red beard and smiled.

"`Well,Ata, ' he said, 'do you fancy me for a husband. '

"She didnot say anything, but just giggled.

"`But Itell you, my poor Strickland, the girl has a beguin for you, ' I said.

"I shallbeat you, ' he said, looking at her.

"`How elseshould I know you loved me, ' she answered. "

Tiare broke offher narrative and addressed herself to me reflectively.

“就在这个时候，他告诉我他在英国是有老婆的。‘我可怜的思特里克兰德，’我对他说，‘他们在别的地方都有个外家；一般说来，这也是为什么他们到我们这些岛上来的原故。爱塔是个通情达理的姑娘，她不要求当着市长的面举行什么仪式。她是个耶稣教徒，你知道，信耶稣教的对待这种事不象信天主教的人那么古板。’”

“这时候他说道：‘那么爱塔对这件事有什么意见呢？’‘看起来，她对你很有情意②，’我说，‘如果你愿意，她也会同意的。要不要我叫她来一下？’思特里克兰德咯咯地笑起来，象他平常那样，笑声干干巴巴，样子非常滑稽。于是我就把爱塔叫过来。爱塔知道刚才我在同思特里克兰德谈什么，这个骚丫头；我一直用眼角盯着她，她假装在给我熨一件刚刚洗过的罩衫，耳朵却一个字不漏地听着我们俩讲话。她走到我面前，咯咯地笑着，但是我看得出来，她有一些害羞。思特里克兰德打量了她一阵，没有说什么。”

②原文为法语。

“她长得好看吗？”我问。

“挺漂亮。但是你过去一定看到过她的画儿了。他给她画了一幅又一幅，有时候围着一件帕利欧①，有时候什么都不穿。不错，她长得蛮漂亮。她会做饭。是我亲自教会她的。我看到思特里克兰德正在琢磨这件事，我就对他说：‘我给她的工资很多，她都攒起来了。她认识的那些船长和大副有时候也送给她一点儿东西。她已经攒了好几百法郎了。’”

①当地人的服装，一种用土布做的束腰。

思特里克兰德一边揪着大红胡子，一边笑起来。

“‘喂，爱塔，’他说，‘你喜欢不喜欢叫我当你丈夫？’”

她什么话也没说，只是叽叽咯咯地笑着。

“‘我不是告诉你了吗，思特里克兰德，这个女孩子对你挺有情意②吗？’”我说。

②原文为法语。

“‘我可是要揍你的。’”他望着她说。

“‘你要是不打我，我怎么知道你爱我呢？’”她回答说。

蒂阿瑞把这个故事打断，回溯起自己的往事来。