第十八章（第13/17页）

"So you're a game-keeper! Oh, you're quite right! That sort of game is worth a man's while, eh, what? The test of a woman is when you pinch her bottom. You can tell just by the feel of her bottom if she's going to come up all right. Ha-ha! I envy you, my boy. How old are you?” "Thirty-nine.” The knight lifted his eyebrows.

“你是个守林人！你的行为无可指摘！男子汉即使费点神，也不会放过这样的猎物，对吧？只要捏捏女人的屁股，就会分清优劣。摸摸她的屁股，你就清楚她够不够劲儿。哈哈！我真羡慕你，孩子。你多大了？”“39。”老爵士挑起眉毛。

"As much as that! Well, you've another good twenty years, by the look of you. Oh, game-keeper or not, you're a good cock. I can see that with one eye shut. Not like that blasted Clifford! A lily-livered hound with never a fuck in him, never had. I like you, my boy, I'll bet you've a good cod on you; oh, you're a bantam, I can see that. You're a fighter. Game-keeper! Ha-ha, by crikey, I wouldn't trust my game to you! But look here, seriously, what are we going to do about it? The world's full of blasted old women.” Seriously, they didn't do anything about it, except establish the old free-masonry of male sensuality between them.

“可真不小了！不过，你看起来要年轻个20岁。噢，不管你是守林人或者别的什么，你是个男子汉。我用一只眼也看得出来。不像那个讨厌的克利福德！那个懦弱的家伙，没点儿阳刚之气。我欣赏你，小伙子，我敢打赌，你那话儿绝对够劲儿，噢，你是只好斗的矮脚鸡，我看得出来。你是个斗士。守林人！哈哈，哎呦，我可不敢让你替我看守猎场！可相信我，说正经的，这件事咱们到底该怎么整？满世界都是年老色衰的臭娘们。”说实话，他俩根本没谈出个子午卯酉，倒是在男人的官能感受方面有些志同道合。

"And look here, my boy, if ever I can do anything for you, you can rely on me. Game-keeper! Christ, but it's rich! I like it! Oh, I like it! Shows the girl's got spunk. What? After all, you know, she has her own income, moderate, moderate, but above starvation. And I'll leave her what I've got. By God, I will. She deserves it for showing spunk, in a world of old women. I've been struggling to get myself clear of the skirts of old women for seventy years, and haven't managed it yet. But you're the man, I can see that.” "I'm glad you think so. They usually tell me, in a sideways fashion, that I'm the monkey.” "Oh, they would! My dear fellow, what could you be but a monkey, to all the old women?" They parted most genially, and Mellors laughed inwardly all the time for the rest of the day.

“听我说，小伙子，需要我帮忙的地方，尽管开口。守林人！上帝呀，真是有趣！我喜欢这差事！噢，我喜欢这行当！这说明我女儿够胆识。没错吧？你知道，她毕竟有独立的经济来源，虽然不多，但至少不会饿肚子。将来我也会把自己的财产留给她。上帝作证，我会这样做。但凭这勇气，敢于向这个充斥着老婆娘的世界宣战，她就理应得到我的馈赠。70多年来，我始终想要摆脱老娘们的石榴裙，但至今没能成功。但你准做得到，我看好你。”“很高兴你这么认为。可人们私下里总说我像只猴子。”“噢，他们会那么说的！我亲爱的伙计，对于那些老女人来说，你不是只猴崽子，还会是什么？”他俩愉快地分了手，为此梅勒斯整整乐了一天。

The following day he had lunch with Connie and Hilda, at some discreet place.

第二天，他跟康妮和希尔达共进午餐，他们选了个不起眼的饭馆。

"It's a very great pity it's such an ugly situation all round," said Hilda.

“现在事情变得一团糟，的确非常棘手。”希尔达说。