第十九章(第5/16页)
奇怪的是,克利福德终于结束经年累月的蜕变,以大孩子的形象出现在世间,但却比以往那个男人更加精明敏锐。如今,这个扭曲的大孩子成为真正的业界精英。当涉及到自身的利益,他便成为如假包换的男子汉,敏锐如针,坚硬如钢。当他暂别拉格比,与其他男人角力,为实现既定的目标,为推动自家矿场的发展,他都表现出不可思议的狡黠、冷酷与果敢。似乎是他被动献身于圣母的举动,赋予他对事业发展的敏锐洞察力,获得无人能及的超凡力量。当沉浸在个人感情里,他的男子气概降到冰点,而这反倒让他获得某种第二天性:冷静客观,几乎是高瞻远瞩,精于事业。在事业领域,他的确超凡脱俗。
And in this Mrs. Bolton triumphed. "How he's getting on!” She would say to herself in pride. "And that's my doing! My word, he'd never have got on like this with Lady Chatterley. She was not the one to put a man forward. She wanted too much for herself.” At the same time, in some corner of her weird female soul, how she despised him and hated him! He was to her the fallen beast, the squirming monster. And while she aided and abetted him all she could, away in the remotest corner of her ancient healthy womanhood she despised him with a savage contempt that knew no bounds. The merest tramp was better than he.
对此,博尔顿太太颇为自得。“他多么出色!”她充满自豪地对自己说。“这全是我的功劳!哎哟,查泰来夫人在时,他可从来没这样优秀过。她可不是位好贤内助。她太过自私自利。”而与此同时,在那奇异女性灵魂的某个角落里,她又是那样鄙视和憎恶着他!对她而言,他只不过是头被撂倒的野兽,只知挣扎、坐以待毙的怪物。她竭尽所能地帮助他,鼓励他,而在内心深处,那古老理智的女性本能却对他抱有极端的鄙视和轻蔑。就连最卑微的乞丐都比他强。
His behaviour with regard to Connie was curious. He insisted on seeing her again. He insisted, moreover, on her coming to Wragby. On this point he was finally and absolutely fixed. Connie had promised to come back to Wragby, faithfully.
他对待康妮的态度让人不解。他坚持要再见她一面。而且,他坚持要她回到拉格比。在这一问题上,他是那样的坚定与决绝。康妮曾经信誓旦旦地许诺,保证会重返拉格比。
"But is it any use?" said Mrs. Bolton. "Can't you let her go, and be rid of her?” "No! She said she was coming back, and she's got to come.” Mrs. Bolton opposed him no more. She knew what she was dealing with.
“可这又有什么用呢?”博尔顿太太问。“难道您就不能放她走,跟她划清界限吗?”“不!她曾答应过会回来,就必须兑现诺言。”博尔顿太太不再提出反对意见。她深知克利福德的脾气秉性。
I needn't tell you what effect your letter has had on me (he wrote to Connie to London). Perhaps you can imagine it if you try, though no doubt you won't trouble to use your imagination on my behalf.
(他给身在伦敦的康妮写信。)你的来信究竟对我造成怎样的影响,我无须向你言明。如果你能站在我的角度设想一下,或许就会心知肚明,但想必你不会设身处地地为我着想,这点毫无疑问。
I can only say one thing in answer: I must see you personally, here at Wragby, before I can do anything. You promised faithfully to come back to Wragby, and I hold you to the promise. I don't believe anything nor understand anything until I see you personally, here under normal circumstances. I needn't tell you that nobody here suspects anything, so your return would be quite normal. Then if you feel, after we have talked things over, that you still remain in the same mind, no doubt we can come to terms. Connie showed this letter to Mellors.