This was the first suggestion that anything untoward had happened. I took no notice, and did my best to engage Mrs. Strickland in talk. The Colonel, still standing in front of the fireplace, uttered no word. I wondered how soon I could decently take my leave, and I asked myself why on earth Mrs. Strickland had allowed me to come. There were no flowers, and various knick-knacks, put away during the summer, had not been replaced; there was something cheerless and stiff about the room which had always seemed so friendly; it gave you an odd feeling, as though someone were lying dead on the other side of the wall. I finished tea.

这是暗示发生了一件不幸事件的第一句话。我故意不作理会，尽量同思特里克兰德太太东拉西扯。上校仍然站在壁炉前面一句话也不说。我很想知道什么时候我才能不失礼仪地向主人告别，我奇怪地问我自己，思特里克兰德太太让我进来究竟是为了什么。屋子里没有摆花，度夏以前收拾起的一些摆设也没有重新摆上。一向舒适愉快的房间显得一片寂寥清冷，给人一种感觉，倒仿佛墙壁的另一边停着一个死人似的。我把茶喝完。

Will you have a cigarette? asked Mrs. Strickland.

“要不要吸一支烟？”思特里克兰德太太问我道。

She looked about for the box, but it was not to be seen.

她四处看了看，要找烟盒，但是却没有找到。

I'm afraid there are none.

“我怕已经没有了。”

Suddenly she burst into tears, and hurried from the room.

一下子，她的眼泪扑簌簌地落下来，匆匆跑出了客厅。

I was startled. I suppose now that the lack of cigarettes, brought as a rule by her husband, forced him back upon her recollection, and the new feeling that the small comforts she was used to were missing gave her a sudden pang. She realised that the old life was gone and done with. It was impossible to keep up our social pretences any longer.

我吃了一惊。我想到纸烟过去一向是由她丈夫添置的，现在突然发现找不到纸烟，这件小事显然勾起了她的记忆，她伸手就能拿到的东西竟然丢三短四的这种新感觉仿佛在她胸口上突然刺了一刀，她意识到旧日的生活已经一去不复返了，过去那种光荣体面不可能再维持下去了。

I dare say you'd like me to go, I said to the Colonel, getting up.

“我看我该走了吧，”我对上校说，站起身来。

I suppose you've heard that blackguard has deserted her, he cried explosively.

“我想你已经听说那个流氓把她甩了的事吧，”他一下子爆发出来。

I hesitated.

我踌躇了一会儿。

You know how people gossip, I answered. "I was vaguely told that something was wrong."

“你知道人们怎样爱扯闲话，”我说，“有人闪烁其词地对我说，这里出了点儿事。”

He's bolted. He's gone off to Paris with a woman. He's left Amy without a penny.

“他逃跑了。他同一个女人跑到巴黎去了。他把阿美扔了，一个便士也没留下。”

I'm awfully sorry, I said, not knowing what else to say.

“我感到很难过，”我说；我实在找不到别的什么话了。

The Colonel gulped down his whisky. He was a tall, lean man of fifty, with a drooping moustache and grey hair. He had pale blue eyes and a weak mouth. I remembered from my previous meeting with him that he had a foolish face, and was proud of the fact that for the ten years before he left the army he had played polo three days a week.

上校一口气把威士忌灌下去。他是一个五十岁左右的高大、削瘦的汉子，胡须向下垂着，头发已经灰白。他的眼睛是浅蓝色的，嘴唇的轮廓很不鲜明。我从上一次见到他就记得他长着一副傻里傻气的面孔，并且自夸他离开军队以前每星期打三次马球，十年没有间断过。

I don't suppose Mrs. Strickland wants to be bothered with me just now, I said. "Will you tell her how sorry I am? If there's anything I can do. I shall be delighted to do it."

“我想现在我不必再打搅思特里克兰德太太了，”我说，“好不好请你告诉她，我非常为她难过？如果有什么我能做的事，我很愿意为她效劳。”

He took no notice of me.

他没有理会我的话。

I don't know what's to become of her. And then there are the children. Are they going to live on air? Seventeen years.

“我不知道她以后怎么办。而且还有孩子。难道让他们靠空气过活？十六年啊！”

What about seventeen years?

“什么十六年？”