Chapter 21

第21章

I let him take me to a restaurant of his choice, but on the way I bought a paper. When we had ordered our dinner, I propped it against a bottle of St. Galmier and began to read. We ate in silence. I felt him looking at me now and again, but I took no notice. I meant to force him to conversation.

我让他带我到一家他选定的餐馆，但是在路上走的时候我买了一份报纸。叫了菜以后，我就把报纸支在一瓶圣·卡尔密酒上，开始读报。我们一言不发地吃着饭。我发现他不时地看我一眼，但是我根本不理睬他。我准备逼着他自己讲话。

Is there anything in the paper? he said, as we approached the end of our silent meal.

“报纸上有什么消息？”在我们这顿沉默无语的晚餐将近尾声时，他开口说。

I fancied there was in his tone a slight note of exasperation.

也许这只是我的幻觉吧，从他的声音里我好象听出来他已经有些沉不住气了。

I always like to read the feuilleton on the drama, I said.

“我喜欢读评论戏剧的杂文，”我说。

I folded the paper and put it down beside me.

我把报纸叠起来，放在一边。

I've enjoyed my dinner, he remarked.

“这顿饭吃得很不错，”他说。

I think we might have our coffee here, don't you?

“我看咱们就在这里喝咖啡好不好？”

Yes.

“好吧。”

We lit our cigars. I smoked in silence. I noticed that now and then his eyes rested on me with a faint smile of amusement. I waited patiently.

我们点起了雪茄。我一言不发地抽着烟。我发现他的目光时不时地停在我身上，隐约闪现着笑意。我耐心地等待着。

What have you been up to since I saw you last? he asked at length.

“从上次见面以后你都做什么了？”最后他开口说。

I had not very much to say. It was a record of hard work and of little adventure; of experiments in this direction and in that; of the gradual acquisition of the knowledge of books and of men. I took care to ask Strickland nothing about his own doings. I showed not the least interest in him, and at last I was rewarded. He began to talk of himself. But with his poor gift of expression he gave but indications of what he had gone through, and I had to fill up the gaps with my own imagination. It was tantalising to get no more than hints into a character that interested me so much. It was like making one's way through a mutilated manuscript.

我没有太多的事好说。我的生活只不过是每日辛勤工作，没有什么奇闻艳遇。我在不同方向进行了摸索试验；我逐渐积累了不少书本知识和人情世故。在谈话中，对他这几年的生活我有意闭口不问，装作丝毫也不感兴趣的样子。最后，我的这个策略生效了。他主动谈起他的生活来。但是由于他太无口才，对他自己这一段时间的经历讲得支离破碎，许多空白都需要我用自己的想象去填补。对于这样一个我深感兴趣的人只能了解个大概，这真是一件吊人胃口的事，简直象读一部残缺不全的稿本。