Chapter 28

第二十八章

The explanation came a week later. It was about ten o' clock at night; I had been dining by myself at a restaurant, and having returned to my small apartment, was sitting in my parlour, reading I heard the cracked tinkling of the bell, and, going into the corridor, opened the door. Stroeve stood before me.

一个星期以后我知道谜底了。这一天我一个人在外面吃了晚饭，饭后回到我的住处。大约十点左右，我正坐在起居间看书，忽然，门铃暗哑地响起来。我走到过道上，打开门，站在我面前的是施特略夫。

Can I come in? he asked.

“可以进来吗？”他问。

In the dimness of the landing I could not see him very well, but there was something in his voice that surprised me. I knew he was of abstemious habit or I should have thought he had been drinking. I led the way into my sitting room and asked him to sit down.

楼梯口光线很暗，我看不清他的样子，但是他说话的声音却使我吃了一惊。我知道他喝酒从来不过量，否则我会以为他喝醉酒了。我把他领进起居间里，叫他坐下。

Thank God I've found you, he said.

“谢天谢地，总算找到你了，”他说。

What's the matter? I asked in astonishment at his vehemence.

“怎么回事？”我问；他的激动不安的样子叫我非常吃惊。

I was able now to see him well. As a rule he was neat in his person, but now his clothes were in disorder. He looked suddenly bedraggled. I was convinced he had been drinking, and I smiled. I was on the point of chaffing him on his state.

进到屋子里面，我可以清清楚楚地打量他了。平时他总是穿戴得干净整齐，这次却衣冠不整，突然给人以邋里邋遢的感觉。我一点也不怀疑了，他一定是喝醉了。我对他笑了笑，准备打趣他两句。

I didn't know where to go, he burst out. "I came here earlier, but you weren't in."

“我不知道该到哪儿去，”他突兀地说了一句，“刚才来了一次，你不在。”

I dined late, I said.

“我今天吃饭晚了，”我说。

I changed my mind: it was not liquor that had driven him to this obvious desperation. His face, usually so rosy, was now strangely mottled. His hands trembled.

我的想法改变了；他显然不是因为喝了酒才这样嗒然若丧。他的脸平常总是红扑扑的，现在却一块红、一块白，斑斑点点，样子非常奇怪。他的两只手一直在哆嗦。

Has anything happened? I asked.

“出了什么事了吗？”

My wife has left me.

“我的妻子离开了我了。”

He could hardly get the words out. He gave a little gasp, and the tears began to trickle down his round cheeks.

他费了很大力气才把这几个字说出来。他抽噎了一下，眼泪沿着胖乎乎的面颊一滴滴地落下来。