Tiare sighed.

蒂阿瑞叹了口气。

"Ah, I wish I were fifteen again."

“啊，我真希望我再回到十五岁的年纪。”

Then she caught sight of a cat trying to get at a dish of prawns on the kitchen table, and with a dexterous gesture and a lively volley of abuse flung a book at its scampering tail.

这时，她忽然看见一只猫正在厨房桌上偷对虾吃，随着连珠炮似的一串咒骂，她又麻利又准确地把一本书扔在仓皇逃跑的猫尾巴上。

"I asked him if he was happy with Ata.

“我问他同爱塔一起生活幸福不幸福。”

"'She leaves me alone,' he said. 'She cooks my food and looks after her babies. She does what I tell her. She gives me what I want from a woman.'

“‘她不打扰我，’他说。‘她给我做饭，照管孩子。我叫她做什么她就做什么。凡是我要求一个女人的，她都给我了。’”

"'And do you never regret Europe? Do you not yearn sometimes for the light of the streets in Paris or London, the companionship of your friends, and equals, que sais-je? for theatres and newspapers, and the rumble of omnibuses on the cobbled pavements?'

“‘你离开欧洲从来也没有后悔过吗？有的时候你是不是也怀念巴黎或伦敦街头的灯火？怀念你的朋友、伙伴？还有我不知道的一些东西，剧院呀、报纸呀、公共马车隆隆走过鹅卵石路的声响？’”

"For a long time he was silent. Then he said:"'I shall stay here till I die.'

很久，很久，他一句话也没有说。最后他开口道：“‘我愿意待在这里，一直到我死。’”

"'But are you never bored or lonely?' I asked.

“‘但是你就从来也不感到厌烦，不感到寂寞？’”我问道。

"He chuckled.

他咯咯地笑了几声。

"'Mon pauvre ami,' he said. 'It is evident that you do not know what it is to be an artist.'"

“‘我可怜的朋友，’他说，‘很清楚，你不懂作一个艺术家是怎么回事。’”

Capitaine Brunot turned to me with a gentle smile, and there was a wonderful look in his dark, kind eyes.

布吕诺船长转过头来对我微微一笑，他的一双和蔼的黑眼睛里闪着奇妙的光辉。

"He did me an injustice, for I too know what it is to have dreams. I have my visions too. In my way I also am an artist."

“他这样说对我可太不公平了，因为我也知道什么叫怀着梦想。我自己就也有幻想。从某一方面讲，我自己也是个艺术家。”