宽恕

Forgiveness

She had been brought up in one of those families who live entirely to themselves, apart from all the rest of the world. Such families know nothing of political events, although they are discussed at table; for changes in the Government take place at such a distance from them that they are spoken of as one speaks of a historical event, such as the death of Louis XVI. or the landing of Napoleon.

她成长于一个离群索居、与世隔绝的家庭。这种家庭对政治事件一无所知，虽然他们也在餐桌上谈论那些事；因为政府中发生的变故离他们如此遥远，当他们谈起这些时就如同谈论着一个历史事件，比如路易十六之死或拿破仑登陆。

Customs are modified in course of time, fashions succeed one another, but such variations are taken no account of in the placid family circle where traditional usages prevail year after year. And if some scandalous episode or other occurs in the neighborhood, the disreputable story dies a natural death when it reaches the threshold of the house. The father and mother may, perhaps, exchange a few words on the subject when alone together some evening, but they speak in hushed tones—for even walls have ears. The father says, with bated breath:

风俗随着时间的推移而更改，潮流一个又一个地更替，然而这个平静的家庭圈中没有发生任何改变，在这里传统习惯年复一年地继续着。即使附近发生了某些丑闻或其他事，这些丑事在进家门槛之时就自然地死亡了。父亲和母亲可能在某个晚上单独相处的时候才会对该事件说上几句，不过都是用很轻的声音说——因为隔墙有耳啊！父亲屏住呼吸说：

"You've heard of that terrible affair in the Rivoil family? "

“你听说里瓦家那件可怕的事了吗？”

And the mother answers: "Who would have dreamed of such a thing? It's dreadful. "

母亲回答道： “谁能想到会发生那种事啊？真是太可怕了。”

The children suspected nothing, and arrive in their turn at years of discretion with eyes and mind blindfolded, ignorant of the real side of life, not knowing that people do not think as they speak, and do not speak as they act; or aware that they should live at war, or at all events, in a state of armed peace, with the rest of mankind; not suspecting the fact that the simple are always deceived, the sincere made sport of, the good maltreated.

孩子们对什么都不怀疑，依次到了懂事年龄，眼睛和大脑却都被蒙着，不知道生活的真实面目。他们不知道人们会言不由衷，不知道人们会言行不一；或者意识到他们应该在争夺中生活，或者无论如何都要和其他人生活在武装和平中；他们从没想到，单纯的人总是遭欺骗，忠实的人总是受嘲笑，善良的人总是被虐待。

Some go on till the day of their death in this blind probity and loyalty and honor, so pure—minded that nothing can open their eyes.

有些人直到死亡的那天还处在这种盲目的正直、忠诚和忠贞之中，他们的心灵单纯之极，没有任何东西能让他们睁开眼睛。

Others, undeceived, but without fully understanding, make mistakes, are dismayed, and become desperate, believing themselves the playthings of a cruel fate, the wretched victims of adverse circumstances, and exceptionally wicked men.

其他人有所醒悟，但还是没完全弄明白，他们犯错误、气馁、变得绝望，认为自己是残酷命运的玩偶，是不利环境、特别是坏人可怜的牺牲品。

The Savignols married their daughter Bertha at the age of eighteen. She wedded a young Parisian, George Baron by name, who had dealings on the Stock Exchange. He was handsome, well—mannered, and apparently all that could be desired. But in the depths of his heart he somewhat despised his old—fashioned parents—in—law, whom he spoke of among his intimates as "my dear old fossils. "

萨维尼奥尔夫妇在他们的女儿贝尔特十八岁时把她嫁了出去。她嫁给了一个年轻的巴黎人——乔治·巴龙，他在股票交易所工作。他英俊、行为端正，表面上看各方面都完美无缺。但在他的心灵深处，他有点瞧不起他古板的岳父岳母，在他的好友中他称他们为 “我亲爱的老古董们” 。

He belonged to a good family, and the girl was rich. They settled down in Paris.

他出身于一个不错的家庭，这个姑娘也很富有。他们在巴黎定居。

She became one of those provincial Parisians whose name is legion. She remained in complete ignorance of the great city, of its social side, its pleasures and its customs—just as she remained ignorant also of life, its perfidy and its mysteries.

她变成了那些来自外省的巴黎人之一，这样的人在巴黎有很多。她仍然对这个伟大的城市、对它的社会风尚、它的娱乐消遣、它的风俗习惯一无所知——就像她对巴黎的生活、对它的不忠、它的神秘一无所知一样。

Devoted to her house, she knew scarcely anything beyond her own street; and when she ventured into another part of Paris it seemed to her that she had accomplished a long and arduous journey into some unknown, unexplored city. She would then say to her husband in the evening:

她只专注于自己的家庭，几乎不知道自己所在街道以外的任何事情。当她大着胆子去巴黎的另一个区时，对她来说就像完成了一段到某个未知的、未探索过的城市的漫长而艰辛的旅行。然后，晚上她会对丈夫说：

"I have been through the boulevards today. "

“今天我穿过了几条大马路。”

Two or three times a year her husband took her to the theatre. These were events the remembrance of which never grew dim; they provided subjects of conversation for long afterward.

她丈夫每年带她去剧院两三次。这些是永远不会褪色的回忆，它们为之后很长一段时间提供讨论的话题。

Sometimes three months afterward she would suddenly burst into laughter, and exclaim:

有时候，过了三个月，她会突然笑起来，大声说道：

"Do you remember that actor dressed up as a general, who crowed like a cock? "

“你还记得扮演将军的那个演员吗？他叫起来像只公鸡。”

Her friends were limited to two families related to her own. She spoke of them as "the Martinets" and "the Michelins. " Her husband lived as he pleased, coming home when it suited him —sometimes not until dawn—alleging business, but not putting himself out overmuch to account for his movements, well aware that no suspicion would ever enter his wife's guileless soul.

她的朋友仅限于和她有关的两个家庭。她称他们为 “马蒂内一家” 和 “米什兰一家” 。她的丈夫按照自己的意愿生活着，他觉得什么时候合适就回家——有时候天亮才回来——说是因为工作，也不用为解释他的行踪过多的费神，他清楚地知道他妻子那天真的心灵永远不会对他产生任何怀疑。

But one morning she received an anonymous letter.

但是，一天早上，她收到了一封匿名信。

She was thunderstruck—too simple—minded to understand the infamy of unsigned information and to despise the letter, the writer of which declared himself inspired by interest in her happiness, hatred of evil, and love of truth.

她像被雷击中了一样——头脑简单到都不明白匿名信的丑陋，都不知道对信置之不理，写信的人宣称他是为了她的幸福，是因为厌恶罪恶、热爱真理。

This missive told her that her husband had had for two years past, a sweetheart, a young widow named Madame Rosset, with whom he spent all his evenings.

这封信告诉她，她的丈夫两年前就有了一个情人，是一个叫罗塞夫人的年轻寡妇，他每天晚上都和她在一起。

Bertha knew neither how to dissemble her grief nor how to spy on her husband. When he came in for lunch she threw the letter down before him, burst into tears, and fled to her room.

贝尔特既不知道怎样掩盖她的悲痛，也不知道怎样暗中监视她的丈夫。当他回来吃午饭的时候，她把那封信丢在他面前，大哭起来，跑进了她的房间。

He had time to take in the situation and to prepare his reply. He knocked at his wife's door. She opened it at once, but dared not look at him. He smiled, sat down, drew her to his knee, and in a tone of light raillery began:

他有时间弄清楚情形，并做好答复的准备。他敲了敲妻子的门。她马上打开了，但不敢看他。他笑着坐下来，把她拉到自己的膝盖上，用微微嘲弄的语调开始说：

"My dear child, as a matter of fact, I have a friend named Madame Rosset, whom I have known for the last ten years, and of whom I have a very high opinion. I may add that I know scores of other people whose names I have never mentioned to you, seeing that you do not care for society, or fresh acquaintances, or functions of any sort. But, to make short work of such vile accusations as this, I want you to put on your things after lunch, and we'll go together and call on this lady, who will very soon become a friend of yours, too, I am quite sure. "

“我亲爱的孩子，事实上，我有一个叫罗塞夫人的朋友，我认识她已经十年了，也很赞赏她。我可以补充一下，我还认识许多其他人，鉴于你不关心社会、新朋友和任何种类的聚会，我也从来没跟你提过他们的名字。不过，为了快速解决这种卑鄙指控，我希望你在午饭后穿好衣服，我们去拜访这位女士，我肯定她很快也会成为你的朋友。”

She embraced her husband warmly, and, moved by that feminine spirit of curiosity which will not be lulled once it is aroused, consented to go and see this unknown widow, of whom she was, in spite of everything, just the least bit jealous. She felt instinctively that to know a danger is to be already armed against it.

她热情地拥抱了她的丈夫，被女性那种一旦激发就不会停止的好奇心动摇了，她同意去见见这位素不相识的寡妇，不管怎样，至少她还是有点嫉妒。她本能地感觉到，一个危险似乎已经度过了。

She entered a small, tastefully furnished flat on the fourth floor of an attractive house. After waiting five minutes in a drawing—room rendered somewhat dark by its many curtains and hangings, a door opened, and a very dark, short, rather plump young woman appeared, surprised and smiling.

她进入了一间装饰很高雅的小公寓，它位于一栋漂亮的房子的第四层。客厅里挂了些窗帘和门帘，显得有点暗，在客厅等了五分钟后，一扇门打开了，一个黑黑的、矮个子、相当丰满的年轻女人出现了，她一脸惊奇但面带微笑。

George introduced them:

乔治为她们作了介绍：

"My wife—Madame Julie Rosset. "

“我的妻子——朱莉·罗塞夫人。”

The young widow uttered a half—suppressed cry of astonishment and joy, and ran forward with hands outstretched. She had not hoped, she said, to have this pleasure, knowing that Madame Baron never saw any one, but she was delighted to make her acquaintance. She was so fond of George (she said "George" in a familiar, sisterly sort of way) that, she had been most anxious to know his young wife and to make friends with her, too.

年轻寡妇发出半抑制的、惊奇而又高兴的叫声，张开双手跑上前。她说她没想到有这样的荣幸，她知道巴龙夫人从来不见任何客人，但却乐意见她。她很喜欢乔治（她用一种熟悉的、兄妹之间的那种方式说起 “乔治” ），也非常渴望结识他年轻的妻子并和她做朋友。

By the end of a month the two new friends were inseparable. They saw each other every day, sometimes twice a day, and dined together every evening, sometimes at one house, sometimes at the other. George no longer deserted his home, no longer talked of pressing business. He adored his own fireside, he said.

过了一个月，这两个新朋友已经形影不离了。她们每天都见面，有时候一天两次，每天晚上一起吃饭，有时候在这家，有时候在那家。乔治不再抛弃他的家，也不再推托工作忙了。他说他非常喜欢自己的家庭。

When, after a time, a flat in the house where Madame Rosset lived became vacant Madame Baron hastened to take it, in order to be near her friend and spend even more time with her than hitherto.

不久，罗塞夫人居住的房子里面的一间公寓空出来了，为了离她的朋友近些，为了有比以前更多的时间和她的朋友在一起，巴龙夫人毫不犹豫地租下了它。

And for two whole years their friendship was without a cloud, a friendship of heart and mind—absolute, tender, devoted. Bertha could hardly speak without bringing in Julie's name. To her Madame Rosset represented perfection.

整整两年，她们的友谊没有一丝阴云，是真心实意的友谊——绝对的、温柔的、忠诚的。如果不提到朱莉的名字，贝尔特几乎都不知道怎么说话了。对她来说，罗塞夫人代表着完美。

She was utterly happy, calm and contented.

她极其幸福、平静且满足。

But Madame Rosset fell ill. Bertha hardly left her side. She spent her nights with her, distracted with grief; even her husband seemed inconsolable.

可是罗塞夫人生病了。贝尔特几乎寸步不离。贝尔特晚上也陪着她，悲伤得心烦意乱，甚至连她丈夫也似乎悲痛欲绝。

One morning the doctor, after leaving the invalid's bedside, took George and his wife aside, and told them that he considered Julie's condition very grave.

一天早上，在离开病人的床边后，医生把乔治和她的妻子带到一边，告诉他们他认为朱莉的状况非常糟糕。

As soon as he had gone the grief—stricken husband and wife sat down opposite each other and gave way to tears. That night they both sat up with the patient. Bertha tenderly kissed her friend from time to time, while George stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes gazing steadfastly on the invalid's face.

他刚走，悲痛的丈夫和妻子就面对面坐下来，流下了眼泪。那天晚上，他们俩都陪病人熬夜到很晚。贝尔特时不时温柔地亲吻她的朋友，乔治则站在床尾，眼睛紧紧地盯着病人的脸。

The next day she was worse.

第二天她变得更糟了。

But toward evening she declared she felt better, and insisted that her friends should go back to their own apartment to dinner.

但是快到傍晚的时候，她宣布说觉得好一些了，并坚持让她的朋友们回他们自己的公寓吃饭。

They were sitting sadly in the dining—room, scarcely even attempting to eat, when the maid gave George a note. He opened it, turned pale as death, and, rising from the table, said to his wife in a constrained voice:

他们悲伤地坐在餐厅里，甚至没打算吃饭，这时女仆递给乔治一张便条。他打开便条，脸变得跟死人的脸一样惨白，他从桌子边站起来，用局促不安的语调对他的妻子说：

"Wait for me. I must leave you a moment. I shall be back in ten minutes. Don't go away on any account. "

“等着我。我必须离开一会儿。我十分钟后回来。无论如何都不要走开。”

And he hurried to his room to get his hat.

他急急忙忙地到他的房间里拿帽子。

Bertha waited for him, a prey to fresh anxiety. But, docile in everything, she would not go back to her friend till he returned.

贝尔特等着他，饱受着肉体焦虑的折磨。可是，她在每件事上都那么温顺，在他回来之前，她是不会回到她朋友那里去的。

At length, as he did not reappear, it occurred to her to visit his room and see if he had taken his gloves. This would show whether or not he had had a call to make.

最后，由于他没再出现，她突然想到去他房间看看他是不是带了手套。从中可以猜出他大概去了哪里。

She saw them at the first glance. Beside them lay a crumpled paper, evidently thrown down in haste.

她一眼就看到了手套。手套旁边放着一张皱巴巴的纸，显然是他匆忙中扔下的。

She recognized it at once as the note George had received.

她马上就认出是乔治刚收到的那张便条。

And a burning temptation, the first that had ever assailed her urged her to read it and discover the cause of her husband's abrupt departure. Her rebellious conscience protester 'but a devouring and fearful curiosity prevailed. She seized the paper, smoothed it out, recognized the tremulous, penciled writing as Julie's, and read:

第一次，一种强烈的诱惑鼓励她、怂恿她去看那张纸，去发现他丈夫突然离开的原因。她抗拒的良心一再挣扎，但是被一种强烈且可怕的好奇心战胜了。她拿过那张纸，把它抚平了，认出来是朱莉颤抖的铅笔字。她读道：

"Come alone and kiss me, my poor dear. I am dying. "

“你一个人过来，亲吻我吧，我可怜的爱人。我快死了。”

At first she did not understand, the idea of Julie's death being her uppermost thought. But all at once the true meaning of what she read burst in a flash upon her; this penciled note threw a lurid light upon her whole existence, revealed the whole infamous truth, all the treachery and perfidy of which she had been the victim. She understood the long years of deceit, the way in which she had been made their puppet. She saw them again, sitting side by side in the evening, reading by lamplight out of the same book, glancing at each other at the end of each page.

一开始她没明白过来，朱莉快死的这个想法是她最关心的。可是，她突然明白了那张便条的真正意思。这个铅字的便条将骇人的光亮照在了她的整个存在上，揭示了整个无耻的事实，她是所有背叛和不忠的牺牲品。她明白了这个长达几年的欺骗，以及她被当成他们的玩偶的方式。她仿佛又看到了他们，晚上他们肩并肩坐着，在灯光下读同一本书，看完一页后又瞟一眼对方。

And her poor, indignant, suffering, bleeding heart was cast into the depths of a despair which knew no bounds.

她可怜、愤怒、痛苦、滴血的心被丢进了无底的绝望深渊。

Footsteps drew near; she fled, and shut herself in her own room.

脚步声近了，她逃开了，把自己关在她的房间里。

Presently her husband called her:

一会儿，她丈夫叫她：

"Come quickly! Madame Rosset is dying. "

“快来！罗塞夫人快死了。”

Bertha appeared at her door, and with trembling lips replied:

贝尔特出现在了她的房门口，嘴唇颤抖，回答道：

"Go back to her alone; she does not need me. "

“你一个人回她那里去吧，她不需要我。”

He looked at her stupidly, dazed with grief, and repeated:

他愚蠢地看着她，由于悲伤而精神恍惚，重复着：

"Come at once! She's dying, I tell you! "

“快来！她要死了，我告诉你！”

Bertha answered: "You would rather it were I. "

贝尔特回答： “你更希望是我死吧！”

Then at last he understood, and returned alone to the dying woman's bedside.

然后，他终于明白了，一个人回到了垂死的女人的床边。

He mourned her openly, shamelessly, indifferent to the sorrow of the wife who no longer spoke to him, no longer looked at him; who passed her life in solitude, hedged round with disgust, with indignant anger, and praying night and day to God.

他公然地、无耻地为她伤心欲绝，对不再和他说话、不再看他的妻子的悲哀漠不关心；他的妻子孤独地过着自己的生活，她用厌恶把自己圈起来，带着愤怒日日夜夜向上帝祷告。

They still lived in the same house, however, and sat opposite each other at table, in silence and despair.

他们仍然住在同一所房子里，只不过，就算用餐时坐在彼此的对面，也沉默不语、绝望透顶。

Gradually his sorrow grew less acute; but she did not forgive him.

慢慢地，他的悲伤变得不那么强烈，但她没有原谅他。

And so their life went on, hard and bitter for them both.

因此，他们的生活继续着，对他们俩来说，都过得艰难而痛苦。

For a whole year they remained as complete strangers to each other as if they had never met. Bertha nearly lost her reason.

整整一年，他们就像是两个完全不认识的人，仿佛他们从没见过面。贝尔特几乎失去了理智。

At last one morning she went out very early, and returned about eight o'clock bearing in her hands an enormous bouquet of white roses. And she sent word to her husband that she wanted to speak to him. He came—anxious and uneasy.

最后，一天早上，她很早就出去了，在八点左右时回来了，手里捧着一大束白玫瑰。她传话给她丈夫，说想和他谈谈。他来了，显得既焦虑又不安。

"We are going out together, " she said. "Please carry these flowers; they are too heavy for me. "

“我们一起出去。” 她说。 “请你拿着这些花，它们对我来说太重了。”

A carriage took them to the gate of the cemetery, where they alighted. Then, her eyes filling with tears, she said to George:

一辆马车把他们带到了公墓门口，他们在那里下了车。之后，她饱含泪水，对乔治说：

"Take me to her grave. "

“带我去她的坟墓。”

He trembled, and could not understand her motive; but he led the way, still carrying the flowers. At last he stopped before a white marble slab, to which he pointed without a word.

他颤抖着，不明白她的意图，但还是带了路，仍然拿着花。最后，他在一块白色的大理石板前停了下来，他没有在上面刻一个字。

She took the bouquet from him, and, kneeling down, placed it on the grave. Then she offered up a silent, heartfelt prayer.

她从他那手中拿过花束，跪了下来，把花放在了坟墓上。然后，她做了一段无声而真诚的祷告。

Behind her stood her husband, overcome by recollections of the past.

她的丈夫站在她身后，回忆起了过去的种种。

She rose, and held out her hands to him.

她起身，向她的丈夫伸出手。

"If you wish it, we will be friends, " she said.

“如果你愿意，我们和好吧！” 她说。

Moonlight