狄更斯作品特点 狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第27章Part 16

狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第27章Part 16  

'You might have been well married
' said her mother
'enty times at least
Edith
if you had given encouragement enough.'
'No! Who takes me
refuse that I am
and as I well deserve to be
' she answered
raising her head
and trembling in her energy of shame and stormy pride
'shall take me
as this man does
with no art of mine put forth to lure him. He sees me at the auction
and he thinks it well to buy me. Let him! When he came to view me - perhaps to bid - he required to see the roll of my acplishments. I gave it to him. When he would have me show one of them
to justify his purchase to his men
I require of him to say which he demands
and I exhibit it. I will do no more. He makes the purchase of his own will
and with his own sense of its worth
and the power of his money; and I hope it may never disappoint him. I have not vaunted and pressed the bargain; neither have you
so far as I have been able to prevent you.
'You talk strangely to-night
Edith
to your own Mother.'
'It seems so to me; stranger to me than you
' said Edith. 'But my education was pleted long ago. I am too old now
and have fallen too low
by degrees
to take a new course
and to stop yours
and to help myself. The germ of all that purifies a woman's breast
and makes it true and good
has never stirred in mine
and I have nothing else to sustain me when I despise myself.' There had been a touching sadness in her voice
but it was gone
when she went on to say
with a curled lip
'So
as we are genteel and poor
I am content that we should be made rich by these means; all I say is
I have kept the only purpose I have had the strength to form - I had almost said the power
with you at my side
Mother - and have not tempted this man on.'
'This man! You speak
' said her mother
'as if you hated him.'
'And you thought I loved him
did you not?' she answered
stopping on her way across the room
and looking round. 'Shall I tell you
' she continued
with her eyes fixed on her mother
'who already knows us thoroughly
and reads us right
and before whom I have even less of self-respect or confidence than before my own inward self; being so much degraded by his knowledge of me?'
'This is an attack
I suppose
' returned her mother coldly
'on poor
unfortunate what's-his-name - Mr Carker! Your want of self-respect and confidence
my dear
in reference to that person (who is very agreeable
it strikes me)
is not likely to have much effect on your establishment. Why do you look at me so hard? Are you ill?'
Edith suddenly let fall her face
as if it had been stung
and while she pressed her hands upon it
a terrible tremble crept over her whole frame. It was quickly gone; and with her usual step
she passed out of the room.
The maid who should have been a skeleton
then reappeared
and giving one arm to her mistress
who appeared to have taken off her manner with her charms
and to have put on paralysis with her flannel gown
collected the ashes of Cleopatra
and carried them away in the other
ready for tomorrow's revivification.