|
Mr
Dombey
glanced
at
the
libelled
Master
Bitherstone,
of
whom
he
knew
at
least
as
much
as
the
Major
did,
and
said,
in
quite
a
complacent
manner,
'Really?
'
董贝先生向那位遭到诽谤的比瑟斯通少爷看了一眼；他跟少校一样，对这孩子丝毫也不了解，他很得意地说道，“真的吗？”
'That
is
what
he
is,
sir,
'
said
the
Major.
'He's
a
fool.
Joe
Bagstock
never
minces
matters.
The
son
of
my
old
friend
Bill
Bitherstone,
of
Bengal,
is
a
born
fool,
Sir.
'
Here
the
Major
laughed
till
he
was
almost
black.
'My
little
friend
is
destined
for
a
public
school,
'
I'
presume,
Mr
Dombey?
'
said
the
Major
when
he
had
recovered.
“真的，他就是这样，先生，”少校说道。“他是个傻瓜。乔·白格斯托克从来不粉饰事实。我的孟加拉老朋友比尔·比瑟斯通的儿子生来就是个傻瓜，先生。”少校说到这里，哈哈大笑着，笑到脸色几乎完全发青。“我想，我的小朋友注定要进公学①的吧，董贝先生？”少校恢复过来之后，问道。
'I
am
not
quite
decided,
'
returned
Mr
Dombey.
'I
think
not.
He
is
delicate.
'
“我还没有作出决定，”董贝先生回答道。“我想不送去。 他的体质虚弱。”
'If
he's
delicate,
Sir,
'
said
the
Major,
'you
are
right.
None
but
the
tough
fellows
could
live
through
it,
Sir,
at
Sandhurst.
We
put
each
other
to
the
torture
there,
Sir.
We
roasted
the
new
fellows
at
a
slow
fire,
and
hung
'em
out
of
a
three
pair
of
stairs
window,
with
their
heads
downwards.
Joseph
Bagstock,
Sir,
was
held
out
of
the
window
by
the
heels
of
his
boots,
for
thirteen
minutes
by
the
college
clock'.
“如果他的体质虚弱，先生，”少校说道，“您不送去是对的。只有坚强不屈的小伙子才能在经受了桑赫斯特②的苦难之后活下来。我们在那里互相折磨，先生。我们把新来的人放在慢火上烤，把他们从四层楼往窗子外面头朝下地倒挂着。先生，约瑟夫·白格斯托克曾经被握住靴子后跟，在校钟旁边的窗子外面挂了十三分钟。”
The
Major
might
have
appealed
to
his
countenance
in
corroboration
of
this
story.
It
certainly
looked
as
if
he
had
hung
out
a
little
too
long.
少校很可以举出他的脸色来证实这段经历，他看上去仿佛确实曾经被倒挂得太久了一些。
'But
it
made
us
what
we
were,
Sir,
'
said
the
Major,
settling
his
shirt
frill.
'We
were
iron,
Sir,
and
it
forged
us.
Are
you
remaining
here,
Mr
Dombey?
'
“但是它使我们变成了我们那时那样的人，先生，”少校整整衬衫褶边，说道。“我们是铁，先生，它锻造了我们。您住在这里吗，董贝先生？”
'I
generally
come
down
once
a
week,
Major,
'
returned
that
gentleman.
'I
stay
at
the
Bedford.
'
“我通常每星期到这里来一次，少校，”那位先生说道。 “我住在贝德福德旅馆。”
'I
shall
have
the
honour
of
calling
at
the
Bedford,
Sir,
if
you'll
permit
me,
'
said
the
Major.
'Joey
B.,
Sir,
is
not
in
general
a
calling
man,
but
Mr
Dombey's
is
not
a
common
name.
I
am
much
indebted
to
my
little
friend,
Sir,
for
the
honour
of
this
introduction.
'
“如果您允许，先生，我将荣幸地到贝德福德旅馆去拜访您，”少校说道。“乔埃·白不是个喜爱拜访的人，但是董贝先生不是个平凡的人物。我非常感谢我的小朋友，先生，感谢他使我有幸被介绍跟您认识。”
Mr
Dombey
made
a
very
gracious
reply;
and
Major
Bagstock,
having
patted
Paul
on
the
head,
and
said
of
Florence
that
her
eyes
would
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