A WELL-FED, red-cheeked young man called Nikolay Ilyitch Belyaev, of thirty-two, who was an owner of house property in Petersburg, and a devotee of the race-course, went one evening to see Olga Ivanovna Irnin, with whom he was living, or, to use his own expression, was dragging out a long, wearisome romance. —-
一个面色红润、胖乎乎的年轻人尼古拉伊利奇·别列亚耶夫，他在彼得堡拥有房产，是个赛马爱好者，有一天晚上去探望他与之同居、或者用他自己的话来说，是拖着一个漫长而乏味的浪漫。 —-

And, indeed, the first interesting and enthusiastic pages of this romance had long been perused; —-
事实上，这段浪漫的有趣和狂热的第一页已经被研读了很久； —-

now the pages dragged on, and still dragged on, without presenting anything new or of interest.
现在这一段只是拖拖拉拉，并没有呈现出任何新奇或有趣的东西。

Not finding Olga Ivanovna at home, my hero lay down on the lounge chair and proceeded to wait for her in the drawing-room.
没找到奥尔加·伊万诺夫娜在家，我的英雄躺在躺椅上，准备在客厅等她。

“Good-evening, Nikolay Ilyitch!” he heard a child’s voice. —-
“晚上好，尼古拉伊利奇！”他听到一个孩子的声音。 —-

“Mother will be here directly. She has gone with Sonia to the dressmaker’s.”
“妈妈马上就回来了。她带着索尼娅去了裁缝那儿。”

Olga Ivanovna’s son, Alyosha—a boy of eight who looked graceful and very well cared for, who was dressed like a picture, in a black velvet jacket and long black stockings—was lying on the sofa in the same room. —-
奥尔加·伊万诺夫娜的儿子阿柳夏是个八岁的男孩，看起来优雅且被精心照顾，衣着像个画像，穿着黑色天鹅绒夹克和长筒黑袜。 —-

He was lying on a satin cushion and, evidently imitating an acrobat he had lately seen at the circus, stuck up in the air first one leg and then the other. —-
他躺在沙发上的一只缎面垫子上，显然是在模仿不久前在马戏团看到的杂技演员，先抬起一条腿，然后抬起另一条腿。 —-

When his elegant legs were exhausted, he brought his arms into play or jumped up impulsively and went on all fours, trying to stand with his legs in the air. —-
当他优雅的双腿疲惫不堪时，他又开始动动手臂，或是跳起来，趴在地上，试图把腿立在空中。 —-

All this he was doing with the utmost gravity, gasping and groaning painfully as though he regretted that God had given him such a restless body.
他做这一切都非常认真，气喘吁吁地呻吟着，好像后悔上帝给了他一个这么不停躁的身体。

“Ah, good-evening, my boy,” said Belyaev. “It’s you! —-
“啊，晚上好，我的孩子，”别列亚耶夫说。“是你！ —-

I did not notice you. Is your mother well?”
我没有注意到你。你母亲身体好吗？”

Alyosha, taking hold of the tip of his left toe with his right hand and falling into the most unnatural attitude, turned over, jumped up, and peeped at Belyaev from behind the big fluffy lampshade.
阿柳夏一边用右手抓住左脚趾的顶端，摆出最不自然的姿势，一边翻身，跳了起来，从大而蓬松的灯罩后面偷偷看着别列亚耶夫。

“What shall I say?” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “In reality mother’s never well. —-
“我该说什么呢？”他耸了耸肩。“实际上，妈妈从来都不舒服。 —-

You see, she is a woman, and women, Nikolay Ilyitch, have always something the matter with them.”
你看，她是个女人，尼古拉伊利奇，女人们总是有点毛病。”

Belyaev, having nothing better to do, began watching Alyosha’s face. —-
没有更好的事情做，别廖夫开始注意起阿廖莎的脸。 —-

He had never before during the whole of his intimacy with Olga Ivanovna paid any attention to the boy, and had completely ignored his existence; —-
在和奥尔加·伊万诺夫娜的亲密关系中，他从来没有关注过这个男孩，并且完全忽视了他的存在； —-

the boy had been before his eyes, but he had not cared to think why he was there and what part he was playing.
男孩一直在他眼前，但他不关心他为什么在那里，他在扮演什么角色。

In the twilight of the evening, Alyosha’s face, with his white forehead and black, unblinking eyes, unexpectedly reminded Belyaev of Olga Ivanovna as she had been during the first pages of their romance. —-
在黄昏中，阿廖莎的脸，白色的额头和黑色不眨眼的眼睛，让别廖夫想起了他们浪漫故事开头时的奥尔加·伊万诺夫娜的模样。 —-

And he felt disposed to be friendly to the boy.
他感觉想对这个男孩友善一点。

“Come here, insect,” he said; “let me have a closer look at you.”
“过来吧，小虫子，让我好好看看你。”他说。

The boy jumped off the sofa and skipped up to Belyaev.
男孩从沙发上跳下来，跳到别廖夫面前。

“Well,” began Nikolay Ilyitch, putting a hand on the boy’s thin shoulder. —-
“嗯，”别廖夫开始说道，一只手放在男孩瘦弱的肩膀上。 —-

“How are you getting on?”
“你过得怎么样？”

“How shall I say! We used to get on a great deal better.”
“怎么说呢！我们过去相处得好多了。”

“Why?”
“为什么？”

“It’s very simple. Sonia and I used only to learn music and reading, and now they give us French poetry to learn. —-
“很简单。索尼娅和我只学音乐和阅读，现在他们给我们学法国诗歌。 —-

Have you been shaved lately?”
你最近剃须了吗？”

“Yes.”
“是的。”

“Yes, I see you have. Your beard is shorter. Let me touch it. . . . Does that hurt?”
“是的，我看出来了。你的胡子剃得更短了。让我摸摸……会疼吗？”

“No.”
“不。”

“Why is it that if you pull one hair it hurts, but if you pull a lot at once it doesn’t hurt a bit? —-
“为什么拉一根头发会痛，但是一下子拉很多就一点都不痛呢？” —-

Ha, ha! And, you know, it’s a pity you don’t have whiskers. —-
“哈哈！还有，真可惜你没有胡须。” —-

Here ought to be shaved . . . but here at the sides the hair ought to be left. . . .”
“这里应该刮……但是两边的头发应该留下……”

The boy nestled up to Belyaev and began playing with his watch-chain.
男孩靠近别廖夫，开始摆弄他的挂表链。

“When I go to the high-school,” he said, “mother is going to buy me a watch. —-
“当我上高中的时候，妈妈会给我买一只手表。” —-

I shall ask her to buy me a watch-chain like this. . . . Wh-at a lo-ket! —-
“我会请她给我买一个像这样的表链……噢，好漂亮的吊坠！” —-

Father’s got a locket like that, only yours has little bars on it and his has letters. . . . —-
“爸爸有一个像那样的吊坠，只不过你的有小条纹，他的上面有字母……” —-

There’s mother’s portrait in the middle of his. —-
上面有妈妈的画像。 —-

Father has a different sort of chain now, not made with rings, but like ribbon. . . .”
“爸爸现在有一种不一样的链子，不是环环相连的，而是像丝带一样……”

“How do you know? Do you see your father?”
“你怎么知道？你见过你爸爸吗？”

“I? M’m . . . no . . . I . . .”
“我？嗯……没有……我……”

Alyosha blushed, and in great confusion, feeling caught in a lie, began zealously scratching the locket with his nail. —-
阿列克谢脸红了，陷入了困惑，感觉被抓住说谎，便热心地用指甲挠着吊坠。 —-

. . . Belyaev looked steadily into his face and asked:
别廖夫注视着他的脸问道:

“Do you see your father?”
“你见过你爸爸吗？”

“N-no!”
“不，不！”

“Come, speak frankly, on your honour. . . . I see from your face you are telling a fib. —-
“来吧，坦诚地说，以你的名誉……我看得出你在撒谎。 —-

Once you’ve let a thing slip out it’s no good wriggling about it. —-
一旦你说出来，不扭曲已经没用了。 —-

Tell me, do you see him? Come, as a friend.”
告诉我，你看见他了吗？来吧，作为朋友。

Alyosha hesitated.
阿连夏犹豫了一下。

“You won’t tell mother?” he said.
“你不会告诉妈妈吧？”他说。

“As though I should!”
“当然不会！”

“On your honour?”
“你发誓吗？”

“On my honour.”
“我发誓。”

“Do you swear?”
“你宣誓吗？”

“Ah, you provoking boy! What do you take me for?”
“咳，你这个惹人的小家伙！你以为我是什么人？”

Alyosha looked round him, then with wide-open eyes, whispered to him:
阿连夏环顾四周，然后睁大眼睛低声对他说：

“Only, for goodness’ sake, don’t tell mother. . . . —-
“好吧，拜托你，别告诉妈妈……” —-

Don’t tell any one at all, for it is a secret. —-
“一定不要告诉任何人，因为这是个秘密。” —-

I hope to goodness mother won’t find out, or we should all catch it—Sonia, and I, and Pelagea . —-
“我希望妈妈绝对不能知道，要不然我们都会倒霉——索尼娅、我和佩拉吉娅。” —-

. . . Well, listen. . . Sonia and I see father every Tuesday and Friday. —-
“……好吧，听着……索尼娅和我每个星期二和星期五都见爸爸。” —-

When Pelagea takes us for a walk before dinner we go to the Apfel Restaurant, and there is father waiting for us. —-
“当佩拉吉娅在晚饭前带我们出去散步时，我们就去了Apfel餐馆，那里爸爸在等我们。” —-

. . . He is always sitting in a room apart, where you know there’s a marble table and an ash-tray in the shape of a goose without a back. . . .”
“……他一直坐在一个独立的房间里，你知道那里有一张大理石桌子和一个没背的鹅形烟灰缸……”

“What do you do there?”
“你们在那里做些什么？”

“Nothing! First we say how-do-you-do, then we all sit round the table, and father treats us with coffee and pies. —-
“什么都不做！第一我们问候一下，然后我们都围坐在桌子旁，爸爸会给我们点咖啡和派。 —-

You know Sonia eats the meat- pies, but I can’t endure meat-pies! —-
“你知道索尼娅吃肉派，可我不喜欢肉派！ —-

I like the pies made of cabbage and eggs. —-
“我喜欢做的有白菜和蛋馅的派。” —-

We eat such a lot that we have to try hard to eat as much as we can at dinner, for fear mother should notice.”
我们吃得这么多，以至于晚餐时我们要努力吃尽可能多的食物，生怕妈妈会注意到。

“What do you talk about?”
“你们在谈些什么?”

“With father? About anything. He kisses us, he hugs us, tells us all sorts of amusing jokes. —-
“和爸爸? 什么都可以。他亲吻我们，拥抱我们，讲各种有趣的笑话给我们听。 —-

Do you know, he says when we are grown up he is going to take us to live with him. —-
你知道吗，他说当我们长大后他会带我们去和他一起生活。 —-

Sonia does not want to go, but I agree. Of course, I should miss mother; —-
索尼娅不想去，但我同意。当然，我会想念妈妈； —-

but, then, I should write her letters! It’s a queer idea, but we could come and visit her on holidays—couldn’t we? —-
但是，我可以给她写信！这个主意很奇怪，但我们可以在假期时去看望她，对吗？ —-

Father says, too, that he will buy me a horse. He’s an awfully kind man! —-
爸爸还说他会给我买一匹马。他真是个很好的人！ —-

I can’t understand why mother does not ask him to come and live with us, and why she forbids us to see him. —-
我不明白为什么妈妈不让他来和我们一起生活，为什么她禁止我们见他。 —-

You know he loves mother very much. He is always asking us how she is and what she is doing. —-
你知道他很爱妈妈。他总是问我们她怎么样，正在做什么。 —-

When she was ill he clutched his head like this, and . . . and kept running about. —-
当她生病时，他会拿头抓狂，然后…然后东奔西跑。 —-

He always tells us to be obedient and respectful to her. —-
他总是告诉我们要对她恭顺和尊重。 —-

Listen. Is it true that we are unfortunate?”
听着。我们真的是不幸的吗？

“H’m! . . . Why?”
“嗯……为什么？”

“That’s what father says. ‘You are unhappy children,’ he says. —-
“爸爸这么说的。他说’你们是不幸的孩子’。” —-

It’s strange to hear him, really. ‘You are unhappy,’ he says, ‘I am unhappy, and mother’s unhappy. —-
听到他这么说真是奇怪。他说’你们是不幸的’，他说’我是不幸的’，妈妈也是不幸的。 —-

You must pray to God,’ he says; ‘for yourselves and for her.’”
他说：“你们必须为自己和她祈祷上帝。”

Alyosha let his eyes rest on a stuffed bird and sank into thought.
Alyosha的目光落在一只装饰鸟身上，陷入了沉思。

“So . . .” growled Belyaev. “So that’s how you are going on. —-
“这样……” Belyaev咆哮道。“这就是你的情况。 —-

You arrange meetings at restaurants. And mother does not know?”
你在餐馆安排会面。妈妈不知道吗？

“No-o. . . . How should she know? Pelagea would not tell her for anything, you know. —-
“不……她怎么会知道呢？Pelagea为了任何事情都不会告诉她，你知道的。 —-

The day before yesterday he gave us some pears. —-
前天他给我们一些梨。 —-

As sweet as jam! I ate two.”
像果酱一样甜！我吃了两个。”

“H’m! . . . Well, and I say . . Listen. Did father say anything about me?”
“嗯！……好吧，我说……听着。爸爸有没有说我什么？”

“About you? What shall I say?”
“关于你？我该说什么呢？”

Alyosha looked searchingly into Belyaev’s face and shrugged his shoulders.
Alyosha深入地看着Belyaev的脸，耸了耸肩。

“He didn’t say anything particular.”
“他没有说什么具体的。”

“For instance, what did he say?”
“比如，他说了什么？”

“You won’t be offended?”
“你不会生气吧？”

“What next? Why, does he abuse me?”
“下一个是什么？他为什么要辱骂我？”

“He doesn’t abuse you, but you know he is angry with you. —-
“他没有辱骂你，但你知道他对你生气。” —-

He says mother’s unhappy owing to you . . . and that you have ruined mother. —-
他说你让妈妈不开心……你毁了妈妈。 —-

You know he is so queer! I explain to him that you are kind, that you never scold mother; —-
你知道他有多奇怪！我向他解释你有多好，你从不责骂妈妈； —-

but he only shakes his head.”
但他只是摇摇头。”

“So he says I have ruined her?”
“所以他说我毁了她？”

“Yes; you mustn’t be offended, Nikolay Ilyitch.”
“是的，你不要生气，尼古拉·伊里奇。”

Belyaev got up, stood still a moment, and walked up and down the drawing-room.
别廖夫站起来，静静地站了一会儿，然后在客厅里走来走去。

“That’s strange and . . . ridiculous! —-
“真奇怪，真荒谬！” —-

” he muttered, shrugging his shoulders and smiling sarcastically. —-
他嘀咕着，耸耸肩，嘲笑地笑了笑。 —-

“He’s entirely to blame, and I have ruined her, eh? —-
“他完全该受责备，而我却害了她，是吗？ —-

An innocent lamb, I must say. So he told you I ruined your mother?”
一个无辜的小羊，我要说。所以他告诉你我毁了你妈妈？”

“Yes, but . . . you said you would not be offended, you know.”
“是的，但是……你说你不会生气的，你知道。”

“I am not offended, and . . . and it’s not your business. Why, it’s . . . —-
“我没有生气，但是……这不关你的事。嗯，这…… —-

why, it’s positively ridiculous! I have been thrust into it like a chicken in the broth, and now it seems I’m to blame!”
嗯，这实在荒谬！就像把一只鸡扔进炖菜里一样，现在似乎是我的错！”

A ring was heard. The boy sprang up from his place and ran out. —-
听到一阵铃声。男孩从座位上跳了起来，跑了出去。 —-

A minute later a lady came into the room with a little girl; —-
一分钟后，一个女士带着一个小女孩走进了房间； —-

this was Olga Ivanovna, Alyosha’s mother. —-
这是奥尔加·伊万诺芙娜，阿尔约莎的母亲。 —-

Alyosha followed them in, skipping and jumping, humming aloud and waving his hands. —-
阿留夏跟着他们进来，蹦蹦跳跳地，哼着曲子，挥舞着双手。 —-

Belyaev nodded, and went on walking up and down.
别延夫点点头，继续上下走动。

“Of course, whose fault is it if not mine? —-
“当然，如果不是我的错，那还能是谁的错呢?”他嘟囔着，鼻子发出一声哼声。“他说得对! —-

” he muttered with a snort. “He is right! —-
他是一个受伤的丈夫。” —-

He is an injured husband.”
“你在说什么?”奥尔加·伊万诺芙娜问道。

“What are you talking about?” asked Olga Ivanovna.
“说什么呢? …噢，听听你的合法配偶现在传播的那些故事吧!

“What about? . . . Why, just listen to the tales your lawful spouse is spreading now! —-
看来我是个恶棍和恶棍，我毁了你和孩子们。 —-

It appears that I am a scoundrel and a villain, that I have ruined you and the children. —-
他只是列举事实。 —-

All of you are unhappy, and I am the only happy one! —-
你们都不开心，只有我一个人开心！ —-

Wonderfully, wonderfully happy!”
真美，真美满地开心！

“I don’t understand, Nikolay. What’s the matter?”
“尼古拉伊里奇，我不明白，怎么了？”

“Why, listen to this young gentleman!” said Belyaev, pointing to Alyosha.
“奥列夏，听听这位年轻绅士！”别廖夫指着奥列夏说道。

Alyosha flushed crimson, then turned pale, and his whole face began working with terror.
奥列夏涨红了脸，然后脸色苍白，整个脸都开始因恐惧而扭曲。

“Nikolay Ilyitch,” he said in a loud whisper. “Sh-sh!”
“尼古拉伊里奇，”他低声说道，“别说话！”

Olga Ivanovna looked in surprise at Alyosha, then at Belyaev, then at Alyosha again.
奥尔加·伊凡诺夫娜惊讶地看着奥列夏，然后又看着别廖夫，再次看向奥列夏。

“Just ask him,” Belyaev went on. “Your Pelagea, like a regular fool, takes them about to restaurants and arranges meetings with their papa. —-
“就问问他吧，”别廖夫接着说，“你的佩拉吉娅，像个傻瓜一样，带她们去餐馆，安排他们和他们的爸爸见面。 —-

But that’s not the point: the point is that their dear papa is a victim, while I’m a wretch who has broken up both your lives. . .”
但这不是重点：重点是他们亲爱的爸爸是受害者，而我是摧毁了你们两个生活的可怜虫……”

“Nikolay Ilyitch,” moaned Alyosha. “Why, you promised on your word of honour!”
“尼古拉伊里奇，”奥列夏哀叹道，“你发誓了！”

“Oh, get away!” said Belyaev, waving him off. —-
“哦，滚开！”别廖夫挥手打发他走。 —-

“This is more important than any word of honour. —-
“这比任何誓言都重要。 —-

It’s the hypocrisy revolts me, the lying! . . .”
正是伪善让我反感，虚伪的谎言……”

“I don’t understand it,” said Olga Ivanovna, and tears glistened in her eyes. —-
“我不明白，”奥尔加·伊凡诺夫娜说道，眼睛闪着泪光。 —-

“Tell me, Alyosha,” she turned to her son. —-
“告诉我，奥列夏，”她转向儿子。 —-

“Do you see your father?”
“你看见你爸爸了吗？”

Alyosha did not hear her; he was looking with horror at Belyaev.
阿列克谢听不到她说话，他正恐惧地看着别延夫。

“It’s impossible,” said his mother; “I will go and question Pelagea.”
“这不可能，”他妈妈说道，”我要去问佩拉吉娅。”

Olga Ivanovna went out.
奥尔加·伊万诺夫娜走出去了。

“I say, you promised on your word of honour!” said Alyosha, trembling all over.
“我说，你发誓了！”阿列克谢颤抖着说道。

Belyaev dismissed him with a wave of his hand, and went on walking up and down. —-
别延夫挥了挥手，继续走来走去。 —-

He was absorbed in his grievance and was oblivious of the boy’s presence, as he always had been. —-
他完全专注于他的委屈，对男孩的存在毫不在意，就像以前一样。 —-

He, a grownup, serious person, had no thought to spare for boys. —-
一个成年人、认真的人没有时间去理会孩子。 —-

And Alyosha sat down in the corner and told Sonia with horror how he had been deceived. —-
阿列克谢坐在角落里，恐惧地告诉索妮娅他被骗了。 —-

He was trembling, stammering, and crying. —-
他颤抖、结巴地哭着。 —-

It was the first time in his life that he had been brought into such coarse contact with lying; —-
这是他一生中第一次与谎言如此粗暴地接触； —-

till then he had not known that there are in the world, besides sweet pears, pies, and expensive watches, a great many things for which the language of children has no expression. —-
在那之前，他不知道除了甜梨、馅饼和昂贵的手表，世界上还有很多事情，孩子的语言无法表达。 —-

The Cook’s Wedding and Other Stories
《厨师的婚礼和其他故事》