IT was a free night. Natalya Andreyevna Bronin (her married name was Nikitin), the opera singer, is lying in her bedroom, her whole being abandoned to repose. —
这是一个自由之夜。歌剧演员娜塔莉娅·安德烈耶芙娜·布罗宁(她的婚姓是尼基金)，躺在她的卧室里，全身都沉浸在休息中。 —

She lies, deliciously drowsy, thinking of her little daughter who lives somewhere far away with her grandmother or aunt. —
她躺着，愉快地打着瞌睡，想着她远在某个地方与奶奶或阿姨一起生活的小女儿。 —

… The child is more precious to her than the public, bouquets, notices in the papers, adorers . —
孩子对她来说比公众、花束、报纸上的注意或仰慕者更珍贵。 —

. . and she would be glad to think about her till morning. —
她愿意想着她直到清晨。 —

She is happy, at peace, and all she longs for is not to be prevented from lying undisturbed, dozing and dreaming of her little girl.
她感到幸福，安宁，她所渴望的只是不要被打扰，躺在那里，打盹和梦见她的小女儿。

All at once the singer starts, and opens her eyes wide: there is a harsh abrupt ring in the entry. —
突然，歌剧歌手惊起，睁大了眼睛：入口处传来刺耳的急促的铃声。 —

Before ten seconds have passed the bell tinkles a second time and a third time. —
不到十秒钟，铃声再次叮叮当响起两次。 —

The door is opened noisily and some one walks into the entry stamping his feet like a horse, snorting and puffing with the cold.
门被吵闹地打开，有人走进门口，像马一样跺着脚，呼哧呼哧地叹气冒着寒气。

“Damn it all, nowhere to hang one’s coat!” the singer hears a husky bass voice. —
“该死，没地方挂外套！”歌手听到了一个沙哑的男低音声音。 —

“Celebrated singer, look at that! Makes five thousand a year, and can’t get a decent hat-stand!”
“著名的歌手，看看那个！每年挣五千美元，却找不到一个体面的帽架！”

“My husband!” thinks the singer, frowning. —
“我的丈夫！”歌手皱着眉想。 —

“And I believe he has brought one of his friends to stay the night too… . Hateful!”
“我相信他还带了一个朋友过夜。… 讨厌！”

No more peace. When the loud noise of some one blowing his nose and putting off his goloshes dies away, the singer hears cautious footsteps in her bedroom. —
再也没有和平了。当有人擤鼻子、脱去胶鞋的吵闹声消失后，歌手听到卧室里小心翼翼的脚步声。 —

… It is her husband, mari d’elle, Denis Petrovitch Nikitin. —
… 这是她的丈夫，玛利-德-艾勒，丹尼斯·彼得罗维奇·尼基金。 —

He brings a whiff of cold air and a smell of brandy. —
他带来了一阵寒风和一股白兰地的味道。 —

For a long while he walks about the bedroom, breathing heavily, and, stumbling against the chairs in the dark, seems to be looking for something… .
他在卧室里走了很久，大口喘气，在黑暗中碰到椅子，似乎在找什么……

“What do you want?” his wife moans, when she is sick of his fussing about. —
他妻子厌烦他围着转的时候抱怨道：“你想干什么？” —

“You have woken me.”
“你把我吵醒了。”

“I am looking for the matches, my love. You … you are not asleep then? —
“我在找火柴，亲爱的。你……你没睡着吗？ —

I have brought you a message… . Greetings from that … what’s-his-name? … —
我给你带来了个消息……问候那个……叫什么来着？…… —

red-headed fellow who is always sending you bouquets… . —
那个一直送你花束的红头发家伙……。 —

Zagvozdkin… . I have just been to see him.”
查尔斯·扎夫兹金……我刚去看过他。”

“What did you go to him for?”
“你去找他做什么？”

“Oh, nothing particular… . We sat and talked and had a drink. —
“哦，没什么特别的……我们坐下来聊天，喝了点东西。 —

Say what you like, Nathalie, I dislike that individual—I dislike him awfully! —
纳塔莉，不管你怎么说，我讨厌那个家伙 —— 我特别讨厌他！ —

He is a rare blockhead. He is a wealthy man, a capitalist; —
他是个大傻瓜。他是个富人，资本家； —

he has six hundred thousand, and you would never guess it. —
他有六十万，你永远猜不到。 —

Money is no more use to him than a radish to a dog. —
钱对他来说一点用都没有，就像狗吃萝卜一样。 —

He does not eat it himself nor give it to others. —
他不为自己花钱，也不给别人花。 —

Money ought to circulate, but he keeps tight hold of it, is afraid to part with it… . —
钱本该流通，但他死死抓着不放，害怕花掉……。 —

What’s the good of capital lying idle? —
资本闲置有何好处？ —

Capital lying idle is no better than grass.”
资本闲置不比草好。

Mari d’elle gropes his way to the edge of the bed and, puffing, sits down at his wife’s feet.
马里戴勒摸索着走到床边，喘着气坐在妻子的脚边。

“Capital lying idle is pernicious,” he goes on. “Why has business gone downhill in Russia? —
“资本闲置是有害的，”他接着说。“为什么俄国的生意走下坡路？ —

Because there is so much capital lying idle among us; they are afraid to invest it. —
因为我们之间有太多闲置的资本；他们不敢投资。 —

It’s very different in England… . There are no such queer fish as Zagvozdkin in England, my girl. —
在英格兰就不同了。。。那里没有扎格沃兹金这样古怪的家伙，我的姑娘。 —

… There every farthing is in circulation … . Yes… . —
在那里每一分钱都在流通。。。是的。。。 —

They don’t keep it locked up in chests there … .”
他们没有把它锁在箱子里。。。”

“Well, that’s all right. I am sleepy.”
“好吧，我困了。”

“Directly… . Whatever was it I was talking about? Yes… . —
“马上。。。我到底在说什么？是的。。。 —

In these hard times hanging is too good for Zagvozdkin… . He is a fool and a scoundrel… . —
在这个艰难的时期，绞死扎格沃兹金也太好了。。。他是个傻瓜和恶棍。。。 —

No better than a fool. If I asked him for a loan without security—why, a child could see that he runs no risk whatever. —
一点也不比傻瓜好。如果我毫无抵押地向他借钱—哎呀，一个孩子也能看出他根本没有任何风险。 —

He doesn’t understand, the ass! For ten thousand he would have got a hundred. —
他不明白，这蠢货！一万他会得到一百。 —

In a year he would have another hundred thousand. I asked, I talked . . —
一年后他会又得到十万元。我问了，我谈了。。。 —

. but he wouldn’t give it me, the blockhead.”
但他不肯给我，这个蠢材。”

“I hope you did not ask him for a loan in my name.”
“我希望你没有以我的名义向他借钱。”

“H’m… . A queer question… .” Mari d’elle is offended. —
“哼……一个奇怪的问题……” Mari d’elle 感到受伤。 —

“Anyway he would sooner give me ten thousand than you. —
“不管怎样，他宁愿给我一万，也不会给你。 —

You are a woman, and I am a man anyway, a business-like person. And what a scheme I propose to him! —
你是女人，我是个男人，一个商业化的人。我向他提议了一个什么样的计划！ —

Not a bubble, not some chimera, but a sound thing, substantial! —
不是泡沫，不是空想，而是一个有力的实际项目！ —

If one could hit on a man who would understand, one might get twenty thousand for the idea alone! —
要是能找到一个明白的人，单就这个点子就可得两万！ —

Even you would understand if I were to tell you about it. Only you … don’t chatter about it . —
就算是你，要是我跟你说了，你也会明白的。只是你……不要多嘴， —

. . not a word … but I fancy I have talked to you about it already. —
一个字也不要说……不过我觉得我已经跟你说过了。 —

Have I talked to you about sausage-skins?”
我跟你谈过香肠皮吗？”

“M’m … by and by.”
“嗯……等一会儿。”

“I believe I have… . Do you see the point of it? —
“我相信我谈过……你明白其中的要点吗？ —

Now the provision shops and the sausage-makers get their sausage-skins locally, and pay a high price for them. —
现在的食品店和香肠制造商在本地买香肠皮，付出很高的价格。 —

Well, but if one were to bring sausage-skins from the Caucasus where they are worth nothing, and where they are thrown away, then . —
可是，如果有人从高加索地区带来香肠皮，那里的香肠皮一文不值，并被扔掉，那么 —

. . where do you suppose the sausage-makers would buy their skins, here in the slaughterhouses or from me? —
在你认为食品店会从哪里购买香肠皮，这儿的屠宰场还是从我这儿？ —

From me, of course! Why, I shall sell them ten times as cheap! Now let us look at it like this: —
当然是从我这儿！哦，我会卖得便宜十倍！现在我们就这样看待它都有道理：” —

every year in Petersburg and Moscow and in other centres these same skins would be bought to the . —
每年在圣彼得堡和莫斯科以及其他城市，这些皮毛会被买去。 —

. . to the sum of five hundred thousand, let us suppose. —
到达五十万的总额，让我们假设吧。 —

That’s the minimum. Well, and if… .”
那是最低限度。那么如果……”

“You can tell me to-morrow … later on… .”
“你明天可以告诉我……稍后……”

“Yes, that’s true. You are sleepy, pardon, I am just going … —
“是的，你困了，抱歉，我就走了……” —

say what you like, but with capital you can do good business everywhere, wherever you go… . —
说你喜欢的话，但是用资本你无论走到哪里都可以做好生意…… —

With capital even out of cigarette ends one may make a million… . —
有了资本，甚至用烟蒂都能赚到百万…… —

Take your theatrical business now. Why, for example, did Lentovsky come to grief? —
拿你的戏剧生意举例吧。为什么说Lentovsky倒闭了呢？ —

It’s very simple. He did not go the right way to work from the very first. —
非常简单。他从一开始就走错路了。 —

He had no capital and he went headlong to the dogs… . —
他没有资本，然后就操之过急，最终一败涂地…… —

He ought first to have secured his capital, and then to have gone slowly and cautiously … . —
他应该首先确保自己的资本，然后慢慢谨慎地进行下去…… —

Nowadays, one can easily make money by a theatre, whether it is a private one or a people’s one. —
现在，无论是私人剧院还是人民剧院，都可以轻松赚钱。 —

… If one produces the right plays, charges a low price for admission, and hits the public fancy, one may put a hundred thousand in one’s pocket the first year. —
如果出演正确的剧目，门票价格低廉，又击中了公众的喜好，第一年就可以在口袋里装下十万。 —

… You don’t understand, but I am talking sense… . —
你不懂，但我在说有道理的事…… —

You see you are fond of hoarding capital; —
你看，你喜欢囤积资本。 —

you are no better than that fool Zagvozdkin, you heap it up and don’t know what for… . —
你和那个傻瓜Zagvozdkin一样糊里糊涂地堆起来，根本不知道为了什么。 … —

You won’t listen, you don’t want to… . —
你不听，也不想听。 … —

If you were to put it into circulation, you wouldn’t have to be rushing all over the place … —
如果你把它投入流通，就不必到处奔波了。 … —

. You see for a private theatre, five thousand would be enough for a beginning… . —
对于一个私人剧院，五千就够了作为一个开端。 … —

Not like Lentovsky, of course, but on a modest scale in a small way. —
当然，没有Lentovsky那样大，但规模适中，小规模。 —

I have got a manager already, I have looked at a suitable building… . —
我已经找到一个经理，看上了一个合适的建筑。 … —

It’s only the money I haven’t got… . —
我只是没钱。 … —

If only you understood things you would have parted with your Five per cents . —
如果你能理解事情，你早就会抛弃你那五厘股息了. —

. . your Preference shares… .”
你的优先股… .”

“No, merci… . You have fleeced me enough already… . —
“不，谢谢。 … 你已经剥削我够多了… —

Let me alone, I have been punished already… .”
别管我，我已经受过惩罚… .”

“If you are going to argue like a woman, then of course … —
“如果你要像女人一样争论，那当然… —

” sighs Nikitin, getting up. “Of course… .”
”尼基廷叹气着站了起来。“当然… .”

“Let me alone… . Come, go away and don’t keep me awake… —
“别烦我。 … 来，走开，别吵着我睡觉… —

. I am sick of listening to your nonsense.”
我烦透了听你的废话。”

“H’m… . To be sure … of course! Fleeced… plundered… . —
“嗯，当然！被剥削…抢劫…。” —

What we give we remember, but we don’t remember what we take.”
“我们给予的我们记得，但我们却不记得我们拿走了什么。”

“I have never taken anything from you.”
“我从未拿走过你任何东西。”

“Is that so? But when we weren’t a celebrated singer, at whose expense did we live then? —
“是吗？但在我们成为著名歌手之前，我们是靠谁的钱过活呢？” —

And who, allow me to ask, lifted you out of beggary and secured your happiness? —
“请问谁帮助你摆脱乞讨并保证了你的幸福呢？” —

Don’t you remember that?”
“你难道不记得吗？”

“Come, go to bed. Go along and sleep it off.”
“来吧，去睡觉吧。去吧，多睡一会。”

“Do you mean to say you think I am drunk? … —
“你是说你觉得我喝醉了？…” —

if I am so low in the eyes of such a grand lady… —
“如果在这位贵妇人眼中我如此卑微…” —

I can go away altogether.”
“我可以离开。”

“Do. A good thing too.”
“好啊。这也是件好事。”

“I will, too. I have humbled myself enough. And I will go.”
“我也会的。我已经屈服够了。我走了。”

“Oh, my God! Oh, do go, then! I shall be delighted!”
“哦，我的上帝！哦，走吧！我会很高兴的！”

“Very well, we shall see.”
“好吧，我们来看看吧。”

Nikitin mutters something to himself, and, stumbling over the chairs, goes out of the bedroom. —
尼基廷喃喃自语着，绊倒在椅子上，在卧室外走了出去。 —

Then sounds reach her from the entry of whispering, the shuffling of goloshes and a door being shut. —
当谈话音从门口传来时，有耳语声，雨靴的摩擦声以及一扇门被关上的声音。 —

Mari d’elle has taken offence in earnest and gone out.
玛丽走出去生气了。

“Thank God, he has gone!” thinks the singer. “Now I can sleep.”
“谢天谢地，他走了！” 歌手想，“现在我可以睡觉了。”

And as she falls asleep she thinks of her mari d’elle, “what sort of a man he is, and how this affliction has come upon her. —
她入睡时想着她的丈夫，“他是怎样的一个人，以及这场灾祸是如何降临在她身上的。 —

At one time he used to live at Tchernigov, and had a situation there as a book-keeper. —
他曾经住在切尔尼戈夫，并在那里担任过一个记账员的职位。 —

As an ordinary obscure individual and not the mari d’elle, he had been quite endurable: —
作为一个普通且不为人知的个体，而不是她的丈夫，他是可以忍受的： —

he used to go to his work and take his salary, and all his whims and projects went no further than a new guitar, fashionable trousers, and an amber cigarette-holder. —
他去上班领工资，他的一切奇想和计划也不过是新吉他，时髦的裤子以及一个琥珀烟斗筒。 —

Since he had become “the husband of a celebrity” he was completely transformed. —
自从他成为“一个名人的丈夫”后，他完全改变了。 —

The singer remembered that when first she told him she was going on the stage he had made a fuss, been indignant, complained to her parents, turned her out of the house. —
歌手记得，当她第一次告诉他她要走上舞台时，他发了脾气，生气，向她的父母抱怨，把她赶出房子。 —

She had been obliged to go on the stage without his permission. —
她不得不擅自上台表演。 —

Afterwards, when he learned from the papers and from various people that she was earning big sums, he had ‘forgiven her,’ abandoned book-keeping, and become her hanger-on. —
之后，当他从报纸和各种人那里得知她赚了很多钱时，他“原谅了她”，放弃了记账员的工作，成为了她的依靠。 —

The singer was overcome with amazement when she looked at her hanger-on: —
当歌手看着她的依靠时感到惊讶： —

when and where had he managed to pick up new tastes, polish, and airs and graces? —
他是在什么时候，哪里学会了新的品味，有了复杂的举止和风度？ —

Where had he learned the taste of oysters and of different Burgundies? —
他是在哪里学会了牡蛎和不同的勃艮第葡萄酒的口味？ —

Who had taught him to dress and do his hair in the fashion and call her ‘Nathalie’ instead of Natasha?”
是谁教会了他穿衣打扮，用时尚的方式梳理头发并称呼她为‘Nathalie’而不是Natasha？”

“It’s strange,” thinks the singer. “In old days he used to get his salary and put it away, but now a hundred roubles a day is not enough for him. —
歌手想:“奇怪，以前他拿到薪水就会存起来，但现在每天一百卢布对他来说不够了。” —

In old days he was afraid to talk before schoolboys for fear of saying something silly, and now he is overfamiliar even with princes . —
以前，他害怕在学生面前讲话，生怕说错话，现在却对亲王们过分亲密。 —

. . wretched, contemptible little creature!”
“可怜、可鄙的小家伙！”

But then the singer starts again; again there is the clang of the bell in the entry. —
但是歌手又开始唱了；门厅里响起了钟声。 —

The housemaid, scolding and angrily flopping with her slippers, goes to open the door. —
女仆一边骂骂咧咧地拖着拖鞋去开门。 —

Again some one comes in and stamps like a horse.
又有人进来，像马一样跺脚。

“He has come back!” thinks the singer. —
歌手想：“他又回来了！” —

“When shall I be left in peace? It’s revolting! —
“我什么时候才能安静下来？太可恶了！” —

” She is overcome by fury.
她被愤怒克制住了。

“Wait a bit… . I’ll teach you to get up these farces! —
“等着瞧…我会教训你搞这些闹剧！” —

You shall go away. I’ll make you go away!”
“你要走开。我会让你离开的！”

The singer leaps up and runs barefoot into the little drawing-room where her mari usually sleeps. —
歌手赤脚跑进她通常丈夫睡觉的小客厅。 —

She comes at the moment when he is undressing, and carefully folding his clothes on a chair.
她来的时候，他正在脱衣服，仔细地把衣服叠放在椅子上。

“You went away!” she says, looking at him with bright eyes full of hatred. —
“你走了！”她看着他，眼中闪烁着充满仇恨的明亮眼神。 —

“What did you come back for?”
“你为什么回来？”

Nikitin remains silent, and merely sniffs.
尼基申保持沉默，只是抽泣着。

“You went away! Kindly take yourself off this very minute! This very minute! Do you hear?”
“你走开！请立刻离开！这就离开！你听见了吗？”

Mari d’elle coughs and, without looking at his wife, takes off his braces.
马里 出嘴咳嗽，不看他的妻子，解开了背带。

“If you don’t go away, you insolent creature, I shall go,” the singer goes on, stamping her bare foot, and looking at him with flashing eyes. —
“如果你不走开，你这个无礼的家伙，我就走了，”歌手继续说道，踩着赤脚，眼中闪烁着怒火，看着他。 —

“I shall go! Do you hear, insolent … —
“我要走了！你听见了吗，无礼的··· —

worthless wretch, flunkey, out you go!”
毫无价值的恶棍，仆人，你滚出去吧！”

“You might have some shame before outsiders,” mutters her husband … .
“你在外人面前至少要有点羞耻，”她的丈夫嘀咕着。。。

The singer looks round and only then sees an unfamiliar countenance that looks like an actor’s. . —
歌手转过头，才看到一个像演员的陌生面孔。 —

. . The countenance, seeing the singer’s uncovered shoulders and bare feet, shows signs of embarrassment, and looks ready to sink through the floor.
面孔看到歌手露出的肩膀和光脚，露出尴尬的表情，准备要钻进地板下去。

“Let me introduce …” mutters Nikitin, “Bezbozhnikov, a provincial manager.”
“让我介绍一下……” 尼基廷嘀咕道，“别兹博日尼科夫，一个省级经理。”

The singer utters a shriek, and runs off into her bedroom.
歌手发出尖叫，跑进卧室。

“There, you see …” says mari d’elle, as he stretches himself on the sofa, “it was all honey just now . —
“你看……” 玛丽戴尔伸展开在沙发上，“刚才都是甜如蜜的。 —

. . my love, my dear, my darling, kisses and embraces … —
我的爱，亲爱的，亲爱的，亲吻和拥抱。 —

but as soon as money is touched upon, then… . As you see … —
但一提到钱，那么……你看…… —

money is the great thing… . Good night!”
钱是最重要的。晚安！

A minute later there is a snore.
一分钟后传来一阵鼾声。