Two friends—one a fat man and the other a thin man—met at the Nikolaevsky station. —
两位朋友——一位是胖子，另一位是瘦子——在尼古拉耶夫斯基火车站相遇。 —

The fat man had just dined in the station and his greasy lips shone like ripe cherries. —
这位胖子刚刚在车站吃过饭，他油腻的嘴唇闪着像熟樱桃一样的光泽。 —

He smelt of sherry and fleur d’orange. —
他身上散发着雪利酒和香橙花的味道。 —

The thin man had just slipped out of the train and was laden with portmanteaus, bundles, and bandboxes. —
瘦瘦的男人刚从火车上下来，身上挎着旅行箱、包裹和提着帽盒。 —

He smelt of ham and coffee grounds. A thin woman with a long chin, his wife, and a tall schoolboy with one eye screwed up came into view behind his back.
他身上有火腿和咖啡渣的味道。他背后跟着一位下巴尖尖的瘦女人，她是他的妻子，还有一个一只眼睛眯着的高个子学生。

“Porfiry,” cried the fat man on seeing the thin man. “Is it you? —
“波尔菲里，”看到瘦男人，胖子喊道。“是你吗？ —

My dear fellow! How many summers, how many winters!”
我亲爱的朋友！多少个夏天，多少个冬天！”

“Holy saints!” cried the thin man in amazement. “Misha! —
“圣人！”瘦男人惊讶地喊道。“米沙！ —

The friend of my childhood! Where have you dropped from?”
我儿时的朋友！你从哪里冒出来的？”

The friends kissed each other three times, and gazed at each other with eyes full of tears. —
朋友们亲吻了对方三次，并用眼睛满是泪水地凝视着彼此。 —

Both were agreeably astounded.
两人都感到惊喜。

“My dear boy!” began the thin man after the kissing. “This is unexpected! This is a surprise! —
“我亲爱的孩子！”瘦男人在亲吻后开始说。“这太出乎意料了！这太让人惊喜了！ —

Come have a good look at me! Just as handsome as I used to be! Just as great a darling and a dandy! —
过来仔细看看我！我和以前一样英俊！和以前一样是个宠儿和花花公子！ —

Good gracious me! Well, and how are you? Made your fortune? Married? I am married as you see… . —
天哪！你好吗？发了财吗？结婚了吗？看，我已婚。… —

This is my wife Luise, her maiden name was Vantsenbach … of the Lutheran persuasion… . —
这位是我妻子卢伊斯，她的娘家姓万岑巴赫…信奉路德教… —

And this is my son Nafanail, a schoolboy in the third class. —
还有我儿子纳法奈尔，是三年级学生。 —

This is the friend of my childhood, Nafanya. —
这是我的小时候的朋友 Nafanya。 —

We were boys at school together!”
我们在学校是一起的男孩！

Nafanail thought a little and took off his cap.
Nafanail 想了一会儿，脱下了帽子。

“We were boys at school together,” the thin man went on. —
“我们在学校是一起的男孩。”瘦瘦的男人继续说道。 —

“Do you remember how they used to tease you? —
“你还记得他们是怎么取笑你的吗？ —

You were nicknamed Herostratus because you burned a hole in a schoolbook with a cigarette, and I was nicknamed Ephialtes because I was fond of telling tales. —
你被绰号为Herostratus，因为你在书本上用烟头烧了个洞，而我被称为Ephialtes，因为我喜欢说故事。 —

Ho—ho! … we were children! … Don’t be shy, Nafanya. Go nearer to him. —
哦——哈！我们都是孩子！别害羞，Nafanya。再靠近点。 —

And this is my wife, her maiden name was Vantsenbach, of the Lutheran persuasion… .”
这是我的妻子，她的娘家姓万岑巴赫，信基督教路德宗。

Nafanail thought a little and took refuge behind his father’s back.
Nafanail 想了一会儿，躲到了他父亲的背后。

“Well, how are you doing my friend?” the fat man asked, looking enthusiastically at his friend. —
“嘿，朋友，你好吗？”那个胖子热情地问道，瞧着他的朋友。 —

“Are you in the service? What grade have you reached?”
“你在工作吗？达到了什么级别？”

“I am, dear boy! I have been a collegiate assessor for the last two years and I have the Stanislav. The salary is poor, but that’s no great matter! —
“亲爱的，我正在工作！我已经连续两年担任了参议官，并拿到了斯坦尼斯拉夫勋章。薪水虽然不高，但也无所谓！ —

The wife gives music lessons, and I go in for carving wooden cigarette cases in a private way. —
妻子教音乐课，而我私下里专门雕刻木制卷烟盒。 —

Capital cigarette cases! I sell them for a rouble each. —
出色的卷烟盒！我每个卖一卢布。 —

If any one takes ten or more I make a reduction of course. We get along somehow. —
如果有人买十个或更多，我当然会打折。我们还算勉强。 —

I served as a clerk, you know, and now I have been transferred here as a head clerk in the same department. —
我曾服务过一个职员，你知道的，现在我被调到这个部门担任了主任职员。 —

I am going to serve here. And what about you? —
我将在这里服务。那你呢？ —

I bet you are a civil councillor by now? Eh?”
我敢打赌你现在已经是个市长了？是吧？

“No dear boy, go higher than that,” said the fat man. —
“不是亲爱的孩子，比那个高级，”胖子说道。 —

“I have risen to privy councillor already . —
“我已经升到了内阁大臣的职位了。 —

. . I have two stars.”
我有两颗星。”

The thin man turned pale and rigid all at once, but soon his face twisted in all directions in the broadest smile; —
瘦子突然脸色苍白并变得僵硬，但很快他的脸扭曲成最宽幅的微笑； —

it seemed as though sparks were flashing from his face and eyes. —
他的脸和眼睛仿佛有火花在闪烁。 —

He squirmed, he doubled together, crumpled up… . —
他扭动身体，双手紧握，蜷缩起来… . —

His portmanteaus, bundles and cardboard boxes seemed to shrink and crumple up too… . —
他的箱子，包裹和纸板盒子也似乎在收缩并蜷缩… . —

His wife’s long chin grew longer still; —
他妻子的长下巴变得更长了; —

Nafanail drew himself up to attention and fastened all the buttons of his uniform.
纳法奈勒挺直身子，扣好了制服的所有纽扣。

“Your Excellency, I … delighted! The friend, one may say, of childhood and to have turned into such a great man! He—he!”
“阁下，我 … 非常高兴！童年的朋友变成了如此了不起的人！他—他！”

“Come, come!” the fat man frowned. “What’s this tone for? —
“来，来！”胖子皱起眉头。“为什么这种语气？ —

You and I were friends as boys, and there is no need of this official obsequiousness!”
你我是小孩时的朋友，并不需要这种官方的谄媚！”

“Merciful heavens, your Excellency! What are you saying… ? —
“天哪，阁下！您究竟在说什么呢… ? —

” sniggered the thin man, wriggling more than ever. —
“瘦瘦的男人咯咯地笑着，扭动得更厉害了. —

“Your Excellency’s gracious attention is like refreshing manna… . —
“阁下的亲切关注就像清爽的吗哪… . —

This, your Excellency, is my son Nafanail, … —
“这位阁下，这位是我的儿子纳法奈尔… . —

my wife Luise, a Lutheran in a certain sense.”
“我的妻子露易丝，某种意义上是个路德教徒.”

The fat man was about to make some protest, but the face of the thin man wore an expression of such reverence, sugariness, and mawkish respectfulness that the privy councillor was sickened. —
“胖男人正要提出抗议，但瘦男人的脸上露出一种过分恭敬、矫揉造作、讨好的表情，让内阁议员感到恶心. —

He turned away from the thin man, giving him his hand at parting.
“他转身离开瘦男人，握了握他的手告别.

The thin man pressed three fingers, bowed his whole body and sniggered like a Chinaman: —
那个瘦子用三根手指按压着，弯下腰身，笑得像个中国人： —

“He—he—he!” His wife smiled. Nafanail scraped with his foot and dropped his cap. —
“嘿—嘿—嘿！”他的妻子微笑着。纳法奈尔用脚轻轻蹭了一下，然后掉了帽子。 —

All three were agreeably overwhelmed.
三人都愉快地被感动了。