ONE fine evening, a no less fine government clerk called Ivan Dmitritch Tchervyakov was sitting in the second row of the stalls, gazing through an opera glass at the Cloches de Corneville. —
一个晴朗的傍晚，一位名叫伊万·德米特里奇·切尔维亚科夫的优秀政府职员坐在正厅的第二排，透过一个望远镜看着《科恩维尔的钟声》。 —

He gazed and felt at the acme of bliss. But suddenly… . —
他凝视着，感觉到极致的幸福。但突然间…… —

In stories one so often meets with this “But suddenly.” The authors are right: —
故事中经常会出现这样的“但突然间”。作者们是对的：生活充满了惊喜！ —

life is so full of surprises! But suddenly his face puckered up, his eyes disappeared, his breathing was arrested . —
但突然间，他的脸皱成一团，眼睛消失了，呼吸停止了。 —

. . he took the opera glass from his eyes, bent over and … “Aptchee!! —
他把望远镜从眼睛上拿下来，俯身过去……“啊嚏！！” —

” he sneezed as you perceive. It is not reprehensible for anyone to sneeze anywhere. —
他打了一个喷嚏，你瞧见了。任何人在任何地方打喷嚏都是无可非议的。 —

Peasants sneeze and so do police superintendents, and sometimes even privy councillors. —
农民打喷嚏，警务局长也打喷嚏，有时甚至是枢密院顾问也打喷嚏。 —

All men sneeze. Tchervyakov was not in the least confused, he wiped his face with his handkerchief, and like a polite man, looked round to see whether he had disturbed any one by his sneezing. —
所有人都会打喷嚏。切尔维亚科夫一点也不尴尬，他用手绢擦了擦脸，像一个有礼貌的人一样环顾四周，看看自己的喷嚏会不会惊扰到别人。 —

But then he was overcome with confusion. —
但随后他感到非常尴尬。 —

He saw that an old gentleman sitting in front of him in the first row of the stalls was carefully wiping his bald head and his neck with his glove and muttering something to himself. —
他看到坐在他前面正厅第一排的一个老绅士正小心翼翼地用手套擦拭他的光头和脖子，低声嘀咕着什么。 —

In the old gentleman, Tchervyakov recognised Brizzhalov, a civilian general serving in the Department of Transport.
在那位老绅士身上，切尔维亚科夫认出了布里扎洛夫，一位在交通部门服役的文官将军。

“I have spattered him,” thought Tchervyakov, “he is not the head of my department, but still it is awkward. —
“我把他弄脏了，”切尔维亚科夫想，“他不是我的部门领导，但还是挺尴尬的。 —

I must apologise.”
我必须道歉。”

Tchervyakov gave a cough, bent his whole person forward, and whispered in the general’s ear.
切尔维亚科夫轻咳一声，整个人前倾，悄声在将军耳边说道。

“Pardon, your Excellency, I spattered you accidentally… .”
“请原谅，阁下，我不小心弄脏了你……”

“Never mind, never mind.”
“别介意，别介意。”

“For goodness sake excuse me, I … I did not mean to.”
“求你原谅，我……我并不是有意的。”

“Oh, please, sit down! let me listen!”
“哦，请坐下！让我听听！”

Tchervyakov was embarrassed, he smiled stupidly and fell to gazing at the stage. —
切尔维亚科夫尴尬了，愚蠢地笑了笑，开始凝视舞台。 —

He gazed at it but was no longer feeling bliss. He began to be troubled by uneasiness. —
他看着舞台，但已经不再感到幸福。他开始感到不安。 —

In the interval, he went up to Brizzhalov, walked beside him, and overcoming his shyness, muttered:
中场休息时，他走到布里扎洛夫身旁，克服害羞，喃喃地说道：

“I spattered you, your Excellency, forgive me … you see … I didn’t do it to … .”
“阁下，我不小心弄脏了您，请原谅……您看……我并不是故意……”

“Oh, that’s enough … I’d forgotten it, and you keep on about it! —
“啊，够了……我都忘了，你还在这儿说！” —

” said the general, moving his lower lip impatiently.
将下唇下移不耐烦地说道将军。

“He has forgotten, but there is a fiendish light in his eye,” thought Tchervyakov, looking suspiciously at the general. —
“他忘了，但眼里带着一丝邪恶的光芒，”切尔维亚科夫猜疑地看着将军。 —

“And he doesn’t want to talk. I ought to explain to him … that I really didn’t intend . . —
“他不想说话了，我该向他解释……我确实不是故意的……. —

. that it is the law of nature or else he will think I meant to spit on him. —
这是自然定律，否则他会认为我是故意吐在他身上的。 —

He doesn’t think so now, but he will think so later!”
他现在不这么认为，但以后会这样想的!”

On getting home, Tchervyakov told his wife of his breach of good manners. —
回到家后，切尔维亚科夫告诉妻子他的失礼行为。 —

It struck him that his wife took too frivolous a view of the incident; —
他觉得妻子对这件事持轻率的态度。 —

she was a little frightened, but when she learned that Brizzhalov was in a different department, she was reassured.
她有点害怕，但当她得知布里扎洛夫在另一个部门时，她感到安心了。

“Still, you had better go and apologise,” she said, “or he will think you don’t know how to behave in public.”
“不过，你最好去道歉，”她说，“否则他会觉得你不懂得在公共场合该怎么做。”

“That’s just it! I did apologise, but he took it somehow queerly … —
“问题就在这儿！我确实道歉了，但他却有点奇怪地理解了……” —

he didn’t say a word of sense. There wasn’t time to talk properly.”
他一句清晰的话都没有说。根本没有时间好好谈。

Next day Tchervyakov put on a new uniform, had his hair cut and went to Brizzhalov’s to explain; —
第二天，切尔维亚科夫换上了一套新制服，理了头发，去找布里扎洛夫解释； —

going into the general’s reception room he saw there a number of petitioners and among them the general himself, who was beginning to interview them. —
走进将军的接待室，他看到那里有一些请愿者，其中还包括将军本人，正在开始面谈他们。 —

After questioning several petitioners the general raised his eyes and looked at Tchervyakov.
在询问了几个请愿者之后，将军抬起眼睛，看着切尔维亚科夫。

“Yesterday at the Arcadia, if you recollect, your Excellency,” the latter began, “I sneezed and . —
“昨天在阿卡迪亚，如果尊贵的阁下还记得的话，”后者开始说，“我打喷嚏了，” —

. . accidentally spattered … Exc… .”
“不小心溅到了尊贵的阁下。”

“What nonsense… . It’s beyond anything! —
“胡说八道……这简直太过分了！ —

What can I do for you,” said the general addressing the next petitioner.
将军，我能为您做点什么？”后面的申请人问。

“He won’t speak,” thought Tchervyakov, turning pale; “that means that he is angry. . —
特尔维亚科夫想，“他不说话，”脸色变得苍白，“这意味着他生气了。” —

. . No, it can’t be left like this… . —
“不，不能就这样……” —

I will explain to him.”
我要向他解释。”

When the general had finished his conversation with the last of the petitioners and was turning towards his inner apartments, Tchervyakov took a step towards him and muttered:
将军与最后一个申请人交谈结束，正转身走向内室时，特尔维亚科夫迈出一步，喃喃自语道：

“Your Excellency! If I venture to trouble your Excellency, it is simply from a feeling I may say of regret! —
“尊贵的阁下！如果我冒昧打扰您，仅仅是因为我可以说是遗憾之情！ —

… It was not intentional if you will graciously believe me.”
“……这不是故意的，如果您愿意体谅我。”

The general made a lachrymose face, and waved his hand.
将军露出一副悲伤的表情，挥了挥手。

“Why, you are simply making fun of me, sir,” he said as he closed the door behind him.
“嗨，你简直在拿我开玩笑，先生，”他说着在他背后关上了门。

“Where’s the making fun in it?” thought Tchervyakov, “there is nothing of the sort! —
“这哪里是在开玩笑？”特尔维亚科夫想，“根本就没有这层意思！ —

He is a general, but he can’t understand. —
他是个将军，但他理解不了。 —

If that is how it is I am not going to apologise to that fanfaron any more! —
如果事情就是这样，我不打算再向那个吹牛的人道歉！” —

The devil take him. I’ll write a letter to him, but I won’t go. —
魔鬼带走他。我会写信给他，但我不会去。 —

By Jove, I won’t.”
天哪，我不会去。

So thought Tchervyakov as he walked home; —
这是特切尔维亚科夫走回家时的想法； —

he did not write a letter to the general, he pondered and pondered and could not make up that letter. —
他没有给将军写封信，他苦思冥想却无法起草那封信。 —

He had to go next day to explain in person.
第二天，他不得不去亲自解释。

“I ventured to disturb your Excellency yesterday,” he muttered, when the general lifted enquiring eyes upon him, “not to make fun as you were pleased to say. —
“我昨天冒昧打扰您，”当将军询问地看着他时，他喃喃自语道，“并非想拿您开玩笑，正如您愿意说的那样。 —

I was apologising for having spattered you in sneezing… . —
我是在为打喷嚏溅到您身上道歉。… —

And I did not dream of making fun of you. —
我并没有梦想要取笑您。 —

Should I dare to make fun of you, if we should take to making fun, then there would be no respect for persons, there would be… .”
如果我胆敢取笑您，若我们开始取笑，那么就不会有人受尊敬，就会有… .

“Be off!” yelled the general, turning suddenly purple, and shaking all over.
“滚开！”将军尖叫道，脸色瞬间涨红，浑身颤抖。

“What?” asked Tchervyakov, in a whisper turning numb with horror.
“什么？”特切尔维亚科夫颤声问道，充满恐惧。

“Be off!” repeated the general, stamping.
“滚开！”将军重复道，并且跺脚。

Something seemed to give way in Tchervyakov’s stomach. —
特切尔维亚科夫的肚子似乎有了变化。 —

Seeing nothing and hearing nothing he reeled to the door, went out into the street, and went staggering along. —
什么也看不见也听不见，他晃晃悠悠地走到门口，走出大街上，摇摇摆摆地走着。 —

… Reaching home mechanically, without taking off his uniform, he lay down on the sofa and died.
… 机械地走回家，没有脱去制服，他躺在沙发上，死去了。