The senator above mentioned was a clever man, who had made his own way, heedless of those things which present obstacles, and which are called conscience, sworn faith, justice, duty: —
上述的参议员是一个聪明的人，他靠自己的努力开创了自己的道路，无视那些被称为良心、誓约、公正、责任的障碍物： —

he had marched straight to his goal, without once flinching in the line of his advancement and his interest. —
他直线向前，没有一次在前进和利益的道路上退缩。 —

He was an old attorney, softened by success; —
他是一位成功之后变得温和的老律师； —

not a bad man by any means, who rendered all the small services in his power to his sons, his sons-in-law, his relations, and even to his friends, having wisely seized upon, in life, good sides, good opportunities, good windfalls. —
他绝不是一个坏人，竭尽全力为儿子、女婿、亲戚甚至朋友提供他有的一切小帮助，明智地在生活中抓住了好的方面、好的机遇、好的意外收获。 —

Everything else seemed to him very stupid. —
对他来说，其他一切都显得十分愚蠢。 —

He was intelligent, and just sufficiently educated to think himself a disciple of Epicurus; —
他很聪明，接受了一些教育，以至于以为自己是伊壁鸠鲁学派的信徒； —

while he was, in reality, only a product of Pigault-Lebrun. —
而实际上，他只是皮戈-勒布朗文学的产物。 —

He laughed willingly and pleasantly over infinite and eternal things, and at the “Crotchets of that good old fellow the Bishop.” —
他愿意愉快地笑谈无穷无尽和永恒的事物，“笑谈那位好老爷主教的怪想”。 —

He even sometimes laughed at him with an amiable authority in the presence of M. Myriel himself, who listened to him.
他有时甚至在米列尔先生的面前，以和蔼的权威笑谈那位主教。

On some semi-official occasion or other, I do not recollect what, Count*** [this senator] and M. Myriel were to dine with the prefect. —
在某个半官方场合，我记不清了，***伯爵（这位参议员）和米列尔先生要和总督一起进晚餐。 —

At dessert, the senator, who was slightly exhilarated, though still perfectly dignified, exclaimed:–
在甜点时，那位略带兴奋、但仍然非常庄严的参议员喊道：–

“Egad, Bishop, let’s have a discussion. It is hard for a senator and a bishop to look at each other without winking. —
“天哪，主教，让我们来一场辩论。一个参议员和一位主教彼此看对方而不眨眼，可不容易。 —

We are two augurs. I am going to make a confession to you. I have a philosophy of my own.”
我要向您坦白我的哲学。”

“And you are right,” replied the Bishop. “As one makes one’s philosophy, so one lies on it. —
“你做对了，”主教回答说，“一个人制定哲学就躺在上面。 —

You are on the bed of purple, senator.”
你躺在紫色的床上，参议员。”

The senator was encouraged, and went on:–
参议员感到振奋，然后继续说： -

“Let us be good fellows.”
“让我们做好伙伴。”

“Good devils even,” said the Bishop.
“甚至是好恶魔，”主教说。

“I declare to you,” continued the senator, “that the Marquis d’Argens, Pyrrhon, Hobbes, and M. Naigeon are no rascals. —
“我告诉你们，”参议员继续说，“阿尔让侯爵、皮龙、霍布斯和内尼翁先生都不是恶棍。 —

I have all the philosophers in my library gilded on the edges.”
我的书房里有所有的哲学家都镀金。

“Like yourself, Count,” interposed the Bishop.
“就像您一样，伯爵，”主教插话说。

The senator resumed:–
参议员继续说： -

“I hate Diderot; he is an ideologist, a declaimer, and a revolutionist, a believer in God at bottom, and more bigoted than Voltaire. —
“我讨厌狄德罗，他是一位唯心主义者，一个雄辩家，一个革命者，本质上是一个信仰上帝的人，比伏尔泰更顽固。 —

Voltaire made sport of Needham, and he was wrong, for Needham’s eels prove that God is useless. —
伏尔泰取笑Needham，他错了，因为Needham的鳗鱼证明了上帝是没用的。 —

A drop of vinegar in a spoonful of flour paste supplies the fiat lux. —
一滴醋加到一勺面粉糊里就变成了‘fiat lux’。 —

Suppose the drop to be larger and the spoonful bigger; you have the world. Man is the eel. —
假设这滴液体更大，勺子更大; 你就有了世界。人是鳗鱼。 —

Then what is the good of the Eternal Father? The Jehovah hypothesis tires me, Bishop. —
那永生父亲有什么好处？耶和华的假设让我厌烦，主教。 —

It is good for nothing but to produce shallow people, whose reasoning is hollow. —
它什么用都没有，除了产生那些浅薄的人，他们的推理是空洞的。 —

Down with that great All, which torments me! Hurrah for Zero which leaves me in peace! —
打倒那个伟大的‘全体’，它折磨我！为零大喊万岁！ —

Between you and me, and in order to empty my sack, and make confession to my pastor, as it behooves me to do, I will admit to you that I have good sense. —
说起来，为了倒空我的口袋，并向我的牧师忏悔，就像我应该做的那样，我必须向你承认我很聪明。 —

I am not enthusiastic over your Jesus, who preaches renunciation and sacrifice to the last extremity. —
我对你的耶稣并不感兴趣，他宣扬放弃和牺牲到极致。 —

‘Tis the counsel of an avaricious man to beggars. Renunciation; why? Sacrifice; to what end? —
这是一个贪婪者对乞丐的忠告。放弃；为什么？牺牲；为了什么目的？ —

I do not see one wolf immolating himself for the happiness of another wolf. —
我没有看到一只狼因另一只狼的幸福而牺牲自己。 —

Let us stick to nature, then. We are at the top; let us have a superior philosophy. —
那么让我们坚守自然。我们处于顶端；让我们拥有一种更高级别的哲学。 —

What is the advantage of being at the top, if one sees no further than the end of other people’s noses? —
处于顶端有什么好处，如果一个人只看到别人的鼻子尖的结束？ —

Let us live merrily. Life is all. That man has another future elsewhere, on high, below, anywhere, I don’t believe; —
让我们快乐地生活。生命就是一切。那个人将在别处有另一个未来，高处，下面，任何地方，我不相信； —

not one single word of it. Ah! sacrifice and renunciation are recommended to me; —
我被建议要牺牲和放弃； —

I must take heed to everything I do; I must cudgel my brains over good and evil, over the just and the unjust, over the fas and the nefas. —
我必须注意我所做的每一件事；我必须思考善恶，公和私，正和邪； —

Why? Because I shall have to render an account of my actions. When? After death. What a fine dream! —
为什么？因为我将要为我的行为负责。什么时候？在死后。多么美好的梦啊！ —

After my death it will be a very clever person who can catch me. —
在我的死后，捉住我将会是一个非常聪明的人。 —

Have a handful of dust seized by a shadow-hand, if you can. —
如果你能抓住一个影子手抓住一把尘土。 —

Let us tell the truth, we who are initiated, and who have raised the veil of Isis: —
让我们说出真相，我们这些受过启示并揭开了伊西斯面纱的人： —

there is no such thing as either good or evil; there is vegetation. Let us seek the real. —
没有人性或非人性之分；只有植被。让我们追求真实。 —

Let us get to the bottom of it. Let us go into it thoroughly. What the deuce! —
让我们深入了解。让我们深入挖掘。该死！ —

let us go to the bottom of it! We must scent out the truth; dig in the earth for it, and seize it. —
让我们深入了解！我们必须嗅出真相；深入地挖掘，然后抓住它。 —

Then it gives you exquisite joys. Then you grow strong, and you laugh. —
然后它带给你精美的快乐。 然后你变得强大，你笑了。 —

I am square on the bottom, I am. Immortality, Bishop, is a chance, a waiting for dead men’s shoes. —
我底部是方形的，我就是。 不朽，主教，是一种机会，等待着死去的人的位置。 —

Ah! what a charming promise! trust to it, if you like! What a fine lot Adam has! —
啊！多么迷人的承诺！如果你愿意相信吧！亚当有着多美好的人！ —

We are souls, and we shall be angels, with blue wings on our shoulder-blades. —
我们是灵魂，我们将成为带着蓝色翅膀的天使。 —

Do come to my assistance: is it not Tertullian who says that the blessed shall travel from star to star? —
请帮帮我：岂不是忏悔录十六（那写）的说幸福的人将星星之间游历吗？ —

Very well. We shall be the grasshoppers of the stars. —
好啊。我们将成为星星的蚱蜢。 —

And then, besides, we shall see God. Ta, ta, ta! What twaddle all these paradises are! —
此外，我们将看见上帝。啦啦啦！所有这些天堂都是废话！ —

God is a nonsensical monster. I would not say that in the Moniteur, egad! —
上帝是一个荒唐怪物。我不会在“导报”上说这个的，该死！ —

but I may whisper it among friends. Inter pocula. —
但是我可以在朋友中低声说。酒来伴。 —

To sacrifice the world to paradise is to let slip the prey for the shadow. —
为了天堂而牺牲世界就是放走猎物追求影子。 —

Be the dupe of the infinite! I’m not such a fool. I am a nought. —
成为无限的受骗者！我可不傻。我是一个零。 —

I call myself Monsieur le Comte Nought, senator. Did I exist before my birth? —
我自称为努思伯爵，参议员。我在出生前存在吗？ —

No. Shall I exist after death? No. What am I? A little dust collected in an organism. —
没有。我死后会存在吗？不会。我是什么？在一个器官体系中积聚的一点尘土。 —

What am I to do on this earth? The choice rests with me: suffer or enjoy. —
我在这个地球上该做什么？选择权在我：忍受还是享乐。 —

Whither will suffering lead me? To nothingness; but I shall have suffered. —
忍受会带我去哪里？归于虚无；但我曾忍受过。 —

Whither will enjoyment lead me? To nothingness; but I shall have enjoyed myself. My choice is made. —
享乐会把我引向何方？只会导致虚无；但我会享受其中。我已经做出选择。 —

One must eat or be eaten. I shall eat. It is better to be the tooth than the grass. —
必须要么吃人，要么被吃。我会吃人。成为牙齿总比成为草强。 —

Such is my wisdom. After which, go whither I push thee, the grave-digger is there; —
这就是我的智慧。随后，去哪里我推你去，掘墓者就在那里。 —

the Pantheon for some of us: all falls into the great hole. End. Finis. Total liquidation. —
对于我们某些人来说，那是万神殿：一切都会掉入这巨大之坑。终结。完结。彻底清算。 —

This is the vanishing-point. Death is death, believe me. —
这是消失的点。死就是死，相信我。 —

I laugh at the idea of there being any one who has anything to tell me on that subject. —
有人竟然觉得能在这个问题上教导我一些什么。 —

Fables of nurses; bugaboo for children; Jehovah for men. No; our to-morrow is the night. —
保姆的寓言；孩子们的影子；男人们的耶和华。不对；我们明天是黑夜。 —

Beyond the tomb there is nothing but equal nothingness. —
坟墓之外只有平等的虚无。 —

You have been Sardanapalus, you have been Vincent de Paul–it makes no difference. —
你曾经是萨尔达那帕卢斯，你曾经是文森特·德·保罗–这无关紧要。 —

That is the truth. Then live your life, above all things. Make use of your I while you have it. —
那是真理。那么尽最大可能地活好你的生活。趁着拥有自己的“我”。 —

In truth, Bishop, I tell you that I have a philosophy of my own, and I have my philosophers. —
事实上，主教，我告诉你我有自己的哲学，我有我的哲学家。 —

I don’t let myself be taken in with that nonsense. —
我不会让自己被那些废话所欺骗。 —

Of course, there must be something for those who are down,–for the barefooted beggars, knife-grinders, and miserable wretches. —
当然，必须为那些贫困、赤脚的乞丐，磨刀匠和可怜的家伙们准备一些东西。 —

Legends, chimeras, the soul, immortality, paradise, the stars, are provided for them to swallow. —
传奇、幻想、灵魂、永生、天堂、星星，都是为他们准备的。他们将其一口气吞下去。他们把它抹在干面包上。谁没有别的，还有这一点好处。 —

They gobble it down. They spread it on their dry bread. He who has nothing else has the good. —
它们大口吞下去。他们把它涂在干面包上。谁没什么别的，还有这一点好处。 —

God. That is the least he can have. I oppose no objection to that; —
上帝。这是他最少应该拥有的。对此我毫无异议； —

but I reserve Monsieur Naigeon for myself. —
但让蓝日先生留给我。 —

The good God is good for the populace.”
善神对大众有益。”

The Bishop clapped his hands.
主教拍手叫好。

“That’s talking!” he exclaimed. “What an excellent and really marvellous thing is this materialism! —
“说得好！”他赞叹道。“这唯物主义真是卓越而奇妙的事物！ —

Not every one who wants it can have it. Ah! —
想要它的并不是每个人都能拥有。啊！ —

when one does have it, one is no longer a dupe, one does not stupidly allow one’s self to be exiled like Cato, nor stoned like Stephen, nor burned alive like Jeanne d’Arc. Those who have succeeded in procuring this admirable materialism have the joy of feeling themselves irresponsible, and of thinking that they can devour everything without uneasiness,–places, sinecures, dignities, power, whether well or ill acquired, lucrative recantations, useful treacheries, savory capitulations of conscience,–and that they shall enter the tomb with their digestion accomplished. —
拥有了它的人不再被愚弄，也不会像卡托那样被流放，像斯德望那样被扔石头，像钟姬·达克那样被活活烧死。成功获取这种令人赞叹的唯物主义的人享受着感觉无担责之乐，他们认为自己可以不怀忧虑地享用一切，不论是取得良好还是恶劣的地位、挤占预算、名誉、权势，无论是有益的背叛、诱人的无耻交易、令人快意的道德屈服——并且当他们坦然进入坟墓时，他们的消化已经完成。 —

How agreeable that is! I do not say that with reference to you, senator. —
这是多么令人愉快啊！我不是在针对您，议员。 —

Nevertheless, it is impossible for me to refrain from congratulating you. —
然而，我无法不向您祝贺。 —

You great lords have, so you say, a philosophy of your own, and for yourselves, which is exquisite, refined, accessible to the rich alone, good for all sauces, and which seasons the voluptuousness of life admirably. —
您这些伟大的贵族，据说拥有一种只属于自己的哲学，对于您们自己而言，这哲学精致、高尚、只对富贵者开放，适用于一切佳肴，美妙地调味生活的享受。 —

This philosophy has been extracted from the depths, and unearthed by special seekers. —
这种哲学是从深渊中提炼、由特别的探求者挖掘出来的。 —

But you are good-natured princes, and you do not think it a bad thing that belief in the good God should constitute the philosophy of the people, very much as the goose stuffed with chestnuts is the truffled turkey of the poor.”
但您是仁慈的王侯，您并不认为让人民相信善神构成了他们的哲学是一件坏事，就像填满栗子的鹅是穷人的松露火鸡一样。”