For a long time Jacques Bourdillere had sworn that he would never marry, but he suddenly changed his mind.
长期以来，雅克·布迪耶尔一直发誓永远不结婚，但他突然改变了主意。 —

It happened suddenly, one summer, at the seashore.
这突然发生在一个夏天的海滨。

One morning as he lay stretched out on the sand, watching the women coming out of the water, a little foot had struck him by its neatness and daintiness.
有一天早上，当他躺在沙滩上看着女人们从水里走出来时，一个小脚踝因其整洁和精致而引起了他的注意。 —

He raised his eyes and was delighted with the whole person, although in fact he could see nothing but the ankles and the head emerging from a flannel bathrobe carefully held closed.
他抬起眼睛，整个人都欣喜若狂，尽管实际上他只能看到从一件细心扣住的法兰绒浴袍中露出的脚踝和头部。 —

He was supposed to be sensual and a fast liver.
他被认为是一个感官过敏且放荡不羁的人。 —

It was therefore by the mere grace of the form that he was at first captured.
因此，他最初是被她身材的娇美所俘获。 —

Then he was held by the charm of the young girl’s sweet mind, so simple and good, as fresh as her cheeks and lips.
然后，他被年轻女孩甜美、纯真和善良的心所吸引，就像她的脸颊和嘴唇一样新鲜。

He was presented to the family and pleased them.
他被介绍给了家人，让他们很满意。 —

He immediately fell madly in love.
他立刻疯狂地爱上了她。 —

When he saw Berthe Lannis in the distance, on the long yellow stretch of sand, he would tingle to the roots of his hair.
当他在长长的黄色沙滩上远远看到贝丝·拉尼斯时，他会感到头发根部的刺痛。 —

When he was near her he would become silent, unable to speak or even to think, with a kind of throbbing at his heart, and a buzzing in his ears, and a bewilderment in his mind.
当他靠近她时，他会变得沉默，无法说话，甚至无法思考，心中有一种悸动，耳边嗡嗡作响，思绪困惑不已。 —

Was that love?
那是爱情吗？

He did not know or understand, but he had fully decided to have this child for his wife.
他不知道也不理解，但他已经完全决定接受这个孩子作为他的妻子。

Her parents hesitated for a long time, restrained by the young man’s bad reputation.
她的父母迟疑了很久，受到这个年轻人不好的名声的约束。 —

It was said that he had an old sweetheart, one of these binding attachments which one always believes to be broken off and yet which always hold.
据说他有一个旧情人，这种承诺似乎总是会被断了，但却总是保持着。

Besides, for a shorter or longer period, he loved every woman who came within reach of his lips.
而且，无论是短时间还是长时间，他都爱着接触到的每一个女人。

Then he settled down and refused, even once, to see the one with whom he had lived for so long.
然后他安顿下来，拒绝了与他生活了很久的那个人的一面，甚至不愿意见她一次。 —

A friend took care of this woman’s pension and assured her an income.
一个朋友照顾着这个女人的抚恤金，并保证她有收入。 —

Jacques paid, but he did not even wish to hear of her, pretending even to ignore her name.
Jacques付钱了，但他甚至不想听到她的任何消息，假装忽略她的名字。 —

She wrote him letters which he never opened.
她给他写信，他却从未打开过。 —

Every week he would recognize the clumsy writing of the abandoned woman, and every week a greater anger surged within him against her, and he would quickly tear the envelope and the paper, without opening it, without reading one single line, knowing in advance the reproaches and complaints which it contained.
每周他都会发现那个被抛弃的女人拙劣的书写，而每周他对她的愤怒更加强烈，他会迅速撕开信封和纸张，不看一行，事先就知道其中包含的谴责和抱怨。

As no one had much faith in his constancy, the test was prolonged through the winter, and Berthe’s hand was not granted him until the spring.
由于没有人太相信他的坚定，考验一直延续到冬天，直到春天才得到了Berthe的手。 —

The wedding took place in Paris at the beginning of May.
婚礼于五月初在巴黎举行。

The young couple had decided not to take the conventional wedding trip, but after a little dance for the younger cousins, which would not be prolonged after eleven o’clock, in order that this day of lengthy ceremonies might not be too tiresome, the young pair were to spend the first night in the parental home and then, on the following morning, to leave for the beach so dear to their hearts, where they had first known and loved each other.
这对年轻夫妇决定不进行传统的蜜月旅行，但在为年幼的表兄弟姐妹们举行的小舞会之后，舞会不会超过十一点钟，以免这一天漫长的仪式过于疲劳，年轻的夫妇将在父母的家中度过第一个夜晚，然后在第二天早上离开前往他们心爱的海滩，那是他们第一次相识和相爱的地方。

Night had come, and the dance was going on in the large parlor.
夜晚已经到来，在宽敞的客厅内舞蹈正在进行。 —

‘The two had retired into a little Japanese boudoir hung with bright silks and dimly lighted by the soft rays of a large colored lantern hanging from the ceiling like a gigantic egg.
‘两人退入了一个挂满明亮丝绸、被一束巨大的彩灯昏暗照亮的日式闺房。 —

Through the open window the fresh air from outside passed over their faces like a caress, for the night was warm and calm, full of the odor of spring.
透过敞开的窗户，外面的清新空气像抚摸一样掠过他们的脸庞，因为夜晚温暖而宁静，充满了春天的芬芳气息。

They were silent, holding each other’s hands and from time to time squeezing them with all their might.
他们默默无言，彼此握紧对方的手，时不时用尽全力挤压。 —

She sat there with a dreamy look, feeling a little lost at this great change in her life, but smiling, moved, ready to cry, often also almost ready to faint from joy, believing the whole world to be changed by what had just happened to her, uneasy, she knew not why, and feeling her whole body and soul filled with an indefinable and delicious lassitude.
她坐在那里，带着恍惚的神情，对生活中这个巨大的变化感到有些失落，但笑着、感动着、准备哭泣着，经常也几乎因为喜悦而晕倒，相信整个世界都因为刚发生在她身上的事情而变了，她不安，却不知道为什么，感觉整个身心都充满了一种无法定义的美妙疲倦。

He was looking at her persistently with a fixed smile.
他带着一副定格的微笑执着地盯着她。 —

He wished to speak, but found nothing to say, and so sat there, expressing all his ardor by pressures of the hand.
他希望能说些什么，但却找不到话题，只好坐在那儿，通过握手来表达他所有的热情。 —

From time to time he would murmur: “Berthe!
他时不时地低声呢喃：“贝尔特！ —

” And each time she would raise her eyes to him with a look of tenderness;
”每次她都会抬起眼睛，用一种温柔的目光看着他。 —

they would look at each other for a second and then her look, pierced and fascinated by his, would fall.
他们会互相凝视一秒钟，然后她被他的目光所穿透和吸引，便会垂下眼帘。

They found no thoughts to exchange.
他们无法交流任何思想。 —

They had been left alone, but occasionally some of the dancers would cast a rapid glance at them, as though they were the discreet and trusty witnesses of a mystery.
虽然他们独自留下来，但偶尔一些舞者会快速地瞥一眼他们，仿佛他们是一个隐秘可靠的见证人。

A door opened and a servant entered, holding on a tray a letter which a messenger had just brought.
一扇门打开了，一名仆人走进来，手上拿着一个托盘上的一封信，这封信是一个送信人刚刚带来的。 —

Jacques, trembling, took this paper, overwhelmed by a vague and sudden fear, the mysterious terror of swift misfortune.
颤抖的雅克接过这张纸，被一种模糊而突然的恐惧所压倒，一种迅速不幸的神秘恐惧。

He looked for a longtime at the envelope, the writing on which he did not know, not daring to open it, not wishing to read it, with a wild desire to put it in his pocket and say to himself:
他久久地盯着那个信封，上面的字他不认识，不敢打开，也不愿意阅读，内心却狂热地想把它放进口袋里，对自己说：“我会留到明天，当我离开这里的时候再看！”但是在信封的一个角落，被划了下划线的两个大字“非常紧急”让他充满了恐惧。 —

“I’ll leave that till to-morrow, when I’m far away!
“亲爱的，请原谅我。 —

” But on one corner two big words, underlined, “Very urgent,” filled him with terror.
”他撕开了信封。 —

Saying, “Please excuse me, my dear, ” he tore open the envelope.
他久久地看着那个信封，上面的字他不认识，不敢打开，也不愿意阅读，内心却狂热地想把它放进口袋里，对自己说：“我会留到明天，当我离开这里的时候再看！”但是在信封的一个角落，被划了下划线的两个大字“非常紧急”让他充满了恐惧。说着，“请原谅我，亲爱的。”他撕开了信封。 —

He read the paper, grew frightfully pale, looked over it again, and, slowly, he seemed to spell it out word for word.
他读完报纸后脸色变得惨白，又仔细翻看了一遍，然后缓慢地好像一个个单词拼读出来。

When he raised his head his whole expression showed how upset he was.
当他抬起头时，他整个表情都显示出他的不安。他结结巴巴地说道： —

He stammered:
—

“My dear, it’s—it’s from my best friend, who has had a very great misfortune.
“亲爱的，这封信是来自我的好朋友，他遭遇了一场非常大的不幸。 —

He has need of me immediately—for a matter of life or death.
他立刻需要我——涉及到生死存亡的事情。 —

Will you excuse me if I leave you for half an hour?
如果我离开你半个小时，你会原谅我吗？ —

I’ll be right back.”
我马上就回来。”

Trembling and dazed, she stammered: “Go, my dear!
颤抖着、茫然失措的她结结巴巴地说：“去吧， —

” not having been his wife long enough to dare to question him, to demand to know.
我亲爱的！”她还没有做他的妻子足够久，不敢质问他、要求知道。 —

He disappeared. She remained alone, listening to the dancing in the neighboring parlor.
他消失了。她独自留在这里，听着那隔壁舞厅里的音乐声。

He had seized the first hat and coat he came to and rushed downstairs three steps at a time.
他匆忙地拿起眼前的第一顶帽子和外套，一口气跑下楼梯。 —

As he was emerging into the street he stopped under the gas-jet of the vestibule and reread the letter.
当他走到街上时，在门厅的煤气灯下停下来，再次阅读这封信。 —

This is what it said:
信上写着：

SIR: A girl by the name of Ravet, an old sweetheart of yours, it
先生：有一个名叫拉维特的女孩，是你的旧情人，她

seems, has just given birth to a child that she says is yours. The
看上去，似乎生下了一名她声称是你的孩子。

mother is about to die and is begging for you.
母亲即将死去，恳求你的帮助。我趁机写信来询问你是否能满足这个妇人的最后一个请求， —

I take the liberty to
她似乎非常不幸，值得同情。

write and ask you if you can grant this last request to a woman who
真诚的祝福，博纳德医生。

seems to be very unhappy and worthy of pity.
当他走进病房时，这位妇人已经奄奄一息了。起初他没有认出她。

Yours truly, DR. BONNARD.
医生和两名护士正在照料她。到处都摆满了装满冰块的桶和布条上沾满了血迹。

When he reached the sick-room the woman was already on the point of death.
地毯上布满了水；梳妆台上燃着两支蜡烛； —

He did not recognize her at first.
—

The doctor and two nurses were taking care of her.
床后的一个小藤质摇篮里，孩子正在哭泣，每次它哭时， —

And everywhere on the floor were pails full of ice and rags covered with blood.
母亲在痛苦中试图动一下，震颤着身躯，冰凉的绷带覆盖在她身上。 —

Water flooded the carpet;
她受了致命的伤，为此产下孩子而丧命。她的生命正在流逝， —

two candles were burning on a bureau;
尽管有冰块和关怀，无情的出血仍在加速她最后的时刻。 —

behind the bed, in a little wicker crib, the child was crying, and each time it would moan the mother, in torture, would try to move, shivering under her ice bandages.
Please preserve tag in the translation.

She was mortally wounded, killed by this birth.
—

Her life was flowing from her, and, notwithstanding the ice and the care, the merciless hemorrhage continued, hastening her last hour.
不要预输入任何文本

She recognized Jacques and wished to raise her arms.
她认出了雅克，想要举起手臂。 —

They were so weak that she could not do so, but tears coursed down her pallid cheeks.
然而她太虚弱了，无法做到，但泪水沿着她苍白的脸颊流淌。 —

He dropped to his knees beside the bed, seized one of her hands and kissed it frantically.
他跪在床边，抓住她的一只手疯狂地亲吻着。 —

Then, little by little, he drew close to the thin face, which started at the contact.
然后，他渐渐地靠近了那张瘦脸，她在接触时惊愕了一下。 —

One of the nurses was lighting them with a candle, and the doctor was watching them from the back of the room.
一个护士正用蜡烛点亮它们，医生则从房间后面观察着。

Then she said in a voice which sounded as though it came from a distance:
然后她用一种听起来距离很远的声音说道：“我要死了， —

“I am going to die, dear.
亲爱的。 —

Promise to stay to the end. Oh! don’t leave me now.
答应陪我到最后。哦！现在不要离开我。 —

Don’t leave me in my last moments!”
不要在我最后的时刻离开我！”

He kissed her face and her hair, and, weeping, he murmured: “Do not be uneasy;
他亲吻着她的脸和头发，哭泣着低语道：“不要担心；我会留下来的。 —

I will stay.”
”

It was several minutes before she could speak again, she was so weak. She continued:
她虚弱得几分钟才能再次开口。她继续说道： —

“The little one is yours.
“小孩是你的。 —

I swear it before God and on my soul.
我在上帝和我的灵魂面前发誓。 —

I swear it as I am dying!
我发誓在我垂死之际！ —

I have never loved another man but you —promise to take care of the child.”
除了你，我从未爱过其他男人 —— 答应照顾这个孩子。”

He was trying to take this poor pain-racked body in his arms. Maddened by remorse and sorrow, he stammered:
他试图将这个痛苦不堪的身体搂在怀里。悔恨和悲伤让他结结巴巴地说道： —

“I swear to you that I will bring him up and love him.
“我向你发誓，我会抚养他并爱他。 —

He shall never leave me.”
他永远不会离开我。”

Then she tried to kiss Jacques. Powerless to lift her head, she held out her white lips in an appeal for a kiss.
接着，她试图亲吻雅克。无力抬起头，她伸出白唇，乞求着一个吻。 —

He approached his lips to respond to this piteous entreaty.
他靠近她的嘴唇，回应着这个可怜的请求。

As soon as she felt a little calmer, she murmured:
当她感觉稍微平静一点时，她低声说道： —

“Bring him here and let me see if you love him.”
“把他带过来，让我看看你是否爱他。”

He went and got the child.
他去抱了孩子过来。 —

He placed him gently on the bed between them, and the little one stopped crying.
他轻轻地把他放在他们之间的床上，小家伙停止了哭泣。 —

She murmured: “Don’t move any more!
她低声说道：“不要再动！” —

” And he was quiet. And he stayed there, holding in his burning hand this other hand shaking in the chill of death, just as, a while ago, he had been holding a hand trembling with love.
他就静静地待在那里，他的灼热手掌握着另一只在死亡寒意中颤抖的手，就像之前他曾握着颤抖着爱意的手一样。 —

From time to time he would cast a quick glance at the clock, which marked midnight, then one o’clock, then two.
他不时地瞥了一眼标着午夜、一点和两点的时钟。

The physician had returned. The two nurses, after noiselessly moving about the room for a while, were now sleeping on chairs.
医生已经回来了。两个护士在房间里无声地活动了一会儿，现在正在椅子上睡觉。 —

The child was asleep, and the mother, with eyes shut, appeared also to be resting.
孩子睡着了，母亲闭着眼睛似乎也在休息。

Suddenly, just as pale daylight was creeping in behind the curtains, she stretched out her arms with such a quick and violent motion that she almost threw her baby on the floor.
突然间，就在白天透过帘子缓缓露出的时候，她伸出双臂，动作迅速而猛烈，几乎把她的孩子甩到了地板上。 —

A kind of rattle was heard in her throat, then she lay on her back motionless, dead.
她的喉咙里发出一种咯咯声，然后她平躺在床上一动不动，死去了。

The nurses sprang forward and declared: “All is over!”
护士们一蹦而起，宣布：“一切都结束了！”

He looked once more at this woman whom he had so loved, then at the clock, which pointed to four, and he ran away, forgetting his overcoat, in the evening dress, with the child in his arms.
他再次看着这个他深爱过的女人，然后看了看指向四点的钟，他抱着孩子跑了起来，忘记了自己的大衣，还穿着晚礼服。

After he had left her alone the young wife had waited, calmly enough at first, in the little Japanese boudoir.
在他离开她独自一人的时候，年轻的妻子曾在小的日式休息室里等待，起初很平静。 —

Then, as she did not see him return, she went back to the parlor with an indifferent and calm appearance, but terribly anxious.
然后，当她没有看到他回来时，她走回客厅，表现得冷漠而镇定，但内心十分焦虑。 —

When her mother saw her alone she asked:
当她的母亲看到她一个人时问道： —

“Where is your husband?
“你丈夫在哪里?” —

” She answered: “In his room;
她回答道：“在他的房间， —

he is coming right back.”
他马上就回来。”

After an hour, when everybody had questioned her, she told about the letter, Jacques’ upset appearance and her fears of an accident.
一个小时过去了，当每个人都询问了她之后，她讲述了关于信件、雅克的不安表情以及她对意外的担忧。

Still they waited. The guests left;
他们仍然等待着。客人们离开了， —

only the nearest relatives remained.
只有最亲近的亲戚留下。 —

At midnight the bride was put to bed, sobbing bitterly.
午夜时分，新娘被送上床，痛苦地哭泣着。 —

Her mother and two aunts, sitting around the bed, listened to her crying, silent and in despair.
她的母亲和两个姑姑围着床坐着，听着她的哭声，默默地感到绝望。 —

The father had gone to the commissary of police to see if he could obtain some news.
父亲去看了警察局长，看是否能获得一些消息。

At five o’clock a slight noise was heard in the hall.
五点钟时，走廊传来了轻微的声音。 —

A door was softly opened and closed.
一扇门轻轻地打开又关上了。 —

Then suddenly a little cry like the mewing of a cat was heard throughout the silent house.
然后突然，在寂静的房子里传来了一声像猫叫一样的小声尖叫。

All the women started forward and Berthe sprang ahead of them all, pushing her way past her aunts, wrapped in a bathrobe.
所有的女人都向前冲了过去，贝丝冲在了她们所有人的前面，穿过她的姑姑们，脸上包着浴袍。

Jacques stood in the middle of the room, pale and out of breath, holding an infant in his arms.
雅克站在房间中间，面色苍白，喘着气，怀里抱着一个婴儿。 —

The four women looked at him, astonished;
四个女人看着他，惊讶不已； —

but Berthe, who had suddenly become courageous, rushed forward with anguish in her heart, exclaiming:
但是变得勇敢的贝尔特抓住她的心灵之痛，迅速冲上前去，大声问道： —

“What is it? What’s the matter?”
“怎么了？出了什么事？”

He looked about him wildly and answered shortly:
他疯狂地四下张望着，简单地回答道：

“I—I have a child and the mother has just died.”
“我——我有一个孩子，孩子的母亲刚刚去世了。”

And with his clumsy hands he held out the screaming infant.
他用笨拙的手递出了尖叫的婴儿。

Without saying a word, Berthe seized the child, kissed it and hugged it to her.
贝尔特没有说话，她抓住了孩子，亲吻并紧紧地抱着它。 —

Then she raised her tear-filled eyes to him, asking:
然后她抬起满是泪水的眼睛，问道： —

“Did you say that the mother was dead?
“你说孩子的母亲已经去世了？”他回答道： —

” He answered: “Yes—just now—in my arms.
“是的——刚刚——在我的怀里。 —

I had broken with her since summer.
从夏天开始，我已经与她决裂了。 —

I knew nothing. The physician sent for me.”
我一无所知。医生找我来的。”

Then Berthe murmured: “Well, we will bring up the little one.”
然后贝尔特低声说：“好吧，我们来抚养这个小孩。”