Madame de X. to Madame de L.
至L夫人的X夫人

ETRETAT, Friday.
周五，埃特尔塔

My Dear Aunt:
亲爱的姨妈：

I am coming to see you without anyone knowing it.
我要不让任何人知道地来看你。 —

I shall be at Les Fresnes on the 2d of September, the day before the hunting season opens, as I do not want to miss it, so that I may tease these gentlemen.
我将于9月2日到达莱斯弗雷恩，即狩猎季开始前的一天，因为我不想错过这个机会，这样我就可以取笑这些绅士们。 —

You are too good, aunt, and you will allow them, as you usually do when there are no strange guests, to come to table, under pretext of fatigue, without dressing or shaving for the occasion.
姨妈，你太好心了，你会像以往一样，当没有外来客人时，允许他们在饭桌上来，借口是疲劳，不需要因此打扮或刮胡子。

They are delighted, of course, when I am not present.
当然，这些绅士们对此感到高兴， —

But I shall be there and will hold a review, like a general, at dinner time;
只有在我不在场的时候。但我将在那里，像战斗一样，在晚餐时进行检阅; —

and, if I find a single one of them at all careless in dress, no matter how little, I mean to send them down to the kitchen with the servants.
如果我发现有一个人在穿着方面稍微马虎，不管多么轻微，我打算把他们和佣人一起送到厨房。

The men of to-day have so little consideration for others and so little good manners that one must be always severe with them.
如今的人们对他人如此不顾及礼仪，以至于我们必须经常对他们严厉要求。 —

We live indeed in an age of vulgarity. When they quarrel, they insult each other in terms worthy of longshoremen, and, in our presence, they do not conduct themselves even as well as our servants.
确实，我们生活在一个粗鄙之时代。当他们争吵时，他们互相侮辱，用劳工们都无从言说的话语，而且即使在我们面前，他们的举止也不如我们的仆人。 —

It is at the seaside that you see this most clearly.
在海边这一点表现得尤为明显。 —

They are to be found there in battalions, and you can judge them in the lump.
他们成群结队地出现，你可以将他们作为一个整体来判断。 —

Oh! what coarse beings they are!
哦！他们是多么粗鄙的存在啊！

Just imagine, in a train, a gentleman who looked well, as I thought at first sight, thanks to his tailor, carefully took off his boots in order to put on a pair of old shoes!
想象一下，在火车上，一个一开始看起来相貌不错的绅士，多亏了他的裁缝，竟然小心翼翼地脱掉他的靴子，换上一双旧鞋！ —

Another, an old man who was probably some wealthy upstart (these are the most ill-bred), while sitting opposite to me, had the delicacy to place his two feet on the seat quite close to me.
还有一个老人，可能是某位富有的暴发户（这些人最没有教养），坐在我对面，竟然大方地把他的两只脚放在紧靠我身边的座位上。 —

This is a positive fact.
这是一个确凿无疑的事实。

At the watering-places the vulgarity is unrestrained.
在度假胜地，粗鲁是没有限制的。 —

I must here make one admission—that my indignation is perhaps due to the fact that I am not accustomed to associate, as a rule, with the sort of people one comes across here, for I should be less shocked by their manners if I had the opportunity of observing them oftener.
我必须承认，我的愤怒也许是因为我不习惯与这种人来往，因为如果我有机会经常观察他们，我对他们的举止就不会那么震惊了。 —

In the office of the hotel I was nearly thrown down by a young man who snatched the key over my head.
在旅馆的办公室里，一个年轻人从我的头上抢走了钥匙，差点把我撞倒。 —

Another knocked against me so violently without begging my pardon or lifting his hat, coming away from a ball at the Casino, that it gave me a pain in the chest.
另一个人在赌场的舞会结束后没有道歉，也没有抬起帽子就猛烈地撞到了我，结果我胸口疼。 —

It is the same way with all of them.
他们都是这样。 —

Watch them addressing ladies on the terrace;
看着他们在露台上向女士们打招呼， —

they scarcely ever bow.
他们几乎从不鞠躬。 —

They merely raise their hands to their headgear. But, indeed, as they are all more or less bald, it is the best plan.
他们只是举起手探向头上的饰物。但是，实际上，他们个个都秃顶，这是最好的办法。

But what exasperates and disgusts me particularly is the liberty they take of talking in public, without any kind of precaution, about the most revolting adventures.
但是最让我激怒和厌恶的是，他们在公共场合毫无顾忌地讲述最令人厌恶的冒险故事。 —

When two men are together, they relate to each other, in the broadest language and with the most abominable comments really horrible stories, without caring in the slightest degree whether a woman’s ear is within reach of their voices.
当两个男人在一起时，他们会用最粗俗的语言讲述非常可怕的故事，毫不在乎女人是否能听到他们的声音。 —

Yesterday, on the beach, I was forced to leave the place where I was sitting in order not to be any longer the involuntary confidante of an obscene anecdote, told in such immodest language that I felt just as humiliated as indignant at having heard it.
昨天，在海滩上，为了不再成为一个猥亵笑话的无意倾听者，我不得不离开我坐的地方。那个笑话用如此不雅的语言讲述，我感到既受辱又愤怒。 —

Would not the most elementary good-breeding teach them to speak in a lower tone about such matters when we are near at hand.
最基本的良好教养难道不能让他们在我们近在咫尺的时候用更低的音调谈论这些事情吗？ —

Etretat is, moreover, the country of gossip and scandal.
艾特尔塔还是流言蜚语和丑闻的国度。 —

From five to seven o’clock you can see people wandering about in quest of scandal, which they retail from group to group.
从五点到七点，你可以看到人们四处寻找丑闻，他们一组接一组地传播着。 —

As you remarked to me, my dear aunt, tittle-tattle is the mark of petty individuals and petty minds.
就如你对我所说的，亲爱的阿姨，闲言碎语是琐碎之人和琐碎之心的标志。 —

It is also the consolation of women who are no longer loved or sought after.
它也是那些不再被爱或追求的女人的慰藉。 —

It is enough for me to observe the women who are fondest of gossiping to be persuaded that you are quite right.
对我来说，足以观察到那些最爱闲聊的女人们，我被说服你是完全正确的。

The other day I was present at a musical evening at the Casino, given by a remarkable artist, Madame Masson, who sings in a truly delightful manner.
那天晚上我在赌场参加了一个由一位出色的艺术家马松夫人主持的音乐晚会，她的歌唱方式真是令人愉悦。 —

I took the opportunity of applauding the admirable Coquelin, as well as two charming vaudeville performers, M——and Meillet.
我借此机会鼓掌赞扬了优秀的科克兰先生，还有两位迷人的小品演员M——和Meillet。 —

I met, on this occasion, all the bathers who were at the beach.
在这个场合，我遇到了所有在海滩上沐浴的人。 —

It is no great distinction this year.
今年并没有什么特别的区别。

Next day I went to lunch at Yport. I noticed a tall man with a beard, coming out of a large house like a castle.
第二天我去Yport吃午饭。我注意到一个身材高大、留着胡子的男人走出一个像城堡一样大的房子。 —

It was the painter, Jean Paul Laurens.
那是画家让·保罗·洛朗斯。 —

He is not satisfied apparently with imprisoning the subjects of his pictures, he insists on imprisoning himself.
显然他不仅仅满足于把他绘画作品的主题囚禁在其中，他还坚持把自己囚禁在其中。

Then I found myself seated on the shingle close to a man still young, of gentle and refined appearance, who was reading poetry.
接着我坐在沙滩上，旁边是一个看起来还年轻、温文尔雅的男人，他在读诗。 —

But he read it with such concentration, with such passion, I may say, that he did not even raise his eyes towards me.
然而他读得如此专心，如此热情，我可以说，他甚至没有抬起眼睛看我一眼。 —

I was somewhat astonished and asked the proprietor of the baths, without appearing to be much concerned, the name of this gentleman.
我有些惊讶，并在不显得过于担忧的情况下询问了浴场的老板这位先生的名字。 —

I laughed to myself a little at this reader of rhymes;
这个诗人让我有些好笑；他对时代似乎有些落伍了， —

he seemed behind the age, for a man. This person, I thought, must be a simpleton.
对一个男人来说。我想，这个人一定很傻。 —

Well, aunt, I am now infatuated about this stranger.
姑姑，我现在对这个陌生人着迷了。只是想象一下， —

Just fancy, his name is Sully Prudhomme!
他叫苏利·普吕东（Sully Prudhomme）！ —

I went back and sat down beside him again so as to get a good look at him.
我回去又坐在他旁边，好好看着他。 —

His face has an expression of calmness and of penetration.
他的脸上有一种沉静和洞察力的表情。 —

Somebody came to look for him, and I heard his voice, which is sweet and almost timid.
有人来找他了，我听到他的声音，甜美而几乎胆怯。 —

He would certainly not tell obscene stories aloud in public or knock up against ladies without apologizing.
他肯定不会在公共场合大声讲黄色笑话，或者撞到女士而不道歉。 —

He is assuredly a man of refinement, but his refinement is of an almost morbid, sensitive character, I will try this winter to get an introduction to him.
他无疑是一个有修养的人，但他的修养几乎是一种病态而敏感的性格，我会在这个冬天试着认识他。

I have no more news, my dear aunt, and I must finish this letter in
亲爱的阿姨，我再没有更多的消息了，所以我必须匆忙结束这封信，因为邮局马上要关门了。

haste, as the mail will soon close.
我亲吻您的手和您的脸颊。 —

I kiss your hands and your cheeks.

Your devoted niece,
您忠诚的侄女，

BERTHE DE X.
BERTHE DE X。

P. S.—I should add, however, by way of justification of French politeness, that our fellow-countrymen are, when travelling, models of good manners in comparison with the abominable English, who seem to have been brought up in a stable, so careful are they not to discommode themselves in any way, while they always discommode their neighbors.
附言：我应该补充一点，以辩解法国人的礼貌，即在旅行中，与那些可恶的英国人相比，我们的同胞是模范的，因为英国人似乎是在马厩长大的，他们总是小心翼翼地不给自己带来任何不便，同时却总是给邻居们带来不便。

Madame de L. to Madame de X.
L女士致X女士。

LES FRESNES, Saturday.
逢星期六，我在LES FRESNES。

My Dear Child:
亲爱的孩子：

Many of the things you have said to me are very sensible, but that does not prevent you from being wrong.
你说的很多事情都很明智，但这并不能阻止你犯错。 —

Like you, I used formerly to feel very indignant at the impoliteness of men, who, as I supposed, constantly treated me with neglect;
和你一样，我过去常常为男人的无礼感到愤怒，觉得他们经常忽视我； —

but, as I grew older and reflected on everything, putting aside coquetry, and observing things without taking any part in them myself, I perceived this much—that if men are not always polite, women are always indescribably rude.
但是，随着我年纪的增长和对一切事物的思考，搁置了撒娇的心态，不参与其中只是观察，我发现了这一点——如果男人不总是礼貌，那么女人总是难以形容的粗鲁。

We imagine that we should be permitted to do anything, my darling, and at the same time we consider that we have a right to the utmost respect, and in the most flagrant manner we commit actions devoid of that elementary good-breeding of which you speak so feelingly.
我们想象我们应该被允许做任何事情，亲爱的，同时我们认为我们有权得到最大限度的尊重，然而我们却在最显眼的方式上做出了缺乏基本的教养的行为，正如你那么感触地谈到的那样。

I find, on the contrary, that men consider us much more than we consider them.
相反地，我发现男人们对我们的考虑要比我们对他们的考虑多得多。 —

Besides, darling, men must needs be, and are, what we make them.
此外，亲爱的，男人们必须是我们塑造出来的，也确实是这样。 —

In a state of society, where women are all true gentlewomen, all men would become gentlemen.
在一个女性都得体的社会中，所有男性都会变成绅士。

Come now; just observe and reflect.
来吧，观察和反思一下。

Look at two women meeting in the street.
看看两个在街上相遇的女人。 —

What an attitude each assumes towards the other!
她们对彼此采取了何种态度！ —

What disparaging looks!
多么轻视的眼神！ —

What contempt they throw into each glance!
她们每一个目光中都投射着轻蔑。 —

How they toss their heads while they inspect each other to find something to condemn!
她们如何瞪大眼睛审视对方，寻找可以谴责的东西！ —

And, if the footpath is narrow, do you think one woman would make room for another, or would beg pardon as she sweeps by? Never!
而且，如果人行道很窄，你认为一个女人会为了另一个女人让路，或者在擦肩而过时道歉吗？决不会！ —

When two men jostle each other by accident in some narrow lane, each of them bows and at the same time gets out of the other’s way, while we women press against each other stomach to stomach, face to face, insolently staring each other out of countenance.
当两个男人在某个狭窄的巷子里无意碰撞到对方时，他们彼此鞠躬，同时避开对方的路，而我们女人则胸对胸、面对面地挤在一起，傲慢地互相凝视对方。

Look at two women who are acquaintances meeting on a staircase outside the door of a friend’s drawing-room, one of them just leaving, the other about to go in.
看看两个相识的女人在朋友的客厅门口的楼梯上相遇，一个刚刚离开，另一个准备进去。 —

They begin to talk to each other and block up all the landing.
她们开始互相交谈，堵住了整个楼梯。 —

If anyone happens to be coming up behind them, man or woman, do you imagine that they will put themselves half an inch out of their way?
如果有人正好从后面走过来，无论是男人还是女人，你认为她们会让出半英寸的路吗？绝不！ —

Never! never!
绝不！

I was waiting myself, with my watch in my hands, one day last winter at a certain drawing-room door.
去年冬天的某一天，我自己站在一个某个客厅门口，手里拿着手表等待。 —

And, behind me, two gentlemen were also waiting without showing any readiness, as I did, to lose their temper.
而在我后面，还有两个绅士也在等待，但没有像我一样显示出愿意发脾气的准备。 —

The reason was that they had long grown accustomed to our unconscionable insolence.
原因是他们早已习惯了我们不可理喻的傲慢。

The other day, before leaving Paris, I went to dine with no less a person than your husband, in the Champs Elysees, in order to enjoy the fresh air.
前几天，在离开巴黎之前，我去了香榭丽舍大街与你的丈夫一起用餐，以享受新鲜的空气。 —

Every table was occupied.
每张桌子都有人坐满。 —

The waiter asked us to wait and there would soon be a vacant table.
服务员让我们等一下，很快就会有空桌子。

At that moment I noticed an elderly lady of noble figure, who, having paid for her dinner, seemed on the point of going away.
正在那时，我注意到一个高贵的年长女士，她已经付完晚餐的钱，似乎正准备离开。 —

She saw me, scanned me from head to foot, and did not budge.
她看到了我，从头到脚打量了我一下，却没有离开。 —

For more than a quarter of an hour she sat there, immovable, putting on her gloves, and calmly staring at those who were waiting like myself.
超过15分钟，她就坐在那里，不动如山，戴上手套，并冷静地盯着那些和我一样等待的人们。 —

Now, two young men who were just finishing their dinner, having seen me in their turn, hastily summoned the waiter, paid what they owed, and at once offered me their seats, even insisting on standing while waiting for their change.
此时，两个年轻人正在快要吃完晚餐，他们看到了我，急忙叫来服务员，支付了账单，并立即让出座位给我，甚至坚持在等待找零的过程中站着。 —

And, bear in mind, my fair niece, that I am no longer pretty, like you, but old and white-haired.
而且，要记住，亲爱的侄女，我已经不再像你一样漂亮，而是老去的、白发苍苍的。

It is we, you see, who should be taught politeness, and the task would be such a difficult one that Hercules himself would not be equal to it.
我们自己应该被教育有礼貌，这是一项非常困难的任务，即便是大力士赫拉克勒斯也无法胜任。 —

You speak to me about Etretat and about the people who indulged in “tittle-tattle” along the beach of that delightful watering-place.
你和我谈到了埃特尔塔和那个宜人的海滩上闲聊的人们。 —

It is a spot now lost to me, a thing of the past, but I found much amusement therein days gone by.
对我而言，那是一个已经失去的地方，过去的事情，但我当时在那里找到了很多乐趣。

There were only a few of us, people in good society, really good society, and a few artists, and we all fraternized.
我们只有少数人，真正上流社会的人，还有一些艺术家，我们都友好相处。 —

We paid little attention to gossip in those days.
那时我们很少在意闲话。

As we had no monotonous Casino, where people only gather for show, where they whisper, where they dance stupidly, where they succeed in thoroughly boring one another, we sought some other way of passing our evenings pleasantly.
因为当时我们没有单调的赌场，在那里人们只是为了炫耀而聚集，他们会窃窃私语，愚蠢地跳舞，大家彼此彻底厌烦，所以我们寻找其他愉快的晚上方式。 —

Now, just guess what came into the head of one of our husbands?
现在，猜猜我们其中一位丈夫脑子里想到了什么？ —

Nothing less than to go and dance each night in one of the farm-houses in the neighborhood.
没有别的，只是每晚去附近的农舍跳舞。

We started out in a group with a street-organ, generally played by Le Poittevin, the painter, with a cotton nightcap on his head.
我们以一个小组开始，有一个由画家勒普瓦蒂纳演奏的手风琴，他戴着棉质睡帽。 —

Two men carried lanterns. We followed in procession, laughing and chattering like a pack of fools.
两个人拿着灯笼。我们跟在后面，像一群傻瓜一样笑着聊着。

We woke up the farmer and his servant-maids and farm hands. We got them to make onion soup (horror!
我们把农民和他的女仆和农工们都叫醒了。我们让他们做了洋葱汤（太可怕了！） —

), and we danced under the apple trees, to the sound of the barrel-organ.
，我们在苹果树下跳舞，伴随着风琴的声音。 —

The cocks waking up began to crow in the darkness of the out-houses;
清晨，在杂物房里，公鸡开始啼叫； —

the horses began prancing on the straw of their stables.
马匹在它们的厩舍里踢踏。 —

The cool air of the country caressed our cheeks with the smell of grass and of new-mown hay.
乡村的凉爽空气用新鲜草和新割的干草的香味轻抚着我们的脸颊。

How long ago it is! How long ago it is!
多久以前啊！多久以前啊！ —

It is thirty years since then!
已经过去三十年了！

I do not want you, my darling, to come for the opening of the hunting
亲爱的，我不希望你来参加狩猎季节的开幕。为什么要在这个乡村健身的日子里让我们的朋友们忍受时髦的装扮呢？

season. Why spoil the pleasure of our friends by inflicting on them
这就是男人们被宠坏的方式。我拥抱你。你的老姑妈，

fashionable toilettes on this day of vigorous exercise in the country?
珍妮维夫·德L.

This is the way, child, that men are spoiled.
这是孩子，男人们被宠坏的方式。我拥抱你。 —

I embrace you. Your old
你的老姑妈，

aunt,
珍妮维夫·德L.

GENEVIEVE DE L.
珍妮维夫·德L.