As the procureur had told Madame Danglars, Valentine was not yet recovered. —
正如检察官所告知的那样，瓦伦泰还没有恢复过来。 —

Bowed down with fatigue, she was indeed confined to her bed; —
她疲惫不堪，确实被限制在床上； —

and it was in her own room, and from the lips of Madame de Villefort, that she heard all the strange events we have related; —
就在她自己的房间里，从维勒福夫人的嘴里，她听到了我们所描述的所有奇怪的事件； —

we mean the flight of Eugénie and the arrest of Andrea Cavalcanti, or rather Benedetto, together with the accusation of murder pronounced against him. —
我们指的是尤金尼的逃跑和安德烈·卡瓦尔坦蒂的逮捕，或者说是贝内代托所面临的谋杀指控。 —

But Valentine was so weak that this recital scarcely produced the same effect it would have done had she been in her usual state of health. —
但是瓦伦泰太虚弱了，这个故事几乎没有产生与她平时健康状态下相同的效果。 —

Indeed, her brain was only the seat of vague ideas, and confused forms, mingled with strange fancies, alone presented themselves before her eyes.
实际上，她的大脑只是充斥着模糊的想法和混乱的形象，夹杂着奇怪的幻想，独自在她眼前呈现。

During the daytime Valentine’s perceptions remained tolerably clear, owing to the constant presence of M. Noirtier, who caused himself to be carried to his granddaughter’s room, and watched her with his paternal tenderness; —
白天，由于诺尔缇尔先生的不断陪伴，瓦伦泰的感知力保持相对清晰，他让自己被抬到孙女的房间里，并用他那慈父般的温柔关注着她。 —

Villefort also, on his return from the law courts, frequently passed an hour or two with his father and child.
维尔福也经常在从法庭回来后，与父亲和孩子共度一个小时或两个小时的时光。

At six o’clock Villefort retired to his study, at eight M. d’Avrigny himself arrived, bringing the night draught prepared for the young girl, and then M. Noirtier was carried away. —
六点钟维尔福退到他的书房，八点钟达维尼先生亲自过来，带来为小女孩准备的晚间药剂，然后诺尔缇尔先生被抬走了。 —

A nurse of the doctor’s choice succeeded them, and never left till about ten or eleven o’clock, when Valentine was asleep. —
一位医生选择的护士接替了他们，直到十点或十一点钟，当瓦伦蒂娜入睡时才离开。 —

As she went downstairs she gave the keys of Valentine’s room to M. de Villefort, so that no one could reach the sick-room excepting through that of Madame de Villefort and little Edward.
当她下楼时，她把瓦伦蒂娜房间的钥匙交给了维尔福先生，所以除了通过维尔福夫人和小爱德华的房间，没有人能进入病房。

Every morning Morrel called on Noirtier to receive news of Valentine, and, extraordinary as it seemed, each day found him less uneasy. —
每天早上，莫雷尔去拜访诺尔缇尔，以获得瓦伦蒂娜的消息，虽然看起来很不可思议，但每一天他都变得不再担心。 —

Certainly, though Valentine still labored under dreadful nervous excitement, she was better; —
确实，尽管瓦伦蒂娜仍然承受着可怕的神经紧张，但她变得更好了。 —

and moreover, Monte Cristo had told him when, half distracted, he had rushed to the count’s house, that if she were not dead in two hours she would be saved. —
而且，蒙蒂克里斯托曾告诉他，当他心烦意乱地冲向伯爵家时，如果两小时内她没有死去，她就能得救。 —

Now four days had elapsed, and Valentine still lived.
如今已经过去了四天，瓦伦丁仍然活着。

The nervous excitement of which we speak pursued Valentine even in her sleep, or rather in that state of somnolence which succeeded her waking hours; —
我们所说的这种紧张的兴奋状态甚至在瓦伦丁的睡眠中追逐着她，或者说在她醒着的时间之后的昏睡状态中追逐着她。 —

it was then, in the silence of night, in the dim light shed from the alabaster lamp on the chimney-piece, that she saw the shadows pass and repass which hover over the bed of sickness, and fan the fever with their trembling wings. —
就在夜晚的寂静中，在石膏灯在壁炉架上散发的微弱光线下，她看到那些在病榻上徘徊的阴影来回移动，用颤动的翅膀为发热吹拂。 —

First she fancied she saw her stepmother threatening her, then Morrel stretched his arms towards her; —
她先是幻想自己看到继母威胁她，然后莫雷尔向她伸出双臂； —

sometimes mere strangers, like the Count of Monte Cristo came to visit her; —
有时候，像蒙蒂克里斯托伯爵这样的陌生人也会来看望她。 —

even the very furniture, in these moments of delirium, seemed to move, and this state lasted till about three o’clock in the morning, when a deep, heavy slumber overcame the young girl, from which she did not awake till daylight.
甚至家具，在这个疯狂的时刻，似乎也在移动，这种状态持续到凌晨三点左右，然后年轻女孩陷入了沉重的熟睡中，直到天亮才醒来。

On the evening of the day on which Valentine had learned of the flight of Eugénie and the arrest of Benedetto, —Villefort having retired as well as Noirtier and d’Avrigny, —her thoughts wandered in a confused maze, alternately reviewing her own situation and the events she had just heard.
在瓦伦丁得知了尤金妮的逃亡和贝内代托的被捕后的那个晚上，当瓦伦丁、努瓦提尔和达维尼退下后，她的思绪在一个混乱的迷宫中游荡，轮流回顾自己的处境和刚听到的事件。

Eleven o’clock had struck. The nurse, having placed the beverage prepared by the doctor within reach of the patient, and locked the door, was listening with terror to the comments of the servants in the kitchen, and storing her memory with all the horrible stories which had for some months past amused the occupants of the antechambers in the house of the king’s attorney. —
十一点钟敲响了。护士将医生准备的饮料放在病人能够够到的地方，锁上门，恐惧地听着厨房里仆人们的评论，并将所有可怕的故事存入记忆中，这些故事在过去几个月中一直逗乐着国王律师府的住户们。 —

Meanwhile an unexpected scene was passing in the room which had been so carefully locked.
与此同时，一个意想不到的情景出现在被仔细锁上的房间里。

Ten minutes had elapsed since the nurse had left; —
自从护士离开已经过去了十分钟； —

Valentine, who for the last hour had been suffering from the fever which returned nightly, incapable of controlling her ideas, was forced to yield to the excitement which exhausted itself in producing and reproducing a succession and recurrence of the same fancies and images. —
瓦伦丁已经在过去一小时里一直被夜间反复出现的发热所折磨，她无法控制自己的想法，被迫屈服于不断产生和重现相同幻想和形象的激动； —

The night-lamp threw out countless rays, each resolving itself into some strange form to her disordered imagination, when suddenly by its flickering light Valentine thought she saw the door of her library, which was in the recess by the chimney-piece, open slowly, though she in vain listened for the sound of the hinges on which it turned.
夜灯向外发出无数光线，每一束光线在她混乱的想象中变成了某种奇怪的形式，突然，在闪烁的光线下，瓦伦丁以为看到了烟囱边上的壁龛里她的书房门缓缓打开，虽然她极力倾听门轴转动的声音，却什么也没听到。

At any other time Valentine would have seized the silken bell-pull and summoned assistance, but nothing astonished her in her present situation. —
在其他任何时候，瓦伦丁都会抓住丝绸的吊带拉铃，召唤帮助，但在她目前的处境下，没有什么能让她感到惊讶。 —

Her reason told her that all the visions she beheld were but the children of her imagination, and the conviction was strengthened by the fact that in the morning no traces remained of the nocturnal phantoms, who disappeared with the coming of daylight.
她的理智告诉她，她所见的所有幻象只是她想象的孩子，而且这种信念被这样一个事实强化：早晨时，没有任何迹象表明这些夜间幽灵存在过，它们都随着日光的到来而消失了。

From behind the door a human figure appeared, but the girl was too familiar with such apparitions to be alarmed, and therefore only stared, hoping to recognize Morrel. —
一道人影从门后出现，但是女孩对这种幻影太过熟悉，所以并不害怕，只是盯着看，希望能认出莫雷尔。 —

The figure advanced towards the bed and appeared to listen with profound attention. —
这个身影向床靠近，似乎在专注地听。 —

At this moment a ray of light glanced across the face of the midnight visitor.
就在这时，一束光亮照在午夜来访者的脸上。

“It is not he,” she murmured, and waited, in the assurance that this was but a dream, for the man to disappear or assume some other form. —
她低声说道：“他不是那个人”，并等待着，确信这只是一个梦，等着这个人消失或者变成其他形式。 —

Still, she felt her pulse, and finding it throb violently she remembered that the best method of dispelling such illusions was to drink, for a draught of the beverage prepared by the doctor to allay her fever seemed to cause a reaction of the brain, and for a short time she suffered less. —
然而，她还是感到自己的脉搏，发觉它在剧烈跳动，她记起最好的驱散这种幻觉的方法是喝一杯药剂，因为医生为了减轻她的发热症状特意准备了一杯饮料，似乎能够对大脑产生反应，令她暂时减轻了痛苦。 —

Valentine therefore reached her hand towards the glass, but as soon as her trembling arm left the bed the apparition advanced more quickly towards her, and approached the young girl so closely that she fancied she heard his breath, and felt the pressure of his hand.
于是，瓦伦泰娜伸手去拿杯子，但是她颤抖的手一离开床，那个幽灵就更快地朝她靠近，并且靠得离那位年轻女孩如此之近，以至于她仿佛听到了他的呼吸，感受到了他的手压过来。

This time the illusion, or rather the reality, surpassed anything Valentine had before experienced; —
这一次的幻觉，或者更确切地说是现实，胜过了瓦伦泰娜以前经历过的任何事情。 —

she began to believe herself really alive and awake, and the belief that her reason was this time not deceived made her shudder. —
她开始相信自己真的活着并清醒，而不是被欺骗了，这种理智不再被蒙蔽的信念使她感到恐惧。 —

The pressure she felt was evidently intended to arrest her arm, and she slowly withdrew it. —
她感受到的压力显然是为了阻止她的手臂，于是她缓慢地收回了手。 —

Then the figure, from whom she could not detach her eyes, and who appeared more protecting than menacing, took the glass, and walking towards the night-light held it up, as if to test its transparency. —
接着，那个吸引着她眼球的身影，看起来比威胁更像是保护者，拿起玻璃杯，走向夜灯，举起杯子，似乎在测试透明度。 —

This did not seem sufficient; the man, or rather the ghost—for he trod so softly that no sound was heard—then poured out about a spoonful into the glass, and drank it.
这似乎还不够；这个人，或者更确切地说，这个鬼魂——因为他踏得如此轻盈，没有发出任何声音——然后往玻璃杯里倒了大约一勺，然后喝了下去。

Valentine witnessed this scene with a sentiment of stupefaction. —
瓦伦丁目睹这一幕，感到非常惊讶。 —

Every minute she had expected that it would vanish and give place to another vision; —
她本以为每分钟都会消失，让另一个幻象出现； —

but the man, instead of dissolving like a shadow, again approached her, and said in an agitated voice, “Now you may drink.”
但是这个人，没有像影子一样消失，而是再次走向她，用激动的声音说道：“现在你可以喝了。”

Valentine shuddered. It was the first time one of these visions had ever addressed her in a living voice, and she was about to utter an exclamation. —
瓦伦丁感到一阵战栗。这是她第一次看到其中一个幻象以活生生的声音与她对话，她正要发出一声惊叫。 —

The man placed his finger on her lips.
那个人把手指放在她的嘴唇上。

“The Count of Monte Cristo!” she murmured.
“蒙特克里斯托伯爵！”她喃喃自语。

It was easy to see that no doubt now remained in the young girl’s mind as to the reality of the scene; —
年轻女孩的脑海中再也没有任何疑问，她清楚地看到了眼前的场景的真实性； —

her eyes started with terror, her hands trembled, and she rapidly drew the bedclothes closer to her. —
她惊恐地瞪大了眼睛，双手颤抖着，迅速将被褥拉得更紧； —

Still, the presence of Monte Cristo at such an hour, his mysterious, fanciful, and extraordinary entrance into her room through the wall, might well seem impossibilities to her shattered reason.
然而，蒙蒂克里斯托在如此时刻的出现，他神秘、奇幻、非凡的穿墙入室，对于她混乱的理智来说，可能仍然是不可思议的；

“Do not call anyone—do not be alarmed,” said the count; —
“不要喊任何人——不要惊慌，” 伯爵说； —

“do not let a shade of suspicion or uneasiness remain in your breast; —
“不要让一丝怀疑或不安留在你的心头； —

the man standing before you, Valentine (for this time it is no ghost), is nothing more than the tenderest father and the most respectful friend you could dream of.”
眼前的人，瓦伦泰丝（这一次确实不是鬼魂），不过是你能够梦寐以求的最亲切的父亲和最恭敬的朋友。”

Valentine could not reply; the voice which indicated the real presence of a being in the room, alarmed her so much that she feared to utter a syllable; —
瓦伦泰丝无法回答；房间里真实存在的声音让她感到害怕，以至于她害怕说出一个音节； —

still the expression of her eyes seemed to inquire, “If your intentions are pure, why are you here? —
然而，她的眼神似乎在询问：”如果你的意图是纯洁的，那么你为什么在这里？” —

” The count’s marvellous sagacity understood all that was passing in the young girl’s mind.
男爵的奇异的智慧洞悉了年轻女孩心中所想的一切。

“Listen to me,” he said, “or, rather, look upon me; —
“听我说,“他说道，”或者更准确地说，看着我。 —

look at my face, paler even than usual, and my eyes, red with weariness—for four days I have not closed them, for I have been constantly watching you, to protect and preserve you for Maximilian.”
看着我苍白的脸色，比平常更苍白，还有我因为疲倦而红肿的眼睛–四天来我没有合眼，因为我一直在看着你，保护你，为了马克西米利安。

The blood mounted rapidly to the cheeks of Valentine, for the name just announced by the count dispelled all the fear with which his presence had inspired her.
瓦伦丁的脸上迅速涌上血色，因为男爵刚刚宣布的那个名字驱散了她对他出现的恐惧。

“Maximilian!” she exclaimed, and so sweet did the sound appear to her, that she repeated it—“Maximilian! —
“马克西米利安!“她惊叫道，声音如此甜美，以至于她重复了一遍–“马克西米利安! —

—has he then owned all to you?”
–他已经向你坦白了吗？

“Everything. He told me your life was his, and I have promised him that you shall live.”
“一切都告诉我了。他告诉我你的生命是他的，而且我答应了他你会活下去。

“You have promised him that I shall live?”
“你答应他我会活下去吗？

“Yes.”
“是的。

“But, sir, you spoke of vigilance and protection. Are you a doctor?”
“但是，先生，您提到了警惕和保护。您是医生吗？

“Yes; the best you could have at the present time, believe me.”
“是的；相信我，在现在这个时候，我是你能找到的最好的医生。

“But you say you have watched?” said Valentine uneasily; —
“但你说你看过？”瓦伦蒂娜不安地问道； —

“where have you been?—I have not seen you.”
“你去哪儿了？——我没见过你。”

The count extended his hand towards the library.
伯爵伸手指向书房。

“I was hidden behind that door,” he said, “which leads into the next house, which I have rented.”
“我藏在那扇门后面”，他说，“那扇门通往我租的隔壁房子。”

Valentine turned her eyes away, and, with an indignant expression of pride and modest fear, exclaimed:
瓦伦蒂娜扭过头去，愤慨地表现出自尊和谦虚的恐惧，大声说道：

“Sir, I think you have been guilty of an unparalleled intrusion, and that what you call protection is more like an insult.”
“先生，我认为你犯下了前所未有的侵犯，你所谓的保护更像是侮辱。”

“Valentine,” he answered, “during my long watch over you, all I have observed has been what people visited you, what nourishment was prepared, and what beverage was served; —
”瓦伦蒂娜，“他回答，“在我对你长时间的监视中，我所观察的只是你被谁拜访过、准备了什么食物和喝了什么饮料； —

then, when the latter appeared dangerous to me, I entered, as I have now done, and substituted, in the place of the poison, a healthful draught; —
然后，当后者对我显得危险时，我就像现在这样进来，并替代了毒药，换成了有益的饮料； —

which, instead of producing the death intended, caused life to circulate in your veins.”
这样，它不但没有产生原本预定的死亡效果，反而使你身体中流动着生命。”

“Poison—death!” exclaimed Valentine, half believing herself under the influence of some feverish hallucination; —
“毒药——死亡！” 瓦伦泰娜大声喊道，半信半疑地以为自己正受到某种发热幻觉的影响； —

“what are you saying, sir?”
“你在说什么，先生？”

“Hush, my child,” said Monte Cristo, again placing his finger upon her lips, “I did say poison and death. —
“小声点，孩子，”蒙特·克里斯托再次把手指放在她的嘴唇上说，“我说的是毒药和死亡。” —

But drink some of this;” and the count took a bottle from his pocket, containing a red liquid, of which he poured a few drops into the glass. —
“但是喝点这个，”伯爵从口袋里拿出一瓶红色液体，倒了几滴到杯子里。 —

“Drink this, and then take nothing more tonight.”
“喝了这个，今晚就不要再喝其他的了。”

Valentine stretched out her hand, but scarcely had she touched the glass when she drew back in fear. —
瓦伦泰娜伸出手，但她一碰到杯子就害怕地缩了回去。 —

Monte Cristo took the glass, drank half its contents, and then presented it to Valentine, who smiled and swallowed the rest.
蒙特·克里斯托拿起杯子，喝了一半，然后递给瓦伦泰娜，她微笑着把剩下的喝下去。

“Oh, yes,” she exclaimed, “I recognize the flavor of my nocturnal beverage which refreshed me so much, and seemed to ease my aching brain. —
“哦，是的，”她喊道，“我认出了我的夜间饮料的味道，它使我感到很清爽，似乎缓解了我的脑疼。” —

Thank you, sir, thank you!”
“谢谢您，先生，谢谢您！”

“This is how you have lived during the last four nights, Valentine,” said the count. —
“这就是你在过去四个晚上的生活方式，瓦伦泰娜，”伯爵说道。 —

“But, oh, how I passed that time! Oh, the wretched hours I have endured—the torture to which I have submitted when I saw the deadly poison poured into your glass, and how I trembled lest you should drink it before I could find time to throw it away!”
“但是，哦，我经历了那段时间！哦，我忍受了多么痛苦的小时——当我看到致命毒药倒入你的杯子时，我忍受了多么煎熬的折磨，我担心你会在我来得及扔掉之前喝下它！”

“Sir,” said Valentine, at the height of her terror, “you say you endured tortures when you saw the deadly poison poured into my glass; —
“先生，”瓦伦丁在恐惧的巅峰时说道，“您说自己在看到致命毒药倒入我的杯子时经历了折磨； —

but if you saw this, you must also have seen the person who poured it?”
但是如果您看到了这一点，那么您肯定也看到了倒毒的人？”

“Yes.”
“是的。”

Valentine raised herself in bed, and drew over her chest, which appeared whiter than snow, the embroidered cambric, still moist with the cold dews of delirium, to which were now added those of terror. —
瓦伦丁在床上坐起身来，用刺绣的亚麻布遮住了胸口，比雪还要白的胸口上仍然湿漉漉的，除了狂热的凉露，现在还有恐惧的凉露。 —

“You saw the person?” repeated the young girl.
“您看到了那个人？”年轻的女孩重复道。

“Yes,” repeated the count.
“是的，”伯爵重复道。

“What you tell me is horrible, sir. You wish to make me believe something too dreadful. What? —
“您告诉我的太可怕了，先生。您想让我相信一些太可怕的事情。什么？ —

—attempt to murder me in my father’s house, in my room, on my bed of sickness? —
— 在我父亲的家里，在我的房间，在我生病的床上企图谋杀我？” —

Oh, leave me, sir; you are tempting me—you make me doubt the goodness of Providence—it is impossible, it cannot be!”
哦，离开我吧，先生；你在引诱我，让我怀疑上帝的仁慈，这是不可能的，不可能！

“Are you the first that this hand has stricken? —
你是第一个被这只手打击的吗？ —

Have you not seen M. de Saint-Méran, Madame de Saint-Méran, Barrois, all fall? —
你难道没见过圣梅兰先生、圣梅兰夫人和巴鲁瓦全部倒下吗？ —

Would not M. Noirtier also have fallen a victim, had not the treatment he has been pursuing for the last three years neutralized the effects of the poison?”
如果不是过去三年里他一直接受的治疗中和了毒药的效果，诺瓦地也会成为受害者的。

“Oh, Heaven,” said Valentine; “is this the reason why grandpapa has made me share all his beverages during the last month?”
“哦，天哪，”瓦伦坦儿说，“这就是为什么爷爷在过去一个月里让我和他一块儿喝所有的饮料吗？”

“And have they all tasted of a slightly bitter flavor, like that of dried orange-peel?”
他们都有淡淡的苦味，像晾干的橙皮吗？

“Oh, yes, yes!”
“哦，是的，是的！”

“Then that explains all,” said Monte Cristo. —
“那么一切都有解释了，”蒙德·克里斯托说。 —

“Your grandfather knows, then, that a poisoner lives here; —
“你的祖父知道，这里有个下毒者； —

perhaps he even suspects the person. —
也许他甚至怀疑是谁。 —

He has been fortifying you, his beloved child, against the fatal effects of the poison, which has failed because your system was already impregnated with it. —
他一直在保护你，他心爱的孩子，免受致命毒药的影响，但因为你的身体早已充满了毒药，所以这一切都失败了。” —

But even this would have availed little against a more deadly medium of death employed four days ago, which is generally but too fatal.”
但即使如此，这在四天前使用的一种更致命的死亡方式面前也无法有太大帮助，这种方式通常也太过致命。”

“But who, then, is this assassin, this murderer?”
“那么，这个刺客，这个杀人犯是谁？”

“Let me also ask you a question. Have you never seen anyone enter your room at night?”
“我也问你一个问题。你从未见过有人在夜晚进入你的房间吗？”

“Oh, yes; I have frequently seen shadows pass close to me, approach, and disappear; —
“噢，是的；我经常看到影子靠近我，接近，然后消失； —

but I took them for visions raised by my feverish imagination, and indeed when you entered I thought I was under the influence of delirium.”
但我以为那是发热时想象出来的幻觉，事实上当你进来时，我还以为自己处于幻觉的影响下。”

“Then you do not know who it is that attempts your life?”
“那么你不知道是谁试图要你的命吗？”

“No,” said Valentine; “who could desire my death?”
“不，”瓦伦泰婷说，“谁会希望我死呢？”

“You shall know it now, then,” said Monte Cristo, listening.
“你现在就会知道的，”蒙特克里斯托说着，倾听着。

“How do you mean?” said Valentine, looking anxiously around.
“你是什么意思？”瓦伦泰婷焦急地四处张望。

“Because you are not feverish or delirious tonight, but thoroughly awake; —
“因为你今晚既没有发热，也没有神志恍惚，而是完全清醒的； —

midnight is striking, which is the hour murderers choose.”
此刻正是凶手选择的时间，午夜时分。”

“Oh, heavens,” exclaimed Valentine, wiping off the drops which ran down her forehead. —
“哦，上天啊，”瓦伦泰婷叫道，擦去额头上滴下的汗水。 —

Midnight struck slowly and sadly; every hour seemed to strike with leaden weight upon the heart of the poor girl.
午夜缓缓而悲伤地敲响，每一次敲击似乎都像铅一样沉重地压在可怜女孩的心头上。

“Valentine,” said the count, “summon up all your courage; still the beatings of your heart; —
“瓦伦丁，”伯爵说道，“鼓起勇气；让你的心跳平静下来； —

do not let a sound escape you, and feign to be asleep; —
不要发出任何声音，假装睡着； —

then you will see.”
然后你就会看到。”

Valentine seized the count’s hand. “I think I hear a noise,” she said; “leave me.”
瓦伦丁抓住了伯爵的手。“我觉得听到了一些声音，”她说，“离开我。”

“Good-bye, for the present,” replied the count, walking upon tiptoe towards the library door, and smiling with an expression so sad and paternal that the young girl’s heart was filled with gratitude.
“暂时告别吧，”伯爵回答道，踮着脚走向图书馆的门，带着一种悲伤而又慈父般的表情微笑着，年轻女孩的心中充满了感激之情。

Before closing the door he turned around once more, and said, “Not a movement—not a word; —
在关上门之前，他再次转身说道，“不要动一下，不要说一句话； —

let them think you asleep, or perhaps you may be killed before I have the power of helping you.”
让他们以为你在睡觉，否则在我能帮助你之前，你可能就会被杀害。”

And with this fearful injunction the count disappeared through the door, which noiselessly closed after him.
带着这可怕的嘱咐，伯爵消失在那无声关闭的门后。