Valentine was alone; two other clocks, slower than that of Saint-Philippe-du-Roule, struck the hour of midnight from different directions, and excepting the rumbling of a few carriages all was silent. —
瓦伦丁独自一人；比圣菲利普杜鲁教堂的时钟慢的两个其他时钟，从不同的方向敲响了午夜的钟声，除了几辆马车的隆隆声外，一切都很寂静。 —

Then Valentine’s attention was engrossed by the clock in her room, which marked the seconds. —
然后，瓦伦丁的注意力被她房间里的时钟所吸引，它标记着秒数。 —

She began counting them, remarking that they were much slower than the beatings of her heart; —
她开始数着它们，注意到它们比她心跳的速度要慢得多； —

and still she doubted,—the inoffensive Valentine could not imagine that anyone should desire her death. —
然而她仍然怀疑——无害的瓦伦丁无法想象有人会想要杀害她。 —

Why should they? To what end? What had she done to excite the malice of an enemy?
他们为什么要这样做？出于什么目的？她做了什么激起了敌人的怨恨？

There was no fear of her falling asleep. One terrible idea pressed upon her mind, —that someone existed in the world who had attempted to assassinate her, and who was about to endeavor to do so again. —
她不怕睡着。一个可怕的念头压在她的脑海里——存在着一个想要暗杀她的人，而且他正准备再次尝试。 —

Supposing this person, wearied at the inefficacy of the poison, should, as Monte Cristo intimated, have recourse to steel! —
假设这个人对毒药的无效感到疲倦，正如蒙特·克里斯托所示，他会转而使用钢！ —

—What if the count should have no time to run to her rescue! —
如果伯爵没有时间赶来救她，会怎么样！ —

—What if her last moments were approaching, and she should never again see Morrel!
如果她的最后时刻来临，她将再也见不到莫雷尔了！

When this terrible chain of ideas presented itself, Valentine was nearly persuaded to ring the bell, and call for help. —
当这个可怕的思绪链条出现时，瓦伦丁几乎被说服了按铃呼救。 —

But through the door she fancied she saw the luminous eye of the count—that eye which lived in her memory, and the recollection overwhelmed her with so much shame that she asked herself whether any amount of gratitude could ever repay his adventurous and devoted friendship.
但透过门，她仿佛看到了伯爵那发亮的眼睛，那双眼睛在她的记忆中生活着，回忆让她感到如此羞愧，以至于她问自己，任何程度的感激是否能够报答他冒险而无私的友谊。

Twenty minutes, twenty tedious minutes, passed thus, then ten more, and at last the clock struck the half-hour.
二十分钟，漫长的二十分钟就这样过去了，接着再过去十分钟，最后钟声敲响了半小时。

Just then the sound of finger-nails slightly grating against the door of the library informed Valentine that the count was still watching, and recommended her to do the same; —
就在这时，指甲轻轻刮在书房门上的声音告诉瓦伦丁伯爵还在观察，建议她也这么做； —

at the same time, on the opposite side, that is towards Edward’s room, Valentine fancied that she heard the creaking of the floor; —
与此同时，在对面的地方，也就是朝着爱德华的房间，瓦伦丁觉得听到了地板的吱吱声； —

she listened attentively, holding her breath till she was nearly suffocated; —
她用心倾听，屏住呼吸，几乎快要窒息。 —

the lock turned, and the door slowly opened. —
锁转动了，门慢慢打开了。 —

Valentine had raised herself upon her elbow, and had scarcely time to throw herself down on the bed and shade her eyes with her arm; —
瓦伦丁抬起身子，来不及赶紧躺回床上，用手臂遮住了眼睛； —

then, trembling, agitated, and her heart beating with indescribable terror, she awaited the event.
接着，她颤抖着，心慌意乱，胸口难以言喻地恐惧，等待着接下来会发生什么。

Someone approached the bed and drew back the curtains. —
有人靠近床边，拉开了帷幕。 —

Valentine summoned every effort, and breathed with that regular respiration which announces tranquil sleep.
瓦伦丁使出了全力，呼吸平稳，仿佛正在安稳地睡着。

“Valentine!” said a low voice.
“瓦伦丁！”一个低沉的声音说道。

The girl shuddered to the heart but did not reply.
女孩心跳不已，但没有回答。

“Valentine,” repeated the same voice.
“瓦伦丁”，同样的声音再次重复。

Still silent: Valentine had promised not to wake. —
依旧沉默，瓦伦丁答应不要醒来。 —

Then everything was still, excepting that Valentine heard the almost noiseless sound of some liquid being poured into the glass she had just emptied. —
然后一切都安静了，除了瓦伦丁听到近乎无声的液体被倒进她刚刚喝空的杯子里的声音。 —

Then she ventured to open her eyelids, and glance over her extended arm. —
然后她冒险着睁开眼睛，透过伸展在眼前的手臂向外看去。 —

She saw a woman in a white dressing-gown pouring a liquor from a phial into her glass. —
她看到一个穿着白色睡袍的女人，正在将一个瓶子里的液体倒进她的杯子里。 —

During this short time Valentine must have held her breath, or moved in some slight degree, for the woman, disturbed, stopped and leaned over the bed, in order the better to ascertain whether Valentine slept: —
在这段短暂的时间里，瓦伦泰娜肯定屏住了呼吸，或者稍微动了一下身体，因为那个被惊动的女人停下了脚步，俯身在床边，以更好地确认瓦伦泰娜是否在睡觉。 —

it was Madame de Villefort.
这个女人就是维尔福夫人。

On recognizing her step-mother, Valentine could not repress a shudder, which caused a vibration in the bed. —
看到她的继母，瓦伦泰娜不由自主地颤抖了一下，床垫也因此轻微震动了一下。 —

Madame de Villefort instantly stepped back close to the wall, and there, shaded by the bed-curtains, she silently and attentively watched the slightest movement of Valentine. —
维尔福夫人立刻退到了靠近墙壁的地方，在床帘的掩映下，她默默地、专心地观察着瓦伦泰娜的每一个细微动作。 —

The latter recollected the terrible caution of Monte Cristo; —
瓦伦泰娜记起了蒙蒂克里斯托的可怕警告； —

she fancied that the hand not holding the phial clasped a long sharp knife. —
她想象着那只没有握住药瓶的手中拿着一把又长又锋利的刀子。 —

Then collecting all her remaining strength, she forced herself to close her eyes; —
然后，她集中起了自己剩下的力量，强迫自己闭上了眼睛； —

but this simple operation upon the most delicate organs of our frame, generally so easy to accomplish, became almost impossible at this moment, so much did curiosity struggle to retain the eyelid open and learn the truth. —
但是，在我们身体最细腻的器官上进行的这个简单操作，通常是很容易完成的，在这一刻几乎变得不可能，好奇心太强烈了，想要保持眼皮张开，弄清真相。 —

Madame de Villefort, however, reassured by the silence, which was alone disturbed by the regular breathing of Valentine, again extended her hand, and half hidden by the curtains succeeded in emptying the contents of the phial into the glass. —
这时，维勒福夫人被沉默所安抚，只听到瓦伦泰呼吸规律的声音，她再次伸出手，半隐藏在窗帘之后，成功地把瓶中的内容倒入了玻璃杯里。 —

Then she retired so gently that Valentine did not know she had left the room. —
然后，她轻轻地离开房间，瓦伦泰根本不知道她已经走了。 —

She only witnessed the withdrawal of the arm—the fair round arm of a woman but twenty-five years old, and who yet spread death around her.
她只看见那只手收回去了——一只美丽而纤细的手，属于一个年仅25岁，却散发死亡的女人。

It is impossible to describe the sensations experienced by Valentine during the minute and a half Madame de Villefort remained in the room.
描述瓦伦泰在维勒福夫人在房间里待了一分半钟所经历的感受是不可能的。

The grating against the library-door aroused the young girl from the stupor in which she was plunged, and which almost amounted to insensibility. —
图书馆门与金属栅门摩擦的声音使得年轻的女孩从陷入的恍惚中苏醒过来，这种恍惚几乎接近于麻木状态。 —

She raised her head with an effort. The noiseless door again turned on its hinges, and the Count of Monte Cristo reappeared.
她费力地抬起头。无声的门再次转动着它的铰链，蒙特克里斯托伯爵再次出现在了眼前。

“Well,” said he, “do you still doubt?”
“嗯，”他说，“你还怀疑吗？”

“Oh,” murmured the young girl.
“哦，”年轻女孩低声说道。

“Have you seen?”
“你看到了吗？”

“Alas!”
“哎呀！”

“Did you recognize?” Valentine groaned.
“你认出来了吗？”瓦伦丁咕哝着。

“Oh, yes;” she said, “I saw, but I cannot believe!”
“哦，是的，”她说，“我看到了，但我无法相信！”

“Would you rather die, then, and cause Maximilian’s death?”
“那么你宁愿死去，引发马克西米利安的死亡吗？”

“Oh,” repeated the young girl, almost bewildered, “can I not leave the house? —
“哦，”年轻女孩重复着，几乎被困惑住了，“我不能离开这个房子吗？ —

—can I not escape?”
“我不能逃离吗？”

“Valentine, the hand which now threatens you will pursue you everywhere; —
“瓦伦丁，现在威胁你的手将会无处不在追求你； —

your servants will be seduced with gold, and death will be offered to you disguised in every shape. —
你的仆人将因金钱而受诱惑，死亡将以各种形态呈现给你。 —

You will find it in the water you drink from the spring, in the fruit you pluck from the tree.”
你会在你喝的泉水中找到它，在你采摘的水果中找到它。”

“But did you not say that my kind grandfather’s precaution had neutralized the poison?”
“但是你不是说我慈爱的祖父已经中和了毒药吗？”

“Yes, but not against a strong dose; the poison will be changed, and the quantity increased. —
“是的，但是对于强剂量无效；毒药已经被更换，剂量加大了。 —

” He took the glass and raised it to his lips. “It is already done,” he said; —
”他拿起杯子，将它放在嘴唇上，“已经完成了，”他说； —

“brucine is no longer employed, but a simple narcotic! —
“不再使用金雀碱，而是一种简单的麻醉剂！ —

I can recognize the flavor of the alcohol in which it has been dissolved. —
我能辨认出它溶解在酒精中的味道。 —

If you had taken what Madame de Villefort has poured into your glass, Valentine—Valentine—you would have been doomed!”
“如果你喝下了Madame de Villefort给你倒的东西，瓦伦丁——瓦伦丁——你就会毁灭！”

“But,” exclaimed the young girl, “why am I thus pursued?”
“但是，”年轻的女孩喊道，“我为什么受到如此追逐？”

“Why?—are you so kind—so good—so unsuspicious of ill, that you cannot understand, Valentine?”
“为什么呢？——你是如此善良——如此好——如此不怀恶意，你难道不能理解，瓦伦丁？”

“No, I have never injured her.”
“不，我从未伤害过她。”

“But you are rich, Valentine; you have 200,000 livres a year, and you prevent her son from enjoying these 200,000 livres.”
“但是你有财富，瓦伦丁；你每年有20万里弗，你阻止她的儿子享受这20万里弗。”

“How so? The fortune is not her gift, but is inherited from my relations.”
“怎么会？这笔财产不是她的礼物，而是我从亲戚那里继承来的。”

“Certainly; and that is why M. and Madame de Saint-Méran have died; —
“当然，这就是为什么圣梅朗夫人和圣梅朗先生死去； —

that is why M. Noirtier was sentenced the day he made you his heir; —
“这就是为什么诺尔缇尔先生在他把你指定为继承人的那一天被判刑； —

that is why you, in your turn, are to die—it is because your father would inherit your property, and your brother, his only son, succeed to his.”
“这就是为什么你，换句话说，要死去——因为你的父亲会继承你的财产，而你的兄弟，他唯一的儿子，会继承他的。”

“Edward? Poor child! Are all these crimes committed on his account?”
“爱德华？可怜的孩子！所有这些罪行都是为了他？”

“Ah, then you at length understand?”
“啊，那么你终于明白了？”

“Heaven grant that this may not be visited upon him!”
“愿上天不要降罪于他！”

“Valentine, you are an angel!”
“瓦伦泰，你是一个天使！”

“But why is my grandfather allowed to live?”
“但是我祖父为什么能够活着？”

“It was considered, that you dead, the fortune would naturally revert to your brother, unless he were disinherited; —
“人们认为，如果你死了，财产自然会归还给你的兄弟，除非他被剥夺继承权。” —

and besides, the crime appearing useless, it would be folly to commit it.”
此外，除了犯罪毫无意义外，犯下这样的行为是愚蠢的。

“And is it possible that this frightful combination of crimes has been invented by a woman?”
“难道这可怕的罪行组合是由一个女人发明的吗？”

“Do you recollect in the arbor of the Hôtel des Postes, at Perugia, seeing a man in a brown cloak, whom your stepmother was questioning upon aqua tofana? —
“你还记得在佩鲁贾邮政局的凉亭里，看见你继母询问一名穿棕色斗篷的男子关于阿奎托法那吗？” —

Well, ever since then, the infernal project has been ripening in her brain.”
从那时起，这个可恶的计划就在她的脑海中酝酿。

“Ah, then, indeed, sir,” said the sweet girl, bathed in tears, “I see that I am condemned to die!”
“啊，那么，先生，我明白了，我注定要死！”可爱的女孩泪流满面地说道。

“No, Valentine, for I have foreseen all their plots; —
“不，瓦伦泰，因为我已经预见到他们的阴谋；不，你的敌人已经被我们知道了，你将活下去，瓦伦泰—活下去让自己幸福，并给一个高尚的心带来幸福；但为了保证这一点，你必须依靠我。” —

no, your enemy is conquered since we know her, and you will live, Valentine—live to be happy yourself, and to confer happiness upon a noble heart; —
“请您命令我，先生—我该做什么？” —

but to insure this you must rely on me.”
“你必须盲目接受我给你的一切。”

“Command me, sir—what am I to do?”
“唉，即使只为了我自己，我也宁愿死！”

“You must blindly take what I give you.”
“你不能向任何人透露，甚至不能告诉你的父亲。”

“Alas, were it only for my own sake, I should prefer to die!”
“你必须相信我，不要告诉任何人。”

“You must not confide in anyone—not even in your father.”
“你必须无条件接受我给你的一切。”

“My father is not engaged in this fearful plot, is he, sir? —
“先生，我父亲没有参与这可怕的阴谋，对吧？ —

” asked Valentine, clasping her hands.
”瓦伦丁紧紧握住她的手问道。

“No; and yet your father, a man accustomed to judicial accusations, ought to have known that all these deaths have not happened naturally; —
“不，可是您的父亲作为一个习惯于司法指控的人，应该知道所有这些死亡不是自然而然发生的； —

it is he who should have watched over you—he should have occupied my place—he should have emptied that glass—he should have risen against the assassin. —
应该是他来保护你，他应该坐在我的位置上，他应该喝掉那杯酒，他应该反抗刺客。 —

Spectre against spectre!” he murmured in a low voice, as he concluded his sentence.
影子对影子！”他低声嘀咕着，结束了他的话。

“Sir,” said Valentine, “I will do all I can to live, for there are two beings who love me and will die if I die—my grandfather and Maximilian.”
“先生，照顾好他们，就像照顾我一样。”

“I will watch over them as I have over you.”
“好的先生，您愿意怎么对待我就怎么对待吧；”然后她轻声补充道，“天哪，我会遭遇到什么呢？”

“Well, sir, do as you will with me;” and then she added, in a low voice, “oh, heavens, what will befall me?”
“无论发生什么，瓦伦丁，不要害怕；即使你痛苦，即使你失去视力、听力、意识，也不要害怕；

“Whatever may happen, Valentine, do not be alarmed; though you suffer; —
“不管发生什么，瓦伦丁，不要害怕；即使你痛苦；即使你失去视力、听力、意识，也不要害怕； —

though you lose sight, hearing, consciousness, fear nothing; —
不要害怕。” —

though you should awake and be ignorant where you are, still do not fear; —
虽然你应该清醒并对你所在的地方一无所知，仍不要害怕； —

even though you should find yourself in a sepulchral vault or coffin. —
即使你发现自己在一个阴森的地穴或棺材里。 —

Reassure yourself, then, and say to yourself: —
让自己安心下来，对自己说： —

‘At this moment, a friend, a father, who lives for my happiness and that of Maximilian, watches over me!’”
“此刻，一个为了我的幸福和马克西米利安的幸福而活着的朋友，一个父亲正在守护着我！”

“Alas, alas, what a fearful extremity!”
“哎呀，哎呀，多么可怕的境地啊！”

“Valentine, would you rather denounce your stepmother?”
“瓦伦丁，你宁愿揭发你的继母吗？”

“I would rather die a hundred times—oh, yes, die!”
“我宁愿死一百次——哦，是的，死！”

“No, you will not die; but will you promise me, whatever happens, that you will not complain, but hope?”
“不，你不会死的；但无论发生什么，你能答应我不抱怨而是抱有希望吗？”

“I will think of Maximilian!”
“我会想着马克西米利安！”

“You are my own darling child, Valentine! I alone can save you, and I will.”
“你是我亲爱的孩子，瓦伦丁！只有我能拯救你，而我一定会拯救。”

Valentine in the extremity of her terror joined her hands, —for she felt that the moment had arrived to ask for courage,—and began to pray, and while uttering little more than incoherent words, she forgot that her white shoulders had no other covering than her long hair, and that the pulsations of her heart could be seen through the lace of her nightdress. —
在极度恐惧中，瓦伦蒂娜双手紧紧地握在一起，因为她感到这时候正是她需要勇气的时刻，她开始祈祷，虽然她只能说出一些毫无条理的话，但她忘记了她的白皙的肩膀只被她的长发遮盖着，忘记了她的心跳可以透过睡衣上的花边看到。 —

Monte Cristo gently laid his hand on the young girl’s arm, drew the velvet coverlet close to her throat, and said with a paternal smile:
蒙地克里斯托温柔地将手放在年轻女孩的手臂上，把天鹅绒被子拉到她的喉咙处，笑着说道:

“My child, believe in my devotion to you as you believe in the goodness of Providence and the love of Maximilian. —
“孩子，你要相信我对你的献身，就像你相信上帝的善良和马克西米利安的爱一样。 —

” Valentine gave him a look full of gratitude, and remained as docile as a child.
瓦伦蒂娜感激地看着他，像个孩子一样顺从。

Then he drew from his waistcoat-pocket the little emerald box, raised the golden lid, and took from it a pastille about the size of a pea, which he placed in her hand. —
然后他从背心口袋里掏出一个小翡翠盒子，打开金色的盖子，从中取出一个豌豆大小的药丸，放在她的手中。 —

She took it, and looked attentively on the count; —
她接过药丸，仔细地看着伯爵。 —

there was an expression on the face of her intrepid protector which commanded her veneration. —
她坚定的保护者脸上露出一种表情，命令着她的尊敬。 —

She evidently interrogated him by her look.
她显然用眼神询问他。

“Yes,” said he.
“是的，”他说。

Valentine carried the pastille to her mouth, and swallowed it.
瓦伦泰娜把药片送到嘴里，吞下去。

“And now, my dear child, adieu for the present. —
“现在，亲爱的孩子，暂别了。 —

I will try and gain a little sleep, for you are saved.”
我想试试睡一会，因为你已经获救了。”

“Go,” said Valentine, “whatever happens, I promise you not to fear.”
“走吧，”瓦伦泰娜说，“无论发生什么，我保证不害怕。”

Monte Cristo for some time kept his eyes fixed on the young girl, who gradually fell asleep, yielding to the effects of the narcotic the count had given her. —
蒙特克里斯托一段时间目不转睛地看着那个年轻女孩，她逐渐入睡，陷入了蒙克所给她的麻醉的效果中。 —

Then he took the glass, emptied three parts of the contents in the fireplace, that it might be supposed Valentine had taken it, and replaced it on the table; —
然后，他拿起玻璃杯，把其中的三分之一倒进壁炉里，让人以为是瓦伦泰娜喝下去的，然后把它放回桌子上； —

then he disappeared, after throwing a farewell glance on Valentine, who slept with the confidence and innocence of an angel at the feet of the Lord.
然后他消失了，在和瓦伦泰娜送别的目光之后，她像一位天使一样充满信心和纯真地在主的脚下入睡了。