When Major Pendleton Talbot, of Mobile, sir, and his daughter, Miss Lydia Talbot, came to Washington to reside, they selected for a boarding place a house that stood fifty yards back from one of the quietest avenues. —
当梅奇庞宾顿·塔尔伯特上校和他的女儿塔尔伯特小姐来到华盛顿居住时，他们选择了一所距离最安静的大街仅五十码远的房子作为寄宿处。 —

It was an old-fashioned brick building, with a portico upheld by tall white pillars. —
这是一座老式的砖砌建筑，有着由高高的白柱支撑的门廊。 —

The yard was shaded by stately locusts and elms, and a catalpa tree in season rained its pink and white blossoms upon the grass. —
庭院被高大的刺槐和榆树遮蔽着，而一棵紫荆树开花时会将粉白色的花朵洒落在草地上。 —

Rows of high box bushes lined the fence and walks. —
围墙和人行道的两旁都种满了高大的黄杨灌木。 —

It was the Southern style and aspect of the place that pleased the eyes of the Talbots.
这座房子展示出了典型的南方风格和外观，令塔尔伯特一家很是满意。

In this pleasant private boarding house they engaged rooms, including a study for Major Talbot, who was adding the finishing chapters to his book, Anecdotes and Reminiscences of the Alabama Army, Bench, and Bar.
在这个舒适的私人寄宿房里，他们租下了房间，包括一间供塔尔伯特上校使用的书房。他正在为他的著作《阿拉巴马州军队、法院和律师之轶事与回忆》写收尾篇章。

Major Talbot was of the old, old South. The present day had little interest or excellence in his eyes. —
塔尔伯特上校生活在古老的南方。现今的日子在他眼中几乎没有什么趣味或优点。 —

His mind lived in that period before the Civil War when the Talbots owned thousands of acres of fine cotton land and the slaves to till them; —
他的思绪停留在内战前的那个时期，当时塔尔博特家族拥有成千上万英亩的优质棉田，并拥有奴隶来进行耕种。 —

when the family mansion was the scene of princely hospitality, and drew its guests from the aristocracy of the South. Out of that period he had brought all its old pride and scruples of honor, an antiquated and punctilious politeness, and (you would think) its wardrobe.
那是一个家族宅邸见证了皇室般的盛情款待，充满了来自南方贵族的宾客。他从那个时期带来了旧时的自豪和荣誉信条，一种过时的、一丝不苟的礼貌，以及（你会觉得）那个时代的着装。

Such clothes were surely never made within fifty years. —
这样的衣服绝对是五十年前制作的。 —

The Major was tall, but whenever he made that wonderful, archaic genuflexion he called a bow, the corners of his frock coat swept the floor. —
那位少校很高，但每当他做那种奇妙的、古老的屈膝行礼时，他的燕尾服衣角会扫到地板上。 —

That garment was a surprise even to Washington, which has long ago ceased to shy at the frocks and broad-brimmed hats of Southern Congressmen. —
这件衣服甚至让华盛顿都感到惊讶，尽管华盛顿早就对南方国会议员的燕尾服和宽边帽不再感到惊讶。 —

One of the boarders christened it a “Father Hubbard,” and it certainly was high in the waist and full in the skirt.
其中一位房客把它称为“父·哈伯德”，它的腰线很高，裙摆很宽。

But the Major, with all his queer clothes, his immense area of plaited, raveling shirt bosom, and the little black string tie with the bow always slipping on one side, both was smiled at and liked in Mrs. Vardeman’s select boarding house. —
但是那位少校的古怪衣着，他宽大的折叠衬衫襟扣，以及经常向一边滑落的小黑色领结，让他备受欢迎于瓦德曼夫人的高档寄宿房。 —

Some of the young department clerks would often “string him,” as they called it, getting him started upon the subject dearest to him–the traditions and history of his beloved Southland. —
有些年轻的部门职员经常和他起哄，让他谈论他最心爱的南方土地上的传统和历史，他们称之为“玩弄他”。 —

During his talks he would quote freely from the Anecdotes and Reminiscences. —
在他的谈话中，他经常引用《轶事和回忆录》来支持自己的说法。 —

But they were very careful not to let him see their designs, for in spite of his sixty-eight years he could make the boldest of them uncomfortable under the steady regard of his piercing gray eyes.
但是他们非常小心，不让他看到他们的意图，因为尽管他已经68岁了，他的那双锐利的灰色眼睛却能让最勇敢的人在他的注视下感到不适。

Miss Lydia was a plump, little old maid of thirty-five, with smoothly drawn, tightly twisted hair that made her look still older. —
莉迪亚小姐是一个丰满的三十五岁的老姑娘，她平滑地束起紧紧挽着的头发，让她看起来更加年老。 —

Old-fashioned, too, she was; —
她也很老派， —

but antebellum glory did not radiate from her as it did from the Major. She possessed a thrifty common sense, and it was she who handled the finances of the family, and met all comers when there were bills to pay. —
但是她身上没有像总管那样散发出南北战争前的荣耀。她拥有节俭的常识，是她负责家庭的财务，并且在有账单要付款时迎接一切来访者。 —

The Major regarded board bills and wash bills as contemptible nuisances. —
总管认为膳食账单和洗衣账单是可鄙的讨厌事物。 —

They kept coming in so persistently and so often. —
它们一直如此坚持不断地来。 —

Why, the Major wanted to know, could they not be filed and paid in a lump sum at some convenient period–say when the Anecdotes and Reminiscences had been published and paid for? —
总管想知道为什么它们不能在一个方便的时期一次性归档和付款，比如在趣闻轶事出版并付款后。 —

Miss Lydia would calmly go on with her sewing and say, “We’ll pay as we go as long as the money lasts, and then perhaps they’ll have to lump it.”
莉迪亚小姐会冷静地继续做着她的针线活，说：“只要钱够用，我们就边消费边付款；如果钱不够用，他们也许只能接受统一结算。”

Most of Mrs. Vardeman’s boarders were away during the day, being nearly all department clerks and business men; —
瓦德曼夫人的绝大部分寄宿者白天都不在家，几乎都是政府职员和商人。 —

but there was one of them who was about the house a great deal from morning to night. —
但是有一个人整天都在家里很多时间。 —

This was a young man named Henry Hopkins Hargraves–every one in the house addressed him by his full name–who was engaged at one of the popular vaudeville theaters. —
这个年轻人名叫亨利·霍普金斯·哈格雷夫斯，家里的每个人都称呼他全名。 —

Vaudeville has risen to such a respectable plane in the last few years, and Mr. Hargraves was such a modest and well-mannered person, that Mrs. Vardeman could find no objection to enrolling him upon her list of boarders.
在过去几年里，歌舞杂耍已经提升到了一个很受人尊重的地位，而哈格雷夫斯先生是一个谦虚有礼的人，瓦德曼夫人找不出任何理由不把他列入住宿名单。

At the theater Hargraves was known as an all-round dialect comedian, having a large repertoire of German, Irish, Swede, and black-face specialties. —
在剧院里，哈格雷夫斯以全方位方言喜剧演员的身份出演，他有很多德国、爱尔兰、瑞典和黑脸的特色节目。 —

But Mr. Hargraves was ambitious, and often spoke of his great desire to succeed in legitimate comedy.
但哈格雷夫斯先生雄心勃勃，经常谈论自己在正统喜剧中取得成功的渴望。

This young man appeared to conceive a strong fancy for Major Talbot. —
这个年轻人似乎对塔尔伯特少校产生了很强的兴趣。 —

Whenever that gentleman would begin his Southern reminiscences, or repeat some of the liveliest of the anecdotes, Hargraves could always be found, the most attentive among his listeners.
每当塔尔伯特先生开始谈起他的南方回忆，或者重复一些最有趣的轶事时，哈格雷夫斯总是在他的听众中最专注的一个。

For a time the Major showed an inclination to discourage the advances of the “play actor,” as he privately termed him; —
有段时间，少校显示出了抑制“演员”的前进的倾向，他私下称之为； —

but soon the young man’s agreeable manner and indubitable appreciation of the old gentleman’s stories completely won him over.
但是很快这个年轻人令人愉快的态度和对老人故事的确切欣赏使他完全俘获了。

It was not long before the two were like old chums. —
不久，两人就像老朋友一样。 —

The Major set apart each afternoon to read to him the manuscript of his book. —
少校每天下午都会抽出时间向他朗读他写的书的手稿。 —

During the anecdotes Hargraves never failed to laugh at exactly the right point. —
在轶事中，Hargraves从来不会在恰当的时候笑。 —

The Major was moved to declare to Miss Lydia one day that young Hargraves possessed remarkable perception and a gratifying respect for the old regime. —
有一天，少校对Miss Lydia表示，年轻的Hargraves具有非凡的洞察力和对旧制度的令人满意的尊重。 —

And when it came to talking of those old days–if Major Talbot liked to talk, Mr. Hargraves was entranced to listen.
当谈到那些旧时光时，如果大人物喜欢聊天，Hargraves会听得入迷。

Like almost all old people who talk of the past, the Major loved to linger over details. —
像几乎所有谈论过去的老人一样，少校喜欢留连于细节。 —

In describing the splendid, almost royal, days of the old planters, he would hesitate until he had recalled the name of the negro who held his horse, or the exact date of certain minor happenings, or the number of bales of cotton raised in such a year; —
在描述古老种植园主辉煌近乎王族的日子时，他会犹豫不决，直到他想起了曾经牵着他马的黑人的名字，或者某些次要事件发生的确切日期，或者某年种植的棉花包数的数量； —

but Hargraves never grew impatient or lost interest. —
但是哈格雷夫斯从不不耐烦或者失去兴趣。 —

On the contrary, he would advance questions on a variety of subjects connected with the life of that time, and he never failed to extract ready replies.
相反，他会针对与那个时代的生活相关的各种主题提出问题，并且总能得到即刻的回答。

The fox hunts, the ‘possum suppers, the hoe-downs and jubilees in the negro quarters, the banquets in the plantation-house hall, when invitations went for fifty miles around; —
狐狸狩猎，’possum聚餐，在黑人住区的草舞和庆典，庄园大厅的宴会，邀请函要发到五十英里外； —

the occasional feuds with the neighboring gentry; —
偶尔会与邻近的绅士们发生争斗； —

the Major’s duel with Rathbone Culbertson about Kitty Chalmers, who afterward married a Thwaite of South Carolina; —
Major与Rathbone Culbertson因为Kitty Chalmers的事发生决斗，后来她嫁给了南卡罗来纳州的Thwaite先生。 —

and private yacht races for fabulous sums on Mobile Bay; —
—

the quaint beliefs, improvident habits, and loyal virtues of the old slaves–all these were subjects that held both the Major and Hargraves absorbed for hours at a time.
私人游艇竞赛在移动湾上进行的壮丽场面和赌注巨大的情形，使得Major和Hargraves都着迷了好几个小时。

Sometimes, at night, when the young man would be coming upstairs to his room after his turn at the theater was over, the Major would appear at the door of his study and beckon archly to him. —
有时候晚上，当那位年轻人结束了他在剧院的表演回到楼上的房间时，Major会在他书房的门口神秘地向他招手。 —

Going in, Hargraves would find a little table set with a decanter, sugar bowl, fruit, and a big bunch of fresh green mint.
走进去，Hargraves会发现一张摆满了一瓶酒、糖碗、水果和一大束新鲜的薄荷的小桌子。

“It occurred to me,” the Major would begin–he was always ceremonious–“that perhaps you might have found your duties at the–at your place of occupation–sufficiently arduous to enable you, Mr. Hargraves, to appreciate what the poet might well have had in his mind when he wrote, ‘tired Nature’s sweet restorer’–one of our Southern juleps.”
“我想到了,” Major开始说道 - 他总是很庄重地说 - “也许您在您工作场所的职责已经足够辛苦，能让您，Hargraves先生，欣赏到诗人写下时可能想到的”疲倦大自然美好的恢复者” - 即我们南方的薄荷酒。”

It was a fascination to Hargraves to watch him make it. —
对哈格雷夫斯来说，看他制作这个饮品是一种着迷。 —

He took rank among artists when he began, and he never varied the process. —
当他开始时，他就跻身艺术家之列，而且他从未改变过这个过程。 —

With what delicacy he bruised the mint; —
他多么细腻地捣碎薄荷； —

with what exquisite nicety he estimated the ingredients; —
他多么精确地估量配料； —

with what solicitous care he capped the compound with the scarlet fruit glowing against the dark green fringe! —
他是多么关心地给这种复合物顶上深绿边缘衬托着的鲜艳红色水果！ —

And then the hospitality and grace with which he offered it, after the selected oat straws had been plunged into its tinkling depths!
然后是他提供它时的热情好客和优雅，之前先将精选的燕麦吸管浸入其中微微发出的声音！

After about four months in Washington, Miss Lydia discovered one morning that they were almost without money. —
在华盛顿待了大约四个月后，莉迪娅小姐发现他们几乎没有钱。 —

The Anecdotes and Reminiscences was completed, but publishers had not jumped at the collected gems of Alabama sense and wit. —
《趣闻轶事与回忆录》已经完成，但出版商对这些收集来的阿拉巴马州的智慧和幽默宝藏并不感兴趣。 —

The rental of a small house which they still owned in Mobile was two months in arrears. —
他们在莫比尔仍然拥有的一处小房子的租金已经拖欠了两个月。 —

Their board money for the month would be due in three days. —
他们本月的伙食费将在三天后到期。 —

Miss Lydia called her father to a consultation.
莉迪娅小姐召集她的父亲进行商讨。

“No money?” said he with a surprised look. —
“没钱？”他惊讶地说道。 —

“It is quite annoying to be called on so frequently for these petty sums, Really, I–”
“为了这些小数目的费用频繁找我实在是太烦人了，真的，我——”

The Major searched his pockets. —
少校在口袋中摸索着。 —

He found only a two-dollar bill, which he returned to his vest pocket.
他只找到了一张两美元的钞票，然后把它放回马甲口袋里。

“I must attend to this at once, Lydia,” he said. —
“我必须立刻处理这件事，莉迪亚， —

“Kindly get me my umbrella and I will go downtown immediately. —
”他说道。“请拿给我雨伞，我将立即去市区。” —

The congressman from our district, General Fulghum, assured me some days ago that he would use his influence to get my book published at an early date. —
我们这个地区的国会议员富尔格姆将军在几天前向我保证，他会争取发表我的书。 —

I will go to his hotel at once and see what arrangement has been made.”
我将立即去他的酒店，看看已经达成了什么安排。”

With a sad little smile Miss Lydia watched him button his “Father Hubbard” and depart, pausing at the door, as he always did, to bow profoundly.
莉迪亚小姐含着一丝微笑看着他系上他的“父亲胡伯德”并离开，他像往常一样走到门口，深深鞠躬。

That evening, at dark, he returned. —
那天晚上，天黑后，他回来了。 —

It seemed that Congressman Fulghum had seen the publisher who had the Major’s manuscript for reading. —
听起来，富尔格姆国会议员已经见了那位持有少校手稿以供阅读的出版商。 —

That person had said that if the anecdotes, etc., were carefully pruned down about one-half, in order to eliminate the sectional and class prejudice with which the book was dyed from end to end, he might consider its publication.
那个人说，如果把这些轶事剪掉一半，以消除全书贯穿始终的地区和阶级偏见，他可能会考虑出版它。

The Major was in a white heat of anger, but regained his equanimity, according to his code of manners, as soon as he was in Miss Lydia’s presence.
按照他的礼仪准则，少校内心愤怒得异常，但在与丽迪娅小姐在一起时却恢复了平静。

“We must have money,” said Miss Lydia, with a little wrinkle above her nose. —
“我们必须有钱，” 丽迪娅小姐皱了皱鼻子。 —

“Give me the two dollars, and I will telegraph to Uncle Ralph for some to-night.”
“给我两美元，我今晚就给拉尔夫叔叔发电报要钱。”

The Major drew a small envelope from his upper vest pocket and tossed it on the table.
少校从背心口袋里掏出一个小包裹，扔在桌子上。

“Perhaps it was injudicious,” he said mildly, “but the sum was so merely nominal that I bought tickets to the theater to-night. —
“也许这样做不太明智，”他温和地说道，” 但那只是个很小的数目，我已经买了今晚去剧院的票了。 —

It’s a new war drama, Lydia. I thought you would be pleased to witness its first production in Washington. —
这是一部新的战争剧，丽迪娅。我想你会很高兴在华盛顿看到它的首次演出。 —

I am told that the South has very fair treatment in the play. —
我听说南方在这部戏中得到了相当公正的对待。 —

I confess I should like to see the performance myself.”
我承认我也很想看一场演出。

Miss Lydia threw up her hands in silent despair.
莉迪亚小姐默默地举起双手表示绝望。

Still, as the tickets were bought, they might as well be used. —
既然买了票，那它们倒不妨用一下。 —

So that evening, as they sat in the theater listening to the lively overture, even Miss Lydia was minded to relegate their troubles, for the hour, to second place. —
所以那天晚上，当他们坐在剧院里听着欢快的序曲时，连莉迪亚小姐也打算将他们的烦恼暂时放在第二位。 —

The Major, in spotless linen, with his extraordinary coat showing only where it was closely buttoned, and his white hair smoothly roached, looked really fine and distinguished. —
少校身穿一身洁白的亚麻布衣，他那件非凡的外套只在紧紧扣住的地方露出，白发也被平整地梳理得很好，看起来确实威风凛凛、高贵典雅。 —

The curtain went up on the first act of A Magnolia Flower, revealing a typical Southern plantation scene. —
球花芭蕾第一幕的帷幕上升起，露出了一个典型的南方庄园场景。 —

Major Talbot betrayed some interest.
塔尔博少校表示出了一些兴趣。

“Oh, see!” exclaimed Miss Lydia, nudging his arm, and pointing to her program.
“哦，快看！”莉迪亚小姐叫道，用手肘碰了碰他的胳膊，并指着她的节目单。

The Major put on his glasses and read the line in the cast of characters that her fingers indicated.
少校戴上眼镜，读出了她用手指指的角色名字。

Col. Webster Calhoun …. Mr. Hopkins Hargraves.
韦伯斯特·卡尔霍恩上校……霍普金斯·哈格雷夫斯先生。

“It’s our Mr. Hargraves,” said Miss Lydia. “It must be his first appearance in what he calls ‘the legitimate.’ I’m so glad for him.”
“这是我们的哈格雷夫斯先生，” 莉迪亚小姐说道。 “这一定是他在他所说的’正统剧场’中的首次亮相。我为他感到高兴。”

Not until the second act did Col. Webster Calhoun appear upon the stage. —
直到第二幕，韦伯斯特·卡卢恩上校才出现在舞台上。 —

When he made his entry Major Talbot gave an audible sniff, glared at him, and seemed to freeze solid. —
当他登场时，塔尔博特少校发出了一个听得见的哼声，瞪着他，看起来像是冻僵了一样。 —

Miss Lydia uttered a little, ambiguous squeak and crumpled her program in her hand. —
莉迪亚小声发出了一个模棱两可的尖叫声，手中握着节目单揉成了一团。 —

For Colonel Calhoun was made up as nearly resembling Major Talbot as one pea does another. —
因为卡卢恩上校几乎看起来像是塔尔博特少校的翻版。 —

The long, thin white hair, curly at the ends, the aristocratic beak of a nose, the crumpled, wide, raveling shirt front, the string tie, with the bow nearly under one ear, were almost exactly duplicated. —
他的长长的、薄薄的白发在末端弯曲，高贵的鹰钩鼻子，皱巴巴、宽松、撕裂的衬衫前襟，带着蝴蝶结几乎在一只耳朵下面，几乎完全一模一样。 —

And then, to clinch the imitation, he wore the twin to the Major’s supposed to be unparalleled coat. —
为了巩固这种模仿，他还穿着与少校被认为是无与伦比的外套完全一样的外套。 —

High-collared, baggy, empire-waisted, ample-skirted, hanging a foot lower in front than behind, the garment could have been designed from no other pattern. —
高领、宽松、帝国腰线、宽大的裙子，在前面比后面下垂一英尺的这件衣服，绝不可能有其他的样式设计。 —

From then on, the Major and Miss Lydia sat bewitched, and saw the counterfeit presentment of a haughty Talbot “dragged,” as the Major afterward expressed it, “through the slanderous mire of a corrupt stage.”
从那时起，少校和小雅迪亚陷入了迷惑之中，看着一个傲慢的塔尔伯特的假象被“拖”入腐败的舞台的诽谤泥潭中。

Mr. Hargraves had used his opportunities well. —
哈格雷夫斯先生充分利用了他的机会。 —

He had caught the Major’s little idiosyncrasies of speech, accent, and intonation and his pompous courtliness to perfection–exaggerating all to the purpose of the stage. —
他完美地捕捉到了少校说话、口音和语调的小细节，并将他夸大到戏剧效果的极致。 —

When he performed that marvelous bow that the Major fondly imagined to be the pink of all salutations, the audience sent forth a sudden round of hearty applause.
当他表演那个少校自认为是所有问候的精华的奇妙鞠躬时，观众发出了一阵热烈的掌声。

Miss Lydia sat immovable, not daring to glance toward her father. —
小雅迪亚坐得动都不动，不敢朝父亲瞥一眼。 —

Sometimes her hand next to him would be laid against her cheek, as if to conceal the smile which, in spite of her disapproval, she could not entirely suppress.
有时她的手会放在脸颊上，仿佛要掩饰住她尽管不赞成但无法完全抑制的微笑。

The culmination of Hargraves audacious imitation took place in the third act. —
哈格雷夫斯大胆的模仿达到了顶峰，发生在第三幕。 —

The scene is where Colonel Calhoun entertains a few of the neighboring planters in his “den.”
场景是卡尔霍恩上校在他的“巢穴”中招待几个周围的种植园主。

Standing at a table in the center of the stage, with his friends grouped about him, he delivers that inimitable, rambling character monologue so famous in A Magnolia Flower, at the same time that he deftly makes juleps for the party.
站在舞台中央的桌子旁边，他的朋友们围绕着他，他递送着那个在《木兰花》中非常著名的独特的、杂乱无章的角色独白，与此同时，他熟练地为聚会制作薄荷酒。

Major Talbot, sitting quietly, but white with indignation, heard his best stories retold, his pet theories and hobbies advanced and expanded, and the dream of the Anecdotes and Reminiscences served, exaggerated and garbled. —
塔尔伯特少校静静地坐着，但它满脸愤怒，他听到他最好的故事被重新讲述，他最爱的理论和爱好被提出和扩大，并且回忆和轶事的梦想被服务、夸大和篡改。 —

His favorite narrative–that of his duel with Rathbone Culbertson–was not omitted, and it was delivered with more fire, egotism, and gusto than the Major himself put into it.
他最喜欢的叙述——与拉思邦·卡尔伯特森决斗的故事——没有被遗漏，而且比少校本人讲的时候更富有激情、自负和热情地讲述了这个故事。

The monologue concluded with a quaint, delicious, witty little lecture on the art of concocting a julep, illustrated by the act. —
独白以一段古怪、美味、机智的小讲座结束，讲述了调制薄荷酒的艺术，并且通过行动进行了演示。 —

Here Major Talbot’s delicate but showy science was reproduced to a hair’s breadth–from his dainty handling of the fragrant weed–“the one-thousandth part of a grain too much pressure, gentlemen, and you extract the bitterness, instead of the aroma, of this heaven-bestowed plant”–to his solicitous selection of the oaten straws.
在此，塔尔伯特少校微妙而华丽的科学被精确地复制出来——从他对芳香烟草的细腻处理——“只要稍稍多加一丝压力，先生们，你就会榨取这种天赐之物中的苦味，而非香气”——到他挑选燕麦麦秸时的关切。

At the close of the scene the audience raised a tumultuous roar of appreciation. —
场景结束时，观众掌声如雷霆般响起，表示对此的欣赏。 —

The portrayal of the type was so exact, so sure and thorough, that the leading characters in the play were forgotten. —
人物的描绘如此准确、确切和彻底，以至于剧中的主要角色都被遗忘了。 —

After repeated calls, Hargraves came before the curtain and bowed, his rather boyish face bright and flushed with the knowledge of success.
在多次的喊叫声中，哈格雷夫斯走上舞台并行礼，他那张略带童贞的脸上洋溢着成功的喜悦。

At last Miss Lydia turned and looked at the Major. His thin nostrils were working like the gills of a fish. —
最后，莉迪娅转过头看着塔尔伯特少校。他细细的鼻孔像鱼的鳃一样在奋力工作。 —

He laid both shaking hands upon the arms of his chair to rise.
他抓住椅子上的扶手，试图站起来。

“We will go, Lydia,” he said chokingly. —
“我们走吧，莉迪娅，”他哽咽着说道， —

“This is an abominable–desecration.”
“这实在是太可憎了——不可饶恕的亵渎。”

Before he could rise, she pulled him back into his seat.
还没等他站起来，她就把他拉回了椅子上。

“We will stay it out,” she declared. —
“我们会坚持下去的，”她宣称道。 —

“Do you want to advertise the copy by exhibiting the original coat?” So they remained to the end.
“你想要通过展示原版大衣来做广告吗？”所以他们坚持到了最后。

Hargraves’s success must have kept him up late that night, for neither at the breakfast nor at the dinner table did he appear.
哈格雷夫斯的成功肯定让他熬夜了，因为早餐和晚餐时他都没有出现。

About three in the afternoon he tapped at the door of Major Talbot’s study. —
大约下午三点，他敲了敲塔尔伯特少校办公室的门。 —

The Major opened it, and Hargraves walked in with his hands full of the morning papers–too full of his triumph to notice anything unusual in the Major’s demeanor.
塔尔伯特少校打开了门，哈格雷夫斯带着满手的早报走了进去，因为他太过于陶醉于自己的胜利，没有注意到少校举止中的不寻常之处。

“I put it all over ‘em last night, Major,” he began exultantly. “I had my inning, and, I think, scored. Here’s what The Post says:
“我昨晚完全压倒了他们，少校，”他兴高采烈地开始说。“我有了我的发言权，并且我想，得分了。这是《邮报》上的评论：

”‘His conception and portrayal of the old-time Southern colonel, with his absurd grandiloquence, his eccentric garb, his quaint idioms and phrases, his motheaten pride of family, and his really kind heart, fastidious sense of honor, and lovable simplicity, is the best delineation of a character role on the boards to-day. —
“‘他对古老的南方上校的构思和描绘，包括他荒谬的夸张之词，奇特的装束，古怪的习语和短语，陈旧的家族自豪感，以及他真正善良的心灵，高尚的荣誉感和可爱的简单性，是目前舞台上对角色形象最好的描述。 —

The coat worn by Colonel Calhoun is itself nothing less than an evolution of genius. —
Colonel Calhoun穿的外套本身就是天才的进化。 —

Mr. Hargraves has captured his public.’
Hargraves先生征服了他的观众。

“How does that sound, Major, for a first-nighter?”
“Major，对于一次首演来说，这听起来如何？”

“I had the honor”–the Major’s voice sounded ominously frigid–“of witnessing your very remarkable performance, sir, last night.”
“我有幸”- Major的声音听起来异常冷淡-“观看了你昨晚非常出色的表演，先生。”

Hargraves looked disconcerted.
Hargraves看起来有些不安。

“You were there? I didn’t know you ever–I didn’t know you cared for the theater. —
“你在那儿？我不知道你会- 我不知道你对戏剧感兴趣。” —

Oh, I say, Major Talbot,” he exclaimed frankly, “don’t you be offended. —
“哦，我说，Talbot少校，” 他坦率地大叫，“你别生气。 —

I admit I did get a lot of pointers from you that helped out wonderfully in the part. —
我承认在这个角色中我确实得到了你很多有助于表演的建议。 —

But it’s a type, you know–not individual. —
但这是一个类型，你知道的-不是个体。 —

The way the audience caught on shows that. —
观众的反应表明了这一点。 —

Half the patrons of that theater are Southerners. —
那家剧院一半的观众都是南方人。 —

They recognized it.”
他们认出来了。”

“Mr. Hargraves,” said the Major, who had remained standing, “you have put upon me an unpardonable insult. —
“Hargraves先生，”站着的Major说，“你给我带来了不可原谅的侮辱。 —

You have burlesqued my person, grossly betrayed my confidence, and misused my hospitality. —
你嘲弄了我的形象，严重背叛了我的信任，并滥用了我的款待。” —

If I thought you possessed the faintest conception of what is the sign manual of a gentleman, or what is due one, I would call you out, sir, old as I am. —
如果我觉得你对绅士的标志有一丁点概念，或者知道应该如何对待绅士，我会与你决斗，无论我多老。 —

I will ask you to leave the room, sir.”
先生，请你离开房间。

The actor appeared to be slightly bewildered, and seemed hardly to take in the full meaning of the old gentleman’s words.
这位演员似乎有些困惑，似乎没有完全理解老绅士的话的含义。

“I am truly sorry you took offense,” he said regretfully. —
“我真的很抱歉你感到冒犯了，”他遗憾地说。 —

“Up here we don’t look at things just as you people do. —
“在我们这里，我们看待事情的方式与你们不同。” —

I know men who would buy out half the house to have their personality put on the stage so the public would recognize it.”
我认识一些人，他们会为了让他们的个性在舞台上展现出来，以便公众能够认出他们，愿意买下半个剧院。

“They are not from Alabama, sir,” said the Major haughtily.
“他们不是来自阿拉巴马州，先生，”少校傲慢地说。

“Perhaps not. I have a pretty good memory, Major; —
“也许不是。我对你的书还记得很清楚，少校； —

let me quote a few lines from your book. —
让我给你引用一下你在一次宴会上的发言： —

In response to a toast at a banquet given in–Milledgeville, I believe–you uttered, and intend to have printed, these words:
“‘北方人除了在感情能够转化为自己的商业利益之外，完全没有情感或热情。

”‘The Northern man is utterly without sentiment or warmth except in so far as the feelings may be turned to his own commercial profit. —
在–米尔迪奇维尔（我相信是那里）的一次宴会上，你说出并且打算印刷下这些话：”北方人完全没有情感或热情，除非这些情感可以转化为他们自己的商业利益。 —

He will suffer without resentment any imputation cast upon the honor of himself or his loved ones that does not bear with it the consequence of pecuniary loss. —
他将不会对自己或他所爱的人的荣誉受到毫无经济损失的诽谤感到愤怒。 —

In his charity, he gives with a liberal hand; —
他慷慨施舍， —

but it must be heralded with the trumpet and chronicled in brass.’
但必须要有吹嘘和铭刻在铜牌上的宣传。

“Do you think that picture is fairer than the one you saw of Colonel Calhoun last night?”
“你认为这张照片比昨晚你所见到的卡尔霍恩上校的更漂亮吗？”

“The description,” said the Major, frowning, “is–not without grounds. —
“这个描述，”中校皱着眉头说，“不完全没有依据。 —

Some exag–latitude must be allowed in public speaking.”
在公开演讲中可能需要有些夸张。”

“And in public acting,” replied Hargraves.
“在公众表演中也是一样，”哈格雷夫斯回答道。

“That is not the point,” persisted the Major, unrelenting. —
“这不是关键，”中校坚持说， —

“It was a personal caricature. —
“这是个人讽刺。 —

I positively decline to overlook it, sir.”
我完全不会容忍，先生。”

“Major Talbot,” said Hargraves, with a winning smile, “I wish you would understand me. —
“塔尔伯特中校，”哈格雷夫斯带着讨好的微笑说，“我希望您能理解我。 —

I want you to know that I never dreamed of insulting you. —
我希望您知道我绝对没有冒犯您的意思。” —

In my profession, all life belongs to me. —
在我的职业中，所有的生活都属于我。 —

I take what I want, and what I can, and return it over the footlights. —
我得到我想要的，我能得到的，并通过舞台的灯光将其还回。 —

Now, if you will, let’s let it go at that. —
现在，如果你愿意，就让它就这样吧。 —

I came in to see you about something else. —
我前来是想与你商谈另一件事。 —

We’ve been pretty good friends for some months, and I’m going to take the risk of offending you again. —
我们已经是相当好的朋友了几个月，我将冒着再次冒犯你的风险。 —

I know you are hard up for money–never mind how I found out, a boarding house is no place to keep such matters secret–and I want you to let me help you out of the pinch. —
我知道你手头拮据–不要管我是怎么知道的，寄宿家庭不是保守这种事情的地方–我想帮你渡过这个困境。 —

I’ve been there often enough myself. —
我自己经历过那样的情况。 —

I’ve been getting a fair salary all the season, and I’ve saved some money. —
整个季节我都得到了相当可观的薪水，我也存了一些钱。 —

You’re welcome to a couple hundred–or even more–until you get—-”
你可以拿走几百块–甚至更多–直到你度过难关为止—–

“Stop!” commanded the Major, with his arm outstretched. —
“住手！”少校大声命令，伸出手臂。 —

“It seems that my book didn’t lie, after all. —
“看来我的书毕竟没说错。 —

You think your money salve will heal all the hurts of honor. —
你认为你的金钱疗法可以治愈所有荣誉的伤口。 —

Under no circumstances would I accept a loan from a casual acquaintance; —
无论如何，我都不会从一个泛泛之交那里借贷； —

and as to you, sir, I would starve before I would consider your insulting offer of a financial adjustment of the circumstances we have discussed. —
至于你，先生，我会宁愿饿死也不会考虑你那令人侮辱的财务安排，就我们刚才讨论过的情况而言。 —

I beg to repeat my request relative to your quitting the apartment.”
我再次恳请你搬离公寓。

Hargraves took his departure without another word. —
哈格雷夫斯没有再说一句话就离开了。 —

He also left the house the same day, moving, as Mrs. Vardeman explained at the supper table, nearer the vicinity of the downtown theater, where A Magnolia Flower was booked for a week’s run.
他也在同一天离开了这栋房子，搬到了离市区剧院更近的地方，那里正在上映《玉堂春》一周。

Critical was the situation with Major Talbot and Miss Lydia. There was no one in Washington to whom the Major’s scruples allowed him to apply for a loan. —
塔尔博特少校和莉迪娅小姐的情况非常紧急。在华盛顿没有人可以向塔尔博特少校寻求贷款。 —

Miss Lydia wrote a letter to Uncle Ralph, but it was doubtful whether that relative’s constricted affairs would permit him to furnish help. —
莉迪娅小姐写了封信给拉尔夫叔叔，但不确定他的财务状况是否能够提供帮助。 —

The Major was forced to make an apologetic address to Mrs. Vardeman regarding the delayed payment for board, referring to “delinquent rentals” and “delayed remittances” in a rather confused strain.
由于拖欠房费，塔尔博特少校不得不向瓦德曼夫人致以道歉，提到了“拖欠租金”和“延迟汇款”，措辞有些混乱。

Deliverance came from an entirely unexpected source.
救援来自一个完全意想不到的地方。

Late one afternoon the door maid came up and announced an old colored man who wanted to see Major Talbot. —
一个下午，门房来报告说有一个年老的有色人想见塔尔博特少校。 —

The Major asked that he be sent up to his study. —
Major要求他被送到他的书房。不久， —

Soon an old darkey appeared in the doorway, with his hat in hand, bowing, and scraping with one clumsy foot. —
一个老黑人出现在门口，帽子握在手里，一只笨拙的脚鞠躬，刮擦地弯着腰。 —

He was quite decently dressed in a baggy suit of black. —
他穿着一套宽松的黑色西服，相当得体。 —

His big, coarse shoes shone with a metallic luster suggestive of stove polish. —
他的粗鞋闪烁着类似火炉烤漆的金属光泽。 —

His bushy wool was gray–almost white. After middle life, it is difficult to estimate the age of a negro. —
他浓密的羊毛发灰白色，几乎白了。在中年之后，很难估计一个黑人的年龄。 —

This one might have seen as many years as had Major Talbot.
这个人可能和Talbot Major一样多年。

“I be bound you don’t know me, Mars’ Pendleton,” were his first words.
“我敢说，你不认识我，Pendleton先生，”他开口了。

The Major rose and came forward at the old, familiar style of address. —
Major站起身，以老熟人的方式向前走去。 —

It was one of the old plantation darkeys without a doubt; —
毫无疑问，这是一个古老种植园的黑人； —

but they had been widely scattered, and he could not recall the voice or face.
但他们已经广泛分散，他无法回忆起这个声音或面孔。

“I don’t believe I do,” he said kindly–“unless you will assist my memory.”
“我不认为我认识你，”他友善地说道，”除非你能帮助我回忆起来。

“Don’t you ‘member Cindy’s Mose, Mars’ Pendleton, what ‘migrated ‘mediately after de war?”
“你还记得Cindy的Mose吗，Pendleton先生？那个战后就迁移了的人？”

“Wait a moment,” said the Major, rubbing his forehead with the tips of his fingers. —
“稍等一下，”少校说着，用指尖揉了揉额头。 —

He loved to recall everything connected with those beloved days. —
他喜欢回忆与那些挚爱的日子有关的一切。 —

“Cindy’s Mose,” he reflected. —
“辛迪的莫斯，”他回想着。 —

“You worked among the horses–breaking the colts. —
“你在马匹中工作——驯服小马驹。是的， —

Yes, I remember now. —
我现在记起来了。 —

After the surrender, you took the name of–don’t prompt me–Mitchell, and went to the West–to Nebraska.”
投降后，你改了名字——别给我暗示——米切尔，然后去了西部——到了内布拉斯加。”

“Yassir, yassir,”–the old man’s face stretched with a delighted grin–“dat’s him, dat’s it. Newbraska. Dat’s me–Mose Mitchell. —
“是的，是的，”老人的脸上露出一丝欣喜的笑容。“就是他，没错。内布拉斯加。现在人们叫我老莫斯·米切尔。 —

Old Uncle Mose Mitchell, dey calls me now. Old mars’, your pa, gimme a pah of dem mule colts when I lef’ fur to staht me goin’ with. —
现在是老莫斯·米切尔啦。当我离开的时候，老主人，也就是你爸爸，给了我一对骡马驹，让我好开始。 —

You ‘member dem colts, Mars’ Pendleton?”
你还记得那对马驹吗，彭德尔顿老爷？”

“I don’t seem to recall the colts,” said the Major. “You know. —
“我好像没有想起来那对马驹，”少校说。“你知道的。 —

I was married the first year of the war and living at the old Follinsbee place. —
战争开始的第一年，我结了婚，住在老福林斯比的地方。 —

But sit down, sit down, Uncle Mose. I’m glad to see you. —
但请坐，请坐，莫斯叔叔。很高兴见到你。 —

I hope you have prospered.”
希望你一切都好。”

Uncle Mose took a chair and laid his hat carefully on the floor beside it.
莫斯叔叔坐下来，小心地把帽子放在椅子旁边的地板上。

“Yessir; of late I done mouty famous. —
“是的，先生；最近我很出名。 —

When I first got to Newbraska, dey folks come all roun’ me to see dem mule colts. —
当我刚到新不拉斯加时，人们都来围观我的骡子驹。 —

Dey ain’t see no mules like dem in Newbraska. —
在新不拉斯加从来没有见过像我的骡子那样的。 —

I sold dem mules for three hundred dollars. —
我以三百美元的价格卖掉了那些骡子。 —

Yessir–three hundred.
是的，三百。

“Den I open a blacksmith shop, suh, and made some money and bought some lan’. —
“然后我开了一家铁匠铺，赚了一些钱，买了一些土地。 —

Me and my old ‘oman done raised up seb’m chillun, and all doin’ well ‘cept two of ‘em what died. —
我和我老婆抚养了七个孩子，除了两个去世了，其他的都过得很好。 —

Fo’ year ago a railroad come along and staht a town slam ag’inst my lan’, and, suh, Mars’ Pendleton, Uncle Mose am worth leb’m thousand dollars in money, property, and lan’.”
“四年前，一条铁路沿着我的土地修了一座城镇，先生，潘德尔顿先生，老摩西现在身价值十一千美元，包括现金、财产和土地。”

“I’m glad to hear it,” said the Major heartily. —
“听到这个我很高兴，”潘德尔顿上校热情地说道。 —

“Glad to hear it.”
“真是太好了。”

“And dat little baby of yo’n, Mars’ Pendleton–one what you name Miss Lyddy–I be bound dat little tad done growed up tell nobody wouldn’t know her.”
“还有您的那个小宝贝，潘德尔顿先生，您给她取的那个名字叫莉迪，我打赌那个小孩已经长大了，没人认得出她了。”

The Major stepped to the door and called: —
潘德尔顿上校走到门口喊道：“莉迪， —

“Lydie, dear, will you come?”
亲爱的，你能来一下吗？”

Miss Lydia, looking quite grown up and a little worried, came in from her room.
莉迪小姐，看上去很成熟，有些担心地从房间里走了进来。

“Dar, now! What’d I tell you? —
“达尔，现在！我告诉你什么了？ —

I knowed dat baby done be plum growed up. —
我知道那个孩子已经长大了。 —

You don’t ‘member Uncle Mose, child?”
你不记得摩西叔叔了吗，孩子？”

“This is Aunt Cindy’s Mose, Lydia,” explained the Major. “He left Sunnymead for the West when you were two years old.”
“这是辛迪阿姨的摩西，莉迪娅，” 少校解释道。“你两岁的时候，他离开了阳光草地去西部.”

“Well,” said Miss Lydia, “I can hardly be expected to remember you, Uncle Mose, at that age. —
“那样，”莉迪娅小姐说道，“我几乎不可能记得你，摩西叔叔，那个年纪.” —

And, as you say, I’m ‘plum growed up,’ and was a blessed long time ago. —
“而且，正如你所说的，我已经长大了，很久以前的事了.” —

But I’m glad to see you, even if I can’t remember you.”
“但是，即使我记不起你，我很高兴见到你.”

And she was. And so was the Major. Something alive and tangible had come to link them with the happy past. —
她真的很高兴见到他。少校也是。有一些有形的东西来连接他们与幸福的过去。 —

The three sat and talked over the olden times, the Major and Uncle Mose correcting or prompting each other as they reviewed the plantation scenes and days.
三人坐下来，回忆起旧日时光，少校和摩西叔叔在回顾种植园的景象和日子时互相纠正或提示。

The Major inquired what the old man was doing so far from his home.
少校询问老人远离家乡做什么。

“Uncle Mose am a delicate,” he explained, “to de grand Baptis’ convention in dis city. —
“摩西叔叔是来参加这个城市的大型浸礼派大会的，”他解释说，“我没有传教过，但是作为教堂的常住长老，而且能够支付自己的费用，他们派我来的.” —

I never preached none, but bein’ a residin’ elder in de church, and able fur to pay my own expenses, dey sent me along.”
“我从来没有传教，”他解释说，“但是能够支付自己的费用，他们派我去参加殿堂的大规模派会.”

“And how did you know we were in Washington?” inquired Miss Lydia.
“那你是怎么知道我们在华盛顿的？”莉迪娅小姐询问道。

“Dey’s a cullud man works in de hotel whar I stops, what comes from Mobile. —
“在我住的酒店里有个黑人工作，来自莫比尔的人。 —

He told me he seen Mars’ Pendleton comin’ outen dish here house one mawnin’.
他告诉我他看到彭德尔顿先生一早离开这个房子。

“What I come fur,” continued Uncle Mose, reaching into his pocket–“besides de sight of home folks–was to pay Mars’ Pendleton what I owes him.
“除了见到家里人，”摩斯叔叔继续说道，伸手进兜里，“我来这是要给彭德尔顿先生还债。

“Yessir–three hundred dollars.” He handed the Major a roll of bills. —
“是啊，三百美元。”他递给少校一叠钞票。 —

“When I lef’ old mars’ says: —
“当我离开老爷的时候，他说： —

‘Take dem mule colts, Mose, and, if it be so you gits able, pay fur ‘em.’ Yessir–dem was his words. —
‘摩斯，带上那些骡子驹吧，如果你有能力的话，为它们付钱。’是啊，这就是他的话。 —

De war had done lef’ old mars’ po’ hisself. —
战争已经让老爷变得穷困。 —

Old mars’ bein’ long ago dead, de debt descends to Mars’ Pendleton. —
老爷早已去世，所以债务传给了彭德尔顿先生。 —

Three hundred dollars. Uncle Mose is plenty able to pay now. —
三百美元。现在摩斯叔叔完全有能力偿还。 —

When dat railroad buy my lan’ I laid off to pay fur dem mules. —
当那条铁路买走我的土地时，我被解雇了为了支付那些骡子的费用。 —

Count de money, Mars’ Pendleton. —
数一数钱吧，潘德尔顿先生。 —

Dat’s what I sold dem mules fur. Yessir.”
这是我卖那些骡子的钱。是的，先生。

Tears were in Major Talbot’s eyes. —
梅杰·塔尔伯特少校眼中含泪。 —

He took Uncle Mose’s hand and laid his other upon his shoulder.
他握着尤恩克尔·莫斯的手，另一只手搭在他的肩上。

“Dear, faithful, old servitor,” he said in an unsteady voice, “I don’t mind saying to you that ‘Mars’ Pendleton spent his last dollar in the world a week ago. —
“亲爱的、忠实的老仆人，” 他声音颤抖地说道，” 我不介意告诉你，潘德尔顿先生在一周前已经用尽了他最后的一分钱。 —

We will accept this money, Uncle Mose, since, in a way, it is a sort of payment, as well as a token of the loyalty and devotion of the old regime. —
莫斯大叔，我们会接受这些钱，因为在某种程度上，它也是一种支付，同时也是对旧时代的忠诚与奉献的象征。 —

Lydia, my dear, take the money. —
亲爱的莉迪娅，拿着这笔钱吧。 —

You are better fitted than I to manage its expenditure.”
你比我更适合管理它的支出。

“Take it, honey,” said Uncle Mose. “Hit belongs to you. —
“拿着吧，亲爱的，”莫斯大叔说道，”这是属于你的， —

Hit’s Talbot money.”
是塔尔伯特家的钱。”

After Uncle Mose had gone, Miss Lydia had a good cry—for joy; —
莫斯大叔离开后，莉迪娅小姐高兴地大哭了一场； —

and the Major turned his face to a corner, and smoked his clay pipe volcanically.
而少校则将脸转向了墙角，激烈地抽着他的煤斗烟斗。

The succeeding days saw the Talbots restored to peace and ease. —
接下来的几天，塔尔伯特一家恢复了平静与舒适。 —

Miss Lydia’s face lost its worried look. —
莉迪娅小姐的脸上不再有担忧的表情。 —

The major appeared in a new frock coat, in which he looked like a wax figure personifying the memory of his golden age. —
这位少校穿着一件新的弗洛克外套，看起来像是一个具象化他黄金时代记忆的蜡像人物。 —

Another publisher who read the manuscript of the Anecdotes and Reminiscences thought that, with a little retouching and toning down of the high lights, he could make a really bright and salable volume of it. —
另一位出版商读了《趣闻轶事与回忆录》的手稿后，认为只需要稍作修饰和调整亮度，就能制作出一本真正明亮且有销售价值的册子。 —

Altogether, the situation was comfortable, and not without the touch of hope that is often sweeter than arrived blessings.
总的来说，情况很舒适，而且不乏希望的感触，那种感触往往比实现的祝福更加甜蜜。

One day, about a week after their piece of good luck, a maid brought a letter for Miss Lydia to her room. —
有一天，在他们获得好运的约一周后，一位女仆拿来了一封给莉迪亚小姐的信。 —

The postmark showed that it was from New York. Not knowing any one there, Miss Lydia, in a mild flutter of wonder, sat down by her table and opened the letter with her scissors. —
邮戳显示它来自纽约。莉迪亚小姐并不认识那里的任何人，于是她带着一些好奇的忐忑感坐在桌子旁打开了信，用剪刀剪开。 —

This was what she read:
这是她所读到的内容：

DEAR MISS TALBOT:
亲爱的莉迪亚小姐：

I thought you might be glad to learn of my good fortune. —
我想你会对我的好运感到高兴。 —

I have received and accepted an offer of two hundred dollars per week by a New York stock company to play Colonel Calhoun in A Magnolia Flower.
我收到了一个纽约股票公司提供的每周两百美元的报酬，并已经接受了，在《一朵玉兰花》中扮演卡尔胡恩上校的角色。

There is something else I wanted you to know. —
我有另外一件事想让你知道。 —

I guess you’d better not tell Major Talbot. —
我想你最好不要告诉塔尔伯特少校。 —

I was anxious to make him some amends for the great help he was to me in studying the part, and for the bad humor he was in about it. —
我急于向他补偿他在我学习这个角色上给予的巨大帮助，以及他一直对此很不高兴。 —

He refused to let me, so I did it anyhow. —
他不让我这么做，所以我还是做了。 —

I could easily spare the three hundred.
我很容易就能拿出那三百块钱。

Sincerely yours,H. HOPKINS HARGRAVES.
真诚的你，H. HOPKINS HARGRAVES。

P.S. How did I play Uncle Mose?
附注：我演的摩斯叔叔怎么样？

Major Talbot, passing through the hall, saw Miss Lydia’s door open and stopped.
塔尔伯特少校走过走廊，看到了莉迪娅小姐的门开着，便停了下来。

“Any mail for us this morning, Lydia, dear?” he asked.
“莉迪娅，亲爱的，今天早上还有我们的信吗？”他问道。

Miss Lydia slid the letter beneath a fold of her dress.
莉迪娅小姐将信藏在裙子的一层褶皱下。

“The Mobile Chronicle came,” she said promptly. —
“《莫比尔纪事报》来了，”她迅速回答道，” —

“It’s on the table in your study.”
放在你书房的桌子上了。”