TREATS ON A VERY POOR SUBJECT. BUT IS A SHORT ONE, AND MAY BE FOUND OF IMPORTANCE IN THIS HISTORY
一个非常贫困的主题。但这是一个简短的故事，在这个历史上可能很重要。

It was no unfit messenger of death, who had disturbed the quiet of the matron’s room. —
干扰了贵妇房间的宁静的，是一个毫不失格的死亡使者。 —

Her body was bent by age; her limbs trembled with palsy; —
她的身体因年老而弯曲; 她的四肢因中风而颤抖; —

her face, distorted into a mumbling leer, resembled more the grotesque shaping of some wild pencil, than the work of Nature’s hand.
她扭曲的面庞，呈现出一种含糊不清的嘲笑，更像是一只疯狂的铅笔在塑造，而非大自然之手的作品。

Alas! How few of Nature’s faces are left alone to gladden us with their beauty! —
哎呀！多么少有自然的脸孔留下来让我们因其美丽而高兴！ —

The cares, and sorrows, and hungerings, of the world, change them as they change hearts; —
世界的忧虑，痛苦和渴望让它们像它们改变心灵一样改变脸庞; —

and it is only when those passions sleep, and have lost their hold for ever, that the troubled clouds pass off, and leave Heaven’s surface clear. —
只有当那些激情沉睡并永远失去控制时，扰乱的云彩才会消散，露出天堂的清晰表面。 —

It is a common thing for the countenances of the dead, even in that fixed and rigid state, to subside into the long-forgotten expression of sleeping infancy, and settle into the very look of early life; —
甚至在那种固定僵硬的状态下，死者的面容都会淡去到长久被遗忘的婴儿睡颜，并定格成幼年的模样; —

so calm, so peaceful, do they grow again, that those who knew them in their happy childhood, kneel by the coffin’s side in awe, and see the Angel even upon earth.
它们再次变得如此平静，如此祥和，以至于那些曾在他们快乐的童年认识他们的人会在棺材旁惊叹，并看到即使在人间也有天使。

The old crone tottered along the passages, and up the stairs, muttering some indistinct answers to the chidings of her companion; —
老妇人摇摇晃晃地沿着走廊和楼梯走去，嘟哝着回答着同伴的责骂; —

being at length compelled to pause for breath, she gave the light into her hand, and remained behind to follow as she might: —
最终，被迫停下来喘口气时，她把灯交到她的手里，留在后面随她所愿跟随; —

while the more nimble superior made her way to the room where the sick woman lay.
而更灵活的上级则快步走向病人躺着的房间。

It was a bare garret-room, with a dim light burning at the farther end. —
这是一个光线黯淡的阁楼房间，远处燃烧着一束微弱的光。 —

There was another old woman watching by the bed; —
另一个老妇人正在床边守护; —

the parish apothecary’s apprentice was standing by the fire, making a toothpick out of a quill.
教区药剂店的学徒正站在火炉旁，用鹅毛制作牙签。

‘Cold night, Mrs. Corney,’ said this young gentleman, as the matron entered.
“冷夜啊，科尼夫人，”年轻绅士说道，当女管家进来时。

‘Very cold, indeed, sir,’ replied the mistress, in her most civil tones, and dropping a curtsey as she spoke.
“非常冷，先生，”女主人以最客气的语气回答，并在说话时鞠躬。

‘You should get better coals out of your contractors,’ said the apothecary’s deputy, breaking a lump on the top of the fire with the rusty poker; —
“你们应该从承包商那里要些更好的煤炭。”药剂师的助手用锈迹斑斑的火钳撬开火堆上的一块煤。 —

‘these are not at all the sort of thing for a cold night.’
“这种煤根本不适合这么冷的夜晚。”

‘They’re the board’s choosing, sir,’ returned the matron. —
“这是董事会选的，先生。”女管家回答道。 —

‘The least they could do, would be to keep us pretty warm: for our places are hard enough.’
“他们至少应该让我们保持相当温暖：因为我们的地方已经够冷的了。”

The conversation was here interrupted by a moan from the sick woman.
这时，病人床上传来一声呻吟。

‘Oh!’ said the young mag, turning his face towards the bed, as if he had previously quite forgotten the patient, ‘it’s all U.P. there, Mrs. Corney.’
“哦！”年轻人转过脸朝着床，仿佛之前完全忘记了病人，“科尼夫人，不太妙啊。”

‘It is, is it, sir?’ asked the matron.
“是吗，先生？”女管家问道。

‘If she lasts a couple of hours, I shall be surprised,’ said the apothecary’s apprentice, intent upon the toothpick’s point. —
“如果能再撑几个小时，我会感到惊讶的。”药剂师的学徒说着，专心地刺着牙签。 —

‘It’s a break-up of the system altogether. —
“她的身体系统已经崩溃了。 —

Is she dozing, old lady?’
老太太在打盹吗？”

The attendant stooped over the bed, to ascertain; and nodded in the affirmative.
服务员低头俯身到床边去确认，点了点头。

‘Then perhaps she’ll go off in that way, if you don’t make a row,’ said the young man. —
“那也许她会以那种方式离开，如果你不制造吵闹的话。”年轻人说。 —

‘Put the light on the floor. She won’t see it there.’
“把灯放在地板上。她在那里看不见。”

The attendant did as she was told: shaking her head meanwhile, to intimate that the woman would not die so easily; —
服务员照做了，同时摇头示意那个女人不会那么轻易死去； —

having done so, she resumed her seat by the side of the other nurse, who had by this time returned. —
做完后，她回到了另一名护士身边的座位，那名护士此时已经回来了； —

The mistress, with an expression of impatience, wrapped herself in her shawl, and sat at the foot of the bed.
女主人不耐烦地裹紧披肩，坐在床脚下；

The apothecary’s apprentice, having completed the manufacture of the toothpick, planted himself in front of the fire and made good use of it for ten minutes or so: —
药剂师的学徒制作完成了牙签后，站在火炉前好好利用了十分钟左右； —

when apparently growing rather dull, he wished Mrs. Corney joy of her job, and took himself off on tiptoe.
似乎有点无聊了，他祝贺科尼夫人完成了工作，并悄悄走开；

When they had sat in silence for some time, the two old women rose from the bed, and crouching over the fire, held out their withered hands to catch the heat. —
她们默默地坐了一段时间后，两位老妇人从床上站起来，蜷缩在火炉前，伸出枯瘦的手接受炉火的温暖； —

The flame threw a ghastly light on their shrivelled faces, and made their ugliness appear terrible, as, in this position, they began to converse in a low voice.
火焰照在她们干瘪的脸上，让她们的丑陋看起来令人恐惧，就在这时，她们低声交谈起来；

‘Did she say any more, Anny dear, while I was gone?’ inquired the messenger.
‘她在我离开的时候有说什么吗，安妮亲爱的？’ 快递员问道；

‘Not a word,’ replied the other. ‘She plucked and tore at her arms for a little time; —
‘她没说一句话，’ 另一个回答说。’她抓着自己的手臂挠了一会儿； —

but I held her hands, and she soon dropped off. —
但我扶着她的手，她很快就松了下来。 —

She hasn’t much strength in her, so I easily kept her quiet. —
她没什么力气，所以我很容易让她安静下来。 —

I ain’t so weak for an old woman, although I am on parish allowance; no, no!’
虽然我只有基本的救济金，但我并不是一个老弱妇人，不，不！’

‘Did she drink the hot wine the doctor said she was to have?’ demanded the first.
‘她喝了医生说她应该喝的热红酒吗？’ 第一个人要求道。

‘I tried to get it down,’ rejoined the other. —
‘我试图把红酒灌下去，’ 另一个回答说。 —

‘But her teeth were tight set, and she clenched the mug so hard that it was as much as I could do to get it back again. —
‘但她咬得紧紧的，猛地把杯子握住，我费了好大劲才把它拿回来。’ —

So I drank it; and it did me good!’
所以我喝了它；它对我有好处！

Looking cautiously round, to ascertain that they were not overheard, the two hags cowered nearer to the fire, and chuckled heartily.
小心翼翼地四处张望，确定他们没有被人听到，两个老巫婆蜷缩在火边更近，开心地咯咯笑着。

‘I mind the time,’ said the first speaker, ‘when she would have done the same, and made rare fun of it afterwards.’
‘我记得，’第一个说话的人说，’以前她也会这样做，并且之后还取笑这件事情。

‘Ay, that she would,’ rejoined the other; ‘she had a merry heart. —
‘是的，她会的，’另一个回答道，’她有一颗欢快的心。 —

‘A many, many, beautiful corpses she laid out, as nice and neat as waxwork. —
‘她布置了许多许多美丽的尸体，整齐如蜡像。 —

My old eyes have seen them–ay, and those old hands touched them too; —
我的老眼睛见证了它们——是的，那双老手也触摸过它们； —

for I have helped her, scores of times.’
因为我帮助她，好几次。

Stretching forth her trembling fingers as she spoke, the old creature shook them exultingly before her face, and fumbling in her pocket, brought out an old time-discoloured tin snuff-box, from which she shook a few grains into the outstretched palm of her companion, and a few more into her own. —
老的人发出欢欣的声音，说话的时候伸出颤抖的手指摆动它们，摸索着口袋，从口袋里掏出一个已经变色的古老锡盒，往它上面摇了一些颗粒，摇在伸出的手掌中，还有一些摇在自己手掌中。 —

While they were thus employed, the matron, who had been impatiently watching until the dying woman should awaken from her stupor, joined them by the fire, and sharply asked how long she was to wait?
当她们这样忙碌的时候，一直焦急地等待垂死的女人恢复清醒的女管家加入到火边，锐利地询问她还要等多久？

‘Not long, mistress,’ replied the second woman, looking up into her face. —
‘不久了，女主人，’回答第二个女人，抬头看着她的脸。 —

‘We have none of us long to wait for Death. Patience, patience! —
‘我们没有多久要等死亡。耐心，耐心！ —

He’ll be here soon enough for us all.’
他会很快来到我们身边的。

‘Hold your tongue, you doting idiot!’ said the matron sternly. —
‘闭嘴，你这个糊涂的白痴！’女管家严厉地说。 —

‘You, Martha, tell me; has she been in this way before?’
‘你，玛莎，告诉我；她之前有过这种情况吗？

‘Often,’ answered the first woman.
‘经常，’第一个女人回答说。

‘But will never be again,’ added the second one; —
“但永远不会再来了，”第二个人补充道； —

‘that is, she’ll never wake again but once–and mind, mistress, that won’t be for long!’
“也就是说，她再也不会醒过来了——小姐，注意，那将不会持续太久！”

‘Long or short,’ said the matron, snappishly, ‘she won’t find me here when she does wake; —
“长或短，”女管家板着脸说道，”当她醒来时，我都不会在这里； —

take care, both of you, how you worry me again for nothing. —
“你们俩要小心，别再无缘由地惹我生气了。 —

It’s no part of my duty to see all the old women in the house die, and I won’t–that’s more. —
“跑去吧，你们这两个无礼的老妇人。在这家没准是所有老妇人都要死，我可不会——记住这一点。 —

Mind that, you impudent old harridans. If you make a fool of me again, I’ll soon cure you, I warrant you!’
“别以为我就该看着所有老女人在这屋里死去，再想想！”

She was bouncing away, when a cry from the two women, who had turned towards the bed, caused her to look round. —
她正要离开时，两个女人的呼喊声让她回头一看。 —

The patient had raised herself upright, and was stretching her arms towards them.
病人挺直了身子，伸直双臂向她们伸去。

‘Who’s that?’ she cried, in a hollow voice.
“是谁？”她用空洞的声音喊道。

‘Hush, hush!’ said one of the women, stooping over her. ‘Lie down, lie down!’
“嘘，嘘！”一个女人俯身对她说道，”躺下，躺下！”

‘I’ll never lie down again alive!’ said the woman, struggling. —
“我永远不会再活着躺下了！”女人挣扎着说。 —

‘I will tell her! Come here! Nearer! Let me whisper in your ear.’
“我会告诉她的！过来！再近点！让我在你耳边悄悄说话。

She clutched the matron by the arm, and forcing her into a chair by the bedside, was about to speak, when looking round, she caught sight of the two old women bending forward in the attitude of eager listeners.
她紧握着女管家的胳膊，把她硬生生拉到床边的椅子上，准备说话，然而环顾四周时，她看到两位老妇人正俯身向前，急切地听着。

‘Turn them away,’ said the woman, drowsily; ‘make haste! make haste!’
“把她们打发开，”女人昏昏欲睡地说道；”赶快！赶快！”

The two old crones, chiming in together, began pouring out many piteous lamentations that the poor dear was too far gone to know her best friends; —
两位老妇人齐声叹息道，称那可怜的亲爱之人已经不醒人事，无法认识她最好的朋友； —

and were uttering sundry protestations that they would never leave her, when the superior pushed them from the room, closed the door, and returned to the bedside. —
并且各自发出种种保证，表示他们永远不会离开她，当上级把他们从房间里推出去，关上门，回到床边。 —

On being excluded, the old ladies changed their tone, and cried through the keyhole that old Sally was drunk; —
被排除在外后，老太太们的口气变了，透过锁孔大喊说老萨利喝醉了； —

which, indeed, was not unlikely; since, in addition to a moderate dose of opium prescribed by the apothecary, she was labouring under the effects of a final taste of gin-and-water which had been privily administered, in the openness of their hearts, by the worthy old ladies themselves.
这的确有可能；因为除了药剂师开的适量鸦片，她还受酿给的一口杜松子酒加水的影响，这是老太太们私下里偷偷给的，出于她们真诚的心意。

‘Now listen to me,’ said the dying woman aloud, as if making a great effort to revive one latent spark of energy. —
“现在听着我说，”垂死的女人大声说，仿佛在努力唤醒最后一丝能量。 —

‘In this very room–in this very bed–I once nursed a pretty young creetur’, that was brought into the house with her feet cut and bruised with walking, and all soiled with dust and blood. —
“在这个房间里——在这张床上——我曾经照料过一个被送进这所房子的漂亮年轻女人，她的脚被走路弄伤、擦伤，全身沾满尘土和血迹。 —

She gave birth to a boy, and died. Let me think–what was the year again!’
她生下一个男孩，然后死去了。让我想想——那年是什么年份来着？”

‘Never mind the year,’ said the impatient auditor; ‘what about her?’
“不用在意年份，”急躁的听众说，“关于她呢？”

‘Ay,’ murmured the sick woman, relapsing into her former drowsy state, ‘what about her? —
‘噢，’病重的妇人喃喃自语，重新陷入昏昏欲睡的状态，’她怎么样了? —

–what about–I know!’ she cried, jumping fiercely up: —
–她怎么样–我知道!‘她尖叫着跳了起来： —

her face flushed, and her eyes starting from her head–‘I robbed her, so I did! —
她脸红，眼睛瞪得几乎要蹦出眼眶–‘我偷了她的，我偷了! —

She wasn’t cold–I tell you she wasn’t cold, when I stole it!’
她没有冷–我告诉你她没有冷，当我偷的时候!

‘Stole what, for God’s sake?’ cried the matron, with a gesture as if she would call for help.
‘天啊，偷了什么?‘管理员惊呼着，手势示意她要求救援。

’It!’ replied the woman, laying her hand over the other’s mouth. ‘The only thing she had. —
‘它!’ 妇人回答，一只手捂住了其他人的嘴巴。’她唯一拥有的。’ —

She wanted clothes to keep her warm, and food to eat; —
她需要衣服保暖，食物充饥； —

but she had kept it safe, and had it in her bosom. —
但她一直将它安全地藏在怀里。 —

It was gold, I tell you! Rich gold, that might have saved her life!’
‘是金子，我告诉你! 价值连城的金子，本来可能救了她的命!’

‘Gold!’ echoed the matron, bending eagerly over the woman as she fell back. —
‘金子!‘管理员急切地弯下身去，当妇人摊开后退时。 —

‘Go on, go on–yes–what of it? Who was the mother? When was it?’
‘继续，继续–是的–怎样了？谁是母亲？时间是什么时候？’

‘She charge me to keep it safe,’ replied the woman with a groan, ‘and trusted me as the only woman about her. —
‘她吩咐我保管好它，’妇人抱怨着，’信任我作为她身边唯一的女人。 —

I stole it in my heart when she first showed it me hanging round her neck; —
她第一次拿给我看时，佩在她脖子上； —

and the child’s death, perhaps, is on me besides! —
也许，孩子的死也是我的错! —

They would have treated him better, if they had known it all!’
如果他们都知道了，也许会对他更好!’

‘Known what?’ asked the other. ‘Speak!’
‘知道什么？’另一个问道。’说吧！’

‘The boy grew so like his mother,’ said the woman, rambling on, and not heeding the question, ‘that I could never forget it when I saw his face. —
‘这个男孩长得像他母亲一样，’那女人说着，胡言乱语，没有理会问题，’所以当我看到他的脸时，我永远无法忘记。 —

Poor girl! poor girl! She was so young, too! Such a gentle lamb! Wait; —
可怜的女孩！可怜的女孩！她也太年轻了！像只温柔的小羔羊！等等； —

there’s more to tell. I have not told you all, have I?’
还有更多要告诉的。我还没告诉你全部，对吧？

‘No, no,’ replied the matron, inclining her head to catch the words, as they came more faintly from the dying woman. —
‘不，不，’护士回答道，低下头来听那垂弱的妇人越来越微弱地说出的话语。 —

‘Be quick, or it may be too late!’
‘快点，否则可能为时已晚！’

‘The mother,’ said the woman, making a more violent effort than before; —
‘母亲，’那女人比以往更剧烈地努力着说着。 —

‘the mother, when the pains of death first came upon her, whispered in my ear that if her baby was born alive, and thrived, the day might come when it would not feel so much disgraced to hear its poor young mother named. —
‘母亲，当她初次感受到死亡的痛苦时，悄声告诉我，如果她的小孩能生下来并茁壮成长，也许有一天它会不再觉得听到它可怜的年轻母亲被提到而感到羞耻。 —

“And oh, kind Heaven!” she said, folding her thin hands together, “whether it be boy or girl, raise up some friends for it in this troubled world, and take pity upon a lonely desolate child, abandoned to its mercy!”’
“哦，慈悲的上天！”她说，双手瘦弱地合拢在一起，”无论是男孩还是女孩，在这个混乱的世界里给它找一些朋友，怜悯这个被遗弃到它的怜爱之中的孤独无依的孩子！”

‘The boy’s name?’ demanded the matron.
‘男孩的名字？’护士要求道。

‘They called him Oliver,’ replied the woman, feebly. ‘The gold I stole was–’
‘他们叫他奥利弗，’那妇人微弱地回答道，’我偷的金子是——’

‘Yes, yes–what?’ cried the other.
‘是的，是的–什么？’另一个人喊道。

She was bending eagerly over the woman to hear her reply; —
她急切地俯身听着妇人的回答； —

but drew back, instinctively, as she once again rose, slowly and stiffly, into a sitting posture; —
但当妇人再次缓慢而僵硬地坐起，抓住被子双手紧握，喉咙里喃喃地发出一些不清楚的声音，然后无生命地倒在床上。 —

then, clutching the coverlid with both hands, muttered some indistinct sounds in her throat, and fell lifeless on the bed.
‘母亲，’那女人说。

‘石化了！’一位老妇人赶紧进来说道，门一打开就走进来了。

‘Stone dead!’ said one of the old women, hurrying in as soon as the door was opened.
‘终究没有什么可告诉的，’主管漫不经心地回答道。

‘And nothing to tell, after all,’ rejoined the matron, walking carelessly away.
这两个老妇人显然忙着为恐怖的工作做准备，没有回答，被留在一边围绕着那具尸体。

The two crones, to all appearance, too busily occupied in the preparations for their dreadful duties to make any reply, were left alone, hovering about the body.
被留下来的那两个老太婆，似乎过于忙于为自己可怕的职责做准备，无法回应。