It was about five years after this that I decided to live in Paris for a while. —
大约五年后，我决定在巴黎住一段时间。 —

I was growing stale in London. I was tired of doing much the same thing every day. —
在伦敦，我感到乏味。我厌倦了每天都在做大致相同的事情。 —

My friends pursued their course with uneventfulness; —
我的朋友们按部就班地进行着他们的生活； —

they had no longer any surprises for me, and when I met them I knew pretty well what they would say; even their love-affairs had a tedious banality. —
他们再也没有什么让我惊讶的事情，当我遇见他们时，我很清楚他们会说些什么；即使是他们的恋爱也变得枯燥乏味。 —

We were like tram-cars running on their lines from terminus to terminus, and it was possible to calculate within small limits the number of passengers they would carry. —
我们就像在固定线路上行驶的有轨电车，可以在很小的范围内预测它们会运载的乘客数量。 —

Life was ordered too pleasantly. I was seized with panic. —
生活过得太过惬意，我突然感到恐慌。 —

I gave up my small apartment, sold my few belongings, and resolved to start afresh.
我放弃了我的小公寓，卖掉了我的几件物品，决定重新开始。

I called on Mrs. Strickland before I left. —
我离开之前拜访了施特里克兰太太。 —

I had not seen her for some time, and I noticed changes in her; —
我有一段时间没见到她了，我注意到她有了一些变化； —

it was not only that she was older, thinner, and more lined; I think her character had altered. —
不仅仅是她变老了，变瘦了，皱纹增多了；我觉得她的性格也改变了。 —

She had made a success of her business, and now had an office in Chancery Lane; —
她的生意取得了成功，现在在查仙利巷有一间办公室； —

she did little typing herself, but spent her time correcting the work of the four girls she employed. —
她自己很少打字，而是花时间修改她雇佣的四名女孩的工作。 —

She had had the idea of giving it a certain daintiness, and she made much use of blue and red inks; —
她有一个主意，想让办公室显得有些精致，所以经常使用蓝色和红色墨水； —

she bound the copy in coarse paper, that looked vaguely like watered silk, in various pale colours; —
她用粗纸包装抄本，看起来有点像水纹绸，有各种浅色； —

and she had acquired a reputation for neatness and accuracy. She was making money. —
她因整洁和准确而赢得了声誉。她赚了钱。 —

But she could not get over the idea that to earn her living was somewhat undignified, and she was inclined to remind you that she was a lady by birth. —
但她无法克服挣钱有点不体面的想法，并倾向于提醒你，她出身名门。 —

She could not help bringing into her conversation the names of people she knew which would satisfy you that she had not sunk in the social scale. —
她在谈话中不自觉地提到她认识的人的名字，这将让你相信她并没有沦落到社会底层。 —

She was a little ashamed of her courage and business capacity, but delighted that she was going to dine the next night with a K. C. who lived in South Kensington. —
她对自己的勇气和商业能力有点羞愧，但很高兴地说，她第二天晚上要和一个住在南肯辛顿的大律师共进晚餐。 —

She was pleased to be able to tell you that her son was at Cambridge, and it was with a little laugh that she spoke of the rush of dances to which her daughter, just out, was invited. —
她很高兴地告诉你她的儿子在剑桥读书，她谈到她刚刚初出茅庐的女儿受邀参加的一连串舞会时笑了一下。 —

I suppose I said a very stupid thing.
我想我说了一件非常愚蠢的事。

“Is she going into your business?” I asked.
“她要进你的生意吗？”我问。

“Oh no; I wouldn’t let her do that, ” Mrs. Strickland answered. —
“哦，不，我不让她这样做，”史特里克兰夫人回答道。 —

“She’s so pretty. I’m sure she’ll marry well. “
“她长得这么漂亮。我相信她会嫁得好。”

“I should have thought it would be a help to you. “
“我以为这会对你有帮助。”

“Several people have suggested that she should go on the stage, but of course I couldn’t consent to that, I know all the chief dramatists, and I could get her a part to-morrow, but I shouldn’t like her to mix with all sorts of people. “
“有几个人建议让她走上舞台，但我当然不能同意，我认识所有主要的剧作家，明天就能帮她找到一个角色，但我不希望她和各种各样的人来往。”

I was a little chilled by Mrs. Strickland’s exclusiveness.
史特里克兰夫人的排他性让我有点感到冷淡。

“Do you ever hear of your husband?”
“你还听说过你丈夫吗？”

“No; I haven’t heard a word. He may be dead for all I know. “
“没有；我一点消息也没有。我不知道他可能已经死了。”

“I may run across him in Paris. Would you like me to let you know about him?”
“我可能在巴黎看到他。你想让我通知你关于他的情况吗？”

She hesitated a minute.
她犹豫了一分钟。

“If he’s in any real want I’m prepared to help him a little. —
“如果他真的有需求，我愿意帮他一点。 —

I’d send you a certain sum of money, and you could give it him gradually, as he needed it. “
我会寄给你一笔钱，你可以逐渐给他，他需要的时候。

“That’s very good of you, ” I said.
“你真是太好了，”我说。

But I knew it was not kindness that prompted the offer. —
但我知道这个提议并非出自善意。 —

It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; —
并不是受苦能使人品格高尚； —

happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.
有时是幸福能实现这一点，但大多数情况下，受苦只会使人变得琐碎和报复心重。