第六章（第4/12页）

"What pussy, dear?" After a silence the shy fist, clenching on sixpence, pointed into the bramble brake.

“什么猫咪，亲爱的？”沉默半晌，她怯生生地抬起拳头，指向不远处的荆棘丛，手里依然紧握着那枚硬币。

"There!"

“在那儿！”

Connie looked, and there, sure enough, was a big black cat, stretched out grimly, with a bit of blood on it.

康妮望过去，发现是只硕大的黑猫，面目狰狞地躺在那里，血迹斑斑。

"Oh!" she said in repulsion.

“噢！”她嫌恶地叫道。

"A poacher, your Ladyship," said the man satirically.

“是只偷腥的野猫，夫人。”那男子话中有话。

She glanced at him angrily. "No wonder the child cried," she said, "if you shot it when she was there. No wonder she cried!"

她气呼呼地瞥了他一眼。“难怪孩子会哭，”她说，“你居然当着她的面杀生。怪不得她会哭呢！”

He looked into Connie's eyes, laconic, contemptuous, not hiding his feelings. And again Connie flushed; she felt she had been making a scene, the man did not respect her.

他凝视着康妮的双眼，片刻停留后移开，毫不掩饰自己的轻蔑。康妮的脸再度泛起红潮，觉得大发脾气有些不妥，这才会招致他的鄙视。

"What is your name?" she said playfully to the child. "Won't you tell me your name?” Sniffs; then very affectedly in a piping voice: "Connie Mellors!" "Connie Mellors! Well, that's a nice name! And did you come out with your Daddy, and he shot a pussy? But it was a bad pussy!” The child looked at her, with bold, dark eyes of scrutiny, sizing her up, and her condolence.

“你叫什么名字？”她又逗弄起那女孩来。“告诉我你的名字好不好？”小姑娘抽着鼻子，嗲声嗲气地回答：“康妮·梅勒斯！”“康妮·梅勒斯！哦，多好听的名字呀！你跟爸爸出门，他打死了猫咪？可那是只坏猫咪！”孩子忽闪着那双皂白分明的眼睛，毫无怯意地打量着康妮，揣度着她，掂量着她的同情心。

"I wanted to stop with my Gran," said the little girl.

“我本来想和奶奶呆在一起的。”小姑娘说。

"Did you? But where is your Gran?" The child lifted an arm, pointing down the drive. "At th'cottidge.” "At the cottage! And would you like to go back to her?" Sudden, shuddering quivers of reminiscent sobs. "Yes!" "Come then, shall I take you? Shall I take you to your Gran? Then your Daddy can do what he has to do." She turned to the man. "It is your little girl, isn't it?” He saluted, and made a slight movement of the head in affirmation.

“是么？可你奶奶在哪儿呢？”女孩抬起胳膊，顺着马道指向前方。“屋子里。”“小屋里。你想回去找她吗？”女孩突然全身颤抖，想起奶奶，眼泪又禁不住流下来。“想！”“那来吧，我带你去好吗？我带你去奶奶身边？这样一来，你爸爸就可以去办自己的事了。”她转过头问孩子父亲。“这是你女儿，对吧？”他再次行礼，微微颔首以示肯定。

"I suppose I can take her to the cottage?" asked Connie.

“可以让我送她回家去吗？”康妮问。

"If your Ladyship wishes." Again he looked into her eyes, with that calm, searching detached glance. A man very much alone, and on his own.

“只要夫人想这么做。”两人的眼神再度交汇，他的目光依旧那样镇定自若，超然物外，似乎能够洞察一切。这是位独来独往，我行我素的男子汉。

"Would you like to come with me to the cottage, to your Gran, dear?" The child peeped up again. "Yes!" she simpered.

“你愿意跟我回家，去奶奶身边吗，宝贝？”女孩又提高了声音。“愿意！”她扭捏地笑着。

Connie disliked her; the spoilt, false little female. Nevertheless she wiped her face and took her hand. The keeper saluted in silence.

康妮并不喜欢这小丫头，她备受溺爱，全然没有孩子的纯真。尽管如此，她照样给他拭去泪痕，牵过她的小手。那守林人默不作声，行礼致谢。

"Good morning!" said Connie.

“再见！”康妮说。

It was nearly a mile to the cottage, and Connie senior was well red by Connie junior by the time the game-keeper's picturesque little home was in sight. The child was already as full to the brim with tricks as a little monkey, and so self-assured.

大约有一英里路程，当守林人那别具一格的小农舍映入眼帘，大康妮已经彻底受够了小康妮。这孩子鬼灵精怪，活像只小猴子，而且很自以为是。

At the cottage the door stood open, and there was a rattling heard inside. Connie lingered, the child slipped her hand, and ran indoors.