第十一章（第2/17页）

And she chose three R.A. pictures of sixty years ago, to send to the Duchess of Shortlands for that lady's next charitable bazaar. She was called 'the bazaar duchess', and she always asked all the county to send things for her to sell. She would be delighted with three framed R.A.s. She might even call, on the strength of them. How furious Clifford was when she called!

她选出三张皇家艺术学会会员的作品，均有超过60年的历史，送去给肖特兰兹公爵夫人，以备下次慈善义卖之用。她被称为“义卖公爵夫人”，总在全国范围内征求义卖物品。这三幅装裱停当的画作均出自皇家艺术学会名家之手，准能讨到她的欢心。她甚至有可能因此登门致谢。要是她来拜访，克利福德准会火冒三丈！

But oh my dear! Mrs. Bolton was thinking to herself. Is it Oliver Mellors'child you're preparing us for? Oh my dear, that would be a Tevershall baby in the Wragby cradle, my word! Wouldn't shame it, neither!

可是，我的天呀！博尔顿太太暗自寻思。你要生的不会是奥利弗·梅勒斯的孩子吧？我的天啊，那样的话，格拉比的摇篮岂不是要孕育特弗沙尔的野种？哎哟哟！不过，那也不算辱没了这个摇篮！

Among other monstrosities in this lumber room was a largish blackjapanned box, excellently and ingeniously made some sixty or seventy years ago, and fitted with every imaginable object. On top was a concentrated toilet set: brushes, bottles, mirrors, combs, boxes, even three beautiful little razors in safety sheaths, shaving-bowl and all. Underneath came a sort of ESCRITOIRE outfit: blotters, pens, ink-bottles, paper, envelopes, memorandum books: and then a perfect sewing-outfit, with three different sized scissors, thimbles, needles, silks and cottons, darning egg, all of the very best quality and perfectly finished. Then there was a little medicine store, with bottles labelled Laudanum, Tincture of Myrrh, Ess.Cloves and so on: but empty. Everything was perfectly new, and the whole thing, when shut up, was as big as a small, but fat weekend bag. And inside, it fitted together like a puzzle. The bottles could not possibly have spilled: there wasn't room.

这个杂物间里还有不少稀奇古怪的物件，一只体积硕大的黑漆盒子，做工精美巧妙，有六七十年的历史，里面装着各式各样的玩意儿。上层是一整套化妆用具，刷子、瓶子、镜子、梳子、盒子、甚至还有三把带鞘的精致小剃刀，以及剃须碗之类的东西。下层则是各种文具，吸墨纸、钢笔、墨水瓶、纸、信封、便笺本。然后是女红用具，有三把大小各异的剪刀、顶针、针、丝线、棉线、织补衬球，件件质量上乘，精工细作。此外，还有少量药品，瓶子上贴着鸦片酊、没药剂、丁香精等等标签，但里面都是空的。所有东西都是崭新的，把箱盖合上，就像一个装满物什的小周末行李包。盒子内部的布置活像个迷宫。瓶子里的东西都不会洒出来，因为根本没有倾覆的空间。

The thing was wonderfully made and contrived, excellent craftsmanship of the Victorian order. But somehow it was monstrous. Some Chatterley must even have felt it, for the thing had never been used. It had a peculiar soullessness.

箱子的设计和做工都极为精巧，是维多利亚时期绝妙的手艺。但不知为何，它总显得有几分怪异。查泰莱家族的某位先人想必也有同感，因为它从来未被使用过。它给人灵魂缺失的奇异感觉。

Yet Mrs. Bolton was thrilled.

不过，博尔顿太太却喜形于色。

"Look what beautiful brushes, so expensive, even the shaving brushes, three perfect ones! No! And those scissors! They're the best that money could buy. Oh, I call it lovely!” "Do you?" said Connie.

“瞧啊，多么漂亮的刷子呀，如此奢华，甚至那三把刮脸刷都那样完美！噢！还有那些剪子！都是能买得到的最好的精品了。哦，简直太漂亮了！”“是吗？”康妮说。

"Then you have it." "Oh no, my Lady!" "Of course! It will only lie here till Doomsday. If you won't have it, I'll send it to the Duchess as well as the pictures, and she doesn't deserve so much. Do have it!” "Oh, your Ladyship! Why, I shall never be able to thank you." "You needn't try," laughed Connie.

“那归你了。”“啊，不，夫人！”“不用客气！不然，它会搁在这里直到世界末日的。如果你不要，我就连同那些画，一起送去给公爵夫人，但她不配得到这么多东西。拿去吧！”“噢，夫人！哦，我真不知道怎么感谢您。”“那就不用谢了。”康妮笑道。

And Mrs. Bolton sailed down with the huge and very black box in her arms, flushing bright pink in her excitement.

博尔顿太太怀抱着那只黑漆大盒子，激动得满脸通红，兴高采烈地下楼去了。