第十三章（第11/15页）

“梅勒斯，你介意把轮椅推回家吗？”他的语调异常冷漠，盛气凌人。“希望我刚才说的话没冒犯到你。”他补充说，但显然是心有不甘。

"Nothing at all, Sir Clifford! Do you want me to push that chair?" "If you please." The man stepped up to it: but this time it was without effect. The brake was jammed. They poked and pulled, and the keeper took off his gun and his coat once more. And now Clifford said never a word. At last the keeper heaved the back of the chair off the ground and, with an instantaneous push of his foot, tried to loosen the wheels. He failed, the chair sank. Clifford was clutching the sides. The man gasped with the weight.

“怎么会呢，克利福德爵士！您需要我推轮椅吗？”“劳你大驾。”守林人走到轮椅旁边，但这次却没能推动。刹车被卡住了。他们又是推，又是拉，守林人再次摘掉猎枪，脱去外衣。现在沉默不语的变成克利福德。最后，守林人把轮椅后端提离地面，猛踹一脚，想要把轮子踢松。这样做没有见效，轮椅重新落回地面。克利福德牢牢抓住轮椅两侧。守林人不堪重负，累得呼呼直喘。

"Don't do it!" cried Connie to him.

“别那样！”康妮对他喊道。

"If you'll pull the wheel that way, so!" he said to her, showing her how.

“要是你来那样拽一下轮子，就大功告成了！”他对她说，演示着要怎么做。

"No! You mustn't lift it! You'll strain yourself," she said, flushed now with anger.

“不要！别再抬了！你会扭伤自己的。”她说，又气又急，脸涨得通红。

But he looked into her eyes and nodded. And she had to go and take hold of the wheel, ready. He heaved and she tugged, and the chair reeled.

但他凝视着她的眼睛，点头示意。她只好照他的话做，紧紧扶住轮椅，做好准备。他将轮椅提起，而她则使劲儿向前拖，轮椅终于晃动起来。

"For God's sake!" cried Clifford in terror.

“多亏上帝保佑！”克利福德惊叫道。

But it was all right, and the brake was off. The keeper put a stone under the wheel, and went to sit on the bank, his heart beat and his face white with the effort, semi-conscious.

但轮椅终于恢复常态，刹车也松开了。守林人拿块石头垫在轮子后面，走到路旁坐下来。刚才一番折腾让他心脏狂跳，脸色苍白，头晕目眩。

Connie looked at him, and almost cried with anger. There was a pause and a dead silence. She saw his hands trembling on his thighs.

康妮看着他，气得几乎喊出声来。再度陷入沉默，空气仿佛凝滞。他的双手搁在大腿上，正瑟瑟发抖，这些她都看在眼里。

"Have you hurt yourself?" she asked, going to him.

“你没受伤吧？”她走上前去，问道。

"No. No!" He turned away almost angrily.

“没有。没有！”他背过脸去，略带怒意。

There was dead silence. The back of Clifford's fair head did not move. Even the dog stood motionless. The sky had clouded over.

沉默再度降临。克利福德金黄色的后脑勺并未转动。甚至连弗洛西也杵在原地没动。天空已被云层遮住。

At last he sighed, and blew his nose on his red handkerchief.

最后，他叹了口气，用红色手帕擤着鼻子。

"That pneumonia took a lot out of me," he said.

“那场肺炎让我的体力大不如前。”他说。

No one answered. Connie calculated the amount of strength it must have taken to heave up that chair and the bulky Clifford: too much, far too much! If it hadn't killed him!

没人搭话。康妮估量着，要把轮椅和笨重的克利福德提起来，要花多大力气，太大了，大的不得了！但愿他不会因此丢掉性命！

He rose, and again picked up his coat, slinging it through the handle of the chair.

他站起来，再次拿过外衣，搭在轮椅的扶手上。

"Are you ready, then, Sir Clifford?" "When you are!"

“准备好了吗，克利福德爵士？”“就等你了！”

He stooped and took out the scotch, then put his weight against the chair. He was paler than Connie had ever seen him: and more absent. Clifford was a heavy man: and the hill was steep. Connie stepped to the keeper's side. "I'm going to push too!" she said.

他俯身把石头拿开，用尽全力推动轮椅。康妮从未见他如此苍白，如此六神无主。克利福德本就沉重，山坡又那样陡峭。康妮走到守林人身旁。“我也来推！”她说。

And she began to shove with a woman's turbulent energy of anger. The chair went faster. Clifford looked round.

她奋力推着，调动起女人狂乱的愤怒的能量。轮椅前进得更快了。克利福德回头看看。