第十六章（第9/20页）

“我做不到！今晚我必须跟他共度，不然我就连威尼斯都不去了。我就是做不到。”希尔达再次从康妮的话里听到父亲的口气，她做出让步，但仅是作为权宜之计。她同意开车载她去曼斯菲尔德，晚餐过后，趁着夜幕送她回到车道尽头，次日清晨再去接她，而自己则在曼斯菲尔德过夜。如果开得快些，两地仅有半小时车程。

But she was furious. She stored it up against her sister, this balk in her plans.

但她依然恼火不已。妹妹打乱了自己设定好的计划，这笔账她已暗暗记下。

Connie flung an emerald-green shawl over her window-sill.

康妮在窗台上系了条翠绿色围巾。

On the strength of her anger, Hilda warmed toward Clifford.

由于她的震怒，希尔达对克利福德的看法不禁有些缓和。

After all, he had a mind. And if he had no sex, functionally, all the better: so much the less to quarrel about! Hilda wanted no more of that sex business, where men became nasty, selfish little horrors. Connie really had less to put up with than many women if she did but know it.

他毕竟颇有才智。如果说他没有性能力，这反倒是件好事，夫妻间不会为此而争吵不休。希尔达打算与性事永诀，男人总会因此变成下流龌龊、自私自利的讨厌鬼。因为远离性事，康妮其实比许多女人都安闲得多，只不过她并不清楚这一点。

And Clifford decided that Hilda, after all, was a decidedly intelligent woman, and would make a man a first-rate helpmate, if he were going in for politics for example. Yes, she had none of Connie's silliness, Connie was more a child: you had to make excuses for her, because she was not altogether dependable.

而克利福德也断定，希尔达虽不讨人喜欢，但毫无疑问是个睿智的女子，若男人想在政坛有所作为，她绝对是个出色的助手。她不像康妮那样傻兮兮的，康妮跟孩子没什么分别：你总得找理由为她辩护，因为她根本无法依靠。

There was an early cup of tea in the hall, where doors were open to let in the sun. Everybody seemed to be panting a little.

大家早早来到饭厅用下午茶，阳光从敞开的门投射进来。彼此似乎各怀心事。

"Good-bye, Connie girl! Come back to me safely.” "Good-bye, Clifford! Yes, I shan't be long." Connie was almost tender.

“再见，康妮丫头！平安归来。”“再见，克利福德！嗯，我不会离开太久的。”康妮几乎是饱含着柔情。

"Good-bye, Hilda! You will keep an eye on her, won't you?” "I'll even keep two!” Said Hilda. "She shan't go very far astray.” "It's a promise!” "Good-bye, Mrs. Bolton! I know you'll look after Sir Clifford nobly.” "I'll do what I can, your Ladyship.” "And write to me if there is any news, and tell me about Sir Clifford, how he is." "Very good, your Ladyship, I will. And have a good time, and come back and cheer us up." Everybody waved. The car went off Connie looked back and saw Clifford, sitting at the top of the steps in his house-chair. After all, he was her husband: Wragby was her home: circumstance had done it.

“再见，希尔达！你会好好照顾她，对吗？”“我会对她倍加关照！”希尔达说。“不会让她太过放纵。”“一言为定！”“再见，博尔顿太太！我知道，你准会无微不至地照看克利福德爵士。”“我会竭尽全力，夫人。”“有事就给我写信，告诉我克利福德爵士的近况。”“好的，夫人，我会照办。希望您旅途愉快，衷心期盼您早日归来，和我们欢聚。”大家挥手作别。希尔达发动了汽车，康妮回首张望，看到台阶顶端的克利福德，他正坐在自己的家用轮椅中。他毕竟是她的丈夫，拉格比是她的家，这是环境决定的事实。

Mrs. Chambers held the gate and wished her ladyship a happy holiday. The car slipped out of the dark spinney that masked the park, on to the highroad where the colliers were trailing home. Hilda turned to the Crosshill Road, that was not a main road, but ran to Mansfield. Connie put on goggles. They ran beside the railway, which was in a cutting below them. Then they crossed the cutting on a bridge.

钱伯斯太太为她们敞开大门，并祝愿夫人度假愉快。汽车驶出遍布着葱郁的灌木丛的园林，开上宽敞的公路，遇上放工的矿工，正拖着沉重的脚步回家去。希尔达调转车头，驶上克罗斯希尔路，这并非是条主要道路，但却通往曼斯菲尔德。康妮戴上风镜。她们沿着铁路线向前进发，铁道位于一旁的路堑里。她们驶过横穿铁路的桥梁。

"That's the lane to the cottage!" said Connie.

“那便是通往农舍的小路。”康妮说。

Hilda glanced at it impatiently.

希尔达瞥了一眼，显得很不耐烦。