雙語·面紗 第三十二章

32

The dining-room was small and the greater part of it was filled by an immense table. On the walls were engravings of scenes from the Bible and illuminated texts.

“Missionaries always have large dining-tables,” Waddington explained. “They get so much a year more for every child they have and they buy their tables when they marry so that there shall be plenty of room for little strangers.”

From the ceiling hung a large paraffin lamp, so that Kitty was able to see better what sort of a man Waddington was. His baldness had deceived her into thinking him no longer young, but she saw now that he must be well under forty. His face, small under a high, rounded forehead, was unlined and fresh-coloured; it was ugly like a monkey's, but with an ugliness that was not without charm; it was an amusing face. His features, his nose and his mouth, were hardly larger than a child's, and he had small, very bright blue eyes. His eyebrows were fair and scanty. He looked like a funny little old boy. He helped himself constantly to liquor and as dinner proceeded it became evident that he was far from sober. But if he was drunk it was without offensiveness, gaily, as a satyr might be who had stolen a wine-skin from a sleeping shepherd.

He talked of Hong Kong; he had many friends there and he wanted to know about them. He had been down for the races a year before and he talked of ponies and their owners.

“By the way, what about Townsend?” he asked suddenly. “Is he going to become Colonial Secretary?”

Kitty felt herself flush, but her husband did not look at her.

“I shouldn't wonder,” he answered.

“He's the sort that gets on.”

“Do you know him?” asked Walter.

“Yes, I know him pretty well. We travelled out from home together once.”

From the other side of the river they heard the beating of gongs and the clatter of fire-crackers. There, so short a way from them, the great city lay in terror; and death, sudden and ruthless, hurried through its tortuous streets. But Waddington began to speak of London. He talked of the theatres. He knew everything that was being played at the moment and he told them what pieces he had seen when he was last home on leave. He laughed as he recollected the humour of this low comedian and sighed as he reflected on the beauty of that star of musical comedy. He was pleased to be able to boast that a cousin of his had married one of the most celebrated. He had lunched with her and she had given him her photograph. He would show it to them when they came and dined with him at the Customs.

Walter looked at his guest with a cold and ironic gaze, but he was evidently not a little amused by him, and he made an effort to show a civil interest in topics of which Kitty was well aware he knew nothing. A faint smile lingered on his lips. But Kitty, she knew not why, was filled with awe. In the house of that dead missionary, over against the stricken city, they seemed immeasurably apart from all the world. Three solitary creatures and strangers to each other.

Dinner was finished and she rose from the table.

“Do you mind if I say good night to you? I'm going to bed.”

“I'll take myself off, I expect the doctor wants to go to bed too,” answered Waddington. “We must be out early to-morrow.”

He shook hands with Kitty. He was quite steady on his feet, but his eyes were shining more than ever.

“I'll come and fetch you,” he told Walter, “and take you to see the Magistrate and Colonel Yü, and then we'll go along to the Convent. You've got your work cut out, I can tell you.”

第三十二章

餐廳不大，而一張很大的桌子占據了房間的大部分空間，四面墻上掛著取材于圣經故事的版畫和相應的說明文字。

“傳教士們總是有著很大的餐桌，”威廷頓解釋道，“他們一年多點就會有一個孩子，所以在他們剛一結婚的時候，就會買上一張大桌子，以便有足夠的地兒留給這些小不速之客?！?/p>

餐廳的屋頂懸掛著一盞煤油燈，所以凱蒂能夠更好地看清威廷頓的尊榮。他的禿頂讓她誤以為他不再年輕，但現在她看清了，他肯定沒有四十歲，又高又圓的前額之下是一張小臉，沒有什么棱角，但是很紅潤，雖然丑得像猴子，但也不能說不忍直視，應該說這是一張蠻逗趣的臉。他的鼻子和嘴比一個孩子的也大不了多少。他有一雙很小，但是又亮又圓的藍眼睛。他的眉毛又淡又稀，看上去像一個未老先衰的小男孩。在晚餐進行的過程中他不停地給自己倒酒，顯然已經快醉了。但即使他已經喝醉了，也沒有出口傷人，而是快快樂樂地，如同一個半人半獸的森林之神薩堤[1]，從睡著的牧羊人那里偷走酒囊。

他談到了香港，在那兒他有很多朋友，他想了解他們的近況。一年前他曾在香港賭了好幾次馬，他談到了那些賽馬和他們的主人。

“順便問一句，湯森怎么樣了？”他突然問道，“他當上殖民地大臣了嗎？”

凱蒂覺得自己的臉唰地一下紅了，但是她的丈夫并沒有看她。

“我覺得不出意外應該不成問題?！蔽譅柼卮鸬?。

“他是那種能往上爬的人?！?/p>

“你認識他？”沃爾特問道。

“是的，我和他很熟。我們還曾經一起外出旅游過?！?/p>

他們聽見從河的對岸傳來了敲鑼聲，還有爆竹噼啪作響的聲音。在那兒，就在距離他們不遠的地方，這座大一些的城市正處于恐怖之中，死神，突如其來而又冷酷無情地匆匆掠過它彎彎曲曲的街道。威廷頓開始說起倫敦，談到了那兒的劇院，他甚至知道當下正在上演的劇目，他告訴他們上次休假回國時，他看了什么樣的演出。他回憶起低俗的喜劇人物的幽默時，會哈哈大笑，而回憶起音樂喜劇中明星的美麗時，又會發(fā)出聲聲嘆息。他很開心地吹噓他的一個表弟就娶了一位最出名的明星，他還和這位明星一起吃過午餐，她還送了他自己的玉照，等下次他們來海關一起和他共進晚餐時，他會拿給他們看的。

沃爾特用一種冷淡和諷刺的眼神看著他的客人，很顯然他沒有受到對方逗趣談吐的影響，但是他還是盡力裝出有禮貌的樣子，好像對那些話題感興趣。其實凱蒂很清楚，他對這些話題一無所知，但一絲淡淡的微笑始終掛在嘴角。然而凱蒂不知道為什么心中充滿了敬畏。這座已經死去的傳教士留下的房子正對著瘟疫肆虐的城市，他們似乎與整個世界相隔離，三個孤獨而又彼此陌生的人相對而坐。

晚餐吃完了，她從桌邊站起身來。

“你不介意我跟您道晚安吧？我想去睡了?！?/p>

“我也要告退了，我希望醫(yī)生也早點兒休息?！蓖㈩D回答道，“我們明天一大早就得出發(fā)。”

他和凱蒂握了握手，步伐倒是很穩(wěn)，但他的眼睛比以往更亮了。

“明天我會來接你?！彼譅柼卣f道，“帶你去見地方官和余上校，然后我們一起去女修道院。我告訴你，你可有的忙了?！?/p>

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[1]薩堤（satyr），古希臘神話中的森林之神，半人半獸，好酒色。