4、伯爵和孙子

4. The Earl and his grandson
4. 伯爵和孙子

The next morning there were more surprises for Cedric.
第二天早上，还有更多惊喜等着锡德里克。

He had a servant, Mary, and three rooms in the castle – a room to sleep in, a room to have breakfast in, and a room full of books and toys and games.
他有了仆人玛丽和城堡里的三个房间——一个房间睡觉，一个房间吃早饭，还有一个房间装满了书、玩具和游戏用具。

Wonderful games!
都是些很好玩的游戏！

Later, when he went down to the Earl in the long room, he took one of the games with him.
过了一会儿他下楼去那长长的房间找伯爵，带上了其中的一副游戏棋。

Thank you very much for all the wonderful things. You’re so kind!’
“非常感谢您给了我这么多好东西。您真好！”

This game is really good! Would you like to play it with me?’
这游戏棋特别好玩！您愿意跟我一起玩吗？’

The Earl was in a bad temper and his foot was painful.
伯爵正在气头上，而且脚很痛。

He did not give money and toys to his grandson because he had a kind heart.
他给孙子钱和玩具不是因为他心地善良。

He gave these things because he wanted the boy to forget his mother.
他给他这些东西是因为他希望这孩子忘记他母亲。

He opened his mouth to say, No. I don’t play children’s games.
他张口想说：不。我不玩小孩子的游戏。

But he did not say it. He said, ‘Very well. You can teach me.’
可他没有这样说。他说：“好啊，你可以教我。”

When the tall young servant came in with a visitor, Mr Dawson the vicar, they heard excited cries and laughing.
后来，那个高个子的年轻男仆带了位客人进来，是牧师道森先生，他们听见了兴奋的叫声和笑声。

That’s two out! Bad luck, grandfather!’
“两个子儿出局！您真不走运，爷爷！”

Mr Dawson usually hated his visits to the old Earl, but today was different, and surprising.
道森先生通常很不愿意来拜访老伯爵，但今天有些不同，让人意外。

Good morning, Dawson,’ the Earl said. ‘My grandson is keeping me busy.’
“早上好，道森，”伯爵说，“我孙子正让我手忙脚乱的。”

He put his hand on Cedric’s head and nearly smiled. ‘What is it today, Dawson?’
他把手放到锡德里克头上，几乎露出了笑容。“今天有什么事，道森？”

Would you like to play this game with me?’ said Cedric.
“您愿意跟我一起玩这个吗？”锡德里克说。

It’s Higgins of Edge Farm, my lord,’ said Mr Dawson.’He can’t pay his rent. He needs more time.’
“是埃奇农场的希金斯一家，老爷，”道森先生说，“他交不了租。他需要更多时间。”

Every house in the village and every farm for miles around Dorincourt all belonged to the Earl.
村里的每处房子和多林考特方圆几英里内的所有农场都属于伯爵。

The villagers and the farmers paid their rent to the Earl’s man, Mr Newick.
村民和农夫都要向伯爵的手下纽威克先生交租。

And Mr Newick was a hard man.
纽威克先生是个铁石心肠的人。

Mr Dawson came to the Earl many times a year, with the same question.
每年道森先生都要来找伯爵很多次，每次都带着同样的问题。

Can this family or that family have more time to pay their rent?’
“这家人或那家人能不能晚点交租？”’

And the answer was always ‘no’.
答案永远都是“不能”。

Higgins?’ said the Earl. ‘He’s a bad farmer, and he’s always late with his rent, Newick tells me.’
“希金斯？”伯爵说，“纽威克告诉我说，他是个糟糕的农夫，而且总是晚交租。”

His wife is ill, and two of his children,’ Mr Dawson said. ‘And Newick wants to put them all out of the house into the street.
“他妻子病了，有两个孩子也病了。”道森先生说，“纽威克想把他们全都从房子里赶到大街上去。”

Higgins came to me yesterday, to ask for help. Another month, he says, and he can find the rent.’
希金斯昨天来找我帮忙。他说只要再宽限一个月，他就能凑到租金了。”

Huh. They all say that,’ said the Earl, looking angry.
“哼，他们都那么说。”伯爵说着，一脸怒气。

Lord Fauntleroy listened to every word of this.
方特勒罗伊爵爷仔细听着他们说的每一句话。

He began to feel a great interest in Higgins and his family.
他开始十分担心希金斯和他的家人。

It was the same for Bridget and her family,’ he said.
“布里奇特和她的家人也一样。”他说。

The Earl jumped a little. ‘I forgot you!’ he said. ‘I forgot we had a philanthropist in the room.’
伯爵惊了一下。“我把你给忘了！”他说，“我忘了这屋里有个慈善家。”

He stared at the boy for a minute. ‘Come here,’ he said.
他盯着小男孩看了一会儿。“过来。”他说。

Cedric went and stood next to him.
锡德里克走过去，站在他身旁。

What shall we do about Higgins, then?’ said the Earl. ‘Tell me.’
“那我们该拿希金斯怎么办呢？”伯爵说，“告诉我。”

Mr Dawson began to feel worried. How could a seven-year-old child answer a question like that?
道森先生担心起来。一个七岁的小孩会怎么回答这样的问题呢？

What shall we do about Higgins, then?’ said the Earl.
“那我们该拿希金斯怎么办呢？”伯爵说。

Lord Fauntleroy put his hand on his grandfather’s arm. ‘Well, I’m just a little boy, so what can I do? But you can do anything,’ he said. ‘Who’s Newick?’
方特勒罗伊爵爷把手搭在祖父的胳膊上。“嗯，我只是个小孩儿，我能怎么办呢？可是您什么都办得到。”他说，“纽威克是谁？”

He works for me,’ said the Earl. ‘And some of my villagers don’t like him very much.’
“他替我办事，”伯爵说，“我的一些村民很不喜欢他。”

Are you going to write to him now?’ Cedric asked. ‘Shall I bring you a pen and some paper?’
“您要现在给他写封信吗？”锡德里克问道，“要我给您拿纸和笔吗？”

In Cedric’s world, there was only one answer to the question about Higgins.
在锡德里克的世界里，希金斯的问题就只有一个答案。

Of course, he must have more time. Of course, Newick must leave the family alone.
当然，必须多给他些时间。当然，纽威克必须放过这一家人。

The Earl looked at him. ‘Can you write?’ he asked.
伯爵看着他。“你会写字吗？”他问道。

Yes,’ said Cedric, ‘but not very well.’
“会的，”锡德里克说，“但写得不是很好。”

Bring the pen and paper, and you write the letter.’
“拿纸和笔来，你来写这封信。”

Lord Fauntleroy’s face went red. ‘But my spelling isn’t very good,’ he said.
方特勒罗伊爵爷脸红了。“可我的拼写不是很好。”他说。

The Earl smiled a little. ‘Higgins isn’t interested in your spelling. I’m not the philanthropist; you are.’
伯爵微微一笑。“希金斯一家人对你的拼写不感兴趣。我不是慈善家，而你是。”

And so Cedric wrote a letter to Mr Newick. It was true, the spelling was not very good.
就这样，锡德里克给纽威克先生写了封信。的确，他的拼写不是很好。

Dear mr Newik, pleas leve mr higins alone for now, he can pay wen he is redy. Yors, Fauntleroy
亲爱的纽维可先生，晴暂时方过希全斯先生，等他淮备好他会付钱的。尔的，方特勒罗伊

Mr Dawson went away and took the letter for Mr Newick with him. He took a happy heart with him too. There were changes at Dorincourt Castle.
道森先生离开了，带着给纽威克先生的信，也带着一份好心情。多林考特城堡发生了变化。

After Mr Dawson’s visit, Cedric looked at the clock.
道森先生走了以后，锡德里克看了看钟。

Can I go to Dearest now?’ he said to his grandfather. ‘She’s waiting for me.’
“我能去最最亲爱的那儿了吗？”他问祖父，“她在等我。”

There is something for you to see first,’ said the Earl.
“有件东西你要先看看。”伯爵说。

Thank you,’ said Fauntleroy, his face red again. ‘But I think I must see it tomorrow. Dearest is waiting.’
“谢谢您，”方特勒罗伊说，他的脸又红了。“可我想我得明天再看了。最最亲爱的在等我。”

Very well,’ said the Earl. Then he said, ‘it’s a pony.’
“好吧。”伯爵说。接着他又说：“是一匹小马。”

A pony!’ cried Fauntleroy. ‘Is it a pony for me? Like the things in my room upstairs?’
“一匹小马！”方特勒罗伊喊了出来，“是给我的小马吗？就像楼上我房间里的那些东西一样？”

Yes,’ said his grandfather. ‘Would you like to see it?’
“是的，”他的祖父说，“你想看一看吗？”

A pony!’ Fauntleroy said again. He was very excited. ‘How kind you are! You give me everything. I want to see it very much, but… but there isn’t time now.’
“一匹小马！”方特勒罗伊又说了一遍，他非常兴奋。“您真是太好啦！您给了我一切。我很想去看看，但是……但是现在没时间了。”

Perhaps you can go to see your mother another time,’ said the Earl. ‘Tomorrow, or the day after.’
“也许你可以找别的时间去看妈妈，”伯爵说，“明天，或者后天。”

Oh no,’ said the boy. ‘She thinks about me all the time, and I think about her too. I must go now.’
“哦，不行，”这孩子说，“她一直在想我，我也想她。我现在必须去。”

They went down to Court Lodge in the Earl’s carriage. Cedric talked all the time, very happily.
他们坐着伯爵的马车来到洛奇公寓。锡德里克一路上都在讲话，非常开心。

You’re a very kind man, grandfather. You’re always doing good things, and thinking about other people.’
“您真是个好人，爷爷。您总是做好事，又为他人着想。”

He counted on his fingers. ‘Do you know, twenty-seven people are happy because of you. Twenty-seven!’
他掰着指头算着，“您知道吗？二十七个人因为您而快乐。二十七个！”

The Earl said nothing. He thought about his life – a rich, selfish, bad-tempered life, without friends or loving family.
伯爵一言未发。他在思考他的人生——富有、自私、易怒的人生，没有朋友，没有亲爱的家人。

When did I say a kind word, or do a good thing? Now this child is calling me kind, and good, and I know that is not true.
我何时说过一句好话，或做过一件好事？现在这孩子却说我善良、好心，可我知道那不是真的。

These were new thoughts for the Earl, and he did not like them.
这是伯爵从未有过的想法，而他并不愿意这么想。

It’s a pony.’
“是一匹小马。”

When they arrived at Court Lodge, Cedric was out of the carriage in a second, running to the front door.
他们一到洛奇公寓，锡德里克就迅速下车飞奔到门口。

The Earl watched from the carriage.
伯爵从马车向外望去。

The door opened, and a young, pretty woman in black ran out.
门开了，一位年轻、美丽、穿着黑裙的女子跑了出来。

Cedric jumped into her arms, smiling and laughing. The Earl closed the window and his carriage drove away.
锡德里克蹦到她怀里，嘻嘻哈哈地笑着。伯爵关上窗，坐着马车离开了。