It was about five years after this that I decided to live in Paris for a while. — 大约五年后，我决定在巴黎住一段时间。 —
I was growing stale in London. I was tired of doing much the same thing every day. — 在伦敦，我感到乏味。我厌倦了每天都在做大致相同的事情。 —
My friends pursued their course with uneventfulness; — 我的朋友们按部就班地进行着他们的生活； —
they had no longer any surprises for me, and when I met them I knew pretty well what they would say; even their love-affairs had a tedious banality. — 他们再也没有什么让我惊讶的事情，当我遇见他们时，我很清楚他们会说些什么；即使是他们的恋爱也变得枯燥乏味。 —
We were like tram-cars running on their lines from terminus to terminus, and it was possible to calculate within small limits the number of passengers they would carry. — 我们就像在固定线路上行驶的有轨电车，可以在很小的范围内预测它们会运载的乘客数量。 —
Life was ordered too pleasantly. I was seized with panic. — 生活过得太过惬意，我突然感到恐慌。 —
I gave up my small apartment, sold my few belongings, and resolved to start afresh. 我放弃了我的小公寓，卖掉了我的几件物品，决定重新开始。
I called on Mrs. Strickland before I left. — 我离开之前拜访了施特里克兰太太。 —
I had not seen her for some time, and I noticed changes in her; — 我有一段时间没见到她了，我注意到她有了一些变化； —
it was not only that she was older, thinner, and more lined; I think her character had altered. — 不仅仅是她变老了，变瘦了，皱纹增多了；我觉得她的性格也改变了。 —
She had made a success of her business, and now had an office in Chancery Lane; — 她的生意取得了成功，现在在查仙利巷有一间办公室； —
she did little typing herself, but spent her time correcting the work of the four girls she employed. — 她自己很少打字，而是花时间修改她雇佣的四名女孩的工作。 —
She had had the idea of giving it a certain daintiness, and she made much use of blue and red inks; — 她有一个主意，想让办公室显得有些精致，所以经常使用蓝色和红色墨水； —
she bound the copy in coarse paper, that looked vaguely like watered silk, in various pale colours; — 她用粗纸包装抄本，看起来有点像水纹绸，有各种浅色； —
and she had acquired a reputation for neatness and accuracy. She was making money. — 她因整洁和准确而赢得了声誉。她赚了钱。 —
But she could not get over the idea that to earn her living was somewhat undignified, and she was inclined to remind you that she was a lady by birth. — 但她无法克服挣钱有点不体面的想法，并倾向于提醒你，她出身名门。 —
She could not help bringing into her conversation the names of people she knew which would satisfy you that she had not sunk in the social scale. — 她在谈话中不自觉地提到她认识的人的名字，这将让你相信她并没有沦落到社会底层。 —
She was a little ashamed of her courage and business capacity, but delighted that she was going to dine the next night with a K. C. who lived in South Kensington. — 她对自己的勇气和商业能力有点羞愧，但很高兴地说，她第二天晚上要和一个住在南肯辛顿的大律师共进晚餐。 —
She was pleased to be able to tell you that her son was at Cambridge, and it was with a little laugh that she spoke of the rush of dances to which her daughter, just out, was invited. — 她很高兴地告诉你她的儿子在剑桥读书，她谈到她刚刚初出茅庐的女儿受邀参加的一连串舞会时笑了一下。 —
I suppose I said a very stupid thing. 我想我说了一件非常愚蠢的事。
“Is she going into your business?” I asked. “她要进你的生意吗？”我问。
“Oh no; I wouldn’t let her do that, ” Mrs. Strickland answered. — “哦，不，我不让她这样做，”史特里克兰夫人回答道。 —
“She’s so pretty. I’m sure she’ll marry well. “ “她长得这么漂亮。我相信她会嫁得好。”
“I should have thought it would be a help to you. “ “我以为这会对你有帮助。”
“Several people have suggested that she should go on the stage, but of course I couldn’t consent to that, I know all the chief dramatists, and I could get her a part to-morrow, but I shouldn’t like her to mix with all sorts of people. “ “有几个人建议让她走上舞台，但我当然不能同意，我认识所有主要的剧作家，明天就能帮她找到一个角色，但我不希望她和各种各样的人来往。”
I was a little chilled by Mrs. Strickland’s exclusiveness. 史特里克兰夫人的排他性让我有点感到冷淡。
“Do you ever hear of your husband?” “你还听说过你丈夫吗？”
“No; I haven’t heard a word. He may be dead for all I know. “ “没有；我一点消息也没有。我不知道他可能已经死了。”
“I may run across him in Paris. Would you like me to let you know about him?” “我可能在巴黎看到他。你想让我通知你关于他的情况吗？”
She hesitated a minute. 她犹豫了一分钟。
“If he’s in any real want I’m prepared to help him a little. — “如果他真的有需求，我愿意帮他一点。 —
I’d send you a certain sum of money, and you could give it him gradually, as he needed it. “ 我会寄给你一笔钱，你可以逐渐给他，他需要的时候。
“That’s very good of you, ” I said. “你真是太好了，”我说。
But I knew it was not kindness that prompted the offer. — 但我知道这个提议并非出自善意。 —
It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; — 并不是受苦能使人品格高尚； —
happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive. 有时是幸福能实现这一点，但大多数情况下，受苦只会使人变得琐碎和报复心重。
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