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Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Chapter VI

Chapter VI

My state of mind regarding the pilfering from which I had been so unexpectedly exonerated did not impel me to frank disclosure; but I hope it had some dregs of good at the bottom of it.

I do not recall that I felt any tenderness of conscience in reference to Mrs. Joe, when the fear of being found out was lifted off me. But I loved Joe,—perhaps for no better reason in those early days than because the dear fellow let me love him,—and, as to him, my inner self was not so easily composed. It was much upon my mind (particularly when I first saw him looking about for his file) that I ought to tell Joe the whole truth. Yet I did not, and for the reason that I mistrusted that if I did, he would think me worse than I was. The fear of losing Joe's confidence, and of thenceforth sitting in the chimney corner at night staring drearily at my forever lost companion and friend, tied up my tongue. I morbidly represented to myself that if Joe knew it, I never afterwards could see him at the fireside feeling his fair whisker, without thinking that he was meditating on it. That, if Joe knew it, I never afterwards could see him glance, however casually, at yesterday's meat or pudding when it came on to-day's table, without thinking that he was debating whether I had been in the pantry. That, if Joe knew it, and at any subsequent period of our joint domestic life remarked that his beer was flat or thick, the conviction that he suspected Tar in it, would bring a rush of blood to my face. In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong. I had had no intercourse with the world at that time, and I imitated none of its many inhabitants who act in this manner. Quite an untaught genius, I made the discovery of the line of action for myself.

As I was sleepy before we were far away from the prison-ship, Joe took me on his back again and carried me home. He must have had a tiresome journey of it, for Mr. Wopsle, being knocked up, was in such a very bad temper that if the Church had been thrown open, he would probably have excommunicated the whole expedition, beginning with Joe and myself. In his lay capacity, he persisted in sitting down in the damp to such an insane extent, that when his coat was taken off to be dried at the kitchen fire, the circumstantial evidence on his trousers would have hanged him, if it had been a capital offence.

By that time, I was staggering on the kitchen floor like a little drunkard, through having been newly set upon my feet, and through having been fast asleep, and through waking in the heat and lights and noise of tongues. As I came to myself (with the aid of a heavy thump between the shoulders, and the restorative exclamation "Yah! Was there ever such a boy as this!" from my sister,) I found Joe telling them about the convict's confession, and all the visitors suggesting different ways by which he had got into the pantry. Mr. Pumblechook made out, after carefully surveying the premises, that he had first got upon the roof of the forge, and had then got upon the roof of the house, and had then let himself down the kitchen chimney by a rope made of his bedding cut into strips; and as Mr. Pumblechook was very positive and drove his own chaise-cart—over Everybody—it was agreed that it must be so. Mr. Wopsle, indeed, wildly cried out, "No!" with the feeble malice of a tired man; but, as he had no theory, and no coat on, he was unanimously set at naught,—not to mention his smoking hard behind, as he stood with his back to the kitchen fire to draw the damp out: which was not calculated to inspire confidence.

This was all I heard that night before my sister clutched me, as a slumberous offence to the company's eyesight, and assisted me up to bed with such a strong hand that I seemed to have fifty boots on, and to be dangling them all against the edges of the stairs. My state of mind, as I have described it, began before I was up in the morning, and lasted long after the subject had died out, and had ceased to be mentioned saving on exceptional occasions.


Chapter VI Capitolo VI 第六章 Capítulo VI

My state of mind regarding the pilfering from which I had been so unexpectedly exonerated did not impel me to frank disclosure; but I hope it had some dregs of good at the bottom of it. Мое отношение к краже, от которой меня так неожиданно освободили, не побудило меня к откровенному откровению; но я надеюсь, что в его основе были какие-то отбросы хорошего.

I do not recall that I felt any tenderness of conscience in reference to Mrs. Joe, when the fear of being found out was lifted off me. Не припомню, чтобы я чувствовал какое-то умиление совести по отношению к миссис Джо, когда с меня снялся страх быть разоблаченным. But I loved Joe,—perhaps for no better reason in those early days than because the dear fellow let me love him,—and, as to him, my inner self was not so easily composed. Но я любил Джо — может быть, в те ранние дни не по какой-то другой причине, кроме как потому, что милый парень позволял мне любить его, — и что касается его, то мое внутреннее состояние было не так легко успокоиться. It was much upon my mind (particularly when I first saw him looking about for his file) that I ought to tell Joe the whole truth. У меня было много мыслей (особенно когда я впервые увидел, как он ищет свое дело), что я должен сказать Джо всю правду. Yet I did not, and for the reason that I mistrusted that if I did, he would think me worse than I was. The fear of losing Joe’s confidence, and of thenceforth sitting in the chimney corner at night staring drearily at my forever lost companion and friend, tied up my tongue. I morbidly represented to myself that if Joe knew it, I never afterwards could see him at the fireside feeling his fair whisker, without thinking that he was meditating on it. Я болезненно представил себе, что если бы Джо знал это, я никогда после этого не мог видеть его у камина, щупающего свои белокурые бакенбарды, не думая, что он размышляет об этом. That, if Joe knew it, I never afterwards could see him glance, however casually, at yesterday’s meat or pudding when it came on to-day’s table, without thinking that he was debating whether I had been in the pantry. Что, если бы Джо знал это, я никогда впоследствии не видел бы, чтобы он взглянул, пусть даже небрежно, на вчерашнее мясо или пудинг, когда они появлялись на сегодняшнем столе, не подумав, что он обсуждает, был ли я в кладовой. That, if Joe knew it, and at any subsequent period of our joint domestic life remarked that his beer was flat or thick, the conviction that he suspected Tar in it, would bring a rush of blood to my face. Что, если бы Джо знал это и в какой-нибудь последующий период нашей совместной семейной жизни заметил, что пиво у него плоское или густое, убеждение, что он подозревает в нем смолу, вызвало бы у меня прилив крови к лицу. In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong. Одним словом, я был слишком труслив, чтобы делать то, что считал правильным, как был слишком труслив, чтобы избегать делать то, что считал неправильным. I had had no intercourse with the world at that time, and I imitated none of its many inhabitants who act in this manner. Quite an untaught genius, I made the discovery of the line of action for myself. Совершенно необразованный гений, я сделал для себя открытие линии действия.

As I was sleepy before we were far away from the prison-ship, Joe took me on his back again and carried me home. He must have had a tiresome journey of it, for Mr. Wopsle, being knocked up, was in such a very bad temper that if the Church had been thrown open, he would probably have excommunicated the whole expedition, beginning with Joe and myself. Должно быть, это было утомительное путешествие, потому что мистер Уопсл, будучи беременным, был в таком скверном настроении, что, если бы церковь была распахнута, он, вероятно, отлучил бы от церкви всю экспедицию, начиная с Джо и меня. In his lay capacity, he persisted in sitting down in the damp to such an insane extent, that when his coat was taken off to be dried at the kitchen fire, the circumstantial evidence on his trousers would have hanged him, if it had been a capital offence. В качестве мирянина он продолжал сидеть в сырости до такой безумной степени, что, когда его пальто сняли, чтобы высушить у кухонного огня, косвенные улики на его брюках повесили бы его, если бы это было тяжкое преступление.

By that time, I was staggering on the kitchen floor like a little drunkard, through having been newly set upon my feet, and through having been fast asleep, and through waking in the heat and lights and noise of tongues. К тому времени я шатался на кухонном полу, как маленький пьяница, от того, что только что встал на ноги, и от того, что крепко спал, и от того, что просыпался от жары, света и шума языков. As I came to myself (with the aid of a heavy thump between the shoulders, and the restorative exclamation "Yah! Was there ever such a boy as this!" from my sister,) I found Joe telling them about the convict’s confession, and all the visitors suggesting different ways by which he had got into the pantry. Mr. Pumblechook made out, after carefully surveying the premises, that he had first got upon the roof of the forge, and had then got upon the roof of the house, and had then let himself down the kitchen chimney by a rope made of his bedding cut into strips; and as Mr. Pumblechook was very positive and drove his own chaise-cart—over Everybody—it was agreed that it must be so. Мистер Памблчук после тщательного осмотра помещения выяснил, что сначала он забрался на крышу кузницы, потом на крышу дома, а затем спустился в кухонную трубу по веревке, сделанной из его постельное белье нарезать полосками; а так как мистер Памблчук был очень уверен в себе и вел свою фаэтон-телегу по всем, то было решено, что так и должно быть. Mr. Wopsle, indeed, wildly cried out, "No!" with the feeble malice of a tired man; but, as he had no theory, and no coat on, he was unanimously set at naught,—not to mention his smoking hard behind, as he stood with his back to the kitchen fire to draw the damp out: which was not calculated to inspire confidence. со слабой злобой усталого человека; но так как у него не было никакой теории и не было пальто, он был единодушно настроен против него, не говоря уже о том, что он сильно курил сзади, когда стоял спиной к кухонному огню, чтобы выдуть сырость: что не было рассчитано на то, чтобы внушать доверие.

This was all I heard that night before my sister clutched me, as a slumberous offence to the company’s eyesight, and assisted me up to bed with such a strong hand that I seemed to have fifty boots on, and to be dangling them all against the edges of the stairs. Это было все, что я услышал в ту ночь, прежде чем моя сестра схватила меня, как сонное оскорбление зрения компании, и помогла мне лечь в постель такой сильной рукой, что мне показалось, будто на мне пятьдесят сапог, и я болтаю ими всеми по стене. края лестницы. My state of mind, as I have described it, began before I was up in the morning, and lasted long after the subject had died out, and had ceased to be mentioned saving on exceptional occasions. Мое душевное состояние, как я его описал, началось еще до того, как я встал утром, и продолжалось еще долго после того, как тема угасла, и о нем перестали упоминать, за исключением исключительных случаев.