自译 契诃夫短篇小说 A TRIFLE FROM REAL LIFE 家长里短(6)
“What do you talk about?”
“你们都说什么了?”
“With papa? Oh, about everything. He kisses us and hugs us and tells us the funniest jokes. Do you know what? He says that when we grow bigger he is going to take us to live with him. Sonia doesn’t want to go, but I wouldn’t mind. Of course it would be lonely without mamma, but I could write letters to her. Isn’t it funny, we might go and see her then on Sundays, mightn’t we? Papa says, too, he is going to buy me a pony. He is such a nice man! I don’t know why mamma doesn’t ask him to live with her and why she won’t let us see him. He loves mamma very much. He always asks how she is and what she has been doing. When she was ill he took hold of his head just like this — and ran about the room. He always asks us whether we are obedient and respectful to her. Tell me, is it true that we are unfortunate?”
“跟我爸爸吗?什么都说。他亲我们,搂着我们,还给我们讲了好多好多笑话。叔叔你知道吗?他说等我们长大了就把我们接走。蓉蓉不想走,我倒没什么。我也舍不得离开妈妈,可我还可以给她写信啊,我们周天还可以过来看她啊。爸爸还说要给我买一匹小马。他真好!不知道妈妈为什么不要他,也不许我们去见他了。他很爱妈妈。他每次都问妈妈好不好,妈妈在家干什么。要是听说妈妈病了,他就这样低着头——然后在屋子里走来走去。他经常问我们在家乖不乖,听不听妈妈的话。叔叔,你说我们可怜吗?”
“H’m — why do you ask?”