狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第24章Part 8

The flowers were scattered on the ground like dust; the empty hands were spread upon the face; and orphaned Florence, shrinking down upon the ground, wept long and bitterly.
But true of heart and resolute in her good purpose, Florence held to it as her dying mother held by her upon the day that gave Paul life. He did not know how much she loved him. However long the time in coming, and however slow the interval, she must try to bring that knowledge to her father's heart one day or other. Meantime she must be careful in no thoughtless word, or look, or burst of feeling awakened by any chance circumstance, to complain against him, or to give occasion for these whispers to his prejudice.
Even in the response she made the orphan child, to whom she was attracted strongly, and whom she had such occasion to remember, Florence was mindful of him' If she singled her out too plainly (Florence thought) from among the rest, she would confirm - in one mind certainly: perhaps in more - the belief that he was cruel and unnatural. Her own delight was no set-off to this, 'What she had overheard was a reason, not for soothing herself, but for saving him; and Florence did it, in pursuance of the study of her heart.
She did so always. If a book were read aloud, and there were anything in the story that pointed at an unkind father, she was in pain for their application of it to him; not for herself. So with any trifle of an interlude that was acted, or picture that was shown, or game that was played, among them. The occasions for such tenderness towards him were so many, that her mind misgave her often, it would indeed be better to go back to the old house, and live again within the shadow of its dull walls, undisturbed. How few who saw sweet Florence, in her spring of womanhood, the modest little queen of those small revels, imagined what a load of sacred care lay heavy in her breast! How few of those who stiffened in her father's freezing atmosphere, suspected what a heap of fiery coals was piled upon his head!
Florence pursued her study patiently, and, failing to acquire the secret of the nameless grace she sought, among the youthful company who were assembled in the house, often walked out alone, in the early morning, among the children of the poor. But still she found them all too far advanced to learn from. They had won their household places long ago, and did not stand without, as she did, with a bar across the door.

花朵像尘埃一般纷纷散落在地上，空着的双手蒙住脸孔，成为孤儿的弗洛伦斯缩成一团，倒在地上，长久地、痛苦地哭泣着。
但是弗洛伦斯怀着忠诚的心和坚决的善良的目的，紧紧地抱住这个目的不放，就像她垂死的母亲在生下保罗的那一天紧紧抱住她不放一样。他不知道她多么热烈地爱着他。不管她要等待多么长久，不管时间过得多么缓慢，她迟早总有一天要让父亲的心知道这一点，在这段时间中，她必须注意不要用未经考虑的语言、眼光或由于任何偶然的情况所引起的感情冲动去抱怨他，或者给那些损害他的流言蜚语提供口实。
弗洛伦斯对那个孤儿产生了强烈的兴趣，也很有理由记得她，可是甚至在回答她的情谊时，弗洛伦斯心中也记着父亲。如果在所有的孩子中，她对她表示了太突出的感情（弗洛伦斯这么想），她就无疑会在一个人的心中，也许还会在更多人的心中加强这样的信念：他是残酷的，不近人情的。她把她自己的快乐完全置之度外。她暗中听到的谈话只能成为保全他，而不是成为抚慰她自己的理由。弗洛伦斯在心中进行着探索的时候，就是这样做的。
她经常这样做。如果他们在朗诵一本书，书中提到一位冷酷的父亲的话，那么她感到痛苦的是害怕他们这样朗诵是在暗指他，而不是为了她自己；当他们演出一个在幕间插入的戏剧的时候，或展示一幅图画的时候，或做一个游戏的时候，也有这样的情形。为他担惊受怕的这一类事情很多，因此她不时踌躇，是不是回到老家去，重新平静地生活在它那沉闷无趣的墙壁的阴影下，反而更好。人们看到，温柔可爱的弗洛伦斯正处在豆蔻年华，她是这些孩子联欢会上的谦逊的小皇后；在他们中间，很少有人会想象到，一副多么神圣的忧虑的担子正沉重地压在她的胸间！那些在她父亲的冷冰冰的气氛中拘谨不安的人们中间，很少有人会料想到，在他的头上正堆积着像煤火般炽热的感情！
弗洛伦斯耐心地进行着探索。由于她在聚集在这座房屋中的年轻伴侣中间没能求得她所寻找的那难以名状的魅力的秘密，她就常常在清晨单独走出到那些穷人的孩子们中间去。可是她在这里也还是发现他们在她前面走得太远了，她不能从他们那里学到什么。他们好久以前就已在家庭中取得了他们的地位，不是像她那样站在被闩上的门外。