第十一章（第13/17页）

肉身丑陋不堪，但却异常活跃。他们将来会变成怎样？或许随着煤炭的消亡，他们会再度灭绝，从地表蒸发。听到煤炭的召唤，他们不知从何处现身，成千上万。或许他们只是从煤层中爬出的奇异生物。他们来自另一未知的世界，只是某种要素，与煤元素发生作用，钢铁工人同样如此，只不过作用于铁元素而已。他们并非真正的人类，只是煤、铁甚至粘土的灵魂。碳、铁、硅等自然元素结成的动物体。他们或许拥有矿物质那奇异的非人之美，兼具煤的光泽，铁的沉重、忧郁和坚韧，玻璃的透明。这种元素生物来自于矿物世界，神秘莫测，奇形怪状。他们来自于煤、铁以及粘土，就像鱼类来自于海洋，虫类来自于枯木一样。矿物分解时产生的灵魂！

Connie was glad to be home, to bury her head in the sand. She was glad even to babble to Clifford. For her fear of the mining and iron Midlands affected her with a queer feeling that went all over her, like influenza.

回到家里，将种种愁绪暂时抛到脑后，康妮深感欣慰。她甚至乐得跟克利福德闲扯。她对煤铁横行的英格兰中部心怀畏惧，这种奇异的情绪流感般弥漫于全身。

"Of course I had to have tea in Miss Bentley's shop," she said.

“没法子，我只得留在本特利小姐店里喝茶。”她说。

"Really! Winter would have given you tea." "Oh yes, but I daren't disappoint Miss Bentley." Miss Bentley was a shallow old maid with a rather large nose and romantic disposition who served tea with a careful intensity worthy of a sacrament.

“真的呀！温特应该请你喝茶才是。”“哦，是的，可我又不好驳本特利小姐的面子。”本特利小姐是个老处女，见识浅薄，长着蒜头鼻，生性浪漫，为人奉茶时谨慎而专注，简直像在做圣事。

"Did she ask after me?" said Clifford.

“她问起过我吗？”克利福德说。

"Of course! MAY I ask your Ladyship how Sir Clifford is!— I believe she ranks you even higher than Nurse Cavell!

“那还用说！请问夫人，克利福德爵士贵体安泰否？——依我看，在她心里，你甚至比卡维尔护士（注：1865-1915，英国护士，“一战”时期因助协约国军人逃出德国占领下的比利时，而被逮捕并处死。）还高尚呢！

"And I suppose you said I was blooming." "Yes! And she looked as rapt as if I had said the heavens had opened to you. I said if she ever came to Tevershall she was to come to see you." "Me! Whatever for! See me!" "Why yes, Clifford. You can't be so adored without making some slight return. Saint George of Cappadocia was nothing to you, in her eyes.” "And do you think she'll come?” "Oh, she blushed! And looked quite beautiful for a moment, poor thing! Why don't men marry the women who would really adore them?” "The women start adoring too late. But did she say she'd come?” "Oh!" Connie imitated the breathless Miss Bentley, "your Ladyship, if ever I should dare to presume!" "Dare to presume! How absurd! But I hope to God she won't turn up. And how was her tea?” "Oh, Lipton's and very strong. But Clifford, do you realize you are the Roman de la rose of Miss Bentley and lots like her?” "I'm not flattered, even then.” "They treasure up every one of your pictures in the illustrated papers, and probably pray for you every night. It's rather wonderful.” She went upstairs to change.

“我猜你大概说我正精力焕发吧？”“没错！她听得如痴如醉，好像我告诉她天堂的门已经为你打开一样。我跟她说，如果她来特弗沙尔，务必要来看望你。”“我！无缘无故的！来看望我！”“那当然，克利福德。人家那样爱慕你，你总得稍微有所表示吧。在她眼中，卡帕多西亚的圣乔治根本无法跟你相提并论。”“那你觉得她会来吗？”“噢，她羞得脸都红了！那个瞬间真是楚楚动人，可怜的人儿！男人们干嘛不娶那些真正爱慕自己的女人呢？”“女人们的爱恋总是来得太迟。她说她要来吗？”“啊！”康妮模仿起本特利小姐娇喘的样子，“夫人，我哪敢造次呀！”“造次！真是可笑！不过，我还是希望她别来。她家的茶味道如何？”“哦，地道的利普顿红茶，味道香浓。不过，克利福德，你可晓得，在本特利小姐和许多老处女心里，你可是地道的梦中情人呢？”“即使如此，我也没有受宠若惊的感觉。”“她们珍藏着你登在画报上的每张照片，或许每晚还为你祈祷呢。真是不可思议。”她上楼换衣服去了。

That evening he said to her: "You do think, don't you, that there is something eternal in marriage?” She looked at him.