'well-what's so important about that?'
“那么-这有什么要紧的呢？”
'When they'd been separated for ten years,' said Mr Brownlow, 'your father met another family. There were two daughters, one nineteen years old and the other only two or three. Your father became engaged to the older daughter. At this point one of his rich relations died and left him a lot of money in his will. Your father had to travel to Italy to receive his inheritance, and while there, he became ill and died. Your mother, who was living with you in Paris. immediately rushed to Italy when she heard the news. As your father had made no will of his own, all the relation's money came to you and her.'
“他俩分居十年后”布朗罗先生说，“你父亲遇见另一家人。他家有两个女儿，一个当时19岁，另一个只有两三岁。你父亲和这家的大女儿订了婚。这时，你父亲的一个亲戚去世了，他在遗嘱里给你父亲留了一大笔钱。你父亲必须去意大利继承他的遗产。在那，你父亲病没了。你母亲，当时和你在巴黎生活。她得知你父亲的死讯时，她匆匆赶到了意大利。由于你父亲没有立遗嘱，他亲戚留给他的那笔钱都到了你和你母亲那。”
译《雾都孤儿》第十三章：盗窃团伙的未日（二）
Monks listened with close attention, biting his lip and staring at the floor.
蒙克斯聚精会神地听着，咬着双唇，眼睛盯着地板。
'Before your father went to receive that money, he came to see me', continued Mr Brownlow slowly, his eyes fixed on Monk's face.
“你父亲去接受那笔钱之前，我们见过面。”布朗罗先生盯着蒙克斯的脸，缓缓地说。
'I never heard that before', said Monks, looking up suddenly, a suspicious expression on his face.
“从没听说过这事。”蒙克斯猛地抬起头，满脸诧异地说。
'He left me a picture of the poor girl he wanted to marry. He talked wildly about shame and guilt, and how he would give part of the money he'd inherited to his wife and to you, and use the rest to escape from England with the girl he loved. He refused to tell me any more details.'
“他给我留下一张他想要娶的那个可伶女孩的画像。他疯了似的说了许多感动羞耻和内疚的事，还说要把他继承来的部分钱给他的妻子和你，用余下的钱带着他心爱的女孩逃离英国。他不愿意跟我说得更详细了。”
Monks breathed more easily, and even smiled.
蒙克斯微微送了口气，脸色甚至还出现了笑容。
'But,' said Mr Brownlow, pulling his chair nearer to the other man, 'by chance I was able to rescue your brother Oliver from a life of misery and-'
“但…”布朗罗先生说着，将椅子朝对方身边拉了拉，“碰巧的是，我从不幸的生活中搭救了你弟弟，还有…”
'What!' cried Monks.
“什么？”蒙克斯惊呼。
Mr Brownlow continued without a pause. 'And when he was recovering from his sickness here in my house, I noticed how similar he looked to the girls face in the picture. But he was taken away before I could discover his history-as you know very well.'
布朗罗先生都没停顿一下，继续说“他在我家里养病时，我发现他和画像中女子长得很像。但在我知道他的过去之前就被掳走了―这些你都很清楚。”
'You can't prove anything!' said Monks.
“你没法证实任何事情！”蒙克斯说。
'I can. I heard that you were in the West Indies. I went there to try and find you to see if you knew anything about Oliver, but you'd already left. I returned to London, and was unable to find you until two hours ago.'
“我能证实。我听说你在西印度群岛，便到那去找你，看你是否知道奥利弗，但你那时已经离开了。我又回到伦敦，直到两小时前才找到了你。”
'And now what? You can't prove that Oliver's my brother.' Monks smiled unpleasantly.
“那现在又怎么样？你还是无法证明奥利弗是我弟弟。”蒙克斯不怀好意地笑了笑。
'I couldn't before' said Mr Brownlow standing up. 'But now I can. There was a will, but your mother destroyed it. This will mentioned a child that would be born later; this was Oliver, the child you met later by accident. You noticed his resemblance to your father and you became suspicious. You then went back to his birthplace, found proof of his birth and the fact that he's your half-brother, and destroyed that proof.'
“我早先无法证明。”布朗罗先生站起身说。“但现在能证明了。这是一份遗嘱，但被你母亲毁了。这份遗嘱中提到一个将要出生的孩子。就是奥利弗，你后来碰见过奥利弗。你发现他很像你的父亲，便起了疑心。你后来去了他出生的地方，找到了他出生证明，证实了他是你的异母弟弟，你便毁了那份证明。”
Monks sat in silence, his eyes filled with fear.
蒙克斯一声不吭坐着，眼睛充满了惊恐。
'Yes,' continued Mr Brownlow fiercely, 'shadows on the wall have caught your whispers with Fagin, and brought them to my ear. For the sake of that innocent child, whom you wanted to destroy. And now murder has been done, and you are as guilty of that as if you had struck the blow yourself.'
“是的，”布朗罗先生继续言辞犀利地说，“墙上的影子偷听到了你和费金的谈话，并告诉了我。为了那个你想毁了的无辜的孩子，现在已然发生了谋杀案。你的罪过就像你亲手杀了人一般严重。”
'No, no,' said Monks quickly. 'I knew nothing of that. Nothing at all.' He was silent for a while, realizing how much was known about him. Hatred and fear fought inside him, but he was a coward at heart. At last, seeing no escape, he raised his head. 'I will admit everything-in front of witnesses, if necessary.'
“不，不”蒙克斯连忙说，“我对那一无所知，我毫不知情。”他沉默了一会，意识到他们有多了解他。恨意和恐惧在心里针锋相对，但他实际上就是一个胆小鬼。最后，他看到无法脱逃，才抬起头。“我会承认一切―有必要的话，面前证人承认我所做的一切。”
Mr Brownlow nodded coldly. 'I will prepare a document for you to sign. You must give Oliver what is really his, and then you can go where you please.'
布朗罗先生冷冷地点头。“我会准备文件让你签字。你必须把奥利弗该得给他，然后你可以去你想去的地方。”
At that moment Dr Losberne rushed into the room. 'The murderer will be taken tonight! His dog's been found.'
这时，罗斯伯利医生冲进房间。“今晚能抓到杀人犯！已经找到他的狗了。”
'And Fagin?' asked Mr Brownlow.
“费金呢？”布朗罗先生问。
'They're sure of him. They may have him already.'
“他们满有信心抓住他，或许已经抓住了他。”
Mr Brownlow turned back to Monks. 'Have you made up your mind?'
布朗罗先生转身对蒙克斯说。“你想好了吗？”
'Yes,' replied Monks. 'And you promise - it'll remain a secret? No police, or charges of fraud against me?'
“想好了”蒙克斯回。“你保证 ― 不把这事公诸于众？不向警察告发我？不控诉我欺诈罪？”
'Yes,' said Mr Brownlow. 'You have my promise. For now, you must remain here, locked in this room. I will come for you tomorrow evening and take you to sign a confession in front of witnesses.'
“是”布朗罗先生说，“我保证。从现在开始，你必须得呆在这，锁在这间屋里。我明晚来找你，带你到证人面前签悔过书。”
更多译文：
PS:本书为牛津系列简易读物，由著名作家查理德·罗杰根据英国作家查尔斯·狄更斯的同名小说改写。
英文为书虫系列原文，译文是笔者翻译。本文仅因个人兴趣而译，故本文谢绝转载和各种商业用途，同时承诺若出现任何责任由作者承担，必要时简书可删除文章。
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