The Open Window（One）    By Saki

开着的窗（一）   作者：萨基（H.H.蒙罗）[1870-1916]

"My aunt will be down presently, Mr. Nuttel," said a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen; "in the meantime you must try and put up with me." “纳特尔先生，我婶婶马上下楼来，”说话的是一位十五岁的神情自若的姑娘，她说，“在她下来之前，暂且由我来接待您，请您多多包涵。”

Framton Nuttel endeavoured to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. Privately he doubted more than ever whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers would do much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing.弗兰姆顿·纳特尔先生努力说些好听的话，想在这种场合下既恭维了这位侄女，又不会冷落那位还没出现的婶婶。私下里，他比以前更加怀疑，这种对于一连串陌生人的拜访，对于他应当治疗的神经质毛病，究竟会有多大好处。

"I know how it will be," his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat; "you will bury yourself down there and not speak to a living soul, and your nerves will be worse than ever from moping. I shall just give you letters of introduction to all the people I know there. Some of them, as far as I can remember, were quite nice." “我知道事情会变成什么样子，”当他准备搬到这个僻静的乡村时，他姐姐曾对他说，“你会把自己藏在那里，不同一个活人来往，然后，忧郁会使你的神经质更加严重。我会给我在那里认识的所有人都写封信，把你介绍给他们。在我的记忆中，其中有些人相当有教养。”

 Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton, the lady to whom he was presenting one of the letters of introduction came into the nice division.弗兰姆顿想知道，他拿着信来拜访的这位萨普顿夫人是不是属于那种有教养的人。

"Do you know many of the people round here?" asked the niece, when she judged that they had had sufficient silent communion. “这附近的人，您认识很多吗？”那位侄女问，这是她认为，他们之间不出声的交流已经够多了。

"Hardly a soul," said Framton. "My sister was staying here, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here." “几乎没有一个认识的，”弗兰姆顿说，“大约四年前，我姐姐住在这里，在这个区。她给我写了几封信，叫我拜访这里的一些人。”

 He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret.他说最后一句话的时候，语调中带着明显的遗憾。

"Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?" pursued the self-possessed young lady. “那么，你对我婶婶的情况一无所知？”这位神情自若的姑娘追问道。

"Only her name and address," admitted the caller. He was wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the married or widowed state. An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine habitation. “除了她的名字和住址。”客人承认。他推测着萨普顿夫人是有丈夫还是寡居。这个屋子有种说不清的东西，似乎暗示这里有男人居住。

"Her great tragedy happened just three years ago," said the child; "that would be since your sister's time." “她那场大悲剧刚好发生在三年前的今天，”那个孩子说，“那应该是你姐姐走了之后。”

"Her tragedy?" asked Framton; somehow in this restful country spot tragedies seemed out of place. “她的悲剧？”弗兰姆顿问道。在某种程度上，悲剧看上去和这个宁静的乡村有些不协调。