Disgrace: 22(1)

TWENTY-TWO

二十二

HE STAYS IN contact with Lucy by telephone. In their conversations she is at pains to assure him that all is well on the farm, he to give the impression that he does not doubt her. She is hard at work in the flowerbeds, she tells him, where the spring crop is now in bloom. The kennels are reviving. She has two dogs on full board and hopes of more. Petrus is busy with his house, but not too busy to help out. The Shaws are frequent visitors. No, she does not need money.

他和露西通过电话保持联系。在他们的谈话中，露西总是尽力让他相信农场那边一切都好，他也尽力让她觉得他相信她所说的话。她在花圃里很忙活儿，他告诉他说，春播作物正处在开花期。窝棚的生意也在复苏，她已经有两条全寄养的狗，有望寄养更多的狗。帕切斯正忙着盖他的房子，但也会抽出时间来帮她。贝芙·肖一家时常过来。不，她并不缺钱。

But something in Lucy's tone nags at him. He telephones Bev Shaw. 'You are the only person I can ask,' he says. 'How is Lucy, truthfully?'

可是露西的语气里透出来的某种东西不断地困扰着他。他给贝芙·肖打去电话。‘我唯一能问的人就是你了，’他说。‘露西到底怎么样啊？’

Bev Shaw is guarded. 'What has she told you?'

贝芙·肖很防备。‘她和你说什么了？’

'She tells me that everything is fine. But she sounds like a zombie. She sounds as if she is on tranquillizers. Is she?'

‘她告诉我一切都好。可她听上去死气沉沉的。她似乎在服用镇定剂。是这样的吗？’

Bev Shaw evades the question. However, she says - and she seems to be picking her words carefully - there have been 'developments'.

贝芙·肖回避了这个问题。然而她说——她貌似在谨慎地选择用词——出现了‘新事态’。

'What developments?'

‘什么新事态？’

'I can't tell you, David. Don't make me. Lucy will have to tell you herself.'

‘我不能告诉你，大卫。不要逼迫我。这要露西亲自告诉你。’

He calls Lucy. 'I must make a trip to Durban,' he says, lying. 'There is the possibility of a job. May I stop off for a day or two?'

他给露西打电话。‘我要去一趟德班，’他谎称道。‘有一个工作机会。我可以中途去你那儿停留一两天吗？’

'Has Bev been speaking to you?'

‘贝芙和你一直联系吗？’

'Bev has nothing to do with it. May I come?'

‘这和贝芙没关系。我可以去吗？’

Read Alps 2020年6月14日