《远大前程》第3章 给匹普的一次机会(7)

I knocked at the door and was told to enter．I found myself in a large room，where the curtains were closed to allow no daylight in，and the candles were lit．In the centre of the room，sitting at a table，was the strangest lady I have ever seen，or shall ever see．She was wearing a wedding dress made of rich material．She had a bride's flowers in her hair，but her hair was white．There were suitcases full of dresses and Jewels around her，ready for a journey．She only had one white shoe on．‘Then I realized that over the years the white wedding dress had become yellow，and the flowers in her hair had died，and the bride inside the dress had grown old．Everything in the room was ancient and dying．The only brightness in the room was in her dark old eyes，that stared at me．
　　‘Who are you？'said the lady at the table．
　　‘Pip，madam．Mr Pumblechook's boy．Come-to play．’
‘Come close．Let me look at you．’As I stood in front of ＊her，I noticed that her watch and a clock in the room had both stopped at twenty minutes to nine．
我敲了敲门，里面叫我进去。我发现自己在一个大房间里，这里的窗帘关得紧紧的，不让一缕日光透进来，但点着很多蜡烛。在屋子的中央，桌子旁坐着的是一位我从没有见过而且将不会再见到的，特别奇怪的夫人。她穿着一身由高级材料做的结婚礼服，头上戴着新娘花朵，但她已是满头银发了。她周围有些衣箱及珠宝，像似准备旅行。她只穿着一只白鞋，这时我才辨认出来，这么多年来白色的结婚礼服已经变黄了，头上戴的花朵已经干瘪了，新娘已经老了。屋里的一切都显得既古老又死气沉沉的。在屋子里仅有一光点是她那双黑色的老眼，瞪着我。
　　“你是谁？”夫人在桌子旁问。
　　“匹普，夫人，潘波趣先生的孩子，来这儿玩的。”
　　“过来，靠近点儿，让我瞧瞧你。”当我站在她的面前时，我发现她的手表和屋子里的钟表都停止在8点40分。