Their lofty mission is to pass calm judgment on the trivial events in the daily life of nations. Their wisdom should preempt any fury caused by little things, or by events which the voice of repute transfigures in bruiting them abroad.
GRATIUS
他们的崇高使命是冷静地判断人民日常生活中出现的那些小事。他们的智慧应该防止为了很小的原因，或者为了一些传到远方而走了样的事，大发雷霆。
格拉修斯
For a newcomer, who, out of pride, never asked any questions, Julien managed to avoid any serious pitfall. One day, when he had been driven into a cafe in the Rue Saint Honore by a sudden shower, a tall man in a beaver coat, surprised at his gloomy stare, began to stare back at him exactly as Mademoiselle Amanda's lover had stared at him, long before, at Besancon.
就一个初来乍到，却又因高傲而从来不屑一问的人而言，于连还没有干出什么太大的蠢事。有一天，在圣奥诺雷街，—阵急雨把他赶进了一家咖啡馆。一个身材高大、穿着海狸呢常礼服的人对于连阴郁的目光感到奇怪，就看了看他，跟从前在贝藏松时阿芒达小姐的那个情夫完全一样。
Julien had too often reproached himself for having allowed the former insult to pass unpunished to tolerate this stare. He demanded an explanation, the man in the greatcoat at once began to abuse him in the foulest terms: everyone in the cafe gathered round them; the passersby stopped outside the door. With provincial caution, Julien always carried a brace of pocket pistols; his hand gripped one of these in his pocket with a convulsive movement. Better counsels prevailed, however, and he confined himself to repeating with clockwork regularity: 'Sir, your address? I scorn you.'
于连经常责备自己放过了那头一次的侮辱，所以不能容忍这种目光。他要求解释。穿礼服的人立刻对他发出最肮脏的谩骂：咖啡馆里的人围了上去，行人也在门口站住了。出于外省人的谨慎，于连总是随身带着两把小手枪；他的手在口袋里握住枪，直发抖。不过他很谨慎，只是不断地对那人说：“先生，您的住址？我鄙视您。”
The persistence with which he clung to these six words began to impress the crowd.
他不断地重复这几个字，终于打动了围观的人。
'Gad, that other fellow who goes on talking by himself ought to give him his address.' The man in the greatcoat, hearing this opinion freely vented, flung a handful of visiting cards in Julien's face. Fortunately, none of them hit him, he had vowed that he would use his pistol only in the event of his being touched. The man went away, not without turning round from time to time to shake his fist at Julien and to shout abuse.
“嘿！那个只顾一个人嚷嚷的家伙该把住址给他了。”穿礼服的人听他一再重复，就劈头盖脸地扔过去五、六张名片。幸好没有一张碰到 他的脸，他曾发誓非碰着脸不动枪。那个人走了，不时地转过身来，挥动着拳头威胁他，骂他。
Julien found himself bathed in sweat. 'So it lies within the power of the lowest of mankind to work me up like this!' he said angrily to himself.'How am I to destroy this humiliating sensibility?'
于连一身大汗。“这么说，一个最卑劣的人都能让我激动到这种程度！”他对自己说，不由得大怒，“如何才能克服这种如此让人丢脸的敏感呢？”
Where was he to find a second? He had made the acquaintance of a number of men; but all of them, after six weeks or so, had drifted away from him. 'I am unsociable, and here I am cruelly punished for it,' he thought. Finally, it occurred to him to apply to a retired Lieutenant of the 96th named Lieven, a poor devil with whom he used often to fence. Julien was frank with him.
到哪儿去找证人？他没有一个朋友。他认识几个人，可他们都在六个礼拜的交往之后无例外地离去。“我是个难以相处的人，看看，我受到了残酷的惩罚，”他想。最后，他想到了去找一个第九十六团的前中尉，叫列万，是个常跟他一起练射击的可怜虫。于连待他很真诚。
'I shall be glad to be your second,' said Lieven, 'but upon one condition: if you do not hit your man, you shall fight with me, there and then.'
“我愿意当您的证人，”列万说，“但有一个条件：如果您伤不了那个人，您得跟我决斗，当场。”
'Agreed,' said Julien, with delight; and they went to find M. C. de Beauvoisis at the address indicated upon his cards, in the heart of the Faubourg Saint Germain.
“一言为定，”于连说，很高兴；他们于是按名片上的地址到圣日耳曼区的中心去找夏·德·博瓦西先生。
It was seven o'clock in the morning. It was only when he sent in his name that it occurred to Julien that this might be Madame de Renal's young relative, formerly attached to the Embassy at Rome or Naples, who had given the singer Geronimo a letter of introduction.
这时是早晨七点钟。让人通报之后，于连才想到这个人很可能易德·莱纳夫人的年轻亲戚，从前在驻罗马或者那不勒斯的使馆做事，曾经 给歌唱家热罗尼莫开过介绍信。
Julien had handed to a tall footman one of the cards flung at him the day before, together with one of his own.
于连在头天扔给他的名片中取出一张，还有他自己的一张，一同交给一个身材高大的男仆。
He was kept waiting, with his second, for fully three quarters of an hour; finally they were shown into an admirably furnished apartment.They found a tall young man, got up like a doll; his features exemplified the perfection and the insignificance of Grecian beauty. His head, remarkably narrow, was crowned with a pyramid of the most beautiful golden locks. These were curled with scrupulous care, not a hair stood out from the rest. 'It is to have his hair curled like that,' thought the Lieutenant of the 96th, 'that this damned idiot has been keeping us waiting.'His striped dressing gown, his morning trousers, everything, down to his embroidered slippers, was correct and marvellously well cared for.His features, noble and vacuous, betokened a propriety and paucity of ideas, the ideal of the well-meaning man, a horror of the unexpected and of ridicule, an abundance of gravity.
他和他的证人足足等了三刻钟，才被领进一套雅致得令人赞叹的房间。他们看见的是一个身材高大的年轻人，穿着有如玩偶；他的相貌呈 现出一种希腊美的完善和空洞。他的头出奇地狭长，顶着一个用最美的金黄色头发梳成的金字塔。头发卷得极为细心，没有一根翘出。“就是为了把头发卷成这样，”第九十六团中尉想，“这个该死的花花公子才让我们等着啊。”花花绿绿的睡袍，晨裤，一切，甚至绣花拖鞋，都是合乎规矩的，收拾得一丝不苟。他的容貌高贵而没有表情，显示出一种端正得体却又不同寻常的思想：这是和蔼可亲的人的典型，憎恶意外和戏谑，很是庄重。
Julien, to whom his Lieutenant of the 96th had explained that to keep him waiting so long, after rudely flinging his card in his face, was an additional insult, strode boldly into M. de Beauvoisis's presence. It was his intention to be insolent, but he wished at the same time to show his good breeding.
第九十六团的中尉对于连说，在往他脸上粗暴地扔名片之后，又让他等这么久，是对他的又一次冒犯。于连一下子闯进德·博瓦西先生的房间，想显出一副桀骜不训的祥子，但他原也想同时显得很有教养。
He was so much impressed by M. de Beauvoisis's gentle manners, by his air at once formal, important and self-satisfied, by the admirable elegance of his surroundings, that in a twinkling all thought of being insolent forsook him. This was not his man of the day before. So great was his astonishment at finding so distinguished a person in place of the vulgar fellow he had met in the cafe, that he could not think of a single word to say. He presented one of the cards that had been flung at him:
他看到德·博瓦西先生举止温文尔雅，神情矜持，高傲又自满，周围是令人赞叹的雅致，惊讶之余，桀骜不训的念头刹那间无影无踪了。这不是昨天他看见的那个人。他碰上的不是咖啡馆里的那个粗野之徒，而是一个如此出众的人物，真真惊得他说不出一句话来。他递上一张昨天扔给他的名片。
'This is my name,' said the man of fashion, in whom Julien's black coat, at seven o'clock in the morning, inspired but scant respect; 'but I do not understand, the honour… '
“这是我的名字，"那个时髦的人说，自早晨七点钟以来，于连的黑衣服没有引起他多少敬意；“不过我不明白，以名誉担保……”
His way of pronouncing these last words restored some of Julien's ill-humour.
这最后几个字的腔调又勾起了于连几多火气。
'I have come to fight with you, Sir,' and he rapidly explained the situation.
“我来是要和您决斗，先生，”随后，他一口气讲出了事情的原委。
M. Charles de Beauvoisis, after giving it careful thought, was quite satisfied with the cut of Julien's black coat. 'From Staub's, clearly,' he said to himself, listening to him in silence, 'that waistcoat is in good taste, the boots are right; but, on the other hand, that black coat in the early morning! … It will be to stop the bullet,' thought the Chevalier de Beauvoisis.
夏尔·德·博瓦西先生终于考虑成熟，对于连的黑衣服的剪裁相当满意。“是斯托伯的活儿，这很清楚，”他一边听一边想，“背心式样 不俗，靴子也好；不过，从另一方面说，一大早就穿这件黑衣服！……大概是为了更好地躲避子弹吧，”德·博瓦西骑士心想。
As soon as he had furnished himself with this explanation, he reverted to a perfect politeness, and addressed Julien almost as an equal. The discussion lasted for some time, it was a delicate matter; but in the end Julien could not reject the evidence of his own eyes. The well-bred young man whom he saw before him bore no resemblance whatsoever to the rude person who, the day before, had insulted him.
他听了解释之后，旋即恢复了彬彬有礼的态度，几乎平等地对待于连了。讨论的时间相当长，事情颇微妙；但是于连终究不能无视事实。他面前的这位出身如此高贵的年轻人和昨天侮辱他的那个粗野之徒毫无相似之处。
Julien felt an invincible reluctance to go away, he prolonged the explanation. He observed the self-sufficiency of the Chevalier de Beauvois is, for such was the style that he had adopted in referring to himself, shocked at Julien's addressing him as Monsieur, pure and simple.
于连实在不甘心这样就走，解释也就没完没了了。他注意到德·博瓦西骑士的自满，他就是这样称呼自己的，而对于连径直称他先生感到惊讶。
He admired the other's gravity, blended with a certain modest fatuity but never discarded for a single instant. He was astonished by the curious way in which his tongue moved as he enunciated his words… But after all, in all this, there was not the slightest reason to pick a quarrel with him.
于连钦佩他的庄重，虽然掺杂进某种有节制的自命不凡，但他确实无时无刻不庄重。他说话时转动舌头的方式使于连感到惊奇……但是不管怎么说，在这一切当中，找不出丝毫理由跟他吵架。
The young diplomat offered to fight with great courtesy, but the ex-Lieutenant of the 96th, who had been sitting for an hour with his legs apart, his hands on his hips and his arms akimbo, decided that his friend, M. Sorel, was not the sort of person to pick a quarrel, in the German fashion, with another man, because that man's visiting cards had been stolen.
年轻的外交家风度翩翩地提出决斗，然而第九十六团的前中尉一个钟头以来一直坐着，两腿叉开，胳膊肘朝外，手放在大腿上，断定他的朋友索莱尔先生绝非那种因为有人偷走一个人的名片，就向这个人无理取闹的人。
Julien left the house in the worst of tempers. The Chevalier de Beauvoisis's carriage was waiting for him in the courtyard, in front of the steps; as it happened, Julien raised his eyes and recognised his man of the previous day in the coachman.
于连走了，悻悻然。德·博瓦西骑士的马车在院子里石阶前等他，于连偶然抬眼一望，认出车夫正是昨天的那个人。
Seeing him, grasping him by the skirts of his coat, pulling him down from his box and be labouring him with his whip, were the work of a moment. Two lackeys tried to defend their fellow; Julien received a pummelling: immediately he drew one of his pocket pistols and fired at them; they took to their heels. It was all over in a minute.
看见他，抓住他那宽松的大衣，把他从座位上揪下来，用马鞭子猛抽，不过是转眼间的事情。两个仆人想保护同伴，于连挨了几拳，就在同时，他把手枪顶上火，朝他们射击；他们逃了。这一切也只是一分钟的事。
The Chevalier de Beauvoisis came slowly downstairs with the most charming gravity, repeating in the accents of a great nobleman: 'What's this? What's this?' His curiosity was evidently aroused, but his diplomatic importance did not allow him to show any sign of interest. When he learned what the matter was, a lofty pride still struggled in his features against the slightly playful coolness which ought never to be absent from the face of a diplomat.
德·博瓦西骑士走下台阶，庄重得最为滑稽，用他那大贵人的腔调不住地问：“怎么回事？怎么回事？”他显然很好奇，但是外交家的傲慢不许他表现出更多的兴趣。当他知道是怎么回事之后，依然徘徊在高傲的表情和那种永远不应离开一个外交家的脸的有些可笑的镇静之间。
The Lieutenant of the 96th realised that M. de Beauvoisis was anxious to fight; he wished also, diplomatically enough, to preserve for his friend the advantages of the initiative. 'This time,' he cried, 'there are grounds for a duel!' 'I should think so,' replied the diplomat.
第九十六团的中尉明白了，德·博瓦西先生想决斗，他也想很堂而皇之地为他的朋友保留发起决斗的优先权。“这下可有了决斗的理由了！”他喊道。“我以为足矣，”外交家也说。
'I dismiss that rascal,' he said to his servants; 'someone else must drive.' They opened the carriage door: the Chevalier insisted that Julien and his second should get in before him. They went to find a friend of M. de Beauvoisis, who suggested a quiet spot. The conversation as they drove to it was perfect. The only odd thing was the diplomat in undress.
“我要赶走这个无赖，”他对仆人们说，“来一个人上车。”车门打开了，骑士无论如何要于连和于连的证人上他的车。他们去找德·博瓦西先生的一位朋友，这位朋友说有一个僻静的地方。一路上谈笑风生，确实不错。奇特的是外交家还穿着睡袍。
'These gentlemen, although of the highest nobility,' thought Julien, 'are not in the least boring like the people who come to dine with M. de La Mole; and I can see why,' he added a moment later, 'they are not ashamed to be indecent.' They were speaking of the dancers whom the public had applauded in a ballet of the previous evening. The gentlemen made allusions to spicy anecdotes of which Julien and his second, the Lieutenant of the 96th, were entirely ignorant. Julien did not make the mistake of pretending to know them; he admitted his ignorance with good grace. This frankness found favour with the Chevalier's friend; he repeated the anecdotes to him in full detail, and extremely well.
“这些先生虽然很高贵，”于连想，“却一点儿也不像来德·拉莫尔先生家吃饭的那些人那么乏味，我看出为什么来了，”过了一会几又想，“他们敢干些不成体统的事。”他们谈论昨天演出的芭蕾舞中观众看好的女角儿。他们含蓄地提到一些有刺激性的趣闻，于连和他的证人，第九十六团的中尉，一无所知。于连一点儿也不蠢，强不知以为知，他爽快地承认无知。这种坦率使骑士的朋友很高兴，他向他详详细细地讲述那些趣闻，十分有味。
One thing astonished Julien vastly. A station which was being erected in the middle of the street for the Corpus Christi day procession, held up the carriage for a moment. The gentlemen indulged in a number of pleasantries; the cure, according to them, was the son of an Archbishop.Never, in the house of the Marquis de La Mole, who hoped to become a Duke, would anyone have dared to say such a thing.
有一件事让于连大吃一惊。街中间正在搭祭台，是为了迎圣体用的，车子停了一会儿。这两位先生竟然在开玩笑，说本堂神甫是一位大主教的儿子。在想当公爵的德·拉莫尔侯爵家里，永远不会有人敢说这种话。
The duel was over in an instant: Julien received a bullet in his arm; they bound it up for him with handkerchiefs; these were soaked in brandy, and the Chevalier de Beauvoisis asked Julien most politely to allow him to take him home, in the carriage that had brought them. When Julien gave his address as the Hotel de La Mole, the young diplomat and his friend exchanged glances. Julien's cab was waiting, but he found these gentlemen's conversation infinitely more amusing than that of the worthy Lieutenant of the 96th.
决斗倾刻间便告结束，于连胳膊上中了一弹；他们用醮上烧酒的手帕为他包扎，德·博瓦西骑士很礼貌地请求于连允许他用载他来的那辆车送他回去。当于连说出德·拉莫尔府的时候，年轻的外交家和他的朋友相互递了个眼色。于连的车子本来也在，但是他觉得那两位先生的谈话比善良的第九十六团中尉的谈话有多得多的趣味。
'Good God! A duel, is that all?' thought Julien. 'How fortunate I was to come across that coachman again! What a misfortune, if I had had to endure that insult a second time in a cafe!' The amusing conversation had scarcely been interrupted. Julien now understood that the affectation of a diplomat does serve some purpose.
“我的天主！一场决斗，就是这！”于连想，“我真高兴找到了那个车夫！如果我还得忍受我在咖啡馆里受到的侮辱，那有多不幸啊！”有趣的谈话几乎不曾间断。于连此时明白了，外交上的矫揉造作还是有些用处的。
'So dullness is by no means inherent,' he said to himself, 'in a conversation between people of high birth! These men make fun of the Corpus Christi day procession, they venture to repeat highly scabrous anecdotes, and with picturesque details. Positively the only thing lacking to them is judgment in politics, and this deficiency is more than made up for by the charm of their tone and the perfect aptness of their expressions.' Julien felt himself keenly attracted to them. 'How glad I should be to see them often!'
“这么说，出身高贵的人之间谈话并非一定令人厌倦啊！”他心想，“这两位拿迎圣体开玩笑，敢讲极猥亵的趣闻，而且纤毫毕露，绘声绘色。他们欠缺的绝对只是对政治事务的议论，况且这种欠缺还得到口吻之优雅和表达之准确的补偿而有余。”于连感到对他们有一种热烈的倾慕。“我要能常见到他们该有多幸福！”
No sooner had they parted than the Chevalier de Beauvoisis hastened in search of information: what he heard was by no means promising.
他们一分手，德·博瓦西骑士就到处去打听：打听来的情况不大妙。
He was extremely curious to know his man better; could he with decency call upon him? The scanty information he managed to obtain was not of an encouraging nature.
他很想认识他的对手，他能否体体面面地拜访他？他能得到的情况很少，其性质也不令人鼓舞。
'This is frightful!' he said to his second. 'It is impossible for me to admit that I have fought a duel with a mere secretary of M. de La Mole, and that because I have been robbed of my visiting cards by a coachman.'
“这都是假的！”他对证人说。”要我承认和德·拉莫尔先生的一个普通秘书决斗过，这是不可能的，况且还是因为我的车夫偷了我的名 片。”
'Certainly the whole story leaves one exposed to ridicule.'
“这件事肯定有可能成为笑柄。”
That evening, the Chevalier de Beauvoisis spread the report everywhere that this M. Sorel, who incidentally was a perfectly charming young man, was the natural son of an intimate friend of the Marquis de La Mole. The rumour passed without difficulty. As soon as it was established, the young diplomat and his friend deigned to pay Julien several visits, during the fortnight for which he was confined to his room. Julien confessed to them that he had never in his life been to the Opera.
当天晚上，德·博瓦西骑士和他的朋友到处说这位索莱尔先生是个十全十美的年轻人，是德·拉莫尔侯爵的一位密友的私生于。这件事毫 不困难地传开了。一旦大家相信实有其事，年轻的外交家和他的朋友方肯前往拜访过他几次，那半个月于连是在他的卧室里度过的。于连向他们承认他长那么大只去过歌剧院一次。
'This is terrible,' they told him, 'where else does one go? Your first outing must be to the Comte Ory.'
“这太可怕了，”他们对他说，“现在大家只去这个地方；您第一次出门，应该是去看《奥利伯爵》。”
At the Opera, the Chevalier de Beauvoisis presented him to the famous singer Geronimo, who was enjoying an immense success that season.
在歌剧院，德·博瓦西骑士把他介绍给当时正走红的著名歌唱家热罗尼莫。
Julien almost paid court to the Chevalier; his blend of self-respect, mysterious importance and boyish fatuity enchanted him. For instance, the Chevalier stammered slightly because he had the honour to be frequently in the company of a great nobleman who suffered from that infirmity. Never had Julien seen combined in a single person the absurdity which keeps one amused and the perfection of manners which a poor provincial must seek to copy.
于连几乎要讨好骑士了，自尊，神秘的傲慢和年轻人的自命不凡混在一起，使于连着迷。例如，骑士有点儿口吃，因为他有幸经常见到的 一位大贵人就有此毛病。于连从未见过在一个人身上结合了逗人开心的可笑和可怜的外省人应竭力模仿的完美举止。
He was seen at the Opera with the Chevalier de Beauvoisis; their association caused his name to be mentioned.
大家看见他在歌剧院和德·博瓦西骑士在一起，这种交往使人提起他的名字。
'Well, Sir!' M. de La Mole said to him one day, 'and so you are the natural son of a rich gentleman of the Franche-Comte, my intimate friend!'
“好哇！”有一天德·拉莫尔先生对他说，“原来您是我的密友弗朗什—孔泰一位富绅的私生子？”
The Marquis cut Julien short when he tried to protest that he had in no way helped to give currency to this rumour.
于连想申明他从未推波助澜使人相信这种流言，侯爵打断了他。
'M. de Beauvoisis did not wish to have fought a duel with a carpenter's son.'
“德·博瓦西先生是不愿意人家说他和一个木匠的儿子决斗过。”
'I know, I know,' said M. de La Mole; 'it rests with me now to give consistency to the story, which suits me. But I have one favour to ask you, which will cost you no more than half an hour of your time: every Opera evening, at half past eleven, go and stand in the vestibule when the people of fashion are coming out. I still notice provincial mannerisms in you at times, you must get rid of them; besides, it can do you no harm to know, at least by sight, important personages to whom I may one day have occasion to send you. Call at the box office to have yourself identified; they have placed your name on the list.'
“我知道，我知道，”德·拉莫尔先生说，“现在是由我来让这传言变得可靠，它挺中我的意。但是我要请您帮个忙，这只花费您短短的 半个钟头，凡是歌剧院有演出的日子，您在十一点半钟，上流社会人士散场出来时，到前厅去看看。我看您有时还有外省人的举止，应该改掉；再说认识一些大人物，至少认个模样，也是不错的，这样日后我就能让您找他们办事了。到定座票房去一趟，让他们认一认您；他们已经准您免费入场了。”