For a time - at all events until my book should be completed, which would be the work of several months - I took up my abode in my aunt’s house at Dover; —
无论如何，至少在我的书完成之前，需要花费数个月的时间，我住在多佛的姑妈家里； —

and there, sitting in the window from which I had looked out at the moon upon the sea, when that roof first gave me shelter, I quietly pursued my task.
我静静地坐在窗前，从那扇窗户向外看，当时的屋顶给了我庇护，我安静地继续做我的工作；

In pursuance of my intention of referring to my own fictions only when their course should incidentally connect itself with the progress of my story, I do not enter on the aspirations, the delights, anxieties, and triumphs of my art. —
根据我只有在我的故事进展的同时与我的小说相关时才提到自己的虚构作品的意图，我不会谈到我的梦想、快乐、焦虑和成功。 —

That I truly devoted myself to it with my strongest earnestness, and bestowed upon it every energy of my soul, I have already said. —
我已经说过，我真诚地全身心投入其中，并倾注了我灵魂的每一份能量； —

If the books I have written be of any worth, they will supply the rest. —
如果我所写的书有任何价值，它们将补充其余部分； —

I shall otherwise have written to poor purpose, and the rest will be of interest to no one.
否则，我将白写了，而其余部分对任何人都没有兴趣；

Occasionally, I went to London; to lose myself in the swarm of life there, or to consult with Traddles on some business point. —
间或，我会去伦敦，融入那里的生活群体，或与特拉德尔讨论一些业务问题； —

He had managed for me, in my absence, with the soundest judgement; —
他在我不在时，以最明智的判断力替我处理了一切； —

and my worldly affairs were prospering. As my notoriety began to bring upon me an enormous quantity of letters from people of whom I had no knowledge - chiefly about nothing, and extremely difficult to answer - I agreed with Traddles to have my name painted up on his door. —
我的世俗事务正在取得成功。随着我的名声带给我大量未知的信件 —— 主要是关于无关紧要的事情，极难回复 —— 我与特拉德尔商议，在他的门上写上我的名字； —

There, the devoted postman on that beat delivered bushels of letters for me; —
在那里，负责递送信件的那位忠实的邮递员送来了成堆的信件给我； —

and there, at intervals, I laboured through them, like a Home Secretary of State without the salary.
时不时地，我像一位没有薪水的内政大臣那样忙碌，费力地处理着这些信件；

Among this correspondence, there dropped in, every now and then, an obliging proposal from one of the numerous outsiders always lurking about the Commons, to practise under cover of my name (if I would take the necessary steps remaining to make a proctor of myself), and pay me a percentage on the profits. —
在这些通讯中，偶尔会有一些来自常驻在上议院周围的诸多外人提出的殷勤建议，如果我愿意采取必要步骤使自己成为代理人，并向我支付利润的百分比，我就可以以我的名义从事这项业务； —

But I declined these offers; being already aware that there were plenty of such covert practitioners in existence, and considering the Commons quite bad enough, without my doing anything to make it worse.
但我拒绝了这些提议；因为我早已知道这个行业中存在着许多这样隐蔽的从业者，而且我觉得上议院本来就已经糟透了，没必要让我做任何事情使情况变得更糟；

The girls had gone home, when my name burst into bloom on Traddles’s door; —
姑娘们在我名字出现在特拉德尔的门上后就已经回家了； —

and the sharp boy looked, all day, as if he had never heard of Sophy, shut up in a back room, glancing down from her work into a sooty little strip of garden with a pump in it. —
那位聪明的男孩整天看上去好像从未听说过索菲，她关在一个后房中，从工作中向下瞥视着一个灰暗的小花园，里面有一个水泵。 —

But there I always found her, the same bright housewife; —
但我总是在那里找到她，同样是那个开朗的家庭主妇； —

often humming her Devonshire ballads when no strange foot was coming up the stairs, and blunting the sharp boy in his official closet with melody.
常常在没有陌生人上楼时哼着她的德文谣曲，用旋律淡化办公室里锐利的男孩。

I wondered, at first, why I so often found Sophy writing in a copy-book; —
起初，我想知道为什么我经常看到索菲在抄写簿上写字； —

and why she always shut it up when I appeared, and hurried it into the table-drawer. —
以及为什么她在我出现时总是把它关上，匆忙地放进桌子抽屉里。 —

But the secret soon came out. One day, Traddles (who had just come home through the drizzling sleet from Court) took a paper out of his desk, and asked me what I thought of that handwriting?
但秘密很快就揭晓了。一天，特拉德尔斯（刚从下着毛毛雨回来的法庭）从桌子里拿出一张纸，问我觉得那笔迹如何？

‘Oh, DON’T, Tom!’ cried Sophy, who was warming his slippers before the fire.
“哦，汤姆，别这样！”在火炉前给他的拖鞋取暖的索菲喊道。

‘My dear,’ returned Tom, in a delighted state, ‘why not? —
親愛的，”汤姆高兴地回答说，“为什么不呢？ —

What do you say to that writing, Copperfield?’
你觉得那笔迹怎么样，柯波菲尔德？”

‘It’s extraordinarily legal and formal,’ said I. ‘I don’t think I ever saw such a stiff hand.’
“这实在太正式和约束了，”我说。“我从没见过这么僵硬的手写。”

‘Not like a lady’s hand, is it?’ said Traddles.
“不像女士的手写，对吧？”特拉德尔斯说。

‘A lady’s!’ I repeated. ‘Bricks and mortar are more like a lady’s hand!’
“女士的！”我重复道。“还不如说是砖瓦更像女士的手！”

Traddles broke into a rapturous laugh, and informed me that it was Sophy’s writing; —
特拉德尔斯开心地笑了起来，并告诉我那是索菲的字迹； —

that Sophy had vowed and declared he would need a copying-clerk soon, and she would be that clerk; —
索菲发誓说他很快就需要一个抄写员，而她将成为那个抄写员； —

that she had acquired this hand from a pattern; —
她从一个模版上学会了这种字迹； —

and that she could throw off - I forget how many folios an hour. —
并且她可以每小时抄写出——我忘记了有多少页。 —

Sophy was very much confused by my being told all this, and said that when ‘Tom’ was made a judge he wouldn’t be so ready to proclaim it. —
索菲非常困惑，因为我被告知了所有这些，她说当“汤姆”成为法官时，他就不会那么愿意宣布了。 —

Which ‘Tom’ denied; averring that he should always be equally proud of it, under all circumstances.
“汤姆”否认了这一点，声称他在任何情况下都会同样自豪。

‘What a thoroughly good and charming wife she is, my dear Traddles!’ —
“亲爱的特拉德尔斯，她是多么善良迷人的妻子啊！” —

said I, when she had gone away, laughing.
当她走后，我笑着说。

‘My dear Copperfield,’ returned Traddles, ‘she is, without any exception, the dearest girl! —
“亲爱的柯波菲尔德，”特拉德尔斯回答说，“她无疑是最亲爱的女孩！ —

The way she manages this place; her punctuality, domestic knowledge, economy, and order; —
她是多么有效地管理这个地方；她的准时，家庭知识，经济，和秩序； —

her cheerfulness, Copperfield!’
柯波菲尔德，她的快乐！

‘Indeed, you have reason to commend her!’ I returned. ‘You are a happy fellow. —
“确实，你有理由称赞她！”我回答说。“你真是一个幸福的人。 —

I believe you make yourselves, and each other, two of the happiest people in the world.’
我相信你们两个，彼此，是世界上两个最幸福的人。

‘I am sure we ARE two of the happiest people,’ returned Traddles. ‘I admit that, at all events. —
“我敢肯定我们两个是最幸福的人，”特拉德尔斯回答说。“至少我承认是这样的。 —

Bless my soul, when I see her getting up by candle-light on these dark mornings, busying herself in the day’s arrangements, going out to market before the clerks come into the Inn, caring for no weather, devising the most capital little dinners out of the plainest materials, making puddings and pies, keeping everything in its right place, always so neat and ornamental herself, sitting up at night with me if it’s ever so late, sweet-tempered and encouraging always, and all for me, I positively sometimes can’t believe it, Copperfield!’
我的上帝，当我看到她在这些黑暗的早晨用烛光起床，为一天的安排忙碌，在店员们进店之前去市场，不管什么天气，用最简单的材料做出最棒的小餐，做布丁和馅饼，让一切井然有序，总是整洁和美观，如果太晚了还和我一起坐到半夜，总是温柔和鼓励，全部都是为了我，我有时确实无法相信，柯波菲尔德！

He was tender of the very slippers she had been warming, as he put them on, and stretched his feet enjoyingly upon the fender.
当他穿上她曾经加热的拖鞋时，非常温柔地对待着它们，然后愉快地把脚伸到壁炉上。

‘I positively sometimes can’t believe it,’ said Traddles. ‘Then our pleasures! —
“我有时真的无法相信，”特拉德尔斯说。“然后我们的乐趣！ —

Dear me, they are inexpensive, but they are quite wonderful! —
亲爱的，它们不费什么钱，但它们真是了不起的！ —

When we are at home here, of an evening, and shut the outer door, and draw those curtains - which she made - where could we be more snug? —
当我们在家里的晚上，在关上外门并拉上她做的那些窗帘时，我们会有多舒适呢？ —

When it’s fine, and we go out for a walk in the evening, the streets abound in enjoyment for us. —
当天气晴朗时，我们晚上出去散步，街道上充满了乐趣。 —

We look into the glittering windows of the jewellers’ shops; —
我们看着珠宝店橱窗里闪闪发光的东西； —

and I show Sophy which of the diamond-eyed serpents, coiled up on white satin rising grounds, I would give her if I could afford it; —
我告诉Sophy，如果我买得起的话，我会给她哪条白色绸缎上被盘绕成钻石眼的蛇； —

and Sophy shows me which of the gold watches that are capped and jewelled and engine-turned, and possessed of the horizontal lever- escape-movement, and all sorts of things, she would buy for me if she could afford it; —
Sophy告诉我，如果她买得起的话，她会为我买哪一块帽饰着宝石和水平杠杆逃逸装置等各种东西的金表； —

and we pick out the spoons and forks, fish-slices, butter-knives, and sugar-tongs, we should both prefer if we could both afford it; —
我们挑选我们双方都喜欢的勺子、叉子、鱼刀、黄油刀和糖夹； —

and really we go away as if we had got them! —
实际上，我们走后感觉好像已经拥有了它们！ —

Then, when we stroll into the squares, and great streets, and see a house to let, sometimes we look up at it, and say, how would THAT do, if I was made a judge? —
然后，当我们漫步到广场和大街上，看到有房屋出租时，有时我们抬头看着它，说，如果我成为法官了，那会如何？ —

And we parcel it out - such a room for us, such rooms for the girls, and so forth; —
我们开始计划 - 某个房间给我们，某些房间给女孩们，等等； —

until we settle to our satisfaction that it would do, or it wouldn’t do, as the case may be. —
直到我们满意地决定这房子适不适合。 —

Sometimes, we go at half-price to the pit of the theatre - the very smell of which is cheap, in my opinion, at the money - and there we thoroughly enjoy the play: —
有时，我们半价去剧院一楼看戏 - 我认为即使花钱也很便宜，那里的气味真的是这样 - 我们在那里尽情享受剧情： —

which Sophy believes every word of, and so do I. In walking home, perhaps we buy a little bit of something at a cook’s-shop, or a little lobster at the fishmongers, and bring it here, and make a splendid supper, chatting about what we have seen. —
Sophy相信每个字，我也一样。走路回家时，也许在熟食店买点小吃，或者在鱼铺买只小龙虾，带回这里，做一顿豪华的晚餐，聊聊我们看到的一切。 —

Now, you know, Copperfield, if I was Lord Chancellor, we couldn’t do this!’
现在，你知道，柯波菲尔德，如果我是大法官，我们就不能这样做了！’

‘You would do something, whatever you were, my dear Traddles,’ thought I, ‘that would be pleasant and amiable. —
‘无论你是谁，我亲爱的特雷德尔斯，你都会做一些愉快和和蔼的事情。 —

And by the way,’ I said aloud, ‘I suppose you never draw any skeletons now?’
顺便说一句，’我大声说，’我想你现在肯定不再画骷髅了吧？’

‘Really,’ replied Traddles, laughing, and reddening, ‘I can’t wholly deny that I do, my dear Copperfield. —
‘实际上，’特雷德尔斯笑着回答，并变红了脸，’我不能完全否认，我确实会，我亲爱的柯波菲尔德。 —

For being in one of the back rows of the King’s Bench the other day, with a pen in my hand, the fancy came into my head to try how I had preserved that accomplishment. —
我坐在国王长椅的后排，手里拿着一支笔，突然有了个奇怪的想法，想试试看我是否还保持着那种技能。 —

And I am afraid there’s a skeleton - in a wig - on the ledge of the desk.’
我怕橱柜的一角有一个披着假发的骷髅。

After we had both laughed heartily, Traddles wound up by looking with a smile at the fire, and saying, in his forgiving way, ‘Old Creakle!’
我们都开怀大笑过后，特拉德尔斯笑着看着火炉，宽容地说道，“老克里克尔！”

‘I have a letter from that old - Rascal here,’ said I. For I never was less disposed to forgive him the way he used to batter Traddles, than when I saw Traddles so ready to forgive him himself.
“我这儿有封老混蛋写来的信”，我说。因为当我看到特拉德尔斯这么快原谅他自己时，我更加不愿原谅他曾经欺负特拉德尔斯的方式。

‘From Creakle the schoolmaster?’ exclaimed Traddles. ‘No!’
“来自克里克尔校长？”特拉德尔斯惊讶地说。“不可能！”

‘Among the persons who are attracted to me in my rising fame and fortune,’ said I, looking over my letters, ‘and who discover that they were always much attached to me, is the self-same Creakle. —
我看着我的信件，说：“在我的崭露头角和财富日益增长时被吸引到我的人群中，发现他们一直很喜欢我，其中就有克里克尔。 —

He is not a schoolmaster now, Traddles. He is retired. —
特拉德尔斯，他已不再是校长。他退休了。 —

He is a Middlesex Magistrate.’
他是一名米德尔塞克斯的法官。”

I thought Traddles might be surprised to hear it, but he was not so at all.
我以为特拉德尔斯会对此感到惊讶，但他一点也不吃惊。

‘How do you suppose he comes to be a Middlesex Magistrate?’ said I.
“你认为他怎么会成为米德尔塞克斯的法官？”我问。

‘Oh dear me!’ replied Traddles, ‘it would be very difficult to answer that question. —
特拉德尔斯严肃地回答：“哦，天哪！要回答这个问题很困难。 —

Perhaps he voted for somebody, or lent money to somebody, or bought something of somebody, or otherwise obliged somebody, or jobbed for somebody, who knew somebody who got the lieutenant of the county to nominate him for the commission.’
也许他投票给某人，或者向某人借钱，或者向某人购买东西，或者以某种方式帮助了某人，或者为某人干过事情，知道某人从县中尉那里获得了提名，然后为委员会做决定。”

‘On the commission he is, at any rate,’ said I. ‘And he writes to me here, that he will be glad to show me, in operation, the only true system of prison discipline; —
“无论如何，他已经成为了委员会的一员”，我说。“他在信中告诉我，他将很乐意向我展示监狱纪律的唯一真实系统； —

the only unchallengeable way of making sincere and lasting converts and penitents - which, you know, is by solitary confinement. What do you say?’
唯一无懈可击的使人真诚而持久地悔改和改过自新的方式——也就是通过孤立监禁。你怎么看？”

‘To the system?’ inquired Traddles, looking grave.
“对这个系统？”特拉德尔斯问，一脸严肃。

‘No. To my accepting the offer, and your going with me?’
不。你接受这个提议，和你跟我去吗？

‘I don’t object,’ said Traddles.
‘我不反对，’特拉德尔斯说。

‘Then I’ll write to say so. You remember (to say nothing of our treatment) this same Creakle turning his son out of doors, I suppose, and the life he used to lead his wife and daughter?’
‘那我会写信表示同意。你还记得（先不提待遇），克里克尔把他儿子赶出家门的事吧？他以前对待妻女的生活方式也是如此吧？

‘Perfectly,’ said Traddles.
‘当然，’特拉德尔斯说。

‘Yet, if you’ll read his letter, you’ll find he is the tenderest of men to prisoners convicted of the whole calendar of felonies,’ said I; —
‘然而，如果你读他的信，会发现他对犯下各种重罪的囚犯是最温柔的，’我说； —

‘though I can’t find that his tenderness extends to any other class of created beings.’
‘尽管我看不出他的温柔对其他任何被造物有所延伸。’

Traddles shrugged his shoulders, and was not at all surprised. —
特拉德尔斯耸耸肩膀，一点也不惊讶。 —

I had not expected him to be, and was not surprised myself; —
我没有指望他会惊讶，对此我也不感到惊讶； —

or my observation of similar practical satires would have been but scanty. —
否则，我的关于类似实际讽刺的观察将会很少。 —

We arranged the time of our visit, and I wrote accordingly to Mr. Creakle that evening.
我们安排了访问的时间，当天晚些时候我给克里克尔先生写了信。

On the appointed day - I think it was the next day, but no matter - Traddles and I repaired to the prison where Mr. Creakle was powerful. —
在约定的日期，我想是第二天，但无关紧要，特拉德尔斯和我来到了克里克尔先生有权的监狱。 —

It was an immense and solid building, erected at a vast expense. —
这是一座巨大而坚实的建筑，耗费巨大。 —

I could not help thinking, as we approached the gate, what an uproar would have been made in the country, if any deluded man had proposed to spend one half the money it had cost, on the erection of an industrial school for the young, or a house of refuge for the deserving old.
当我们走近大门时，我不禁想到，如果有人提议耗费一半的钱在为年轻人建立产业学校，或者为有益的老人建立庇护所，那么在国家会掀起多大的轰动。

In an office that might have been on the ground-floor of the Tower of Babel, it was so massively constructed, we were presented to our old schoolmaster; —
在一间办公室，可能就在巴别塔的底层，建筑如此扎实，我们见到了我们的老师； —

who was one of a group, composed of two or three of the busier sort of magistrates, and some visitors they had brought. —
他是一个小组中的一员，由两三个更忙碌的治安官和一些他们带来的访客组成。 —

He received me, like a man who had formed my mind in bygone years, and had always loved me tenderly. On my introducing Traddles, Mr. Creakle expressed, in like manner, but in an inferior degree, that he had always been Traddles’s guide, philosopher, and friend. —
他对待我就像一个早年塑造了我的思想并一直深爱我的人。当我介绍特拉德尔斯时，克里克尔也以类似但程度较低的方式表达了他一直是特拉德尔斯的引导者、哲学家和朋友。 —

Our venerable instructor was a great deal older, and not improved in appearance. —
我们尊敬的导师年纪大了很多，外表也没有改善。 —

His face was as fiery as ever; his eyes were as small, and rather deeper set. —
他的脸依旧火红，眼睛依旧小而深陷。 —

The scanty, wet-looking grey hair, by which I remembered him, was almost gone; —
我记得他那些稀少、看起来湿漉漉的灰色头发几乎都没了； —

and the thick veins in his bald head were none the more agreeable to look at.
他秃顶上的粗静脉看起来一点也不让人愉悦。

After some conversation among these gentlemen, from which I might have supposed that there was nothing in the world to be legitimately taken into account but the supreme comfort of prisoners, at any expense, and nothing on the wide earth to be done outside prison-doors, we began our inspection. —
在这些先生之间交谈后，我可能会认为世上除了囚犯的绝对舒适以外，根本没有其他东西才应该纳入考虑，也没有任何事情在监狱门外能够做，我们开始了检查。 —

It being then just dinner-time, we went, first into the great kitchen, where every prisoner’s dinner was in course of being set out separately (to be handed to him in his cell), with the regularity and precision of clock-work. —
因为那时正好是吃饭时间，我们首先进入了大厨房，每个囚犯的饭菜都在被分开准备（以便送到他的牢房里），像钟表一样准确无误。 —

I said aside, to Traddles, that I wondered whether it occurred to anybody, that there was a striking contrast between these plentiful repasts of choice quality, and the dinners, not to say of paupers, but of soldiers, sailors, labourers, the great bulk of the honest, working community; —
我悄声对特拉德尔斯说，我想知道是否有人曾经想过这些丰盛的、优质的饭菜与士兵、水手、劳动者，诚实工作的大多数人的晚餐之间有着明显的对比； —

of whom not one man in five hundred ever dined half so well. —
五百个人中没有一个人吃得像这样好。 —

But I learned that the ‘system’ required high living; —
但我得知‘制度’要求高标准的生活； —

and, in short, to dispose of the system, once for all, I found that on that head and on all others, ‘the system’ put an end to all doubts, and disposed of all anomalies. —
总之，为了解决这个问题，在这个问题和其他所有问题上，我发现‘制度’终结了所有的疑惑，解决了所有的反常现象。 —

Nobody appeared to have the least idea that there was any other system, but THE system, to be considered.
似乎没人有任何想法认为有其他制度，只有这个‘制度’需要被考虑。

As we were going through some of the magnificent passages, I inquired of Mr. Creakle and his friends what were supposed to be the main advantages of this all-governing and universally over-riding system? —
当我们穿过一些宏伟的走廊时，我问克里克尔先生和他的朋友们，这个全权管理和普遍支配的系统被认为具有哪些主要优势？ —

I found them to be the perfect isolation of prisoners - so that no one man in confinement there, knew anything about another; —
我发现他们认为囚犯的完全隔离——以至于在那里被关押的人之间互相一无所知； —

and the reduction of prisoners to a wholesome state of mind, leading to sincere contrition and repentance.
以及将囚犯降至一种健康的心境，导致真诚的忏悔和悔改。

Now, it struck me, when we began to visit individuals in their cells, and to traverse the passages in which those cells were, and to have the manner of the going to chapel and so forth, explained to us, that there was a strong probability of the prisoners knowing a good deal about each other, and of their carrying on a pretty complete system of intercourse. —
现在，当我们开始访问个人的牢房，并穿过这些牢房所在的通道，以及对去礼堂的方式等等进行解释时，我意识到囚犯之间很可能彼此相互了解，进行了相当完整的交流系统。 —

This, at the time I write, has been proved, I believe, to be the case; —
我写作此时，这一点似乎已被证明为事实； —

but, as it would have been flat blasphemy against the system to have hinted such a doubt then, I looked out for the penitence as diligently as I could.
但是，由于那时暗示这种怀疑将是对这一体系的龌龊亵渎，我尽我所能寻找忏悔。

And here again, I had great misgivings. I found as prevalent a fashion in the form of the penitence, as I had left outside in the forms of the coats and waistcoats in the windows of the tailors’ shops. —
在这里，我又产生了很大的疑虑。我发现在忏悔形式上有相当流行的风格，正如我在裁缝店橱窗里的外衣和马甲形式的外观一样。 —

I found a vast amount of profession, varying very little in character: —
我发现有很多虚情假意的宣称，性质上几乎没有什么差异： —

varying very little (which I thought exceedingly suspicious), even in words. —
基本没有什么变化（我认为这是极其可疑的），甚至在措辞上也几乎没有变化。 —

I found a great many foxes, disparaging whole vineyards of inaccessible grapes; —
我发现许多狡猾之徒，诋毁了一片无法触及的葡萄园。 —

but I found very few foxes whom I would have trusted within reach of a bunch. —
但是我发现在我可以信任的狐狸中数量很少。 —

Above all, I found that the most professing men were the greatest objects of interest; —
最重要的是，我发现那些最善于表达的人是最引人关注的对象； —

and that their conceit, their vanity, their want of excitement, and their love of deception (which many of them possessed to an almost incredible extent, as their histories showed), all prompted to these professions, and were all gratified by them.
他们的自负、虚荣、缺乏刺激和喜欢欺骗的欲望（正如他们的历史所显示的那样，许多人都具有令人难以置信的程度），都促使他们这样做，而且都因此得到满足。

However, I heard so repeatedly, in the course of our goings to and fro, of a certain Number Twenty Seven, who was the Favourite, and who really appeared to be a Model Prisoner, that I resolved to suspend my judgement until I should see Twenty Seven. Twenty Eight, I understood, was also a bright particular star; —
然而，在往返的过程中，我听说，关于某个号码二十七，他是最受欢迎的，而且似乎是一个模范囚犯，我决定暂时搁置我的判断，直到我见到二十七。我了解到，二十八也是一个亮眼的明星； —

but it was his misfortune to have his glory a little dimmed by the extraordinary lustre of Twenty Seven. I heard so much of Twenty Seven, of his pious admonitions to everybody around him, and of the beautiful letters he constantly wrote to his mother (whom he seemed to consider in a very bad way), that I became quite impatient to see him.
但他的光辉却因为二十七的非凡光芒而稍显黯淡。我听说二十七，听说他对周围的每个人都说教，听说他经常给他的母亲写美丽的信（他似乎认为她处境非常糟糕），以至于我变得非常迫不及待地想见到他。

I had to restrain my impatience for some time, on account of Twenty Seven being reserved for a concluding effect. —
由于二十七被保留为一个最后效果，我不得不暂时压抑我的焦虑。 —

But, at last, we came to the door of his cell; —
但最终，我们来到了他的牢房的门口； —

and Mr. Creakle, looking through a little hole in it, reported to us, in a state of the greatest admiration, that he was reading a Hymn Book.
克里柯尔先生透过一个小孔看着里面，极度赞叹地向我们报告，说他正在读一本赞美诗歌书。

There was such a rush of heads immediately, to see Number Twenty Seven reading his Hymn Book, that the little hole was blocked up, six or seven heads deep. —
立即有许多人伸头过去看号码二十七在读赞美诗歌书，小孔里挤满了六七个头。 —

To remedy this inconvenience, and give us an opportunity of conversing with Twenty Seven in all his purity, Mr. Creakle directed the door of the cell to be unlocked, and Twenty Seven to be invited out into the passage. —
为了解决这个不便，并给我们一个与二十七交谈的机会，克里柯尔先生指示打开牢房的门，邀请二十七走出来到过道上。 —

This was done; and whom should Traddles and I then behold, to our amazement, in this converted Number Twenty Seven, but Uriah Heep!
这样做了；当特拉德尔斯和我看到这个改头换面的二十七时，我们惊讶地看到，那就是乌里亚·希普！

He knew us directly; and said, as he came out - with the old writhe, -
他直接认出了我们；他走出来时，说道——面容扭曲——

‘How do you do, Mr. Copperfield? How do you do, Mr. Traddles?’
“你好，考珀菲尔德先生，你好，特拉德尔斯先生。”

This recognition caused a general admiration in the party. —
这种认可引起了全体人员的普遍欣赏。 —

I rather thought that everyone was struck by his not being proud, and taking notice of us.
我觉得大家都对他不骄傲并注意到我们感到震惊。

‘Well, Twenty Seven,’ said Mr. Creakle, mournfully admiring him. ‘How do you find yourself today?’
“嗯，二十七号，”Creakle先生悲伤地赞美他说，“你今天感觉如何？”

‘I am very umble, sir!’ replied Uriah Heep.
“我非常谦卑，先生！”尤莱厄希普回答道。

‘You are always so, Twenty Seven,’ said Mr. Creakle.
“你一直都是这样，二十七号，”Creakle先生说。

Here, another gentleman asked, with extreme anxiety: ‘Are you quite comfortable?’
这时，另一个先生焦急地问道：“你感觉舒适吗？”

‘Yes, I thank you, sir!’ said Uriah Heep, looking in that direction. —
“是的，谢谢您，先生！”尤莱厄希普说，向那个方向看去。 —

‘Far more comfortable here, than ever I was outside. —
“在这里要比我在外面舒适得多。 —

I see my follies, now, sir. That’s what makes me comfortable.’
我现在看到了自己的愚蠢，先生。这让我感到舒适。”

Several gentlemen were much affected; and a third questioner, forcing himself to the front, inquired with extreme feeling: —
有几位先生深受感动；第三位提问者，强迫自己走到前面，带着极度感人的情绪询问： —

‘How do you find the beef?’
‘那牛肉怎么样？’

‘Thank you, sir,’ replied Uriah, glancing in the new direction of this voice, ‘it was tougher yesterday than I could wish; —
‘谢谢您，先生,’ Uriah回答道，朝着声音新的方向瞥了一眼，’昨天比我希望的更难嚼； —

but it’s my duty to bear. I have committed follies, gentlemen,’ said Uriah, looking round with a meek smile, ‘and I ought to bear the consequences without repining.’ —
但是忍耐是我的责任。各位先生，我犯了愚蠢的错误,‘Uriah带着温和的微笑环顾四周说道，’我应该承担后果而不抱怨。 —

A murmur, partly of gratification at Twenty Seven’s celestial state of mind, and partly of indignation against the Contractor who had given him any cause of complaint (a note of which was immediately made by Mr. Creakle), having subsided, Twenty Seven stood in the midst of us, as if he felt himself the principal object of merit in a highly meritorious museum. —
一阵喜悦于Twenty Seven天上的状态和一阵愤怒于给他任何抱怨的承包商（Mr. Creakle立即做出记录）的喃喃而起，Twenty Seven站在我们中间，仿佛自己是一个极具价值的物馆里的主要对象。 —

That we, the neophytes, might have an excess of light shining upon us all at once, orders were given to let out Twenty Eight.
为了让我们这些新入门的人可以一次性得到过多的光照，命令让Twenty Eight也出来。

I had been so much astonished already, that I only felt a kind of resigned wonder when Mr. Littimer walked forth, reading a good book!
我已经感到如此惊讶了，当Littimer先生走出来，看着一本好书时，我只感到一种默默接受的惊奇！

‘Twenty Eight,’ said a gentleman in spectacles, who had not yet spoken, ‘you complained last week, my good fellow, of the cocoa. —
‘Twenty Eight,‘一个还没有发言的戴眼镜的绅士说道，’上周，你抱怨了可可茶。 —

How has it been since?’
这一周怎么样？’

‘I thank you, sir,’ said Mr. Littimer, ‘it has been better made. —
‘谢谢您，先生,‘Littimer先生说道，’它做得更好了。 —

If I might take the liberty of saying so, sir, I don’t think the milk which is boiled with it is quite genuine; —
如果我可以冒昧说一句，先生，我认为煮它的牛奶不够纯正； —

but I am aware, sir, that there is a great adulteration of milk, in London, and that the article in a pure state is difficult to be obtained.’
但是我知道，先生，在伦敦有很多牛奶掺假，而且真正的产品很难得到。

It appeared to me that the gentleman in spectacles backed his Twenty Eight against Mr. Creakle’s Twenty Seven, for each of them took his own man in hand.
在我看来，戴眼镜的绅士支持他的Twenty Eight去对付Creakle先生的Twenty Seven，因为其中每个人都在对付自己的人。

‘What is your state of mind, Twenty Eight?’ said the questioner in spectacles.
‘你现在的心态怎么样，Twenty Eight？’戴眼镜的提问者说。

‘I thank you, sir,’ returned Mr. Littimer; ‘I see my follies now, sir. —
‘谢谢您，先生，’Littimer先生回答道；’我现在看到了我的愚蠢，先生。 —

I am a good deal troubled when I think of the sins of my former companions, sir; —
当我想起我以前的同伴们犯的罪时，我感到相当困扰，先生； —

but I trust they may find forgiveness.’
但我相信他们会得到宽恕的。

‘You are quite happy yourself?’ said the questioner, nodding encouragement.
询问者说，你自己很开心吗？点头表示鼓励。

‘I am much obliged to you, sir,’ returned Mr. Littimer. ‘Perfectly so.’
利蒂默先生回答说：“非常感激您，先生。完全如此。”

‘Is there anything at all on your mind now?’ —
现在你心里有什么东西吗？ —

said the questioner. ‘If so, mention it, Twenty Eight.’
询问者说。如果有的话，提一下，第二十八。

‘Sir,’ said Mr. Littimer, without looking up, ‘if my eyes have not deceived me, there is a gentleman present who was acquainted with me in my former life. —
利蒂默先生说，如果我没有看错的话，现在有一位先生在场，他以前认识我。 —

It may be profitable to that gentleman to know, sir, that I attribute my past follies, entirely to having lived a thoughtless life in the service of young men; —
对那位先生而言，知道这一点可能会有所裨益，先生，请注意，我完全将我以前的愚蠢归因于在年轻人服务的时候过于浮躁的生活； —

and to having allowed myself to be led by them into weaknesses, which I had not the strength to resist. —
并且让自己被带入他们无法抵抗的弱点。 —

I hope that gentleman will take warning, sir, and will not be offended at my freedom. —
我希望那位先生会接受这个警告，先生，并不会对我的坦率感到不快。 —

It is for his good. I am conscious of my own past follies. —
这是为了他自身的利益。我清楚自己过去的愚蠢。 —

I hope he may repent of all the wickedness and sin to which he has been a party.’
我希望他能悔改他所涉及的所有邪恶和罪恶。

I observed that several gentlemen were shading their eyes, each with one hand, as if they had just come into church.
我看到几位绅士都用一只手遮住眼睛，好像他们刚走进了教堂。

‘This does you credit, Twenty Eight,’ returned the questioner. —
询问者回答说，“这使你获得了荣誉，第二十八。 —

‘I should have expected it of you. Is there anything else?’
这是我对你的期望。还有其他事吗？

‘Sir,’ returned Mr. Littimer, slightly lifting up his eyebrows, but not his eyes, ‘there was a young woman who fell into dissolute courses, that I endeavoured to save, sir, but could not rescue. —
“先生，”李蒂默先生回答，微微挑起眉毛，但没有抬起眼睛，“有一个年轻女人堕落了，我努力想拯救她，但却没能成功。 —

I beg that gentleman, if he has it in his power, to inform that young woman from me that I forgive her her bad conduct towards myself, and that I call her to repentance - if he will be so good.’
我请求那位先生，如果他有这个能力的话，告知那位年轻女人，我原谅她对我的恶行，并呼吁她悔改 - 若他愿意的话。”

‘I have no doubt, Twenty Eight,’ returned the questioner, ‘that the gentleman you refer to feels very strongly - as we all must - what you have so properly said. —
“我毫无疑问，二十八号先生，”问话者回答，“您所说的话看得出那位先生无疑是非常认真的 - 我们大家都必须如此。” —

We will not detain you.’
“我们不会耽搁你。”

‘I thank you, sir,’ said Mr. Littimer. ‘Gentlemen, I wish you a good day, and hoping you and your families will also see your wickedness, and amend!’
“谢谢您，先生，”李蒂默先生说，“各位先生，祝你们今天愉快，希望你们和你们的家人也能看到自己的邪恶，并悔过。”

With this, Number Twenty Eight retired, after a glance between him and Uriah; —
说完，二十八号离开了，并且在他和尤赖亚之间投去一个眼神； —

as if they were not altogether unknown to each other, through some medium of communication; —
好像他们通过某种交流方式并不是完全陌生； —

and a murmur went round the group, as his door shut upon him, that he was a most respectable man, and a beautiful case.
一阵窃窃私语在群众间传开，说他是一个非常受尊敬的人，也是一个美好的案例。

‘Now, Twenty Seven,’ said Mr. Creakle, entering on a clear stage with his man, ‘is there anything that anyone can do for you? —
“现在，二十七号，”克里克尔先生与他的手下进入一个干净的舞台，“有什么人可以为你做些什么？ —

If so, mention it.’
如果可以，就说出来。”

‘I would umbly ask, sir,’ returned Uriah, with a jerk of his malevolent head, ‘for leave to write again to mother.’
“我谦卑地请求，先生，”尤赖亚回答，恶毒地甩头，“请求再次写信给母亲。”

‘It shall certainly be granted,’ said Mr. Creakle.
“当然会批准的，”克里克尔先生说。

‘Thank you, sir! I am anxious about mother. I am afraid she ain’t safe.’
“谢谢，先生！我担心母亲。我担心她不安全。”

Somebody incautiously asked, what from? But there was a scandalized whisper of ‘Hush!’
有人不小心问，“从什么？”，但立刻传来一声愕然的低语，“嘘！”

‘Immortally safe, sir,’ returned Uriah, writhing in the direction of the voice. —
“永远安全，先生，”尤赖亚扭动身体朝声音的方向回答。 —

‘I should wish mother to be got into my state. —
‘我希望母亲能被带到我现在的状态。 —

I never should have been got into my present state if I hadn’t come here. —
如果我没来这里，我就不会进入现在的状态。 —

I wish mother had come here. It would be better for everybody, if they got took up, and was brought here.’
我希望母亲也来这里。如果他们被带到这里，对每个人都会更好。

This sentiment gave unbounded satisfaction - greater satisfaction, I think, than anything that had passed yet.
这种情绪带来了无限的满足 - 我认为比以往任何时候都更满足。

‘Before I come here,’ said Uriah, stealing a look at us, as if he would have blighted the outer world to which we belonged, if he could, ‘I was given to follies; —
‘在我来这里之前，’尤里亚小声说着看着我们，仿佛他能够毁掉我们所属的外部世界的样子，’我常干些愚蠢的事； —

but now I am sensible of my follies. There’s a deal of sin outside. —
但现在我意识到了我的愚蠢。外面充满了罪孽。 —

There’s a deal of sin in mother. There’s nothing but sin everywhere - except here.’
母亲身上满是罪孽。到处都是罪孽 - 除了这里。

‘You are quite changed?’ said Mr. Creakle.
“你完全改变了？”克里克尔先生问。

‘Oh dear, yes, sir!’ cried this hopeful penitent.
‘哦，是的，先生！’这位满怀希望的忏悔者大声说道。

‘You wouldn’t relapse, if you were going out?’ asked somebody else.
‘如果你出去，你不会复发吧？”另外有人问道。

‘Oh de-ar no, sir!’
‘哦不，先生！’

‘Well!’ said Mr. Creakle, ‘this is very gratifying. —
‘好吧！’ 克里克尔先生说，’这太令人满意了。 —

You have addressed Mr. Copperfield, Twenty Seven. Do you wish to say anything further to him?’
“你已经向柯波菲尔德先生发表过意见了，二十七。你还想对他说些什么吗？’

‘You knew me, a long time before I came here and was changed, Mr. Copperfield,’ said Uriah, looking at me; —
‘在我来这里之前，我认识你很久并且发生了变化，柯波菲尔德先生，’尤里亚看着我说； —

and a more villainous look I never saw, even on his visage. —
在他的脸上，我从未见过更邪恶的表情。 —

‘You knew me when, in spite of my follies, I was umble among them that was proud, and meek among them that was violent - you was violent to me yourself, Mr. Copperfield. —
你认识我那时候，尽管我有愚蠢的地方，在那些骄傲的人中间我很谦逊，在那些凶暴的人中间我很温顺——你自己也对我很凶暴，柯波菲尔德先生。 —

Once, you struck me a blow in the face, you know.’
有一次，你打了我一记耳光，你知道的。

General commiseration. Several indignant glances directed at me.
大家都表示同情。有几双愤怒的眼光投向我。

‘But I forgive you, Mr. Copperfield,’ said Uriah, making his forgiving nature the subject of a most impious and awful parallel, which I shall not record. —
“但我原谅你，柯波菲尔德先生。”约瑟亚说，把自己的宽容天性作为了一个极不敬畏和可怕的比喻的对象，我就不记录了。 —

‘I forgive everybody. It would ill become me to bear malice. —
“我原谅所有人。我不应该怀着怨恨的心态。 —

I freely forgive you, and I hope you’ll curb your passions in future. —
我自愿原谅你，希望你将来能控制住自己的激情。 —

I hope Mr. W. will repent, and Miss W., and all of that sinful lot. —
希望W先生会懊悔，以及W小姐，还有那一群罪孽深重的人。 —

You’ve been visited with affliction, and I hope it may do you good; —
你经历了磨难，希望这会对你有好处； —

but you’d better have come here. Mr. W. had better have come here, and Miss W. too. —
但是最好还是来这里好了。W先生最好也来这里，W小姐也是。 —

The best wish I could give you, Mr. Copperfield, and give all of you gentlemen, is, that you could be took up and brought here. —
我能给你和你们所有的绅士们的最好的祝愿是，希望你们能被捉住带到这里。 —

When I think of my past follies, and my present state, I am sure it would be best for you. —
当我想到我的过去愚蠢和我现在的状况，我确信对你们来说来这里是最好的。 —

I pity all who ain’t brought here!’
我怜惜所有没有被带到这里的人！

He sneaked back into his cell, amidst a little chorus of approbation; —
他在一阵赞许声中溜回了自己的牢房； —

and both Traddles and I experienced a great relief when he was locked in.
当他被关进去的时候，特拉德尔斯和我都感到一阵巨大的宽慰。

It was a characteristic feature in this repentance, that I was fain to ask what these two men had done, to be there at all. —
这种忏悔的一个特点是，我不得不问这两个男人到底做了什么才会在那里。 —

That appeared to be the last thing about which they had anything to say. —
这似乎是他们关于这个话题最后的一句话。 —

I addressed myself to one of the two warders, who, I suspected from certain latent indications in their faces, knew pretty well what all this stir was worth.
我向其中一个狱卒询问，我怀疑从他们的脸上某些潜藏的迹象来看，他们对这一切骚动了如指掌。

‘Do you know,’ said I, as we walked along the passage, ‘what felony was Number Twenty Seven’s last “folly”?’
“你知道吗，”我在走廊里和他一起走时说，“第二十七号犯人的最后一桩“愚事”是什么？”

The answer was that it was a Bank case.
答案是一个银行案件。

‘A fraud on the Bank of England?’ I asked. ‘Yes, sir. Fraud, forgery, and conspiracy. —
“欺诈英格兰银行吗？”我问。“是的，先生。欺诈、伪造和阴谋。 —

He and some others. He set the others on. It was a deep plot for a large sum. —
他和其他一些人。他唆使其他人。这是针对一大笔钱的深谋。 —

Sentence, transportation for life. Twenty Seven was the knowingest bird of the lot, and had very nearly kept himself safe; —
判刑，终身流放。第二十七号是整个团伙中最精明的一个，几乎保住了自身安全； —

but not quite. The Bank was just able to put salt upon his tail - and only just.’
但并非百分之百。银行刚刚抓到了他-仅此而已。

‘Do you know Twenty Eight’s offence?’
“你知道第二十八号的罪行吗？

‘Twenty Eight,’ returned my informant, speaking throughout in a low tone, and looking over his shoulder as we walked along the passage, to guard himself from being overheard, in such an unlawful reference to these Immaculates, by Creakle and the rest; —
“第二十八号，”我的消息提供者低声说道，并且一直在我们走廊上行走时朝肩膀超望，以免传出这些不法之徒的相关消息被Creakle等人听到； —

‘Twenty Eight (also transportation) got a place, and robbed a young master of a matter of two hundred and fifty pounds in money and valuables, the night before they were going abroad. —
“第二十八号（也被流放）找了份工作，在准备出国的前一晚，抢劫了一个年轻大师口袋中的价值两百五十英镑的货币和贵重物品。 —

I particularly recollect his case, from his being took by a dwarf.’
我特别记得他的案件，因为他被一个侏儒抓住了。

‘A what?’
“一个什么？”

‘A little woman. I have forgot her name?’
“一个小女人。我忘了她的名字？”

‘Not Mowcher?’
“不是穆切尔吗？”

‘That’s it! He had eluded pursuit, and was going to America in a flaxen wig, and whiskers, and such a complete disguise as never you see in all your born days; —
‘就是这样！他成功地躲避了追捕，穿着一顶金发假发，和胡子，假扮得如此完美，你这辈子都没见过； —

when the little woman, being in Southampton, met him walking along the street - picked him out with her sharp eye in a moment - ran betwixt his legs to upset him - and held on to him like grim Death.’
当那位小姐在南安普敦见到他在街上走着时——她一眼就认出了他——冲上前去绊倒他——死死地抓住他不放。

‘Excellent Miss Mowcher!’ cried I.
‘了不起的莫希小姐！’我叫道。

‘You’d have said so, if you had seen her, standing on a chair in the witness-box at the trial, as I did,’ said my friend. —
‘你要是当时在法庭上见过她像我一样，在证人席上站在椅子上，’我的朋友说， —

‘He cut her face right open, and pounded her in the most brutal manner, when she took him; —
‘那你一定会这么说的。 —

but she never loosed her hold till he was locked up. —
她设法抓住他，然而他却狠狠地将她的脸割开，粗暴地殴打她； —

She held so tight to him, in fact, that the officers were obliged to take ‘em both together. —
但她却从没放开过他，直到他被关起来。 —

She gave her evidence in the gamest way, and was highly complimented by the Bench, and cheered right home to her lodgings. —
事实上，她紧紧抓住他，以至于警察们被迫一起抓了他们俩。 —

She said in Court that she’d have took him single-handed (on account of what she knew concerning him), if he had been Samson. —
她在法庭上表现得毫不畏缩，受到了法庭的高度赞扬，并受到欢呼， —

And it’s my belief she would!’
她在法庭上说过，甚至拿他一手（出于自己对他的了解）也能抓住他，就好像他是参孙一样。

It was mine too, and I highly respected Miss Mowcher for it.
我相信她是能做到的！’

We had now seen all there was to see. It would have been in vain to represent to such a man as the Worshipful Mr. Creakle, that Twenty Seven and Twenty Eight were perfectly consistent and unchanged; —
这也是我的看法，我非常尊重莫希小姐。 —

that exactly what they were then, they had always been; —
我们现在已经看尽了一切。向着这样一个人，像值得尊敬的克里克尔先生，表明第二十七和第二十八是完全一致而没有改变的，是毫无意义的； —

that the hypocritical knaves were just the subjects to make that sort of profession in such a place; that they knew its market-value at least as well as we did, in the immediate service it would do them when they were expatriated; —
那些虚伪的恶棍正是适合在这样的地方做出那种表演；他们至少在即将被流放时，清楚地知道它的市场价值，就像我们一样； —

in a word, that it was a rotten, hollow, painfully suggestive piece of business altogether. —
总而言之，这完全是一桩腐烂、虚伪且令人痛苦地令人联想的一桩事务。 —

We left them to their system and themselves, and went home wondering.
我们让他们独自经营他们的系统，回家时心中想着。

‘Perhaps it’s a good thing, Traddles,’ said I, ‘to have an unsound Hobby ridden hard; —
‘或许这是一件好事，特拉德尔斯，’我说，’拥有一个不健全的爱好，骑得越厉害，它就越快被骑死。’ —

for it’s the sooner ridden to death.’
‘我也希望如此，’特拉德尔斯回答。

‘I hope so,’ replied Traddles.
‘我希望如此，’回答特拉德尔斯。