A Work of Art

Sasha Smirnov, the only son of his mother, holding under his arm, something wrapped up in No. 223 of the Financial News, assumed a sentimental expression, and went into Dr. Koshelkov's consulting-room.

萨沙·斯米尔诺夫是他母亲唯一的儿子，他腋下夹着个用第223期《财经新闻》包起来的东西，摆出一副饱含深情的表情，走进了科舍尔科夫医生的诊室。

"Ah, dear lad!" was how the doctor greeted him. "Well! how are we feeling? What good news have you for me?"

“啊，亲爱的孩子！”医生这样跟他打招呼。“怎么样！我们感觉如何呀？有什么好消息要告诉我吗？”

Sasha blinked, laid his hand on his heart and said in an agitated voice: "Mamma sends her greetings to you, Ivan Nikolaevitch, and told me to thank you… I am the only son of my mother and you have saved my life … you have brought me through a dangerous illness and … we do not know how to thank you."

萨沙眨了眨眼，把手按在胸口上，用激动的声音说道：“妈妈让我向您问好，伊万·尼古拉耶维奇，还让我谢谢您……我是我母亲唯一的儿子，是您救了我的命……您把我从一场危险的重病里救了回来，还有……我们真不知该怎么感谢您才好。”

"Nonsense, lad!" said the doctor, highly delighted. "I only did what anyone else would have done in my place."

“瞎说什么呢，孩子！”医生说道，显得十分高兴。“换了别人在我这位置上，也会这么做的。”

"I am the only son of my mother … we are poor people and cannot of course repay you, and we are quite ashamed, doctor, although, however, mamma and I … the only son of my mother, earnestly beg you to accept in token of our gratitude … this object, which … An object of great value, an antique bronze… A rare work of art."

“我是我母亲唯一的儿子……我们家境贫寒，自然没法报答您，我们感到十分惭愧，医生，不过呢，妈妈和我……我，我母亲唯一的儿子，恳请您收下这份薄礼，以表达我们的谢意……这件东西……这是件极有价值的东西，一件古董青铜器……一件难得的艺术珍品。”

"You shouldn't!" said the doctor, frowning. "What's this for!"

“你这是何必呢！”医生皱着眉头说道。“这是做什么！”

"No, please do not refuse," Sasha went on muttering as he unpacked the parcel. "You will wound mamma and me by refusing… It's a fine thing … an antique bronze… It was left us by my deceased father and we have kept it as a precious souvenir. My father used to buy antique bronzes and sell them to connoisseurs … Mamma and I keep on the business now."

“不，请您千万别推辞，”萨沙一边打开包裹一边嘟囔着说道。“您要是推辞，可就伤了妈妈和我的心了……这是件好东西……古董青铜器……这是我已故的父亲留下来的，我们一直把它当作珍贵的纪念品保存着。我父亲生前常常买些古董青铜器，转卖给行家……如今妈妈和我还在继续做这门生意。”

Sasha undid the object and put it solemnly on the table. It was a not very tall candelabra of old bronze and artistic workmanship. It consisted of a group: on the pedestal stood two female figures in the costume of Eve and in attitudes for the description of which I have neither the courage nor the fitting temperament. The figures were smiling coquettishly and altogether looked as though, had it not been for the necessity of supporting the candlestick, they would have skipped off the pedestal and have indulged in an orgy such as is improper for the reader even to imagine.

萨沙解开了那件东西，郑重其事地把它摆在了桌上。那是一座不算太高的古铜烛台，做工十分精美。它是一组雕塑：底座上立着两个身穿夏娃装束的女性人像，摆出的姿势，我实在既没有勇气也没有恰当的心境去描述。这两个人像正妩媚地微笑着，整体看上去，倘若不是为了托住烛台的缘故，她们简直就要从底座上一跃而下，纵情放荡起来，那种放荡的场面，就连让读者去想象一下也是不合适的。

Looking at the present, the doctor slowly scratched behind his ear, cleared his throat and blew his nose irresolutely.

医生望着这份礼物，慢慢地挠了挠耳朵后面，清了清嗓子，又犹犹豫豫地擤了擤鼻子。

"Yes, it certainly is a fine thing," he muttered, "but … how shall I express it? … it's … h'm … it's not quite for family reading. It's not simply decolleté but beyond anything, dash it all…"

“是啊，这的确是件精美的东西，”他嘟囔道，“不过……我该怎么说呢？……这个……嗯……这可不太适合家庭观赏。这可不只是有点暴露，简直是……唉，别提了……”

"How do you mean?"

“您这是什么意思？”

"The serpent-tempter himself could not have invented anything worse … Why, to put such a phantasmagoria on the table would be defiling the whole flat."

“就连那诱惑人的毒蛇本身，也想不出比这更过分的花样来了……哎呀，把这么个稀奇古怪的东西摆在桌上，简直是要玷污整个屋子啊。”

"What a strange way of looking at art, doctor!" said Sasha, offended. "Why, it is an artistic thing, look at it! There is so much beauty and elegance that it fills one's soul with a feeling of reverence and brings a lump into one's throat! When one sees anything so beautiful one forgets everything earthly… Only look, how much movement, what an atmosphere, what expression!"

“您这看待艺术的眼光可真够奇怪的，医生！”萨沙有些不悦地说道。“这明明是件极具艺术性的东西，您瞧瞧！这里头蕴含着多少美感与优雅，足以让人心中涌起敬意，喉头都要哽咽了！人一见到这么美的东西，便会忘却尘世间的一切……您就瞧瞧吧，这动感多么丰富，这氛围多么到位，这神情又是多么传神啊！”

"I understand all that very well, my dear boy," the doctor interposed, "but you know I am a family man, my children run in here, ladies come in."

“这些我都十分理解，我亲爱的孩子，”医生插话道，“可你要知道，我是个有家室的人，我的孩子们常在这里跑进跑出，还有女士们也常来。”

"Of course if you look at it from the point of view of the crowd," said Sasha, "then this exquisitely artistic work may appear in a certain light… But, doctor, rise superior to the crowd, especially as you will wound mamma and me by refusing it. I am the only son of my mother, you have saved my life… We are giving you the thing most precious to us and … and I only regret that I have not the pair to present to you…"

“当然啦，若是从俗人的眼光来看，”萨沙说道，“这件精美绝伦的艺术品或许会显出某种别样的意味……可是，医生，您可得超脱于凡俗之上啊，更何况，您要是推辞了，可就伤了妈妈和我的心了。我是我母亲唯一的儿子，是您救了我的命……我们把自己最珍视的东西送给您，而……而我唯一遗憾的是，没能凑齐一对送给您……”

"Thank you, my dear fellow, I am very grateful … Give my respects to your mother but really consider, my children run in here, ladies come… However, let it remain! I see there's no arguing with you."

“谢谢你，我亲爱的朋友，我十分感激……替我向你母亲问好，不过说真的，你要考虑到，我的孩子们常在这里跑进跑出，女士们也常来……不过，那就留下吧！我看跟你争也争不出个结果来。”

"And there is nothing to argue about," said Sasha, relieved. "Put the candlestick here, by this vase. What a pity we have not the pair to it! It is a pity! Well, good-bye, doctor."

“本来就没什么好争的，”萨沙如释重负地说道。“就把烛台摆在这儿吧，挨着这个花瓶。真可惜咱们没能凑成一对呀！真是遗憾！好了，再见了，医生。”

After Sasha's departure the doctor looked for a long time at the candelabra, scratched behind his ear and meditated.

萨沙离开之后，医生对着那座烛台看了好一阵子，挠了挠耳朵后面，陷入了沉思。

"It's a superb thing, there's no denying it," he thought, "and it would be a pity to throw it away… But it's impossible for me to keep it… H'm! … Here's a problem! To whom can I make a present of it, or to what charity can I give it?"

“这的确是件精美绝伦的东西，这一点不容否认，”他心想，“扔掉未免可惜……可我是断然没法留着它的……嗯！……这可真是个难题啊！我该把它送给谁呢，或者捐给哪个慈善机构才好呢？”

After long meditation he thought of his good friend, the lawyer Uhov, to whom he was indebted for the management of legal business.

思来想去，他想起了自己的好朋友，律师乌霍夫，他一向多亏乌霍夫替他打理法律事务，一直欠着他的人情。

"Excellent," the doctor decided, "it would be awkward for him as a friend to take money from me, and it will be very suitable for me to present him with this. I will take him the devilish thing! Luckily he is a bachelor and easy-going."

“太好了，”医生下定了决心，“他作为朋友，收我的钱总归不太好意思，把这个送给他倒是再合适不过了。我就把这个鬼玩意儿给他送去吧！幸好他是个单身汉，为人也随和。”

Without further procrastination the doctor put on his hat and coat, took the candelabra and went off to Uhov's.

医生二话不说，戴上帽子，穿上外套，拿起那座烛台，便去了乌霍夫家。

"How are you, friend!" he said, finding the lawyer at home. "I've come to see you … to thank you for your efforts… You won't take money so you must at least accept this thing here… See, my dear fellow… The thing is magnificent!"

“你好啊，朋友！”他见律师在家，便说道。“我是来看看你……顺便谢谢你为我费的那些心思……你不肯收钱，那你至少得收下这件东西吧……你瞧，我亲爱的朋友……这东西可真是精美绝伦啊！”

On seeing the bronze the lawyer was moved to indescribable delight.

律师一见这青铜器，顿时喜不自禁，难以言表。

"What a specimen!" he chuckled. "Ah, deuce take it, to think of them imagining such a thing, the devils! Exquisite! Ravishing! Where did you get hold of such a delightful thing?"

“这可真是件稀罕物！”他咯咯笑道。“啊，真见鬼，也不知道那些个鬼东西是怎么想出这种玩意儿来的！精致极了！迷人极了！你这么可爱的东西是从哪儿弄来的呀？”

After pouring out his ecstasies the lawyer looked timidly towards the door and said: "Only you must carry off your present, my boy … I can't take it…"

一番喜悦之情倾泻而出后，律师又胆怯地朝门口望了望，说道：“不过你还是把这份礼物带回去吧，我的孩子……我可不能收下……”

"Why?" cried the doctor, disconcerted.

“为什么？”医生喊道，一脸不知所措。

"Why … because my mother is here at times, my clients … besides I should be ashamed for my servants to see it."

“为什么……因为我母亲有时会来这儿，还有我的客户们……再说了，要是让我的仆人们瞧见了，我也怪难为情的。”

"Nonsense! Nonsense! Don't you dare to refuse!" said the doctor, gesticulating. "It's piggish of you! It's a work of art! … What movement … what expression! I won't even talk of it! You will offend me!"

“胡说！胡说！你可不许推辞！”医生说着，比比划划起来。“你这也太不识抬举了！这可是件艺术品呀！……瞧瞧这动感……瞧瞧这神情！我都不想多说了！你这是要伤我的心啊！”

"If one could plaster it over or stick on fig-leaves …"

“要是能拿点石膏抹上，或者贴上几片无花果叶子……”

But the doctor gesticulated more violently than before, and dashing out of the flat went home, glad that he had succeeded in getting the present off his hands.

可医生比划得比先前更起劲了，随即冲出了公寓，回家去了，庆幸自己总算成功把这份礼物甩了出去。

When he had gone away the lawyer examined the candelabra, fingered it all over, and then, like the doctor, racked his brains over the question what to do with the present.

医生走后，律师端详起那座烛台来，摸了个遍，随后也跟医生一样，为该拿这份礼物怎么办而绞尽脑汁。

"It's a fine thing," he mused, "and it would be a pity to throw it away and improper to keep it. The very best thing would be to make a present of it to someone… I know what! I'll take it this evening to Shashkin, the comedian. The rascal is fond of such things, and by the way it is his benefit tonight."

“这的确是件精美的东西，”他沉思道，“扔了可惜，留着又不成体统。最好的办法，就是把它转送给别人……我知道了！今晚我就把它送到喜剧演员沙什金那儿去。那家伙就好这一口，再说了，今晚正好是他的义演之夜呢。”

No sooner said than done. In the evening the candelabra, carefully wrapped up, was duly carried to Shashkin's. The whole evening the comic actor's dressing-room was besieged by men coming to admire the present; the dressing-room was filled with the hum of enthusiasm and laughter like the neighing of horses. If one of the actresses approached the door and asked: "May I come in?" the comedian's husky voice was heard at once: "No, no, my dear, I am not dressed!"

说做就做。晚上，那座烛台被小心翼翼地包好，如约送到了沙什金家里。整整一晚上，这位喜剧演员的化妆间都挤满了前来观赏这份礼物的男人们；化妆间里充满了热烈的赞叹声和好似马嘶般的笑声。要是哪位女演员走到门口问道：“我能进来吗？”那喜剧演员沙哑的嗓音便立刻传出来：“不行，不行，亲爱的，我还没穿好衣服呢！”

After the performance the comedian shrugged his shoulders, flung up his hands and said: "Well what am I to do with the horrid thing? Why, I live in a private flat! Actresses come and see me! It's not a photograph that you can put in a drawer!"

演出结束后，这位喜剧演员耸了耸肩，把双手一摊，说道：“唉，这可怕的东西我该拿它怎么办呢？我可是住在私人公寓里啊！女演员们常来看我呢！这可不是能塞进抽屉里的照片呀！”

"You had better sell it, sir," the hairdresser who was disrobing the actor advised him. "There's an old woman living about here who buys antique bronzes. Go and enquire for Madame Smirnov … everyone knows her."

“依我看，先生，您还是把它卖了吧，”正给这位演员卸妆的理发师给他出主意道。“这附近住着个老太太，专门收购古董青铜器。您去打听打听斯米尔诺娃夫人吧……谁都认识她。”

The actor followed his advice… Two days later the doctor was sitting in his consulting-room, and with his finger to his brow was meditating on the acids of the bile. All at once the door opened and Sasha Smirnov flew into the room. He was smiling, beaming, and his whole figure was radiant with happiness. In his hands he held something wrapped up in newspaper.

这位演员听从了他的建议……两天后，医生正坐在自己的诊室里，手指抵着额头，正琢磨着胆汁酸的事情。忽然门开了，萨沙·斯米尔诺夫飞奔进屋来。他满脸笑容，容光焕发，浑身上下都洋溢着幸福的神采。他手里捧着个用报纸包着的东西。

"Doctor!" he began breathlessly, "imagine my delight! Happily for you we have succeeded in picking up the pair to your candelabra! Mamma is so happy… I am the only son of my mother, you saved my life…"

“医生！”他上气不接下气地开口道，“您想象不到我有多高兴吧！托您的福，我们总算找到了跟您那座烛台配成一对的另一座！妈妈可高兴坏了……我是我母亲唯一的儿子，是您救了我的命……”

And Sasha, all of a tremor with gratitude, set the candelabra before the doctor. The doctor opened his mouth, tried to say something, but said nothing: he could not speak.

萨沙浑身颤抖着，满怀感激之情，把那座烛台摆在了医生面前。医生张了张嘴，想说点什么，却什么也没说出来：他已经说不出话来了。