M. Sauvetanin had been told off to give Anna his arm, as they were looked upon as the two most important and most distinguished3 persons in the company.
As soon as they had arrived at the door of Anna's house she let go her companion's arm, and ran on ahead, saying, "I will show you the way," while the invited guests followed more slowly. When they got upstairs, she stood on one side to let them pass, and they rolled their eyes and turned their heads in all directions to admire this mysterious and luxurious4 dwelling5.
The table was laid in the drawing-room as the dining-room had been thought too small. Extra knives, forks, and spoons had been hired from a neighbouring restaurant, and decanters full of wine glittered under the rays of the sun, which shone in through the window.
The ladies went into the bedroom to take off their shawls and bonnets6, and Old Touchard, who was standing7 at the door, squinted8 at the low, wide bed, and made funny signs to the men, with many a wink9 and nod. Old Taille, who thought a great deal of himself, looked with fatherly pride at his child's well-furnished rooms, and went from one to the other holding his hat in his-hand, making a mental inventory10 of everything, and walking like a verger in a church.
Anna went backward and forward, and ran about giving orders and hurrying on the wedding feast. Soon she appeared at the door of the dining-room, and cried: "Come here, all of you, for a moment," and when the twelve guests did as they were asked they saw twelve glasses of Madeira on a small table.
Rose and her husband had their arms round each other's waists, and were kissing each other in every corner. M. Sauvetanin never took his eyes off Anna; he no doubt felt that ardour, that sort of expectation which all men, even if they are old and ugly, feel for women of easy virtue11, as if their trade, their professional duty compelled them to give a little of themselves to every male.
They sat down, and the wedding breakfast began; the relatives sitting at one end of the table and the young people at the other. Mme Touchard, the mother, presided on the right and the bride on the left. Anna looked after everybody, saw that the glasses were kept filled and the plates well supplied. The guests evidently felt a certain respectful embarrassment12 at the sight of the sumptuousness13 of the rooms and at the lavish14 manner in which they were treated. They all ate heartily15 of the good things provided, but there were no jokes such as are prevalent at weddings of that sort; it was all too grand, and it made them feel uncomfortable. Old Mme Touchard, who was fond of a bit of fun, tried to enliven matters a little, and at the beginning of the dessert she exclaimed: "I say, Philip, do sing us something." The neighbours in their street considered that he had the finest voice in all Havre.
The bridegroom got up, smiled, and turning to his sister-in-law, from politeness and gallantry, tried to think of something suitable for the occasion, something serious and correct, to harmonize with the seriousness of the repast.
Anna had a satisfied look on her face, and leaned back in her chair to listen, and all assumed looks of attention, though prepared to smile should smiles be called for.
The singer announced, "The Accursed Bread," and extending his right arm, which made his coat ruck up into his neck, he began.
Il est un pain béni qu'à la terre économe
Il nous faut arracher d'un bras victorieux.
Mais il en est un autre, à mine tentatrice,
Pain maudit que l'enfer pour nous damner sema, (bis)
Chers enfants, gardez vous de toucher ce pain-là. (bis)
They all applauded frantically19. Old Touchard declared the sentiments excellent. The cook, who was one of the guests, twisted in her hands a crust at which she gazed tenderly. M. Sauvetanin murmured, "Bravo!" Aunt Lamondois had already begun to wipe away her tears with her napkin.
Mais flétrissons celui qui, désertant l'ouvrage.
Alerte et bien portant, ose tendre la main.
Mendier sans besoin, c'est voler la vieillesse.
C'est voler l'ouvrier que le travail courba, (bis)
Honte à celui qui vit du pain de la paresse.
Chers enfants, gardez-vous de toucher ce pain-là. (bis)
They all yelled the refrain in chorus, even the two servants who were standing against the wall. The falsetto, piercing voices of the women put the deeper voices of the men out of tune23.
The aunt and the bride wept outright24. Old Taille blew his nose with the noise of a trombone, and old Touchard madly brandished25 a whole loaf over the centre of the table. The friendly cook dropped a few silent tears on the crust with which she was still fumbling26.
Amid the general emotion M. Sauvetanin said:
"That is the right sort of song; very different from the usual smut."
Anna, who was visibly affected27, kissed her hand to her sister and pointed28 to her husband with an affectionate nod, as if to congratulate her.
Intoxicated29 by his success, the young man continued:
Dans ton simple réduit, ouvrière gentille.
Tu sembles écouter la voix du tentateur.
Pauvre enfant, va, crois-moi, ne quitte pas l'aiguille.
Tes parents n'ont que toi, toi seule es leur bonheur.
Dans un luxe honteux trouveras-tu des charmes.
Lorsque, te maudissant, ton père expirera, (bis)
Le pain du déshonneur se pétrit dans les larmes
Chers enfants, gardez-vous de toucher ce pain-là. (bis)
No one took up the refrain about this bread, supposed to be eaten with tears, except old Touchard and the two servants. Anna had grown deadly pale and cast down her eyes, while the bridegroom looked from one to the other without understanding the reason for this sudden coldness, and the cook hastily dropped the crust as if it were poisoned.
M. Sauvetanin said solemnly, in order to save the situation: "That last couplet is not at all necessary;" and Old Taille, who had got red up to his ears, looked round the table fiercely.
Then Anna, with her eyes swimming in tears, told the servants, in the faltering30 voice of a woman trying to stifle31 her sobs32, to bring the champagne33.
All the guests were suddenly seized with exuberant34 joy, and their faces became radiant again. Old Touchard, who had seen, felt, and understood nothing of what was going on, was still brandishing35 his loaf, and singing to himself, as he showed it to the guests:
Chers enfants, gardez-vous de toucher ce pain-là.
The whole party, electrified36 by the sight of the bottles with their silver foil, loudly took up the refrain:
Chers enfants, gardez-vous de toucher ce pain-là.
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收听单词发音
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1
par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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2
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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3
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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4
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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6
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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7
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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8
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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9
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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10
inventory
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| n.详细目录，存货清单 | |
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11
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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12
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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13
sumptuousness
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| 奢侈，豪华 | |
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14
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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15
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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16
travail
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| n.阵痛；努力 | |
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17
tout
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| v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱 | |
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18
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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19
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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21
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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22
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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23
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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24
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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25
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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26
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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27
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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28
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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29
intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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30
faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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31
stifle
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| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
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32
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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33
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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34
exuberant
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| adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的 | |
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35
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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36
electrified
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| v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋 | |
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