Iris Murdoch - The Bell 汉译

Then Dora noticed that there was a Red Admiral butterfly walking on the dusty floor underneath the seat opposite. Every other thought left her head. Anxiously she watched the butterfly. It fluttered to the passengers' feet. Dora held her breath. She ought to do something. But what? She flushed with indecision and embarrassment. She could not lean forward in front of all those people and pick the butterfly up in her hand. They would think her silly. It was out of the question. The sunburnt man, evidently struck with the concentration of Dora’s gaze, bent down and fumbled with his boot laces. Both seemed securely tied. He shifted his feet, narrowly missing the butterfly which was now walking into the open on the carriage floor.

“Excuse me,” said Dora. She knelt down and gently scooped the creature into the palm of her hand, and covered it with her other hand. She could feel it fluttering inside. Everyone stared. Dora blushed violently. Toby and his friend were looking at her in a friendly surprised way. Whatever should she do now? If she put the butterfly out of the window it would be sucked into the whirlwind of the train and killed. Yet she could not just go on holding it, it would look too idiotic. She bowed her head, pretending to examine her captive.

正在那时，朵娜注意到了，一只红花蝴蝶，在对面座位底下积满灰尘的地板上走动着。她一意地想着那只蝴蝶，把别的事情全都忘了。她很担心地守望着它。它稍稍拍了一下翅膀，开始向着对面的窗口移动，很危险地靠近来往旅客们的脚下了。朵娜紧张得屏息望着。她真该想个办法去救救它才好。但要她想什么办法呢？她为了自己的犹豫不决和局促不安，而感到脸红了。她不能够在所有的乘客面前，弯下身去，拾起那只蝴蝶，放到她手上来的呀。她要那样做的话，别人就会认为她太孩子气了。在绝对办不到。那个面孔被太阳晒黑了的人，显然是由朵娜的集中凝视而想起，遂弯下腰去摸摸他的皮鞋带子。两脚好象都系得紧紧的。他移动了他的脚，险些儿把那只蝴蝶给踏死了，因为它正走向车厢地板上的空敞的地方来。

“对不起，”朵娜说。她随即跪了下去，轻轻地把那只蝴蝶舀入她的手板心来，然后又用另一只手把它盖上了。她可以感觉到蝴蝶在里面鼓翼。人人都在望着她。朵娜羞得满脸绯红。托比和他的朋友，用一种友好的惊奇的态度，也在望着她。现在她到底要怎样办呢？如果她把它丢出车厢外面去，它便要被火车的旋风转入而压死的。可是她却不能老是用两手来捧着它呀。那看来未免太傻气了。她低下头去，假装着来细看她的捕获物似的。