“我们将把他培养成一个大人吗？”博士重复问道。

　　’I had rather be a child,’ replied Paul.

　　“我宁肯当个孩子，”保罗回答道。

　　’Indeed!’ said the Doctor. ’Why?’

　　“真的吗？”博士说道。“为什么？”

　　The child sat on the table looking at him, with a curious expression of suppressed emotion in his face, and beating one hand proudly on his knee as if he had the rising tears beneath it, and crushed them. But his other hand strayed a little way the while, a little farther - farther from him yet - until it lighted on the neck of Florence. ’This is why,’ it seemed to say, and then the steady look was broken up and gone; the working lip was loosened; and the tears came streaming forth.

　　孩子坐在桌子上看着他，脸上露出了被压抑的情绪的奇怪表情，一边用一只手自豪地敲打着膝盖，仿佛眼泪已经在膝盖下面涌上来，他已把它们压下去了。但是在这同时，他的另一只手却向一边伸出去，伸出去——伸得更远一些——，一直伸到弗洛伦斯的脖子上。“这就是为什么，”它似乎这么说道；然后他那镇定沉着的神色改变了，消失了，颤动着的嘴唇松驰了，眼泪汪汪地滚流出来。

　　’Mrs Pipchin,’ said his father, in a querulous manner, ’I am really very sorry to see this.’

　　“皮普钦太太，”他的父亲抱怨地说道，“我实在很不高兴看到这一点。”

　　’Come away from him, do, Miss Dombey,’ quoth the matron.

　　“离开他，董贝小姐，照我的话做，”那位女监管人说道。

　　’Never mind,’ said the Doctor, blandly nodding his head, to keep Mrs Pipchin back. ’Never mind; we shall substitute new cares and new impressions, Mr Dombey, very shortly. You would still wish my little friend to acquire - ’

　　“不要紧，”博士不动感情地点点头，让皮普钦太太回去。“不要紧；我们将很快用新的关心与新的印象来代替，董贝先生，您还跟以前一样希望我的小朋友获得——”

　　’Everything, if you please, Doctor,’ returned Mr Dombey, firmly.

　　“一切！劳驾您，博士，”董贝先生坚决地回答道。

　　’Yes,’ said the Doctor, who, with his half-shut eyes, and his usual smile, seemed to survey Paul with the sort of interest that might attach to some choice little animal he was going to stuff. ’Yes, exactly. Ha! We shall impart a great variety of information to our little friend, and bring him quickly forward, I daresay. I daresay. Quite a virgin soil, I believe you said, Mr Dombey?’

　　“好的，”博士说道；他半闭着眼睛，露出了惯常的笑容，似乎以一种对他将要喂养的某个精选的小动物可能怀有的兴趣打量着保罗，“好，好极了。哈！我们将向我们的小朋友传授很多种知识，而且我敢说，使他迅速进步。完全是一块处女地，我想您曾经这样说过吧，董贝先生？”

　　’Except some ordinary preparation at home, and from this lady,’ replied Mr Dombey, introducing Mrs Pipchin, who instantly communicated a rigidity to her whole muscular system, and snorted defiance beforehand, in case the Doctor should disparage her; ’except so far, Paul has, as yet, applied himself to no studies at all.’

　　“除了在家里以及从这位女士那里做过一些普通的准备之外，”董贝先生一边介绍皮普钦太太，一边回答道；皮普钦太太立刻让她的整个肌肉系统紧张起来，同时挑战地喷着鼻息，以防博士贬损她。“除了这些之外，保罗到现在为止，什么都还没有学习过。”