第8章06. Getting to k

　　'I do，sir．Is it rude to ask if you are also good？'
　　'Stabbing me again！Just because I said I didn't like talking to old ladies and children！Well，young lady，I wanted to be good when I was younger，but life has been a struggle for me，and I've become as hard and tough as a rubber ball． I only have a little goodness left inside．'He was speaking rather excitedly，and I thought perhaps he had been drinking．'Miss Eyre，you look puzzled．Tonight I want conversation．It's your turn．Speak．'
　　I said nothing，but smiled coldly．
　　'I'm sorry if I'm rude，Miss Eyre．But I'm twenty years older，and more experienced，than you．Don't you think I have the right to command you？'
　　'No，sir，not just because you're older and more experienced than me．You would have the right only if you'd made good use of your experience of life．'
　　'I don't accept that，as I've made very bad use of my experience！But will you agree to obey my orders anyway？'
I thought，'He is peculiar，he's forgotten that he's paying me ￡ 30 a year to obey his orders，'and I said，'Not many masters bother to ask if their servants are offended by their orders．'
“是的，先生。如果问您是不是好人，会不礼貌吗？”
　　“你又捅刀子！就因为我说不喜欢跟老太太和小孩讲话！好吧，年轻的姑娘，我年轻时想做个好人，但生活对我来说是一场斗争，我已经变得和橡胶球一样坚韧了。我只在心底还存着一点好意。”他说得很激动，我想也许他喝酒了。“爱小姐，你看上去有些糊涂。今晚我要的是交谈，轮到你了，说话吧。”
　　我没说什么，只是冷冷地笑着。
　　“爱小姐，如果我太粗鲁了，我道歉。但我比你年长20岁，更有阅历。你不认为我有权命令你吗？”
　　“不，先生。只因为您比我年长、阅历丰富不行。只有您好好利用了你的生活经历，您才有这个权力。”
　　“我不接受，因为我并没有好好利用我的生活经历。不过你能同意尽管如此还是服从我的命令吗？”
　　我心想：“他是怪，他忘了他每年付给我30英镑就是要我服从他的命令。”于是我说：“没有那么多主人会费心询问他们的命令是否得罪了仆人。”