【转载翻译】Quality by John Galsworthy （品质 约翰·高尔斯华绥）(5)

一个人年纪大了而又荒唐起来以至于赊账的时候，不知怎么的，他决不赊格斯拉兄弟俩的账。如果有人拖欠他几双——比如说——两双以上靴子的价款，竟心安理得地确信自己还是他的主顾，所以走进他的店铺，把自己的脚伸到那蓝色铁架眼镜底下，那就未免有点儿太不应该了。
For it was not possible to go to him very often -- his boots lasted terribly, having something beyond the temporary -- some, as it were, essence of boot stitched into them.
人们不可能时常到他那里去，因为他所做的靴子非常经穿，一时穿不坏的——他好像把靴子的本质缝到靴子里去了。
One went in, not as into most shops, in the mood of: "Please serve me, and let me go!" but restfully, as one enters a church; and sitting on the single wooden chair, waited -- for there was never anybody there. Soon, over the top edge of that sort of well -- rather dark, and smelling soothingly of leather -- which formed the shop, there would be seen his face, or that elder brother, peering down. A guttural sound. and the tip-tap of bast slippers beating the narrow wooden stairs: and he would stand before one without coat, a little bent, in leather apron, with sleeves turned back, blinking -- as if awakened from some dream of boots, or like an owl surprised in daylight and annoyed at this interruption.

人们走进他的店堂，不会像走进一般店铺那样怀着“请把我要买的东西拿来，让我走吧”的心情，而是心平气和地像走进教堂那样。来客坐在那张仅有的木椅上等候，因为他的店堂里从来没有人的。过了一会儿，可以看到他的或他哥哥的面孔从店堂里二楼楼梯口往下边张望——楼梯口是黑洞洞的，同时透出沁人脾胃的皮革气味。随后就可以听到一阵喉音，以及趿拉着木皮拖鞋踏在窄狭木楼梯的踢踏声;他终于站在来客的面前，上身没有穿外衣，背有点儿弯，腰间围着皮围裙，袖子往上卷起，眼睛眨动着——像刚从靴子梦中惊醒过来，或者说，像一只在日光中受了惊动因而感到不安的猫头鹰。