Justine 淑女的眼泪 Chapter 53

"Very well," I replied, "very well, Madame, but let's spend a moment reasoning in terms of your own principles: what right have you to require that my conscience be as impregnable as yours when since childhood it has not been accustomed to vanquishing ¹ the same prejudices? By what title do you require that my mind, which is not constituted like your own, be able to adopt the same systems? You acknowledge sums of good and evil in Nature, you admit that, in consequence, there must be a certain quantity of beings who practice good and another group which devotes itself to evil; the course I elect is hence natural; therefore, how would you be able to demand that I take leave of the rules Nature prescribes to me ? You say you find happiness in the career you pursue; very well, Madame, why should it be that I do not also find it in the career I pursue ? Do not suppose, furthermore, that the law's vigilance long leaves in peace him who violates its codes, you have just had a striking example of the contrary; of the fifteen scoundrels with whom I was living, fourteen perish ignominiously ²....", ,"And is that what you call a misfortune ?" Dubois asked. "But what does this ignominy mean to him who has principles no longer? When one has trespassed ³ every frontier, when in our eyes honor is no more than a hallucination, reputation of perfect indifference ⁴, religion an illusion, death a total annihilation; is it then not the same thing, to die on the scaffold or in bed? There are two varieties of rascals ⁵ in the world, Therese: the one a powerful fortune or prodigious ⁶ influence shelters from this tragic ⁷ end; the other one who is unable to avoid it when taken. The latter, born unprovided with possessions, must have but one desire if he has any esprit: to become rich at no matter what price; if he succeeds, he obtains what he wanted and should be content; if he is put on the rack, what's he to regret since he has nothing to lose? Those laws decreed against banditry are null if they are not extended to apply to the powerful bandit; that the law inspire any dread ⁸ in the miserable ⁹ is impossible, for the sword is the miserable man's only resource.", ,"And do you believe," I broke in, "that in another world Celestial ¹⁰ Justice does not await him whom crime has not affrighted in this one?", , ,"You make me shudder ¹⁹, Madame," I said, getting to my feet; "will you pardon me? for I am unable to listen any longer to your sophistries ²⁰ and blasphemies ²¹.", ,"One moment, Therese," said Dubois, holding me back, "if I cannot conquer your reason, I may at least captivate your heart. I have need of you, do not refuse me your aid; here are a thousand louis: they will be yours as soon as the blow is struck.", ,Their attempt failed ignominiously. 他们的企图可耻地失败了 。 来自《简明英汉词典》