many ways. But she had that queer sort of bossiness, endless assertion of her own will, which is one of the signs of insanity in modern woman. She thought she was utterly subservient and living for others. Clifford fascinated her because he always, or so often, frustrated her will, as if by a finer instinct. He had a finer, subtler will of self-assertion than herself. This was his charm for her.

在许多方面，博尔顿太太确实值得赞赏。但她却有种无端的控制欲，总愿意阐明自己的主张，这恰恰是现代女性疯癫的表现之一。她认为自己无比恭顺，处处先人后己。克利福德让她意乱情迷，因为他似乎总能，或者说常能发挥更加敏锐的直觉，使她屈从于自己的意志。他比她更加固执己见，独断专行。而这也正是他吸引她的地方。

Perhaps that had been his charm, too, for Connie.

或许这也曾是他令康妮为之着迷的地方。

"It's a lovely day, today!” Mrs. Bolton would say in her caressive, persuasive voice. "I should think you'd enjoy a little run in your chair today, the sun's just lovely.” "Yes? Will you give me that book—there, that yellow one. And I think I'll have those hyacinths taken out.” "Why they're so beautiful! " She pronounced it with the "y" sound: be-yutiful! "And the scent is simply gorgeous." "The scent is what I object to," he said. "It's a little funereal.” "Do you think so!" she exclaimed in surprise, just a little offended, but impressed. And she carried the hyacinths out of the room, impressed by his higher fastidiousness.

“今天天气多棒呀！”博尔顿太太的口吻极为亲昵，循循善诱。“依我看，您不妨驾着轮椅，出去兜上一小圈，太阳如此明媚。”“是么？把那本书递给我——那儿，那本黄色封皮的。把那些风信子拿出去。”“为什么？它们那样美丽！”她的发音并不规范，总是把美丽念成“米丽”。“那香味更是让人心醉。”“我讨厌的就是那味道。”他说。“感觉好像置身葬礼现场。”“您这样认为呀！”她惊讶地感叹道，虽然有些不悦，但也只能按照吩咐行事。她把风信子拿出房间，对爵爷的吹毛求疵深有感触。

"Shall I shave you this morning, or would you rather do it yourself?" Always the same soft, caressive, subservient, yet managing voice.

“今天早上，我来给您刮脸？还是您亲自动手？”语气依然轻柔亲切，恭敬顺服，但又力争将局势控制在可掌控的范围内。

"I don't know. Do you mind waiting a while. I'll ring when I'm ready.” "Very good, Sir Clifford!" she replied, so soft and submissive, withdrawing quietly. But every rebuff stored up new energy of will in her.

“我不知道。再等会儿可以吗？我做好准备，就按铃通知你。”“遵命，克利福德爵士！”她应道，语调温柔婉转，毕恭毕敬，然后悄无声息地退出房间。但每次碰壁都会使她的意志有所增强。

Wh