a circus. What is wrong today is that we've made a profound hash of the circuses part of the programme, and poisoned our masses with a little education.” When Clifford became really roused in his feelings about the common people, Connie was frightened. There was something devastatingly true in what he said. But it was a truth that killed.

“他们并不恨我！”他回应道。“不要陷入误区：依照你的理解，他们根本算不上人。他们不过是你无法理解的兽类，你也永远无法理解他们的想法。不要对他人抱有幻想。无论过去或者将来，老百姓都是这副德行。尼禄（注：37-68，古罗马帝国的暴君）豢养的奴隶，与我们的矿工或者福特汽车公司的技工，并无本质区别。我说的是尼禄的矿奴和农奴。老百姓就是如此，他们总是死性不改。或许会有人脱颖而出。但这并不会让群体发生变化。老百姓就是冥顽不灵。这是社会科学领域最基本的事实之一。面包和杂耍！时至今日，教育才取杂耍而代之，可惜只是滥竽充数。当今社会的症结在于，我们把节目单上杂耍的部分搞得乱七八糟，然后用微不足道的教育荼毒大众。”克利福德吐露出自己对于平民百姓的真实想法，康妮禁不住感到恐惧。他的话里包含着压倒一切的真理。但却是杀人的真理。

Seeing her pale and silent, Clifford started the chair again, and no more was said till he halted again at the wood gate, which she opened.

眼见她面色苍白，沉默不语，克利福德再度发动轮椅，径直来到园林门口，康妮为他打开门，他才再度开口。

"And what we need to take up now," he said, "is whips, not swords. The masses have been ruled since time began, and till time ends, ruled they will have to be. It is sheer hypocrisy and farce to say they can rule themselves." "But can you rule them?" She asked.

“如今我们需要拿起的，”他说，“是皮鞭，而非刀剑。从创世之初到世界末日，平头百姓都扮演着被统治的角色，而且只能被统治。如果说他们能够自治，那可真是痴人说梦。”“可你就统治得了他们吗？”她问。

"I? Oh yes! Neither my mind nor my will is crippled, and I don't rule with my legs. I can do my share of ruling: absolutely, my share; and give me a son, and he will be able to rule his portion after me.” "But he wouldn't be your own son, of your own ruling class; or perhaps not," she stammered.

“我么？当然能！我拥有健全的心智和顽强的意志，实施统治无须用双腿。我能够尽到本分，完成统治者的职责，这毫无疑问；给我生个儿子，他就能将我的统治延续下去。”“但他并非你亲生，甚至并非来自你所在的统治阶级，或许不是吧。”她支吾起来。

"I don't care who his father may be, so long as he is a healthy man not below normal intelligence. Give me the child of any healthy, normally intelligent man, and I will make a perfectly competent Chatterley of him. It is not who begets us, that matters, but where fate places us. Place any child among the ruling classes, and