Ulysses - Chapter 4
尤利西斯 - 第四章
Leopold Bloom moved quietly through his kitchen, preparing breakfast for his wife Molly. He loved these morning rituals, the simple domestic tasks that grounded his day. The cat mewed at his feet, demanding attention and food.
利奥波德·布卢姆在厨房里安静地移动,为妻子莫莉准备早餐。他喜欢这些晨间仪式,这些简单的家务活让他的一天有了基础。猫在他脚边喵喵叫,要求关注和食物。
"Milk for the pussens," Bloom murmured, pouring cream into a saucer.
"给小猫咪喝牛奶,"布卢姆低声说,把奶油倒进碟子里。
He examined the kidney he had bought from the butcher, planning how to cook it perfectly. Molly liked her breakfast in bed, and he took pleasure in serving her. Their marriage had its complications, but these small acts of devotion sustained him.
他检查从屠夫那里买来的腰子,计划如何完美地烹饪它。莫莉喜欢在床上吃早餐,他很乐意为她服务。他们的婚姻有其复杂性,但这些小小的奉献行为支撑着他。
Upstairs, he could hear Molly stirring. Soon she would call for her breakfast, her voice still thick with sleep. Bloom thought of her body, warm and soft under the covers, and felt a familiar stirring of desire mixed with resignation.
楼上,他能听到莫莉在动。很快她就会叫早餐,她的声音仍然带着睡意。布卢姆想到她的身体,在被子下温暖柔软,感到一种熟悉的欲望与顺从的混合。
He knew about Blazes Boylan, knew that Molly was planning to meet him this afternoon. The knowledge sat in his stomach like a stone, but he pushed it aside. What could he do? Molly was her own person, and he had no right to control her.
他知道布雷泽斯·博伊兰的事,知道莫莉计划今天下午见他。这个知识像石头一样坐在他的胃里,但他把它推到一边。他能做什么?莫莉是她自己的人,他没有权利控制她。
The kidney sizzled in the pan, filling the kitchen with its rich aroma. Bloom arranged everything on a tray: the kidney, toast, butter, marmalade, and a pot of tea. He added a flower in a small vase, a touch of beauty to brighten her morning.
腰子在锅里滋滋作响,厨房里充满了它浓郁的香气。布卢姆在托盘上摆好一切:腰子、吐司、黄油、果酱和一壶茶。他在小花瓶里加了一朵花,为她的早晨增添一抹美丽。
Carrying the tray carefully upstairs, Bloom prepared himself for the day ahead. He would go about his business, visit the newspaper office, attend Paddy Dignam's funeral. He would be busy, too busy to think about Molly and Boylan. Or so he told himself.
小心翼翼地把托盘端上楼,布卢姆为即将到来的一天做好准备。他会去办事,去报社办公室,参加帕迪·迪格纳姆的葬礼。他会很忙,太忙而无法想莫莉和博伊兰的事。或者他这样告诉自己。