Louise (4/4)

Louise (4/4)
by Somerset Maugham

She was always glad to receive her friends at tea-time and now that she was older she cultivated the society of painters and writers.
"Well, I hear that Iris isn't going to be married," I said after a while.
"I don't know about that. She's not going to be married quite as soon
as I could have wished. I've begged her on my bended knees not to
consider me, but she absolutely refuses to leave me."

* cultivated: 경작하다, 교양있는
* cultivate: =associate with
* on my bended knees: 무릅을 꿇고서

"Don’t you think it’s rather hard on her?"

"당신 딸이 더 힘들다고 생각하진 않아요?"

"Dreadfully. Of course it can only be for a few months, but I hate the
thought of anyone sacrificing themselves for me."

"My dear Louise, you’ve buried two husbands, I can’t see the least reason why you shouldn’t bury at least two more."

"Do you think that's funny?" she asked me in a tone that she made as
offensive as she could.

"I suppose it’s never struck you as strange that you’re always strong enough to do anything you want to and that your weak heart only prevents you from doing things that bore you?"

내가 보기에는  당신은 낮선일로(as strange) 충격받은 적이 없잖아요. 당신은 원하는 일을 할 땐 언제나 충분히 강했죠. 당신의 약한 심장은 당신이 지루해 하는(하기싫은)일을 막았지요."

"Oh, I know, I know what you’ve always thought of me. You’ve never believed that I had anything the matter with me, have you?" I looked at her full and square.

"Never. I think you’ve carried out for twenty-five years a stupendous bluff. I think you’re the most selfish and monstrous woman I have ever known. You ruined the lives of those two wretched men you married and now you’re going to ruin the life of your daughter."

* bluff: 1. 허풍 2. 벼랑
* I had anything the matter with me: 나한테 무슨 문제가 있다고

I should not have been surprised if Louise had had a heart attack then. I fully expected her to fly into a passion. She merely gave me a gentle smile.

* fly into a passion: 벌컥 화를 내다

"My poor friend, one of these days you’ll be so dreadfully sorry you said this to me."

"Have you quite determined that Iris shall not marry this boy?"

"I've begged her to marry him. I know it’ll kill me, but I don't mind. Nobody cares for me. I’m just a burden to everybody."

"Did you tell her it would kill you?"

"She made me."

"As if anyone ever made you do anything that you were not yourself quite determined to do."

"She can marry her young man tomorrow if she likes. If it kills me, it kills me."

"Well, let’s risk it, shall we?"

"Haven’t you got any compassion for me?"

"One can’t pity anyone who amuses one as much as you amuse me," I answered.

A faint spot of colour appeared on Louise’s pale cheeks and though she smiled still her eyes were hard and angry.

"Iris shall marry in a month’s time," she said, "and if anything happens to me I hope you and she will be able to forgive yourselves."

Louise was as good as her word. A date was fixed, a trousseau of great magnificence was ordered, and invitations were issued. Iris and the very good lad were radiant. On the wedding-day, at ten o’clock in the morning, Louise, that devilish woman, had one of her heart attacks-and died. She died gently forgiving Iris for having killed her.

(1936)

* trousseau: 웨딩드레스를 포함한 신부의 혼수 일체
* radiant: (행복감, 건강 등으로) 빛나는, 환한

루이스는 그녀의 말을 지켰다. 날짜는 정해졌다. 최고의 혼수(trousseau of great magnificence)가 주문 되었고 초청장도 보내졌다(was issued). 아침 10시, 루이스, 이 악마같은(devilish) 여인은 그녀의 심장마비 한방으로(one of her heart attacks) 죽었다. 그녀는 죽음을 이르게한 아이리스를 우아하게 용서하며 죽은 것이다.

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