My own hotelwas modest enough, but it was magnificent in comparison with this. It was atall, shabby building, that cannot have been painted for years, and it had sobedraggled an air that the houses on each side of it looked neat and clean. Thedirty windows were all shut. It was not here that Charles Strickland lived inguilty splendour with the unknown charmer for whose sake he had abandonedhonour and duty. I was vexed, for I felt that I had been made a fool of, and Inearly turned away without making an enquiry. I went in only to be able to tellMrs. Strickland that I had done my best.

The door was atthe side of a shop. It stood open, and just within was a sign: Bureau aupremier. I walked up narrow stairs, and on the landing found a sort of box,glassed in, within which were a desk and a couple of chairs. There was a benchoutside, on which it might be presumed the night porter passed uneasy nights.There was no one about, but under an electric bell was written Garcon. I rang,and presently a waiter appeared. He was a young man with furtive eyes and asullen look. He was in shirt-sleeves and carpet slippers.

我自己住的是一家普普通通的旅馆，可是同这家旅馆比起来简直宏伟极了。这是一座破烂的小楼，多年没有粉刷过，龌龌龊龊，相形之下，两边的房子倒显得又干净又整齐。肮脏的窗子全部关着。查理斯·思特里克兰德同那位勾引他丢弃了名誉和职责的美女显然不会在这样一个地方寻欢作乐，享受他们罪恶而豪华的生活。我非常恼火，觉得自己分明是被耍弄了。我差一点连问都不问就扭头而去。我走进去只是为了事后好向思特里克兰德太太交待，告诉她我已经尽了最大的努力。

旅馆的入口在一家店铺的旁边，门开着，一进门便有一块牌子：账房在二楼①。我沿着狭窄的楼梯走上去，在楼梯平台上看到一间用玻璃门窗隔起来的小阁子，里面摆着一张办公桌和两三把椅子。阁子外面有一条长凳，晚上守门人多半就在这里过夜。附近没有一个人影，但是我在一个电铃按钮下面看到有侍者②字样。我按了一下，马上从什么地方钻出一个人来。这人很年轻，贼眉鼠眼，满脸丧气，身上只穿一件衬衫，趿拉着一双毡子拖鞋。

①  ②原文为法语。