書蟲三級《三個陌生人》：4、牧羊人所見之 第一夜

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1.First night
1．第一夜

The Christmas moon was showing her cold face to the low hills called the Marlbury Downs, in the southwestern part of England known as Mid-Wessex. Here sheep were kept out on the hills all year round, and lambs were born as early as December. Shepherds needed to be on the hills day and night at this time of year, and often used small wheeled huts where they could rest and keep warm, while keeping a careful eye on the sheep.

圣誕節(jié)的冷月照耀著一片叫做馬爾博瑞丘陵的低矮山丘，這片山丘坐落在英格蘭西南部的中維塞克斯。這里的山上一年四季都放牧著羊群，而這里的羊羔早在每年的12月便會出生。每年的這個時節(jié)，牧羊人們都必須夜以繼日地待在山上。他們通常待在一種帶輪子的小屋里，以便在照料羊群的同時能休息和取暖。

On a high piece of land one of these huts stood inside a little circle of trees, which kept it out of the icy wind and also hidden from any passers-by. The hut was made of wood, and had a door and two windows. The north one looked out on the eight hundred sheep which were in the shepherd's care, and the south window gave a view of three ancient stones, built in the shape of a doorway. These great stones, which village people called the Devil's Door, had been there for over two thousand years. They were worn and weather-beaten, but tonight looked almost new in the silver light of the moon.

一片高地之上，有一間小屋掩映在一小圈樹木中，由此既免受了刺骨寒風的侵襲，又躲避了過路人的視線。小屋用木頭制成，有一扇門和兩扇窗戶。從北面的窗戶望出去可以看到牧羊人看管的八百頭羊，從南面的窗戶望出去則是堆成門形的三塊古老的石頭。這些巨石被村民們稱為“魔鬼之門”，已經(jīng)在那里矗立了兩千多年。它們斑駁殘破、飽經(jīng)風霜，但今夜在銀色的月光照耀下，卻宛若新生。

Inside the hut a young shepherd boy was waiting for his master, who entered at that moment.

小木屋里，一名牧羊少年正等著他的主人。就在這個時候，主人走了進來。

Are ye sleepy?' asked the old man crossly.

“你就困了嗎？”老人生氣地問。

N — no, master,' replied the boy, who was a little frightened of the shepherd and his heavy stick.

“不——沒有，主人?！蹦泻⒒卮鸬溃行┖ε履裂蛉撕退拇止髯?。

The sheep should be all right until the morning now,' said the shepherd, 'but one of us must stay here, so I'll leave ye, do ye hear? I'll go home and sleep for a few hours. Run down to my cottage and fetch me if anything happens. Ye can have a bit of a sleep in the chair by the stove but only for a few minutes, mind! Make sure ye stay awake the rest of the time, and don't let that fire go out!'

“羊群在天亮前應該沒事了，”牧羊人說，“不過我們當中必須有人留在這兒，所以我得讓你留下，你聽到了嗎？我要回家睡幾個小時。如果發(fā)生了什么事，就跑下山到我家去找我。你可以在火爐旁的椅子上睡一小會兒，不過就幾分鐘，記住！別的時間你都得醒著。還有，別讓火熄了！”

The old man closed the door, and disappeared. The boy went out to check on the sheep and new-born lambs, then came back into the hut and sat down by the warm stove. Soon his eyes closed, his head dropped, and he was asleep.

老人關上門走了。男孩出去查看了一下羊群和剛出生的羊羔，然后走回到小屋里，坐在溫暖的爐火旁。很快，他就合上了眼皮，垂下頭睡著了。

When he woke up, he could hear down in the valley the clock at Shakeforest Towers striking eleven. The sound carried well in the cold night air. He looked out of the north window and saw the sheep, lying on the grass as quietly as before. He next looked out of the opposite window, towards the stones of the Devil's Door, white and ghostly in the moonlight. And in front of them stood a man.

醒來時，他聽見山谷里舍克弗洛斯特城堡的鐘敲了11下。鐘聲在清冷的夜空中傳得很遠。他從北面的窗戶望出去，看到羊群依然安靜地臥在草地上。接著，他朝相反方向的窗戶望出去，看到“魔鬼之門”的石頭慘白而詭異地矗立在月光中。石門前站著一個人。

It was clear that he was not a farm worker, because he was wearing a dark suit, and carried himself like a gentleman. The boy was still wondering, in great surprise, why the man was visiting the Devil's Door at this hour, when suddenly another figure appeared. This second figure was a woman, and when the stranger saw her, he hurried towards her. He met her near the trees, and took her into his arms.

那人顯然不是農(nóng)場工人，因為他身穿深色西服，神態(tài)宛如一位紳士。男孩驚訝地猜度著這個人為什么會在這時候跑到“魔鬼之門”來。正在這時，另一個身影出現(xiàn)了。這回出現(xiàn)的是一個女人，那個陌生人一見到她就快步走上前去。他在樹叢邊迎上了她，將她擁入懷中。

You have come, Harriet! Thank you!' he cried warmly.

“你總算來了，哈麗雅特！謝謝你！”他熱情地叫道。

But not for this,' replied the lady, pulling away from him. She added more kindly, 'I have come, Fred, because you begged me! Why did you ask to see me?'

“但不是為了這個?！蹦桥舆呎f邊將他推開。她更加溫和地說：“弗雷德，我是因為你求我才來的！你為什么要見我？”

Harriet, I have seen many lands and faces since I last walked these hills, but I have only thought of you.'

“哈麗雅特，自從上次走過這片山峰后，我看遍了千山萬水、眾生百態(tài)，但卻只想著你一個人?！?

Was it only to tell me this that you begged me to meet you, out here on the hills, so late at night?'

“你求我這么晚到山上來見你，就只是為了告訴我這些？”

Harriet, be honest with me! I have heard that the Duke is unkind to you.'

“哈麗雅特，跟我說實話！我聽說公爵對你并不好?！?

He sometimes gets angry, but he is a good husband.'

“雖然他有時會發(fā)火，卻還是個好丈夫。”

Harriet, dearest, is that really true? Doesn't everybody know that your life with him is a sad one? I have come to find out what I can do. You are a Duchess, and I'm only Fred Ogbourne, but it's still possible that I can help you. By God! The sweetness of your voice should keep him pleasant, especially when the sweetness of your face is added to it!'

“哈麗雅特，我最親愛的，你說的是真的嗎？你跟他的生活并不美滿，這難道不是盡人皆知的嗎？我來就是為了看看我能做什么。你是公爵夫人，而我只是弗雷德·奧格本，但我仍然有可能幫得上你。老天作證！你悅耳的嗓音應該令他開心，尤其再加上你甜美的容貌！”

Captain Ogbourne!' she cried, half afraid, half playful. 'You're an old friend — how can you speak to me in this way? Remember I'm a married woman! I was wrong to come, I see that now.'

“奧格本上尉！”她半是恐慌半是戲謔地叫道，“你可是我的老朋友——你怎么能這么對我說話呢？別忘了我是個結了婚的女人！我今天來是個錯誤，我現(xiàn)在算是明白了?！?

You call me Captain Ogbourne,' he replied unhappily, 'but I was always Fred to you before. I think you no longer have any feeling for me. My love for you, Harriet, has not changed at all, but you are a different woman now. I must accept it. I can never see you again.'

“你居然叫我奧格本上尉，”他不高興地回答道，“你以前一直叫我弗雷德。我想你對我已經(jīng)沒有任何感情了。哈麗雅特，我對你的愛從來沒有改變過，而如今的你卻已變成了另外一個女人。我必須接受這個現(xiàn)實。我再也不會見你了?！?

You needn't talk like that, you stupid man. You can see me again — why not? But of course, not like this. It was a mistake of mine to come tonight, and I only did it because the Duke is away at the moment.'

“你用不著這么說，你這傻瓜。你可以再見我——為什么不行呢？不過，當然不是像現(xiàn)在這樣。我今晚來這里是個錯誤，我來僅僅是因為公爵正好出門了。”

When does he return?'

“他什么時候回來？”

The day after tomorrow, or the day after that.'

“后天，或者大后天。”

Then meet me again tomorrow night.'

“那明天晚上再來和我見面吧。”

No, Fred, I cannot.'

“不，弗雷德，我不能?！?

If you cannot tomorrow night, you can the night after. Please let me have one more meeting before he returns, to say goodbye! Now, promise me!' He took the Duchess's hand.

“如果你明晚不來，那就后天晚上來。請再給我一次機會，讓我在他回來之前和你告別！好了，答應我！”他抓住了公爵夫人的手。

No, Fred, let go of my hand! It's not kind of you to make me feel sorry for you, and then to keep me here like this!'

“不，弗雷德，放開我的手！讓我對你感到愧疚已經(jīng)很不好了，你還這樣抓著我不放！”

But see me once more! I have come two thousand miles to see you.'

“但是，請再見我一次吧！為了見你，我可是跑了兩千英里的路程。”

Oh, I must not! People will talk. Don't ask it of me!'

“噢，我不能那樣！人們會說閑話的。請不要對我提出這樣的要求！”

Then confess two things to me: that you did love me once, and that your husband is unkind to you often enough to make you think of the time when you loved me.'

“那你要對我承認兩件事：一是你過去的確愛我，還有就是你的丈夫對你不好，常常會讓你回想起當初愛著我的時光?！?

Yes, I confess them both,' she answered quietly.

“是的，這兩件事情我都承認。”她靜靜地回答道。

Come once more!' He still held her hand, and had his arm around her waist.

“再來見我一次吧！”他仍舊握著她的手，另一只手臂環(huán)繞在她腰間。

Very well, then,' she said finally. 'I agree. I'll meet you tomorrow night or the night after. Now let me go.'

“那好吧，”她終于說，“我答應你。我明天或者后天晚上來見你?，F(xiàn)在請讓我走吧?！?

He set her free, and watched her hurry down the hill towards her home, Shakeforest Towers. Then he turned and walked away. In a few minutes all was silent and empty again.

他放開了她，看著她急匆匆地朝山下的家——舍克弗洛斯特城堡跑去。接著，他也轉身離去了。幾分鐘后，周圍又恢復了平靜和空曠。

But only for a moment. Suddenly, a third figure appeared, from behind the stones. He was a man of heavier build than the Captain, and was wearing riding boots. It was clear that he had watched the meeting between the Captain and the Duchess. He had been too far away to hear their conversation and the lady's reluctant words, so to him they had the appearance of lovers. But several more years passed before the boy was old enough to understand this.

但這只持續(xù)了一小會兒。突然，石頭后面出現(xiàn)了第三個身影。他身材比上尉健壯些，腳蹬馬靴。很顯然，他看到了上尉和公爵夫人的會面過程。他離得太遠，聽不清他們的談話和夫人勉強的言辭，因此在他看來，他們儼然是一對情侶。但直到幾年后，年齒漸長的男孩才想明白了當時的情形。

This third figure stood still for a moment, thinking. Then he went back into the trees, and came out again with his horse. He rode off, and the sound of the horse's feet on the hard ground was heard for several minutes, until it died away.

第三個身影沉思著呆立了片刻，返身回到樹林中，然后又騎著馬走了出來。他策馬而去，馬蹄在堅硬的土地上踏出的聲音持續(xù)了好幾分鐘才漸漸消失。

The boy stayed in the hut, his eyes still on the stones, but nobody else appeared there. Suddenly he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, which made him jump.

男孩待在小屋里，眼睛仍舊盯著那些石頭，卻再沒有人出現(xiàn)了。突然，他感到有一只沉重的手搭上了自己的肩頭，嚇得跳將起來。

Now look here, young Bill Mills, ye've let the fire in the stove go out! Well, what's happened, ye bad boy?'

“你看看，小比爾·米爾斯，你讓爐子里的火熄掉了！呃，發(fā)生了什么事，你這個壞孩子？”

Nothing, master.'

“沒什么，主人?！?

Sheep and lambs all safe and well?'

“羊群和羊羔都好好的嗎？”

Yes, master.'

“是的，主人?！?

The old shepherd spoke angrily. 'Well, that's where ye're wrong. There are two new lambs out there, born just this minute, and one of the mothers is half dead! I told ye to stay awake, boy, and fetch me if I was needed! Well, what have you got to say for yourself?'

老牧羊人生氣地咆哮著說：“哼，這你就說錯了。外面有兩頭母羊剛剛生了小羊羔，一頭母羊都快死了！我告訴過你要保持清醒，小子，如果有必要就去叫我！好了，這你有什么說的？”

You said that I could have a bit of a sleep! In the chair by the stove, you said!'

“你說過我可以睡一小會兒的！在火爐邊的椅子上，你說過的！”

Don't you speak to your elders and betters like that, young man, or you'll end up hanging from a rope at the prison! Well, ye can go home now, and come back again by breakfast time. I'm an old man, but there's no rest for me!'

“不要這樣跟有經(jīng)驗的長者講話，年輕人，不然你的下場就是在監(jiān)獄里被絞索吊死！好了，你現(xiàn)在可以回家了，早飯前再過來。我都老了，還一刻不得閑！”

The old shepherd then lay down inside the hut, and the boy went down the hill to his home in the village.

接著，老牧羊人在小屋里躺了下來，男孩則下山朝村子里的家走去。