福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第47期:沙漠中的旅客(5)

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He watched over her slumber for some time, but Nature proved to be too strong for him.

他瞧她睡了一會兒，但是他也無法抵抗自然的力量，

For three days and three nights he had allowed himself neither rest nor repose.

因為他三天三夜一直沒有休息過，沒有合過眼。

Slowly the eyelids drooped over the tired eyes, and the head sunk lower and lower upon the breast, until the man's grizzled beard was mixed with the gold tresses of his companion, and both slept the same deep and dreamless slumber.

眼皮慢慢地下垂，蓋上了困倦的眼，腦袋也漸漸地垂到胸前，大人的斑白胡須和小孩的金黃發(fā)卷混合在一起，兩人都沉沉入睡了。

Had the wanderer remained awake for another half-hour a strange sight would have met his eyes.

如果這個流浪漢晚睡半小時，他就能看到一幕奇景了。

Far away on the extreme verge of the alkali plain there rose up a little spray of dust, very slight at first,

在這片鹼地遙遠(yuǎn)的盡頭，揚起了一股煙塵。最初很輕，遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)看去，

and hardly to be distinguished from the mists of the distance, but gradually growing higher and broader until it formed a solid, well-defined cloud.

很難和遠(yuǎn)處的霧氣分清楚。但是后來煙塵越飛越高，越來越廣，直到形成了一團濃云；

This cloud continued to increase in size until it became evident that it could only be raised by a great multitude of moving creatures.

顯然只有行進中的大隊人馬才能卷起這樣的飛塵。

In more fertile spots the observer would have come to the conclusion that one of those great herds of bisons which graze upon the prairie land was approaching him.

如果這里是一個肥沃的地區(qū)，人們就會斷定，這是草原上游牧的大隊牛群，正在向著他這方面移動。

This was obviously impossible in these arid wilds.

但是在這不毛之地上，這種情形顯然是不可能的。

As the whirl of dust drew nearer to the solitary bluff upon which the two castaways were reposing,

滾滾煙塵向著這兩個落難人睡覺的峭壁這邊前進著，越來越近了。

the canvas-covered tilts of wagons and the figures of armed horsemen began to show up through the haze, and the apparition revealed itself as being a great caravan upon its journey for the West.

在煙塵彌漫之中，出現(xiàn)了帆布為頂?shù)呐褴嚭臀溲b騎士的身影，原來這是一大隊往西方進發(fā)的篷車。

But what a caravan!

真是一支浩浩蕩蕩的篷車隊??！

When the head of it had reached the base of the mountains, the rear was not yet visible on the horizon.

前隊已到山腳下，后隊還在地平線那邊遙不可見。

Right across the enormous plain stretched the straggling array, wagons and carts, men on horseback, and men on foot.

就在這片無邊的曠野上，雙輪車、四輪車絡(luò)繹不絕，有的男人品在馬上，有的男人步行著，展開了一支斷斷續(xù)續(xù)的行列。

Innumerable women who staggered along under burdens, and children who toddled beside the wagons or peeped out from under the white coverings.

無數(shù)的婦女肩負(fù)著重?fù)?dān)在路上蹣跚前進，許多孩子邁著不穩(wěn)的腳步跟在車旁跑，也有一些孩子坐在車上，從白色的車篷里向外張望。

This was evidently no ordinary party of immigrants, but rather some nomad people who had been compelled from stress of circumstances to seek themselves a new country.

顯而易見，這不是一群平常的移民隊伍，而象是一支游牧民族，由于環(huán)境所迫，正在遷居，另覓樂土。

There rose through the clear air a confused clattering and rumbling from this great mass of humanity, with the creaking of wheels and the neighing of horses.

在這清徹的空氣里，人喊馬嘶，叮叮當(dāng)當(dāng)，車聲隆隆，亂成一團。

Loud as it was, it was not sufficient to rouse the two tired wayfarers above them.

即使這樣喧聲震天，也沒有驚醒山上兩個困乏的落難人。

At the head of the column there rode a score or more of grave, iron-faced men, clad in sombre homespun garments and armed with rifles.

二十多個意志堅定、神情嚴(yán)肅的騎馬的人走在行列的前面。他們穿著樸素的手工織布做的衣服，帶著來復(fù)槍。