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書蟲1級(jí)《萎縮的胳膊》5. 劊子手

所屬教程:書蟲1級(jí) 萎縮的胳膊

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2022年07月26日

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5. The hangman

The next morning Gertrude got ready to leave for Caster bridge. She did not want to go by road because she did not want to meet any of her husband's friends. So she took one of the heavy horses from the farm, and rode west across the hills.

She was afraid of riding with a half-dead arm, but the farm horse was quiet and slow, and easy to ride. He carried her uphill and downhill, past rivers and through trees, moving west all the time.

The sun slowly went down in the sky, and it was nearly eight o'clock when Gertrude stopped for a moment at the top of a hill. It was the last hill before the town, and she could see the roofs of Casterbridge below. There was a big building on a hill at the end of the town, with a white roof. She knew this was the jail, and she could see a lot of workmen on the roof.

Gertrude could see the roofs of Casterbridge below.

What are they doing?' she thought. 'They're building something up there on the roof... Oh!'

Suddenly, she understood, and quickly turned her eyes away. It was a warm summer evening, but she shivered with cold.

Tomorrow they're going to hang a man on that roof,' she thought. 'And when he is dead...'

She shivered again, but then she remembered her husband's cold words and his unsmiling face, and she rode on down into the town.

She found a room to stay for the night, and then went out into the town.

What do I do now?' she thought. 'How can I get into the jail tomorrow? Who must I talk to? The men at the jail, or the hangman?'

She was afraid to go to the jail, so she went to find the hangman. He had a house down by the river, a boy in the town told her.

When she found the house, she stood outside for some minutes, afraid to go to the door. Then the door opened and a man came out.

Who are you?' he called out. 'What do you want?'

Who are you?' the man called out. 'What do you want?'

I want to speak to you for a minute.'

He came nearer, and looked at her. 'Well, well, that's a pretty face,' he said. 'Come into the house.'

They went inside. Davies (that was his name) was a hangman on some days, but a gardener on other days.

Is it about gardening work?' he asked Gertrude. 'I can't do any tomorrow, because I'm working at the jail.'

Yes, yes, I know. That's why I'm here.'

Ah! I thought so. Is the poor man one of your family then? Perhaps your young brother? No,' – Davies looked at Gertrude's dress – 'I don't think so. Was he one of your farm workers perhaps?'

No. What time is the hanging?'

The same as usual – twelve o'clock.'

And it is... it is going to happen, yes?'

Oh yes, nothing can stop the hanging now,' said Davies.'But I'm sorry for this young man, I truly am. He's only eighteen. They say it was arson, but I don't know. He was there when the fire began, but there were twenty other men there too. So how do they know? I think they just want to hang someone... anyone. But what can I do for you, my pretty?'

I need a cure,' Gertrude said, 'a cure for a curse. And a Wise Man told me about the hanged man, and – and turning the blood...'

Oh yes, miss! Now I understand. People sometimes come for that. But not pretty young things like you. Well, well. What's the cure for?'

It's this.' Gertrude uncovered her left arm.

Ah! It's all withered,' said the hangman, looking at it.

Yes,' she said.

Well, a hanged man's neck is the best cure for that,' he said. 'Your Wise Man was right.'

So can you help me?' Gertrude whispered.

Usually people go to the jail, and take their doctor with them, and give their name and address... But yes, I can help you – for a little money, perhaps.'

Oh, thank you!' Gertrude said. 'It's better like this. I don't want people to know about it.'

Don't want your lover to know, eh?'

No – husband.'

Aha! Very well. You can touch the body.'

Where is it now?' she said, shivering.

It? – He, you mean; he's still alive tonight. He's in the jail, a little room right at the top.'

And what must I do tomorrow?' Gertrude said.

There's a little door at the back of the jail. Be there at one o'clock, no later. I can open the door from inside, and can take you to the body when they bring him in. Goodnight. Don't be late. And you don't want people to see you, so cover your face. Goodnight, my pretty!'

There's a little door at the back of the jail.'

Gertrude went away, and walked up to the jail on the hill. She wanted to find the little door at the back, to know it for tomorrow. Then she went back down into the town and went to her room, and waited for the morning.

* * *

ride v. to sit on a horse's back when it moves 騎馬

shiver v. to shake with cold, or fear 發(fā)抖,顫抖

gardener n. someone who takes care of a garden 園丁

as usual in the way that happens or exists most of the time 像往常一樣,照例

alive adj. possessing life 活著

5. 劊子手

第二天一早,格特魯?shù)聹?zhǔn)備出發(fā)前往卡斯特橋。她不想走大路,因?yàn)椴幌肱龅饺魏嗡煞虻呐笥?。于是她牽了農(nóng)場(chǎng)上一匹健壯的馬,翻山越嶺朝西而去。

拖著一條幾乎殘廢的胳膊騎馬趕路,她有點(diǎn)兒擔(dān)心,好在這匹馬溫順,走得也慢,不難駕馭。馬兒馱著她跋山涉水,穿過樹林,一直朝西走。

太陽慢慢地從天空落了下去,快到八點(diǎn)的時(shí)候,格特魯?shù)略谝蛔降纳巾斏宰魍P?。這是到達(dá)鎮(zhèn)子前的最后一個(gè)山頭,她能看到山下卡斯特橋鎮(zhèn)上房子的屋頂了。在鎮(zhèn)子盡頭的山上,有一座很大的建筑,屋頂是白色的。她知道這就是監(jiān)獄。她還看到屋頂上有好多工人。

“他們?cè)谧鍪裁??”她想,“在屋頂上把什么東西豎起來……??!”

她突然明白過來,于是立刻把目光轉(zhuǎn)向了別處。這是個(gè)溫暖的夏夜,她卻冷得發(fā)抖。

“明天他們就要在屋頂上絞死一個(gè)人?!彼?,“他死了以后……”

她又打了個(gè)寒戰(zhàn)。但轉(zhuǎn)念想起丈夫冷漠的話語和沒有笑容的面孔,她又繼續(xù)騎著馬朝鎮(zhèn)上走去。

她先是找了間過夜的屋子,然后出門去了鎮(zhèn)上。

“我現(xiàn)在該做什么?”她想,“我明天怎么才能進(jìn)到監(jiān)獄里面?我要去找誰說?是監(jiān)獄里的人,還是執(zhí)行絞刑的劊子手?”

她不敢去監(jiān)獄,只好去找劊子手。鎮(zhèn)子里的一個(gè)男孩告訴她,劊子手在河的下游有座房子。

找到房子之后,她在外面站了幾分鐘,不敢去敲門。這時(shí),門開了,一個(gè)男人走了出來。

“你是誰?”他喊道,“你想干什么?”

“我想跟您談幾句話?!?/p>

男人來到她跟前,看著她?!斑恚诲e(cuò),好漂亮的臉蛋兒?!彼f,“進(jìn)來吧!”

他們進(jìn)到屋內(nèi)。戴維斯(這是男人的名字)有些日子做劊子手,其他時(shí)候則是個(gè)園丁。

“是園藝活兒?jiǎn)幔俊彼麊柛裉佤數(shù)?,“我明天做不了,因?yàn)榈媒o監(jiān)獄干活兒?!?/p>

“是,是,我知道。這正是我來這兒的原因?!?/p>

“??!我猜就是這樣。那個(gè)可憐的家伙是你的家人?大概是你弟弟吧?不對(duì),”戴維斯看著格特魯?shù)碌娜棺印皯?yīng)該不是你弟弟。他是你農(nóng)場(chǎng)上的工人吧?”

“不是。絞刑什么時(shí)候執(zhí)行?”

“跟平常一樣——十二點(diǎn)鐘。”

“那……那是會(huì)執(zhí)行了,對(duì)嗎?”

“哦,是的?,F(xiàn)在沒有什么能阻止這次行刑了?!贝骶S斯說,“不過我倒是替那個(gè)年輕人難過,真心難過。他才十八歲。他們說他是縱火犯,我看倒是不見得?;鹬饋淼臅r(shí)候他是在那兒,可還有另外二十個(gè)人也在那兒啊。他們?cè)趺粗朗钦l放的火呢?我猜他們就是為了要絞死個(gè)人……管他是誰。對(duì)了,我能為你做點(diǎn)兒什么呢,美人兒?”

“我需要一個(gè)秘方,”格特魯?shù)抡f,“一個(gè)解除咒語的秘方。一位大師告訴我要找個(gè)剛絞死的人,這樣——這樣就能流轉(zhuǎn)血脈……”

“哦,對(duì)啊,小姐!現(xiàn)在我明白了。有時(shí)是有些人會(huì)為這事而來。不過還沒有像你這么漂亮的。好吧,好吧。這個(gè)秘方是要治什么?”

“治這個(gè)?!备裉佤?shù)侣冻鲎蟾觳病?/p>

“?。∥s成這樣了?!眲W邮挚粗觳舱f。

“是啊?!彼f。

“沒錯(cuò),絞刑犯的脖子是治這個(gè)的最好辦法?!彼f,“你的大師說得對(duì)。”

“那您能幫我嗎?”格特魯?shù)滦÷晢枴?/p>

“病人通常要到監(jiān)獄去,還要帶著他們的大夫,報(bào)上名字和地址……不過沒關(guān)系,我能幫你——只要你給點(diǎn)兒錢?!?/p>

“哦,謝謝您!”格特魯?shù)抡f,“這樣更好。我不想讓別人知道這件事?!?/p>

“不想讓你的情人知道,是嗎?”

“不——是丈夫?!?/p>

“啊哈!好吧。可以讓你摸那具尸體?!?/p>

“它現(xiàn)在在哪兒?”她顫抖著問。

“它?——你說的是他吧。他今兒晚上還活著,就在監(jiān)獄頂層的一個(gè)小監(jiān)房里面。”

“我明天要怎么做?”格特魯?shù)聠枴?/p>

“監(jiān)獄后面有扇小門。一點(diǎn)鐘的時(shí)候等在那里,別來晚了。我從里面把門打開,等他們把尸體抬回來,我就把你帶過去。晚安。別來晚了。不想讓別人看見你,就把臉遮上吧。晚安,我的美人兒!”

格特魯?shù)码x開之后,走到小山上的監(jiān)獄跟前。她想找到監(jiān)獄后面那扇小門,好知道明天怎么走。隨后,她下山回到了鎮(zhèn)子里自己的房間,等待著早晨的到來。

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