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蛇蝎美人(杰克·伦敦短篇小说集1)(外研社双语读库)
杰克·伦敦 |
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本书由外研社授权掌阅科技电子版制作与发行
版权所有 · 侵权必究 |
Though dim night—lights burned, she moved familiarly through the big rooms and wide halls, seeking vainly the half—finished book of verse she had mislaid and only now remembered. When she turned on the lights in the drawing—room, she disclosed herself clad in a sweeping negligee gown of soft rose—colored stuff, throat and shoulders smothered in lace. Her rings were still on her fingers, her massed yellow hair had not yet been taken down. She was delicately, gracefully beautiful, with slender, oval face, red lips, a faint color in the cheeks, and blue eyes of the chameleon sort that at will stare wide with the innocence of childhood, go hard and gray and brilliantly cold, or flame up in hot wilfulness and mastery.
尽管夜明灯发出微弱的光，她还是熟悉地穿过大大的房间和宽敞的走廊，徒劳地寻找她写到一半的诗歌集子，她之前不知道随手放哪儿了，现在刚刚想起来找。她打开客厅的灯，灯光下可以看到她身穿一件拖曳的长睡衣；睡衣是柔和的玫瑰色，颈前和两肩处的蕾丝让她透不过气来。她的戒指还戴在手指上，扎上去的一头黄发还没有披散下来。她清秀优雅，十分美丽，细长的鹅蛋脸上有两片朱唇，脸颊上泛着淡淡的红晕。一双蓝眼睛像变色龙一样随意变化，有时瞪得大大的，充满了孩童的无邪，有时变得锐利灰暗，闪耀着冷峻的目光，在狂热、固执和掌控一切时，目光还会变得如烈焰般火红。
She turned the lights off and passed out and down the hall toward the morning room. At the entrance she paused and listened. From farther on had come, not a noise, but an impression of movement. She could have sworn she had not heard anything, yet something had been different. The atmosphere of night quietude had been disturbed. She wondered what servant could be prowling about. Not the butler, who was notorious for retiring early save on special occasion. Nor could it be her maid, whom she had permitted to go that evening.
她关上灯，走出房间，沿着走廊向晨室走去。走到门口，她停住脚步留神听了听。远处有声音传来，但不是喧闹声，像是有人在活动。她本来可以确信自己什么都没听到，但这次有些不寻常之处。夜晚宁静的气氛被扰乱了。她在想是哪个仆人在鬼鬼祟祟地来回走动。不是那个男管家，众所周知，除了特殊的场合，他总是老早就睡了。也不可能是她的女仆，她已经批准女仆当晚外出了。
Passing on to the dining—room, she found the door closed. Why she opened it and went on in, she did not know, except for the feeling that the disturbing factor, whatever it might be, was there. The room was in darkness, and she felt her way to the button and pressed. As the blaze of light flashed on, she stepped back and cried out. It was a mere "Oh! " and it was not loud.
她继续往餐厅走去，发现门锁着。她不知道自己为什么要打开门继续往里走，只是感觉那扰人的东西就在那儿，不管是什么。房间里一片漆黑，她摸索着找到了灯开关，按了下去。一道强光闪过，她后退了几步，大叫了一声。只是一声 “哦！” ，声音不大。
Facing her, alongside the button, flat against the wall, was a man. In his hand, pointed toward her, was a revolver. She noticed, even in the shock of seeing him, that the weapon was black and exceedingly long—barreled. She knew black and exceedingly long it for what it was, a Colt's. He was a medium—sized man, roughly clad, brown—eyed, and swarthy with sunburn. He seemed very cool. There was no wabble to the revolver and it was directed toward her stomach, not from an outstretched arm, but from the hip, against which the forearm rested.
在她面前，开关旁边，有个男人正贴墙站着。他手里拿着一把左轮手枪，指向她。尽管还处于看到他的震惊之中，她还是注意到这把枪是黑色的，并且枪筒非常长。她知道黑色和非常长的枪筒代表着什么，这是把柯尔特枪。他是个身材中等的男子，穿着粗陋；眼睛是棕色的，皮肤被太阳晒得黝黑。他看上去非常镇静。左轮手枪没有丝毫晃动，正指向她的腹部，不过不是从伸出手臂的方向，而是从胯骨那儿，他的前臂就抵在那里。
"Oh, " she said. "I beg your pardon. You startled me. What do you want? "
“哦，” 她说， “请见谅，你吓到我了。你想要什么？”
"I reckon I want to get out, " he answered, with a humorous twitch to the lips. "I've kind of lost my way in this here shebang, and if you'll kindly show me the door I'll cause no trouble and sure vamoose. "
“我想要出去，” 他回答说，嘴唇滑稽地抽动了一下， “我在这屋子里有点儿迷路了，你要是好心告诉我门在哪儿，我就不惹什么麻烦，保证马上走人。”
"But what are you doing here? " she demanded, her voice touched with the sharpness of one used to authority.
“但是，你在这儿做什么？” 她质问道，她的嗓音略带些权威人士惯有的尖厉。
"Plain robbing, Miss, that's all. I came snooping around to see what I could gather up. I thought you wan't to home, seein 'as I saw you pull out with your old man in an auto. I reckon that must a ben your pa, and you're Miss Setliffe. "
“只是抢劫，小姐，仅此而已。我来窥探看看能搜罗到什么。我以为你不会回家了，因为我看见你开车和你家老头子出去了。我猜那肯定是你父亲，而你就是赛特利夫小姐。”
Mrs. Setliffe saw his mistake, appreciated the naive compliment, and decided not to undeceive him.
赛特利夫夫人意识到他的错误，却很感激他这缺乏判断力的恭维，于是决定不让他知道真相。
"How do you know I am Miss Setliffe? " she asked.
“你怎么知道我是赛特利夫小姐？” 她问道。
"This is old Setliffe's house, ain't it? "
“这是老赛特利夫的房子，不是吗？”
She nodded.
她点点头。
"I didn't know he had a daughter, but I reckon you must be her. And now, if it ain't botherin 'you too much, I'd sure be obliged if you'd show me the way out. "
“我以前不知道他有个女儿，但我猜你就是她了。那么，如果不太麻烦的话，你要是能给我指指出去的路我会感激不尽的。”
"But why should I? You are a robber, a burglar. "
“可我为什么要这么做？你是个强盗，是个窃贼。”
"If I wan't an ornery shorthorn at the business, I'd be accumulatin't hem rings on your fingers instead of being polite, " he retorted.
“如果我不是个干这事的普通新手，现在我就在一个个地摘你手指上的戒指了，而不会这样客气。” 他反驳说。
"I come to make a raise outa old Setliffe, and not to be robbing women—folks. If you get outa the way, I reckon I can find my own way out. "
“我来是想从老赛特利夫捞一笔的，不是来抢劫女士的。你要是让开，我想我能找到出去的路。”
Mrs. Setliffe was a keen woman, and she felt that from such a man there was little to fear. That he was not a typical criminal, she was certain. From his speech she knew he was not of the cities, and she seemed to sense the wider, homelier air of large spaces.
赛特利夫夫人是个敏锐的女人，她感觉这样一个人没什么可怕的。她确定他不是典型的罪犯。从他的说法方式上她了解到他不是城里人，而且她似乎感觉到了大空间的那种更广阔和朴实的气息。
"Suppose I screamed? " she queried curiously. "Suppose I made an outcry for help? You couldn't shoot mea woman? "
“假设我刚才尖叫了呢？” 她好奇地问， “要是我刚才大叫着求救呢？你也不会对我开枪吗？一个女人？”
She noted the fleeting bafflement in his brown eyes. He answered slowly and thoughtfully, as if working out a difficult problem. "I reckon, then, I'd have to choke you and maul you some bad. "
她注意到他棕色的眼睛里闪过一丝困惑。他沉思着慢慢回答，好像在解答一道难题， “我想，那么，我会掐住你的脖子，粗鲁地对待你。”
"A woman? "
“一个女人？”
"I'd sure have to, " he answered, and she saw his mouth set grimly.
“我确定我是不得不这样做。” 他回答道，她看见他嘴巴坚决冷酷的样子。
"You're only a soft woman, but you see, Miss, I can't afford to go to jail. No, Miss, I sure can't. There's a friend of mine waitin 'for me out West. He's in a hole, and I've got to help him out. " The mouth shaped even more grimly. I guess I could choke you without hurting you much to speak of.
“你只是一个柔弱的女人，可你看，小姐，我可蹲不起监狱。是的，小姐，我确定我蹲不起监狱。有个朋友在西部等我。他正身处困境，而我得帮他脱离困境。” 他嘴巴的样子更加坚决冷酷。 “我想我会掐住你的脖子，但不会让你受什么大的伤害。”
Her eyes took on a baby stare of innocent incredulity as she watched him.
她望着他，眼神就像个婴儿一样，带着一种天真的怀疑。
"I never met a burglar before, " she assured him, "and I can't begin to tell you how interested I am. "
“我以前从没遇到过窃贼，” 她向他保证说， “我不知该如何告诉你我有多感兴趣。”
"I 'm not a burglar, Miss. Not a real one, " he hastened to add as she looked her amused unbelief. It looks like it, me being here in your house. But it's the first time I ever tackled such a job. I needed the money bad. Besides, I kind of look on it like collecting what's coming to me.
“我不是个窃贼，小姐，不是个真正的窃贼。” 他赶紧补充说，因为她似乎觉得很好笑，一脸怀疑的表情。 “看上去是这样，我在你的房子里。但这是我第一次干这种事。我非常需要那笔钱。而且，这对我来说也就是搜罗属于我的东西。”
"I don't understand, " she smiled encouragingly. "You came here to rob, and to rob is to take what is not yours. "
“我不懂，” 她鼓励地笑着说道， “你来这儿抢劫，而抢劫就是要带走不属于你的东西。”
"Yes, and no, in this here particular case. But I reckon I'd better be going now. "
“在这种特殊情况下，是这样、也不是这样的。但我想我现在最好离开。”
He started for the door of the dining—room, but she interposed, and a very beautiful obstacle she made of herself. His left hand went out as if to grip her, then hesitated. He was patently awed by her soft womanhood.
他动身走向餐厅的门，可她却挡在他前面，构成了一个美丽的障碍物。他左手伸出去像是要抓住她，然后又犹豫了。他显然是为她温柔的女性气质折服了。
"There! " she cried triumphantly. "I knew you wouldn't. "
“瞧！” 她得意地大叫道， “我就知道你不会那么做的。”
The man was embarrassed.
这个男人有些局促不安。
"I ain't never manhandled a woman yet, " he explained, "and it don't come easy. But I sure will, if you set to screaming. "
“我从未粗鲁地对待过一位女士，” 他解释说， “要我那样做并不容易。可要是你开始尖叫的话，我肯定会那么做的。”
"Won't you stay a few minutes and talk? " she urged. "I 'm so interested. I should like to hear you explain how burglary is collecting what is coming to you. "
“你不愿意呆几分钟聊一会儿吗？” 她劝说道， “我很感兴趣。我愿意听你解释一下入室盗窃为什么就是搜罗属于你的东西。”
He looked at her admiringly.
他钦佩地看着她。
"I always thought women—folks were scairt of robbers, " he confessed. "But you don't seem none. "
“我总以为女人们害怕强盗，” 他坦承说， “可你看起来一点儿都不怕。”
She laughed gaily.
她欢快地笑起来。
"There are robbers and robbers, you know. I am not afraid of you, because I am confident you are not the sort of creature that would harm a woman. Come, talk with me a while. Nobody will disturb us. I am all alone. My—father caught the night train to New York. The servants are all asleep. I should like to give you something to eat—women always prepare midnight suppers for the burglars they catch, at least they do in the magazine stories. But I don't know where to find the food. Perhaps you will have something to drink? "
“强盗也有不同，你知道。我不害怕你，因为我相信你不是会伤害女人的那种家伙。来，跟我聊会儿吧。没有人会打扰我们，就我一个人。我的——父亲乘夜车去纽约了。仆人们都在睡觉。我想给你找点儿东西吃——女人们总是为她们半夜撞见的窃贼准备晚餐，至少在杂志故事里是这样的。但我不知道去哪儿找吃的。或许你要喝点什么？”
He hesitated, and did not reply; but she could see the admiration for her growing in his eyes.
他犹豫了一下，没有回答，可她能从他的眼睛里看出他对她的钦佩。
"You're not afraid? " she queried. "I won't poison you, I promise. I'll drink with you to show you it is all right. "
“你不害怕吧？” 她问道， “我不会给你下毒的，我保证。我和你一起喝，证明给你看它没毒。”
"You sure are a surprise package of all right, " he declared, for the first time lowering the weapon and letting it hang at his side. "No one don't need to tell me ever again that women—folks in cities is afraid. You ain't much—just a little soft pretty thing. But you've sure got the spunk. And you're trustful on top of it. There ain't many women, or men either. who'd treat a man with a gun the way you're treating me. "
“你确实是个惊喜，” 他断言，并且第一次放低了武器，把枪挂在了一侧。 “任何人都不需要再告诉我城里的女人会害怕了。你算不了什么——只是个柔弱漂亮的小家伙。但你确实有胆量。另外，你还很值得信任。这样的女人和男人都很少了。谁会像你这样对待一个带着枪的男人呢。”
She smiled her pleasure in the compliment, and her face, was very earnest as she said:
听了这番赞美，她开心地笑了，并且一脸认真地说道：
"That is because I like your appearance. You are too decent—looking a man to be a robber. You oughtn't to do such things. If you are in bad luck you should go to work. Come, put away that nasty revolver and let us talk it over. The thing for you to do is to work. "
“那是因为我喜欢你的样子。你样子很体面，不像是个强盗。你不应该干这些行当。要是你运气不好，应该去工作的。来，收起那把讨厌的左轮手枪把，我们来聊聊。适合你的行当是去工作。”
"Not in this burg, " he commented bitterly. "I've walked two inches off the bottom of my legs trying to find a job. Honest, I was a fine large man oncebefore I started looking for a job. "
“不是在这个城市，” 他愤愤地评说道， “为了找工作，我把腿都跑掉两英寸了。老实说，我曾是个优秀的大个子男人在我开始找工作之前。”
The merry laughter with which she greeted his sally obviously pleased him, and she was quick to note and take advantage of it. She moved directly away from the door and toward the sideboard.
听了他的这番俏皮话，她欢快地笑了起来，这显然让他很高兴，而她很快注意到了这一点并趁机利用。她从门口径直走向餐具柜。
"Come, you must tell me all about it while I get that drink for you. What will it be? Whisky? "
“来，你得全部都告诉我，我去给你拿喝的。要喝什么？威士忌？”
"Yes, ma 'am, " he said, as he followed her, though he still carried the big revolver at his side, and though he glanced reluctantly at the unguarded open door.
“好的，女士。” 他接着她的话说道，尽管仍拿着那把大左轮手枪放在身侧，尽管他不情愿地看了看那敞开的无人看守的门。
She filled a glass for him at the sideboard.
她在餐具柜旁给他倒满了一杯酒。
"I promised to drink with you, " she said hesitatingly. "But I don't like whisky. II prefer sherry. "
“我说过要和你一起喝的，” 她犹豫着说道， “但是我不喜欢威士忌，我我更喜欢雪利酒。”
She lifted the sherry bottle tentatively for his consent.
她试探性地拿起雪利酒的瓶子，看他同不同意。
"Sure, " he answered, with a nod. "Whisky's a man's drink. I never like to see women at it. Wine's more their stuff. "
“当然。” 他点了下头，回答说， “威士忌是男人喝的，我从不喜欢看见女人沾它。葡萄酒更适合她们。”
She raised her glass to his, her eyes meltingly sympathetic.
她向他举起酒杯，眼神温柔，充满同情。
"Here's to finding you a good position—"
“给你找个好职位——”
But she broke off at sight of the expression of surprised disgust on his face. The glass, barely touched, was removed from his wry lips.
但看到他一脸惊讶和嫌恶的表情，她突然住口了。他没怎么碰这酒杯，就把酒杯从他扭歪的唇边移走了。
"What is the matter! " she asked anxiously. "Don't you like it? Have I made a mistake? "
“怎么了！” 她焦虑地问道， “你不喜欢？我做错什么了吗？”
"It's sure funny whisky. Tastes like it got burned and smoked in the making. "
“这威士忌真是古怪。尝起来，它像是经过烟熏火烧而成的。”
"Oh! How silly of me! I gave you Scotch. Of course you are accustomed to rye. Let me change it. "
“哦！我真糊涂！我给你的是苏格兰威士忌，你当然是习惯喝黑麦威士忌。让我换一下。”
She was almost solicitiously maternal, as she replaced the glass with another and sought and found the proper bottle.
她换了个杯子，又找到那瓶对的酒，几乎像个母亲一样关切。
"Better? " she asked.
“好点儿吗？” 她问。
"Yes, ma 'am. No smoke in it. It's sure the real good stuff. I ain't had a drink in a week. Kind of slick, that; oily, you know; not made in a chemical factory. "
“是的，女士。没有烟味在里面，肯定是真正的好东西。我都一周没喝酒了。有些顺滑、油腻，你知道的。不是化工厂产的。”
"You are a drinking man? " It was half a question, half a challenge.
“你酗酒？” 这既是个问题，又是种质疑。
"No, ma 'am, not to speak of. I HAVE rared up and ripsnorted at spells, but most unfrequent. But there is times when a good stiff jolt lands on the right spot kerchunk, and this is sure one of them. And now, thanking you for your kindness, ma' am, I'll just be a pulling along. "
“不，女士，说不上。我耍过酒疯，大嚷大叫地骂过人，不过这种情况很少发生。但有时晴天霹雳从天而降的时候，就肯定会发生这种情况了。那么，谢谢你的好意，女士，我要离开了。”
But Mrs. Setliffe did not want to lose her burglar. She was too poised a woman to possess much romance, but there was a thrill about the present situation that delighted her. Besides, she knew there was no danger. The man, despite his jaw and the steady brown eyes, was eminently tractable. Also, farther back in her consciousness glimmered the thought of an audience of admiring friends. It was too bad not to have that audience.
但赛特利夫夫人不想失去她的窃贼。她一向太过镇定，缺乏浪漫的情怀，但此时的情景让她一阵激动，她为此感到高兴。另外，她知道没有危险。且不论他的下巴和目光坚定的棕色眼睛，他这个人还是非常温顺的。而且，她意识深处也隐约想要有个钦佩她的朋友来当听众。要是没有那个听众就太糟糕了。
"You haven't explained how burglary, in your case, is merely collecting what is your own, " she said. "Come, sit down, and tell me about it here at the table. "
“你还没解释一下为什么在你这种情况下，入室行窃只是搜罗属于你自己的东西呢。” 她说， “来，坐下，坐在这桌子旁告诉我。”
She maneuvered for her own seat, and placed him across the corner from her. His alertness had not deserted him, as she noted, and his eyes roved sharply about, returning always with smoldering admiration to hers, but never resting long. And she noted likewise that while she spoke he was intent on listening for other sounds than those of her voice. Nor had he relinquished the revolver, which lay at the corner of the table between them, the butt close to his right hand.
她调整了自己的座位，让他坐在自己的对角。正如她注意到的，他仍旧保持着警觉，眼睛锐利地环视四周，目光最后总会和她的交汇，透着难以抑制的钦佩之情，但从来不会久留。她也注意到在她说话时，他是在专注地听其他的声音，而不是她的话。他也没有丢下左轮手枪，而是把它放在他俩之间的桌角上，枪柄就在他的右手边。
But he was in a new habitat which he did not know. This man from the West, cunning in woodcraft and plainscraft, with eyes and ears open, tense and suspicious, did not know that under the table, close to her foot, was the push button of an electric bell. He had never heard of such a contrivance, and his keenness and wariness went for naught.
但是他是在一个他不了解的新环境中。这个来自西部的男人精通在森林和平原生存的知识。他睁大眼睛、竖起耳朵，紧张又多疑，却不知道在桌子下面靠近她脚的地方有一个电铃的按钮。他从没听说过这样的装置，再敏锐和警惕都是徒劳。
"It's like this, Miss, " he began, in response to her urging. "Old Setliffe done me up in a little deal once. It was raw, but it worked. Anything will work full and legal when it's got few hundred million behind it. I 'm not squealin, and I ain't taking a slam at your pa. He don't know me from Adam, and I reckon he don't know he done me outa anything. He's too big, thinking and dealing in millions, to ever hear of a small potato like me. He's an operator. He's got all kinds of experts thinking and planning and working for him, some of them, I hear, getting more cash salary than the President of the United States. I' m only one of thousands that have been done up by your pa, that's all.
“是这样的，小姐，” 他回应了她的迫切要求， “老赛特利夫曾经在一次小生意中把我搞垮了。手段卑鄙，却奏效了。只要花上几千万，什么事都能办得圆满合法。我不是在抱怨，也不是在抨击你爸爸。他根本不知道我是谁，我猜他都不知道他把我整得一无所有。他太成功了，想的做的都是上百万的生意，是不会听说过我这么一个小人物的。他是个经营者。他有各类专家为他谋划和工作，我听说有些专家赚的工资比美国总统还多。我只是被你爸爸搞垮的数千人中的一个，就这样而已。”
"You see, ma 'am, I had a little hole in the ground—a dinky, hydraulic, one—horse outfit of a mine. And when the Setliffe crowd shook down Idaho, and reorganized the smelter trust, and roped in the rest of the landscape, and put through the big hydraulic scheme at Twin Pines, why I sure got squeezed. I never had a run for my money. I was scratched off the card before the first heat. And so, to—night, being broke and my friend needing me bad, I just dropped around to make a raise outa your pa. Seeing as I needed it, it kinda was coming to me. "
“你看，女士，我本来有个小小的安身之处——我有一家小型水利公司。后来赛特利夫一群人在爱达荷州落住脚，他们重组了冶炼厂托拉斯，拉拢了这片土地上的其他人，完成了在特温派恩斯的水利项目，所以我肯定得被压榨。我从没追讨过我的钱。第一次重组前，我就在名单上被抹去了。所以今晚，因为自己破产了，而且朋友也很需要我，我就来串一下门，从你爸爸这儿弄点儿钱。鉴于我需要它，那么它就算是属于我的了。”
"Granting all that you say is so, " she said, "nevertheless it does not make house—breaking any the less house—breaking. You couldn't make such a defense in a court of law. "
“姑且承认你说的都是真的，” 她说， “不过入室抢劫就是入室抢劫。你不能在法庭上这样辩护。”
"I know that, " he confessed meekly. "What's right ain't always legal. And that's why I am so uncomfortable a—settin 'here and talking with you. Not that I ain't enjoying your company—I sure do enjoy it—but I just can't afford to be caught. I know what they'd do to me in this here city. There was a young fellow that got fifty years only last week for holding a man up on the street for two dollars and eighty—five cents. I read about it in the paper. When times is hard and they ain't no work, men get desperate. And then the other men who've got something to be robbed of get desperate, too, and they just sure soak it to the other fellows. If I got caught, I reckon I wouldn't get a mite less than ten years. That's why I' m hankering to be on my way. "