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远大前程(外研社双语读库)
查尔斯·狄更斯 |
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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 |
My father's family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip.
我父亲姓皮利普，我的教名是菲利普。然而在我年幼时，对于这两个名字的音，我却只能发出 “皮普” ，再长或是再清晰一点，我都无法做到。因此，我就叫我自己皮普，最后人们也就都叫我皮普了。
I give Pirrip as my father's family name, on the authority of his tombstone and my sister—Mrs. Joe Gregory, who married the blacksmith. As I never saw my father or my mother, and never saw any likeness of either of them (for their days were long before the days of photographs), my first fancies regarding what they were like, were unreasonably derived from their tombstones. The shape of the letters on my father's, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair. From the character and turn of the inscription, 'ALSO GEORGIANA WIFE OF THE ABOVE, ' I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly. To five little stone lozenges, each about a foot and a half long, which were arranged in a neat row beside their grave, and were sacred to the memory of five little brothers of mine— who gave up trying to get a living, exceedingly early in that universal struggle—I am indebted for a belief I religiously entertained that they had all been born on their backs with their hands in their trousers—pockets, and had never taken them out in this state of existence.
我说我父亲姓皮利普是有根据的，一来父亲的墓碑上是这么刻的，二来我的姐姐——乔•格雷戈里太太也是这么说的。我姐姐她嫁给了铁匠乔•格雷戈里。因为我没有见过我的父母亲，也没有看到过他们任何一位的相片（因为他们那个时代距照相发明的时代还远着呢），所以我最初对他们长相的想象还是毫无根据地基于他们墓碑上字体的形状而来的。我父亲墓碑上字母的形状让我对他产生一个奇怪的想法——他是个方方正正、强壮结实、皮肤黝黑的男人，还有一头黑色的卷发。而根据碑文那几个字—— “及上述者之妻乔治亚娜” 的笔体和写法, 我得出了一个很幼稚的结论：我的母亲脸上有雀斑，而且体弱多病。在我父母亲的坟墓旁，整整齐齐地排列着五座小小的菱形墓碑。每一座都大概有一英尺半那么高，这是用来纪念我五位小兄长的墓碑。他们五位早早地便放弃了世人为了生存而进行的奋斗——怀着一种宗教般的信念，我坚信他们出生时都是面朝天，两手插在裤袋里，而且永远没有拿出来过，就像现在一样。
Ours was the marsh country, down by the river, within, as the river wound, twenty miles of the sea. My first most vivid and broad impression of the identity of things seems to me to have been gained on a memorable raw afternoon towards evening. At such a time I found out for certain, that this bleak place overgrown with nettles was the churchyard; and that Philip Pirrip, late of this parish, and also Georgiana wife of the above, were dead and buried; and that Alexander, Bartholomew, Abraham, Tobias, and Roger, infant children of the aforesaid, were also dead and buried; and that the dark flat wilderness beyond the churchyard, intersected with dykes and mounds and gates, with scattered cattle feeding on it, was the marshes; and that the low leaden line beyond, was the river; and that the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing, was the sea; and that the small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry, was Pip.
我们家住在河边，位于一片乡村沼泽地区。小河蜿蜒而下，在距此不到二十英里处注入大海。似乎是在一个难忘的、阴冷的傍晚，我才第一次对周遭事物的特征有了生动而全面的印象。那时我才确切地发现，这个荨麻丛生的惨淡之地正是教堂墓地；已故的本教区居民菲利普•皮利普及其亡妻乔治亚娜都埋葬在此处；而他们年幼的孩子们，亚历山大、巴塞洛缪、亚伯拉罕、托拜厄斯和罗杰，也都已经故去并埋葬于此。我才明白，在墓地之外的那片幽暗而平坦的荒芜之地是沼泽。那里交错分布着沟渠、土堤和闸门，还有零星的牛群在四处觅食；远处那条低洼的、深灰色的线正是那条河流；更远处那荒芜的洞穴就是大海，风从那里不断地吹来；而那个因为惧怕这一切而浑身发抖，并哇哇大哭起来的小孩子正是我，皮普。
"Hold your noise! " cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the graves at the side of the church porch. "Keep still, you little devil, or I'll cut your throat! "
“别吵了！” 一个恐怖的声音吼道，这时一个男人从教堂门廊旁边的坟墓堆中蹿了出来。 “消停点，你这个小鬼！不然我就割破你的喉咙！”
A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.
这是个让人不寒而栗的男人。他全身上下穿着粗糙的灰布衣服，腿上绑着一条大铁镣。他没有戴帽子，只是在头上裹了一圈破布，脚上穿着一双破旧的鞋。他曾在水中浸泡过，在泥潭中挣扎过。他的腿被石头弄伤，成了跛子，身上也被火石割破，被荨麻刺到，被荆棘划伤。他一瘸一拐地走着，全身发抖，瞪大眼睛怒吼着。当他一把抓住我的下巴时，他的牙齿还在打战。
"O! Don't cut my throat, sir, " I pleaded in terror. "Pray don't do it, sir. "
“噢！请不要割破我的喉咙，先生。” 我哀求着，声音里充满了恐惧。 “先生，求求您不要这么做。”
"Tell us your name! " said the man.
“告诉我们你的名字。” 那个男人说，
"Quick! "
“快说！”
"Pip, sir. "
“皮普，先生。”
"Once more, " said the man, staring at me. "Give it mouth! "
“再说一遍。” 那人两眼盯着我说道， “张开嘴，说清楚一点！”
"Pip. Pip, sir. "
“皮普。是皮普，先生。”
"Show us where you live, " said the man. "Pint out the place! "
“告诉我们你住在哪里。” 那个人说， “把那个地方指给我看！”
I pointed to where our village lay, on the flat in—shore among the alder—trees and pollards, a mile or more from the church.
我把我们村子的位置指给他看。就是那片海岸旁的平地，周围是一片赤杨树和修剪过的树丛，离教堂大概有一英里多远。
The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread. When the church came to itself—for he was so sudden and strong that he made it go head over heels before me, and I saw the steeple under my feet—when the church came to itself, I say, I was seated on a high tombstone, trembling, while he ate the bread ravenously.
那个人打量了我一会儿，然后把我头朝下倒拎了起来，把我口袋里的东西都倒空了。然而，我口袋里除了一片面包外，就什么都没有了。当教堂在我眼前恢复原态时——因为他刚才的动作太猛、太突然，把我头朝下调了个个，我看到塔尖到了我的脚底下——总之，就像我说的那样，当教堂在我的眼前恢复原态时，我正坐在一块高高的墓碑上，全身哆嗦着，而他却在大口大口地嚼着面包。
"You young dog, " said the man, licking his lips, "what fat cheeks you have got. "
“你这只小狗。” 他边舔着嘴唇边说， “你看看你的脸蛋多胖啊。”
I believe they were fat, though I was at that time undersized for my years, and not strong.
我也觉得我的脸蛋是挺胖的，虽然对于我这个年龄来说，我的个头有点矮小，身体也算不上强壮。
"Darn me if I couldn't eat 'em, " said the man, with a threatening shake of his head, and if I haven't half a mind to't!
“我要吃不了它们才怪呢，妈的。” 他又说，脑袋还威胁似的一晃, “我真想吃了它们！”
I earnestly expressed my hope that he wouldn't, and held tighter to the tombstone on which he had put me; partly, to keep myself upon it; partly, to keep myself from crying.
我急忙诚恳地希望他千万不要那么做，同时将他把我按上去的那块墓碑抓得更紧了，一方面是想坐得更稳一些，另一方面是为了让自己不哭出来。
"Now looked here! " said the man. "Where's your mother? "
“现在听我说！” 他说， “你母亲在哪里？”
"There, sir! " said I.
“在那里，先生！” 我回答。
He started, made a short run, and stopped and looked over his shoulder.
他吃了一惊，然后拔腿就跑，跑了几步又停了下来，回头看了看。
"There, sir! " I timidly explained. "Also Georgiana. That's my mother. "
“在那里，先生！” 我小心地解释道， “也就是乔治亚娜。那就是我母亲。”
"Oh! " said he, coming back. "And is that your father a longer your mother? "
“噢！” 他说着又走了回来， “那么，和你母亲葬在一起的是你的父亲？”
"Yes, sir, " said I; "him too; late of this parish. "
“是的，先生。” 我回答， “他也葬在这里，是位已故的本教区居民。”
"Ha! " he muttered then, considering. "Who dye live with—supposing you is kindly let to live, which I hadn't made up my mind about? "
“哈！” 他若有所思地嘟囔着说道， “你和谁一起生活——如果我很仁慈地让你活下去的话。当然，这件事目前我还没有做决定。”
"My sister, sir—Mrs. Joe Gregory—wife of Joe Gregory, the blacksmith, sir.”
“我的姐姐，先生——乔•格雷戈里太太——也就是铁匠乔•格雷戈里的妻子，先生。”
"Blacksmith, eh? " said he. And looked down at his leg.
“铁匠，哦。” 他说着。他同时低下头去看他的腿。
After darkly looking at his leg and me several times, he came closer to my tombstone, took me by both arms, and tilted me back as far as he could hold me; so that his eyes looked most powerfully down into mine, and mine looked most helplessly up into his.
他阴郁地看看他的腿，又看看我。这样看了几次之后，他向我所在的墓碑凑近，抓住我的双臂，尽量把我的身体向后按。这样他就可以用他那咄咄逼人的目光盯着我的眼睛，而我却只能很无助地抬头看着他。
"Now looked here, " he said, 't he question being whether you're to be let to live. You know what a file is? '
“现在，听我说。” 他说， “问题就是我究竟让不让你活下去。你知道什么是锉刀吗？”
"Yes, sir. "
“我知道，先生。”
"And you know what wittles is? "
“你知道什么是食物吗？”
"Yes, sir. "
“我知道，先生。”
After each question he titled me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger.
每问一个问题，他就把我再往后按一点，好让我感到更加的无助和危险。
"You get me a file. " He tilted me again.
“你给我弄一把锉刀来。” 他又把我往后按了一下。
"And you get me witless. " He tilted me again. "You bring 'em both to me. " He tilted me again. "Or I'll have your heart and liver out. " He tilted me again.
“再给我弄点食物来。” 他又把我往后按。 “这两样东西你都要给我弄来。” 他又把我往后按。 “否则我就把你的心肝都挖出来。” 他再一次把我往后按。
I was dreadfully frightened, and so giddy that I clung to him with both hands, and said, "If you would kindly please to let me keep upright, sir, perhaps I shouldn't be sick, and perhaps I could attend more. "
我害怕极了，感到头晕目眩。于是我两手紧紧地抓住他，说： “请您发发慈悲，让我的身体直起来吧，先生，这样我可能就不会吐出来了，或许我就能更专心地听您说话了。”
He gave me a most tremendous dip and roll, so that the church jumped over its own weather—cock. Then, he held me by the arms, in an upright position on the top of the stone, and went on in these fearful terms: "You bring me, tomorrow morning early, that file and them witless. You bring the lot to me, at that old Battery over yonder. You do it, and you never dare to say a word or dare to make a sign concerning your having seen such a person as me, or any person sum ever, and you shall be let to live. You fail, or you go from my words in any par tickler, no matter how small it is, and your heart and your liver shall be tore out, roasted and ate. Now, I am not alone, as you may think I am. There's a young man hid with me, in comparison with which young man I am a Angel. That young man hears the words I speak. That young man has a secret way peculiar to himself, of getting at a boy, and at his heart, and at his liver. It is in wan for a boy to attempt to hide himself from that young man. A boy may lock his door, may be warm in bed, may tuck himself up, may draw the clothes over his head, may think he comfortable and safe, but that young man will softly creep and creep his way to him and tear him open. I am a keeping that young man from harming of you at the present moment, with great difficulty. I find it wary hard to hold that young man off of your inside. Now, what do you say? "
他把我使劲一推，让我滚到了地上。这样一来教堂也跳了起来，跳得比屋顶的定风针还要高。之后，他抓着我的双臂，让我直直地坐在墓碑上面，继续他那些令人恐惧的话语： “明天一早，你要给我带来锉刀和吃的。你把这些东西给我带到那边的老炮台去。你帮我办好这些事，但是不能透漏半点风声，不能留下任何痕迹，不能让人知道你曾经见到过我这个人，或见到到任何人。这样的话，我就会让你活命。如果你事情没有办成，或是有哪点和我说的不一样的话，不管是多小的差别，我都会把你的心肝挖出来，烤烤吃了。要知道，我并不是像你想的那样孤身一人。和我一起躲着的还有一个年轻人。跟他比起来，我可就是个天使了。他正在听着我说话呢。他抓小男孩，挖出他们的心肝可有一套独特的秘密法子。任何小男孩都不可能躲开这个年轻人。一个小男孩可以锁上家门，睡在暖和的床上，用被子把自己裹得严严实实的，再用衣服盖在头上。这样他或许觉得自己既舒服又安全，但是那个年轻人会轻轻地爬啊，爬啊，一直爬到小男孩的身边，然后把他撕裂。现在，我费了很大劲，不让那个年轻人来伤害你。不过我发现，很难让他一直远离你。现在，你决定怎么办？”
I said that I would get him the file, and I would get him what broken bits of food I could, and I would come to him at the Battery, early in the morning.
我说我会给他弄到锉刀，并且尽量给他找些吃的，哪怕是残羹剩食。第二天一早我会把东西给他送到炮台那里。
"Say Lord strikes you dead if you don't! " said the man.
“那么你就发誓，要是你不来，就天打雷劈。” 那人说。
I said so, and he took me down.
我照他说的发了誓，然后他就把我从墓碑上放了下来。
"Now, " he pursued, "you remember what you've undertook, and you remember that young man, and you get home! "
“听着，” 他继续说， “你要记得你答应我的事，记得那个年轻人！回家去吧！”
"Goo—good night, sir, " I faltered.
“晚——晚安，先生。” 我支支吾吾地说。
"Much of that! " said he, glancing about him over the cold wet flat. "I wish I was a frog. Or a eel! "
“不要再说了！” 他说道，同时用目光扫视着他周边阴冷、潮湿的沼泽平地。 “真希望我是只青蛙，或是一条泥鳅！”
At the same time, he hugged his shuddering body in both his arms—clasping himself, as if to hold himself together—and limped towards the low church wall. As I saw him go, picking his way among the nettles, and among the brambles that bound the green mounds, he looked in my young eyes as if he were eluding the hands of the dead people, stretching up cautiously out of their graves, to get a twist upon his ankle and pull him in.
说着，他用双臂环抱住自己抖动的身体——紧紧地抱着，仿佛要防止自己散架似的——一瘸一拐地向低矮的教堂围墙走去。我看着他离开，看着他在青青的坟堆中小心翼翼地穿过那一片片荨麻和荆棘。在我年幼的眼中，他仿佛是在躲避那些悄悄从坟墓里伸出来的手，防止它们扭住他的脚踝，把他拖进坟墓里去。
When he came to the low church wall, he got over it, like a man whose legs were numbed and stiff, and then turned round to look for me. When I saw him turning, I set my face towards home, and made the best use of my legs. But presently I looked over my shoulder, and saw him going on again towards the river, still hugging him in both arms, and picking his way with his sore feet among the great stones dropped into the marshes here and there, for stepping—places when the rains were heavy, or the tide was in.
他走到教堂低矮的围墙下，翻了过去。他的两条腿仿佛麻木了一般，僵硬无比。之后他回过头来看了看我。看到他转过了头，我立刻面向回家的方向，以最快的速度朝着家里奔去。但是，过了一会儿，我回过头，看到他又朝着河那边走去，仍旧用两臂紧抱着自己的身体，拖着疼痛的双脚，踏着放在沼泽地里的大石头上前行。那些大石头星罗棋布，是用来在下大雨或涨潮的时候当垫脚石的。
The marshes were just a long black horizontal line then, as I stopped to look after him; and the river were just another horizontal line, not nearly so broad not yet so black; and the sky was just a row of long angry red lines and dense black lines intermixed. On the edge of the river I could faintly make out the only two black things in all the prospect that seemed to be standing upright; one of these was the beacon by which the sailors steered—like an unhooked cask upon a pole—an ugly thing when you were near it; the other a gibbet, with some chains hanging to it which had once held a pirate. The man was limping on towards this latter, as if he were the pirate come to life, and come down, and going back to hook himself up again. It gave me a terrible turn when I thought so; and as I saw the cattle lifting their heads to gaze after him, I wondered whether they thought so too. I looked all round for the horrible young man, and could see no signs of him. But, now I was frightened again, and ran home without stopping.
当我又一次停下来找寻他的身影时，沼泽地仿佛已经变成了一条又黑又长的水平线。而那条河成为了另一条水平线，虽然没有那么宽，也没有那么黑。天空则成了一排由暗红色线条和浓黑色线条交织在一起的长带子。在整个背景中，我只能依稀地分辨出在河流边上两个竖直站立的黑色的东西。一个是水手们用来掌舵的灯塔——仿佛一只脱了钩的桶被挂在杆子上——离得越近越觉得难看。另一个是绞刑架，上面悬着一些铁链，那里曾经绞死过一个海盗。那个人现在正朝着绞刑架一跛一跛地走去，仿佛他就是那个海盗，死而复生，从绞架上下来，又要重新把自己吊上去。这个想法让我觉得非常恐怖。当我看到他身后的牲畜也抬起头凝视着他时，我怀疑它们是不是也是这样想的。我又环视周围，想找到那个恐怖的年轻人，但一点迹象都没有发现。于是，我又吓得要死，一刻不停地跑回了家。