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一位神经质先生所说的奇异故事(外研社双语读库)
华盛顿·欧文 |
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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 |
The Adventure of My Aunt
My aunt was a lady of large frame, strong mind, and great resolution; she was what might be termed a very manly woman. My uncle was a thin, puny little man, very meek and acquiescent, and no match for my aunt. It was observed that he dwindled and dwindled gradually away, from the day of his marriage. His wife's powerful mind was too much for him; it wore him out. My aunt, however, took all possible care of him, had half the doctors in town to prescribe for him, made him take all their prescriptions, willy nilly, and dosed him with physic enough to cure a whole hospital. All was in vain. My uncle grew worse and worse the more dosing and nursing he underwent, until in the end he added another to the long list of matrimonial victims, who have been killed with kindness.
我姨妈是一个身材高挑，意志顽强，很有决断力的女人，她可以称得上是一位有男子气概的女人。而我姨父则身材瘦小，性格温和，事事顺从，和我姨妈一点都不般配。据说，自从他们结婚那天开始，他就变得越来越矮小。他实在受不了妻子的强势，被折磨得精疲力竭。尽管如此，我姨妈却尽其所能地照料他，城里一半的医生都曾给他开过药方；不管他愿不愿意，所有这些药方开出的药，她都叫他吃下去；他吃的药量都足够治好整个医院里的病人了。可一切都是徒劳。我姨父吃的药越多，受到的看护越好，病情越是变得更重，直到最后他死于别人无微不至的照顾，成了众多婚姻牺牲品的又一例。
"And was it his ghost that appeared to her? " asked the inquisitive gentleman, who had questioned the former storyteller.
“是他的鬼魂出现在她面前了吗？” 那个爱打听的先生之前已经问过上一个讲故事的人，现在又发问了。
"You shall hear. " replied the narrator. My aunt took on mightily for the death of her poor dear husband! Perhaps she felt some compunction at having given him so much physic, and nursed him into his grave. At any rate, she did all that a widow could do to honor his memory. She spared no expense in either the quantity or quality of her mourning weeds; she wore a miniature of him about her neck, as large as a little sun dial; and she had a full—length portrait of him always hanging in her bed chamber. All the world extolled her conduct to the skies; and it was determined, that a woman who behaved so well to the memory of one husband, deserved soon to get another.
“你接着听我说。” 讲故事的人回答道。我姨妈因为她那亲爱的可怜丈夫死了，倍感伤心。也许她有些后悔当初让他吃那么多药，以至于把他 “照顾” 到坟墓里去了。无论如何，她极尽一个寡妇所能做的一切去纪念她的丈夫。她置办了丧服，不管在丧服数量上还是质量上都不惜价钱；她在脖子上挂了一个他的小画像，这个画像有小日晷那么大；她还一直在自己的卧房里挂着他全身的肖像画。所有人都夸赞她所做的一切，把她捧上了天，并且有人认为，一个会对前夫如此追忆的女人理应尽快再嫁。
It was not long after this that she went to take up her residence in an old country seat in Derbyshire, which had long been in the care of merely a steward and housekeeper. She took most of her servants with her, intending to make it her principal abode. The house stood in a lonely, wild part of the country among the gray Derbyshire hills; with a murderer hanging in chains on a bleak height in full view.
丧事过了不久，她就在德比郡乡下的一座老别墅里定居下来。那个别墅很长时间以来都只是由一个男管家和一个女管家照看着。她把大部分仆人都带了过去，打算把那里作为她的主要住所。那座别墅位于乡间野外一个偏僻荒凉的地方，周围是德比郡灰蒙蒙的群山，还能看到一个谋杀犯被铁链锁着，孤零零地悬在高处。
The servants from town were half frightened out of their wits, at the idea of living in such a dismal, pagan—looking place; especially when they got together in the servants' hall in the evening, and compared notes on all the hobgoblin stories they had picked up in the course of the day. They were afraid to venture alone about the forlorn black—looking chambers. My ladies' maid, who was troubled with nerves, declared she could never sleep alone in such a "gashly, rummaging old building"; and the footman, who was a kind—hearted young fellow, did all in his power to cheer her up.
来自城里的仆人们一想到要住在这么一个恐怖、未经启蒙的地方，就吓得半死，尤其是晚上当他们在下房里凑到一起，互相讲白天听来的鬼怪故事的时候。他们都害怕单独呆在阴暗荒凉的房间里。我姨妈的女佣人本来就有点神经衰弱，她说她绝不能一个人睡在这样一个 “深邃可怕的老屋” 里；而那个男佣人，他是一个好心的小伙子，用尽全力让她振作起来。
My aunt, herself, seemed to be struck with the lonely appearance of the house. Before she went to bed, therefore, she examined well the fastenings of the doors and windows, locked up the plate with her own hands, and carried the keys, together with a little box of money and jewels, to her own room; for she was a notable woman, and always saw to all things herself. Having put the keys under her pillow, and dismissed her maid, she sat by her toilet arranging her hair; for, being, in spite of her grief for my uncle, rather a buxom widow, she was a little particular about her person. She sat for a little while looking at her face in the glass, first on one side, then on the other, as ladies are apt to do, when they would ascertain if they have been in good looks; for a roystering country squire of the neighborhood, with whom she had flirted when a girl, had called that day to welcome her to the country.
我姨妈本人看见房子这么冷清，似乎也有所触动。因此，在她上床之前，她都要仔细检查门窗是否关紧了，亲手把金属器皿都锁起来，然后拿上钥匙和装着钱和珠宝的小匣子回房间里去；因为她是个善于持家的女人，样样事情她总要亲自处理。她把钥匙放到枕头下面，又把女佣人打发走后，坐到梳妆台前整理头发；虽然她仍为我姨父的死而伤心，但是作为一个丰姿绰约的寡妇，对于自己的容貌她还是有些在意的。她坐在那里看着镜子里的自己，先看看这边，然后再看看另一边，夫人们一般都是这么做，以便确定自己是不是打扮好了；之所以如此打扮是因为那天附近的一位好摆架子的乡绅来拜访了她，目的是欢迎她搬到乡下来住，而这位乡绅曾是她年轻时爱慕的对象。
All of a sudden she thought she heard something move behind her. She Looked hastily round, but there was nothing to be seen. Nothing but the grimly painted portrait of her poor dear man, which had been hung against the wall. She gave a heavy sigh to his memory, as she was accustomed to do, whenever she spoke of him in company; and went on adjusting her nightdress, and thinking of the squire. Her sigh was re—echoed, or answered by a long—drawn breath. She looked round again, but no one was to be seen. She ascribed these sounds to the wind, oozing through the rat holes of the old mansion; and proceeded leisurely to put her hair in papers, when, all at once, she thought she perceived one of the eyes of the portrait move.
突然，她仿佛听到背后有什么在动。她连忙转身，但是什么都没发现。除了挂在墙上的那幅她那可怜的丈夫略带可怕的遗像之外，什么都没有。她重重地叹了一口气来纪念他，就像不论什么时候在人前提起他，她总会叹气一样；然后她又继续整理自己的睡衣，心里想着那个乡绅。她的叹息声回响起来，抑或是一声拉长的呼吸声作为对她叹息的回应。她又转身去看，但还是没看到人。她只当那声音是风穿过这所老屋子的老鼠洞时发出的声音，于是又悠闲地用纸将头发卷起来；这时候，忽然间她觉得她看到遗像有一只眼睛在动。
"The back of her head being towards it! " said the story—teller with the ruined head, giving a knowing wink on the sound side of his visage— "good! "
“她可是后脑勺对着遗像呢！” 那个神经质的讲故事的人说道，完好的那半边脸上给出会心的眼神—— “很好！”
"Yes, sir! " replied drily the narrator, "her back being towards the portrait, but her eye fixed on its reflection in the glass. "
“是的，先生！” 讲故事的人冷淡地回答道， “她是背对着遗像，但她的眼睛却是盯着镜子里的映像的。”
Well, as I was saying, she perceived one of the eyes of the portrait move. So strange a circumstance, as you may well suppose, gave her a sudden shock. To assure herself cautiously of the fact, she put one hand to her forehead, as if rubbing it; peeped through her fingers, and moved the candle with the other hand. The light of the taper gleamed on the eye, and was reflected from it. She was sure it moved. Nay, more, it seemed to give her a wink, as she had sometimes known her husband to do when living! It struck a momentary chill to her heart; for she was a lone woman, and felt herself fearfully situated.
唉，我刚才是说，她看到遗像有一只眼睛在动。你们可以想象，这件事太奇怪了，她顿时感到吃了一惊。为了要看个究竟，她把一只手放到前额上，做出要摸一摸前额的样子；然后她从指头缝向外看，另一只手挪动着蜡烛。烛心的微光照到那只眼睛上，又从那只眼睛上反射回来。她确定那只眼睛在动。不仅如此，那只眼似乎冲她眨了一下，她丈夫在世的时候就有几次冲她这样眨过眼。刹那间她的心感到一阵冰冷，因为她是个寡妇，她觉得自己的处境很可怕。
The chill was but transient. My aunt, who was almost as resolute a personage as your uncle, sir, (turning to the old story—teller, ) became instantly calm and collected. She went on adjusting her dress. She even hummed a favorite air, and did not make a single false note. She casually overturned a dressing box; took a candle and picked up the articles leisurely, one by one, from the floor, pursued a rolling pin—cushion that was making the best of its way under the bed; then opened the door; looked for an instant into the corridor, as if in doubt whether to go; and then walked quietly out.
但这阵冰冷并未持续多长时间。我姨妈本来就是个很果敢的人，几乎能和你那位叔叔相比，先生（说着，他向先前讲故事的老人看了一眼），她很快就镇定下来。她继续整理自己的衣服。她甚至还哼起自己喜欢的曲调，一个音符都没唱错。她偶然碰翻了一个梳妆匣子，便拿起蜡烛照着，从容地把东西从地上一样一样地捡起来；其中有一个针插一直滚到床底下，她追过去，打开房门，朝走廊里看了看，好像在犹豫要不要去追；接着她安静地走了出去。
She hastened down—stairs, ordered the servants to arm themselves with the first weapons that came to hand, placed herself at their head, and returned almost immediately.
她急忙走下楼，吩咐佣人们抄起手头上的武器，亲自带领他们回到房间，可谓一点都没耽误。
Her hastily levied army presented a formidable force. The steward had a rusty blunderbuss; the coachman a loaded whip; the footman a pair of horse pistols; the cook a huge chopping knife, and the butler a bottle in each hand. My aunt led the van with a red—hot poker; and, in my opinion, she was the most formidable of the party. The waiting maid brought up the rear, dreading to stay alone in the servants' hall, smelling to a broken bottle of volatile salts, and expressing her terror of the ghosteses.
她这支匆忙召集起来的队伍组成了一支令人生畏的军队。男管家拿了一杆生锈的老式大口径短枪，车夫拿了一根灌了铅的鞭子，男佣人拿了两支骑枪，厨子拿了一把大砍刀，伙夫两只手各拿了一只酒瓶。我姨妈拿着一根烧得通红的拨火棍，冲在最前面。依我看，她是这伙人里最让人胆颤的一个。那个女佣人不敢独自呆在下房里，站在队伍的最后面，她一边闻着一个装碳酸铵的破瓶子，一边诉说着自己对女鬼的恐惧。
"Ghosts! " said my aunt resolutely, "I'll singe their whiskers for them! "
“鬼！” 我姨妈坚决地说， “我要烧焦它们的胡子！”
They entered the chamber. All was still and undisturbed as when she left it. They approached the portrait of my uncle.
他们走进了卧房。一切都静悄悄的，没有一丝动静，跟她出去的时候一模一样。他们走到我姨父的遗像前。
"Pull me down that picture! " cried my aunt.
“把那幅画像给我扯下来！” 我姨妈叫道。
A heavy groan, and a sound like the chattering of teeth, was heard from the portrait. The servants shrunk back. The maid uttered a faint shriek, and clung to the footman.
只听见那遗像发出一声沉重的叹息声，叹息中还夹杂着好似牙齿打颤的声音。仆人们都向后躲。那女佣人轻声尖叫了一声，然后连忙靠到一个男佣人身边。
"Instantly! " added my aunt, with a stamp of the foot.
“马上！” 我姨妈把脚一跺，补充道。
The picture was pulled down, and from a recess behind it, in which had formerly stood a clock, they hauled forth a round—shouldered, black—bearded varlet, with a knife as long as my arm, but trembling all over like an aspen leaf.
那画像被扯了下来，画像后面是一个凹橱，以前曾摆放过一个钟，他们从那里拖出一个圆膀子、黑胡子的恶棍来，他手里拿着一把像我胳膊这么长的刀，但他抖得厉害，就像一片杨树叶。
"Well, and who was he? No ghost, I suppose! " said the inquisitive gentleman.
“很好，他是谁啊？我猜不是鬼！” 爱打听先生说道。
"A knight of the post, " replied the narrator, "who had been smitten with the worth of the wealthy widow; or rather a marauding Tarquin, who had stolen into her chamber to violate her purse and rifle her strong box when all the house should be asleep. In plain terms, " continued he, "the vagabond was a loose idle fellow of the neighborhood, who had once been a servant in the house, and had been employed to assist in arranging it for the reception of its mistress. He confessed that he had contrived his hiding—place for his nefarious purposes, and had borrowed an eye from the portrait by way of a reconnoitering hole. "
“是个作假见证的人，” 讲故事的人回答道， “他曾迷上了这位有钱寡妇的财产；更确切地说他是个靠打劫营生的塔奎因，他溜进她的卧房，想要等到夜深人静所有人都睡觉的时候去偷她的钱包，拿走她的保险箱。说白了，” 他接着说， “这个流氓是附近一个游手好闲的家伙，他曾在这家当过佣人，这次为了接待女主人回来，又被雇来帮着收拾屋子。他承认，为了达到邪恶的目的，他策划了他的藏身地，还从遗像上挖下一只眼睛，留一个孔好观察外面的情况。”
"And what did they do with him—did they hang him? " resumed the questioner.
“后来他们把他怎么样了——把他吊死了吗？” 爱打听那位又问道。
"Hang him? —how could they? " exclaimed a beetle—browed barrister, with a hawk's nose— “the offence was not capital—no robbery nor assault had been committed—no forcible entry or breaking into the premises—”
“吊死他？怎么可能呢？” 一个粗眉毛、鹰钩鼻的律师说道， “他罪不至死——他的抢劫和攻击都是未遂——也不是强行入宅——”
"My aunt, " said the narrator, "was a woman of spirit, and apt to take the law into her own hands. She had her own notions of cleanliness also. She ordered the fellow to be drawn through the horsepond to cleanse away all offences, and then to be well rubbed down with an oaken towel. "
“我姨妈，” 讲故事的人说， “是个有魄力的女人，而且善于把法律拿握在自己的手中。” 她对清洁也有自己的一套见解。她吩咐下人把那家伙放到洗马池里，好洗掉他的罪恶，然后又用橡木毛巾好好给他擦拭了一番。
"And what became of him afterwards? " said the inquisitive gentleman.
“后来他落了个什么下场呢？” 爱打听先生说。
"I do not exactly know—I believe he was sent on a voyage of improvement to Botany Bay. "
“我不太清楚——我想他是被流放到植物学湾改造去了。”
"And your aunt—" said the inquisitive gentleman— "I'll warrant she took care to make her maid sleep in the room with her after that. "
“那你姨妈——” 爱打听先生说道， “我敢保证在那以后，她一定让女佣人留在她房间和她一起睡。”
"No, sir, she did better—she gave her hand shortly after to the roystering squire; for she used to observe it was a dismal thing for a woman to sleep alone in the country. "
“不是的，先生，她的办法更高明。此后不久她就嫁给了那个好摆架子的乡绅；因为她常说，一个女人在乡间独宿是一件很凄凉的事情。”
"She was right, " observed the inquisitive gentleman, nodding his head sagaciously— "but I am sorry they did not hang that fellow. "
“她说的对，” 爱打听先生说着，自以为聪明地点了点头， “不过遗憾的是他们没把那家伙给吊死。”
It was agreed on all hands that the last narrator had brought his tale to the most satisfactory conclusion; though a country clergyman present regretted that the uncle and aunt, who figured in the different stories, had not been married together. They certainly would have been well matched.
大家都一致认为最后讲故事的这个人讲了一个再圆满不过的结局。只是有位乡村牧师觉得遗憾，认为两个故事里的主要人物，也就是叔父和姨妈，没能结合在一起。如果他们俩结合那肯定很般配。
"But I don't see, after all, " said the inquisitive gentleman, "that there was any ghost in this last story. "
“可是说到底，” 爱打听先生又说道， “我也没有从你刚才讲的这个故事里发现什么鬼怪。”
"Oh, if it's ghosts you want, honey, " cried the Irish captain of dragoons, "if it's ghosts you want, you shall have a whole regiment of them. And since these gentlemen have been giving the adventures of their uncles and aunts, faith and I'll e 'en give you a chapter too, out of my own family history. "
“啊，如果这是你想听的鬼故事，朋友，” 那个爱尔兰龙骑兵叫道， “如果你想听的是鬼怪，我可以让你听到一堆鬼故事。既然这两位先生讲了他们叔父和姨母的奇遇，我保证我也可以给你们讲一段有关我自己家历史的故事。”