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酒后之勇
"Just our luck！"
“真倒霉！”
Gus Lafee finished wiping his hands and sullenly threw the towel upon the rocks. His attitude was one of deep dejection. The light seemed gone out of the day and the glory from the golden sun. Even the keen mountain air was devoid of relish，and the early morning no longer yielded its customary zest.
格斯·莱夫擦完手后闷闷不乐地把毛巾扔在了石头上。他的心情十分沮丧。白天的光线仿佛失去了亮度，金色的太阳也失去了光辉。即使是那令人着迷的山风也不再清新宜人，大清早也已不再如往常般趣味盎然。
"Just our luck！" Gus repeated，this time avowedly for the edification of another young fellow who was busily engaged in sousing his head in the water of the lake.
“太倒霉了！” 格斯重复道，这一次他明显是说给另外一个年轻人听的，那人正忙着把头浸在湖水里洗呢。
"What are you grumbling about，anyway？" Hazard Van Dorn lifted a soap—rimmed face questioningly. His eyes were shut. "What's our luck？"
“你到底在嘟囔什么啊？” 哈泽德·范多恩抬起沾满肥皂泡的脸问道。他的眼睛闭着。 “我们怎么倒霉了？”
"Look there！" Gus threw a moody glance skyward. "Some duffer's got ahead of us. We've been scooped，that's all！"
“看那里！” 格斯闷闷不乐地朝天空瞥了一眼。 “有个笨蛋已经在我们前面了。我们被超过去了，就是这样！”
Hazard opened his eyes，and caught a fleeting glimpse of a white flag waving arrogantly on the edge of a wall of rock nearly a mile above his head. Then his eyes closed with a snap，and his face wrinkled spasmodically. Gus threw him the towel，and uncommiseratingly watched him wipe out the offending soap. He felt too blue himself to take stock in trivialities.
哈泽德睁开双眼，然后飞速瞥了一眼，看到一面白旗正在他们上方大约一英里的一堵石墙边上肆意飘荡着。然后他又突然闭上眼，他的脸剧烈地抽搐着。格斯把毛巾扔给他，然后木然地看着他擦掉那些令人讨厌的肥皂泡。他太沮丧了，已经顾不上这些琐事了。
Hazard groaned.
哈泽德呻吟着。
"Does it hurt—much？" Gus queried，coldly，without interest，as if it were no more than his duty to ask after the welfare of his comrade.
“很疼吗？” 格斯冷冷地问道，丝毫不带兴趣，好像询问自己伙伴的状况只是他的义务。
"I guess it does，" responded the suffering one.
“我想是的。” 痛苦的哈泽德回答道。
"Soap's pretty strong，eh？—Noticed it myself. "
“肥皂刺激性挺强的吧，嗯？我自己发现的。”
"'Tisn't the soap. It 's—it's that！" He opened his reddened eyes and pointed toward the innocent white little flag. That's what hurts.
“不是肥皂。它是——是那个！” 他睁开泛红的双眼，指着那面无辜的小白旗。 “我是因为那个难受。”
Gus Lafee did not reply，but turned away to start the fire and begin cooking breakfast. His disappointment and grief were too deep for anything but silence，and Hazard，who felt likewise，never opened his mouth as he fed the horses，nor once laid his head against their arching necks or passed caressing fingers through their manes. The two boys were blind，also，to the manifold glories of Mirror Lake which reposed at their very feet. Nine times，had they chosen to move along its margin the short distance of a hundred yards，could they have seen the sunrise repeated；nine times，from behind as many successive peaks，could they have seen the great orb rear his blazing rim；and nine times，had they but looked into the waters of the lake，could they have seen the phenomena reflected faithfully and vividly. But all the Titanic grandeur of the scene was lost to them. They had been robbed of the chief pleasure of their trip to Yosemite Valley. They had been frustrated in their long—cherished design upon Half Dome，and hence were rendered disconsolate and blind to the beauties and the wonders of the place.
格斯·莱夫没回答，而是转身开始生火做早饭。他太失望、太伤心了，只想保持沉默，而哈泽德也是同样的感觉，他在喂马时就没有开口说话，也没有把头倚在马拱起的脖子上或用手指摩挲它们的鬃毛。镜湖无限的风光就在他们眼前，两个男孩却视若无睹。如果他们选择沿着湖边走一百码的短途，他们就能重复看到九次日出，他们也就能够从众多连绵的山峰后面，重复九次看到耀眼的金边后的巨大的太阳；如果他们好歹朝湖里看看，他们也可能重复九次看到水面上映射出真实生动的奇观。但是他们却错过了所有那些无比壮丽的景色。他们已经丧失了到约塞米蒂山谷游玩的主要乐趣。他们长期以来都想爬上半圆顶山，却受挫了，他们也因此变得郁郁寡欢，对此地的美景和奇观也视而不见。
Half Dome rears its ice—scarred head fully five thousand feet above the level floor of Yosemite Valley. In the name itself of this great rock lies an accurate and complete description. Nothing more nor less is it than a cyclopean，rounded dome，split in half as cleanly as an apple that is divided by a knife. It is，perhaps，quite needless to state that but one—half remains，hence its name，the other half having been carried away by the great ice—river in the stormy time of the Glacial Period. In that dim day one of those frigid rivers gouged a mighty channel from out the solid rock. This channel to—day is Yosemite Valley. But to return to the Half Dome. On its northeastern side，by circuitous trails and stiff climbing，one may gain the Saddle. Against the slope of the Dome the Saddle leans like a gigantic slab，and from the top of this slab，one thousand feet in length，curves the great circle to the summit of the Dome. A few degrees too steep for unaided climbing，these one thousand feet defied for years the adventurous spirits who fixed yearning eyes upon the crest above.
半圆顶山被冰雪覆盖的山顶足足高出约塞米蒂山谷的水平面五千英尺。这块巨石的名字本身就能准确又完整地说明一切了。那块石头不多不少正是一块圆球状的巨石，从中间整齐地裂成两半，就像是用刀子切成两半的苹果。或许无需多言，只有一半保留了下来，这正是它名字的由来。而另一半已经在冰河时期的暴风雨年代就被巨大的冰河冲走了。在那个久远的时期，一条酷寒的河流从那块坚硬的石头中凿出了一条鸿沟。这条鸿沟就是今天的约塞米蒂山谷。但是回到之前提到的半圆顶山。从它的东北面，沿着迂回陡峭的小路攀爬，是可以登上鞍状山脊的。鞍状山脊像是一块巨大的石板倚靠在半圆顶山的斜坡处，从这块一千英尺长的石板的顶端，沿着大圆的曲线可以到达半圆顶山的山顶。对于不借任何外力的攀岩者来说这个角度有些太陡峭了，而这一千英尺的高度多年来一直挑衅着那些具有冒险精神的人，他们渴望的双目牢牢锁定那个山顶。
One day，a couple of clear—headed mountaineers had proceeded to insert iron eye—bolts into holes which they drilled into the rock every few feet apart. But when they found themselves three hundred feet above the Saddle，clinging like flies to the precarious wall with on either hand a yawning abyss，their nerves failed them and they abandoned the enterprise. So it remained for an indomitable Scotchman，one George Anderson，finally to achieve the feat. Beginning where they had left off，drilling and climbing for a week，he had at last set foot upon that awful summit and gazed down into the depths where Mirror Lake reposed，nearly a mile beneath.
有一天，一对头脑清醒的登山者夫妇开始每隔几英尺就在石头上打上一个洞，然后在里面固定上有眼的铁螺栓。但是当爬到鞍状山脊三百英尺高处时，他们就像贴在危墙之上的苍蝇，两手边都是万丈深渊，他们丧失了勇气，放弃了这次探险。所以直到一位叫乔治·安德森的顽强的苏格兰人出现，这一壮举才最终得以完成。乔治从他们放弃的地方开始，他边钻洞边攀岩地过了一周，最终登上了那令人生畏的峰顶，从那里俯瞰大约在下方一英里处的镜湖。
In the years which followed，many bold men took advantage of the huge rope ladder which he had put in place；but one winter ladder，cables and all were carried away by the snow and ice. True，most of the eye—bolts，twisted and bent，remained. But few men had since essayed the hazardous undertaking，and of those few more than one gave up his life on the treacherous heights，and not one succeeded.
那之后几年间，很多勇敢的人都受惠于他搭好的巨大的绳梯。但是就在一个冬天，大雪和寒冰把梯子、缆绳以及所有的一切统统带走了。诚然，大部分有眼螺栓保存了下来，可也都弯曲变形了。但从那以后没有多少人再去尝试这危险的行动了，在这其中不止一人丧命于这令人望而生畏的高度，而且没有一个人成功。
But Gus Lafee and Hazard Van Dorn had left the smiling valley—land of California and journeyed into the high Sierras，intent on the great adventure. And thus it was that their disappointment was deep and grievous when they awoke on this morning to receive the forestalling message of the little white flag.
但是格斯·莱夫和哈泽德·范多恩离开了加利福尼亚迷人的谷地，挺进塞拉斯山区，决心要完成这项伟大的探险。这就是为什么他们一早醒来看到抢先于他们的小白旗时，会感到极度失望又痛苦。
"Camped at the foot of the Saddle last night and went up at the first peep of day，" Hazard ventured，long after the silent breakfast had been tucked away and the dishes washed.
“他肯定是昨晚在鞍状山脊脚下宿营，今早天刚亮就登山了。” 哈泽德试着说道，从吃完早饭到把餐盘洗完后很长时间两人就一直沉默着。
Gus nodded. It was not in the nature of things that a youth's spirits should long remain at low ebb，and his tongue was beginning to loosen.
格斯点点头。一个年轻人的情绪长时间处于低谷是不正常的，他开始松口说话了。
"Guess he's down by now，lying in camp and feeling as big as Alexander，" the other went on. "And I don't blame him，either；only I wish it were we. "
“我猜他现在已经下山了，正躺在帐篷里，感觉自己和亚历山大一样伟大。” 另外一个接着说道。 “我也不怪他，我只是希望做到的是我们。”
"You can be sure he's down，" Gus spoke up at last. "It's mighty warm on that naked rock with the sun beating down on it at this time of year. That was our plan，you know，to go up early and come down early. And any man，sensible enough to get to the top，is bound to have sense enough to do it before the rock gets hot and his hands sweaty. "
“你可以确定他已经下山了，” 格斯最后大声地说， “每年的这个时候，太阳都会把那块裸露的石头照得很热。你知道的，我们的计划就是早些上山再早些下山。任何一个足够理智爬到山顶的人，肯定也会理智地在那块石头变烫、双手出汗之前下山。”
“而且你可以确定他没有带着鞋子。” 哈泽德翻过身来躺着，懒洋洋地注视着那个缩成了一点的旗子，那面旗子在陡峭的悬崖边上轻快地飘扬着。 “喂！” 他猛地坐起来， “那是什么？”
A metallic ray of light flashed out from the summit of Half Dome，then a second and a third. The heads of both boys were craned backward on the instant，agog with excitement.
一束金属色的光线从半圆顶山的山顶上射出来，紧接着是第二束和第三束。两个男孩的头立即向后伸着脖子，兴奋不已。
"What a duffer！" Gus cried. "Why didn't he come down when it was cool？"
“真是个笨蛋！” 格斯叫喊道， “他为什么不趁凉快下山啊？”
Hazard shook his head slowly，as if the question were too deep for immediate answer and they had better defer judgment.
哈泽德慢慢地摇了摇头，仿佛这个问题过于深奥，不能短时间内给出答案，他们最好晚些下结论。
The flashes continued，and as the boys soon noted，at irregular intervals of duration and disappearance. Now they were long，now short；and again they came and went with great rapidity，or ceased altogether for several moments at a time.
光束持续闪现，男孩们很快就注意到，那些光束持续和消失的间隔不一致。它们有时长，有时短，有时出现和消失得都很快，或者半天都不出现。
"I have it！" Hazard's face lighted up with the coming of understanding. "I have it！That fellow up there is trying to talk to us. He's flashing the sunlight down to us on a pocket—mirror—dot，dash；dot，dash；don't you see？"
“我明白啦！” 弄明白这些后，哈泽德脸上洋溢着光彩， “我明白啦！上面的那个家伙正试图和我们说话。他正用小镜子把太阳光给我们反射下来——点，划；点，划；你看到了吗？”
The light also began to break in Gus's face. "Ah，I know！It's what they do in war—time—signaling. They call it heliographing，don't they？Same thing as telegraphing，only it's done without wires. And they use the same dots and dashes，too. "
格斯也开始露出领悟的表情。 “啊，我明白了！人们在战争年代就是用这个——发信号。他们称它为日光反射信号，对吧？它和电报其实是一回事，只是它不用电线就能完成。他们用的也是同样的点和划。”
"Yes，the Morse alphabet. Wish I knew it. "
“是的，就是莫尔斯电码。我真希望我懂。”
"Same here. He surely must have something to say to us，or he wouldn't be kicking up all that rumpus. "
“我也是。他一定是有话和我们说，不然他也不会搞出这么多事了。”
Still the flashes came and went persistently，till Gus exclaimed： "That chap's in trouble，that's what's the matter with him！Most likely he's hurt himself or something or other. "
光束仍然持续地出现又消失，直到格斯惊呼道： “那个家伙遇到麻烦了，这就是他的问题！很有可能是他自己受伤了或者别的什么事情。”
"Go on！" Hazard scouted.
“继续啊！” 哈泽德表示不信。
Gus got out the shotgun and fired both barrels three times in rapid succession. A perfect flutter of flashes came back before the echoes had ceased their antics. So unmistakable was the message that even doubting Hazard was convinced that the man who had forestalled them stood in some grave danger.
格斯掏出猎枪用双管连续快响了三下。枪声回音的余音还未落，一阵闪光便精准地回应过来。那信号是如此地清楚明白，就连一直持怀疑态度的哈泽德也相信，领先于他们的那个人处境很危险。
"Quick，Gus，" he cried， "and pack！I'll see to the horses. Our trip hasn't come to nothing，after all. We've got to go right up Half Dome and rescue him. Where's the map？How do we get to the Saddle？"
“快点，格斯，” 他喊道， “你打包东西！我去牵马。我们这次旅行终究没有白来。我们必须得马上登到半圆顶山上救他。地图在哪里？我们要怎么才能到鞍状山脊？”
“ ‘Taking the horse—trail below the Vernal Falls，’” Gus read from the guide—book， “ ‘one mile of brisk traveling brings the tourist to the world—famed Nevada Fall. Close by，rising up in all its pomp and glory，the Cap of Liberty stands guard—”
“ ‘沿弗纳尔瀑布下的小路走’ ，” 格斯照旅游手册读着， “ ‘快行一英里，您就会到达举世闻名的内华达瀑布。在瀑布旁，自由之帽像站岗一般，它拔地而起雄伟而壮丽——”
"Skip all that！" Hazard impatiently interrupted. "The trail's what we want. "
“跳过那些！” 哈泽德不耐烦地打断道， “那条小路就是我们要找的。”
"Oh，here it is！ 'Following the trail up the side of the fall will bring you to the forks. The left one leads to Little Yosemite Valley，Cloud's Rest，and other points.’ "
“哦，它在这里！ ‘沿着瀑布一侧的小路往上爬，你会看到岔路口。左边那条路通向小约塞米蒂山谷、云歇处和其它景点。’”
"Hold on；that'll do！I've got it on the map now，" again interrupted Hazard. "From the Cloud's Rest trail a dotted line leads off to Half Dome. That shows the trail's abandoned. We'll have to look sharp to find it. It's a day's journey. "
“停一下，这些就够了！我已经在地图上找到它了，” 哈泽德再次插嘴道， “从云歇处的路上有一条虚线通往半圆顶山。这说明那条小路被废弃了。我们必须得仔细看看才能找到它。那要走上一天呢。”
"And to think of all that traveling，when right here we're at the bottom of the Dome！" Gus complained，staring up wistfully at the goal.
“想想我们来的这一路，现在我们已经在半圆顶山的山脚下了！” 格斯抱怨着，渴望地盯着目标。
"That's because this is Yosemite，and all the more reason for us to hurry. Come on！Be lively，now！"
“就是因为这里是约塞米蒂，所以我们才更要加快速度。快点吧！现在要打起精神来！”
Well used as they were to trail life，but few minutes sufficed to see the camp equipage on the backs of the packhorses and the boys in the saddle. In the late twilight of that evening they hobbled their animals in a tiny mountain meadow，and cooked coffee and bacon for themselves at the very base of the Saddle. Here，also，before they turned into their blankets，they found the camp of the unlucky stranger who was destined to spend the night on the naked roof of the Dome.
因为他们非常习惯旅行的生活，所以几分钟的时间，他们就能把宿营的用具装到驮马背上，并骑上马鞍。当日的晚暮时分他们把马拴到了山上一块小的草地上，然后在鞍状山脊的底部给他们自己煮咖啡和熏肉。也是在这里，在他们钻进毛毯之前，他们发现了那个不幸的陌生人的营地，他这个晚上注定要在半圆顶山光秃的山顶上度过了。
Dawn was brightening into day when the panting lads threw themselves down at the summit of the Saddle and began taking off their shoes. Looking down from the great height，they seemed perched upon the ridge—pole of the world，and even the snow—crowned Sierra peaks seemed beneath them. Directly below，on the one hand，lay Little Yosemite Valley，half a mile deep；on the other hand，Big Yosemite，a mile. Already the sun's rays were striking about the adventurers，but the darkness of night still shrouded the two great gulfs into which they peered. And above them，bathed in the full day，rose only the majestic curve of the Dome.
这两个气喘吁吁的男孩到达鞍状山脊的顶部、开始脱鞋的时候，天已经破晓，开始发亮。从这么高的地方向下看，他们仿佛位于世界的脊柱上，就连那冰雪覆盖的谢拉山似乎也在他们之下。在他们的正下方，一边是小约塞米蒂山谷，有半英里深；另一边是大约塞米蒂山谷，有一英里深。太阳光已经开始照射到这两个探险者的身上，但是暗夜仍然笼罩着他们凝视的那两个巨大深渊。在他们的上面，只有雄伟壮丽的半圆顶山的曲线，沐浴在太阳光下。
"What's that for？" Gus asked，pointing to a leather—shielded flask which Hazard was securely fastening in his shirt pocket.
“那东西有什么用啊？” 哈泽德之前在衬衣口袋里牢牢固定了一个皮套包着的酒瓶，格斯指着那个酒瓶问道。
"Dutch courage，of course，" was the reply. "We'll need all our nerve in this undertaking，and a little bit more，and，" he tapped the flask significantly， "here's the little bit more. "
哈泽德回答道： “当然是酒后之勇了。” “在这次探险中我们需要鼓足所有勇气，还多需要一点点，而这个，” 他意味深长地敲了一下酒瓶， “就是我们需要的那额外的一点点。”
"Good idea，" Gus commented.
“真是个好主意。” 格斯评论道。
How they had ever come possessed of this erroneous idea，it would be hard to discover；but they were young yet，and there remained for them many uncut pages of life. Believers，also，in the efficacy of whisky as a remedy for snake—bite，they had brought with them a fair supply of medicine—chest liquor. As yet they had not touched it.
很难发现他们是如何拥有这个错误的想法的。但是他们毕竟还年轻，人生还有很多页尚未掀开。除此之外，他们也相信威士忌对毒蛇咬伤有很好的疗效，所以他们带了相当多的药用酒。迄今他们还没有动过呢。
"Have some before we start？" Hazard asked.
“在开始之前要不要来点？” 哈泽德问道。
Gus looked into the gulf and shook his head. "Better wait till we get up higher and the climbing is more ticklish. "
格斯朝深渊看了看，然后摇了摇头。 “我们最好还是等到爬到高一些，攀岩更加困难的时候再喝吧。”
Some seventy feet above them projected the first eye—bolt. The winter accumulations of ice had twisted and bent it down till it did not stand more than a bare inch and a half above the rock—a most difficult object to lasso at such a distance. Time and again Hazard coiled his lariat in true cowboy fashion and made the cast，and time and again was he baffled by the elusive peg. Nor could Gus do better. Taking advantage of inequalities in the surface，they scrambled twenty feet up the Dome and found they could rest in a shallow crevice. The cleft side of the Dome was so near that they could look over its edge from the crevice and gaze down the smooth，vertical wall for nearly two thousand feet. It was yet too dark down below for them to see farther.
他们上方大约七十英尺的地方出现了第一个有眼螺栓。冬天结下的冰已经使它向下弯曲了，它只勉强超出岩石不到一英寸半——离着这么远，很难用套索套住它。哈泽德一次又一次以真正牛仔的方式卷缠了套索朝上投，可他每次都被那很不好找的钉子难倒。格斯干得也不好。借助着山表面的高低不平，他们又在半圆顶山上爬了二十英尺，然后发现他们可以在一个浅缝处休息。半圆顶山裂开的这边离他们太近了，他们都可以从裂缝处看到裂缝的边，还可以沿着那平滑而陡直的山壁向下俯瞰近两千英尺。下面黑漆漆的，再远的地方他们就看不到了。
The peg was now fifty feet away，but the path they must cover to get to it was quite smooth，and ran at an inclination of nearly fifty degrees. It seemed impossible，in that intervening space，to find a resting—place. Either the climber must keep going up，or he must slide down；he could not stop. But just here rose the danger. The Dome was sphere—shaped，and if he should begin to slide，his course would be，not to the point from which he had started and where the Saddle would catch him，but off to the south toward Little Yosemite. This meant a plunge of half a mile.
现在他们离钉子五十英尺远了，但是要想够到它，他们必须要经过一段相当平滑的路，而且坡度接近五十度。他们要想在那中间的地方找一处歇脚地，似乎是不可能的。登山者要么必须继续往上爬，要么就一定会滑下去，他不能停留。但是危险就在这里出现了。由于半圆顶山是球状的，一旦他开始下滑，他就不会回到他开始的地方，由鞍状山脊接住他，而是会朝着南边的小约塞米蒂山谷滑去。这意味着要下跌半英里。
"I'll try it，" Gus said simply.
“我来试试。” 格斯简单地说了一句。
They knotted the two lariats together，so that they had over a hundred feet of rope between them；and then each boy tied an end to his waist.
他们把两根套索栓在一起，这样他们之间的套索就有一百多英尺，然后两人分别将套索的一头系在自己的腰上。
"If I slide，" Gus cautioned， "come in on the slack and brace yourself. If you don' t ，you'll follow me，that's all！"
“如果我滑下去，” 格斯提醒道， “你就把绳子拉紧而且要让自己站稳。如果你没有做到，你就会跟着我滑下去，就全完了！”
"Ay，ay！" was the confident response. "Better take a nip before you start？"
“行，行！” 哈泽德信心十足地回答道， “你在出发之前要不要先喝一小口？”
Gus glanced at the proffered bottle. He knew himself and of what he was capable. "Wait till I make the peg and you join me. All ready？"
格斯瞥了一眼递过来的酒瓶。他了解自己，也清楚自己的能力。 “等到我套上钉子，你跟上我的时候再喝吧。准备好了吗？”
"Ay. "
“嗯。”
He struck out like a cat，on all fours，clawing energetically as he urged his upward progress，his comrade paying out the rope carefully. At first his speed was good，but gradually it dwindled. Now he was fifteen feet from the peg，now ten，now eight—but going，oh，so slowly！Hazard，looking up from his crevice，felt a contempt for him and disappointment in him. It did look easy. Now Gus was five feet away，and after a painful effort，four feet. But when only a yard intervened，he came to a standstill—not exactly a standstill，for，like a squirrel in a wheel，he maintained his position on the face of the Dome by the most desperate clawing.
他像猫一样地坚定地前进，手脚并用，充满活力地使劲向上爬，他的伙伴则小心翼翼地给他输送绳子。一开始他的速度很快，但后来逐渐慢了下来。他离钉子十五英尺，十英尺，又变成八英尺，但是进展，哦，却是如此缓慢！哈泽德从他所在的裂缝处向上看，对格斯感到有些轻蔑和失望。这看起来的确不难。现在格斯距离钉子五英尺了，他费力地使了使劲，只差四英尺了。但是就当距离只有一码远的时候他却停住了——准确地说不是停住，因为他就像是停在轮子上的一只松鼠一样，面对着半圆顶山保持在那个位置，极度绝望地抓着。
He had failed，that was evident. The question now was，how to save himself. With a sudden，catlike movement he whirled over on his back，caught his heel in a tiny，saucer—shaped depression and sat up. Then his courage failed him. Day had at last penetrated to the floor of the valley，and he was appalled at the frightful distance.
他失败了，那很明显。现在的问题是，他怎么自救。突然间，他像猫似的急转背过身，他的脚后跟踩到了一块小小的茶托形状的凹地，他坐下来。然后他失去了勇气。阳光终于照射到了谷底，这可怕的深渊让他不寒而栗。
"Go ahead and make it！" Hazard ordered；but Gus merely shook his head.
“继续去完成它！” 哈泽德命令道，但是格斯只是摇头。
"Then come down！"
“那你下来吧！”
Again he shook his head. This was his ordeal，to sit，nerveless and insecure，on the brink of the precipice. But Hazard，lying safely in his crevice，now had to face his own ordeal，but one of a different nature. When Gus began to slide—as he soon must—would he，Hazard，be able to take in the slack and then meet the shock as the other tautened the rope and darted toward the plunge？It seemed doubtful. And there he lay，apparently safe，but in reality harnessed to death. Then rose the temptation. Why not cast off the rope about his waist？He would be safe at all events. It was a simple way out of the difficulty. There was no need that two should perish. But it was impossible for such temptation to overcome his pride of race，and his own pride in himself and in his honor. So the rope remained about him.
他又摇了摇头。他无力而且心虚地坐在悬崖的边缘，这对他来说是一种痛苦的折磨。但正安全地平卧在裂缝处的哈泽德现在也必须面对他自己的考验，是另一种折磨。当格斯开始下滑的时候——他很快就会这样做——他哈泽德，能不能拉紧套索，并在格斯拉紧套索迅速坠落的时候经得住突然的剧烈冲击呢？这似乎有些疑问。现在他呆在那里，表面上看来很安全，但事实上却可能被勒死。此时出现了一个诱惑。为什么不解下绑在他腰上的套索呢？那样他无论如何也是安全的。这是个脱离险境的简单方法。两个人一起惨死也没有必要。但是这种诱惑不可能战胜哈泽德的民族自豪感、他的自尊心和荣誉感。所以套索仍旧绑在他的腰上。
"Come down！" he ordered；but Gus seemed to have become petrified.
“下来啊！” 他命令道，但是格斯看起来已经吓呆了。
"Come down，" he threatened， "or I'll drag you down！" He pulled on the rope to show he was in earnest.
“下来，” 哈泽德威胁道， “不然我就拉你下来了！” 他拉了拉套索以显示他是认真的。
"Don't you dare！" Gus articulated through his clenched teeth.
“你敢！” 格斯从咬紧的牙缝中清楚地挤出这句话。
"Sure I will，if you don't come！" Again he jerked the rope.
“你要是不下来，我肯定会拉的！” 哈泽德又猛地拉了一下套索。
With a despairing gurgle Gus started，doing his best to work sideways from the plunge. Hazard，every sense on the alert，almost exulting in his perfect coolness，took in the slack with deft rapidity. Then，as the rope began to tighten，he braced himself. The shock drew him half out of the crevice；but he held firm and served as the center of the circle，while Gus，with the rope as a radius，described the circumference and ended up on the extreme southern edge of the Saddle. A few moments later Hazard was offering him the flask.
格斯绝望地叫了一声后，便开始尽力横着身子向下跌去。哈泽德的每根神经都高度紧张，他几乎都在为自己的绝对冷静得意了，他敏捷地拉紧了套索。然后，随着套索开始变紧，他牢牢地站稳。这一下剧烈冲击把哈泽德半个身体都拉到裂缝外面，但是他紧抓不放而且把自己作为圆心，而格斯，将套索当做半径，划出了圆周，最后落在鞍状山脊的最南边上。过了一会儿，哈泽德把酒瓶递给格斯。
"Take some yourself，" Gus said.
“你自己喝点吧。” 格斯说道。
"No；you. I don't need it. "
“不，你喝吧。我用不着。”
"And I 'm past needing it. " Evidently Gus was dubious of the bottle and its contents.
“我现在也用不着它了。” 很明显格斯对那酒瓶和里面装的东西心存疑惑。
Hazard put it away in his pocket. "Are you game，" he asked， "or are you going to give it up？"
哈泽德将它放回自己的衣兜里。 “你是愿意尝试，” 他问道， “还是打算放弃呢？”
"Never！" Gus protested. "I am game. No Lafee ever showed the white feather yet. And if I did lose my grit up there，it was only for the moment—sort of like seasickness. I 'm all right now，and I' m going to the top. "
“我不会放弃的！” 格斯拒绝道， “我愿意尝试。还从来没有一个莱夫家的人表现出懦弱过呢。如果我在那上面没了勇气，那也只是暂时的——有些像晕船一样的感觉。我现在好了，我要爬到山顶去。”
"Good！" encouraged Hazard. "You lie in the crevice this time，and I'll show you how easy it is. "
“好样的！” 哈泽德鼓励道， “这次你躺在裂缝处，我来让你见识一下这件事是多么容易。”
But Gus refused. He held that it was easier and safer for him to try again，arguing that it was less difficult for his one hundred and sixteen pounds to cling to the smooth rock than for Hazard's one hundred and sixty—five；also that it was easier for one hundred and sixty—five pounds to bring a sliding one hundred and sixteen to a stop than vice versa. And further，that he had the benefit of his previous experience. Hazard saw the justice of this，although it was with great reluctance that he gave in.
但是格斯回绝了。他认为由自己再试一次更容易也更安全，并且表明要抓住那光滑的岩壁对于一百六十磅的他来说比一百六十五磅的哈泽德来得容易；而且一个一百六十五磅的人让一个正在下滑的一百六十磅的人停下来比反过来那样也更容易。除此之外，他之前的经验也是个有利条件。哈泽德认为这样的分析还是有道理的，尽管他很不情愿让步。
Success vindicated Gus's contention. The second time，just as it seemed as if his slide would be repeated，he made a last supreme effort and gripped the coveted peg. By means of the rope，Hazard quickly joined him. The next peg was nearly sixty feet away；but for nearly half that distance the base of some glacier in the forgotten past had ground a shallow furrow. Taking advantage of this，it was easy for Gus to lasso the eye—bolt. And it seemed，as was really the case，that the hardest part of the task was over. True，the curve steepened to nearly sixty degrees above them，but a comparatively unbroken line of eye—bolts，six feet apart，awaited the lads. They no longer had even to use the lasso. Standing on one peg it was child's play to throw the bight of the rope over the next and to draw themselves up to it.
这次的成功证实了格斯的观点。第二次，正当他看起来要像上次一样滑下来的时候，格斯拼尽全力做了最后一搏，抓住了那个令人垂涎的钉子。利用套索，哈泽德很快和格斯会合了。下一个钉子在将近六十英尺远处，但将近一半的距离处已被很久前的某座冰山基部磨出了一条浅沟。凭借着这个优势，格斯很容易就把套索套进了有眼螺栓里。看起来，事实也确实如此，这项任务最困难的部分完成了。诚然，他们上面的坡度陡增到六十度，但是等待两个男孩的，是一排保存相对完好的有眼螺栓，每隔六英尺就有一个。他们甚至不必再用套索了。站在一个钉子上扔出绳环套住下一个钉子，然后再把他们自己拉上去，这非常容易。
A bronzed and bearded man met them at the top and gripped their hands in hearty fellowship.
在山顶上，他们见到一个古铜色皮肤、留着胡子的男人，这个男人情真意切地抓着两个男孩的手。
"Talk about your Mont Blancs！" he exclaimed，pausing in the midst of greeting them to survey the mighty panorama. "But there's nothing on all the earth，nor over it，nor under it，to compare with this！" Then he recollected himself and thanked them for coming to his aid. No，he was not hurt or injured in any way. Simply because of his own carelessness，just as he had arrived at the top the previous day，he had dropped his climbing rope. Of course it was impossible to descend without it. Did they understand heliographing？No？That was strange！How did they。
“讲讲你们的勃朗峰！” 正当他招呼两个男孩去俯视那壮丽的景象时，他突然停下来兴奋地嚷道， “不论地上、天上，哪怕是地底下，都没有一样东西可以和这个相媲美！” 然后他回过神来，感谢两个男孩赶来救他。事实上，他既没有感到疼痛也没有受一点伤。只是因为自己的粗心大意，昨天他刚爬到山顶时，登山用的套索就掉下山去了。当然了，没有套索是不可能下山的。他们懂得日光反射信号吗？不懂？那太奇怪了！那他们是怎么。
"Oh，we knew something was the matter，" Gus interrupted， "from the way you flashed when we fired off the shotgun. "
“哦，我们知道你有麻烦，” 格斯插嘴道， “我们是根据你在我们打响猎枪后反射日光的方式知道的。”
"Find it pretty cold last night without blankets？" Hazard queried.
“昨晚没盖毯子很冷吧？” 哈泽德问道。
"I should say so. I've hardly thawed out yet. "
“我想是的。我还没暖和过来呢。”
"Have some of this. " Hazard shoved the flask over to him.
“喝点这个吧。” 哈泽德把酒瓶递给他。
The stranger regarded him quite seriously for a moment，then said， "My dear fellow，do you see that row of pegs？Since it is my honest intention to climb down them very shortly，I am forced to decline. No，I don't think I'll have any，though I thank you just the same. "
这个陌生的人很严肃地看了他一会儿，然后说道： “好兄弟，你见到那排钉子了吗？因为我确实很想沿着它们尽快下山，所以我不得不拒绝你的好意。不，我觉得自己还是不喝了，不过还是要谢谢你。”
Hazard glanced at Gus and then put the flask back in his pocket. But when they pulled the doubled rope through the last eye—bolt and set foot on the Saddle，he again drew out the bottle.
哈泽德瞥了格斯一眼，然后把酒瓶放回自己的衣兜里。但当他们把双绳从最后一个有眼螺旋中抽出来，脚踩在鞍状山脊上时，他又一次把酒瓶拿了出来。
"Now that we're down，we don't need it，" he remarked，pithily. "And I've about come to the conclusion that there isn't very much in Dutch courage，after all. " He gazed up the great curve of the Dome. "Look at what we've done without it！"
“既然我们已经下来了，就不再需要它了，” 他简练地说了句， “我大概得出一个结论，那就是酒后的勇气还是不大。” 他向上凝视着圆顶山的巨大曲线。 “你看我们没有喝酒不也做到了嘛！”
Several seconds thereafter a party of tourists，gathered at the margin of Mirror Lake，were astounded at the unwonted phenomenon of a whisky flask descending upon them like a comet out of a clear sky；and all the way back to the hotel they marveled greatly at the wonders of nature，especially meteorites.
数秒钟后，一群聚在镜湖湖畔的旅游者看到一个威士忌酒瓶像是晴天里的一颗彗星似的朝他们降下来，这个不寻常的现象令他们震惊不已。在回旅馆的路上，他们都在为大自然的奇观感到非常震撼，尤其是陨星。