One evening I went with the huntsman Yermolai "stand—shooting. " …. But perhaps all my readers may not know what "stand—shooting" is. I will tell you.
一天傍晚,我和猎人叶尔莫莱一起去打 “伏击” ……但是,也许有些读者还不知道什么是 “伏击” 。我会告诉你的。
A quarter of an hour before sunset in spring—time you go out into the woods with your gun, but without your dog. You seek out a spot for yourself on the outskirts of the forest, take a look round, examine your caps, and glance at your companion. A quarter of an hour passes; the sun has set, but it is still light in the forest; the sky is clear and transparent; the birds are chattering and twittering; the young grass shines with the brilliance of emerald.... You wait. Gradually the recesses of the forest grow dark; the blood—red glow of the evening sky creeps slowly on to the roots and the trunks of the trees, and keeps rising higher and higher, passes from the lower, still almost leafless branches, to the motionless, slumbering tree—tops.... And now even the topmost branches are darkened; the purple sky fades to dark—blue. The forest fragrance grows stronger; there is a scent of warmth and damp earth; the fluttering breeze dies away at your side. The birds go to sleep—not all at once—but after their kinds; first the finches are hushed, a few minutes later the warblers, and after them the yellow buntings. In the forest it grows darker and darker. The trees melt together into great masses of blackness; in the dark—blue sky the first stars come timidly out. All the birds are asleep. Only the redstarts and the nuthatches are still chirping drowsily.... And now they too are still. The last echoing call of the pee—wit rings over our heads; the oriole's melancholy cry sounds somewhere in the distance; then the nightingale's first note. Your heart is weary with suspense, when suddenly—but only sportsmen can understand me—suddenly in the deep hush there is a peculiar croaking and whirring sound, the measured sweep of swift wings is heard, and the snipe, gracefully bending its long beak, sails smoothly down behind a dark bush to meet your shot.
春天,在离日落还有一刻钟的时候,您带着枪到树林里去,但是不要带狗。您先在树林外围给自己找个地方,观察一下四周,检查一下枪的火药帽,然后和您的同伴交换一下眼色。一刻钟过去之后,太阳也已经下山了,但森林里还亮堂着,天空晴朗清澈,鸟叽叽喳喳地叫着,嫩草闪耀着绿宝石般的光泽……您就等着。渐渐地,树林深处昏暗了下来,傍晚的天空中,血红色的霞光慢慢地沿着树根和树干移动,越升越高,从矮一点的、还没长什么叶子的树枝,跃上一动不动、酣睡着的树梢……而现在,就连最高的树枝上也没了光亮,紫红色的天空慢慢地变成了深蓝色。树林里的气味越来越浓烈,有一股温暖而潮湿的土味,流动的微风吹到您的身旁便渐渐消失了。鸟们也要去睡了——不是同时睡去,而是按类别分批睡去;最先安静下来的是雀类,几分钟后便是鸣鸟,之后便是黄鹀。森林里变得越来越暗了。树木化成了黑压压的一大片,深蓝色的天空中,有些星星羞答答地先出现了。所有的鸟都睡着了。只有红尾鸲和五子雀还在懒洋洋地啼叫着……而现在它们也安静了下来。凤头麦鸡的叫声还在我们的头顶上回荡,远处的某个地方传来了黄鹂悲伤的啼叫声,接着夜莺才开始啼叫。您正等得不耐烦了,突然——不过只有猎人才能明白我的意思——突然在沉寂中响起了这种独特的呱呱声和呼呼声,您还会听到一阵急促而谨慎的扇动翅膀的声音——沙锥优雅地弯着它长长的嘴,平稳地从一簇黑暗的灌木后面飞了出来,去迎接您的子弹。
That is the meaning of "stand—shooting.”
“伏击” 就是这个意思。
And so I had gone out stand—shooting with Yermolai; but excuse me, reader: I must first introduce you to Yermolai.
就这样,我和叶尔莫莱一起出去打伏击;不过请读者原谅,我得先向您介绍一下叶尔莫莱。
Picture to yourself a tall gaunt man of forty—five, with a long thin nose, a narrow forehead, little grey eyes, a bristling head of hair, and thick sarcastic lips. This man wore, winter and summer alike, a yellow nankin coat of German cut, but with a sash round the waist; he wore blue pantaloons and a cap of astrakhan, presented to him in a merry hour by a spendthrift landowner. Two bags were fastened on to his sash, one in front, skilfully tied into two halves, for powder and for shot; the other behind for game: wadding Yermolai used to produce out of his peculiar, seemingly inexhaustible cap. With the money he gained by the game he sold, he might easily have bought himself a cartridge—box and powder—flask; but he never once even contemplated such a purchase, and continued to load his gun after his old fashion, exciting the admiration of all beholders by the skill with which he avoided the risks of spilling or mixing his powder and shot. His gun was a single—barrelled flint—lock, endowed, moreover, with a villainous habit of "kicking. " It was due to this that Yermolai's right cheek was permanently swollen to a larger size than the left. How he ever succeeded in hitting anything with this gun, it would take a shrewd man to discover—but he did. He had too a setter—dog, by name Valetka, a most extraordinary creature. Yermolai never fed him. "Me feed a dog! " he reasoned; "why, a dog's a clever beast; he finds a living for himself.” And certainly, though Valetka's extreme thinness was a shock even to an indifferent observer, he still lived and had a long life; and in spite of his pitiable position he was not even once lost, and never showed an inclination to desert his master. Once indeed, in his youth, he had absented himself for two days, on courting bent, but this folly was soon over with him. Valetka's most noticeable peculiarity was his impenetrable indifference to everything in the world.... If it were not a dog I was speaking of, I should have called him 'disillusioned. ' He usually sat with his cropped tail curled up under him, scowling and twitching at times, and he never smiled. (It is well known that dogs can smile, and smile very sweetly. )He was exceedingly ugly; and the idle house—serfs never lost an opportunity of jeering cruelly at his appearance; but all these jeers, and even blows, Valetka bore with astonishing indifference. He was a source of special delight to the cooks, who would all leave their work at once and give him chase with shouts and abuse, whenever, through a weakness not confined to dogs, he thrust his hungry nose through the half—open door of the kitchen, tempting with its warmth and appetising smells. He distinguished himself by untiring energy in the chase, and had a good scent; but if he chanced to overtake a slightly wounded hare, he devoured it with relish to the last bone, somewhere in the cool shade under the green bushes, at a respectful distance from Yermolai, who was abusing him in every known and unknown dialect.
您自己想象一下,一个四十五岁、高高瘦瘦的男人,长着一只细长的鼻子,前额很窄,灰色的眼睛小小的,所有头发都竖立着,厚厚的嘴唇看上去像在嘲笑别人。不论是冬天还是夏天,他都穿着一件德式裁剪的黄色土布外衣,而腰间却系着一条腰带,他下身穿着蓝色的马裤,头上戴着一顶羔羊皮帽,这帽子是一个挥金如土的地主一时高兴送给他的。他的腰带上系着两个袋子,一个系在前面,被他巧妙地扎成了两半,分别装着火药和子弹;另一个系在后面,用来装猎物;袋子里的填絮,是叶尔莫莱从他那独特的帽子里掏出来的,那里似乎有无穷无尽的东西。拿着卖猎物挣的钱,他本可以很轻松地给自己买个子弹盒和火药桶,但是他压根没想过去买这些东西,还仍然照老办法装他的枪具,他可以做到不把火药和子弹洒出来或把他们混在一起,所有见识过他的这个本领的人都惊叹不已。他的单管枪装有燧石,而且还有 “后坐力” 这种糟糕的惯性。正因为如此,叶尔莫莱的右脸颊总是肿得比左脸颊大。他究竟是如何用这支枪射中猎物的,这只有聪明人才能想得出来——不过他确实做到了。他还有一只塞特犬,叫做瓦列特卡,是一只非常特别的动物。叶尔莫莱从没喂过它。 “我喂狗干什么呀!” 他振振有词地说, “狗是一种聪明的动物,它自己就能找到吃的。” 当然,尽管瓦列特卡那骨瘦如柴的模样,让不相干的看客吃惊不已,可它依然活着,而且还很长寿;虽然它处境很可怜,它却从没逃走过,也从没表现出要离弃自己主人的倾向。在它年轻的时候,确实有那么一次,它为了谈情说爱离开过两天,不过这个笨蛋很快就忘掉它配偶了。瓦列特卡最显著的特征就是,它对世间万物抱着不可思议的冷淡态度……如果我现在谈论的不是一只狗的话,我想用 “幻灭” 这样的字眼来形容它。它常常把自己的短毛尾巴蜷起来压在身下坐着,有时还皱着眉头,打个哆嗦,而且它从来都没有笑过。(众所周知,狗是会笑的,而且笑得很可爱。)它长得特别丑,所以那些懒惰的家奴们只要有机会,就会狠狠地嘲笑它的外表,但是对于所有的这些嘲笑,甚至是殴打,瓦列特卡都以惊人的冷漠态度忍受了下来。它成了厨子们寻开心的特别对象,每当它饥饿难耐(这个弱点不仅属于狗),受到厨房里温暖和香味的诱惑、把鼻子伸进厨房半开着的门时,厨子们就都马上丢下手头的活,大声叫骂着追赶它。它在追赶猎物方面很出色,精力旺盛,而且嗅觉灵敏,但是,要是它碰巧追到一只受了点小伤的野兔,它就会躲到绿色灌木丛下某个阴凉的地方,狼吞虎咽地享受野兔,一根骨头都不剩下,而且会离叶尔莫莱远远的,因为他会用各种知道和不知道的方言咒骂它。
Yermolai belonged to one of my neighbours, a landowner of the old style. Landowners of the old style don't care for game, and prefer the domestic fowl. Only on extraordinary occasions, such as birthdays, namedays, and elections, the cooks of the old—fashioned landowners set to work to prepare some long—beaked birds, and, falling into the state of frenzy peculiar to Russians when they don't quite know what to do, they concoct such marvellous sauces for them that the guests examine the proffered dishes curiously and attentively, but rarely make up their minds to try them. Yermolai was under orders to provide his master's kitchen with two brace of grouse and partridges once a month. But he might live where and how he pleased. They had given him up as a man of no use for work of any kind— "bone lazy, " as the expression is among us in Orel. Powder and shot, of course, they did not provide him, following precisely the same principle in virtue of which he did not feed his dog. Yermolai was a very strange kind of man; heedless as a bird, rather fond of talking, awkward and vacant—looking; he was excessively fond of drink, and never could sit still long; in walking he shambled along, and rolled from side to side; and yet he got over fifty miles in the day with his rolling, shambling gait. He exposed himself to the most varied adventures: spent the night in the marshes, in trees, on roofs, or under bridges; more than once he had got shut up in lofts, cellars, or barns; he sometimes lost his gun, his dog, his most indispensable garments; got long and severe thrashings; but he always returned home, after a little while, in his clothes, and with his gun and his dog. One could not call him a cheerful man, though one almost always found him in an even frame of mind; he was looked on generally as an eccentric. Yermolai liked a little chat with a good companion, especially over a glass, but he would not stop long; he would get up and go. "But where the devil are you going? It's dark out of doors.’
叶尔莫莱是我的一位邻居的下人,那位邻居是一个旧式地主。旧式地主们不爱吃野味,但喜欢吃家禽。只有恰逢特别的日子,如生日、命名日和选举日,旧式地主的厨子们才会去烹饪一些长嘴鸟作菜肴,他们这时便陷入了一种疯狂的状态,这是俄罗斯人在不知道该怎样办时所特有的状态,于是厨子们给长嘴鸟调制出稀奇古怪的酱料,使得宾客们只能好奇而专注地观望端出来的菜肴,但很少有人下决心去尝一下。按照吩咐,叶尔莫莱每月为主人的厨房供应两对松鸡和山鹑。除此之外,他想住在哪里就住哪里,他愿意怎么生活就怎么生活。人们对他也不再抱有希望,认为他是个什么活也干不了的没用的家伙,就如同我们奥廖尔人所说的,是个 “懒骨头” 。当然,他们是不会给他提供火药和子弹的,这同他不喂自己的狗是一样的道理。叶尔莫莱是个很奇怪的人,像只鸟一样心不在焉,却很爱讲话,看上去有点笨拙呆滞;他极爱喝酒,可从来不能安静地坐上一段时间;他走起路来踉踉跄跄,还摇来晃去,可是他摇摇摆摆地拖着步子,一天也能走五十英里。他的经历也是千奇百怪:他在沼泽地、树上、房顶上,或是桥底下过过夜;他还不止一次地被关在阁楼、地窖,或是谷仓里;他有时连自己的猎枪、狗和贴身的衣服都丢了;他还被长时间地狠狠地鞭打过;但是过不了多久,他又会穿着衣服、背着枪、带着狗回来。但你却不能称他为快乐的人,虽然他的精神状态一直都很稳定;他常常被看成是一个怪人。叶尔莫莱喜欢与上流社会的朋友聊上几句,特别是喝酒的时候,但聊不了多长时间,他就会站起来走人。 “你究竟要去哪里啊?外面天已经黑了。”
"To Tchaplino. "
“去恰普利诺。”
"But what's taking you to Tchaplino, ten miles away?”
“是什么事让你跑去恰普利诺啊,有十英里远呢?”
"I am going to stay the night at Sophron's there.”
“我要去索夫龙家过夜。”
"But stay the night here. "
“就在这里过夜吧。”
"No, I can't.” And Yermolai, with his Valetka, would go off into the dark night, through woods and water—courses, and the peasant Sophron very likely did not let him into his place, and even, I am afraid, gave him a blow to teach him" not to disturb honest folks. "But none could compare with Yermolai in skill in deep—water fishing in spring—time, in catching crayfish with his hands, in tracking game by scent, in snaring quails, in training hawks, in capturing the nightingales who had the greatest variety of notes.... One thing he could not do, train a dog; he had not patience enough. He had a wife too. He went to see her once a week. She lived in a wretched, tumble—down little hut, and led a hand—to—mouth existence, never knowing overnight whether she would have food to eat on the morrow; and in every way her lot was a pitiful one. Yermolai, who seemed such a careless and easy—going fellow, treated his wife with cruel harshness; in his own house he assumed a stern, and menacing manner; and his poor wife did everything she could to please him, trembled when he looked at her, and spent her last farthing to buy him vodka; and when he stretched himself majestically on the stove and fell into an heroic sleep, she obsequiously covered him with a sheepskin. I happened myself more than once to catch an involuntary look in him of a kind of savage ferocity; I did not like the expression of his face when he finished off a wounded bird with his teeth. But Yermolai never remained more than a day at home, and away from home he was once more the same" Yermolka "(i. e. the shooting—cap), as he was called for a hundred miles round, and as he sometimes called himself. The lowest house—serf was conscious of being superior to this vagabond—and perhaps this was precisely why they treated him with friendliness; the peasants at first amused themselves by chasing him and driving him like a hare over the open country, but afterwards they left him in God's hands, and when once they recognised him as" queer, "they no longer tormented him, and even gave him bread and entered into talk with him.... This was the man I took as my huntsman, and with him I went stand—shooting to a great birch—wood on the banks of the Ista.
“不,不行。” 于是叶尔莫莱就带着他的瓦列特卡离开了,在黑暗的夜色中,穿过丛林,越过水沟,而庄稼汉索夫龙很有可能不会让他进门,甚至还会打他一拳警告他 “不要去打扰那些老实人” 。但是叶尔莫莱有些无人能及的本领,比如说在春天捕深水鱼,用手抓小龙虾,靠嗅觉寻找野味,诱捕鹌鹑,驯养猎鹰,以及捕捉那些歌喉最婉转的夜莺……只有一件事他做不了,那就是训狗,因为他没有足够的耐心。他也娶过一个老婆。他每个星期去看她一次。她在一间破破烂烂、摇摇欲坠的小屋里勉强度日,根本就不知道过了这个晚上以后,第二天还有没有吃的,总的来说,她的命很苦。叶尔莫莱看上去是个随随便便、性情随和的人,但对自己的老婆却残酷而严厉;在自己家里时,他便装出一副严厉凶恶的样子;他那可怜的老婆尽其所能地去讨好他,他看她的时候,她都会哆嗦,她把自己最后剩的一点钱都用来给他买伏特加酒;当他神气十足地舒展在炕上呼呼大睡时,她还奉承地给他盖上一件羊皮袄。我不止一次地碰巧看到,他无意中流露出的一种凶恶残暴的神情,我并不喜欢他咬死受伤的鸟时脸上露出的表情。但是叶尔莫莱待在家的时间从没超过一天,离开了家他便又是那个 “叶尔莫尔卡” (也就是猎帽),方圆一百英里的人都这样叫他,他有时也这样称呼自己。就连最低下的家仆都觉得自己比这个流浪汉高一等——也许正是因为这个,他们对他很友善;农民们起先都以追赶他为乐,就像捉田野里的野兔那样驱赶他,但是后来他们仁慈地放了他,在得知他是个 “怪胎” 后,他们就再也不折磨他了,甚至还给他面包,同他说话……我就是带了这个人一同去打猎,我和他一起去了伊斯塔河边一片很大的桦树林里打伏击。
Many Russian rivers, like the Volga, have one bank rugged and precipitous, the other bounded by level meadows; and so it is with the Ista. This small river winds extremely capriciously, coils like a snake, and does not keep a straight course for half—a—mile together; in some places, from the top of a sharp declivity, one can see the river for ten miles, with its dykes, its pools and mills, and the gardens on its banks, shut in with willows and thick flower—gardens. There are fish in the Ista in endless numbers, especially roaches (the peasants take them in hot weather from under the bushes with their hands); little sand—pipers flutter whistling along the stony banks, which are streaked with cold clear streams; wild ducks dive in the middle of the pools, and look round warily; in the coves under the overhanging cliffs herons stand out in the shade.... We stood in ambush nearly an hour, killed two brace of wood snipe, and, as we wanted to try our luck again at sunrise (stand—shooting can be done as well in the early morning), we resolved to spend the night at the nearest mill. We came out of the wood, and went down the slope. The dark—blue waters of the river ran below; the air was thick with the mists of night. We knocked at the gate. The dogs began barking in the yard.
俄罗斯的许多河流,都像伏尔加河一样,河岸的一边崎岖险峻,另一边则是平坦的草地,伊斯塔河也一样。这条小河极为曲折、蜿蜒如蛇,没有一段河道在半英里内是直的;有的地方,从陡峭的斜坡上放眼望去,能看到这条小河延绵十英里长,还能看到河岸上的堤坝、池塘、磨坊和菜园,周围都是柳树和茂密的花园。伊斯塔河里的鱼多得数不清,特别是拟鲤(在热天时,农民们可以用手从灌木丛下抓这种鱼);几只鹬一边吹着小曲,一边沿流淌着清凉纯净小溪的石坝游动;野鸭游到池塘的中央,小心地左顾右盼;鹭站在河湾里悬崖下的阴影处很显眼……我们伏击了将近一小时,猎到了两对林沙锥,因为我们还想在日出前来碰碰运气(也可以在清早伏击),便决定到最近的磨坊里过夜。我们走出了树林,下了斜坡。深蓝色的河水在下面潺潺流过,夜晚的雾气也使得空气变得浓郁起来。我们敲了敲门。几只狗在院子里叫了起来。
"Who is there? " asked a hoarse and sleepy voice.
“谁啊?” 一个沙哑且带有睡意的声音问道。
"We are sportsmen; let us stay the night. " There was no reply.
“我们是打猎的,让我们借宿一晚吧。” 然后就没了回应。
"We will pay. "
“我们会付钱的。”
"I will go and tell the master—Sh! Curse the dogs! Go to the devil with you!’
“我去给主人说一下——嘘!该死的狗!见鬼去吧!”
We listened as the workman went into the cottage; he soon came back to the gate. "No, " he said; "the master tells me not to let you in. "
我们听到那个雇工进屋去了,但很快他就回到了门边。 “不行,” 他说, “主人告诉我不能让你们进来。”
"Why not? "
“为什么不行啊?”
"He is afraid; you are sportsmen; you might set the mill on fire; you've firearms with you, to be sure.”
“你们是打猎的,他怕你们把磨坊给点着了,你们肯定带着枪。”
"But what nonsense! "
“真是胡说八道!”
"We had our mill on fire like that last year; some fish—dealers stayed the night, and they managed to set it on fire somehow.”
“去年我们的磨坊就是这样被烧着的,一些鱼贩子们在这里过夜,他们不知怎地就把磨坊给烧着了。”
"But, my good friend, we can't sleep in the open air!”
“可是,伙计,我们总不能在露天里睡觉吧!”
"That's your business.” He went away, his boots clacking as he walked.
“那就是你们的事了。” 他走开了,还伴着靴子发出的啪嗒啪嗒的声音。
Yermolai promised him various unpleasant things in the future. "Let us go to the village, " he brought out at last, with a sigh. But it was two miles to the village.
叶尔莫莱狠狠地诅咒了他一番。 “我们到那个村里去吧。” 他最后叹了口气说。可是这里离村里有两英里路呢。
"Let us stay the night here, " I said, "in the open air—the night is warm; the miller will let us have some straw if we pay for it.”
“我们就在这里过夜吧,” 我说, “就在露天地里——夜里挺暖和的,要是付钱的话,磨坊老板会给我们一些稻草的。”
Yermolai agreed without discussion. We began again to knock.
叶尔莫莱没有争辩就同意了。我们又开始敲门。
"Well, what do you want? " the workman's voice was heard again; "I've told you we can't.”
“哎呀,你们到底要干什么呀?” 我们又听到了那个雇工的声音, “我都给你们说了不行了。”
We explained to him what we wanted. He went to consult the master of the house, and returned with him. The little side gate creaked. The miller appeared, a tall, fat—faced man with a bull—neck, round—bellied and corpulent. He agreed to my proposal. A hundred paces from the mill there was a little outhouse open to the air on all sides. They carried straw and hay there for us; the workman set a samovar down on the grass near the river, and, squatting on his heels, began to blow vigorously into the pipe of it. The embers glowed, and threw a bright light on his young face. The miller ran to wake his wife, and suggested at last that I myself should sleep in the cottage; but I preferred to remain in the open air. The miller's wife brought us milk, eggs, potatoes and bread. Soon the samovar boiled, and we began drinking tea. A mist had risen from the river; there was no wind; from all round came the cry of the corn—crake, and faint sounds from the mill—wheels of drops that dripped from the paddles and of water gurgling through the bars of the lock. We built a small fire on the ground. While Yermolai was baking the potatoes in the embers, I had time to fall into a doze. I was waked by a discreetly—subdued whispering near me. I lifted my head; before the fire, on a tub turned upside down, the miller's wife sat talking to my huntsman. By her dress, her movements, and her manner of speaking, I had already recognised that she had been in domestic service, and was neither peasant nor city—bred; but now for the first time I got a clear view of her features. She looked about thirty; her thin, pale face still showed the traces of remarkable beauty; what particularly charmed me was her eyes, large and mournful in expression. She was leaning her elbows on her knees, and had her face in her hands. Yermolai was sitting with his back to me, and thrusting sticks into the fire.
我们向他说明了我们要什么。他就去和老板商量了一下,然后和老板一同出来了。小侧门嘎吱一声开了。磨坊老板露面了,他个子高高的,脸肥肥的,脖子又短又粗,肚子又圆圆的,一副发福的样子。他同意了我的请求。在离磨坊一百步的地方,有一间四面通风的小敞篷。他们把麦秆和干草给我们送到那里;那个雇工把一个茶炊放在河边的草地上,然后蹲坐在脚后跟上,开始用力地吹生火的筒子。火苗闪烁着,照亮了他年轻的面庞。磨坊老板跑去叫醒了他老婆,最后提出,我自己可以进屋去睡,但我宁愿待在露天地里。磨坊老板娘给我们送来了牛奶、鸡蛋、土豆和面包。茶炊很快就烧开了,我们也开始喝起茶来。河面上升起了雾气,天空中没有一丝的风;周围都是秧鸡的叫声,还有从水车轮那边传来的微弱的声音,水滴从轮叶上滴下来,水又从闸门的栏杆处汩汩地流过去。我们在地上生了一小堆篝火。叶尔莫莱在木块上烤着土豆,我乘机打了个盹。我被附近的一阵低声细语给惊醒了。我抬头一看,磨坊老板娘正坐在篝火前一只倒扣着的木桶上,与我的猎伴聊天。我之前就通过她的衣着、举止和谈吐看出她曾当过仆人,她不是农妇,也不是小市民,不过直到现在,我才头一次看清了她的容貌。她看上去有三十来岁,消瘦白皙的脸上仍有当年非凡美貌的风韵,而最令我着迷的是她那双忧郁的大眼睛。她把双肘支在膝上,双手托着脸。叶尔莫莱背对着我坐着,不时地往火里添些柴火。
"They've the cattle—plague again at Zheltonhiny, " the miller's wife was saying; "father Ivan's two cows are dead—Lord have mercy on them!”
“热尔图希纳的牲畜又闹瘟疫了,” 磨坊老板娘说道, “牧师伊万家的两头母牛死了……上帝保佑他们啊!”
"And how are your pigs doing? " asked Yermolai, after a brief pause.
短暂的一阵沉默后,叶尔莫莱问道: “你们家的猪怎么样?”
"They're alive.”
“它们都活着呢。”
"You ought to make me a present of a sucking pig. "
“你应该送给我一头小猪崽作为礼物。”
The miller's wife was silent for a while, then she sighed.
磨坊老板娘沉默了一会儿,然后叹了口气。
"Who is it you're with? " she asked.
“和您一起来的是谁啊?” 她问道。
"A gentleman from Kostomarovo. "
“是柯斯托马罗夫来的老爷。”
Yermolai threw a few pine twigs on the fire; they all caught fire at once, and a thick white smoke came puffing into his face.
叶尔莫莱往火里扔了几根松树枝,它们马上就都着了起来,一股浓浓的白烟朝他的脸扑了过来。
"Why didn't your husband let us into the cottage?”
“你丈夫为什么不让我们进屋去?”
"He's afraid.”
“他害怕。”
"Afraid! the fat old tub! Arina Timofyevna, my darling, bring me a little glass of spirits. '
“害怕!那老肥桶!亲爱的阿丽娜•季莫费叶夫娜,给我拿一小杯酒来吧。”
The miller's wife rose and vanished into the darkness. Yermolai began to sing in an undertone—
磨坊老板娘站了起来,消失在了黑暗中。叶尔莫莱开始轻声地哼起歌来:
"When I went to see my sweetheart, I wore out all my shoes. "
“我去见情人啊,鞋子都磨破啦。”
Arina returned with a small flask and a glass. Yermolai got up, crossed himself, and drank it off at a draught. "Good! " was his comment.
阿丽娜拿着小酒瓶和杯子回来了。叶尔莫莱站了起来,在胸前画了个十字,一口就把酒喝干了。他还称赞道: “真棒!”
The miller's wife sat down again on the tub.
磨坊老板娘又坐到了木桶上。
"Well, Arina Timofyevna, are you still ill? "
“喂,阿丽娜•季莫费叶夫娜,你还是老生病吗?”
"Yes. "
“是啊。”
"What is it? "
“那是怎么回事啊?”
"My cough troubles me at night. "
“我晚上老咳嗽。”
"The gentleman's asleep, it seems, " observed Yermolai after a short silence. "Don't go to a doctor, Arina; it will be worse if you do.”
“看来老爷睡着了。” 叶尔莫莱沉默了一小会儿说, “别去看医生,阿丽娜,要是看了只会更糟。”
"Well, I am not going. "
“好吧,我不去。”
"But come and pay me a visit. "
“那到我家里来玩玩吧。”
Arina hung down her head dejectedly.
阿丽娜沮丧地垂下了头。
"I will drive my wife out for the occasion, " continued Yermolai. "Upon my word, I will. "
“我到时候会把我那婆娘赶出去的,” 叶尔莫莱接着说道, “我说到做到。”
"You had better wake the gentleman, Yermolai Petrovitch; you see, the potatoes are done. "
“您还是把老爷叫醒吧,叶尔莫莱•彼得罗维奇,您瞧,土豆都熟了。”
"Oh, let him snore, " observed my faithful servant indifferently; "he's tired with walking, so he sleeps sound.”
“哦,让他睡儿吧,” 我忠实的仆人漠然地说道, “他走得太累了,所以睡得很香。”
I turned over in the hay. Yermolai got up and came to me. "The potatoes are ready; will you come and eat them? "
我在干草堆上翻了个身。叶尔莫莱站了起来,朝我走了过来。 “土豆烤好了,您过来吃点儿吧?”
I came out of the outhouse; the miller's wife got up from the tub and was going away. I addressed her.
我从敞篷里走了出来,磨坊老板娘从木桶上站了起来,准备离开。我又跟她聊了起来。
"Have you kept this mill long? "
“你们在这磨坊呆了很久么?”
"It's two years since I came on Trinity day.”
“从三一节我来到这里,已经有两年了。”
"And where does your husband come from? "
“你丈夫是哪里人?”
Arina had not caught my question.
阿丽娜没听清我的问题。
"Where's your husband from? " repeated Yermolai, raising his voice.
“你丈夫是什么地方的人?” 叶尔莫莱提高音量,又重复了一遍。
"From Byelev. He's a Byelev townsman.’
“是别廖夫人,他是别廖夫城里的人。”
"And are you too from Byelev? "
“你也是从别廖夫来的?”
"No, I 'm a serf; I was a serf.”
“不是,我是个农奴,我以前是个农奴。”
"Whose? "
“谁家的?”
"Zvyerkoff was my master. Now I am free. '
“兹韦尔科夫曾是我的主人。不过我现在是自由身了。”
"What Zvyerkoff? "
“哪个兹韦尔科夫?”
"Alexandr Selitch. "
“亚历山大•西雷奇。”
"Weren't you his wife's lady's maid?”
“你以前是他夫人的女仆吧?”
"How did you know? Yes. "
“您是怎么知道?没错。”
I looked at Arina with redoubled curiosity and sympathy.
我更加好奇和同情地看着阿丽娜。
"I know your master, " I continued.
“我认识你的主人。” 我接着说道。
"Do you? " she replied in a low voice, and her head drooped.
“是吗?” 她垂下了头低声问道。
I must tell the reader why I looked with such sympathy at Arina. During my stay at Petersburg I had become by chance acquainted with Mr. Zvyerkoff. He had a rather influential position, and was reputed a man of sense and education. He had a wife, fat, sentimental, lachrymose and spiteful—a vulgar and disagreeable creature; he had too a son, the very type of the young swell of to—day, pampered and stupid. The exterior of Mr. Zvyerkoff himself did not prepossess one in his favour; his little mouse—like eyes peeped slyly out of a broad, almost square, face; he had a large, prominent nose, with distended nostrils; his close—cropped grey hair stood up like a brush above his scowling brow; his thin lips were for ever twitching and smiling mawkishly. Mr. Zvyerkoff's favourite position was standing with his legs wide apart and his fat hands in his trouser pockets. Once I happened somehow to be driving alone with Mr. Zvyerkoff in a coach out of town. We fell into conversation. As a man of experience and of judgment, Mr. Zvyerkoff began to try to set me in "the path of truth. "
我必须得告诉读者,为什么我会那么同情地看着阿丽娜。我在彼得堡逗留的时候,碰巧认识了兹韦尔科夫先生。他位高权重,以明理博学闻名。他老婆是个多愁善感的胖女人,很好哭却还很凶——是一个粗俗乖戾的女人;他还有一个儿子,是个典型的公子哥,娇生惯养,还十分愚蠢。兹韦尔科夫先生的外貌并不很讨人喜欢,一张几乎是方形的大脸上长着一双贼溜溜、老鼠般的小眼睛;他的鼻子又大又高,鼻孔很大;愁眉不展的额头上面,那剪短了的斑斑白头发像刷子似的竖着;他薄薄的嘴唇总是抽动着,带着令人作呕的微笑。兹韦尔科夫先最喜欢的站姿是,两腿大大地叉开,再把一双胖手插到裤兜里。有一次,我不知怎么地就碰巧单独和兹韦尔科夫先生坐同一辆马车出城去。我们聊了起来。作为一个见多识广、明辨是非的人,兹韦尔科夫先生开始试着把我引上 “真理之路” 。
"Allow me to observe to you, " he drawled at last; "all you young people criticise and form judgments on everything at random; you have little knowledge of your own country; Russia, young gentlemen, is an unknown land to you; that's where it is!... You are for ever reading German. For instance, now you say this and that and the other about anything; for instance, about the house—serfs.... Very fine; I don't dispute it's all very fine; but you don't know them; you don't know the kind of people they are. " (Mr. Zvyerkoff blew his nose loudly and took a pinch of snuff. )
“请允许我给您指出,” 他最后慢吞吞地说道, “你们这些年轻人,总是随意地去评价批判一切事情,但你们对自己的祖国却了解得很少,对于你们这些年轻的先生来说,俄罗斯就是一片未知的土地,问题也就在这里!……你们老学德国人那一套。比方说,现在您说的这些那些话以及所有其他的,就拿佣人这事来说吧……很好,我要是不争辩的话,什么都很好,但是您不了解他们,您不知道他们是什么样的人。” (兹韦尔科夫先生大声地吹了一下鼻子,吸了一口鼻烟。)
"Allow me to tell you as an illustration one little anecdote; it may perhaps interest you. " (Mr. Zvyerkoff cleared his throat. ) "You know, doubtless, what my wife is; it would be difficult, I should imagine, to find a more kind—hearted woman, you will agree. For her waiting—maids, existence is simply a perfect paradise, and no mistake about it.... But my wife has made it a rule never to keep married lady's maids. Certainly it would not do; children come—and one thing and the other—and how is a lady's maid to look after her mistress as she ought, to fit in with her ways; she is no longer able to do it; her mind is in other things. One must look at things through human nature. Well, we were driving once through our village, it must be—let me be correct—yes, fifteen years ago. We saw, at the bailiff's, a young girl, his daughter, very pretty indeed; something even—you know—something attractive in her manners. And my wife said to me: 'Koko' —you understand, of course, that is her pet name for me— 'let us take this girl to Petersburg; I like her, Koko.... ' I said, " Let us take her, by all means. "The bailiff, of course, was at our feet; he could not have expected such good fortune, you can imagine.... Well, the girl of course cried violently. Of course, it was hard for her at first; the parental home... in fact... there was nothing surprising in that. However, she soon got used to us: at first we put her in the maidservants' room; they trained her, of course. And what do you think? The girl made wonderful progress; my wife became simply devoted to her, promoted her at last above the rest to wait on herself... observe.... And one must do her the justice to say, my wife had never such a maid, absolutely never; attentive, modest, and obedient—simply all that could be desired. But my wife, I must confess, spoilt her too much; she dressed her well, fed her from our own table, gave her tea to drink, and so on, as you can imagine! So she waited on my wife like this for ten years. Suddenly, one fine morning, picture to yourself, Arina—her name was Arina—rushes unannounced into my study, and flops down at my feet. That's a thing, I tell you plainly, I can't endure. No human being ought ever to lose sight of their personal dignity. Am I not right? What do you say? 'Your honour, Alexandr Selitch, I beseech a favour of you. '
“让我给您讲件有意思的小事解释一下吧,也许您会感兴趣。” (兹韦尔科夫先生清了清嗓子。) “您肯定知道我太太是个什么样的人,我觉得要想找到一个比她更善良的女人应该很难,您也赞同吧。她女仆的日子过得简直就像在天堂里一样好,这是毫无疑问的……但是我太太也立了条规矩,绝对不用结了婚的女仆。结了婚的女仆当然是不行的,生孩子啦——一件接一件的事情接踵而来——这怎么能尽职地服侍好女主人、适应女主人的习惯呢,因为这女仆脑子里装的全是其他的事情,就不再能够照顾好女主人了。人应该透过人性看事情。言归正传,我们有一次乘车穿过我们的村子,应该是——让我好好想想——对,十五年以前了。我们在管家家里看到一个小女孩,是他女儿,她确实很漂亮,身上散发着一种,您知道,一种迷人的气息。我太太对我说: ‘科科’ ——您当然能理解,这是她对我的爱称—— ‘我们把这个女孩带回彼得堡吧,我很喜欢她,科科……’ 我说: ‘当然可以,我们就把带她走吧。’ 当然了,那个管家都激动得给我们跪下了,他怎么会想到有这等好事啊,您可以想象一下……那个女孩则大哭了一场。一开始,她肯定是很难接受的,要离开父母的家……事实上……这也并不奇怪。不过,她很快就习惯跟我们呆在一起了:一开始我们把她安排到女佣们的房里,当然了,她们会训练她。您猜后来怎么着?这女孩进步很快,我夫人特别宠爱她,最后只她一个人贴身伺候……看到了吧……公正地讲,我夫人从没有过这样的女仆,绝对没有过,她体贴、谦虚、听话——简直样样都很称人心。但是我承认,我太太实在是太宠她了,给她穿得漂漂亮亮的,和我们吃一样的饭菜,还给她茶喝等等,这些您能想象到的!就这样,她服侍了我夫人十年。突然,一个晴朗的早晨,您自己想象一下,阿丽娜突然——她叫阿丽娜——没禀报就冲进了我的书房,一下子跪在了我的脚边。坦白地说,我受不了这样的事。人在任何时候都不能忘了自己的尊严。对吧?您认为呢? ‘亚历山大•西雷奇老爷,我求求您帮帮忙。’
'What favour? '
‘什么事? '
'Let me be married. ' I must confess I was taken aback. 'But you know, you stupid, your mistress has no other lady's maid?’
‘请允许我嫁人吧。’ 我承认,我被吓到了, ‘但是你也知道,傻姑娘,太太没有别的女佣呀! '
'I will wait on mistress as before. '
‘我还是会像以前一样服侍太太的。’
'Nonsense! Nonsense! Your mistress can't endure married lady's maids.’
‘胡说!胡说!太太受不了结了婚的女佣。’
'Malanya could take my place. '
‘马拉尼娅可以接替我。’
'Pray don't argue.’
‘别再争论了。’
'I obey your will. ' I must confess it was quite a shock, I assure you, I am like that; nothing wounds me so—nothing, I venture to say, wounds me so deeply as ingratitude. I need not tell you—you know what my wife is; an angel upon earth, goodness inexhaustible. One would fancy even the worst of men would be ashamed to hurt her. Well, I got rid of Arina. I thought, perhaps, she would come to her senses; I was unwilling, do you know, to believe in wicked, black ingratitude in anyone. What do you think? Within six months she thought fit to come to me again with the same request. And here I must confess I turned her out in a temper and threatened to tell my wife about it. I felt revolted. But imagine my amazement when, some time later, my wife comes to me in tears, so agitated that I felt positively alarmed. 'What has happened? '
‘我听从您的吩咐。’ 说实话,我惊呆了,我确实是给吓住了,我敢说,没有——没有能比忘恩负义更让我受伤的事了。我不需要再告诉您——您知道我太太是个怎样的人,她是一个落在凡间的天使,永远那么善良。大家都觉得,哪怕是最邪恶的人都以伤害她为耻。唉,我把阿丽娜赶了出去。我想,也许她会醒悟,您知道吗,我有多不情愿去相信会有人这么邪恶,这么忘恩负义。您猜怎么着?过了半年,她觉得是时候了,又为同一件事来找我。在那个时候,我承认我非常生气,把她赶了出去,并吓唬她说要把这件事告诉太太。我很愤怒。但是过了段时间,我太太泪眼婆娑地来找我,她那么激动,把我吓坏了,您能想象到那时我有多吃惊吧。 ‘发生什么事了? '
'Arina.... You understand... I am ashamed to tell it.... ' 'Impossible! …Who is the man?’
‘阿丽娜……您知道……我都不好意思说……’ ‘不是吧……那个男的是谁? '
'Petrushka, the footman. ' My indignation broke out then. I am like that. I don't like half measures! Petrushka was not to blame. We might flog him, but in my opinion he was not to blame. Arina.... Well, well, well! What more's to be said? I gave orders, of course, that her hair should be cut off, she should be dressed in sackcloth, and sent into the country. My wife was deprived of an excellent lady's maid; but there was no help for it: immorality cannot be tolerated in a household in any case. Better to cut off the infected member at once. There, there! now you can judge the thing for yourself—you know that my wife is... yes, yes, yes! indeed!... an angel! She had grown attached to Arina, and Arina knew it, and had the face to... Eh? no, tell me... eh? And what's the use of talking about it. Any way, there was no help for it. I, indeed—I, in particular, felt hurt, felt wounded for a long time by the ingratitude of this girl. Whatever you say—it's no good to look for feeling, for heart, in these people! You may feed the wolf as you will; he has always a hankering for the woods. Education, by all means! But I only wanted to give you an example....”
‘男仆彼得鲁什卡。’ 我那时真是气炸了。我就是那样。我不喜欢折中的办法!彼得鲁什卡没什么错。我们可以去鞭打他,但是我觉得他没什么错。至于阿丽娜嘛……唉,唉,唉!还有什么好说的呢?当然了,我下令把她的头发剪了,给她穿上粗布衣服,把她送到乡下去了。我太太失去了一个很棒的女仆,但这也是没办法的事:一个家庭无论如何也不能容忍那些伤风败俗的行为。最好还是马上把害群之马赶出去。好啦,好啦!现在您就能自己评判一下这事了——您知道,我太太……是的,是的,是的!绝对的!……是一个天使!她越来越依赖阿丽娜了,而阿丽娜也是知道的,可还有脸去……啊?是不是,您说……啊?不过说这些也没什么用了。不管怎样,也没什么办法了。我呢,确实,我也感到特别受伤,为这个丫头的忘恩负义难过了好长时间。不管怎么说,别指望这种人会有感情,有良心!你无论怎么去喂那狼,它还是一心想回树林里去。当然了,这就是个教训!不过我只是想给您举个例子……”
And Mr. Zvyerkoff, without finishing his sentence, turned away his head, and, wrapping himself more closely into his cloak, manfully repressed his involuntary emotion.
兹韦尔科夫先生没有把话讲完,就把头转了过去,用披风把自己裹得更加严密,努力地压制着自己激动的情绪。
The reader now probably understands why I looked with sympathetic interest at Arina.
读者现在大概已经知道,我为什么会那么同情地看着阿丽娜了。
"Have you long been married to the miller? " I asked her at last.
“你嫁给磨坊老板很长时间了吗?” 最后我问她。
"Two years. "
“两年了。”
"How was it? Did your master allow it? "
“怎么回事啊?你主人同意了么?”
"They bought my freedom. "
“有人给我赎了身。”
"Who? "
“谁啊?”
"Savely Alexyevitch. "
“萨韦利•阿列克谢维奇。”
"Who is that? "
“他是谁啊?”
"My husband. " (Yermolai smiled to himself. ) "Has my master perhaps spoken to you of me? " added Arina, after a brief silence.
“我丈夫。” (叶尔莫莱暗自笑了笑。) “难道我老爷跟您说起过我吗?” 短暂的沉默过后,阿丽娜接着问道。
I did not know what reply to make to her question.
我不知道该怎么回答她的问题。
"Arina! " cried the miller from a distance. She got up and walked away.
“阿丽娜!” 磨坊老板在远处叫道。她站了起来走开了。
"Is her husband a good fellow? " I asked Yermolai.
“她丈夫是个好人么?” 我问叶尔莫莱。
"So—so.”
“还行吧。”
"Have they any children? "
“他们有孩子吗?”
"There was one, but it died. "
“以前有过一个,不过已经死了。”
"How was it? Did the miller take a liking to her? Did he give much to buy her freedom? "
“怎么会这样?磨坊老板喜欢她吗?他给她赎身花了不少钱吧?”
"I don't know. She can read and write; in their business it's of use. I suppose he liked her.”
“我也不知道。她会认字和写字,他们做生意用得着。我猜他是喜欢她的吧。”
"And have you known her long? "
“你认识她很久了吗?”
"Yes. I used to go to her master's. Their house isn't far from here.”
“是的。我以前常去她主人家。他们家离这儿不远。”
"And do you know the footman Petrushka? "
“你认识那个叫彼得鲁什卡的男仆吗?”
"Piotr Vassilyevitch? Of course, I knew him. "
“彼得•瓦西利耶维奇吗?当然认得。”
"Where is he now? "
“他现在在哪里呀?”
"He was sent for a soldier. "
“他被送去当兵了。”
We were silent for a while.
接着我们沉默了一阵。
"She doesn't seem well? " I asked Yermolai at last.
“她的身体似乎不大好?” 我最后问叶尔莫莱。
"I should think not! To—morrow, I say, we shall have good sport. A little sleep now would do us no harm.”
“我也认为不好!我觉得,明天我们会满载而归。我们现在最好还是小睡一会儿吧。”
A flock of wild ducks swept whizzing over our heads, and we heard them drop down into the river not far from us. It was now quite dark, and it began to be cold; in the thicket sounded the melodious notes of a nightingale. We buried ourselves in the hay and fell asleep.
一群野鸭嗖嗖地从我们头顶掠过,我们还听到它们落到了离我们不远的那条河里。这时天色漆黑,也开始变凉了,灌木丛里响起了夜莺动听的歌声。我们钻进干草堆里睡着了。
CHAPTER III RASPBERRY SPRING