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苏珊不由想起那个人的言语和表情。她记得他看了看埃米琳，捧起她的卷发说这是上等货色。一想起他的模样，苏珊就涌起厌恶之感。她受过严格的基督徒的教育，有每天阅读《圣经》的习惯；她和任何其他基督徒母亲一样，害怕自己的女儿被卖给别人，一辈子过屈辱的生活。但是，她又没有丝毫的力量来保障女儿的幸福，没有一点指望来改变女儿不幸的命运。 "Mother, I think we might do first rate, if you could get a place as cook, and I as chambermaid or seamstress, in some family. I dare say we shall. Let's both look as bright and lively as we can, and tell all we can do, and perhaps we shall," said Emmeline." 妈妈，要是你能当厨子，我做侍女或裁缝，咱们一定会干得不错，我敢保证。明天我们尽量摆出高兴的样子，精精神神的，让别人知道我们会干什么，也许会把我们一起买走的。"埃米琳说道。 "I want you to brush your hair all back straight, tomorrow," said Susan." 你明天把头发梳直了。"苏珊说。 "What for, mother? I don't look near so well, that way."" 为什么，妈妈？卷着不是更好看吗？" "Yes, but you'll sell better so."" 是好看些，但是直着头发更容易找到好东家。" 
我不明白。为什么？"埃米琳说。 "Respectable families would be more apt to buy you, if they saw you looked plain and decent, as if you wasn't trying to look handsome. I know their ways better 'n you do," said Susan." 正经人家看见你素净的样子，就会觉得你规规矩矩的，乐意要你。他们的心思我比你明白些。"苏珊说。 "Well, mother, then I will."" 好吧，妈妈，那就按您的意思办吧！" "And, Emmeline, if we shouldn't ever see each other again, after tomorrow,--if I'm sold way up on a plantation somewhere, and you somewhere else,--always remember how you've been brought up, and all Missis has told you; take your Bible with you, and your hymn-book; and if you're faithful to the Lord, he'll be faithful to you."" 还有，埃米琳，如果明天之后，我被卖到一个遥远的农庄，你被带到另一个地方，我们母女再也无法相见的话，你一定要铭记夫人对你的教导和自己所受的教养。把《圣经》和赞美诗随身携带，如果你心中有上帝的话，上帝就会保佑你的。" So speaks the poor soul, in sore discouragement; for she knows that tomorrow any man, however vile and brutal, however godless and merciless, if he only has money to pay for her, may become owner of her daughter, body and soul; and then, how is the child to be faithful? She thinks of all this, as she holds her daughter in her arms, and wishes that she were not handsome and attractive. It seems almost an aggravation to her to remember how purely and piously, how much above the ordinary lot, she has been brought up. But she has no resort but to _pray_; and many such prayers to God have gone up from those same trim, neatly-arranged, respectable slave-prisons,--prayers which God has not forgotten, as a coming day shall show; for it is written, "Who causeth one of these little ones to offend, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea." 那苦命的女人说这番话时，心里一阵酸楚。她明白一到明天，只要能出得起钱，不论这人有多么邪恶、奸诈和下流，就将从精神到肉体完全占有她的女儿。那时候，孩子又该怎么忠于上帝呢？她把女儿一把搂在怀里，思潮翻滚，她真希望女儿生得没这么漂亮，没这么妩媚动人。当她想到自己曾受过良好正规的教养以及曾比黑奴优越得多的待遇时，心里就越发难受。但是，此刻除了祈祷之外还有什么法子呢？她完全是无可奈何呀。在这两间干净、体面的黑奴房间里，已有不少人在默默地祷告上苍。上帝并不会忘记他们，这一点迟早会证实，因为《圣经》上明明白白写着："凡让信仰我的人跌倒的人，倒不如把大磨石挂在此人的脖子上，让他永沉海底。" 
静穆、柔和的月光从窗外照进屋子里，把窗子上铁栏杆的影子投射在地板上熟睡的人身上。母女俩依偎着，情不自禁地唱起一支哀婉而感情奔放的挽歌，这是黑奴们在葬礼上经常唱的一首赞美诗： "O, where is weeping Mary? O, where is weeping Mary? 'Rived in the goodly land. She is dead and gone to Heaven; She is dead and gone to Heaven; 'Rived in the goodly land." 啊，哭泣的玛丽在哪里？啊，哭泣的玛丽在哪里？平安已到达幸福园。她已长逝升入天堂，她已长逝升入天堂，平安已到达幸福园。 These words, sung by voices of a peculiar and melancholy sweetness, in an air which seemed like the sighing of earthy despair after heavenly hope, floated through the dark prison rooms with a pathetic cadence, as verse after verse was breathed out: 母女俩的嗓音带有柔美而忧郁的特点，曲调的旋律仿佛流露出对尘世的厌倦和绝望、对天堂的向往和憧憬。歌声带着悲怆的意味，一段一段回荡在黑暗的监房里。 "O, where are Paul and Silas? O, where are Paul and Silas? Gone to the goodly land. They are dead and gone to Heaven; They are dead and gone to Heaven; 'Rived in the goodly land." 啊，保罗和希拉斯在哪里？啊，保罗和希拉斯在哪里？平安已到达幸福园。他们已长逝升入天堂，他们已长逝升入天堂，平安已到达幸福园。 Sing on poor souls! The night is short, and the morning will part you forever! 唱吧，苦命的人！长夜将逝，天明之后，你们将骨肉分离！ 
可是，天已经亮了，人们开始起床。什凯哥思大老板喜气洋洋的，忙得焦头烂额，他正准备把一大批货送去拍卖。他先督促大伙梳洗穿戴，又叮嘱每个人装出高兴的样子来。最后，黑奴们围成一个圈子，在被送往交易所之前，等待老板最后的检阅。 Mr. Skeggs, with his palmetto on and his cigar in his mouth, walks around to put farewell touches on his wares. 什凯哥思大老板头戴棕榈帽，叼着雪茄烟，逐个检查一遍，给他的商品最后润润色。 "How's this?" he said, stepping in front of Susan and Emmeline. "Where's your curls, gal?"" 这是搞什么名堂？"他走到苏珊和埃米琳面前说，"你的卷发跑哪儿去了？" The girl looked timidly at her mother, who, with the smooth adroitness common among her class, answers, 那姑娘胆怯地望了她母亲一眼，她母亲立刻以黑人常有的机敏答道： "I was telling her, last night, to put up her hair smooth and neat, and not havin' it flying about in curls; looks more respectable so."" 是我昨晚让她把头发梳得整齐光亮些，不要一圈圈乱蓬蓬的，这样看上去庄重些。" 
可恶！"那黑奴贩子粗鲁地说，接着就转过脸向那姑娘命令道，"赶快去把头发卷起来，要卷得漂漂亮亮的！"他又把手中的藤条在地上"啪"地抽了一下，补充道，"弄完了赶紧回来，听见了没有？" "You go and help her," he added, to the mother. "Them curls may make a hundred dollars difference in the sale of her."" 你，快去帮她的忙，"他对她母亲说，"把头发卷起来可以多卖一百块钱呢！" Beneath a splendid dome were men of all nations, moving to and fro, over the marble pave. On every side of the circular area were little tribunes, or stations, for the use of speakers and auctioneers. Two of these, on opposite sides of the area, were now occupied by brilliant and talented gentlemen, enthusiastically forcing up, in English and French commingled, the bids of connoisseurs in their various wares. A third one, on the other side, still unoccupied, was surrounded by a group, waiting the moment of sale to begin. And here we may recognize the St. Clare servants,--Tom, Adolph, and others; and there, too, Susan and Emmeline, awaiting their turn with anxious and dejected faces. Various spectators, intending to purchase, or not intending, examining, and commenting on their various points and faces with the same freedom that a set of jockeys discuss the merits of a horse. 在一个富丽堂皇的圆穹顶下，聚集了不同国籍的各方人士；在大理石的地板上，穿梭着熙来攘往的人群。圆形大厅的四周有几个小讲坛或是拍卖站，那是为演说人或拍卖人设置的。大厅两旁的讲坛被两位才华横溢的人占据着，他们正用夹杂着法语的英语催促看中某商品的行家们提交投标价码。另一端的讲坛还空着，周围站着一群待卖的黑奴，圣克莱尔家的几个仆人--汤姆和阿道夫等也在其中。苏珊和埃米琳也在不安地等待着她们的判决时刻。这群黑奴前围着许多看客，有的打算买，有的并不想买。他们一面用手随意捏弄、检查这些黑人，一面品头论足，就像骑师们评价一匹马的优劣似的。 "Hulloa, Alf! what brings you here?" said a young exquisite, slapping the shoulder of a sprucely-dressed young man, who was examining Adolph through an eye-glass." 嗨，阿尔夫，什么风把你给吹来了？"一位打扮时髦的青年用单柄眼镜打量着阿尔夫，另一位阔少拍着那人的肩膀说道。 "Well! I was wanting a valet, and I heard that St. Clare's lot was going. I thought I'd just look at his--"" 哦，我正缺少一个跟班，听说圣克莱尔的一批家奴要脱手，我就来看看--" 
我才不会买圣克莱尔家的仆人呢！全都放纵惯了，个个目中无人。"对方说。 "Never fear that!" said the first. "If I get 'em, I'll soon have their airs out of them; they'll soon find that they've another kind of master to deal with than Monsieur St. Clare. 'Pon my word, I'll buy that fellow. I like the shape of him."" 老兄，这个你放心，"那个阿尔夫说道，"我买了他们，不出几天，就能打掉他们的臭架子。我让他们瞧瞧，这个新主人可不像圣克莱尔先生那样好对付。说实话，我看上了这个家伙，他那副样子，我喜欢！" "You'll find it'll take all you've got to keep him. He's deucedly extravagant!"" 养这么个家伙可得小心倾家荡产哟！你看着吧，他可十足的气派呢！" "Yes, but my lord will find that he _can't_ be extravagant with _me_. Just let him be sent to the calaboose a few times, and thoroughly dressed down! I'll tell you if it don't bring him to a sense of his ways! O, I'll reform him, up hill and down,--you'll see. I buy him, that's flat!"" 哼，他的确如此。不过，我马上会让这位仁兄知道，在我手下办事可是威风不起来的。把他送到鞭笞站揍上几回，挫挫他的锐气，看他还敢不敢不乖乖地听话？我早晚会把他给制服的，你等着瞧吧！就这么说了，我决定买他了。"
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