名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第145节


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  我就是打算想叫他们看清楚的,"卡西镇定地说,"难道你不明白,他们无论如何都要追赶我们吗?这件事只能这么办,我们从后门逃,路过下处。桑博或者昆博就一定能看见我们。他们来追,我们就躲到沼泽里去。他们追不到我们时,就会回家报告大事不好,再把猎狗放出来什么的。趁他们跌跌撞撞,你拥我、我推你的时候--他们办事总是这副德性--你我再沿着通到上房背面的小河溜回来,在河里趟着水回到后正对面。这样,猎狗就嗅不出来,因为水里存不住气味。全家人都会跑出去追我们,这时我们就穿过后门,到阁楼上去。我在大箱子中间摆了一张挺舒服的床铺。我们得在阁楼上呆好长一段时期,因为你不知道,他肯定会追捕我们闹个天翻地覆,会纠集别的种植园的老监工,来个大搜捕,会把沼泽里每一寸土地都搜查一遍。他常跟别人夸口,说谁也从他手里逃不掉。那他就慢慢地找吧。"

   "Cassy, how well you have planned it!" said Emmeline. "Who ever would have thought of it, but you?""

  卡西,你盘算得真周到!"埃米琳说,"除了你,有谁还能想出这种办法来呀?"

   There was neither pleasure nor exultation in Cassy's eyes,--only a despairing firmness.

  卡西眼里既没有喜悦也没有兴奋,有的只是绝望和坚毅。

   "Come," she said, reaching her hand to Emmeline."

  来吧。"她说着向埃米琳伸出了手。

   The two fugitives glided noiselessly from the house, and flitted, through the gathering shadows of evening, along by the quarters. The crescent moon, set like a silver signet in the western sky, delayed a little the approach of night. As Cassy expected, when quite near the verge of the swamps that encircled the plantation, they heard a voice calling to them to stop. It was not Sambo, however, but Legree, who was pursuing them with violent execrations. At the sound, the feebler spirit of Emmeline gave way; and, laying hold of Cassy's arm, she said, "O, Cassy, I'm going to faint!"

  两个逃亡者悄悄溜出上房,趁着越来越浓的暮色,从下处旁边闪身而过。西方天空上,嵌着一弯新月,宛若银色玉玺,稍稍推迟了夜幕的降临。不出卡西所料,他们将要走到环绕着种植园周围的沼泽边沿时,只听得一声呐喊,让她们停下来。不过,这不是桑博而是烈格雷的声音,他一边破口大骂,一边追赶她们。听到呐喊声,埃米琳软弱的神经崩溃了。她抓住卡西的胳膊,说:"哦,卡西,我快昏过去了!"

  你要是昏过去,我就要你的命!"卡西掏出一把闪光的小匕首,在姑娘眼前晃了晃。

   The diversion accomplished the purpose. Emmeline did not faint, and succeeded in plunging, with Cassy, into a part of the labyrinth of swamp, so deep and dark that it was perfectly hopeless for Legree to think of following them, without assistance.

  这一转移注意力的办法立即奏效,达到目的。埃米琳没有昏厥,反而能够随同卡西一同钻到了一块迷宫般的沼泽里去。里面幽深漆黑,烈格雷没有助手,要想追上她们,根本毫无希望。

   "Well," said he, chuckling brutally; "at any rate, they've got themselves into a trap now--the baggage! They're safe enough. They shall sweat for it!""

  嘿、嘿!"烈格雷残忍地吃吃地笑道,"不管怎么说,她们都掉进陷阱里去了,这两个婊子!她们跑不了啦,看她们在里面受罪吧!"

   "Hulloa, there! Sambo! Quimbo! All hands!" called Legree, coming to the quarters, when the men and women were just returning from work. "There's two runaways in the swamps. I'll give five dollars to any nigger as catches 'em. Turn out the dogs! Turn out Tiger, and Fury, and the rest!""

  喂、喂!桑博!昆博!都给我来呀!"烈格雷一面叫喊,一面来到下处。这时,刚好男女黑奴刚刚收工回来,"有两个跑到沼泽里去啦。哪个黑鬼子能把她们捉回来,我赏给五块钱。把猎狗放出去!把小虎、怒神还有别的猎狗,统统放出去!"

   The sensation produced by this news was immediate. Many of the men sprang forward, officiously, to offer their services, either from the hope of the reward, or from that cringing subserviency which is one of the most baleful effects of slavery. Some ran one way, and some another. Some were for getting flambeaux of pine-knots. Some were uncoupling the dogs, whose hoarse, savage bay added not a little to the animation of the scene.

  这个消息立即引发了一片骚乱。不少男奴一跃而出,殷殷勤勤,主动表示愿意效力。或者出于得到悬赏的希望。也或者出于阿谀奉承的奴性,奴隶制所造成的最悲惨结局之一的奴性。有些朝这边跑过去,有些从另一边跑过去。有些人去拿松节火把,有些人解开猎狗。猎狗嘶哑的狂吠,给这番热闹场景平添了不少声色。

  老爷,要是咱们逮不住她,能开枪吗?"桑博问。这时,他的主子给他递过来一支来福枪。

   "You may fire on Cass, if you like; it's time she was gone to the devil, where she belongs; but the gal, not," said Legree. "And now, boys, be spry and smart. Five dollars for him that gets 'em; and a glass of spirits to every one of you, anyhow.""

  你要是愿意,冲卡西开枪好了!她的时辰到了,该回老家见鬼去啦。可是,别冲那丫头打枪,"烈格雷说,"喂,小的们!拿出精神头来,干得漂亮一点。抓到她们的人,赏五块大洋,不管怎样,你们每个人也犒赏一杯酒喝。"

   The whole band, with the glare of blazing torches, and whoop, and shout, and savage yell, of man and beast, proceeded down to the swamp, followed, at some distance, by every servant in the house. The establishment was, of a consequence, wholly deserted, when Cassy and Emmeline glided into it the back way. The whooping and shouts of their pursuers were still filling the air; and, looking from the sitting-room windows, Cassy and Emmeline could see the troop, with their flambeaux, just dispersing themselves along the edge of the swamp.

  于是,这一伙人手持烈焰熊熊的火把,人喊马嘶犬吠,吱呀怪叫着直奔沼泽而去,远远地,还跟着上房的全体仆役。结果,当卡西和埃米琳偷偷抄后路回来的时候,整个宅院都空空荡荡,没有一个人,追赶人群的呼啸和喊叫,还在夜空中回荡。卡西和埃米琳穿过起居室的窗户望出去,瞥见手持火把的那队人马,正沿着沼泽边沿疏散开来。

   "See there!" said Emmeline, pointing to Cassy; "the hunt is begun! Look how those lights dance about! Hark! the dogs! Don't you hear? If we were only _there_, our chances wouldn't be worth a picayune. O, for pity's sake, do let's hide ourselves. Quick!""

  你瞧那边!"埃米琳边说边为卡西指划着,"搜捕开始啦!你瞧,那些火把在飞舞哪!听,猎狗还在叫哪!你没有听到?我们要是还在那里,可就没机会逃了。哦,行行好,我们快藏起来吧,快点儿!"

   "There's no occasion for hurry," said Cassy, coolly; "they are all out after the hunt,--that's the amusement of the evening! We'll go up stairs, by and by. Meanwhile," said she, deliberately taking a key from the pocket of a coat that Legree had thrown down in his hurry, "meanwhile I shall take something to pay our passage."

  没有必要慌慌张张的,"卡西语气十分泰然,"他们全都出去追人去了--今天晚上,可真有意思!我们一会儿再上楼。同时,"她说着慢慢腾腾地从烈格雷匆忙中丢下的上衣口袋里,掏出了一把钥匙,"同时,我们再拿些盘缠。"

  她打开写字台的抽屉,拿出一叠钞票,很快点了点数目。

   "O, don't let's do that!" said Emmeline."

  哦,可别这样做。"埃米琳说。

   "Don't!" said Cassy; "why not? Would you have us starve in the swamps, or have that that will pay our way to the free states. Money will do anything, girl." And, as she spoke, she put the money in her bosom."

  别这样做!"卡西说,"为什么不能?你是愿意我们饿死在沼泽里,还是愿意用这些钱当路费,到自由州去呢?有钱什么事都办得到,姑娘。"她一面说,一面把钱揣到怀里。

   "It would be stealing," said Emmeline, in a distressed whisper."

  这是偷窃。"埃米琳沮丧地小声说。

   "Stealing!" said Cassy, with a scornful laugh. "They who steal body and soul needn't talk to us. Every one of these bills is stolen,--stolen from poor, starving, sweating creatures, who must go to the devil at last, for his profit. Let _him_ talk about stealing! But come, we may as well go up garret; I've got a stock of candles there, and some books to pass away the time. You may be pretty sure they won't come _there_ to inquire after us. If they do, I'll play ghost for them.""

  偷窃!"卡西奚落般地大笑起来,"那些偷窃了别人肉体和灵魂的人,用不着对我们说教。这些钱,哪一张不是偷来的,不是从饿着肚皮、流血流汗的苦命人那里偷来的?为了他捞钱,苦命的人就得累到死的那一天。他还竟然奢谈偷窃!噢,算啦,我们还是到阁楼上去吧。我在那里存了一些蜡烛,还有些书可以消磨时问。他们绝对不会到上边找我们去,这你放心好啦。要是他们上去,我就装鬼吓唬他们。"

  埃米琳来到阁楼上,见到一只硕大的木箱。木箱原是装运大件家具用的,现在则放在那里,开口冲着墙壁,或者倒不如说冲着屋顶。卡西点燃了一盏小灯,两人从屋顶钻进了箱子,就在里面栖下身来。里面,还铺着两床褥子和几个枕头,旁边的一只箱子,里面储存着为数不少的蜡烛和食物,以及旅途上她们需用的衣服。卡西早已把衣服整理成两个小得出人意料的包袱。

   "There," said Cassy, as she fixed the lamp into a small hook, which she had driven into the side of the box for that purpose; "this is to be our home for the present. How do you like it?""

  好啦,"卡西一面说着话,一面把小灯挂在箱壁的挂钩上。这是她专门为了挂灯钉在箱壁上的,"目前这就是我们的家,你觉得怎么样?"

   "Are you sure they won't come and search the garret?""

  你敢肯定他们不会到阁楼里来搜查吗?"

   "I'd like to see Simon Legree doing that," said Cassy. "No, indeed; he will be too glad to keep away. As to the servants, they would any of them stand and be shot, sooner than show their faces here.""

  我倒想看看西蒙·烈格雷敢不敢这样,"卡西说,"不会的,他躲开这里才高兴哪。说到那些仆人,他们个个都宁肯呆着不动吃枪子,也不敢上这里来看一眼的。"

   Somewhat reassured, Emmeline settled herself back on her pillow.

  埃米琳心里坦然了一些,于是把身子靠在枕头上。

  刚才你说要我的命,卡西,是什么意思?"埃米琳问得十分天真。

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名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第145节