目 录 上一节 下一节 
乔治找了好几个月,毫无结果;后来在完全偶然的情况下他在新奥尔良遇到了一个人,恰好知道他所需要的消息。于是我们这位小主人公口袋里装着钱,便乘船到红河上游去,决心找到并赎回他的老朋友。 He was soon introduced into the house, where he found Legree in the sitting-room. 很快他被领到了宅子里,在客厅里见到了烈格雷。 Legree received the stranger with a kind of surly hospitality, 烈格雷接待这位陌生人时很是无礼。 "I understand," said the young man, "that you bought, in New Orleans, a boy, named Tom. He used to be on my father's place, and I came to see if I couldn't buy him back."" 据我了解,"年轻人说,"你在新奥尔良买了一个名叫汤姆的黑奴,他从前是我父亲家的奴隶,我来看看是不是能把他买回去。" Legree's brow grew dark, and he broke out, passionately: "Yes, I did buy such a fellow,--and a h--l of a bargain I had of it, too! The most rebellious, saucy, impudent dog! Set up my niggers to run away; got off two gals, worth eight hundred or a thousand apiece. He owned to that, and, when I bid him tell me where they was, he up and said he knew, but he wouldn't tell; and stood to it, though I gave him the cussedest flogging I ever gave nigger yet. I b'lieve he's trying to die; but I don't know as he'll make it out." 烈格雷脸色阴沉下来,怒冲冲地说,"不错,我是买了这么个家伙,我上当可他妈太大了!谁也没有这狗东西难对付、放肆和无礼。居然挑唆我的黑鬼逃跑,两个婆娘跑掉了,每个都值八百到一千块钱呢!他承认干了这事,可我要他说出她们的下落时,他站起来说他知道,可是不会告诉我的;我给了他一顿好打,这是我打黑鬼打得最狠的一次,可他就是不说。我想他快死了,不过也许他能挺过来。" 
他在哪儿?"乔治焦急地问道,"让我去看看他。"年轻人两颊通红,两眼冒火,但暂时慎重地没有说什么。 "He's in dat ar shed," said a little fellow, who stood holding George's horse." 在那边棚子里。"一个给乔治牵马的小黑奴说。 Legree kicked the boy, and swore at him; but George, without saying another word, turned and strode to the spot. 烈格雷踢了孩子一脚,咒骂着他。乔治一句话没说转往棚子里走去。 Tom had been lying two days since the fatal night, not suffering, for every nerve of suffering was blunted and destroyed. He lay, for the most part, in a quiet stupor; for the laws of a powerful and well-knit frame would not at once release the imprisoned spirit. By stealth, there had been there, in the darkness of the night, poor desolated creatures, who stole from their scanty hours' rest, that they might repay to him some of those ministrations of love in which he had always been so abundant. Truly, those poor disciples had little to give,--only the cup of cold water; but it was given with full hearts. 自从那不幸的一夜后,汤姆已经躺了两天。他不觉得痛,因为他身上所有的感觉神经,都已遭到破坏,麻木了。大部分时间他都是不省人事、一动不动地躺着,因为一个强健结实的躯体有自己的,不会立刻释放禁锢其中的灵魂。夜深人静之时,孤苦可怜的黑奴们曾在他们很少的休息时间里偷偷去看望过他,以便能稍稍报答一下他出于爱心对他们的大量帮助。是的,这些可怜的弟子们没有什么东西给他,只有一杯冷水;但却充满了真诚的心意。 Tears had fallen on that honest, insensible face,--tears of late repentance in the poor, ignorant heathen, whom his dying love and patience had awakened to repentance, and bitter prayers, breathed over him to a late-found Saviour, of whom they scarce knew more than the name, but whom the yearning ignorant heart of man never implores in vain. 也曾有眼泪落在那诚实的、失去了知觉的脸上,这是可怜、无知的异教徒新近忏悔的眼泪,汤姆在濒临死亡时的爱心和坚忍唤醒了他们,使他们忏悔;他们还为他向新近才找到的救主伤心地祈祷,他们虽然除了他的名字外对救主一无所知,但对发自无知而渴切的心底的祈祷他是不会不听的。 
卡西曾偷偷从藏身之处溜出来过,她无意中听到汤姆为她和埃米琳所作的牺牲,不顾被发现的危险,于前一夜去看了汤姆。这忧郁而绝望的女人被这充满深情的人用剩下的一点力气说出的最后的几句话深深感动了,那漫长的、寒冬般的绝望,那冰封的岁月全都消融了;她流着眼泪祈祷着。 When George entered the shed, he felt his head giddy and his heart sick. 当乔治走进那棚子时,顿觉天旋地转,极其痛苦。 "Is it possible,,--is it possible?" said he, kneeling down by him. "Uncle Tom, my poor, poor old friend!"" 这可能吗?这可能吗?"他说着跪在了他身旁,"汤姆叔叔,我那可怜的、苦命的老朋友!" Something in the voice penetrated to the ear of the dying. He moved his head gently, smiled, and said, 这声音里有着某种东西穿透了这个垂危者的耳鼓。汤姆轻轻动了一下头,微笑着说: "Jesus can make a dying-bed Feel soft as down pillows are." 耶稣能使濒临死亡的人的病床,柔软得和羽绒枕头一样。 
年轻人弯身看他可怜的朋友时,眼中流下了值得尊敬的男子汉的眼泪。 "O, dear Uncle Tom! do wake,--do speak once more! Look up! Here's Mas'r George,--your own little Mas'r George. Don't you know me?"" 啊,亲爱的汤姆叔叔,请你醒醒吧!再说一句话吧!看呀,乔治少爷来了,你心爱的小乔治少爷呀!你认不出我了吗?" "Mas'r George!" said Tom, opening his eyes, and speaking in a feeble voice; "Mas'r George!" He looked bewildered." 乔治少爷!"汤姆说着睁开了眼睛,声音十分微弱地说道,"乔治少爷!"他好像有点莫名其妙。 Slowly the idea seemed to fill his soul; and the vacant eye became fixed and brightened, the whole face lighted up, the hard hands clasped, and tears ran down the cheeks. 慢慢的,这个念头似乎充满了他的心灵,那双毫无表情的眼睛发出了亮光,视线集中了起来,整个脸露出了笑容,粗硬的手捏拢了起来,眼泪从脸上流了下来。 "Bless the Lord! it is,--it is,--it's all I wanted! They haven't forgot me. It warms my soul; it does my heart good! Now I shall die content! Bless the Lord, on my soul!"" 赞美上帝!这,--这,--这正是我希望得到的!他们没有忘记我。它使我心灵感到温暖;让我心里觉得高兴!现在我死而无憾了!赞美上帝吧,我的灵魂!" 
你不会死!你不能死!别想到死!我是来赎你,带你回家的。"乔治焦急而激动地说。 "O, Mas'r George, ye're too late. The Lord's bought me, and is going to take me home,--and I long to go. Heaven is better than Kintuck."" 啊,乔治少爷,你来得太晚了,上帝已经赎下我,要带我回家去了,我渴切盼望能去,天国比肯塔基要好啊!" "O, don't die! It'll kill me!--it'll break my heart to think what you've suffered,--and lying in this old shed, here! Poor, poor fellow!"" 啊,千万别死!这会要我的命的!想到你受的罪呀我多伤心啊,而且还躺在这么个破棚子里!可怜的、苦命的人啊!" "Don't call me poor fellow!" said Tom, solemnly, "I _have_ been poor fellow; but that's all past and gone, now. I'm right in the door, going into glory! O, Mas'r George! _Heaven has come!_ I've got the victory!--the Lord Jesus has given it to me! Glory be to His name!"" 别叫我是个苦命的人!"汤姆严肃地说,"我曾经是个苦命人,但这一切都已经过去了。现在我已经到了天国的门口,就要进去了!啊,乔治少爷!天国来临了!我已经得到了胜利--是主耶稣给予我的胜利!光荣属于主的名字!" George was awe-struck at the force, the vehemence, the power, with which these broken sentences were uttered. He sat gazing in silence. 乔治被汤姆断断续续地说这几句话时的力量、热情和主宰力感动得肃然起敬,他坐在那里默默地注视着汤姆。 
汤姆抓住了他的手,接着说:"你千万不要告诉克鲁伊,可怜的女人,我现在这个样子,她听了会难受的。你就告诉她你看见我进天国的,我等不了他们了。告诉她无论在什么地方上帝始终都和我在一起,把一切都变得轻松容易多了。啊,还有可怜的孩子们和小娃娃!多少次我想到他们心都碎了!告诉他们大家,都跟我走,跟我走呀!问候老爷和善心的太太,还有庄园上所有的人!你不知道,我爱他们大家!我爱每一个地方的每一个人!我只有爱!啊!乔治少爷!做一个基督徒是多好啊!" At this moment, Legree sauntered up to the door of the shed, looked in, with a dogged air of affected carelessness, and turned away. 这里,烈格雷漫步来到了棚房门口,故作满不在乎的一副顽固神情往里面看了一眼,转身走开了。 "The old satan!" said George, in his indignation. "It's a comfort to think the devil will pay _him_ for this, some of these days!"" 老魔王!"乔治气愤地说,"想到有一天魔鬼会和他算账,心里还痛快点。" "O, don't!,--oh, ye mustn't!" said Tom, grasping his hand; "he's a poor mis'able critter! it's awful to think on 't! Oh, if he only could repent, the Lord would forgive him now; but I'm 'feared he never will!"" 啊,别这么说,啊,你千万别这么说!"汤姆抓着他的手说,"他是个可怜虫,想想都可怕!啊!只要他能忏悔,上帝现在就会宽恕他的;不过我怕他永远也不会忏悔呀!" "I hope he won't!" said George; "I never want to see _him_ in heaven!"" 我巴不得他不忏悔!"乔治说,"我决不愿意在天堂见到他!"
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