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一艘轮船在黄昏时分停泊在港口。乔治·希尔比殷勤周到地搀扶卡西上船--这正是肯塔基式的礼貌。乔治经过一番努力，最后把她安置在一间很舒服的豪华客舱中。 Cassy kept her room and bed, on pretext of illness, during the whole time they were on Red river; and was waited on, with obsequious devotion, by her attendant. 轮船在红河航行的途中，卡西闭门不出，一直称病，诚实恭顺的女仆人在身前身后服侍。 When they arrived at the Mississippi river, George, having learned that the course of the strange lady was upward, like his own, proposed to take a state-room for her on the same boat with himself,--good-naturedly compassionating her feeble health, and desirous to do what he could to assist her. 轮船在密西西比河靠岸时，乔治得知自己与这位萍水相逢的贵妇将同路，都要启程去上游，因此他请求与卡西同乘一艘船，并且帮她预订了豪华舱的船票。乔治如此尽心尽力，完全是出于同情她那娇弱的体质。由此事我们也可以看出，乔治的心地是多么善良啊。 Behold, therefore, the whole party safely transferred to the good steamer Cincinnati, and sweeping up the river under a powerful head of steam. 旅客们已经安全地改乘了漂亮的"辛辛那提"号。你看，蒸汽机起动了，以它强大的力量带动着轮船乘风破浪，逆水向前驶去。 Cassy's health was much better. She sat upon the guards, came to the table, and was remarked upon in the boat as a lady that must have been very handsome. 卡西的身体渐渐有了起色，能够靠在栏杆旁稍坐一会儿，还能到餐厅就餐。乘客们都议论着这个贵妇人，猜想她年青时一定娇媚无比，仪态万方。 
乔治初见卡西的容貌时，敏锐地感觉到这个女人似曾相识。然而每个人几乎都有过这样的经历，根本无法解释这种感觉。乔治常常不由自主地把目光移到她身上，凝神观察她的相貌举止。而卡西发现这个年青人总是专注地看自己，不管是在餐厅，还是坐在舱房外面；每当遇见他时，总是如此。卡西觉察到他的目光，脸上立刻浮现出敏感的神色来，于是这个年青人就十分礼貌地把目光转移了。 Cassy became uneasy. She began to think that he suspected something; and finally resolved to throw herself entirely on his generosity, and intrusted him with her whole history. 卡西心里不禁犹疑不已，以为乔治发觉了自己的不妥之处。后来，她终于彻底相信了乔治的坦诚，决定把自己的身世和命运完全告诉他。 George was heartily disposed to sympathize with any one who had escaped from Legree's plantation,--a place that he could not remember or speak of with patience,--and, with the courageous disregard of consequences which is characteristic of his age and state, he assured her that he would do all in his power to protect and bring them through. 乔治听了卡西的遭遇，不禁对烈格雷庄园的每一个逃亡者都抱以深深的怜悯之情。谈及烈格雷庄园，或者想一想这个地方，他心里都觉得厌恶。他身上滋生了非凡的勇气--这正是他这样的身份和这种年龄所特有的品质--他使卡西确信，自己一定会尽全力保护她们，协助她们脱离眼前的困境。 The next state-room to Cassy's was occupied by a French lady, named De Thoux, who was accompanied by a fine little daughter, a child of some twelve summers.This lady, having gathered, from George's conversation, that he was from Kentucky, seemed evidently disposed to cultivate his acquaintance; in which design she was seconded by the graces of her little girl, who was about as pretty a plaything as ever diverted the weariness of a fortnight's trip on a steamboat. 卡西舱房的邻居是一位法国贵妇都德夫人，她带着一个年龄十二岁上下的小女儿，那女孩生得十分美貌。从乔治的言谈中，夫人断定他是肯塔基人，于是露出了想与他结识的意图。她那美丽的女儿，在半个月的行程中，真正是一个打破沉闷气氛的小精灵。她为都德夫人与乔治的接触创造了条件。 George's chair was often placed at her state-room door; and Cassy, as she sat upon the guards, could hear their conversation. 乔治的椅子常常放在都德夫人的舱房旁边，卡西的位置是在栏杆内侧，可以听见两个人的对话。 
都德夫人非常详尽地询问肯塔基州的情况，她说自己曾经在那里居住过。乔治发现，她的旧居地必定距离自己家乡不远，真是出人意料。从她的言谈中也可以看出，对乔治家乡的人和事她了解很多，这不禁使乔治暗暗诧异。 "Do you know," said Madame de Thoux to him, one day, "of any man, in your neighborhood, of the name of Harris?" 一天，都德夫人问他："你的家乡附近，是否有姓哈里斯的人呢？" "There is an old fellow, of that name, lives not far from my father's place," said George. "We never have had much intercourse with him, though."" 我家附近就住着一户姓哈里斯的人，"乔治回答说，"但是我们两家人并没什么接触。" "He is a large slave-owner, I believe," said Madame de Thoux, with a manner which seemed to betray more interest than she was exactly willing to show. 都德夫人问："他可能是一个大奴隶主吧？"她的口吻极其关切，却极力压制，仿佛不愿被人觉察。 "He is," said George, looking rather surprised at her manner." 的确如此。"乔治看到她的表情，觉得很奇怪。 
你听说过吗？他有一个奴隶，叫乔治，是个混血儿，也许你听人说起过？" "O, certainly,--George Harris,--I know him well; he married a servant of my mother's, but has escaped, now, to Canada."" 噢，当然，他的名字是乔治·哈里斯。我们很熟悉，他娶了我妈妈的一个女仆为妻。但是他已经逃往加拿大了。" "He has?" said Madame de Thoux, quickly. "Thank God!"" 真的吗？"都德夫人连忙说，"感谢上帝保佑他！" George looked a surprised inquiry, but said nothing. 探询的眼神在乔治的眼里一闪而过，但是他保持沉默。 Madame de Thoux leaned her head on her hand, and burst into tears. 都德夫人双手捧着头，泪水滚滚而下。 
乔治是我弟弟。"她说。 "Madame!" said George, with a strong accent of surprise. 乔治·希尔比十分惊讶，不禁提高了声调说："夫人！" "Yes," said Madame de Thoux, lifting her head, proudly, and wiping her tears, "Mr. Shelby, George Harris is my brother!" 都德夫人拭去泪水，抬起头来，神色中透着骄傲。她自豪地回答说："不错，乔治·哈里斯就是我弟弟！" "I am perfectly astonished," said George, pushing back his chair a pace or two, and looking at Madame de Thoux." 我可真有点儿糊涂了。"乔治不由自主地向后挪动椅子，直视都德夫人。 "I was sold to the South when he was a boy," said she. "I was bought by a good and generous man. He took me with him to the West Indies, set me free, and married me. It is but lately that he died; and I was going up to Kentucky, to see if I could find and redeem my brother."" 乔治还在幼年时，主人就把我卖到南方，"她说，"我的新主人心地善良，慷慨大度，他带我去西印度群岛，给了我自由，而且娶我为妻。最近我先生不幸去世，我本来想去肯塔基州找我弟弟，为他赎身。" 
乔治说："我听他说过，曾有一个姐姐埃米琳，被卖到南方去了。" "Yes, indeed! I am the one," said Madame de Thoux;--"tell me what sort of a--"" 是的，我就是埃米琳！"都德夫人说，"你快点儿给我描述一下，他是个什么样的--" "A very fine young man," said George, "notwithstanding the curse of slavery that lay on him. He sustained a first rate character, both for intelligence and principle. I know, you see," he said; "because he married in our family."" 一个很出色的小伙子，"乔治回答，"尽管他身受奴役，却仍然是个出类拔萃的人，聪明、品质优秀。因为他和我们家里的一个女仆结婚了，所以我才认识他。" "What sort of a girl?" said Madame de Thoux, eagerly." 他妻子是个什么样的女孩呢？"都德夫人问。 "A treasure," said George; "a beautiful, intelligent, amiable girl. Very pious. My mother had brought her up, and trained her as carefully, almost, as a daughter. She could read and write, embroider and sew, beautifully; and was a beautiful singer."" 她是个很好的姑娘，"乔治说，"漂亮、性格温柔、头脑聪慧，又是虔诚的基督徒。我母亲把她当作自己的亲生女儿一样教导成人，她会读书写字，针织刺绣也很好，而且唱歌特别动人。" 
这个女孩从小就出生在你家里吗？" "No. Father bought her once, in one of his trips to New Orleans, and brought her up as a present to mother. She was about eight or nine years old, then. Father would never tell mother what he gave for her; but, the other day, in looking over his old papers, we came across the bill of sale. He paid an extravagant sum for her, to be sure. I suppose, on account of her extraordinary beauty."" 不。我父亲在去新奥尔良时把她买回来，作为礼物送给我母亲。当时她只有八九岁光景。父亲从未对母亲透露过花费多少钱才买下她。直到前一阶段我们整理他从前留下的单据，才发现了那张卖身契。她的价码很高，也许是因为她太漂亮了。" George sat with his back to Cassy, and did not see the absorbed expression of her countenance, as he was giving these details. 乔治背对着卡西，叙述着这些故事细节，他没有看到卡西专注的神情。
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