名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第153节


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  卡西听到这里,脸色由于关切而变得惨白。她碰碰乔治的臂膀,问道:"你知道那姑娘的卖主姓名吗?"

   "A man of the name of Simmons, I think, was the principal in the transaction. At least, I think that was the name on the bill of sale.""

  好像是西蒙斯。我记得这是写在卖身契上的名字。"

   "O, my God!" said Cassy, and fell insensible on the floor of the cabin."

  天哪!"听到这句话,卡西昏了过去,倒在船板上。

   George was wide awake now, and so was Madame de Thoux. Though neither of them could conjecture what was the cause of Cassy's fainting, still they made all the tumult which is proper in such cases;--George upsetting a wash-pitcher, and breaking two tumblers, in the warmth of his humanity; and various ladies in the cabin, hearing that somebody had fainted, crowded the state-room door, and kept out all the air they possibly could, so that, on the whole, everything was done that could be expected.

  乔治和都德夫人都惊惶万分。尽管他们并不知缘由,然而出于仁义之心,都感到不安和担忧。好心肠的乔治忙乱不堪,碰倒了一只水壶,打碎了两个杯子。舱房中的女乘客一听说此事,都跑了过来,把豪华客舱的门口堵塞得密不透风。如此忙乱不堪的景象,大家一定都想象得出。

   Poor Cassy! when she recovered, turned her face to the wall, and wept and sobbed like a child,--perhaps, mother, you can tell what she was thinking of! Perhaps you cannot,--but she felt as sure, in that hour, that God had had mercy on her, and that she should see her daughter,--as she did, months afterwards,--when--but we anticipate.

  可怜的卡西!她一恢复知觉就扑在舱壁上痛哭,像个孩子似的哀伤无助。身为人母,也许能够体察出她的心境,有的母亲也许体会不到。但是此时此刻,卡西真正相信上帝对她施予了怜慈之心,使自己可望与女儿相见。她在数月后果然见到了女儿,不过那是后话,现在暂且说到这里吧。

  文章写到这里,其余的故事已接近尾声了。卡西和都德夫人的离奇的际遇深深打动了乔治,像所有的年青人一样,他觉得惊奇有趣,同时又对此事满怀关切。他费尽周折地把艾莉查的卖身契寄给卡西。单据上面所载的姓名和时间与卡西记忆中的情况毫无二致。卡西,坚信艾莉查就是自己的女儿,她眼下要做的事就是追寻艾莉查出逃之后的行踪线索。

   Madame de Thoux and she, thus drawn together by the singular coincidence of their fortunes, proceeded immediately to Canada, and began a tour of inquiry among the stations, where the numerous fugitives from slavery are located. At Amherstberg they found the missionary with whom George and Eliza had taken shelter, on their first arrival in Canada; and through him were enabled to trace the family to Montreal.

  天缘巧合,命运把她和都德夫人紧紧联系在一起。她们日夜兼程奔赴加拿大,一路上寻访了无数个收容逃亡奴隶的据点,终于在阿默赫斯堡找到了一个传教士,乔治夫妇初入加拿大时正是蒙他收留保护。由于从传教士那里得到讯息,卡西和都德夫人追寻到蒙特利尔市,探听乔治一家的消息。

   George and Eliza had now been five years free. George had found constant occupation in the shop of a worthy machinist, where he had been earning a competent support for his family, which, in the mean time, had been increased by the addition of another daughter.

  乔治和艾莉查成为自由人已经五年了。乔治在一个著名的机械师开办的工厂里获得了一个安稳的职业,所挣的薪水足以持家,他们还生了一个女儿。

   Little Harry--a fine bright boy--had been put to a good school, and was making rapid proficiency in knowledge.

  哈里已经长成为一个英俊聪颖的少年,就读于一所知名的学校,学识渐渐增多。

   The worthy pastor of the station, in Amherstberg, where George had first landed, was so much interested in the statements of Madame de Thoux and Cassy, that he yielded to the solicitations of the former, to accompany them to Montreal, in their search,--she bearing all the expense of the expedition.

  阿默赫斯堡收容站的那位教士曾收留过乔治,他对卡西和都德夫人叙述的情况十分关注。都德大人请求他一同前往蒙特利尔寻找乔治,一切费用由夫人承担。传教士允诺了此行。

  黄昏时分,在蒙特利尔市郊的一座干净整洁的公寓里,有一家人已经准备好晚饭,餐桌上面摆放整齐,铺着雪白的桌布。壁炉里红色的火苗噼啪作响,兴奋地跳跃着。房屋的一角安放着一张宽大的写字桌,桌上铺着绿色桌布,摆着纸笔等文具。书桌上面的书架上排列着一本本精选过的书籍。

   This was George's study. The same zeal for self-improvement, which led him to steal the much coveted arts of reading and writing, amid all the toil and discouragements of his early life, still led him to devote all his leisure time to self-cultivation.

  这是乔治的书房。从前,他在艰辛的生活中抽取空暇时间学会了看书识字,一心一意地进取向上。现在,他仍然不辍努力,把全部业余时间都用来学习。

   At this present time, he is seated at the table, making notes from a volume of the family library he has been reading.

  此时他正坐在书桌旁读着一本藏书,并且做着笔记。

   "Come, George," says Eliza, "you've been gone all day. Do put down that book, and let's talk, while I'm getting tea,--do.""

  乔治,过来,"艾莉查说,"你白天不在家里,趁我泡茶时一起说说话吧,快放下书。来呀。"

   And little Eliza seconds the effort, by toddling up to her father, and trying to pull the book out of his hand, and install herself on his knee as a substitute.

  小艾莉查也做出了迎合妈妈的举动:她摇摇晃晃地跑到爸爸旁边,想拿掉他的书,坐在他的膝上。

  小机灵鬼!"乔治让步了,男人在这种情况下总是不得不这样做。

   "That's right," says Eliza, as she begins to cut a loaf of bread. A little older she looks; her form a little fuller; her air more matronly than of yore; but evidently contented and happy as woman need be."

  好啦。"艾莉查一边切面包,一边说。几年的光阴,使她看上去平添了几分成熟;身材略显丰满,有些家庭主妇的风范。在她身上我们能够感受到她内心的幸福和恬静。

   "Harry, my boy, how did you come on in that sum, today?" says George, as he laid his land on his son's head."

  哈里,宝贝,今天你的数学题做得好吗?"乔治摸着哈里的头发,问道。

   Harry has lost his long curls; but he can never lose those eyes and eyelashes, and that fine, bold brow, that flushes with triumph, as he answers, "I did it, every bit of it, _myself_, father; and _nobody_ helped me!"

  哈里头上弯曲的头发已经不见了,但是他的眼睛、睫毛和漂亮高耸的前额仍如从前一样。他脸上泛着红光,骄傲地回答:"我全都做完了,是我自己做的,爸爸!"

   "That's right," says his father; "depend on yourself, my son. You have a better chance than ever your poor father had.""

  好极了,儿子,"乔治说,"要靠自己的能力做事,你今后的机会可要比你可怜的爸爸好得多。"

  就在这时传来了轻轻的敲门声,艾莉查一边答应着,一边去开门。她高兴地喊道:"噢,是你呀!"乔治转过身来,看见了传教士。艾莉查请他走进屋里,并且请同来的两个女人就座。

   Now, if the truth must be told, the honest pastor had arranged a little programme, according to which this affair was to develop itself; and, on the way up, all had very cautiously and prudently exhorted each other not to let things out, except according to previous arrangement.

  按照本来安排的程序,这位传教士在路上就告诫大家要遵循他所策划的步骤进行,如果事先没有其他变化,事情可不能开门见山就暴露出来。

   What was the good man's consternation, therefore, just as he had motioned to the ladies to be seated, and was taking out his pocket-handkerchief to wipe his mouth, so as to proceed to his introductory speech in good order, when Madame de Thoux upset the whole plan, by throwing her arms around George's neck, and letting all out at once, by saying, "O, George! don't you know me? I'm your sister Emily."

  传教士入座之后,用手帕拭拭嘴角,准备按原定计划演出开场白。然而都德夫人的举动却使他慌了手脚。她紧紧拥抱着乔治,大声说:"乔治!乔治!难道你不认识我了吗?我是你姐姐埃米琳!"这样一来,整个计划全被打乱了,全部真象立刻暴露出来。

   Cassy had seated herself more composedly, and would have carried on her part very well, had not little Eliza suddenly appeared before her in exact shape and form, every outline and curl, just as her daughter was when she saw her last. The little thing peered up in her face; and Cassy caught her up in her arms, pressed her to her bosom, saying, what, at the moment she really believed, "Darling, I'm your mother!"

  卡西坐在那里倒是心平气和,如果小艾莉查没有突然出现在眼前,她本来能够演好自己的角色。这个小女孩的身材、相貌和头发与她当年的女儿就像是从同一个模子里刻出来的。小姑娘始终看着她的脸,卡西不由自主地把她抱在怀里,动情地说:"宝贝,我是妈妈呀!"这句话是如此情真,连她自己都以为眼前的小女孩真的是当年的艾莉查。

   In fact, it was a troublesome matter to do up exactly in proper order; but the good pastor, at last, succeeded in getting everybody quiet, and delivering the speech with which he had intended to open the exercises; and in which, at last, he succeeded so well, that his whole audience were sobbing about him in a manner that ought to satisfy any orator, ancient or modern.

  想要这件事有条有理地按步骤进行可真是不容易!传教士终于使大家平静下来,道出了原本该最初上演的开场白。他的讲话成功地抓住了众人的情感,每个人都在低声哭泣。古往今来的演讲者若能把场景渲染到如此境地,真可以自慰了。

  他们全都跪在地上,好心的传教士开始祈祷。--在这心情激荡的时刻,惟有祈祷上帝,把全身心都投入到上帝爱的怀抱里,人们的心魂才得以安宁。祷毕,他们站起身来,这重新团聚的一家人彼此拥抱在一起,心中充满了对上帝的尊崇、信赖之情。上帝以种种不可预料的方式把他们从重重险阻中牵引到一起来。

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名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第153节