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你说奇怪不奇怪，我很难让人接受我的观点。以前我有个合伙人叫汤姆·洛科，纳奇兹人，头脑灵活，很善于和黑人打交道，这一点符合做生意的原则，因为好心肠就不好赚钱。他做事情一贯如此。我常劝他说，'哎，汤姆老兄，对那些因害怕而哭闹的女奴拳脚相向有什么作用呢？这样做只能证明你是个愚蠢的人。'我说，'如果不让她们通过哭闹来作为发泄的方式，那她们会寻找其他方式的。而且，汤姆老兄，'我说，'不让她们通过这种方式发泄，她们就会面容憔悴不堪，嘴巴会变得干裂，甚至会变得丑陋无比，那些黄皮肤的女人更是如此。这时再想让她们恢复过来可就不那么容易了，为什么不用好话来对付她们呢？'我说，'听我的，对她们略施小惠取得的效果要比拳脚相向强多了，而且这样做可以多赚些钱，如果你照我所说的去做，你肯定会成功。'但汤姆还是榆木疙瘩一块。就这样，许多女人毁在了他的手中，虽然他心肠好，做事公道，但我只能和他分开来做生意了。" "And do you find your ways of managing do the business better than Tom's?" said Mr. Shelby." 你认为，你比汤姆更善于经营这门生意吗？" "Why, yes, sir, I may say so. You see, when I any ways can, I takes a leetle care about the onpleasant parts, like selling young uns and that,--get the gals out of the way--out of sight, out of mind, you know,--and when it's clean done, and can't be helped, they naturally gets used to it. 'Tan't, you know, as if it was white folks, that's brought,up in the way of 'spectin' to keep their children and wives, and all that. Niggers, you know, that's fetched up properly, ha'n't no kind of 'spectations of no kind; so all these things comes easier."" 嗯，你可以这样认为。做生意时，我都会尽量避免不愉快的场面发生的。比如我做小孩生意时，会把女人支走。女人看不到这种场面，就不会发生不愉快的事情。等到生米做成熟饭，她们也只好认命了。白人自儿时起受到的教育就是全家聚在一起，共享天伦之乐，但黑人却不比我们白人；你该知道受过一定教育的黑人不会存在这种共享天伦之乐的奢求，而这会让事情好办一些。" "I'm afraid mine are not properly brought up, then," said Mr. Shelby." 但我家的黑奴可没有接受过这种教育。"希尔比先生说。 "S'pose not; you Kentucky folks spile your niggers. You mean well by 'em, but 'tan't no real kindness, arter all. Now, a nigger, you see, what's got to be hacked and tumbled round the world, and sold to Tom, and Dick, and the Lord knows who, 'tan't no kindness to be givin' on him notions and expectations, and bringin' on him up too well, for the rough and tumble comes all the harder on him arter. Now, I venture to say, your niggers would be quite chop-fallen in a place where some of your plantation niggers would be singing and whooping like all possessed. Every man, you know, Mr. Shelby, naturally thinks well of his own ways; and I think I treat niggers just about as well as it's ever worth while to treat 'em."" 可不能这样说。你们肯塔基人太宠爱那些黑鬼了。你们这一片好心可不能算作是真正的慈善。在这个世界上，黑奴生下来就注定要四处漂泊，今天卖给汤姆老兄，明天会被卖给狄克老兄，后天不知道会被卖给哪位老兄呢，那时只有听天由命了。让他心中有思想和期望，或者很好地对待他，都不会对他有什么帮助，因为以后迎接他的将是更多的痛苦和磨难，你明白吗？我敢肯定，你家的黑奴即使到了那些令种植园的黑鬼发疯地唱歌和欢呼的地方，他们也不会感到高兴的，希尔比先生，你知道人们都喜欢自我夸耀。我已经够善待那些黑奴了，我已尽可能对他们好了。" 
人们做任何事都能做到心安理得，也算有福了。"希尔比先生不以为然地耸耸肩说。 "Well," said Haley, after they had both silently picked their nuts for a season, "what do you say?" 双方沉默了片刻，心中在想着各自的心事，赫利接着问道，"你看这事怎么办呢？" "I'll think the matter over, and talk with my wife," said Mr. Shelby. "Meantime, Haley, if you want the matter carried on in the quiet way you speak of, you'd best not let your business in this neighborhood be known. It will get out among my boys, and it will not be a particularly quiet business getting away any of my fellows, if they know it, I'll promise you."" 我还要好好考虑一下这件事，并要和太太商量一下，"希尔比先生说，"同时，赫利，如果你真想让事情如你想象中的那样悄悄进行的话，最好别向我的邻居透露一点风声，不然的话，这件事情会很快传到我的仆人耳中。我把丑话说在前面，如果仆人们知道了这件事，你就不会顺利地把人从我家带走了。" "O! certainly, by all means, mum! of course. But I'll tell you. I'm in a devil of a hurry, and shall want to know, as soon as possible, what I may depend on," said he, rising and putting on his overcoat." 好，一言为定，我不会走漏风声的。不过，我要提醒你尽早给我一个准信，因为我最近比较忙。"说完，赫利便起身穿上了大衣。 "Well, call up this evening, between six and seven, and you shall have my answer," said Mr. Shelby, and the trader bowed himself out of the apartment." 好吧，今晚六七点钟我给你回音。"听希尔比先生这样说，奴隶贩子向希尔比先生欠欠身告辞走了。 
看看他那得意忘形的嘴脸，我真恨不得一脚把他踢到台阶下去。"看着门将要关上了，希尔比先生低声对自己说，"但他懂得落井下石的诀窍。如果以前有人劝我把汤姆卖给一个奴隶贩子，我肯定会告诉他们，'难道仆人就可以像狗一样卖来卖去吗？'但我现在却对此无能为力，对艾莉查的孩子也是同样。我太太一定会唠叨个没完，她会反对我把汤姆卖掉的。但沉重的债务使我落到了这种境地，哎！这个混蛋家伙已是胜券在握，他正在不断向我逼近呢。" Perhaps the mildest form of the system of slavery is to be seen in the State of Kentucky. The general prevalence of agricultural pursuits of a quiet and gradual nature, not requiring those periodic seasons of hurry and pressure that are called for in the business of more southern districts, makes the task of the negro a more healthful and reasonable one; while the master, content with a more gradual style of acquisition, has not those temptations to hardheartedness which always overcome frail human nature when the prospect of sudden and rapid gain is weighed in the balance, with no heavier counterpoise than the interests of the helpless and unprotected. 肯塔基州可能是最温和的带有奴隶制色彩的州了。在这里，农业劳动比较轻松，全然不似南方一些地区农忙时那样紧张得令人喘不过气来，所以黑人的劳动强度还是可以让人承受的。人的本性是脆弱的，因此当看到可以谋得暴利，同时只有依靠牺牲那些无依无靠的人的利益而别无选择时，人就会因脆弱的本性而生出一副狠毒的心肠。但肯塔基州的庄园主比较习惯渐进的经营方式，所以能抵抗这种人性的脆弱。 Whoever visits some estates there, and witnesses the good-humored indulgence of some masters and mistresses, and the affectionate loyalty of some slaves, might be tempted to dream the oft-fabled poetic legend of a patriarchal institution, and all that; but over and above the scene there broods a portentous shadow--the shadow of _law_. So long as the law considers all these human beings, with beating hearts and living affections, only as so many _things_ belonging to a master,--so long as the failure, or misfortune, or imprudence, or death of the kindest owner, may cause them any day to exchange a life of kind protection and indulgence for one of hopeless misery and toil,--so long it is impossible to make anything beautiful or desirable in the best regulated administration of slavery. 只要到肯塔基州的一些庄园去走一走，看一看，你就会亲自体验到男女主人秉性的善良以及仆人们对主人的爱戴与拥护，俨然一幅传说中常出现的诗意盎然的家族社会的图画。但一层不祥的阴云--法律却笼罩在这古老的社会图景之上。只要法律仍把那些富有感情的人看作是主人的附属物，只要他们的主人生意上遇到挫折，生活中遭到不幸或不慎命丧黄泉路，他们便会随时因为生活失去保障而惨遭无穷的磨难，即使在奴隶制最完善的地方，过上美满的生活对于黑人也是极不容易的。 Mr. Shelby was a fair average kind of man, good-natured and kindly, and disposed to easy indulgence of those around him, and there had never been a lack of anything which might contribute to the physical comfort of the negroes on his estate. He had, however, speculated largely and quite loosely; had involved himself deeply, and his notes to a large amount had come into the hands of Haley; and this small piece of information is the key to the preceding conversation. 希尔比先生是一个普通人，他本性善良，对人宽厚和蔼。在他的庄园中，黑奴们过着舒适的生活，所需的物品从来没有短缺过。但他却把自己的财物随意用于投机买卖，并沉溺于其中难以自拔。此时，他的期票证券和借据大都落入赫利手中。希尔比先生和赫利进行的谈话也正是基于这种情况。 Now, it had so happened that, in approaching the door, Eliza had caught enough of the conversation to know that a trader was making offers to her master for somebody. 正巧，路过客厅门口的艾莉查无意中听到了两人间的谈话，她知道主人正和一名奴隶贩子讨论买卖奴隶的事。 
她真想在路过客厅时多听一会儿两人间的谈话。但女主人的召唤使得她不得不匆匆离开了。 Still she thought she heard the trader make an offer for her boy;--could she be mistaken? Her heart swelled and throbbed, and she involuntarily strained him so tight that the little fellow looked up into her face in astonishment. 那奴隶贩子要出钱买自己的孩子，是不是自己听错了呢？她越想越感到紧张，下意识地紧搂住自己的孩子，心怦怦地跳着。孩子诧异地抬头看着母亲的脸，想从中窥出一些秘密。 "Eliza, girl, what ails you today?" said her mistress, when Eliza had upset the wash-pitcher, knocked down the workstand, and finally was abstractedly offering her mistress a long nightgown in place of the silk dress she had ordered her to bring from the wardrobe." 亲爱的艾莉查，你觉得今天不太顺心吗？"看着女仆人那惊慌失措的样子，女主人便关切地问道。艾莉查紧张得不是弄翻水壶，就是碰倒小桌子，女主人要她从衣柜中拿出一件绸衫，但她却错拿了一件长睡衣。 Eliza started. "O, missis!" she said, raising her eyes; then, bursting into tears, she sat down in a chair, and began sobbing." 啊，太太！"艾莉查吃惊地抬起头来，泪水"哗"地流了出来，一下子坐在椅子上哭泣起来。 "Why, Eliza child, what ails you?" said her mistress." 艾莉查，我的好孩子，到底发生了什么事？"女主人问道。 
太太，有一位奴隶贩子坐在客厅和老爷谈话，我听到他讲话了。"艾莉查说。
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