名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第40节


目 录 上一节 下一节

  乔治骄傲地说:"因为我自由了,现在我是个自由的人了,先生,从今以后,我再也不是谁的奴隶了,我自由了。"

   "Take care! You are not sure,--you may be taken.""

  你可得小心呀!你还不能肯定--你如果被抓住了呢?"

   "All men are free and equal _in the grave_, if it comes to that, Mr. Wilson," said George."

  威尔森先生,如果真到了那一步,那么到了阴间,人人都是一样的自由平等。"

   "I'm perfectly dumb-founded with your boldness!" said Mr. Wilson,--"to come right here to the nearest tavern!"

  威尔森先生说:"你的勇气太让我佩服了,你竟然直接闯到这儿来了!"

   "Mr. Wilson, it is _so_ bold, and this tavern is so near, that they will never think of it; they will look for me on ahead, and you yourself wouldn't know me. Jim's master don't live in this county; he isn't known in these parts. Besides, he is given up; nobody is looking after him, and nobody will take me up from the advertisement, I think.""

  威尔森先生,就因为这家旅馆离得最近,就因为这是在冒险,人家谁也想不到我会到这儿来的;他们一定会往前方去追我,不是连你都差点没认出我来吗?吉姆的主人在那边很远的地方,这边没有人认识他。而且,他那边的人早就不再费劲儿抓他了;我想,单凭那告示是没有人能把我认出来的。"

  可是你手上有着烙印呢?"

   George drew off his glove, and showed a newly-healed scar in his hand.

  乔治把手套脱下,露出来一条刚刚长好的疤痕。

   "That is a parting proof of Mr. Harris' regard," he said, scornfully. "A fortnight ago, he took it into his head to give it to me, because he said he believed I should try to get away one of these days. Looks interesting, doesn't it?" he said, drawing his glove on again.

  他讥讽地说道:"这可是哈里斯先生留给我的临别纪念呢。早在半个月前,他就给我烙了这么个记号,因为他觉得我迟早都会跑掉的。这伤疤长得不错,已经愈合了,是吧!"说着他又戴上了手套。

   "I declare, my very blood runs cold when I think of it,--your condition and your risks!" said Mr. Wilson."

  我告诉你,只要我一想到你所冒的风险,我就胆战心惊。"

   "Mine has run cold a good many years, Mr. Wilson; at present, it's about up to the boiling point," said George."

  这么多年来,我一直都在心惊肉跳地过日子,可是现在,情况不同了。"

  乔治沉默了一会,又接着说,"好心的先生,你看,我发现你把我认出来了,就觉得有必要和你谈一下。不然,你的反常反应,准会露出马脚的。明天一大早我就动身,希望明天晚上可以在俄亥俄安稳地睡上一大觉。以后我计划白天赶路,晚上在旅馆里投宿,跟那些老爷们同桌吃饭。那么,再见吧,如果你听说我被抓住了,那也就是说我死了。"

   George stood up like a rock, and put out his hand with the air of a prince. The friendly little old man shook it heartily, and after a little shower of caution, he took his umbrella, and fumbled his way out of the room.

  乔治站起来,气宇不俗地伸出手来。小老头也热情地握住他的手,又絮絮叨叨地说了些什么,这才走了回去。

   George stood thoughtfully looking at the door, as the old man closed it. A thought seemed to flash across his mind. He hastily stepped to it, and opening it, said,"Mr. Wilson, one word more."

  老人关上了门,乔治在那儿想着什么,突然间他好像想起了什么,快步走到门口,喊道:"等会儿,威尔森先生。"

   The old gentleman entered again, and George, as before, locked the door, and then stood for a few moments looking on the floor, irresolutely. At last, raising his head with a sudden effort--"Mr. Wilson, you have shown yourself a Christian in your treatment of me,--I want to ask one last deed of Christian kindness of you."

  那老先生又走进来,乔治又把门锁上了,然后好像是下了很大的决心似的对他说道--"威尔森先生,我想最后再求你一件事,因为你的仁慈态度,让我充分感受到了你是个仁慈的基督教徒。"

   "Well, George.""

  乔治,好的。"

  唔,先生--刚才你所说的那些关于我冒的风险很大那些话,是千真万确的。此去是凶多吉少。如果我真的死了,这世上不会有一个人介意的,"他说着,呼吸急促,而且说话也吃力起来--"我被杀了之后,会像条狗似的被随便一埋使了事了,第二天我就会被彻底遗忘了。只有我那个可怜苦命的妻子,她会痛不欲生的;威尔森先生,请您千万要把这枚别针给她,把这给她,告诉她我会永远爱她。好吗?您可以做到的,对吧!"他急切地问道。

   "Yes, certainly--poor fellow!" said the old gentleman, taking the pin, with watery eyes, and a melancholy quiver in his voice.

  那先生流着眼泪接过这枚别针--她送给他的圣诞礼物,忧伤地回答道:"可怜的孩子,这是没问题的,你放心吧!"

   "Tell her one thing," said George; "it's my last wish, if she _can_ get to Canada, to go there. No matter how kind her mistress is,--no matter how much she loves her home; beg her not to go back,--for slavery always ends in misery. Tell her to bring up our boy a free man, and then he won't suffer as I have. Tell her this, Mr. Wilson, will you?"

  乔治说:"麻烦您再告诉她,我最后的心愿是能逃到加拿大去,但愿她也能逃到那里去,不管她的主人是怎么仁慈,不管她的家乡是怎么可爱,求她千万别再回去,告诉她把儿子好好抚养长大,成为一个自由人,别再让他经历像我这样的悲惨命运。请您告诉她,可以吗?"

   "Yes, George. I'll tell her; but I trust you won't die; take heart,--you're a brave fellow. Trust in the Lord, George. I wish in my heart you were safe through, though,--that's what I do.""

  你放心吧,我一定会把这些话带到的,乔治。可我相信你会活着到达加拿大的。你是勇敢的,你要振作起来,祝你一路平安,乔治,这是我唯一的心愿。"

   "_Is_ there a God to trust in?" said George, in such a tone of bitter despair as arrested the old gentleman's words. "O, I've seen things all my life that have made me feel that there can't be a God. You Christians don't know how these things look to us. There's a God for you, but is there any for us?"

  乔治用一种辛酸绝望的声音问道:"难道真的有这样一位上帝让人信任吗?"这使得这位老者不知该怎样回答才好。"唉,我这一生的命运又怎么能让我相信有上帝呢?这些事情对我们来说意味着什么,你们永远也无法理解。你们有一位全知的上帝,可我们呢?"

  老人哽咽着说:"小伙子,别这么说……别这样想,有的,有的……上帝的周围现在是被乌云笼罩,但是终有一天他会重现光明的。乔治,你一定要相信这一点,上帝是真真切切地存在着的。他一定会保佑你,祝福你。善有善报,恶有恶报,不是不报,时候未到。"他的态度十分虔诚,使得乔治不由得相信了他,不再踱来踱去了。他站了一会儿,然后心平气和地说:"好朋友,我一定会记住你的这番好心,记住你的这些话的。"

   "In Ramah there was a voice heard,--weeping, and lamentation, and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted.""

  在拉马听到一个悲哀的痛哭声,那是拉马在为他失去的孩子而哭泣,他再也得不到安慰了。"

   Mr. Haley and Tom jogged onward in their wagon, each, for a time, absorbed in his own reflections. Now, the reflections of two men sitting side by side are a curious thing,--seated on the same seat, having the same eyes, ears, hands and organs of all sorts, and having pass before their eyes the same objects,--it is wonderful what a variety we shall find in these same reflections!

  在一辆摇摇晃晃向前行进的马车里,并排坐着赫利先生和汤姆。令人感到奇妙的是:他们虽然并肩坐在一起,可他们的心里却想着各自不同的心思。两个人坐在同一条凳子上,同样有着眼睛,耳朵,手和其他器官,眼睛看见同样的景物,但两个人的内心却完全迥异,这难道不是一件很奇妙的事吗?

   As, for example, Mr. Haley: he thought first of Tom's length, and breadth, and height, and what he would sell for, if he was kept fat and in good case till he got him into market. He thought of how he should make out his gang; he thought of the respective market value of certain supposititious men and women and children who were to compose it, and other kindred topics of the business; then he thought of himself, and how humane he was, that whereas other men chained their "niggers" hand and foot both, he only put fetters on the feet, and left Tom the use of his hands, as long as he behaved well; and he sighed to think how ungrateful human nature was, so that there was even room to doubt whether Tom appreciated his mercies. He had been taken in so by "niggers" whom he had favored; but still he was astonished to consider how good-natured he yet remained!

  就拿赫利先生说吧。他心里想的是如下一些事情:首先考虑汤姆的手脚有多长,胸有多宽,个儿有多高,如果把他养得肥肥壮壮的,等到上市的时候,不知道可以卖个什么价钱;他还思量着自己为扩充黑奴的数量所需要付的钱数,怎么样才能凑够黑奴的数量,此外,还有其他一些与买卖有关的事情;最后,他想到了自己,觉得自己心肠是多么善良,人家都把买来的黑奴的手脚用手铐脚镣锁上,自己却只给汤姆戴上脚镣,让他的双手还能活动,只要他老老实实就行。他想人性是多么容易忘恩负义,想到汤姆是否感激自己的恩情都是令人怀疑的时候,他不由得长叹一声。以前他有过许多自己喜爱的奴隶,可是这些人却让他上当受骗。但是,他至今仍然保持着一副善良的心肠,这的确令他自己十分惊讶。

目 录 上一节 下一节

八哥英语:课本 电影 阅读

扫扫二维码

手机学英语


名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第40节