目 录 上一节 下一节 
有一天，"美丽河"号在肯塔基州的一个小镇停泊了一段时问。赫利为了一件买卖上的事情上了岸。 Tom, whose fetters did not prevent his taking a moderate circuit, had drawn near the side of the boat, and stood listlessly gazing over the railing. After a time, he saw the trader returning, with an alert step, in company with a colored woman, bearing in her arms a young child. She was dressed quite respectably, and a colored man followed her, bringing along a small trunk. The woman came cheerfully onward, talking, as she came, with the man who bore her trunk, and so passed up the plank into the boat. The bell rung, the steamer whizzed, the engine groaned and coughed, and away swept the boat down the river. 虽然汤姆带着铁镣，但这并不妨碍他做些轻微活动。他慢慢走到船舷边，懒懒地倚在栏杆上，朝岸边呆呆地看着。只一会儿功夫，他看见赫利匆匆忙忙地赶了回来，还带着一个抱着小孩的妇女。那个女人的穿着非常得体，身后跟着一个提着小箱子的黑种男人。那个女人高高兴兴地朝轮船这边走来，一边走，一边还和那个提箱子的人说话，接着他们走过跳板，来到轮船上。这时，响起轮船启航的铃声，接着汽笛发出呜呜的两声，机器轰隆隆地发动了，轮船继续顺河航行。 The woman walked forward among the boxes and bales of the lower deck, and, sitting down, busied herself with chirruping to her baby. 那个妇女来到底舱，一路穿过放满货箱和棉花包的走道。等到她坐下之后，嘴巴里发出啧啧的声音哄着她的孩子。 Haley made a turn or two about the boat, and then, coming up, seated himself near her, and began saying something to her in an indifferent undertone. 赫利在船上来回转悠了一两圈。他走到那个妇女的身边坐下，用很低的声音和她说了些什么话。 Tom soon noticed a heavy cloud passing over the woman's brow; and that she answered rapidly, and with great vehemence. 汤姆注意到女人的脸上立刻阴云密布，她情绪激愤地说道： 
我不相信--我才不会相信呢！"汤姆还听她喊道，"你不会在骗我吧。" "If you won't believe it, look here!" said the man, drawing out a paper; "this yer's the bill of sale, and there's your master's name to it; and I paid down good solid cash for it, too, I can tell you,--so, now!"" 你不相信就看看这个好了。"赫利掏出一张纸，"这是你的卖身契据，你的主人已经签过字了。我可是花大价钱将你买下来的，你还不相信我？！" "I don't believe Mas'r would cheat me so; it can't be true!" said the woman, with increasing agitation." 我不相信老爷会欺骗我，根本不可能有这么回事！"女人说着，而且情绪变得越来越激动了。 "You can ask any of these men here, that can read writing. Here!" he said, to a man that was passing by, "jist read this yer, won't you! This yer gal won't believe me, when I tell her what 't is."" 你不相信就问问别人吧，只要他会认字就行！"赫利对一个经过他身边的人说道："请帮忙念念这张字据，可以吗？我告诉这个女人这张字据上写了什么，可她怎么也不肯相信。" "Why, it's a bill of sale, signed by John Fosdick," said the man, "making over to you the girl Lucy and her child. It's all straight enough, for aught I see."" 哦，这不是张卖身契据吗？上面有约翰·弗斯迪克的签名。他把一位叫露希的女人和她孩子一齐卖给了你，这上面不是写得一清二楚吗？"那个人讲道。 
女人立刻愤怒地大闹起来，引来一大群围观者。赫利用简短的话向围观者解释着原因。 "He told me that I was going down to Louisville, to hire out as cook to the same tavern where my husband works,--that's what Mas'r told me, his own self; and I can't believe he'd lie to me," said the woman." 他亲口跟我说把我租到路易斯维尔去干活，到我丈夫干活的那家旅店当厨娘，我不相信他会欺骗我。"女人讲道。 "But he has sold you, my poor woman, there's no doubt about it," said a good-natured looking man, who had been examining the papers; "he has done it, and no mistake."" 可是，他的确是把你卖了，这是真的，可怜的人，"一个和善可亲的先生看过字据后对女人说道，"他真的把你给卖了，没骗你。" "Then it's no account talking," said the woman, suddenly growing quite calm; and, clasping her child tighter in her arms, she sat down on her box, turned her back round, and gazed listlessly into the river." 那我该怎么办？"女人说着，突然变得很平静。她在箱子上坐了下来，紧紧地搂着她的孩子，转过身去，发呆地望着流动的河水。 "Going to take it easy, after all!" said the trader. "Gal's got grit, I see." 赫利说："她终于想通了。她倒真有血性。" 
轮船继续向前航行，女人的表情非常平静。一阵微风轻柔地吹过，轻轻地拂过她的面颊，好像一位充满善心的天使，却不管女人的眉毛是黑色还是金色。那个女人看着波光粼粼的水面上荡起一层层金色的微澜，她听到周围到处是愉快的交谈声，可她的内心却沉重得犹如压了一块大石头一般。她的孩子靠着她站起身来，用两只小手轻轻抚摸着妈妈的脸庞。孩子嘴里咿咿呀呀地叫着，好像要让妈妈提起精神来。女人突然紧紧地搂住孩子，眼泪顺着孩子那张惊讶而纯真的脸不停地往下流，慢慢地，女人变得平静了。她又像刚才那样给孩子喂起奶来。 The child, a boy of ten months, was uncommonly large and strong of his age, and very vigorous in his limbs. Never, for a moment, still, he kept his mother constantly busy in holding him, and guarding his springing activity. 这个孩子约有十个多月了，但和别的同龄孩子比起来，他长得异常的壮实。他的手脚健壮有力，不停的乱动，搞得他的妈妈手忙脚乱。 "That's a fine chap!" said a man, suddenly stopping opposite to him, with his hands in his pockets. "How old is he?"" 这孩子长得真好看！"一个人在孩子眼前停住了脚步，手放在衣兜里说，"孩子多大了？" "Ten months and a half," said the mother." 十个月零十五天。"女人回答说。 The man whistled to the boy, and offered him part of a stick of candy, which he eagerly grabbed at, and very soon had it in a baby's general depository, to wit, his mouth. 这个人吹着口哨去逗弄那个孩子，又递给他半块糖，孩子伸出手去抓糖，然后放进嘴里。要知道，孩子对好吃的食物可是来者不拒。 
小精灵鬼！"那人说，"你倒是挺明白的！"说完话，他吹着口哨走到船的另一端，看见赫利坐在一大堆箱子上，正吸着烟。 The stranger produced a match, and lighted a cigar, saying, as he did so,"Decentish kind o' wench you've got round there, stranger." 陌生人掏出火柴和香烟，点燃了一支，说道："嗨，兄弟，你买来的那个女黑奴长得真不赖。" "Why, I reckon she _is_ tol'able fair," said Haley, blowing the smoke out of his mouth." 是吗，我看还凑合吧。"赫利从嘴里吐出一口烟。 "Taking her down south?" said the man." 你打算把她带到南方去？"那人又问。 Haley nodded, and smoked on. 赫利点了点头，接着又抽起烟来。 
让她去种地？"那人接着问道。 "Wal," said Haley, "I'm fillin' out an order for a plantation, and I think I shall put her in. They telled me she was a good cook; and they can use her for that, or set her at the cotton-picking. She's got the right fingers for that; I looked at 'em. Sell well, either way;" and Haley resumed his cigar." 是的，"赫利说，"我和一家庄园订下一笔买卖，我想把她也算在里面。别人告诉我她是个不错的厨子。所以，他们可以让她做饭或者让她摘棉花，她的那双手最适合干这些，我已经仔细认真地验过货了。她肯定能卖个好价钱。"说完，他又接着抽起烟来。 "They won't want the young 'un on the plantation," said the man." 可是那个庄园主不会要这个孩子的。"那人说。 "I shall sell him, first chance I find," said Haley, lighting another cigar." 等有合适的机会，我就把孩子给卖了。"赫利又点燃了一支烟。 "S'pose you'd be selling him tol'able cheap," said the stranger, mounting the pile of boxes, and sitting down comfortably." 价钱应该会便宜点吧。"陌生人说着，爬到堆在一起的木箱上，舒舒服服地坐下来。 
那可不一定，这孩子长得真不错--有鼻子有眼，结结实实，身上的肉结实得不得了。"赫利说道。 "Very true, but then there's the bother and expense of raisin'."" 的确如此，可要养大他，那可是件麻烦事儿。" "Nonsense!" said Haley; "they is raised as easy as any kind of critter there is going; they an't a bit more trouble than pups. This yer chap will be running all around, in a month."" 瞎说，黑孩子比什么都容易养！养他们和养小狗差不多。估计要不了一个月，这孩子就会到处乱跑了。"
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