名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第67节


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  乔治说:"艾莉查,别人拥有房子、田地、金钱、朋友,却没有我们这样真挚的爱情。我们虽然一贫如洗,但我们却相互拥有。认识你以前,除了可怜的母亲和姐姐,没有一个人爱过我。那天早上,我亲眼看着奴隶贩子把埃米利带走。临走时,她来到我睡觉的地方,对我说:'可怜的乔治,最后一个爱护你的人也要走了,你今后可怎么活下去呢?'我站起身来,抱着她失声痛哭,她也哭了。那些是我听到的最后几句关心我的话。十年过去了,我的心枯萎了,如同死灰一般,直到认识了你。你给了我爱--让我重新起死回生!从此,我变成了另外一个人。现在,艾莉查,我愿为你奉献我的一切,他们休想把你从我这里夺走。如果谁想夺走你的话,他就必须先跨过我的尸体。"

   "O, Lord, have mercy!" said Eliza, sobbing. "If he will only let us get out of this country together, that is all we ask.""

  哦,上帝发发慈悲吧!"艾莉查边说边流着悲伤的眼泪,"只要您能保佑我们安全逃离这个国家,我们别无他求了。"

   "Is God on their side?" said George, speaking less to his wife than pouring out his own bitter thoughts. "Does he see all they do? Why does he let such things happen? And they tell us that the Bible is on their side; certainly all the power is. They are rich, and healthy, and happy; they are members of churches, expecting to go to heaven; and they get along so easy in the world, and have it all their own way; and poor, honest, faithful Christians,--Christians as good or better than they,--are lying in the very dust under their feet. They buy 'em and sell 'em, and make trade of their heart's blood, and groans and tears,--and God _lets_ them.""

  上帝难道支持那帮人吗?上帝难道没看见他们的所作所为吗?为什么要听任这一切发生呢?而且那些人还声称《圣经》是在为他们辩护。当然,他们富有、快乐、健康;他们拥有权力;他们都是基督徒;他们都希望死后进天堂;他们为所欲为;而那些贫苦、虔诚的基督徒们--和他们一样好甚至更好的基督徒们--却被他们踩在脚下。他们把我们任意地买来买去,用我们的眼泪,生命去做交易,而上帝对这些行为却视而不见。"乔治在那儿说着,好像并非一定要把这些话讲给妻子听不可,他的目的主要在于倾吐内心的痛苦和悲伤。

   "Friend George," said Simeon, from the kitchen, "listen to this Psalm; it may do thee good.""

  乔治,"西米恩在厨房里叫了一声,"听听这诗篇吧,也许会对你有所帮助。"

   George drew his seat near the door, and Eliza, wiping her tears, came forward also to listen, while Simeon read as follows:

  乔治将椅子朝门口挪了挪,艾莉查擦去了眼泪,也过来听西米恩的朗读

  :"至于我,我的步子险些滑倒,我的脚差点闪失。我看见那些恶人青云直上,内心就愤愤不平,他们没有常人历经的磨难和艰辛。所以,骄傲成为他们的项圈,残暴成为他们的外表。他们那肥硕的身体使得眼袋臃肿不堪。他们的所得超乎他们的想象。他们品德败坏,恶意愚弄他人,欺压百姓,他们说话傲慢自大。因而,上帝的子民来到这里,喝尽了满杯的苦水。他们不懂:上帝如何知道至高无上者究竟有无学问?

   "Is not that the way thee feels, George?"

  乔治,你是不是也是这种感受?"

   "It is so indeed," said George,--"as well as I could have written it myself.""

  没错儿,我就这样觉得的。如果让我来写这首诗,我也会这么写的。"

   "Then, hear," said Simeon: "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me until I went unto the sanctuary of God. Then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castedst them down to destruction. As a dream when one awaketh, so, oh Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. Nevertheless I am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. It is good for me to draw near unto God. I have put my trust in the Lord God.""

  那好,听下去,"西米恩继续念道,"我仔细考虑过这件事,没进上帝的圣殿真叫人难以理解。我知道您一定会让他们得到万劫不复的毁灭。人醒之后还会做梦吗?主啊,当您醒来后,一定会轻视他们的形象。我将永远追随您。搀起我的右手吧,以您的教导来指引我,然后将我迎到天国中去。我愿意向上帝靠近。我对上帝信赖无疑。"

   The words of holy trust, breathed by the friendly old man, stole like sacred music over the harassed and chafed spirit of George; and after he ceased, he sat with a gentle and subdued expression on his fine features.

  从西米恩这位友善的长者口里念出如此一首圣洁的诗,如同一首仙乐悄悄进入乔治那历尽磨难,满是创伤的灵魂。西米恩念完后,乔治英俊的脸上出现了温和而平静的表情。

  如果这个世界就是一切,乔治,你可以问问:上帝到底在哪里?可是,被上帝选为天国子民的,正是那些今生今世获得享受最少的人。相信上帝,不管你在人间吃了多少苦,受了多少罪,总有一天,上帝会给你一个公道。"

   If these words had been spoken by some easy, self-indulgent exhorter, from whose mouth they might have come merely as pious and rhetorical flourish, proper to be used to people in distress, perhaps they might not have had much effect; but coming from one who daily and calmly risked fine and imprisonment for the cause of God and man, they had a weight that could not but be felt, and both the poor, desolate fugitives found calmness and strength breathing into them from it.

  这番话如果出自一个不负责任、随意表态的人的嘴,也许只会看作是用来感动落魄之人的浮华之辞,恐怕不会有什么成效。但是,这席话是出自一位虔诚的基督徒之口,他每天为了上帝和人类的事业,冒着巨大危险却依然镇定自若,这就不能不让人感到这番话的力量了。从西米恩的这番话中,两位遭遇凄惨的逃亡奴隶寻找到了一份安宁,从中吸取了力量。

   And now Rachel took Eliza's hand kindly, and led the way to the supper-table. As they were sitting down, a light tap sounded at the door, and Ruth entered.

  这时,雷切尔温和地拉起艾莉查的手,拉她走向饭桌。大家刚刚坐定,门外传来一阵轻轻的敲门声,露丝走了进来。

   "I just ran in," she said, "with these little stockings for the boy,--three pair, nice, warm woollen ones. It will be so cold, thee knows, in Canada. Does thee keep up good courage, Eliza?" she added, tripping round to Eliza's side of the table, and shaking her warmly by the hand, and slipping a seed-cake into Harry's hand. "I brought a little parcel of these for him," she said, tugging at her pocket to get out the package. "Children, thee knows, will always be eating.""

  我给孩子带来了三双小袜子,羊毛织的,挺暖和的。大家知道,加拿大那边一定会很冷。艾莉查,可不能失去勇气啊!"她轻快地绕过桌子来到艾莉查身边,热情地和她握手,又把一块香子饼塞到哈里手中。"我给他带了一包这样的饼,"说着,她从口袋里掏出一个包,"你知道,孩子的嘴总是闲不住的。"

   "O, thank you; you are too kind," said Eliza."

  太谢谢你了,你真是太好了。"艾莉查感激地说道。

  露丝,坐下来和我们一道吃晚饭吧。"雷切尔说。

   "I couldn't, any way. I left John with the baby, and some biscuits in the oven; and I can't stay a moment, else John will burn up all the biscuits, and give the baby all the sugar in the bowl. That's the way he does," said the little Quakeress, laughing. "So, good-by, Eliza; good-by, George; the Lord grant thee a safe journey;" and, with a few tripping steps, Ruth was out of the apartment. "

  不行呀。我把孩子丢给约翰看管,炉子上还烤着饼干,我是一分钟也不能耽搁。不然,约翰会把饼干全部烤糊,碗里的糖也会全部被孩子吃光,他就是这个样子。"说着,她笑了起来,"好了,再见,艾莉查,乔治。上帝会保佑你们一路顺风的。"说完,露丝迈着轻盈的脚步走出了房问。

   A little while after supper, a large covered-wagon drew up before the door; the night was clear starlight; and Phineas jumped briskly down from his seat to arrange his passengers. George walked out of the door, with his child on one arm and his wife on the other. His step was firm, his face settled and resolute. Rachel and Simeon came out after them.

  晚饭过后一会儿,一辆篷车来到了大门口。满天的星星在那儿眨着眼睛。菲尼亚斯从车上跳下来,安排其他人到车上就座。乔治一手挽着妻子,一手抱着孩子走出门来。他迈着坚定的步伐,表情镇定而坚毅,他身后跟着雷切尔和西米恩。

   "You get out, a moment," said Phineas to those inside, "and let me fix the back of the wagon, there, for the women-folks and the boy.""

  你们先下来一会儿,"菲尼亚斯对车上的人说,"让我把车子的后部弄好,给女人和孩子安排一下座位。"

   "Here are the two buffaloes," said Rachel. "Make the seats as comfortable as may be; it's hard riding all night."

  雷切尔说:"这儿有两张牛皮,可以把座位垫得舒服些。整夜赶路肯定会很累的。"

  吉姆先跳下了车,然后小心翼翼地搀扶老母亲下车。老人紧紧挽住儿子的胳膊,不安地朝四周看了看,仿佛追捕他们的人随时会来一样。

   "Jim, are your pistols all in order?" said George, in a low, firm voice."

  吉姆,你准备好手枪了没有?"乔治用低沉而有力的口吻问道。

   "Yes, indeed," said Jim."

  当然。"

   "And you've no doubt what you shall do, if they come?""

  如果他们追来的话,你知道该怎么对付吧?"

   "I rather think I haven't," said Jim, throwing open his broad chest, and taking a deep breath. "Do you think I'll let them get mother again?""

  你放心好了,"吉姆答道,同时敞开胸,深深吸了口气,"你以为我会让他们再把我的妈妈抓去吗?"

  在他们说话的同时,艾莉查正和她那善良的朋友雷切尔告别。西米恩把她扶上了车,艾莉查抱着孩子爬进车的后部,坐在一堆牛皮垫子上。接着,吉姆的母亲也被搀扶上了车,乔治和吉姆坐在她们前面的一个用粗糙的木板拼成的座位上,菲尼亚斯从车子前面爬了上来。

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名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第67节