名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第82节


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  我曾驯服过一个奴隶,可在这之前,所有的监工、奴隶主都拿他没有办法。"圣克莱尔说。

   "You!" said Marie; "well, I'd be glad to know when _you_ ever did anything of the sort.""

  你?"玛丽惊讶道,"我很想听听你是什么时候干成这样一件事的。"

   "Well, he was a powerful, gigantic fellow,--a native-born African; and he appeared to have the rude instinct of freedom in him to an uncommon degree. He was a regular African lion. They called him Scipio. Nobody could do anything with him; and he was sold round from overseer to overseer, till at last Alfred bought him, because he thought he could manage him. Well, one day he knocked down the overseer, and was fairly off into the swamps. I was on a visit to Alf's plantation, for it was after we had dissolved partnership. Alfred was greatly exasperated; but I told him that it was his own fault, and laid him any wager that I could break the man; and finally it was agreed that, if I caught him, I should have him to experiment on. So they mustered out a party of some six or seven, with guns and dogs, for the hunt. People, you know, can get up as much enthusiasm in hunting a man as a deer, if it is only customary; in fact, I got a little excited myself, though I had only put in as a sort of mediator, in case he was caught."

  那个黑人身材魁梧高大,身强体壮,是个地道的非洲人。他有一种比谁都渴望自由的本能,简直就像一头非洲雄狮。大家都叫他西皮奥。因为谁也驯服不了他,所以他被卖掉了。最后,艾尔弗雷德买了他,想用自己的方法使他驯服。可有一天,他把监工打倒在地,然后逃到沼泽地里。我那时恰好在艾尔弗雷德的庄园。知道这件事后,艾尔弗雷德气得暴跳如雷。但我对他说,这完全是他的错,而且还向他保证,我有办法将那个黑奴驯服。最后,我们议定,如果我抓住这个逃跑的家伙,就由我把他带回去做试验。于是,他们一共六、七个人带着枪和猎狗去追捕那个黑人。你要知道,如果成为经常性的行为,人们追捕黑奴也会像围猎一头壮鹿那样充满热情。说实话,我当时的心情十分兴奋。其实,即使他被抓住,我也只是个调停人而已。"

   "Well, the dogs bayed and howled, and we rode and scampered, and finally we started him. He ran and bounded like a buck, and kept us well in the rear for some time; but at last he got caught in an impenetrable thicket of cane; then he turned to bay, and I tell you he fought the dogs right gallantly. He dashed them to right and left, and actually killed three of them with only his naked fists, when a shot from a gun brought him down, and he fell, wounded and bleeding, almost at my feet. The poor fellow looked up at me with manhood and despair both in his eye. I kept back the dogs and the party, as they came pressing up, and claimed him as my prisoner. It was all I could do to keep them from shooting him, in the flush of success; but I persisted in my bargain, and Alfred sold him to me. Well, I took him in hand, and in one fortnight I had him tamed down as submissive and tractable as heart could desire.""

  猎狗汪汪地叫着,跑在最前头,后面跟着骑马的人。后来,我们发现了他,他就像公鹿一样狂奔。我们追了好长一段路还是抓不到他。最后一片茂密的甘蔗林挡住了他的去路,他被迫和我们决斗。他勇猛地和猎狗搏斗,左一只,右一只,把猎狗打得落花流水,竟然徒手打死了三只猎狗。这时,一颗子弹打中了他,他几乎倒在我的脚边,鲜血直流。那可怜的家伙抬起头望着我,眼睛里流露出勇敢和绝望的神情。我把追兵和猎狗阻止住,并宣称他已经是我的俘虏。我费尽九牛二虎之力才阻止他们在胜利的冲击下开枪把那个黑人打死。这以后,我开始着手驯服他。不到半个月的时间,我就把他管教得恭恭敬敬、惟命是从了。"

   "What in the world did you do to him?" said Marie."

  你究竟是怎么把他给治服的?"玛丽问道。

  办法其实很简单。我将他抬到自己的房间,准备了一张舒适的床,并且为他的伤口上好药,再包扎好。我亲自护理他,直到痊愈为止。后来,我签署了一张自由证书,并告诉他,他愿意去哪儿就能去哪儿。"

   "And did he go?" said Miss Ophelia."

  那他到底走了没有呢?"奥菲利亚小姐问。

   "No. The foolish fellow tore the paper in two, and absolutely refused to leave me. I never had a braver, better fellow,--trusty and true as steel. He embraced Christianity afterwards, and became as gentle as a child. He used to oversee my place on the lake, and did it capitally, too. I lost him the first cholera season. In fact, he laid down his life for me. For I was sick, almost to death; and when, through the panic, everybody else fled, Scipio worked for me like a giant, and actually brought me back into life again. But, poor fellow! he was taken, right after, and there was no saving him. I never felt anybody's loss more.""

  没有,他竟然一下子把证书撕成两半,表示坚决不会离开我。我从来没见过像他那样勇敢、忠诚的仆人。后来,他皈依了基督教,像只羊羔般温顺。那时,他帮我看管湖边的田舍,而且干得非常出色。可是,那年霍乱刚刚开始流行,我就失去了他。其实,他是为了我而丧命的,因为先是我得了霍乱,险些儿丧了命。那时,家里的人都害怕被传染上,全都跑光了。只有西皮奥留下来照顾我,让我死里逃生。可是,他却被传染上而丢了命。谁死去都不曾让我那么伤心难过。"

   Eva had come gradually nearer and nearer to her father, as he told the story,--her small lips apart, her eyes wide and earnest with absorbing interest.

  圣克莱尔说这个故事的时候,小伊娃张着小嘴巴,神情专注地听着,还不断地向爸爸身上靠过去。

   As he finished, she suddenly threw her arms around his neck, burst into tears, and sobbed convulsively.

  圣克莱尔刚讲完,伊娃就搂住爸爸的脖子,伏在他的身上,哇地哭了起来,身体不停地哆嗦着。

  伊娃,我的宝贝,你这是怎么啦?"圣克莱尔看着女儿伤心的样子心疼地问。随后,他接着说了一句:"真不该让她听这种事情,她还太小了。"

   "No, papa, I'm not nervous," said Eva, controlling herself, suddenly, with a strength of resolution singular in such a child. "I'm not nervous, but these things _sink into my heart_."

  伊娃立即控制住自己的情绪,停止了哭泣。"不,爸爸,我不是胆小。"这种自制力在她这样一个孩子身上的确是非常罕见。"我不是害怕,只是这种事情渗入了我的心里。"

   "What do you mean, Eva?""

  伊娃,你是什么意思?"

   "I can't tell you, papa, I think a great many thoughts. Perhaps some day I shall tell you.""

  我也不知道,爸爸。我心里有好多想法,也许将来有一天我会说清楚的。"

   "Well, think away, dear,--only don't cry and worry your papa," said St. Clare, "Look here,--see what a beautiful peach I have got for you.""

  那等你想清楚了再说吧,宝贝--只是别再哭了,别叫爸爸担心,好吗?"圣克莱尔安慰道,"你看,我给你挑的这个桃子多好呀。"

  伊娃接过桃子,破涕为笑,只是嘴角还在微微抽搐着。

   "Come, look at the gold-fish," said St. Clare, taking her hand and stepping on to the verandah. A few moments, and merry laughs were heard through the silken curtains, as Eva and St. Clare were pelting each other with roses, and chasing each other among the alleys of the court."

  走,看金鱼去。"圣克莱尔一边说,一边拉着女儿的手,朝外面的走廊走去。不一会儿,就听见阵阵愉快的欢笑声从真丝窗帘外传了过来。伊娃和爸爸在院子里的小路上追逐着,嬉戏着。

   There is danger that our humble friend Tom be neglected amid the adventures of the higher born; but, if our readers will accompany us up to a little loft over the stable, they may, perhaps, learn a little of his affairs. It was a decent room, containing a bed, a chair, and a small, rough stand, where lay Tom's Bible and hymn-book; and where he sits, at present, with his slate before him, intent on something that seems to cost him a great deal of anxious thought.

  我们一直在讲述富贵人家的情况,差点儿忘了可怜的汤姆。好吧,如果大家愿意了解他的情况,就请随我到马厩顶上的小房间来。在这间收拾得很整洁的小屋里,有一张床,一把椅子,还有一张粗制的桌子,上面放着汤姆心爱的《圣经》和赞美诗。这时,他正坐在桌子旁边,集中精力做一件很费脑筋的事情。他的面前放着一块石板。

   The fact was, that Tom's home-yearnings had become so strong that he had begged a sheet of writing-paper of Eva, and, mustering up all his small stock of literary attainment acquired by Mas'r George's instructions, he conceived the bold idea of writing a letter; and he was busy now, on his slate, getting out his first draft. Tom was in a good deal of trouble, for the forms of some of the letters he had forgotten entirely; and of what he did remember, he did not know exactly which to use. And while he was working, and breathing very hard, in his earnestness, Eva alighted, like a bird, on the round of his chair behind him, and peeped over his shoulder.

  原来,汤姆是想家了,而且思乡之情越来越浓。于是他向伊娃要米一张信纸,准备用自己在乔治少爷的教导下学到的那么一点点文化知识给家里写封信。他此时正忙着在石板上打草稿呢。写信对他来说,真的是件很困难的事情,因为他已经完全忘了有些字母的写法,就是记得的那些,又不知道该怎么用。正在他煞费苦心地写信时,伊娃悄悄走了进来,伏在他身后的椅子背上,从他的肩头上看着汤姆写字。

   "O, Uncle Tom! what funny things you _are_ making, there!""

  哦,汤姆大叔,你在干什么呢?"

  哦,我想给家里人写封信,伊娃小姐。"汤姆用手背揉了揉眼睛,"真烦,恐怕我写不成这封信了。"

   "I wish I could help you, Tom! I've learnt to write some. Last year I could make all the letters, but I'm afraid I've forgotten.""

  如果我能帮你,该有多好。我练过字的,去年我几乎全会写了,可现在恐怕全忘光了。"

   So Eva put her golden head close to his, and the two commenced a grave and anxious discussion, each one equally earnest, and about equally ignorant; and, with a deal of consulting and advising over every word, the composition began, as they both felt very sanguine, to look quite like writing.

  伊娃将她那金发的脑袋瓜和汤姆的黑脑袋凑到一块儿,两人开始严肃地讨论起来。他们识字都不多,但态度都非常认真,都希望能写成这封信。他们在那儿一字一字地苦心斟酌着,渐渐写得有些样子了。

   "Yes, Uncle Tom, it really begins to look beautiful," said Eva, gazing delightedly on it. "How pleased your wife'll be, and the poor little children! O, it's a shame you ever had to go away from them! I mean to ask papa to let you go back, some time."

  伊娃看着石板上的字,兴高采烈地叫道:"哦,汤姆大叔,我们写得越来越好了。你妻子和孩子见了一定会很高兴的。那些人把你逼得妻离子散,真是可恶极了。以后,我会让爸爸放你回家的。"

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名著·汤姆叔叔的小屋 - 第82节