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教堂的钟声敲十一点三刻的时候，两个人影出现在伦敦桥上。一个步履匆匆走在前边的是个女人，她急切地四下张望，像是在寻找某一个预期的目标。另一个男人的身影鬼鬼祟祟，一路上尽量走在最阴暗的影子底下，他不时调节自己的步伐，与那个女的保持一定的距离，女的停下他也停下，女的继续走他也暗暗往前移动，但即使跟踪得来劲了也决不赶到她的前边。就这样，他们在弥德塞克斯过桥，来到塞莱河岸。这时，那女的显然感到失望，因为她心急火燎地搜索过来，却没有在过路行人中见到自己要找的人，便转身走了回来。这个动作非常突然，但监视她的人并没有忙中出错，一闪身躲进桥墩顶上一处四进去的地方，并且翻过栏杆，藏得更加严实。他听着那女的从对面便道上走过去。女的走到前边，和先前的距离差不多了，他才无声无息地溜出来，又一次跟上去。几乎是在桥的中间，女的停住了。那个男的也停下来。 It was a very dark night. The day had been unfavourable, and at that hour and place there were few people stirring. Such as there were, hurried quickly past: very possibly without seeing, but certainly without noticing, either the woman, or the man who kept her in view. Their appearance was not calculated to attract the importunate regards of such of London's destitute population, as chanced to take their way over the bridge that night in search of some cold arch or doorless hovel wherein to lay their heads; they stood there in silence: neither speaking nor spoken to, by any one who passed. 夜色深沉，星月无光。整天天气都很差，此时此地，已经没有什么人来来去去。即或有，也是行色匆匆快步走过，不管是对那个女的，还是牢牢盯住她的那个男人，很可能连看也没看一眼，就是看见了也肯定没有留意。有几个伦敦穷汉这天晚上碰巧从桥上路过，打算找一处冷冰冰的拱道或者门户大开的破房子权且栖身，这一男一女的外表也没有引来他们那种令人讨厌的目光。两人默默地站在那里，不同任何过路人搭话，别人也不和他们交谈。 A mist hung over the river, deepening the red glare of the fires that burnt upon the small craft moored off the different wharfs, and rendering darker and more indistinct the murky buildings on the banks. The old smoke-stained storehouses on either side, rose heavy and dull from the dense mass of roofs and gables, and frowned sternly upon water too black to reflect even their lumbering shapes. The tower of old Saint Saviour's Church, and the spire of Saint Magnus, so long the giant-warders of the ancient bridge, were visible in the gloom; but the forest of shipping below bridge, and the thickly scattered spires of churches above, were nearly all hidden from sight. 河面上笼罩着一层雾气，停泊在各个码头上的小船燃点起的红色灯火因而显得颜色更深，岸边阴沉混沌的建筑物显得越发昏暗朦胧。沿河两岸一些货栈早就被烟雾熏得污迹斑斑，呆板而又忧郁地从密密层层的屋顶、山墙中耸立起来，冷森森地向水面皱着眉头，乌黑的河水连它们那粗大丑陋的样子也照不出来。幽暗中，古老的救世主教堂的钟楼和圣玛格纳斯教堂尖顶隐隐可见，依旧像两个巨灵神守卫着这座历史悠久的大桥，但桥下林立的船桅与岸上星罗棋布的教堂尖顶几乎全都看不见了。 The girl had taken a few restless turns to and fro--closely watched meanwhile by her hidden observer--when the heavy bell of St. Paul's tolled for the death of another day. Midnight had come upon the crowded city. The palace, the night-cellar, the jail, the madhouse: the chambers of birth and death, of health and sickness, the rigid face of the corpse and the calm sleep of the child: midnight was upon them all. 姑娘忐忑不安地走来走去--那个暗中盯梢的男人一直严密监视着她--这功夫，圣保罗大教堂响起沉重的钟声，宣告又一天寿终正寝。午夜已降临这座人烟密集的都市，降临宫殿、地下室酒店、监狱、疯人院，进入这些生与死、健康与疾病共同拥有的寝室，降临尸体那僵直冷峻的面孔与孩子平静甜美的酣睡。 The hour had not struck two minutes, when a young lady, accompanied by a grey-haired gentleman, alighted from a hackney-carriage within a short distance of the bridge, and, having dismissed the vehicle, walked straight towards it. They had scarcely set foot upon its pavement, when the girl started, and immediately made towards them. 十二点敲过不到两分钟，在离大桥很近的地方，一个少女由一位鬓发斑白的绅士陪伴着，从一辆出租马车上下来，将马车打发走，便直端端往桥上走来。他们刚踏上便道，姑娘猛然惊起，立即迎上前去。 
他们缓步走上桥，一边查看着四周，看样子是对某种实现的可能性极小的事只抱着姑且一试的态度，这时，两人突然与那位新伙伴走到了一块。随着一声刚刚发出就戛然而止的惊呼，他们停住了脚步，因为就在这一瞬间，一个乡下人打扮的汉子走到他们跟前--的确擦了他们一下。 'Not here,' said Nancy hurriedly, 'I am afraid to speak to you here. Come away--out of the public road--down the steps yonder!' “不要在这儿，”南希急促地说，“我害怕在这儿和你们说话。上--马路外边--到下边石阶那儿去。” As she uttered these words, and indicated, with her hand, the direction in which she wished them to proceed, the countryman looked round, and roughly asking what they took up the whole pavement for, passed on. 她这么说着，用手指了一下要他们去的方向，那个乡下人回头看了一眼，粗声嘎气地问他们干吗把整个便道都给占着，随后就走开了。 The steps to which the girl had pointed, were those which, on the Surrey bank, and on the same side of the bridge as Saint Saviour's Church, form a landing-stairs from the river. To this spot, the man bearing the appearance of a countryman, hastened unobserved; and after a moment's survey of the place, he began to descend. 南希姑娘所指的石阶在塞莱河堤，跟救世主教堂同在桥的一侧，是一段上下船的石梯，那个乡下人模样的汉子已经神不知鬼不觉地赶到那个地方，他对地形观察了片刻，便开始往下走。 These stairs are a part of the bridge; they consist of three flights. Just below the end of the second, going down, the stone wall on the left terminates in an ornamental pilaster facing towards the Thames. At this point the lower steps widen: so that a person turning that angle of the wall, is necessarily unseen by any others on the stairs who chance to be above him, if only a step. The countryman looked hastily round, when he reached this point; and as there seemed no better place of concealment, and, the tide being out, there was plenty of room, he slipped aside, with his back to the pilaster, and there waited: pretty certain that they would come no lower, and that even if he could not hear what was said, he could follow them again, with safety. 这条石梯是桥的一部分，一共有三段。朝下走完第二段阶梯，左边的石壁尽头立着一根面向泰晤士河的装饰性壁柱。从这里再往下走，石梯要宽一些，一个人只要转到石壁后边，就肯定不会被石梯上的人看见，哪怕只比他高出一级阶梯。乡下人来到这个地点，忙忙慌慌地看了看周围，眼前似乎没有更好的藏身之处了，加上潮水已经退了，这里有的是立足的地方。他溜到一旁，背朝壁柱，来了个以逸待劳：料定他们不会再往下走，即便听不见他们在讲什么，也可以稳稳当当地继续盯住他们。 
时间在这个僻静的角落显得如此拖沓，这名暗探又是如此急切，恨不得马上探明他们住这次会面的意图，要知道这和他光听介绍而估计的情况完全不同，他不止一次认为这事算是吹了，并且劝自己相信，他们要么是远远地在上边停住不走了，要么就是另外找了个地方去进行密谈。他正想从躲藏的地方走出来，回到大路上去，就在这当儿，他听到了脚步声，紧接着是几乎近在耳旁的说话声。 He drew himself straight upright against the wall, and, scarcely breathing, listened attentively. 他身子一挺，笔直地贴在石壁上，屏住呼吸，聚精会神地谛听着。 'This is far enough,' said a voice, which was evidently that of the gentleman. 'I will not suffer the young lady to go any farther. Many people would have distrusted you too much to have come even so far, but you see I am willing to humour you.' “这下可够远的了，”一个声音说道，显然是那位绅士的嗓音，“我不能叫这位小姐再往前走了。换了别人，都会对你信不过，连此地也不肯来的，可你也看得出，我愿意顺着你的心思。” 'To humour me!' cried the voice of the girl whom he had followed. “顺着我的心思。”这正是诺亚·克雷波尔跟踪的那个姑娘的声音， 'You're considerate, indeed, sir. To humour me! Well, well, it's no matter.' “你真能体谅人，先生。顺着我的心思。好了，好了，这没什么关系。” 
“哦，为什么呢，”绅士的口气温和了一些，“你把我们带到这么一个不可思议的地方，到底是出于什么目的？你干吗不让我和你在上边谈，那地方有灯，又有人走动，却偏要引我们到这个荒凉的黑窟窿里来？” 'I told you before,' replied Nancy, 'that I was afraid to speak to you there. I don't know why it is,' said the girl, shuddering, 'but I have such a fear and dread upon me to-night that I can hardly stand.' “我刚才告诉过你，”南希回答，“我害怕在那儿和你说话。不知道怎么的，”姑娘说话时浑身直哆嗦，“可今天晚上我真是怕得要命，站都站不稳。” 'A fear of what?' asked the gentleman, who seemed to pity her. “怕什么呢？”那位绅士似乎对她很同情。 'I scarcely know of what,' replied the girl. 'I wish I did. Horrible thoughts of death, and shrouds with blood upon them, and a fear that has made me burn as if I was on fire, have been upon me all day. I was reading a book to-night, to wile the time away, and the same things came into the print.' “我简直不知道是怎么回事，”姑娘回答，“要知道就好了。我一整天想的都是可怕的念头，死神，带血的裹尸布，越害怕身上越发烫，像是给架在火上烤一样。今天晚上我看了一本书，想混混时间，这些东西又从书上跑出来了。” 'Imagination,' said the gentleman, soothing her. “这是想像。”绅士安慰她说。 
“不是想像，”姑娘的声音很沙哑，“我敢发誓，我看见书上每一页都有‘棺材’这两个字，字体又大又黑--嗳，刚才在街上，他们就抬着一副棺材从我身边走过。” 'There is nothing unusual in that,' said the gentleman. 'They have passed me often.' “这种事不足为奇，”绅士说道，“我也时常遇到。”
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