名著·鲁宾逊飘流记 - 第37节


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  这次观察使我确信,只要注意潮水的涨落,我可以很容易把小船弄到我住地所在的那一边。但当我想把自己的主意付诸实施的时候,又想到了上次所经历的危险,不由心惊肉跳,连想也不敢想了。于是,我作了一个新的决定,那就是再造一条独木舟。这样,我在岛的这边有一只,岛的那边也有一只。这样做虽然比较费力,但却比较安全。

   You are to understand, that now I had, as I may call it, two Plantations in the Island; one my little Fortification or Tent, with the Wall about it under the Rock, with the Cave behind me, which by this Time I had enlarg'd into several Apartments, or Caves, one within another. One of these, which was the dryest, and largest, and had a Door out beyond my Wall or Fortification; that is to say, beyond where my Wall joyn'd to the Rock, was all fill'd up with the large Earthen Pots, of which I have given an Account, and with fourteen or fifteen great Baskets, which would hold five or six Bushels each, where I laid up my Stores of Provision, especially my Corn, some in the Ear cut off short from the Straw, and the other rubb'd out with my Hand.

  你们要知道,现在我在岛上已有了两个庄园--我也许可以这么称呼我的两处住所。一处是我的那个小小的城堡或帐篷。这儿,在小山脚下,四周建起了围墙,后面是一个岩洞,现在,岩洞已扩大成好几个房间,或者说好几个洞室,一个套着一个。其中有一间最干燥最宽大,并有一个门通到围墙外面,或者说是城堡外面。也就是说,通到了围墙和山石的连接处。在这一间里,我放满了前面提到过的那些陶土烧制成的大瓦缸,还放了十四五只大筐子,每只大筐子能装五六浦式耳粮食,主要装的是谷物。有的筐子装着直接从茎秆上摘下来的穗子,有的装着我用手搓出来的谷粒。

   A for my Wall made, as before, with long Stakes or Piles, those Piles grew all like Trees, and were by this Time grown so big, and spread so very much, that there was not the least Appearance to any one's View of any Habitation behind them.

  那堵围墙我当时是用高大的树桩筑成的;现在,这些树桩已长成了树,又大又密,谁都看不出后面会住人。

   Near this Dwelling of mine, but a little farther within the Land, and upon lower Ground, lay my two Pieces of Corn-Ground, which I kept duly cultivated and sow'd, and which duly yielded me their Harvest in its Season; and whenever I had occasion for more Corn, I had more Land adjoyning as fit as that.

  靠近住所,往岛内走几步,在一片地势较低的地方,有两块庄稼地。我按时耕种,按时收获。如果我需要更多的粮食,毗邻还有不少同样相宜的土地可以扩大。

   Besides this, I had my Country Seat, and I had now a tollerable Plantation there also; for first, I had my little Bower, as I call'd it, which I kept in Repair; that is to say, I kept the Hedge which circled it in, constantly fitted up to its usual Height, the Ladder standing always in the Inside; I kept the Trees which at first were no more than my Stakes, but were now grown very firm and tall; I kept them always so cut, that they might spread and grow thick and wild, and make the more agreeable Shade, which they did effectually to my Mind. In the Middle of this I had my Tent always standing, being a piece of a Sail spread over Poles set up for that Purpose, and which never wanted any Repair or Renewing; and under this I had made me a Squab or Couch, with the Skins of the Creatures I had kill'd, and with other soft Things, and a Blanket laid on them, such as belong'd to our Sea-Bedding, which I had saved, and a great Watch-Coat to cover me; and here, whenever I had Occasion to be absent from my chief Seat, I took up my Country Habitation.

  此外,在我的乡间别墅那边,现在也有一座像样的庄园。首先,我有一间茅舍。这间茅舍还不断加以修理。也就是说,我经常修剪周围的树篱,使其保持一定的高度。我的梯子也一直放在树篱里面。那些树起初只不过是一些树桩,现在却长得又粗又高了。我不断修剪树桩,希望能长得枝多叶茂,生机勃勃。后来,这些树真的长得蔚然成荫,令我十分称心如意。树篱中央,则搭着一顶帐篷。帐篷是用一块帆布做成的,由几根柱子支撑着,永远不必修理或重搭。帐篷下放了一张睡榻,那是我用兽皮和其他一些柔软的材料做成的;那些兽皮当然是我从打死了的野兽身上剥下来的。睡榻上还铺了一条毛毯,是我从船上的卧具中拿下来的;另外还有一件很大的值夜衣服用作盖被。我每次有事离开我的老住所时,就住在这座乡间别墅里。

  与别墅毗邻的是我的圈地,里面放养着山羊。当初,为了圈这块地,我曾历尽艰辛。我竭尽全力,把篱笆做得十分严密,免得圈在里面的山羊逃出去。我不遗余力,辛勤劳作,在篱笆外插满了小木桩,而且插得又密又多,样子不像篱墙,倒像是一个栅栏;在木桩与木桩之间,连手都插不进去。后来,在第三个雨季中,这些小木桩都长大了,成了一堵坚固的围墙,甚至比围墙还坚固。

   This will testify for me that I was not idle, and that I spared no Pains to bring to pass whatever appear'd necessary for my comfortable Support; for I consider'd the keeping up a Breed of tame Creatures thus at my Hand, would be a living Magazine of Flesh, Milk, Butter and Cheese, for me as long as I liv'd in the Place, if it were to be forty Years; and that keeping them in my Reach, depended entirely upon my perfecting my Enclosures to such a Degree, that I might be of keeping them together; which by this Method indeed I so effectually secur'd, that when these little Stakes began to grow, I had planted them so very thick, I was forced to pw some of them up again.

  

   In this Place also I had my Grapes growing, which I principally depended on for my Winter Store of Raisins; and which I never fail'd to preserve very carefully, as the best and most agreeable Dainty of my whole Diet; and indeed they were not agreeable only, but physical, whole-some, nourishing, and refreshing to the last Degree.

  这一切都可以证明我并没有偷懒。为了使生活舒适,凡是必须做的事,我都会不辞辛劳地去完成。我认为,手边驯养一批牲畜,就等于替自己建立一座羊肉、羊奶、奶油和奶酪的活仓库。无论我在岛上生活多少年--那怕是四十年--也将取之不尽,用之不竭。同时,我也认为,要想一伸手就能抓到这些山羊,就得把羊圈修筑得十分严密,绝不能让它们到处乱跑。我把这个主意彻底实施,结果把木桩插得太密了,等它们长大后,我还不得不拔掉一些呢!在这里,我还种了一些葡萄,我每年冬天贮藏的葡萄干,主要是从自己葡萄园里收获的葡萄晒制而成的。这些葡萄干我都小心保藏,因为这是我现有食物中最富营养最可口的食品。葡萄干不仅好吃,而且营养丰富,祛病提神,延年益寿。

   As this was also about half Way between my other Habitation, and the Place where I had laid up my Boat, I generally stay'd, and lay here in my Way thither; for I used frequently to visit my Boat, and I kept all Things about or belonging to her in very good Order; sometimes I went out in her to divert my self, but no more hazardous Voyages would I go, nor scarce ever above a Stone's Cast or two from the Shore, I was so apprehensive of being hurry'd out my Knowledge again by the Currents, or Winds, or any ether Accident. But now I come to a new Scene of my Life. It happen'd one Day about Noon going towards my Boat, I was exceedingly surpriz'd with the Print of a Man's naked Foot on the Shore, which was very plain to be seen in the Sand: I stood like one Thunder-struck, or as if I had seen an Apparition; I listen'd, I look'd round me, I could hear nothing, nor see any Thing, I went up to a rising Ground to look farther, I went up the Shore and down the Shore, but it was all one, I could see no other Impression but that one, I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might not be my Fancy; but there was no Room for that, for there was exactly the very Print of a Foot, Toes, Heel, and every Part of a Foot; how it came thither, I knew not, nor could in the least imagine. But after innumerable fluttering Thoughts, like a Man perfectly confus'd and out of my self, I came Home to my Fortification, not feeling, as we say, the Ground I went on, but terrify'd to the last Degree, looking behind me at every two or three Steps, mistaking every Bush and Tree, and fancying every Stump at a Distance to be a Man; nor is it possible to describe how many various Shapes affrighted Imagination represented Things to me in, how many wild Ideas were found every Moment in my Fancy, and what strange unaccountable Whimsies came into my Thoughts by the Way. When I came to my Castle, for so I think I call'd it ever after this, I fled into it like one pursued; whether I went over by the Ladder as first contriv'd, or went in at the Hole in the Rock, which I call'd a Door, I cannot remember; no, nor could I remember the next Morning, for never frighted Hare fled to Cover, or Fox to Earth, with more Terror of Mind than I to this Retreat.

  我的乡间别墅正处于我泊船的地方和我海边住所的中途,因此每次去泊船处我总要在这里停留一下。我常去看看那条独木舟,并把船里的东西整理得井井有条。有时我也驾起独木舟出去消遣消遣,但我再也不敢离岸太远冒险远航了,唯恐无意中被急流、大风或其他意外事故把我冲走或刮走。然而,正在这时我生活却发生了新的变化。一天中午,我正走去看我的船,忽然在海边上发现一个人的脚印;那是一个赤脚的脚印,清清楚楚地印在沙滩上。这简直把我吓坏了。我呆呆地站在那里,犹如挨了一个晴天霹雳,又像大白天见到了鬼。我侧耳倾听,又环顾四周,可什么也没有听到,什么也没有见到。我跑上高地,向远处眺望,又在海边来回跑了几趟,可还是毫无结果。脚印就这一个,再也找不到其他脚樱我跑到脚印前,看看还有没有别的脚印,看看它是不是我自己的幻觉。可是,脚印就是脚印,而且就这么一个,不容置疑。脚趾头、脚后跟,是一个完整的脚樱可这脚印是怎么在这儿留下来的呢?我无法知道,也无从猜测。这使我心烦意乱,像一个精神失常的人那样,头脑里尽是胡思乱想,后来就拔腿往自己的防御工事跑去,一路飞奔,脚不沾地。可是,我心里又惶恐至极,一步三回头,看看后面有没有人追上来,连远处的一丛小树,一枝枯树干,都会使我疑神疑鬼,以为是人。一路上,我是惊恐万状,头脑里出现各种各样的幻景,幻觉里又出现各种各样荒诞不经的想法以及无数离奇古怪的妄想,简直一言难荆我一跑到自己的城堡--以后我就这样称呼了--一下子就钻了进去,好像后面真的有人在追赶似的。至于我是按原来的想法,用梯子爬进去的呢,还是从我打通了的岩洞的门里钻进去的,连自己都记不得了,甚至到了第二天早上也想不起来。因为,我跑进这藏身之所时,心里恐怖已极,就是一只受惊的野兔逃进自己的草窝里,一只狐狸逃进自己的地穴里,也没有像我这样胆颤心惊。

   I slept none that Night; the farther I was from the Occasion of my Fright, the greater my Apprehensions were, which is something contrary to the Nature of such Things, and especially to the usual Practice of all Creatures in Fear: But I was so embarrass'd with my own frightful Ideas of the Thing, that I form'd nothing but dismal Imaginations to my self, even tho' I was now a great way off of it. Sometimes I fancy'd it must be the Devil; and Reason joyn'd in with me upon this Supposition: For how should any other Thing in human Shape come into the Place? Where was the Vessel that brought them? What Marks was there of any other Footsteps? And how was it possible a Man should come there? But then to think that Satan should take human Shape upon him in such a Place where there could be no manner of Occasion for it, but to leave the Print of his Foot behind him, and that even for no Purpose too, for he could not be sure I should see it; this was an Amusement the other Way; I consider'd that the Devil might have found out abundance of other Ways to have terrify'd me than this of the single Print of a Foot. That as I liv'd quite on the other Side of the Island, he would never have been so simple to leave a Mark in a Place where 'twas Ten Thousand to one whether I should ever see it Or not, and in the Sand too, which the first Surge of the Sea upon a high Wind would have defac'd entirely: All this seem'd inconsistent with the Thing it self, and with all the Notions we usually entertain of the Subtilty of the Devil.

  我一夜都没合眼。时间越长,我的疑惧反而越大。这似乎有点反常,也不合乎受惊动物正常的心理状态。原来主要是因为我自己大惊小怪,因而引起一连串的胡思乱想,结果自己吓自己;而且,想的时间越长,越是都往坏处想。有时候,我幻想着,那定是魔鬼在作祟;于是,我的理智便随声附和,支持我的想法。我想,其他人怎么会跑到那儿去呢?把他们送到岛上来的船在哪里呢?别的脚印又在什么地方呢?一个人又怎么可能到那边去呢?但是,再一想,要是说魔鬼在那儿显出人形,仅仅是为了留下一个人的脚印,那又未免毫无意义,因为我未必一定会看到它。我想,魔鬼若为了吓吓我,可以找到许多其它办法,何必留下这个孤零零的脚印呢?何况我住在岛的另一头,魔鬼绝不会头脑如此简单,把一个记号留在我十有八九看不到的地方,而且还留在沙滩上,因为只要一起大风,就会被海潮冲得一干二净。这一切看来都不能自圆其说,也不符合我们对魔鬼的一般看法,在我们眼里,魔鬼总是十分乖巧狡猾的。

  所有这一切都使我不得不承认,我害怕那是魔鬼的作为是毫无根据的。因此,我马上得出一个结论:那一定是某种更危险的生物,也就是说,一定是海岛对岸大陆上的那些野人来跟我作对。他们划着独木舟在海上闲游,可能卷入了急流,或碰上逆风,偶尔冲到或刮到海岛上。上岸后又不愿留在这孤岛上,又回到了海上,要不我该发现他们了。

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名著·鲁宾逊飘流记 - 第37节