| 目 录 上一节 下一节 
这位善良的人开始向我诉说了他不幸的遭遇，说他万不得已，才拿我的钱去弥补损失，在一条新船上搭了一股。"不过，我的老朋友，"他说，"你要用钱的话，钱是有的。等我儿子回来，就可以把钱都还给你。"说完，他拿出一只陈旧的钱袋，给了我一百六十个葡萄牙金币，又把他搭在新船上的四分之一股份和他儿子的四分之一股份一起开了一张出让证交给我，作为其余欠款的担保。那条船他儿子现在开往巴西去了。这位可怜的老人，心地这样正直善良，实在使我深受感动，我真不忍心听他讲下去了。想到他过去对我的好处，想到他把我从海上救起来，对我一直那么慷慨大度，特别是看到现在他对我的真诚善良，听着他的诉说，我禁不住流下了眼泪。于是，我首先问他，以他目前的经济状况，能不能拿出这么多钱？拿出来后会不会使他手头拮据？他告诉我说，拮据当然会拮据一些，但那是我的钱，而且，目前我比他更需要这笔钱。 Every thing the good Man said was full of Affection, and I could hardly refrain from Tears while he spoke: In short, I took 100 of the Moidores, and call'd for a Pen and Ink to give him a Receipt for them; then I returned him the rest, and told him, If ever I had Possession of the Plantation, I would return the other to him also, as indeed I afterwards did; and that as to the Bill of Sale of his Part in his Son's Ship, I would not take it by any Means; but that if I wanted the Money, I found he was honest enough to pay me; and if I did not, but came to receive what he gave me reason to expect, I would never have a Penny more from him. 这位善良的老人所说的话，充满了真挚的友情。他一边说，我一边止不住流泪。一句话，我只拿了他一百块葡萄牙金币，并叫他拿出笔和墨水，写了一张收据给他，把其余的钱都退还给了他。我还对他说，只要我能够收回我的种植园，这一百块钱我也要还给他。这一点我后来确实也做到了。至于他在他儿子船上的股权出让证，我是无论如何也不能收的。我说，如果我要用钱，我相信他一定会给我的，因为我知道他是一个诚实的人。如果我不需要钱，我就再也不会向他要一文钱，因为，他认为，我完全有理由收回我所指望的产业。 When this was pass'd, the old Man began to ask me, If he should put me into a Method to make my Claim to my Plantation? I told him, I thought to go over to it my self: He said, I might do so if I pleas'd; but that if I did not, there were Ways enough to secure my Right, and immediately to appropriate the Profits to my Use; and as there were Ships in the River of Lisbon, just ready to go away to Brasil, he made me enter my Name in a Publick Register, with his Affidavit, affirming upon Oath that I was alive, and that I was the same Person who took up the Land for the Planting the said Plantation at first. 这些事情办完后，老人家又问我，是不是要他替我想个办法，把我的种植园收回来。我告诉他，我想亲自去巴西走一趟。他说，如果我想去，那也好。不过，如果我不想去，也有不少办法保证我收回自己的产权，并马上把收入拨给我使用。目前，在里斯本的特茹河里，正有一批船要开往巴西。他劝我在官方登记处注册了我的名字，他自己也写了一份担保书，宣誓证明我还活着，并声明当时在巴西领取土地建立种植园的正是我本人。 This being regularly attested by a Notary, and a Procuration affix'd, he directed me to send it with a Letter of his Writing, to a Merchant of his Acquaintance at the Place, and then propos'd my staying with him till an Account came of the Return. 我把老人的担保书按常规作了公证，又附上了一份委托书。然后，老人又替我写了一封亲笔信，连同上述两份文件，让我一起寄给了他所熟悉的一位巴西商人。这一切办完，他建议我住在他家里静候回音。 Never any Thing was more honourable, than the Proceedings upon this Procuration; for in less than seven Months, I receiv'd a large Packet from the Survivors of my Trustees the Merchants, for whose Account I went to Sea, in which were the following particular Letters and Papers enclos'd. 这次委托手续真是办得再公正也没有了。不到七个月，我收到那两位代理人的财产继承人寄给我的一个大包裹。（应该提一下的是，我正是为了那两位代理人才从事这次遇难的航行的。）包里有下述信件和文件 
第一，我种植园收入的流水账，时间是从他们父亲和这位葡萄牙老船长结算的那一年算起，一共是六年，应该给我一千一百七十四个葡萄牙金币。 Secondly, There was the Account of four Years more while they kept the Effects in their Hands, before the Government claim'd the Administration, as being the Effects of a Person not to be found, which they call'd Civil Death; and the Ballance of this, the Value of the Plantation encreasing, amounted to [38,892] Cruisadoes, which made 3241 Moidores. 第二，在政府接管之前的账目，一共四年，这是他们把我作为失踪者他们称之为"法律上的死亡"①）保管的产业。由于种植园的收入逐年增加，这四年共结存三万八千八百九十二块葡萄牙银币，合三千二百四十一块葡萄牙金币； Thirdly, There was the Prior of the Augustin's Account, who had receiv'd the Profits for above fourteen Years; but not being to account for what was dispos'd to the Hospital, very honestly declar'd he had 872 Moidores not distributed, which he acknowledged to my Account; as to the King's Part, that refunded nothing. 第三，圣奥古斯丁修道院长的账单。他已经获得十四年的收益。他十分诚实，告诉我说，除了医院方面用去的钱以外，还存八百七十二块葡萄牙金币。他现在把这笔钱记在我的账上。至于国王收去的部分，则不能再偿还了。 There was a Letter of my Partner's, congratulating me very affectionately upon my being alive, giving me an Account how the Estate was improv'd, and what it produced a Year, with a Particular of the Number of Squares or Acres that it contained; how planted, how many Slaves there were upon it, and making two and twenty Crosses for Blessings, told me he had said so many Ave Marias to thank the Blessed Virgin that I was alive; inviting me very passionately to come over and take Possession of my own; and in the mean time to give him Orders to whom he should deliver my Effects, if I did not come my self; concluding with a hearty Tender of his Friendship, and that of his Family, and sent me, as a Present, seven fine Leopard's Skins, which he had it seems received from Africa, by some other Ship which he had sent thither, and who it seems had made a better Voyage than I: He sent me also five Chests of excellent Sweet-meats, and an hundred Pieces of Gold uncoin'd, not quite so large as Moidores. 另外，还有一封合股人写给我的信。他祝贺我还活在人世，言词十分诚挚亲切。他向我报告了我们产业发展的情况以及每年的生产情况，并详细谈到了我们的种植园现在一共有多少英亩土地，怎样种植，有多少奴隶等等。他在信纸上画了二十二个十字架，为我祝福。他还说，他念了无数遍以"万福马利亚”开头的祷词②，为我活在人间感谢圣母马利亚。他热情地邀请我去巴西收回我的产业。同时，他还要我给他指示，若我不能亲自去巴西，他应把我的财产交给什么人。在信的末尾，他又代表他本人和全家向我表示他们的深厚情谊，又送给我七张精致的豹皮作为礼物。这些豹皮是他派往非洲的另一艘船给他带回来的；他们那次航行，看来比我幸运得多了。另外，他还送了我五箱上好的蜜饯，一百枚没有铸过的金元，那些金元比葡萄牙金币略小些。 By the same Fleet, my two Merchant Trustees shipp'd me 1 200 Chests of Sugar, 800 Rolls of Tobacco, and the rest of the whole Accompt in Gold. 这一支船队还运来了我两位代理人的后代给我的一千二百箱糖，八百箱烟叶；同时，他们还把我账上所结存的全部财产折合成黄金金，也给我一起运来了。 
现在，我可以说，我犹如约伯，上帝赐给我的比从前更多了。当我读到这些信件，特别是当我知道我的全部财富都已安抵里斯本，我内心的激动实在难以言表。那些巴西的船队，向来是成群结队而来，同一支船队给我带来了信件，也同时运来了我的货物。当我读到信件的时候，我的财产也早已安抵里斯本的特茹河里了。总之，我脸色苍白，人感到非常难受。要不是他老人家急忙跑去给我拿了点提神酒来，我相信，这突如其来的惊喜，一定会使我精神失常，当场死去。 Nay after that, I continu'd very ill, and was so some Hours, 'till a Physician being sent for, and something of the real Cause of my illness being known, he order'd me to be let Blood; after which, I had Relief, and grew well: But I verily believe, if it had not been eas'd by a Vent given in that Manner, to the Spirits, I should have dy'd. 不但如此，就是喝了提神酒之后，我仍感到非常难受，一直好几个小时。最后请来了一位医生。他问明了病因之后，就给我放了血。这才使我感到舒服了些，以后就慢慢好起来。我完全相信，如果我当时激动的情绪不是用这种方法排解的话，也许早就死了。 I was now Master, all on a Sudden, of above 5000 l. Sterling in Money, and had an Estate, as I might well call it, in the Brasils, of above a thousand Pounds a Year, as sure as an Estate of Lands in England: And in a Word, I was in a Condition which I scarce knew how to understand, or how to compose my self, for the Enjoyment of it. 突然间，我成了拥有五千英镑现款的富翁，而且在巴西还有一份产业，每年有一千镑以上的收入，就像在英国的田产一样可靠。一句话，我目前的处境，连自己也莫名其妙，更不知道如何安下心来享用这些财富了。 The first thing I did, was to recompense my original Benefactor, my good old Captain, who had been first charitable to me in my Distress, kind to me in my Beginning, and honest to me at the End: I shew'd him all that was sent me, I told him, that next to the Providence of Heaven, which disposes all things, it was Owing to him; and that it now lay on me to reward him, which I would do a hundred fold: So I first return'd to him the hundred Moidores I had receiv'd of him, then I sent for a Notary, and caused him to draw up a general Release or Discharge for the 470 Moidores, which he had acknowledg'd he ow'd me in the fullest and firmest Manner possible; after which, I caused a Procuration to be drawn, impowering him to be my Receiver of the annual Profits of my Plantation, and appointing my Partner to accompt to him, and make the Returns by the usual Fleets to him in my Name; and a Clause in the End, being a Grant of 100 Moidores a Year to him, during his Life, out of the Effects, and 50 Moidores a Year to his Son after him, for his Life: And thus I requited my old Man. 我做的第一件事情，就是报答我最初的恩人，也就是那好心的老船长。当初我遇难时，他待我十分仁慈，此后自始至终对我善良真诚。我把收到的东西都给他看了。我对他说，我之所以有今天，除了主宰一切的天意外，全靠了他的帮助。现在，我既然有能力报答他，我就要百倍地回报他。我先把他给我的一百葡萄牙金币退还给他。然后，又请来了一位公证人，请他起草了一份字据，把老船长承认欠我的四百七十块葡萄牙金币，以最彻底、最可靠的方式全部取消或免除。这项手续完成之后，我又请他起草了一份委托书，委任老船长作为我那种植园的年息管理人，并指定我那位合股人向他报告账目，把我应得的收入交给那些长年来往于巴西和里斯本的船队带给他。委托书的最后一款是，老船长在世之日，每年从我的收入中送给他一百葡萄牙金币；在他死后，每年送给他儿子五十葡萄牙金币。这样，我总算报答了这位老人。 I was now to consider which Way to steer my Course next, and what to do with the Estate that Providence had thus put into my Hands; and indeed I had more Care upon my Head now, than I had in my silent State of Life in the Island, where I wanted nothing but what I had, and had nothing but what I wanted: Whereas I had now a great Charge upon me, and my Business was how to secure it. I had ne'er a Cave now to hide my Money in, or a Place where it might lye without Lock or Key, 'till it grew mouldy and tarnish'd before any Body would meddle with it: On the contrary, I knew not where to put it, or who to trust with it. My old Patron, the Captain, indeed was honest, and that was the only Refuge I had. 我现在该考虑下一步的行动了，并考虑怎样处置上天赐给我的这份产业了。说实在话，与荒岛上的寂寞生活相比，现在我要操心的事更多了。在岛上，除了我所有的，就别无他求；除了我所需要的，也就一无所有。可现在我负有很大的责任，那就是如何保管好自己的财产。我不再有什么洞穴可以保藏我的钱币，也没有什么地方放钱可以不加锁；在岛上时，你尽可以放在那里，直到钱币生锈发霉也不会有人去动一动。而现在，我却不知道把钱放在哪里，也不知道托谁保管好。只有我的恩人老船长，是个诚实可靠的人，也是我唯一可以信托的人。
| |
