書蟲三級《伊?！じチ_姆》：5、齊娜的消息

5.Zeena's news
5．齊娜的消息

The next morning Jotham Powell came round early to help load some more wood. Ethan could still feel inside him the sweetness of the evening before, and he tried hard not to show his happiness.

第二天，喬撒姆·鮑威爾早早就來幫著把木材裝車。伊桑仍能感到內(nèi)心留存著昨晚的甜蜜，他努力不表現(xiàn)出自己的幸福感覺。

He did not know why he felt so happy. There was no reason for it, because nothing had changed in his life or in Mattie's. But their evening together had given him a dream — a picture of life with Mattie at his side.

他不知自己為何感到如此幸福。沒什么理由，因為他的生活不曾有什么改變，瑪?shù)俚纳钜矝]有?？伤麄児捕鹊哪莻€夜晚給了他一個夢想——一幅瑪?shù)傧喟樽约荷畹漠嬅妗?/p>

He wanted to load the wood quickly and then drive it down to Starkfield, where he could buy the glue to mend the broken dish. He was sending Jotham to fetch Zeena from the station after dinner, so they needed to work fast. But the morning went badly. A wet snow had fallen in the night, and the roads were like glass. One of his horses fell and cut its leg. Icy rain started to fall, making the loading slow and difficult. It was after midday when they finished.

他想快點兒把木材裝好，然后駕車去斯塔克菲爾德鎮(zhèn)，在那兒他能買到膠水把碎盤子粘起來。他讓喬撒姆飯后去車站接齊娜，所以他們得快點兒干活。可上午的天氣糟透了。夜里的雨夾雪讓路面變得像玻璃一樣滑。他的一匹馬摔倒了，劃傷了腿。天又下起了冰冷的雨，使裝車進行得緩慢而困難。他們裝完木材時已經(jīng)過了中午。

Immediately after dinner, Ethan put his coat on again. Jotham was drying his wet feet by the fire and Mattie was washing the dishes.

一吃完飯，伊桑就又穿上外衣。喬撒姆正在爐火邊烘烤他的濕腳，瑪?shù)僭谙幢P子。

I'll be back early,' Ethan said to Mattie in a low voice. He was afraid to say more in front of Jotham, but he thought that Mattie understood him.

“我會早點兒回來。”伊桑低聲對瑪?shù)僬f。在喬撒姆面前他不敢多說什么，他想瑪?shù)倌苊靼鬃约旱囊馑肌?/p>

The journey down to the village was long and slow, with his two old horses pulling their heavy load over the snow and ice underfoot. By the time he had unloaded the wood and managed to buy the glue, it was already late afternoon. On the way back the rain began again, turning to ice as it fell on the snow and making the road even more glassy and dangerous. Once or twice Ethan heard sleigh-bells and turned round, afraid that Jotham and Zeena were coming up behind him. But for most of the journey he just looked grimly into the falling rain, as his tired horses made their way up the hill.

去村上的路走得又長又慢，兩匹老馬拖著沉重的木材在冰雪上前行。等他卸完了木材，買到膠水，已經(jīng)到了黃昏時分?；丶业穆飞嫌窒缕鹆擞?，雨點落在雪上變成冰，路變得更滑、更危險了。有一兩次伊桑聽到雪橇鈴聲，回頭張望，他害怕喬撒姆和齊娜從背后趕上來。可大多數(shù)時候，當疲憊的馬蹣跚上山時，他只是陰郁地看著下著的雨。

At last he arrived home and hurried into the kitchen. Mattie was alone.

他終于到了家，快步走進廚房?，?shù)侏氉砸蝗嗽谀莾骸?/p>

Look, Matt,' he cried, 'I've got the glue to mend the dish with! Quick, let me get it!'

“瞧，瑪?shù)伲?rdquo;他大聲說道，“我買到粘盤子的膠水啦！快，給我盤子！”

Oh, Ethan — Zeena's back!' she said in a whisper, holding onto his arm.

“哦，伊桑——齊娜已經(jīng)回來了！”她抓住他的胳膊低聲說道。

Ethan looked round the kitchen, which looked cold and unwelcoming in the wintry evening light.

伊桑環(huán)顧廚房，在冬日夜晚的燈光下，廚房看上去冰冰冷冷，讓人不舒服。

How is she?' he asked, in the same low whisper.

“她怎么樣？”他用同樣低的聲音問道。

I don't know. She didn't say anything, she just went straight upstairs.'

“不知道。她什么都沒說，直接上樓了。”

Ethan put the glue back in his pocket. 'Don't worry. I'll come down and mend the dish in the night,' he said.

伊桑把膠水放回衣袋。“別擔心，我夜里下來把盤子粘上。”他說。

Then, just as she had done the evening before, Mattie said: 'I guess it's about time for supper.'

接下來，瑪?shù)倬拖袂耙灰挂粯?，說道：“我想該是吃晚飯的時候了。”

Ethan called Zeena, but there was no answer. He went up to the bedroom, and pushed open the door. In the darkness he saw Zeena's figure sitting by the window, still wearing her travelling dress.

伊桑叫齊娜，可她沒回答。他上樓來到臥室前，推開門。黑暗中，他看見齊娜的身影坐在窗邊，仍穿著外出時的衣裳。

Well, Zeena, supper's ready. Ain't you coming?'

“嘿，齊娜，晚飯好了。不來嗎？”

I don't think I could eat a thing,' she replied, then turned her head towards him. 'I'm much sicker than you think.'

“我想我吃不下什么了。”她答道，轉頭向著他，“我的病比你想的嚴重。”

I hope that's not so, Zeena.'

“真希望不是那樣，齊娜。”

The doctor says I mustn't do anything at all in the house. So we'll have to get a hired girl.'

“醫(yī)生說我根本不能干家務了。咱們得雇個女孩兒。”

A hired girl?'

“雇個女孩兒？”

Yes. My aunt's found me one already. She's coming tomorrow afternoon.'

“對，我姑媽已經(jīng)給我找了一個。明天下午就來。”

Why didn't you tell me what you planned to do?' he asked angrily. 'Where do you think I'll get the money to pay her?'

“你怎么不告訴我你的計劃？”他憤怒地問道，“你想想我哪兒有錢雇她？”

How did I know what the doctor would say? I'm ashamed to have a husband like you, Ethan Frome. I lost my health taking care of your own mother! Marrying me was the least that you could do after —'

“我怎么知道醫(yī)生會說什么？有你這樣的丈夫，我真感到羞恥，伊桑·弗羅姆。為了照顧你母親，我搭上了自己的健康！娶我是你最起碼該做的事情——”

Zeena!'

“齊娜！”

The darkness between them was filled with anger. It was their first moment of open fighting in their sad seven years together. Ethan felt ashamed, and tried to speak more calmly.

憤怒的氣息充斥于他們之間黑暗的空間。七年的悲哀生活中，這是他們第一次公開的爭吵。伊桑感到羞恥，他盡力冷靜地說道：

You know I don't have the money, Zeena. She'll have to go back.'

“你知道我沒錢，齊娜。她必須回去。”

What about that fifty dollars from Andrew Hale?'

“你從安德魯·黑爾那兒拿到的50美元呢？”

He remembered the lie he had told the day before.

他記起前一天對她撒的謊。

I guess that was a mistake.'

“我想是弄錯了。”

You mean you ain't going to get it?'

“你是說你拿不到錢了？”

No. I'm sorry, Zeena. You're a poor man's wife. But I'll do the best I can to help you.'

“對。對不起，齊娜。你是個窮人的老婆。但我會盡力幫你的。”

Oh, I guess we'll manage,' she said more gently. 'And without Mattie's food to pay for —'

“哦，我想我們會有辦法的，”她溫和了些，說道：“而如果不用付瑪?shù)俚幕锸?mdash;—”

Without Mattie's —?' he began.

“沒有瑪?shù)?mdash;—？”他問。

Zeena laughed. It was a strange sound. He couldn't remember hearing her laugh before.

齊娜笑了，笑聲很奇怪。他記不起曾聽她笑過。

You didn't think Mattie was staying, did you?'

“你不會以為瑪?shù)僖粝聛戆桑菃幔?rdquo;

But you can't send her away — she's your cousin.'

“可你不能打發(fā)她走——她是你表妹。”

Well, we can't keep two girls here.'

“哦，咱們可養(yǎng)不起兩個丫頭。”

Ethan could not believe what he was hearing.

伊桑簡直不敢相信自己聽到的。

Ethan — Zeena! Supper's ready!' Mattie called brightly from downstairs.

“伊桑——齊娜！晚飯好了！”瑪?shù)僭跇窍虑宕嗟睾暗馈?/p>

Ethan felt angry and helpless. 'But where will she go? A poor girl with no friends or money...'

伊桑感到憤怒、無助。“可她能去哪兒呢？一個沒有朋友又沒錢的女孩兒……”

She's been here long enough. We've kept her for over a year now, and it's time for her to go.'

“她在這兒待得夠長了。我們養(yǎng)了她一年多，她該走了。”

Ethan looked at his wife with eyes full of hate. It was an angry, bitter hate. It was a hate which had grown during years of hard work, hopeless poverty, and broken dreams. This woman had destroyed all his hopes. She had taken everything from him, and now wanted to take the one beautiful thing left in his life. He made a sudden, violent movement towards her, then stopped.

伊?？粗拮?，眼里充滿怨恨。那是憤怒的、憎惡的怨恨；是多年來在艱辛的勞作、絕望的貧窮和破碎的夢想中積生的怨恨。這個女人毀了他所有的希望，奪走了他的全部，現(xiàn)在又想奪走他生命中留下的唯一一件美麗的事物。他忽然狂暴地向她走去，又停了下來。

I don't think I'll come down,' said Zeena calmly. 'I guess I'll just lie on the bed a while.'

“我不想下樓了。”齊娜平靜地說，“我想在床上躺會兒。”

Ethan went downstairs to the kitchen, and Mattie gave him a plate of food. He took a mouthful, then pushed the plate away.

伊桑下樓來到廚房，瑪?shù)龠f給他一盤食物。他吃了一口，就把盤子推到一邊。

What's the matter, Ethan? Doesn't it taste right?'

“怎么了，伊桑？不好吃嗎？”

It's fine, Matt. Only I —' He stood up quickly.

“沒事兒，瑪?shù)?。我只?mdash;—”伊桑一下子站了起來。

She looked at him with frightened eyes. 'I knew there was something wrong. What is it, Ethan? What is it?'

瑪?shù)袤@恐地看著他。“我知道出事了。怎么了，伊桑？怎么了？”

He took her in his arms and found her lips at last. He kissed and kissed her. He was lost in the sweetness of her lips. Then she pulled away from him, her face white with fear, and he cried out:

他將她攬入懷中，尋覓到她的雙唇，反復親吻著她，沉醉于她雙唇的甜蜜中?，?shù)俪樯黼x開伊桑，面色因驚懼而變得蒼白。伊桑大喊：

You can't go, Matt! I'll never let you go!'

“你不能走，瑪?shù)伲∥覜Q不讓你走！”

Go... go?' she whispered. 'Must I go? Ethan, what has happened? Is Zeena angry with me?'

“走……走？”她低聲念叨，“我必須走嗎？伊桑，怎么啦？齊娜生我氣了嗎？”

He told her what the doctor had said. Mattie looked so small and helpless. His heart ached for her, and he wanted to hold her in his arms again. They were silent for a long while, then Mattie said in a low voice:

伊桑告訴了她醫(yī)生的話?，?shù)倏瓷先ト绱巳跣o助。他心疼她，想再次把她摟進懷里。他們沉默了很久，然后瑪?shù)俚偷偷卣f道：

Don't be too sorry, Ethan.'

“別太難過，伊桑。”

Oh, Matt — Matt — where'll you go?'

“哦，瑪?shù)?mdash;—瑪?shù)?mdash;—你能去哪兒呢？”

Maybe I'll get something to do in town.' But they both knew that she had little chance of finding a job. There were too many people looking for work in the towns, and there were no jobs that Mattie could do. And Ethan knew what happened to girls who had no job, no money, and no friends... He sat down in despair, and hid his face in his hands.

“或許我能在城里找點兒活兒干。”但他們都知道，她找不到什么工作。城里有太多的人在找工作，沒什么瑪?shù)倌芨傻幕顑?。伊桑知道，一個女孩兒如果沒工作、沒錢、沒朋友，那會發(fā)生什么……他絕望地坐下，用雙手捂住臉。

Then they heard Zeena's footsteps on the stairs. She came down wearing her usual dress. Then she sat down in her usual seat, and took a large plateful of food. She ate well, and talked in an everyday way about the illnesses of her friends and family in Bettsbridge. As she spoke, she looked at Mattie with a small smile on her thin lips. When supper was finished, she stood up and said:

這時，他們聽到樓梯上傳來齊娜的腳步聲。她穿著家常的衣服下來了，在平時坐的椅子上坐下，拿了一大盤食物。她吃得很香，還扯起了家常，談到貝茨布里奇親友們的病情。說話時，她看著瑪?shù)?，薄薄的嘴唇上掛著一絲淺笑。吃完飯，她站起身說道：

That meal's given me a stomach-ache. I think I'll go and look for the stomach medicine that I bought last year.'

“這飯吃得我胃痛。我得去找點兒去年買的胃藥。”

She left the room. Ethan's and Mattie's eyes met, full of silent despair. The kitchen looked as warm and peaceful as the night before, but now everything had changed. Then suddenly Zeena was back, her face burning with anger. In her hands she held the broken pieces of the red glass dish.

她離開了廚房。伊桑和瑪?shù)倌抗庀嘤?，充滿了無聲的絕望。廚房像昨夜一樣溫暖安詳，可現(xiàn)在，一切都變了。這時齊娜突然折了回來，滿臉怒氣，她手里拿著紅色玻璃盤子的碎片。

I want to know who did this,' she said in a shaking voice.

“我想知道這是誰干的。”她的聲音在顫抖。

I can tell you. It was the cat,' answered Ethan after a few moments.

“告訴你吧，是貓干的。”過了一會兒，伊桑答道。

The cat? How did the cat get into my hall cupboard?'

“貓？貓怎么能爬到門廳的櫥柜里去？”

Oh, Zeena, it was my fault, not Ethan's!' cried Mattie. 'I got it down from your cupboard. I — I wanted the supper table to look pretty.'

“哦，齊娜，是我的錯，跟伊桑沒關系！”瑪?shù)倏薜溃?ldquo;我把盤子從你的櫥柜里拿下來的。我——我想讓晚餐的桌子看上去漂亮些。”

You wanted the supper table to look pretty! So you took my very best dish, the one that I never, ever use. Not for visitors, not for anyone. You're a bad girl, Mattie Silver, just like your father. I always knew you were bad — that's why I hid my things from you. And now you've taken the thing that I cared for the most —' Tears ran down her thin, yellowish face. Then she left the room, carrying the pieces of broken glass like a dead body.

“你想讓晚餐桌子漂亮些！你就用了我最好的盤子，我從來都不用的盤子。不為客人，不為任何人。你這個壞丫頭，瑪?shù)?middot;西爾弗，你跟你爸爸一樣。我就知道你不怎么樣——所以我把東西藏起來，不讓你看見。可現(xiàn)在你拿了我最心愛的東西——”眼淚順著齊娜瘦削枯黃的面頰流下來。然后她離開了房間，手里捧著那些碎玻璃片，好像托著一具尸體。