(雙語)月亮和六便士 第46章(2)

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My friend's appearance suggested that he was now in the same predicament, and I prepared myself to cultivate an agreeable acquaintance. The society of beach-combers always repays the small pains you need be at to enjoy it. They are easy of approach and affable in conversation. They seldom put on airs, and the offer of a drink is a sure way to their hearts. You need no laborious steps to enter upon familiarity with them, and you can earn not only their confidence, but their gratitude, by turning an attentive ear to their discourse. They look upon conversation as the great pleasure of life, thereby proving the excellence of their civilisation, and for the most part they are entertaining talkers. The extent of their experience is pleasantly balanced by the fertility of their imagination. It cannot be said that they are without guile, but they have a tolerant respect for the law, when the law is supported by strength. It is hazardous to play poker with them, but their ingenuity adds a peculiar excitement to the best game in the world. I came to know Captain Nichols very well before I left Tahiti, and I am the richer for his acquaintance. I do not consider that the cigars and whisky he consumed at my expense (he always refused cocktails, since he was practically a teetotaller), and the few dollars, borrowed with a civil air of conferring a favour upon me, that passed from my pocket to his, were in any way equivalent to the entertainment he afforded me. I remained his debtor. I should be sorry if my conscience, insisting on a rigid attention to the matter in hand, forced me to dismiss him in a couple of lines.

從我這位朋友的儀表來看，今天他的境遇一點(diǎn)也不比那時好；我決定同他交個朋友。同這些在南海群島的流浪漢相處，盡管得付出一點(diǎn)小代價，但總不會叫你吃虧的。這些人很容易接近，談起話來很殷勤。他們很少擺架子，只要一杯水酒，就一定能把他們的心打動。要想同他們混熟，用不著走一段艱辛的路途，只要對他們的閑扯洗耳恭聽，他們就不但對你非常信任，而且還會對你滿懷感激。他們把談話看做是生活的最大樂趣，用以證明自己出色的修養(yǎng)。這些人大多數(shù)談話都很有風(fēng)趣。他們的閱歷很廣，又善于運(yùn)用豐富的想象力。不能說這些人沒有某種程度的欺詐，但是他們對法律還是非常容忍，盡量遵守，只要法律有強(qiáng)大靠山的時候。同他們玩牌是件危險的勾當(dāng)，但是他們那種頭腦敏捷會使這一最有趣的游戲平添了極大的刺激。在我離開塔希提之前，已經(jīng)同尼柯爾斯船長混得很熟了，我同他的這段交情只有使我的經(jīng)驗(yàn)更加豐富。盡管我招待了他許多雪茄和威士忌（他從來不喝雞尾酒，因?yàn)樗麑?shí)際上是個戒酒主義者），盡管他帶著一副施恩于人的溫文有禮的神氣向我借錢，好幾塊銀幣從我的口袋轉(zhuǎn)到了他的口袋里去，我還是覺得他讓我享受到的樂趣大大超過了我付出的代價。自始至終他都是我的債主。如果我聽從作者的良心，不肯走離本題，只用幾行簡單的文字就把尼柯爾斯打發(fā)掉，我會感到對不起他的。

I do not know why Captain Nichols first left England. It was a matter upon which he was reticent, and with persons of his kind a direct question is never very discreet. He hinted at undeserved misfortune, and there is no doubt that he looked upon himself as the victim of injustice. My fancy played with the various forms of fraud and violence, and I agreed with him sympathetically when he remarked that the authorities in the old country were so damned technical. But it was nice to see that any unpleasantness he had endured in his native land had not impaired his ardent patriotism. He frequently declared that England was the finest country in the world, sir, and he felt a lively superiority over Americans, Colonials, Dagos, Dutchmen, and Kanakas.

我不知道尼柯爾斯船長最初為什么要離開英國。這是一個他諱莫如深的話題；對于像他這樣的人直接問這類事也是很不謹(jǐn)慎的。從他的話語里聽得出來，他曾經(jīng)受了不白之冤。毫無疑問，他把自己看作是執(zhí)法不公的犧牲品。我的想象卻總愛把他同某種詐騙或暴行聯(lián)系起來。當(dāng)他談到英國當(dāng)局執(zhí)法過于機(jī)械時，我非常同情地表示同意。令人高興的是，即使他在家鄉(xiāng)有過什么不愉快的遭遇，他的愛國熱情卻并未因此受到任何損傷。他常對我說，英國是全世界最了不起的國家，他覺得自己比哪國人都優(yōu)越得多，不管什么美國人、殖民地人、達(dá)哥人、荷蘭人，或是卡納加人，全不在他眼里。