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書(shū)蟲(chóng)4級(jí)《洛娜·杜恩》13.最后一仗

所屬教程:書(shū)蟲(chóng)4級(jí) 洛娜·杜恩

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2022年12月08日

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13.The last battle

The next thing that happened was the return of Lorna — my Lorna, my own darling. She stepped out of her coach and ran into the house, as happy as a bird to get home again. All the house was full of brightness and sunshine as she ran here and there, laughing and talking. Oh, how she loved this old chair, and she must see the kitchen fire, and where was her old friend the cat? As for me, I threw my best hat over the hay ricks and shouted for happiness.

Lorna was now free to make her own decisions, she told us. Earl Brandir had died. She had grown to love this fine old gentleman, and was very sad at his death. But now she could do what she wanted — even marry that good servant of the King, John Ridd.

At last, the waiting and the worrying was over, and happiness was ours. But in her softest moments, when she was alone with me, Lorna could not quite hide the fear that still lay deep in her heart. I felt it too — a fear that something evil, something terrible, could still happen.

There was great excitement all over Exmoor when people heard of our wedding. Everyone had heard of the defeat of the Doones, and the strength of John Ridd, and the beauty of Lorna. People came from more than thirty miles around.

Mother, Annie, and Lizzie arranged everything, with the help of Uncle Ben's granddaughter, Ruth, who had also come for the wedding.

When the day came, and Lorna stepped up to my side in Oare church and took my hand, I was afraid to look at her. She was so beautiful, so fresh and lovely in her simple white dress. But when we had each said 'I will', and my ring was on her finger, we turned to each other. Her laughing eyes were serious now, and full of so much love that my heart nearly stopped beating. Darling eyes, the loveliest, the most loving eyes — then the sound of a shot rang through the church, and those eyes were clouded with death.

Lorna fell at my feet, and her bright red blood ran over the wooden floor. I lifted her up, whispering soft words of love, but as she leant her head on my chest, her eyes closed and she breathed her last goodbye to life. Then I laid my wife in my mother's arms — and went out for my revenge.

Of course, I knew who had done it. There was only one man in the world who could do a thing like this. I jumped on my horse and rode away fast. I don't remember who showed me the way. I only know that I took it. And the men fell back before me.

Soon the shouts of some men told me that I was getting close. And there, ahead of me, rode a man on a great black horse; and I knew that the man was Carver Doone.

His life, or mine,' I said to myself; 'whatever God decides. But the two of us cannot live in this world one more hour together.' I had no weapons, and I knew he had a gun, but I also knew, as surely as night follows day, that I would kill this man.

He rode up onto the moors, and I followed. His horse was fast, but he did not know this part of Exmoor. He rode straight into a little valley from which I knew there was no escape — because at the end of it there was only a black, bottomless bog.

As I rode after him, I reached up to a tree that was growing in the rocks above me, and broke off a great branch. Then Carver turned a corner and saw what he was riding towards. He pulled back from the bog in fear, and turning his horse, he fired, and rode straight at me.

The bullet hit me somewhere, but I took no notice. I put my horse across his path, lifted the branch above my head and brought it down hard on his horse's head. Both horse and man crashed to the ground.

Before Carver could move, I jumped down. He got up with a black look on his face and started to speak. For an answer I hit him on the side of the face. I would not dirty my mouth by speaking to this man now. Then he ran at me and put his hands around my neck. I had never met strength like this, and felt my neck would break. But I took hold of his arm, and almost pulled it from his shoulder. Then I took him by the neck, as he had done to me. His eyes burned with anger, and he threw himself against me. But God gave me great strength that day. In two minutes he was lying on the ground, half dead.

I will not hurt you any more,' I said, when I could breathe again. 'Carver Doone, you are beaten. Go on your way, thank God you are alive — and never come near me again.'

But it was too late. The black bog had him by the feet. As he lay like a mad dog in front of me, the ground itself began to pull him in. In our murderous battle, we had not noticed where we were going. I only just managed to jump, with my last strength, from the terrible blackness. But I could do nothing for Carver. While his mad eyes stared, and his arms waved wildly above his head, the black bog pulled him down and he disappeared from sight.

I don't know how I got home. I had lost a lot of blood. By the time I got to the farm, I was riding in a dream. John Fry took my horse away and Mother led me indoors.

I have killed him,' I said, 'as he killed Lorna. Now let me see my wife. She belongs to me, though she is dead.'

You cannot see her now, John,' said Ruth, coming forward. 'Annie is with her now.'

What does that matter? Let me see my dead one, and then die.'

All the women moved away from me, crying. Only Ruth stood by me, and put her little hand in mine.

John, she is not your dead one. She may still be your living one, and your wife. But you must not see her now. The sight of you like this will certainly kill her.'

I could not understand what she was saying, but I let them lead me upstairs to my bed. The bullet had broken a bone in my chest, and I was soon in a fever. It was only much later that I learnt how Ruth had saved Lorna's life.

When I had run out of the church, Ruth had taken control. She made John Fry and the other men carry Lorna home immediately. There, she cut off the wedding dress, pulled the bullet from Lorna's wound, and stopped the bleeding with cold water. All this time, Lorna lay still and white, and everyone was sure that she would die.

But Ruth covered the wound with a cloth, kept her warm, and made her drink a little wine from a spoon. And after a while everyone could see that Lorna was still breathing. She lay close to death for many days, but with Ruth's loving care, she slowly began to get better.

Meanwhile, I lay in my bed, only half-conscious, and in my fever I did not believe them when they told me Lorna was still alive. I knew in my heart that she was dead, and I had no interest in life — a life without Lorna was worthless, without meaning.

Mother cried, and thought that I would die, but after six weeks the fever left me. I was so weak that I could not leave my room. Outside, the sun shone on the spring flowers, but in my misery I cared nothing for the beauty of the world.

Then, the next morning, Ruth came to see me. 'John,' she said, 'are you well enough to see your wife? I was afraid to bring her before, while you were so ill.'

I don't understand,' I said, staring at her. She went away, then came back, and behind her was Lorna. Ruth closed the door, and ran away; and Lorna stood before me.

But she did not stand for long. She ran to me and managed to get into my arms, although they were too weak to hold her. She put her warm young face against mine, and would not look at me, preferring kissing to looking.

I felt my life come back to me. I felt the happiness of living, and of loving. I felt the sweetness and the sadness of my Lorna's tears, and the softness of her loving lips. And the world, suddenly, was a good place again.

*  *  *

I have not much more to tell. Over the days that followed, Lorna sat beside me, and we watched each other getting better. We have never tired of watching each other since.

Now, we live peacefully on the farm. Though Lorna still has great riches, we never use the money, except for some poor neighbour. I sometimes buy her beautiful clothes, but she soon gives them away, or keeps them for the children.

Tom and Annie are happy. Except for a few small adventures, Tom remains on the right side of the law, and they have honest children. Lizzie married the captain of Jeremy Stickles's soldiers, who had stayed with us when we fought the Doones. Ruth is not married yet, but there is a man who loves her, as much as I love Lorna, and I'm sure he will win her soon.

But of Lorna herself, my darling wife, I won't say much. A man should not talk too much about the best thing in his life. Year by year, her beauty and her loving kindness grow greater; and after all this time, and all that has happened to us, she is still my Lorna Doone.

* * *

bog n. an area of ground that is always very wet and soft 沼澤

murderous adj. capable of, intending, or involving murder or extreme violence 謀殺的;瘋狂的

win somebody to gain support or favour of somebody 贏得某人的支持或喜歡

13.最后一仗

接下來(lái)發(fā)生的事就是洛娜回來(lái)了——我的洛娜,只屬于我的親愛(ài)的洛娜。她走出馬車(chē)跑進(jìn)屋子里,高興得像一只返巢的小鳥(niǎo)。她有說(shuō)有笑地跑到這又跑到那,整個(gè)屋子里都充滿了歡樂(lè)和陽(yáng)光。哦,她多么喜歡這把舊椅子,她得看看廚房里的火,她的老朋友貓咪呢?而我則將自己最好的帽子扔上了干草堆,高興得放聲呼喊。

洛娜告訴我們,她現(xiàn)在可以自己做決定了。布蘭迪爾伯爵已經(jīng)過(guò)世了。她已漸漸地喜歡上了這位善良的老紳士,對(duì)他的去世感到很難過(guò)。但她現(xiàn)在可以做自己想做的事了——甚至可以嫁給那個(gè)國(guó)王忠實(shí)的仆人,約翰·里德。

終于,所有等待和焦慮都結(jié)束了,幸福是屬于我們的。但當(dāng)她跟我獨(dú)處時(shí),在她最溫柔的時(shí)刻,她仍難掩心中深埋的擔(dān)憂。我也感覺(jué)到了這種擔(dān)憂的存在——怕還會(huì)發(fā)生一些邪惡而可怕的事。

當(dāng)??怂鼓獱柕娜藗兟?tīng)說(shuō)我們的婚訊后,全都興奮不已。人人都聽(tīng)說(shuō)了杜恩家族的覆滅、約翰·里德的力量和洛娜的美貌。人們從方圓三十英里開(kāi)外的地方趕來(lái)。

在趕來(lái)參加婚禮的本叔叔的孫女露絲的幫助下,母親、安妮和莉齊安排好了一切。

那一天到來(lái)的時(shí)候,在奧爾村的教堂里,洛娜走到我身邊,握住我的手,我不敢看她。她穿著簡(jiǎn)單的白色禮服,如此美麗、清新、可愛(ài)。而等到我們分別說(shuō)了“我愿意”,我將戒指戴上她的手指后,我們便轉(zhuǎn)向了對(duì)方。她笑意盈盈的雙眼此刻鄭重而充滿了愛(ài)意,讓我的心幾乎停止了跳動(dòng)。那親愛(ài)的雙眸,最可愛(ài)最深情的雙眸——接著,一聲槍響在教堂里響起,而這雙眼睛蒙上了死亡的陰影。

洛娜倒在我腳邊,鮮紅的血流淌在木地板上。我將她抱起來(lái),輕柔地說(shuō)著愛(ài)撫的話語(yǔ)。但她將頭靠在我胸膛上,雙目緊閉,奄奄一息,正在漸漸同生命告別。接著,我將自己的妻子放在母親的臂彎里——出門(mén)尋仇去了。

當(dāng)然,我知道這是誰(shuí)干的。這世上只有一個(gè)人能干出這種事來(lái)。我騎上馬飛奔而去。我不記得是誰(shuí)給我指了路,只知道自己一路追去。人群在我面前閃開(kāi)。

很快,有人叫喊著告訴我,我就快追上了。在我前方有一個(gè)騎著大黑馬的人,我知道那人就是卡弗·杜恩。

“要么他死,要么我亡,”我對(duì)自己說(shuō),“讓上帝來(lái)決定吧。但我們二人已不能再在這世上共存了,多一個(gè)小時(shí)都不行?!蔽覜](méi)有武器,并且我知道他有一支槍。但就像知道黑夜過(guò)后必然是白晝一樣,我確信自己會(huì)殺死這個(gè)人。

他騎馬跑上了沼澤地,我緊隨其后。他的馬跑得很快,但他卻不熟悉埃克斯莫爾這一帶的地形。他徑直騎進(jìn)了一個(gè)小山谷,我知道那里沒(méi)有出路——因?yàn)樯焦鹊谋M頭只有一小片黑暗無(wú)底的沼澤。

我一路跟隨其后,伸手夠向頭頂一棵長(zhǎng)在巖石上的樹(shù),折下了一根粗大的樹(shù)枝。接著,卡弗轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)一個(gè)彎,看清了前方的情景。他嚇得拉緊韁繩躲開(kāi)沼澤,調(diào)轉(zhuǎn)馬頭開(kāi)了一槍?zhuān)覐街睕_過(guò)來(lái)。

子彈射中了我身上某個(gè)地方,但我毫不在意。我將自己的馬擋在他前進(jìn)的路上,把樹(shù)枝舉過(guò)頭頂,向下用力打在他的馬頭上,使他連人帶馬跌落在地。

還沒(méi)等卡弗動(dòng)彈,我便跳下了馬背。他惡狠狠地站起身,想開(kāi)口說(shuō)話。作為回答,我擊中了他的臉。我現(xiàn)在不能開(kāi)口跟這人說(shuō)話,免得弄臟了自己的嘴。接著,他朝我撲過(guò)來(lái),雙手掐住了我的脖子。我從沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)如此巨大的力量,覺(jué)得自己的脖子都快斷了。但我抓住了他的胳膊,幾乎要把它們從他肩上撕扯下來(lái)。接著,我也照他先前掐我那樣掐住了他的脖子。他眼中燃燒著怒火,將身體向我壓過(guò)來(lái)。但上帝那天賜予了我巨大的力量。兩分鐘后,他半死不活地躺倒在地。

“我不會(huì)再打你了,”等喘過(guò)氣來(lái)之后,我說(shuō)道,“卡弗·杜恩,你被打敗了。你走吧,你得感謝上帝你還活著——?jiǎng)e再靠近我了?!?/p>

但這話已經(jīng)太遲了。黑色的沼澤纏住了他的雙腳。當(dāng)他像條瘋狗一樣躺在我面前時(shí),地面開(kāi)始將他拉入沼澤。在你死我活的打斗中,我們都沒(méi)注意到正在向沼澤靠近。我憑借最后一絲力氣勉強(qiáng)跳出了那片可怕的黑暗。但對(duì)卡弗,我已無(wú)能為力。他瞪圓了瘋狂的雙眼,雙手在頭頂狂亂揮舞。黑暗的沼澤將他拉了下去,他從我眼前消失了。

我不知道自己是怎么回到家的。我大量失血,好像在夢(mèng)游一樣騎馬回到農(nóng)莊。約翰·弗賴(lài)伊將我的馬牽走,母親把我引進(jìn)了屋子里。

“我把他殺了,”我說(shuō),“因?yàn)樗麣⒘寺迥取,F(xiàn)在讓我看看我的妻子吧。她是屬于我的,雖然她已經(jīng)死了?!?/p>

“你現(xiàn)在不能見(jiàn)她,約翰,”露絲說(shuō)著走上前來(lái),“安妮正陪著她。”

“那又怎么樣?讓我看看我的亡妻,然后隨她而去吧?!?/p>

所有女人都哭著從我身邊走開(kāi)了。只有露絲站在我身旁,將她的小手放到我手中。

“約翰,她不是你的亡妻。她有可能還活著,還是你的妻子。但你現(xiàn)在一定不能見(jiàn)她。你這副模樣肯定會(huì)害死她的。”

我不明白她在說(shuō)什么,但還是任由他們將我?guī)У搅藰巧献约旱拇采稀W訌棿驍嗔宋倚夭康囊桓穷^,我很快就開(kāi)始發(fā)燒了。過(guò)了很久之后,我才得知露絲是如何救了洛娜的命的。

當(dāng)時(shí)我跑出教堂后,露絲穩(wěn)住了局面。她讓約翰·弗賴(lài)伊和其他男人一起立刻將洛娜抬回家。在家里,她剪開(kāi)婚禮禮服,從洛娜的傷口中取出了子彈,用涼水止住了血。在此期間,洛娜面色慘白、一動(dòng)不動(dòng)地躺著,人人都以為她必死無(wú)疑。

但露絲用一塊布為她包扎了傷口,替她保暖,用勺子喂她喝了點(diǎn)酒。過(guò)了一會(huì)兒,大家都看出洛娜仍在呼吸。她臥床數(shù)天,一直在死亡的邊緣掙扎,但在露絲的精心照料下,她慢慢有了好轉(zhuǎn)。

與此同時(shí),我一直處于半昏迷狀態(tài),臥床不起。當(dāng)他們告訴我洛娜還活著時(shí),高燒中的我不肯相信他們的話。我打心底認(rèn)為她已經(jīng)死了,而自己也對(duì)生活失去了興趣——沒(méi)有洛娜的人生沒(méi)有價(jià)值,毫無(wú)意義。

母親哭了,她認(rèn)為我要死了,但六星期以后,我的燒退了。我很虛弱,還不能離開(kāi)房間。窗外,陽(yáng)光照耀著春天的鮮花,但囿于悲痛中的我卻無(wú)心欣賞這世界的美麗。

接著,第二天早上,露絲來(lái)看我。“約翰,”她說(shuō),“你恢復(fù)得怎么樣了,能見(jiàn)你的妻子了嗎?你病得厲害的時(shí)候,我不敢?guī)^(guò)來(lái)?!?/p>

“我不明白你在說(shuō)什么,”我盯著她說(shuō)。她走了出去,過(guò)了一會(huì)兒又回來(lái)了,站在她身后的正是洛娜。露絲關(guān)上門(mén)跑開(kāi)了;洛娜站在了我面前。

但她沒(méi)站多久。她跑過(guò)來(lái)扎進(jìn)我懷里,盡管我的雙臂尚無(wú)力將她抱住。她將溫暖而年輕的臉頰貼在我臉上;她不想看著我,她更想吻我。

我覺(jué)得自己又恢復(fù)了生命的活力,感受到了生活的快樂(lè),愛(ài)的快樂(lè)。我感受著我的洛娜喜憂參半的淚水和深情柔軟的雙唇。世界霎那間又變成了美好的所在。

*  *  *

我沒(méi)更多要說(shuō)的了。在接下來(lái)的日子里,洛娜陪在我身邊,我們彼此看著對(duì)方慢慢恢復(fù)健康。此后,我們從未厭倦過(guò)這樣的凝望。

如今,我們?cè)谵r(nóng)莊過(guò)著平靜的生活。雖然洛娜仍然很富有,我們卻從不花這些錢(qián),只是用來(lái)接濟(jì)貧苦的鄰居。我偶爾會(huì)給她買(mǎi)漂亮的衣服,但她很快就將它們送人了,或是留給孩子們。

湯姆和安妮過(guò)得很幸福。除了幾次小小的冒險(xiǎn)外,湯姆一直遵紀(jì)守法,他們的孩子也都很誠(chéng)實(shí)。莉齊嫁給了杰里米·斯蒂克爾斯手下的一名上尉,他在我們抗擊杜恩家族期間曾住在我家。露絲還沒(méi)有嫁人,但有個(gè)人很愛(ài)她,就像我愛(ài)洛娜一樣。我敢肯定他很快就會(huì)贏得她的芳心。

但我不會(huì)對(duì)洛娜——我親愛(ài)的妻子發(fā)表過(guò)多的評(píng)論。男人不應(yīng)多談?wù)撟约阂簧凶钫滟F的東西。年復(fù)一年,她的美貌和善良與日俱增。在經(jīng)歷了漫長(zhǎng)的歲月和諸多波折后,她仍是我的洛娜·杜恩。

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