2 Anna
2 安娜
That night Alan was moved to another hospital ,where they would fit him with an artificial leg,Jane went with him and slept in a visitor's room there.In the morning she bought a newspaper .She was right about the police:‘They've got them,Dad!’she said.‘Read this!’
那晚,阿蘭被轉(zhuǎn)到另一座醫(yī)院,他們要在那兒給他裝一只假腿。簡也跟著一起去了,在那兒的一間探視室里睡了一覺。早晨,她買了一張報(bào)紙。她對警察的猜測是對的。“他們已經(jīng)抓住了那些人,爸爸!”她說道,“看這個(gè)!”
Police yesterday arrested two Irishmen who they think put a bomb in me Queen's coach last week .The police said,‘Last week the coach went to a factory in south Loadon to have new wheels fitted,and we believe the bomb was placed in the each there.The two Irishmen worked at this factory,and two days before the bombing,they went on holiday to Ireland.We think the bomb had a clock in it,which was meant to explode at eleven o'clock outside Parliament. Luckily for the Queen,the bomb exploded after she had left the coach.’
警方昨天抓獲了兩名被認(rèn)為上周在女王馬車中放炸彈的愛爾蘭人。警方說:“上周那輛馬車曾到倫敦南部的一家工廠安裝新輪子,我們相信就是在那里安放炸彈的。那兩名愛爾蘭人在這家工廠工作,炸彈爆炸兩天前他們卻到愛爾蘭度假去了。我們認(rèn)為炸彈上安裝了定時(shí)器,定在11點(diǎn)在國會大廈外爆炸。對女王來講幸運(yùn)的是,炸彈在女王離開了馬車之后才爆炸。”
Alan Cole put the newspaper down slowly .He looked pleased.‘Thank God for that,’he said.
阿蘭·科爾慢慢放下報(bào)紙。他看上去很高興。“感謝上帝,”他說。
But why did they want the bomb to explode outside Parlia-ment?’Jane asked.‘The Queen was in the coach for twenty minutes一why not blow the coach up earlier?’
“但是他們?yōu)槭裁匆屨◤椩趪鴷膺叡?”簡問,“女王在馬車?yán)锎袅?0分鐘—為什么不早點(diǎn)炸飛馬車呢?”
‘I don't know.Perhaps they wanted good pictures on TV,’That night Alan was moved to another hospital,where they would fit him with an artificial leg.Jane went Alan said.‘It was lucky for the Queen. But not lucky for me,or for the poor people who were killed.’
“不知道,也許他們想讓畫面在電視上更好看些。”阿蘭說,“對女王來說很幸運(yùn),可我卻不走運(yùn),還有那些被炸死的人。”
‘No.’,f avee put her han on her father's,and remembered those minutes outside Parliament. The American map using his video camera,and the woman with red-brown hair shaking her camera angrily.Then…she shut her eyes,and saw the smoke, and the horse screaming,and the blood and bodies everywhere ...
“是埃”簡把手放在父親的手上,回想起國會門外的那幾分鐘。那個(gè)美國男人用攝像機(jī)拍攝,那個(gè)長著棕紅色頭發(fā)的女人生氣地?fù)u著照相機(jī)。然后……她合上了雙眼,仿佛看到了那濃煙,那馬的嘶鳴狀以及四處的鮮血和尸體……
What kind of people could do that?
會是什么樣的人干的呢?
‘I sune the terrorists watched it on TV.’she said. 'They were in iretana wnen zne oomu exptvaca.'
“我想恐怖分子已經(jīng)在電視上看到了那場面。”她說,“炸彈爆炸時(shí)他們正在愛爾蘭。”
‘I expect they did,’Alan said.‘I expect they were .laugh-ing as people died.But I'm pleased the police have caught them.Now perhaps they'll lease me t,Iane.’
“我想他們看了,”阿蘭說,“我想人們死的時(shí)候他們正在笑。但我很高興警察已經(jīng)抓到了他們。也許他們現(xiàn)在可以讓我清靜一下了。”
‘Who? The police? Dad,what do you. mean?'
“誰?警察嗎?爸爸,您是什么意思?”
Alan sighed.‘Well,yesterday they came to ask me about the night before the boriibing.I went back to the Mews at about ten o'clock that night,you know,‘to look at a horse with a bad leg.I often do that .They asked if I saw anything strange,or looked at the coach.’
阿蘭嘆了口氣。“唉,他們昨天來問我爆炸前一天晚上的事。我那天晚上十點(diǎn)左右回到馬廄,你知道,是去看看那匹壞了一條腿的馬。我常那樣做。他們問我是否看到有什么異?;蚴强礇]看過那馬車。”
‘And what did you tell them?'.
“那您跟他們說什么了呢?”
Alan looked angry.‘What do you think,Janie? Of course I saw nothing strange!I was looking at the horse; not the coach .And we were only there half an hour.
阿蘭生氣了。“你怎么想呢,簡妮?’我當(dāng)然沒看到有什么異常!我是去看馬,又不是去看馬車。而且我們就在那兒呆了半個(gè)小時(shí)。”
‘We,Dad?,Jane asked.‘Was someone with you?’
“我們,爸爸?” 簡問道,“有別人和您在一起嗎?”
Alan hesitated.‘Well,yes...a lady friend of mine,Anna. You haven',met her,Janie,but I've told her about you .She's nice,you'll like her.She sometimes comes to see the horses with me.'
阿蘭猶豫了一下。“啊,是啊……我的一個(gè)女朋友,安娜。你還沒見過她,簡妮,但我已經(jīng)跟她提起過你了。她很好,你會喜歡她的。她有時(shí)和我一起去看馬。”
‘Jane felt embarrassed.After-her mother had died four years ago‘Jane had lived at home with her father.Once,he had brought a woman home to the house,but Jane had had a terrible argument with .her,and the woman had left .There had been no other women,until Jane left home to go to university.Now…?
簡感到不太自然。四年前媽媽去世以后,她和爸爸住在家里。爸爸曾帶回家一個(gè)女人,但簡和那女人大吵了一頓,那女人就走了。從那以后就再也沒有別的女人來過,直到簡離開了家去上大學(xué)。現(xiàn)在....?
Well,her father was an adult,of course he could have woman friends.But Jane hated it.She had loved her mother too much.And she loved her father too.
然而,父親是大人,當(dāng)然可以有女朋友。但簡不喜歡。她太愛母親,也愛父親。
'What kind of woman is she?’she asked angrily.
“她是什么樣的女人?”她不高興地問。
He's 'my father,she thought - I don't want another woman taking him away from me.
他是我的父親,她想—我不想讓別的女人把他從我身邊搶走。
‘Tall .Pretty.Red-brown hair.She likes horses and...films .We go to the cinema a lot.’
“高個(gè)兒。很漂亮。棕紅色的頭發(fā)。她喜歡馬和......電影。我們經(jīng)常一起去著電影。”
‘is she in love with you?’
“她和您在戀愛嗎?”
‘Well...perhaps,Janie,I don't know. I've only known her a few weeks.You'll like her,Janie,she's good fun ’
“啊…可能吧,簡妮,我不知道。我剛認(rèn)識她幾個(gè)星期。你會喜歡她的,簡妮,她很有意思。”
Jane was still angry,she couldn't stop herself.‘Then why isn't she here? Why hasn't she come to visit you?’
簡還是不高興,她無法控制自己的情緒。“那么她為什么沒來這兒?她為什么沒來看您呢?”
Now Alan looked embarrassed.‘Well,I was going to ask you,Janie…she doesn't have a phone,you see,and…perhaps she thinks I'm dead,like the others.God knows what she'll think of a man with one leg,but I do want to see her…so I've written this letter.Could you post it for me,Janie? Please.’
阿蘭現(xiàn)在著上去很尷尬。“哦,我正想請你,簡妮……你看,她沒有電話,而且……也許她以為我已經(jīng)死了,就像別人一樣。一上帝知道她會怎么看待一個(gè)只有一條腿的男人,但我真的想見她,……所以我寫了這封信。你能幫我寄這封信嗎,簡妮?勞駕了。”
Jane took the letter and read the address.Anna Barry,14 Bowater Gardens,London NE11.
簡拿過信看了看地址:安娜·芭瑞,堡渥特花園14號,倫敦NE11。
‘Dad,your name was in the newspapers.This woman can read,can't she? She must know you're alive.’
“爸爸:您的名字登在報(bào)紙上。這個(gè)女人認(rèn)得字,對吧?她應(yīng)該知道您還活著。”
‘Yes,but…perhaps she doesuxt know which hospital.I don't know.Janie,please — don't be difficult.’
“是啊,可是... 也許她不知道我在哪家醫(yī)院。我不知道。簡妮,請 — ,別太難說話了。”
‘Have you told the police about this woman,Dad?’
“您和警察談起過這個(gè)女人嗎,爸爸?”
‘Not yet.’
“還沒有。”
‘Why not? They'll ask. her questions,won't they?'
“為什么沒有?他們會問她一些問題,是不是?”
Alan sighed.‘Yes,I suppose so·I warned her about that in the letter.Perhaps that's why she hasn't come.You.see…it's a bit difficult,Janie.Anna has a husband…and so it will be embarrassing for her if he finds out about, a'. Perhaps the police will want to, ask her husband questions,too,and then terell be all kinds of trouble.’
‘阿蘭嘆氣道:“是啊,我想是。我在信中警告她了。也許那就是她不來的原因。你知道……事兒有點(diǎn)兒困難,簡妮。安娜有丈夫……所以要是她丈夫知道了我們的事兒,她會很難堪。也許 警察也會間她丈夫一些問題,那就會有各種各樣的麻煩。”
‘I see,’Jane said.She felt miserable.My own father,she thought,is in love with a married woman.Then she saw the tears in his eyes,and his tired white face;and felt angry with herself,not him.why,she thought,shouldn't my. father fall in love? It happens to everyone,and you can't always choose the best person.Now he's here with only one leg and I'm angry with him. I'm his daughter,I should help him!Perhaps this Anna really is a nice woman,with a cruel husband.
“我明白了,”簡說。她感到很雄過。我父親愛上了一個(gè)有夫之婦,她想。接著,她看到父親眼中的淚水和他那蒼白而疲憊的面孔;于是她生自己的而不是父親的氣。為什么爸爸就不能戀愛?她想。每個(gè)人都會戀愛,不可能誰都能選擇最好的人。現(xiàn)在他在這兒,只剩一條腿了,我還生他的氣。我是他女兒,我應(yīng)幫他!也許這個(gè)安娜真是個(gè)有個(gè)殘酷的丈夫的好女人。
She smiled,and said,‘I'm sorry,Dad.Of course I'll post your letter.But…isn't it a bit,dangerous,sending。letter? f-ller husband could read it.’
她微笑著,說:“對不起,爸爸。我當(dāng)然會幫您寄信的。但是……寄信不是有點(diǎn)兒不安全嗎?她丈夫會看到的。”
‘No,it's OK.Bowater Gardens is just where she's living at the moment .It isn't her home.I don't know where her hus-band lives .I don't want to know.’ He..smiled and took her hand.‘She's a lovely woman,Janie,really she is .You'll like her if you meet her,you know.’Outside the hospital,Jane walked" slowly down the street.
“不,沒事的。堡握特花園只是她現(xiàn)在住的地方,不是她的家。我不知道她丈夫住哪兒。我不想知道。”阿蘭徽笑著,并握住簡的手。“她是個(gè)可愛的女人,簡妮,真的。你見到她時(shí)會喜歡她的,你知道。,
She felt sad,and a little lonely.I wish my mother was still alive,she thought.I wish Mum was -alive now,sitting with Dad in一the hospital.I don't want all, these problems.一Why does Dad need another woman?
醫(yī)院外面簡慢慢地沿著馬路走著。她感到傷心,還有點(diǎn)兒孤獨(dú)。我真希望媽媽還活在世上,她想,要是媽媽還活著,就坐在醫(yī)院里爸爸身邊多好啊!我不想有這些問題。為什么爸爸還需要另一個(gè)女人呢?
Oh Mum,why did you die? I need someone to talk to.
喚,媽媽,您為什么要死呢?我真想和某個(gè)人說說心里話。
She took the letter out of her pocket and looked at it.I wonder what this Anna Barry is like,she thought.Perhaps she is nice,like Dad says. Perhaps I could talk to her .Per-haps she really does love Dad; perhaps she can help me look after him.
她從口袋里掏出那封信并看了看。我不知道這個(gè)安娜·芭瑞什么樣,她想著。也許真像爸爸說的那樣她的確很好。也許我能對她談?wù)?。也許她真的愛爸爸;也許她可以幫我照顧爸爸。
But why hasn't she come to see him?
但是她為什么不來看爸爸呢?
She looked at the address again.14 Bowater Gardens,London NEll,That wasn't far from her own student flat.
她又看了一遍地址:堡握特花園14號,倫教N(yùn)E11。離她自己的學(xué)生公寓不太遠(yuǎn)。
Why not take the letter myself? she thought.Then,if this Anna opens the door,I can talk to her myself . If I meet her,at least I'll find out what she's like.
為什么不親自送去呢?她想。那樣,如果安娜出來開門,我就可以親自服她說話了。要是我見著她,至少可以知道她是什么樣子。
Jane put the letter in her bag and walked quickly to the underground station.Am I full of anger,she wondered,or hope?
簡把信放回包里,快速走向地鐵站。她問自己:我是滿懷怨恨呢,還是滿懷希望?
14 Bowater Gardens was an old house in a quiet street in north London .Jane took the letter out of her bag,and rang the bell .Nothing happened.
堡握特花園14號是倫敦北城的一條安靜的街道上的一座老房子。簡掏出信,按了按門鈴。可什么也沒有發(fā)生。
Damn!she thought.She rang again.Still no answer.She tried the door,but it was locked、So she put the letter- through the letter-box and turned away.
該死!她想。她又按了一次。還是沒有人。她試著推了推門,可門鎖著。于是她把信塞進(jìn)信箱,轉(zhuǎn)身就走。接著她又停了下來。
Then she stopped,I've come all this way to meet this woman,Jane thought,and I want to know what she's like.She's important to my father,so she's important to me.I'll wait.
我來這兒就是為了見這個(gè)女人,簡想,想知道她是什么樣。她對我父親很重要,所以對我很重要。我等著吧。
As she stood there,a woman came out of the next-door house. She had grey hair and the kind of face that enjoys watching the neighbours and talking about them.
她正站在那兒時(shí),從鄰居家出來一位婦女。這位婦女長著灰色的頭發(fā)和一張可以看出她愛打聽鄰居的事并議論他們的臉。
‘They've gone;there's no use waiting,’the woman said.‘I saw you ring the bell so I came to tell you.’
“他們已經(jīng)走了,你在這兒等沒用。”那女人說,“我看見你在按門鈴,所以來告訴你。”
‘Are you sure?’Jane said.‘I was looking for Anna.’
“你肯定嗎?"簡說,“我找安娜。”
‘The girl with red hair? That's right,she did live here,but she moved out with her boyfriend two days ago.It was the morning of that terrible bomb — that's why I remember it. The house. is empty now.I had. a look through the windows,and they've taken everything‘’
“長著紅頭發(fā)的那個(gè)女孩?沒錯(cuò),她住過這兒,但兩天前就和男朋友搬走了。就是爆炸那天早晨—所以我記得這事。現(xiàn)在屋子已經(jīng)空了。我從窗子往里看過,他們把所有的東西都帶走了。”
Boyfriend!So Anna had another lover,Jane thought.Not just Dad.My poor,poor father!
男朋友!那么說安娜還有一個(gè)情人,簡想,不止是我爸爸!我可憐的,可憐的爸爸!
‘Did you know them well?’the woman asked.
“你和他們熟嗎?”女人問。
“No,not really,’Jane said.‘I just wanted to ……’
“不,真不熟。,簡說,“我只是想……”
‘They were only here about three months,’the woman went on. ‘They weren't very friendly·Never said good morn-ing or anything like that .They were Irish,I think.Well,he was .There's a lot of Irish around here.’
“他們才在這兒住了三個(gè)月左右,”那女人接著說,“他們不太友好。從不說早晨好或那一類的話。我想他們是愛爾蘭人。對,那個(gè)男的是。這兒周圍有很多愛爾蘭人。”
Jane began to move away from the door,and the woman added,helpfully,‘perhaps your.friend will write to you.’
簡開始往門遠(yuǎn)處走;那女人想帶幫她,就又加了一句:“也許你的朋友會給你寫信。”
‘Yes .Perhaps.’Jane smiled at her and walked sadly down the street.
“是的,也許會,”簡朝從笑了笑,而后惆悵地沿街走著。
So that was the kind — of woman Anna,Was.She probably never loved my father at all,Jane thought.How am I going to tell him? Poor Dad!Perhaps I'll just say that I posted the let-ter,and not tell him that I came to the house and found out about her.’
那么說安娜就是那種人。她可能從沒愛過父親,簡想。我怎么告訴他呢?可憐的父親!要不我只告訴他我已經(jīng)把信寄了,不告訴他我已經(jīng)來過面且知道她是個(gè)什么人。
But Jane wasn't very good at lying,and she didn't want to look at her father's sad eyes and tired white face.Let him hope for a few more hours,she thought .I'll go home now and tell him something tomorrow.
但是簡不太會說謊,而且她也不想著父親那雙悲傷的眼睛和那張疲憊而蒼白的臉。讓他再盼幾個(gè)小時(shí)吧,她想,我現(xiàn)在先回家,明天再告訴他什么。
She hadn't been back to her flat since the bombing.‘She loved having her own home.It was only one big bedroom real-1y,with a small bathroom and a kitchen,But it was her own place;she could do what she liked there.
從爆炸事件后,她還沒回過自己的公寓。她喜歡擁有自己的家。那僅是一間大臥室,外帶一個(gè)小衛(wèi)生間和一個(gè)廚房。但這是她自己的地方,她在那兒可以干自己喜歡干的事。
She shut the door,then took off her coat and threw it on the bed .Then she heard the bathroom door slowly open be-hind her.She jumped round,her heart beating fast with fear, and saw a woman standing in the doorway!
她關(guān)上門,然后脫下大衣并把它扔到床上。接著,她聽見衛(wèi)生間的門在身后慢慢地開了。她跳轉(zhuǎn)過身來,嚇得心怦怦直跳,看到一個(gè)女人就站在門口!
‘Who the hell are you?’she screamed .A thief,she thought. Jane had learned judo from her father; she knew what to do .She grabbed the woman's arm and threw her to-wards the bed.But as the woman fell,she grabbed Jane's hair, pulling it forwards,to stop herself from falling.Jane screamed,and pushed a hand into the woman's face,harder and harder until her hair was free.Then she hit the woman in the face and the woman fell to .the floor.Jane stepped back,looked at her,and saw…
“你到底是誰?”她驚叫道。是個(gè)賊,她想。簡跟父親學(xué)過柔道,她知道該怎么辦。她抓住那女人的胳膊,把她擲向床頭。可那女人為了不摔倒,往下倒時(shí)抓住了簡的頭發(fā),把它向前拉扯著。簡尖叫著,伸出一只手去抓著那女人的臉,越來越使勁地抓著,直到她的頭發(fā)被松開了。然后簡一掌打在那女人臉上,那女人摔倒在地。簡向后退了退,看了她一眼,并看到……
A man coming out of the kitchen.He had cold grey eyes and a thin hard smile and worst of all he had a gun in his hand.He said,‘Don't.’
一個(gè)男人從廚房出來。他有一雙冰冷的、灰色的眼睛,臉上有一絲淡淡的、生硬的微笑,最糟的是他手里有一把槍。他說:“不要。”
Jane stood still,shaking.‘Don't what?’
簡站在那兒一動(dòng)不動(dòng),渾身發(fā)抖。“不要什么?”
‘Move.Or talk.Don't do anything.’The little black hole in the end of the gun watched her,like a cold eye.
“不要?jiǎng)?。不要說話。不要做任何事。”槍端那黑洞洞的小槍眼注視著她,就像一只冰冷的眼睛。
The woman got up off the floor,pulled Jane onto a chair,and tied her hands behind her.Then Jane remembered that there were people in the other flats,and opened her mouth to scream.The man hit her in the face.
那女人從地上站起來,把簡拉到椅子上,把她的手捆在背后。其時(shí)簡想起別的公寓里有人,就張嘴喊起來。那男人打了她一個(gè)耳光。
‘Don't even think about it,’he said.He took a long piece of cloth out of his pocket and tied it twice round her head,covering her mouth and the lower part of her face.Jane felt her body shaking with fear.Who were these people? What did they want with her? She stared at the man's cold hard face,the woman's blue eyes and red-brown hair.She thought she had seen the woman before.But where?
“你想也別想,”他說。他從兜里掏出一個(gè)長布條,圍著簡的頭繞了兩圈,包住了她的嘴和下半邊臉。簡覺得自己的身體在嚇得發(fā)抖。這些人是誰?他們要她干什么?她盯著那男人冷酷而生硬的臉及那女人藍(lán)色的眼睛和棕紅色的頭發(fā)。她覺得以往見過那女人。可是在哪兒呢?
The woman tied Jane's legs to the chair.The little buck eye of the grin was only a few centf-her watched her and smiled. ‘ Just sit still and be sensible,little girl,’ he said. ‘Then perhaps. youll'live a few hours longer’
那女人把簡的腿綁在椅子上。黑洞洞的小槍眼離她的臉僅幾厘米遠(yuǎn)。那男人注視著她,微笑著。“老實(shí)坐著,放聰明點(diǎn)兒,小姑娘。”他說,“那樣的話也許你還能多活幾個(gè)小時(shí)。”
2 Anna
That night Alan was moved to another hospital ,where they would fit him with an artificial leg,Jane went with him and slept in a visitor's room there.In the morning she bought a newspaper .She was right about the police:‘They've got them,Dad!’she said.‘Read this!’
Police yesterday arrested two Irishmen who they think put a bomb in me Queen's coach last week .The police said,‘Last week the coach went to a factory in south Loadon to have new wheels fitted,and we believe the bomb was placed in the each there.The two Irishmen worked at this factory,and two days before the bombing,they went on holiday to Ireland.We think the bomb had a clock in it,which was meant to explode at eleven o'clock outside Parliament. Luckily for the Queen,the bomb exploded after she had left the coach.’
Alan Cole put the newspaper down slowly .He looked pleased.‘Thank God for that,’he said.
But why did they want the bomb to explode outside Parlia-ment?’Jane asked.‘The Queen was in the coach for twenty minutes一why not blow the coach up earlier?’
‘I don't know.Perhaps they wanted good pictures on TV,’That night Alan was moved to another hospital,where they would fit him with an artificial leg.Jane went Alan said.‘It was lucky for the Queen. But not lucky for me,or for the poor people who were killed.’
‘No.’,f avee put her han on her father's,and remembered those minutes outside Parliament. The American map using his video camera,and the woman with red-brown hair shaking her camera angrily.Then…she shut her eyes,and saw the smoke, and the horse screaming,and the blood and bodies everywhere ...
What kind of people could do that?
‘I sune the terrorists watched it on TV.’she said. 'They were in iretana wnen zne oomu exptvaca.'
‘I expect they did,’Alan said.‘I expect they were .laugh-ing as people died.But I'm pleased the police have caught them.Now perhaps they'll lease me t,Iane.’
‘Who? The police? Dad,what do you. mean?'
Alan sighed.‘Well,yesterday they came to ask me about the night before the boriibing.I went back to the Mews at about ten o'clock that night,you know,‘to look at a horse with a bad leg.I often do that .They asked if I saw anything strange,or looked at the coach.’
‘And what did you tell them?'.
Alan looked angry.‘What do you think,Janie? Of course I saw nothing strange!I was looking at the horse; not the coach .And we were only there half an hour.
‘We,Dad?,Jane asked.‘Was someone with you?’
Alan hesitated.‘Well,yes...a lady friend of mine,Anna. You haven',met her,Janie,but I've told her about you .She's nice,you'll like her.She sometimes comes to see the horses with me.'
‘Jane felt embarrassed.After-her mother had died four years ago‘Jane had lived at home with her father.Once,he had brought a woman home to the house,but Jane had had a terrible argument with .her,and the woman had left .There had been no other women,until Jane left home to go to university.Now…?
Well,her father was an adult,of course he could have woman friends.But Jane hated it.She had loved her mother too much.And she loved her father too.
'What kind of woman is she?’she asked angrily.
He's 'my father,she thought - I don't want another woman taking him away from me.
‘Tall .Pretty.Red-brown hair.She likes horses and...films .We go to the cinema a lot.’
‘is she in love with you?’
‘Well...perhaps,Janie,I don't know. I've only known her a few weeks.You'll like her,Janie,she's good fun ’
Jane was still angry,she couldn't stop herself.‘Then why isn't she here? Why hasn't she come to visit you?’
Now Alan looked embarrassed.‘Well,I was going to ask you,Janie…she doesn't have a phone,you see,and…perhaps she thinks I'm dead,like the others.God knows what she'll think of a man with one leg,but I do want to see her…so I've written this letter.Could you post it for me,Janie? Please.’
Jane took the letter and read the address.Anna Barry,14 Bowater Gardens,London NE11.
‘Dad,your name was in the newspapers.This woman can read,can't she? She must know you're alive.’
‘Yes,but…perhaps she doesuxt know which hospital.I don't know.Janie,please — don't be difficult.’
‘Have you told the police about this woman,Dad?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Why not? They'll ask. her questions,won't they?'
Alan sighed.‘Yes,I suppose so·I warned her about that in the letter.Perhaps that's why she hasn't come.You.see…it's a bit difficult,Janie.Anna has a husband…and so it will be embarrassing for her if he finds out about, a'. Perhaps the police will want to, ask her husband questions,too,and then terell be all kinds of trouble.’
‘I see,’Jane said.She felt miserable.My own father,she thought,is in love with a married woman.Then she saw the tears in his eyes,and his tired white face;and felt angry with herself,not him.why,she thought,shouldn't my. father fall in love? It happens to everyone,and you can't always choose the best person.Now he's here with only one leg and I'm angry with him. I'm his daughter,I should help him!Perhaps this Anna really is a nice woman,with a cruel husband.
She smiled,and said,‘I'm sorry,Dad.Of course I'll post your letter.But…isn't it a bit,dangerous,sending。letter? f-ller husband could read it.’
‘No,it's OK.Bowater Gardens is just where she's living at the moment .It isn't her home.I don't know where her hus-band lives .I don't want to know.’ He..smiled and took her hand.‘She's a lovely woman,Janie,really she is .You'll like her if you meet her,you know.’Outside the hospital,Jane walked" slowly down the street.
She felt sad,and a little lonely.I wish my mother was still alive,she thought.I wish Mum was -alive now,sitting with Dad in一the hospital.I don't want all, these problems.一Why does Dad need another woman?
Oh Mum,why did you die? I need someone to talk to.
She took the letter out of her pocket and looked at it.I wonder what this Anna Barry is like,she thought.Perhaps she is nice,like Dad says. Perhaps I could talk to her .Per-haps she really does love Dad; perhaps she can help me look after him.
But why hasn't she come to see him?
She looked at the address again.14 Bowater Gardens,London NEll,That wasn't far from her own student flat.
Why not take the letter myself? she thought.Then,if this Anna opens the door,I can talk to her myself . If I meet her,at least I'll find out what she's like.
Jane put the letter in her bag and walked quickly to the underground station.Am I full of anger,she wondered,or hope?
14 Bowater Gardens was an old house in a quiet street in north London .Jane took the letter out of her bag,and rang the bell .Nothing happened.
Damn!she thought.She rang again.Still no answer.She tried the door,but it was locked、So she put the letter- through the letter-box and turned away.
Then she stopped,I've come all this way to meet this woman,Jane thought,and I want to know what she's like.She's important to my father,so she's important to me.I'll wait.
As she stood there,a woman came out of the next-door house. She had grey hair and the kind of face that enjoys watching the neighbours and talking about them.
‘They've gone;there's no use waiting,’the woman said.‘I saw you ring the bell so I came to tell you.’
‘Are you sure?’Jane said.‘I was looking for Anna.’
‘The girl with red hair? That's right,she did live here,but she moved out with her boyfriend two days ago.It was the morning of that terrible bomb — that's why I remember it. The house. is empty now.I had. a look through the windows,and they've taken everything‘’
Boyfriend!So Anna had another lover,Jane thought.Not just Dad.My poor,poor father!
‘Did you know them well?’the woman asked.
“No,not really,’Jane said.‘I just wanted to ……’
‘They were only here about three months,’the woman went on. ‘They weren't very friendly·Never said good morn-ing or anything like that .They were Irish,I think.Well,he was .There's a lot of Irish around here.’
Jane began to move away from the door,and the woman added,helpfully,‘perhaps your.friend will write to you.’
‘Yes .Perhaps.’Jane smiled at her and walked sadly down the street.
So that was the kind — of woman Anna,Was.She probably never loved my father at all,Jane thought.How am I going to tell him? Poor Dad!Perhaps I'll just say that I posted the let-ter,and not tell him that I came to the house and found out about her.’
But Jane wasn't very good at lying,and she didn't want to look at her father's sad eyes and tired white face.Let him hope for a few more hours,she thought .I'll go home now and tell him something tomorrow.
She hadn't been back to her flat since the bombing.‘She loved having her own home.It was only one big bedroom real-1y,with a small bathroom and a kitchen,But it was her own place;she could do what she liked there.
She shut the door,then took off her coat and threw it on the bed .Then she heard the bathroom door slowly open be-hind her.She jumped round,her heart beating fast with fear, and saw a woman standing in the doorway!
‘Who the hell are you?’she screamed .A thief,she thought. Jane had learned judo from her father; she knew what to do .She grabbed the woman's arm and threw her to-wards the bed.But as the woman fell,she grabbed Jane's hair, pulling it forwards,to stop herself from falling.Jane screamed,and pushed a hand into the woman's face,harder and harder until her hair was free.Then she hit the woman in the face and the woman fell to .the floor.Jane stepped back,looked at her,and saw…
A man coming out of the kitchen.He had cold grey eyes and a thin hard smile and worst of all he had a gun in his hand.He said,‘Don't.’
Jane stood still,shaking.‘Don't what?’
‘Move.Or talk.Don't do anything.’The little black hole in the end of the gun watched her,like a cold eye.
The woman got up off the floor,pulled Jane onto a chair,and tied her hands behind her.Then Jane remembered that there were people in the other flats,and opened her mouth to scream.The man hit her in the face.
‘Don't even think about it,’he said.He took a long piece of cloth out of his pocket and tied it twice round her head,covering her mouth and the lower part of her face.Jane felt her body shaking with fear.Who were these people? What did they want with her? She stared at the man's cold hard face,the woman's blue eyes and red-brown hair.She thought she had seen the woman before.But where?
The woman tied Jane's legs to the chair.The little buck eye of the grin was only a few centf-her watched her and smiled. ‘ Just sit still and be sensible,little girl,’ he said. ‘Then perhaps. youll'live a few hours longer’
2 安娜
那晚,阿蘭被轉(zhuǎn)到另一座醫(yī)院,他們要在那兒給他裝一只假腿。簡也跟著一起去了,在那兒的一間探視室里睡了一覺。早晨,她買了一張報(bào)紙。她對警察的猜測是對的。“他們已經(jīng)抓住了那些人,爸爸!”她說道,“看這個(gè)!”
警方昨天抓獲了兩名被認(rèn)為上周在女王馬車中放炸彈的愛爾蘭人。警方說:“上周那輛馬車曾到倫敦南部的一家工廠安裝新輪子,我們相信就是在那里安放炸彈的。那兩名愛爾蘭人在這家工廠工作,炸彈爆炸兩天前他們卻到愛爾蘭度假去了。我們認(rèn)為炸彈上安裝了定時(shí)器,定在11點(diǎn)在國會大廈外爆炸。對女王來講幸運(yùn)的是,炸彈在女王離開了馬車之后才爆炸。”
阿蘭·科爾慢慢放下報(bào)紙。他看上去很高興。“感謝上帝,”他說。
“但是他們?yōu)槭裁匆屨◤椩趪鴷膺叡?”簡問,“女王在馬車?yán)锎袅?0分鐘—為什么不早點(diǎn)炸飛馬車呢?”
“不知道,也許他們想讓畫面在電視上更好看些。”阿蘭說,“對女王來說很幸運(yùn),可我卻不走運(yùn),還有那些被炸死的人。”
“是埃”簡把手放在父親的手上,回想起國會門外的那幾分鐘。那個(gè)美國男人用攝像機(jī)拍攝,那個(gè)長著棕紅色頭發(fā)的女人生氣地?fù)u著照相機(jī)。然后……她合上了雙眼,仿佛看到了那濃煙,那馬的嘶鳴狀以及四處的鮮血和尸體……
會是什么樣的人干的呢?
“我想恐怖分子已經(jīng)在電視上看到了那場面。”她說,“炸彈爆炸時(shí)他們正在愛爾蘭。”
“我想他們看了,”阿蘭說,“我想人們死的時(shí)候他們正在笑。但我很高興警察已經(jīng)抓到了他們。也許他們現(xiàn)在可以讓我清靜一下了。”
“誰?警察嗎?爸爸,您是什么意思?”
阿蘭嘆了口氣。“唉,他們昨天來問我爆炸前一天晚上的事。我那天晚上十點(diǎn)左右回到馬廄,你知道,是去看看那匹壞了一條腿的馬。我常那樣做。他們問我是否看到有什么異?;蚴强礇]看過那馬車。”
“那您跟他們說什么了呢?”
阿蘭生氣了。“你怎么想呢,簡妮?’我當(dāng)然沒看到有什么異常!我是去看馬,又不是去看馬車。而且我們就在那兒呆了半個(gè)小時(shí)。”
“我們,爸爸?” 簡問道,“有別人和您在一起嗎?”
阿蘭猶豫了一下。“啊,是啊……我的一個(gè)女朋友,安娜。你還沒見過她,簡妮,但我已經(jīng)跟她提起過你了。她很好,你會喜歡她的。她有時(shí)和我一起去看馬。”
簡感到不太自然。四年前媽媽去世以后,她和爸爸住在家里。爸爸曾帶回家一個(gè)女人,但簡和那女人大吵了一頓,那女人就走了。從那以后就再也沒有別的女人來過,直到簡離開了家去上大學(xué)。現(xiàn)在....?
然而,父親是大人,當(dāng)然可以有女朋友。但簡不喜歡。她太愛母親,也愛父親。
“她是什么樣的女人?”她不高興地問。
他是我的父親,她想—我不想讓別的女人把他從我身邊搶走。
“高個(gè)兒。很漂亮。棕紅色的頭發(fā)。她喜歡馬和......電影。我們經(jīng)常一起去著電影。”
“她和您在戀愛嗎?”
“啊…可能吧,簡妮,我不知道。我剛認(rèn)識她幾個(gè)星期。你會喜歡她的,簡妮,她很有意思。”
簡還是不高興,她無法控制自己的情緒。“那么她為什么沒來這兒?她為什么沒來看您呢?”
阿蘭現(xiàn)在著上去很尷尬。“哦,我正想請你,簡妮……你看,她沒有電話,而且……也許她以為我已經(jīng)死了,就像別人一樣。一上帝知道她會怎么看待一個(gè)只有一條腿的男人,但我真的想見她,……所以我寫了這封信。你能幫我寄這封信嗎,簡妮?勞駕了。”
簡拿過信看了看地址:安娜·芭瑞,堡渥特花園14號,倫敦NE11。
“爸爸:您的名字登在報(bào)紙上。這個(gè)女人認(rèn)得字,對吧?她應(yīng)該知道您還活著。”
“是啊,可是... 也許她不知道我在哪家醫(yī)院。我不知道。簡妮,請 — ,別太難說話了。”
“您和警察談起過這個(gè)女人嗎,爸爸?”
“還沒有。”
“為什么沒有?他們會問她一些問題,是不是?”
‘阿蘭嘆氣道:“是啊,我想是。我在信中警告她了。也許那就是她不來的原因。你知道……事兒有點(diǎn)兒困難,簡妮。安娜有丈夫……所以要是她丈夫知道了我們的事兒,她會很難堪。也許 警察也會間她丈夫一些問題,那就會有各種各樣的麻煩。”
“我明白了,”簡說。她感到很雄過。我父親愛上了一個(gè)有夫之婦,她想。接著,她看到父親眼中的淚水和他那蒼白而疲憊的面孔;于是她生自己的而不是父親的氣。為什么爸爸就不能戀愛?她想。每個(gè)人都會戀愛,不可能誰都能選擇最好的人。現(xiàn)在他在這兒,只剩一條腿了,我還生他的氣。我是他女兒,我應(yīng)幫他!也許這個(gè)安娜真是個(gè)有個(gè)殘酷的丈夫的好女人。
她微笑著,說:“對不起,爸爸。我當(dāng)然會幫您寄信的。但是……寄信不是有點(diǎn)兒不安全嗎?她丈夫會看到的。”
“不,沒事的。堡握特花園只是她現(xiàn)在住的地方,不是她的家。我不知道她丈夫住哪兒。我不想知道。”阿蘭徽笑著,并握住簡的手。“她是個(gè)可愛的女人,簡妮,真的。你見到她時(shí)會喜歡她的,你知道。,
醫(yī)院外面簡慢慢地沿著馬路走著。她感到傷心,還有點(diǎn)兒孤獨(dú)。我真希望媽媽還活在世上,她想,要是媽媽還活著,就坐在醫(yī)院里爸爸身邊多好啊!我不想有這些問題。為什么爸爸還需要另一個(gè)女人呢?
喚,媽媽,您為什么要死呢?我真想和某個(gè)人說說心里話。
她從口袋里掏出那封信并看了看。我不知道這個(gè)安娜·芭瑞什么樣,她想著。也許真像爸爸說的那樣她的確很好。也許我能對她談?wù)?。也許她真的愛爸爸;也許她可以幫我照顧爸爸。
但是她為什么不來看爸爸呢?
她又看了一遍地址:堡握特花園14號,倫教N(yùn)E11。離她自己的學(xué)生公寓不太遠(yuǎn)。
為什么不親自送去呢?她想。那樣,如果安娜出來開門,我就可以親自服她說話了。要是我見著她,至少可以知道她是什么樣子。
簡把信放回包里,快速走向地鐵站。她問自己:我是滿懷怨恨呢,還是滿懷希望?
堡握特花園14號是倫敦北城的一條安靜的街道上的一座老房子。簡掏出信,按了按門鈴??墒裁匆矝]有發(fā)生。
該死!她想。她又按了一次。還是沒有人。她試著推了推門,可門鎖著。于是她把信塞進(jìn)信箱,轉(zhuǎn)身就走。接著她又停了下來。
我來這兒就是為了見這個(gè)女人,簡想,想知道她是什么樣。她對我父親很重要,所以對我很重要。我等著吧。
她正站在那兒時(shí),從鄰居家出來一位婦女。這位婦女長著灰色的頭發(fā)和一張可以看出她愛打聽鄰居的事并議論他們的臉。
“他們已經(jīng)走了,你在這兒等沒用。”那女人說,“我看見你在按門鈴,所以來告訴你。”
“你肯定嗎?"簡說,“我找安娜。”
“長著紅頭發(fā)的那個(gè)女孩?沒錯(cuò),她住過這兒,但兩天前就和男朋友搬走了。就是爆炸那天早晨—所以我記得這事?,F(xiàn)在屋子已經(jīng)空了。我從窗子往里看過,他們把所有的東西都帶走了。”
男朋友!那么說安娜還有一個(gè)情人,簡想,不止是我爸爸!我可憐的,可憐的爸爸!
“你和他們熟嗎?”女人問。
“不,真不熟。,簡說,“我只是想……”
“他們才在這兒住了三個(gè)月左右,”那女人接著說,“他們不太友好。從不說早晨好或那一類的話。我想他們是愛爾蘭人。對,那個(gè)男的是。這兒周圍有很多愛爾蘭人。”
簡開始往門遠(yuǎn)處走;那女人想帶幫她,就又加了一句:“也許你的朋友會給你寫信。”
“是的,也許會,”簡朝從笑了笑,而后惆悵地沿街走著。
那么說安娜就是那種人。她可能從沒愛過父親,簡想。我怎么告訴他呢?可憐的父親!要不我只告訴他我已經(jīng)把信寄了,不告訴他我已經(jīng)來過面且知道她是個(gè)什么人。
但是簡不太會說謊,而且她也不想著父親那雙悲傷的眼睛和那張疲憊而蒼白的臉。讓他再盼幾個(gè)小時(shí)吧,她想,我現(xiàn)在先回家,明天再告訴他什么。
從爆炸事件后,她還沒回過自己的公寓。她喜歡擁有自己的家。那僅是一間大臥室,外帶一個(gè)小衛(wèi)生間和一個(gè)廚房。但這是她自己的地方,她在那兒可以干自己喜歡干的事。
她關(guān)上門,然后脫下大衣并把它扔到床上。接著,她聽見衛(wèi)生間的門在身后慢慢地開了。她跳轉(zhuǎn)過身來,嚇得心怦怦直跳,看到一個(gè)女人就站在門口!
“你到底是誰?”她驚叫道。是個(gè)賊,她想。簡跟父親學(xué)過柔道,她知道該怎么辦。她抓住那女人的胳膊,把她擲向床頭??赡桥藶榱瞬凰さ梗碌箷r(shí)抓住了簡的頭發(fā),把它向前拉扯著。簡尖叫著,伸出一只手去抓著那女人的臉,越來越使勁地抓著,直到她的頭發(fā)被松開了。然后簡一掌打在那女人臉上,那女人摔倒在地。簡向后退了退,看了她一眼,并看到……
一個(gè)男人從廚房出來。他有一雙冰冷的、灰色的眼睛,臉上有一絲淡淡的、生硬的微笑,最糟的是他手里有一把槍。他說:“不要。”
簡站在那兒一動(dòng)不動(dòng),渾身發(fā)抖。“不要什么?”
“不要?jiǎng)印2灰f話。不要做任何事。”槍端那黑洞洞的小槍眼注視著她,就像一只冰冷的眼睛。
那女人從地上站起來,把簡拉到椅子上,把她的手捆在背后。其時(shí)簡想起別的公寓里有人,就張嘴喊起來。那男人打了她一個(gè)耳光。
“你想也別想,”他說。他從兜里掏出一個(gè)長布條,圍著簡的頭繞了兩圈,包住了她的嘴和下半邊臉。簡覺得自己的身體在嚇得發(fā)抖。這些人是誰?他們要她干什么?她盯著那男人冷酷而生硬的臉及那女人藍(lán)色的眼睛和棕紅色的頭發(fā)。她覺得以往見過那女人。可是在哪兒呢?
那女人把簡的腿綁在椅子上。黑洞洞的小槍眼離她的臉僅幾厘米遠(yuǎn)。那男人注視著她,微笑著。“老實(shí)坐著,放聰明點(diǎn)兒,小姑娘。”他說,“那樣的話也許你還能多活幾個(gè)小時(shí)。”