牛津書蟲系列 三十九級臺階 5 The adventure of the roadman

5 The adventure of the roadman

5 修路人的奇遇

I sat down at the top of a hill and rested. Behind me was a road climbing out of a river valley. In front were two kilometres of flat open country. To the left and the right were green hills. A kilometre down the road behind me I could see the smoke from a small house，but otherwise there was no sign of human life. There were only the sounds of birds singing and water flowing.

我坐在小山頂上休息。身后的道路從河谷爬上高原。眼前是兩公里的開闊地。左右則是青山。后面沿路一公里處，可以看到一間小屋冒出的炊煙，此外再也看不到人煙。只聽到鳥聲呢喃和流水潺潺。

It was now about seven o'clock in the morning，and as I waited，I heard the sound of an engine in the air. I realized that I was in a bad position， because I had nowhere to hide.

現(xiàn)在大約是早晨七點(diǎn)鐘，我正在等待，突然聽到發(fā)動機(jī)的聲音。我發(fā)覺處境不妙，因?yàn)槲覠o處藏身。

I sat，hopelessly，as the aeroplane came nearer. It was high at first，but then it came down very low. I could see one of the two men looking at me very carefully. Then，suddenly，it went up and disappeared.

飛機(jī)越來越近，我無可奈何地坐在那兒。它開始飛得很高，后來飛低了。我可以看見兩人中有一個(gè)仔細(xì)地打量著我。后來，突然又高飛遠(yuǎn)去了。

I had to think quickly. My enemies had found me， so now，I supposed，they would put a circle of men around the hills. They had probably seen my bicycle，so they would expect me to try and escape by road. I found a small lake about a hundred metres from the road and threw the bicycle in. Then I climbed to a higher bit of ground and looked around.

我要趕快想辦法。敵人已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)了我，所以我估計(jì)他們會派人包圍這塊山地。可能他們已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)了我的自行車，估計(jì)我會順道路拼命逃跑。距路大約一百米處有一汪小湖，我把自行車扔下去。然后又爬到一塊高地，向四周瞭望。

There was nowhere to hide. The moor was open，but to me it was like a prison. I started to walk to the north， and as Iwalked，I saw a car about fifteen kilometres away on the road. And， in the valley below me，I could see a line of men walking slowly upwards. The north was no good. I turned，and began to run southwards. I ran hard， watching the skyline in front of me， and soon I thought I could see distant figures on the hill. I turned again and ran down to the road.

沒地方可躲?；脑浅ｉ_闊，但對我來說無異于監(jiān)獄。我向北走，走著走著看見路上大約十五公里開外有一輛汽車。在腳下的峽谷里可以看到一行人慢慢向山上爬來。北邊不行。我轉(zhuǎn)身開始向南。我望著前面的天邊;使勁跑著，不一會兒，我覺得可以看清山上的人影了。我再折身奔向大路。

If you have enemies all around you， the best plan is to hide while they search and do not find you. But there was nothing to hide in， nothing but the moor，the heather， and the white road.

假如敵人包圍了你，最好的辦法是在他們搜你而不可得的時(shí)候藏著別動。然而這里卻無處藏身，除了荒原、石楠叢和白色的道路外什么都沒有。

Then，in a bend in the road，I found the roadman. He had just started work mending the road， when he saw me.

后來，在拐彎處我見到那個(gè)修路人。我看見他的時(shí)候，他剛開始干活。

I'm sorry I ever stopped farming!'he said. 'I was my own boss then. Now I have to do what the government orders， and I'm a prisoner here with aching eyes and a bad back. And my head's going to explode!'

“我真后悔我怎么不種地了!”他說。“那么著我自己管自己?？涩F(xiàn)在政府叫我干什么就得干什么，搞得眼疼腰酸，整個(gè)是罪犯。我的頭快要裂了!”

He was about the same age as me， and wore big black glass-es. He started to work again，and then stopped.

他和我年紀(jì)相仿，戴著墨鏡。他干起活來，然后又停下手。

'I can't do it，'he cried. 'I'm going back to bed. '

“我干不了，”他喊道。“回家睡覺去。”

I asked him what the problem was， although I could guess.

我一猜便知，但還是問他是怎么回事。

'It was my daughter's wedding last night，so we were dancing and drinking until four o'clock in the morning. And the new Road Inspector is coming to visit today! He'll comeand not find me，or he'll come and find me like this. Whatev-er happens， I'm finished. '

“昨天晚上是我女兒的婚宴，所以我們喝酒、跳舞一直到早晨四點(diǎn)?？山裉煨碌牡缆芬暡靻T要來視察!要么他來了找不到我，要么來了看到我像現(xiàn)在這個(gè)樣子。無論如何，我算完了。”

Then I had an idea. 'Does this new Inspector know you?'

當(dāng)時(shí)我心生一計(jì)。“這個(gè)新視察員認(rèn)識您嗎?”

'No. He started last week. '

“不認(rèn)識。他上周才來的。”

'Where's your house?'He pointed to the small house I had seen before.

“您家在哪兒?”他指了指我剛才看到的那所小房子。

'Well，go back to bed，'I said，'and sleep in peace. I'll do your job for the day and see the Inspector. '

“好了，回家安心睡覺去吧。”我說，“今天我替您干活，替您見視察員。”

He stared at me for a minute，then smiled.

他盯了我一會兒，然后笑了。

'You're the man for me!It's an easy job. 'He pointed to several big heaps of stones along the side of the road. 'Just put the stones down all along the edges of the road. My name's Alexander Turnbull，but my friends call me Ecky. If you speak to the Inspector politely，he'll be happy. I'll come back at five o'clock. '

“您可救了我了!這個(gè)活不難干。”他指了指沿路邊的幾堆石頭。“把這些石頭都順著路邊倒下去就行了。我叫亞歷山大·特恩布爾，朋友們都叫我艾可。您說話要是客客氣氣，視察員會高興的。五點(diǎn)鐘我回來。”

I borrowed his glassed and a very dirty hat and gave him my good clothes. I also borrowed a very old pipe. My new friend walked off slowly to his bed. I hoped he would be inside his house when my enemies arrived.

我把他的眼鏡和臟衣服借來，把我的好衣服給他。又把舊煙斗借來。我這位新朋友慢慢騰騰地離開，回家睡覺去了。但愿我的敵人來的時(shí)候他在家里別出來。

I put as much dirt as possible on my face， hands and clothes， and rubbed some into my eyes to make them red. My boots did not look like a workman's boots，so I kicked them against the rocks to make them look older. The roadman had left his sandwiches and I was happy to eat some of them. There was still nothing moving on the road when I started work.

我往臉上、手上、衣服上使勁抹土，并且把土揉進(jìn)眼里使眼睛發(fā)紅。我的靴子看著不像工人的，因此我使勁往石頭上踢，以便變舊一點(diǎn)。修路工把他的三明治留下了，我很高興地吃了點(diǎn)。開始工作了，路上仍然沒有什么動靜。

After some time I was getting hot， and I was beginning to count the hours until evening， when I heard a voice，and saw a young man in a small car looking at me.

過了一會兒，我覺得越來越熱，開始一小時(shí)一小時(shí)地?cái)?shù)時(shí)間，直到傍晚，這時(shí)突然聽到聲音，看到小汽車?yán)镒鴤€(gè)年輕人正在看著我。

'Are you Alexander Turnbull?'he said. ' I'm the new Road Inspector. You're doing these edges well，but there's a soft place about a kilometre down the hill. Don't forget that， will you? Good day now. '

“您是亞歷山大·特恩布爾嗎?”他問我。“我是道路視察員。這些路沿，您修得很好，不過山下大約一公里處有個(gè)地方泛松。別忘了修一修，好不好?再見吧。”

Clearly，the Inspector thought I was the roadman. As time passed，one or two other cars came along the road，and I bought some biscuits from a travelling shop. Finally，a big car stopped and two men got out and walked towards me. I had seen them before-from the window of the hotel. The fatter of the two looked at me with sharp bright eyes.

顯而易見，這位視察員把我當(dāng)作那個(gè)修路工了。時(shí)間一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)過著，一兩輛汽車在路上駛過，我又從流動商店里買了點(diǎn)餅干。最后一輛大卡車停下來，跳下兩個(gè)人向我走來。以前我見過他們——從旅店的窗戶里。那個(gè)胖點(diǎn)的瞪著一雙犀利而明亮的眼睛望著我。

'Good morning，'he said. 'That's an easy job you've got there. '

“早晨好，”他說。“您在這兒找了份兒輕閑差事埃”

'There are worse jobs and there are btter jobs，'I said. I spoke in Alexander Turnbull's strong Scottish accent.

“有些事差點(diǎn)，有些事好點(diǎn)，”我回答。我說話帶著亞歷山大·特恩布爾的濃重蘇格蘭口音。

The other man was looking at my boots. 'You've very fine boots. Were they made near here?'

另外一個(gè)人則看著我的靴子。“您的靴子可不錯(cuò)。是附近做的嗎?”

'Oh no， the were made in London. I was given them by a man who was here on holiday last year. '

“啊，不是，是倫敦做的。這是去年有個(gè)人在這里度假，他給我的。”

The fatter man spoke to the other in German. 'Let's move on. This man can't help us. '

胖點(diǎn)的用德語和另一個(gè)交談。“我們走吧。這個(gè)人沒用。”

They did ask one more question.

他們又問了一個(gè)問題。

'Did you see anyone pass early this morning?Either on a bi-cycle or on foot?'

“今天早晨您看見什么人在這兒經(jīng)過嗎?或者騎車或者步行?”

I pretended to think carefully.

我裝作認(rèn)真思考的樣子。

'I wasn't up very early. You see，my daughter got married yesterday and I went to bed late. I looked out of the house at seven and there was nobody on the road. And I've seen no bicycles this morning. '

“我今天起得不太早。您不知道，我女兒昨天結(jié)婚，我睡遲了。七點(diǎn)鐘時(shí)我朝外邊看了看，路上沒人。整個(gè)上午也沒見到自行車。”

The thin man gave me a cigar，which I smelt and then put in my pocket. Then they got into the car and were soon out of sight.

那個(gè)瘦點(diǎn)的給了我一枝雪茄，我聞了聞就放進(jìn)口袋。后來他們跳上汽車，很快就沒影了。

I continued to work on the road， and I was right to do so. Ten minutes later they passed again， watching me carefully.

我接著修路，這算是做對了。十分鐘后他們又回來，仔細(xì)打量著我。

I hoped Mr Turnbull would stay in bed and I began to won-der what to do next. I couldn't mend roads for ever.

但愿特恩布爾先生還睡著，同時(shí)我開始思考下一步該怎么辦。不能總是修路埃

Just before five o'clock an open touring car came up the road，and stopped a few metres from me. The driver wanted to light a cigarette， and， by an extraordinary chance， I knew him. His name was Marmaduke Jopley and he was a man I disliked very much. He was only interested in people with money，and in visiting people who lived in beautiful houses in the country. I ran up to the car and took his arm.

五點(diǎn)差一點(diǎn)兒，一輛敞篷旅游車開過來，停在離我?guī)酌椎牡胤健Ｋ緳C(jī)想吸煙，巧得很，我認(rèn)識他。他叫馬默杜克·喬普利，這個(gè)人我非常討厭。他的心思都用在有錢人身上，用在拜訪住在鄉(xiāng)間明屋廣廈的主兒身上了。我跑向汽車，拉住他的胳膊。

'Hallo，Jopley. '

“你好，喬普利。”

His mouth opened wide as he looked at me. 'Who are you?'

他張著嘴，看著我。“您是誰呀?”

'My name's Hannay，'I said. 'You remember me. '

“我叫哈內(nèi)，”我說。“您記得吧?”

' The murderer!'he cried.

“殺人犯!”他叫了起來。

'Yes. And there'll be another murder if you don't help me. Give me your coat and hat. '

“不錯(cuò)。要是您不幫忙，還會有另一起謀殺。把您的外衣和帽子給我。”

He did what I asked. He was very frightened. I put his coat and hat on，and put Mr Turnbull's hat on Jopley's head. I got in the car and started it.

他遵命了。他給嚇壞了。我穿上他的外衣，戴上他的帽子，再把特恩布爾的帽子戴在喬普利頭上。我跳上汽車，打著了火。

'Now， my friend，'I sald，'you sit quietly and be a good boy. I'm going to borrow your car for an hour or two. '

“聽著，朋友，”我說，“您坐在這兒別出聲，表現(xiàn)好點(diǎn)。把車借給我一兩個(gè)小時(shí)。”

I enjoyed the drive we had that evening. As we drove through the valley， I noticed some men beside the road， but they didn't look at us. I drove on into the hills and as it start-ed to get dark， I turned up a small road and stopped in the middle of a lonely moor. I returned the hat and coat to Jopley.

那天晚上我開著車，覺得很美。我們開車通過峽谷時(shí)，我發(fā)現(xiàn)路邊有幾個(gè)人，但他們沒留意我們。我一直開到山里，天剛黑的時(shí)候，拐上一條小路，車停在荒涼的原野中央。我把帽子和外衣還給了喬普利。

'Thank you very much，' I sald. 'You can be quite useful. Now you'd better go and find the police. '

“非常感謝，”我說。“想不到你也能派上大用常你最好快走去找警察吧。”

As I sat on the moor and watched the car's lights disappear，I thought about my new life as a criminal. I was not a murder-er， but I had developed a habit of stealing expensive cars.

我坐在荒原上，望著車燈光逐漸消逝，想著當(dāng)罪犯的嶄新生涯。我本不是殺人犯，可是已經(jīng)養(yǎng)成了偷好車的習(xí)慣。