书虫三级《三个陌生人》：4、牧羊人所见之 第一夜
1.First night
1．第一夜
The Christmas moon was showing her cold face to the low hills called the Marlbury Downs, in the southwestern part of England known as Mid-Wessex. Here sheep were kept out on the hills all year round, and lambs were born as early as December. Shepherds needed to be on the hills day and night at this time of year, and often used small wheeled huts where they could rest and keep warm, while keeping a careful eye on the sheep.
圣诞节的冷月照耀着一片叫做马尔博瑞丘陵的低矮山丘，这片山丘坐落在英格兰西南部的中维塞克斯。这里的山上一年四季都放牧着羊群，而这里的羊羔早在每年的12月便会出生。每年的这个时节，牧羊人们都必须夜以继日地待在山上。他们通常待在一种带轮子的小屋里，以便在照料羊群的同时能休息和取暖。
On a high piece of land one of these huts stood inside a little circle of trees, which kept it out of the icy wind and also hidden from any passers-by. The hut was made of wood, and had a door and two windows. The north one looked out on the eight hundred sheep which were in the shepherd's care, and the south window gave a view of three ancient stones, built in the shape of a doorway. These great stones, which village people called the Devil's Door, had been there for over two thousand years. They were worn and weather-beaten, but tonight looked almost new in the silver light of the moon.
一片高地之上，有一间小屋掩映在一小圈树木中，由此既免受了刺骨寒风的侵袭，又躲避了过路人的视线。小屋用木头制成，有一扇门和两扇窗户。从北面的窗户望出去可以看到牧羊人看管的八百头羊，从南面的窗户望出去则是堆成门形的三块古老的石头。这些巨石被村民们称为“魔鬼之门”，已经在那里矗立了两千多年。它们斑驳残破、饱经风霜，但今夜在银色的月光照耀下，却宛若新生。
Inside the hut a young shepherd boy was waiting for his master, who entered at that moment.
小木屋里，一名牧羊少年正等着他的主人。就在这个时候，主人走了进来。
Are ye sleepy?' asked the old man crossly.
“你就困了吗？”老人生气地问。
N — no, master,' replied the boy, who was a little frightened of the shepherd and his heavy stick.
“不——没有，主人。”男孩回答道，他有些害怕牧羊人和他的粗棍子。
The sheep should be all right until the morning now,' said the shepherd, 'but one of us must stay here, so I'll leave ye, do ye hear? I'll go home and sleep for a few hours. Run down to my cottage and fetch me if anything happens. Ye can have a bit of a sleep in the chair by the stove but only for a few minutes, mind! Make sure ye stay awake the rest of the time, and don't let that fire go out!'
“羊群在天亮前应该没事了，”牧羊人说，“不过我们当中必须有人留在这儿，所以我得让你留下，你听到了吗？我要回家睡几个小时。如果发生了什么事，就跑下山到我家去找我。你可以在火炉旁的椅子上睡一小会儿，不过就几分钟，记住！别的时间你都得醒着。还有，别让火熄了！”
The old man closed the door, and disappeared. The boy went out to check on the sheep and new-born lambs, then came back into the hut and sat down by the warm stove. Soon his eyes closed, his head dropped, and he was asleep.
老人关上门走了。男孩出去查看了一下羊群和刚出生的羊羔，然后走回到小屋里，坐在温暖的炉火旁。很快，他就合上了眼皮，垂下头睡着了。
When he woke up, he could hear down in the valley the clock at Shakeforest Towers striking eleven. The sound carried well in the cold night air. He looked out of the north window and saw the sheep, lying on the grass as quietly as before. He next looked out of the opposite window, towards the stones of the Devil's Door, white and ghostly in the moonlight. And in front of them stood a man.
醒来时，他听见山谷里舍克弗洛斯特城堡的钟敲了11下。钟声在清冷的夜空中传得很远。他从北面的窗户望出去，看到羊群依然安静地卧在草地上。接着，他朝相反方向的窗户望出去，看到“魔鬼之门”的石头惨白而诡异地矗立在月光中。石门前站着一个人。
It was clear that he was not a farm worker, because he was wearing a dark suit, and carried himself like a gentleman. The boy was still wondering, in great surprise, why the man was visiting the Devil's Door at this hour, when suddenly another figure appeared. This second figure was a woman, and when the stranger saw her, he hurried towards her. He met her near the trees, and took her into his arms.
那人显然不是农场工人，因为他身穿深色西服，神态宛如一位绅士。男孩惊讶地猜度着这个人为什么会在这时候跑到“魔鬼之门”来。正在这时，另一个身影出现了。这回出现的是一个女人，那个陌生人一见到她就快步走上前去。他在树丛边迎上了她，将她拥入怀中。
You have come, Harriet! Thank you!' he cried warmly.
“你总算来了，哈丽雅特！谢谢你！”他热情地叫道。
But not for this,' replied the lady, pulling away from him. She added more kindly, 'I have come, Fred, because you begged me! Why did you ask to see me?'
“但不是为了这个。”那女子边说边将他推开。她更加温和地说：“弗雷德，我是因为你求我才来的！你为什么要见我？”
Harriet, I have seen many lands and faces since I last walked these hills, but I have only thought of you.'
“哈丽雅特，自从上次走过这片山峰后，我看遍了千山万水、众生百态，但却只想着你一个人。”
Was it only to tell me this that you begged me to meet you, out here on the hills, so late at night?'
“你求我这么晚到山上来见你，就只是为了告诉我这些？”
Harriet, be honest with me! I have heard that the Duke is unkind to you.'
“哈丽雅特，跟我说实话！我听说公爵对你并不好。”
He sometimes gets angry, but he is a good husband.'
“虽然他有时会发火，却还是个好丈夫。”
Harriet, dearest, is that really true? Doesn't everybody know that your life with him is a sad one? I have come to find out what I can do. You are a Duchess, and I'm only Fred Ogbourne, but it's still possible that I can help you. By God! The sweetness of your voice should keep him pleasant, especially when the sweetness of your face is added to it!'
“哈丽雅特，我最亲爱的，你说的是真的吗？你跟他的生活并不美满，这难道不是尽人皆知的吗？我来就是为了看看我能做什么。你是公爵夫人，而我只是弗雷德·奥格本，但我仍然有可能帮得上你。老天作证！你悦耳的嗓音应该令他开心，尤其再加上你甜美的容貌！”
Captain Ogbourne!' she cried, half afraid, half playful. 'You're an old friend — how can you speak to me in this way? Remember I'm a married woman! I was wrong to come, I see that now.'
“奥格本上尉！”她半是恐慌半是戏谑地叫道，“你可是我的老朋友——你怎么能这么对我说话呢？别忘了我是个结了婚的女人！我今天来是个错误，我现在算是明白了。”
You call me Captain Ogbourne,' he replied unhappily, 'but I was always Fred to you before. I think you no longer have any feeling for me. My love for you, Harriet, has not changed at all, but you are a different woman now. I must accept it. I can never see you again.'
“你居然叫我奥格本上尉，”他不高兴地回答道，“你以前一直叫我弗雷德。我想你对我已经没有任何感情了。哈丽雅特，我对你的爱从来没有改变过，而如今的你却已变成了另外一个女人。我必须接受这个现实。我再也不会见你了。”
You needn't talk like that, you stupid man. You can see me again — why not? But of course, not like this. It was a mistake of mine to come tonight, and I only did it because the Duke is away at the moment.'
“你用不着这么说，你这傻瓜。你可以再见我——为什么不行呢？不过，当然不是像现在这样。我今晚来这里是个错误，我来仅仅是因为公爵正好出门了。”
When does he return?'
“他什么时候回来？”
The day after tomorrow, or the day after that.'
“后天，或者大后天。”
Then meet me again tomorrow night.'
“那明天晚上再来和我见面吧。”
No, Fred, I cannot.'
“不，弗雷德，我不能。”
If you cannot tomorrow night, you can the night after. Please let me have one more meeting before he returns, to say goodbye! Now, promise me!' He took the Duchess's hand.
“如果你明晚不来，那就后天晚上来。请再给我一次机会，让我在他回来之前和你告别！好了，答应我！”他抓住了公爵夫人的手。
No, Fred, let go of my hand! It's not kind of you to make me feel sorry for you, and then to keep me here like this!'
“不，弗雷德，放开我的手！让我对你感到愧疚已经很不好了，你还这样抓着我不放！”
But see me once more! I have come two thousand miles to see you.'
“但是，请再见我一次吧！为了见你，我可是跑了两千英里的路程。”
Oh, I must not! People will talk. Don't ask it of me!'
“噢，我不能那样！人们会说闲话的。请不要对我提出这样的要求！”
Then confess two things to me: that you did love me once, and that your husband is unkind to you often enough to make you think of the time when you loved me.'
“那你要对我承认两件事：一是你过去的确爱我，还有就是你的丈夫对你不好，常常会让你回想起当初爱着我的时光。”
Yes, I confess them both,' she answered quietly.
“是的，这两件事情我都承认。”她静静地回答道。
Come once more!' He still held her hand, and had his arm around her waist.
“再来见我一次吧！”他仍旧握着她的手，另一只手臂环绕在她腰间。
Very well, then,' she said finally. 'I agree. I'll meet you tomorrow night or the night after. Now let me go.'
“那好吧，”她终于说，“我答应你。我明天或者后天晚上来见你。现在请让我走吧。”
He set her free, and watched her hurry down the hill towards her home, Shakeforest Towers. Then he turned and walked away. In a few minutes all was silent and empty again.
他放开了她，看着她急匆匆地朝山下的家——舍克弗洛斯特城堡跑去。接着，他也转身离去了。几分钟后，周围又恢复了平静和空旷。
But only for a moment. Suddenly, a third figure appeared, from behind the stones. He was a man of heavier build than the Captain, and was wearing riding boots. It was clear that he had watched the meeting between the Captain and the Duchess. He had been too far away to hear their conversation and the lady's reluctant words, so to him they had the appearance of lovers. But several more years passed before the boy was old enough to understand this.
但这只持续了一小会儿。突然，石头后面出现了第三个身影。他身材比上尉健壮些，脚蹬马靴。很显然，他看到了上尉和公爵夫人的会面过程。他离得太远，听不清他们的谈话和夫人勉强的言辞，因此在他看来，他们俨然是一对情侣。但直到几年后，年齿渐长的男孩才想明白了当时的情形。
This third figure stood still for a moment, thinking. Then he went back into the trees, and came out again with his horse. He rode off, and the sound of the horse's feet on the hard ground was heard for several minutes, until it died away.
第三个身影沉思着呆立了片刻，返身回到树林中，然后又骑着马走了出来。他策马而去，马蹄在坚硬的土地上踏出的声音持续了好几分钟才渐渐消失。
The boy stayed in the hut, his eyes still on the stones, but nobody else appeared there. Suddenly he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, which made him jump.
男孩待在小屋里，眼睛仍旧盯着那些石头，却再没有人出现了。突然，他感到有一只沉重的手搭上了自己的肩头，吓得跳将起来。
Now look here, young Bill Mills, ye've let the fire in the stove go out! Well, what's happened, ye bad boy?'
“你看看，小比尔·米尔斯，你让炉子里的火熄掉了！呃，发生了什么事，你这个坏孩子？”
Nothing, master.'
“没什么，主人。”
Sheep and lambs all safe and well?'
“羊群和羊羔都好好的吗？”
Yes, master.'
“是的，主人。”
The old shepherd spoke angrily. 'Well, that's where ye're wrong. There are two new lambs out there, born just this minute, and one of the mothers is half dead! I told ye to stay awake, boy, and fetch me if I was needed! Well, what have you got to say for yourself?'
老牧羊人生气地咆哮着说：“哼，这你就说错了。外面有两头母羊刚刚生了小羊羔，一头母羊都快死了！我告诉过你要保持清醒，小子，如果有必要就去叫我！好了，这你有什么说的？”
You said that I could have a bit of a sleep! In the chair by the stove, you said!'
“你说过我可以睡一小会儿的！在火炉边的椅子上，你说过的！”
Don't you speak to your elders and betters like that, young man, or you'll end up hanging from a rope at the prison! Well, ye can go home now, and come back again by breakfast time. I'm an old man, but there's no rest for me!'
“不要这样跟有经验的长者讲话，年轻人，不然你的下场就是在监狱里被绞索吊死！好了，你现在可以回家了，早饭前再过来。我都老了，还一刻不得闲！”
The old shepherd then lay down inside the hut, and the boy went down the hill to his home in the village.
接着，老牧羊人在小屋里躺了下来，男孩则下山朝村子里的家走去。
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