书虫三级《三个陌生人》：5、牧羊人所见之 第二夜
2.Second night
2．第二夜
The next evening the old shepherd left the boy alone in the hut again, with repeated orders to keep a careful eye on the sheep. But young Bill was only interested in the view from the south window. He watched and waited, while the moonlight shone on the ancient stones, but neither Captain nor Duchess appeared.
第二天晚上，老牧羊人又把男孩独自留在了小屋里，反复嘱咐他好好照看羊群。但小比尔却只对南面窗外的情景感兴趣。月光照耀在古老的石头上，他一边观望一边等待，但上尉和公爵夫人都没有出现。
When he heard the Shakeforest Towers clock strike eleven, he saw the third figure appear. As the man came towards the hut, the moonlight shone full on his face, and the boy realized in horror that it was the Duke. All the villagers lived in fear of the Duke. He owned every farm and every house for miles around, and anybody who made him angry could lose their home and their job in a moment. The boy closed the stove, and quickly hid himself in a corner of the hut.
等听到舍克弗洛斯特城堡的钟敲11点时，他看见第三个身影出现了。那人朝小木屋的方向走来时，月光正好照亮了他的脸庞。男孩惊恐地发现那人竟然是公爵。所有的村民都对公爵十分惧怕。他拥有方圆数英里的每一块农田和每一座房屋，任何人若是惹恼了他，就会在顷刻间失去家园和工作。男孩封上火炉，迅速躲进了小屋里的一个角落。
The Duke came close to the place where his wife and the Captain had stood the night before. He looked around, perhaps for a hiding-place. When he discovered the hut among the trees, he entered, and stood at the south window, looking out at the Devil's Door.
公爵走近昨晚他妻子和上尉待过的地方，环顾四周，看样子是在寻找一个藏身之所。他发现了树林中的小木屋，随即走了进去，站在南面的窗户前朝“魔鬼之门”望去。
Only a minute or two later the Captain arrived, to wait for the Duchess. But a terrible surprise was waiting for him tonight, as well as for the frightened boy hidden in the hut. At the Captain's appearance, the Duke became very angry. He opened the door of the hut and stepped out.
只过了一两分钟，上尉就来等候公爵夫人了。然而，今晚有一个可怕的意外正等待着他，也等待着藏在小屋里的这个吓坏了的孩子。上尉一出现，公爵立刻勃然大怒。他打开小屋的门走了出去。
You have dishonoured her, and for that you shall die!' he cried. In the hut, the boy left his hiding-place and ran to the window. He could not see the two men, but he heard something falling on the grass, and then silence.
“你败坏了她的清誉，为此该受一死！”他大叫道。小木屋里的男孩从藏身之处跑到了窗边。他看不见那两个人，但却听见了有东西摔落到草地上的声音，接下来是一片死寂。
Three minutes later he saw the Duke going up the hill towards the stones, pulling the Captain's body along the ground. The boy knew that behind the Devil's Door there was a deep hole, covered by long grass and other plants. The Duke made his way slowly to the shadows behind the stones, and when he came out, he was pulling nothing behind him.
3分钟后，他看见公爵拖着上尉的尸体朝山上的石头走去。男孩知道“魔鬼之门”背后有一个很深的洞，洞口覆盖着茂密的草和其他植物。公爵慢慢走进巨石后面的阴影，当他出来时，身后什么都没有了。
Now for the second!' the boy heard him say. This time the Duke waited outside the hut. It was clear that he expected his wife, the Duchess, to arrive next at the meeting-place.
“现在该轮到第二个了！”男孩听见他在喃喃自语。这一次，公爵在木屋外等待着。他显然是在等他的妻子公爵夫人来到这个幽会的地方。
Inside the hut young Bill shook with fear. 'What will he do if she comes?' he thought. 'Will he kill her too? He looks angry enough! And he can do what he likes — he's the Duke. Nobody can stop him!'
木屋里，小比尔吓得浑身颤抖。“如果她来了，他会怎么做？”他想，“他会把她也杀掉吗？他看样子快气炸了！而且他做事完全可以随心所欲——他是公爵，没有人能阻止他！”
The jealous watcher waited for some time, but she never came. Sometimes he looked at his watch in surprise. He seemed almost disappointed that she did not appear. At half-past eleven he turned away to find his horse, and rode slowly down the hill.
这位妒火中烧的守望者等了一会儿，她却一直没有来。他不时惊诧地看看手表。看来她不曾露面倒让他几乎有些失望了。11点半时，他转过身找到自己的马，慢慢朝山下骑去。
The young boy thought of what lay in the hole behind the stones, and was too frightened to stay alone in the hut. He preferred to be with someone who was alive, even the Duke, than with someone who was dead, so he ran after the horseman. He followed the Duke all the way down into the valley, feeling more comfortable when the lonely hills were left behind him. Soon he could see the high walls and roofs of the Duke's home, Shakeforest Towers.
小男孩想象着石头后面的山洞中可能躺着的东西，吓得不敢独自留在小屋中。他宁愿和任何一个活人在一起，哪怕是公爵也好，总强过和死人待在一起。于是他跟在骑马的公爵身后跑去。他一路跟着公爵下山，当孤寂的群山被远远甩在身后时，他感觉舒服多了。很快，他就看到了公爵的家——舍克弗洛斯特城堡那高高的围墙和屋顶。
When the Duke got close to the great house, a small door in a side wall opened, and a woman came out. She ran into the moonlight to meet the Duke.
公爵走近这座大房子时，边墙上的一扇小门打开了，有个女人走了出来。她跑到月光下迎接公爵。
Ah, my dear, is it you?' she said. 'I heard your horse's step on the road, and knew it must be you.'
“啊，亲爱的，是你吗？”她说，“我听到你的马蹄声，就知道一定是你。”
Happy to see me, are you?'
“你很高兴见到我，对吧？”
How can you ask that?'
“你怎么这么问？”
Well, it is a lovely night for meetings.'
“嗯，这真是个适合幽会的可爱夜晚。”
Yes, it is a lovely night.'
“是啊，是个可爱的夜晚。”
The Duke got down from his horse and stood by her side. 'Why were you listening for me at this time of night?' he asked.
公爵下马站到了她的身边。“你为什么这么晚了还在听我的动静？”他问。
There is a strange story, which I must tell you at once. But why did you come a night sooner than you said? I am sorry, I really am!' (shaking her head playfully), 'because I had ordered a special dinner for your arrival tomorrow, and now it won't be a surprise at all.'
“有件奇怪的事，我必须马上告诉你。可你为什么比原先说的早回来了一天呢？我很抱歉，真的很抱歉！”（她顽皮地摇晃着脑袋），“因为我让人准备了一顿特别的晚餐，明天好给你接风，可现在它一点都不会是惊喜了。”
The Duke did not look at his wife. 'What is this strange story that you wish to tell me?' he asked quietly.
公爵没拿正眼看他的妻子。“你想跟我说的怪事是什么？”他平静地问。
It is this. You know my cousin Fred Ogbourne? We used to play together when we were children, and he — well, he loved me, I think. I told you about it, you know.'
“是这样的，你认识我的表兄弗雷德·奥格本吧？我们小时候经常在一起玩，而且他——他爱我，我想是这样的。我曾经告诉过你，你知道的。”
You have never told me of it before.'
“你以前从没跟我提过。”
Oh, then it was your sister — yes, I told her about it. Well, I haven't seen him for many years, and of course I'd forgotten all about his feeling for me. So I was surprised to receive a letter from him yesterday. I can remember what he wrote.
“噢，那就是你妹妹——没错，我曾经跟她讲过。嗯，我已经好多年没见过他了，当然也已经忘记了他对我的感情。所以昨天收到他的信时，我非常惊讶。我还记得他都写了些什么。
My dear cousin Harriet, the letter said. If my life and future mean anything to you at all, I beg you to do what I ask. Meet me at eleven o'clock tonight by the ancient stones on Marlbury Downs. I cannot say more, except to beg you to come. I will explain everything when I see you. Come alone. You have all my happiness in your hands. Yours, Fred
“我亲爱的表妹哈丽雅特，信上说，如果我的生活和未来对你有半分意义的话，恳请你照我的请求去做。请于今晚11点在马尔博瑞丘陵那些古老的石头处与我会面。我不能多言，唯恳请你来此。见面时我自会跟你解释一切。请一个人来。我的快乐全掌握在你手中。你的弗雷德。
That was his letter. Now I realize that it was a mistake to go, but at the time I only thought he must be in trouble, and with not a friend in the world to help him. So I went to Marlbury Downs at eleven o'clock. Wasn't it brave of me?'
“这就是信的内容。现在我才意识到去那里是个错误，但我当时一心以为他遇到了麻烦，而且根本找不到朋友来帮忙。所以我就在11点去了马尔博瑞丘陵。我那样做是不是很勇敢？”
Very,' replied the Duke coldly.
“非常勇敢。”公爵冷冷地回答道。
When I got there, I saw he was no longer the boy that I remembered, but a full-grown man and an officer. I was sorry I had come. What he wanted, I don't know — perhaps just a meeting with me. He held me by the hand and waist, and refused to let me go until I promised to meet him again. And in the end I did, because he spoke very warmly to me and I was afraid of him in that lonely place. Then I escaped — I ran home — and that's all. Of course, I never meant to meet him there again. But this evening I thought, "Perhaps he'll come to the house when he realizes I'm not coming to meet him," and that's why I couldn't sleep. But you are so silent!'
“当我到那儿的时候，发现他已不再是我印象中的那个男孩了。他已长大成人，当上了军官。我很后悔去见他。我不知道他想怎么样——也许只是想和我见一面吧。他抓住我的手、揽住我的腰，不肯让我离开，直到我答应了跟他再见一面。我最终答应了，因为他言辞非常激烈，而且那里荒郊野外的，我有点怕他。接着我就脱身了——我跑回了家——就是这样。当然，我也没打算真的再去那里见他。可是今天晚上，我想，'也许当他意识到我不会再去见他时，他会到家里来找我。’所以我睡不着。你怎么不说话呀！”
I have had a long journey.'
“我赶了很远的路。”
They moved on towards the front entrance of the house. 'I have thought of something, but perhaps you won't like it,' she said. 'I think he will wait there again tomorrow night. Shall we go to the hill tomorrow together — just to see if he is there? And tell him he must not try to meet me like this?'
他们继续朝房子的前门走去。“我想起一件事，但可能你会不高兴，”她说，“我想他明天晚上还会去那里等。我们明天一起上山好吗——只是去看看他在不在那儿，顺便告诉他不要再试图那样和我见面了。”
Why should we see if he is there?' asked her unsmiling husband.
“我们为什么要去看他是不是在那儿？”她的丈夫绷着脸问道。
Because I think we should try to help him. Poor Fred! He will listen to you, if you talk to him. It is wrong of him to think of me in that way, but he is clearly very miserable.'
“因为我想我们应该试着去帮助他。可怜的弗雷德！如果你跟他讲，他会听的。他那样看我的确不对，但他真的很痛苦。”
By this time they had reached the front entrance and rung the bell. A man came to take the horse away, and the Duke and Duchess entered the house.
这时，他们已经走到前门，于是就按响了门铃。有人走过来把马牵走，公爵和公爵夫人走进了屋子。
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