牛津书虫系列 三十九级台阶 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.

我坐在小山顶上休息。身后的道路从河谷爬上高原。眼前是两公里的开阔地。左右则是青山。后面沿路一公里处，可以看到一间小屋冒出的炊烟，此外再也看不到人烟。只听到鸟声呢喃和流水潺潺。

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.

现在大约是早晨七点钟，我正在等待，突然听到发动机的声音。我发觉处境不妙，因为我无处藏身。

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.

飞机越来越近，我无可奈何地坐在那儿。它开始飞得很高，后来飞低了。我可以看见两人中有一个仔细地打量着我。后来，突然又高飞远去了。

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.

我要赶快想办法。敌人已经发现了我，所以我估计他们会派人包围这块山地。可能他们已经发现了我的自行车，估计我会顺道路拼命逃跑。距路大约一百米处有一汪小湖，我把自行车扔下去。然后又爬到一块高地，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.

没地方可躲。荒原非常开阔，但对我来说无异于监狱。我向北走，走着走着看见路上大约十五公里开外有一辆汽车。在脚下的峡谷里可以看到一行人慢慢向山上爬来。北边不行。我转身开始向南。我望着前面的天边;使劲跑着，不一会儿，我觉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.

假如敌人包围了你，最好的办法是在他们搜你而不可得的时候藏着别动。然而这里却无处藏身，除了荒原、石楠丛和白色的道路外什么都没有。

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

后来，在拐弯处我见到那个修路人。我看见他的时候，他刚开始干活。

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!'

“我真后悔我怎么不种地了!”他说。“那么着我自己管自己。可现在政府叫我干什么就得干什么，搞得眼疼腰酸，整个是罪犯。我的头快要裂了!”

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

他和我年纪相仿，戴着墨镜。他干起活来，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。“回家睡觉去。”

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

我一猜便知，但还是问他是怎么回事。

'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. '

“昨天晚上是我女儿的婚宴，所以我们喝酒、跳舞一直到早晨四点。可今天新的道路视察员要来视察!要么他来了找不到我，要么来了看到我像现在这个样子。无论如何，我算完了。”

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

当时我心生一计。“这个新视察员认识您吗?”

'No. He started last week. '

“不认识。他上周才来的。”

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

“您家在哪儿?”他指了指我刚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，回家安心睡觉去吧。”我说，“今天我替您干活，替您见视察员。”

He stared at me for a minute，then smiled.

他盯了我一会儿，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!这个活不难干。”他指了指沿路边的几堆石头。“把这些石头都顺着路边倒下去就行了。我叫亚历山大·特恩布尔，朋友们都叫我艾可。您说话要是客客气气，视察员会高兴的。五点钟我回来。”

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.

我把他的眼镜和脏衣服借来，把我的好衣服给他。又把旧烟斗借来。我这位新朋友慢慢腾腾地离开，回家睡觉去了。但愿我的敌人来的时候他在家里别出来。

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.

我往脸上、手上、衣服上使劲抹土，并且把土揉进眼里使眼睛发红。我的靴子看着不像工人的，因此我使劲往石头上踢，以便变旧一点。修路工把他的三明治留下了，我很高兴地吃了点。开始工作了，路上仍然没有什么动静。

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.

过了一会儿，我觉得越来越热，开始一小时一小时地数时间，直到傍晚，这时突然听到声音，看到小汽车里坐着个年轻人正在看着我。

'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. '

“您是亚历山大·特恩布尔吗?”他问我。“我是道路视察员。这些路沿，您修得很好，不过山下大约一公里处有个地方泛松。别忘了修一修，好不好?再见吧。”

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.

显而易见，这位视察员把我当作那个修路工了。时间一点点过着，一两辆汽车在路上驶过，我又从流动商店里买了点饼干。最后一辆大卡车停下来，跳下两个人向我走来。以前我见过他们——从旅店的窗户里。那个胖点的瞪着一双犀利而明亮的眼睛望着我。

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

“早晨好，”他说。“您在这儿找了份儿轻闲差事埃”

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

“有些事差点，有些事好点，”我回答。我说话带着亚历山大·特恩布尔的浓重苏格兰口音。

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

另外一个人则看着我的靴子。“您的靴子可不错。是附近做的吗?”

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

“啊，不是，是伦敦做的。这是去年有个人在这里度假，他给我的。”

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

胖点的用德语和另一个交谈。“我们走吧。这个人没用。”

They did ask one more question.

他们又问了一个问题。

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

“今天早晨您看见什么人在这儿经过吗?或者骑车或者步行?”

I pretended to think carefully.

我装作认真思考的样子。

'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，我女儿昨天结婚，我睡迟了。七点钟时我朝外边看了看，路上没人。整个上午也没见到自行车。”

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.

那个瘦点的给了我一枝雪茄，我闻了闻就放进口袋。后来他们跳上汽车，很快就没影了。

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

我接着修路，这算是做对了。十分钟后他们又回来，仔细打量着我。

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.

但愿特恩布尔先生还睡着，同时我开始思考下一步该怎么办。不能总是修路埃

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.

五点差一点儿，一辆敞篷旅游车开过来，停在离我几米的地方。司机想吸烟，巧得很，我认识他。他叫马默杜克·乔普利，这个人我非常讨厌。他的心思都用在有钱人身上，用在拜访住在乡间明屋广厦的主儿身上了。我跑向汽车，拉住他的胳膊。

'Hallo，Jopley. '

“你好，乔普利。”

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

他张着嘴，看着我。“您是谁呀?”

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

“我叫哈内，”我说。“您记得吧?”

' The murderer!'he cried.

“杀人犯!”他叫了起来。

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

“不错。要是您不帮忙，还会有另一起谋杀。把您的外衣和帽子给我。”

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。他给吓坏了。我穿上他的外衣，戴上他的帽子，再把特恩布尔的帽子戴在乔普利头上。我跳上汽车，打着了火。

'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. '

“听着，朋友，”我说，“您坐在这儿别出声，表现好点。把车借给我一两个小时。”

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.

那天晚上我开着车，觉得很美。我们开车通过峡谷时，我发现路边有几个人，但他们没留意我们。我一直开到山里，天刚黑的时候，拐上一条小路，车停在荒凉的原野中央。我把帽子和外衣还给了乔普利。

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

“非常感谢，”我说。“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，望着车灯光逐渐消逝，想着当罪犯的崭新生涯。我本不是杀人犯，可是已经养成了偷好车的习惯。