書蟲二級《阿利格拉之謎》：夜盜

The Burglary
夜盜

Lady Dain said: 'Jee, if that portrait stays there much longer, I shall go mad. I can't eat any more with it up there!' She looked up at the big portrait on the wall opposite the breakfast table.

戴恩夫人說：“杰，如果那畫像繼續(xù)掛在那兒，我會發(fā)瘋的。它在那兒，我就再也吃不下去了。”她抬起頭看了一眼餐桌對面墻上的大幅畫像。

Sir Jehoshaphat said nothing.

杰霍沙法特先生沒說話。

Lady Dain did not like the portrait. Nobody in the Five Towns liked the portrait. But the portrait was by Cressage, the finest portrait painter in England, and a portrait by Cressage cost a thousand pounds or more.

戴恩夫人不喜歡這幅畫像。五鎮(zhèn)上沒人喜歡。但這是克雷塞奇的畫，他是英格蘭最好的肖像畫家。一幅克雷塞奇的肖像畫至少值1000英鎊。

Sir Jehoshaphat Dain was perhaps the cleverest and most successful businessman in the Five Towns. His business, called Dain Brothers, had one of the biggest pottery factories in England, and their cups and plates went all over the world. Sir Jehoshaphat was rich, because he sold his pottery very cheaply, and paid his workers very little. But Sir Jee liked to be important, so he used some of his money to pay for schools and hospitals for the people of the Five Towns.

杰霍沙法特·戴恩先生也許是五鎮(zhèn)最精明、最成功的商人了，他的企業(yè)——戴恩兄弟公司，擁有英格蘭最大的陶瓷工廠之一，生產(chǎn)的杯盤行銷世界。杰霍沙法特很富有，因為他的陶瓷價格低廉，而且他付給工人的工資很少。然而杰先生喜歡出風頭，于是他拿出一部分錢資助五鎮(zhèn)的學校和醫(yī)院。

The people of the Five Towns often laughed at Sir Jee, but they also wanted to say thank you for the schools and hospitals. They decided to give him a portrait for a present. So Cressage painted the portrait and many people in London thought it was very good. 'A wonderfully clever portrait of a successful businessman from a small town; a little man who has made a lot of money and who thinks he is very important,' said one newspaper.

五鎮(zhèn)人經(jīng)常嘲笑杰先生，但他們也想為那些學校和醫(yī)院而感謝他。五鎮(zhèn)人決定送給他一幅肖像作禮物，于是克雷塞奇畫了這幅肖像。許多倫敦人覺得這幅畫很不錯。“對來自小鎮(zhèn)的成功商人的絕妙刻畫；一個自以為是的暴發(fā)戶。”一家報紙如此評論。

It was not a kind portrait and many of the people of the Five Towns laughed when they saw it. But Sir Jehoshaphat had to take his present, and to say thank you for it. Now it was on his wall in his home, Sneyd Castle, and after sixteen months Lady Dain was tired of looking at it.

畫里的人一副奸詐嘴臉，許多五鎮(zhèn)的人看到畫的時候都笑了出來。然而杰霍沙法特先生必須接受這個禮物，還不得不表示感謝?，F(xiàn)在這幅畫掛在他的家——斯尼德城堡的墻上，16個月以后，戴恩夫人實在是看夠了這幅畫。

Don't be stupid, wife,' said Sir Jee. 'I'm not taking that portrait down, or selling it — not even for ten thousand pounds. I want to keep it.'

“別傻了，夫人，”杰先生說，“我不會把這幅畫取下來或者賣掉的——給我一萬英鎊我也不賣。我想留著它。”

But that wasn't true. Sir Jee hated the portrait more than his wife did. And he was thinking of a secret plan to get rid of it.

但事實并非如此。杰先生比他的妻子更討厭這幅畫。他在策劃一個秘密計劃來擺脫它。

Are you going into town this morning?' asked his wife.

“今早你要去鎮(zhèn)上嗎？”他的妻子問道。

Yes,' he answered. 'I'm in court today.'

“是的，”他回答，“我今天要上庭。”

He was one of the town magistrates. While he travelled into town, he thought about his plan for the portrait. It was a wild and dangerous plan, but he thought it was just possible.

他是鎮(zhèn)上的地方法官之一。在去鎮(zhèn)上的途中，他思索著關(guān)于肖像的計劃。這個計劃瘋狂而危險，不過他認為行得通。

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That morning, the police were very angry with Sir Jee. A man was in court, and the police said he was a burglar. They wanted him to go to prison for five years or more. But Sir Jee did not agree. He said there was no proof that William Smith was a burglar. The other magistrate was very surprised at this and the police were very cross, but William Smith left the court a free man. Before he left, Sir Jee asked to see him in his office.

那天早上，警察對杰先生很是惱火。一個男人在接受審判，警察認定他是個夜賊，想把他送進監(jiān)獄，判五年甚至更多，但杰先生不同意，他說沒有證據(jù)表明威廉·史密斯是個夜賊。另一位法官很是驚訝，警察也很生氣，但是威廉·史密斯被無罪釋放了。他離開前，杰先生要他到自己的辦公室來。

Smith,' said Sir Jee, looking at him carefully, 'you were a lucky man this morning, you know.'

“史密斯，”杰先生邊說邊認真地打量著他，“今早你很走運，知道嗎？”

Smith was a small, thin man, with untidy hair and dirty clothes.

史密斯又矮又瘦，頭發(fā)凌亂，衣著邋遢。

Yes, I was lucky,' he answered. 'And what do you want from me?'

“是，我很走運，”他答道，“你想讓我做什么？”

I hope I can help you,' said Sir Jee.

“我希望能幫助你。”杰先生說。

I don't know if I want help, but I never say no to money.'

“我不知道我是否需要幫助，不過我對錢從不拒絕。”

Sit down,' said Sir Jee.

“坐下吧。”杰先生說。

William Smith sat down at Sir Jee's desk. 'Well?' he asked.

威廉·史密斯在杰先生的桌子旁坐下來。“什么事？”他問道。

I want you to steal something from my house. But it won't be a crime.'

“我想讓你從我家偷點兒東西，但這不會成為一項罪行。”

What?' Smith was very surprised.

“什么？”史密斯很是驚訝。

In my house, Sneyd Castle, there is a portrait of myself. I want someone to steal it.'

“在我的家里，就是斯尼德城堡里，有一幅我的畫像。我想讓人把它偷走。”

Steal it?'

“把它偷走？”

Yes.'

“沒錯。”

How much will you pay me for doing it?'

“你打算付我多少錢？”

Pay you?' said Sir Jee. 'It's a Cressage! You'll get two thousand pounds for it in America.'

“付錢？”杰先生說，“那是克雷塞奇的畫！在美國能賣2000英鎊。”

And Sir Jee told Smith the story of the portrait and why he wanted to get rid of it. Smith thought for a minute and then said:

杰先生告訴史密斯那幅肖像的事以及為什么想擺脫它。史密斯想了想，然后說：

All right, I'll do it, just to help you.'

“好吧，我會去，為了幫你。”

When can you do it? Tonight?'

“你什么時候動手？今晚？”

No,' said Smith. 'I'm busy tonight.'

“不行，”史密斯說，“我今晚很忙。”

Well, tomorrow night.'

“那就明晚。”

I'm busy tomorrow, too.'

“我明天也忙。”

You're a busy man,' said Sir Jee.

“你還真是個忙人啊。”杰先生說。

Well, business is business, you know,' said Smith. 'I can do it the day after tomorrow.'

“哦，生意就是生意，你知道。”史密斯說，“我后天來。”

But that's Christmas Eve.'

“可那天是圣誕前夜。”

Well, it's either that or Christmas Day. I'm busy again after that.'

“哦，要么是那天，要么就是圣誕節(jié)那天。我之后又要忙了。”

Not in the Five Towns, I hope,' said Sir Jee.

“不是在五鎮(zhèn)忙吧，我希望。”杰先生說。

No. There's nothing left in the Five Towns.'

“不是，五鎮(zhèn)沒剩什么可偷的了。”

So they agreed on Christmas Eve.

于是他們商定在圣誕前夜動手。

Now,' said Sir Jee, 'I'll describe the rooms in Sneyd Castle to you. Then you'll know where —'

“現(xiàn)在，”杰先生說，“我來告訴你斯尼德城堡的房間布局。這樣你就知道哪里——”

William Smith looked at him and laughed loudly. 'Describe the rooms to me? Do you think I'm stupid? I'm a businessman — I know Sneyd Castle better than you do.'

威廉·史密斯看著他大笑起來。“告訴我房間布局？你覺得我是傻子嗎？我是個生意人——我比你更了解斯尼德城堡。”

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On the afternoon of 24th December, when Sir Jehoshaphat came home to Sneyd Castle, his wife was packing suitcases. The Dains were going to their son's house for Christmas. Their son John had a new wife and a new baby, and he wanted to spend Christmas in his new home with all the family.

12月24日下午，杰霍沙法特先生回到斯尼德城堡的時候，他的妻子正在收拾行李。戴恩夫婦要去他們兒子的家里過圣誕節(jié)。他們的兒子約翰剛剛結(jié)婚生子，所以想在新家和家人共度圣誕。

Sir Jee said nothing to his wife immediately. He watched her for a while and then later, during tea, he said suddenly: 'I can't come to John's house this afternoon.'

杰先生沒有馬上對妻子說什么。他看了妻子一會兒，到了喝茶的時候，他突然說：“我下午不能去約翰家了。”

Oh, Jee!' she cried. 'You are difficult. Why didn't you tell me before?'

“哦，杰！”她喊道，“你真讓人掃興。為什么不早點兒告訴我？”

He didn't answer the question. 'I'll come over tomorrow morning — perhaps in time for church.'

他沒回答這個問題。“我明天早上過去——或許趕得上去教堂。”

There's no food in the house. And the servants are all going away on holiday. There's nobody to cook for you. I'll stay with you if you like.'

“家里沒吃的了，傭人們也都放假了，家里沒人給你做飯。如果你愿意，我留下來陪你吧。”

No, I'll be all right.'

“不必了，我能行。”

Lady Dain went to her son's, leaving some cold food for Sir Jee.

戴恩夫人去了兒子家，給杰先生留了些冷的飯菜。

Sir Jee had a cold, silent meal, in front of his portrait. He was alone in the castle and that was a good thing, he decided. There were no servants to wake up and hear William Smith at work. Sir Jee was a little afraid; perhaps it was dangerous to bring a burglar into the house. He looked again at the portrait in its big gold frame. 'Will he take the frame?' he asked himself. 'I hope he doesn't. It's very heavy. I don't think one man could carry that.' But perhaps Smith had someone to help him.

杰先生對著他的肖像吃了一頓寂寞的冷餐。城堡里只有他自己，他覺得這很好。傭人們不會醒來聽到威廉·史密斯偷東西的聲音。杰先生有點兒害怕：引賊入室也許還是有危險的。他又看了看嵌在巨大金畫框里的畫像。“他會拿走畫框嗎？”他問自己，“希望他不會，這很沉。一個人恐怕拿不了。”但也許史密斯有幫手。

Goodbye!' he said to his portrait, opened one of the windows for William Smith, and went to bed.

“再見！”他對自己的畫像說。他為威廉·史密斯打開一扇窗戶，然后就去睡了。

He did not sleep. He listened. At about two o'clock there were a few noises. They stopped, then started again. Smith was at work. Sir Jee got out of bed quietly, went to the window and looked out carefully. Two men were carrying something large and square across the garden. So Smith had a friend, and he was taking the portrait and the frame.

他沒有睡著，而是一直在聽。兩點左右有些動靜，停了一會兒，又繼續(xù)響起來。史密斯在干活兒了。杰先生悄悄起床，走到窗前，小心地朝窗外看去。有兩個人正搬著件又大又方的東西穿過花園。原來史密斯還帶了個同伙，而且他把畫和畫框一起偷走了。

Sir Jee went back to bed. He slept for a few hours and then went downstairs.

杰先生躺回床上。他又睡了幾個小時，然后下了樓。

The portrait was on the floor with some writing across it in big white letters: 'This is no good to me.' It was the big gold frame that was missing.

畫像放在地板上，上面寫著幾個白色大字：“這個對我沒用。”而那個大大的金畫框不見了。

And that wasn't all. Plates, knives, forks, spoons, cups — everything made of silver was also missing. There was not a single silver spoon left in the castle.

丟的還不只這個，盤子、刀叉、勺子、杯子——所有的銀器都不見了，城堡里連一把銀勺子也沒剩下。