書蟲三級《伊?！じチ_姆》：6、無處可逃
6.No escape
6．無處可逃
When Zeena had gone, Ethan and Mattie stood in silence for a moment. Then Mattie began to tidy the kitchen and Ethan went outside to check the animals, as he did every night. The room was empty when he returned, but on the table under his pipe was a piece of paper. Three words were written on it: 'Ethan, don't worry.'
齊娜離開后，伊桑和瑪蒂靜靜地站了一會兒。然后瑪蒂開始收拾廚房，伊桑像平時晚上一樣，出去照看牲畜。他回來時，廚房空了，桌子上他的煙斗下面有一張紙，上面寫了幾個字：“伊桑，別擔心。”
There was a small room at the back of the house where Ethan kept his books and papers. His mother had let him use it as a study-room when he first returned to the farm after his father's accident. He still sat there in summer, but the room had no fire and in winter it was too cold. This was where he went to look again at his message from Mattie. It was the first time she had ever written to him. He read her words and felt nearer to her, but at the same time he remembered that very soon he would never see her again. 'Soon there'll be no warm smile, no gentle voice, only this — cold paper and dead words,' he thought.
在房子的后部，有個小房間，伊桑用來存放他的書和報紙。父親出事后，他輟學回到農場，母親讓他把這間屋子當作書房。夏天時，他還會坐在那兒，可因為不生火，到冬天屋子就會很冷。伊桑走進這間屋子，又看了一眼瑪蒂留給他的字條。這是瑪蒂第一次給他寫東西。他看著她的字跡，感到離她更近了，可同時他又記起來，不久就再也看不到瑪蒂了。“很快，就再也看不到她那溫暖的笑容，聽不到她那柔和的聲音了，只剩下這個——這張冷冰冰的紙和沒有生氣的文字。”他想。
He lay down on a hard little bed that was there, covered himself with an old coat, and began to think about his life. He had lost so many chances and forgotten so many of his dreams, all to please Zeena. But she was now far more discontented than when he had married her. Must he live the rest of his days beside this bitter, complaining woman? No. He was too young and strong, too full of life to throw away all hope of happiness. Then he thought — why shouldn't he leave with Mattie the next day? He would hide his suitcase under the seat of the sleigh, leave Zeena a letter...
伊桑在一張小小的硬板床上躺了下來，蓋上一件舊大衣，開始思考他的生活。他曾經錯過了那么多機會，忘卻了那么多夢想，全是為了取悅齊娜。可現在比起當初娶她的時候，她的不滿更多了。難道他要在這個滿心怨氣、牢騷不斷的女人身邊度過余生嗎？不，他還年輕、健壯，充滿活力，不能放棄對幸福的希望。接著，他想——為什么他不能在明天和瑪蒂一起離開呢？他可以把行李箱藏在雪橇的座位底下，給齊娜留下一封信……
He jumped up, lit the lamp again, sat down at the table and began to write.
他跳了起來，重新點上燈，坐在桌子前開始寫信：
Zeena, I've done everything I could for you. But it hasn't worked. It's neither my fault nor yours. Maybe it'll be better for both of us if we live apart. I'm going to see what I can find in the West. You can sell the farm and saw-mill and keep the money —
齊娜，我已經為你做了我能做的一切，可都沒用。我們都沒錯?；蛟S分開對我們都好一些。我想看看在西部能找到什么事干。你可以把農場和鋸木場賣了，拿著錢——
At that word, he stopped writing and began to think. Without the farm he would have no money. He was sure that he could find work in the West, but would he get enough money to take care of Mattie too? And what about Zeena, alone on the farm? She couldn't keep it going on her own, and it would be hard to sell. The land was poor and not many people would want to buy it. But how could he let poor Mattie leave alone?
寫到這里，他停下筆，思索起來。沒有了農場，他就身無分文。他相信自己能在西部找到工作，可他能掙到足夠的錢來養(yǎng)活瑪蒂嗎？齊娜又該怎么辦？孤身一個在農場生活？她自己沒法維持農場的活計，農場也不那么好賣。土地貧瘠，沒多少人會想買?？伤衷跄茏尶蓱z的瑪蒂一個人離開呢？
As he picked up his pen, his eyes fell on a Bettsbridge newspaper. He saw the words 'Journeys to the West', and pulled the lamp nearer to see the prices of the tickets. Then the pen fell from his hand, and he pushed the unfinished letter away. He didn't even have the money to take Mattie to the West. He had already borrowed to mend the saw-mill, and couldn't borrow any more. The cold facts closed around him like prison doors. There was no way out—none. He was locked in that prison for life, and now his one light was disappearing.
他提起筆來，眼光落到了一張貝茨布里奇的報紙上。他看到一行字：“西部旅行”，于是把燈湊近一些，查看票價。筆從他手中滑落下來，他把還沒寫完的信推到了一邊。他連帶著瑪蒂去西部的錢都不夠。為了整修鋸木場，他已經借了一筆錢，不能再借了。冷酷的現實像監(jiān)獄的大門一樣將他囚禁，沒有出路——一條都沒有。他一生都被關在這個監(jiān)獄里，而現在他唯一的光亮也在消失。
He lay down again with a heavy heart and tears burning in his eyes. Through the window he saw the snow-covered slopes shining in the moonlight, the silver-edged darkness of the woods, and the shadowy purple of the hills against the sky. He felt that the beauty of the night was laughing at him, lying there so miserably.
他心情沉重地重新躺下，眼里含著滾燙的淚水。透過窗子，他看見月光下白雪覆蓋的山坡熒熒發(fā)亮，黝黑的樹林鑲著銀邊，山丘在夜幕的映襯下現出紫色的暗影。他感到這美麗的夜色在嘲笑自己，躺在這兒，如此悲慘。
He fell asleep. In the morning he woke cold and hungry. He went to the window, and saw a red sun coming up over the grey edges of the fields. 'This is Matt's last day,' he said to himself. He tried to think how the place would be without her.
伊桑睡了過去。早晨他醒來的時候，感到又冷又餓。他走到窗前，看到一輪紅日正從田野的灰色邊際上冉冉升起。“今天是瑪蒂在這兒的最后一天了。”他自言自語，試想著沒有瑪蒂，家里會是個什么樣子。
He heard a step behind him, turned round and saw Mattie. She looked so small and thin, standing there in her poor dress in the cold, wintry light.
他聽到身后一陣腳步，于是轉過身來，看到了瑪蒂。在冬日的清冷陽光下，她看上去如此瘦小，穿著一身寒酸的衣服站在那兒。
I'll come and light the kitchen fire,' he said.
“我去廚房生火。”他說。
Mattie started her usual morning housework. The kitchen slowly became warmer, and the first sunlight entered the room. Ethan began to feel more hopeful. 'Maybe Zeena didn't mean what she said,' he thought. 'Maybe, now that daylight's here, she'll think again and let Mattie stay.'
瑪蒂像平常的早晨一樣，做起了家務。廚房慢慢暖和起來，第一縷陽光照進屋來。伊桑開始覺得又有了些希望。“或許齊娜不想那么做。”他想，“或許，現在到了白天，她會重新考慮一下，讓瑪蒂留下。”
He went up to Mattie and touched her arm gently. 'I don't want you to worry, Matt,' he said, looking down into her eyes with a smile. 'I guess things'll be all right.'
伊桑走到瑪蒂跟前，輕輕地碰了碰她的胳膊。“我不想讓你擔心，瑪蒂。”他垂下頭看著瑪蒂的眼睛，笑著說，“我猜沒什么事的。”
No, I ain't going to worry,' she said softly.
“嗯，我不擔心。”瑪蒂輕輕地說。
He went out to the farm, and soon afterwards Jotham Powell joined him. As they were doing their morning's work with the cows, Jotham said:
伊桑去了農場，不久喬撒姆·鮑威爾也到了，幫著他干活。他們早晨的活兒是擠牛奶，正干著的時候，喬撒姆說道：
Mrs Frome told me the new girl's comin' today, and Mattie's leavin'. I got to take her down to the station.'
“弗羅姆太太告訴我，新雇的女孩兒今天到?，數僖吡?。我送她去車站。”
Ethan felt the blood beating in his head. After a moment he found his voice, and said:
伊桑感到腦中血流突突直蹦，過了一會兒，他才說出話來：
Oh, it ain't so sure that Mattie's going —'
“哦，瑪蒂還不一定要走呢——”
Is that so?' said Jotham, not at all interested, and he went on with his work.
“是嗎？”喬撒姆答道，一副漠不關心的樣子，繼續(xù)干著他的活兒。
When they returned to the kitchen, the two women were already at breakfast. Zeena was eating well, and seemed very lively and busy. She looked at the hired man.
他們回到廚房時，齊娜和瑪蒂正在吃早飯。齊娜胃口不錯，看上去精神十足，忙忙碌碌，她看著雇工喬撒姆。
Jotham, I want you here mid-afternoon to pick up Mattie,' she said. 'The new girl's getting to the station at five o'clock. Mattie can get the train at six.' Then she turned to Mattie and went on, 'Now, what've you done with one of my best cotton sheets? And there are a few other things missing, too.'
“喬撒姆，我想讓你三四點鐘過來接瑪蒂。”她說，“新來的女孩兒五點鐘到車站。瑪蒂能趕上六點的火車。”她接著沖瑪蒂說道：“哎，你把我那條上好的棉床單怎么了？還有幾樣東西也不見了。”
Mattie followed Zeena out of the room, leaving the two men alone.
瑪蒂跟著齊娜走出廚房，剩下兩個男人在屋里。
I guess I'll come round mid-afternoon, then,' said Jotham to his employer.
“那么，我想我會三四點鐘過來。”喬撒姆對伊桑說道。
When the morning's work was finished, Ethan said to Jotham: 'I'm going down to Starkfield. Tell them not to wait for me at dinnertime.'
干完了上午的活兒，伊桑告訴喬撒姆：“我要去斯塔克菲爾德鎮(zhèn)上。告訴她們別等我吃飯了。”
It was a clear, still morning, with a whisper of spring in the air. The snowy fields shone silver in the bright morning sunlight. Ethan walked down the road, angry and ashamed. So Mattie really was leaving, and he could only stand by, helpless. What must she think of him? As he walked, he could feel laughing voice in the song of the birds. He knew that he had to do something. But what?
上午的天氣晴朗，四周一片寂靜，有一絲春天的氣息。白雪覆蓋的田野在燦爛的陽光下閃著銀光。伊桑走在路上，感到又羞愧又生氣?，數僬娴囊吡耍荒軣o助地站在一邊。她會怎么看他？他一邊走著，感覺鳥兒的鳴叫就像在嘲笑他。他知道自己必須做些事情，可做什么呢？
Then a thought came to him. Andrew Hale was a kind-hearted man. 'Maybe,' thought Ethan, 'he'll let me have some money now, if I tell him that Zeena's really sick and that we need a hired girl to help her. Mrs Hale will listen to me, I'm sure.'
他忽然有了個主意。安德魯·黑爾是個好心人。“要是我告訴他，齊娜病得不輕，我們需要雇個女孩兒來照顧她，或許他能借我些錢。黑爾夫人會相信我的，我肯定。”他想。
He thought about this idea as he walked faster and faster down the road. With each long step he felt more sure of his plan's success. And with fifty dollars in his pocket, nothing could keep him from Mattie...
他想著這個主意，腳步越來越快。每走一步，他就更確信自己的計劃能夠成功。只要口袋里有了50美元，那就沒有什么能分開他和瑪蒂……
As he came into Starkfield, he saw the Hales' sleigh, and hurried forward to meet it. The sleigh stopped, and Mrs Hale's round, motherly face looked out. She smiled at Ethan, told him that her husband was at home, then added:
一到斯塔克菲爾德鎮(zhèn)，他就看見了黑爾家的馬拉雪橇，于是急忙走上前去。雪橇停了，黑爾夫人那慈祥的圓臉探了過來，她笑著告訴伊桑，她丈夫正在家里，還說：
I'm sorry that Zeena's feeling bad again. She's lucky to have you to take care of her. And so was your poor mother. You've had an awful hard life, Ethan Frome.'
“齊娜又病了，我真難過。有你照顧，她可真幸運，你可憐的母親也是。你的生活真是苦啊，伊桑·弗羅姆。”
When she had gone, Ethan felt less alone in his unhappiness. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken to him as kindly as Mrs Hale. The Hales were caring people who felt sorry for him, and now he felt sure that they would help him.
黑爾夫人離開了，伊桑感到自己雖然不幸，但不那么孤獨了。很久沒人像黑爾夫人那樣，那么親切地和他說過話了。黑爾一家有同情心，為他的不幸感到難過。他感到他們肯定會幫助自己。
He started down the road to their house, then stopped after a few steps. He suddenly saw himself, and his life, in the clear light of day. He was a poor man, planning to leave his sickly wife all alone and without money. And how was he planning to do this heartless thing? By telling lies to two kind people who felt sorry for him.
他沿路向黑爾家走去，走了沒幾步就停下了。在晴朗的陽光下，忽然間他看清了自己，還有自己的生活。他這個窮人，正盤算著拋棄生病的妻子，讓她孤身一個人、身無分文，并對兩個為自己感到難過的好心人撒謊，他怎么能做如此無情的事呢？
He turned and walked slowly back to the farm.
他轉過身，慢慢地向農場走回去。
