雙語·《刀鋒》 第七章 一

CHAPTER SEVEN 1
第七章 一

One morning, six months later, in April, I was busy writing in my study on the roof of my house at Cap Ferrat when a servant came up to say that the police of St. Jean（my neighbouring village）were below and wished to see me.I was vexed at being interrupted and could not imagine what they wanted.My conscience was at ease and I had already given my subscription to the Benevolent Fund.In return I had received a card, which I kept in my car so that if I was stopped for exceeding the speed limit or found parked on the wrong side of a street I could unostentatiously let it be seen while producing my driving licence and so escape with an indulgent caution.I thought it more likely then that one of my servants had been the victim of an anonymous denunciation, that being one of the amenities of French life, because her papers were not in order；but being on good terms with the local cops, whom I never allowed to leave my house without a glass of wine to speed them on their way, I anticipated no great difficulty.But they, for they worked in pairs, had come on a very different errand.
半年后，那是一個四月的早晨，我在費拉角自家房屋頂層的書房里正忙著寫東西，仆人進(jìn)來說隔壁圣讓村的村警在樓下要見我。受到外來的干擾，我心里沒好氣，吃不透他們找我有什么事。我又沒做什么虧心事，而且還慷慨解囊，交了慈善基金。作為回報，他們給了我一張卡片，時時放在汽車上，萬一因超速行駛或者違規(guī)停車被警察抓住，我便可以在出示駕駛執(zhí)照時，把這張卡片也拿出來，警察就會叮嚀我下次小心，對我免于處罰。我心想可能是我的哪個用人遭到了匿名舉報（這在法國是很正常的），說她的身份證件有問題。平時，我和當(dāng)?shù)氐木煜嗵幍貌诲e，他們每次登門，都要請他們先喝上一杯才放他們走，所以覺得不會有什么大不了的事情。不過，一次來兩個警察，情況就大不相同了。

After we had shaken hands and inquired after our respective healths, the senior of the two-he was called a brigadier and had one of the most imposing moustaches I ever saw-fished a notebook out of his pocket. He turned over the pages with a dirty thumb.
我和他們握了手，彼此問好。然后，年長的一個從口袋里掏出個本子，用臟兮兮拇指翻著——此人綽號叫“將軍”，蓄著威風(fēng)凜凜的大胡子（這樣的胡子我以前從未見過）。

“Does the name Sophie Macdonald say something to you?”he asked.
“索菲·麥克唐納這個名字你聽說過嗎？”他啟口問道。

“I know a person of that name，”I replied cautiously.
“我認(rèn)識的人有叫這個名字的?！蔽倚⌒牡鼗卮稹?/p>

“We have just been in telephonic communication with the police station at Toulon and the chief inspector requests you to betake yourself there（vous prie de vous y rendre）without delay.”
“我們剛和土倫的警察局通電話，那邊的警察總長要你去一趟（Vous prie de vous y rendre），立刻就去?！?/p>

“For what reason?”I asked.“I am only slightly acquainted with Mrs. Macdonald.”
“為什么？”我問，“我和麥克唐納太太并不太熟?！?/p>

I jumped to the conclusion that she had got into trouble, probably connected with opium, but I didn't see why I should be mixed up in it.
我立刻想到索菲一定出事了，很可能和鴉片有關(guān)系，但弄不懂為什么會把我牽連進(jìn)來。

“That is not my affair. There is no doubt that you have had dealings with this woman.It appears that she has been missing from her lodgings for five days and a body has been fished out of the harbour which the police have reason to believe is hers.They want you to identify it.”
“這個不歸我管。毫無疑問，你和這個女人是有過交往的。她好像五天沒有回家，后來港口從海里撈出一具女尸，警方覺得可能是她，要你去認(rèn)一下?！?/p>

A cold shiver passed through me. I was not, however, too much surprised.It was likely enough that the life she led would incline her in a moment of depression to put an end to herself.
一股寒意傳遍了我的全身。不過，這樣的結(jié)局也是意料之中。她過著今日有酒今日醉的生活，早晚會走投無路，結(jié)束自己的生命。

“But surely she can be identified by her clothes and her papers.”
“她穿著衣服，身上帶著證件，憑這些是可以辨認(rèn)出來的呀?！?/p>

“She was found stark naked with her throat cut.”
“她一絲不掛，喉嚨被人割斷了?！?/p>

“Good God！”I was horrified. I reflected for an instant.For all I knew the police could force me to go and I thought I had better submit with good grace.“Very well.I will take the first train I can.”
“我的老天！”我嚇得失聲叫道。我略加思索，覺得識時務(wù)者為俊杰，警方反正是可以強(qiáng)迫我去的，倒不如順從的好?！昂冒桑荫R上搭乘火車去?！?/p>

I looked up a timetable and found that I could catch one that would get me to Toulon between five and six. The brigadier said he would phone the chief inspector to that effect and asked me on my arrival to go straight to the police station.I did no more work that morning.I packed a few necessary things in a suitcase and after luncheon drove to the station.
我看了看火車時刻表，發(fā)現(xiàn)可以搭乘五點至六點之間的一趟車到土倫去?！皩④姟闭f他將通知土倫的警察總長，讓我一到土倫就直接去警察局。那天上午，我沒有再寫稿子，把一些必需品塞進(jìn)行李箱，吃過午飯便開車去了火車站。