他對(duì)待我,似乎正如我對(duì)待他一樣,十分自然,毫無(wú)拘束。我們吸過(guò)煙后,他把他的額頭貼著我的額頭,攔腰把我抱住,還說(shuō)如今我們已經(jīng)成親了;那意思,按照他家鄉(xiāng)的說(shuō)法,就是我們?nèi)缃癯蔀橹呐笥蚜?如果必要的話,他樂(lè)意為我而死。在一個(gè)鄉(xiāng)下人看來(lái),這種一見(jiàn)如故的友情之火,似乎是太不成熟,是一樁極不可靠的事;但是,在這個(gè)質(zhì)樸的野人的眼中,那些陳年老套已是用不上了。
After supper, and another social chat and smoke, we went to our room together. He made mea present of his embalmed head; took out his enormous tobacco wallet, and groping underthe tobacco, drew out some thirty dollars in silver; then spreading them on the table, andmechanically dividing them into two equal portions, pushed one of them towards me, and saidit was mine. I was going to remonstrate; but he silenced me by pouring them into my trowsers'pockets. I let them stay. He then went about his evening prayers, took out his idol, andremoved the paper firebrand. By certain signs and symptoms, I thought he seemed anxious forme to join him; but well knowing what was to follow, I deliberated a moment whether, in casehe invited me, I would comply or otherwise.
吃過(guò)晚飯,我們又親密地談一陣心,抽一會(huì)煙,便一起回到我們的房里去。他把他那只香料制的人頭送給了我;又掏出那只大煙袋,在煙葉下面摸了一會(huì),摸出三十來(lái)個(gè)銀幣;他把銀幣攤在桌上,笨拙地把它們分成相等的兩份,推一份到我面前,說(shuō)這是我的。我正想推卻,他已經(jīng)把它們都倒在我的褲袋里,教我無(wú)法開(kāi)口了。我讓它們放在袋里。接著他就去做他的晚禱,他拿出他那只偶像,移開(kāi)那塊紙糊的隔火板。從他那些手勢(shì)與跡象看來(lái),我認(rèn)為他似乎很想要我跟他一起去做晚禱;但是,去湊合他會(huì)有什么結(jié)果,我是很明白的,我考慮了一會(huì),心想萬(wàn)一他邀我去湊合他時(shí),究竟是答應(yīng)呢還是不答應(yīng)。
I was a good Christian; born and bred in the bosom of the infallible Presbyterian Church. Howthen could I unite with this wild idolator in worshipping his piece of wood? But what isworship? thought I.
我是個(gè)在正正派派的長(zhǎng)老教派中生長(zhǎng)起來(lái)的正正當(dāng)當(dāng)?shù)幕酵健N以跄芨@個(gè)野蠻的偶像崇拜者去一起膜拜他那塊木頭呢?但是,崇拜是什么?我心里想。以實(shí)瑪利呀,現(xiàn)在你是不是以為那個(gè)氣量宏大的。執(zhí)掌天地...異教徒等等都包括在內(nèi)...之神會(huì)對(duì)這塊微不足道的黑木頭發(fā)生妒忌么?不會(huì)的!但是,崇拜是什么?