双面人心(外研社双语读库)(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)


发布时间:2020-11-25 07:41:49

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作者:[美] 杰克·伦敦(Jack London)

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双面人心(外研社双语读库)

双面人心(外研社双语读库)试读:

When the World was Young当世界还年轻的时候I 第一节

He was a very quiet, self-possessed sort of man, sitting a moment on top of the wall to sound the damp darkness for warnings of the dangers it might conceal. But the plummet of his hearing brought nothing to him save the moaning of wind through invisible trees and the rustling of leaves on swaying branches. A heavy fog drifted and drove before the wind, and though he could not see this fog, the wet of it blew upon his face, and the wall on which he sat was wet.

他是那种很安静很镇定的人,在墙头上坐一会儿,聆听潮湿夜色中潜藏的危险的征兆。但他的听力陡然下降,他几乎什么都听不到,只听见风吹过看不见的树木发出的萧萧声和树枝晃动时叶子发出的沙沙声。被风驱赶着的浓雾弥漫开来,他虽然看不到这雾,但它的湿气吹到了他的脸上,而且他坐着的墙头也是湿的。

Without noise he had climbed to the top of the wall from the outside, and without noise he dropped to the ground on the inside. From his pocket he drew an electric night-stick, but he did not use it. Dark as the way was, he was not anxious for light. Carrying the night-stick in his hand, his finger on the button, he advanced through the darkness.

他悄无声息地从外侧爬上墙头,然后又跳到内侧的地上,仍旧没弄出一点声响。他从兜里摸出一根手电筒,却并没有用它。路很黑,但他并不急于照亮它。他手里握着手电筒,手指放在按钮上,在黑暗中前进。

The ground was velvety and springy to his feet, being carpeted with dead pine-needles and leaves and mold which evidently had been undisturbed for years. Leaves and branches brushed against his body, but so dark was it that he could not avoid them. Soon he walked with his hand stretched out gropingly before him, and more than once the hand fetched up against the solid trunks of massive trees. All about him he knew were these trees; he sensed the loom of them everywhere; and he experienced a strange feeling of microscopic smallness in the midst of great bulks leaning toward him to crush him. Beyond, he knew, was the house, and he expected to find some trail or winding path that would lead easily to it.

地上软绵绵的,踩上去很有弹性,到处都是枯萎的松针、树叶和菌类,很明显已经多年没有人和动物来过了。叶子和树枝擦过他的身体,可是因为天太黑了,所以他也躲不开它们。不久,他便把手伸在前面摸索着走,接着,他那伸出的手不止一次地碰到大树坚固的树干。他知道自己身边全是这种树,也感觉到它们在各个角落若隐若现,而且他有一种奇怪的感觉,自己似乎很渺小,周围巨大的树木都在向他倾斜,像是要压扁他。他知道远处就是那座房子,他希望能找到一条轻松通向它的小径或是蜿蜒小路。

Once, he found himself trapped. On every side he groped against trees and branches, or blundered into thickets of underbrush, until there seemed no way out. Then he turned on his light, circumspectly, directing its rays to the ground at his feet. Slowly and carefully he moved it about him, the white brightness showing in sharp detail all the obstacles to his progress. He saw, an opening between huge-trunked trees, and advanced through it, putting out the light and treading on dry footing as yet protected from the drip of the fog by the dense foliage overhead. His sense of direction was good, and he knew he was going toward the house.

有一次,他发现自己被困住了。无论他往哪个方向走,要么是摸到树枝和树干,要么就撞上灌木矮丛,直到似乎无路可循。接着他打开灯,谨慎地照亮脚下的地面。他缓慢地、小心地移动着手电,照亮自己的周围,这束白光照亮了他前进路上所有的障碍,分毫毕现。他看见巨大的树干中有个洞,然后就穿了过去,然后关上手电筒,踩在干干的路面上。由于那路面上方全是浓密的树叶,因而没有被雾水打湿,表面是干的。他的方向感很强,他知道自己正朝房子的方向走去。

And then the thing happened—the thing unthinkable and unexpected. His descending foot came down upon something that was soft and alive, and that arose with a snort under the weight of his body. He sprang clear, and crouched for another spring, anywhere, tense and expectant, keyed for the onslaught of the unknown. He waited a moment, wondering what manner of animal it was that had arisen from under his foot and that now made no sound nor movement and that must be crouching and waiting just as tensely and expectantly as he. The strain became unbearable. Holding the night-stick before him, he pressed the button, saw, and screamed aloud in terror. He was prepared for anything, from a frightened calf or fawn to a belligerent lion, but he was not prepared for what he saw. In that instant his tiny searchlight, sharp and white, had shown him what a thousand years would not enable him to forget—a man, huge and blond, yellow-haired and yellow-bearded, naked except for soft-tanned moccasins and what seemed a goat-skin about his middle. Arms and legs were bare, as were his shoulders and most of his chest. The skin was smooth and hairless, but browned by sun and wind, while under it heavy muscles were knotted like fat snakes. Still, this alone, unexpected as it well was, was not what had made the man scream out. What had caused his terror was the unspeakable ferocity of the face, the wild-animal glare of the blue eyes scarcely dazzled by the light, the pine-needles matted and clinging in the beard and hair, and the whole formidable body crouched and in the act of springing at him. Practically in the instant he saw all this, and while his scream still rang, the thing leaped, he flung his night-stick full at it, and threw himself to the ground. He felt its feet and shins strike against his ribs, and he bounded up and away while the thing itself hurled onward in a heavy crashing fall into the underbrush.

接着就发生了那件事——出人意料、不敢想象。正下落的脚踩在一个软软的活物上,在他的重压下那东西哼了一声。他跳到了别处,蹲在一边准备再跳到别的地方,紧张地等待着不明物的袭击。他等了一会儿,琢磨着是什么动物从他的脚下爬起来,现在却悄无声息,没有一点动静了。它肯定也正蹲在那里等着,和他一样紧张而又期待。这种紧张的气氛变得令人难以忍受。他把手电筒举在身前,按了下按钮,看了过去,接着就恐惧地大声尖叫起来。他做好心理准备去面对各种动物,从受惊的小牛、小鹿到凶猛的狮子,可是对自己看到的这个东西一点心理准备都没有。在那一瞬间,他那小小的探照光,强烈而明亮,向他展示了一个他一千年都不会忘记的——人,巨大的体型,白皙的皮肤,黄色的头发,黄色的胡子,光着身子,只穿一双软面棕色鹿皮鞋,还有一件山羊皮似的东西挂在他的腰部。他的胳膊和腿是光着的,肩膀和大部分胸膛也是。他的皮肤光滑无毛,但因为风吹日晒而呈棕色,皮肤下面是打结的健壮的肌肉,就如同一条条肥蛇。只有这些,虽然出乎意料,但不足以让那个男人尖叫。让他害怕的是它脸上露出不可名状的凶残,蓝眼睛里闪着野兽般的光芒,在灯光的照射下并不显得晕眩,胡子和头发上缠粘着松树针,巨大的身体蹲在那里,正准备跳向他。实际上,在他看见这一切,还在尖叫的那一瞬,那东西就跳了过来,他把手电筒朝它砸了过去,自己则跌倒在地上。他感觉那个东西的双脚和胫骨撞到了他的肋骨,接着他跳起来然后又躲到一边去,而那时那东西猛地跳起又重重掉进矮树丛里。

As the noise of the fall ceased, the man stopped and on hands and knees waited. He could hear the thing moving about, searching for him, and he was afraid to advertise his location by attempting further flight. He knew that inevitably he would crackle the underbrush and be pursued. Once he drew out his revolver, then changed his mind. He had recovered his composure and hoped to get away without noise. Several times he heard the thing beating up the thickets for him, and there were moments when it, too, remained still and listened. This gave an idea to the man. One of his hands was resting on a chunk of dead wood. Carefully, first feeling about him in the darkness to know that the full swing of his arm was clear, he raised the chunk of wood and threw it. It was not a large piece, and it went far, landing noisily in a bush. He heard the thing bound into the bush, and at the same time himself crawled steadily away. And on hands and knees, slowly and cautiously, he crawled on, till his knees were wet on the soggy mold, When he listened he heard naught but the moaning wind and the drip-drip of the fog from the branches. Never abating his caution, he stood erect and went on to the stone wall, over which he climbed and dropped down to the road outside.

跌落的响声消失后,那男人停下来,伏在地上等着。他能听到那东西走来走去地搜寻他,便不敢乱动害怕暴露自己的位置。他知道他自己不免会压着那灌木丛,然后又被它追逐。他曾掏出左轮手枪,不过又改变了主意。他镇定了下来,希望能够悄无声息地逃脱。有几次他听到那东西拍打着灌木丛找他,有时候它也会停下来听听动静。这让他想到了一个主意。他的一只手正放在一块死木头上。他先仔细地在黑暗中摸索确认有抡动胳膊的空间,接着就举起木头扔了出去。木头并不大,所以滚得很远,落进灌木丛时还发出很大的声响。他听到那东西跳进灌木丛,与此同时,就稳稳地爬走了。他手脚并用地小心翼翼地慢慢向前爬行,直到膝盖被湿透的菌类弄湿。当他想听听动静的时候,只能听得到风的呜咽声和雾水从树枝滴落的声音。他一点也没有放松警惕,笔直地站着,然后朝石墙走去,从墙上翻了过去,然后落在外侧的公路上。

Feeling his way in a clump of bushes, he drew out a bicycle and prepared to mount. He was in the act of driving the gear around with his foot for the purpose of getting the opposite pedal in position, when he heard the thud of a heavy body that landed lightly and evidently on its feet. He did not wait for more, but ran, with hands on the handles of his bicycle, until he was able to vault astride the saddle, catch the pedals, and start a spurt. Behind he could hear the quick thud-thud of feet on the dust of the road, but he drew away from it and lost it. Unfortunately, he had started away from the direction of town and was heading higher up into the hills. He knew that on this particular road there were no cross roads. The only way back was past that terror, and he could not steel himself to face it. At the end of half an hour, finding himself on an ever increasing grade, he dismounted. For still greater safety, leaving the wheel by the roadside, he climbed through a fence into what he decided was a hillside pasture, spread a newspaper on the ground, and sat down.

他在一片灌木丛里摸来摸去,拽出一辆自行车,准备骑上去。正当他用脚转动齿轮,想把另一个脚蹬调整到合适的位置时,他听到砰的一声,很明显是一个笨重的身体轻盈落地的声音。他等都没等,立刻跑了起来,双手抓住车把,直到他能够跨上车座,踩住脚蹬,开始冲刺。他能够听到身后土路上咚咚咚快速的脚步声,可他躲开并甩掉了它。不幸的是,他开始朝着远离城镇的方向骑去,还冲着地势更高的山区骑去。他知道,在这条路上没什么交叉路。唯一能够回去的路径必须要经过那个可怕的怪物,可他没有决心去面对它。半小时后,他发现自己正在一条越来越陡的斜坡上,于是就下车了。为了更安全,他把车丢在路边,爬过篱笆来到一个他以为是沿山牧场的地方,然后把一张报纸铺在地上,坐了下来。

"Gosh!" he said aloud, mopping the sweat and fog from his face.“天啊!”他大叫了一声,抹着脸上的汗水和雾水。

And "Gosh!" he said once again, while rolling a cigarette and as he pondered the problem of getting back.“天啊!”他又说了一遍,一边卷了支烟,一边思考着怎么回去。

But he made no attempt to go back. He was resolved not to face that road in the dark, and with head bowed on knees, he dozed, waiting for daylight.

可他没打算往回走。他下定决心不在黑暗中走那段路,他蜷起腿把头靠在膝盖上打盹,等着天亮。

How long afterward he did not know, he was awakened by the yapping bark of a young coyote. As he looked about and located it on the brow of the hill behind him, he noted the change that had come over the face of the night. The fog was gone; the stars and moon were out; even the wind had died down. It had transformed into a balmy California summer night. He tried to doze again, but the yap of the coyote disturbed him. Half asleep, he heard a wild and eery chant. Looking about him, he noticed that the coyote had ceased its noise and was running away along the crest of the hill, and behind it, in full pursuit, no longer chanting, ran the naked creature he had encountered in the garden. It was a young coyote, and it was being overtaken when the chase passed from view. The man trembled as with a chill as he started to his feet, clambered over the fence, and mounted his wheel. But it was his chance and he knew it. The terror was no longer between him and Mill Valley.

不知道过了多久,他被一只小郊狼汪汪的叫声吵醒了。他向四周望了望,在身后的山崖上发现了那只郊狼,他还注意到了夜色的变化。雾散了,月亮和星星都出来了,连风也漫漫停了。加利福尼亚的这个夏夜变得格外宜人。他试着继续打个盹,可郊狼的叫声干扰着他。在他半睡半醒的时候,他听到了狂野又恐怖的唱歌声。他环顾四周,发现郊狼已经不叫了,那会儿正沿着山脊逃跑,在它后面,是他在花园里碰到的那个赤裸的动物,它已经不唱歌了,正全力追赶着那只郊狼。那是只小郊狼,当它就要被追上的时候,他们从他的视野中消失了。那男人如受寒一样发着抖,他开始跑起来,接着从篱笆上爬过去,骑上了他的车子。他知道这是他的机会。那个吓人的怪物不再夹在他和米尔山谷之间了。

He sped at a breakneck rate down the hill, but in the turn at the bottom, in the deep shadows, he encountered a chuck-hole and pitched headlong over the handle bar.

他飞快地骑车下山,可就在山底拐弯处浓密的树荫下,他遇到一处坑洼,并头向前从车把上方摔了出去。

"It's sure not my night," he muttered, as he examined the broken fork of the machine.“我今晚运气真不好。”他咕哝着,一边检查车子上摔坏的前叉。

Shouldering the useless wheel, he trudged on. In time he came to the stone wall, and, half disbelieving his experience, he sought in the road for tracks, and found them—moccasin tracks, large ones, deep-bitten into the dust at the toes. It was while bending over them, examining, that again he heard the eery chant. He had seen the thing pursue the coyote, and he knew he had no chance on a straight run. He did not attempt it, contenting himself with hiding in the shadows on the off side of the road.

他扛着坏了的车子,艰难地往前走。最后,他来到了石墙边,对自己的遭遇半信半疑,于是在路上寻找痕迹,然后就找到了它们——鹿皮鞋印,非常大,脚趾处的泥土是深陷的。就在他弯腰去观察鞋印的时候,他又听到那可怕的唱歌声。他看过那东西追逐郊狼的场面,知道自己直接跑是逃不掉的。他根本没有试图逃跑,只是躲在公路外侧的阴暗处。

And again he saw the thing that was like a naked man, running swiftly and lightly and singing as it ran. Opposite him it paused, and his heart stood still. But instead of coming toward his hiding-place, it leaped into the air, caught the branch of a roadside tree, and swung swiftly upward, from limb to limb, like an ape. It swung across the wall, and a dozen feet above the top, into the branches of another tree, and dropped out of sight to the ground. The man waited a few wondering minutes, then started on.

接着,他又看到那个像裸体男人一样的东西,轻盈快速地跑着,边跑边唱着歌。然后,它在他的对面停了下来,他的心跳都停止了。可是它没有朝他的藏身处走去,而是跳到空中,抓住路边树上的树枝,像只猩猩一样从一根树枝快速地向上摆动到另一根树枝。它摇摆着跃过那座石墙,比墙顶还高了十二英尺,抓到另一棵树的树枝上,然后跳到地上,不见了。那男人疑惑地等了几分钟,然后动身离开了。II 第二节

Dave Slotter leaned belligerently against the desk that barred the way to the private office of James Ward, senior partner of the firm of Ward, Knowles & Co.. Dave was angry. Every one in the outer office had looked him over suspiciously, and the man who faced him was excessively suspicious.

戴夫·斯洛特挑衅地靠在阻拦他去詹姆斯·沃德先生私人办公室的桌子上。詹姆斯·沃德是沃德诺尔斯公司的高级合伙人之类的。戴夫生气了。外面办公室的每个人都怀疑地打量着他,正对着他的那个人更是一副怀疑的表情。

"You just tell Mr. Ward it's important," he urged.“你就告诉沃德先生这件事很重要。”他敦促道。

"I tell you he is dictating and cannot be disturbed," was the answer. "Come to-morrow.”“我告诉你他正在作指示,不能被打扰,”只有这样的答复,“明天再来吧。”

"To-morrow will be too late. You just trot along and tell Mr.Ward it's a matter of life and death.”“明天就太晚了。你就快点去告诉沃德先生这是生死攸关的事。”

The secretary hesitated and Dave seized the advantage.

秘书犹豫起来,戴夫抓住这个有利条件。

"You just tell him I was across the bay in Mill Valley last night, and that I want to put him wise to something."“你只要告诉他我昨晚穿过了米尔山谷的凹地,现在有点事想告诉他。”

"What name?" was the query.“名字?”对方问道。

"Never mind the name. He don't know me.”“名字并不重要。他不认识我。”

When Dave was shown into the private office, he was still in the belligerent frame of mind, but when he saw a large fair man whirl in a revolving chair from dictating to a stenographer to face him, Dave's demeanor abruptly changed. He did not know why it changed, and he was secretly angry with himself.

当戴夫被引进私人办公室的时候,他的精神还处于战斗状态;可当他看到一个高大的白人坐在转椅上,从向速记员作口述转向他的时候,他的态度突然变了。他不知道自己为什么会变,还暗暗地生自己的生气。

"You are Mr. Ward?"Dave asked with a fatuousness that still further irritated him. He had never intended it at all.“您是沃德先生?”戴夫的问话带着一丝愚蠢,这让他自己更生气了。他从没打算过要这么做。

"Yes," came the answer.“是的。”这是回答。

"And who are you?"“那你是?”

"Harry Bancroft," Dave lied. "You don't know me, and my name don't matter.”“哈里·班克罗夫特,”戴夫撒了个谎,“您不认识我,我的名字也不重要。”

"You sent in word that you were in Mill Valley last night?"“你捎话说你昨晚在米尔山谷?”

"You live there, don't you?”Dave countered, looking suspiciously at the stenographer.“您住在那儿,对吗?”戴夫反问道,怀疑地望着记录员。

"Yes. What do you mean to see me about? I am very busy."“是的。你要见我是有何指教?我很忙的。”

"I'd like to see you alone, sir.”“我想单独和您谈谈,先生。”

Mr. Ward gave him a quick, penetrating look, hesitated, then made up his mind.

沃德先生快速而锐利地看了他一眼,犹豫了一下,然后做了决定。

"That will do for a few minutes, Miss Potter."“几分钟就好,波特小姐。”

The girl arose, gathered her notes together, and passed out. Dave looked at Mr. James Ward wonderingly, until that gentleman broke his train of inchoate thought.

那女孩站起身,收拾好她的笔记,出去了。戴夫怪异地望着詹姆斯·沃德先生,直到那位绅士打断了他刚开始的思绪。

"Well?"“怎么回事?”

"I was over in Mill Valley last night," Dave began confusedly.“我昨晚穿过米尔山谷。”戴夫困惑地开始讲述。

"I've heard that before. What do you want?”“我已经听过这句了。你想干什么?”

And Dave proceeded in the face of a growing conviction that was unbelievable. "I was at your house, or in the grounds, I mean."

戴夫走上前,脸上的表情越来越坚定,让人难以置信。“我就在你家附近,我是说,或者说在你家的院子里。”

"What were you doing there?"“你在那儿干什么?”

"I came to break in," Dave answered in all frankness.“我本打算闯进去。”戴夫十分坦率地说。

"I heard you lived all alone with a Chinaman for cook, and it looked good to me. Only I didn't break in. Something happened that prevented. That's why I'm here. I come to warn you. I found a wild man loose in your grounds—a regular devil. He could pull a guy like me to pieces. He gave me the run of my life. He don't wear any clothes to speak of, he climbs trees like a monkey, and he runs like a deer. I saw him chasing a coyote, and the last I saw of it, by God, he was gaining on it.”“我听说您一直独居,家里只有一个中国厨师,这对我来说很有利。可是我没闯进去。发生了点事阻止我没能进去。这就是我来这儿的原因。我是来提醒您的。我看见一个野人在您家院子随意出入——一个十足的魔鬼。他能把像我这样的人撕成碎片。他逼得我拼命地跑。值得一提的是,他没穿衣服,爬起树来就像只猴子,跑起来像只鹿。我还看见他在追赶一只郊狼,我最后一次看见他的时候,上帝啊,他就快追赶上那只郊狼了。”

Dave paused and looked for the effect that would follow his words. But no effect came. James Ward was quietly curious, and that was all.

戴夫停了一下,想看看他的话会产生什么效果。可什么效果都没有。詹姆斯·沃德安静而好奇地听着,仅此而已。

"Very remarkable, very remarkable," he murmured. "A wild man, you say. Why have you come to tell me?"“很特别,很特别。”他嘟囔着。“野人,你是这么说的吧。那你为什么跑来告诉我?”

"To warn you of your danger. I'm something of a hard proposition myself, but I don't believe in killing people …that is, unnecessarily. I realized that you was in danger. I thought I'd warn you. Honest, that's the game. Of course, if you wanted to give me anything for my trouble, I'd take it. That was in my mind, too. But I don't care whether you give me anything or not. I've warned you anyway, and done my duty.”Mr. Ward meditated and drummed on the surface of his desk. Dave noticed they were large, powerful hands, withal well-cared for despite their dark sunburn. Also, he noted what had already caught his eye before—a tiny strip of flesh-colored courtplaster on the forehead over one eye. And still the thought that forced itself into his mind was unbelievable.“提醒您要小心。我自认自己并不那么好对付,可我不主张杀人……那是没有必要的。我觉得您处在危险之中。我认为自己应该提醒你。说实在的,那是赌博。当然,如果你想为我的麻烦补偿点什么,我也接受。我也这么想过。可是我不介意你是否送我东西。不管怎么样,我都会来提醒你的,完成我的义务。”沃德先生思考着,用手敲着桌面。戴夫注意到他的手很大,很有力,虽然晒黑了点可保养得很好。他又注意到刚才就吸引他眼球的东西——一只眼睛上方的额头上贴着一小条肉色的薄橡皮膏。强行进入他大脑中的想法仍然令人觉得不可思议。

Mr. Ward took a wallet from his inside coat pocket, drew out a greenback, and passed it to Dave, who noted as he pocketed it that it was for twenty dollars.

沃德先生从衣服里面的口袋里掏出钱包,抽出一张美元,递给了戴夫。戴夫把钱装进兜里时注意到那是20美元。

"Thank you," said Mr. Ward, indicating that the interview was at an end.“谢谢。”沃德先生说,暗示谈话已经结束了。

"I shall have the matter investigated. A wild man running loose IS dangerous."“我会派人调查这事的。一个野人到处跑动确实很危险。”

But so quiet a man was Mr. Ward, that Dave's courage returned. Besides, a new theory had suggested itself. The wild man was evidently Mr. Ward's brother, a lunatic privately confined. Dave had heard of such things. Perhaps Mr. Ward wanted it kept quiet. That was why he had given him the twenty dollars.

可是沃德先生太安静了,以至于戴夫又恢复了勇气。还有就是,一个新的推测浮现在脑海里。那个野人显然是沃德先生的兄弟,一个被秘密看管的疯子。戴夫听说过类似的事情。或许沃德先生想息事宁人。这就是他为什么给了他20美元。

"Say," Dave began, "now I come to think of it that wild man looked a lot like you—”“喂,”戴夫开始了,“我现在开始觉得那个野人长得很像你——”

That was as far as Dave got, for at that moment he witnessed a transformation and found himself gazing into the same unspeakably ferocious blue eyes of the night before, at the same clutching talon-like hands, and at the same formidable bulk in the act of springing upon him. But this time Dave had no night-stick to throw, and he was caught by the biceps of both arms in a grip so terrific that it made him groan with pain. He saw the large white teeth exposed, for all the world as a dog's about to bite. Mr. Ward's beard brushed his face as the teeth went in for the grip on his throat. But the bite was not given. Instead, Dave felt the other's body stiffen as with an iron restraint, and then he was flung aside, without effort but with such force that only the wall stopped his momentum and dropped him gasping to the floor.

戴夫就说了这么多,因为在那一瞬间,他目睹了一个转变,他发现自己又看到了和前晚一样的那双无法形容的凶残的蓝眼睛,又看到那双紧握着的爪子似的手,和那个正要跳到他身上的强大身躯。可这次戴夫没有手电筒可以扔,他被两只胳膊紧紧地握住,力量之大使得他痛苦地呻吟起来。他看到对方露出大大的白牙,完全就像一条要撕咬的狗。沃德先生准备咬他的喉咙时,他的胡须擦着戴夫的脸。可是他没咬。相反,戴夫感到对方的身体僵硬得像用钢铁撑住一般,接着他被毫不费力地摔在一边,对方用力非常大,只有墙壁才能够阻挡戴夫的冲力,接着戴夫掉在了地上,大口喘息着。

"What do you mean by coming here and trying to blackmail me?"Mr. Ward was snarling at him. "Here, give me back that money."“你来这儿敲诈我,是什么意思?”沃德先生冲着他咆哮,“来,把钱还给我。”

Dave passed the bill back without a word.

戴夫一言不发地把钱给了他。

"I thought you came here with good intentions. I know you now. Let me see and hear no more of you, or I'll put you in prison where you belong. Do you understand?”“我以为你来这儿是出于好意。现在我看清你了。什么都别说了,也别再让我看见你,否则我会把你扔进监狱。明白了吗?”

"Yes, sir," Dave gasped.“明白了,先生。”戴夫喘着气。

"Then go."“出去。”

And Dave went, without further word, both his biceps aching intolerably from the bruise of that tremendous grip. As his hand rested on the door knob, he was stopped.

戴夫什么话也没说就出来了,双臂因为那用力的一抓,起了淤青、疼痛难忍。当他把手放在门把手上时,他被拦住了。

"You were lucky," Mr. Ward was saying, and Dave noted that his face and eyes were cruel and gloating and proud.“你很幸运。”沃德先生说道,戴夫注意到他的脸和眼睛一副残忍、满足、骄傲的神情。

"You were lucky. Had I wanted, I could have torn your muscles out of your arms and thrown them in the waste basket there."“你很幸运。如果我想,我早就把你的肌肉从胳膊里拉出来,扔进那儿的垃圾桶里了。”

"Yes, sir," said Dave; and absolute conviction vibrated in his voice.“是的,先生。”戴夫用坚信不疑的声音回答道。

He opened the door and passed out. The secretary looked at him interrogatively.

他打开门出去了。秘书疑惑地望着他。

"Gosh!" was all Dave vouchsafed, and with this utterance passed out of the offices and the story.“天啊!”戴夫只说了这一句,说完就离开办公室,从这个故事里消失了。III 第三节

James G. Ward was forty years of age, a successful business man, and very unhappy. For forty years he had vainly tried to solve a problem that was really himself and that with increasing years became more and more a woeful affliction. In himself he was two men, and, chronologically speaking, these men were several thousand years or so apart. He had studied the question of dual personality probably more profoundly than any half dozen of the leading specialists in that intricate and mysterious psychological field. In himself he was a different case from any that had been recorded. Even the most fanciful flights of the fiction-writers had not quite hit upon him. He was not a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, nor was he like the unfortunate young man in Kipling's "Greatest Story in the World."His two personalities were so mixed that they were practically aware of themselves and of each other all the time.

四十岁的詹姆斯·G. 沃德是一位成功的商人,却过得非常不快乐。四十年来,他一直试图解决一个问题,那就是他自己,但却是徒劳;随着时间的增长,这个问题越来越痛苦地折磨着他。他有双重人格,而且按年代来说,这两个人大约相距几千年之久。对于双重人格这个问题,他曾很深入地研究过;在这个复杂而神秘的心理学领域,他的研究比六位领先专家中任何一位都要深入得多。他本身就与以往记录的任何案例都不同。即使是最有想象力的科幻作家也没能想出他这样的人。他不是双面怪人,也与基普林《世上最伟大的故事》中那个不幸的年轻人不一样。他的两种人格紧密地交织在一起,实际上双方一直都知道自己和对方的存在。

His other self he had located as a savage and a barbarian living under the primitive conditions of several thousand years before. But which self was he, and which was the other, he could never tell. For he was both selves, and both selves all the time. Very rarely indeed did it happen that one self did not know what the other was doing. Another thing was that he had no visions nor memories of the past in which that early self had lived. That early self lived in the present; but while it lived in the present, it was under the compulsion to live the way of life that must have been in that distant past.

他把他的另一个自我界定为生活在几千年前原始状态中的野人。可是他永远分辨不清哪个是他自己,哪个是对方。因为两个都是他,而且一直都是。实际上,一个自我很少会不知道另一个在做什么。另外,对于远古的那个自我生活过的往昔,他既没有想象过也没有任何记忆。那个远古的自我生活在现代,可虽然生活在现代,它却被迫过着属于遥远过去的那种生活。

In his childhood he had been a problem to his father and mother, and to the family doctors, though never had they come within a thousand miles of hitting upon the clue to his erratic conduct. Thus, they could not understand his excessive somnolence in the forenoon, nor his excessive activity at night. When they found him wandering along the hallways at night, or climbing over giddy roofs, or running in

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