SHORTLY after finding his wife in flagrante delicto Fyodor Fyodorovitch Sigaev was standing in Schmuck and Co.‘s, the gunsmiths, selecting a suitable revolver. —-
费奥多尔·费奥多罗维奇·希加耶夫在发现妻子正在flagrante delicto之后不久，站在枪械店Schmuck and Co.的门口挑选一支合适的左轮手枪。 —-

His countenance expressed wrath, grief, and unalterable determination.
他的脸色表达出愤怒、悲痛和不可动摇的决心。

“I know what I must do,” he was thinking. —-
“我知道我必须做什么，”他心里想着。 —-

“The sanctities of the home are outraged, honour is trampled in the mud, vice is triumphant, and therefore as a citizen and a man of honour I must be their avenger. —-
“家庭的尊严受到了侵犯，荣誉在泥泞中被践踏，罪恶得到了胜利，所以作为一个公民和一个有名誉的人，我必须成为他们的复仇者。 —-

First, I will kill her and her lover and then myself.”
首先，我将杀死她和她的情人，然后自尽。”

He had not yet chosen a revolver or killed anyone, but already in imagination he saw three bloodstained corpses, broken skulls, brains oozing from them, the commotion, the crowd of gaping spectators, the post-mortem. —-
他还没有选择好手枪或杀死任何人，但在想象中他已经看到了三具染血的尸体，碎裂的头骨，从中渗出的大脑，喧闹的场面，一群张大嘴巴的目击者，尸检。 —-

. . . With the malignant joy of an insulted man he pictured the horror of the relations and the public, the agony of the traitress, and was mentally reading leading articles on the destruction of the traditions of the home.
具有受辱者的恶意快感，他想象着亲属和公众的恐怖，叛国者的痛苦，并在心里阅读有关家庭传统破坏的社论。

The shopman, a sprightly little Frenchified figure with rounded belly and white waistcoat, displayed the revolvers, and smiling respectfully and scraping with his little feet observed:
销售员是一个活泼的、法国化的小人物，圆满的肚子和白色背心，他展示了手枪，恭敬地笑着，用小脚剃刮地观察着说：

“. . . I would advise you, M’sieur, to take this superb revolver, the Smith and Wesson pattern, the last word in the science of firearms: —-
“…我建议您，先生，选择这个绝妙的手枪，史密斯和韦森式样，是枪械科学的最新成果： —-

triple-action, with ejector, kills at six hundred paces, central sight. —-
三动作，带弹匣，杀伤力达到六百码，有中央瞄准镜。 —-

Let me draw your attention, M’sieu, to the beauty of the finish. —-
请注意，先生，外观的美妙之处。 —-

The most fashionable system, M’sieu. We sell a dozen every day for burglars, wolves, and lovers. —-
这是最时尚的系统，我们每天卖出一打给窃贼、野狼和情人。 —-

Very correct and powerful action, hits at a great distance, and kills wife and lover with one bullet. —-
非常精准和强大的动作，可以击中很远的距离，并用一颗子弹杀死妻子和情人。 —-

As for suicide, M’sieu, I don’t know a better pattern.”
至于自杀，先生，我不知道有比这款更好的模式。”

The shopman pulled and cocked the trigger, breathed on the barrel, took aim, and affected to be breathless with delight. —-
销售员扳动了扳机，挤压了枪管，瞄准了，并假装因为兴奋而喘不过气来。 —-

Looking at his ecstatic countenance, one might have supposed that he would readily have put a bullet through his brains if he had only possessed a revolver of such a superb pattern as a Smith-Wesson.
看着他陶醉的表情，人们可能会以为他只要拥有一把如史密斯和韦森那样的绝妙手枪，他就会毫不犹豫地对着脑袋开枪。

“And what price?” asked Sigaev.
“你要卖多少钱？”西盖夫问道。

“Forty-five roubles, M’sieu.”
“四十五卢布，先生。”

“Mm! . . . that’s too dear for me.”
“嗯！……对我来说太贵了。”

“In that case, M’sieu, let me offer you another make, somewhat cheaper. —-
“那么，先生，让我给您推荐另一种稍便宜的款式。 —-

Here, if you’ll kindly look, we have an immense choice, at all prices. . . . —-
看这里，如果您愿意看看，我们有各种各样的选择，各种价格……” —-

Here, for instance, this revolver of the Lefaucher pattern costs only eighteen roubles, but . . . —-
比如说，这种勒福修式的左轮手枪只需十八卢布，不过…… —-

” (the shopman pursed up his face contemptuously) “. . . —-
（店员蔑视地撅起嘴） —-

but, M’sieu, it’s an old-fashioned make. —-
但是，先生，这是款过时的型号。 —-

They are only bought by hysterical ladies or the mentally deficient. —-
只有歇斯底里的女士或智力有问题的人才会购买。 —-

To commit suicide or shoot one’s wife with a Lefaucher revolver is considered bad form nowadays. —-
如今用勒福修手枪自杀或者开枪射妻子已经不合时宜了。 —-

Smith-Wesson is the only pattern that’s correct style.”
史密斯和威森是唯一符合时尚的型号。”

“I don’t want to shoot myself or to kill anyone,” said Sigaev, lying sullenly. —-
“我不想开枪自杀或杀人，”西盖夫阴沉地说。 —-

“I am buying it simply for a country cottage . . . —-
“我只是为了乡村别墅……买来吓唬住入室盗贼……” —-

to frighten away burglars. . . .”
“您购买它的目的与我们无关。

“That’s not our business, what object you have in buying it. —-
怎么使用由您决定。” —-

” The shopman smiled, dropping his eyes discreetly. —-
掌柜微笑着，不动声色地低下了眼睛。 —-

“If we were to investigate the object in each case, M’sieu, we should have to close our shop. —-
“如果我们对每个物体进行调查，M’sieu，我们就得关闭店铺。” —-

To frighten burglars Lefaucher is not a suitable pattern, M’sieu, for it goes off with a faint, muffled sound. —-
为了吓唬入室盗贼，Lefaucher并不合适，M’sieu，因为它会发出微弱而低沉的声音。 —-

I would suggest Mortimer’s, the so-called duelling pistol. . . .”
我建议使用莫蒂默的，所谓的决斗手枪……”

“Shouldn’t I challenge him to a duel?” flashed through Sigaev’s mind. —-
“我应该向他发起决斗吗？”Sigaev脑海中闪过这个念头。 —-

“It’s doing him too much honour, though. . . . —-
“虽然这样做对他来说太过于荣耀了…… —-

Beasts like that are killed like dogs. . . .”
像那样的畜生一般都像条狗一样被杀死……”

The shopman, swaying gracefully and tripping to and fro on his little feet, still smiling and chattering, displayed before him a heap of revolvers. —-
掌柜优雅地摇摆着，小脚蹦跳着，仍然微笑着唠叨着，他面前摆着一堆左轮手枪。 —-

The most inviting and impressive of all was the Smith and Wesson’s. —-
所有手枪中最具吸引力和震撼人心的是史密斯和韦森。 —-

Sigaev picked up a pistol of that pattern, gazed blankly at it, and sank into brooding. —-
Sigaev拿起了一把那种样式的手枪，茫然地看着它，陷入了沉思。 —-

His imagination pictured how he would blow out their brains, how blood would flow in streams over the rug and the parquet, how the traitress’s legs would twitch in her last agony. —-
他的想象中描绘了他将如何爆他们的脑袋，血将在地毯和镶木地板上流淌，叛徒的腿将在她最后的痛苦中抽搐。 —-

. . . But that was not enough for his indignant soul. —-
…但对于他愤怒的灵魂来说，这还不够。 —-

The picture of blood, wailing, and horror did not satisfy him. —-
血腥、哭叫和恐怖的画面不能满足他。 —-

He must think of something more terrible.
他必须想出更可怕的事情。

“I know! I’ll kill myself and him,” he thought, “but I’ll leave her alive. —-
“我知道了！我会杀了自己和他，”他想，“但我会让她活着。” —-

Let her pine away from the stings of conscience and the contempt of all surrounding her. —-
让她因为良心的刺痛和周围所有人的蔑视而痛苦不堪。 —-

For a sensitive nature like hers that will be far more agonizing than death.”
对于她这样敏感的性格来说，那将比死亡更加痛苦。

And he imagined his own funeral: he, the injured husband, lies in his coffin with a gentle smile on his lips, and she, pale, tortured by remorse, follows the coffin like a Niobe, not knowing where to hide herself to escape from the withering, contemptuous looks cast upon her by the indignant crowd.
他想象着自己的葬礼：他，受伤的丈夫，面带微笑躺在棺材里，而她，苍白的面色，被悔恨折磨着，像尼俄贝一样跟随棺材，不知道该躲到哪里才能逃避被愤怒的人群投来的蔑视目光。

“I see, M’sieu, that you like the Smith and Wesson make,” the shopman broke in upon his broodings. —-
“我看出来了，先生，你喜欢史密斯威森牌的。”店主打断了他的默想。 —-

“If you think it too dear, very well, I’ll knock off five roubles. —-
“如果你觉得它太贵了，那好，我给你打个五卢布的折扣。 —-

. . . But we have other makes, cheaper.”
“但是我们还有其他更便宜的牌子。”

The little Frenchified figure turned gracefully and took down another dozen cases of revolvers from the shelf.
这个法国化的小个子优雅地转过身，从货架上拿下另外一打左轮手枪。

“Here, M’sieu, price thirty roubles. —-
“这是，先生，三十卢布的价格。 —-

That’s not expensive, especially as the rate of exchange has dropped terribly and the Customs duties are rising every hour. —-
这个价格不贵，特别是由于汇率的下跌和关税的上涨。 —-

M’sieu, I vow I am a Conservative, but even I am beginning to murmur. —-
先生，我发誓我是保守派，但我甚至开始抱怨了。 —-

Why, with the rate of exchange and the Customs tariff, only the rich can purchase firearms. —-
为什么只有富人才能购买枪支？只剩下图拉武器和磷火药了。 —-

There’s nothing left for the poor but Tula weapons and phosphorus matches, and Tula weapons are a misery! —-
对于穷人而言，只有图拉武器和磷火柴，而图拉武器真是令人痛苦！ —-

You may aim at your wife with a Tula revolver and shoot yourself through the shoulder-blade.”
用图拉左轮手枪瞄准你的妻子，却将自己打到肩胛骨。

Sigaev suddenly felt mortified and sorry that he would be dead, and would miss seeing the agonies of the traitress. —-
谢盖夫突然感到羞愧和遗憾，因为他将会死去，将无法见证背叛者的痛苦。 —-

Revenge is only sweet when one can see and taste its fruits, and what sense would there be in it if he were lying in his coffin, knowing nothing about it?
复仇只有当一个人能看到和品尝到它的果实时才甘甜，如果他躺在棺材里一无所知，那还有什么意义呢？

“Hadn’t I better do this?” he pondered. —-
“我最好还是这样做吧？”他在思索着。 —-

“I’ll kill him, then I’ll go to his funeral and look on, and after the funeral I’ll kill myself. —-
“我会杀了他，然后去参加他的葬礼，亲眼目睹，葬礼结束后我会自杀。 —-

They’d arrest me, though, before the funeral, and take away my pistol. . . . —-
然而，在葬礼前他们会逮捕我，没收我的手枪。。。。 —-

And so I’ll kill him, she shall remain alive, and I . . . —-
所以我会杀了他，她将会活着，而我…… —-

for the time, I’ll not kill myself, but go and be arrested. —-
暂时，我不会自杀，而是去被逮捕。 —-

I shall always have time to kill myself. —-
我总有时间去自杀。 —-

There will be this advantage about being arrested, that at the preliminary investigation I shall have an opportunity of exposing to the authorities and to the public all the infamy of her conduct. —-
被逮捕的一个好处是，在初步调查中我将有机会向当局和公众揭露她的一切卑鄙行径。 —-

If I kill myself she may, with her characteristic duplicity and impudence, throw all the blame on me, and society will justify her behaviour and will very likely laugh at me. —-
如果我自杀了，她可能会以她典型的虚伪和厚颜无耻把所有的过错推卸给我，社会可能会理解她的行为并且很可能会嘲笑我。 —-

. . . If I remain alive, then . . .”
……如果我继续活着，那么……

A minute later he was thinking:
一分钟过后，他思考着：

“Yes, if I kill myself I may be blamed and suspected of petty feeling. . . . —-
“是的，如果我自杀了，我可能会受到责备，被怀疑有琐碎的情绪……” —-

Besides, why should I kill myself? That’s one thing. —-
而且，我为什么要自杀？这是一方面。 —-

And for another, to shoot oneself is cowardly. —-
而且，开枪自杀是懦弱的。 —-

And so I’ll kill him and let her live, and I’ll face my trial. —-
所以我会杀了他，让她活着，然后我会去面对审判。 —-

I shall be tried, and she will be brought into court as a witness. . . . —-
我将被审判，她将被带到法庭作证…… —-

I can imagine her confusion, her disgrace when she is examined by my counsel! —-
我可以想象她被审讯时的困惑和耻辱！” —-

The sympathies of the court, of the Press, and of the public will certainly be with me.”
法庭、新闻界和公众一定会同情我。

While he deliberated the shopman displayed his wares, and felt it incumbent upon him to entertain his customer.
在他考虑的时候，售货员展示了他的商品，并认为自己有责任款待顾客。

“Here are English ones, a new pattern, only just received,” he prattled on. —-
“这里是英国货，一个新的款式，刚刚收到。”他唠唠叨叨地说着。 —-

“But I warn you, M’sieu, all these systems pale beside the Smith and Wesson. —-
“但我警告你，先生，除了史密斯和威尔逊，其他系统都相形见绌。” —-

The other day—as I dare say you have read—an officer bought from us a Smith and Wesson. —-
前几天——如你所读到的——一名军官从我们这里买了一把史密斯和威尔逊。 —-

He shot his wife’s lover, and-would you believe it? —-
他射杀了他妻子的情人，你相不相信？ —-

—the bullet passed through him, pierced the bronze lamp, then the piano, and ricochetted back from the piano, killing the lap-dog and bruising the wife. —-
——子弹穿过了这个人，贯穿了铜灯，接着击中了钢琴，从钢琴上弹开，杀死了她们的狗，并且打伤了妻子。 —-

A magnificent record redounding to the honour of our firm! The officer is now under arrest. —-
这是我们公司的一项出色记录，使我们备感荣幸！这名军官现在被逮捕了。 —-

He will no doubt be convicted and sent to penal servitude. —-
他毫无疑问会被定罪并被判处劳役。 —-

In the first place, our penal code is quite out of date; —-
第一，我们的刑法典已经过时了； —-

and, secondly, M’sieu, the sympathies of the court are always with the lover. Why is it? —-
第二，先生，法庭总是同情情人。为什么呢？ —-

Very simple, M’sieu. The judges and the jury and the prosecutor and the counsel for the defence are all living with other men’s wives, and it’ll add to their comfort that there will be one husband the less in Russia. —-
非常简单，先生。法官、陪审团员、检察官和辩护律师都和别人的妻子同居，而如果可以减少一个丈夫在俄罗斯，对他们来说将增添一份舒适。 —-

Society would be pleased if the Government were to send all the husbands to Sahalin. —-
如果政府把所有的丈夫都送去萨哈林岛，社会会感到高兴。 —-

Oh, M’sieu, you don’t know how it excites my indignation to see the corruption of morals nowadays. —-
哦，先生，您不知道当今道德的败坏如何激起我的义愤。 —-

To love other men’s wives is as much the regular thing to-day as to smoke other men’s cigarettes and to read other men’s books. —-
爱上别人的妻子如今就像抽别人的香烟和读别人的书一样普遍。 —-

Every year our trade gets worse and worse—it doesn’t mean that wives are more faithful, but that husbands resign themselves to their position and are afraid of the law and penal servitude.”
每年我们的贸易越来越糟糕——这并不意味着妻子更忠诚，而是丈夫们对自己的位置感到无奈，并对法律和劳役过于恐惧。

The shopman looked round and whispered: “And whose fault is it, M’sieu? The Government’s.”
店员环顾四周，低声说道：“这是谁的错，先生？政府的错。”

“To go to Sahalin for the sake of a pig like that—there’s no sense in that either,” Sigaev pondered. —-
“为了像那样的一头猪去萨哈林——这也没有意义”，斯加耶夫沉思道。 —-

“If I go to penal servitude it will only give my wife an opportunity of marrying again and deceiving a second husband. —-
“如果我去劳役，只会给我妻子一个机会再嫁并欺骗第二个丈夫。” —-

She would triumph. . . . And so I will leave her alive, I won’t kill myself, him . . . —-
她会取得胜利……所以我会让她活下去，不会自杀，不会杀他…… —-

I won’t kill either. I must think of something more sensible and more effective. —-
我不会杀人。我必须想出更明智、更有效的办法。 —-

I will punish them with my contempt, and will take divorce proceedings that will make a scandal.”
我会以我的轻蔑来惩罚他们，并进行一场引起丑闻的离婚诉讼。

“Here, M’sieu, is another make,” said the shopman, taking down another dozen from the shelf. —-
“先生，这是另一种牌子，”店员说着，从货架上拿下了另外一打香烟。 —-

“Let me call your attention to the original mechanism of the lock.”
“请注意这把锁的原始机制。”

In view of his determination a revolver was now of no use to Sigaev, but the shopman, meanwhile, getting more and more enthusiastic, persisted in displaying his wares before him. —-
考虑到他的决心，手枪对斯加耶夫来说已经没有用处了，但店员越发热情起来，执意向他展示商品。 —-

The outraged husband began to feel ashamed that the shopman should be taking so much trouble on his account for nothing, that he should be smiling, wasting time, displaying enthusiasm for nothing.
这个受伤的丈夫开始感到为了无谓的事情，店员竟然在为他付出如此多的努力而感到惭愧，他在浪费时间、展示热情。

“Very well, in that case,” he muttered, “I’ll look in again later on . —-
“好吧，那么，”他喃喃道，“我稍后再来看看，或者我派人来。” —-

. . or I’ll send someone.”
“我没看到店员的表情，但为了缓解这种尴尬局面，他觉得有必要购买一些东西。

He didn’t see the expression of the shopman’s face, but to smooth over the awkwardness of the position a little he felt called upon to make some purchase. —-
但他应该买什么？他环顾四周的店铺墙壁，挑选了一些价格不贵的物品，他的目光停在了门附近的绿色网罩上。 —-

But what should he buy? He looked round the walls of the shop to pick out something inexpensive, and his eyes rested on a green net hanging near the door.
所以我会让她活下去，不会自杀，不会杀他……（注：这与第5句重复，请忽略）

“That’s . . . what’s that?” he asked.
“那是……那是什么？”他问道。

“That’s a net for catching quails.”
“那是用来捕捉鹌鹑的网。”

“And what price is it?”
“它多少钱？”

“Eight roubles, M’sieu.”
“八卢布，先生。”

“Wrap it up for me. . . .”
“给我包起来……”

The outraged husband paid his eight roubles, took the net, and, feeling even more outraged, walked out of the shop.
愤怒的丈夫付了八卢布，拿起那张网，感到更加愤怒地走出了店铺。