IN one of the towns lying on this side of the Urals a rumour was afloat that a Persian magnate, called Rahat-Helam, was staying for a few days in the town and putting up at the “Japan Hotel.” This rumour made no impression whatever upon the inhabitants; —
在乌拉尔山脉这边的一个城镇中，有传言称一个名叫拉哈特-赫拉姆的波斯大亨正在该镇逗留几天，并入住“日本饭店”。这个传言并没有引起居民们的兴趣； —

a Persian had arrived, well, so be it. Only Stepan Ivanovitch Kutsyn, the mayor of the town, hearing of the arrival of the oriental gentleman from the secretary of the Town Hall, grew thoughtful and inquired:
有一个波斯人到达了，好吧，那就这样吧。只有该镇市长斯捷潘·伊万诺维奇·库茨延，在从市政厅秘书那里听说了这位东方绅士的到来后，陷入了沉思，并问道：

“Where is he going?”
“他要去哪儿？”

“To Paris or to London, I believe.”
“我相信是去巴黎或是伦敦。”

“H’m… . Then he is a big-wig, I suppose?”
“嗯……那他肯定是个大人物了，我想？”

“The devil only knows.”
“鬼知道。”

As he went home from the Town Hall and had his dinner, the mayor sank into thought again, and this time he went on thinking till the evening. —
当他从市政厅回家吃晚饭时，市长再次陷入了沉思，这一次他直到晚上都在思考。 —

The arrival of the distinguished Persian greatly intrigued him. —
这位尊贵波斯人的到来极大地激发了他的兴趣。 —

It seemed to him that fate itself had sent him this Rahat-Helam, and that a favourable opportunity had come at last for realising his passionate, secretly cherished dream. —
他觉得命运本身似乎就是送给他这个拉哈特-赫拉姆的，现在终于来临了一个实现他激烈、暗中怀揣的梦想的有利时机。 —

Kutsyn had already two medals, and the Stanislav of the third degree, the badge of the Red Cross, and the badge of the Society of Saving from Drowning, and in addition to these he had made himself a little gold gun crossed by a guitar, and this ornament, hung from a buttonhole in his uniform, looked in the distance like something special, and delightfully resembled a badge of distinction. —
库茨延已经有两枚勋章、三级斯坦尼斯拉夫奖章、红十字勋章和拯救溺水协会勋章，此外他还制作了一个小小的金色长枪和一个交叉的吉他，这件装饰物挂在他制服上的一个钮扣孔里，在远处看去就像是特别的东西，令人愉悦地像是一个荣誉徽章。 —

It is well known that the more orders and medals you have the more you want—and the mayor had long been desirous of receiving the Persian order of The Lion and the Sun; —
众所周知，你拥有的勋章和奖章越多，你就越想要——市长长期以来一直渴望获得波斯的“狮子与太阳”勋章； —

he desired it passionately, madly. He knew very well that there was no need to fight, or to subscribe to an asylum, or to serve on committees to obtain this order; —
他渴望得像疯了一样，疯狂地。他清楚得很，想获得这个勋章并不需要打架、或是捐赠给庇护所、或者为委员会服务； —

all that was needed was a favourable opportunity. —
惟一需要的是一个有利的机会。 —

And now it seemed to him that this opportunity had come.
而现在看来他似乎正好有了这个机会。

At noon on the following day he put on his chain and all his badges of distinction and went to the ‘Japan.’ Destiny favoured him. —
第二天中午，他戴上了他的链条和所有的荣誉徽章，前去“日本饭店”。命运眷顾他。 —

When he entered the distinguished Persian’s apartment the latter was alone and doing nothing. —
当他进入那位尊贵的波斯人的公寓时，后者独自一人，什么也不做。 —

Rahat-Helam, an enormous Asiatic, with a long nose like the beak of a snipe, with prominent eyes, and with a fez on his head, was sitting on the floor rummaging in his portmanteau.
用长得像

“I beg you to excuse my disturbing you,” began Kutsyn, smiling. —
“请恕我打扰您，”Kutsyn微笑着说道。 —

“I have the honour to introduce myself, the hereditary, honourable citizen and cavalier, Stepan Ivanovitch Kutsyn, mayor of this town. —
“我有幸自我介绍，我是这个城镇的世袭、尊贵的市民和骑士，史蒂潘·伊万诺维奇·库茨恩，这个城镇的市长。” —

I regard it as my duty to honour, in the person of your Highness, so to say, the representative of a friendly and neighbourly state.”
我认为我的责任是尊敬您的高度，可以说，您是友好邻邦的代表。”

The Persian turned and muttered something in very bad French, that sounded like tapping a board with a piece of wood.
波斯人转过身来，用很糟糕的法语嘟囔着什么，听起来像是用一块木头敲击木板。

“The frontiers of Persia”—Kutsyn continued the greeting he had previously learned by heart—“are in close contact with the borders of our spacious fatherland, and therefore mutual sympathies impel me, so to speak, to express my solidarity with you.”
“波斯的边境”——库金斯继续说他先前学过的一段问候——“与我们宽广的祖国的边境接壤，因此相互的同情促使我可以说，向你表达我的团结。”

The illustrious Persian got up and again muttered something in a wooden tongue. —
那位显赫的波斯人站起身来，再次用一种呆板的语言喃喃自语。 —

Kutsyn, who knew no foreign language, shook his head to show that he did not understand.
Kutsyn, who knew no foreign language, shook his head to show that he did not understand. 1,Kutsyn，不懂任何外语，摇头表示他不理解。

“Well, how am I to talk to him?” he thought. —
“嗯，我该怎么跟他说呢？”他想道。 —

“It would be a good thing to send for an interpreter at once, but it is a delicate matter, I can’t talk before witnesses. —
“立即派人请一个翻译会是一个好事，但这是一个微妙的问题，我不能在有证人在场的情况下谈话。” —

The interpreter would be chattering all over the town afterwards.”
译文：这名口译员之后会在全镇传播这件事。

And Kutsyn tried to recall the foreign words he had picked up from the newspapers.
库特辛试图回忆起他从报纸上学到的外语。

“I am the mayor of the town,” he muttered. —
“我是这个小镇的市长，”他喃喃自语。 —

“That is the lord mayor … municipalais . —
“那是市长…市政的。” —

. . Vwee? Kompreney?”
“…Vwee? Kompreney?”

He wanted to express his social position in words or in gesture, and did not know how. —
他想用言语或手势表达自己的社会地位，但不知道该怎么做。 —

A picture hanging on the wall with an inscription in large letters, “The Town of Venice,” helped him out of his difficulties. —
墙上挂着一幅有着大字标识的图片，“威尼斯小镇”，帮助他摆脱困境。 —

He pointed with his finger at the town, then at his own head, and in that way obtained, as he imagined, the phrase: —
他用手指指着那个小镇，然后指向自己的头部，以此方式想象得到了短语： —

“I am the head of the town.” The Persian did not understand, but he gave a smile, and said:
“我是镇上的首脑。” 波斯人不理解，但他微笑着说道：

“Goot, monsieur … goot … . .” Half-an-hour later the mayor was slapping the Persian, first on the knee and then on the shoulder, and saying:
“Goot, monsieur … goot … . .” 半小时后，市长在拍打着波斯人的膝盖，然后拍打他的肩膀，说：

“Kompreney? Vwee? As lord mayor and municipalais I suggest that you should take a little promenage . —
“Kompreney? Vwee? 作为镇长和市政官，我建议你应该稍作散步。 —

. . kompreney? Promenage.”
. . kompreney? 散步。”

Kutsyn pointed at Venice, and with two fingers represented walking legs. —
Kutsyn指着威尼斯，用两只手指代表走路的动作。 —

Rahat-Helam who kept his eyes fixed on his medals, and was apparently guessing that this was the most important person in the town, understood the word promenage and grinned politely. —
Rahat-Helam紧盯着他的勋章，显然猜想这是镇上最重要的人物，理解了“散步”这个词，并礼貌地笑了笑。 —

Then they both put on their coats and went out of the room. —
然后他们俩穿上外衣走出了房间。 —

Downstairs near the door leading to the restaurant of the ‘Japan,’ Kutsyn reflected that it would not be amiss to entertain the Persian. —
在‘日本’餐厅门口附近，Kutsyn想到应该招待这位波斯人。 —

He stopped and indicating the tables, said:
他停下来指着餐桌，说：

“By Russian custom it wouldn’t be amiss … —
“按照俄罗斯的风俗，这样做一点也不错… —

puree, entrekot, champagne and so on, kompreney.”
puree, entrekot, 香槟之类的，kompreney.”

The illustrious visitor understood, and a little later they were both sitting in the very best room of the restaurant, eating, and drinking champagne.
这位尊贵的访客明白了，不久两人就坐在餐厅最好的房间里，品尝着食物，喝着香槟。

“Let us drink to the prosperity of Persia!” said Kutsyn. “We Russians love the Persians. —
“让我们为波斯的繁荣干杯！” Kutsyn说。“我们俄罗斯人喜欢波斯人。 —

Though we are of another faith, yet there are common interests, mutual, so to say, sympathies … —
虽然我们有不同的信仰，但有着共同的利益，可以说是相互的同情… —

progress … Asiatic markets… . The campaigns of peace so to say… .”
进步… 亚洲市场… 和平的战役，可以这样说是战役 …”

The illustrious Persian ate and drank with an excellent appetite, he stuck his fork into a slice of smoked sturgeon, and wagging his head, enthusiastically said: “Goot, bien.”
这位杰出的波斯人用着极好的胃口吃了喝了，他叉子刺进了一片熏鲟鱼，摇摇头，兴奋地说：“好，很好。”

“You like it?” said the mayor delighted. “Bien, that’s capital. —
“你喜欢吗？”市长高兴地说。“很好，太好了。” —

” And turning to the waiter he said: “Luka, my lad, see that two pieces of smoked sturgeon, the best you have, are sent up to his Highness’s room!”
然后市长转向侍者说：“卢卡，伙计，确保送两块最好的熏鲟鱼到他殿下的房间去！”

Then the mayor and the Persian magnate went to look at the menagerie. —
接着市长和波斯大人去看动物园。 —

The townspeople saw their Stepan Ivanovitch, flushed with champagne, gay and very well pleased, leading the Persian about the principal streets and the bazaar, showing him the points of interest of the town, and even taking him to the fire tower.
镇民们看到他们斯捷潘·伊万诺维奇，已经喝了点香槟，兴高采烈，非常满意，带着波斯人游览城里的主要街道和集市，甚至带他去了消防塔。

Among other things the townspeople saw him stop near some stone gates with lions on it, and point out to the Persian first the lion, then the sun overhead, and then his own breast; —
镇民们还看到他们停在一些带狮子标志的石门前，指给波斯人看狮子，然后指向头顶的太阳，接着指向自己的胸膛； —

then again he pointed to the lion and to the sun while the Persian nodded his head as though in sign of assent, and smiling showed his white teeth. —
随后他又先指狮子和太阳，而波斯人则点头示意，并微笑露出雪白的牙齿。 —

In the evening they were sitting in the London Hotel listening to the harp-players, and where they spent the night is not known.
傍晚他们坐在伦敦酒店听着竖琴演奏，他们在哪过夜就不得而知了。

Next day the mayor was at the Town Hall in the morning; —
第二天市长在上午在市政厅里； —

the officials there apparently already knew something and were making their conjectures, for the secretary went up to him and said with an ironical smile:
那里的官员似乎已经知道了一些事情，并在做猜测，因为秘书走到他身边，带着挖苦的微笑说：

“It is the custom of the Persians when an illustrious visitor comes to visit you, you must slaughter a sheep with your own hands.”
“波斯人到访时的惯例，当着一个显贵客人，你得亲手宰一只羊。”

And a little later an envelope that had come by post was handed to him. —
过了一会儿，一个通过邮件送到他手上的信封。 —

The mayor tore it open and saw a caricature in it. —
市长撕开它，发现里面有一幅讽刺画。 —

It was a drawing of Rahat-Helam with the mayor on his knees before him, stretching out his hands and saying:
画中是拉哈特赫拉姆和市长跪在他面前，伸出双手并说道：

“To prove our Russian friendship For Persia’s mighty realm, And show respect for you, her envoy, Myself I’d slaughter like a lamb, But, pardon me, for I’m a—donkey! —
“为了证明我们俄罗斯对波斯巨大帝国的友谊，为了尊重你，她的使节，我愿像小羊一样被宰杀，但请原谅，因为我是头——驴！”。 —

” The mayor was conscious of an unpleasant feeling like a gnawing in the pit of the stomach, but not for long. —
市长意识到一种令人不快的感觉，就像胃部被啃噬一样，但没持续很久。 —

By midday he was again with the illustrious Persian, again he was regaling him and showing him the points of interest in the town. —
到了中午，他再次与著名的波斯人在一起，再次款待他并向他展示镇上的名胜。 —

Again he led him to the stone gates, and again pointed to the lion, to the sun and to his own breast. —
他再次带他走向石门，再次指着狮子、太阳和自己的胸膛。 —

They dined at the ‘Japan’; after dinner, with cigars in their teeth, both, flushed and blissful, again mounted the fire tower, and the mayor, evidently wishing to entertain the visitor with an unusual spectacle, shouted from the top to a sentry walking below:
他们在“日本餐厅”用过晚餐后，叼着雪茄，满脸通红，再次登上了消防塔，市长显然想用一场不同寻常的景象来招待客人，从塔顶朝下面巡逻的哨兵喊道：

“Sound the alarm!”
“拉响警报！”

But the alarm was not sounded as the firemen were at the baths at the moment.
但警报并没有拉响，因为消防员在那时候都去洗澡了。

They supped at the ‘London’ and, after supper, the Persian departed. —
他们在“伦敦酒店”用过晚餐后，波斯人告辞离开了。 —

When he saw him off, Stepan Ivanovitch kissed him three times after the Russian fashion, and even grew tearful. —
送行时，斯捷潘·伊凡诺维奇按照俄罗斯的习惯亲吻了他三次，甚至流泪了。 —

And when the train started, he shouted:
列车开动时，他高呼：

“Give our greeting to Persia! Tell her that we love her!”
“向波斯问候！告诉她我们爱她！”

A year and four months had passed. There was a bitter frost, thirty-five degrees, and a piercing wind was blowing. —
一年零四个月过去了。天气严寒刺骨，气温达到零下三十五度，刺骨的寒风呼啸而过。 —

Stepan Ivanovitch was walking along the street with his fur coat thrown open over his chest, and he was annoyed that he met no one to see the Lion and the Sun upon his breast. —
斯捷潘·伊凡诺维奇敞开毛皮外套，露出胸前的狮子和太阳图案，沿街走着，却没有碰到任何人。 —

He walked about like this till evening with his fur coat open, was chilled to the bone, and at night tossed from side to side and could not get to sleep.
他这样走着走着直至傍晚，毛皮外套敞开，彻底冻透，晚上辗转反侧，无法入睡。

He felt heavy at heart.
他感到心情沉重。

There was a burning sensation inside him, and his heart throbbed uneasily; —
内心有种灼热感，心脏不安地跳动。 —

he had a longing now to get a Serbian order. —
他现在渴望得到一个塞尔维亚勋章。 —

It was a painful, passionate longing.
这是一种痛苦、激烈的渴望。