“Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.” –2 Henry VI.
稍稍合上他的眼睛拉上窗帘；让我们都静静沉思吧。–《亨利六世第二部》。

That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours. —
那天晚上十二点过后，玛丽·加思替费瑟斯通先生的房间守夜，独自一人坐在那里度过了深夜。 —

She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions. —
尽管老人时不时地要求她照顾他时总是板着脸，玛丽经常选择这项任务，并从中找到了一些乐趣。 —

There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light. —
有时候她能坐得完全静止，享受着外界的寂静和柔和的光线。 —

The red fire with its gently audible movement seemed like a solemn existence calmly independent of the petty passions, the imbecile desires, the straining after worthless uncertainties, which were daily moving her contempt. —
这红色的火焰，带着轻轻的声音，仿佛是一种庄严的存在，平静地独立于那些琐碎的激情、愚蠢的欲望、以及对不值得的不确定性的追求，这些琐事每天都让她鄙视。 —

Mary was fond of her own thoughts, and could amuse herself well sitting in twilight with her hands in her lap; —
玛丽很喜欢自己的思考，可以坐在昏暗处，双手放在膝盖上，很好地自娱自乐； —

for, having early had strong reason to believe that things were not likely to be arranged for her peculiar satisfaction, she wasted no time in astonishment and annoyance at that fact. —
因为她很早就有充分的理由相信，事情不太可能为了她的特殊满足而被安排，并没有浪费时间对此感到惊讶或恼火。 —

And she had already come to take life very much as a comedy in which she had a proud, nay, a generous resolution not to act the mean or treacherous part. —
而她早已将生活看得很像一出喜剧，她骄傲，甚至慷慨地下定决心，不表现出卑贱或背信弃义的一面。 —

Mary might have become cynical if she had not had parents whom she honored, and a well of affectionate gratitude within her, which was all the fuller because she had learned to make no unreasonable claims.
玛丽可能会变得愤世嫉俗，如果她没有一些值得尊敬的父母，以及内心的感恩之情，这种感恩更加饱满，因为她已经学会了不提出不合理的要求。

She sat to-night revolving, as she was wont, the scenes of the day, her lips often curling with amusement at the oddities to which her fancy added fresh drollery: —
今晚，她像往常一样回味着一天中的场景，嘴角经常带着一丝笑意，想象着新的滑稽： —

people were so ridiculous with their illusions, carrying their fool’s caps unawares, thinking their own lies opaque while everybody else’s were transparent, making themselves exceptions to everything, as if when all the world looked yellow under a lamp they alone were rosy. —
人们真是可笑，沉浸在幻觉中，对自己的谎言视而不见，看不透别人的谎言，让自己成为所有事情的例外，仿佛在灯下世界都是黄色的时候，只有他们是红色的。 —

Yet there were some illusions under Mary’s eyes which were not quite comic to her. —
然而，玛丽眼中还有一些幻觉是对她而言并不那么滑稽的。 —

She was secretly convinced, though she had no other grounds than her close observation of old Featherstone’s nature, that in spite of his fondness for having the Vincys about him, they were as likely to be disappointed as any of the relations whom he kept at a distance. —
她暗中确信，尽管费瑟斯通老人喜欢让文斯家人围绕在身边，但他们和那些被他保持距离的亲戚一样，很可能会感到失望。 —

She had a good deal of disdain for Mrs. Vincy’s evident alarm lest she and Fred should be alone together, but it did not hinder her from thinking anxiously of the way in which Fred would be affected, if it should turn out that his uncle had left him as poor as ever. —
她对文斯太太明显的担忧，怕她和弗雷德在一起，心中虽然有一些蔑视，但也不妨碍她担心弗雷德会如何受影响，如果他的叔叔留下与以前一样贫困的话。 —

She could make a butt of Fred when he was present, but she did not enjoy his follies when he was absent.
当弗雷德在场时，她会取笑他，但当他不在的时候，她却并不喜欢他的愚蠢。

Yet she liked her thoughts: a vigorous young mind not overbalanced by passion, finds a good in making acquaintance with life, and watches its own powers with interest. —
然而她喜欢自己的想法：一个充满活力的年轻头脑，没有被激情所失衡，发现在与生活结识中有益处，并对自己的能力感兴趣。 —

Mary had plenty of merriment within.
玛丽内心中有很多欢乐。

Her thought was not veined by any solemnity or pathos about the old man on the bed: —
她对床上的老人没有任何严肃或悲情的思想： —

such sentiments are easier to affect than to feel about an aged creature whose life is not visibly anything but a remnant of vices. —
对一个生活明显只剩下恶习残余的年迈人来说，这样的情感很容易被假装，却很难真正感受。 —

She had always seen the most disagreeable side of Mr. Featherstone: —
她总是看到费瑟斯通先生最令人讨厌的一面： —

he was not proud of her, and she was only useful to him. —
他并不以她为傲，她对他只是有用而已。 —

To be anxious about a soul that is always snapping at you must be left to the saints of the earth; —
要担心一个总是对你大声唠叨的灵魂留给地球上的圣人去做； —

and Mary was not one of them. She had never returned him a harsh word, and had waited on him faithfully: —
玛丽并不是其中之一。她从未说过重的话，并且一直忠心侍奉着老人： —

that was her utmost. Old Featherstone himself was not in the least anxious about his soul, and had declined to see Mr. Tucker on the subject.
这就是她的极限。费瑟斯通老先生本人对自己的灵魂一点也不担心，并且拒绝了关于这方面的谈话。

To-night he had not snapped, and for the first hour or two he lay remarkably still, until at last Mary heard him rattling his bunch of keys against the tin box which he always kept in the bed beside him. —
今晚他没有大声抱怨，头两个小时内一直很安静，直到玛丽听到他用一串钥匙敲打着他床边的锡盒。 —

About three o’clock he said, with remarkable distinctness, “Missy, come here!”
大约三点钟他用异常明显的语气说:“小姐，过来！”

Mary obeyed, and found that he had already drawn the tin box from under the clothes, though he usually asked to have this done for him; —
玛丽遵从了，发现他已经把锡盒从被子下拉了出来，尽管他通常会要求别人帮他搞定这件事； —

and he had selected the key. He now unlocked the box, and, drawing from it another key, looked straight at her with eyes that seemed to have recovered all their sharpness and said, “How many of ‘em are in the house?”
他选好了钥匙。他现在打开了这个盒子，从里面拿出了另一把钥匙，直视着她的眼睛，眼神似乎恢复了所有的锐利，然后说:“家里有几个？”

“You mean of your own relations, sir,” said Mary, well used to the old man’s way of speech. —
“你是指您自己的亲属，先生，”玛丽已经习惯了老人的说话方式。 —

He nodded slightly and she went on.
他略微点了点头，然后她继续。

“Mr. Jonah Featherstone and young Cranch are sleeping here.”
“弗瑟斯通先生和年轻的克兰奇正在这里睡觉。”

“Oh ay, they stick, do they? and the rest–they come every day, I’ll warrant–Solomon and Jane, and all the young uns? —
“哦，是吗，他们总是留下来吗？其他人–所罗门和简，还有所有的孩子们？” —

They come peeping, and counting and casting up?”
“他们来窥视、计算和盘算吗？”

“Not all of them every day. Mr. Solomon and Mrs. Waule are here every day, and the others come often.”
“不是每天都在。所罗门先生和沃尔太太每天都在，其他人经常来。”

The old man listened with a grimace while she spoke, and then said, relaxing his face, “The more fools they. —
老人一边听她说话一边做了个鬼脸，然后放松了脸说道，“他们越是蠢。” —

You hearken, missy. It’s three o’clock in the morning, and I’ve got all my faculties as well as ever I had in my life. —
“听着，小姑娘。现在凌晨三点了，我的所有能力都和我一生中的任何时候一样好。 —

I know all my property, and where the money’s put out, and everything. —
我知道我的所有财产，还知道钱放在什么地方，什么情况。” —

And I’ve made everything ready to change my mind, and do as I like at the last. —
我已经准备好要改变主意，最后按我喜欢的去做。 —

Do you hear, missy? I’ve got my faculties.”
你听着，小姑娘？我还保持着我的理智。

“Well, sir?” said Mary, quietly.
“好吧，先生？” 玛丽平静地说。

He now lowered his tone with an air of deeper cunning. —
他现在降低了声调，带着更深的狡黠。 —

“I’ve made two wills, and I’m going to burn one. Now you do as I tell you. —
“我留下了两份遗嘱，我准备烧掉其中一份。现在你按我说的去做。 —

This is the key of my iron chest, in the closet there. —
这是我铁箱的钥匙，在那边的壁橱。 —

You push well at the side of the brass plate at the top, till it goes like a bolt: —
你顶着顶部黄铜板的一侧用力按，直到它像螺栓一样移动： —

then you can put the key in the front lock and turn it. See and do that; —
然后你可以把钥匙放进前面的锁里并转动它。看着做； —

and take out the topmost paper–Last Will and Testament– big printed.”
然后取出最上面的一张纸–遗嘱–大印刷的。”

“No, sir,” said Mary, in a firm voice, “I cannot do that.”
“不，先生，” 玛丽坚定地说，”我不能这么做。”

“Not do it? I tell you, you must,” said the old man, his voice beginning to shake under the shock of this resistance.
“不做？我告诉你，你必须这么做，” 老人的声音在这种抵抗下开始颤抖。

“I cannot touch your iron chest or your will. —
“我不能碰你的铁箱或者你的遗嘱。 —

I must refuse to do anything that might lay me open to suspicion.”
我必须拒绝任何可能让我蒙受怀疑的事情。”

“I tell you, I’m in my right mind. Shan’t I do as I like at the last? —
“我告诉你，我头脑清醒。我到最后不能按自己的意愿行事吗？ —

I made two wills on purpose. Take the key, I say.”
我特意留下了两份遗嘱。拿钥匙，我说。”

“No, sir, I will not,” said Mary, more resolutely still. Her repulsion was getting stronger.
“不，先生，我不会的，”玛丽更加坚决地说道。她的厌恶感越来越强烈。

“I tell you, there’s no time to lose.”
“我告诉你，时间不多了。”

“I cannot help that, sir. I will not let the close of your life soil the beginning of mine. —
“我无法帮助您，先生。我不会让您生命的结束玷污我的开始。” —

I will not touch your iron chest or your will.” —
“我不会碰您的铁箱或您的遗嘱。” —

She moved to a little distance from the bedside.
她从床边走到了稍远一点的地方。

The old man paused with a blank stare for a little while, holding the one key erect on the ring; —
老人停顿了一会儿，一只钥匙竖立在环上，目光呆滞。 —

then with an agitated jerk he began to work with his bony left hand at emptying the tin box before him.
然后，他急切地开始用他瘦弱的左手清空面前的锡盒。

“Missy,” he began to say, hurriedly, “look here! —
“小姐，”他匆忙地说道，“看这里！拿走钱——纸币和金子——看这里——拿走它——你会得到全部的——听我说的做。” —

take the money– the notes and gold–look here–take it–you shall have it all– do as I tell you.”
他试图尽可能地把钥匙伸向她，在玛丽再次后退之后。

He made an effort to stretch out the key towards her as far as possible, and Mary again retreated.
“我不会碰您的钥匙或您的钱，先生。请不要再要求我这样做。如果您继续这样，我只能去叫您的兄弟。”

“I will not touch your key or your money, sir. —
“我不会碰您的钥匙或您的钱，先生。 —

Pray don’t ask me to do it again. If you do, I must go and call your brother.”
请不要再要求我这样做。如果您继续这样，我只能去叫您的兄弟。”

He let his hand fall, and for the first time in her life Mary saw old Peter Featherstone begin to cry childishly. —
他让手落了下来，玛丽这辈子第一次看到老皮特·费瑟斯通哭起孩子气来。 —

She said, in as gentle a tone as she could command, “Pray put up your money, sir;” —
她用尽可能柔和的语气说道，“请把钱收起来，先生；” —

and then went away to her seat by the fire, hoping this would help to convince him that it was useless to say more. —
然后走到火炉旁的座位上，希望这样做会帮助说服他不再说下去。 —

Presently he rallied and said eagerly–
目前他振作起来，急切地说：

“Look here, then. Call the young chap. Call Fred Vincy.”
“听着，那么。叫那个年轻小伙子来。叫弗雷德·文茨。

Mary’s heart began to beat more quickly. Various ideas rushed through her mind as to what the burning of a second will might imply. —
玛丽的心开始加快跳动。各种想法涌入她脑海，关于第二份遗嘱被烧毁可能意味着什么。 —

She had to make a difficult decision in a hurry.
她不得不匆忙做出一个困难的决定。

“I will call him, if you will let me call Mr. Jonah and others with him.”
“如果你让我叫乔纳先生和其他人一起来，我就叫他。

“Nobody else, I say. The young chap. I shall do as I like.”
“只有他。我说了算。我想怎样就怎样。

“Wait till broad daylight, sir, when every one is stirring. —
“等到天亮，等大家都开始活动起来。 —

Or let me call Simmons now, to go and fetch the lawyer? —
或者让我现在给西蒙斯打电话，去找律师？ —

He can be here in less than two hours.”
他不到两个小时就可以到这里。

“Lawyer? What do I want with the lawyer? Nobody shall know–I say, nobody shall know. —
“律师？我需要律师做什么？没人会知道——我说，没人会知道。 —

I shall do as I like.”
我想怎样就怎样。

“Let me call some one else, sir,” said Mary, persuasively. —
“请让我叫其他人来，先生，”玛丽说，劝说道。 —

She did not like her position–alone with the old man, who seemed to show a strange flaring of nervous energy which enabled him to speak again and again without falling into his usual cough; —
她不喜欢自己的处境——与老人独处，他似乎表现出一种奇怪的神经能量，能够让他一再讲话而不会陷入他平常的咳嗽中。 —

yet she desired not to push unnecessarily the contradiction which agitated him. —
然而她并不想不必要地推进他所困扰的矛盾。 —

“Let me, pray, call some one else.”
“请让我，求求你，叫其他人来。”

“You let me alone, I say. Look here, missy. Take the money. You’ll never have the chance again. —
“你让我一个人待着，我说。听着，小姑娘。拿着这笔钱吧。你再也不会有这个机会了。 —

It’s pretty nigh two hundred– there’s more in the box, and nobody knows how much there was. —
大约接近两百–盒子里还有更多，没人知道里面有多少。 —

Take it and do as I tell you.”
就拿走吧，照我说的去做吧。”

Mary, standing by the fire, saw its red light falling on the old man, propped up on his pillows and bed-rest, with his bony hand holding out the key, and the money lying on the quilt before him. —
玛丽站在火炉旁，看着红光洒在老人身上，他靠在枕头和床垫上，瘦削的手伸出钥匙，钱散落在床单上。 —

She never forgot that vision of a man wanting to do as he liked at the last. —
她永远不会忘记这个人在最后时刻想随心所欲的样子。 —

But the way in which he had put the offer of the money urged her to speak with harder resolution than ever.
但他提出给钱的方式比以往更加坚决，促使她比以往更加坚定地说话。

“It is of no use, sir. I will not do it. Put up your money. I will not touch your money. —
“没用的，先生。我不会这么做。拿回你的钱吧。我不会碰你的钱。 —

I will do anything else I can to comfort you; —
我会尽我所能去安慰你； —

but I will not touch your keys or your money.”
但我不会碰你的钥匙或你的钱。

“Anything else anything else!” said old Featherstone, with hoarse rage, which, as if in a nightmare, tried to be loud, and yet was only just audible. —
“其他任何事！其他任何事！”老菲瑟斯通愤怒地说，尽管仿佛梦魇，试图大声说话，却只是勉强能听到声音。 —

“I want nothing else. You come here–you come here.”
“我不需要别的东西。你过来–你过来。

Mary approached him cautiously, knowing him too well. —
玛丽小心翼翼地走向他，对他了如指掌。 —

She saw him dropping his keys and trying to grasp his stick, while he looked at her like an aged hyena, the muscles of his face getting distorted with the effort of his hand. —
她看到他失手掉下钥匙，试图抓住手杖，同时像只年老的鬣狗一样看着她，脸上的肌肉因手的努力而扭曲。 —

She paused at a safe distance.
她停在一定的安全距离内。

“Let me give you some cordial,” she said, quietly, “and try to compose yourself. —
“让我给你些滋补品，”她平静地说，”试着冷静下来。 —

You will perhaps go to sleep. And to-morrow by daylight you can do as you like.”
或许你会去睡觉。明天天亮时你可以随心所欲。

He lifted the stick, in spite of her being beyond his reach, and threw it with a hard effort which was but impotence. —
他举起手杖，尽管她已经超出他的触及范围，还是用尽力气扔了出去，但却是无力的。 —

It fell, slipping over the foot of the bed. —
手杖滑落到床脚下。 —

Mary let it lie, and retreated to her chair by the fire. —
玛丽让它躺在那里，退回到火炉旁的椅子上。 —

By-and-by she would go to him with the cordial. Fatigue would make him passive. —
过一会儿她会拿着镇静剂去找他。疲劳会让他变得顺从。 —

It was getting towards the chillest moment of the morning, the fire had got low, and she could see through the chink between the moreen window-curtains the light whitened by the blind. —
天渐渐接近最冷清的时刻，火变得很小，她透过更义窗帘之间的缝隙看到白色的光被百叶窗反射。 —

Having put some wood on the fire and thrown a shawl over her, she sat down, hoping that Mr. Featherstone might now fall asleep. —
她往火炉上添了些木柴，披上披肩，坐下来，希望菲瑟斯通先生现在能入睡。 —

If she went near him the irritation might be kept up. —
如果她走近他，可能会引起烦恼。 —

He had said nothing after throwing the stick, but she had seen him taking his keys again and laying his right hand on the money. —
他扔手杖后没有说话，但她看见他又拿起了钥匙，并将右手放在钱上。 —

He did not put it up, however, and she thought that he was dropping off to sleep.
然而他没有把钱放回去，她以为他正在入睡。

But Mary herself began to be more agitated by the remembrance of what she had gone through, than she had been by the reality– questioning those acts of hers which had come imperatively and excluded all question in the critical moment.
但玛丽开始回忆起自己经历的事情，心情比实际还要激动，质疑那些在关键时刻无法反对的行为。

Presently the dry wood sent out a flame which illuminated every crevice, and Mary saw that the old man was lying quietly with his head turned a little on one side. —
干燥的木柴发出火焰，照亮每一个缝隙，玛丽看到老人安静地躺着，头有点歪。 —

She went towards him with inaudible steps, and thought that his face looked strangely motionless; —
她悄无声息地走向他，觉得他的脸看起来奇怪地静止不动； —

but the next moment the movement of the flame communicating itself to all objects made her uncertain. —
但下一刻，火焰的动荡让她感到不确定一切物体。 —

The violent beating of her heart rendered her perceptions so doubtful that even when she touched him and listened for his breathing, she could not trust her conclusions. —
她心跳剧烈，让她的感知力变得不可靠，甚至当她碰触他，倾听他的呼吸时，也无法相信自己的结论。 —

She went to the window and gently propped aside the curtain and blind, so that the still light of the sky fell on the bed.
她走到窗前，轻轻掀开窗帘和百叶窗，使天空中的微光洒在床上。

The next moment she ran to the bell and rang it energetically. —
下一刻，她跑到门铃处，有力地按响了。 —

In a very little while there was no longer any doubt that Peter Featherstone was dead, with his right hand clasping the keys, and his left hand lying on the heap of notes and gold.
不久之后，毫无疑问，彼得·费瑟斯通已经去世，他的右手握着钥匙，左手放在一堆纸钞和金币上。