It was yesterday, the 31st of December.
昨天是十二月三十一号。

I had just finished breakfast with my old friend Georges Garin when the servant handed him a letter covered with seals and foreign stamps.
我刚和我的老朋友乔治·加林吃完早餐，仆人递给他一封上面密封着外国邮票的信。

Georges said:
乔治说：

“Will you excuse me?”
“你可以原谅我吗？”

“Certainly.”
“当然。”

And so he began to read the letter, which was written in a large English handwriting, crossed and recrossed in every direction.
于是他开始读那封信，信上用大号的英文字体横写竖写。 —

He read them slowly, with serious attention and the interest which we only pay to things which touch our hearts.
他慢慢地读着，认真地关注着，只有触动心灵的事物才会引起我们的兴趣。

Then he put the letter on the mantelpiece and said:
然后他把信放在壁炉台上，说：

“That was a curious story! I’ve never told you about it, I think. Yet it was a sentimental adventure, and it really happened to me.
“那是一个奇怪的故事！我想我从未告诉过你。然而那是一段多愁善感的冒险，而且是真实发生在我身上的。 —

That was a strange New Year’s Day, indeed!
那真是一个奇怪的元旦节！ —

It must have been twenty years ago, for I was then thirty and am now fifty years old.
应该是二十年前的事了，因为当时我三十岁，现在已经五十岁了。

“I was then an inspector in the Maritime Insurance Company, of which I am now director.
“那时我是一家海上保险公司的检查员，现在我是该公司的总监。 —

I had arranged to pass New Year’s Day in Paris—since it is customary to make that day a fete—when I received a letter from the manager, asking me to proceed at once to the island of Re, where a three-masted vessel from Saint-Nazaire, insured by us, had just been driven ashore.
我已经安排好在巴黎度过元旦节 - 因为通常将这一天过成节日 - 但我收到了一封经理的信，要求我立即前往雷岛。一艘从圣纳泽尔起运的三桅帆船刚刚搁浅，我们为之投保。 —

It was then eight o’clock in the morning.
当时是早上八点钟。 —

I arrived at the office at ten to get my advices, and that evening I took the express, which put me down in La Rochelle the next day, the 31st of December.
我在早上十点到达办公室，当天晚上搭乘快车，在第二天12月31日抵达拉罗谢尔。

“I had two hours to wait before going aboard the boat for Re. So I made a tour of the town.
“我还有两个小时要在登上去雷岛的船之前等待。所以我在镇上转了一圈。 —

It is certainly a queer city, La Rochelle, with strong characteristics of its own streets tangled like a labyrinth, sidewalks running under endless arcaded galleries like those of the Rue de Rivoli, but low, mysterious, built as if to form a suitable setting for conspirators and making a striking background for those old-time wars, the savage heroic wars of religion.
拉罗谢尔确实是一个奇怪的城市，有着自己独特的特点，街道像迷宫一样纠缠在一起，人行道延伸在无尽的拱廊下，就像佩里禄街一样，但是低矮而神秘，仿佛是为了成为阴谋家的合适背景，为那些古老的宗教战争提供醒目的背景，那些野蛮而英勇的宗教战争。 —

It is indeed the typical old Huguenot city, conservative, discreet, with no fine art to show, with no wonderful monuments, such as make Rouen;
这确实是一个典型的旧胡格诺特城市，保守而低调，没有什么美术品可展示，也没有如鲁昂那样的壮丽纪念碑； —

but it is remarkable for its severe, somewhat sullen look;
但它以其严肃而有些阴郁的面貌而引人注目； —

it is a city of obstinate fighters, a city where fanaticism might well blossom, where the faith of the Calvinists became enthusiastic and which gave birth to the plot of the ‘Four Sergeants.’
这是一个顽固的斗士之城，一个狂热可能会盛开的城市，卡尔文派的信仰在这里变得狂热，并孕育出“四名士兵”的阴谋；

“After I had wandered for some time about these curious streets, I went aboard the black, rotund little steamboat which was to take me to the island of Re. It was called the Jean Guiton.
“在这些奇特的街道上漫步了一段时间之后，我登上了一艘名为让·吉顿号的小小黑色、圆滚滚的汽船，它将带我前往雷岛； —

It started with angry puffings, passed between the two old towers which guard the harbor, crossed the roadstead and issued from the mole built by Richelieu, the great stones of which can be seen at the water’s edge, enclosing the town like a great necklace.
它愤怒地喷着蒸汽启程，从守卫港口的两座古老塔楼之间经过，穿过道路，在负有万历是由大石头建造的堤坝上平稳地行驶，这些大石头可以在水边看到，它像一条巨大的项链将城市环绕起来； —

Then the steamboat turned to the right.
然后汽船向右转弯。”

“It was one of those sad days which give one the blues, tighten the heart and take away all strength and energy and force-a gray, cold day, with a heavy mist which was as wet as rain, as cold as frost, as bad to breathe as the steam of a wash-tub.
“那是一天让人感到悲伤的日子，让人郁郁寡欢，心紧束，丧失所有力量和精力。灰蒙蒙的天气，冰冷的雾气，像雨一样湿，像霜一样冷，像洗衣机蒸汽一样难以呼吸。”

“Under this low sky of dismal fog the shallow, yellow, sandy sea of all practically level beaches lay without a wrinkle, without a movement, without life, a sea of turbid water, of greasy water, of stagnant water.
“在这低沉的雾气中，浅黄色的沙滩海岸呈现出一片平坦，没有一丝褶皱，没有一丝动静，没有生命，一片浊水，一片油腻的水，一片停滞的水。” —

The Jean Guiton passed over it, rolling a little from habit, dividing the smooth, dark blue water and leaving behind a few waves, a little splashing, a slight swell, which soon calmed down.
“吉恩·吉托号在其上行驶，因习惯而轻微晃动，劈开平滑、深蓝的水面，留下一些波浪、少许水花、轻微的涟漪，很快平静下来。”

“I began to talk to the captain, a little man with small feet, as round as his boat and rolling in the same manner.
“我开始和船长交谈，他是个小个子，脚小得像船一样圆，摇摇晃晃的。” —

I wanted some details of the disaster on which I was to draw up a report.
“我想要一些关于我将撰写报告的事故的细节。” —

A great square-rigged three-master, the Marie Joseph, of Saint-Nazaire, had gone ashore one night in a hurricane on the sands of the island of Re.
一艘伟大的三桅方帆船，圣纳扎尔的玛丽·约瑟夫号，在一场飓风中在雷兹岛的沙滩上搁浅了。

“The owner wrote us that the storm had thrown the ship so far ashore that it was impossible to float her and that they had to remove everything which could be detached with the utmost possible haste.
“船主告诉我们，暴风雨把船扔到岸边，无法使其浮出水面，他们必须尽快拆卸一切可以拆卸的东西。 —

Nevertheless I must examine the situation of the wreck, estimate what must have been her condition before the disaster and decide whether all efforts had been used to get her afloat.
然而，我必须调查沉船的情况，估计在灾难发生前她的状况，决定是否已经尽一切努力将其使之浮起。 —

I came as an agent of the company in order to give contradictory testimony, if necessary, at the trial.
我作为公司的代理人前来，需要在审判中提供相反的证词，如果需要的话。

“On receipt of my report, the manager would take what measures he might think necessary to protect our interests.
“在收到我的报告后，经理将采取他认为必要的措施来保护我们的利益。

“The captain of the Jean Guiton knew all about the affair, having been summoned with his boat to assist in the attempts at salvage.
“让·吉通船长对这件事非常了解，他曾被召唤带领他的船参与拖船抢救工作。

“He told me the story of the disaster. The Marie Joseph, driven by a furious gale lost her bearings completely in the night, and steering by chance over a heavy foaming sea—’a milk-soup sea,’ said the captain—had gone ashore on those immense sand banks which make the coasts of this country look like limitless Saharas when the tide is low.
“他告诉我那次灾难的经过。狂风暴雨驱使着玛丽·约瑟夫号完全失去了她的方向，在夜里操纵着命运驶过那汹涌的海面 - ‘一片奶汤海’，船长说 - 她搁浅在了那些巨大的沙洲上，当海潮退去时，这片国家的海岸线看起来就像无限的撒哈拉沙漠。”

“While talking I looked around and ahead.
“在谈话中，我四处环顾，眺望前方。 —

Between the ocean and the lowering sky lay an open space where the eye could see into the distance.
在大洋和低垂的天空之间，有一个开阔的空间，能让目光望向远方。” —

We were following a coast. I asked:
“我们正在沿着海岸行驶。我问道：”

“’Is that the island of Re?’
“’那是瑞岛吗?‘”

“’Yes, sir.’
“’是的，先生。’”

“And suddenly the captain stretched his right hand out before us, pointed to something almost imperceptible in the open sea, and said:
“突然，船长伸出右手，指着开阔的大海中几乎难以察觉的东西，说道：”

“’There’s your ship!’
“’那是你的船！’”

“’The Marie Joseph!’
“’玛丽·约瑟夫号？’”

“’Yes.’
“’是的。’”

“I was amazed. This black, almost imperceptible speck, which looked to me like a rock, seemed at least three miles from land.
“我感到惊讶。这个黑色的，几乎难以察觉的小点，在我看来像一块岩石，似乎离岸有至少三英里远。”

“I continued:
“我继续说道：”

“’But, captain, there must be a hundred fathoms of water in that place.’
“’但是，船长，那个地方应该有一百浔水深度。’”

“He began to laugh.
“他开始笑起来。”

“’A hundred fathoms, my child! Well, I should say about two!’
“‘孩子，大约有两百英尋！’

“He was from Bordeaux. He continued:
“他来自波尔多。他接着说：

“’It’s now nine-forty, just high tide.
“‘现在是九点四十分， —

Go down along the beach with your hands in your pockets after you’ve had lunch at the Hotel du Dauphin, and I’ll wager that at ten minutes to three, or three o’clock, you’ll reach the wreck without wetting your feet, and have from an hour and three-quarters to two hours aboard of her;
正是高潮时刻。你吃过在达芬酒店吃完午餐后，把手插在口袋里沿着海滩走，我打赌到三点十分或三点钟你就能到达沉船，而且不会弄湿脚，你会在她那待上一个小时四十五分钟至两个小时， —

but not more, or you’ll be caught.
但不要超过这个时间， —

The faster the sea goes out the faster it comes back. This coast is as flat as a turtle!
否则你会被困住。海水退得越快，回来得也越快。这个海岸像乌龟一样平坦！ —

But start away at ten minutes to five, as I tell you, and at half-past seven you will be again aboard of the Jean Guiton, which will put you down this same evening on the quay at La Rochelle.’
但是在我告诉你的时间，也就是五点五十分开始，到七点半你就能再次登上让·吉顿号，今晚就会把你送到拉罗谢尔的码头。’

“I thanked the captain and I went and sat down in the bow of the steamer to get a good look at the little city of Saint-Martin, which we were now rapidly approaching.
“我感谢船长，然后坐在船尾，仔细看着我们即将快速靠近的小城圣马丁。”

“It was just like all small seaports which serve as capitals of the barren islands scattered along the coast—a large fishing village, one foot on sea and one on shore, subsisting on fish and wild fowl, vegetables and shell-fish, radishes and mussels.
“它就像沿海岸散布的贫瘠岛屿的首府一样，是一个大的渔村，一只脚踩在海上，一只脚踩在岸边，靠鱼、野禽、蔬菜和贝类、萝卜和贻贝为生。 —

The island is very low and little cultivated, yet it seems to be thickly populated.
“这个岛很低，种植很少，但似乎人口密集。 —

However, I did not penetrate into the interior.
“然而，我没有深入内地。

“After breakfast I climbed across a little promontory, and then, as the tide was rapidly falling, I started out across the sands toward a kind of black rock which I could just perceive above the surface of the water, out a considerable distance.
“早饭后，我爬过一个小海角，然后，由于退潮迅速，我开始穿过沙滩朝着一个黑色的岩石前进，我只能看到它在水面上方，离相当远的地方。

“I walked quickly over the yellow plain. It was elastic, like flesh and seemed to sweat beneath my tread.
“我迅速地走过黄色的平原，它弹性十足，像肉一样，在我踏上去时似乎出汗。 —

The sea had been there very lately.
海水刚刚离开这里。 —

Now I perceived it at a distance, escaping out of sight, and I no longer could distinguish the line which separated the sands from ocean.
“现在我在远处看到了它，它在视线里逃离，我再也分辨不出沙滩与海洋之间的界线。” —

I felt as though I were looking at a gigantic supernatural work of enchantment.
我感觉自己仿佛正看着一件巨大的超自然魔幻作品。 —

The Atlantic had just now been before me, then it had disappeared into the sands, just as scenery disappears through a trap;
大西洋刚刚出现在我面前，然后消失在沙滩中，就像一幅景色通过陷阱消失一样； —

and I was now walking in the midst of a desert.
而此刻我正走在沙漠之中。 —

Only the feeling, the breath of the salt-water, remained in me.
只留下一股咸水的感觉、气息在我体内。 —

I perceived the smell of the wrack, the smell of the sea, the good strong smell of sea coasts.
我闻到了藻类的气味，海水的气味，那浓烈的、好闻的海岸气息。 —

I walked fast; I was no longer cold.
我加快了步伐，不再感到寒冷。 —

I looked at the stranded wreck, which grew in size as I approached, and came now to resemble an enormous shipwrecked whale.
我望着搁浅的残骸，随着我逐渐接近，它变得更加庞大，现在更像是一头巨大的搁浅的鲸鱼。

“It seemed fairly to rise out of the ground, and on that great, flat, yellow stretch of sand assumed wonderful proportions.
它看起来像从地面上进行似的，那个巨大的、平坦的、黄色的沙滩上显示出了惊人的规模。 —

After an hour’s walk I at last reached it.
一个小时的步行后，我终于到达了那里。 —

It lay upon its side, ruined and shattered, its broken bones showing as though it were an animal, its bones of tarred wood pierced with great bolts.
它侧倒着，破败不堪，它的破碎的骨头仿佛是一只动物，那涂了沥青的木骨头上插满了巨大的螺栓。 —

The sand had already invaded it, entering it by all the crannies, and held it and refused to let it go.
那块沙子已经深入其中，通过每个缝隙渗透进去，并坚决地拒绝离开。 —

It seemed to have taken root in it.
它似乎已在其中扎下根来。 —

The bow had entered deep into this soft, treacherous beach, while the stern, high in air, seemed to cast at heaven, like a cry of despairing appeal, the two white words on the black planking, Marie Joseph.
弓艇已深深地插入这片柔软而阴险的沙滩中，而船尾高高升起，仿佛对上帝发出绝望的呼喊，黑色木板上写着两个白色的字，玛丽约瑟夫。

“I climbed upon this carcass of a ship by the lowest side;
“我从最低的一边爬上这副船的残骸；然后， —

then, having reached the deck, I went below.
到达甲板上后，我走进了下面。 —

The daylight, which entered by the stove-in hatches and the cracks in the sides, showed me dimly long dark cavities full of demolished woodwork.
透过破损的舱盖和侧面的裂缝，透进来的阳光昏暗地显示出一片片充满破碎木材的长长黑暗空洞。 —

They contained nothing but sand, which served as foot-soil in this cavern of planks.
它们里面只有沙子，这沙子像是填满了这个板屋的脚底土壤。

“I began to take some notes about the condition of the ship.
“我开始记录关于这艘船的状况。 —

I was seated on a broken empty cask, writing by the light of a great crack, through which I could perceive the boundless stretch of the strand.
我正坐在一个破裂的空桶上，通过一个巨大的裂缝的光亮，从中我能看到无尽延伸的沙滩。” —

A strange shivering of cold and loneliness ran over my skin from time to time, and I would often stop writing for a moment to listen to the mysterious noises in the derelict:
时不时地，一股奇怪的寒冷和孤独之意从我的皮肤上掠过，我常常停下来写作一会儿，聆听着废弃船舱中的神秘噪音。 —

the noise of crabs scratching the planking with their crooked claws;
螃蟹用它们扭曲的爪子刮动船板的声音。 —

the noise of a thousand little creatures of the sea already crawling over this dead body or else boring into the wood.
无数海洋小生物已经爬过这具尸体，或者正在钻入木头中，发出细小的声响。

“Suddenly, very near me, I heard human voices.
“突然间，就在我身边，我听到了人声。 —

I started as though I had seen a ghost.
我吓得像见到了鬼一样。 —

For a second I really thought I was about to see drowned men rise from the sinister depths of the hold, who would tell me about their death.
有一瞬间，我真的以为我将要看到从黑暗的货舱里升起的溺水的人们，他们会告诉我他们的死亡经历。 —

At any rate, it did not take me long to swing myself on deck. There, standing by the bows, was a tall Englishman with three young misses.
无论如何，我很快就摇摆着身子站在甲板上了。在那里，站着一个高个子的英国人和三个年轻的小姐。 —

Certainly they were a good deal more frightened at seeing this sudden apparition on the abandoned three-master than I was at seeing them.
毫无疑问，看到这个突然出现在废弃的三桅船上的幽灵般的人物，他们比我更惊恐。 —

The youngest girl turned and ran, the two others threw their arms round their father.
最年轻的女孩转身就跑，其他两个则扑向了她们的父亲。 —

As for him, he opened his mouth—that was the only sign of emotion which he showed.
至于他，他张开了嘴巴-这是他表露情感的唯一迹象。

“Then, after several seconds, he spoke:
“然后，过了几秒钟，他开口了：

“’Mosieu, are you the owner of this ship?’
“‘先生，您是这艘船的主人吗？’

“’I am.’
“‘是的。”

“’May I go over it?’
“‘我可以看看吗？’

“’You may.’
“‘可以。’

“Then he uttered a long sentence in English, in which I only distinguished the word ‘gracious,’ repeated several times.
“然后他用英语说了一个很长的句子，我只听出了几次重复的词‘仁慈’。

“As he was looking for a place to climb up I showed him the easiest way, and gave him a hand. He climbed up.
“当他在找地方爬上来时，我指给他最容易的方法，并给了他一只手。他爬了上来。 —

Then we helped up the three girls, who had now quite recovered their composure.
然后我们帮助了那三个女孩爬上来，她们已经完全恢复了镇静。 —

They were charming, especially the oldest, a blonde of eighteen, fresh as a flower, and very dainty and pretty! Ah, yes!
她们很迷人，尤其是年纪最大的一个，一个刚刚18岁的金发妙龄女郎，娇嫩漂亮！啊，是的！ —

the pretty Englishwomen have indeed the look of tender sea fruit.
漂亮的英国女人确实有着柔软的海洋水果的外表。 —

One would have said of this one that she had just risen out of the sands and that her hair had kept their tint.
人们会说她刚从沙滩上站起来，她的头发保持着那种色调。 —

They all, with their exquisite freshness, make you think of the delicate colors of pink sea-shells and of shining pearls hidden in the unknown depths of the ocean.
它们的精致新鲜使你想起粉色海贝壳的娇嫩色彩，以及藏匿在深海未知深处的闪亮珍珠。

“She spoke French a little better than her father and acted as interpreter.
“她的法语说得比她父亲稍微好一点，并充当口译。” —

I had to tell all about the shipwreck, and I romanced as though I had been present at the catastrophe.
我必须讲述关于沉船的一切，然后我逐渐将自己融入到了这场灾难的现场。 —

Then the whole family descended into the interior of the wreck.
接着整个家族走进了船舱的内部。 —

As soon as they had penetrated into this sombre, dimly lit cavity they uttered cries of astonishment and admiration.
当他们进入这个昏暗的洞穴时，他们发出了惊讶和钦佩的呼喊声。 —

Suddenly the father and his three daughters were holding sketch-books in their hands, which they had doubtless carried hidden somewhere in their heavy weather-proof clothes, and were all beginning at once to make pencil sketches of this melancholy and weird place.
突然，父亲和他的三个女儿手里都拿着素描本，这些素描本他们无疑是藏在他们厚重的防水衣物中，然后他们同时开始为这个忧郁而神秘的地方作铅笔草图。

“They had seated themselves side by side on a projecting beam, and the four sketch-books on the eight knees were being rapidly covered with little black lines which were intended to represent the half-opened hulk of the Marie Joseph.
他们一起坐在一个凸出的横梁上，八只膝盖上放着四本素描本，迅速画满了代表“玛丽约瑟夫”的半开口船壳的小黑线条。

“I continued to inspect the skeleton of the ship, and the oldest girl talked to me while she worked.
我继续观察着这艘船的骨架，而最年长的女孩正在工作时跟我聊天。

“They had none of the usual English arrogance;
“他们没有常见的英国人的傲慢， —

they were simple honest hearts of that class of continuous travellers with which England covers the globe.
他们是那种英国人在全球范围内都能看到的简单诚实的心灵。 —

The father was long and thin, with a red face framed in white whiskers, and looking like a living sandwich, a piece of ham carved like a face between two wads of hair.
父亲身材高瘦，脸红脖子白，看起来就像一个活生生的三明治，一张刻着脸的火腿片夹在两缕头发之间。 —

The daughters, who had long legs like young storks, were also thin-except the oldest.
女儿们长着像小鹳一样的长腿，也都很瘦，除了最大的那个。 —

All three were pretty, especially the tallest.
三个人都很漂亮，尤其是最高的那个。

“She had such a droll way of speaking, of laughing, of understanding and of not understanding, of raising her eyes to ask a question (eyes blue as the deep ocean), of stopping her drawing a moment to make a guess at what you meant, of returning once more to work, of saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’—that I could have listened and looked indefinitely.
“她说话的方式，笑声的方式，理解和不理解的方式，抬起目光询问问题的方式（她的眼睛像深蓝的海洋），停下来一会儿猜测你的意思的方式，再次回到工作中的方式，说‘是’或‘不是’的方式都非常有趣，我可以无限地倾听和观察。

“Suddenly she murmured:
“突然她低声说道：

“’I hear a little sound on this boat.’
“‘我听到船上有一点声音。’

“I listened and I immediately distinguished a low, steady, curious sound.
“我倾听着，立刻辨别出了一种低沉、稳定、好奇的声音。” —

I rose and looked out of the crack and gave a scream.
我站起身，从缝隙中往外看，发出一声尖叫。 —

The sea had come up to us;
大海已经逼近我们， —

it would soon surround us!
很快就会把我们包围起来！

“We were on deck in an instant. It was too late.
“我们立刻冲到甲板上。可已经太迟了。 —

The water circled us about and was running toward the coast at tremendous speed.
水已经把我们围了起来，以惊人的速度朝着海岸流去。 —

No, it did not run, it glided, crept, spread like an immense, limitless blot.
不，它并不是流动，而是滑行，蔓延开来，像一块无尽无限的斑点。 —

The water was barely a few centimeters deep, but the rising flood had gone so far that we no longer saw the vanishing line of the imperceptible tide.
水只有几厘米深，但正在涨潮的洪水已经蔓延到了我们看不到的地方。

“The Englishman wanted to jump. I held him back.
“那个英国人想要跳下去。我拉住了他。 —

Flight was impossible because of the deep places which we had been obliged to go round on our way out and into which we should fall on our return.
逃跑是不可能的，因为我们在进出时已经绕开了很深的地方，如果跳下去我们会掉进去。

“There was a minute of horrible anguish in our hearts.
“我们的心中充满了可怕的痛苦。 —

Then the little English girl began to smile and murmured:
然后那个小英国女孩开始微笑着说：

“’It is we who are shipwrecked.’
“‘船只遇险的是我们。’

“I tried to laugh, but fear held me, a fear which was cowardly and horrid and base and treacherous like the tide.
“我想笑，但恐惧扣留了我，这种害怕像潮水一样懦弱、可怕、卑鄙和背叛人心。 —

All the danger which we ran appeared to me at once.
所有我们经历的危险一下子都涌上了我的心头。 —

I wanted to shriek: ‘Help!’ But to whom?
我想大声呼喊：“救命！”但是向谁呢？

“The two younger girls were clinging to their father, who looked in consternation at the measureless sea which hedged us round about.
“两个年幼的女孩紧紧抓住他们的父亲，他惊恐地望着无边无际的海洋把我们围在了四周。

“The night fell as swiftly as the ocean rose—a lowering, wet, icy night.
“黑夜降临得就像海水迅速上涨一样，阴冷、湿漉漉的夜晚。

“I said:
“我说道：

“’There’s nothing to do but to stay on the ship:
“‘除了待在船上，我们别无选择：

“The Englishman answered:
英国人答道：

“’Oh, yes!’
“‘噢，是的！’”

“And we waited there a quarter of an hour, half an hour, indeed I don’t know how long, watching that creeping water growing deeper as it swirled around us, as though it were playing on the beach, which it had regained.
“于是，我们在那里等着，整整一个钟头，半个小时，实际上我不知道多长时间，看着那朝着我们涌来的深水越来越多，就像它正在海滩上嬉戏一样。

“One of the young girls was cold, and we went below to shelter ourselves from the light but freezing wind that made our skins tingle.
“其中一个小女孩感到冷，我们下到船舱里躲避那轻微却刺骨的寒风，它让我们的皮肤发麻。

“I leaned over the hatchway. The ship was full of water.
“我俯身看着舱口。船里已经积满了水。 —

So we had to cower against the stern planking, which shielded us a little.
所以我们只能顶着船尾的舱壁蜷缩着，这样还能稍微保护一些。

“Darkness was now coming on, and we remained huddled together.
“此时，黑暗已经临近，我们仍紧紧拥在一起。 —

I felt the shoulder of the little English girl trembling against mine, her teeth chattering from time to time.
我感觉到那个小英国女孩的肩膀在我身上颤抖，她的牙齿时而打颤。 —

But I also felt the gentle warmth of her body through her ulster, and that warmth was as delicious to me as a kiss.
但我也感受到她的紧身外套透过来的温暖，那温暖对我来说就像一个吻一样美妙。 —

We no longer spoke;
我们不再说话； —

we sat motionless, mute, cowering down like animals in a ditch when a hurricane is raging.
我们坐在那里一动不动，无声无息，像动物一样在一个暴风雨肆虐的沟壑中蜷缩。 —

And, nevertheless, despite the night, despite the terrible and increasing danger, I began to feel happy that I was there, glad of the cold and the peril, glad of the long hours of darkness and anguish that I must pass on this plank so near this dainty, pretty little girl.
然而，尽管黑夜降临，尽管可怕而不断加剧的危险，我开始感到很开心我在这里，很高兴有寒冷和危险，很高兴在这块离这个精致漂亮的小女孩如此之近的木板上度过漫长的黑暗与痛苦。

“I asked myself, ‘Why this strange sensation of well-being and of joy?’
“我问自己，‘为什么有这种奇怪的幸福感和喜悦感？’

“Why! Does one know? Because she was there? Who? She, a little unknown English girl?
“为什么！有人会知道吗？因为她在那里？谁呢？她，一个小不知名的英国女孩？ —

I did not love her, I did not even know her.
我并不爱她，我甚至不认识她。 —

And for all that, I was touched and conquered.
尽管如此，我被感动并征服了。 —

I wanted to save her, to sacrifice myself for her, to commit a thousand follies!
我想要拯救她，为她牺牲自己，犯下千百种的愚蠢行为！ —

Strange thing!
奇怪的事情！ —

How does it happen that the presence of a woman overwhelms us so?
女人的存在对我们来说为什么会如此压倒性？ —

Is it the power of her grace which enfolds us?
是她优雅的力量将我们包围吗？ —

Is it the seduction of her beauty and youth, which intoxicates one like wine?
是她美丽和青春的诱惑，像酒一样使人陶醉吗？

“Is it not rather the touch of Love, of Love the Mysterious, who seeks constantly to unite two beings, who tries his strength the instant he has put a man and a woman face to face?
难道不是爱情的触摸吗？是神秘的爱情，不断寻求把两个人联接在一起的爱情，他在男人和女人面对面时试验他的力量？

“The silence of the darkness became terrible, the stillness of the sky dreadful, because we could hear vaguely about us a slight, continuous sound, the sound of the rising tide and the monotonous plashing of the water against the ship.
黑暗的沉默变得可怕，天空的寂静令人恐惧，因为我们能够隐约听到我们周围的微弱、持续的声音，那是水潮正在涨起，水轻轻拍打着船只。

“Suddenly I heard the sound of sobs.
突然，我听到了哭泣的声音。 —

The youngest of the girls was crying.
最小的女孩在哭泣。 —

Her father tried to console her, and they began to talk in their own tongue, which I did not understand.
她的父亲试图安慰她，他们开始用他们自己的语言交谈，我听不懂。 —

I guessed that he was reassuring her and that she was still afraid.
我猜想他在安抚她，她仍然害怕。

“I asked my neighbor:
我问我的邻居：

“’You are not too cold, are you, mademoiselle?’
“你不会太冷了，是吗，小姐？”

“’Oh, yes. I am very cold.’
“哦，是的。我非常冷。”

“I offered to give her my cloak; she refused it.
“我主动给她我的披风，她拒绝了。

“But I had taken it off and I covered her with it against her will.
“但我却脱下它，违她的意愿用它把她盖上。 —

In the short struggle her hand touched mine.
在那短暂的争执中，她的手碰到了我的手。 —

It made a delicious thrill run through my body.
这使我全身充满了美妙的刺激。

“For some minutes the air had been growing brisker, the dashing of the water stronger against the flanks of the ship.
“几分钟来，空气变得更加清新，水流撞击船身的声音也变得更加激烈。 —

I raised myself; a great gust of wind blew in my face.
我站了起来，一阵大风吹向了我的脸。 —

The wind was rising!
风在升级！

“The Englishman perceived this at the same time that I did and said simply:
“英国人和我同时意识到了这一点，他简单地说道：

“’This is bad for us, this——’
“对我们来说，这是不利的，这——”

“Of course it was bad, it was certain death if any breakers, however feeble, should attack and shake the wreck, which was already so shattered and disconnected that the first big sea would carry it off.
“当然是不利的，如果有任何浪头，不管多小，袭击和摇动那已经如此破烂和分离的残骸，第一次巨浪都会把它冲走。

“So our anguish increased momentarily as the squalls grew stronger and stronger.
“所以随着风暴越来越强，我们的痛苦也愈发增加。 —

Now the sea broke a little, and I saw in the darkness white lines appearing and disappearing, lines of foam, while each wave struck the Marie Joseph and shook her with a short quiver which went to our hearts.
现在，海面上出现了一些白色的线条，在黑暗中出现和消失，泡沫的线条，每一波都打击着玛丽约瑟夫号，使她颤抖着震动到我们的心中。

“The English girl was trembling.
“那个英国女孩在发抖， —

I felt her shiver against me.
她在我身边颤抖。 —

And I had a wild desire to take her in my arms.
我有一种疯狂的欲望想把她抱在怀里。

“Down there, before and behind us, to the left and right, lighthouses were shining along the shore—lighthouses white, yellow and red, revolving like the enormous eyes of giants who were watching us, waiting eagerly for us to disappear.
“在那里，前后左右，沿着海岸亮着灯塔 - 白色的，黄色的和红色的灯塔，旋转着像巨人的巨大眼睛，他们正在观察着我们，迫不及待地等着我们消失。 —

One of them in especial irritated me.
其中一个特别让我恼火的灯塔。 —

It went out every thirty seconds and it lit up again immediately.
它每隔30秒熄灭一次，然后立即重新点亮。 —

It was indeed an eye, that one, with its lid incessantly lowered over its fiery glance.
那确实是一只眼睛，带着它无时无刻的火热目光通过连续不断地眨眼睛的动作。

“From time to time the Englishman struck a match to see the hour;
“英国人不时地划一根火柴看时间， —

then he put his watch back in his pocket.
然后把手表放回口袋里。 —

Suddenly he said to me, over the heads of his daughters, with tremendous gravity:
突然间，他以极大的庄重对我说，在他女儿们的头上：“我祝你新年快乐，先生。”

“’I wish you a happy New Year, Mosieu.’
我感谢他的祝福，然后问：“您的女儿们是英国人吗？”

“It was midnight. I held out my hand, which he pressed.
“夜已过半。我伸出手，他握住了。 —

Then he said something in English, and suddenly he and his daughters began to sing ‘God Save the Queen,’ which rose through the black and silent air and vanished into space.
然后他用英语说了些话，突然他和他的女儿们开始唱起《上帝保佑女王》，声音在黑暗无声的空气中升腾而起，消失在太空中。

“At first I felt a desire to laugh;
起初我想笑， —

then I was seized by a powerful, strange emotion.
然后被一种强烈的、奇怪的情感所抓住。

“It was something sinister and superb, this chant of the shipwrecked, the condemned, something like a prayer and also like something grander, something comparable to the ancient ‘Ave Caesar morituri te salutant.’
这是一种邪恶而壮丽的东西，这首由遭难者、被判刑者们唱出的颂歌，就像一种祷告，也像一种更庄严的东西，类似于古代的“阿维塞撒，雷亚耶凡人们向你问好”的声音。

“When they had finished I asked my neighbor to sing a ballad alone, anything she liked, to make us forget our terrors.
他们唱完后，我请求我的邻居独自唱一首民谣，任何她喜欢的，让我们忘记我们的恐惧。 —

She consented, and immediately her clear young voice rang out into the night.
她答应了，立刻她清晰而年轻的声音在夜空中响起。 —

She sang something which was doubtless sad, because the notes were long drawn out and hovered, like wounded birds, above the waves.
她唱的无疑是一首悲伤的歌曲，因为音符绵长而悬浮，像受伤的鸟儿一样在海浪上方徘徊。

“The sea was rising now and beating upon our wreck.
此刻海浪越来越高，拍打着我们的残骸。 —

As for me, I thought only of that voice.
至于我，我只想着那个声音。 —

And I thought also of the sirens.
我也想起了塞壬。 —

If a ship had passed near by us what would the sailors have said?
如果一艘船靠近我们，水手们会说什么？ —

My troubled spirit lost itself in the dream!
我的困扰的心灵迷失在梦中！是一位塞壬！ —

A siren!
—

Was she not really a siren, this daughter of the sea, who had kept me on this worm-eaten ship and who was soon about to go down with me deep into the waters?
她难道不是一位真正的塞壬吗？这位海洋之女让我留在这艘破船上，并且很快将与我一同沉入深海？

“But suddenly we were all five rolling on the deck, because the Marie Joseph had sunk on her right side.
“但突然间，我们五个人都在甲板上翻滚，因为玛丽约瑟夫号已经倾斜到右侧沉没了。 —

The English girl had fallen upon me, and before I knew what I was doing, thinking that my last moment was come, I had caught her in my arms and kissed her cheek, her temple and her hair.
那个英国女孩跌在我身上，我还来不及反应，以为我最后的时刻到了，我把她抱在怀中，亲吻着她的脸颊、太阳穴和头发。

“The ship did not move again, and we, we also, remained motionless.
“船再没有动弹，而我们也保持静止不动。

“The father said, ‘Kate!’ The one whom I was holding answered ‘Yes’ and made a movement to free herself.
“那个父亲说道：‘凯特！’那个我抱着的人回答说：‘是的’，并试图挣脱。 —

And at that moment I should have wished the ship to split in two and let me fall with her into the sea.
就在那一刻，我希望这艘船能裂成两半，让我和她一起坠入海中。

“The Englishman continued:
“那个英国人继续说道：

“’A little rocking; it’s nothing.
“‘只是一点晃动，没什么大不了的。 —

I have my three daughters safe.’
我三个女儿都安全无恙。’

“Not having seen the oldest, he had thought she was lost overboard!
“没见过老的，他曾以为她掉进海里了！

“I rose slowly, and suddenly I made out a light on the sea quite close to us.
“我缓慢地站起来，突然发现海上有一束光离我们很近。我大声喊叫， —

I shouted; they answered.
他们回答了。 —

It was a boat sent out in search of us by the hotelkeeper, who had guessed at our imprudence.
这是酒店老板派出去找我们的船，他猜到了我们的鲁莽。

“We were saved. I was in despair.
“我们得救了。我陷入绝望。 —

They picked us up off our raft and they brought us back to Saint-Martin.
他们把我们从木筏上救起来，带我们回到了圣马丁。

“The Englishman began to rub his hand and murmur:
“英国人开始揉着手喃喃自语：

“’A good supper! A good supper!’
“‘一顿好饭！一顿好饭！’

“We did sup. I was not gay. I regretted the Marie Joseph.
“我们吃过晚饭。我并不开心。我后悔离开了玛丽·约瑟夫号。

“We had to separate the next day after much handshaking and many promises to write.
“第二天我们不得不分别，大家互相握手，互相答应要写信。 —

They departed for Biarritz.
他们去了比亚里茨。 —

I wanted to follow them.
我想跟着他们去。

“I was hard hit. I wanted to ask this little girl to marry me.
“我受了很大的打击。我想要求这个小姑娘嫁给我。 —

If we had passed eight days together, I should have done so!
“我们如果在一起呆了八天，我会这么做的！ —

How weak and incomprehensible a man sometimes is!
人有时真是多么软弱和难以理解啊！

“Two years passed without my hearing a word from them.
“两年过去了，我没有听到他们的消息。 —

Then I received a letter from New York. She was married and wrote to tell me.
然后我收到了一封来自纽约的信。她结婚了，写信告诉我。 —

And since then we write to each other every year, on New Year’s Day. She tells me about her life, talks of her children, her sisters, never of her husband!
从那时起，我们每年都在元旦写信给对方。她告诉我关于自己的生活，谈论她的孩子，她的姐妹，从不提她的丈夫！ —

Why? Ah! why? And as for me, I only talk of the Marie Joseph.
为什么？啊！为什么？至于我，我只谈玛丽·约瑟夫。 —

That was perhaps the only woman I have ever loved—no—that I ever should have loved.
那也许是我唯一爱过的女人 - 不，我唯一应该爱过的女人。 —

Ah, well! who can tell? Circumstances rule one.
啊，好吧！谁能说得准？情况在支配着一个人。 —

And then—and then—all passes.
然后，然后，一切都过去了。 —

She must be old now; I should not know her. Ah!
她现在一定老了；我可能认不出她了。啊！ —

she of the bygone time, she of the wreck! What a creature!
那个从过去来的人，那个灾难中的人！多么美丽的生物！ —

Divine! She writes me her hair is white.
她写信告诉我她的头发变白了。 —

That caused me terrible pain. Ah! her yellow hair. No, my English girl exists no longer.
这给我带来了很大的痛苦。啊！她的金发。不，我的英国女孩已经不再存在了。 —

How sad it all is!”
多么悲伤啊！

THEODULE SABOT’S CONFESSION
泰奥杜尔·萨博的自白

When Sabot entered the inn at Martinville it was a signal for laughter.
当萨博进入马丁维尔旅馆时，这是一个嘲笑的信号。 —

What a rogue he was, this Sabot!
这个萨博是个流氓！ —

There was a man who did not like priests, for instance! Oh, no, oh, no! He did not spare them, the scamp.
有一个人他不喜欢牧师！哦，不，哦，不！他不放过他们，这个无赖。

Sabot (Theodule), a master carpenter, represented liberal thought in Martinville.
萨博（泰奥杜尔）是一位大师级木匠，在马丁维尔代表了自由思想。 —

He was a tall, thin man, with gray, cunning eyes, and thin lips, and wore his hair plastered down on his temples.
他是一个高个子、瘦长的男人，有着灰色狡猾的眼睛和细薄的嘴唇，他的头发贴在太阳穴上。当他说：“我们的圣父教宗”时，每个人都笑了。 —

When he said:
他特意在周日弥撒时间工作。 —

“Our holy father, the pope” in a certain manner, everyone laughed. He made a point of working on Sunday during the hour of mass.
他每年在圣周星期一宰杀他的猪，为了足够的黑布丁可以吃到复活节，当神父经过时，他总是开玩笑地说：“那个人刚从盘子上吞下他的上帝。” —

He killed his pig each year on Monday in Holy Week in order to have enough black pudding to last till Easter, and when the priest passed by, he always said by way of a joke:
这位神父是个身材魁梧、也很高大的人，他对Sabot的吹牛皮的言谈感到恐惧，这种言谈吸引了追随者。 —

“There goes one who has just swallowed his God off a salver.”
这位地方管理委员会的Sabot是个政客，他们认为他会成为市长，这必然意味着教堂的最终垮台。

The priest, a stout man and also very tall, dreaded him on account of his boastful talk which attracted followers.
Abbe Maritime是个善于斡旋的人，他相信外交的力量。 —

The Abbe Maritime was a politic man, and believed in being diplomatic.
他们之间已经有了十年的竞争，是一个秘密、强烈、持续不断的竞争。 —

There had been a rivalry between them for ten years, a secret, intense, incessant rivalry.
Sabot是市政委员，他们认为他将成为市长，这意味着教堂的最终垮台。 —

Sabot was municipal councillor, and they thought he would become mayor, which would inevitably mean the final overthrow of the church.
Sabot是一名市政委员，他们认为他将成为市长，这不可避免地意味着教堂的最终垮台。

The elections were about to take place.
选举即将举行。 —

The church party was shaking in its shoes in Martinville.
教会党派在马丁维尔村有些心神不宁。

One morning the cure set out for Rouen, telling his servant that he was going to see the archbishop.
一天早上，教区神父告诉仆人他要去鲁昂拜会大主教。 —

He returned in two days with a joyous, triumphant air.
他两天后欢欢喜喜地回来了。 —

And everyone knew the following day that the chancel of the church was going to be renovated.
第二天，所有人都知道教堂的修道院即将重新装修。 —

A sum of six hundred francs had been contributed by the archbishop out of his private fund.
大主教从他的私人基金中捐款6百法郎。 —

All the old pine pews were to be removed, and replaced by new pews made of oak.
所有老式的松木长凳都将被移除，用橡木长凳替代。 —

It would be a big carpentering job, and they talked about it that very evening in all the houses in the village.
这将是一个大工程，当晚在村子里的所有家庭都在谈论这件事。

Theodule Sabot was not laughing.
泰奴尔·萨博不再嬉笑。

When he went through the village the following morning, the neighbors, friends and enemies, all asked him, jokingly:
第二天早上，当他走过村子时，邻里、朋友和敌人都开玩笑地问他：

“Are you going to do the work on the chancel of the church?”
“你要负责教堂的修理工作吗？”

He could find nothing to say, but he was furious, he was good and angry.
他找不到话说，但他很愤怒，他很生气。

Ill-natured people added:
刻薄的人还加了一句：

“It is a good piece of work;
“这是一件很好的作品， —

and will bring in not less than two or three per cent. profit.”
将带来不少于百分之二到三的利润。”

Two days later, they heard that the work of renovation had been entrusted to Celestin Chambrelan, the carpenter from Percheville.
两天后，他们听说翻新工作已经交给了来自Percheville的木匠Celestin Chambrelan负责。 —

Then this was denied, and it was said that all the pews in the church were going to be changed.
然后又有人否认了这个说法，并说教堂的所有长凳都将被更换。 —

That would be well worth the two thousand francs that had been demanded of the church administration.
这将完全值得教堂管理部门所要求的两千法郎。

Theodule Sabot could not sleep for thinking about it. Never, in all the memory of man, had a country carpenter undertaken a similar piece of work.
Theodule Sabot思来想去睡不着觉。在人们记忆中，从来没有一个乡村木匠承包过这样的工程。 —

Then a rumor spread abroad that the cure felt very grieved that he had to give this work to a carpenter who was a stranger in the community, but that Sabot’s opinions were a barrier to his being entrusted with the job.
然后有传言说教长很遗憾不得不把这项工作交给一个陌生的木匠，因为Sabot的观点成了他承包该工作的障碍。

Sabot knew it well. He called at the parsonage just as it was growing dark.
Sabot心知肚明。天黑以后他去了教区长居住的地方。 —

The servant told him that the cure was at church.
仆人告诉他教长在教堂里。 —

He went to the church.
他去了教堂。

Two attendants on the altar of the Virgin, two sour old maids, were decorating the altar for the month of Mary, under the direction of the priest, who stood in the middle of the chancel with his portly paunch, directing the two women who, mounted on chairs, were placing flowers around the tabernacle.
在圣母的圣坛上，有两个殿前侍者，两个脾气不好的老处女，正按照神父的指示，站在圣坛中央的神父碧腹部分，指挥两个坐在椅子上的女人在圣器周围放置鲜花。

Sabot felt ill at ease in there, as though he were in the house of his greatest enemy, but the greed of gain was gnawing at his heart.
萨博在那里感到不安，好像他正身处最大的敌人的家中，但贪婪的欲望正啃噬着他的心。 —

He drew nearer, holding his cap in his hand, and not paying any attention to the “demoiselles de la Vierge, ” who remained standing startled, astonished, motionless on their chairs.
他靠近了，手里拿着帽子，没有注意到“圣母小姐们”，她们惊讶、惊奇地站在椅子上一动不动。

He faltered:
他结结巴巴地说道：

“Good morning, monsieur le cure.”
“早上好，修士先生。”

The priest replied without looking at him, all occupied as he was with the altar:
神父没有看他，全神贯注地忙于祭坛，回答道：

“Good morning, Mr. Carpenter.”
“早上好，木匠先生。”

Sabot, nonplussed, knew not what to say next.
萨博突然不知道接下来该说什么了。 —

But after a pause he remarked:
但经过一段时间的沉默后，他说：

“You are making preparations?”
“您在做准备工作吗？”

Abbe Maritime replied:
海洋修道士答道：

“Yes, we are near the month of Mary.”
“是的，我们快到圣母月了。”

“Why, why,” remarked Sabot and then was silent.
“为什么，为什么，”萨博注视着， —

He would have liked to retire now without saying anything, but a glance at the chancel held him back.
然后沉默了下来。他想现在就退下，什么也不说，但他被朝堂那边的一瞥所制止。 —

He saw sixteen seats that had to be remade, six to the right and eight to the left, the door of the sacristy occupying the place of two.
他看到了要重新制作的16个座位，右边6个，左边8个，教堂小屋的门占据了2个位置。 —

Sixteen oak seats, that would be worth at most three hundred francs, and by figuring carefully one might certainly make two hundred francs on the work if one were not clumsy.
16个橡木座位，最多值300法郎，仔细计算，可以从工作中确实赚到200法郎，如果不笨拙的话。

Then he stammered out:
然后，他结结巴巴地说道：

“I have come about the work.”
“我是来谈工作的。”

The cure appeared surprised. He asked:
牧师显得很惊讶。他问道：

“What work?”
“哪项工作？”

“The work to be done,” murmured Sabot, in dismay.
“要做的工作，”萨博沮丧地喃喃道。

Then the priest turned round and looking him straight in the eyes, said:
然后，牧师转过身来，直视他的眼睛，说：

“Do you mean the repairs in the chancel of my church?”
“你是说我教堂内堂的修理工作吗？”

At the tone of the abbe, Theodule Sabot felt a chill run down his back and he once more had a longing to take to his heels.
在阿贝那种口气下，特奥杜勒·萨博感到一阵寒意从他的背上涌起，他再次渴望奔跑。然而， —

However, he replied humbly:
他谦卑地回答道：

“Why, yes, monsieur le cure.”
“是的，先生。”

Then the abbe folded his arms across his large stomach and, as if filled with amazement, said:
然后，修道士把胳膊折叠在他那宽大的肚子上，像是充满惊讶地说道：

“Is it you—you—you, Sabot—who have come to ask me for this …
“真是你吗，萨博——你——你来找我请求这个……你——我教区唯一的不信教的人！ —

You—the only irreligious man in my parish!
—

Why, it would be a scandal, a public scandal!
哇，这将是一个丑闻，一个公共丑闻！ —

The archbishop would give me a reprimand, perhaps transfer me.”
大主教可能会批评我，甚至调我走。”

He stopped a few seconds, for breath, and then resumed in a calmer tone:
他停顿了几秒钟，喘着气，然后以更加平静的口吻继续说道： —

“I can understand that it pains you to see a work of such importance entrusted to a carpenter from a neighboring parish.
“我可以理解你看到这样一个重大工作被委托给我们邻近教区的一位木匠而感到痛心。 —

But I cannot do otherwise, unless—but no—it is impossible—you would not consent, and unless you did, never.”
但我无可奈何，除非——不，这不可能——你不会同意的，除非你同意，不然绝不可能。”

Sabot now looked at the row of benches in line as far as the entrance door.
萨博现在看着排成一排的长凳，一直延伸到入口门口。 —

Christopher, if they were going to change all those!
克里斯托弗，要是他们要换掉所有这些！

And he asked:
他问道：

“What would you require of me? Tell me.”
“你想从我这里得到什么？告诉我。”

The priest, in a firm tone replied:
牧师用坚定的口气回答道：

“I must have an extraordinary token of your good intentions.”
“我必须得到你善意的特殊信物。”

“I do not say—I do not say;
“我不说——我不说； —

perhaps we might come to an understanding, ” faltered Sabot.
也许我们可以达成理解”，萨博特结结巴巴地说。

“You will have to take communion publicly at high mass next Sunday, ” declared the cure.
“你必须在下周日的高弥撒上公开领圣餐”，神父宣布道。

The carpenter felt he was growing pale, and without replying, he asked:
木匠感到自己脸色苍白，没有回答，他问道：

“And the benches, are they going to be renovated?”
“那椅子，他们打算翻新吗？”

The abbe replied with confidence:
神父自信地回答道：

“Yes, but later on.”
“是的，但是以后再说。”

Sabot resumed:
萨博特继续说道：

“I do not say, I do not say. I am not calling it off, I am consenting to religion, for sure.
“我没有说我不参与，我同意宗教，当然。 —

But what rubs me the wrong way is, putting it in practice;
但让我不舒服的是，把它付诸实践； —

but in this case I will not be refractory.”
但在这种情况下，我不会抗拒。”

The attendants of the Virgin, having got off their chairs had concealed themselves behind the altar;
处女的侍从们从椅子上站了起来，躲在祭坛后面； —

and they listened pale with emotion.
他们带着激动的脸色静静地听着。

The cure, seeing he had gained the victory, became all at once very friendly, quite familiar.
牧师看到自己取得了胜利，突然变得非常友善，非常熟络。

“That is good, that is good. That was wisely said, and not stupid, you understand.
“这很好，这很好。你说得很明智，而不是愚蠢，你明白吗。你会看到的， —

You will see, you will see.”
你会看到的。”

Sabot smiled and asked with an awkward air:
萨波笑了笑，带着笨拙的神情问道：

“Would it not be possible to put off this communion just a trifle?”
“这个圣餐能不能稍微推迟一下？”

But the priest replied, resuming his severe expression:
但牧师回答说，重新露出他严厉的表情：

“From the moment that the work is put into your hands, I want to be assured of your conversion.”
“从你手上接过这任务的那一刻起，我就要确信你已经皈依了。”

Then he continued more gently:
然后他口气缓和地继续说道：

“You will come to confession to-morrow;
“明天你将前来忏悔； —

for I must examine you at least twice.”
因为我必须至少审查你两次。”

“Twice?” repeated Sabot.
“两次？” 萨波重复道。

“Yes.”
“是的。”

The priest smiled.
牧师微笑着。

“You understand perfectly that you must have a general cleaning up, a thorough cleansing. So I will expect you to-morrow.”
“你完全明白你需要进行一次大扫除，彻底清洁。所以我明天期待着你。”

The carpenter, much agitated, asked:
那个木匠非常激动，问道：

“Where do you do that?”
“你就在那儿做吗？”

“Why—in the confessional.”
“是的，在小房间里面，那个忏悔室。”

“In—that box, over there in the corner?
“在那个放在角落的盒子里吗？ —

The fact is—is—that it does not suit me, your box.”
事实上……那个盒子对我来说不太合适。”

“How is that?”
“怎么了？”

“Seeing that—seeing that I am not accustomed to that, and also I am rather hard of hearing.”
“因为……因为我不习惯那个，而且我听力有些差。”

The cure was very affable and said:
牧师非常和蔼地说：

“Well, then! you shall come to my house and into my parlor. We will have it just the two of us, tete-a-tete. Does that suit you?”
“那好吧！你来我家，在我的客厅里，我们两个人私下谈谈。这样行吗？”

“Yes, that is all right, that will suit me, but your box, no.”
“是的，那很好，那适合我，但你的盒子不合适。”

“Well, then, to-morrow after the days work, at six o’clock.”
“那好，明天下了工，六点钟见面。”

“That is understood, that is all right, that is agreed on.
“明白了，没问题，约好了。明天， —

To-morrow, monsieur le cure.
神父先生。谁要是打退堂鼓， —

Whoever draws back is a skunk!”
就是个懦夫！”

And he held out his great rough hand which the priest grasped heartily with a clap that resounded through the church.
他伸出自己粗糙的大手，牧师热情地握住，发出了一声响亮的掌声，回响在教堂里。

Theodule Sabot was not easy in his mind all the following day.
Theodule Sabot整天都不自在。 —

He had a feeling analogous to the apprehension one experiences when a tooth has to be drawn.
他有一种与要拔牙时所感到的恐惧类似的感觉。 —

The thought recurred to him at every moment:
这个念头在他的脑海中一直出现： —

“I must go to confession this evening.
“我今晚必须去忏悔。 —

” And his troubled mind, the mind of an atheist only half convinced, was bewildered with a confused and overwhelming dread of the divine mystery.
”他困扰不安的思绪，一个只半信半疑的无神论者的思维，被一种困惑而压倒性的对神秘的恐惧所包围。

As soon as he had finished his work, he betook himself to the parsonage.
他一完成工作就去了牧师公馆。 —

The cure was waiting for him in the garden, reading his breviary as he walked along a little path.
神父正在花园里等他，边走边读着他的晚祷。 —

He appeared radiant and greeted him with a good-natured laugh.
他显得光彩照人，笑着向他打招呼。

“Well, here we are! Come in, come in, Monsieur Sabot, no one will eat you.”
“我们来了！进来，进来，Theodule先生，没有人会吃掉你。”

And Sabot preceded him into the house. He faltered:
Sabot走在他前面进了屋子。他支吾着说：

“If you do not mind I should like to get through with this little matter at once.”
“如果您不介意，我希望马上解决这个小事情。”

The cure replied:
神父回答道：

“I am at your service. I have my surplice here.
“我随时都可以。我在这儿有我的法衣。 —

One minute and I will listen to you.”
一分钟，我就会听您诉说。”

The carpenter, so disturbed that he had not two ideas in his head, watched him as he put on the white vestment with its pleated folds.
那个木匠心烦意乱，脑袋里一片空白，看着他穿上了带褶皱的白色祭袍。 —

The priest beckoned to him and said:
牧师向他招手说道：

“Kneel down on this cushion.”
“跪在这个垫子上。”

Sabot remained standing, ashamed of having to kneel.
萨博站着不动，羞愧地不想跪下。 —

He stuttered:
他结结巴巴地说道：

“Is it necessary?”
“真的必要吗？”

But the abbe had become dignified.
但神父变得庄严起来。

“You cannot approach the penitent bench except on your knees.”
“你只能跪着走向忏悔凳。”

And Sabot knelt down.
于是萨博跪了下来。

“Repeat the confiteor,” said the priest.
“背诵忏悔文，”神父说道。

“What is that?” asked Sabot.
“那是什么？”萨博问道。

“The confiteor. If you do not remember it, repeat after me, one by one, the words I am going to say.
“忏悔文。如果你记不住，就跟着我一句一句来说。” —

” And the cure repeated the sacred prayer, in a slow tone, emphasizing the words which the carpenter repeated after him.
牧师以缓慢的语调重复着神圣的祷告词，而木匠则跟着他一句句地重复着。 —

Then he said:
然后他说：

“Now make your confession.”
“现在告诉我你的忏悔。”

But Sabot was silent, not knowing where to begin.
但萨博沉默不语，不知道从何处开始。 —

The abbe then came to his aid.
这时神父出手相助。

“My child, I will ask you questions, since you don’t seem familiar with these things.
“我的孩子，我来问你问题吧，因为你似乎对这些事情不太熟悉。” —

We will take, one by one, the commandments of God. Listen to me and do not be disturbed.
我们将依次遵守上帝的诫命。请听我说，不要心烦意乱。 —

Speak very frankly and never fear that you may say too much.
坦率地说话，不要害怕说得太多。

“’One God alone, thou shalt adore,
“你唯一要崇拜的是上帝，

And love him perfectly.’
并对他全心全意地爱。”

“Have you ever loved anything, or anybody, as well as you loved God?
“你有没有像爱上帝那样爱过其他人或物。” —

Have you loved him with all your soul, all your heart, all the strength of your love?”
“你用全部的心灵、全部的心、全部你对爱的力量，来爱过他吗？”

Sabot was perspiring with the effort of thinking.
Sabo为了思考而汗流浃背。 —

He replied:
他回答说：

“No. Oh, no, m’sieu le cure.
“没有，哦不，神父先生。 —

I love God as much as I can.
我尽我所能地爱上帝。 —

That is —yes—I love him very much.
也就是说——是的——我很爱他。 —

To say that I do not love my children, no—I cannot say that. To say that if I had to choose between them and God, I could not be sure.
我不能说我不爱我的孩子们。如果让我在他们和上帝之间作出选择，我不确定我会怎么做。 —

To say that if I had to lose a hundred francs for the love of God, I could not say about that.
如果因为爱上帝而失去一百法郎，我不能确定我会怎么做。 —

But I love him well, for sure, I love him all the same.
但是我确实爱他，当然，我仍然爱他。 —

” The priest said gravely “You must love Him more than all besides.
”神父庄重地说：“你必须比一切都更加爱他。” —

” And Sabot, meaning well, declared “I will do what I possibly can, m’sieu le cure.” The abbe resumed:
“沙博特先生，我会尽我所能的，”善意地宣称。教士继续说道：

“’God’s name in vain thou shalt not take
“‘不可妄称上帝之名，

Nor swear by any other thing.’
不可指着其他事物发誓。’

“Did you ever swear?”
“你曾经发过誓吗？”

“No-oh, that, no! I never swear, never. Sometimes, in a moment of anger, I may say sacre nom de Dieu!
“不，哦，那个，没有！我从来不发誓，绝对不会。有时，生气的时候，我可能会说‘天哪’！ —

But then, I never swear.”
但是，我从来不发誓。”

“That is swearing,” cried the priest, and added seriously:
“那就是发誓了，”教士喊道，并严肃地补充道：

“Do not do it again.
“不要再这样做了。

“’Thy Sundays thou shalt keep
“‘当守安息日，

In serving God devoutly.’
虔诚地事奉上帝。’

“What do you do on Sunday?”
“你在星期日做什么？”

This time Sabot scratched his ear.
这次沙博特挠了挠耳朵。

“Why, I serve God as best I can, m’sieu le cure.
“为什么，我尽我所能地，在家中事奉上帝， —

I serve him—at home. I work on Sunday.”
教士先生。我在星期日工作。”

The cure interrupted him, saying magnanimously:
教士中断了他，宽宏地说：

“I know, you will do better in future.
“我知道，你将来会做得更好。 —

I will pass over the following commandments, certain that you have not transgressed the two first.
我们跳过前两条诫命，相信你没有犯错。 —

We will take from the sixth to the ninth. I will resume:
我们从第六至第九条开始讨论。我继续说道：

“’Others’ goods thou shalt not take
“‘你不可以拿走别人的财物，

Nor keep what is not thine.’
也不要保留不属于你的东西。’

“Have you ever taken in any way what belonged to another?”
“你曾经以任何方式取走过属于他人的东西吗？”

But Theodule Sabot became indignant.
但Theodule Sabot变得愤怒了。

“Of course not, of course not! I am an honest man, m’sieu le cure, I swear it, for sure.
“当然没有，当然没有！我是一个诚实的人，修士先生，我发誓，确实如此。 —

To say that I have not sometimes charged for a few more hours of work to customers who had means, I could not say that.
说我曾经对那些有财力的顾客多算了几个小时的工钱，这我不能否认。 —

To say that I never add a few centimes to bills, only a few, I would not say that.
说我从来没有把几个小钱加到账单上，只是少量的，我是不会说的。 —

But to steal, no! Oh, not that, no!”
但偷窃，不！噢，绝对不会！”

The priest resumed severely:
牧师严厉地继续说：

“To take one single centime constitutes a theft.
“取一文钱都构成一种盗窃。 —

Do not do it again.
不要再这样做了。

‘False witness thou shalt not bear,
“不可作假见证，

Nor lie in any way.’
亦不可说谎。”

“Have you ever told a lie?”
“你曾经撒过谎吗？”

“No, as to that, no. I am not a liar. That is my quality.
“不，关于这一点，没有。我不是个撒谎者。 —

To say that I have never told a big story, I would not like to say that.
这是我的优点。说我从来没有编过故事，我不想说那种话。 —

To say that I have never made people believe things that were not true when it was to my own interest, I would not like to say that.
说我从来没有让人们相信那些不真实的事情，当这对我自己有利时，我不想说那种话。 —

But as for lying, I am not a liar.”
但是关于说谎，我不是个撒谎的人。

The priest simply said:
牧师只是简单地说道：

“Watch yourself more closely.” Then he continued:
“更加密切地监管自己。” 然后他继续说道：

“’The works of the flesh thou shalt not desire
“‘肉体的行为你不应该欲望，

Except in marriage only.’
除了在婚姻中。’

“Did you ever desire, or live with, any other woman than your wife?”
“你是否曾经向其他女人有过欲望，或者与她们一起生活？”

Sabot exclaimed with sincerity:
萨布以真诚的口吻大声说道：

“As to that, no; oh, as to that, no, m’sieu le Cure. My poor wife, deceive her! No, no!
“关于这一点，没有；哦，关于这一点，没有，修士大人。我的可怜的妻子，欺骗她！不，不！ —

Not so much as the tip of a finger, either in thought or in act.
不论是在思想上还是行动上，连一个手指尖都没有。 —

That is the truth.”
这是真实的。”

They were silent a few seconds, then, in a lower tone, as though a doubt had arisen in his mind, he resumed:
他们沉默了几秒钟，然后以更低的语调继续说道，好像心中产生了疑虑：

“When I go to town, to say that I never go into a house, you know, one of the licensed houses, just to laugh and talk and see something different, I could not say that.
“当我去城里的时候，要说我从来没有去过一个房子，你知道的，一个有许可的房子，只是为了开心地聊天、笑一笑，看看不同的东西，这样我是不能说的。 —

But I always pay, monsieur le cure, I always pay.
但是我总是付钱的，修士大人，我总是付钱的。 —

From the moment you pay, without anyone seeing or knowing you, no one can get you into trouble.”
从你付了钱开始，没有人看见或知道你，那么就没人能把你弄上麻烦。”

The cure did not insist, and gave him absolution.
牧师没有再追问，给了他赦免。

Theodule Sabot did the work on the chancel, and goes to communion every month.
Theodule Sabot负责朝堂的工作，并且每个月都参与圣餐。