The light of the cheerful fire shone on the rug and carpet of a cosey parlor, and glittered on the sides of the tea-cups and well-brightened tea-pot, as Senator Bird was drawing off his boots, preparatory to inserting his feet in a pair of new handsome slippers, which his wife had been working for him while away on his senatorial tour. —
一盏明亮愉悦的火光照亮了客厅的地毯和地毯，闪耀在茶杯和被照亮得很亮的茶壶的侧面上，伯德参议员正在脱下自己的靴子，准备穿上一双妻子在他参议院巡回期间为他织的漂亮新拖鞋。 —

Mrs. Bird, looking the very picture of delight, was superintending the arrangements of the table, ever and anon mingling admonitory remarks to a number of frolicsome juveniles, who were effervescing in all those modes of untold gambol and mischief that have astonished mothers ever since the flood.
伯德夫人看起来非常高兴，正在监督餐桌的布置，时不时地对一群顽皮的小孩发出劝告，这些小孩正以无法言喻的情趣和淘气活动着，让母亲惊讶不已。

“Tom, let the door-knob alone,–there’s a man! Mary! Mary! don’t pull the cat’s tail,–poor pussy! —
“汤姆，不要碰门把手，好孩子！玛丽！玛丽！不要拉猫的尾巴，可怜的小猫！ —

Jim, you mustn’t climb on that table,–no, no! —
吉姆，你不可以爬在桌子上，不行，不行！ —

–You don’t know, my dear, what a surprise it is to us all, to see you here tonight!” —
你亲爱的，你不知道今晚看到你在这里是个多么大的惊喜！” —

said she, at last, when she found a space to say something to her husband.
最后，她找到机会对丈夫说了些话。

“Yes, yes, I thought I’d just make a run down, spend the night, and have a little comfort at home. —
“是的，是的，我想我只是赶紧过来，过夜，享受一点家的舒适。 —

I’m tired to death, and my head aches!”
我累死了，头疼！

Mrs. Bird cast a glance at a camphor-bottle, which stood in the half-open closet, and appeared to meditate an approach to it, but her husband interposed.
伯德夫人瞥了一眼半开着的壁橱里的樟脑瓶，似乎在考虑接近它，但她的丈夫挡住了。

“No, no, Mary, no doctoring! a cup of your good hot tea, and some of our good home living, is what I want. —
“不，不，玛丽，不要医治！我要一杯你热腾腾的好茶，一些我们家的好食物。 —

It’s a tiresome business, this legislating!”
这个立法真是让人累！

And the senator smiled, as if he rather liked the idea of considering himself a sacrifice to his country.
参议员笑了笑，仿佛他颇喜欢把自己看作是为国牺牲。

“Well,” said his wife, after the business of the tea-table was getting rather slack, “and what have they been doing in the Senate?”
“那么，”在茶桌上的事情变得相当沉闷后，他的妻子说，”参议院他们在干什么呢？”

Now, it was a very unusual thing for gentle little Mrs. Bird ever to trouble her head with what was going on in the house of the state, very wisely considering that she had enough to do to mind her own. —
现在，温柔的小伯德夫人去关心国家大局的事几乎是不寻常的，她非常明智地认为她已经忙够了去关心自己的事情。 —

Mr. Bird, therefore, opened his eyes in surprise, and said,
伯德先生因此惊讶地睁大了眼睛，说，

“Not very much of importance.”
“并不是很重要的事情。”

“Well; but is it true that they have been passing a law forbidding people to give meat and drink to those poor colored folks that come along? —
“嗯，但他们通过了一项禁止人们给那些可怜的有色人种提供食物和饮水的法律，这是真的吗？” —

I heard they were talking of some such law, but I didn’t think any Christian legislature would pass it!”
“我听说他们在讨论这样的法律，但我没想到任何一个基督教立法机构会通过它！”

“Why, Mary, you are getting to be a politician, all at once.”
“玛丽，你突然变成了一个政治家。”

“No, nonsense! I wouldn’t give a fip for all your politics, generally, but I think this is something downright cruel and unchristian. —
“不，胡说！我对你们的政治一点也不感兴趣，但我认为这是某种残酷和非基督教的表现。 —

I hope, my dear, no such law has been passed.”
我希望，亲爱的，我们的州没有通过这样的法律。

“There has been a law passed forbidding people to help off the slaves that come over from Kentucky, my dear; —
“已经通过了一项法律，禁止人们帮助那些从肯塔基州过来的奴隶，亲爱的； —

so much of that thing has been done by these reckless Abolitionists, that our brethren in Kentucky are very strongly excited, and it seems necessary, and no more than Christian and kind, that something should be done by our state to quiet the excitement.”
由于这些鲁莽的废奴主义者已经做了这么多事情，我们在肯塔基的兄弟们非常激动，似乎有必要，也是基督教和善良的，我们的州应该做些事情来平息这种激动。

“And what is the law? It don’t forbid us to shelter those poor creatures a night, does it, and to give ‘em something comfortable to eat, and a few old clothes, and send them quietly about their business?”
“那么这项法律是什么？它难道禁止我们收留那些可怜的生物一夜，给他们一些舒适的食物，一些旧衣服，然后安静地让他们走吗？”

“Why, yes, my dear; that would be aiding and abetting, you know.”
“是的，亲爱的；那将被视为教唆犯罪，你知道的。”

Mrs. Bird was a timid, blushing little woman, of about four feet in height, and with mild blue eyes, and a peach-blow complexion, and the gentlest, sweetest voice in the world; —
波勒太太是一个胆怯的，腼腆的小女人，大约四英尺高，眼睛是温和的蓝色，面色像桃花一样红润，声音是世界上最温和、最甜美的声音； —

–as for courage, a moderate-sized cock-turkey had been known to put her to rout at the very first gobble, and a stout house-dog, of moderate capacity, would bring her into subjection merely by a show of his teeth. —
至于勇气，一个中等大小的公火鸡已经知道怎样在第一声咯咯声中吓跑她了，一个体格强壮的家犬，只要露出牙齿，就会使她服从。 —

Her husband and children were her entire world, and in these she ruled more by entreaty and persuasion than by command or argument. —
她的丈夫和孩子是她整个世界，在这些方面，她更多地通过恳求和劝说来统治，而不是通过命令或论辩。 —

There was only one thing that was capable of arousing her, and that provocation came in on the side of her unusually gentle and sympathetic nature; —
只有一件事能够激起她，那个挑衅来自她异常温柔和富有同情心的天性； —

–anything in the shape of cruelty would throw her into a passion, which was the more alarming and inexplicable in proportion to the general softness of her nature. —
–任何残忍的行为都会使她勃然大怒，这种情绪对于她本性的普遍温和程度来说更加令人担忧和难以理解。 —

Generally the most indulgent and easy to be entreated of all mothers, still her boys had a very reverent remembrance of a most vehement chastisement she once bestowed on them, because she found them leagued with several graceless boys of the neighborhood, stoning a defenceless kitten.
总的来说，她是所有母亲中最慈爱和容易讨好的，但她的儿子们仍然铭记着她曾经对他们施加的严厉惩罚，因为她发现他们与邻里几个没有素质的男孩结伙，向一个毫无防备的小猫投石。

“I’ll tell you what,” Master Bill used to say, “I was scared that time. —
“我告诉你们，”比尔大师常常说，”那次我真的很害怕。 —

Mother came at me so that I thought she was crazy, and I was whipped and tumbled off to bed, without any supper, before I could get over wondering what had come about; —
母亲当时对我发火得厉害，我以为她疯了，而且在我还没反应过来之前就被打了，然后上床睡觉，没有吃晚饭； —

and, after that, I heard mother crying outside the door, which made me feel worse than all the rest. —
而且在那之后，我还听见母亲在门外哭，这比其他所有的都让我感到难过。 —

I’ll tell you what,” he’d say, “we boys never stoned another kitten!”
我告诉你们，”他会说，”我们再也没有投石猫了！”

On the present occasion, Mrs. Bird rose quickly, with very red cheeks, which quite improved her general appearance, and walked up to her husband, with quite a resolute air, and said, in a determined tone,
在这个场合，伯德太太迅速站起身来，脸红得很，这让她看起来更好了，走到她丈夫跟前，神色坚决地说：

“Now, John, I want to know if you think such a law as that is right and Christian?”
“约翰，我想知道你认为这样的法律是否公正和基督教的？”

“You won’t shoot me, now, Mary, if I say I do!”
“玛丽，如果我说我认为是的，你不会开枪打我吧！”

“I never could have thought it of you, John; you didn’t vote for it?”
“我真没想到你会这样，约翰！你没投赞成票吧？”

“Even so, my fair politician.”
“就是这样，我亲爱的政治家。”

“You ought to be ashamed, John! Poor, homeless, houseless creatures! —
“约翰，你应该为自己感到羞愧！可怜、无家可归、无处居住的生灵！ —

It’s a shameful, wicked, abominable law, and I’ll break it, for one, the first time I get a chance; —
这是一条可耻、邪恶、可憎的法律，我会打破它，起码我有机会的话； —

and I hope I shall have a chance, I do! —
我希望我会有机会，我真的希望！ —

Things have got to a pretty pass, if a woman can’t give a warm supper and a bed to poor, starving creatures, just because they are slaves, and have been abused and oppressed all their lives, poor things!”
如果一个妇女因为他们是奴隶，一生遭受虐待和压迫，就不能给这些可怜、饥饿的生灵提供一顿温暖的晚餐和一个床位，那情况已经够糟糕的了，可怜的生灵！”

“But, Mary, just listen to me. Your feelings are all quite right, dear, and interesting, and I love you for them; —
“但是，玛丽，请听我说。你的感受都是对的，亲爱的，令人感兴趣的，我因此而爱你； —

but, then, dear, we mustn’t suffer our feelings to run away with our judgment; —
但是，亲爱的，我们不能让感情左右我们的判断； —

you must consider it’s a matter of private feeling,–there are great public interests involved,–there is such a state of public agitation rising, that we must put aside our private feelings.”
你必须考虑这是一个私人感情的问题，–涉及重大的公共利益，–当前已经出现了公众情绪激动的局面，我们必须把私人感情搁置一边。

“Now, John, I don’t know anything about politics, but I can read my Bible; —
“现在，约翰，我不懂政治，但我可以读圣经； —

and there I see that I must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the desolate; —
在那里我看到我必须供给饥饿的人，给赤身露体的人穿衣，安慰孤独的人； —

and that Bible I mean to follow.”
我打算遵循那部圣经。”

“But in cases where your doing so would involve a great public evil–”
“但是在你这样做将导致巨大的公共危害的情况下–”

“Obeying God never brings on public evils. I know it can’t. —
“遵从上帝永远不会带来公共危害。我知道不会。 —

It’s always safest, all round, to do as He bids us.
遵循祂的吩咐通常是最安全的。

“Now, listen to me, Mary, and I can state to you a very clear argument, to show–”
“现在，听我说，玛丽，我可以清楚地辩论，以表明–”

“O, nonsense, John! you can talk all night, but you wouldn’t do it. —
“哦，胡说八道，约翰！你可以说一整夜，但你不会这样做。 —

I put it to you, John,–would you now turn away a poor, shivering, hungry creature from your door, because he was a runaway? Would you, now?”
让我问你，约翰，–你会现在因为他是个逃亡者而拒绝一个又冷又饿的可怜人离开你家门吗？你会吗？”

Now, if the truth must be told, our senator had the misfortune to be a man who had a particularly humane and accessible nature, and turning away anybody that was in trouble never had been his forte; —
现在，如果要说实话，我们的参议员不幸的是一个特别仁慈和好说话的人，拒绝任何遇到困难的人从来不是他的长项； —

and what was worse for him in this particular pinch of the argument was, that his wife knew it, and, of course was making an assault on rather an indefensible point. —
而在这场争论中对他来说更为糟糕的是，他的妻子知道这一点，当然正攻击一个难以辩护的点。 —

So he had recourse to the usual means of gaining time for such cases made and provided; —
于是他有了一般情况下应对这种情况的通常手段； —

he said “ahem,” and coughed several times, took out his pocket-handkerchief, and began to wipe his glasses. —
他说”呵呵”，咳嗽了几次，拿出手帕，开始擦拭眼镜。 —

Mrs. Bird, seeing the defenceless condition of the enemy’s territory, had no more conscience than to push her advantage.
伯德太太看到敌方领土的无防御状态，毫不顾忌地利用这一优势。

“I should like to see you doing that, John–I really should! —
“约翰，我真想看看你这样做！”我真的很想看到你这样做！ —

Turning a woman out of doors in a snowstorm, for instance; —
比如，在暴风雪中把一个女人赶出家门； —

or may be you’d take her up and put her in jail, wouldn’t you? You would make a great hand at that!”
或者你会把她抓起来关进监狱，对吧？你会在这方面干得很好的！”

“Of course, it would be a very painful duty,” began Mr. Bird, in a moderate tone.
“当然，那将是一项非常痛苦的责任，”约翰先生温和地说道。

“Duty, John! don’t use that word! You know it isn’t a duty–it can’t be a duty! —
“责任，约翰！不要用那个词！你知道这不是一项责任–不可能是一项责任！ —

If folks want to keep their slaves from running away, let ‘em treat ‘em well,–that’s my doctrine. —
如果人们想阻止奴隶逃跑，让他们好好对待奴隶–这是我的信条。 —

If I had slaves (as I hope I never shall have), I’d risk their wanting to run away from me, or you either, John. I tell you folks don’t run away when they are happy; —
如果我有奴隶（我希望永远不会有），他们可能想要离开我，或者你也一样，约翰。我告诉你们，人们在幸福时是不会逃跑的； —

and when they do run, poor creatures! they suffer enough with cold and hunger and fear, without everybody’s turning against them; —
当他们逃跑时，可怜的生物们！他们已经遭受足够的寒冷、饥饿和恐惧，没有必要所有人都对他们痛下杀手； —

and, law or no law, I never will, so help me God!”
不管有没有法律，我永远都不会这么做，上帝帮助我！”

“Mary! Mary! My dear, let me reason with you.”
“玛丽！玛丽！亲爱的，让我跟你好好谈谈。”

“I hate reasoning, John,–especially reasoning on such subjects. —
“约翰，我讨厌辩论，尤其是在这些问题上辩论。 —

There’s a way you political folks have of coming round and round a plain right thing; —
你这些政治人士总是弯弯曲曲地讲道理； —

and you don’t believe in it yourselves, when it comes to practice. —
当真到实践时，你们自己也不相信。 —

I know you well enough, John. You don’t believe it’s right any more than I do; —
我很了解你，约翰。你和我一样，也不认为这是对的； —

and you wouldn’t do it any sooner than I.”
你也不会比我更快去做。

At this critical juncture, old Cudjoe, the black man-of-all-work, put his head in at the door, and wished “Missis would come into the kitchen;” —
在这个关键的时刻，老库乔，负责做杂活的黑人男人，探头进门，希望”夫人能进厨房来；” —

and our senator, tolerably relieved, looked after his little wife with a whimsical mixture of amusement and vexation, and, seating himself in the arm-chair, began to read the papers.
我们的参议员心情稍微放松，用一种充满幽默和恼火的怪样子望着他的小妻子，然后坐在扶手椅上，开始看报纸。

After a moment, his wife’s voice was heard at the door, in a quick, earnest tone,–“John! —
过了一会儿，他妻子的声音在门口响起，急促而认真，“约翰！ —

John! I do wish you’d come here, a moment.”
约翰！我希望你过来一下。”

He laid down his paper, and went into the kitchen, and started, quite amazed at the sight that presented itself: —
他放下报纸，走进厨房，对所见景象感到惊讶： —

–A young and slender woman, with garments torn and frozen, with one shoe gone, and the stocking torn away from the cut and bleeding foot, was laid back in a deadly swoon upon two chairs. —
一个年轻瘦弱的女人，衣衫破碎而冻结，一只鞋子不见了，袜子从受伤流血的脚上被撕下，躺在两把椅子上陷入致命的昏迷中。 —

There was the impress of the despised race on her face, yet none could help feeling its mournful and pathetic beauty, while its stony sharpness, its cold, fixed, deathly aspect, struck a solemn chill over him. —
她脸上刻着那被蔑视种族的印记，然而没有人能够不感受到她哀伤而悲切的美丽，虽然她那坚硬、锐利，冷漠，冷静，死寂的面容给人带来庄严的寒意。 —

He drew his breath short, and stood in silence. —
他短促地吸了口气，静立不语。 —

His wife, and their only colored domestic, old Aunt Dinah, were busily engaged in restorative measures; —
他的妻子和他们唯一的有色家仆，年迈的迪娜老奶奶，正忙着展开复苏措施； —

while old Cudjoe had got the boy on his knee, and was busy pulling off his shoes and stockings, and chafing his little cold feet.
而老库乔正让男孩坐在他的膝盖上，忙着脱掉他的鞋袜，搓着他冰冷的小脚。

“Sure, now, if she an’t a sight to behold!” said old Dinah, compassionately; —
“看在老迪娜奶奶这么晚的份上，她也是个可怜众生！”老迪娜慈悲地说； —

”‘pears like ’t was the heat that made her faint. —
“她昏过去，看起来好像是中暑了。 —

She was tol’able peart when she cum in, and asked if she couldn’t warm herself here a spell; —
刚进来的时候还挺精神，还问能不能在这里暖和一会儿； —

and I was just a-askin’ her where she cum from, and she fainted right down. —
我正问她是从哪里来，她突然就晕倒了。 —

Never done much hard work, guess, by the looks of her hands.”
从她手看，大概没干过什么粗活吧。”

“Poor creature!” said Mrs. Bird, compassionately, as the woman slowly unclosed her large, dark eyes, and looked vacantly at her. —
“可怜的灵魂！”伯德太太怜惜地说，当这位女人缓慢地睁开她那双大大的黑眼睛，茫然地看着她。 —

Suddenly an expression of agony crossed her face, and she sprang up, saying, “O, my Harry! —
突然，一种痛苦的表情掠过她的脸，她跳起来，说：“哦，我的哈利！ —

Have they got him?”
他们抓住他了吗？”

The boy, at this, jumped from Cudjoe’s knee, and running to her side put up his arms. —
男孩听到这里，从库乔的腿上跳下来，跑到她身边，伸出双臂。 —

“O, he’s here! he’s here!” she exclaimed.
“哦，他在这里！他在这里！”她惊叹道。

“O, ma’am!” said she, wildly, to Mrs. Bird, “do protect us! don’t let them get him!”
“哦，夫人！”她狂乱地对伯德太太说，“请保护我们！不要让他们抓住他！”

“Nobody shall hurt you here, poor woman,” said Mrs. Bird, encouragingly. —
“鸟夫人鼓励地说：‘在这里没人会伤害你，可怜的女人。’” —

“You are safe; don’t be afraid.”
“你很安全，不要害怕。”

“God bless you!” said the woman, covering her face and sobbing; —
“愿上帝保佑你！”那女人说着，掩住脸哭泣； —

while the little boy, seeing her crying, tried to get into her lap.
而小男孩看到她在哭，试图爬到她的腿上。

With many gentle and womanly offices, which none knew better how to render than Mrs. Bird, the poor woman was, in time, rendered more calm. —
在鸟夫人那种温柔体贴的照料下，那可怜的女人渐渐平静下来。 —

A temporary bed was provided for her on the settle, near the fire; —
在壁炉旁为她提供了一张临时的床，附近还有一把椅子； —

and, after a short time, she fell into a heavy slumber, with the child, who seemed no less weary, soundly sleeping on her arm; —
过了一会儿，足够疲惫的她带着孩子陷入了沉沉的睡眠； —

for the mother resisted, with nervous anxiety, the kindest attempts to take him from her; —
因为母亲即使在睡梦中也紧紧搂着他，紧张地不放手； —

and, even in sleep, her arm encircled him with an unrelaxing clasp, as if she could not even then be beguiled of her vigilant hold.
即使在睡梦中，她的胳膊也像钳住一样地环绕着孩子，仿佛即使在那时，她也不能麻痹自己的警惕。

Mr. and Mrs. Bird had gone back to the parlor, where, strange as it may appear, no reference was made, on either side, to the preceding conversation; —
鸟夫妇已经回到客厅，虽然看起来有些奇怪，但双方都没有提到之前的谈话； —

but Mrs. Bird busied herself with her knitting-work, and Mr. Bird pretended to be reading the paper.
但鸟夫人忙着织毛衣，而鸟先生假装在看报纸。

“I wonder who and what she is!” said Mr. Bird, at last, as he laid it down.
“我好奇她是谁，是什么人！” 最终，鸟夫人放下报纸说。

“When she wakes up and feels a little rested, we will see,” said Mrs. Bird.
“等她醒来休息好一点，我们会弄清楚的，”鸟夫人说。

“I say, wife!” said Mr. Bird after musing in silence over his newspaper.
“我说，亲爱的！鸟先生沉思着看着报纸后说。

“Well, dear!”
“嗯，亲爱的！”

“She couldn’t wear one of your gowns, could she, by any letting down, or such matter? —
“你的礼服她是穿不了的，对吧，会不会有什么放大的办法？” —

She seems to be rather larger than you are.”
“她看起来比你大一些呢。”

A quite perceptible smile glimmered on Mrs. Bird’s face, as she answered, “We’ll see.”
“我们等等看吧。”Mrs. Bird脸上露出了微笑。

Another pause, and Mr. Bird again broke out,
再次停顿，Bird先生又说道，

“I say, wife!”
“太太！”

“Well! What now?”
“怎么了？”

“Why, there’s that old bombazin cloak, that you keep on purpose to put over me when I take my afternoon’s nap; —
“喂，那件旧的丝绒披风呢，你专门拿来给我午后小睡时盖的； —

you might as well give her that,–she needs clothes.”
你可能把那件给她，–她需要衣服。”

At this instant, Dinah looked in to say that the woman was awake, and wanted to see Missis.
就在这时，Dinah走进来说那位妇女醒了，想见女主人。

Mr. and Mrs. Bird went into the kitchen, followed by the two eldest boys, the smaller fry having, by this time, been safely disposed of in bed.
Bird夫妇走进了厨房，两个大一点的男孩跟在后面，小一些的孩子们此时已经被安顿到床上了。

The woman was now sitting up on the settle, by the fire. —
妇女此刻坐在炉边的长椅上。 —

She was looking steadily into the blaze, with a calm, heart-broken expression, very different from her former agitated wildness.
她凝视着火焰，脸上露出一种平静、心碎的表情，与之前的激动和狂乱截然不同。

“Did you want me?” said Mrs. Bird, in gentle tones. “I hope you feel better now, poor woman!”
“你需要我吗？”Mrs. Bird温和地说道，”我希望你现在感觉好些了，可怜的女士！”

A long-drawn, shivering sigh was the only answer; —
长长的、颤抖的叹息是唯一的回答； —

but she lifted her dark eyes, and fixed them on her with such a forlorn and imploring expression, that the tears came into the little woman’s eyes.
但她抬起黑色的眼睛，用一种孤苦、乞求的表情望着她，瞬间泪水涌入了这位小女士的眼中。

“You needn’t be afraid of anything; we are friends here, poor woman! —
“你不用害怕任何事情；我们这里是朋友，可怜的女人！ —

Tell me where you came from, and what you want,” said she.
“告诉我你是从哪里来的，想要什么,“她说。

“I came from Kentucky,” said the woman.
“我来自肯塔基,“女人说。

“When?” said Mr. Bird, taking up the interogatory.
“什么时候来的？”伯德先生问道。

“Tonight.”
“今晚.”

“How did you come?”
“你是怎么来的？

“I crossed on the ice.”
“我在冰上过河了.”

“Crossed on the ice!” said every one present.
“在冰上过河!“在场的每个人都说道。

“Yes,” said the woman, slowly, “I did. God helping me, I crossed on the ice; —
“是的,“女人慢慢地说，”我是的。神帮助我，我过了河， —

for they were behind me–right behind–and there was no other way!”
因为他们在我后面–就在后面–没有其他办法！

“Law, Missis,” said Cudjoe, “the ice is all in broken-up blocks, a swinging and a tetering up and down in the water!”
“老天，小姐,“卡杰说，“那冰全是碎成块的，划来划去在水里摇摆不定！

“I know it was–I know it!” said she, wildly; “but I did it! —
“我知道，我知道，”她狂乱地说，”但我做到了！ —

I wouldn’t have thought I could,–I didn’t think I should get over, but I didn’t care! —
我不认为我能，–我觉得我过不去，但我不在乎！ —

I could but die, if I didn’t. The Lord helped me; —
我只能死，如果我过不去。主帮助了我； —

nobody knows how much the Lord can help ‘em, till they try,” said the woman, with a flashing eye.
没有人知道主可以帮助他们多少，直到他们尝试过,“女人带着闪亮的眼睛说道。

“Were you a slave?” said Mr. Bird.
“您是个奴隶吗？”伯德先生问道。

“Yes, sir; I belonged to a man in Kentucky.”
“是的，先生；我曾是肯塔基某个人的奴隶。”

“Was he unkind to you?”
“他对您不好吗？”

“No, sir; he was a good master.”
“不，先生；他是个好主人。”

“And was your mistress unkind to you?”
“那您的女主人对您也不好吗？”

“No, sir–no! my mistress was always good to me.”
“不，先生–不！我的女主人一直对我很好。”

“What could induce you to leave a good home, then, and run away, and go through such dangers?”
“那是什么让您离开一个好家庭，然后逃跑，冒这么大的风险？”

The woman looked up at Mrs. Bird, with a keen, scrutinizing glance, and it did not escape her that she was dressed in deep mourning.
女人抬头看着伯德夫人，带着一种敏锐的审视目光，她发现夫人穿着深深的丧服。

“Ma’am,” she said, suddenly, “have you ever lost a child?”
“夫人，”她突然说道，”您有没有失去过孩子？”

The question was unexpected, and it was thrust on a new wound; —
这个问题出乎意料，又揭开了一个新的伤口； —

for it was only a month since a darling child of the family had been laid in the grave.
因为离开家人才一个月，家里一个可爱的孩子刚刚被埋葬。

Mr. Bird turned around and walked to the window, and Mrs. Bird burst into tears; —
伯德先生转身走到窗前，伯德夫人则泪如泉涌； —

but, recovering her voice, she said,
但是她恢复了声音，说道，

“Why do you ask that? I have lost a little one.”
“您问这个干嘛？我失去了一个小孩。”

“Then you will feel for me. I have lost two, one after another,–left ‘em buried there when I came away; —
“那么您会理解我的心情。我已经失去了两个，一个接一个，–在我离开时将他们埋葬在那里；” —

and I had only this one left. I never slept a night without him; he was all I had. —
我只剩下这一个了。没有他的夜晚我从未入睡过；他是我唯一的依靠。 —

He was my comfort and pride, day and night; —
他是我的慰藉和骄傲，日日夜夜； —

and, ma’am, they were going to take him away from me,–to sell him,–sell him down south, ma’am, to go all alone,–a baby that had never been away from his mother in his life! —
夫人，他们打算把他带走，–把他“卖”掉，–把他向南边卖去，夫人，让他独自一人去，–一个从未离开过母亲身边的婴儿！ —

I couldn’t stand it, ma’am. I knew I never should be good for anything, if they did; —
我无法忍受，夫人。我知道如果他们这样做了，我永远不会有什么用处； —

and when I knew the papers the papers were signed, and he was sold, I took him and came off in the night; —
当我知道合同已签署，他被卖了，我带着他在夜里离开了； —

and they chased me,–the man that bought him, and some of Mas’r’s folks,–and they were coming down right behind me, and I heard ‘em. —
他们追赶我，–买了他的人，还有主人的一些人，–他们就在我身后，我听到了他们的声音。 —

I jumped right on to the ice; and how I got across, I don’t know,–but, first I knew, a man was helping me up the bank.”
我跳到了冰上；我不知道自己是怎么穿过去的，–但是很快，有一个人在帮我爬上岸。

The woman did not sob nor weep. She had gone to a place where tears are dry; —
这位女士没有哭泣也没有哭号。她已经到了眼泪干涸的地方； —

but every one around her was, in some way characteristic of themselves, showing signs of hearty sympathy.
但周围的每个人都以某种方式表现出了真心的同情。

The two little boys, after a desperate rummaging in their pockets, in search of those pocket-handkerchiefs which mothers know are never to be found there, had thrown themselves disconsolately into the skirts of their mother’s gown, where they were sobbing, and wiping their eyes and noses, to their hearts’ content; —
两个小男孩在兜里绝望地翻找，寻找那些妈妈们知道永远找不到的手帕，然后绝望地倒在妈妈的裙下，哭泣着，擦着眼睛和鼻子，尽情地发泄着情感； —

–Mrs. Bird had her face fairly hidden in her pocket-handkerchief; —
–伯德夫人把脸完全藏在手绢里； —

and old Dinah, with tears streaming down her black, honest face, was ejaculating, “Lord have mercy on us!” —
黛娜老人的黑黑诚实的脸上挂着泪珠，一边大声呼喊，“主啊，对我们怜悯！” 就像在一个宗教营会上一样；–而老库乔，用袖子擦着眼睛，做出了种种非常夸张的鬼脸，时不时地以同样坚决的热情回应。 —

with all the fervor of a camp-meeting;–while old Cudjoe, rubbing his eyes very hard with his cuffs, and making a most uncommon variety of wry faces, occasionally responded in the same key, with great fervor. —
我们的参议员是一位政治家，当然不应该像其他凡人那样哭泣； —

Our senator was a statesman, and of course could not be expected to cry, like other mortals; —
所以他转过身去，背对着大家，看向窗外，似乎在专心地清理自己的喉咙，擦拭着眼镜，偶尔以一种令人怀疑的方式擤鼻子，如果有人处于批判性的状态，那他会引起怀疑。 —

and so he turned his back to the company, and looked out of the window, and seemed particularly busy in clearing his throat and wiping his spectacle-glasses, occasionally blowing his nose in a manner that was calculated to excite suspicion, had any one been in a state to observe critically.
16, 我们的参议员是一位政治家，当然不应该像其他凡人那样哭泣；

“How came you to tell me you had a kind master?” —
“你怎么会告诉我你有一个善良的主人呢？” —

he suddenly exclaimed, gulping down very resolutely some kind of rising in his throat, and turning suddenly round upon the woman.
他突然吞下喉咙里的某种东西，坚决地转过身来面对那个女人。

“Because he was a kind master; I’ll say that of him, any way;–and my mistress was kind; —
“因为他确实是一个善良的主人；无论如何，我会这么说；–我的女主人也很好； —

but they couldn’t help themselves. They were owing money; —
但是他们自己也无能为力。他们欠了钱； —

and there was some way, I can’t tell how, that a man had a hold on them, and they were obliged to give him his will. —
有某种方式，我无法说出来，一个人控制着他们，他们被迫听他的话。 —

I listened, and heard him telling mistress that, and she begging and pleading for me,–and he told her he couldn’t help himself, and that the papers were all drawn; —
我听见了，听见他告诉女主人那个，她为我求情，哀求着，–他告诉她他也束手无策，文件早已起草； —

–and then it was I took him and left my home, and came away. —
–那时候我带着孩子离开了家，离开了。 —

I knew ’t was no use of my trying to live, if they did it; —
我知道如果他们这么做，我活下去也没有意义； —

for ’t ‘pears like this child is all I have.”
因为这个孩子对我来说就是我的一切。”

“Have you no husband?”
“你没有丈夫吗？”

“Yes, but he belongs to another man. His master is real hard to him, and won’t let him come to see me, hardly ever; —
“有，但他属于另一个人。他的主人对他很苛刻，几乎不让他过来看我； —

and he’s grown harder and harder upon us, and he threatens to sell him down south; —
他对我们越来越苛刻，他威胁要把他卖到南方去； —

–it’s like I’ll never see him again!”
–看来我可能永远也见不到他了！”

The quiet tone in which the woman pronounced these words might have led a superficial observer to think that she was entirely apathetic; —
一个表面上看来毫无感情的女人以平静的语气说出这些话，可能会让肤浅的观察者误以为她完全冷漠； —

but there was a calm, settled depth of anguish in her large, dark eye, that spoke of something far otherwise.
但她深邃的眼睛中有着一种平静、坚定的痛苦，这说明她的内心其实并非如此。

“And where do you mean to go, my poor woman?” said Mrs. Bird.
“我亲爱的女人，你打算去哪里呢？”太太伯德说。

“To Canada, if I only knew where that was. Is it very far off, is Canada?” —
“到加拿大，如果我知道那是哪里的话。加拿大离这里很远吗，加拿大？” —

said she, looking up, with a simple, confiding air, to Mrs. Bird’s face.
她抬头看着伯德太太的脸，带着一种简单、信任的神情。

“Poor thing!” said Mrs. Bird, involuntarily.
“可怜的人！”伯德太太不由自主地说道。

“Is ’t a very great way off, think?” said the woman, earnestly.
“你认为离得很远吗？”那位女人认真地问道。

“Much further than you think, poor child!” said Mrs. Bird; —
“比你想象的要远得多，可怜的孩子！”伯德太太说， —

“but we will try to think what can be done for you. —
“但我们会尽力想想能为你做些什么。 —

Here, Dinah, make her up a bed in your own room, close by the kitchen, and I’ll think what to do for her in the morning. —
迪纳，给她在你的房间里准备一张床，就在厨房旁边，明天早上我们会想办法帮助她。 —

Meanwhile, never fear, poor woman; put your trust in God; —
同时，不要害怕，可怜的女人；相信上帝吧； —

he will protect you.”
他会保护你。”

Mrs. Bird and her husband reentered the parlor. —
伯德太太和她的丈夫重新进入客厅。 —

She sat down in her little rocking-chair before the fire, swaying thoughtfully to and fro. —
她坐在火炉前的摇椅上，沉思着摇来摇去。 —

Mr. Bird strode up and down the room, grumbling to himself, “Pish! pshaw! —
伯德先生在房间里来回踱步，自言自语地抱怨道，“呸！胡扯！ —

confounded awkward business!” At length, striding up to his wife, he said,
该死的麻烦事！”最后，他大步走向妻子，说道，

“I say, wife, she’ll have to get away from here, this very night. —
“我说，老婆，她必须今晚就离开这里。 —

That fellow will be down on the scent bright and early tomorrow morning: —
那家伙明天早上会追踪到这里； —

if ’t was only the woman, she could lie quiet till it was over; —
如果只有这位女士的话，她可以安静地等到一切结束； —

but that little chap can’t be kept still by a troop of horse and foot, I’ll warrant me; —
但那个小子肯定会闹个天翻地覆，就算有一队骑兵步兵也拦不住他； —

he’ll bring it all out, popping his head out of some window or door. —
他会把一切都说出来，从某个窗户或门里冒出来； —

A pretty kettle of fish it would be for me, too, to be caught with them both here, just now! —
如果他们两个被我逮到这里，那对我来说可就糟糕了，尤其是现在！ —

No; they’ll have to be got off tonight.”
不；他们必须今晚离开。

“Tonight! How is it possible?–where to?”
“今晚！这怎么可能？–去哪里？”

“Well, I know pretty well where to,” said the senator, beginning to put on his boots, with a reflective air; —
“嗯，这我大致知道该去哪里，”参议员说着，开始穿上靴子，神情深沉； —

and, stopping when his leg was half in, he embraced his knee with both hands, and seemed to go off in deep meditation.
当他一只腿穿进去时，他双手紧抱着膝盖，似乎深思熟虑着。

“It’s a confounded awkward, ugly business,” said he, at last, beginning to tug at his boot-straps again, “and that’s a fact!” —
“这真是个麻烦、丑陋的事情，”他最终说道，又开始拽紧靴带，”这就是事实！” —

After one boot was fairly on, the senator sat with the other in his hand, profoundly studying the figure of the carpet. —
一个靴子穿好后，参议员略带深思地望着地毯上的花纹。 —

“It will have to be done, though, for aught I see,–hang it all!” —
“反正该做了，看来，一切都该做了–见鬼！” —

and he drew the other boot anxiously on, and looked out of the window.
他焦急地把另一只靴子穿上，然后望着窗外。

Now, little Mrs. Bird was a discreet woman,–a woman who never in her life said, “I told you so!” —
现在，小伯德太太是个慎重的女人，–一位绝不会在生活中说：“我早说过！”的女人， —

and, on the present occasion, though pretty well aware of the shape her husband’s meditations were taking, she very prudently forbore to meddle with them, only sat very quietly in her chair, and looked quite ready to hear her liege lord’s intentions, when he should think proper to utter them.
在这次场合，虽然她心知丈夫的思绪已经转向何处，但她非常明智地选择不去干涉，只是静静地坐在椅子上，看起来很准备听她的王侯丈夫打算说什么。

“You see,” he said, “there’s my old client, Van Trompe, has come over from Kentucky, and set all his slaves free; —
“你看，”他说，”我的老客户范特朗普从肯塔基州过来，把他所有的奴隶都解放了；” —

and he has bought a place seven miles up the creek, here, back in the woods, where nobody goes, unless they go on purpose; —
他已经在这条小溪上游七英里的地方买了一处房子，就在这片鲜为人知的树林里，除非特意前去的人，否则没人会到那里； —

and it’s a place that isn’t found in a hurry. There she’d be safe enough; —
那里她会相对安全； —

but the plague of the thing is, nobody could drive a carriage there tonight, but me.”
但问题在于，今晚除了我，没人能把马车开到那里去。

“Why not? Cudjoe is an excellent driver.”
“为什么？库乔是一位出色的驾驶员。”

“Ay, ay, but here it is. The creek has to be crossed twice; —
“是的，他确实是，但问题在于这里。小溪得过两遍； —

and the second crossing is quite dangerous, unless one knows it as I do. —
第二次过河相当危险，除非熟悉此路如掌中珠。 —

I have crossed it a hundred times on horseback, and know exactly the turns to take. —
我骑过百次，对拐弯处了如指掌。 —

And so, you see, there’s no help for it. —
所以，你看，这事别无选择。 —

Cudjoe must put in the horses, as quietly as may be, about twelve o’clock, and I’ll take her over; —
库乔得在午夜左右悄悄备好马，我会带她过河； —

and then, to give color to the matter, he must carry me on to the next tavern to take the stage for Columbus, that comes by about three or four, and so it will look as if I had had the carriage only for that. —
然后，为事情增添可信度，他必须继续载我去下一家酒馆，等待斯科伦的驿马，那趟车大约在三四点经过，这样看起来好像我只是借用了马车赶车。 —

I shall get into business bright and early in the morning. —
明天清早我会迅速投入工作。 —

But I’m thinking I shall feel rather cheap there, after all that’s been said and done; —
但我想我在那里会感到有点尴尬，毕竟事情说到做到； —

but, hang it, I can’t help it!”
但见鬼，我没法阻止！”

“Your heart is better than your head, in this case, John,” said the wife, laying her little white hand on his. —
“在这种情况下，约翰，你的心胜过了你的头脑，”妻子说着，把小巧的白手放在他的手上。 —

“Could I ever have loved you, had I not known you better than you know yourself?” —
“如果我没有如此了解你，我怎么可能会爱上你？” —

And the little woman looked so handsome, with the tears sparkling in her eyes, that the senator thought he must be a decidedly clever fellow, to get such a pretty creature into such a passionate admiration of him; —
小女人眼里闪着泪光，看起来如此英俊，以至于参议员认为自己一定是个相当聪明的家伙，才能让这样一个漂亮的女孩对他如此热情地钦佩; —

and so, what could he do but walk off soberly, to see about the carriage. —
所以，他只能郑重地离开，去看看车。 —

At the door, however, he stopped a moment, and then coming back, he said, with some hesitation.
然而，他走到门口停了一会，然后又回来，有些犹豫地说。

“Mary, I don’t know how you’d feel about it, but there’s that drawer full of things–of–of–poor little Henry’s.” —
“玛丽，我不知道你会怎么想，但那个抽屉里装满了小亨利的东西。” —

So saying, he turned quickly on his heel, and shut the door after him.
说着，他转身快步走开，并在身后关上了门。

His wife opened the little bed-room door adjoining her room and, taking the candle, set it down on the top of a bureau there; —
他的妻子打开了与她房间相邻的小卧室门，拿着蜡烛，在一张梳妆台上放下来; —

then from a small recess she took a key, and put it thoughtfully in the lock of a drawer, and made a sudden pause, while two boys, who, boy like, had followed close on her heels, stood looking, with silent, significant glances, at their mother. —
然后从一个小隐蔽处拿出一把钥匙，沉思着将其插入一个抽屉的锁中，并突然停顿，而两个男孩，像男孩一样，紧跟在她后面，默默地用意味深长的眼神看着她。 —

And oh! mother that reads this, has there never been in your house a drawer, or a closet, the opening of which has been to you like the opening again of a little grave? —
啊！阅读这篇文章的母亲，你家里从未有过一个抽屉或一个衣橱，打开它对你而言就像再次打开一个小坟墓吗？ —

Ah! happy mother that you are, if it has not been so.
如果不曾这样，那么你是多么幸福的母亲啊。

Mrs. Bird slowly opened the drawer. There were little coats of many a form and pattern, piles of aprons, and rows of small stockings; —
伯德太太缓缓打开了抽屉。里面有各种式样的小外套、一堆围裙和一排小袜子; —

and even a pair of little shoes, worn and rubbed at the toes, were peeping from the folds of a paper. —
甚至还有一双磨损在脚趾处的小鞋，从纸张的缝隙中露出来。 —

There was a toy horse and wagon, a top, a ball,–memorials gathered with many a tear and many a heart-break! —
有一匹玩具马和一辆小货车，还有一个陀螺、一个球，这些都是为了怀念而收藏的，伴随着无数次眼泪和无数次心碎！ —

She sat down by the drawer, and, leaning her head on her hands over it, wept till the tears fell through her fingers into the drawer; —
她坐在抽屉旁，把头倚在双手上，眼泪流过手指滴入抽屉里; —

then suddenly raising her head, she began, with nervous haste, selecting the plainest and mosd substantial articles, and gathering them into a bundle.
然后突然抬起头来，急忙地挑选最朴素最实用的物品，把它们捆成一个包裹。

“Mamma,” said one of the boys, gently touching her arm, “you going to give away those things?”
“妈妈，”一个男孩轻轻碰了碰她的胳膊，“你要把那些东西送出去吗？”

“My dear boys,” she said, softly and earnestly, “if our dear, loving little Henry looks down from heaven, he would be glad to have us do this. —
“亲爱的孩子们，”她轻声而诚恳地说，“如果我们亲爱的、充满爱心的小亨利从天堂俯瞰，他会为我们这样做感到高兴。” —

I could not find it in my heart to give them away to any common person–to anybody that was happy; —
我无法忍心把它们交给任何普通的人——交给任何那些幸福的人； —

but I give them to a mother more heart-broken and sorrowful than I am; —
但我把它们交给了一个比我更心碎更悲伤的母亲； —

and I hope God will send his blessings with them!”
并希望上帝将祂的祝福与她们同在！”

There are in this world blessed souls, whose sorrows all spring up into joys for others; —
在这个世界上有一些幸福的灵魂，他们的悲伤全部化为了他人的快乐； —

whose earthly hopes, laid in the grave with many tears, are the seed from which spring healing flowers and balm for the desolate and the distressed. —
他们埋葬于坟墓中的地球希望，满目泪水，是治愈荒芜和困扰者的花朵和膏药的种子。 —

Among such was the delicate woman who sits there by the lamp, dropping slow tears, while she prepares the memorials of her own lost one for the outcast wanderer.
在这些人中，有一位细腻的女人坐在灯旁，滴下缓缓的泪水，为了为那流浪者准备自己所失去的人的纪念物而静静地工作。

After a while, Mrs. Bird opened a wardrobe, and, taking from thence a plain, serviceable dress or two, she sat down busily to her work-table, and, with needle, scissors, and thimble, at hand, quietly commenced the “letting down” process which her husband had recommended, and continued busily at it till the old clock in the corner struck twelve, and she heard the low rattling of wheels at the door.
过了一会儿，伯德太太打开了一个衣柜，从中拿出一两套朴实实用的衣服，然后坐下来忙碌地在工作桌子上进行她丈夫所推荐的“裁缝”工作，一直忙个不停，直到角落里的老时钟敲响了十二下，她听到了门口车轮的低低响声。

“Mary,” said her husband, coming in, with his overcoat in his hand, “you must wake her up now; we must be off.”
“玛丽，”她的丈夫拿着大衣进来说，“你现在必须叫醒她；我们必须出发了。”

Mrs. Bird hastily deposited the various articles she had collected in a small `lain trunk, and locking it, desired her husband to see it in the carriage, and then proceeded to call the woman. —
伯德太太匆忙把她收集的各种物品装入一个小平函里，锁上了，让丈夫把它送进车里，然后走去叫那位女人。 —

Soon, arrayed in a cloak, bonnet, and shawl, that had belonged to her benefactress, she appeared at the door with her child in her arms. —
很快，她披着一件斗篷，戴着一顶帽子和一条围巾，这些都是她的恩人曾经拥有过的，她抱着孩子出现在门口。 —

Mr. Bird hurried her into the carriage, and Mrs. Bird pressed on after her to the carriage steps. —
伯德先生急忙把她推进马车，伯德太太紧随其后走到马车台阶。 —

Eliza leaned out of the carriage, and put out her hand,–a hand as soft and beautiful as was given in return. —
伊丽莎伸出马车，伸出一只手，——一只和别人送出来的一样柔软美丽的手。 —

She fixed her large, dark eyes, full of earnest meaning, on Mrs. Bird’s face, and seemed going to speak. —
她盯着伯德太太的脸，眼神充满了诚挚的意义，似乎要说话。 —

Her lips moved,–she tried once or twice, but there was no sound,–and pointing upward, with a look never to be forgotten, she fell back in the seat, and covered her face. —
她的嘴唇动了一下，——她试过一两次，但没有声音，——指向上方，带着一个永远难忘的表情，她退回到座位上，掩面而泣。 —

The door was shut, and the carriage drove on.
门关上了，马车继续走着。

What a situation, now, for a patriotic senator, that had been all the week before spurring up the legislature of his native qtate to pass more stringent resolutions against escaping fugitives, their harborers and abettors!
现在对一个爱国的参议员来说，情况多尴尬啊，他整整一周之前还在鼓动他家乡立法机关通过更加严厉的决议，针对逃亡的奴隶、庇护者和帮凶！

Our good senator in his native state had not been exceeded by any of his brethren at Washington, in the sort of eloquence which has won for them immortal renown! —
我们在家乡的好参议员在华盛顿从未被超越过，以那种赢得他们不朽声誉的雄辩！ —

How sublimely he had sat with his hands in his pockets, and scouted all sentimental weakness of those who would put the welfare of a few miserable fugitives before great state interests!
他坐得像只狮子一样英勇，无情地驳斥那些将几个可怜的逃亡者的幸福置于重要州利益之上的感情脆弱者！

He was as bold as a lion about it, and “mightily convinced” not only himself, but everybody that heard him; —
他对此不仅使自己坚定不移，而且使每一个听他发言的人也“深信不疑”； —

–but then his idea of a fugitive was only an idea of the letters that spell the word,–or at the most, the image of a little newspaper picture of a man with a stick and bundle with “Ran away from the subscriber” under it. —
–但他对逃亡者的想法只是一个拼写这个词的字母的想法，–或者至多是一幅上面写着“从订户那里逃走”的一个人带着手杖和包裹的小报图片的形象。 —

The magic of the real presence of distress,–the imploring human eye, the frail, trembling human hand, the despairing appeal of helpless agony,–these he had never tried. —
真实的苦难存在的魔力，–恳求的人的眼睛，颤抖的人的手，绝望的无助苦难的哀求，–这些他从未体验过。 —

He had never thought that a fugitive might be a hapless mother, a defenceless child,–like that one which was now wearing his lost boy’s little well-known cap; —
他从未想过一个逃亡者可能是一位不幸的母亲，一个无助的孩子，–就像那位现在戴着他失踪男孩的帽子的孩子； —

and so, as our poor senator was not stone or steel,–as he was a man, and a downright noble-hearted one, too,–he was, as everybody must see, in a sad case for his patriotism. —
所以，因为我们的可怜参议员不是石头或钢铁，–因为他是一个人，而且也是一个非常有爱心的人，–他处在一个为了他的爱国主义而令人悲哀的境地，每个人都应该看到的。 —

And you need not exult over him, good brother of the Southern States; —
南方各州的善良兄弟，你不必对他高兴； —

for we have some inklings that many of you, under similar circumstances, would not do much better. —
因为我们有些线索表明，在类似情况下，你们许多人也不会好多少。 —

We have reason to know, in Kentucky, as in Mississippi, are noble and generous hearts, to whom never was tale of suffering told in vain. —
我们有理由知道，在肯塔基州，正如在密西西比州一样，也有高贵而慷慨的心灵，对他们来说，永远不会有叙述苦难是徒劳无益的。 —

Ah, good brother! is it fair for you to expect of us services which your own brave, honorable heart would not allow you to render, were you in our place?
啊，亲爱的兄弟！你期望我们为你们提供你们自己善良、光荣的心肠在我们处境下也不愿提供的服务，这合情吗？

Be that as it may, if our good senator was a political sinner, he was in a fair way to expiate it by his night’s penance. —
不管怎样，如果我们的可敬参议员是一个政治上的罪人，他将通过他的夜间苦修来赎罪。 —

There had been a long continuous period of rainy weather, and the soft, rich earth of Ohio, as every one knows, is admirably suited to the manufacture of mud–and the road was an Ohio railroad of the good old times.
长时间的连续阴雨天气，俄亥俄州肥沃柔软的土壤，众所周知，非常适合制造泥浆–而这条路是以前良好的老式俄亥俄州铁路。

“And pray, what sort of a road may that be?” —
“请问，这是何等的一条路？” —

says some eastern traveller, who has been accustomed to connect no ideas with a railroad, but those of smoothness or speed.
“那可能是一位东方旅行者说的，他始终把火车铁路与平整或高速联系在一起。

Know, then, innocent eastern friend, that in benighted regions of the west, where the mud is of unfathomable and sublime depth, roads are made of round rough logs, arranged transversely side by side, and coated over in their pristine freshness with earth, turf, and whatsoever may come to hand, and then the rejoicing native calleth it a road, and straightway essayeth to ride thereupon. —
“那么，无知的东方朋友，要知道在西方的荒凉地区，泥泞深不见底，道路是由圆木制成，横向并排放置，然后覆盖着土壤、草皮，以及所有能够找到的材料，当地人高兴地称之为道路，并立即试图骑行其上。 —

In process of time, the rains wash off all the turf and grass aforesaid, move the logs hither and thither, in picturesque positions, up, down and crosswise, with divers chasms and ruts of black mud intervening.
“时间过去，雨水冲刷掉所有的草皮和草地，将圆木移动到各种画面式的位置，上下交错，跨越，之间有各种形状和幽深的黑泥车辙。

Over such a road as this our senator went stumbling along, making moral reflections as continuously as under the circumstances could be expected,–the carriage proceeding along much as follows,–bump! —
“在这样一条道路上，我们的参议员艰难地前行，带着下车的肯定频繁做出道义反思，–马车沿着这条道路前进，状况大致如下，–撞！撞！撞！泥泞！陷在泥里了！–参议员、女人和孩子突然位置逆转，不太精确地撞到车厢的下坡一侧窗户。 —

bump! bump! slush! down in the mud!–the senator, woman and child, reversing their positions so suddenly as to come, without any very accurate adjustment, against the windows of the down-hill side. —
“马车被卡住，库乔在外面大声挥动鞭子给马儿打气。 —

Carriage sticks fast, while Cudjoe on the outside is heard making a great muster among the horses. —
“在各种无效的拉扯和急拉之后，正当参议员快要失去耐心时，马车突然一弹，–两只轮子陷入另一个深渊，参议员、女人和孩子混乱地掉到前座上，–参议员的帽子被猛然挤到眼睛和鼻子上，他觉得自己完全被熄灭； —

After various ineffectual pullings and twitchings, just as the senator is losing all patience, the carriage suddenly rights itself with a bounce,–two dront wheels go down into another abyss, and senator, woman, and child, all tumble promiscuously on to the front seat,–senator’s hat is jammed over his eyes and nose quite unceremoniously, and he considers himself fairly extinguished; —
”–孩子哭了，车外的库乔对着正在踢蹬、挣扎的马儿发表着充满激情的训词。 —

–child cries, and Cudjoe on the outside delivers animated addresses to the horses, who are kicking, and floundering, and straining under repeated cracks of the whip. —
“马车又一弹，–后轮落入深渊，参议员、女人和孩子一起翻落到后座上，他的手肘碰到她的帽子，她的两只脚被挤进他的帽子里，摔在地上。 —

Carriage springs up, with another bounce,–down go the hind wheels,–senator, woman, and child, fly over on to the back seat, his elbows encountering her bonnet, and both her feet being hammed into his hat, which flies off in the concussion. —
“几分钟后，“泥潭”过去了，马停下来，喘着气； —

After a few moments the “slough” is passed, and the horses stop, panting; —
“参议员找到了他的帽子，女人整理了一下她的帽子，安抚孩子，他们为即将到来的困境做好了准备。 —

–the senator finds his hat, the woman straightens her bonnet and hushes her child, and they brace themselves for what is yet to come.
“有一段时间只是不断的撞击声！

For a while only the continuous bump! bump! —
“交错其中偶尔掺杂着各种侧面的冲击和复合的震动； —

intermingled, just by way of variety, with divers side plunges and compound shakes; —
“他们开始安慰自己，说他们没有那么惨。 —

and they begin to flatter themselves that they are not so badly off, after all. —
“他们开始准备应对接下来的颠簸。 —

At last, with a square plunge, which puts all on to their feet and then down into their seats with incredible quickness, the carriage stops,–and, after much outside commotion, Cudjoe appears at the door.
最后，马车做出一个急剧的急停，所有人都被甩起来然后又猛地落回座位，速度之快让人难以置信，马车停下了，– 经历了外面一番喧闹后，卡吉奥出现在门口。

“Please, sir, it’s powerful bad spot, this’ yer. —
“先生，请看，这个地方太糟糕了。” —

I don’t know how we’s to get clar out. I’m a thinkin’ we’ll have to be a gettin’ rails.”
“我不知道该怎么才能离开。我想我们得去找些木轨。”

The senator despairingly steps out, picking gingerly for some firm foothold; —
参议员绝望地下车，小心翼翼地寻找一个牢固的脚踏点； —

down goes one foot an immeasurable depth,–he tries to pull it up, loses his balance, and tumbles over into the mud, and is fished out, in a very despairing condition, by Cudjoe.
一只脚陷入无法估量的深度，– 他试图把它抬起来，失去了平衡，摔进了泥潭，并由卡吉奥费了很大力气才救了上来，状态非常绝望。

But we forbear, out of sympathy to our readers’ bones. —
但出于对读者骨骼的同情，我们就不一一描述了。 —

Western travellers, who have beguiled the midnight hour in the interesting process of pulling down rail fences, to pry their carriages out of mud holes, will have a respectful and mournful sympathy with our unfortunate hero. —
为西部的旅行者们，他们曾在午夜时分下来拆掉铁路围栏，把他们的马车从泥坑里撬出来，我们的不幸英雄深表尊敬和悲痛。 —

We beg them to drop a silent tear, and pass on.
我们请求他们默默流下眼泪，然后继续前行。

It was full late in the night when the carriage emerged, dripping and bespattered, out of the creek, and stood at the door of a large farmhouse.
当马车滴水滴答、溅得到处都是时，已是深夜；它停在一个大农舍的门口。

It took no inconsiderable perseverance to arouse the inmates; —
需要相当的毅力才能唤醒屋内的居民； —

but at last the respectable proprietor appeared, and undid the door. —
但最终，一个受人尊敬的主人出现了，打开了门。 —

He was a great, tall, bristling Orson of a fellow, full six feet and some inches in his stockings, and arrayed in a red flannel hunting-shirt. —
他是一个高大威猛的家伙，穿着红色法兰绒打猎衬衣，光脚站在那里，而且至少有六英尺多高。 —

A very heavy mat of sandy hair, in a decidedly tousled condition, and a beard of some days’ growth, gave the worthy man an appearance, to say the least, not particularly prepossessing. —
一头非常浓密的金发，明显是乱糟糟的状态，还有几天长出的胡须，让这个值得尊敬的男人看起来，至少可以说，外表并不特别讨人喜欢。 —

He stood for a few minutes holding the candle aloft, and blinking on our travellers with a dismal and mystified expression that was truly ludicrous. —
他站了几分钟，手中举着蜡烛，睁着眼睛用一种阴郁而困惑的表情看着我们的旅行者，实在是滑稽可笑。 —

It cost some effort of our senator to induce him to comprehend the case fully; —
我们的参议员费了很大努力才说服他完全理解情况； —

and while he is doing his best at that, we shall give him a little introduction to our readers.
而在他尽力的同时，我们将给他的读者们做一点介绍。

Honest old John Van Trompe was once quite a considerable land-owner and slave-owner in the State of Kentucky. —
老实的约翰·范特朗普曾经是肯塔基州一位相当可观的土地和奴隶所有者。 —

Having “nothing of the bear about him but the skin,” and being gifted by nature with a great, honest, just heart, quite equal to his gigantic frame, he had been for some years witnessing with repressed uneasiness the workings of a system equally bad for oppressor and oppressed. —
虽然他”除了外表不像一只熊”，但天生赋予他一颗伟大、诚实、公正的心，完全能够匹配他庞大的体格，让他多年来忍受着一个对压迫者和被压迫者都同样糟糕的制度的运作。 —

At last, one day, John’s great heart had swelled altogether too big to wear his bonds any longer; —
最后，有一天，约翰的伟大心灵变得太大，已经无法再忍受他的镣铐； —

so he just took his pocket-book out of his desk, and went over into Ohio, and bought a quarter of a township of good, rich land, made out free papers for all his people,–men, women, and children,–packed them up in wagons, and sent them off to settle down; —
于是他从书桌里拿出钱包，跑到俄亥俄州，买下了一块富饶的地，为他所有的人——男人、女人和孩子——开具了自由证明，把他们塞进马车里，送他们去安家； —

and then honest John turned his face up the creek, and sat quietly down on a snug, retired farm, to enjoy his conscience and his reflections.
然后老实的约翰转身上溪涧，沉静地坐在一个僻静的农场里，享受他的良心和沉思。

“Are you the man that will shelter a poor woman and child from slave-catchers?” —
他说：“你是那个会庇护一个可怜女人和孩子免受追捕者侵害的人吗？” —

said the senator, explicitly.
参议员明确地说。

“I rather think I am,” said honest John, with some considerable emphasis.
“我想我就是，”老实的约翰坚定地说。

“I thought so,”’ said the senator.
参议员说：“我就是这么想的。”

“If there’s anybody comes,” said the good man, stretching his tall, muscular form upward, “why here I’m ready for him: —
“如果有人来了，”那位好心人伸直了他高大的肌肉结实的身体，“我就在这里准备好等着他； —

and I’ve got seven sons, each six foot high, and they’ll be ready for ‘em. —
我有七个儿子，每个都六英尺高，他们也会准备好等着他们。 —

Give our respects to ‘em,” said John; “tell ‘em it’s no matter how soon they call,–make no kinder difference to us,” said John, running his fingers through the shock of hair that thatched his head, and bursting out into a great laugh.
向他们致敬，”约翰说：“告诉他们随时都可以来，对我们没有任何影响，”约翰用手指梳理着他的一头茂密头发，然后大笑起来。

Weary, jaded, and spiritless, Eliza dragged herself up to the door, with her child lying in a heavy sleep on her arm. —
疲惫、疲倦、没了精神，伊丽莎把孩子抱在胳膊上，拖着自己走到门口。 —

The rough man held the candle to her face, and uttering a kind of compassionate grunt, opened the door of a small bed-room adjoining to the large kitchen where they were standing, and motioned her to go in. —
粗鲁的人把蜡烛举到她的脸前，发出一种怜悯的哼声，打开了一个连接大厨房的小卧室的门，示意她进去。 —

He took down a candle, and lighting it, set it upon the table, and then addressed himself to Eliza.
他拿起一支蜡烛，点燃它，放在桌子上，然后转向艾丽莎。

“Now, I say, gal, you needn’t be a bit afeard, let who will come here. —
“现在，姑娘，你不必害怕，无论谁来这里。 —

I’m up to all that sort o’ thing,” said he, pointing to two or three goodly rifles over the mantel-piece; —
我知道这些东西，”他指着壁炉上的两三支好枪说道； —

“and most people that know me know that ’t wouldn’t be healthy to try to get anybody out o’ my house when I’m agin it. —
“大多数认识我的人都知道如果我反对，想要把任何人从我的房子里赶出去是不明智的。 —

So now you jist go to sleep now, as quiet as if yer mother was a rockin’ ye,” said he, as he shut the door.
所以现在你就安心睡吧，就像你母亲给你摇篮时一样安静，”他说着关上了门。

“Why, this is an uncommon handsome un,” he said to the senator. “Ah, well; —
“噢，这把真是不寻常的漂亮，”他对参议员说。“啊，好吧； —

handsome uns has the greatest cause to run, sometimes, if they has any kind o’ feelin, such as decent women should. —
漂亮的人有时会有最大的理由逃跑，如果他们有任何一点感觉的话，就像体面的女人应该有的感觉。 —

I know all about that.”
我明白这一点。”

The senator, in a few words, briefly explained Eliza’s history.
参议员简单地解释了艾丽莎的经历。

“O! ou! aw! now, I want to know?” said the good man, pitifully; “sho! now sho! —
“呵！哦！啊！现在，我要知道？”好人慈悲地说。“糟！现在糟！ —

That’s natur now, poor crittur! hunted down now like a deer,–hunted down, jest for havin’ natural feelin’s, and doin’ what no kind o’ mother could help a doin’! —
这就是自然，可怜的家伙！被像猎鹿一样追捕，只是因为拥有自然的感情，做了任何母亲都无法避免的事！ —

I tell ye what, these yer things make me come the nighest to swearin’, now, o’ most anything,” said honest John, as he wiped his eyes with the back of a great, freckled, yellow hand. —
我告诉你，这些事情让我几乎要发誓了，现在，几乎是任何事，”坦诚的约翰说着，用一只长满雀斑的大、黄色手背擦拭眼睛。 —

“I tell yer what, stranger, it was years and years before I’d jine the church, ‘cause the ministers round in our parts used to preach that the Bible went in for these ere cuttings up,–and I couldn’t be up to ‘em with their Greek and Hebrew, and so I took up agin ‘em, Bible and all. —
“我告诉你，陌生人，在我参加教会之前，这持续了很多年，因为我们那里的牧师们经常传道说圣经支持这些行为，我无法理解他们说的希腊语和希伯来语，反而和他们站在对立面，否定了圣经的全部。 —

I never jined the church till I found a minister that was up to ‘em all in Greek and all that, and he said right the contrary; —
直到我找到一个牧师，在希腊语和其他方面能对抗他们，他说完全相反； —

and then I took right hold, and jined the church,–I did now, fact,” said John, who had been all this time uncorking some very frisky bottled cider, which at this juncture he presented.
然后我开始实践，加入了教会，——我现在就是这样，事实，”约翰边说着边打开一瓶非常活泼的苹果酒，此时递给了人们。

“Ye’d better jest put up here, now, till daylight,” said he, heartily, “and I’ll call up the old woman, and have a bed got ready for you in no time.”
“你最好就在这里住下吧，等到天亮再走，”他热情地说道，“我去叫老婆婆起来，很快就给你准备好床。”

“Thank you, my good friend,” said the senator, “I must be along, to take the night stage for Columbus.”
“谢谢，我好朋友，”参议员说道，“我必须赶夜班车去哥伦布。”

“Ah! well, then, if you must, I’ll go a piece with you, and show you a cross road that will take you there better than the road you came on. —
“啊！好吧，既然你要走，我会陪你一段路，带你走一条比你来时更好的十字路口。 —

That road’s mighty bad.”
这条路很糟。”

John equipped himself, and, with a lantern in hand, was soon seen guiding the senator’s carriage towards a road that ran down in a hollow, back of his dwelling. —
约翰装备好自己，手里拿着灯笼，很快就被看到引导参议员的马车朝着他住所后面的一个山谷里的道路离开。 —

When they parted, the senator put into his hand a ten-dollar bill.
他们分别的时候，参议员把一张十美元的钞票塞到了他手上。

“It’s for her,” he said, briefly.
“这是给她的，”他简短地说。

“Ay, ay,” said John, with equal conciseness.
“好的，好的，”约翰同样简洁地回答。

They shook hands, and parted.
他们握手告别。