IN GILT letters on the ground glass of the door of room No. 962 were the words: —
门上的亮金字母上写着：“罗宾斯和哈特利， —

“Robbins & Hartley, Brokers.” The clerks had gone. —
经纪人。”职员们已经走了。 —

It was past five, and with the solid tramp of a drove of prize Percherons, scrub- women were invading the cloud-capped twenty-story office building. —
已经过了五点，一队获奖的波尔多牛闯进了布满云层的二十层办公楼。 —

A puff of red-hot air flavoured with lemon peelings, soft-coal smoke and train oil came in through the half-open windows.
一股带着柠檬皮、煤烟和火车机油的热风从半开的窗户里吹进来。

Robbins, fifty, something of an overweight beau, and addicted to first nights and hotel palm-rooms, pretended to be envious of his partner’s commuter’s joys.
罗宾斯，五十岁，稍微有点超重，喜欢首映式和酒店棕榈屋，假装嫉妒他的搭档通勤的乐趣。

“Going to be something doing in the humidity line to-night,” he said. —
“今晚湿度会有些动静，”他说。 —

“You out-of-town chaps will be the people, with your katydids and moonlight and long drinks and things out on the front porch.”
“你们外地人会喜欢出去阳台看蟋蟀、月光和喝长饮料之类的东西。”

Hartley, twenty-nine, serious, thin, good-looking, ner- vous, sighed and frowned a little.
哈特利，二十九岁，严肃、瘦、好看和神经质，轻轻地叹了口气，皱了皱眉头。

“Yes,” said he, “we always have cool nights in Floral- hurst, especially in the winter.”
“是的，”他说，“我们在花园镇总是有凉爽的夜晚，尤其是在冬天。”

A man with an air of mystery came in the door and went up to Hartley.
一个神秘而神秘的男人走进门，走向哈特利。

“I’ve found where she lives,” he announced in the portentous half-whisper that makes the detective at work a marked being to his fellow men.
“我找到她住的地方了。”他用那种预示性的半声耳语宣布道，这使得一位正在工作的侦探成为其他人眼中备受关注的存在。

Hartley scowled him into a state of dramatic silence and quietude. —
哈特利用怒容逼得他安静下来，使他进入了戏剧般的沉默状态。 —

But by that time Robbins had got his cane and set his tie pin to his liking, and with a debonair nod went out to his metropolitan amusements.
但这时罗宾斯已经拿起他的手杖，并调整好他的领带针，然后带着优雅的点头走出去，去享受大都市的娱乐活动。

“Here is the address,” said the detective in a natural tone, being deprived of an audience to foil.
“这是地址。”侦探用一种自然的语调说道，因为没有观众可以阻挠他。

Hartley took the leaf torn out of the sleuth’s dingy memorandum book. —
哈特利接过从这位侦探那里撕下来的一张纸条。 —

On it were pencilled the words “Vivienne Arlington, No. 341 East –th Street, care of Mrs.
上面用铅笔写着“维维安·阿灵顿，东–街341号，委托麦克卡兹夫人。”

McComus.”
“她一周前搬到那里。”侦探说，“现在，如果哈特利先生需要进行任何监视工作，我可以为您提供城市中最好的服务。

“Moved there a week ago,” said the detective. “Now, if you want any shadowing done, Mr. Hartley, I can do you as fine a job in that line as anybody in the city. —
每天只需支付7美元及费用。可以每天发送一份涵盖内容的打字报告，其中包括–” —

It will be only $7 a day and expenses. —
以上。 —

Can send in a daily typewritten report, covering – “

“You needn’t go on,” interrupted the broker. —
“你不必再说下去了，”经纪人打断道。 —

“It isn’t a case of that kind. —
“这不是那种情况。 —

I merely wanted the address. —
我只是想知道地址。 —

How much shall I pay you?”
我该付你多少钱？”

“One day’s work,” said the sleuth. “A tenner will cover it.”
“一个工作日，”侦探说。“十块钱就够了。”

Hartley paid the man and dismissed him. —
哈特利付了钱，把他打发走了。 —

Then he left the office and boarded a Broadway car. —
然后他离开办公室，上了一辆百老汇的电车。 —

At the first large crosstown artery of travel he took an eastbound car that deposited him in a decaying avenue, whose ancient structures once sheltered the pride and glory of the town.
在第一个大的横向交通干道上，他上了一辆东行的电车，把他送到了一条正在衰败的大街，这些古老的建筑曾经是这座城市的骄傲和荣耀的避难所。

Walking a few squares, he came to the building that he sought. —
走了几个街区，他来到了他所寻找的建筑物。 —

It was a new flathouse, bearing carved upon its cheap stone portal its sonorous name, “The Vallambrosa.”
那是一座新的公寓楼，它的廉价石门上雕刻着它响亮的名字，“The Vallambrosa”。

Fire-escapes zigzagged down its front – these laden with household goods, drying clothes, and squalling children evicted by the midsummer heat. —
避难梯蜿蜒伸展在它的前面——上面堆满了家具、晾晒的衣物和因盛夏的炎热而被赶出来的尖叫的孩子们。 —

Here and there a pale rubber plant peeped from the miscellaneous mass, as if wondering to what kingdom it belonged – vegetable, animal or artificial.
这里和那里，一个苍白的橡胶植物从混杂的丛中探出头来，好像不知道它属于哪个王国——植物、动物还是人造物。

Hartley pressed the “McComus” button. —
哈特利按下了”麦康纳斯”按钮。 —

The door latch clicked spasmodically – now hospitably, now doubt- fully, as though in anxiety whether it might be admitting friends or duns. —
门闩发出了抽搐般的咔嗒声，时而好客地，时而不确定地，仿佛焦虑地担心是否在迎来朋友或追债者。 —

Hartley entered and began to climb the stairs after the manner of those who seek their friends in city flat-houses – which is the manner of a boy who climbs an apple-tree, stopping when he comes upon what he wants.
哈特利进入并开始爬楼梯，像那些在城市公寓楼寻找朋友的人一样——就像一个男孩爬上苹果树一样，在找到自己想要的东西时停下来。

On the fourth floor he saw Vivienne standing in an open door. She invited him inside, with a nod and a bright, genuine smile. —
在四楼，他看到维维安站在一扇敞开的门前。她用点头和明亮、真诚的微笑邀请他进屋。 —

She placed a chair for him near a window, and poised herself gracefully upon the edge of one of those Jekyll-and-Hyde pieces of furniture that are masked and mysteriously hooded, unguessable bulks by day and inquisitorial racks of torture by night.
她给他摆了一把椅子，靠近一个窗户，而她自己优雅地盘腿坐在一把那种既面罩又神秘的家具边缘上，这种家具白天是无法猜测的庞然大物，夜晚则是审判的刑架。

Hartley cast a quick, critical, appreciative glance at her before speaking, and told himself that his taste in choosing had been flawless.
哈特利在说话之前，快速、批判性地、赞赏地瞥了她一眼，并告诉自己他的选择品味是无可挑剔的。

Vivienne was about twenty-one. —
维维安大约二十一岁。 —

She was of the purest Saxon type. —
她拥有最纯正的撒克逊人种特征。 —

Her hair was a ruddy golden, each filament of the neatly gathered mass shining with its own lustre and delicate graduation of colour. —
她的头发是一种红褐色的金色，整齐绑在一起的每根丝线都闪耀着自己的光泽和细微的渐变色。 —

In perfect harmony were her ivory-clear complexion and deep sea-blue eyes that looked upon the world with the ingenuous calmness of a mermaid or the pixie of an undiscovered mountain stream. —
她纯白如象牙的肤色和深海蓝的眼睛完美和谐地搭配在一起，用天真的平静注视着这个世界，就像一个人鱼或者未被发现的山溪里的小精灵。 —

Her frame was strong and yet possessed the grace of absolute naturalness. —
她的身形坚实而又充满绝对自然的优雅。 —

And yet with all her North- ern clearness and frankness of line and colouring, there seemed to be something of the tropics in her – something of languor in the droop of her pose, of love of ease in her ingenious complacency of satisfaction and comfort in the mere act of breathing – something that seemed to claim for her a right as a perfect work of nature to exist and be admired equally with a rare flower or some beauti- ful, milk-white dove among its sober-hued companions.
尽管她带着北方的清晰和线条的坦率，颜色也承载着热带的某种特质——在她的姿态中有一种倦怠感，她的安逸自满在呼吸中显得舒适和满足，仿佛要宣告她是大自然完美的杰作，与一朵稀有的花朵或者一只美丽的乳白色鸽子一样，同样值得被赞赏。

She was dressed in a white waist and dark skirt - that discreet masquerade of goose-girl and duchess.
她穿着一件白色的上衣和黑色的裙装——这是一场贵妇与女仆的谨慎伪装。

“Vivienne,” said Hartley, looking at her pleadingly, “you did not answer my last letter. —
“维维安，”哈特利祈求地看着她说道，“你没有回复我的上封信。 —

It was only by nearly a week’s search that I found where you had moved to. —
我找了将近一周才找到你搬到了哪里。 —

Why have you kept me in suspense when you knew how anxiously I was waiting to see you and hear from you?”
你为什么让我一直在悬念中，明明知道我多么焦急地等待着见到你和听到你的消息呢？”

The girl looked out the window dreamily.
女孩迷迷糊糊地望着窗外。

“Mr. Hartley,” she said hesitatingly, “I hardly know what to say to you. —
“哈特利先生，”她犹豫地说道，“我不知道该对你说什么好。 —

I realize all the advantages of your offer, and sometimes I feel sure that I could be contented with you. —
我意识到你提出的条件有多么优厚，有时候我确信我能和你过得满足。 —

But, again, I am doubtful. I was born a city girl, and I am afraid to bind myself to a quiet sub- urban life.”
但是，我还是有些犹豫。我生在城里，害怕束缚在安静的郊区生活中。”

“My dear girl,” said Hartley, ardently, “have I not told you that you shall have everything that your heart can desire that is in my power to give you? —
“亲爱的，”哈特利情深地说，“我难道没有告诉过你，只要是我有能力给你的，你想要的任何东西， —

You shall come to the city for the theatres, for shopping and to visit your friends as often as you care to. —
我都会给你？你可以随时来城里看戏、购物、探望朋友。 —

You can trust me, can you not?”
你能相信我吗？”

“To the fullest,” she said, turning her frank eyes upon him with a smile. —
“完全相信，”她微笑着转过坦诚的眼神看着他说。 —

“I know you are the kindest of men, and that the girl you get will be a lucky one. —
“我知道你是最善良的人，而且得到你的女孩将会是一个幸运的人。 —

I learned all about you when I was at the Montgomerys’.”
我在蒙哥马利家的时候，了解了你的一切。”

“Ah!” exclaimed Hartley, with a tender, reminiscent light in his eye; —
“啊！” 哈特利充满柔情的眼神中闪过一丝难忘的回忆；” —

“I remember well the evening I first saw you at the Montgomerys’. —
我清楚地记得第一次在蒙哥马利家见到你的那个晚上。 —

Mrs. Montgomery was sound- ing your praises to me all the evening. —
整晚梅茜·蒙哥马利都在赞美你。 —

And she hardly did you justice. —
而她几乎没能完全表达出你的优点。 —

I shall never forget that supper. —
我永远不会忘记那顿晚餐。 —

Come, Vivienne, promise me. I want you. —
来吧，维维安，答应我。我需要你。 —

You’ll never regret coming with me. —
你不会后悔跟我走。 —

No one else will ever give you as pleasant a home.”
其他人永远不会给你这样一个愉快的家。

The girl sighed and looked down at her folded hands.
女孩叹了口气，低头看着她叠起来的双手。

A sudden jealous suspicion seized Hartley.
哈特利突然感到了嫉妒的猜疑。

“Tell me, Vivienne,” he asked, regarding her keenly, “is there another – is there some one else ?”
“告诉我，维维安，”他目光锐利地问道，” 还有其他人吗 – 还有其他的人吗？”

A rosy flush crept slowly over her fair cheeks and neck.
玫瑰色的血液缓缓涌上她白皙的脸颊和脖子。

“You shouldn’t ask that, Mr. Hartley,” she said, in some confusion. “But I will tell you. —
“你不应该问这个问题，哈特利先生，” 她有些困窘地说道，”但是我会告诉你。 —

There is one other – but he has no right – I have promised him nothing.”
还有一个人 – 但他没有权利 – 我对他没有做任何承诺。”

“His name?” demanded Hartley, sternly.
“他的名字?“哈特利严厉地要求道。

“Townsend.”
“汤森德。”

“Rafford Townsend!” exclaimed Hartley, with a grim tightening of his jaw. —
“拉福德·汤森德!“哈特利咬紧了下巴，愤然地说道。” —

“How did that man come to know you? —
那个人怎么会认识你？ —

After all I’ve done for him – “
我为他做了这么多事情——”

“His auto has just stopped below,” said Vivienne, bending over the window-sill. —
“他的汽车刚停在楼下,” 维维安低头看着窗台说道。” —

“He’s coming for his answer. —
他来等我回答。哦， —

Oh I don’t know what to do!”
我不知道该怎么办!”

The bell in the flat kitchen whirred. —
楼下的厨房里的铃铛响了起来。 —

Vivienne hurried to press the latch button.
维维安赶紧按下门闩按钮。

“Stay here,” said Hartley. “I will meet him in the hall.”
“你在这里等着,“哈特利说道。”我会在大厅里面见他。”

Townsend, looking like a Spanish grandee in his light tweeds, Panama hat and curling black mustache, came up the stairs three at a time. —
汤森德穿着浅色斜纹布西装、巴拿马帽和卷曲的黑色小胡子，像一个西班牙的贵族那样上楼梯，一次迈三步。 —

He stopped at sight of Hartley and looked foolish.
他一看到哈特利就愣住了，显得很糊涂。

“Go back,” said Hartley, firmly, pointing downstairs with his forefinger.
“回去吧,” 哈特利坚定地用食指指向楼下。

“Hullo!” said Townsend, feigning surprise. —
“嗨!“汤森德装出惊讶的样子说道。” —

“What’s up? What are you doing here, old man?”
怎么回事?老兄，你在这里干什么?”

“Go back,” repeated Hartley, inflexibly. —
“回去吧,“哈特利不动摇地重复道。” —

“The Law of the Jungle. Do you want the Pack to tear you in pieces? —
丛林法则。你想让兽群把你撕成碎片吗? —

The kill is mine.”
这是我的战利品。

“I came here to see a plumber about the bathroom connections,” said Townsend, bravely.
“我来这里是为了找个管道工来修理浴室的连接，”勇敢地说道汤森德。

“All right,” said Hartley. —
“好吧，”哈特利说。 —

“You shall have that lying plaster to stick upon your traitorous soul. —
“你可以把那个谎言贴在你这个背叛灵魂上。但是， —

But, go back.” Townsend went downstairs, leaving a bitter word to be wafted up the draught of the staircase. —
回去。”汤森德下楼走了，留下一句苦涩的话被楼梯的气流吹起。 —

Hartley went back to his wooing.
哈特利又开始了追求。

“Vivienne,” said he, masterfully. “I have got to have you. —
“薇薇安，”他有权威地说。“我非要你不可。 —

I will take no more refusals or dilly-dallying.”
我再也不接受拒绝或拖延了。”

“When do you want me?” she asked.
“你想什么时候我来？”她问。

“Now. As soon as you can get ready.”
“现在。你尽快准备好。”

She stood calmly before him and looked him in the eye.
她站在他面前镇定地看着他的眼睛。

“Do you think for one moment,” she said, “that I would enter your home while Héloise is there?”
“你以为，”她说，“我会在赫洛伊丝还在的时候进入你的家吗？”

Hartley cringed as if from an unexpected blow. —
哈特利好像受到了意外的打击而退缩。 —

He folded his arms and paced the carpet once or twice.
他双臂交叉，踱了两三步。

“She shall go,” he declared grimly. —
“她会走的，”他冷酷地宣称。 —

Drops stood upon his brow. —
额头上沁出了汗珠。 —

“Why should I let that woman make my life miserable? —
“为什么我要让那个女人让我生活不快乐？ —

Never have I seen one day of freedom from trouble since I have known her. —
自从我认识她以来，从未有过一天没有问题的。 —

You are right, Vivienne. —
你是对的，薇薇安。 —

Héloise must be sent away before I can take you home. —
在我能带你回家之前，必须把Héloise送走。 —

But she shall go. —
但她将离开。 —

I have decided. I will turn her from my doors.”
我已经决定了。我会把她赶出门外。

“When will you do this?” asked the girl.
“你什么时候打算这样做？”女孩问道。

Hartley clinched his teeth and bent his brows together.
Hartley咬紧牙关，皱起眉头。

“To-night,” he said, resolutely. —
“今晚，”他坚定地说道。 —

“I will send her away to-night.”
“我今晚会把她送走。”

“Then,” said Vivienne, “my answer is ‘yes.’ Come for me when you will.”
“那么，”Vivienne说，“我的答案是‘是’。无论你什么时候来接我。”

She looked into his eyes with a sweet, sincere light in her own. —
她用甜美而真诚的眼神望着他。 —

Hartley could scarcely believe that her sur- render was true, it was so swift and complete.
Hartley几乎不敢相信她的投降是真实的，因为它来得如此迅速而彻底。

“Promise me,” he said feelingly, “on your word and honour.”
“答应我，”他感慨地说，“以你的信誉和荣誉为保证。”

“On my word and honour,” repeated Vivienne, softly.
“以我的信誉和荣誉，”Vivienne轻声重复。

At the door he turned and gazed at her happily, but yet as one who scarcely trusts the foundations of his joy.
在门口，他幸福地望着她，但却像一个对自己的幸福不太信任的人。

“To-morrow,” he said, with a forefinger of reminder uplifted.
“明天，”他提醒地说着，竖起了一根食指。

“To-morrow,” she repeated with a smile of truth and candour.
“明天，”她诚实而真挚地微笑着重复道。

In an hour and forty minutes Hartley stepped off the train at Floralhurst. —
一个小时四十分钟后，Hartley从火车上下来，在Floralhurst站下车。 —

A brisk walk of ten minutes brought him to the gate of a handsome two-story cottage set upon a wide and well-tended lawn. —
他只需快步走了十分钟，就来到了一个漂亮的两层小屋的大门前，小屋坐落在一个宽阔且精心修剪的草坪上。 —

Halfway to the house he was met by a woman with jet-black braided hair and flowing white summer gown, who half strangled him without apparent cause.
当他走到一半的时候，他遇到了一个黑发编成辫子、穿着白色夏季长裙的女人，她毫无原因地半勒住了他的脖子。

When they stepped into the hall she said:
当他们走进大厅时，她说道：

“Mamma’s here. The auto is coming for her in half an hour. —
“妈妈来了。半小时后汽车来接她。她其实是来吃晚饭的， —

She came to dinner, but there’s no dinner.”
但现在没有晚饭。”

“I’ve something to tell you,” said Hartley. —
“我有件事要告诉你。”Hartley说。 —

“I thought to break it to you gently, but since your mother is here we may as well out with it.”
“我本想温柔地告诉你，但既然你妈妈在这里，我们不妨直说了。”

He stooped and whispered something at her ear.
他弯下身子，在她耳边低声说了些什么。

His wife screamed. Her mother came running into the hall. —
他的妻子尖叫起来。她妈妈跑进了大厅。 —

The dark-haired woman screamed again- the joyful scream of a well-beloved and petted woman.
那个黑发女人又尖叫了一次——那是一个快乐的、宠爱的女人的尖叫声。

“Oh, mamma!” she cried ecstatically, “what do you think? Vivienne is coming to cook for us! —
“哦，妈妈！”她兴奋地喊道，“你猜猜看？Vivienne要来给我们做饭！她是在蒙哥马利家呆了整整一年的那个人。” —

She is the one that stayed with the Montgomerys a whole year. —
她的妈妈对此一片喜悦，喊道：“太好了！” —

And now, Billy, dear,” she concluded, “you must go right down into the kitchen and discharge Héloise. —
“现在，比利，亲爱的，”她结束说道，” 你必须立刻下到厨房把埃洛伊斯解雇掉。 —

She has been drunk again the whole day long.”
“她又整天都喝醉了。”