In those days the cattlemen were the anointed. —
在那些日子里，牧人是受膏者。 —

They were the grandees of the grass, kings of the kine, lords of the lea, barons of beef and bone. —
他们是草原上的贵族，牛的统治者，草原的主宰，牛肉和骨头的男爵。 —

They might have ridden in golden chariots had their tastes so inclined. —
如果他们的喜好如此，他们可能会骑在金色的战车上。 —

The cattleman was caught in a stampede of dollars. —
牧人陷入了一场钞票的拥挤。 —

It seemed to him that he had more money than was decent. —
在他看来，他挣的钱比体面的多。 —

But when he had bought a watch with precious stones set in the case so large that they hurt his ribs, and a California saddle with silver nails and Angora skin suaderos, and ordered everybody up to the bar for whisky–what else was there for him to spend money for?
但是当他用镶嵌了宝石的表盘买了一只表，宝石太大了以至于刺痛他的肋骨，还买了一把加州鞍，上面镶有银钉和安哥拉兽皮，还命令大家都来酒吧喝威士忌时，还有什么别的东西可以花钱去买呢？

Not so circumscribed in expedient for the reduction of surplus wealth were those lairds of the lariat who had womenfolk to their name. —
当拥有女性家属的套牛主们降低过剩财富时，他们并不受那么多限制。 —

In the breast of the rib-sprung sex the genius of purse lightening may slumber through years of inopportunity, but never, my brothers, does it become extinct.
对于这些脊骨弯曲的性别而言，轻松消耗钱财的天赋可以沉睡多年，但是，我的兄弟们，它从不灭绝。

So, out of the chaparral came Long Bill Longley from the Bar Circle Branch on the Frio–a wife-driven man–to taste the urban joys of success. —
于是，从chaparral（一种草原）中走出来的是来自Frio Bar Circle分部的Long Bill Longley - 一个被妻子牵着鼻子走的人 - 来品尝城市的成功之乐。 —

Something like half a million dollars he had, with an income steadily increasing.
他大约有五十万美元，而且收入还在稳定增长。

Long Bill was a graduate of the camp and trail. —
Long Bill是一个野营和拐路的研究生。 —

Luck and thrift, a cool head, and a telescopic eye for mavericks had raised him from cowboy to be a cowman. —
运气和节俭，冷静的头脑，以及对私盗的视觉观察力，使他从牛仔成为牧人。 —

Then came the boom in cattle, and Fortune, stepping gingerly among the cactus thorns, came and emptied her cornucopia at the doorstep of the ranch.
然后牛市来了，幸运女神爱躺在仙人掌刺上，她把她的丰饶之角倒出在牧场门前。

In the little frontier city of Chaparosa, Longley built a costly residence. Here he became a captive, bound to the chariot of social existence. —
在边境小城Chaparosa，Longley建造了一座豪华住宅。在这里，他成为了一个囚徒，被社交生活的战车绑住了。 —

He was doomed to become a leading citizen. —
他注定要成为一个杰出的公民。 —

He struggled for a time like a mustang in his first corral, and then he hung up his quirt and spurs. —
他像一个初次被圈起来的小野马一样挣扎了一段时间，然后他挂起了鞭子和马镫。 —

Time hung heavily on his hands. —
时间对他来说是沉重的负担。 —

He organised the First National Bank of Chaparosa, and was elected its president.
他组建了Chaparosa第一国民银行，并当选为董事长。

One day a dyspeptic man, wearing double-magnifying glasses, inserted an official-looking card between the bars of the cashier’s window of the First National Bank. Five minutes later the bank force was dancing at the beck and call of a national bank examiner.
一天，一个消化不良的男人戴着放大镜，将一张看起来很正式的卡片插入了第一国家银行出纳窗口的铁栏之间。五分钟后，银行工作人员按照全国银行检查员的指示跳舞起来。

This examiner, Mr. J. Edgar Todd, proved to be a thorough one.
这个检查员，杰德.埃德加.托德先生，被证明非常仔细。

At the end of it all the examiner put on his hat, and called the president, Mr. William R. Longley, into the private office.
最后检查结束时，检查员戴上帽子，把总裁威廉. 朗利先生叫到了私人办公室。

“Well, how do you find things?” asked Longley, in his slow, deep tones. “Any brands in the round-up you didn’t like the looks of?”
“那么，情况如何？” 朗利以他慢而沉重的语调问道，” 你发现有什么不对劲的地方吗？”

“The bank checks up all right, Mr. Longley,” said Todd; —
“银行核对没问题，朗利先生，”托德说道，” —

“and I find your loans in very good shape–with one exception. —
我发现你们的贷款情况都很良好 - 除了一项。 —

You are carrying one very bad bit of paper–one that is so bad that I have been thinking that you surely do not realise the serious position it places you in. —
你们有一份非常糟糕的借据 - 糟糕到我一直在想你们肯定没有意识到它给你们带来的严重后果。 —

I refer to a call loan of $10,000 made to Thomas Merwin.
我指的是给了托马斯.默温一笔1万美元的随时都可以归还的贷款。

Not only is the amount in excess of the maximum sum the bank can loan any individual legally, but it is absolutely without endorsement or security. —
不仅超过了银行合法能向个人贷款的最大金额，而且绝对没有背书或担保。 —

Thus you have doubly violated the national banking laws, and have laid yourself open to criminal prosecution by the Government. —
因此，您已经两次违反了国家银行法律，使自己暴露于政府的刑事起诉之中。 —

A report of the matter to the Comptroller of the Currency–which I am bound to make–would, I am sure, result in the matter being turned over to the Department of Justice for action. —
我必须向货币审计长报告这件事，我相信报告会被转交给司法部采取行动。 —

You see what a serious thing it is.”
您了解这是多么严重的事情吗？

Bill Longley was leaning his lengthy, slowly moving frame back in his swivel chair. —
比尔·朗利靠在他可以缓慢移动的旋转椅上。 —

His hands were clasped behind his head, and he turned a little to look the examiner in the face. —
他的手紧握在头后，稍微转过头去看着审计员的脸。 —

The examiner was surprised to see a smile creep about the rugged mouth of the banker, and a kindly twinkle in his light-blue eyes. —
审计员惊讶地看到银行家嘴角泛起一丝微笑，他的浅蓝色眼睛中闪烁着友善的光芒。 —

If he saw the seriousness of the affair, it did not show in his countenance.
如果他意识到这件事的严重性，他的脸上并没有显示出来。

“Of course, you don’t know Tom Merwin,” said Longley, almost genially. “Yes, I know about that loan. —
“当然，你不认识汤姆·默温，”朗利几乎友好地说道，“是的，我知道那笔贷款。 —

It hasn’t any security except Tom Merwin’s word. —
除了汤姆·默温的话之外，它没有任何抵押物。” —

Somehow, I’ve always found that when a man’s word is good it’s the best security there is. —
不知怎么的，我总是发现一个人说话值得信任时，那是最好的保障。 —

Oh, yes, I know the Government doesn’t think so. —
哦，是的，我知道政府不这么认为。 —

I guess I’ll see Tom about that note.”
我想我会去找汤姆谈谈那张票据的事。

Mr. Todd’s dyspepsia seemed to grow suddenly worse. —
托德先生的消化不适似乎突然加重了。 —

He looked at the chaparral banker through his double-magnifying glasses in amazement.
他戴着双倍放大的眼镜惊讶地看着这位荒野银行家。

“You see,” said Longley, easily explaining the thing away, “Tom heard of 2000 head of two-year-olds down near Rocky Ford on the Rio Grande that could be had for $8 a head. —
你看，朗利轻松地解释着这件事，“汤姆听说在里约格兰德的洛基福德附近有2000头两岁的牛，每头只要8美元。 —

I reckon ‘twas one of old Leandro Garcia’s outfits that he had smuggled over, and he wanted to make a quick turn on ‘em. —
我猜可能是老莱安德罗·加西亚的一批货，他偷运过来，想快速翻本。 —

Those cattle are worth $15 on the hoof in Kansas City. Tom knew it and I knew it. —
这些牛在堪萨斯城卖活牛的话价值15美元。汤姆知道，我也知道。 —

He had $6,000, and I let him have the $10, 000 to make the deal with. —
他有6000美元，我借给他10000美元来做这笔交易。 —

His brother Ed took ‘em on to market three weeks ago. —
他的兄弟埃德三个星期前把它们带到市场上去了。 —

He ought to be back ‘most any day now with the money. When he comes Tom’ll pay that note.”
他应该快就回来了，带着钱。等他来了，汤姆就会付清那个借据。

The bank examiner was shocked. It was, perhaps, his duty to step out to the telegraph office and wire the situation to the Comptroller. —
银行审计员感到震惊。也许，他有责任走出去去电报局，汇报情况给总务长。 —

But he did not. He talked pointedly and effectively to Longley for three minutes. —
但他没有这么做。他和朗利有力地交谈了三分钟。 —

He succeeded in making the banker understand that he stood upon the border of a catastrophe. —
他成功地让银行家明白他正处于一场灾难的边缘。 —

And then he offered a tiny loophole of escape.
然后，他提供了一个微小的逃生口子。

“I am going to Hilldale’s to-night,” he told Longley, “to examine a bank there. —
“我今晚要去希尔代尔，”他告诉朗利，“去检查一家那里的银行。 —

I will pass through Chaparosa on my way back. —
回来的路上会经过查帕罗萨。 —

At twelve o’clock to-morrow I shall call at this bank. —
明天中午十二点，我会来这家银行。 —

If this loan has been cleared out of the way by that time it will not be mentioned in my report. —
如果这笔贷款在那时已经被清偿，我就不会在报告中提到。 —

If not–I will have to do my duty.”
如果没有的话，我就要尽职尽责了。”

With that the examiner bowed and departed.
说完，审计员鞠了一躬离开了。

The President of the First National lounged in his chair half an hour longer, and then he lit a mild cigar, and went over to Tom Merwin’s house. —
第一国家银行的总裁在椅子上懒散地坐了半个小时，然后点燃一支温和的雪茄，走到了汤姆·默文的家里。 —

Merwin, a ranchman in brown duck, with a contemplative eye, sat with his feet upon a table, plaiting a rawhide quirt.
梅尔温是一位头戴褐色宽檐帽的牧场主，他静静地坐在桌前，用牛皮绳编织着一个生皮鞭。

“Tom,” said Longley, leaning against the table, “you heard anything from Ed yet?”
“汤姆，”隆利斜靠在桌边说道，“你听到艾德的消息了吗？”

“Not yet,” said Merwin, continuing his plaiting. —
“还没有，”梅尔温继续编织着， —

“I guess Ed’ll be along back now in a few days.”
“我猜艾德应该马上就回来了。”

“There was a bank examiner,” said Longley, “nosing around our place to-day, and he bucked a sight about that note of yours. —
“今天有个银行审计员在我们这里闲逛，对你的那张借据抱怨了一阵。”隆利说道。 —

You know I know it’s all right, but the thing is against the banking laws. —
你知道我知道没问题，但是这个事情违反了银行法规。 —

I was pretty sure you’d have paid it off before the bank was examined again, but the son-of-a-gun slipped in on us, Tom. Now, I’m short of cash myself just now, or I’d let you have the money to take it up with. —
我本来还以为你会在银行下次检查之前把借据还清，但这家伙悄悄地溜进来了，汤姆。现在，我自己手头资金不够，否则我就把钱借给你了。 —

I’ve got till twelve o’clock to-morrow, and then I’ve got to show the cash in place of that note or–”
我还有到明天十二点的时间，然后我必须拿出现金来代替那张借据，否则–

“Or what, Bill?” asked Merwin, as Longley hesitated.
“否则怎么样，比尔？”梅尔温问道，隆利停顿了一下。

“Well, I suppose it means be jumped on with both of Uncle Sam’s feet.”
“嗯，我想那意味着被美国政府维持资产的双脚踩上去了。”

“I’ll try to raise the money for you on time,” said Merwin, interested in his plaiting.
“我会尽量按时给你筹集到钱的，”Merwin说道，对他的辫子很感兴趣。

“All right, Tom,” concluded Longley, as he turned toward the door; —
“好的，汤姆，”Longley结束时说道，他转向门， —

“I knew you would if you could.”
“我知道你能办到的。”

Merwin threw down his whip and went to the only other bank in town, a private one, run by Cooper & Craig.
Merwin放下鞭子，去了镇上唯一的另一家银行，由Cooper＆Craig经营的一家私人银行。

“Cooper,” he said, to the partner by that name, “I’ve got to have $10,000 to-day or to-morrow. —
“Cooper，”他对那个名字的合伙人说道，“我今天或明天必须拿到一万美元。 —

I’ve got a house and lot there that’s worth about $6, 000 and that’s all the actual collateral. —
我有一栋值大约6,000美元的房子和一块地，这是所有的实际抵押品。 —

But I’ve got a cattle deal on that’s sure to bring me in more than that much profit within a few days.”
但我有一笔牛交易，几天内肯定能给我带来超过这么多的利润。”

Cooper began to cough.
Cooper开始咳嗽。

“Now, for God’s sake don’t say no,” said Merwin. —
“现在，天啊，别说不可能，”Merwin说道。 —

“I owe that much money on a call loan. —
“我欠一万美元的随存随取贷款。 —

It’s been called, and the man that called it is a man I’ve laid on the same blanket with in cow-camps and ranger-camps for ten years. —
它已经被要求还款，要求还款的人是我在牛营和游骑兵营里与之同住十年的人。 —

He can call anything I’ve got. —
他可以随便要求我所有的东西。 —

He can call the blood out of my veins and it’ll come. —
他甚至可以要求我身体里的血，而我会付出的。 —

He’s got to have the money. —
他必须拿到这笔钱。” —

He’s in a devil of a–Well, he needs the money, and I’ve got to get it for him. —
他处于恶劣的——嗯，他需要钱，我得给他弄来。 —

You know my word’s good, Cooper.”
你知道我说话算数，库珀。

“No doubt of it,” assented Cooper, urbanely, “but I’ve a partner, you know. —
毫无疑问，库珀客气地说道，“但是你知道，我有个合作伙伴。 —

I’m not free in making loans. —
我在贷款方面没有自由。 —

And even if you had the best security in your hands, Merwin, we couldn’t accommodate you in less than a week. —
即使你手里有最好的担保，默温，在一个星期内我们也无法帮你。 —

We’re just making a shipment of $15, 000 to Myer Brothers in Rockdell, to buy cotton with. —
我们正在把一笔15, 000美元的货款发往Rockdell的迈耶兄弟公司，用于购买棉花。 —

It goes down on the narrow-gauge to-night. —
它今晚就要在窄轨列车上运送才行， —

That leaves our cash quite short at present. —
这让我们现金短缺。 —

Sorry we can’t arrange it for you.”
很抱歉我们不能为你安排。

Merwin went back to his little bare office and plaited at his quirt again. —
默温回到了他那间小办公室，又开始编织他的鞭子。 —

About four o’clock in the afternoon he went to the First National Bank and leaned over the railing of Longley’s desk.
下午四点左右，他去了第一国家银行，倚在朗利的办公桌前。

“I’ll try to get that money for you to-night–I mean to-morrow, Bill.”
我会尽力今晚给你拿到那笔钱——我的意思是明天，比尔。

“All right, Tom,” said Longley quietly.
好的，汤姆，朗利平静地说。

At nine o’clock that night Tom Merwin stepped cautiously out of the small frame house in which he lived. —
那天晚上九点，汤姆·默温小心翼翼地走出了他居住的那栋小木屋。 —

It was near the edge of the little town, and few citizens were in the neighbourhood at that hour. —
这座小镇的边缘附近，那个时候几乎没有居民在附近。 —

Merwin wore two six-shooters in a belt, and a slouch hat. —
梅尔温腰间挂着两把六连发手枪， —

He moved swiftly down a lonely street, and then followed the sandy road that ran parallel to the narrow-gauge track until he reached the water- tank, two miles below the town. —
戴着一顶宽檐帽。他迅速穿过一条孤寂的街道，然后沿着狭窄的铁轨平行的沙路走到了镇下方的水塔处，大约两英里的距离。 —

There Tom Merwin stopped, tied a black silk handkerchief about the lower part of his face, and pulled his hat down low.
在那里，汤姆·梅尔温停下来，用一块黑丝巾蒙住了面部的下半部分，把帽檐压得很低。

In ten minutes the night train for Rockdell pulled up at the tank, having come from Chaparosa.
十分钟后，从查帕罗萨来的夜班火车停在了水塔旁，准备前往罗克代尔。

With a gun in each hand Merwin raised himself from behind a clump of chaparral and started for the engine. —
持枪的梅尔温从低矮的灌木丛后站起身来，双手各持一枪，朝着火车头走去。 —

But before he had taken three steps, two long, strong arms clasped him from behind, and he was lifted from his feet and thrown, face downward upon the grass. —
但还没迈出三步，两条长而有力的手臂从背后搂住了他，他被抬离地面，脸朝下摔倒在草地上。 —

There was a heavy knee pressing against his back, and an iron hand grasping each of his wrists. —
他的背上压着一只重膝盖，手腕被一只铁手紧紧抓住。 —

He was held thus, like a child, until the engine had taken water, and until the train had moved, with accelerating speed, out of sight.
他像一个孩子一样被抱着，直到机车加水，火车加速离开视线。

Then he was released, and rose to his feet to face Bill Longley.
然后他被释放，站起来面对比尔·朗利。

“The case never needed to be fixed up this way, Tom,” said Longley. “I saw Cooper this evening, and he told me what you and him talked about. —
“汤姆，这个案子本来不需要这样解决的，”朗利说，“我今晚见到了库珀，他告诉我你们的对话内容。 —

Then I went down to your house to-night and saw you come out with your guns on, and I followed you. Let’s go back, Tom.”
然后我今晚来到你家看见你带着枪出来，我就跟着你。我们回去吧，汤姆。”

They walked away together, side by side.
他们并肩走开。

”‘Twas the only chance I saw,” said Merwin presently. —
不一会儿，默温说：“我看到了唯一的机会。 —

“You called your loan, and I tried to answer you. —
你要求催收贷款，我试图帮你解决。 —

Now, what’ll you do, Bill, if they sock it to you?”
现在，如果他们困扰你怎么办，比尔？”

“What would you have done if they’d socked it to you?” was the answer Longley made.
朗利回答说：“如果他们困扰你，你会怎么办？”

“I never thought I’d lay in a bush to stick up a train,” remarked Merwin; “but a call loan’s different. —
“我从未想过要躲在灌木丛中抢劫一列火车，”默温说道，“但是催收贷款是不同的。 —

A call’s a call with me. —
我对催收信以命令看待。 —

We’ve got twelve hours yet, Bill, before this spy jumps onto you. —
在这个间谍找到你之前，我们还有12个小时，比尔，你打算怎么办？” —

We’ve got to raise them spondulicks somehow. —
我们必须以某种方式筹集那些钱。 —

Maybe we can–Great Sam Houston! —
也许我们可以——圣山休斯顿！ —

do you hear that?”
你听到了吗？

Merwin broke into a run, and Longley kept with him, hearing only a rather pleasing whistle somewhere in the night rendering the lugubrious air of “The Cowboy’s Lament.”
默温开始跑起来，朗利跟着他，只听到夜晚中传来了一阵令人愉悦的口哨声，演绎着《牛仔的哀叹》那凄凉的曲调。

“It’s the only tune he knows,” shouted Merwin, as he ran. —
“那是他唯一会演奏的曲调！”默温跑着喊道。 —

“I’ll bet–”
“我打赌——”

They were at the door of Merwin’s house. —
他们来到默温的家门口， —

He kicked it open and fell over an old valise lying in the middle of the floor. —
他踢开门却绊倒在放在房间中央的一只旧手提箱上。 —

A sunburned, firm-jawed youth, stained by travel, lay upon the bed puffing at a brown cigarette.
一个被旅行染得晒黑的、下巴线条分明的年轻人正躺在床上吸着一支棕色的香烟。

“What’s the word, Ed?” gasped Merwin.
“情况如何，埃德？”默温气喘吁吁地问道。

“So, so,” drawled that capable youngster. —
“还行吧，”那位能干的年轻人慢吞吞地说。 —

“Just got in on the 9:30. —
“刚刚乘坐9:30的火车回来。 —

Sold the bunch for fifteen, straight. —
把这群东西以15000美元的价格卖出去了。” —

Now, buddy, you want to quit kickin’ a valise around that’s got $29, 000 in greenbacks in its in’ards.”
“兄弟，你最好不要再踢来踢去这只手提箱了，它的肚子里有29000美元的钞票。”