Nine o’clock at last, and the drudging toil of the day was ended. —
终于到了九点钟，这一天繁重的工作结束了。 —

Lena climbed to her room in the third half-story of the Quarrymen’s Hotel. Since daylight she had slaved, doing the work of a full-grown woman, scrubbing the floors, washing the heavy ironstone plates and cups, making the beds, and supplying the insatiate demands for wood and water in that turbulent and depressing hostelry.
莉娜爬上了“石匠旅馆”三层的房间。自从天亮以来，她一直干活，做着一个成年女人的工作，擦地板，洗重重的铁石盘子和杯子，整理床铺，并不停地提供木材和水。这家喧闹而沮丧的旅馆无尽的需求。

The din of the day’s quarrying was over–the blasting and drilling, the creaking of the great cranes, the shouts of the foremen, the backing and shifting of the flat-cars hauling the heavy blocks of limestone. —
一天的采石工作的噪音结束了——爆破和钻孔声，巨大起重机的吱吱声，领班的喊声，拖运重重的石灰石块的平车的倒退和移动声。 —

Down in the hotel office three or four of the labourers were growling and swearing over a belated game of checkers. —
旅馆办公室里有三四个劳工正在为一局耽误的跳棋比赛而咆哮和咒骂。 —

Heavy odours of stewed meat, hot grease, and cheap coffee hung like a depressing fog about the house.
沉重的炖肉、热油和廉价咖啡的气味弥散在房子里，像一片压抑的雾气。

Lena lit the stump of a candle and sat limply upon her wooden chair. —
莉娜点亮了一根蜡烛残躯，并无力地坐在木椅上。 —

She was eleven years old, thin and ill-nourished. —
她只有11岁，身体瘦弱，营养不良。 —

Her back and limbs were sore and aching. —
她的背和四肢都酸痛不适， —

But the ache in her heart made the biggest trouble. —
但心中的痛苦才是最大的困扰。 —

The last straw had been added to the burden upon her small shoulders. —
最后一根稻草加重了她纤小的肩膀上的负担。 —

They had taken away Grimm. Always at night, however tired she might be, she had turned to Grimm for comfort and hope. —
他们把格林带走了。无论她多么疲惫，总是在夜里寻求格林的安慰和希望。 —

Each time had Grimm whispered to her that the prince or the fairy would come and deliver her out of the wicked enchantment. —
每次格林都对她耳语，王子或仙女会来解救她脱离邪恶的魔咒。 —

Every night she had taken fresh courage and strength from Grimm.
每天晚上，她都会从格林身上获得新的勇气和力量。

To whatever tale she read she found an analogy in her own condition. —
无论她读什么故事，都会在自己的处境中找到类似之处。 —

The woodcutter’s lost child, the unhappy goose girl, the persecuted stepdaughter, the little maiden imprisoned in the witch’s hut–all these were but transparent disguises for Lena, the overworked kitchenmaid in the Quarrymen’s Hotel. And always when the extremity was direst came the good fairy or the gallant prince to the rescue.
樵夫失散的孩子、不幸的鹅女、受人虐待的继女、被困在巫婆小屋的小姑娘——这些都只是对Lena在石匠旅馆被过度劳累的厨娘进行了透明的伪装。而且总是在极度困难的时候，好仙女或者勇敢的王子会来解救她。

So, here in the ogre’s castle, enslaved by a wicked spell, Lena had leaned upon Grimm and waited, longing for the powers of goodness to prevail. —
所以，在食人魔的城堡里，Lena被一种邪恶的魔法奴役着，依靠着Grimm寄望着善良的力量能够战胜。 —

But on the day before Mrs. Maloney had found the book in her room and had carried it away, declaring sharply that it would not do for servants to read at night; —
但就在前一天，Maloney夫人在她的房间里找到了那本书并带走了它，严厉地宣称仆人们晚上不应该阅读。 —

they lost sleep and did not work briskly the next day. —
他们睡眠不足， —

Can one only eleven years old, living away from one’s mamma, and never having any time to play, live entirely deprived of Grimm? —
第二天的工作效率也不高。一个只有十一岁、离开妈妈、没有时间玩耍的人，可以完全离开Grimm而生活吗？ —

Just try it once and you will see what a difficult thing it is.
试着试一次，你就会知道这是多么困难的事情。

Lena’s home was in Texas, away up among the little mountains on the Pedernales River, in a little town called Fredericksburg. —
Lena的家在德克萨斯州，位于Pedernales River的小山脉上，一个叫Fredericksburg的小镇。 —

They are all German people who live in Fredericksburg. —
他们都是住在Fredericksburg的德国人。晚上， —

Of evenings they sit at little tables along the sidewalk and drink beer and play pinochle and scat. —
他们坐在人行道边的小桌子旁，喝啤酒，打纸牌游戏（pinochle和scat）。 —

They are very thrifty people.
他们是非常节俭的人。

Thriftiest among them was Peter Hildesmuller, Lena’s father. —
他们中最节俭的是莉娜的父亲彼得·希尔德斯米勒。 —

And that is why Lena was sent to work in the hotel at the quarries, thirty miles away. —
所以莉娜被送去了距离三十英里的采石场的酒店工作。 —

She earned three dollars every week there, and Peter added her wages to his well-guarded store. —
她在那里每周赚取三美元，而彼得把她的工资加到他保存得很好的存款里。 —

Peter had an ambition to become as rich as his neighbour, Hugo Heffelbauer, who smoked a meerschaum pipe three feet long and had wiener schnitzel and hassenpfeffer for dinner every day in the week. —
彼得有一个成为像邻居雨果·赫费尔鲍尔一样富有的野心，雨果抽着一支三英尺长的瓦斯碳同时每天吃维也纳炸肉排和兔肉。 —

And now Lena was quite old enough to work and assist in the accumulation of riches. —
现在莉娜已经足够大了，可以工作，并帮助积累财富。 —

But conjecture, if you can, what it means to be sentenced at eleven years of age from a home in the pleasant little Rhine village to hard labour in the ogre’s castle, where you must fly to serve the ogres, while they devour cattle and sheep, growling fiercely as they stamp white limestone dust from their great shoes for you to sweep and scour with your weak, aching fingers. —
但是，请你想象一下，在一个宜人的小莱茵村庄的家中十一岁时被判劳动罚，被送到食人魔的城堡里，你必须飞奔为食人魔服务，而他们在吃着牛和羊的同时，咆哮着用他们的大鞋踩白色石灰岩尘土，让你用虚弱而酸痛的手指扫地和擦洗。 —

And then–to have Grimm taken away from you!
然后-还有被格林姆带走！

Lena raised the lid of an old empty case that had once contained canned corn and got out a sheet of paper and a piece of pencil. —
蕾娜打开了一个曾经盛装罐装玉米的旧空箱子的盖子，拿出一张纸和一支铅笔。 —

She was going to write a letter to her mamma. —
她准备给妈妈写一封信。 —

Tommy Ryan was going to post it for her at Ballinger’s. —
汤米·瑞安打算帮她寄到巴林格家。 —

Tommy was seventeen, worked in the quarries, went home to Ballinger’s every night, and was now waiting in the shadows under Lena’s window for her to throw the letter out to him. —
汤米今年17岁，在采石场工作，每天晚上回巴林格家，现在他正在蕾娜窗户下的阴影中等她把信扔给他。 —

That was the only way she could send a letter to Fredericksburg. —
这是她唯一能寄信给弗雷德里克斯堡的方式。 —

Mrs. Maloney did not like for her to write letters.
马洛尼太太不喜欢她写信。

The stump of the candle was burning low, so Lena hastily bit the wood from around the lead of her pencil and began. —
蜡烛残端已经燃尽，所以蕾娜急忙咬掉铅笔周围的木头，开始写信。 —

This is the letter she wrote:
这是她写的信：

Dearest Mamma:–I want so much to see you. —
亲爱的妈妈：我非常想念你。 —

And Gretel and Claus and Heinrich and little Adolf. I am so tired. —
还有格雷泽尔、克劳斯、海因里希和小阿道夫。我很累。 —

I want to see you. —
我想见你。 —

To-day I was slapped by Mrs. Maloney and had no supper. —
今天我被马洛尼太太打了，晚饭也没吃。 —

I could not bring in enough wood, for my hand hurt. She took my book yesterday. —
因为手受伤，我没能拿足够的木柴。昨天她拿走了我的书。 —

I mean “Grimm’s Fairy Tales,” which Uncle Leo gave me. —
我是说”格林童话”，那是Leo叔叔给我的。 —

It did not hurt any one for me to read the book. —
我读这本书对任何人都没有伤害。 —

I try to work as well as I can, but there is so much to do. —
我尽力工作，但有太多事情要做。 —

I read only a little bit every night. Dear mamma, I shall tell you what I am going to do. —
我每天晚上只读一点点。亲爱的妈妈，我要告诉你我要做什么。 —

Unless you send for me to-morrow to bring me home I shall go to a deep place I know in the river and drown. —
除非你明天叫我回家，否则我会去我熟知的河里一个深处淹死。 —

It is wicked to drown, I suppose, but I wanted to see you, and there is no one else. —
我想看见你，虽然淹死是邪恶的，但除了你没有别人。 —

I am very tired, and Tommy is waiting for the letter. —
我很累了，Tommy在等着信。妈妈， —

You will excuse me, mamma, if I do it.
如果我这样做，请原谅我。

Your respectful and loving daughter,Lena.
你忠诚且爱你的女儿Lena。

Tommy was still waiting faithfully when the letter was concluded, and when Lena dropped it out she saw him pick it up and start up the steep hillside. —
当信件结束的时候，Tommy仍然忠诚地等着，当Lena将信扔出去时，她看到他将其拾起并上坡走去。 —

Without undressing she blew out the candle and curled herself upon the mattress on the floor.
她没有脱衣服，吹灭了蜡烛，蜷缩在地板上的床垫上。

At 10:30 o’clock old man Ballinger came out of his house in his stocking feet and leaned over the gate, smoking his pipe. —
十点半，老巴林格尔赤着脚从房子里走出来，倚在门口的栅栏上吸着烟斗。 —

He looked down the big road, white in the moonshine, and rubbed one ankle with the toe of his other foot. —
他低头看着那条大路，在月光下显得雪白，用另一只脚的脚趾头搔了搔自己的脚踝。 —

It was time for the Fredericksburg mail to come pattering up the road.
该是弗雷德里克斯堡的邮车赶过来的时间了。

Old man Ballinger had waited only a few minutes when he heard the lively hoofbeats of Fritz’s team of little black mules, and very soon afterward his covered spring wagon stood in front of the gate. —
不到几分钟，老巴林格尔听到了弗里茨的那队小黑骡子活跃的马蹄声，很快他的载货弹簧马车就停在大门前了。 —

Fritz’s big spectacles flashed in the moonlight and his tremendous voice shouted a greeting to the postmaster of Ballinger’s. —
弗里茨的大眼镜在月光下闪着光，他那雄壮的声音向巴林格尔镇的邮政局长打了声招呼。 —

The mail-carrier jumped out and took the bridles from the mules, for he always fed them oats at Ballinger’s.
邮递员下车把缰绳从骡马口中取了下来，因为他总是在巴林格尔镇给它们喂燕麦。

While the mules were eating from their feed bags old man Ballinger brought out the mail sack and threw it into the wagon.
当骡马们吃着口袋里的糠袋时，巴林格尔老人把邮袋拿了出来扔进了马车里。

Fritz Bergmann was a man of three sentiments–or to be more accurate– four, the pair of mules deserving to be reckoned individually. —
弗里茨·贝格曼是一个有三种情感的人——或者更准确地说是四种，其中包括那双被单独计算的骡马。 —

Those mules were the chief interest and joy of his existence. —
那对骡马是他生活中最主要的兴趣和喜悦。 —

Next came the Emperor of Germany and Lena Hildesmuller.
其次是德意志皇帝和莉娜·希尔德斯米勒。

“Tell me,” said Fritz, when he was ready to start, “contains the sack a letter to Frau Hildesmuller from the little Lena at the quarries? —
“当弗里茨准备开始时，他问道：‘袋子里有来自石矿的小莲娜给霍德斯穆勒夫人的信吗？’” —

One came in the last mail to say that she is a little sick, already. —
“上一封信来信说她已经有点生病了。” —

Her mamma is very anxious to hear again.”
“她的妈妈非常焦急地想再次听到她的消息。”

“Yes,” said old man Ballinger, “thar’s a letter for Mrs. Helterskelter, or some sich name. —
“是的，”老巴林格说，“那里有一封给赫尔特斯凯尔特夫人的信，或者说是类似的名字。” —

Tommy Ryan brung it over when he come. —
“当汤米·瑞安来的时候，他带过来了。 —

Her little gal workin’ over thar, you say?”
你说她的小女儿在那儿工作？”

“In the hotel,” shouted Fritz, as he gathered up the lines; —
“在旅馆里，”弗里茨嚷道，他收拾起缰绳， —

“eleven years old and not bigger as a frankfurter. —
“11岁了，跟一根香肠一样小。 —

The close-fist of a Peter Hildesmuller! —
彼得·希尔德斯穆勒的吝啬鬼！” —

–some day I shall with a big club pound that man’s dummkopf–all in and out the town. —
“总有一天，我会拿大木棍砸那个人的蠢脑袋，所有人都能听到，无论在镇内外。” —

Perhaps in this letter Lena will say that she is yet feeling better. —
“也许在这封信里，莲娜会说她还感觉好一些。这样， —

So, her mamma will be glad. —
她的妈妈会很高兴。” —

Auf wiedersehen, Herr Ballinger–your feets will take cold out in the night air.”
“再见，巴林格先生，你的脚会在夜空中受凉的。”

“So long, Fritzy,” said old man Ballinger. —
“再见了，弗里茨。 —

“You got a nice cool night for your drive.”
你的驾驶有一个凉爽的夜晚。”

Up the road went the little black mules at their steady trot, while Fritz thundered at them occasional words of endearment and cheer.
小黑骡子稳定地小跑着上了路，弗里茨时不时地对它们喊出亲昵和鼓励的话。

These fancies occupied the mind of the mail-carrier until he reached the big post oak forest, eight miles from Ballinger’s. —
这些想法一直占据邮递员的思绪，直到他到达距离巴林格有八英里的大橡树森林。 —

Here his ruminations were scattered by the sudden flash and report of pistols and a whooping as if from a whole tribe of Indians. —
突然，枪声和一阵印第安人的呼喊声打乱了他的思绪，仿佛是整个部落的人都在呼喊。 —

A band of galloping centaurs closed in around the mail wagon. —
一群飞驰的人马围住了邮车。 —

One of them leaned over the front wheel, covered the driver with his revolver, and ordered him to stop. —
其中一个人靠近前轮，用手枪瞄准了驾驶员，命令他停下来。 —

Others caught at the bridles of Donder and Blitzen.
其他人抓住了敦德和布利岑的马绳。

“Donnerwetter!” shouted Fritz, with all his tremendous voice–“wass ist? —
“三个炮响！” 弗里茨用他那雄浑的嗓音喊道-“怎么回事？ —

Release your hands from dose mules. —
松开你们的手，别碰那些骡子。 —

Ve vas der United States mail!”
我们是美国邮政！”

“Hurry up, Dutch!” drawled a melancholy voice. —
“快点，荷兰佬！” —

“Don’t you know when you’re in a stick-up? —
一个忧郁的声音慢吞吞地说道-“难道你不知道这是一次劫持？ —

Reverse your mules and climb out of the cart.”
倒车，然后从车里下来。”

It is due to the breadth of Hondo Bill’s demerit and the largeness of his achievements to state that the holding up of the Fredericksburg mail was not perpetrated by way of an exploit. —
由于无法忽视Hondo Bill的罪行的广泛性和他的伟大成就，可以断言，弗雷德里克斯堡邮件被拦截并非出于一次意外行动。 —

As the lion while in the pursuit of prey commensurate to his prowess might set a frivolous foot upon a casual rabbit in his path, so Hondo Bill and his gang had swooped sportively upon the pacific transport of Meinherr Fritz.
正如狮子在追捕与自己威力相称的猎物时，可能会无意中踩到路上的一只兔子一样，Hondo Bill和他的团伙戏谑地袭击了Meinherr Fritz平静的运输队。

The real work of their sinister night ride was over. —
他们邪恶的夜行任务已经完成。 —

Fritz and his mail bag and his mules came as gentle relaxation, grateful after the arduous duties of their
Fritz、他的邮袋和他的骡子，带来了愉快的休息，这是他们职业的艰苦工作之后的一种慰藉。

profession. Twenty miles to the southeast stood a train with a killed engine, hysterical passengers and a looted express and mail car. —
在东南方向的二十英里处，一列火车停在那里，火车头已经停驶，乘客们惊慌失措，而快递和邮件车被洗劫一空。 —

That represented the serious occupation of Hondo Bill and his gang. —
这代表着Hondo Bill和他的团伙的严重活动。 —

With a fairly rich prize of currency and silver the robbers were making a wide detour to the west through the less populous country, intending to seek safety in Mexico by means of some fordable spot on the Rio Grande. —
带着一大笔货币和银财富，抢劫犯们选择绕道西部，穿过人口较少的地区，打算找到一处可涉水的地方过境到墨西哥寻求安全。 —

The booty from the train had melted the desperate bushrangers to jovial and happy skylarkers.
这次抢劫列车的赃物使绝望的土匪们转为欢乐而愉快的游骑兵。

Trembling with outraged dignity and no little personal apprehension, Fritz climbed out to the road after replacing his suddenly removed spectacles. —
弗里茨带着愤怒的尊严和一些个人忧虑颤抖着，重新戴上它们突然被拿走的眼镜，然后爬上道路。 —

The band had dismounted and were singing, capering, and whooping, thus expressing their satisfied delight in the life of a jolly outlaw. —
这支队伍已经下马，高歌、跳跃、吼叫，表达出他们对快乐的歹徒生活的满意喜悦。 —

Rattlesnake Rogers, who stood at the heads of the mules, jerked a little too vigorously at the rein of the tender-mouthed Donder, who reared and emitted a loud, protesting snort of pain. —
站在骡子前方的响尾蛇罗杰斯过于用力地拉着口感较轻的唐德的缰绳，唐德立刻后退并发出一声响亮、抗议的喷嚏。 —

Instantly Fritz, with a scream of anger, flew at the bulky Rogers and began to assiduously pummel that surprised freebooter with his fists.
弗里茨立刻怒吼着扑向肥胖的罗杰斯，开始用拳头刻苦地揍那个惊讶的海盗。

“Villain!” shouted Fritz, “dog, bigstiff! —
“恶棍！”弗里茨大声喊道，“狗蛋， —

Dot mule he has a soreness by his mouth. —
大坚硬家伙！那头骡子嘴巴里有疼痛。 —

I vill knock off your shoulders mit your head– robbermans!”
我会用你的头撞下你的肩膀——强盗！”

“Yi-yi!” howled Rattlesnake, roaring with laughter and ducking his head, “somebody git this here sour-krout off’n me!”
“依依！”响着蛇响，大笑着低下头，“有人把这个臭泡菜从我身上拿开！”

One of the band yanked Fritz back by the coat-tail, and the woods rang with Rattlesnake’s vociferous comments.
把弗里茨的外套拉了回来，森林里回荡着蛇响的声音。

“The dog-goned little wienerwurst,” he yelled, amiably. —
“这个可恶的小香肠，”他友善地喊道， —

“He’s not so much of a skunk, for a Dutchman. —
“对于一个荷兰佬来说，他不是那么难闻。 —

Took up for his animile plum quick, didn’t he? —
他很快就支持他的动物了，不是吗？ —

I like to see a man like his hoss, even if it is a mule. —
我喜欢看到一个人喜欢他的马，尽管是一头骡子。 —

The dad-blamed little Limburger he went for me, didn’t he! —
这个该死的小部分他冲我来了，不是吗！ —

Whoa, now, muley–I ain’t a-goin’ to hurt your mouth agin any more.”
哇，现在骡子，我不会再伤害你的嘴了。”

Perhaps the mail would not have been tampered with had not Ben Moody, the lieutenant, possessed certain wisdom that seemed to promise more spoils.
也许邮件不会被人篡改，如果不是因为中尉本·穆迪拥有一些看似有希望的战利品的智慧。

“Say, Cap,” he said, addressing Hondo Bill, “there’s likely to be good pickings in these mail sacks. —
“说吧，队长，”他对汉多·比尔说，“在这些邮袋里可能会有不错的东西。” —

I’ve done some hoss tradin’ with these Dutchmen around
我和佛雷德里克斯堡的这些荷兰人进行过一些马匹交易，我知道这些家伙的风格。有很多大笔资金通过邮件寄往那个城镇。

Fredericksburg, and I know the style of the varmints. —
这些荷兰人宁愿将一千美元包裹在一张纸上寄出， —

There’s big money goes through the mails to that town. —
也不愿支付银行来处理钱款的费用。 —

Them Dutch risk a thousand dollars sent wrapped in a piece of paper before they’d pay the banks to handle the money.”
汉多·比尔身材高大，两米两的身高，说话声音温和，行动冲动。在穆迪还没说完他的演讲时，他就从马车后面拖着袋子下来了。

Hondo Bill, six feet two, gentle of voice and impulsive in action, was dragging the sacks from the rear of the wagon before Moody had finished his speech. —
他手上闪烁着一把刀，他们听到刀子切割着坚韧的帆布的声音。 —

A knife shone in his hand, and they heard the ripping sound as it bit through the tough canvas. —
强盗们围着一起，开始撕开信件和包裹，同时友善地对作者们发誓。作者们似乎背着贝恩·穆迪的预言达成了一个阴谋。在佛雷德里克斯堡的邮件中没有发现一分钱。 —

The outlaws crowded around and began tearing open letters and packages, enlivening their labours by swearing affably at the writers, who seemed to have conspired to confute the prediction of Ben Moody. Not a dollar was found in the Fredericksburg mail.
汉多·比尔以庄重的语调对邮差说：“你应该为自己感到羞耻，带着这么多的破烂纸张四处跋涉。”

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” said Hondo Bill to the mail- carrier in solemn tones, “to be packing around such a lot of old, trashy paper as this. —
汉多·比尔将信封从马车后面拽了下来，还没等穆迪说完他的演讲，他已经拽下了袋子。他手上闪现着一把刀，他们听到刀子切割着坚韧的帆布的声音。强盗们围着一起，开始撕开信件和包裹，同时友善地对作者们发誓。作者们似乎背着贝恩·穆迪的预言达成了一个阴谋。在佛雷德里克斯堡的邮件中没有发现一分钱。汉多·比尔庄重地对邮差说：“你应该为自己感到羞耻，带着这么多的破烂纸张四处跋涉。” —

What d’you mean by it, anyhow? —
你到底是什么意思？ —

Where do you Dutchers keep your money at?”
荷兰人把钱放在哪里？

The Ballinger mail sack opened like a cocoon under Hondo’s knife. —
Hondo用刀子把Ballinger的邮袋像一个茧一样打开。 —

It contained but a handful of mail. —
里面只有一小把信件。 —

Fritz had been fuming with terror and excitement until this sack was reached. —
Fritz之前一直因恐惧和兴奋而发怒，直到打开这个邮袋。 —

He now remembered Lena’s letter. —
他现在想起了Lena的信。 —

He addressed the leader of the band, asking that that particular missive be spared.
他向团伙的领导提出了请求，希望不要破坏那封信。

“Much obliged, Dutch,” he said to the disturbed carrier. “I guess that’s the letter we want. —
“荷兰人，非常感谢你”，他对心烦意乱的邮差说道。”我想那封信就是我们想要的。 —

Got spondulicks in it, ain’t it? —
里面有钱，对吧？给你们”。 —

Here she is. Make a light, boys.”
他们点燃了信纸，互相传递火苗。

Hondo found and tore open the letter to Mrs. Hildesmuller. —
Hondo找到并撕开了致Hildesmuller夫人的信。 —

The others stood about, lighting twisted up letters one from another. —
其他人站在旁边，点燃连起来的信件。 —

Hondo gazed with mute disapproval at the single sheet of paper covered with the angular German script.
Hondo默默地审视着那张用德文字母书写的纸张。

“Whatever is this you’ve humbugged us with, Dutchy? —
“你到底在和我们开什么玩笑，荷兰佬？ —

You call this here a valuable letter? —
你把这封信说得那么有价值？ —

That’s a mighty low-down trick to play on your friends what come along to help you distribute your mail.”
这是对于你的朋友们来帮你分发邮件的一个卑鄙的把戏。”

“That’s Chiny writin’,” said Sandy Grundy, peering over Hondo’s shoulder.
“那是奇尼写的，”桑迪·格兰迪俯身看着翻看的洪都的肩膀上说道。

“You’re off your kazip,” declared another of the gang, an effective youth, covered with silk handkerchiefs and nickel plating. —
“你在胡扯八道，”团伙中的另一个人宣布道，他是一个行事高效的年轻人，全身缠着丝绸手帕并带有镀镍的装饰。 —

“That’s shorthand. I see ‘em do it once in court.”
“那是速记。我在法庭上见过他们这样做。”

“Ach, no, no, no–dot is German,” said Fritz. “It is no more as a little girl writing a letter to her mamma. —
“啊，不，不，不——那是德语，”弗里茨说道。“这跟小女孩给妈妈写信完全不一样。 —

One poor little girl, sick and vorking hard avay from home.
一个可怜的小女孩，生病了，远离家乡努力工作。

Ach! it is a shame. Good Mr. Robberman, you vill please let me have dot letter?”
“啊！这太可耻了。好心的罗伯曼先生，你会请允许我看一下那封信吗？”

“What the devil do you take us for, old Pretzels?” said Hondo with sudden and surprising severity. —
“老普雷策尔斯，你以为我们是些什么人呢？”洪都突然严厉地说道。 —

“You ain’t presumin’ to insinuate that we gents ain’t possessed of sufficient politeness for to take an interest in the miss’s health, are you? —
“你难道认为我们这些绅士们对小姐的健康不感兴趣吗？ —

Now, you go on, and you read that scratchin’ out loud and in plain United States language to this here company of educated society.”
现在，你继续，把那个潦草的东西清晰地、用正常的美国语言朗读给这个受过良好教育的群体。”

Hondo twirled his six-shooter by its trigger guard and stood towering above the little German, who at once began to read the letter, translating the simple words into English. —
陆军少校汉多手持六连发左轮手枪，通过扳机护环使其旋转起来，凌驾于那个小个子的德国人上方，立即开始朗读这封信，将简单的词句翻译成英语。 —

The gang of rovers stood in absolute silence, listening intently.
机器人团队静默无声，专注地倾听着。

“How old is that kid?” asked Hondo when the letter was done.
“那孩子多大了？”信结束后，Hondo问道。

“Eleven,” said Fritz.
“十一岁，”Fritz回答道。

“And where is she at?”
“她在哪里？”

“At dose rock quarries–working. Ach, mein Gott–little Lena, she speak of drowning. —
“在那些石料场工作。啊，天哪—小莉娜提到了投水自尽。” —

I do not know if she vill do it, but if she shall I schwear I vill dot Peter
“我不知道她是否会这么做，但是如果她这样做了，我起誓我会用枪打死彼得·希尔德斯米勒。”

Hildesmuller shoot mit a gun.”
“不会让她这样做的，我们会阻止她的。”

“You Dutchers,” said Hondo Bill, his voice swelling with fine contempt, “make me plenty tired. —
“你们这些荷兰佬，”汉多·比尔带着蔑视的语气说道，“真让我心生厌烦。 —

Hirin’ out your kids to work when they ought to be playin’ dolls in the sand. —
把你们的孩子雇佣来工作，而他们本应该在沙滩上玩娃娃。 —

You’re a hell of a sect of people. —
你们是一群该死的人。 —

I reckon we’ll fix your clock for a while just to show what we think of your old cheesy nation. —
我想我们会拆掉你们的时钟一段时间，以展现对你们这个没出息的国家的看法。来吧， —

Here, boys!”
伙计们！”

Hondo Bill parleyed aside briefly with his band, and then they seized Fritz and conveyed him off the road to one side. —
汉多·比尔短暂地与他的团队商量了一下，然后他们抓住弗里茨，把他从路边带到了一边。 —

Here they bound him fast to a tree with a couple of lariats. —
他们把他牢牢地绑在一棵树上，用两根套索绑好。 —

His team they tied to another tree near by.
他们把他的马队绑在附近的另一棵树上。

“We ain’t going to hurt you bad,” said Hondo reassuringly. —
“我们不会伤害你太过严重，”汉多安抚地说道， —

”‘Twon’t hurt you to be tied up for a while. —
“被绑一段时间也不会对你造成太大伤害。 —

We will now pass you the time of day, as it is up to us to depart. —
现在轮到我们告别了，我们会与你问个好。 —

Ausgespielt–nixcumrous, Dutchy. —
出局了，荷兰佬。 —

Don’t get any more impatience.”
别再急切了。”

Fritz heard a great squeaking of saddles as the men mounted their horses. —
弗里茨听到了马鞍的吱吱声，因为众人都上了马。 —

Then a loud yell and a great clatter of hoofs as they galloped pell-mell back along the Fredericksburg road.
然后是一声大喊和马蹄的嘈杂声，他们疯狂地沿着弗雷德里克堡路奔驰而回。

For more than two hours Fritz sat against his tree, tightly but not painfully bound. —
弗里茨在他的树下坐了两个多小时，被紧紧地捆绑着，但没有痛苦。 —

Then from the reaction after his exciting adventure he sank into slumber. —
然后，在他刺激的冒险后的反应中，他陷入了沉睡。 —

How long he slept he knew not, but he was at last awakened by a rough shake. —
他不知道自己睡了多久，但最后被粗暴地摇醒了。 —

Hands were untying his ropes. —
有人正在解开他的绳子。 —

He was lifted to his feet, dazed, confused in mind, and weary of body.
他被抬到脚上，头脑迷糊，身体疲惫。

Rubbing his eyes, he looked and saw that he was again in the midst of the same band of terrible bandits. —
揉揉眼睛，他看到自己又回到了同一群可怕的土匪中间。 —

They shoved him up to the seat of his wagon and placed the lines in his hands.
他们推着他上到马车的座位上，把缰绳放在他手里。

“Hit it out for home, Dutch,” said Hondo Bill’s voice commandingly. —
“往家里开，荷兰佬，”汉多·比尔的声音命令地说道。 —

“You’ve given us lots of trouble and we’re pleased to see the back of your neck. —
“你给我们带来了很多麻烦，我们很高兴看到你离开。快说！ —

Spiel! Zwei bier!
两个啤酒！

Vamoose!”
消失吧！”

Hondo reached out and gave Blitzen a smart cut with his quirt.
汉多伸出手用鞭子狠狠地抽了一下布里岑。

The little mules sprang ahead, glad to be moving again. —
小骡子高兴地向前跳跃。弗里茨催促它们前进， —

Fritz urged them along, himself dizzy and muddled over his fearful adventure.
自己对自己可怕的冒险感到晕头转向。

According to schedule time, he should have reached Fredericksburg at daylight. —
按照计划的时间，他应该在天亮时到达弗雷德里克斯堡。 —

As it was, he drove down the long street of the town at eleven o’clock A.M. He had to pass Peter Hildesmuller’s house on his way to the post-office. —
正如往常一样，上午十一点他开车驶过城里漫长的街道。在去邮局的路上，他必须经过彼得·希尔德斯米勒的房子。 —

He stopped his team at the gate and called. —
他在大门口停下马车并呼喊。 —

But Frau Hildesmuller was watching for him. —
但是希尔德斯米勒夫人早已在等着他。 —

Out rushed the whole family of Hildesmullers.
希尔德斯米勒一家人冲了出来。

Frau Hildesmuller, fat and flushed, inquired if he had a letter from Lena, and then Fritz raised his voice and told the tale of his adventure. —
发胖而面红的希尔德斯米勒夫人询问他是否有来自莉娜的信件，然后弗里茨提高声音讲述了他的冒险故事。 —

He told the contents of that letter that the robber had made him read, and then Frau Hildesmuller broke into wild weeping. —
他讲述了那封强盗逼他读的信的内容，然后希尔德斯米勒夫人放声痛哭。 —

Her little Lena drown herself! —
她的小莉娜淹死了！ —

Why had they sent her from home? —
为什么他们要把她送出去？ —

What could be done? —
现在能做什么呢？ —

Perhaps it would be too late by the time they could send for her now. —
也许现在来不及了，当他们发送消息召回她的时候。 —

Peter Hildesmuller dropped his meerschaum on the walk and it shivered into pieces.
彼得·希尔德斯米勒的烟斗掉在了人行道上，摔成了碎片。

“Woman!” he roared at his wife, “why did you let that child go away? —
“女人！” 他对妻子怒吼道：” 如果她再也回不来，都是你的错， —

It is your fault if she comes home to us no more.”
你怎么能让那个孩子离开家呢？”

Every one knew that it was Peter Hildesmuller’s fault, so they paid no attention to his words.
每个人都知道这是彼得·希尔德斯米勒的错，所以他们对他的话不予理会。

A moment afterward a strange, faint voice was heard to call: —
一会儿之后，一个奇怪而微弱的声音传来：“妈妈！ —

“Mamma!” Frau Hildesmuller at first thought it was Lena’s spirit calling, and then she rushed to the rear of Fritz’s covered wagon, and, with a loud shriek of joy, caught up Lena herself, covering her pale little face with kisses and smothering her with hugs. —
”希尔德斯米勒太太起初以为是莉娜的灵魂在召唤，然后她冲向弗里茨的罩篷马车尾部，发出了震耳欲聋的喜悦的尖叫声，抱起了莉娜，用亲吻遮住她苍白的小脸，用紧紧的拥抱将她掩埋其中。 —

Lena’s eyes were heavy with the deep slumber of exhaustion, but she smiled and lay close to the one she had longed to see. —
莉娜的眼睛沉重地沉睡着，因疲惫而沉睡，但她微笑着靠近自己渴望见到的人。 —

There among the mail sacks, covered in a nest of strange blankets and comforters, she had lain asleep until wakened by the voices around her.
在那些邮袋的中间，被一层陌生的毯子和被子覆盖着，她一直睡到被周围的声音唤醒。

Fritz stared at her with eyes that bulged behind his spectacles.
弗里茨戴着眼镜瞪着她。

“Gott in Himmel!” he shouted. —
“天啊！”他喊道。 —

“How did you get in that wagon? —
“你是怎么躺在那辆马车里的？ —

Am I going crazy as well as to be murdered and hanged by robbers this day?”
我是不是也要疯了，今天被土匪们谋杀和绞死？”

“You brought her to us, Fritz,” cried Frau Hildesmuller. —
“是你把她带给我们的，弗里茨，”希尔德斯米勒太太喊道。 —

“How can we ever thank you enough?”
“我们怎么才能感谢你呢？”

“Tell mamma how you came in Fritz’s wagon,” said Frau Hildesmuller.
“告诉妈妈你是怎么坐上弗里茨的马车的，”希尔德斯米勒夫人说道。

“I don’t know,” said Lena. “But I know how I got away from the hotel. —
“我不知道，”莲娜说道。“但是我知道我是怎么离开旅馆的。 —

The Prince brought me.”
王子带我走的。”

“By the Emperor’s crown!” shouted Fritz, “we are all going crazy.”
“天皇的皇冠！”弗里茨大喊道，“我们都发疯了。”

“I always knew he would come,” said Lena, sitting down on her bundle of bedclothes on the sidewalk. —
“我一直知道他会来的，”莲娜坐在人行道上她的一堆床上用品上说道。 —

“Last night he came with his armed knights and captured the ogre’s castle. —
“昨晚他带着他的武装骑士来了，攻占了巨人的城堡。 —

They broke the dishes and kicked down the doors. —
他们打破了盘子，踢开了门。” —

They pitched Mr. Maloney into a barrel of rain water and threw flour all over Mrs. Maloney. —
“他们把马洛尼先生扔进了一桶雨水里，还往马洛尼太太身上撒了面粉。” —

The workmen in the hotel jumped out of the windows and ran into the woods when the knights began firing their guns. —
“旅馆里的工人们在骑士们开始开枪的时候，纷纷跳出窗户跑进了树林里。” —

They wakened me up and I peeped down the stair. —
“他们把我吵醒了，我往楼梯下面瞅了一眼。 —

And then the Prince came up and wrapped me in the bedclothes and carried me out. —
然后王子上来，把我裹在床上用品里带了出去。” —

He was so tall and strong and fine. —
“他又高又壮，样子很好。 —

His face was as rough as a scrubbing brush, and he talked soft and kind and smelled of schnapps. —
他的脸皮粗糙得像是磨石，说话温柔而亲切，身上有杜松子酒的味道。” —

He took me on his horse before him and we rode away among the knights. —
他让我坐在他的马上，我们在骑士中间骑走了。 —

He held me close and I went to sleep that way, and didn’t wake up till I got home.”
他紧紧地抱着我，我就这样入睡了，直到家才醒来。

“Rubbish!” cried Fritz Bergmann. “Fairy tales! —
“胡说八道！”弗里茨·伯格曼喊道。“童话故事！ —

How did you come from the quarries to my wagon?”
你是怎么从石矿来到我的马车上的？”

“The Prince brought me,” said Lena, confidently.
“是王子带我过来的，”莉娜自信地说。

And to this day the good people of Fredericksburg haven’t been able to make her give any other explanation.
直到今天，弗雷德里克斯堡的善良人民仍然无法得出其他解释。