On his bench in Madison Square Soapy moved uneasily. —
在麦迪逊广场的长凳上，Soapy不安地移动着。 —

When wild geese honk high of nights, and when women without sealskin coats grow kind to their husbands, and when Soapy moves uneasily on his bench in the park, you may know that winter is near at hand.
当野鹅在夜晚高叫时，当没有穿海豹皮大衣的妇女对他们的丈夫变得亲切时，当Soapy在公园的长凳上不安时，你就会知道冬天临近了。

A dead leaf fell in Soapy’s lap. That was Jack Frost’s card. —
一片枯叶落在Soapy的腿上。那是杰克·弗罗斯特的名片。 —

Jack is kind to the regular denizens of Madison Square, and gives fair warning of his annual call. —
杰克对麦迪逊广场的常住者很友好，并提前警告他们的年度访问。 —

At the corners of four streets he hands his pasteboard to the North Wind, footman of the mansion of All Outdoors, so that the inhabitants thereof may make ready.
在四条街道的拐角处，他将他的名片交给外界的仆人——北风，以便居民们能做好准备。

Soapy’s mind became cognisant of the fact that the time had come for him to resolve himself into a singular Committee of Ways and Means to provide against the coming rigour. —
Soapy意识到他已经到了为自己制定计划的时候了，以对抗即将到来的严寒。 —

And therefore he moved uneasily on his bench.
因此，他不安地在长凳上移动。

The hibernatorial ambitions of Soapy were not of the highest. —
Soapy对于冬眠并没有很高的期望。 —

In them there were no considerations of Mediterranean cruises, of soporific Southern skies drifting in the Vesuvian Bay. Three months on the Island was what his soul craved. —
在那里，没有考虑到地中海的游轮，在有催眠作用的南方天空中漂浮在韦苏威湾上。对他的灵魂来说，岛上的三个月是他渴望的。 —

Three months of assured board and bed and congenial company, safe from Boreas and bluecoats, seemed to Soapy the essence of things desirable.
三个月的保证食宿和友好的伴侣，远离北风和蓝衣警察，对Soapy来说似乎是可取之事的精髓。

For years the hospitable Blackwell’s had been his winter quarters. —
多年来，Blackwell家一直是他的冬季寓所。 —

Just as his more fortunate fellow New Yorkers had bought their tickets to Palm Beach and the Riviera each winter, so Soapy had made his humble arrangements for his annual hegira to the Island. —
正如他那些幸运的纽约同胞每年冬天都买票去棕榈滩和里维埃拉一样，Soapy也为他每年的旅途做了谦虚的安排。 —

And now the time was come. —
现在到了出发的时候了。 —

On the previous night three Sabbath newspapers, distributed beneath his coat, about his ankles and over his lap, had failed to repulse the cold as he slept on his bench near the spurting fountain in the ancient square. —
在前一天晚上，三份安息日报纸在他的外套底部、脚踝上和膝盖上发放，未能抵御住他在古老广场的喷泉旁边的长椅上的寒冷。 —

So the Island loomed big and timely in Soapy’s mind. —
因此，岛在Soapy的心中显得庞大而及时。 —

He scorned the provisions made in the name of charity for the city’s dependents. —
他鄙视以慈善名义为城市的依赖者提供的食品。 —

In Soapy’s opinion the Law was more benign than Philanthropy. —
在Soapy看来，法律比慈善更加温和善良。 —

There was an endless round of institutions, municipal and eleemosynary, on which he might set out and receive lodging and food accordant with the simple life. —
有许多机构，包括市政机构和慈善机构，他可以前去，享受与简朴生活相符的食宿待遇。 —

But to one of Soapy’s proud spirit the gifts of charity are encumbered. —
然而对于像Soapy这样自尊心强的人来说，接受慈善的恩赐是有负担的。 —

If not in coin you must pay in humiliation of spirit for every benefit received at the hands of philanthropy. —
即使不用钱，你也必须用精神上的屈辱来偿还从慈善事业中得到的每一份好处。 —

As Caesar had his Brutus, every bed of charity must have its toll of a bath, every loaf of bread its compensation of a private and personal inquisition. —
就像凯撒有他的布鲁图斯一样，每一张慈善之床都必须付出一次洗澡的代价，每一块面包都必须付出私人而个人的调查的补偿。 —

Wherefore it is better to be a guest of the law, which though conducted by rules, does not meddle unduly with a gentleman’s private affairs.
因此，成为法律的客人更好，尽管它遵循规则，但并不过度干涉绅士的私事。

Soapy, having decided to go to the Island, at once set about accomplishing his desire. —
Soapy决定去海岛，立即着手实现他的愿望。 —

There were many easy ways of doing this. —
有很多简单的方法可以做到这一点。 —

The pleasantest was to dine luxuriously at some expensive restaurant; —
最令人愉快的是在一家昂贵的餐厅奢华地用餐。 —

and then, after declaring insolvency, be handed over quietly and without uproar to a policeman. —
然后，在宣布破产后，悄悄地被交给一名警察，没有引起骚动。 —

An accommodating magistrate would do the rest.
一位乐于助人的法官将完成剩下的事情。

Soapy left his bench and strolled out of the square and across the level sea of asphalt, where Broadway and Fifth Avenue flow together. —
Soapy离开了他的长椅，穿过平坦的沥青海洋，那里是百老汇和第五大道的交汇处。 —

Up Broadway he turned, and halted at a glittering cafe, where are gathered together nightly the choicest products of the grape, the silkworm and the protoplasm.
他转向百老汇，停在一个闪闪发光的咖啡馆，那里每晚聚集着最好的葡萄酒、蚕丝和原生质产品。

Soapy had confidence in himself from the lowest button of his vest upward. —
Soapy对自己从背心上的最低扣子到上面都非常有信心。 —

He was shaven, and his coat was decent and his neat black, ready-tied four-in-hand had been presented to him by a lady missionary on Thanksgiving Day. If he could reach a table in the restaurant unsuspected success would be his. —
他理过发，外套得体，他整洁的黑色领带是感恩节那天一位女传教士送给他的。如果他能毫无察觉地走到餐厅的一张桌子旁，就会取得成功。 —

The portion of him that would show above the table would raise no doubt in the waiter’s mind. —
在餐桌以上露出的部分不会引起服务员的怀疑。 —

A roasted mallard duck, thought Soapy, would be about the thing–with a bottle of Chablis, and then Camembert, a demi-tasse and a cigar. —
Soapy想，一个烤野鸭配一瓶夏布利酒，然后再来一份卡门贝尔奶酪，一小杯黑咖啡和一支雪茄，就差不多了。 —

One dollar for the cigar would be enough. —
一支雪茄要价一美元， —

The total would not be so high as to call forth any supreme manifestation of revenge from the cafe management; —
足够了。总金额并不高，不会引起咖啡馆管理层的报复心态。 —

and yet the meat would leave him filled and happy for the journey to his winter refuge.
然而，这样的价格买到的肉足够填饱他的肚子，让他满心欢喜地去寻找他的冬季避难所。

But as Soapy set foot inside the restaurant door the head waiter’s eye fell upon his frayed trousers and decadent shoes. —
但是当Soapy踏进餐厅门口时，首席服务员的眼光落在他破烂的裤子和脏兮兮的鞋子上。 —

Strong and ready hands turned him about and conveyed him in silence and haste to the sidewalk and averted the ignoble fate of the menaced mallard.
有力而敏捷的手将他转了个身，静静地快速地将他送到了人行道上，避免了被威胁的野鸭悲惨的命运。

Soapy turned off Broadway. —
Soapy走出百老汇。 —

It seemed that his route to the coveted island was not to be an epicurean one. —
似乎他通往渴望的孤岛的道路不是一条享受美食的道路。 —

Some other way of entering limbo must be thought of.
必须想出一种进入虚无之地的其他方法。

At a corner of Sixth Avenue electric lights and cunningly displayed wares behind plate-glass made a shop window conspicuous. —
在六大道的一个街角，电灯和巧妙展示的陈列品在玻璃橱窗后格外醒目。 —

Soapy took a cobblestone and dashed it through the glass. —
Soapy拿起一块鹅卵石，砸碎了玻璃。 —

People came running around the corner, a policeman in the lead. —
人们从街角跑来，警察为首。 —

Soapy stood still, with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of brass buttons.
Soapy站在那里，双手插在口袋里，看着闪亮的铜钮，面带微笑。

“Where’s the man that done that?” inquired the officer excitedly.
“那个做这事的人在哪里？”警官兴奋地问道。

“Don’t you figure out that I might have had something to do with it?” said Soapy, not without sarcasm, but friendly, as one greets good fortune.
“你难道不觉得我可能跟此事有关？”Soapy说道，不无讽刺地，但友好地，就像对待好运一样。

The policeman’s mind refused to accept Soapy even as a clue. —
警官的脑子不接受Soapy是线索的可能性。 —

Men who smash windows do not remain to parley with the law’s minions. —
打破窗户的人不会停下来与执法者交谈。 —

They take to their heels. —
他们会迅速逃走。 —

The policeman saw a man half way down the block running to catch a car. —
警官看到一名男子在距离街区中间的地方跑去赶车。 —

With drawn club he joined in the pursuit. Soapy, with disgust in his heart, loafed along, twice unsuccessful.
警官拔出警棍加入追捕。Soapy心中充满厌恶地懒洋洋地跟了上去，两次无果。

On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant of no great pretensions. —
在街对面有一家不太显眼的餐馆。 —

It catered to large appetites and modest purses. —
它迎合大胃口和有限的钱包。 —

Its crockery and atmosphere were thick; —
餐馆里的器皿和氛围很厚重， —

its soup and napery thin. —
而汤和餐巾很薄。 —

Into this place Soapy took his accusive shoes and telltale trousers without challenge. —
Soapy毫不费力地走进了这个地方，身穿带有指责痕迹的鞋子和有暴露真相的裤子，没有引起任何质疑。 —

At a table he sat and consumed beefsteak, flapjacks, doughnuts and pie. —
他坐在桌前，吃着牛排、煎饼、甜甜圈和派。 —

And then to the waiter be betrayed the fact that the minutest coin and himself were strangers.
然后，他向侍者透露了最小的硬币和他自己是陌生人的事实。

“Now, get busy and call a cop,” said Soapy. “And don’t keep a gentleman waiting.”
“现在，快点找警察来,” Soapy说。”别让绅士等着。”

“No cop for youse,” said the waiter, with a voice like butter cakes and an eye like the cherry in a Manhattan cocktail. —
“你别指望有警察来帮你,” 侍者说着，声音像黄油蛋糕，眼睛像曼哈顿鸡尾酒里的樱桃。”喂， —

“Hey, Con!”
康！”

Neatly upon his left ear on the callous pavement two waiters pitched Soapy. He arose, joint by joint, as a carpenter’s rule opens, and beat the dust from his clothes.
两个侍者将Soapy弄倒在了坚硬的人行道上的左耳上。他一节节地站了起来，就像木匠的尺子展开一样，然后拍掉衣服上的尘土。

Arrest seemed but a rosy dream. —
被捕仿佛是一个美好的梦。 —

The Island seemed very far away. —
那座小岛好像很遥远。 —

A policeman who stood before a drug store two doors away laughed and walked down the street.
药房前的一名警察笑了笑，走下了街道。

Five blocks Soapy travelled before his courage permitted him to woo capture again. —
Soapy勇敢地再次积极地走了五个街区，才能再次等待被抓。 —

This time the opportunity presented what he fatuously termed to himself a “cinch.” A young woman of a modest and pleasing guise was standing before a show window gazing with sprightly interest at its display of shaving mugs and inkstands, and two yards from the window a large policeman of severe demeanour leaned against a water plug.
这次，他自作聪明地称之为“绝对抓到”。一个身材娇小、容貌平和的年轻女人站在一家橱窗前，兴致勃勃地注视着里面陈列的剃须杯和墨水瓶。两码距离橱窗有一位严肃的大警察倚靠在一个水龙头旁边。

It was Soapy’s design to assume the role of the despicable and execrated “masher.” The refined and elegant appearance of his victim and the contiguity of the conscientious cop encouraged him to believe that he would soon feel the pleasant official clutch upon his arm that would insure his winter quarters on the right little, tight little isle.
索皮计划扮演一个被人唾弃和诅咒的“花花公子”。他受害者的优雅出众的外表以及不远处意志坚定的警察，让他相信很快就会感受到愉快的官方抓捕，确保他在英国王国过冬。

Soapy straightened the lady missionary’s readymade tie, dragged his shrinking cuffs into the open, set his hat at a killing cant and sidled toward the young woman. —
索皮整理了女传教士那现成的领带，拉直他卷缩的袖口，戴上一顶充满杀气的帽子，斜对着那个年轻女人挪动。 —

He made eyes at her, was taken with sudden coughs and “hems,” smiled, smirked and went brazenly through the impudent and contemptible litany of the “masher.” With half an eye Soapy saw that the policeman was watching him fixedly. —
他对她放电眼，突然咳嗽和嗓音哼哧，微笑、做鬼脸，大胆地进行着一系列傲慢而可鄙的花花公子动作。Soapy几乎用一只眼睛看到警察在盯着他。 —

The young woman moved away a few steps, and again bestowed her absorbed attention upon the shaving mugs.
这位年轻女子走开几步，再一次全神贯注地盯着刮胡子杯。

Soapy followed, boldly stepping to her side, raised his hat and said:
Soapy跟着她，大胆地走到她身边，举起帽子说：

“Ah there, Bedelia! Don’t you want to come and play in my yard?”
“嘿，Bedelia！你想不想来我的院子里玩？”

The policeman was still looking. —
警察还在看着。 —

The persecuted young woman had but to beckon a finger and Soapy would be practically en route for his insular haven. —
被困扰的年轻女人只需招手示意，Soapy就几乎要去他的避难所了。 —

Already he imagined he could feel the cozy warmth of the station-house. —
他已经想象到了警察局温暖舒适的感觉。 —

The young woman faced him and, stretching out a hand, caught Soapy’s coat sleeve.
年轻女人面对他，伸出一只手，抓住Soapy的外套袖子。

Sure, Mike,” she said joyfully, “if you’ll blow me to a pail of suds. —
“当然，迈克，”她欣喜地说道，“如果你能帮我吹一桶泡沫。 —

I’d have spoke to you sooner, but the cop was watching.”
我本来早就想跟你说话了，但是警察一直在盯着。”

With the young woman playing the clinging ivy to his oak Soapy walked past the policeman overcome with gloom. —
Soapy在这位年轻女人的陪伴下走过了沮丧的警察。 —

He seemed doomed to liberty.
他似乎注定要自由了。

At the next corner he shook off his companion and ran. —
在接下来的转角处，他甩掉了他的伴侣并跑了起来。 —

He halted in the district where by night are found the lightest streets, hearts, vows and librettos.
他停下来的地方是一个区域，在那里，夜晚可以找到最热闹的街道，最轻松的心情，最庄严的誓言和最华丽的歌剧。

Women in furs and men in greatcoats moved gaily in the wintry air. —
穿着毛皮的女人和穿着大衣的男人在寒冷的空气中快乐地走动着。 —

A sudden fear seized Soapy that some dreadful enchantment had rendered him immune to arrest. —
索比突然感到一种恐惧，害怕有某种可怕的魔法使他对逮捕免疫。 —

The thought brought a little of panic upon it, and when he came upon another policeman lounging grandly in front of a transplendent theatre he caught at the immediate straw of “disorderly conduct.”
这个想法让他有点慌乱，当他在一座华丽的剧院前又看到另一名正在悠闲地晃动警棍的警察时，他匆忙抓住了”行为不端”这个即时的借口。

On the sidewalk Soapy began to yell drunken gibberish at the top of his harsh voice. —
在人行道上，索比开始用刺耳的声音大声地喊着醉鬼般的胡言乱语。 —

He danced, howled, raved and otherwise disturbed the welkin.
他跳舞、嚎叫、狂乱，破坏了宁静。

The policeman twirled his club, turned his back to Soapy and remarked to a citizen.
警察转动着警棍，背对着索比，对一个市民说道。

”‘Tis one of them Yale lads celebratin’ the goose egg they give to the Hartford College. —
“那是耶鲁大学的一个学生庆祝他们对哈特福德学院的零蛋。吵闹， —

Noisy; but no harm. We’ve instructions to lave them be.”
但没有伤害。我们有指示，让他们为所欲为。”

Disconsolate, Soapy ceased his unavailing racket. —
沮丧的索比停止了他徒劳的喧闹。 —

Would never a policeman lay hands on him? —
难道再也没有警察会动手抓他了吗？ —

In his fancy the Island seemed an unattainable Arcadia. —
在他的幻想中，这座岛屿看起来像是一个无法达到的理想之地。 —

He buttoned his thin coat against the chilling wind.
他把他薄薄的外套扣紧，抵挡着刺骨的风。

In a cigar store he saw a well-dressed man lighting a cigar at a swinging light. —
在一个雪茄店里，他看到一个穿着讲究的男人在摆动的灯光下点燃一支雪茄。 —

His silk umbrella he had set by the door on entering. —
他把他的丝绸伞放在门旁，然后走了进去。Soapy走进去，拿走了那把伞， —

Soapy stepped inside, secured the
慢慢地溜走。那个点烟的男人匆匆跟随着。

umbrella and sauntered off with it slowly. —
“这是我的伞，” —

The man at the cigar light followed hastily.
他说，声音严肃。

“My umbrella,” he said, sternly.
“哦，是吗？” Soapy讥讽地说，小偷行为加上侮辱。”那你为什么不叫警察呢？我拿走了它。

“Oh, is it?” sneered Soapy, adding insult to petit larceny. —
你的伞！你为什么不叫警察？ —

“Well, why don’t you call a policeman? —
拐角上有一个警察。 —

I took it. —
—

Your umbrella! Why don’t you call a cop? —
伞的主人放慢了脚步。Soapy也跟着放慢了， —

There stands one on the corner.”
有一种运气又要对他不利的预感。

The umbrella owner slowed his steps. Soapy did likewise, with a presentiment that luck would again run against him. —
警察好奇地看着这两个人。“当然，”伞的主人说，“这样的事情经常发生，如果这把伞是你的，希望你原谅我，我今天早上在一家餐馆里捡到的，如果你认识它是你的伞，那么——我希望你——” —

The policeman looked at the two curiously.“Of course,” said the umbrella man–“that is–well, you know how these mistakes occur–I–if it’s your umbrella I hope you’ll excuse me–I picked it up this morning in a restaurant–If you recognise it as yours, why–I hope you’ll–”
拿起伞主人的脚步缓慢了。Soapy也跟着缓慢了下来，心里觉得运气又要向他不利了。

“Of course it’s mine,” said Soapy, viciously.
“当然是我的，” Soapy 恶意地说道。

The ex-umbrella man retreated. —
这位曾经撑着雨伞的人后退了。 —

The policeman hurried to assist a tall blonde in an opera cloak across the street in front of a street car that was approaching two blocks away.
警察匆匆忙忙地在一辆两个街区远的电车前帮助一位高个子金发女郎穿过马路。

Soapy walked eastward through a street damaged by improvements. —
Soapy沿着一条遭受改建破坏的街道向东走去。 —

He hurled the umbrella wrathfully into an excavation. —
他愤怒地把雨伞猛扔进挖掘场。 —

He muttered against the men who wear helmets and carry clubs. —
他咕哝着抱怨那些戴着头盔、拿着棍子的人。 —

Because he wanted to fall into their clutches, they seemed to regard him as a king who could do no wrong.
因为他希望落入他们的魔爪，他们似乎把他视为一个无所不能的国王。

At length Soapy reached one of the avenues to the east where the glitter and turmoil was but faint. —
最终，Soapy走到了东边的一条大道上，那里的灿烂与喧嚣只有微弱的残影。 —

He set his face down this toward Madison Square, for the homing instinct survives even when the home is a park bench.
他朝这条大道走下去，向着麦迪逊广场，因为即使是在一个公园长椅上，回家的本能也是存在的。

But on an unusually quiet corner Soapy came to a standstill. —
但是在一个异常安静的角落，Soapy停了下来。 —

Here was an old church, quaint and rambling and gabled. —
这里有一座古老的教堂，古雅而宏伟，有尖顶的。 —

Through one violet-stained window a soft light glowed, where, no doubt, the organist loitered over the keys, making sure of his mastery of the coming Sabbath anthem. —
透过一个被紫色染著的窗户，柔和的光线在闪烁，毫无疑问，那是飘散出来的教堂风琴师，他滞留在钢琴前，为即将到来的安息日赞美歌儿做着最后的熟悉与掌握。 —

For there drifted out to Soapy’s ears sweet music that caught and held him transfixed against the convolutions of the iron fence.
催人入眠的甜美音乐飘出，牢牢地抓住了索比的耳朵，使他如醉如痴地停留在这铁栅栏的夹缝间。

The moon was above, lustrous and serene; —
天上的明月闪耀而静谧， —

vehicles and pedestrians were few; —
车辆和行人寥寥无几； —

sparrows twittered sleepily in the eaves–for a little while the scene might have been a country churchyard. —
麻雀唧唧地在屋檐间打着困意的小鸣，一时间仿佛置身于乡村教堂的墓地。 —

And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars.
风琴师演奏的赞美歌儿让索比紧紧地依附在铁栅栏上，因为在那些曾经拥有母亲、玫瑰、抱负、朋友和干净的思想和领带的日子里，他对这首赞美歌了若指掌。

The conjunction of Soapy’s receptive state of mind and the influences about the old church wrought a sudden and wonderful change in his soul. —
索比心灵的突然而美妙的变化正是他的敏感心境与这座老教堂周围的影响力相结合所致。 —

He viewed with swift horror the pit into which he had tumbled, the degraded days, unworthy desires, dead hopes, wrecked faculties and base motives that made up his existence.
他眼中充满了快速的恐惧，陷入了无尽的深渊，堕落的日子，不值得骄傲的欲望，死去的希望，失去的能力和卑鄙的动机构成了他的存在。

And also in a moment his heart responded thrillingly to this novel mood. —
他的心在瞬间兴奋地回应着这种新奇的情绪。 —

An instantaneous and strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fate. —
一种即时而强烈的冲动驱使他与绝望的命运战斗。 —

He would pull himself out of the mire; —
他要拔身而出，摆脱泥淖。 —

he would make a man of himself again; —
他要重新做一个人， —

he would conquer the evil that had taken possession of him. —
他要战胜已经控制住他的邪恶。 —

There was time; he was comparatively young yet; —
还有时间，他还相对年轻； —

he would resurrect his old eager ambitions and pursue them without faltering. —
他要重新唤起旧日的雄心壮志，并且毫不犹豫地去追求。 —

Those solemn but sweet organ notes had set up a revolution in him. —
那庄严而美妙的管风琴声在他内心掀起了一场革命。 —

To-morrow he would go into the roaring downtown district and find work. —
明天，他要去熙熙攘攘的市区找工作。 —

A fur importer had once offered him a place as driver. —
曾经有一个皮草进口商曾经提供给他一个司机的职位。 —

He would find him to-morrow and ask for the position. —
他明天要找到他，请求那个职位。 —

He would be somebody in the world. He would–
他要成为这个世界上的一个人。他要——

Soapy felt a hand laid on his arm. —
骚皮突然感到有只手放在了他的胳膊上。 —

He looked quickly around into the broad face of a policeman.
他迅速环顾四周，看到一个警察阔脸对着他。

“What are you doin’ here?” asked the officer.
“你在这里做什么？”警察问道。

“Nothin’,” said Soapy.
“没事儿，”Soapy说。

“Then come along,” said the policeman.
“那就跟我来，”警察说。

“Three months on the Island,” said the Magistrate in the Police Court the next morning.
“在岛上待三个月，”第二天早上警察法庭的法官说。