The ranks of the Bed Line moved closer together; —
床上人的队伍越来越靠近一起； —

for it was cold. —
因为天气太冷了。 —

They were alluvial deposit of the stream of life lodged in the delta of Fifth Avenue and Broadway. —
它们是生活之河在第五大道和百老汇三角洲的淤积物。 —

The Bed Liners stamped their freezing feet, looked at the empty benches in Madison Square whence Jack Frost had evicted them, and muttered to one another in a confusion of tongues. —
床上人踩着冻得发红的脚，看着麦迪逊广场上空荡荡的长椅，用各种语言嘟囔着。 —

The Flatiron Building, with its impious, cloud-piercing architecture looming mistily above them on the opposite delta, might well have stood for the tower of Babel, whence these polyglot idlers had been called by the winged walking delegate of the Lord.
平铁大厦用亵渎神圣的、直透云霄的建筑高耸在对面三角洲上，好像是为这些说着各国语言的闲人而建的巴别塔，他们被主派来的翼化传达者召唤而来。

Standing on a pine box a head higher than his flock of goats, the Preacher exhorted whatever transient and shifting audience the north wind doled out to him. —
牧师站在一个比他的群羊高出一头的松木箱上，对着风吹来的临时观众进行感叹。 —

It was a slave market. Fifteen cents bought you a man. —
这是一个奴隶市场。15美分能买到一个人。 —

You deeded him to Morpheus; —
你将他转交给了梦神； —

and the recording angel gave you credit.
而登记天使为你记上了一笔功德。

The preacher was incredibly earnest and unwearied. —
这位传道士非常认真和不知疲倦。 —

He had looked over the list of things one may do for one’s fellow man, and had assumed for himself the task of putting to bed all who might apply at his soap box on the nights of Wednesday and Sunday. —
他审视了一份关于为他人做出贡献的事项清单，并自愿在周三和周日晚上为那些前来他的兜售信息的人安排住宿。 —

That left but five nights for other philanthropists to handle; —
这样一来，其他慈善家只剩下五个晚上需要处理； —

and had they done their part as well, this wicked city might have become a vast Arcadian dormitory where all might snooze and snore the happy hours away, letting problem plays and the rent man and business go to the deuce.
如果他们也能尽好自己的部分，这个邪恶的城市可能会变成一个巨大的阿卡迪亚式宿舍，每个人都可以在那里安然入睡，让问题剧、房租和生意通通见鬼去。

The hour of eight was but a little while past; —
八点钟刚过不久， —

sightseers in a small, dark mass of pay ore were gathered in the shadow of General Worth’s monument. —
一小群沉默而黑暗的观光者聚集在沃思将军的纪念碑阴影下。 —

Now and then, shyly, ostentatiously, carelessly, or with conscientious exactness one would step forward and bestow upon the Preacher small bills or silver. —
不时有人胆怯地、炫耀地、漫不经心地或认真准确地走上前，给传道士捐赠小钞票或银币。 —

Then a lieutenant of Scandinavian coloring and enthusiasm would march away to a lodging house with a squad of the redeemed. —
然后，一位身着斯堪的纳维亚风格制服并充满热情的中尉会带领一队获救者前往一家住房区。 —

All the while the Preacher exhorted the crowd in terms beautifully devoid of eloquence - splendid with the deadly, accusative monotony of truth. —
在传道者动情地劝告人群的时候，他的措辞并不华丽，却以致命的指责的单调真理充满了辉煌。 —

Before the picture of the Bed Liners fades you must hear one phrase of the Preacher’s - the one that formed his theme that night. —
在床褥图像消失之前，你必须听到传道者说的一个短语——那是他当晚的主题。 —

It is worthy of being stenciled on all the white ribbons in the world.
它足以在全世界所有的白色丝带上刻字。

“No man ever learned to be a drunkard on five-cent whisky.”
没有人能在五分钱的威士忌上学会酗酒。

Think of it, tippler. It covers the ground from the sprouting rye to the Potter’s Field.
想一想吧，酒鬼。它覆盖了从发芽的黑麦到公园墓地的范围。

A clean-profiled, erect young man in the rear rank of the bedless emulated the terrapin, drawing his head far down into the shell of his coat collar. —
在没有床的人群的后排，有一个干净的、笔直的年轻人效仿乌龟，把头缩进外套的衣领里。 —

It was a well-cut tweed coat; —
这是一件剪裁得很好的花呢外套， —

and the trousers still showed signs of having flattened themselves beneath the compelling goose. —
裤子上仍然显示出曾在逼人的鹅下扁平的痕迹。 —

But, conscientiously, I must warn the milliner’s apprentice who reads this, expecting a Reginald Montressor in straits, to peruse no further. —
但是，我必须真诚地警告阅读这篇文章的缝纫学徒，不要期望看到一位陷入困境的雷金纳德·蒙特雷松，不要再继续阅读了。 —

The young man was no other than Thomas McQuade, ex-coachman, discharged for drunkenness one month before, and now reduced to the grimy ranks of the one-night bed seekers.
这个年轻人不是别人，正是前教马车的托马斯·麦克奎德，一个月前因醉酒而被解雇，现在沦落到寻求一夜住宿的肮脏人群之中。

If you live in smaller New York you must know the Van Smuythe family carriage, drawn by the two 1,500-pound, 100 to 1-shot bays. —
如果你住在较小的纽约，你肯定要认识范斯迈思家族的马车，由两匹重1500磅、赔率100比1的红棕色马拖着。 —

The carriage is shaped like a bath-tub. —
马车的形状像一个浴缸。 —

In each end of it reclines an old lady Van Smuythe holding a black sunshade the size of a New Year’s Eve feather tickler. —
每一端都有一位范斯迈思老太太斜躺在那里，手里拿着一个像新年装饰用的黑色遮阳伞一样大的东西。 —

Before his downfall Thomas McQuade drove the Van Smuythe bays and was himself driven by Annie, the Van Smuythe lady’s maid. —
在托马斯·麦克奎德堕落之前，他曾驾驶范斯迈思的马车，而他本人则由范斯迈思的侍女安妮驾驶。 —

But it is one of the saddest things about romance that a tight shoe or an empty commissary or an aching tooth will make a temporary heretic of any Cupid-worshiper. —
但是关于浪漫的一件最令人伤感的事情是，紧绷的鞋子、空空的旅行箱或者牙疼都可能使任何一个崇拜爱神的人暂时成为异端。 —

And Thomas’s physical troubles were not few. Therefore, his soul was less vexed with thoughts of his lost lady’s maid than it was by the fancied presence of certain non-existent things that his racked nerves almost convinced him were flying, dancing, crawling, and wriggling on the asphalt and in the air above and around the dismal campus of the Bed Line army. —
托马斯的身体问题不少。因此，他的灵魂对于失去的女佣的思念并没有那么烦扰，而是被他不断受折磨的神经几乎使他相信有一些不存在的东西在荒凉的陆军驻地的阴暗校园上空飞舞、跳舞、爬行和扭动。 —

Nearly four weeks of straight whisky and a diet limited to crackers, bologna, and pickles often guarantees a psycho-zoological sequel. —
在喝了近四个星期的威士忌，并且只吃饼干、意大利辣香肠和腌黄瓜这种饮食限制下，通常会导致一种精神动物学的后续反应。 —

Thus desperate, freezing, angry, beset by phantoms as he was, he felt the need of human sympathy and intercourse.
因此在绝望、寒冷、愤怒和鬼魅的围攻下，他感到了人类同情和交往的需要。

The Bed Liner standing at his right was a young man of about his own age, shabby but neat.
站在他右边的那个床垫部队的年轻人，年龄与他差不多，衣着破旧但整洁。

“What’s the diagnosis of your case, Freddy?” asked Thomas, with the freemasonic familiarity of the damned - “Booze? —
“弗莱迪，你的病情是什么诊断？”托马斯用被诅咒之人的密契口吻问道，“酒精中毒？那也是我的病情。 —

That’s mine. —
” —

You don’t look like a panhandler. —
你看起来不像个乞丐。 —

Neither am I. A month ago I was pushing the lines over the backs of the finest team of Percheron buffaloes that ever made their mile down Fifth Avenue in 2.85. And look at me now! —
我也不是。一个月前，我还在推着最好的一队法国玛拉马车在第五大街上飞奔，每小时能跑2.85英里。现在看看我！ —

Say; how do you come to be at this bed bargain-counter rummage sale.”
说说吧，你怎么会来到这个床上廉价货架上的清仓大甩卖？

The other young man seemed to welcome the advances of the airy ex-coachman.
另一个年轻人似乎对这位轻松自如的前车夫表示欢迎。

“No,” said he, “mine isn’t exactly a case of drink. —
“不，”他说，”我的情况不完全是因为喝酒。 —

Unless we allow that Cupid is a bartender. —
除非我们承认爱神是个酒保。 —

I married unwisely, according to the opinion of my unforgiving relatives. —
我根据我不可原谅的亲戚的看法嫁错了人。 —

I’ve been out of work for a year because I don’t know how to work; —
因为我不知道如何工作，我已经失业一年了； —

and I’ve been sick in Bellevue and other hospitals for months. —
我在贝尔维尤和其他医院里生病了好几个月。 —

My wife and kid had to go back to her mother. —
我妻子和孩子不得不回到她母亲那里。 —

I was turned out of the hospital yesterday. —
昨天我被医院赶出来。我一文不名。 —

And I haven’t a cent. That’s my tale of woe.”
这就是我的不幸经历。

“Tough luck,” said Thomas. —
“真倒霉，”托马斯说。 —

“A man alone can pull through all right. —
“一个人可以挺过去的。 —

But I hate to see the women and kids get the worst of it.”
但我不愿意看到妇女和孩子遭受最严重的困境。”

Just then there hummed up Fifth Avenue a motor car so splendid, so red, so smoothly running, so craftily demolishing the speed regulations that it drew the attention even of the listless Bed Liners. —
就在这时，一辆奢华的红色汽车在第五大街上嗡嗡而过，引起了连那些懒洋洋的床单堆上的人们的注意。 —

Suspended and pinioned on its left side was an extra tire.
它的左侧悬挂着一个备用轮胎。

When opposite the unfortunate company the fastenings of this tire became loosed. —
当它经过这个不幸的群体时，这个轮胎的固定装置松了。 —

It fell to the asphalt, bounded and rolled rapidly in the wake of the flying car.
它掉到了柏油路上，弹跳并迅速滚动在那辆飞驰汽车的后方。

Thomas McQuade, scenting an opportunity, darted from his place among the Preacher’s goats. —
汤姆斯·麦克奎德闻到了机会，从他在传教士山羊中的位置上突然蹿了出来。 —

In thirty seconds he had caught the rolling tire, swung it over his shoulder, and was trotting smartly after the car. —
30秒之内，他抓住了滚动的轮胎，把它扛到了肩上，然后精神焕发地追赶着那辆汽车。 —

On both sides of the avenue people were shouting, whistling, and waving canes at the red car, pointing to the enterprising Thomas coming up with the lost tire.
在大街的两边，人们在喊叫、吹口哨，挥舞着手杖，指着那辆红色汽车，指向那个敢于去追回失落轮胎的托马斯。

One dollar, Thomas had estimated, was the smallest guerdon that so grand an automobilist could offer for the service he had rendered, and save his pride.
托马斯评估，如此豪华的汽车主人给予他的回报最小也要一美元，这样才能保持自己的尊严。

Two blocks away the car had stopped. There was a little, brown, muffled chauffeur driving, and an imposing gentleman wearing a magnificent sealskin coat and a silk hat on a rear seat.
距离两个街区远的地方，汽车停了下来。有一个穿着棕色外套，戴着丝质帽子的小个子司机，还有一个穿着华丽的海豹皮大衣的威风凛凛的绅士坐在后座上。

Thomas proffered the captured tire with his best ex-coachman manner and a look in the brighter of his reddened eyes that was meant to be suggestive to the extent of a silver coin or two and receptive up to higher denominations.
托马斯用他最像前私人教练的方式递上抓住的轮胎，他微红的双眼散发着示意的光芒，似乎暗示着可以给一两枚银币，甚至更高面额的钱。

But the look was not so construed. —
但这个眼神并没有被这样理解。 —

The sealskinned gentleman received the tire, placed it inside the car, gazed intently at the ex-coachman, and muttered to himself inscrutable words.
那位穿着海豹皮大衣的绅士接过轮胎，把它放在车里，凝视着这位前私人教练，嘴里喃喃自语。

“Strange - strange!” said he. “Once or twice even I, myself, have fancied that the Chaldean Chiroscope has availed. —
“奇怪 - 奇怪！”他说。“有一两次，连我自己都觉得看相术奏效了。 —

Could it be possible?”
这可能吗？”

Then he addressed less mysterious words to the waiting and hopeful Thomas.
然后他对焦急等待着的托马斯说了一些不那么神秘的话。

“Sir, I thank you for your kind rescue of my tire. —
“先生，感谢您慷慨地帮我救回了我的轮胎。 —

And I would ask you, if I may, a question. —
我想问你一个问题，如果可以的话。 —

Do you know the family of Van Smuythes living in Washington Square North?”
您知道住在华盛顿广场北的范斯迈斯家族吗？”

“Oughtn’t I to?” replied Thomas. —
“难道我不该吗？” 托马斯回答道。 —

“I lived there. Wish I did yet.”
“我住在那里。多希望我还住在那里。”

The sealskinned gentleman opened a door of the car.
披着海豹皮的绅士打开了车门。

“Step in please,” he said. “You have been expected.”
“请上车，”他说。“一直在等你。”

Thomas McQuade obeyed with surprise but without hesitation. —
托马斯·麦克夸德惊讶而毫不犹豫地照做了。 —

A seat in a motor car seemed better than standing room in the Bed Line. But after the lap-robe had been tucked about him and the auto had sped on its course, the peculiarity of the invitation lingered in his mind.
坐在汽车里比站在床店的地方要好。但是在腿毯围裹身体之后，汽车飞速行驶的时候，邀请的奇特性在他脑海中仍然萦绕。

“Maybe the guy hasn’t got any change,” was his diagnosis. —
“可能那家伙没有零钱，”他判断道。 —

“Lots of these swell rounders don’t lug about any ready money. —
“很多这些花花公子都不随身携带现金。” —

Guess he’ll dump me out when he gets to some joint where he can get cash on his mug. —
“猜想他会在到达能兑换他脸上的现金的地方把我甩下吧。” —

Anyhow, it’s a cinch that I’ve got that open-air bed convention beat to a finish.”
“不管怎样，我肯定是打破了那个露天床的常规。”

Submerged in his greatcoat, the mysterious automobilist seemed, himself, to marvel at the surprises of life. —
沉浸在自己的大衣中，神秘的司机似乎对生活的惊喜感到惊讶。 —

“Wonderful! amazing! strange!” he repeated to himself constantly.
“太奇妙了！太惊人了！太奇怪了！”他不断自言自语地重复着。

When the car had well entered the crosstown Seventies, it swung eastward a half block and stopped before a row of high-stooped, brownstone-front houses.
当汽车进入七十年代的城市十字路口时，它向东摆动了半个街区，在一排高约脚的棕石建筑前停下了。

“Be kind enough to enter my house with me,” said the sealskinned gentleman when they had alighted. —
“请你赏脸与我一同进入我的房子,” 小伙子穿着海豹皮衣对他们说，当他们下车后。 —

“He’s going to dig up, sure,” reflected Thomas, following him inside.
“他肯定要挖土了，”托马斯想着，跟在他后面进入了房子。

There was a dim light in the hall. —
走廊里有一点昏暗的灯光， —

His host conducted him through a door to the left, closing it after him and leaving them in absolute darkness. —
他的主人带他穿过一扇门，关上后把他们留在了彻底的黑暗中。 —

Suddenly a luminous globe, strangely decorated, shone faintly in the centre of an immense room that seemed to Thomas more splendidly appointed than any he had ever seen on the stage or read of in fairy tales.
突然，一个装饰奇特的发光球，在一间巨大的房间中微弱闪亮，这间房间对于托马斯来说比他在舞台上见过的任何一间房间都要豪华。

The walls were hidden by gorgeous red hangings embroidered with fantastic gold figures. —
墙壁被绚丽的红色帷幕所遮挡，上面刺绣着奇异的金色图案。 —

At the rear end of the room were draped porti`eres of dull gold spangled with silver crescents and stars. —
房间的后面挂着一副暗金色的带有银色新月和星星的帘子。 —

The furniture was of the costliest and rarest styles. —
这家具是最昂贵和稀有的风格。 —

The ex-coachman’s feet sank into rugs as fleecy and deep as snowdrifts. —
原教练的脚陷入了像飘雪一样蓬松和深厚的地毯中。 —

There were three or four oddly shaped stands or tables covered with black velvet drapery.
有三四个形状奇怪的架子或桌子，覆盖着黑色天鹅绒帷幕。

Thomas McQuade took in the splendors of this palatial apartment with one eye. —
托马斯·麦克奎德用一只眼睛欣赏着这个豪华的公寓。 —

With the other he looked for his imposing conductor - to find that he had disappeared.
用另一只眼睛他寻找他那威风凛凛的引导者 - 却发现他已经消失了。

“B’gee!” muttered Thomas, “this listens like a spook shop. —
“天哪！” 托马斯嘟囔道，“这听起来像个幽灵店。 —

Shouldn’t wonder if it ain’t one of these Moravian Nights’ adventures that you read about. —
不会想不到这是这种你在书上读到的摩拉维亚之夜的冒险故事之一。” —

Wonder what became of the furry guy.”
“不知道那个毛茸茸的家伙去哪了。”

Suddenly a stuffed owl that stood on an ebony perch near the illuminated globe slowly raised his wings and emitted from his eyes a brilliant electric glow.
突然间，一个摆在靠近明亮的地球仪的黑檀木架上的装饰猫头鹰慢慢地展开翅膀，并从它的眼睛中发出明亮的电光。

With a fright-born imprecation, Thomas seized a bronze statuette of Hebe from a cabinet near by and hurled it with all his might at the terrifying and impossible fowl. —
受惊吓而发出一声咒骂，托马斯从附近的一个橱柜上拿起了一个青铜雕像并用尽全力将其扔向那只恐怖且不可能的鸟。 —

The owl and his perch went over with a crash. —
猫头鹰和它的栖木发出了一声巨响， —

With the sound there was a click, and the room was flooded with light from a dozen frosted globes along the walls and ceiling. —
随着声音，房间里的墙壁和天花板上的十多个雾面球体发出了一阵闪光。 —

The gold portieres parted and closed, and the mysterious automobilist entered the room. —
金色窗帘敞开并闭合，神秘的汽车主驾进了房间。 —

He was tall and wore evening dress of perfect cut and accurate taste. —
他身材高大，穿着一套剪裁完美、品味精准的晚礼服。 —

A Vandyke beard of glossy, golden brown, rather long and wavy hair, smoothly parted, and large, magnetic, orientally occult eyes gave him a most impressive and striking appearance. —
齐脸胡子色泽发亮的金棕色，头发略长且波浪状，平滑地分开，大而有吸引力、带着神秘东方魔力的眼睛使他显得极具印象和吸引力。 —

If you can conceive a Russian Grand Duke in a Rajah’s throneroom advancing to greet a visiting Emperor, you will gather something of the majesty of his manner. —
如果你能想象出一位俄罗斯的大公子在一位拉贾王的宝座厅迎接一位访问的皇帝，你就能感受到他的威严风采。 —

But Thomas McQuade was too near his d t’s to be mindful of his p’s and q’s. —
但托马斯·麦克奎德太过于近视以至于没有注意到他的品行。 —

When he viewed this silken, polished, and somewhat terrifying host he thought vaguely of dentists.
当他看到这个丝绸般光滑、颇具威势的主人时，他隐约想起了牙医。

“Say, doc,” said he resentfully, “that’s a hot bird you keep on tap. —
“喂，大哥，”他愤愤不平地说道，“你家那只火辣的小鸟可真够大的。 —

I hope I didn’t break anything. —
希望我没打破什么东西。” —

But I’ve nearly got the williwalloos, and when he threw them 32-candle-power-lamps of his on me, I took a snap-shot at him with that little brass Flatiron Girl that stood on the sideboard.”
“但是我几乎已经获得了意志洪流(I’ve nearly got the williwalloos)，当他把他的32烛光灯扔在我身上时，我用放在餐具柜上的那个小铜熨斗女孩对准他拍了一张照片。”

“That is merely a mechanical toy,” said the gentleman with a wave of his hand. —
“那只是一个机械玩具，”那位先生挥了挥手说道。 —

“May I ask you to be seated while I explain why I brought you to my house. —
“请您坐下，我来解释为什么我把您带到我的房子里。 —

Perhaps you would not understand nor be in sympathy with the psychological prompting that caused me to do so. —
“也许您不会理解，也不会同情导致我这样做的心理动机。 —

So I will come to the point at once by venturing to refer to your admission that you know the Van Smuythe family, of Washington Square North.”
“所以，我会马上指出您承认您认识华盛顿广场北Van Smuythe家族。”

“Any silver missing,” asked Thomas tartly. —
“有什么银器丢失了吗？”托马斯尖酸地问道， —

“Any joolry displaced? Of course I know ‘em. —
“有什么珠宝被移动了吗？当然，我认识他们。 —

Any of the old ladies’ sunshades disappeared? —
“有老太太的阳伞消失了吗？ —

Well, I know ‘em. And then what?”
我认识他们。然后呢？”

The Grand Duke rubbed his white hands together softly.
大公爵轻轻地搓着他的白手。

“Wonderful!” he murmured. “Wonderful! —
“太神奇了！”他低声说道。 —

Shall I come to believe in the Chaldean Chiroscope myself? —
“太神奇了！我应该自己相信迦勒底智慧镜吗？” —

Let me assure you,” he continued, “that there is nothing for you to fear. —
“让我向你保证，”他继续说道，” 你没有什么可害怕的。” —

Instead, I think I can promise you that very good fortune awaits you. —
“相反，我想我可以向你保证，非常好的运气等待着你。我们会看到的。 —

We will see.”
”

“Do they want me back?” asked Thomas, with something of his old professional pride in his voice. —
“他们想让我回去吗？” 托马斯问道，声音中带着一些他昔日的职业自豪感。 —

“I’ll promise to cut out the booze and do the right thing if they’ll try me again. —
“如果他们再试一次的话，我保证会戒酒，做正确的事情。但是， —

But how did you get wise, doc? —
你是怎么聪明起来的，医生？ —

B’gee, it’s the swellest employment agency I was ever in, with its flashlight owls and so forth.”
“天哪，这是我曾经去过的最棒的就业机构，有手电筒猫头鹰之类的东西。”

With an indulgent smile the gracious host begged to be excused for two minutes. —
殷勤的主人带着纵容的微笑请求离席两分钟。 —

He went out to the sidewalk and gave an order to the chauffeur, who still waited with the car. —
他走到人行道上，向依然在等车的司机下达了一个指令。 —

Returning to the mysterious apartment, he sat by his guest and began to entertain him so well by his witty and genial converse that the poor Bed Liner almost forgot the cold streets from which he had been so recently and so singularly rescued. —
回到神秘的公寓，他坐在客人旁边，通过他风趣和亲切的交谈很好地招待他，以至于可怜的床单工人几乎忘记了他刚刚被如此奇特地救出的寒冷街道。 —

A servant brought some tender cold fowl and tea biscuits and a glass of miraculous wine; —
一名仆人端来了一些嫩嫩的冷熟鸡肉和茶饼，还有一杯神奇的酒； —

and Thomas felt the glamour of Arabia envelop him. —
托马斯感觉到了阿拉伯的魅力将他包围了。 —

Thus half an hour sped quickly; —
半个小时很快就过去了； —

and then the honk of the returned motor car at the door suddenly drew the Grand Duke to his feet, with another soft petition for a brief absence.
然后车子在门口的鸣笛声突然让大公爵站了起来，再次轻声请求暂时离开一下。

Two women, well muffled against the cold, were admitted at the front door and suavely conducted by the master of the house down the hall through another door to the left and into a smaller room, which was screened and segregated from the larger front room by heavy, double portieres. —
两个严丝合缝地包裹着抵御寒冷的女人被带进了前门，并由房子的主人彬彬有礼地带着穿过走廊的另一扇门进入了一个更小的房间，这个房间被厚重的双层门帘屏蔽和隔离，与大前厅分开。 —

here the furnishings were even more elegant and exquisitely tasteful than in the other. —
这里的家具比其他地方更加优雅精致。 —

On a gold-inlaid rosewood table were scattered sheets of white paper and a queer, triangular instrument or toy, apparently of gold, standing on little wheels.
在一张金嵌玫瑰木桌子上零散地放着几张白纸和一个奇怪的三角形工具或玩具，看起来像是金子做的，放在小轮子上。

The taller woman threw back her black veil and loosened her cloak. —
较高的那个女人摘下她的黑面纱，松开她的披风。她五十岁， —

She was fifty, with a wrinkled and sad face. —
脸上有皱纹，看起来很悲伤。 —

The other, young and plump, took a chair a little distance away and to the rear as a servant or an attendant might have done.
另外那个年轻而丰满的人，像仆人或侍从一样，坐在稍远一点且靠后的椅子上。

“You sent for me, Professor Cherubusco,” said the elder woman, wearily. —
“你找我来了，Cherubusco教授，”年长的女人疲倦地说道。 —

“I hope you have something more definite than usual to say. —
“我希望你有比平常更确切的话要说。 —

I’ve about lost the little faith I had in your art. —
我对你的艺术几乎丧失了所有的信心。 —

I would not have responded to your call this evening if my sister had not insisted upon it.”
要不是我姐妹坚持，我今晚不会回应你的召唤。”

“Madam,” said the professor, with his princeliest smile, “the true Art cannot fail. —
“夫人，”教授微笑着说，“真正的艺术不会失败。 —

To find the true psychic and potential branch sometimes requires time. —
找到真正的灵能和潜能渠道有时需要时间。 —

We have not succeeded, I admit, with the cards, the crystal, the stars, the magic formulae of Zarazin, nor the Oracle of Po. But we have at last discovered the true psychic route. —
我承认我们在卡片、水晶、星星、Zarazin的魔法公式，以及Po的神谕方面都没有成功。但是我们终于找到了真正的灵能路径。 —

The Chaldean Chiroscope has been successful in our search.”
在我们的搜索中，迦勒底人的楔形光柱仪成功了。”

The professor’s voice had a ring that seemed to proclaim his belief in his own words. —
教授的声音带有一种似乎在宣告他对自己所说的话的信仰。 —

The elderly lady looked at him with a little more interest.
那位年长的女士对他多了一些兴趣。

“Why, there was no sense in those words that it wrote with my hands on it,” she said. “What do you mean?”
“为什么，这些用我的手写下的文字毫无意义，”她说。“你是什么意思？”

“The words were these,” said Professor Cherubusco, rising to his full magnificent height: —
“文字是这样的，”Cherubusco教授站起来，威严十足地说： —

“By the fifth wheel of the chariot he shall come.”
“他将通过战车的第五个车轮而来。”

“I haven’t seen many chariots,” said the lady, “but I never saw one with five wheels.”
“我没见过多少战车，”那位女士说，“但我从没见过有五个车轮的。”

“Progress,” said the professor - “progress in science and mechanics has accomplished it - though, to be exact, we may speak of it only as an extra tire. —
“进步，”教授说，“科学和机械的进步已经实现了这一点——虽然确切来说，我们只能称之为额外的轮胎。 —

Progress in occult art has advanced in proportion. Madam, I repeat that the Chaldean Chiroscope has succeeded. —
随着神秘艺术的进步，进展也有所提高。夫人，我再次重申，迦勒底观星镜已经成功了。 —

I can not only answer the question that you have propounded, but I can produce before your eyes the proof thereof.”
我不仅可以回答你提出的问题，还可以在你眼前提供证明。”

And now the lady was disturbed both in her disbelief and in her poise.
现在那位女士在她的怀疑和从容中感到不安。

“O professor!” she cried anxiously - “When? - where? —
“哦，教授！”她焦急地喊道，“什么时候？在哪里？ —

Has he been found? Do not keep me in suspense.”
他被找到了吗？别让我等得如此焦虑。”

“I beg you will excuse me for a very few minutes,” said Professor Cherubusco, “and I think I can demonstrate to you the efficacy of the true Art.”
“请原谅我离开几分钟，” Cherubusco教授说，“我相信我能向你证明真正的艺术的效力。”

Thomas was contentedly munching the last crumbs of the bread and fowl when the enchanter appeared suddenly at his side.
当恶魔突然出现在他身边时，托马斯正愉快地咀嚼着面包和禽肉的残渣。

“Are you willing to return to your old home if you are assured of a welcome and restoration to favor?” he asked, with his courteous, royal smile.
“如果你确信能够受到欢迎并恢复宠爱，你愿意回到你的老家吗？”他问道，带着他那礼貌而威严的微笑。

“Do I look bughouse?” answered Thomas. —
“你看我像神经错乱的人吗？”托马斯回答， —

“Enough of the footback life for me. —
“我已经厌倦这种流浪的生活了。 —

But will they have me again? —
但是他们还会接纳我吗？ —

The old lady is as fixed in her ways as a nut on a new axle.”
那位老太太坚持自己的方式就像新轴上的螺母一样。”

“My dear young man,” said the other, “she has been searching for you everywhere.”
“亲爱的年轻人，”对方说，“她已经到处寻找你了。”

“Great!” said Thomas. “I’m on the job. —
“太好了！”托马斯说， —

That team of dropsical domedaries they call horses is a handicap for a first-class coachman like myself; —
“我在这件事上努力工作。那些被称为马的肥胖怪兽团队对像我这样的一流教练来说是个障碍， —

but I’ll take the job back, sure, doc. —
但是我会回去接受这份工作的，肯定的， —

They’re good people to be with.”
医生。和他们在一起是美好的。”

And now a change came o’er the suave countenance of the Caliph of Bagdad. —
巴格达哈里发的和蔼面容上突然变得警觉而猜疑。 —

He looked keenly and suspiciously at the ex-coachman.
他狠狠地盯着前教练夫人。

“May I ask what your name is?” he said shortly.
“请问你叫什么名字？”他板着脸问道。

“You’ve been looking for me,” said Thomas, “and don’t know my name? You’re a funny kind of sleuth. —
“你一直在寻找我，却不知道我的名字吗？你是个有趣的侦探。 —

You must be one of the Central Office gumshoers. —
你一定是中央办公室的私家侦探。 —

I’m Thomas McQuade, of course; —
“当然了，我是托马斯·麦克奎德； —

and I’ve been chauffeur of the Van Smuythe elephant team for a year. —
我一直是范斯密斯的大象队的司机。 —

They fired me a month ago for - well, doc, you saw what I did to your old owl. —
他们一个月前解雇了我，因为——嗯，大夫，你亲眼看到了我对你的老鹰做了什么。 —

I went broke on booze, and when I saw the tire drop off your whiz wagon I was standing in that squad of hoboes at the Worth monument waiting for a free bed. —
我因为酒精而破产，当我看到轮胎从你的车子上脱落时，我站在沃思纪念碑旁的那伙流浪汉中，等着免费的床位。 —

Now, what’s the prize for the best answer to all this?”
那么，对于对这一切最好的回答，有什么诗名呢？

To his intense surprise Thomas felt himself lifted by the collar and dragged, without a word of explanation, to the front door. —
令他极度惊讶的是，托马斯感觉自己被领带拽了起来，毫无解释地拖到了前门。 —

This was opened, and he was kicked forcibly down the steps with one heavy, disillusionizing, humiliating impact of the stupendous Arabian’s shoe.
门打开了，他被那只轰动人心的阿拉伯人的重鞋狠狠地踹下了楼梯。

As soon as the ex-coachman had recovered his feet and his wits he hastened as fast as he could eastward toward Broadway.
当那个前马车夫恢复了站立和理智后，他尽快向东走去布罗德威。

“Crazy guy,” was his estimate of the mysterious automobilist. “Just wanted to have some fun kiddin’, I guess. —
“疯子，”他对神秘的汽车主评价道。”我猜他只是想玩一下开玩笑的游戏。 —

He might have dug up a dollar, anyhow. —
抑或他至少可以找到一美元。 —

Now I’ve got to hurry up and get back to that gang of bum bed hunters before they all get preached to sleep.”
现在我得匆忙赶回那群床上无家可归的乞丐，免得他们都听到了布道而入睡了。

When Thomas reached the end of his two-mile walk he found the ranks of the homeless reduced to a squad of perhaps eight or ten. —
当托马斯走完两英里的路程后，他发现无家可归的人被减少到了大约八到十人的一个小队。 —

He took the proper place of a newcomer at the left end of the rear rank. —
他站在后排左端，作为新来者的适当位置。 —

In a file in front of him was the young man who had spoken to him of hospitals and something of a wife and child.
就在他前面的一列中，是他曾与他谈到医院、妻子和孩子的年轻人。

“Sorry to see you back again,” said the young man, turning to speak to him. —
“很遗憾又见到你回来了，” 年轻人转过身对他说道。” —

“I hoped you had struck something better than this.”
我本以为你找到了比这更好的机会。”

“Me?” said Thomas. “Oh, I just took a run around the block to keep warm! —
“我？”托马斯说。“哦，我刚刚绕街区跑了一圈保持暖和！ —

I see the public ain’t lending to the Lord very fast tonight.”
我看公众今晚并没有很快地借给上帝。”

“In this kind of weather,” said the young man, “charity avails itself of the proverb, and both begins and ends at home.”
“在这种天气下，”年轻人说道，“慈善事业利用谚语，从家里开始，也以家为终点。”

And the Preacher and his vehement lieutenant struck up a last hymn of petition to Providence and man. —
牧师和他的热情副手一起唱起最后一首祈祷上帝和人类的赞美诗。 —

Those of the Bed Liners whose windpipes still registered above 32 degrees hopelessly and tunelessly joined in.
那些被风折磨得刻骨铭心的寻求庇护者无望地并没有按调子无调旋律地加入。

In the middle of the second verse Thomas saw a sturdy girl with wind-tossed drapery battling against the breeze and coming straight toward him from the opposite sidewalk. —
托马斯在第二段诗的中间看到一个坚强的女孩，披风在风中翻腾，顶着风从对面的人行道直奔他而来。 —

“Annie!” he yelled, and ran toward her.
“安妮！”他喊道，然后跑向她。

“You fool, you fool!” she cried, weeping and laughing, and hanging upon his neck, “why did you do it?”
“你这个傻瓜，你这个傻瓜！”她哭着笑着，搂着他的脖子，“你为什么这样做？”

“The Stuff,” explained Thomas briefly. “You know. —
“毒品，”托马斯简短地解释道。“你知道的。 —

But subsequently nit. Not a drop.” He led her to the curb. “How did you happen to see me?”
但后来停了。一滴都没有。”他把她领到路边。“你怎么看到我的？”

“I came to find you,” said Annie, holding tight to his sleeve. “Oh, you big fool! —
“我来找你了。”安妮紧紧地抓住他的袖子说道。“哦，你这个大傻瓜！ —

Professor Cherubusco told us that we might find you here.”
切鲁布斯科教授告诉我们说你可能在这里。”

“Professor Ch - Dont’ know the guy. —
“切鲁布斯科教授——不知道这人。 —

What saloon does he work in?”
他在哪家酒馆工作？”

“He’s a clairvoyant, Thomas; the greatest in the world. —
“他是个千里眼大师，汤姆斯；全世界最厉害的。 —

He found you with the Chaldean telescope, he said.”
他说他用卡尔迪亚望远镜找到了你。”

“He’s a liar,” said Thomas. “I never had it. —
“他是个骗子，”汤姆斯说。“我从来没有他的望远镜。 —

He never saw me have anybody’s telescope.”
他从来没有看到我拿过任何人的望远镜。”

“And he said you came in a chariot with five wheels or something.”
“他还说你坐着一个有五个轮子的战车进来。”

“Annie,” said Thoms solicitously, “you’re giving me the wheels now. —
“安妮，”汤姆斯关切地说道，“你现在是在给我增加轮子了。” —

If I had a chariot I’d have gone to bed in it long ago. —
“要是我有辆战车的话，早就睡在上面了。 —

And without any singing and preaching for a nightcap, either.”
而且没有唱歌和传道作为睡前酒，也不需要。”

“Listen, you big fool. The Missis says she’ll take you back. —
“听着，你这个大傻瓜。夫人说她会接你回去的。 —

I begged her to. But you must behave. —
我向她求了好几次。但是你必须乖乖的。” —

And you can go up to the house to-night; —
“你今晚可以去大屋子， —

and your old room over the stable is ready.”
你在马厩上面的旧房间已经准备好了。”

“Great!” said Thomas earnestly. “You are It, Annie. But when did these stunts happen?”
“太好了！”汤姆斯真诚地说。“安妮，你太棒了。但是这些把戏是什么时候发生的？”

“To-night at Professor Cherubusco’s. —
“今晚在Cherubusco教授家。 —

He sent his automobile for the Missis, and she took me along. I’ve been there with her before.”
他派了车去接夫人，她让我跟着去。我跟她去过那里。”

“What’s the professor’s line?”
“教授是做什么的？”

“He’s a clairvoyant and a witch. —
“他是个透视先知和巫师。 —

The Missis consults him. —
夫人常常咨询他。 —

He knows everything. —
他什么都知道。” —

But he hasn’t done the Missis any good yet, though she’s paid him hundreds of dollars. —
“但他没有给夫人带来任何好处，虽然夫人付了他好几百美元。” —

But he told us that the stars told him we could find you here.”
“但他告诉我们，星星告诉他我们可以在这里找到你。”

“What’s the old lady want this cherry-buster to do?”
“这个老太太想让这个追踪者做什么？”

“That’s a family secret,” said Annie. “And now you’ve asked enough questions. —
“这是家庭秘密，” 安妮说。”现在你问的问题够多了。回家吧， —

Come on home, you big fool.”
你这个大傻瓜。”

They had moved but a little way up the street when Thomas stopped.
他们沿着街道走了一小段路，托马斯停下了。

“Got any dough with you, Annie?” he asked.
“安妮，你带钱了吗？”他问道。

Annie looked at him sharply.
安妮瞪大了眼睛看着他。

“Oh, I know what that look means,” said Thomas. —
“哦，我知道你这种表情代表什么，”托马斯说。” —

“You’re wrong. Not another drop. —
你错了。一滴酒都没有了。” —

But there’s a guy that was standing next to me in the bed line over there that’s in bad shape. —
“但是排在我旁边睡觉队列里的那个家伙情况不好。” —

He’s the right kind, and he’s got wives or kids or something, and he’s on the sick list. —
他是个好人，有妻子或孩子之类的，他生病了，不能喝酒。 —

No booze. —
—

If you could dig up half a dollar for him so he could get a decent bed I’d like it.”
如果你能找出一半美元给他，这样他就能有个体面的床，我会很高兴。

Annie’s fingers began to wiggle in her purse.
安妮的手指在钱包里抠来抠去。

“Sure, I’ve got money,” said she. —
“当然了，我有钱，”她说。“很多钱， —

“Lots of it. Twelve dollars.” And then she added, with woman’s ineradicable suspicion of vicarious benevolence: —
共计十二美元。”然后她又加了一句，女人总是对间接的善行心存怀疑： —

“Bring him here and let me see him first.”
“把他带过来，让我先看看他。”

Thomas went on his mission. —
托马斯继续他的任务。 —

The wan Bed Liner came readily enough. —
那个苍白的床单商人很愿意过来。 —

As the two drew near, Annie looked up from her purse and screamed:
两人走近时，安妮从钱包里抬起头惊叫道：

“Mr. Walter - Oh - Mr. Walter!”
“沃尔特先生 - 哦 - 沃尔特先生！”

“Is that you, Annie?” said the young man meekly.
“是你吗，安妮？”年轻人温顺地说。

“Oh, Mr. Walter! - and the Missis hunting high and low for you!”
“哦，沃尔特先生！ - 而夫人四处找你呢！”

“Does mother want to see me?” he asked, with a flush coming out on his pale cheek.
“妈妈想见我吗？”他问道，苍白的脸颊上泛起一丝红晕。

“She’s been hunting for you high and low. Sure, she wants to see you. She wants you to come home. —
“她四处找你，亲自找你。当然，她想见你。她想让你回家。 —

She’s tried police and morgues and lawyers and advertising and detectives and rewards and everything. —
她试过警察、太平间、律师、广告、侦探和悬赏，还有其他一切。 —

And then she took up clearvoyants. —
然后她去找通灵师。 —

You’ll go right home, won’t you, Mr. Walter?”
你会立刻回家的，对吗，沃尔特先生？”

“Gladly, if she wants me,” said the young man. —
“如果她愿意我去的话，我会非常乐意。”这名年轻人说道， —

“Three years is a long time. —
“三年可是个很长的时间。” —

I suppose I’ll have to walk up, though, unless the street cars are giving free rides. —
我想我只能步行上去了，除非电车免费搭乘。 —

I used to walk and beat that old plug team of bays we used to drive to the carriage. —
我过去常常骑着那对老马，走得比马车快。 —

Have they got them yet?”
他们还有那对马吗？

“They have,” said Thomas, feelingly. —
“有的，”托马斯有些痛感地说道，” —

“And they’ll have ‘em ten years from now. —
从现在起他们将再使用十年。 —

The life of the royal elephantibus truckhorseibus is one hundred and forty-nine years. —
大象卡车马的寿命是一百四十九年。我是马车夫。 —

I’m the coachman. —
—

Just got my reappointment five minutes ago. —
刚刚五分钟前我得到了重新任命。 —

Let’s all ride up in a surface car - that is - er - if Annie will pay the fares.”
我们都乘坐一辆有轨电车去吧 - 也就是说 - 嗯 - 如果安妮愿意支付车费的话。

On the Broadway car Annie handed each one of the prodigals a nickel to pay the conductor.
在百老汇街车上，安妮给了每个浪子一个镍币来支付售票员。

“Seems to me you are mighty reckless the way you throw large sums of money around,” said Thomas sarcastically.
“看起来你扔钱的方式真是太鲁莽了，”托马斯讽刺地说道。

“In that purse,” said Annie decidedly, “is exactly $11.85. I shall take every cent of it to-morrow and give it to professor Cherubusco, the greatest man in the world.”
“在那个钱包里，”安妮断然地说，“正好有$11.85。明天我要把它们全部拿出来，交给世界上最伟大的人，切鲁布斯科教授。”

“Well,” said Thomas, “I guess he must be a pretty fly guy to pipe off things the way he does. —
“嗯，”托马斯说，“我猜他一定是个相当厉害的家伙，才敢那样嚣张地说话。” —

I’m glad his spooks told him where you could find me. —
“我很高兴他的特工告诉他你能找到我。 —

If you’ll give me his address, some day I’ll go up there, myself, and shake his hand.”
如果你给我他的地址，总有一天我会亲自去那儿，和他握手。”

Presently Thomas moved tentatively in his seat, and thoughtfully felt an abrasion or two on his knees and his elbows.
托马斯小心翼翼地在座位上移动，颇有思索地感觉到膝盖和肘部有几处磨损。

“Say, Annie,” said he confidentially, maybe it’s one of the last dreams of booze, but I’ve a kind of a recollection of riding in authomobile with a swell guy that took me to a house full of eagles and arc lights. —
“听着，安妮，”他信任地说道，“也许这只是酒后的幻觉之一，但我有一种模糊的记忆，和一个厉害的家伙一起坐汽车，被他带到了一个满是鹰和灯光的房子里。 —

He fed me on biscuits and hot air, and then kicked me down the front steps. —
他用饼干和热气球骗我，然后把我踢下了前台阶。 —

If it was the d t’s, why am I so sore?”
如果那只是酒精引起的幻觉，为什么我这么痛苦呢？”

“Shut up, you fool,” said Annie.
“闭嘴，你这个傻瓜，”安妮说。

“If I could find that funny guy’s house, said Thomas, in conclusion, “I’d go up there some day and punch his nose for him.”
“如果我能找到那个有趣的家伙的房子，”托马斯总结道，“总有一天我会去那里揍他的鼻子。”