If you are knowing in the chronicles of the ring you will recall to mind an event in the early ‘nineties when, for a minute and sundry odd seconds, a champion and a “would-be” faced each other on the alien side of an international river. —
如果你熟悉《魔戒》的记录，你会想起九十年代初的一次事件，当时，一位冠军和一个“想成为”冠军的人在国际河的对岸相对而立，持续了几十秒。 —

So brief a conflict had rarely imposed upon the fair promise of true sport. —
如此短暂的冲突很少对真正的体育竞技承诺施加影响。 —

The reporters made what they could of it, but, divested of padding, the action was sadly fugacious. —
记者竭力为此做文章，但事实上，动作非常短暂而没有实质内容。 —

The champion merely smote his victim, turned his back upon him, remarking, “I know what I done to dat stiff,” and extended an arm like a ship’s mast for his glove to be removed.
冠军只是击败了他的对手，转身离开时说：“我知道我对那个家伙做了什么。”然后伸出像船桅一样的手臂等待拆除手套。

Which accounts for a trainload of extremely disgusted gentlemen in an uproar of fancy vests and neck-wear being spilled from their pullmans in San Antonio in the early morning following the fight. —
这就解释了为什么一列满载着极度失望、穿着花哨背心和领带的绅士们在次日清晨从他们的火车上被抛出，在圣安东尼奥降落。 —

Which also partly accounts for the unhappy predicament in which “Cricket” McGuire found himself as he tumbled from his car and sat upon the depot platform, torn by a spasm of that hollow, racking cough so familiar to San Antonian ears. —
这也在一定程度上解释了“板球”麦奎尔陷入不幸境地的原因，当他从汽车上摔下来，坐在车站月台上，被一阵对圣安东尼奥人耳朵来说非常熟悉的空洞而折磨人的咳嗽痉挛所折磨着。 —

At that time, in the uncertain light of dawn, that way passed Curtis Raidler, the Nueces County cattleman–may his shadow never measure under six foot two.
在那个黎明的不确定的光线下，库尔蒂斯·雷德勒，努埃塞斯县的牧场主从那里经过了，愿他的影子永远不要低于六英尺二。

The cattleman, out this early to catch the south-bound for his ranch station, stopped at the side of the distressed patron of sport, and spoke in the kindly drawl of his ilk and region, “Got it pretty bad, bud?”
这位牧场主清早出来赶南行的火车去他的牧场，停在患困之人的身边，用他出生地和地区特有的和蔼口音说道：“情况挺严重的吧，伙计？”

“Cricket” McGuire, ex-feather-weight prizefighter, tout, jockey, follower of the “ponies,” all-round sport, and manipulator of the gum balls and walnut shells, looked up pugnaciously at the imputation cast by “bud.”
“板球”麦奎尔，前羽量级拳击手、赛马观众、骑师，跟珠子和核桃壳耍花招，还是个全能运动员，抬眼挑衅地看着被“伙计”这个称呼冒犯了的人。

“G’wan,” he rasped, “telegraph pole. I didn’t ring for yer.”
“你走开,“他嘎嘎地说道，“电线杆。我没叫你来的。”

Another paroxysm wrung him, and he leaned limply against a convenient baggage truck. —
又一阵痉挛折磨着他，他无力地倚靠在一个方便的行李车上。 —

Raidler waited patiently, glancing around at the white hats, short overcoats, and big cigars thronging the platform. —
利德勒耐心地等待着，在站台上瞥见了戴着白帽子、穿着短大衣和抽着大雪茄的人们。 —

“You’re from the No’th, ain’t you, bud?” he asked when the other was partially recovered. —
“你是从北方来的吧，伙计？”他在对方部分恢复后问道。 —

“Come down to see the fight?”
“下来看比赛吗？”

“Fight!” snapped McGuire. “Puss-in-the-corner! —
“比赛！”麦吉尔急躁地说道。“躲猫猫吗！ —

‘Twas a hypodermic injection. —
只是一次皮下注射。 —

Handed him just one like a squirt of dope, and he’s asleep, and no tanbark needed in front of his residence. —
就像一针麻醉剂一样，他只需要一针，然后就睡着了，他住的地方前面不需要垫上波纹板。比赛！ —

Fight!” He rattled a bit, coughed, and went on, hardly addressing the cattleman, but rather for the relief of voicing his troubles. —
”他有些不安地响了一声，并继续说，几乎没有在说给牧场主听，而是为了减轻一下自己的烦恼而言。 —

“No more dead sure t’ings for me. —
“再也没有稳赚不赔的事情了。 —

But Rus Sage himself would have snatched at it. —
但是哪怕是萨奇亲自也会抓住它。 —

Five to one dat de boy from Cork wouldn’t stay t’ree rounds is what I invested in. —
五比一，科克的那个小伙子不会坚持三回合，这是我投资的内容。 —

Put my last cent on, and could already smell the sawdust in dat all-night joint of Jimmy Delaney’s on T’irty-seventh Street I was goin’ to buy. —
把我最后一分钱都押上了，已经能够闻到我要在第三十七街上那个吉米·德兰尼的整夜场地买到的波纹板的味道了。 —

And den–say, telegraph pole, what a gazaboo a guy is to put his whole roll on one turn of the gaboozlum!”
然后…说吧，电报柱，一个人把他所有的资本都押在一个看不懂的东西上真是瞎了眼！”

“You’re plenty right,” said the big cattleman; —
“你说得很对，”那个大个子牧场主说， —

“more ‘specially when you lose. —
“尤其当你输了的时候。 —

Son, you get up and light out for a hotel. —
孩子，你起来，到旅馆去吧。 —

You got a mighty bad cough. —
你的咳嗽太严重了。持续了很长时间了吗？ —

Had it long?”
”

“Lungs,” said McGuire comprehensively. “I got it. —
“肺病，”麦奎尔说得很全面。“我得了肺病。 —

The croaker says I’ll come to time for six months longer–maybe a year if I hold my gait. —
医生说我还能再活六个月——也许如果我保持好状态，能再活一年。 —

I wanted to settle down and take care of myself. —
我想安定下来，照顾好自己。 —

Dat’s why I speculated on dat five to one perhaps. —
所以我才那么赌那五比一的可能性。 —

I had a t’ousand iron dollars saved up. —
我有一千块钱存起来了。 —

If I winned I was goin’ to buy Delaney’s cafe. —
如果我赢了，我就打算买下德兰尼的咖啡馆。 —

Who’d a t’ought dat stiff would take a nap in de foist round–say?”
谁能想到那个废物竟然在第一回合就跑去睡觉了呢？

“It’s a hard deal,” commented Raidler, looking down at the diminutive form of McGuire crumpled against the truck. —
“这真是个严峻的局面，”雷德勒评论道，他俯视着躺在车旁的麦奎尔矮小的身影。 —

“But you go to a hotel and rest. —
“但你得去旅馆休息一下。 —

There’s the Menger and the Maverick, and–”
有曼格尔和马威瑞克，还有——”

“And the Fi’th Av’noo, and the Waldorf-Astoria,” mimicked McGuire. “Told you I went broke. I’m on de bum proper. —
“还有第五大道和华尔道夫阿斯多利亚，”麦奎尔模仿道。“我告诉过你我破产了。我现在穷困潦倒。 —

I’ve got one dime left. Maybe a trip to Europe or a sail in me private yacht would fix me up– pa-per!”
我只剩下一毛钱了。也许去欧洲旅行或者乘船玩一趟可以解决我的问题——纸币！”

He flung his dime at a newsboy, got his Express, propped his back against the truck, and was at once rapt in the account of his Waterloo, as expanded by the ingenious press.
他向报童扔了一枚硬币，拿到了《快报》，将背靠在卡车上，在那篇关于他的滑铁卢之战的报道上完全沉醉其中，这都是被无所不通的新闻工作者夸张渲染过的。

Curtis Raidler interrogated an enormous gold watch, and laid his hand on McGuire’s shoulder.
柯蒂斯·雷德勒盯着一只巨大的金表，把手放在麦克奎尔的肩上。

“Come on, bud,” he said. “We got three minutes to catch the train.”
“走吧，伙计，”他说。 “我们只有三分钟时间赶火车了。”

Sarcasm seemed to be McGuire’s vein.
讽刺似乎是麦克奎尔的一贯风格。

“You ain’t seen me cash in any chips or call a turn since I told you I was broke, a minute ago, have you? Friend, chase yourself away.”
“你自从我告诉你我一分钟前已经破产了以后，你见过我换套筹码或者叫过牌吗？朋友，自己找个地方去吧。”

“You’re going down to my ranch,” said the cattleman, “and stay till you get well. —
“你要去我的牧场，”那位牧场主说道， “住到你康复为止。 —

Six months’ll fix you good as new.” He lifted McGuire with one hand, and half-dragged him in the direction of the train.
六个月就能恢复得像新的一样。” 他一只手抬起麦克奎尔，用另一只手将他半拖半拉地朝火车方向走去。

“What about the money?” said McGuire, struggling weakly to escape.
“钱呢？” 麦克奎尔挣扎着想要逃脱。

“Money for what?” asked Raidler, puzzled. —
“钱？干什么要钱？” —

They eyed each other, not understanding, for they touched only as at the gear of bevelled cog- wheels–at right angles, and moving upon different axes.
雷德勒困惑地问道。他们互相凝视着，不理解对方，因为他们只在平行而不同轴线上的齿轮接触一样。

Passengers on the south-bound saw them seated together, and wondered at the conflux of two such antipodes. —
南下的乘客看到他们坐在一起，对两个如此迥异的极端相遇感到惊讶。 —

McGuire was five feet one, with a countenance belonging to either Yokohama or Dublin. —
麦圭尔身高5英尺1英寸，他的面容可以是横滨或都柏林的风格。 —

Bright-beady of eye, bony of cheek and jaw, scarred, toughened, broken and reknit, indestructible, grisly, gladiatorial as a hornet, he was a type neither new nor unfamiliar. —
这个人眼神明亮灵动，面颊和下颌瘦削，布满了伤疤，变得坚韧、崩溃再愈合，无法摧毁，可怕，像战斗黄蜂一样，他是一个既不新颖也不陌生的类型。 —

Raidler was the product of a different soil. —
雷德勒是不同土壤的产物。 —

Six feet two in height, miles broad, and no deeper than a crystal brook, he represented the union of the West and South. Few accurate pictures of his kind have been made, for art galleries are so small and the mutoscope is as yet unknown in Texas. After all, the only possible medium of portrayal of Raidler’s kind would be the fresco–something high and simple and cool and unframed.
他身高6英尺2英寸，两侧宽阔，比水晶小溪还浅，他代表了西部和南方的结合。关于他这类人的准确描绘很少，因为艺术馆很小，而且在德克萨斯州迄今为止还没有人知道木托车。毕竟，描绘雷德勒这类人的唯一可能媒介将是壁画——高而简单、凉爽而无框的东西。

They were rolling southward on the International. —
他们沿着国际线向南行驶。 —

The timber was huddling into little, dense green motts at rare distances before the inundation of the downright, vert prairies. —
在即将被直立、翠绿的草原淹没之前，稀疏地方出现了一些浓密的矮林。 —

This was the land of the ranches; —
这是牧场的土地； —

the domain of the kings of the kine.
是牛王们的领地。

McGuire sat, collapsed into his corner of the seat, receiving with acid suspicion the conversation of the cattleman. —
麦格奇尔坐在座位的一角，带着酸酐的怀疑听着牧场主们的谈话。 —

What was the “game” of this big “geezer” who was carrying him off? —
这个把他带走的大个子“老家伙”的“把戏”是什么？ —

Altruism would have been McGuire’s last guess. —
麦格奇尔最后一猜肯定不是无私。 —

“He ain’t no farmer,” thought the captive, “and he ain’t no con man, for sure. W’at’s his lay? —
“他不是个农民，”囚犯心想，“他也肯定不是骗子。他的目的是什么？” —

You trail in, Cricket, and see how many cards he draws. —
你走进去，克里克特，看看他抽了几张牌。 —

You’re up against it, anyhow. —
你无论如何都处于不利境地。 —

You got a nickel and gallopin’ consumption, and you better lay low. —
你只有五分镍和加速消耗症，最好低调一点。 —

Lay low and see w’at’s his game.”
保持低调，看看他的目的是什么。

At Rincon, a hundred miles from San Antonio, they left the train for a buckboard which was waiting there for Raidler. —
在里康，距离圣安东尼奥一百英里，他们下了火车，上了等待着雷德勒的板车。 —

In this they travelled the thirty miles between the station and their destination. —
他们在这辆板车上行驶了30英里到达目的地。 —

If anything could, this drive should have stirred the acrimonious McGuire to a sense of his ransom. —
如果有什么能够唤起激烈的麦格奇尔对他的赎金的意识的话，这次驾驶应该足够了。 —

They sped upon velvety wheels across an exhilarant savanna. —
他们乘坐着绵软的车轮在令人兴奋的大草原上飞驰。 —

The pair of Spanish ponies struck a nimble, tireless trot, which gait they occasionally relieved by a wild, untrammelled gallop. —
这对西班牙小马保持着轻快而不知疲倦的小跑，偶尔用狂野、自由的奔跑来放松一下。 —

The air was wine and seltzer, perfumed, as they absorbed it, with the delicate redolence of prairie flowers. —
空气中弥漫着葡萄酒和苏打水的味道，它们交融着娇嫩的草原花朵的纤细芬芳。 —

The road perished, and the buckboard swam the uncharted billows of the grass itself, steered by the practised hand of Raidler, to whom each tiny distant mott of trees was a signboard, each convolution of the low hills a voucher of course and distance. —
道路消失了，马车在茂盛的草海中穿行，由Raidler娴熟的手掌控着方向。对他来说，每一个遥远的树点都是一块指示牌，每一片低丘的曲线都是一张航程和距离的凭证。 —

But McGuire reclined upon his spine, seeing nothing but a desert, and receiving the cattleman’s advances with sullen distrust. —
但麦克奎尔斜躺着，只看到了一片沙漠，对牧牛人的接近怀着怀疑的不信任。“他在搞什么鬼？ —

“W’at’s he up to?” was the burden of his thoughts; —
”这是他内心的焦点； —

“w’at kind of a gold brick has the big guy got to sell?” McGuire was only applying the measure of the streets he had walked to a range bounded by the horizon and the fourth dimension.
“这个大家伙有什么金砖要卖？”麦克奎尔只是把他所走过的街道的尺度应用到了一个以地平线和第四维度为边界的地域上。

A week before, while riding the prairies, Raidler had come upon a sick and weakling calf deserted and bawling. —
一周前，Raidler在草原上骑马时，遇到了一个生病而虚弱的小牛，被遗弃并哭泣着。 —

Without dismounting he had reached and slung the distressed bossy across his saddle, and dropped it at the ranch for the boys to attend to. —
他没有下马，而是将这只困扰的小牛丢在马厩，让孩子们去照顾它。 —

It was impossible for McGuire to know or comprehend that, in the eyes of the cattleman, his case and that of the calf were identical in interest and demand upon his assistance. —
对于麦格尔来说，他无法知道或理解，在牧人眼中，他的情况和小牛的情况是相同的，都需要他的帮助。 —

A creature was ill and helpless; —
一只生病和无助的动物， —

he had the power to render aid–these were the only postulates required for the cattleman to act. —
他有能力提供帮助 - 这些是牧人行动的唯一前提。 —

They formed his system of logic and the most of his creed. —
它们构成了他的逻辑系统和大部分信条。 —

McGuire was the seventh invalid whom Raidler had picked up thus casually in San Antonio, where so many thousand go for the ozone that is said to linger about its contracted streets. —
麦格尔是Raidler在圣安东尼奥无意中救助的第七个病人，那里有成千上万的人去找说是在其狭窄街道上徘徊的臭氧。 —

Five of them had been guests of Solito Ranch until they had been able to leave, cured or better, and exhausting the vocabulary of tearful gratitude. —
其中五个已经在Solito Ranch待到康复或更好，满怀感激地用充满泪水的语言用光了他们的词汇量。 —

One came too late, but rested very comfortably, at last, under a ratama tree in the garden.
一只来晚了，但最后在花园里的一棵老鼠松树下舒舒服服地休息了。

So, then, it was no surprise to the ranchhold when the buckboard spun to the door, and Raidler took up his debile protege like a handful of rags and set him down upon the gallery.
因此，当小卡车在门口转了一圈，雷德勒像拿起一把抹布一样将他抱起来，放在了门廊上，这对牧场里的人来说并不意外。

McGuire looked upon things strange to him. —
麦克奎尔看到了一些对他来说陌生的东西。 —

The ranch-house was the best in the country. —
这个农场里的房子是全区最好的。 —

It was built of brick hauled one hundred miles by wagon, but it was of but one story, and its four rooms were completely encircled by a mud floor “gallery.” The miscellaneous setting of horses, dogs, saddles, wagons, guns, and cow-punchers’ paraphernalia oppressed the metropolitan eyes of the wrecked sportsman.
它是用从一百英里外的马车上拉来的砖砌成的，但只有一层，它的四个房间完全被一道泥地地板的“门廊”所环绕。各种摆设的马匹、狗、马鞍、马车、枪支和牛仔的工具令那名失意的运动员的都市眼光感到压抑。

“Well, here we are at home,” said Raidler, cheeringly.
“好了，我们到家了。”雷德勒高兴地说道。

“It’s a h–l of a looking place,” said McGuire promptly, as he rolled upon the gallery floor in a fit of coughing.
“这地方看起来够糟的。”麦奎尔立刻说道，同时在一阵咳嗽中踉跄到了门廊的地板上。

“We’ll try to make it comfortable for you, buddy,” said the cattleman gently. —
“我们会尽量让你感到舒服的，伙计。”这位牧民温柔地说道。 —

“It ain’t fine inside; —
“里面没有豪华的装修； —

but it’s the outdoors, anyway, that’ll do you the most good. —
但是在户外最好。 —

This’ll be your room, in here. —
在这里将会是你的房间， —

Anything we got, you ask for it.”
你需要什么我们都有。

He led McGuire into the east room. —
他把麦奎尔带进了东侧的房间。 —

The floor was bare and clean. —
地板光洁无尘， —

White curtains waved in the gulf breeze through the open windows. —
白色帘子在海风中飘动穿过敞开的窗户。 —

A big willow rocker, two straight chairs, a long table covered with newspapers, pipes, tobacco, spurs, and cartridges stood in the centre. —
一个大柳树摇椅，两把直椅，一张摆满报纸、烟斗、烟草、马刺和子弹的长桌子位于中央。 —

Some well-mounted heads of deer and one of an enormous black javeli projected from the walls. —
墙上挂着一些装饰精美的鹿头和一只巨大的黑色野猪头。 —

A wide, cool cot-bed stood in a corner. —
一个宽敞凉爽的床位于角落。 —

Nueces County people regarded this guest chamber as fit for a prince. —
努埃斯县的人们认为这个客房适合一位王子。 —

McGuire showed his eyeteeth at it. —
麦奎尔瞪大眼睛看着这一切。 —

He took out his nickel and spun it up to the ceiling.
他拿出一枚镍币并将它向天花板抛去。

“T’ought I was lyin’ about the money, did ye? Well, you can frisk me if you wanter. —
“你以为我在撒谎关于钱吗？好吧，你可以搜我。 —

Dat’s the last simoleon in the treasury. —
这是我们财政里最后一枚硬币。 —

Who’s goin’ to pay?”
谁来付账？”

The cattleman’s clear grey eyes looked steadily from under his grizzly brows into the huckleberry optics of his guest. —
这位牛仔的清澈灰色眼睛坚定地从灰色眉毛下面注视着他客人的蓝紫色眼睛。 —

After a little he said simply, and not ungraciously, “I’ll be much obliged to you, son, if you won’t mention money any more. —
过了一会儿，他简单地说道，不失礼貌地说，“孩子，如果你不再提钱，我会非常感激的。 —

Once was quite a plenty. —
一次已经足够了。” —

Folks I ask to my ranch don’t have to pay anything, and they very scarcely ever offers it. —
来我牧场的人不需要支付任何费用，他们也很少主动提供。 —

Supper’ll be ready in half an hour. —
晚餐将在半小时内准备好。 —

There’s water in the pitcher, and some, cooler, to drink, in that red jar hanging on the gallery.”
瓶子里有水，在门廊上悬挂的那个红罐子里有一些更凉的饮料可以喝。

“Where’s the bell?” asked McGuire, looking about.
“铃在哪里？”麦克奎尔四处看着问道。

“Bell for what?”
“铃用来做什么？”

“Bell to ring for things. I can’t–see here,” he exploded in a sudden, weak fury, “I never asked you to bring me here. —
“用来叫东西的铃。我看不见——等一下，”他突然发怒地响起来，“我从来没有要求你把我带到这儿， —

I never held you up for a cent. —
我从来没有让你拿钱。” —

I never gave you a hard-luck story till you asked me. —
“直到你问我之前，我从来没有给你听过多么不幸的故事。 —

Here I am fifty miles from a bellboy or a cocktail. —
现在我被困在这里，离服务生或鸡尾酒远了五十英里。 —

I’m sick. —
我病了。” —

I can’t hustle. Gee! but I’m up against it!” McGuire fell upon the cot and sobbed shiveringly.
“我无法催促事情的进展。天哪！我就陷入困境了！”麦克奎尔倒在床铺上，颤抖着哭泣。

Raidler went to the door and called. A slender, bright-complexioned Mexican youth about twenty came quickly. —
雷德勒走到门口喊了一声。一个20多岁的身材纤细、皮肤白晰的墨西哥年轻人迅速走了过来。 —

Raidler spoke to him in Spanish.
雷德勒用西班牙语跟他说了几句话。

“Ylario, it is in my mind that I promised you the position of vaquero on the San Carlos range at the fall rodeo.”
“Ylario，在我心里，我答应给你在秋季的牧场罗德奥会上担任圣卡洛斯地区牛仔的职位。”

“Si, senor, such was your goodness.”
“是的，先生，您真是太好了。”

“Listen. This senorito is my friend. He is very sick. —
“听着，这位先生是我的朋友。他病得很重。 —

Place yourself at his side. —
你要时刻在他身边， —

Attend to his wants at all times. —
照顾他的需求。” —

Have much patience and care with him. And when he is well, or–and when he is well, instead of vaquero I will make you mayordomo of the Rancho de las Piedras. —
“要对他耐心仔细，等他痊愈后，或者——等他痊愈后，我将任命你为拉斯皮埃德拉乌诺牧场的房管。 —

Esta bueno?”
”

“Si, si–mil gracias, senor.” Ylario tried to kneel upon the floor in his gratitude, but the cattleman kicked at him benevolently, growling, “None of your opery-house antics, now.”
“是的，是的——非常感谢您，先生。”Ylario试图在地板上跪下来表示感激，但牧场主友好地踢了他一下，咆哮道：“别耍那些歌剧院的花招。”

Ten minutes later Ylario came from McGuire’s room and stood before Raidler.
十分钟后，Ylario走出麦格尔的房间，站在雷德勒面前。

“The little senor,” he announced, “presents his compliments” (Raidler credited Ylario with the preliminary) “and desires some pounded ice, one hot bath, one gin feez-z, that the windows be all closed, toast, one shave, one Newyorkheral’, cigarettes, and to send one telegram.”
“这位小先生，表示他的敬意”（Raidler把这部分归功于Ylario），“需要一些冰块砸碎、一个热水澡、一杯金菲士、关上所有的窗户、烤面包、剃须、一份《纽约先锋报》、香烟，以及发送一份电报。”

Raidler took a quart bottle of whisky from his medicine cabinet. —
雷德勒从药柜里拿出一瓶夸脱威士忌。 —

“Here, take him this,” he said.
“给他带去吧，”他说。

Thus was instituted the reign of terror at the Solito Ranch. For a few weeks McGuire blustered and boasted and swaggered before the cow- punchers who rode in for miles around to see this latest importation of Raidler’s. —
这样，在索利托牧场，恐怖统治开始了。在雷德勒的安排下，麦克奎尔在数周内对来自几英里外的牛仔们咆哮、吹嘘和摆姿态，以展示这个最新招来的人。 —

He was an absolutely new experience to them. —
他对他们来说是一个全新的体验。 —

He explained to them all the intricate points of sparring and the tricks of training and defence. —
他向他们解说了拳击的复杂要点，训练技巧和防御技巧。 —

He opened to their minds’ view all the indecorous life of a tagger after professional sports. —
他向他们展示了一个职业运动员比赛后的不体面生活。 —

His jargon of slang was a continuous joy and surprise to them. —
他那连续不断的俚语让他们感到开心和惊讶。 —

His gestures, his strange poses, his frank ribaldry of tongue and principle fascinated them. —
他的手势，奇怪的姿势，直率的粗鄙语言和原则都让他们着迷。 —

He was like a being from a new world.
他就像来自一个新世界的人。

Strange to say, this new world he had entered did not exist to him. —
奇怪的是，这个他所进入的新世界对他根本不存在。 —

He was an utter egoist of bricks and mortar. —
他是一个完全以砖石和水泥为中心的利己主义者。 —

He had dropped out, he felt, into open space for a time, and all it contained was an audience for his reminiscences. —
他觉得自己暂时跌入了空虚的空间，而其中唯一的是一群愿意听他回忆的观众。 —

Neither the limitless freedom of the prairie days nor the grand hush of the close-drawn, spangled nights touched him. —
无边无际的草原自由和夜晚的宁静都无法触动他。 —

All the hues of Aurora could not win him from the pink pages of a sporting journal. —
即使是拂晓的各种色彩也无法使他离开一本运动报纸的粉红页。 —

“Get something for nothing,” was his mission in life; —
“不劳而获”是他的生活使命； —

“Thirty-seventh” Street was his goal.
“第三十七大街”是他的目标。

Nearly two months after his arrival he began to complain that he felt worse. —
他抵达后将近两个月，开始抱怨自己感觉更糟了。 —

It was then that he became the ranch’s incubus, its harpy, its Old Man of the Sea. He shut himself in his room like some venomous kobold or flibbertigibbet, whining, complaining, cursing, accusing. —
就在那时，他成为了农庄的累赘，它的妖怪，海之老人。他像某种有毒的小妖精或傻瓜一样关在自己的房间里，抱怨、诅咒、指责。 —

The keynote of his plaint was that he had been inveigled into a gehenna against his will; —
他的怨言的主旋律是他被诱骗进入了一个地狱， —

that he was dying of neglect and lack of comforts. —
他是被忽视和缺乏舒适品而死的。 —

With all his dire protestations of increasing illness, to the eye of others he remained unchanged. —
尽管他极力声称病情加重，但在他人眼中他一直没有变化。 —

His currant-like eyes were as bright and diabolic as ever; —
他像红醋栗一样明亮和邪恶的眼睛仍旧如故， —

his voice was as rasping; —
他的声音依然刺耳； —

his callous face, with the skin drawn tense as a drum-head, had no flesh to lose. —
他冷漠的脸上，皮肤紧绷如鼓皮，已经没有任何脂肪可损失。 —

A flush on his prominent cheek bones each afternoon hinted that a clinical thermometer might have revealed a symptom, and percussion might have established the fact that McGuire was breathing with only one lung, but his appearance remained the same.
每天下午，他突出的颧骨上都有一丝红晕，暗示着体温计可能显示出这种症状，并且听诊可能确认麦奎尔只有一只肺在呼吸，但他的外貌始终如一。

In constant attendance upon him was Ylario, whom the coming reward of the mayordomoship must have greatly stimulated, for McGuire chained him to a bitter existence. —
伊拉里奥一直陪着他，而即将到来的总监奖励必定让伊拉里奥备感振奋，因为麦奎尔将他与痛苦的生活锁在一起。 —

The air–the man’s only chance for life–he commanded to be kept out by closed windows and drawn curtains. —
空气-他生存的唯一机会-他命令保持窗户关闭和窗帘拉起。 —

The room was always blue and foul with cigarette smoke; —
房间总是被烟雾弥漫着， —

whosoever entered it must sit, suffocating, and listen to the imp’s interminable gasconade concerning his scandalous career.
吸烟的烟雾让每个进来的人都感到窒息，而且必须倾听这个小鬼关于他丑陋职业生涯的冗长夸夸其谈。

The oddest thing of all was the relation existing between McGuire and his benefactor. —
最奇怪的是麦奎尔和他的恩人之间的关系。 —

The attitude of the invalid toward the cattleman was something like that of a peevish, perverse child toward an indulgent parent. —
病人对牛仔的态度有点像一个易怒、乖僻的孩子对一个宽容的父母。 —

When Raidler would leave the ranch McGuire would fall into a fit of malevolent, silent sullenness. —
当雷德勒离开牧场时，麦圭尔会陷入一种邪恶的、沉默的郁闷中。 —

When he returned, he would be met by a string of violent and stinging reproaches. —
当他回来时，他会遭到一连串的激烈而刺痛人心的谴责。 —

Raidler’s attitude toward his charge was quite inexplicable in its way. —
雷德勒对他负责的态度在某种程度上是难以理解的。 —

The cattleman seemed actually to assume and feel the character assigned to him by McGuire’s intemperate accusations–the character of tyrant and guilty oppressor. —
这位牧民似乎真的承担起麦圭尔的暴躁指责所赋予他的角色-暴君和有罪的压迫者的角色。 —

He seemed to have adopted the responsibility of the fellow’s condition, and he always met his tirades with a pacific, patient, and even remorseful kindness that never altered.
他似乎接受了这个家伙的状况，并且总是以平和、耐心甚至后悔的善意来回应他的激烈指责，从未改变过。

One day Raidler said to him, “Try more air, son. —
有一天，雷德勒对他说：“儿子，多呼吸些新鲜空气。 —

You can have the buckboard and a driver every day if you’ll go. —
如果你愿意去，你每天都可以有一辆四轮马车和一个驾驶员。” —

Try a week or two in one of the cow camps. —
试试在牛营地待上一两个星期。 —

I’ll fix you up plumb comfortable. The ground, and the air next to it–them’s the things to cure you. —
我会为你安排舒适的住处。大地和靠近它的空气-这些是治愈你的东西。 —

I knowed a man from Philadelphy, sicker than you are, got lost on the Guadalupe, and slept on the bare grass in sheep camps for two weeks. —
我认识一个来自费城的人，比你生病得更严重，在瓜达卢佩河迷路了，在羊圈里光秃秃的草地上睡了两个星期。 —

Well, sir, it started him getting well, which he done. —
嗯，先生，那个地方开始让他康复了，是的。 —

Close to the ground–that’s where the medicine in the air stays. —
靠近地面 - 空气中的药物就是留在那里的。 —

Try a little hossback riding now. There’s a gentle pony–”
现在试试骑马吧。这儿有一匹温顺的小马-

“What’ve I done to yer?” screamed McGuire. “Did I ever doublecross yer? —
“我对你做了什么？”麦圭尔尖声喊道。“我有导演你吗？我有要求你带我来这儿吗？如果你想的话， —

Did I ask you to bring me here? —
就带我去你的羊圈；或者拿把刀捅了我省事。 —

Drive me out to your camps if you wanter; —
骑马！我抬不起脚。我连个五岁孩子的击打都闪不过。 —

or stick a knife in me and save trouble. Ride! —
就是你这该死的牧场把我搞成这样。没什么东西吃， —

I can’t lift my feet. I couldn’t sidestep a jab from a five-year-old kid. —
没什么好看的，也没有人可以交流，只有一群连拳击袋和龙虾沙拉都分不清的乡巴佬。 —

That’s what your d–d ranch has done for me. —
“的确是个孤独的地方”， —

There’s nothing to eat, nothing to see, and nobody to talk to but a lot of Reubens who don’t know a punching bag from a lobster salad.”
雷德勒尴尬地道歉。“虽然我们这儿有很多，但就是很艰苦。

“It’s a lonesome place, for certain,” apologised Raidler abashedly. —
“货真价实的一个孤独之地”，雷德勒尴尬地接着说。“我们这里虽然有很多， —

“We got plenty, but it’s rough enough. —
但情况确实很艰难。 —

Anything you think of you want, the boys’ll ride up and fetch it down for you.”
无论你想要什么，男孩们都会骑着去拿回来给你。

It was Chad Murchison, a cow-puncher from the Circle Bar outfit, who first suggested that McGuire’s illness was fraudulent. —
乔德·默奇逊是来自圆形酒吧的牛仔，他首先提出默奇尔的病是假的。 —

Chad had brought a basket of grapes for him thirty miles, and four out of his way, tied to his saddle-horn. —
查德从30英里外找来的葡萄，绕了四个弯绑在马鞍上给他带来。 —

After remaining in the smoke-tainted room for a while, he emerged and bluntly confided his suspicions to Raidler.
在烟雾弥漫的房间里待了一会儿后，他走出来毫不客气地向瑞德勒坦白了他的怀疑。

“His arm,” said Chad, “is harder’n a diamond. —
“他的手臂，”乔德说，”比钻石还硬。 —

He interduced me to what he called a shore-perplexus punch, and ‘twas like being kicked twice by a mustang. —
他给我介绍了他所说的一种”困境拳”，像是被一匹野马踢了两脚。 —

He’s playin’ it low down on you, Curt. He ain’t no sicker’n I am. —
他对你耍花样，柯特。他比我一点也不生病。 —

I hate to say it, but the runt’s workin’ you for range and shelter.”
我不愿意这么说，但这小个子正在利用你的牧场和庇护。

The cattleman’s ingenuous mind refused to entertain Chad’s view of the case, and when, later, he came to apply the test, doubt entered not into his motives.
这位牧场主天真的思维拒绝接受乔德关于这个案子的看法，当他后来进行检验时，怀疑并没有进入他的动机。

One day, about noon, two men drove up to the ranch, alighted, hitched, and came in to dinner; —
一天中午，两个男人开车来到牧场，下车系住马，进来吃午饭。 —

standing and general invitations being the custom of the country. —
作为这个国家的传统，站立和普通邀请。 —

One of them was a great San Antonio doctor, whose costly services had been engaged by a wealthy cowman who had been laid low by an accidental bullet. —
其中一个是一位伟大的圣安东尼奥医生，他的昂贵服务已经被富裕的牧场主雇佣，他因意外的子弹而患病倒下。 —

He was now being driven back to the station to take the train back to town. —
现在他正被送回车站，准备乘火车回城。 —

After dinner Raidler took him aside, pushed a twenty-dollar bill against his hand, and said:
晚餐后，雷德勒把他拉到一边，把一张二十美元的钞票递到他手中，说道：

“Doc, there’s a young chap in that room I guess has got a bad case of consumption. —
“医生，那个房间里有个年轻人我猜是得了严重的肺结核。 —

I’d like for you to look him over and see just how bad he is, and if we can do anything for him.”
我希望你检查一下他，看看他的情况有多糟糕，我们能不能为他做点什么。”

“How much was that dinner I just ate, Mr. Raidler?” said the doctor bluffly, looking over his spectacles. —
“雷德勒先生，刚才我吃的那顿晚饭是多少钱？”医生毫不客气地问道，戴着眼镜看着他。 —

Raidler returned the money to his pocket. —
雷德勒把钱放回了口袋。 —

The doctor immediately entered McGuire’s room, and the cattleman seated himself upon a heap of saddles on the gallery, ready to reproach himself in the event the verdict should be unfavourable.
医生立即进入麦格劳的房间，牧场主则坐在长廊上一堆鞍具上，准备在情况不妙的时候自责。

In ten minutes the doctor came briskly out. “Your man,” he said promptly, “is as sound as a new dollar. —
十分钟后，医生精神焕发地出来了。“你的人，”他立刻说道，“完全健康。 —

His lungs are better than mine. —
他的肺比我的还好。 —

Respiration, temperature, and pulse normal. —
呼吸、体温和脉搏都正常。 —

Chest expansion four inches. —
胸部扩张有四英寸。 —

Not a sign of weakness anywhere. —
任何地方都没有虚弱的迹象。 —

Of course I didn’t examine for the bacillus, but it isn’t there. You can put my name to the diagnosis. —
当然，我没有检查结核菌，但它不存在。你可以把我的名字写在诊断上。 —

Even cigarettes and a vilely close room haven’t hurt him. —
即使是香烟和一个讨厌的小房间也没有对他造成伤害。 —

Coughs, does he? Well, you tell him it isn’t necessary. —
咳嗽，是吗？好吧，你告诉他这不是必要的。 —

You asked if there is anything we could do for him. Well, I advise you to set him digging post-holes or breaking mustangs. —
你问我们是否可以为他做些什么。嗯，我建议你让他挖一些栓地坑或者驯服野马。 —

There’s our team ready. Good- day, sir.” And like a puff of wholesome, blustery wind the doctor was off.
我们的车队已经准备好了。再见，先生。”就像一阵清新而猛烈的风，医生就离开了。

Raidler reached out and plucked a leaf from a mesquite bush by the railing, and began chewing it thoughtfully.
雷德勒伸手从栏杆边的一个刺柏丛中摘下一片叶子，思考地咀嚼着。

The branding season was at hand, and the next morning Ross Hargis, foreman of the outfit, was mustering his force of some twenty-five men at the ranch, ready to start for the San Carlos range, where the work was to begin. —
品牌季节即将到来，第二天早上，牧场的领班罗斯·哈吉斯正准备集结他的二十五个人的队伍，准备前往圣卡洛斯山脉开始工作。 —

By six o’clock the horses were all saddled, the grub wagon ready, and the cow-punchers were swinging themselves upon their mounts, when Raidler bade them wait. —
六点钟时，所有的马都已经鞍好，伙食车也准备好了，牛仔们正跃上马匹，准备出发，此时雷德勒叫他们等一下。 —

A boy was bringing up an extra pony, bridled and saddled, to the gate. —
一个男孩正牵着一匹额外的马，已经套好了马具，走向大门。 —

Raidler walked to McGuire’s room and threw open the door. —
雷德勒走到麦奎尔的房间，打开了门。 —

McGuire was lying on his cot, not yet dressed, smoking.
麦奎尔正躺在他的小床上，还没有穿衣服，正在抽烟。

“Get up,” said the cattleman, and his voice was clear and brassy, like a bugle.
“起床,“牛仔说，他的声音清脆如号角。

“How’s that?” asked McGuire, a little startled.
“怎么回事?“麦奎尔有点吃惊地问道。

“Get up and dress. I can stand a rattlesnake, but I hate a liar. Do I have to tell you again?” He caught McGuire by the neck and stood him on the floor.
“起床穿衣服。我可以忍受响尾蛇，但我讨厌撒谎者。我还需要再告诉你一遍吗?” 他抓住麦奎尔的脖子，把他放到地上。

“Say, friend,” cried McGuire wildly, “are you bug-house? —
“听着，朋友,“麦奎尔疯狂地喊道，”你是疯了吗? —

I’m sick– see? I’ll croak if I got to hustle. —
我病了——看见了吧?如果我要匆忙起来，我会死的。 —

What’ve I done to yer?“–he began his chronic whine–“I never asked yer to–”
“我做了什么得罪你了？”——他开始长吁短叹地说——”我从来没请求过你——”

“Put on your clothes,” called Raidler in a rising tone.
“穿上衣服！”雷德勒用提高的语调呼喊道。

Swearing, stumbling, shivering, keeping his amazed, shining eyes upon the now menacing form of the aroused cattleman, McGuire managed to tumble into his clothes. —
咒骂着、踉跄着、发抖着，麦奎尔将惊讶而闪亮的目光放在了这个愤怒的牛仔身上，勉强穿上了衣服。 —

Then Raidler took him by the collar and shoved him out and across the yard to the extra pony hitched at the gate. —
然后雷德勒抓住他的衣领，把他推到院子里，穿过小门，走向门口绑着的那匹备用马。 —

The cow-punchers lolled in their saddles, open-mouthed.
牛仔们傻傻地坐在马鞍上，目瞪口呆。

“Take this man,” said Raidler to Ross Hargis, “and put him to work. Make him work hard, sleep hard, and eat hard. —
“带这个人去吧，”雷德勒对罗斯·哈吉斯说道，” 让他努力工作、努力入眠、努力进食。 —

You boys know I done what I could for him, and he was welcome. —
你们都知道我为他做了什么，他是受欢迎的。 —

Yesterday the best doctor in San Antone examined him, and says he’s got the lungs of a burro and the constitution of a steer. —
昨天，圣安东尼奥最好的医生检查了他，说他肺部像驴一样坚强，体质像牛一样强壮。 —

You know what to do with him, Ross.”
你们知道该怎么办，罗斯。”

Ross Hargis only smiled grimly.
罗斯·哈吉斯只是冷笑一声。

“Aw,” said McGuire, looking intently at Raidler, with a peculiar expression upon his face, “the croaker said I was all right, did he? —
“哎呀，”麦奎尔盯着雷德勒看，脸上露出一种特殊的表情，” 那个胡扯的医生说我没问题，对吗？” —

Said I was fakin’, did he? You put him onto me. —
他说我在装病，是吗？你把他引向我。 —

You t’ought I wasn’t sick. —
你以为我不生病。 —

You said I was a liar. —
你说我是个骗子。 —

Say, friend, I talked rough, I know, but I didn’t mean most of it. —
嘿，朋友，我承认我说话粗鲁，但我不是真心的。 —

If you felt like I did–aw! —
如果你也有我那样的感觉，啊！ —

I forgot–I ain’t sick, the croaker says. Well, friend, now I’ll go work for yer. —
我忘了，我并不生病，医生说的。好吧，朋友，我现在愿意为你工作。 —

Here’s where you play even.”
就是这里你们能扯平了。

He sprang into the saddle easily as a bird, got the quirt from the horn, and gave his pony a slash with it. —
他轻松地跃上马鞍，从马鞍上取下鞭子，用力挥舞着。 —

“Cricket,” who once brought in Good Boy by a neck at Hawthorne–and a 10 to 1 shot–had his foot in the stirrups again.
“Cricket”，在霍桑赛马场一次领先了Good Boy的一个马颈，并且是10比1的赔率，再次脚踏马镫。

McGuire led the cavalcade as they dashed away for San Carlos, and the cow-punchers gave a yell of applause as they closed in behind his dust.
麦圭尔带领着骑马队壮观地冲向圣卡洛斯，牛仔们在他扬起的尘土后面发出了一声喝彩。

But in less than a mile he had lagged to the rear, and was last man when they struck the patch of high chaparral below the horse pens. —
在不到一英里的距离内，他已经落在了后面，当他们穿过马圈下面的一块高大的灌木丛时，他成了最后一个人。 —

Behind a clump of this he drew rein, and held a handkerchief to his mouth. —
他在一丛灌木丛后面勒住马，用手帕捂住嘴巴。 —

He took it away drenched with bright, arterial blood, and threw it carefully into a clump of prickly pear. —
他把它沾满了鲜亮的动脉血，小心地扔进一丛仙人掌里。 —

Then he slashed with his quirt again, gasped “G’wan” to his astonished pony, and galloped after the gang.
然后他再次用鞭子抽打，对自己惊讶的小马喊道：“往前走”，然后追赶起了那群人。

That night Raidler received a message from his old home in Alabama. —
那天晚上，Raidler收到了来自他在阿拉巴马老家的消息。家里有人去世了， —

There had been a death in the family; —
有财产要分割，他们叫他回去。 —

an estate was to divide, and they called for him to come. —
天亮时，他坐着马车掠过草原， —

Daylight found him in the buckboard, skimming the prairies for the station. —
前往车站。 —

It was two months before he returned. —
他回来时已经过去了两个月。 —

When he arrived at the ranch house he found it well-nigh deserted save for Ylario, who acted as a kind of steward during his absence. —
当他到达牧场时，他发现除了Ylario之外，基本上没有人在那里，他在离开时充当一种管家角色。 —

Little by little the youth made him acquainted with the work done while he was away. —
年轻人逐渐让他了解了自己离开期间的工作情况。 —

The branding camp, he was informed, was still doing business. —
据他告知，品牌营地仍在运营。 —

On account of many severe storms the cattle had been badly scattered, and the branding had been accomplished but slowly. —
由于多次严重的风暴，牛群已经散得很开，烙印工作进展缓慢。 —

The camp was now in the valley of the Guadalupe, twenty miles away.
营地现在位于20英里外的瓜达卢佩谷。

“By the way,” said Raidler, suddenly remembering, “that fellow I sent along with them–McGuire–is he working yet?”
“顺便说一句，”雷德勒突然想起来说，“我派去和他们一起的那个家伙——麦吉尔——他现在还在工作吗？”

“I do not know,” said Ylario. —
“我不知道，”伊拉里奥说。 —

“Mans from the camp come verree few times to the ranch. —
“营地的人很少来牧场。” —

So plentee work with the leetle calves. They no say. Oh, I think that fellow McGuire he dead much time ago.”
所以有很多工作要做，照顾那些小牛犊。他们没有说过。哦，我觉得那个麦吉尔很久之前就死了。”

“Dead!” said Raidler. “What you talking about?”
“死了！”雷德勒说。“你在说什么？”

“Verree sick fellow, McGuire,” replied Ylario, with a shrug of his shoulder. —
“麦吉尔是一个非常病重的人，”伊拉里奥回答道，耸耸肩。 —

“I theenk he no live one, two month when he go away.”
“我觉得他在走后活不了一两个月。”

“Shucks!” said Raidler. “He humbugged you, too, did he? —
“胡说！”雷德勒说。“他也哄骗了你吗？ —

The doctor examined him and said he was sound as a mesquite knot.”
医生检查过他，说他身体健康得像一颗肉豆蔻节。”

“That doctor,” said Ylario, smiling, “he tell you so? That doctor no see McGuire.”
“那个医生，”伊拉里奥笑着说，“他跟你说这样的话？那个医生没见过麦吉尔。”

“Talk up,” ordered Raidler. “What the devil do you mean?”
“说吧，”雷德勒命令道。“你到底是什么意思？”

“McGuire,” continued the boy tranquilly, “he getting drink water outside when that doctor come in room. —
“麦吉尔”，小伙子平静地继续说，“当那个医生进来的时候，他正在外面喝水。” —

That doctor take me and pound me all over here with his fingers”–putting his hand to his chest–“I not know for what. —
“那个医生把我叫过去，用手指在我身上碰了一下。”伊拉里奥放到胸口上说。“我不知道为什么。” —

He put his ear here and here and here, and listen– I not know for what. —
他把耳朵放在这里、这里和这里，还听了一阵——我不知道为什么。 —

He put little glass stick in my mouth. —
他把一个小玻璃棒放在我的嘴里。 —

He feel my arm here. —
他在这儿摸了一下我的胳膊。 —

He make me count like whisper–so–twenty, treinta, cuarenta. —
他让我轻声数数——那么——二十，三十，四十。 —

Who knows,” concluded Ylario, with a deprecating spread of his hands, “for what that doctor do those verree droll and such-like things?”
“谁知道呢，”伊拉里奥耸耸肩，无奈地说道，“那位医生为什么要做那些可笑又奇怪的事情呢？”

“What horses are up?” asked Raidler shortly.
“有哪些马上场了？”雷德勒直截了当地问道。

“Paisano is grazing out behind the little corral, senor.”
“佩萨诺正在后面的小圈地里吃草，先生。”

“Saddle him for me at once.”
“马上给我装鞍。”

Within a very few minutes the cattleman was mounted and away. —
在极短的时间内，这位牧牛人已经骑上马匹，飞驰而去。 —

Paisano, well named after that ungainly but swift-running bird, struck into his long lope that ate up the ground like a strip of macaroni. —
佩萨诺因其笨拙但快速奔跑的特点而取名，迈着长跑步速向前，像一根通心面一样吞噬着地面。 —

In two hours and a quarter Raidler, from a gentle swell, saw the branding camp by a water hole in the Guadalupe. —
两个小时零四分，从一个小山头上，雷德勒就看到了位于瓜达卢佩河边一个水池旁的放牧营地。 —

Sick with expectancy of the news he feared, he rode up, dismounted, and dropped Paisano’s reins. —
由于对他害怕的消息的渴望而生病，他骑上马，下来，放下佩萨诺的缰绳。 —

So gentle was his heart that at that moment he would have pleaded guilty to the murder of McGuire.
他的内心是如此温柔，以至于此刻他愿意承认谋杀麦奎尔的罪行。

The only being in the camp was the cook, who was just arranging the hunks of barbecued beef, and distributing the tin coffee cups for supper. —
营地里唯一的人是厨师，他正在整理烤牛肉块，并为晚餐分发锡制咖啡杯。 —

Raidler evaded a direct question concerning the one subject in his mind.
雷德勒回避了他心中那个问题的直接问题。

“Everything all right in camp, Pete?” he managed to inquire.
“彼得，营地里一切都好吗？”他设法询问。

“So, so,” said Pete, conservatively. “Grub give out twice. —
“还好吧，”彼得保守地说道。”食物不够两次。 —

Wind scattered the cattle, and we’ve had to rake the brush for forty mile. —
风把牛分散了，我们不得不在四十英里范围内搜刮灌木丛。 —

I need a new coffee-pot. And the mosquitos is some more hellish than common.”
我需要一个新的咖啡壶。而且蚊子比平常更加可恶。

“The boys–all well?”
“伙计们，都好吗？”

Pete was no optimist. Besides, inquiries concerning the health of cow- punchers were not only superfluous, but bordered on flaccidity. —
彼得不是个乐观主义者。此外，有关牛仔健康的询问不仅多余，而且接近软弱无力。 —

It was not like the boss to make them.
老板通常不会这样问。

“What’s left of ‘em don’t miss no calls to grub,” the cook conceded.
“剩下的人没错过吃饭的时间，” 厨师承认道。

“What’s left of ‘em?” repeated Raidler in a husky voice. —
“剩下的人？”雷德勒用沙哑的声音重复着。 —

Mechanically he began to look around for McGuire’s grave. —
机械地，他开始四处寻找麦奎尔的坟墓。 —

He had in his mind a white slab such as he had seen in the Alabama church-yard. —
他脑海中浮现出一块白色的墓碑，就像他在阿拉巴马州的教堂墓地里看到的那样。 —

But immediately he knew that was foolish.
但他立刻意识到那很愚蠢。

“Sure,” said Pete; “what’s left. —
“好吧，”皮特说，“还剩下什么。 —

Cow camps change in two months. —
牧牛营地经过两个月会发生变化。 —

Some’s gone.”
有的已经没了。”

Raidler nerved himself.
雷德勒鼓起勇气。

“That–chap–I sent along–McGuire–did–he–”
“那个-家伙-我派去-麦奎尔-他-”

“Say,” interrupted Pete, rising with a chunk of corn bread in each hand, “that was a dirty shame, sending that poor, sick kid to a cow camp. —
“听着，”皮特打着手上的两块玉米面包站起来说，“派那个可怜的病孩子去牧牛营，真是太不地道了。 —

A doctor that couldn’t tell he was graveyard meat ought to be skinned with a cinch buckle. —
一个医生都看不出他快要挂了，简直就应该用皮带扣给他剥皮。 —

Game as he was, too–it’s a scandal among snakes–lemme tell you what he done. —
虽然他很坚强，这在蛇类中可是个丑闻，让我告诉你他做了什么。 —

First night in camp the boys started to initiate him in the leather breeches degree. —
第一天晚上，伙计们开始对他进行皮裤入门仪式。 —

Ross Hargis busted him one swipe with his chaparreras, and what do you reckon the poor child did? —
罗斯·哈吉斯用他的裤管砸了他一下，你猜那个可怜的孩子做了什么？ —

Got up, the little skeeter, and licked Ross. Licked Ross Hargis. Licked him good. —
站起来，小家伙，揍了罗斯。揍了罗斯·哈吉斯。揍得很狠。 —

Hit him plenty and everywhere and hard. —
他拳打脚踢，到处都打，而且打得很狠。 —

Ross’d just get up and pick out a fresh place to lay down on agin.
罗斯只是站起来，再找个新地方躺下去。

“Then that McGuire goes off there and lays down with his head in the grass and bleeds. —
“然后那个麦奎尔到那边躺下，头靠在草地上流血。 —

A hem’ridge they calls it. —
他们称之为hem’ridge（出血）。” —

He lays there eighteen hours by the watch, and they can’t budge him. —
他躺了18个小时时间，他们无法使他动弹。 —

Then Ross Hargis, who loves any man who can lick him, goes to work and damns the doctors from Greenland to Poland Chiny; —
然后罗斯·哈吉斯，他喜欢任何能打败他的人，开始咒骂从格陵兰到波兰中国的医生们； —

and him and Green Branch Johnson they gets McGuire into a tent, and spells each other feedin’ him chopped raw meat and whisky.
然后他和格林布兰奇·约翰逊把麦克奎尔带进了一个帐篷，轮流喂他切碎的生肉和威士忌。

“But it looks like the kid ain’t got no appetite to git well, for they misses him from the tent in the night and finds him rootin’ in the grass, and likewise a drizzle fallin’. —
“但是看起来这个小孩没有恢复的胃口，因为他们发现他在夜里离开了帐篷，并且在草地上翻找，同时还在下着毛毛雨。” —

‘G’wan,’ he says, ‘lemme go and die like I wanter. —
“走开，”他说，“让我按我想的方式去死。 —

He said I was a liar and a fake and I was playin’ sick. —
他说我是个骗子和伪装病人。让我一个人。 —

Lemme alone.’
”

“Two weeks,” went on the cook, “he laid around, not noticin’ nobody, and then–”
“两个星期过去了，”厨师继续说，“他就这样躺着，没人注意到他，然后——”

A sudden thunder filled the air, and a score of galloping centaurs crashed through the brush into camp.
突然一阵雷声充满了空气，二十匹奔驰的半人马从灌木丛中冲入营地。

“Illustrious rattlesnakes!” exclaimed Pete, springing all ways at once; —
“居然是婀娜的蛇！”皮特惊叫着四处跳动； —

“here’s the boys come, and I’m an assassinated man if supper ain’t ready in three minutes.”
“小伙子们来了，如果三分钟内晚餐还没准备好，我就完蛋了。”

But Raidler saw only one thing. A little, brown-faced, grinning chap, springing from his saddle in the full light of the fire. —
但雷德勒只看到了一件事情。那是一个小小的，棕脸笑眯眯的家伙，从马鞍上跳下来，站在火光照耀下的地方。 —

McGuire was not like that, and yet–
麦克奎尔不是那样的，然而–

In another instant the cattleman was holding him by the hand and shoulder.
转眼间，牛仔用手和肩膀抓住了他。

“Son, son, how goes it?” was all he found to say.
“儿子，儿子，怎么样了？”这是他唯一能说的话。

“Close to the ground, says you,” shouted McGuire, crunching Raidler’s fingers in a grip of steel; —
“离地面很近，你说的。”麦克奎尔大声喊道，用钢铁一样的握力捏住了雷德勒的手指； —

“and dat’s where I found it–healt’ and strengt’, and tumbled to what a cheap skate I been actin’. —
“我找到了–健康和力量，终于意识到我之前是多么卑鄙的小人。感谢你踢了我出去，老兄。还有，说吧！开个笑话玩笑那个假专家，不是吗？ —

T’anks fer kickin’ me out, old man. And–say! —
我从窗户里看到他在拼命攻击那个意大利孩子的太阳神经丛。” —

de joke’s on dat croaker, ain’t it? —
“你这个锡匠的儿子， —

I looked t’rough the window and see him playin’ tag on dat Dago kid’s solar plexus.”
”牛仔咕哝道，“你为什么不说医生从没有检查过你？”

“You son of a tinker,” growled the cattleman, “whyn’t you talk up and say the doctor never examined you?”
“啊–得了吧！”麦克奎尔带着他那傲慢的火气说道，“没人能骗我。你从来都没问过我。”

“Ah–g’wan!” said McGuire, with a flash of his old asperity, “nobody can’t bluff me. You never ast me. —
“你就胡说八道！”麦克奎尔闪着他以前的刻薄说道，“你做了你的说辞，然后把我扔出去，我就任由它发展。而且，嘿朋友，追逐这些牛太令人兴奋了。” —

You made your spiel, and you t’rowed me out, and I let it go at dat. And, say, friend, dis chasin’ cows is outer sight. —
牛仔说完后用他原来的语气接下去说，“外面的景色真是太美妙了。” —

Dis is de whitest bunch of sports I ever travelled with. You’ll let me stay, won’t yer, old man?”
这是我曾经和的一群最白人种的运动员。老爷子，您会让我留下来的，不是吗？

Raidler looked wonderingly toward Ross Hargis.
雷德勒惊奇地望向罗斯·哈吉斯。

“That cussed little runt,” remarked Ross tenderly, “is the Jo-dartin’est hustler–and the hardest hitter in anybody’s cow camp.”
“那个该死的小矮子，”罗斯温柔地评论道，” 是在任何牧场里最拼命的工人，也是最重的击球手。”