ONE winter the Alcazar Opera Company of New Orleans made a speculative trip along the Mexican, Central American and South American coasts. —
在一个冬天，新奥尔良的阿尔卡萨歌剧公司沿着墨西哥、中美洲和南美洲海岸进行了一次投机的旅行。 —

The venture proved a most successful one. The music- loving, impressionable Spanish-Americans deluged the company with dollars and “vivas.” The manager waxed plump and amiable. —
这次冒险是非常成功的。热爱音乐、易受感染的西班牙裔美国人用美元和“vivas”（即欢呼声）淹没了公司。经理变得肥胖和和蔼可亲。 —

But for the prohibitive climate he would have put forth the distinctive flower of his prosperity – the overcoat of fur, braided, frogged and opulent. —
如果不是那种极端的气候，他本来会展示出他的繁荣的独特面纱——那件毛皮外套，镶饰着穗子，华丽而丰富。 —

Almost was he persuaded to raise the salaries of his company. —
他几乎被说服要提高公司的薪水。 —

But with a mighty effort he conquered the impulse toward such an unprofitable effervescence of joy.
但是他用巨大的努力克服了这种对于这种不盈利的喜悦的冲动。

At Macuto, on the coast of Venezuela, the company scored its greatest success. —
在委内瑞拉的马库托，公司取得了最大的成功。 —

Imagine Coney Island translated into Spanish and you will comprehend Macuto. —
想象一下康尼岛用西班牙语表达，你就能理解马库托。 —

The fashionable season is from November to March. Down from La Guayra and Caracas and Valencia and other interior towns flock the people for their holiday sea- son. —
时尚季节是从11月到3月。从拉瓜伊拉、加拉加斯、巴伦西亚和其他内陆城市涌向这里，庆祝他们的假日季节。 —

There are bathing and fiestas and bull fights and scandal. —
这里有沐浴和庆典，还有斗牛和丑闻。 —

And then the people have a passion for music that the bands in the plaza and on the sea beach stir but do not satisfy. —
而人们对音乐有着极深的热爱，广场和海滩上的乐队激发了他们的激情，却无法满足他们的渴望。 —

The coming of the Alcazar Opera Com- pany aroused the utmost ardour and zeal among the pleasure seekers.
阿尔卡萨歌剧公司的到来激发了人们最热烈的热情和热忱。

The illustrious Guzman Blanco, President and Dic- tator of Venezuela, sojourned in Macuto with his court for the season. —
委内瑞拉的著名总统兼独裁者古兹曼·布兰科与他的宫廷在马库托度过了一个季节。 —

That potent ruler – who himself paid a subsidy of 40, 000 pesos each year to grand opera in Caracas – ordered one of the Government warehouses to be cleared for a temporary theatre. —
这位有着巨大影响力的统治者，每年为加拉加斯的大歌剧支付4万比索的津贴，他命令清理一个政府仓库来建造一个临时剧院。 —

A stage was quickly constructed and rough wooden benches made for the audience. —
很快就建造了一个舞台，并为观众做了简陋的木质长凳。 —

Private boxes were added for the use of the President and the notables of the army and Government.
为总统和军队和政府的要人增加了私人包厢。

The company remained in Macuto for two weeks. —
歌剧团在马库托停留了两个星期， —

Each performance filled the house as closely as it could be packed. —
每场演出都挤满了观众。 —

Then the music-mad people fought for room in the open doors and windows, and crowded about, hundreds deep, on the outside. —
然后痴迷音乐的人们争相挤进开放的门窗，并在外面争相围观，密密麻麻，数以百计。 —

Those audiences formed a brilliantly diversified patch of colour. —
这些观众组成了一片丰富多彩的色彩斑斓的画面。 —

The hue of their faces ranged from the clear olive of the pure-blood Span- iards down through the yellow and brown shades of the Mestizos to the coal-black Carib and the Jamaica Negro. Scattered among them were little groups of Indians with faces like stone idols, wrapped in gaudy fibre-woven blankets – Indians down from the mountain states of Zamora and Los Andes and Miranda to trade their gold dust in the coast towns.
他们脸上的肤色从纯正的西班牙人橄榄色，一直过渡到混血种的黄色和棕色，再到加勒比海地黑人和牙买加黑人的深黑色。其中散布着一些小团体的印第安人，他们脸上的表情像石像般呆滞，裹着花哨的纤维编织毯子——这些印第安人从扎莫拉、洛杉矶和米兰达的山州下来，在沿海城镇交易他们的金粉。

The spell cast upon these denizens of the interior fastnesses was remarkable. —
这些深处内陆山区的居民被这场音乐会的魔力所吸引。 —

They sat in petrified ecstasy, conspicuous among the excitable Macutians, who wildly strove with tongue and hand to give evidence of their delight. —
他们坐在石化的恍惚中，显得与热衷的马库提安人截然不同，后者疯狂地用舌头和手努力表达他们的欣喜。 —

Only once did the sombre rapture of these aboriginals find expression. —
只有一次这些土著人的严肃享受才找到发泄的机会。 —

During the rendition of “Faust,” Guzman Blanco, extravagantly pleased by the “Jewel Song,” cast upon the stage a purse of gold pieces. —
在演唱”浮士德”的时候，古兹曼·布兰科被“宝石之歌”深深打动，他将一袋金币扔到了舞台上。 —

Other distinguished citizens followed his lead to the extent of whatever loose coin they had convenient, while some of the fair and fashionable se? —
其他尊贵的公民们纷纷效仿，掏出随身携带的散钱，有的华丽的女士们也模仿着，扔下了一两颗宝石或戒指在玛格丽特（据剧目写着，是妮娜·吉罗德）脚下。 —

oras were moved, in imita- tion, to fling a jewel or a ring or two at the feet of the Marguerite – who was, according to the bills, Mlle. Nina Giraud. Then, from different parts of the house rose sundry of the stolid hillmen and cast upon the stage little brown and dun bags that fell with soft “thumps” and did not rebound. —
同时，舞台上却有几位来自山区的笨拙山民，他们猛然站起身，将小棕色和暗黑色的袋子扔向舞台，落地时发出轻柔的“咚”声，没有反弹。 —

It was, no doubt, pleasure at the tribute to her art that caused Mlle. Giraud’s eyes to shine so brightly when she opened these little deerskin bags in her dressing room and found them to contain pure gold dust. —
当妮娜·吉罗德在化妆室打开这些小鹿皮袋后，惊喜地发现里面装满了纯金尘，她的眼睛闪烁着光芒，无疑是对她的艺术致以的崇高敬意而感到高兴。 —

If so, the pleasure was rightly hers, for her voice in song, pure, strong and thrilling with the feeling of the emotional artist, deserved the tribute that it earned.
如果是这样，那么这份快乐是她应得的，因为她歌唱的声音纯净、坚定，并且充满了情感艺术家的激情，这样的才能理所当然地得到了 tribute 的奖励。

But the triumph of the Alcazar Opera Company is not the theme – it but leans upon and colours it. —
但是，阿尔卡扎歌剧公司的胜利并不是这个主题——它只是依附并给它增添了色彩。 —

There happened in Macuto a tragic thing, an unsolvable mystery, that sobered for a time the gaiety of the happy season.
在马库托发生了一件悲剧性的事情，一桩无法解开的谜团，这让欢乐的季节暂时变得沉闷起来。

One evening between the short twilight and the time when she should have whirled upon the stage in the red and black of the ardent Carmen, Mlle. Nina Giraud dis- appeared from the sight and ken of 6,000 pairs of eyes and as many minds in Macuto. —
在短暂的黄昏和她应该穿着热情的卡门红黑色服装登上舞台之间的一个晚上，尼娜·吉罗德小姐从马库托的6000双眼睛和同样数量的思维中消失了。 —

There was the usual turmoil and hurrying to seek her. —
人们纷纷前往寻找她。 —

Messengers flew to the little French-kept hotel where she stayed; —
使者们飞往她下榻的法国小酒店； —

others of the company hastened here or there where she might be lingering in some tienda or unduly prolonging her bath upon the beach. —
公司的其他人匆忙去了一些可能她逗留的商店或者在海滩上过长的浴时间。 —

All search was fruitless. Mademoi- selle had vanished.
所有的搜索都无果。小姐已经消失了。

Half an hour passed and she did not appear. The dictator, unused to the caprices of prime donne, became impatient. —
半个小时过去了，她仍然没有出现。独裁者对首席女高音的任性不习以为常，变得不耐烦起来。 —

He sent an aide from his box to say to the manager that if the curtain did not at once rise he would immediately hale the entire company to the calabosa, though it would desolate his heart, indeed, to be com- pelled to such an act. —
他派了一名助手从包厢里出来告诉经理，如果帷幕不立即升起，他将立即将整个剧团送进监狱，尽管这样做会让他心灵荒凉，但他别无选择。 —

Birds in Macuto could be made to sing.
马库托的鸟儿能够被训练唱歌。

The manager abandoned hope for the time of Mlle. Giraud. —
经理对于吉罗小姐的希望暂时放弃了。 —

A member of the chorus, who had dreamed hopelessly for years of the blessed opportunity, quickly Carmenized herself and the opera went on.
一名合唱团成员，多年来一直对这个祝福的机会虚构幻想着，立即把自己变成了卡门，歌剧继续上演。

Afterward, when the lost cantatrice appeared not, the aid of the authorities was invoked. —
事后，当失踪的女歌唱家没有出现时，求助于当局的帮助。 —

The President at once set the army, the police and all citizens to the search. —
总统立刻动员军队、警察和全体市民进行搜索。 —

Not one clue to Mlle. Giraud’s disappearance was found. —
没有找到吉罗小姐失踪的任何线索。 —

The Alcazar left to fill engagements farther down the coast.
阿尔卡萨尔剧院离开前往海岸下游的演出。

On the way back the steamer stopped at Macuto and the manager made anxious inquiry. —
在回程途中，轮船在马库托停下来，经理焦急地问询。 —

Not a trace of the lady had been discovered. —
没有发现这位女士的任何踪迹。 —

The Alcazar could do no more. —
阿尔卡萨尔已经无能为力了。 —

The personal belongings of the missing lady were stored in the hotel against her possible later reappearance and the opera company continued upon its homeward voyage to New Orleans.
失踪女士的个人物品被存放在酒店里，以备她可能会再次出现，歌剧团则继续航行回新奥尔良。

On the camino real along the beach the two saddle mules and the four pack mules of Don Se? —
在沿着海滩的卡米诺纳尔上，唐·阿姆斯特朗或约翰尼·阿姆斯特朗(Don Johnny Armstrong)的两匹鞍马和四匹驮马耐心地等待着马夫路易斯鸣鞭的声音。这将是开始又一次长途跋涉进入山区的信号。 —

or Johnny Armstrong stood, patiently awaiting the crack of the whip of the arriero, Luis. That would be the signal for the start on another long journey into the mountains. —
驮马上加载满了各种各样的五金和餐具。 —

The pack mules were loaded with a varied assortment of hard- ware and cutlery. —
这些物品唐·约翰尼与内陆的印第安人交易，换取他们在安第斯山脉的河流中洗出的金粉，并用鹅毛筒和袋子存放起来，准备唐·约翰尼的到来。 —

These articles Don Johnny traded to the interior Indians for the gold dust that they washed from the Andean streams and stored in quills and bags against his coming. —
这是一项有利可图的生意，阿姆斯特朗先生预计很快就能购买他渴望的咖啡种植园。 —

It was a profitable business, and Se? —
—

or Armstrong expected soon to be able to purchase the coffee plantation that he coveted.
而阿姆斯特朗先生预计很快就能购买他渴望的咖啡种植园。

Armstrong stood on the narrow sidewalk, exchanging garbled Spanish with old Peralto, the rich native merchant who had just charged him four prices for half a gross of pot-metal hatchets, and abridged English with Rucker, the little German who was Consul for the United States.
阿姆斯特朗站在狭窄的人行道上，与老佩拉尔托交流着含糊不清的西班牙语，这位富有的土著商人刚刚向他收了四倍的价格购买了半罗斯的镍铁合金斧头，并与鲁克尔交流着简化的英语，他是美国的领事。

“Take with you, se?or,” said Peralto, “the blessings of the saints upon your journey.”
“带上你，先生，”佩拉尔托说道，” 圣人的祝福使你的旅途顺利。”

“Better try quinine,” growled Rucker through his pipe. —
“最好试试奎宁,“鲁克尔抽着烟斗咕哝道。” —

“Take two grains every night. —
每晚服用两粒。 —

And don’t make your trip too long, Johnny, because we haf needs of you. —
“不要让你的旅途太长，约翰尼，因为我们需要你。 —

It is ein villainous game dot Melville play of whist, and dere is no oder substitute. —
戈尔德玩纸牌的游戏是太恶劣了，而且没有别的替代品。 —

Auf wiedersehen, und keep your eyes dot mule’s ears between when you on der edge of der brecipices ride.”
再见了，保持你的眼睛在悬崖边骑驴时注意。

The bells of Luis’s mule jingled and the pack train filed after the warning note. —
路易斯的骡子的铃声叮当作响，随后是一行行的货驮队。 —

Armstrong, waved a good- bye and took his place at the tail of the procession. —
阿姆斯特朗挥手道别，站在队伍的尾部。 —

Up the narrow street they turned, and passed the two-story wooden Hotel Ingles, where Ives and Dawson and Rich- ards and the rest of the chaps were dawdling on the broad piazza, reading week-old newspapers. —
他们转过狭窄的街道，经过两层木制的英格尔斯酒店，在宽敞的露台上，艾夫斯、道森、理查兹和其他伙伴们正在悠闲地读着一周前的报纸。 —

They crowded to the railing and shouted many friendly and wise and foolish farewells after him. —
他们挤到栏杆边，向他大喊着许多友好的、聪明的和愚蠢的告别。 —

Across the plaza they trotted slowly past the bronze statue of Guzman Blanco, within its fence of bayoneted rifles captured from revolutionists, and out of the town between the rows of thatched huts swarming with the unclothed youth of Macuto. —
他们缓慢地穿过广场，在围栏内的古兹曼·布兰科雕像旁边穿过，雕像的围墙上插满了从革命者手中夺来的刺刀步枪，然后走出镇外，穿过满是衣着单薄的马库托年轻人的茅草屋之间。 —

They plunged into the damp coolness of banana groves at length to emerge upon a bright stream, where brown women in scant raiment laundered clothes destructively upon the rocks. —
他们穿过潮湿而凉爽的香蕉林，最后来到一条明亮的小溪旁，褐色的妇女们穿着单薄的衣服在岩石上洗衣服。 —

Then the pack train, fording the stream, attacked the sudden ascent, and bade adieu to such civilization as the coast afforded.
然后是拖着行李的马队趟过小溪，攀上突然出现的山坡，告别了沿海所能提供的文明。

For weeks Armstrong, guided by Luis, followed his regular route among the mountains. —
几周来，亚姆斯特朗在路易斯的引导下，一直沿着这条山路行进。 —

After he had col- lected an arroba of the precious metal, winning a profit of nearly $5,000, the heads of the lightened mules were turned down-trail again. —
他收集了一個aroba (购物单位)的贵金屬，获得了将近5,000美元的利润，于是轻装的骡子继续向下游前进。 —

Where the head of the Guarico River springs from a great gash in the mountain-side, Luis halted the train.
在瓜里科河的源头从山腹中突出的地方，路易斯停下了队伍。

“Half a day’s journey from here, Se?or,” said he, “is the village of Tacuzama, which we have never visited. —
“从这里还有半天的行程，先生，”他说道，” 那里是塔库萨马村，我们还从未去过。 —

I think many ounces of gold may be procured there. —
我认为在那里可以弄到很多盎司的黄金， —

It is worth the trial.”
值得一试。”

Armstrong concurred, and they turned again upward toward Tacuzama. —
阿姆斯特朗同意了，他们重新转向塔库萨马。 —

The trail was abrupt and precipi- tous mounting through a dense forest. —
小径陡峭，穿过一片茂密的森林。 —

As night fell, dark and gloomy, Luis once more halted. —
夜幕降临，黑暗而阴沉，路易斯再次停下了。 —

Before them was a black chasm, bisecting the path as far as they could see.
他们面前是一条黑暗的裂缝，一直延伸到他们所能看到的地方。

Luis dismounted. “There should be a bridge,” he called, and ran along the cleft a distance. “It is here,” he cried, and remounting, led the way. —
路易斯下马。他呼叫着，沿着裂缝跑了一段距离。” 桥在这里，”他喊道，然后重新上马，带头前行。 —

In a few moments Armstrong, heard a sound as though a thunderous drum were beating somewhere in the dark. —
片刻之后，阿姆斯特朗听到一种像是一颗巨大的鼓正在黑暗中敲打的声音。 —

It was the falling of the mules’ hoofs upon the bridge made of strong hides lashed to poles and stretched across the chasm. —
是骡子蹄子落在一座由牛皮绑在柱子上的桥上，横跨在深谷上发出的声音。 —

Half a mile further was Tacuzama. —
再走半英里就是塔库萨马。 —

The village was a congre- gation of rock and mud huts set in the profundity of an obscure wood. —
村子是一片深林中岩石和泥屋的聚集地。 —

As they rode in a sound inconsistent with that brooding solitude met their ears. —
当他们骑着前行时，一种与那悠闲的孤寂不协调的声音传入他们的耳中。 —

From a long, low mud hut that they were nearing rose the glorious voice of a woman in song. —
从他们即将靠近的一座低矮的破泥屋里传出了一位女子婀娜多姿的歌声。 —

The words were English, the air familiar to Armstrong’s memory, but not to his musical knowledge.
歌词是英文，旋律让阿姆斯特朗产生了熟悉的记忆，但却不在他音乐知识之中。

He slipped from his mule and stole to a narrow window in one end of the house. —
他从骑着的骡子上滑下来，悄悄地走向房子一头的一个窄窗户。 —

Peering cautiously inside, he saw, within three feet of him, a woman of marvellous, imposing beauty, clothed in a splendid loose robe of leopard skins. —
他小心翼翼地往里面看了一眼，就在他三英尺外，有一位令人惊叹的美丽女子，身穿一件豹皮制成的华丽宽松袍子。 —

The hut was packed close to the small space in which she stood with the squatting figures of Indians.
小屋里挤满了印第安人的蹲坐身影，他们都集中在她站立的狭小空间内。

The woman finished her song and seated herself close to the little window, as if grateful for the unpolluted air that entered it. —
这位女性唱完歌，靠近小窗坐下，仿佛感谢进入窗户的清新空气。 —

When she had ceased several of the audience rose and cast little softly-falling bags at her feet. —
当她停止唱歌时，一些观众站起来，将小袋子轻轻地投向她的脚下。 —

A harsh murmur – no doubt a barbarous kind of applause and comment – went through the grim assembly.
一阵刺耳的嘈杂声——毫无疑问是粗野的掌声和评论——传遍了那个阴森的集会。

Armstrong, was used to seizing opportunities promptly. —
阿姆斯特朗习惯于迅速抓住机会。 —

Taking advantage of the noise he called to the woman in a low but distinct voice: —
他趁着噪音大声呼喊着对那个女人说道： —

“Do not turn your head this way, but listen. I am an American. —
“不要转过头来，但请倾听。我是一个美国人。 —

If you need assistance tell me how I can render it. —
如果你需要帮助，请告诉我如何能帮助。 —

Answer as briefly as you can.”
请简洁地回答。”

The woman was worthy of his boldness. —
这位女性值得他的大胆。 —

Only by a sudden flush of her pale cheek did she acknowledge understanding of his words. —
只有她苍白的脸颊突然泛起一丝红晕，才表明她理解了他的话。 —

Then she spoke, scarcely moving her lips.
然后她开口了，几乎没有动嘴唇。

“I am held a prisoner by these Indians. —
“我被这些印第安人囚禁着。 —

God knows I need help. In two hours come to the little hut twenty yards toward the Mountainside. —
天知道我需要帮助。两小时后来到朝山那边二十码处的小屋子。” —

There will be a light and a red curtain in the window. —
窗户上有一盏灯和一道红色的窗帘。 —

There is always a guard at the door, whom you will have to overcome. —
门口总是有一个警卫，你必须克服他。 —

For the love of heaven, do not fail to come.”
天哪，请务必来。

The story seems to shrink from adventure and rescue and mystery. —
这个故事似乎避开了冒险、营救和神秘。 —

The theme is one too gentle for those brave and quickening tones. —
主题对于那些勇敢和激发人心的音调来说太温和了。 —

And yet it reaches as far back as time itself. —
然而，它延伸到了时间的源头。 —

It has been named “environment,” which is as weak a word as any to express the unnameable kinship of man to nature, that queer fraternity that causes stones and trees and salt water and clouds to play upon our emotions. —
它被称为“环境”，这是一个弱不禁风的词语来表达人与大自然之间无法言喻的亲缘关系，这种奇妙的同胞关系使得石头、树木、咸水和云朵能够影响我们的情绪。 —

Why are we made serious and solemn and sublime by mountain heights, grave and contempla- tive by an abundance of overhanging trees, reduced to inconstancy and monkey capers by the ripples on a sandy beach? —
为什么山峰的高度让我们变得严肃、庄重和崇高，为什么浑浊的沙滩上的涟漪把我们降至无常和跳跃的猴子般的动作？ —

Did the protoplasm – but enough. —
原生质——不说了。 —

The chem- ists are looking into the matter, and before long they will have all life in the table of the symbols.
化学家们正在研究这个问题，不久之后，他们将把生命的一切用符号写在实验室里。

Briefly, then, in order to confine the story within scientific bounds, John Armstrong, went to the hut, choked the Indian guard and carried away Mlle. Giraud. —
简而言之，为了将故事限制在科学范围内，约翰·阿姆斯特朗去了那间小屋，勒死了印第安守卫，带走了吉罗德小姐。 —

With her was also conveyed a number of pounds of gold dust she had collected during her six months’ forced engage- ment in Tacuzama. —
同时，也带走了她在塔库扎马被迫从事六个月期间收集的一些金粉。 —

The Carabobo Indians are easily the most enthusiastic lovers of music between the equator and the French Opera House in New Orleans. —
卡拉沃博印第安人是赤道和新奥尔良法国歌剧院之间最热衷音乐的爱好者。 —

They are also strong believers that the advice of Emerson was good when he said: —
他们也坚信爱默生的忠告是正确的，他说过：“你想要的东西，0个不满的人——拿起来，付出代价。” —

“The thing thou wantest, 0 discon- tented man – take it, and pay the price.” A number of them had attended the performance of the Alcazar Opera Company in Macuto, and found Mlle. Giraud’s style and technique satisfactory. —
他们中的一些人曾去过马库托观看阿尔卡扎尔歌剧团的演出，认为吉罗德小姐的风格和技巧令人满意。他们想要她，所以有一天晚上他们突然拿走了她，毫不费力。 —

They wanted her, so they took her one evening suddenly and without any fuss. —
—

They treated her with much consideration, exacting only one song recital each day. —
他们对待她非常考虑，每天只要求她演唱一首歌曲。 —

She was quite pleased at being rescued by Mr. Armstrong. —
被阿姆斯特朗先生救出，她感到非常高兴。 —

So much for mystery and adventure. —
神秘与冒险就到此为止。 —

Now to resume the theory of the proto- plasm.
现在继续探讨原生质论。

John Armstrong and Mlle. Giraud rode among the Andean peaks, enveloped in their greatness and sublimity. —
约翰·阿姆斯特朗和吉罗女士驰骋在安第斯山脉的峰峦之间，被壮丽和崇高所包围。 —

The mightiest cousins, furthest removed, in nature’s great family become conscious of the tie. —
最遥远的亲戚，自然界中最遥远的亲戚，开始意识到彼此之间的联系。 —

Among those huge piles of primordial upheaval, amid those gigantic silences and elongated fields of distance the littlenesses of men are precipitated as one chemical throws down a sediment from another. —
在那些巨大的原始地壳运动中，那些巨大的寂静和延伸的远方之间，人们的微小之处像化学物质中的沉淀一样降落下来。 —

They moved reverently, as in a temple. —
他们庄重地行走，就像在寺庙里一样。 —

Their souls were uplifted in unison with the stately heights. —
他们的灵魂与高耸的山峰相契合。 —

They travelled in a zone of majesty and peace.
他们在一片庄严和宁静的区域旅行。

To Armstrong the woman seemed almost a holy thing. —
对阿姆斯壮来说， —

Yet bathed in the white, still dignity of her martyrdom that purified her earthly beauty and gave out, it seemed, an aura of transcendent loveliness, in those first hours of companionship she drew from him an adoration that was half human love, half the worship of a descended goddess.
这个女人几乎像个神圣的存在。然而，她在白色庄严的殉难中沐浴着，这殉难净化了她的尘世美丽，并释放出一种超凡美丽的光环，使他对她产生了半人类的爱恋，半下凡女神的崇拜。

Never yet since her rescue had she smiled. —
自从被救出来后，她从未笑过。 —

Over her dress she still wore the robe of leopard skins, for mountain air was cold. —
她仍然穿着豹皮袍子，因为山上的空气很冷。 —

She looked to be some splendid princess belonging to those wild and awesome altitudes. —
她看起来像是属于那些荒凉而令人敬畏的高地的辉煌公主。 —

The spirit of the region chimed with hers. —
她的精神与这片地区的精神相和谐。 —

Her eyes were always turned upon the sombre cliffs, the blue gorges and the snow-clad turrets, looking a sublime melancholy equal to their own. —
她的眼睛总是注视着那些阴沉的悬崖、蓝色的峡谷和雪覆盖的尖塔，散发出与它们一样雄伟而悲壮的忧郁。 —

At times on the journey she sang thrilling te deums and misereres that struck the true note of the hills, and made their route seem like a solemn march down a cathedral aisle. —
有时在旅途中，她会唱出动人的感恩赞美和哀乐，这些声音契合了山间的真实情感，使他们的行程看起来像是庄严的在大教堂里行进的一种庄重的呼唤。 —

The rescued one spoke but seldom, her mood partaking of the hush of nature that surrounded them. —
被救出的那个人很少开口，她的情绪仿佛与周围的自然环境一样沉静。 —

Armstrong looked upon her as an angel. —
阿姆斯特朗将她视为天使。 —

He could not bring himself to the sacrilege of attempting to woo her as other women may be wooed.
他无法忍受亵渎，去追求她，像追求其他女人那样。

On the third day they had descended as far as the tierra templada, the zona of the table lands and foot hills. —
第三天，他们已经下降到了温暖的地带，这是高原和山麓的地带。 —

The mountains were receding in their rear, but still towered, exhibiting yet impressively their formidable heads. —
山脉在他们的后方渐行渐远，但依然威严地屹立着，展示着它们令人印象深刻的顶峰。 —

Here they met signs of man. —
这里有人类的迹象。 —

They saw the white houses of coffee plantations gleam across the clear- ings. —
他们看到咖啡庄园的白色房屋在空地上闪耀。 —

They struck into a road where they met travellers and pack-mules. —
他们走进一条路上，遇到了旅行者和驮马。 —

Cattle were grazing on the slopes. —
在山坡上有牛在吃草。他们经过一个小村庄， —

They passed a little village where the round-eyed ni? —
那里的圆眼睛儿童一看到他们就尖叫着喊叫。 —

os shrieked and called at sight of them.
Giraud小姐放下她的豹皮披风。现在它似乎有些不协调了。在山区它看起来合适自然。

Mlle. Giraud laid aside her leopard-skin robe. —
Giraud小姐放下她的豹皮披风。 —

It seemed to be a trifle incongruous now. —
现在它似乎有些不协调了。 —

In the moun- tains it had appeared fitting and natural. —
在山区它看起来合适自然。 —

And if Arm- strong was not mistaken she laid aside with it something of the high dignity of her demeanour. —
如果阿姆斯特朗没有错，她放下了她威严的态度。 —

As the country became more populous and significant of comfortable life he saw, with a feeling of joy, that the exalted princess and priestess of the Andean peaks was changing to a woman – an earth woman but no less enticing. —
随着国家变得更加人口众多和生活舒适，他欣喜地看到这位安第斯山脉高贵的公主和女祭司正在变成一个女人，一个地球女人，但同样迷人。 —

A little colour crept to the surface of her marble cheek. —
一丝红晕爬上她雪白的脸颊。 —

She arranged the conventional dress that the removal of the robe now disclosed with the solicitous touch of one who is conscious of the eyes of others. —
她小心翼翼地整理着衣服，这件衣服是在现在取下长袍后展示出来，她意识到别人的目光在注视着。 —

She smoothed the careless sweep of her hair. —
她梳理了她的随意发丝。 —

A mundane interest, long latent in the chilling atmosphere of the ascetic peaks, showed in her eyes.
在苦修的山峰环境中，一种世俗的兴趣潜伏在她的眼睛中。

This thaw in his divinity sent Armstrong’s heart going faster. —
这种神圣身份的解禁让阿姆斯特朗的心跳加速起来。 —

So might an Arctic explorer thrill at his first ken of green fields and liquescent waters. —
就像北极探险家第一次看到绿色的田野和流水般，他激动不已。 —

They were on a lower plane of earth and life and were succumbing to its peculiar, subtle influence. —
他们处在地球和生活的较低平面上，深受其特殊而微妙的影响。 —

The austerity of the hills no longer thinned the air they breathed. —
山丘的严酷已经不能稀释他们呼吸的空气。 —

About them was the breath of fruit and corn and builded homes, the comfortable smell of smoke and warm earth and the consolations man has placed between himself and the dust of his brother earth from which he sprung. —
围绕着他们的是水果和谷物的气息和建造的家园，是烟雾和温暖的土地以及人类为自己与尘土之间所安置的安慰。 —

While traversing those awful mountains, Mile. Giraud had seemed to be wrapped in their spirit of reverent reserve. —
在穿越这些可怕的山脉时，吉罗小姐似乎被它们庄严的保留精神所包围。 —

Was this that same woman – now palpitating, warm, eager, throbbing with conscious life and charm, feminine to her finger-tips? —
这就是那个女人吗？她现在的脉动、温暖、渴望，是真实的生命和魅力。她完全是一个女人。 —

Pondering over this, Armstrong felt certain misgivings intrude upon his thoughts. —
考虑到这一点，阿姆斯特朗感到不安的预感侵入了他的思绪。 —

He wished he could stop there with this changing creature, descending no farther. —
他希望能够在这个正在变化的生物身上停下来，不再下去。 —

Here was the elevation and environment to which her nature seemed to respond with its best. —
这里是她的天性似乎能够以最好的方式回应的高地和环境。 —

He feared to go down upon the man-dominated levels. —
他害怕到达被男人主导的平原。 —

Would her spirit -not yield still further in that artificial zone to which they were descending?
她的精神会不会在他们正在下降的那个人造地带进一步屈服？

Now from a little plateau they saw the sea flash at the edge of the green lowlands. —
现在他们站在一个小高原上，远处绿色的低地边缘闪烁着大海。 —

Mile. Giraud gave a little, catching sigh.
吉罗小姐轻轻地叹了口气。

“Oh! look, Mr. Armstrong, there is the sea! Isn’t it lovely? —
“哦！看，阿姆斯特朗先生，那是大海！多美啊！ —

I’m so tired of mountains.” She heaved a pretty shoulder in a gesture of repugnance. —
我已经厌倦了山峦。”她用远离的手势扬起迷人的肩膀。 —

“Those horrid Indians! Just think of what I suffered! —
“那些可恶的印第安人！想想我所受的苦！ —

Although I suppose I attained my ambition of becoming a stellar attraction, I wouldn’t care to repeat the engagement. —
虽然我想我实现了成为明星的愿望，但我不想再经历这样的经历了。 —

It was very nice of you to bring me away. Tell me, Mr. Armstrong – honestly, now – do I look such an awful, awful fright? —
“你能带我走真是太好了。告诉我，阿姆斯特朗先生，真心话，我看起来是不是丑得可怕？ —

I haven’t looked into a mirror, you know, for months.”
“你知道，我已经好几个月没看过镜子了。”

Armstrong made answer according to his changed moods. —
阿姆斯特朗根据自己不同的心情回答。 —

Also he laid his hand upon hers as it rested upon the horn of her saddle. —
同时，他把手放在她的手上，手正好放在马鞍上。 —

Luis was at the head of the pack train and could not see. —
路易斯在骆驼队的前面，看不见。 —

She allowed it to remain there, and her eyes smiled frankly into his.
她任凭他的手留在那里，她的眼睛真诚地朝他微笑。

Then at sundown they dropped upon the coast level under the palms and lemons among the vivid greens and searlets and ochres of the tierra caliente. —
日落时分，他们沿着海岸线下降，置身于棕榈树和柠檬树之间，融合了显亮的绿色和赤红色、大地黄色的热带土地。 —

They rode into Macuto, and saw the line of volatile bathers frolick- ing in the surf. —
他们骑马来到马库托，看到一排活泼玩耍的游泳者在海浪中嬉戏。 —

The mountains were very far away.
山远得很远。

Mlle. Giraud’s eyes were shining with a joy that could not have existed under the chaperonage of the mountain- tops. —
吉罗小姐的眼里闪烁着一种欢乐，这种欢乐在山峰的照料下是无法存在的。 —

There were other spirits calling to her – nymphs of the orange groves, pixies from the chattering surf, imps, born of the music, the perfumes, colours and the insinuating presence of humanity. —
还有其他的精灵在呼唤着她——来自橘子林的仙女，来自嘈杂的海浪的妖精，还有源自音乐、香气、色彩以及人类迷人存在的顽皮恶魔。 —

She laughed aloud, musically, at a sudden thought.
她突然想到一件事，放声大笑起来。

“Won’t there be a sensation?” she called to Armstrong. —
“那不会引起轰动吗?“她朝阿姆斯特朗喊道， —

“Don’t I wish I had an engagement just now, though! —
“我真希望此刻有个约会呢！ —

What a picnic the press agent would have! —
那搞宣传的人一定会得心应手！ —

‘Held a prisoner by a band of savage Indians subdued by the spell of her wonderful voice’ – wouldn’t that make great stuff? —
‘被一群野蛮印第安人囚禁，被她美妙的声音感化’——那会成为一大热门新闻吧？ —

But I guess I quit the game winner, anyhow – there ought to be a couple of thousand dollars in that sack of gold dust I collected as encores, don’t you think?”
不过，我想我已经退出了比赛，总之——我收集那袋黄金尘可能有几千美元，你觉得呢？

He left her at the door of the little Hotel de Buen Descansar, where she had stopped before. —
他把她送到了以前她住过的小旅馆的门口。 —

Two hours later he returned to the hotel. —
两个小时后，他回到了旅馆。 —

He glanced in at the open door of the little combined reception room and cafe.
他瞥了一眼小型的接待厅和咖啡厅的开放门。

Half a dozen of Macuto’s representative social and official caballeros were distributed about the room. —
麦奎托地区的几位重要社交和官方官员分散在房间里。 —

Sefior Villablanca, the wealthy rubber concessionist, reposed his fat figure on two chairs, with an emollient smile beaming upon his chocolate-coloured face. —
维拉布兰卡先生，富裕的橡胶特许经营者，脂肪的身材靠在两张椅子上，随和地笑着，黑皮肤面容中透着光彩。 —

Guil- bert, the French mining engineer, leered through his polished nose-glasses. —
法国矿业工程师吉尔伯特，透过他抛光的鼻眼镜斜了眼。 —

Colonel Mendez, of the regular army, in gold-laced uniform and fatuous grin, was busily extracting corks from champagne bottles. —
陆军上校门德斯，身穿金线制服，傻笑着，正忙着拔香槟酒瓶上的塞子。 —

Other pat- terns of Macutian gallantry and fashion pranced and posed. —
其他麦奎托打扮时髦的人物摆出姿势或炫耀。 —

The air was hazy with cigarette smoke. —
空气中弥漫着烟雾。 —

Wine dripped upon the floor.
地板上滴落着红酒。

Perched upon a table in the centre of the room in an attitude of easy preeminence was Mlle. Giraud. —
Mlle. Giraud优雅地坐在房间中央的桌子上，显得独领风骚。 —

A chic costume of white lawn and cherry ribbons supplanted her travelling garb. —
她身穿一套时尚的白色薄纱和樱桃色丝带，取代了她的旅行装束。 —

There was a suggestion of lace, and a frill or two, with a discreet, small implication of hand- embroidered pink hosiery. —
这件衣服上有一丝蕾丝和几个小褶边，还有一个低调的手绣粉红色袜子。 —

Upon her lap rested a guitar. —
她的膝上放着一把吉他。 —

In her face was the light of resurrection, the peace of elysium attained through fire and suffering. —
她脸上充满了复苏的光芒，通过火焰和痛苦获得了乐园般的宁静。 —

She was singing to a lively accompaniment a little song:
她正在伴奏欢快地唱着一首小曲：

“When you see de big round moonComin’ up like a balloon, Dis nigger skips fur to kiss de lipsOb his stylish, black-faced coon.” The singer caught sight of Armstrong.
“当你看到那个大圆月像气球一样升起时，这个黑人就会跳来亲吻他那时髦的黑脸舞男。”歌手看到了阿姆斯特朗。

“Hi! there, Johnny,” she called; —
“嘿！小伙子，你终于来了。 —

“I’ve been expecting you for an hour. What kept you? Gee! —
我等了你一个小时了。天哪！ —

but these smoked guys are the slowest you ever saw. —
这些抽烟的家伙真是你见过的最慢的人。 —

They ain’t on, at all. Come along in, and I’ll make this coffee- coloured old sport with the gold epaulettes open one for you right off the ice.”
“他们根本没有开门。进来吧，我会让这个咖啡色的老家伙，带着金色肩章为你开一个刚冷的。”

“Thank you,” said Armstrong; “not just now, I believe. I’ve several things to attend to.”
“谢谢，”阿姆斯特朗说。“现在不行，我有几件事要处理。”

He walked out and down the street, and met Rucker coming up from the Consulate.
他走出去，沿着街道走下去，遇到了从领事馆上来的拉克尔。

“Play you a game of billiards,” said Armstrong. —
“和你打一局台球，”阿姆斯特朗说。 —

“I want something to take the taste of the sea level out of my mouth.”
“我想要一些东西来消除大海水平的味道。”