JUSTICE-OF-THE-PEACE Benaja Widdup sat in the door of his office smoking his elder-stem pipe. —
“和解裁判Justice-OF-THE-PEACE Benaja Widdup坐在他的办公室门口，抽着他的长管烟斗。” —

Halfway to the zenith the Cumberland range rose blue-gray in the afternoon haze. —
“在午后的雾气中，坎伯兰山脉的蓝灰色渐渐升向天顶。” —

A speckled hen swaggered down the main street of the “settlement,” cackling foolishly.
“一只斑点鸡在‘定居’点的主街上大摇大摆地走着，傻笑着叽叽咕咕。”

Up the road came a sound of creaking axles, and then a slow cloud of dust, and then a bull-cart bearing Ransie Bilbro and his wife. —
“一阵车轮响声，然后一团慢慢的尘土，然后是拉西·比尔布罗和他的妻子驾驶的牛车。” —

The cart stopped at the Justice’s door, and the two climbed down. —
“牛车停在法官办公室门口，两人下车。” —

Ransie was a narrow six feet of sallow brown skin and yellow hair. —
“拉西有着一个狭窄的六尺身材，黯淡的棕色皮肤和黄色头发。” —

The imperturbability of the mountains hung upon him like a suit of armour. —
“山上的沉静无动坚守在他身上，就像一套护甲。” —

The woman was calicoed, angled, snuff-brushed, and weary with unknown desires. —
“那个女人穿着花布，消瘦而疲惫，坚持美好欲望的追求。” —

Through it all gleamed a faint protest of cheated youth unconscious of its loss.
“其中透露出一丝虚度的洛阳年华，却与其失去的自由毫不相干。”

The Justice of the Peace slipped his feet into his shoes, for the sake of dignity, and moved to let them enter.
“和解裁判把鞋子穿好，以示尊重地让他们进来。”

“We-all,” said the woman, in a voice like the wind blowing through pine boughs, “wants a divo’ce.” She looked at Ransie to see if he noted any flaw or ambiguity or evasion or partiality or self-partisanship in her statement of their business.
“‘我们俩’，女人用风吹拂松枝般的声音说道，‘想要离婚。’”她看着Ransie，想看看他是否注意到她陈述他们的事务时有任何缺陷、模棱两可、回避、偏袒或自恋。

“A divo’ce,” repeated Ransie, with a solemn Dod. “We-all can’t git along together nohow. —
“离婚，”Ransie庄重地重复道，“无论如何我们俩都不能相处。 —

It’s lonesome enough fur to live in the mount’ins when a man and a woman keers fur one another. —
在山中生活的时候，一个男人和一个女人互相关心是足够孤独的。 —

But when she’s a-spittin’ like a wildcat or a-sullenin’ like a hoot-owl in the cabin, a man ain’t got no call to live with her.”
但当她像野猫一样吐口水或者像猫头鹰一样闷闷不乐时，一个人就没有理由和她住在一起。

“When he’s a no-‘count varmint,” said the woman, “without any especial warmth, a-traipsin’ along of scalawags and moonshiners and a-layin’ on his back pizen ‘ith co’n whiskey, and a-pesterin’ folks with a pack o’ hungry, triflin’ houn’s to feed!”
“当他是一个无用的家伙，”那个女人说，“没有什么特别之处，跟流氓和私酒酿制者一起闲逛，喝着玉米白兰地发呆，用一堆饿得要死、毫无价值的猎狗烦人地骚扰别人！”

“When she keeps a-throwin’ skillet lids,” came Ransie’s antiphony, “and slings b’ilin’ water on the best coon-dog in the Cumberlands, and sets herself agin’ cookin’ a man’s victuals, and keeps him awake o’ nights accusin’ him of a sight of doin’s!”
“当她扔平底锅盖子，”Ransie反驳道，“向最好的浣熊狗仍滚烫的水，拒绝做饭给一个人吃，整夜不让他安心，一直指责他做了许多事情！”。

“When he’s al’ays a-fightin’ the revenues, and gits a hard name in the mount’ins fur a mean man, who’s gwine to be able fur to sleep o’ nights?”
“当他总是为了财政收入而争吵，并因为行事刻薄而在山区落下个坏名声，谁还能够安然入睡？”

The Justice of the Peace stirred deliberately to his duties. —
治安法官慢慢开始履行他的职责。 —

He placed his one chair and a wooden stool for his petitioners. —
他给信访者准备了一把椅子和一个木凳子。 —

He opened his book of statutes on the table and scanned the index. —
他在桌子上打开了他的法规书，扫视了目录。 —

Presently he wiped his spectacles and shifted his inkstand.
随后他擦了擦眼镜，移动了墨水瓶的位置。

“The law and the statutes,” said he, “air silent on the subjeck of divo’ce as fur as the jurisdiction of this co’t air concerned. —
“就这在这个法庭的司法范围内，法律和法规对离婚这个问题都没有明确规定。 —

But, accordin’ to equity and the Constitution and the golden rule, it’s a bad barg’in that can’t run both ways. —
但是，按照公平、宪法和金科玉律，一个不双向运行的交易是不好的交易。 —

If a justice of the peace can marry a couple, it’s plain that he is bound to be able to divo’ce ‘em. —
如果一位治安法官可以婚姻了一对夫妇，显然他有权利离婚他们。 —

This here office will issue a decree of divo’ce and abide by the decision of the Supreme Co’t to hold it good.”
这个办公室将颁发一份离婚判决，并遵守最高法院的决定来认可它。”

Ransie Bilbro drew a small tobacco-bag from his trousers pocket. —
兰西·比尔布罗从裤子口袋里掏出一个小烟袋。 —

Out of this he shook upon the table a five-dollar note. —
然后他把一个五美元的钞票摇到桌子上。 —

“Sold a b’arskin and two foxes fur that,” he remarked. “It’s all the money we got.”
“卖了一张’熊皮和两张狐狸毛皮，”他说。”这是我们所有的钱。”

“The regular price of a divo’ce in this co’t,” said the Justice, “air five dollars.” He stuffed the bill into the pocket of his homespun vest with a deceptive air of indifference. —
“这个地方的离婚费用正常是五美元，”法官说道。他将钞票装进自己那套千篇一律的家纺马甲的口袋里，看起来毫不在意。 —

With much bodily toil and mental travail he wrote the decree upon half a sheet of foolscap, and then copied it upon the other. —
费尽全身的劳动和思绪的煎熬，他将判决书写在一张正式纸的一半上，然后再抄写到另一张上。 —

Ransie Bilbro and his wife listened to his reading of the document that was to give them freedom:
兰西·比尔布罗和他的妻子聆听着解放他们的文件的朗读：

“Know all men by these presents that Ransie Bilbro and his wife, Ariela Bilbro, this day personally appeared before me and promises that hereinafter they will neither love, honour, nor obey each other, neither for better nor worse, being of sound mind and body, and accept summons for divorce according to the peace and dignity of the State. Herein fail not, so help you God. Benaja Widdup, justice of the peace in and for the county of Piedmont, State of Tennessee.”
“凡看到这份文件的人，知道兰西·比尔布罗和他的妻子阿里拉·比尔布罗，今天亲自出现在我面前并承诺，在此后的日子里，我们既不会相互爱护、尊重，也不会相互顺从，无论是好还是坏，我们心智健全，并愿接受根据田纳西州的和平与尊严而进行的离婚传票。在此不得失职，愿上帝帮助你们。本纳雅·威达普，作为皮德蒙县田纳西州的治安法官。”

The Justice was about to hand one of the documents to Ransie. —
法官正准备将其中一份文件交给兰西。 —

The voice of Ariela delayed the transfer. Both men looked at her. —
阿里埃拉的声音延迟了转交。两个男人都看着她。 —

Their dull masculinity was confronted by something sudden and unexpected in the woman.
这个女人身上有一种突然而意外的东西，直面着他们沉闷的男子气概。

“Judge, don’t you give him that air paper yit. ‘Tain’t all settled, nohow. —
“法官，你还不要给他那张起诉状。还没有一切都解决呢。” —

I got to have my rights first. I got to have my ali-money. —
“我必须首先得到我的权利。我得拿到我的离婚费。” —

‘Tain’t no kind of a way to do fur a man to divo’ce his wife ‘thout her havin’ a cent fur to do with. —
“对一个男人来说，没有给他妻子一分钱就离婚，这不合适。” —

I’m a-layin’ off to be a-goin’ up to brother Ed’s up on Hogback Mount’in. —
“我准备去山上荒地的埃德那里。” —

I’m bound fur to hev a pa’r of shoes and some snuff and things besides. —
“我得有一双鞋子，一些烟和其他琐事。” —

Ef Rance kin affo’d a divo’ce, let him pay me ali-money.”
“如果兰斯有能力离婚，那他就应该付给我离婚费。”

Ransie Bilbro was stricken to dumb perplexity. —
兰西·比尔布鲁被困惑得无语了。 —

There had been no previous hint of alimony. —
没有之前提到过离婚费。 —

Women were always bringing up startling and unlooked-for issues.
女人总是提出令人惊讶和意外的问题。

Justice Benaja Widdup felt that the point demanded judicial decision. —
贝纳加·威敦法官感到这个问题需要法庭裁决。 —

The authorities were also silent on the subject of alimony. —
有关离婚费的问题当局也保持沉默。 —

But the woman’s feet were bare. The trail to Hogback Mountain was steep and flinty.
但那女人的脚是赤裸的。通往霍格巴克山的小径崎岖而坚硬。

“Ariela Bilbro,” he asked, in official tones, “how much did you ‘low would be good and sufficient ali-money in the case befo’ the co’t.”
“艾里拉·比尔布罗，”他以正式的口吻问道，“你认为在这个案件中需要多少公正的赡养费。”

“I ‘lowed,” she answered, “fur the shoes and all, to say five dollars. —
“我想，包括鞋子在内，五美元应该足够了。”她回答说。 —

That ain’t much fur ali-money, but I reckon that’ll git me to up brother Ed’s.”
那可不是多少钱，但我想那可以帮我到埃德兄弟那儿。

“The amount,” said the Justice, “air not onreasonable. —
“金额并不不合理。”法官说道。 —

Ransie Bilbro, you air ordered by the co’t to pay the plaintiff the sum of five dollars befo’ the decree of divo’ce air issued.”
兰西·比尔布罗，你被法院命令在离婚判决发布之前支付原告5美元。

“I hain’t no mo’ money,” breathed Ransie, heavily. “I done paid you all I had.”
“我没钱了。”兰西沉重地叹了口气。“我已经把所有的钱都交给你了。”

“Otherwise,” said the Justice, looking severely over his spectacles, “you air in contempt of co’t.”
“否则，”法官严厉地透过眼镜说道，“你会被视为藐视法庭。”

“I reckon if you gimme till to-morrow,” pleaded the husband, “I mout be able to rake or scrape it up somewhars. —
“我想如果你给我到明天的时间，”丈夫恳求道，“我也许能找到或者勉强凑够。” —

I never looked for to be a-payin’ no alimoney.”
“我从没想过要付赡养费。”

“The case air adjourned,” said Benaja Widdup, “till to-morrow, when you-all will present yo’selves and obey the order of the co’t. —
“案子被推迟了，”本雅亚·维达普说道，“直到明天，你们都要出席并遵守法庭的命令。 —

Followin’ of which the decrees of divo’ce will be delivered.” He sat down in the door and began to loosen a shoestring.
接下来就会宣布离婚判决。”他坐在门口，开始解开一条鞋带。

“We mout as well go down to Uncle Ziah’s,” decided Ransie, “and spend the night.” He climbed into the cart on one side, and Ariela climbed in on the other. —
“我们还是去扎帕的大叔那里过夜吧，”兰西决定道。他从一边爬上马车，阿里埃拉则从另一边上去。 —

Obeying the flap of his rope, the little red bull slowly came around on a tack, and the cart crawled away in the nimbus arising from its wheels.
小红牛听从绳子的指挥，慢慢转向，马车在车轮升起的尘埃中爬行。

Justice-of-the-peace Benaja Widdup smoked his elderstem pipe. —
治安法官本雅亚·维达普吸着长管烟斗。 —

Late in the afternoon he got his weekly paper, and read it until the twilight dimmed its lines. —
傍晚时分，他拿起每周的报纸，直到暮色模糊了上面的字句。 —

Then he lit the tallow candle on his table, and read until the moon rose, marking the time for supper. —
然后点燃桌上的蜡烛，继续阅读，直到月亮升起，标志着进餐时间。 —

He lived in the double log cabin on the slope near the girdled poplar. —
他住在靠近被砍伐的杨树斑驳的山坡上的双层木屋里。 —

Going home to supper he crossed a little branch darkened by a laurel thicket. —
回家吃饭时，他穿过一个被山茶丛遮蔽的小溪。 —

The dark figure of a man stepped from the laurels and pointed a rifle at his breast. —
一个黑影般的人从月桂树中走出来，抬起来步枪对准了他的胸膛。 —

His hat was pulled down low, and something covered most of his face.
他的帽子低低地戴着，脸上遮住了什么东西。

“I want yo’ money,” said the figure, “‘thout any talk. —
“我要你的钱，”那个影子说道，“不要废话。” —

I’m gettin’ nervous, and my finger’s a-wabblin’ on this here trigger.”
“我有点紧张了，手指在扳机上抖动。”

“I’ve only got f-f-five dollars,” said the Justice, producing it from his vest pocket.
“我只有五块钱，”司法官从马甲口袋里拿出来递给他。

“Roll it up,” came the order, “and stick it in the end of this here gun-bar’l.”
“把它卷起来，”命令声传来，“塞到这把枪的枪管里。”

The bill was crisp and new. Even fingers that were clumsy and trembling found little difficulty in making a spill of it and inserting it (this with less ease) into the muzzle of the rifle.
这张钞票很新鲜，即使手指笨拙而颤抖，也没有太大困难地把它卷起来并（这一点则不那么容易）插入枪膛。

“Now I reckon you kin be goin’ along,” said the robber.
“现在你可以走了，”强盗说道。

The Justice lingered not on his way.
司法官没有停留，径直离去。

The next day came the little red bull, drawing the cart to the office door. —
第二天，小红色的公牛拉着马车来到了办公室门口。 —

Justice Benaja Widdup had his shoes on, for he was expecting the visit. —
贝纳加·韦达普法官穿上了鞋子，因为他正期待这次访问。 —

In his presence Ransie Bilbro handed to his wife a five-dollar bill. —
Ransie Bilbro在他面前递给他妻子一张五美元的钞票。 —

The official’s eye sharply viewed it. It seemed to curl up as though it had been rolled and inserted into the end of a gun-barrel. —
官员的眼睛锐利地观察着它。它似乎卷曲起来，好像被卷进了枪管的一端。 —

But the Justice refrained from comment. It is true that other bills might be inclined to curl. —
但大法官没有发表评论。诚然，其他钞票可能会有卷曲的倾向。 —

He handed each one a decree of divorce. Each stood awkwardly silent, slowly folding the guarantee of freedom. —
他递给每个人一纸离婚令。每个人都笨拙地沉默着，缓慢地将自由的保证折叠起来。 —

The woman cast a shy glance full of constraint at Ransie.
女人在朗茜身上投去约束的羞怯一瞥。

“I reckon you’ll be goin’ back up to the cabin,” she said, along ‘ith the bull-cart. —
“我猜你会回到小屋去，”她说，还有牛车一起。 —

There’s bread in the tin box settin’ on the shelf. —
面包放在架子上的锡盒里。 —

I put the bacon in the b’ilin’-pot to keep the hounds from gittin’ it. —
我把培根放进烧开的锅里，以免猎狗们吃掉它。 —

Don’t forget to wind the clock to-night.”
别忘了今晚要给钟上发条。

“You air a-goin’ to your brother Ed’s?” asked Ransie, with fine unconcern.
“你要去你哥哥埃德那儿吗？”朗茜不动声色地问道。

“I was ‘lowin’ to get along up thar afore night. —
“我正打算在天黑前到那儿。 —

I ain’t sayin’ as they’ll pester theyselves any to make me welcome, but I hain’t nowhar else fur to go. —
我不是说他们会费神地热情地欢迎我，但我没有其他地方可去。 —

It’s a right smart ways, and I reckon I better be goin’. —
那是个相当远的地方，我想我最好走了。 —

I’ll be a-sayin’ good-bye, Ranse - that is, if you keer fur to say so.”
“我要告别了，兰斯——如果你愿意的话。”

“I don’t know as anybody’s a hound dog,” said Ransie, in a martyr’s voice, “fur to not want to say good-bye – ‘less you air so anxious to git away that you don’t want me to say it.”
“我不知道有谁会像猎狗一样，”兰西以殉道者的声音说，“不愿意说再见的——除非你急着离开，不想让我说。”

Ariela was silent. She folded the five-dollar bill and her decree carefully, and placed them in the bosom of her dress. —
阿里埃拉默默地折叠起五美元的钞票和她的法令，小心地放在她的衣服胸前。 —

Benaja Widdup watched the money disappear with mournful eyes behind his spectacles.
贝纳贾·威德普带着哀伤的眼神透过眼镜看着钱消失了。

And then with his next words he achieved rank (as his thoughts ran) with either the great crowd of the world’s sympathizers or the little crowd of its great financiers.
然后他用接下来的话在他的思维中取得了地位（这位老人想），或者是在世界同情者的庞大群众中，或者是在其伟大金融家的小群体中。

“Be kind o’ lonesome in the old cabin to-night, Ranse,” he said.
“今晚在旧小屋里会有点孤单，兰斯，”他说。

Ransie Bilbro stared out at the Cumberlands, clear blue now in the sunlight. —
兰西·比尔布罗目不转睛地望着在阳光下变得湛蓝的坎伯兰山。 —

He did not look at Ariela.
他没有看阿里埃拉。

“I ‘low it might be lonesome,” he said; “but when folks gits mad and wants a divo’ce, you can’t make folks stay.”
“我想可能会有点孤单，”他说，“但当人们生气并想要离婚时，你不能逼迫他们留下来。”

“There’s others wanted a divo’ce,” said Ariela, speaking to the wooden stool. —
“还有其他人也想要离婚，”阿里埃拉对着木凳说。 —

“Besides, nobody don’t want nobody to stay.”
“此外，没有人不希望别人留下来。”

“Nobody never said they didn’t.”
“没有人说他们没有。”

“Nobody never said they did. I reckon I better start on now to brother Ed’s.”
“没有人说他们有。我想我最好现在去艾德兄弟的那边。”

“Nobody can’t wind that old clock.”
“没有人能上发条那个旧时钟。”

“Want me to go back along ‘ith you in the cart and wind it fur you, Ranse?”
“你想要我和你一起走回去，坐车为你上发条吗，兰斯？”

The mountaineer’s countenance was proof against emotion. —
这个山民的表情毫无情感。 —

But he reached out a big hand and enclosed Ariela’s thin brown one. —
但他伸出了一只大手，抓住了阿瑞拉瘦瘦的褐色手。 —

Her soul peeped out once through her impassive face, hallowing it.
她的灵魂透过她冷漠的脸庞偷偷溢出，使它变得神圣。

“Them hounds shan’t pester you no more,” said Ransie. —
“那些猎狗不会再烦你了，” Ransie 说道。 —

“I reckon I been mean and low down. You wind that clock, Ariela.”
“我想我曾经很卑鄙，很自贱。你上发条吧，阿瑞拉。”

“My heart hit’s in that cabin, Ranse,” she whispered, “along ‘ith you. —
“我的心在那个小屋里，Ranse，”她低声说，“和你在一起。” —

I ai’nt a-goin’ to git mad no more. Le’s be startin’, Ranse, so’s we kin git home by sundown.” Justice-of-the-peace Benaja Widdup interposed as they started for the door, forgetting his presence.
“我不会再生气了。我们出发吧，Ranse，这样我们可以在日落之前回家。” 当他们走向门口时，此刻完全忘记他的存在的 Benaja Widdup 权官干涉了。

“In the name of the State of Tennessee,” he said, “I forbid you-all to be a-defyin’ of its laws and statutes. —
“以田纳西州之名，”他说，“我禁止你们违背其法律和条例。” —

This co’t is mo’ than willin’ and full of joy to see the clouds of discord and misunderstandin’ rollin’ away from two lovin’ hearts, but it air the duty of the co’t to p’eserve the morals and integrity of the State. The co’t reminds you that you air no longer man and wife, but air divo’ced by regular decree, and as such air not entitled to the benefits and ‘purtenances of the mattermonal estate.”
这个法院非常愿意并且充满喜悦地看到分歧和误解的乌云离两颗相爱的心远去，但法院的责任是维护国家的道德和诚信。法院提醒你们，你们已不再是夫妻，而是通过正式判决离婚，因此不享有婚姻财产的权益和利益。

Ariela caught Ransie’s arm. Did those words mean that she must lose him now when they had just learned the lesson of life?
阿丽拉抓住兰西的手臂。那些话是不是意味着她必须失去他，就在他们刚刚学会了生活的教训之时？

“But the co’t air prepared,” went on the Justice, “fur to remove the disabilities set up by the decree of divo’ce. —
但是法院准备好了，继续审理离婚判决中提出的限制。 —

The co’t air on hand to perform the solemn ceremony of marri’ge, thus fixin’ things up and enablin’ the parties in the case to resume the honour’ble and elevatin’ state of mattermony which they desires. —
法院准备为他们举行庄重的结婚仪式，从而解决问题并使案件中的当事人能够恢复他们所期望的尊贵和高尚的婚姻状态。 —

The fee fur performin’ said ceremony will be, in this case, to wit, five dollars.”
执行此仪式的费用将是，即五美元。

Aricla caught the gleam of promise in his words. Swiftly her hand went to her bosom. —
“在他的话语中，阿里克拉看到了希望的闪光。她迅速地把手放在了胸前。” —

Freely as an alighting dove the bill fluttered to the Justice’s table. —
“账单像一只飞翔下来的鸽子一样自由地飘到了审判官的桌上。” —

Her sallow cheek coloured as she stood hand in hand with Ransie and listened to the reuniting words.
“当她与兰西手牵着手，倾听着他们重逢的话语时，她苍白的脸颊涌上一抹红晕。”

Ransie helped her into the cart, and climbed in beside her. —
“兰西帮助她上了马车，并在她身旁爬了进去。” —

The little red bull turned once more, and they set out, hand-clasped, for the mountains.
“小红色公牛又转过身，他们手牵着手向着山区出发。”

Justice-of-the-peace Benaja Widdup sat in his door and took off his shoes. —
“治安法官贝纳杰·威德普坐在门口脱下了鞋子。” —

Once again he fingered the bill tucked down in his vest pocket. —
“他再次抚摸着被塞在胸前口袋里的账单。” —

Once again he smoked his elder-stem pipe. —
“他再次抽着他的长烟斗。” —

Once again the speck-led hen swaggered down the main street of the “settlement,” cackling foolishly.
“一只斑点盖着的母鸡又在‘定居点’的主街上大摇大摆地走着，傻傻地咯咯叫着。”