These are the directions for finding the I office of Carteret & Carteret, Mill Supplies and Leather Belting:
这是找到卡特里特和卡特里特的办公室，磨坊用品和皮带的指引：

You follow the Broadway trail down until you pass the Crosstown Line, the Bread Line, and the Dead Line, and come to the Big Canons of the Moneygrubber Tribe. Then you turn to the left, to the right, dodge a push-cart and the tongue of a two-ton, four-horse dray and hop, skip, and jump to a granite ledge on the side of a twenty-one-story synthetic mountain of stone and iron. —
沿着百老汇小径走下去，直到你经过横穿线、面包线和死线，来到金钱掠夺者部落的大炮阵。然后你向左转，向右转，闪避一个手推车和一个载重两吨的四马马车的车舌，然后跳、蹦、跳到一个由石头和铁制成的二十一层合成山的侧面的花岗岩台阶上。 —

In the twelfth story is the office of Carteret & Carteret. —
在第十二层是卡特里特和卡特里特的办公室。 —

The factory where they make the mill supplies and leather belting is in Brooklyn. —
他们制造磨坊用品和皮带的工厂位于布鲁克林。 —

Those commodities–to say nothing of Brooklyn–not being of interest to you, let us hold the incidents within the confines of a one-act, one-scene play, thereby lessening the toil of the reader and the expenditure of the publisher. —
那些商品，更不用说布鲁克林了，与你无关，让我们将事件局限在一幕一场的短剧中，这样可以减轻读者的劳累和出版商的开支。 —

So, if you have the courage to face four pages of type and Carteret & Carteret’s office boy, Percival, you shall sit on a varnished chair in the inner office and peep at the little comedy of the Old Nigger Man, the Hunting-Case Watch, and the Open-Faced Question–mostly borrowed from the late Mr. Frank Stockton, as you will conclude.
所以，如果你有勇气面对四页长篇文字和卡特雷特和卡特雷特的办公室男孩佩西瓦尔，你将坐在内部办公室的一把上过清漆的椅子上，窥视老黑人和狩猎盒手表以及敞开的问题这个小喜剧——大部分是从已故弗兰克·斯托克顿先生那借来的，你会得出这个结论。

First, biography (but pared to the quick) must intervene. —
首先，生平（但是删减到简洁明了的程度）不得不介入。 —

I am for the inverted sugar-coated quinine pill–the bitter on the outside.
我主张用外面包上苦味糖衣的倒装草酮喹啉颗粒——外苦内甜。

The Carterets were, or was (Columbia College professors please rule), an old Virginia family. —
卡特雷特家族是一个古老的弗吉尼亚家族。（哥伦比亚学院的教授们请决定是复数还是单数） —

Long time ago the gentlemen of the family had worn lace ruffles and carried tinless foils and owned plantations and had slaves to burn. —
很久以前，这个家族的男士们戴着蕾丝领是官衣，握着无锡佩剑，拥有庄园，还有数不清的奴隶。 —

But the war had greatly reduced their holdings. —
但是战争大大减少了他们的财产。 —

(Of course you can perceive at once that this flavor has been shoplifted from Mr. F. Hopkinson Smith, in spite of the “et” after “Carter.”) Well, anyhow:
（当然，你一下子就能看出这种风格是从F. Hopkinson Smith先生那里“顺走”的，尽管在“Carter”之后加了“et”。）好吧，不管怎样：

In digging up the Carteret history I shall not take you farther back than the year 1620. —
在挖掘卡特里特家族的历史时，我不会将你带回到1620年之前。 —

The two original American Carterets came over in that year, but by different means of transportation. —
这两位最初的美国卡特里特来自那一年，但通过不同的交通方式。 —

One brother, named John, came in the Mayflower and became a Pilgrim Father. —
一个名为约翰的兄弟乘坐“五月花”号船来到，并成为朝圣者之父。 —

You’ve seen his picture on the covers of the Thanksgiving magazines, hunting turkeys in the deep snow with a blunderbuss. —
你在感恩节杂志的封面上看过他的照片，在深雪中用一把火铳打猎火鸡。 —

Blandford Carteret, the other brother, crossed the pond in his own brigantine, landed on the Virginia coast, and became an F.F.V. John became distinguished for piety and shrewdness in business; —
布兰福德·卡特里特，另一位兄弟，乘坐自己的单桅帆船过海，登陆在弗吉尼亚海岸，并成为维吉尼亚名门望族。约翰因为虔诚和商业头脑过人而成为名人； —

Blandford for his pride, juleps; marksmanship, and vast slave-cultivated plantations.
布兰福德因为他的骄傲、薄荷酒、射击技巧和大规模奴隶耕种的种植园而闻名。

Then came the Civil War. (I must condense this historical interpolation. —
然后发生了内战。（我必须压缩这段历史插曲。 —

) Stonewall Jackson was shot; Lee surrendered; —
斯通沃尔·杰克逊被击中；李将军投降； —

Grant toured the world; cotton went to nine cents; —
格兰特环游世界；棉花价格上涨至九分； —

Old Crow whiskey and Jim Crow cars were invented; —
Old Crow威士忌和Jim Crow车辆被发明； —

the Seventy-ninth Massachusetts Volunteers returned to the Ninety-seventh Alabama Zouaves the battle flag of Lundy’s Lane which they bought at a second-hand store in Chelsea kept by a man named Skzchnzski; —
第七十九个马萨诸塞志愿队将伦迪的兰战旗归还给第九十七个亚拉巴驻军，他们是在切尔西一个名叫斯克兹尼斯基的二手店买的； —

Georgia sent the President a sixty-pound watermelon–and that brings us up to the time when the story begins. —
乔治亚给总统送了一个六十磅的西瓜，这便是故事开始的时间； —

My! but that was sparring for an opening! —
天哪！那是为争取一次开机而斗智斗勇的回合！ —

I really must brush op on my Aristotle.
我真得把亚里士多德的知识温习一下。

The Yankee Carterets went into business in New York long before the war. —
那些北方的卡特雷特家族在战争之前就在纽约经商了。 —

Their house, as far as Leather Belting and Mill Supplies was concerned, was as musty and arrogant and solid as one of those old East India tea-importing concerns that you read about in Dickens. —
他们的家族，就像皮革胶带和磨粉供应方面一样，如同迪更斯小说中描写的那些古老的东印度茶叶进口公司一样陈旧、傲慢而坚实。 —

There were some rumors of a war behind its counters, but not enough to affect the business.
有一些关于他们家族在柜台后的战争的谣言，但不足以影响生意。

During and after the war, Blandford Carteret, F.F.V., lost his plantations, juleps, marksmanship, and life. —
在战争期间和战后，威尔士卡特雷特，弗吉尼亚之子，失去了自己的种植园、薄荷酒、射击技巧和生命。 —

He bequeathed little more than his pride to his surviving family. —
他仅将自己的骄傲传给了幸存的家人。 —

So it came to pass that Blandford Carteret, the Fifth, aged fifteen, was invited by the leather-and-millsupplies branch of that name to come North and learn business instead of hunting foxes and boasting of the glory of his fathers on the reduced acres of his impoverished family. —
于是，年仅十五岁的第五代布兰福德·卡特雷特获邀来到北方的皮革和磨坊供应部门，学习经商，而不是在陷入贫困的家族拥有的减少了的土地上狩猎狐狸和夸耀祖辈的荣耀。 —

The boy jumped at the chance; and, at the age of twenty-five, sat in the office of the firm equal partner with John, the Fifth, of the blunderbuss-and-turkey branch. —
男孩抓住了这个机会；在二十五岁时，他与第五代约翰共同拥有了这个野火枪和火鸡供应部门的公司，并坐在办公室里平等的合伙人地位。 —

Here the story begins again.
故事从这里重新开始。

The young men were about the same age, smooth of face, alert, easy of manner, and with an air that promised mental and physical quickness. —
年轻人们大致同龄，面容清秀，机敏活泼，举止优雅，带有一种表明他们智力和身体机敏的气息。 —

They were razored, blue-serged, straw-hatted, and pearl stick-pinned like other young New Yorkers who might be millionaires or bill clerks.
他们修整了胡子，穿着蓝色的套装，戴着草帽，戴着珍珠领针，像其他年轻的纽约人一样，有可能是百万富翁或账单职员。

One afternoon at four o’clock, in the private office of the firm, Blandford Carteret opened a letter that a clerk had just brought to his desk. —
一个下午四点，在公司的私人办公室里，布兰福德·卡特雷特打开了一封刚刚被职员送到他桌子上的信件。 —

After reading it, he chuckled audibly for nearly a minute. —
阅读完信后，他笑得声音几乎持续了一分钟。 —

John looked around from his desk inquiringly.
约翰从他的桌子上疑惑地四处张望。

“It’s from mother,” said Blandford. “I’ll read you the funny part of it. —
“是妈妈来信，”布兰福德说。“我给你读一下有趣的部分。” —

She tells me all the neighborhood news first, of course, and then cautions me against getting my feet wet and musical comedies. —
她首先告诉我所有的邻里消息，然后告诫我不要弄湿脚和看音乐喜剧。 —

After that come some vital statistics about calves and pigs and an estimate of the wheat crop. —
此后，她给了我一些小牛和猪的关键统计数据以及小麦产量的估计。 —

And now I’ll quote some:
现在我引用一些：

”‘And what do you think! Old Uncle Jake, who was seventy-six last Wednesday, must go travelling. —
“你知道吗！上周三满76岁的杰克叔叔要去旅行了。 —

Nothing would do but he must go to New York and see his “young Marster Blandford.” Old as he is, he has a deal of common sense, so I’ve let him go. —
他非要去纽约看他的“小主人布兰福德”不可。尽管他年纪大了，但他还是很有常识，所以我让他去了。 —

I couldn’t refuse him–he seemed to have concentrated all his hopes and desires into this one adventure into the wide world. —
我无法拒绝他——他似乎把所有的希望和渴望都集中在这一个闯入广阔世界的冒险中。 —

You know he was born on the plantation, and has never been ten miles away from it in his life. —
你知道他是在庄园出生的，一生中从未离开过十英里。 —

And he was your father’s body servant during the war, and has been always a faithful vassal and servant of the family. —
他在战争期间曾是你父亲的侍从，一直都是家族忠实的臣仆和仆人。 —

He has often seen the gold watch–the watch that was your father’s and your father’s father’s. —
他经常见过那块金表——那块曾经属于你父亲和你祖父的表。 —

I told him it was to be yours, And he begged me to allow him to take it to you and to put it into your hands himself.
我告诉他这块表将属于你，他恳求我允许他亲自把它交给你。

”‘So he has it, carefully inclosed in a buck-skin case, and is bringing it to you with all the pride and importance of a king’s messenger. —
“所以他现在把它仔细地放在束鹿皮盒里，带着像国王使者一样的自豪感和重要性给你带来。 —

I gave him money for the round trip and for a two weeks’ stay in the city. —
我给了他往返的路费和在城里待两个星期的钱。 —

I wish you would see to it that he gets comfortable quarters–Jake won’t need much looking after–he’s able to take care of himself. —
我希望你能确保他住得舒适——Jake不需要太多照顾——他能自己照顾自己。 —

But I have read in the papers that African bishops and colored potentates generally have much trouble in obtaining food and lodging in the Yankee metropolis. —
但我在报纸上看到非洲主教和有色权贵在洋基大都会有很多饮食和住宿的困扰。 —

That may be all right; but I don’t see why the best hotel there shouldn’t take Jake in. —
可能这是可以理解的，但我不明白为什么那里的最好的酒店不会收留Jake。 —

Still, I suppose it’s a rule.
不过，我想这是规定。

”‘I gave him full directions about finding you, and packed his valise myself. —
“我给了他详细的找到你的指示，并亲自帮他打好了行李。” —

You won’t have to bother with him; but I do hope you’ll see that he is made comfortable. —
你不必费心照顾他；但我希望你会明白让他感到舒适的重要性。 —

Take the watch that he brings you–it’s almost a decoration. —
接受他带给你的手表吧，它几乎是一种装饰品。 —

It has been worn by true Carterets, and there isn’t a stain upon it nor a false movement of the wheels. —
它曾被真正的卡特雷特家族人佩戴过，上面没有一点污渍，齿轮也没有一次错误的运转。 —

Bringing it to you is the crowning joy of old Jake’s life. —
让他把它带给你是老杰克一生中最大的快乐。 —

I wanted him to have that little outing and that happiness before it is too late. —
在为时已晚之前，我希望他能在这次小小的旅行中获得快乐。 —

You have often heard us talk about how Jake, pretty badly wounded himself, crawled through the reddened grass at Chancellorsville to where your father lay with the bullet in his dear heart, and took the watch from his pocket to keep it from the “Yanks.”
你肯定听过我们谈论过杰克的事迹，他自己也受了重伤，却还爬过鲜红的草地前往尚克斯维尔，在那里你父亲受伤重，子弹仍留在他心脏的位置，杰克从他口袋里拿走了这只手表，以免被”洋鬼子”带走。

”‘So, my son, when the old man comes consider him as a frail but worthy messenger from the old-time life and home.
“所以，我的孩子，当老人来的时候，请把他当作一个虚弱但值得敬重的来自旧时光与家园的使者。

”‘You have been so long away from home and so long among the people that we have always regarded as aliens that I’m not sure that Jake will know you when he sees you. —
“你离家太久了，与那些我们一直视为外国人的人们生活在一起太久了，我不确定当杰克见到你时会不会认出你来。 —

But Jake has a keen perception, and I rather believe that he will know a Virginia Carteret at sight. —
但是杰克观察力敏锐，我相信他一看就能认出弗吉尼亚·卡特里特。 —

I can’t conceive that even ten years in Yankee-land could change a boy of mine. —
我无法想象即使在北方呆了十年也会改变我的孩子。 —

Anyhow, I’m sure you will know Jake. I put eighteen collars in his valise. —
无论如何，我相信你会认出杰克。我在他的行李箱里装了十八个领子。 —

If he should have to buy others, he wears a number 15 ¹⁄₂. —
如果他需要买新的，他穿的是15 1/2号。 —

Please see that he gets the right ones. He will be no trouble to you at all.
请确保他拿到正确的尺码。他不会给你带来任何麻烦。

”‘If you are not too busy, I’d like for you to find him a place to board where they have white-meal corn-bread, and try to keep him from taking his shoes off in your office or on the street. —
“如果你不是太忙，我希望你能给他找一个有白色玉米面馒头的寄宿地，并且尽量阻止他在你的办公室或街上脱鞋子。 —

His right foot swells a little, and he likes to be comfortable.
他的右脚稍微肿了一点，他喜欢舒适。

”‘If you can spare the time, count his handkerchiefs when they come back from the wash. —
“如果你能抽出时间，当手帕从洗衣店回来时数一数他的手帕。 —

I bought him a dozen new ones before he left. —
在他离开之前，我给他买了一打新的。 —

He should be there about the time this letter reaches you. —
大约在你收到这封信的时候他应该到了。 —

I told him to go straight to your office when he arrives.’”
我告诉他到达时直接去你的办公室。”

As soon as Blandford had finished the reading of this, something happened (as there should happen in stories and must happen on the stage).
就在布兰福德读完这段话的瞬间，发生了某件事情（就像故事中应该发生的，舞台上必须发生的事情一样）。

Percival, the office boy, with his air of despising the world’s output of mill supplies and leather belting, came in to announce that a colored gentleman was outside to see Mr. Blandford Carteret.
佩西瓦尔，办公室小伙子，带着对世界上的制造供应和革带产出的藐视态度，走进来宣布说有一个有色人士在外面来见布兰福德·卡特里特先生。

“Bring him in,” said Blandford, rising.
“让他进来，”布兰福德起身说道。

John Carteret swung around in his chair and said to Percival: —
约翰·卡特里特在椅子上转过身对佩西瓦尔说： —

“Ask him to wait a few minutes outside. We’ll let you know when to bring him in.”
“请他在外面等几分钟。我们会告诉你何时把他带进来。”

Then he turned to his cousin with one of those broad, slow smiles that was an inheritance of all the Carterets, and said:
然后他转向他的表弟，带着卡特里特家族遗传的宽阔而缓慢的微笑说道：

“Bland, I’ve always had a consuming curiosity to understand the differences that you haughty Southerners believe to exist between ‘you all ’ and the people of the North. Of course, I know that you consider yourselves made out of finer clay and look upon Adam as only a collateral branch of your ancestry; —
“布兰德，我一直很好奇想了解你这些高傲的南方人认为你们和北方人之间存在的差异。当然，我知道你们认为自己是由更好的泥土制成，将亚当只看作你们祖先的旁系分支；” —

but I don’t know why. I never could understand the differences between us.”
“但是我不知道为什么。我从来就不明白我们之间的区别。”

“Well, John,” said Blandford, laughing, “what you don’t understand about it is just the difference, of course. —
“嗯，约翰，”布兰福德笑着说，“你不明白的就是当然的那个区别。” —

I suppose it was the feudal way in which we lived that gave us our lordly baronial airs and feeling of superiority.”
“我想我们之所以拥有颐指气使的贵族气质和优越感，是因为我们生活在封建制度下。”

“But you are not feudal, now,” went on John. “Since we licked you and stole your cotton and mules you’ve had to go to work just as we ‘damyankees,’ as you call us, have always been doing. —
“但是你们现在已经不再封建了，”约翰继续说，“自从我们打败了你们，偷走了你们的棉花和骡子，你们也不得不像我们这些‘该死的北方佬’一样开始工作。” —

And you’re just as proud and exclusive and upper-classy as you were before the war. —
“而且你们还是一样骄傲、排他和上层社会的。” —

So it wasn’t your money that caused it.”
“所以不是因为你们有钱才导致了这一点。”

“Maybe it was the climate,” said Blandford, lightly, “or maybe our negroes spoiled us. —
“也许是气候的原因，”布兰福德轻松地说道，“或者可能是我们的黑奴惯坏了我们。” —

I’ll call old Jake in, now. I’ll be glad to see the old villain again.”
“现在我就叫老杰克进来，我很想再见到那个老流氓。”

“Wait just a moment,” said John. “I’ve got a little theory I want to test. —
“等一下，”约翰说道，“我有一个小理论想要验证一下。” —

You and I are pretty much alike in our general appearance. —
“你和我在外表上非常相似。” —

Old Jake hasn’t seen you since you were fifteen. —
“自从你十五岁以后，老杰克就再也没见过你了。” —

Let’s have him in and play fair and see which of us gets the watch. —
让他进来，我们公平竞争，看看谁能得到那块手表。 —

The old darky surrey ought to be able to pick out his ‘young marster’ without any trouble. —
这辆古老的黑色马车应该能轻易分辨出他的“年轻主人”。 —

The alleged aristocratic superiority of a ‘reb’ ought to be visible to him at once. —
这个所谓的贵族“南方军人”应该一眼就能看出他的上层地位。 —

He couldn’t make the mistake of handing over the timepiece to a Yankee, of course. —
他当然不会把手表交给一个北方人。 —

The loser buys the dinner this evening and two dozen 15 ¹⁄₂ collars for Jake. Is it a go?”
输的人今晚请客吃饭，并买两打15 1/2号的衬衫给杰克。你愿意吗？

Blandford agreed heartily. Percival was summoned, and told to usher the “colored gentleman” in.
布兰福德热情同意。珀西瓦尔被叫来，被告知把“有色绅士”带进来。

Uncle Jake stepped inside the private office cautiously. —
叔叔杰克小心翼翼地走进私人办公室。 —

He was a little old man, as black as soot, wrinkled and bald except for a fringe of white wool, cut decorously short, that ran over his ears and around his head. —
他是一个小个子老人，皮肤漆黑如煤，除了一圈白色的羊毛修剪得整整齐齐地围着耳朵和头部外，全白没有了头发。 —

There was nothing of the stage “uncle” about him: his black suit nearly fitted him; —
他一点也不像舞台上的“叔叔”：他的黑西装几乎合身； —

his shoes shone, and his straw hat was banded with a gaudy ribbon. —
他的鞋擦得亮亮的，他的草帽上裹着一条花哨的丝带。 —

In his right hand he carried something carefully concealed by his closed fingers.
他右手里拿着一样仔细隐藏的东西。

Uncle Jake stopped a few steps from the door. —
大叔杰克停在门口不远处。 —

Two young men sat in their revolving desk-chairs ten feet apart and looked at him in friendly silence. —
两个年轻人坐在相隔十英尺的转椅上友好地注视着他。 —

His gaze slowly shifted many times from one to the other. —
他的目光慢慢地多次在他们之间转换。 —

He felt sure that he was in the presence of one, at least, of the revered family among whose fortunes his life had begun and was to end.
他确信自己面前至少有一个家族中受尊敬的人物，这是他一生的起点和终点。

One had the pleasing but haughty Carteret air; —
一个有着令人愉悦但傲慢的卡特雷特气质； —

the other had the unmistakable straight, long family nose. —
另一个则有着明显的直挺家族鼻子。 —

Both had the keen black eyes, horizontal brows, and thin, smiling lips that had distinguished both the Carteret of the Mayflower and him of the brigantine. —
两人都有着敏锐的黑眼睛，水平的眉毛和薄薄的笑容，这既是“五月花号”上的卡特雷特，也是这个船只上的他的特点。 —

Old Jake had thought that he could have picked out his young master instantly from a thousand Northerners; —
老杰克曾以为自己可以从千千万万的北方人中立即辨认出他的年轻主人； —

but he found himself in difficulties. The best he could do was to use strategy.
但他发现自己陷入了困境。他能做的最好的就是采取策略。

“Howdy, Marse Blandford–howdy, suh ?” he said, looking midway between the two young men.
“你好，布兰福德先生-你好，先生？”他边说边向两个年轻人之间的中间看了一眼。

“Howdy, Uncle Jake?” they both answered pleasantly and in unison. —
“你好，杰克大叔？”他们两人友善而齐声地回答道。 —

“Sit down. Have you brought the watch ?”
“坐下。你带来手表了吗？”

Uncle Jake chose a hard-bottom chair at a respectful distance, sat on the edge of it, and laid his hat carefully on the floor. —
叔叔杰克选择了一个硬底椅子，在一个尊敬的距离处坐在椅子的边缘，并仔细地将帽子放在地板上。 —

The watch in its buckskin case he gripped tightly. —
他紧紧地握着手表，放在它的鹿皮盒子里。 —

He had not risked his life on the battle-field to rescue that watch from his “old marster’s” foes to hand it over again to the enemy without a struggle.
他冒着生命危险从“老主人”的敌人那里将手表救出来，就是为了不让它再次落入敌人手中而进行斗争。

“Yes, suh; I got it in my hand, suh. I’m gwine give it to you right away in jus’ a minute. —
“是的，先生；我手里拿着，先生。我马上就给您，就在一分钟之内。 —

Old Missus told me to put it in young Marse Blandford’s hand and tell him to wear it for the family pride and honor. —
老太太让我把它放在年轻的布兰福德先生手里，并告诉他为了家族的荣誉和尊严而佩戴它。 —

It was a mighty longsome trip for an old nigger man to make– ten thousand miles, it must be, back to old Vi’ginia, suh. —
对于一个年迈的黑奴来说，这是一段漫长而孤独的旅程——得有一万英里吧，回到瓦吉尼亚州。 —

You’ve growed mightily, young marster. I wouldn’t have reconnized you but for yo’ powerful resemblance to old marster.”
您长得可真大了，年轻的主人。如果不是您与老主人相似之处很多，我都认不出您来了。

With admirable diplomacy the old man kept his eyes roaming in the space between the two men. —
老人的眼睛很巧妙地在两个人之间巡视着，他的话可能是对其中任何一个人说的。 —

His words might have been addressed to either. —
他的话可能是针对其中任何一方的。 —

Though neither wicked nor perverse, he was seeking for a sign.
虽然他既不邪恶也不乖张，但他在寻找一个迹象。

Blandford and John exchanged winks.
布兰福德和约翰交换了眼色。

“I reckon you done got you ma’s letter,” went on Uncle Jake. “She said she was gwine to write to you ‘bout my comin’ along up this er- way.
“我猜你已经收到了你妈妈的信。”杰克大叔接着说，“她说她打算给你写信，让你知道我要来这个地方。”

“Yes, yes, Uncle Jake,” said John briskly. —
“是的，是的，杰克大叔，”约翰精神焕发地说道。 —

“My cousin and I have just been notified to expect you. —
“我表弟和我刚刚收到通知说要接待您。” —

We are both Carterets, you know.”
“我们都是卡特里特家族的一员，您知道的。”

“Although one of us,” said Blandford, “was born and raised in the North.”
“尽管我们其中一个人”布兰福德说，“在北方出生和长大。”

“So if you will hand over the watch–” said John.
“所以如果你能把手表交给我们——”约翰说。

“My cousin and I-” said Blandford.
“我表弟和我——”布兰福德说。

‘Will then see to it–” said John.
“然后会保证——”约翰说。

“That comfortable quarters are found for you,” said Blandford.
“为您找到舒适的住所。”布兰福德说。

With creditable ingenuity, old Jake set up a cackling, high-pitched, protracted laugh. —
老杰克巧妙地发出了一个尖笑声，高亢而持久。 —

He beat his knee, picked up his hat and bent the brim in an apparent paroxysm of humorous appreciation. —
他拍打着膝盖，捡起帽子，弯曲帽檐，似乎在一阵幽默的欣赏中爆发。 —

The seizure afforded him a mask behind which he could roll his eyes impartially between, above, and beyond his two tormentors.
这个发作给了他一个面具，在那里他可以毫不偏袒地转动眼珠，看着他的两个折磨者。

“I sees what!” he chuckled, after a while. —
“我明白了！”他笑着说道一会儿。 —

“You gen’lemen is tryin’ to have fun with the po’ old nigger. —
“你们这些绅士们想和这个可怜的黑鬼开玩笑。 —

But you can’t fool old Jake. I knowed you, Marse Blandford, the minute I sot eyes on you. —
但你们骗不了老杰克。我一眼就认出你了，布兰福德先生。 —

You was a po’ skimpy little boy no mo’ than about fo’teen when you lef’ home to come No’th; —
你离开家去北方的时候，还只是个可怜的瘦小男孩，不过十四岁而已； —

but I knowed you the minute I sot eyes on you. You is the mawtal image of old marster. —
但我一眼就认出你了。你跟老爷样子一模一样。 —

The other gen’leman resembles you mightily, suh; —
另外一个绅士也很像你，先生； —

but you can’t fool old Jake on a member of the old Vi’ginia family. No suh.”
但老杰克可不会被一个维吉尼亚家族的成员蒙骗。不，先生。”

At exactly the same time both Carterets smiled and extended a hand for the watch.
卡特莱特二人同时微笑着伸手要表。

Uncle Jake’s wrinkled, black face lost the expression of amusement to which he had vainly twisted it. He knew that he was being teased, and that it made little real difference, as far as its safety went, into which of those outstretched hands he placed the family treasure. —
黑皮肤的叔叔杰克的脸上的欢愉表情消失了，他知道自己正在被戏弄，而无论他把这珍贵的家族宝贝放在哪只伸出的手中，它的安全性都没什么实质性的差别。 —

But it seemed to him that not only his own pride and loyalty but much of the Virginia Carterets’ was at stake. —
但在他看来，不仅仅是他自己的自尊和忠诚，还有维吉尼亚的卡特莱特家族的尊严也受到了威胁。 —

He had heard down South during the war about that other branch of the family that lived in the North and fought on “the yuther side,” and it had always grieved him. —
他在战争期间从南方听说了家族的另一支在北方生活并与“另一边”作战，这一直让他伤心。 —

He had followed his “old marster’s” fortunes from stately luxury through war to almost poverty. —
他一直跟随着他“老主人”的命运，从华丽的奢侈到战争，再到几乎贫困。 —

And now, with the last relic and reminder of him, blessed by “old missus,” and intrusted implicitly to his care, he had come ten thousand miles (as it seemed) to deliver it into the hands of the one who was to wear it and wind it and cherish it and listen to it tick off the unsullied hours that marked the lives of the Carterets–of Virginia.
现在，他带着由“老夫人”赐予祝福，并完全委托给他照看的最后的纪念品和提醒，跋涉千里之遥（看上去如此），将它交到即将佩戴它、上紧它、珍视它、倾听它指示出卡特瑞特家族——弗吉尼亚州——纯洁的小时光的名人手中。

His experience and conception of the Yankees had been an impression of tyrants–“low-down, common trash”–in blue, laying waste with fire and sword. —
他对北部人的经历和概念，是一个统治者的印象——“无耻、卑鄙的垃圾”，穿着蓝色制服，用火和刀剑肆意破坏。 —

He had seen the smoke of many burning homesteads almost as grand as Carteret Hall ascending to the drowsy Southern skies. —
他看到了许多被焚毁的农舍的烟雾，几乎和卡特瑞特庄园一样壮观，升腾到昏昏欲睡的南方天空中。 —

And now he was face to face with one of them–and he could not distinguish him from his “young marster” whom he had come to find and bestow upon him the emblem of his kingship–even as the arm “clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful” laid Excalibur in the right hand of Arthur. —
现在他面对着其中的一个人，他不能把他与他爬来找到并赠予他王权象征的“年轻的主人”区分开来，就像“披着白色细软细布的手臂，神秘而奇妙”把Excalibur剑放在亚瑟的右手上一样。 —

He saw before him two young men, easy, kind, courteous, welcoming, either of whom might have been the one he sought. —
他看到面前有两个年轻人，温和、友善、彬彬有礼，任何一个都可能是他寻找的人。 —

Troubled, bewildered, sorely grieved at his weakness of judgment, old Jake abandoned his loyal subterfuges. —
烦恼、困惑、对自己的判断力感到痛苦，年迈的杰克放弃了他忠诚的伎俩。 —

His right hand sweated against the buckskin cover of the watch. —
他的右手在表皮的鹿皮上出汗。 —

He was deeply humiliated and chastened. Seriously, now, his prominent, yellow-white eyes closely scanned the two young men. —
他感到非常羞愧和受到戒备。现在，他那突出的黄白色眼睛仔细地扫视着这两个年轻人。 —

At the end of his scrutiny he was conscious of but one difference between them. —
经过仔细观察，他只发现了一个区别。 —

One wore a narrow black tie with a white pearl stickpin. —
一个人戴着一根细长的黑色领带，上面别着一根白色的珍珠领针。 —

The other’s “four-in-hand ” was a narrow blue one pinned with a black pearl.
另一个人的“四手带”是一根细长的蓝色领带，上面别着一颗黑珍珠。

And then, to old Jake’s relief, there came a sudden distraction. —
然后，杰克老人松了一口气，突然分散了注意力。 —

Drama knocked at the door with imperious knuckles, and forced Comedy to the wings, and Drama peeped with a smiling but set face over the footlights.
剧情以傲慢的关节敲响了门，并把喜剧推到了幕后，而剧情却带着微笑但坚定的表情越过舞台前的聚光灯向外张望。

Percival, the hater of mill supplies, brought in a card, which he handed, with the manner of one bearing a cartel, to Blue-Tie.
波西瓦尔，对磨坊用品感到厌恶的人，拿来一张卡片，他以一个持旗帜者的态度将它交给蓝领。

”‘Olivia De Ormond,’” read Blue-Tie from the card. He looked inquiringly at his cousin.
“奥利维亚·德·奥尔蒙德，”蓝领从卡片上念出来。他疑惑地看着他的表兄弟。

“Why not have her in,” said Black-Tie, “and bring matters to a conclusion?”
“为什么不请她进来，”黑领说，“把事情推向结局呢？”

“Uncle Jake,” said one of the young men, “would you mind taking that chair over there in the corner for a while? —
“杰克叔叔，”一个年轻人说，“您介意暂时坐到那边的椅子上一会儿吗？我们要有个女士要来办点事情。之后我们会处理你的事情。” —

A lady is coming in–on some business. We’ll take up your case afterward.”
波西瓦尔引领进来的女士年轻而易怒，明显而有意地漂亮。

The lady whom Percival ushered in was young and petulantly, decidedly, freshly, consciously, and intentionally pretty. —
“奥利维亚·德·奥尔蒙德” —

She was dressed with such expensive plainness that she made you consider lace and ruffles as mere tatters and rags. —
她身穿的昂贵朴实的衣服让你觉得花边和褶边只不过是碎布和破烂。 —

But one great ostrich plume that she wore would have marked her anywhere in the army of beauty as the wearer of the merry helmet of Navarre.
但是她戴着的一根巨大的鸵鸟羽毛会让她在美丽的军队中以纳瓦拉快乐帽的佩戴者的身份引人注目。

Miss De Ormond accepted the swivel chair at Blue-Tie’s desk. —
德尔蒙德小姐接受了蓝领公司办公桌旁的转椅。 —

Then the gentlemen drew leather-upholstered seats conveniently near, and spoke of the weather.
然后先生们舒适地坐在皮革软包座位上，谈论着天气。

“Yes,” said she, “I noticed it was warmer. —
“是的，”她说，“我注意到天气变暖了。 —

But I mustn’t take up too much of your time during business hours. —
但是我不应该在工作时间占用太多的时间。 —

That is,” she continued, “unless we talk business.”
也就是说，”她继续说道，“除非我们谈生意。”

She addressed her words to Blue-Tie, with a charming smile.
她面带迷人的微笑对蓝领说道。

“Very well,” said he. “You don’t mind my cousin being present, do you? —
“好吧，”他说。 “你不介意我堂兄在场，对吗？ —

We are generally rather confidential with each other-especially in business matters.”
我们通常在彼此之间相当保密，尤其是在商务事务上。”

“Oh no,” caroled Miss De Ormond. “I’d rather he did hear. He knows all about it, anyhow. —
“哦不，”德尔蒙德小姐尽情歌唱，“他最好能听到。无论如何，他已经全部知道了。 —

In fact, he’s quite a material witness because he was present when you–when it happened. —
事实上，他是个很重要的证人，因为在发生那件事时他在场。 —

I thought you might want to talk things over before–well, before any action is taken, as I believe the lawyers say.”
我想你可能希望在采取任何行动之前先谈谈，就像律师们所说的那样。

“Have you anything in the way of a proposition to make?” asked Black- Tie.
“你有什么建议吗？”黑领带问道。

Miss De Ormond looked reflectively at the neat toe of one of her dull kid-pumps.
德奥蒙德小姐沉思地看了看她一只沉闷仿皮鞋的整洁鞋尖。

“I had a proposal made to me,” she said. “If the proposal sticks it cuts out the proposition. —
“有人向我提出了一个建议，”她说。“如果这个建议得到接受，那么这个方案就会推翻。” —

Let’s have that settled first.”
我们先解决这个问题吧。

“Well, as far as–” began Blue-Tie.
“好吧，就在……”蓝领带开始说。

“Excuse me, cousin,” interrupted Black-Tie, “if you don’t mind my cutting in.” And then he turned, with a good-natured air, toward the lady.
“对不起，表亲，”黑领带插话道，“如果你不介意我插一句。” 然后他转身朝着那位女士，带着友好的氛围。

“Now, let’s recapitulate a bit,” he said cheerfully. —
“现在，让我们简单回顾一下吧，”他愉快地说道。 —

“All three of us, besides other mutual acquaintances, have been out on a good many larks together.”
“我们三个人，还有其他共同认识的人，一起玩过很多次了。”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to call the birds by another name,” said Miss De Ormond.
“我怕我得给这些鸟儿换个名字，”德奥蒙德小姐说。

“All right,” responded Black-Tie, with unimpaired cheerfulness; —
“好吧，”黑领带愉快地回答道； —

“suppose we say ‘squabs’ when we talk about the ‘proposal’ and ‘larks’ when we discuss the ‘proposition.’ You have a quick mind, Miss De Ormond. Two months ago some half-dozen of us went in a motor-car for day’s run into the country. —
“我们说谈‘求婚’时，可以称为‘小鸽子’，讨论‘提议’时就用‘逗逗乐’吧。” “你的思维很敏捷，德奥蒙德小姐。两个月前，我们半打人坐着汽车去乡间玩了一天。” —

We stopped at a road-house for dinner. My cousin proposed marriage to you then and there. —
“我们在一家路边的小店吃晚饭。我表弟在那时那地向你求婚了。” —

He was influenced to do so, of course, by the beauty and charm which no one can deny that you possess.”
“当然，他这样做肯定是受到了你拥有的美丽和魅力的影响，这是无可否认的。”

“I wish I had you for a press agent, Mr. Carteret,” said the beauty, with a dazzling smile.
“我真希望我能有你这样的宣传代理人，卡特里特先生，”美女笑着说。

“You are on the stage, Miss De Ormond,” went on Black-Tie. “You have had, doubtless, many admirers, and perhaps other proposals. —
“德奥蒙小姐，你站在舞台上，”贝克爵士接着说，“你无疑有很多仰慕者，也许有过其他的求婚。” —

You must remember, too, that we were a party of merrymakers on that occasion. —
“你也必须记住，那次是我们一群快乐的人聚会的场合。” —

There were a good many corks pulled. That the proposal of marriage was made to you by my cousin we cannot deny. —
“当然有很多瓶子开了。我们不能否认他堂兄向你求婚了。” —

But hasn’t it been your experience that, by common consent, such things lose their seriousness when viewed in the next day’s sunlight? —
“但是你不是经历过这种事情在第二天的日光下显得不那么严肃吗？根据共识，这些事情就失去了它们的严重性。” —

Isn’t there something of a ‘code’ among good ‘sports’–I use the word in its best sense–that wipes out each day the follies of the evening previous?”
“在好运动员中是不是有种‘规范’，第二天就能抹去前一晚的愚蠢行为？我用最好的意义使用这个词。”

“Oh yes,” said Miss De Ormond. “I know that very well. And I’ve always played up to it. —
“噢是的，”德奥蒙小姐说。“我很清楚这一点。而且我一直遵守它。” —

But as you seem to be conducting the case– with the silent consent of the defendant–I’ll tell you something more. —
“但是看起来你在主持这个案子，得到了被告的默许，所以我告诉你更多信息。” —

I’ve got letters from him repeating the proposal. —
“我有他给我的重复求婚的信，而且还签了名。” —

And they’re signed, too.”
“而且信上还签名了。”

“I understand,” said Black-Tie gravely. “What’s your price for the letters?”
“我明白了。”贝克爵士认真地说。“你要卖这些信的价格是多少？”

“I’m not a cheap one,” said Miss De Ormond. “But I had decided to make you a rate. —
“我不是一个廉价货，”德·奥蒙小姐说道。”但是我决定给你一个价格。 —

You both belong to a swell family. Well, if I am on the stage nobody can say a word against me truthfully. —
你们两个都来自一个高贵的家族。好吧，如果我在舞台上，没有人可以对我说一个真实的词。 —

And the money is only a secondary consideration. —
钱只是次要的考虑因素。 —

It isn’t the money I was after. I–I believed him–and–and I liked him.”
我追求的并不是钱。我相信他，而且我喜欢他。

She cast a soft, entrancing glance at Blue-Tie from under her long eyelashes.
她从长长的眼睫毛下面投去一瞥，温柔而迷人。

“And the price?” went on Black-Tie, inexorably.
“价格呢？”黑领带继续问道，毫不留情。

“Ten thousand dollars,” said the lady, sweetly.
“一万美元，”那位女士甜蜜地说道。

“Or–”
“或者–”

“Or the fulfillment of the engagement to marry.”
“或者履行订婚的约定。”

“I think it is time,” interrupted Blue-Tie, “for me to be allowed to say a word or two. —
“我想是时候了，”蓝领带打断道，”让我说几句话了。 —

You and I, cousin, belong to a family that has held its head pretty high. —
你和我，表哥，都属于一个非常高傲的家族。 —

You have been brought up in a section of the country very different from the one where our branch of the family lived. —
你在一个与我们家族居住的地方非常不同的地方长大。 —

Yet both of us are Carterets, even if some of our ways and theories differ. —
但是无论如何我们都是卡特特家的人，即使我们的一些方式和理念有所不同。 —

You remember, it is a tradition of the family, that no Carteret ever failed in chivalry to a lady or failed to keep his word when it was given.”
你记得，对于卡特雷特家族来说，从来没有一个人对女士失去了骑士精神，也从来没有一个人不遵守自己的诺言。

Then Blue-Tie, with frank decision showing on his countenance, turned to Miss De Ormond.
接着，蓝领带的坦率决定表情朝德奥蒙小姐转过身来。

“Olivia,” said he, “on what date will you marry me?”
“奥利维亚，”他说，“你打算在哪个日期嫁给我？”

Before she could answer, Black-Tie again interposed.
在她回答之前，黑领带再次插话。

“It is a long journey,” said he, “from Plymouth rock to Norfolk Bay. Between the two points we find the changes that nearly three centuries have brought. —
“从普利茅斯岩到诺福克湾这是一段很长的旅程。”他说，“在这两个地点之间，我们看到了近三个世纪所带来的变化。 —

In that time the old order has changed. We no longer burn witches or torture slaves. —
在这段时间里，旧秩序已经改变。我们不再烧巫婆或折磨奴隶。 —

And to-day we neither spread our cloaks on the mud for ladies to walk over nor treat them to the ducking-stool. —
如今，我们既不再铺上披风给女士们行走，也不再把她们送上刑台。 —

It is the age of common sense, adjustment, and proportion. —
这是一个理性，调整和平衡的时代。 —

All of us–ladies, gentlemen, women, men, Northerners, Southerners, lords, caitiffs, actors, hardware-drummers, senators, hodcarriers, and politicians–are coming to a better understanding. —
我们所有人——女士们，绅士们，女人们，男人们，北方人，南方人，贵族，恶棍，演员，五金推销员，议员，搬运工和政治家——都在逐渐理解对方。 —

Chivalry is one of our words that changes its meaning every day. —
骑士道是我们每天都在改变含义的词之一。 —

Family pride is a thing of many constructions–it may show itself by maintaining a moth-eaten arrogance in cobwebbed Colonial mansion or by the prompt paying of one’s debts.
家族荣誉具有多种构建方式——它可以通过保持一个陈旧的傲慢在布满蛛网的殖民地豪宅中显示出来，也可以通过迅速偿还债务来展现。

“Now, I suppose you’ve had enough of my monologue. —
“现在，我想你已经听够了我的独白。 —

I’ve learned something of business and a little of life; —
我学到了一些关于生意和一点生活的东西； —

and I somehow believe, cousin, that our great-great-grandfathers, the original Carterets, would indorse my view of this matter.”
而且我某种程度上相信，表弟，我们曾曾曾祖父，最初的卡特里特斯，会支持我的观点。

Black-Tie wheeled around to his desk, wrote in a check-book and tore out the check, the sharp rasp of the perforated leaf making the only sound in the room. —
黑领带转身走到他的办公桌旁，写下了一张支票，并撕下了支票，透明纸的刺耳声成为房间里唯一的声音。 —

He laid the check within easy reach of Miss De Ormond’s hand.
他把支票放在德·奥蒙德小姐手边方便拿取。

“Business is business,” said he. “We live in a business age. —
“生意就是生意，”他说。”我们生活在一个商业时代。 —

There is my personal check for $10,000. What do you say, Miss De Ormond– will it he orange blossoms or cash ?”
这是我个人的一张支票，一万美元。德·奥蒙德小姐，你怎么说 —— 是橙花还是现金？”

Miss De Ormond picked up the cheek carelessly, folded it indifferently, and stuffed it into her glove.
德·奥蒙德小姐漫不经心地拿起支票，随意地折叠起来，然后塞进手套里。

“Oh, this’ll do,” she said, calmly. “I just thought I’d call and put it up to you. —
“哦，这个就可以了，”她平静地说。“我只是想打个电话给你，让你决定。 —

I guess you people are all right. But a girl has feelings, you know. —
“你们这些人还算不错。但是女孩也有感觉，你知道吗？ —

I’ve heard one of you was a Southerner–I wonder which one of you it is?”
“我听说你们中有一个是南方人——不知道是哪一个？”

She arose, smiled sweetly, and walked to the door. —
她站起身，甜美地微笑着，走向门口。 —

There, with a flash of white teeth and a dip of the heavy plume, she disappeared.
只见她露出一口洁白的牙齿，鸵鸟羽毛轻摆，她便消失了。

Both of the cousins had forgotten Uncle Jake for the time. —
这时，两个表兄弟都忘记了杰克叔叔。 —

But now they heard the shuffling of his shoes as he came across the rug toward them from his seat in the corner.
不过，现在他们听到他脚上那双鞋在地毯上拖动的声音，他从角落的座位上朝他们走来。

“Young marster,” he said, “take yo’ watch.” And without hesitation he laid the ancient timepiece in the hand of its rightful owner.
“小主人，”他说，“拿好你的手表。”他毫不犹豫地把那只古老的手表放在了它合法的主人手中。