I IMAGINE myself, in my childhood, as a hive to which all manner of simple, undistinguished people brought,as the bees bring honey, their knowledge and thoughts about life, generously enriching my soul with what theyhad to give. —
我想象自己，在童年时期，就像一个蜂巢，各种简单、不起眼的人们带来各种关于生活的知识和思想，慷慨地用他们所能给予的东西丰富我的灵魂。 —

The honey was often dirty, and bitter, but it was all the same knowledge and honey.
这些蜜有时很肮脏，也很苦，但它们无论如何都是知识和蜜。

After the departure of “Good-business,” Uncle Peter became my friend. —
在“Good-business”离开后，彼得叔叔成了我的朋友。 —

He was in appearance like grandfather,in that he was wizened, neat, and clean ; —
他外表像祖父，干瘦、整洁、干净； —

but he was shorter and altogether smaller than grandfather. —
但他比祖父更矮小。 —

He lookedlike a person hardly grown-up dressed up like an old man for fun. —
他看起来像一个几乎没长大的人，穿着像一个老人在开玩笑一样。 —

His face was creased like a square of very fineleather, and his comical, lively eyes, with their yellow whites, danced amidst these wrinkles like siskins in acage. —
他的脸皮纹路如同一方非常细腻的皮革，他那滑稽而活泼的眼睛，带着黄白色的眼白，在这些皱纹中跳舞，就像笼子里的金翅雀。 —

His raven hair, now growing gray, was curly, his beard also fell into ringlets, and he smoked a pipe, thesmoke from which the same color as his hair curled upward into rings too; —
他的乌黑头发，现在渐渐变灰，卷曲起来，他的胡须也形成卷发，他抽一只烟斗，烟雾与他的头发颜色一样卷曲上升成环； —

his style of speech was florid, andabounded in quaint sayings. —
他说话的风格华丽，并且充满古怪的说法。 —

He always spoke in a buzzing voice, and sometimes very kindly, but I always had anidea that he was making fun of everybody.
他总是用低沉的声音说话，有时很和蔼，但我总觉得他在取笑每个人。

“When I first went to her, the lady-countess Tatian her name was Lexievna said to me, ‘You shall beblacksmith’; —
“当我第一次去找她时，女伯爵阿纳斯塔西亚，她的名字是莱克谢耶夫娜，对我说，‘你将成为铁匠’； —

but after a time she orders me to go and help the gardener. —
但过了一段时间她命令我去帮助园丁。 —

‘All right, I don’t mind, only I didn’tengage to work as a laborer, and it is not right that I should have to. —
‘好吧，我无所谓，只是我不是说好要当劳动者的，我没有义务这样做。 —

’ Another time she ‘d say ‘Now, Petrushka,you must go fishing. —
’ 另一次她会说‘现在，彼得，你必须去钓鱼。 —

’ It was all one to me whether I went fishing or not, but I preferred to say ‘good-by’ to thefish, thank you! —
’ 对我来说是无所谓是去钓鱼还是不去，但我更愿意对着鱼说声‘再见’，谢谢！ —

and I came to the town as a drayman. And here I am, and have never been anything else. —
我作为一名车夫来到了这个城镇。而我至今一直是这个职业。 —

So far Ihave not done much good for myself by the change. —
到目前为止，我对自己的改变并没有带来太多好处。 —

The only thing I possess is the horse, which reminds me ofthe Countess.”
我唯一拥有的东西就是那匹让我想起伯爵夫人的马。

This was an old horse, and was really white, but one day a drunken house painter had begun to paint it in variouscolors, and had never finished his job. —
这匹马很老了，本来是白色的，但有一天一个醉鬼涂墙工人开始给它涂上各种颜色，却没完成他的工作。 —

Its legs were dislocated, and altogether it looked as if it were made of ragssewn together; —
它的腿有些错位，整体看起来就像是用破烂缝在一起的； —

the bony head, with its dim, sadly drooping eyes, was feebly attached to the carcass by swollenveins and old, worn-out skin. —
那颗骨头突出的头，悲伤地低垂着眼睛，通过肿胀的静脉和老化的皮肤虚弱地依附在躯体上。 —

Uncle Peter waited upon the creature with much respect, and called it “Tankoe.”
彼得叔叔对这个生物十分尊重，称它为“坦科”。

　　“Why do you call that animal by a Christian name?” asked grandfather one day.
“为什么你要用一个基督教名字来称呼那个动物？”有一天爷爷问。

“Nothing of the kind, Vassili Vassilev, nothing of the kind in all respect I say it. —
“绝对不是这回事，瓦西里·瓦西里耶绝对不是这回事我说了。 —

There is no such Christian nameas Tanka but there is ‘Tatiana’ !”
没有一个叫做坦科的基督教名字，但有‘塔蒂亚娜’！”

Uncle Peter was educated and well-read, and he and grandfather used to quarrel as to which of the saints was themost holy; —
彼得叔叔受过良好教育，博览群书，他和爷爷常常为哪个圣人更为神圣而争吵； —

and sit in judgment, each more severely than the other, on the sinners of ancient times. —
他们会严格而公正地审判远古时期的罪人。 —

The sinnerwho was most hardly dealt with was Absalom. —
被最严厉对待的罪人是押沙龙。 —

Sometimes the dispute took a purely grammatical form,grandfather saying that it ought to be “sogryeshiM0#z, bezzakonnovaM0w, nepravdava-khom” and Uncle Peterinsisting that it was “sogry. —
有时争辩变得纯粹地形式化，爷爷说应该是“苏格雷什，别扎科诺瓦，涅普拉瓦达扎霍姆”，而彼得叔叔则坚持是“苏格雷。 —

” “I say it one way, and you say it another! —
”“我这么说，而你那么说！ —

” said grandfather angrily, turning livid.
“祖父生气地说，脸色变得发青。

　　Then he jeered: “Vaska! Skiska!”
然后他讥讽道：“瓦斯卡！斯基斯卡！”

　　But Uncle Peter, enveloped in smoke, asked maliciously:
但是被烟围绕的彼得叔叔恶意地问道：

“And what is the use of your ‘Idioms’? Do you think God takes any notice of them? —
“你的‘习语’有什么用？你认为上帝会注意吗？ —

What God says when Helistens to our prayers is : —
当上帝听见我们祈祷时，他说的是： —

Pray how you like, pray what you like.”
无论你喜欢怎么祈祷，祈求什么。”

　　“Go away, Lexei !” shrieked grandfather in a fury, with his green eyes flashing.
“走开，列克谢！”，祖父怒气冲冲地尖叫着，他那双绿色的眼睛闪闪发光。

Peter was very fond of cleanliness and tidiness. —
彼得非常讲究清洁和整洁。 —

When he went into the yard he used to kick to one side anyshavings, or pieces of broken crockery, or bones that were lying about, with the scornful remark :
当他走进院子时，他经常会藐视地把散落的木屑、破陶器片或骨头踢到一边，然后说：

　　“These things are no use, and they get in the way.”
“这些东西没用，而且挡道。”

　　Although he was usually talkative, good-natured, and merry, there were times when his eyes became bloodshotand grew dim and fixed, like the eyes of a dead person, and he would sit, huddled up in a corner, morose and asdumb as his nephew.
尽管他通常健谈、和蔼和开朗，但有时他的眼睛会变得充血、呆滞，如同死人的眼睛，他会蜷缩在角落里，阴郁沉默，如同他的侄子一样。

　　“What is the matter with you, Uncle Peter?”
“彼得叔叔，你怎么了？”

　　“Let me alone!” he would say darkly and grimly.
“别管我！”他阴郁而冷酷地说道。

In one of the little houses in our street there lived a gentleman, with wens on his forehead, and the mostextraordinary habits; —
在我们街上的一间小房子里住着一个头上长着丘疹、举止异常的绅士； —

on Sundays he used to sit at the window and shoot from a shot-gun at dogs and cats, hensand crows, or whatever came in his way that did not please him. —
每逢星期天，他就坐在窗前，用猎枪射击那些他不喜欢的狗、猫、母鸡和乌鸦，或者任何挡道的东西。 —

One day he fired at the side of “Good-business”; —
有一天，他朝“好生意”一方射击； —

the shots did not pierce his leather coat, but some of them fell into his pocket. —
子弹没有穿透他的皮大衣，但有些落进了他的口袋里。 —

I shall never forget the interestedexpression with which the boarder regarded the dark-blue shots. —
我永远不会忘记寄宿者看着那些深蓝子弹时的感兴趣的表情。 —

Grandfather tried to persuade him to make acomplaint about it, but, throwing the shots into a corner of the kitchen, he replied :
祖父试图说服他提出投诉，但他将子弹扔进厨房的角落，回答道：

　　“It is not worth while.”
“不值得。”

Another time our marksman planted a few shots in grandfather’s leg, and he, much enraged, got up a petition tothe authorities, and set to work to get the names of other sufferers and witnesses in the street ; —
另一次，我们的神枪手在祖父的腿上放置了一些子弹，祖父非常愤怒，向当局提交了请愿书，并着手收集街上其他受害者和目击者的姓名； —

but the culpritsuddenly disappeared.
但罪犯突然消失了。

As for Uncle Peter, every time he heard the sound of shooting in the street if he were at home he used to hastilycover his iron-gray head with his glossy Sunday cap, which had large ear-flaps, and rush to the gate. —
至于彼得叔叔，每当他听到街上有枪声，如果他在家，他会迅速用那顶带有大耳瓣的华丽周日帽遮住他的铁灰色头发，然后冲向大门。 —

Here hewould hide his hands behind his back under his coat-tails, which he would lift up in imitation of a cock, andsticking out his stomach, would strut solemnly along the pavement quite close to the marksman, and then turnback. —
他会隐藏双手放在外套尾下，模仿公鸡抬起外套摆放在肚子下，庄重地在人行道上走，靠得很近射击者，然后转身回来。 —

He would do this over and over again, and our whole household would be standing at the gate; —
他会一遍又一遍地做这件事，我们整个家庭都站在大门口； —

while thepurple face of the war-like gentleman could be seen at his window, with the blonde head of his wife over hisshoulder, and people coming out of Betlenga yard only the gray, dead house of the Ovsyanikovs showed no signsof animation.
而好战的绅士的紫色脸在窗户里可以看到，他妻子的金发头挨着他肩膀，人们从贝特伦加庭院走出来，只有奥维斯扬尼科夫家那座灰色冷冷的房子没有任何生气之处。

Sometimes Uncle Peter made these excursions without any result, the hunter evidently not looking upon him asgame worthy of his skill in shooting; —
有时彼得叔叔这样的行动毫无结果，猎人显然不把他看作是值得他射击技术的猎物； —

but on other occasions the double-barrelled gun was discharged over andover again.
但在其他情况下，双管枪被连续发射。

　　“Boom! Boom!”
“轰！轰！”

　　With leisurely steps Uncle Peter came back to us and exclaimed, in great delight :
慢悠悠地，彼得叔叔回到我们身边，欣喜地说：

　　“He sent every shot into the field!”
“他每一枪都打进了田里！”

Once he got some shot into his shoulder and neck; —
有一次他的肩膀和脖子上被打了一些弹头； —

and grandmother gave him a lecture while she was gettingthem out with a needle :
奶奶一边用针拔他的弹头，一边教训他：

　　“Why on earth do you encourage the beast? He will blind you one of these days.”
“究竟你为什么要鼓励那个畜生？有一天他会把你瞎了。”

　　“Impossible, Akulina Ivanna,” drawled Peter contemptuously. “He ‘s no marksman !”
“不可能，阿库里娜·伊万娜，”彼得轻蔑地说。“他不是射手！”

　　“But why do you encourage him?”
“但你为什么要鼓励他？”

　　“Do you think I am encouraging him? No ! I like teasing the gentleman.”
“你认为我在鼓励他吗？不！我只是喜欢逗乐那位绅士。”

　　And looking at the extracted shot in his palm, he said:
当他看着手掌中的弹孔时，他说道：

“He ‘s no marksman. But up there, at the house of my mistress, the Countess Tatiana Lexievna, there was anArmy man Marmont Ilich. He was taken up most of the time with matrimonial duties husbands were in the samecategory as footmen with her and so he was kept busy about her; —
“他不是个射手。但在那里，我情妇塔季亚娜·列克谢耶夫娜的房子里，有一个叫马尔蒙特·伊利奇的军人。他大部分时间都在忙于夫妻之间的事务，对她而言丈夫和仆人属于同一类别，所以他忙于她的事情； —

but he could shoot, if you like only with bulletsthough, grandmother; —
但是，如果你愿意，他是会射击的，只能使用子弹——奶奶； —

he wouldn’t shoot with anything else. He put Ignashka the Idiot at forty paces orthereabouts from him, with a bottle tied to his belt and placed so that it hung between his legs; —
他不会用其他任何东西射击。他把傻子伊格纳什卡拉到距离他大约四十步的地方，把一个绑在他腰间并挂在两腿之间的瓶子； —

and whileIgnashka stood there with his legs apart laughing in his foolish way, Marmont Ilich took his pistol and bang! —
当伊格纳什卡站在那里，双腿分开傻笑时，马尔蒙特·伊利奇拿起手枪，砰！ —

thebottle was smashed to pieces. Only, unfortunately Ignashka swallowed a gadfly, or something, and gave a start,and the bullet went into his knee, right into the kneecap. —
瓶子被打碎了。只是不幸的是，伊格纳什卡吞下了一只牛虻，或者其他什么东西，他吃了一惊，子弹射进了他的膝盖，正好打在髌骨上。 —

The doctor was called and he took the leg off; —
医生被叫来，他把腿截掉了； —

it was allover in a minute, and the leg was buried …”
一切都在一分钟内结束了，腿被埋葬了……”

　　“But what about the idiot?”
但那个傻子怎么办？

“Oh, he was all right! What does an idiot want with legs and arms? —
“哦，他没事！一个傻子需要腿和手做什么？ —

His idiocy brings him in more than enough toeat and drink. Every one loves idiots ; —
他的愚蠢给他带来了足够的吃喝。每个人都爱傻子； —

they are harmless enough. You know the saying: —
他们足够无害。你知道那句话： —

‘It is better forunderlings to be fools; —
‘部下最好是傻瓜； —

they can do less harm then.’ ”
他们能造成的危害更小。’”

　　This sort of talk did not astonish grandmother, she had listened to it scores of times, but it made me ratheruncomfortable, and I asked Uncle Peter:
这种谈话并没有使祖母吃惊，她听过很多次，但这让我感到有些不舒服，我问彼得叔叔：

　　“Would that gentleman be able to kill any one?”
那位先生能杀死别人吗？

“And why not? Of cou rse he could! … He even fought a duel. —
当然可以！……他甚至打过一场决斗。 —

A Uhlan, who came on a visit to TatianaLexievna, had a quarrel with Marmont, and in a minute they had their pistols in their hands, and went out to thepark; —
一名乌兰人来探访塔蒂亚娜·莱克斯耶夫娜时，与马尔蒙特发生了争执，他们立刻拿起手枪，走出去到了公园里； —

and there on the path by the pond that Uhlan shot Marmont bang through the liver. —
并且在池塘边的小路上，乌兰射中马蒙的肝脏。 —

Then Marmont was sentto the churchyard, and the Uhlan to the Caucasus … —
然后马蒙被送去了教堂墓地，而乌兰被派往高加索…… —

and the whole affair was over in a very short time. That ishow they did for themselves. —
整个事件很快就结束了。他们自食恶果。 —

And amongst the peasants, and the rest of them, he is not talked of now. —
在农民和其他人中间，现在已经不再谈论他。 —

Peopledon’t regret him much; they never regretted him for himself … —
人们并不太惋惜他；他们从来不是为他本人感到痛心……. —

but all the same they did grieve at one time forhis property.”
但是他们曾经为他的财产感到悲伤。”

　　“Well, then they didn’t grieve much,” said grandmother.
“那么他们并没有太过悲伤，”奶奶说。

　　Uncle Peter agreed with her:
彼得叔叔赞同她：

　　“That ‘s true ! … His property… yes, that wasn’t worth much.”
“那是真的！……他的财产……是啊，那不值什么。”

He always bore himself kindly towards me, spoke to me good-naturedly, and as if I were a grown person, andlooked me straight in the eyes; —
他总是对我和蔼，和我说话时总是友好的，就好像我是个大人一样，直视着我的眼睛； —

but all the same there was something about him which I did not like. Havingregaled me with my. —
但是我总觉得他有些令我不喜欢的地方。给我吃我爱吃的果酱后，他会用剩下的涂在我的面包片上，他会从城里给我带回麦芽姜饼，总是以平静和认真的口吻与我交谈。 —

favorite jam, he would spread my slice of bread with what was left, he would bring memalted gingerbread from the town, and always conversed with me in a quiet and serious tone.
“年轻绅士，你长大后打算做什么？你要从军还是从政？’

“What are you going to do, young gentleman, when you grow up? —
“从军。” —

Are you going into the Army or the CivilService?’
“到军队去。”

　　“Into the Army.”
“Into the Army.”

“Good! A soldier’s life is not a hard one in these days. —
“好！在这些日子里，士兵的生活并不艰苦。 —

A priest’s life isn’t bad either … all he has to do is tochant, and pray to God, and that does not take long. —
一名牧师的生活也不坏……他只需要诵经、祈祷上帝，这不需要花多少时间。 —

In fact, a priest has an easier job than a soldier … but afisherman’s job is easier still; —
事实上，牧师的工作比士兵更容易……但捕鱼人的工作更容易； —

that does not require any education at all, it is simply a question of habit.”
完全不需要任何教育，只是一个习惯的问题。”

　　He gave an amusing imitation of the fish hovering round the bait, and of the way perch, mugil, and bream throwthemselves about when they get caught on the hook.
他滑稽地模仿了鱼在鱼饵周围逡巡的样子，以及鲈鱼、鲻鱼和鲱鱼上钩后扭动的方式。

“Now, you get angry when grandfather whips you,” he would say soothingly, “but you have no cause to be angryat that, young gentleman; —
“现在，当祖父责打你时，你会生气，”他温和地说道，“但你没有理由生气； —

whippings are a part of your education, and those that you get are, after all, merechild’s play. —
挨打是你教育的一部分，你受到的那些打骂，毕竟只是一场游戏。 —

You should just see how my mistress, Tatiana Lexievna, used to thrash! —
你应该看看我的女主人塔提亚娜·莱克西耶芙娜曾经是怎么打人的！ —

She could do it all right,she could ! And she used to keep a man especially for that Christopher his name was and he did his work so wellthat sometimes neighbors from other manor-houses sent a message to the Countess: —
她打得可真狠，她！而且她还专门雇了个男人克里斯托弗来打人，他的工作做得非常出色，有时候其他庄园的邻居都会传话给伯爵夫人： —

‘Please, Tatiana Lexievna,send Christopher to thrash our footman. —
‘请，塔提亚娜·莱克西耶芙娜，派克里斯托弗去打我们的男仆。 —

’ And she used to let him go.”
’然后她就放他去打了。”

　　In his artless manner, he would give a detailed account of how the Countess, in a white muslin frock with agauzy, sky-colored handkerchief over her head, would sit on the steps, by one of the pillars, in a red armchair,while Christopher flogged the peasants, male and female, in her presence.
他天真地讲述了伯爵夫人身穿白色薄纱连衫裙，在头上围着一块薄薄的天蓝色手绢，坐在台阶上的一根柱子旁边的红色扶手椅上的场景，克里斯托弗在她面前抽打农民男女的细节描述。

“And this Christopher was from Riazan, and he looked like a gipsy, or a Little Russian, with mustaches stickingout beyond his ears, and his ugly face all blue where he had shaved his beard. —
“这个克里斯托弗来自梁赞，看起来像个吉普赛人，或者像个小俄罗斯，胡子须发盖住了耳朵，他丑陋的脸上刮掉胡须的地方都是蓝的。 —

And either he was a fool, or hepretended to be one so that he should not be asked useless questions. Sometimes he used to pour water into a cupto catch flies and cockroaches, which are a kind of beetle, and then he used to boil them over the fire.”
他要么是个傻子，要么是假装是傻子，以免被问无用的问题。有时候他会把水倒进杯子里捉苍蝇和蟑螂，后来又在火上煮它们。”

I was familiar with many such stories, which I had heard from the lips of grandmother and grandfather. —
我听过许多这样的故事，是从祖母和祖父的口中听来的。 —

Thoughthey were different, yet they were all curiously alike; —
虽然它们各不相同，但它们都有着奇妙的相似之处； —

each one told of people being tormented, jeered at, ordriven away, and I was tired of them, and as I did not wish to hear any more, said to the cab-driver :
每一个故事都讲述了人们被折磨、嘲笑或驱赶的情形，我听腻了，也不想再听，就对出租车司机说：

　　“Tell me another kind of story.”
“讲一个不同类型的故事给我听。”

　　All his wrinkles were gathered about his mouth for a space, then they spread themselves to his eyes, as he saidobligingly:
他所有的皱纹都聚集在嘴巴周围，然后扩散到了眼睛，当他热情地说道：

　　“All right, Greedy! Well, we once had a cook”
“好的，贪吃鬼！嗯，我们曾经有一个厨师”

　　“Who had?”
“谁有？”

　　“The Countess Tatian Lexievna.”
“麦克斯卡特伽式的女伯爵。”

　　“Why do you call her Tatian ? She wasn’t a man, was she?”
“你为什么叫她塔蒂安？她不是男人吧？”

　　He laughed shrilly.
他哄笑着。

“Of course she wasn’t. She was a lady; but all the same she had whiskers. Dark she was . . —
“当然不是。她是一个女士；但尽管如此，她张了胡子。她皮肤黝黑…” —

. she came of a darkGerman race … people of the negro type they are. —
“她出自一个黑人种族的德国血统…他们是黑人类型的人。” —

Well, as I was saying, this cook this is a funny story, younggentleman.”
“嗯，正如我所说的，这位厨师，这是一个有趣的故事，年轻绅士。”

　　And this “funny story” was that the cook had spoiled a fish pasty, and had been made to eat it all up himself,after which he had been taken ill.
“这个‘有趣的故事’就是厨师把一个糟糕的鱼馅饼弄坏了，然后被迫自己吃完，之后他生病了。”

　　“It is not at all funny!” I said angrily.
“这一点都不好笑！”我生气地说。

　　“Well, what is your idea of a funny story? Come on ! Let ‘s have it.”
“好吧，你认为什么才是一个好笑的故事？说出来！”

　　“I don’t know”
“我不知道。”

　　“Then hold your tongue !” And he spun out another dreary yarn.
“那就闭嘴！”然后他又继续讲另一个乏味的故事。

Occasionally, on Sundays and holidays, we received a visit from my cousins the lazy and melancholy SaschaMichhailov, and the trim, omniscient Sascha Jaakov. —
偶尔在周日和假期，我的懒惰忧郁的表兄沙沙·米哈伊洛夫和精干、无所不知的表兄沙沙·雅科夫会来拜访我们。 —

Once, when the three of us had made an excursion up to theroof, we saw a gentleman in a green fur-trimmed coat sitting in the Betlenga yard upon a heap of wood againstthe wall, and playing with some puppies; —
有一次，我们三个去屋顶游玩时，在贝特伦加家的院子里看到一个穿着绿色貂皮大衣的绅士，坐在墙边的一堆木头上，和一些小狗嬉戏； —

his little, yellow, bald head was uncovered. —
他那小小的、黄色的光头露在外面。 —

One of the brotherssuggested the theft of a puppy, and they quickly evolved an ingenious plan by which the brothers were to godown to the street and wait at the entrance to Betlenga yard, while I did something to startle the gentleman; —
其中一个兄弟提议偷一只小狗，并他们很快制定了一个巧妙的计划，兄弟俩要下到街上，在贝特伦加家的入口等候，而我要做一些事情吓唬那位绅士； —

andwhen he ran away in alarm they were to rush into the yard and seize a puppy.
当他惊恐地跑开的时候，他们就冲进院子里抓住一只小狗。

　　“But how am I to startle him?’
“但我怎么能吓唬他呢？”

　　“Spit on his bald head,” suggested one of my cousins.
“对他的光头吐口水，”一个堂兄建议道。

But was it not a grievous sin to spit on a person’s head”? —
但吐口水在一个人头上不是一个严重的罪过吗？ —

However, I had heard over and over again, and hadseen with my own eyes, that they had done many worse things than that, so I faithfully performed my part of thecontract, with my usual luck.
然而我一遍又一遍地听到，自己也亲眼看到，他们做了比这更糟糕的事情，因此我忠实地完成了合同中我的那部分，和我通常的运气一样。

There was a terrible uproar and scene; —
闹哄哄的地方，惊慌失措的场面； —

a whole army of men and women, headed by a young, good-lookingofficer, rushed out of Betlenga House into the yard, and as my two cousins were, at the very moment when theoutrage was committed, quietly walking along the street, and knew nothing of my wild prank, I was the only oneto receive a thrashing from grandfather, by which the inhabitants of Betlenga House were completely satisfied.
一群男人和女人，由一个英俊的年轻军官带头，冲出贝特伦加大厦进入院子，而我两个堂兄正在那时静静地沿着街道走，对我疯狂的恶作剧一无所知，我是唯一一个从祖父那里接受到责打的人，贝特伦加大厦的居民对此完全满意。

　　And as I lay, all bruised, in the kitchen, there came to me Uncle Peter, dressed in his best, and looking veryhappy.
当我躺在厨房里，满身擦伤时，彼得叔叔走到我跟前，穿着他最好的衣服，看起来非常开心。

“That was a jolly good idea of yours, young gentleman,” he whispered. —
“你这小绅士的主意真是太好啦，”他轻声说。 —

“That ‘s just what the silly old goatdeserved to be spit upon! —
“那个老傻瓜理应被人吐口水！” —

Next time throw a stone on his rotten head !”
“下次扔块石头砸在他烂头上！”

Before me rose the round, hairless, childlike face of the gentleman, and I remembered how he had squeakedfeebly and plaintively, just like the puppies, as he had wiped his yellow pate with his small hands, and I feltoverwhelmed with shame, and full of hatred for my cousins ; —
我面前浮现出那位绅士圆溜溜、无毛的孩子般的脸，我记得他悲伤而软弱地尖叫，就像小狗一样，当他用小手擦拭他的黄头时，我感到一阵羞耻，对我的堂兄弟满腔仇恨； —

but I forgot all this in a moment when I gazed onthe drayman’s wrinkled face, which quivered with a half-fearful, half-disgusted expression, like grandfather’sface when he was beating me.
但是我在这一刻忘记了这一切，当我看着送货人那满是皱纹的脸时，脸上露出一种半害怕半恶心的表情，就像爷爷打我的时候一样。

　　“Go away!” I shrieked, and struck at him with my hands and feet.
“走开！”我尖叫着，用手脚打他。

　　He tittered, and winking at me over his shoulder, went away.
他吃吃地笑着，冲我眨眼，转身走开了。

From that time I ceased to have any desire for intercourse with him; in fact, I avoided him. —
从那时起，我不再有与他交往的欲望；事实上，我开始避开他。 —

And yet I began towatch his movements suspiciously, with a confused idea that I should discover something about him. —
但我开始猜疑地观察他的动作，一种混乱的想法让我觉得我应该会发现一些关于他的事情。 —

Soon afterthe incident connected with the gentleman of Betlenga House, something else occurred. —
连接贝特伦加大宅绅士事件后不久，又发生了一些事情。 —

For a long time I hadbeen very curious about Ovsyanikov House, and I imagined that its gray exterior hid a mysterious romance.
长时间以来，我对奥夫斯扬尼科夫大宅非常好奇，我想象着它灰色的外表隐藏着一段神秘的浪漫。

Betlenga House was always full of bustle and gaiety; —
贝特伦加大宅总是充满了喧闹和快乐； —

many beautiful ladies lived there, who were visited byofficers and students, and from it sounds of laughter and singing, and the playing of musical instruments,continually proceeded. —
有许多美丽的女士住在那里，他们得到军官和学生的拜访，从大楼里不断传出笑声、歌唱声和乐器演奏声。 —

The very face of the house looked cheerful, with its brightly polished window-panes.
大楼的整个面貌看上去很愉快，光亮的擦拭过的窗玻璃。

　　Grandfather did not approve of it.
爷爷不赞成。

“They are heretics … and godless people, all of them! —
“他们都是异端者……都是无神论者！” —

” he said about its inhabitants, and he applied to thewomen an offensive term, which Uncle Peter explained to me in words equally offensive and malevolent.
他说关于那里的居民，对于女人们则使用了一种冒犯性的称呼，比起来，叔叔彼得对我解释的词汇同样冒犯而恶毒。

　　But the stern, silent Ovsyanikov House inspired grandfather with respect.
但是那座严肃、寂静的奥夫斯扬尼科夫大宅却让爷爷感到尊敬。

This one-storied but tall house stood in a well-kept yard overgrown with turf, empty save for a well with a roofsupported by two pillars, which stood in the middle. —
这座一层但非常高的房子矗立在一个整洁的、只有一个装有屋顶的井和两根支撑柱的草坪的院子里。 —

The house seemed to draw back from the street as if itwished to hide from it. —
这栋房子似乎想要从街道上退开，仿佛希望隐藏起来。 —

Two of its windows, which had chiselled arches, were at some distance from the ground,and upon their dust-smeared panes the sun fell with a rainbow effect. —
其中两扇有凿石拱的窗户离地面有些距离，阳光透过灰尘斑驳的玻璃窗投下一道彩虹般的光影。 —

And on the other side of the gateway stooda store-house, with a facade exactly like that of the house, even to the three windows, but they were not realones; —
而在大门的另一侧，站着一个仓库，立面和房子一模一样，连窗户也有三扇，但它们并非真实存在； —

the outlines were built into the gray wall, and the frames and sashes painted on with white paint. —
轮廓被建筑进灰色墙壁，框架和窗扇则用白漆涂抹上去。 —

Theseblind windows had a sinister appearance, and the whole storehouse added to the impression which the housegave, of having a desire to hide and escape notice. —
这些闭塞的窗子显得极为不祥，整个仓库增添了房子想要躲避和避免注意的印象。 —

There was a suggestion of mute indignation, or of secret pride,about the whole house, with its empty stables, and its coachhouse, with wide doors, also empty.
整个房子，带着空荡荡的马厩和宽敞门户的马车间，似乎透露着一种无言的愤怒或暗藏的自豪。

Sometimes a tall old man, with shaven chin and white mustache, the hair of which stuck out stiffly like so manyneedles, was to be seen hobbling about the yard. —
有时候会看到一个双下巴下剃干净的老人，白胡子僵硬地竖立着如同一根根针，蹒跚在院子里。 —

At other times another old man, with whiskers and a crookednose, led out of the stables a gray mare with a long neck a narrow-chested creature with thin legs, which bowedand scraped like an obsequious nun as soon as she came out into the yard. —
而有时候另一个老人，带着胡子和一个弯曲的鼻子，会从马厩里引出一匹灰色的母马，颈项修长、胸膛狭窄，细腿弯曲，仿佛一出来就像一个恭顺的修女般低头躬身。 —

The lame man slapped her with hispalms, whistling, and drawing in his breath noisily; —
瘸子拍打着她的腹部，口哨声和呼吸声喧闹起来； —

and then the mare was again hidden in the dark stable. —
然后那匹母马又会消失在黑暗的马厩里。 —

I usedto think that the old man wanted to run away from the house, but could not because he was bewitched.
我过去常常认为那个老人想要逃离房子，但因为被施了魔咒而无法做到。

Almost every day from noon till the evening three boys used to play in the yard all dressed alike in gray coatsand trousers, with caps exactly alike, and all of them with round faces and gray eyes; —
几乎每天从中午到晚上，三个男孩都穿着一模一样的灰色外套和裤子，在院子里玩耍，戴着完全一样的帽子，他们都有着圆脸和灰色的眼睛； —

so much alike that I couldonly tell one from the other by their height.
如此相像以至于我只能根据他们的身高来区分彼此。

I used to watch them through a chink in the fence; —
我常常透过篱笆缝隙看着他们； —

they could not see me, but I wanted them to know I was there.
他们看不到我，但我希望他们知道我在那里。

I liked the way they played together, so gaily and amicably, games which were unfamiliar to me; I liked theirdress, and their consideration for each other, which was especially noticeable in the conduct of the elder ones totheir little brother, a funny little fellow, full of life. —
我喜欢他们在一起玩的方式，那么欢快友好，玩着我不熟悉的游戏；我喜欢他们的服装，以及他们彼此之间的体贴，尤其是长辈对待他们的小弟弟的方式，一个活泼可笑的小家伙。 —

If he fell down, they laughed it being the custom to laughwhen any one has a fall but there was no malice in their laughter, and they ran to help him up directly; —
如果他摔倒了，他们会笑，因为习惯上有人摔倒了是要笑的，但笑中没有恶意，他们会立刻跑去帮他起来； —

and if hemade his hands or knees dirty, they wiped his fingers and trousers with leaves or their handkerchiefs, and themiddle boy said good-naturedly:
如果他弄脏了手或膝盖，他们用树叶或手帕擦干净他的手指和裤子，中间那个男孩友好地说道：

　　“There, clumsy!”
“笨蛋！”

　　They never quarreled amongst themselves, never cheated, and all three were agile, strong and indefatigable.
他们之间从不争吵，也从不欺骗，三个人都敏捷、强壮而不知疲倦；

One day I climbed up a tree and whistled to them; —
有一天我爬上树向他们吹口哨； —

they stood stock-still for a moment, then they calmly drewclose together, and after looking up at me, deliberated quietly amongst themselves. —
他们停下来静静地站在一起，然后抬头看了看我，之后在彼此之间安静地商量起来。 —

Thinking that they weregoing to throw stones at me, I slipped to the ground, filled my pockets and the front of my blouse with stones,and climbed up the tree again; —
以为他们要向我扔石头，我赶紧滑下树，把口袋和衬衫前面填满了石头，再次爬上树； —

but they were playing in another corner of the yard, far away from me, andapparently had forgotten all about me. —
但他们却在院子的另一个角落玩耍，远离了我，似乎已经把我忘在脑后。 —

I was very sorry for this; first, because I did not wish to be the one tobegin the war, and secondly, because just at that moment some one called to them out of the window :
我为此感到很遗憾；首先，因为我不想成为发动战争的一方，其次，就在那时候，窗口有人喊他们：

　　“You must come in now, children.”
“孩子们，你们现在必须进屋。”

　　They went submissively, but without haste, in single file, like geese.
他们顺从地走了进去，但并不匆忙，像一排排的鹅一样；

I often sat on the tree over the fence hoping that they would ask me to play with them; —
我经常坐在栅栏上的树上，希望他们会邀请我一起玩； —

but they never did. But inspirit I was always playing with them, and I was so fascinated by the games sometimes that I shouted andlaughed aloud ; —
但他们从来没有那么做。但精神上，我一直在和他们一起玩，有时我对游戏如此着迷以至于会大声喊笑； —

whereupon all three would look at me and talk quietly amongst themselves, whilst I, overcomewith confusion, would let myself drop to the ground.
这时三个人会看着我，然后安静地聊起来，而我却窘迫得不知所措，只好让自己掉到地上。

One day they were playing hide-and-seek, and when it came to the turn of the middle brother to hide, he stood inthe corner by the storehouse and shut his eyes honestly, without attempting to peep, while his brothers ran to hidethemselves. —
他们有一天在玩捉迷藏，轮到中间那个弟弟躲藏时，他站在仓库的角落里，诚实地闭上眼睛，没有偷看，而他的兄弟们跑去藏起来。 —

The elder one nimbly and swiftly climbed into a broad sledge which was kept in a shed against thestorehouse, but the youngest one ran in a comical fashion round and round the well, flustered by not knowingwhere to hide.
大哥敏捷地爬上仓库旁的一个宽敞的雪橇，而小弟弟则滑稽地围着井边跑来跑去，困惑地不知道要藏在哪里。

　　“One” shouted the elder one. “Two”
“一”大哥大声喊道。“二”

The little boy jumped on the edge of the well, seized the rope, and stepped into the bucket, which, striking onceagainst the edge with a dull sound, disappeared. —
小男孩跳上井边，抓住绳子，踏进桶里，桶一次重重地敲击边缘后，消失了。 —

I was stupefied, as I saw how quickly and noiselessly the well-oiled wheel turned, but I realized in a moment the possibilities of the situation, and I jumped down into the yardcrying:
我目瞪口呆，看着那润滑良好的轮子多快又无声无息地转动，但我立刻意识到了这种情况的可能性，于是我跳下院子大声喊道：

　　“He has fallen into the well !”
“他掉进井里啦！”

The middle boy and I arrived at the edge of the well at the same time; —
我和中间的那个男孩同时赶到井边； —

he clutched at the rope and, feeling himselfdrawn upwards, loosed his hands. —
他抓住绳子，感觉自己被往上拉，然后放开了手。 —

I was just in time to catch the rope, and the elder brother, having come up,helped me to draw up the bucket, saying :
我及时抓住了绳子，大哥上来帮忙，说：

　　“Gently, please !”
“轻点，请！”

We quickly pulled up the little boy, who was very frightened; —
我们迅速把小男孩拉了上来，他非常害怕； —

there were drops of blood on the fingers of hisright hand, and his cheek was severely grazed. —
他右手的指间有血点，脸颊被严重擦伤。 —

He was wet to the waist, and his face was overspread with abluish pallor; —
他腰部湿透了，脸上布满了一种发灰的苍白； —

but he smiled, then shuddered, and closed his eyes tightly, then smiled again, and said slowly :
但他微笑着，然后颤抖了一下，紧闭双眼，然后再次微笑，慢慢地说道：

　　“Howe ver did I fa all?’
“我是怎么掉下去的呢？”

“You must have been mad to do such a thing! —
“你一定疯了才会做出这种事情！” —

” said the middle brother, putting his arm round him and wiping theblood off his face with a handkerchief; —
中间的弟弟说着，搂住他，用手绢擦去他脸上的血迹； —

and the elder one said frowning:
大哥皱着眉头说：

　　“We had better go in. We can’t hide it anyhow ”
“我们最好进去。无论如何我们也不能隐藏。”

　　“Will you be whipped?” I asked.
“你会挨打吗？”我问。

　　He nodded, and then he said, holding out his hand :
他点了点头，然后伸出手说：

　　“How quickly you ran here !”
“你跑得真快！”

　　I was delighted by his praise, but I had no time to take his hand for he turned away to speak to his brothers again.
他的赞美让我感到高兴，但我没有时间握他的手，因为他转身再次对着兄弟们说话。

“Let us go in, or he will take cold. —
“我们进去吧，不然他会感冒。” —

We will say that he fell down, but we need not say anything about the well.”
“我们会说他摔倒了，但我们不需要提及井的事情。”

“No,” agreed the youngest, shuddering. —
“好的，”最小的那位同意着，颤抖着。 —

“We will say I fell in a puddle, shall we? —
“我们可以说我掉到了水坑里，好吗？” —

” And they went away.
他们走了。

　　All this happened so quickly that when I looked at the branch from which I had sprung into the yard, it was stillshaking and throwing its yellow leaves about.
所有这一切发生得如此迅速，以至于当我看着我从中跳下院子的树枝时，它仍在摇晃着，散落着它的黄叶。

The brothers did not come into the yard again for a week, and when they appeared again they were more noisythan before; —
一个星期内兄弟们没有再进入院子，当他们再次出现时，比以前更嘈杂； —

when the elder one saw me in the tree he called out to me kindly:
当年长的那个看到我在树上，友善地叫道：

　　“Come here and play with us.”
“过来和我们一起玩。”

　　We gathered together, under the projecting roof of the storehouse, in the old sledge, and having surveyed oneanother thoughtfully, we held a long conversation.
我们聚集在仓库的凸出屋檐下，在旧雪橇上，面面相觑后，我们进行了长时间的交谈。

　　“Did they whip you?” I asked.
“他们打你了吗？”我问。

　　“Rather!”
“当然打了！”

　　It was hard for me to believe that these boys were whipped like myself, and I felt aggrieved about it for theirsakes.
很难让我相信这些男孩像我一样被打，我为他们感到难过。

　　“Why do you catch birds’?” asked the youngest.
“你们为什么要抓鸟？”最小的问道。

　　“Because I like to hear them sing.”
“因为我喜欢听它们唱歌。”

　　“But you ought not to catch them; why don’t you let them fly about as they like to?”
“但是你不应该抓它们；为什么不让它们随意飞翔呢？”

　　“Well, I ‘m not going to, so there !”
“嗯，我不打算这样做，就这样！”

　　“Won’t you just catch one then and give it to me?”
“那你就抓一只给我好了。”

　　“To you! … What kind?”
“给你！… 什么样的？”

　　“A lively one, in a cage.”
“一只活泼的，关在笼子里。”

　　“A siskin … that ‘s what you want.”
“一只金翅雀… 那才是你想要的。”

“The cat would eat it,” said the youngest one; —
“猫会把它吃掉，” 最小的一个说。 —

“and besides, papa would not allow us to have it.”
“而且，爸爸也不会允许我们拥有它。”

　　“No, he wouldn’t allow it,” agreed the elder.
“是的，他不会允许的。”哥哥附和道。

　　“Have you a mother?”
“你们有妈妈吗？”

　　“No,” said the eldest, but the middle one corrected him:
“没有，”大哥说，但中间的一个纠正道：

　　“We have a mother, but she is not ours really. Ours is dead.”
“我们有妈妈，但她其实不是我们的。我们的妈妈已经去世了。”

　　“And the other is called a stepmother?” I said, and the elder nodded “Yes.”
“另一个叫继母？”我说，大哥点头，“是的。”

And they all three looked thoughtful, and their faces were clouded. —
他们三人都陷入沉思，脸上带着阴霾。 —

I knew what a stepmother was like from thestories grandmother used to tell me, and I understood that sudden thoughtfulness. —
我从奶奶讲给我的故事中知道继母是什么样的，我理解了他们突然的思考。 —

There they sat, all closetogether, as much alike as a row of peas in a pod; —
他们紧靠在一起坐着，像一排豆荚中的相似。 —

and I remembered the witch-stepmother who took the place ofthe real mother by means of a trick.
我想起那位用把戏代替了真正母亲的女巫继母。

　　“Your real mother will come back to you again, see if she doesn’t,” I assured them.
“你们的真正母亲会回到你们身边的，你们会看到的。”我向他们保证。

　　The elder one shrugged his shoulders.
大哥耸耸肩。

　　“How can she if she is dead? Such things don’t happen.”
“她已经去世了，她怎么可能回来呢？这种事是不会发生的。”

　　“Don’t happen”? Good Lord ! how many times have the dead, even when they have been hacked to pieces, cometo life again when sprinkled with living water?
“不会发生”？天哪！多少次死去的人被抹上活水就复活了呢？多少次死亡不是真实的，不是上帝的作品，而只是巫师或女巫施下的邪恶咒语！

　　How many times has death been neither real, nor the work of God, but simply the evil spell cast by a wizard or awitch !”
死者多少次因为被砍成碎片却在洒上活水后复活了呢？死亡多少次不是真实的，不是上帝的作品，而只是巫师或女巫施下的邪恶咒语！”

I began to tell grandmother’s stories to them excitedly; —
我兴奋地开始向他们讲祖母的故事； —

but the eldest laughed at first, and said under his breath :
但大哥起初笑了笑，低声说：

　　“We know all about those fairy-tales !”
“我们都知道那些童话故事！”

　　His brothers listened in silence; the little one with his lips closely shut and pouting, and the middle one with hiselbows on his knees, and holding his brother’s hand which was round his neck.
他的兄弟们静静地听着；小的紧闭双唇，撅着嘴；中间的双手搁在膝盖上，握着环绕在脖子上的弟弟的手。

　　The evening was far advanced, red clouds hung over the roof, when suddenly there appeared before us the oldman with the white mustache and cinnamon-colored clothes, long, like those worn by a priest, and a rough furcap.
傍晚已经很晚了，红云飘过房顶，突然从我们面前出现了那位留着白胡子、身穿肉桂色长衣，像牧师一样长的毛皮帽子的老人。

　　“And who may this be?” he asked, pointing to me.
“这是谁？”他指着我问道。

　　The elder boy stood up and nodded his head in the direction of grandfather’s house :
大哥站起来，点了点头指向爷爷家的方向：

　　“He comes from there.”
“他是从那边来的。”

　　“Who invited him in here?”
“是谁邀请他进来的？”

　　The boys silently climbed down from the sledge, and went into the house, reminding me more than ever of aflock of geese.
男孩们默默地从雪橇上爬了下来，走进了屋里，像一群鹅一样。

The old man gripped my shoulder like a vice and propelled me across the yard to the gate. —
老人用力地抓住我的肩膀，像夹紧一样将我推到院子里的大门口。 —

I felt like cryingthrough sheer terror, but he took such long, quick steps that before I had time to cry we were in the street, and hestood at the little gate raising his finger at me threateningly, as he said :
我感到恐惧得想哭，但他迈的步子太长、太快，我连哭的时间都没有，我们就已经走到了街上，他站在小门口，抬起手指对着我威胁地说：

　　“Don’t you dare to come near me again !”
“你敢再靠近我一步试试！”

　　I flew into a rage.
我勃然大怒。

　　“I never did want to come near you, you old devil !”
“我从来就不想靠近你这个老混蛋！”

　　Once more I was seized by his long arm and he dragged me along the pavement as he asked in a voice which waslike the blow of a hammer on my head :
再一次，他的长臂抓住了我，拖着我沿着人行道走，同时他用像锤击一样的声音问道：

　　“Is your grandfather at home?”
“你爷爷在家吗？”

　　To my sorrow he proved to be at home, and he stood before the minacious old man, with his head thrown backand his beard thrust forward, looking up into the dull, round, fishy eyes as he said hastily :
令我痛苦的是，他果然在家，他站在那位威胁性十足的老人面前，仰着头，把胡子顶了出来，凝视着那双晦涩、圆圆、鱼眼似的眼睛，匆匆说道：

“His mother is away, you see, and I am a busy man, so there is no one to look after him; —
“你看，他妈妈不在家，我是个忙碌的人，所以没有人照看他； —

so I hope you willoverlook it this time, Colonel.”
所以我希望上尉这次不要计较，谅解一下。”

　　The Colonel raved and stamped about the house like a madman, and he was hardly gone before I was thrown intoUncle Peter’s cart.
上尉在房子里乱发脾气，像个发疯的人，他一走，我就被扔进了彼得叔叔的马车里。

“In trouble again, young gentleman? —
“又惹麻烦了，年轻绅士？ —

” he asked as he unharnessed the horse. —
”他解下马车时问道。 —

“What are you being punished fornow?”
“这次你又为什么挨打了？

　　When I told him, he flared up.
当我告诉他时，他勃然大怒。

“And what do you want to be friends with them for?” he hissed. “The young serpents! —
“你为什么要和他们做朋友呢？”他厉声说道。“那些小蛇！ —

Look what they have donefor you ! It is your turn now to blow on them ; see you do it.”
看看他们为你做的事！现在轮到你背叛了；记住要这样做。”

He whispered like this for a long time, and all sore from my beating as I was, I was inclined to listen to him atfirst; —
他这样低声细语了很长时间，尽管受打得很疼，我一开始有点倾向听他的话； —

but his wrinkled face quivered in a way which became more and more repellent to me every moment, andreminded me that the other boys would be beaten too, and undeservedly, in my opinion.
但他皱纹交错的脸庞开始抖动，这种情况每时每刻对我越来越让人反感，提醒我其他男孩也会被打，而且在我看来是不应该的。

“They ought not to be whipped; they are all good boys. —
“他们不应该被打；他们都是好孩子。 —

As for you, every word you say is a lie,” I said.
“至于你，你说的每句话全都是谎言，”我说。

　　He looked at me, and then without any warning cried :
他看着我，然后突然大喊道：

　　“Get out of my cart !”
“滚出我的马车！”

　　“You fool !” I yelled, jumping down to the ground.
“你这个傻瓜！”我大声喊道，跳下车。

　　He ran after me across the yard, making unsuccessful attempts to catch me, and yelling in an uncanny voice :
他追着我穿过院子，努力却没能抓住我，用一种奇怪的声音喊道：

　　“I am a fool, am I? I tell lies, do I? You wait till I get you !”
“我是个傻瓜吗？我说谎吗？等我抓到你的时候！”

　　At this moment grandmother came out of the kitchen, and I rushed to her.
就在这时，奶奶从厨房出来，我冲向她。

“This little wretch gives me no peace! —
“这个小恶魔让我没片刻平静！ —

I am five times older than he is, yet he dares to come and revile me …
我比他大五倍，他却敢来辱骂我……

　　and my mother … and all.”
“还有我妈妈……还有所有人。”

Hearing him lie like this so brazenly, I lost my presence of mind, and could do nothing but stand staring at himstupidly; —
在听到他如此无耻地撒谎时，我失去了理智，只能愣愣地站在那里； —

but grandmother replied sternly :
但奶奶严厉地回答说：

“Now you are telling lies, Peter, there is no doubt about it. —
“现在你在撒谎，彼得，这是毫无疑问的。 —

He would never be offensive to you or any one.”
他绝不会对你或任何人出言不逊。”

　　Grandfather would have believed the drayman!
外公竟然会相信那个拉车夫！

From that day there was silent but none the less bitter warfare between us; —
从那一天起，我们之间虽然是无声的，但却是愈发激烈的斗争； —

he would try to hit me with his reins,without seeming to do it, he would let my birds out of their cage, and sometimes the cat would catch and eatthem, and he would complain about me to grandfather on every possible occasion, and was always believed. —
他会试图用缰绳打我，在看起来并不是故意的情况下，会放我的鸟出笼，有时猫会捉到并吃掉它们，然后他会在任何可能的情况下向祖父抱怨我，而且总是被相信。 —

Iwas confirmed in my first impression of him that he was just a boy like myself disguised as an old man. —
我加深了对他的第一印象——他只是一个像我一样装扮成老人的小男孩。 —

Iunplaited his bast shoes, or rather I ripped a little inside the shoes so that as soon as he put them on they began tofall to pieces; —
我拆开了他的树皮鞋，或者更确切地说，我抓了一点鞋子里面，这样他一穿上就开始破烂； —

one day I put some pepper in his cap which set him sneezing for a whole hour, and trying with allhis might not to leave off his work because of it.
有一天我把辣椒放进他的帽子里，让他连续打喷嚏了一个小时，尽力不因此停下工作。

　　On Sundays he kept me under observation, and more than once he caught me doing what was forbidden talkingto the Ovsyanikovs, and went and told tales to grandfather.
每个星期天他会监视我，还有好几次抓住我做了禁止的事情——和奥夫夏尼科夫家人说话，然后跑去告诉祖父。

My acquaintance with the Ovsyanikovs progressed, and gave me increasing pleasure. —
我和奥夫夏尼科夫家人的交往变得更加愉快。 —

On a little windingpathway between the wall of grandfather’s house and the Ovsyanikovs’ fence grew elms and lindens, with somethick elder bushes, under cover of which I bored a semicircular hole in the fence, and the brothers used to comein turns, or perhaps two of them together, and, squatting or kneeling at this hole, we held long conversations insubdued tones ; —
在祖父家的墙和奥夫夏尼科夫家的围墙之间一条小弯曲的小径上生长着榆树和椴树，还有一些浓密的接连灌木，在这些树丛的掩护下，我在围墙中间挖了一个半圆形的小孔，哥哥们轮流或者两个人一起，蹲着或跪着，通过这个小孔我们用低声细语进行长时间的对话； —

while one of them watched lest the Colonel should come upon us unawares.
其中一个守在一旁，以防上校毫无预兆地突然来临。

They told me how miserable their existence was, and it made me sad to listen to them; —
他们告诉我他们的生活是多么悲惨，听他们讲让我感到难过； —

they talked about mycaged birds, and of many childish matters, but they never spoke a single word about their stepmother or theirfather, at least, as far as I can remember. —
他们谈论我的笼中鸟，还有许多孩子的事情，但在我能记得的范围内，他们从未提及他们的继母或他们的父亲。 —

More often than not they asked me to tell them a story, and I faithfullyreproduced one of grandmother’s tales, and if I forgot anything, I would ask them to wait while I ran to her andrefreshed my memory. This pleased her.
他们更多时候会请我给他们讲一个故事，于是我忠实地复述了一个祖母的故事，如果我忘了什么，我会让他们等我跑去向她讨教。这让她很高兴。

　　“I told them a lot about grandmother, and the eldest boy remarked once with a deep sigh :
“我给他们讲了很多关于祖母的事情，大哥曾经深深地叹了口气说：

“Your grandmother seems to be good in every way… . —
“你的祖母似乎在任何方面都很好……我们也曾经有一个好祖母。” —

We had a good grandmother too, once.”
我们的祖母此起彼落地交流，刚开始还要小心翼翼，反倒令我们变得更加亲近了。

He often spoke sadly like this, and spoke of things which had happened as if he had lived a hundred years insteadof eleven. —
他经常这样悲伤地说话，谈论已经发生的事情，仿佛他活了一百年而不是十一岁。 —

I remember that his hands were narrow, and his ringers very slender and delicate, and that his eyeswere kind and bright, like the lights of the church lamps. —
我记得他的手很狭窄，手指非常纤细而精致，他的眼睛很和善和明亮，就像教堂灯的光。 —

His brothers were lovable too; they seemed to inspireconfidence and to make one want to do the things they liked; —
他的兄弟们也很可爱；他们似乎给人信心，让人想做他们喜欢的事情； —

but the eldest one was my favorite.
但最大的那个是我最喜欢的。

　　Often I was so absorbed in our conversations that I did not notice Uncle Peter till he was close upon us, and thesound of his voice sent us flying in all directions as he exclaimed:
我常常在我们的谈话中沉浸，没有注意到彼得叔叔直到他走到我们身边，他的声音响起，我们立刻四散而逃，他喊道：

　　“A gai ne?”
“干什么呢？”

I noticed that his fits of taciturnity and moroseness became more frequent, and I very soon learned to see at aglance what mood he was in when he returned from work. —
我注意到他的沉默和忧郁的发作变得更加频繁，很快我学会了一眼就能看出他下班后的心情。 —

As a rule he opened the gate in a leisurely manner,and its hinges creaked with a long-drawn-out, lazy sound ; —
通常他悠闲地打开大门，门铰链发出一声长长的懒洋洋的吱吱声； —

but when he was in a bad mood, they gave a sharpsqueak, as if they were crying out in pain.
但是当他心情不好时，它们会发出尖锐的尖叫声，仿佛在痛苦地呼喊。

His dumb nephew had been married some time and had gone to live in the country, so Peter lived alone in thestables, in a low stall with a broken window and a close smell of hides, tar, sweat and tobacco; —
他哑巴的侄子已经结婚一段时间，搬到了乡下生活，所以彼得独自住在马厩里，一个窗户破损的低矮的窝棚里，那里闻起来有生皮、焦油、汗水和烟草的浓烈气味； —

and because ofthat smell I would never enter his dwelling-place. —
正因为那股气味，我从不进入他的住所。 —

He had taken to sleep with his lamp burning, and grandfathergreatly objected to the habit.
他习惯于带着灯睡觉，但爷爷非常反对这个习惯。

　　“You see ! You’ll burn me out, Peter.”
“你看！你会把我烧掉的，彼得。”

“No, I shan’t. Don’t you worry. —
“不，我不会。别担心。 —

I stand the lamp in a basin of water at night,” he would reply, with a sidelongglance.
我晚上把灯立在水盆里，”他会斜眼看着说道。

He seemed to look askance at every one now, and had long given over attending grandmother’s evenings andbringing her jam; —
他现在似乎对每个人都带着不满的表情，早就不再参加祖母的晚间聚会，也不再给她带果酱了; —

his face seemed to be shriveling, his wrinkles became much deeper, and as he walked heswayed from side to side and shuffled his feet like a sick person.
他的脸似乎在慢慢皱缩，皱纹变得更深，走路时摇摇晃晃，脚步也像病人一样拖拉。

One week-day morning grandfather and I were clearing away the snow in the yard, there having been a heavyfall that night, when suddenly the latch of the gate clanged loudly and a policeman entered the yard, closing thegate by setting his back against it while he beckoned to grandfather with a fat, gray finger. —
一个工作日的早晨，爷爷和我在院子里清扫积雪，因为前一晚下了很大的雪，突然大门的闩响亮地响了一声，一个警察进了院子，用肥大灰色的手指示意爷爷。 —

When grandfatherwent to him the policeman bent down so that his long-pointed nose looked exactly as if it were chiselinggrandfather’s forehead, and said something, but in such a low tone that I could not hear the words; —
当爷爷走向他时，警察弯下腰，长尖的鼻子正好看起来像在雕刻爷爷的额头，他低声说了些什么，声音很低，我听不清那些话; —

butgrandfather answered quickly:
但爷爷迅速回答道:

　　“Here? When? Good God!”
“在这里？什么时候？天哪！”

　　And suddenly he cried, jumping about comically:
突然他叫了起来，滑稽地蹦跳起来:

　　“God bless us! Is it possible?”
“天啊！难道这是真的吗？”

　　“Don’t make so much noise,” said the policeman sternly.
“别闹那么大声”，警察严厉地说。

　　Grandfather looked round and saw me.
爷爷环顾四周，看到了我。

　　“Put away your spade, and go indoors,” he said.
“放下铁锹，回屋去”，他说。

　　I hid myself in a corner and saw them go to the drayman’s stall, and I saw the policeman take off his right gloveand strike the palm of his left hand with it as he said:
我藏在角落里，看到他们走向马车夫的棚子，看到警察脱掉右手套，用左手掌打着说:

　　“He knows we ‘re after him. He left the horse to wander about, and he is hiding here somewhere.”
“他知道我们在追他。他让马自由溜达，他现在就躲在这附近。”

I rushed into the kitchen to tell grandmother all about it; —
我跑进厨房告诉祖母所发生的事; —

she was kneading dough for bread, and her flouredhe’ad was bobbing up and down as she listened to me, and then said calmly:
她正在揉面团，面粉洒了满头，不停地点头听我说话，然后平静地说:

　　“He has been stealing something, I suppose. You run away now. What is it to do with you?”
“他一定是在偷东西。你现在赶快走吧。这与你何干？”

When I went out into the yard again grandfather was standing at the gate with his cap off, and his eyes raised toheaven, crossing himself. —
当我再次走出院子时，爷爷站在门口，摘下帽子，抬头望着天空，做十字记号。 —

His face looked angry; he was bristling with anger, in fact, and one of his legs wastrembling.
他的脸看起来很生气；实际上，他满脸怒容, 一条腿在颤抖。

“I told you to go indoors!” he shouted, stamping at me; —
“我让你进屋去！”他大喊着，冲着我跺脚； —

but he came with me into the kitchen, calling: —
但他跟我进了厨房，喊着: —

“Comehere, Mother !”
“来这儿，母亲！”

They went into the next room, and carried on a long conversation in whispers; —
他们走进隔壁房间，低声交谈了很长时间； —

but when grandmother came backto the kitchen I saw at once from her expression that something dreadful had happened.
但当奶奶回到厨房时，我立刻从她的表情中看出发生了可怕的事情。

　　“Why do you look so frightened?” I asked her.
“你为什么看起来这么害怕？”我问她。

　　“Hold your tongue !” she said quietly.
“闭嘴！”她平静地说。

All day long there was an oppressive feeling about the house. —
整天房间里总是有一种沉重的氛围。 —

Grandfather and grandmother frequentlyexchanged glances of disquietude, and spoke together, softly uttering unintelligible, brief words whichintensified the feeling of unrest.
爷爷和奶奶经常交换着不安的眼神，并悄悄地说话，说着让人捉摸不透、简洁的话语，加剧了不安的感觉。

　　“Light lamps all over the house, Mother,” grandfather ordered, coughing.
“在屋子里到处点灯，母亲，”爷爷咳嗽着吩咐道。

We dined without appetite, yet hurriedly, as if we were expecting some one. —
我们吃晚饭的时候没有胃口，但赶紧地吃完，好像在等待着什么人。 —

Grandfather was tired, and puffedout his cheeks as he grumbled in a squeaky voice :
爷爷很累，鼓起腮帮子，用尖声抱怨道：

“The power of the devil over man! … You see it everywhere … —
恶魔对人类的控制力量！你可以在任何地方看到… —

even our religious people and ecclesiastics! …
即使我们的虔诚信徒和教士们！…

　　What is the reason of it, eh?”
这是为什么呢？

　　Grandmother sighed.
奶奶叹了口气。

The hours of that silver-gray winter’s day dragged wearily on, and the atmosphere of the house seemed tobecome increasingly disturbed and oppressive. —
这个银灰色冬日的时光过得漫长而沉闷，房子里的气氛似乎变得越来越不安和压抑。 —

Before the evening another policeman came, a red, fat man, whosat by the stove in the kitchen and dozed, and when grandmother asked him : —
在傍晚之前，又来了一名警察，一个红脸胖子，他坐在厨房的火炉旁打盹，奶奶问他： —

“How did they find this out?” heanswered in a thick voice: —
“他们是怎么查到这一点的？”他用沉重的声音回答道: —

“We find out everything, so don’t you worry yourself!”
“我们会查出一切，所以你不用担心！”

I sat at the window, I remember, warming an old two-kopeck piece in my mouth, preparatory to an attempt tomake an impression on the frozen window-panes of St. George and the Dragon. —
我记得当时我坐在窗前，嘴里含着一枚旧的两戈比硬币，准备试图在结了冰的窗玻璃上印上一个关于圣乔治杀龙的印记。 —

All of a sudden there came adreadful noise from the vestibule, the door was thrown open, and Petrovna shrieked deliriously :
突然间，走廊里传来一阵可怕的声音，门被猛地推开，彼得罗夫娜发疯般尖叫道:

　　“Look and see what you ‘ve got out there !”
“快来看看外面发生了什么！”

Catching sight of the policeman, she darted back into the vestibule; —
看到警察，她冲进走廊; —

but he caught her by the skirt, and criedfearfully:
但他拉住了她的裙子，可怕地喊道:

　　“Wait! Who are you? What are we to look for?”
“等等！你是谁？我们要找什么？”

Suddenly brought to a halt on the threshold, she fell on her knees and began to scream; —
突然间停在门槛上，她跪倒在地开始尖叫； —

and her words and hertears seemed to choke her :
她的话语和眼泪似乎使她哽咽：

“I saw it when I went to milk the cows … —
“我去挤牛奶时看到了… —

what is that thing that looks like a boot in the Kashmirins’ garden? —
在喀什米尔人的花园里看到了一只看起来像靴子的东西… —

Isaid to myself ”
我对自己说”

　　But at this grandfather stamped his foot and shouted :
但是此时爷爷跺着脚大喊：

“You are lying, you fool ! You could not see anything in our garden, the fence is too high and there are nocrevices. —
“你在撒谎，傻瓜！你不可能在我们的花园里看到任何东西，篱笆太高了，也没有破洞。 —

You are lying; there is nothing in our garden,”
你在撒谎；我们的花园里什么也没有。”

　　“Little Father, it is true !” howled Petrovna, stretching out one hand to him, and pressing the other to her head.
“父亲，是真的！”彼得罗夫娜嚎啕大哭，一只手伸向他，另一只手捂着自己的头。

“It is true, little Father … should I lie about such a thing? —
“这是真的，父亲…我会为这样的事撒谎吗？ —

There were footprints leading to your fence, and thesnow was all trampled in one place, and I went and looked through the fence and I saw . —
脚印通向你的篱笆，雪在一个地方都被踩成了一团，我去看了… —

. . him … lyingthere . ..”
他…躺在那里…”

　　“Who? Who?”
“谁？谁？”

This question was repeated over and over again, but nothing more was to be got out of her. —
这个问题一遍又一遍地重复着，但她再也说不出更多。 —

Suddenly they allmade a dash for the garden, jostling each other as if they had gone mad; —
骤然间他们都冲向花园，争先恐后地推搡着，仿佛疯了一样; —

and there, by the pit, with the snowsoftly spread over him, lay Uncle Peter, with his back against the burnt beam and his head fallen on his chest.
在坑边，雪柔软地覆盖在他身上，躺着彼得叔叔，背靠着烧焦的横梁，头低垂在胸前。

　　Under his right ear was a deep gash, red, like a mouth, from which jagged pieces of flesh stuck out like teeth.
在他右耳下方有一个深深的伤口，红色的，像一个嘴巴，有像牙齿一样的碎片伸出来。

I shut my eyes in horror at the sight, but I could see, through my eyelashes, the harness-maker’s knife, which Iknew so well, lying on Uncle Peter’s knees, clutched in the dark fingers of his right hand; —
我惊恐地闭上双眼，但透过睫毛，我看到车辕制作者的刀，我很熟悉，躺在彼得叔叔的膝盖上，握在他黑暗的右手指中； —

his left hand was cutoff and was sinking into the snow. —
他的左手被截断，正在沉入雪中。 —

Under the drayman the snow had thawed, so that his diminutive body wassunk deep in the soft, sparkling down, and looked even more childlike than when he was alive. —
滑竿工人的身体正沉在大雪中融化的地方，看起来更像小时候，身材纤细如童。 —

On the right sideof the body a strange red design, resembling a bird, had been formed on the snow ; —
在身体右侧，雪地上形成了一个奇怪的红色图案，类似于一只鸟； —

but on the left the snow wasuntouched, and had remained smooth and dazzingly bright. —
但左侧的雪毫无痕迹，保持平滑耀眼的亮度。 —

The head had fallen forward in an attitude ofsubmission, with the chin pressed against the chest, and crushing the thick curly beard; —
头向前倾，姿态顺从，下巴紧贴胸前，挤压着浓密的卷曲胡须； —

and amidst the redstreams of congealed blood on the breast there lay a large brass cross. —
在胸前凝固的血液中，放着一个大铜十字架。 —

The noise they were all making seemed toset my head spinning. —
他们发出的噪音似乎让我的头晕。 —

Petrovna never left off shrieking, the policeman shouted orders to Valei as he sent him onan errand, and grandfather cried:
彼得罗夫娜不停地尖叫，警察向瓦列伊下达命令送他办事，爷爷喊道：

　　“Take care not to tread in his footprints !”
“小心不要踩在他的脚印上！”

　　But he suddenly knit his brows, and looking on the ground said in a loud, imperious tone to the policeman :
但他突然皱起眉头，看着地面，在高声而专横的口吻对警察说：

“There is nothing for you to kick up a row about, Constable! This is God’s affair . —
“你没有什么好大惊小怪的，警官！这是上帝的事情。 —

.. a judgment from God … yetyou must be fussing about some nonsense or other bah!”
是上帝的审判，可你一定在为某种无聊的事情忙个不停，呸！”

And at once a hush fell on them all; —
顿时他们全部陷入了寂静。 —

they stood still and, taking in a long breath, crossed themselves. —
他们站在原地，深深吸了口气，交叉着胸部。 —

Severalpeople now came hastily into the garden from the yard. —
现在有几个人从院子里匆匆走进花园。 —

They climbed over Petrovna’s fence and some of themfell down, and uttered exclamations of pain ; —
他们翻过彼得罗夫娜的篱笆，一些人摔倒了，并发出疼痛的呻吟； —

but for all that they were quite quiet until grandfather cried in avoice of despair:
但尽管如此，他们仍然保持安静，直到祖父绝望地喊道：

　　“Neighbors! why are you spoiling my raspberry bushes? Have you no consciences’?”
“邻居们！你们为什么破坏我的覆盆子丛？你们没有良心吗？”

　　Grandmother, sobbing violently, took my hand and brought me into the house.
祖母痛哭着紧紧握住我的手，把我带进了屋子。

　　“What did he do?” I asked.
“他做了什么？” 我问。

　　“Couldn’t you see?” she answered.
“你没看见吗？” 她回答。

For the rest of the evening, until far into the night, strangers tramped in and out of the kitchen and the otherrooms talking loudly; —
在接下来的整个晚上，一直持续到深夜，有陌生人在厨房和其他房间进进出出，大声谈论； —

the police were in command, and a man who looked like a deacon was making notes, andquacking like a duck :
警察当家，一个看起来像是唱经者的人在指挥，像鸭子一样嘎嘎叫着：

　　“Wha at? Wha at?”
“怎么了？怎么了？”

　　Grandmother offered them all tea in the kitchen, where, sitting at the table, was a rotund, whiskered individual,marked with smallpox, who was saying in a shrill voice :
祖母在厨房里请所有人喝茶，坐在桌子旁的是一个圆滚滚、长了麻疹的胡子拉碴的人，他用尖声的声音说：

“His real name we don’t know … all that we can find out is that his birthplace was Elatma. —
“他的真名我们不知道…我们能找到的唯一信息就是他的出生地是埃拉特玛。 —

As for the DeafMute … that is only a nickname … he was not deaf and dumb at all . —
至于聋哑人…那只是个绰号…他一点也不聋哑…他对这件事情了如指掌…还有第三个人也参与其中。 —

.. he knew all about the business… . Andthere ‘s a third man in it too . —
…” —

.. we ‘ve got to find him yet. They have been robbing churches for a long time; —
我们还得找到他。他们已经长期在抢劫教堂； —

thatwas their lay.”
这是他们的战利品。”

　　“Good Lord!” ejaculated Petrovna, very red, and perspiring profusely.
彼得罗夫娜大喘气，脸红得厉害，满头大汗。

　　As for me, I lay on the ledge of the stove and looked down on them, and thought how short and fat and dreadfulthey all were.
至于我，我躺在火炉的炉膛上，俯视着他们，觉得他们个个矮胖可怕。