THE snow melted away from the fields; the wintry clouds in the sky passedaway; —
雪从田野上融化消失；天空中的冬季云彩逐渐消散； —

wet snow and rain fell upon the earth; the sun was slower and slowerin performing his daily journey; the air grew warmer; —
湿雪和雨水落在大地上；太阳在完成他的每日之旅中变得越来越慢；空气变得更温暖； —

and it seemed that thejoyful spring had already arrived, sportively hiding herself behind the fields,and would soon burst upon the town itself. —
看起来春天的快乐已经到来，调皮地躲在田野后面，并很快就会爆发到城市本身。 —

In the streets there was brownmud; streams ran along the gutters; —
街上到处是泥浆；小溪沿着排水沟流动； —

in the thawed places of ArestantskiSquare the sparrows hopped joyfully. —
在阿热斯坦茨基广场的已经融化的地方，麻雀欢快地跳跃。 —

And in human creatures, also, wasapparent the same excitement as was shown by the sparrows. —
人类中也显露出了与麻雀一样的兴奋。 —

Above thesounds of spring, almost uninterruptedly from morning to night, rang outthe Lenten bells, stirring one’s heart with their muffled strokes. —
几乎整天从早到晚，复活节钟声响起，用它们的低沉的敲击使人心神不定。 —

In thatsound, as in the speech of an old man, there was hidden something ofdispleasure, as if the bells had said with cold melancholy : —
在那声音中，就像老人的话语一样，隐藏着一些不悦，好像钟声带着冷淡的忧郁说道： —

“Has been, thishas been, has been — ” On my nameday the workmen gave me a small,beautifully painted image of Alexei, the man of God, and Jikharev made animpressive, long speech, which I remember very well.
“曾经有过，曾经有过，曾经有过——”在我的名字日那天，工人们给了我一个精美画着阿列克谢的小像，吉哈列夫做了一篇印象深刻、漫长的演讲，我记得很清楚。

“What are you?” said he, with much play of finger and raising ofeyebrows. —
“你是什么？”他说，手指动作频繁，眉毛拱起。 —

“Nothing more than a small boy, an orphan, thirteen years old —and I, nearly four times your age, praise you and approve of you, because youalways stand with your face to people and not sideways! —
“无非是一个小男孩，一个孤儿，十三岁——而我，接近你四倍岁数，赞美你并赞同你，因为你总是面向人们而不是侧身！ —

Stand like thatalways, and you will be all right!”
永远都保持这样，你就会一切都好！”

He spoke of the slaves of God, and of his people, but the differencebetween people and slaves I could never understand, and I don’t believe thathe understood it himself. —
他谈到了上帝的奴仆和他的百姓，但我永远无法理解人们和奴隶之间的区别，我也不相信他自己理解。 —

His speech was long-winded, the workshop waslaughing at him, and I stood, with the image in my hand, very touched andvery confused, not knowing what I ought to do. —
他的演讲冗长，车间里的人都在嘲笑他，我拿着像，十分感动和困惑，不知道自己该怎么做。 —

At length Kapendiukhincalled out irritably :
最后卡彭迪乌克愤怒地喊道：

　　“Oh, leave off singing his praises; his ears are already turning blue!”
“哦，别再夸他了；他的耳朵都快变成蓝色了！”

　　Then clapping me on the shoulder, he began to praise me himself:
然后拍了拍我的肩膀，他开始夸赞我：

　　“What is good in you is what you have in common with all humancreatures, and not the fact that it is difficult to scold and beat you when youhave given cause for it!”
“你身上好的地方就是你与所有人类共同拥有的，而不是因为你给予批评和打击时很难的原因！”

They all looked at me with kind eyes, making good-natured fun of myconfusion. —
他们都用友好的眼神看着我，善意地取笑着我的困惑。 —

A little more and I believe I should have burst out crying from theunexpected joy of finding myself valued by these people. —
我几乎忍不住要哭出来，因为意外的欣喜发现自己受到这些人的重视。 —

And that verymorning the shopman had said to Petr Vassilich, nodding his head towardme :
就在那天早晨，店员对彼得瓦西利奇说着，向我点头：

　　“An unpleasant boy that, and good for nothing!”
“那个令人讨厌的男孩，一无是处！”

　　As usual I had gone to the shop in the morning, but at noon the shopmanhad said to me :
像往常一样，我早上去了商店，但中午店员对我说：

　　“Go home and clear the snow off the roof of the warehouse, and clean outthe cellar.”
“回家，清除仓库屋顶上的积雪，清理地下室。”

That it was my name-day he did not know, and I had thought that no oneknew it. —
他并不知道今天是我的名字日，而我以为没人知道。 —

When the ceremony of congratulations had finished in the work —shop, I changed my clothes and climbed up to the roof of the shed to throwoff the smooth, heavy snow which had accumulated during that winter. —
当恭贺仪式在车间结束后，我换了衣服，爬上棚顶去扫除整个冬天积累的厚厚的雪。 —

Butbeing excited, I forgot to close the door of the cellar, and threw all the snowinto it. —
但激动起来后，我忘记了关闭地窖的门，把所有的雪都扔进去了。 —

When I jumped down to the ground, I saw my mistake, and set myselfat once to get the snow away from the door. —
当我从地面跳下来时，我意识到了我的错误，并立即开始移开门口的积雪。 —

Being wet, it lay heavily; thewooden spade moved it with difficulty; —
因为潮湿，积雪很重；木铲很难铲动； —

there was no iron one, and I brokethe spade at the very moment when the shopman appeared at the yard-gate.
没有铁铲，而我偏偏在店员出现在院门口的那一刻把木铲给折断了。

　　The truth of the Russian proverb, “Sorrow follows on the heels of joy,” wasproved to me.
俄罗斯谚语“快乐之后必有悲伤”之真理对我得到了证明。

“So — o — o!” said the shopman derisively, “you are a fine workman, thedevil take you! —
“这么——！”店员讥讽地说，“你是个优秀的工匠，该死的！ —

If I get hold of your senseless blockhead — “ He flourished theblade of the shovel over me.
“如果我抓住你这个没头脑的蠢货——”他挥舞着铲子的刀刃指着我。

　　I move away, saying angrily :
生气地说着，我走开了：

　　“I wasn’t engaged as a yardman, anyhow.”
“反正我又不是被雇来做庭院工。”

He hurled the stick against my legs. I took up a snowball and threw itright in his face. —
他朝我腿上扔了根棍子。我拿起雪球朝他脸上扔了过去。 —

He ran away snorting, and I left off working, and went intothe workshop. —
他咆哮着跑开了，我停止了工作，走进了车间。 —

In a few minutes his fiancee came running downstairs. —
几分钟后，他的未婚妻跑下楼来。 —

Shewas an agile maiden, with pim — ples on her vacant face.
她是个身手灵活的姑娘，脸上布满了痘痘的空洞表情。

　　“Maximich, you are to go upstairs!”
“马克西米奇，你要上楼去！”

“I am not going!” I said. Larionich asked in an amazed undertone: “Whatis this? —
“我才不去呢！”我说。拉里奥尼奇惊讶地问：“怎么回事？ —

You are not going “?” I told him about the affair. —
你不去？”，我把事情告诉了他。 —

With an anxiousfrown he went upstairs, muttering to me: —
他一脸忧虑地上楼去了，对我嘟囔道： —

“Oh, you impudent youngster — ”
“哦，你这个无礼的小家伙——”

　　The workshop resounded with abuse .f the shop-man, and Kapendiukhinsaid:
车间里充斥着对店员的谩骂，卡彭迪欧金说：

“Well, they will kick you out this time!” This did not alarm me. —
“嗯，这次他们会把你赶出去！” 这并没有让我感到惊慌。 —

Myrelations with the shopman had already become unbearable. —
我和店主的关系已经无法忍受了。 —

His hatred ofme was undisguised and became more and more acute, while, for my part, Icould not endure him. —
他对我的仇恨毫不掩饰，而且越来越严重，而我则无法忍受他。 —

But what I wanted to know was: why did he behave soabsurdly to me”? —
但我想知道的是：他为什么要对我表现得如此荒谬呢？ —

He would throw coins about the floor of the shop, andwhen I was sweeping, I found them, and laid them on the counter in the cupwhich contained the small money kept for beggars. —
他会在商店的地板上乱扔硬币，当我打扫时，我发现了它们，并把它们放在柜台上的杯子里，里面放着给乞丐用的零钱。 —

When I guessed whatthese frequent finds meant I said to him:
当我猜出这些频繁发现的意思时，我对他说：

“You throw money about in my way on purpose! —
“你故意往我的路上扔钱! —

” He flew out at me andcried incautiously: —
”他冲我嚷道。 —

“Don’t you dare to teach me! I know what I am doing!”
“大胆不敢教训我！我知道自己在干什么！”

But he corrected himself immediately: —
但他立刻纠正自己： —

“And what do you mean by mythrowing it about purposely? —
“你说我故意扔的？ —

It falls about itself.”
它自己就掉的。”

　　He forbade me to read the books in the shop, saying:
他禁止我读商店里的书，说：

“That is not for you to trouble your head about IWhat! —
“那不是你要费心的事！什么！你想成为一名估价师吗，懒汉？” —

Have you an idea of becoming a valuer, sluggard?’
请问你是想成为估价师，懒汉吗？

He did not cease his attempts to catch me in the theft of small money,and I realised that if, when I was sweeping the floor, the coin should roll intoa crevice between the boards, he would declare that I had stolen it. —
他没有停止试图抓住我偷偷摸摸地拿小钱的行为，我意识到，如果在我打扫地板时，硬币滚进木板缝隙，他会宣称我偷了它。 —

Then Itold him again that he had better give up that game, but that same day, whenI re — turned from the tavern with the boiling water, I heard him suggestingto the newly engaged assistant in the neighboring shop:
然后我再次告诉他最好放弃那种游戏，但就在那一天，当我带着开水从酒馆回来时，我听到他在向隔壁商店的新雇员建议：

　　“Egg him on to steal psalters. We shall soon be having three hampers ofthem.”
“激发他去偷走金边书。我们很快将有三篓这样的书。”

I knew that they were talking about me, for when I entered the shop theyboth looked confused; —
我知道他们在谈论我，因为当我进入店铺时，他们两个看起来都很困惑； —

and besides these signs, I had grounds for suspectingthem of a foolish conspiracy against me.
除了这些迹象之外，我有理由怀疑他们对我进行了一个愚蠢的阴谋。

This was not the first time that that assistant had been in the service ofthe man next door. —
这不是那个助手第一次在隔壁店主的服务中了。 —

He was accounted a clever salesman, but he sufferedfrom alco — holism; —
他被视为一个聪明的销售员，但他患有酗酒症； —

in one of his drinking bouts the master had dismissedhim, but had afterwards taken him back. —
在他的一个喝醉的时刻，店主辞退了他，但后来又重新雇用了他。 —

He was an anaemic, feeble person,with cunning eyes. —
他是一个贫血、虚弱的人，眼睛狡猾。 —

Apparently amiable and submissive to the slightestgesture of his master, he smiled a little, clever smile in his beard all the time,was fond of uttering sharp sayings, and exhaled the rotten smell whichcomes from people with bad teeth, although his own were white and strong.
看起来温和顺从，对店主的最轻微的姿态都乐意遵从，一直在胡子上微笑，喜欢说尖刻的话，并散发着那种来自牙齿不好的人的腐烂气味，尽管他自己的牙齿又白又壮。

One day he gave me a terrible surprise; —
有一天，他给了我一个可怕的惊喜； —

he came towards me smilingpleasantly, but suddenly seized my cap off my head and took hold of my hair.
他微笑着向我走来，突然抓住了我的帽子，揪住我的头发。

We began to struggle. He pushed me from the gallery into the shop, trying allthe time to throw me against the large images which stood about on thefloor. —
我们开始搏斗。他把我从走廊推到店里，一直试图把我摔到铺满地板的大型圣像上。 —

If he had succeeded in this, I should have broken the glass, or chippedthe carving, and no doubt scratched some of the costly icons. —
如果他成功了，我就会打破玻璃，或者磕碰雕刻品，无疑会刮伤一些昂贵的圣像。 —

He was veryweak, and I soon overcame him; —
他很虚弱，我很快就制服了他。 —

when to my great amazement the beardedman sat on the floor and cried bitterly, rubbing his bruised nose.
当我惊讶地发现那个有胡须的男人坐在地板上伤心地哭泣，揉着他瘀伤的鼻子。

　　The next morning when our masters had both gone out somewhere andwe were alone, he said to me in a friendly manner, rubbing the lump on thebridge of his nose and under his eyes with his finger :
第二天早上，当我们的主人都出门了，只剩下我们两个时，他友好地对我说，用手指揉着他鼻梁上和眼睛下的肿块：

“Do you think that it was of my own will or desire that I attacked you? —
“你认为是我自愿或意愿要攻击你吗？ —

Iam not a fool, you know, and I knew that you would be more than a matchfor me. —
我不是傻瓜，你知道，我知道你绰绰有余能制服我。 —

I am a man of little strength, a tippler. It was your master who toldme to do it. —
我力量弱小，酒鬼一枚。是你的主人告诉我要这么做。 —

‘Lead him on,’ he said, ‘and get him to break something in theshop while he is fighting you. —
‘引诱他，’他说，‘在和你搏斗的时候让他在店里砸坏一些东西。 —

Let him damage something, anyhow!’ I shouldnever have done it of my own accord; —
让他破坏一些东西，不管怎样！’我绝对不会自作主张这样做； —

look how you have ornamented myphiz for me.”
看看你给我的巴掌。”

I believed him, and I began to be sorry for him. —
我相信了他，并开始为他感到抱歉。 —

I knew that he lived, half-starved, with a woman who knocked him about. —
我知道他和一个经常打他的女人过着半饿肚子的日子。 —

However, I asked him:
然而，我问他：

　　“And if he told you to poison a person, I suppose you would do it?”
“如果他告诉你毒害某人，我猜你会吗？”

　　“He might do that,” said the shopman with a pitiful smile; “he is capableof it.”
“他可能会，”那个店员带着可怜的微笑说，“他有这种可能性。”

　　Soon after this he asked me :
不久之后，他问我：

“Listen, I have not a farthing; there is nothing to eat at home ; my missusnags at me. —
“听着，我一文不值；家里没东西吃；我老婆总是唠叨我。” —

Couldn’t you take an icon out of your stock and give it to me tosell, like a friend, eh? —
你不能从库存中拿一个图标给我卖掉吗，就像朋友一样，嗯？ —

Will you”? Or a breviary?”
你会吗？还是一本祈祷书？

I remembered the boot-shop, and the beadle of the church, and Ithought: —
我记起了皮靴店和教堂的执事，我想： —

“Will this man give me away?” But it was hard to refuse him, and Igave him an icon. —
“这个人会出卖我吗？”但拒绝他很困难，我给了他一幅图标。 —

To steal a breviary worth several rubles, that I could notdo; it seemed, to me a great crime. —
我无法偷几卢布值钱的祈祷书；这对我来说是一种大罪。 —

What would you have? Arithrnetic alwayslies concealed in ethics; —
你会怎么做？算术总是隐藏在伦理学中； —

the holy ingenuousness of “Regula — tions for thePunishment of Criminals” clearly gives away this little secret, behind whichthe great lie of property hides itself.
“对罪犯的惩罚规章”中的圣洁纯真明显地揭示了这个小小秘密，在这个伪善的财产之后隐藏着巨大的谎言。

When I heard my shopman suggesting that this miserable man shouldincite me to steal psalters I was afraid. —
当我听到我的店员建议这个可怜的人教唆我偷诗篇时，我感到害怕。 —

It was clear that he knew howcharitable I had been on the other’s behalf, and that the man from next doorhad told him about the icon.
很明显他知道我为了别人的利益多么慈善，隔壁的那个人又告诉他有关这幅图标的事。

The abominableness of being charitable at another person’s expense, andthe realization of the rotten trap that had been set for me — both these thingsaroused in me a feeling of indignation and disgust with myself and every oneelse. —
在别人的费用上慷慨仁爱的可恶，以及我被设下的肮脏陷阱的认识——这两件事激起了我对自己和其他人的愤慨和厌恶。 —

For several days I tormented myself cruelly, waiting for the arrival ofthe hamper with the books. —
几天来，我在煎熬中度过，等待着一箱书的到来。 —

At length they came, and when I was puttingthem away in the store-room, the shopman from next door came to me andasked me to give him a breviary.
最终书到了，当我把它们放到储藏室时，隔壁店的店员来找我，要求我给他一本祈祷书。

　　Then I asked him :
然后我问他：

　　“Did you tell my master about the icon?”
“你告诉我的老板关于那幅图标吗？”

　　“1 did,” he answered in a melancholy voice; “I can keep nothing back,brother.”
“我告诉了，”他以忧郁的语气回答，“我无法隐瞒任何事情，兄弟。”

　　This utterly confounded me, and I sat on the floor staring at himstupidly, while he muttered hurriedly, confusedly, desperately miserable:
这让我感到十分困惑，我呆呆地坐在地板上盯着他，而他却匆匆忙忙地、糊涂地、绝望地抱怨着：

　　“You see your man guessed — or rather, mine guessed and told yours — ”
“你看，你的人猜出来了——或者说是我的人猜出来告诉了你的——”

I thought I was lost. These people had been conspiring against me, andnow there was a place ready for me in the colony for youthful criminals! —
我觉得自己完全迷失了方向。这些人一直在密谋对付我，现在竟然为“青年罪犯”在殖民地一个位置准备好了！ —

Ifthat were so, nothing mattered! If one must drown, it is better to drown in adeep spot. —
如果真是那样的话，其它一切都再无意义！如果非要淹死不可，那还是在深水里淹死为好。 —

I put a breviary into the hands of the shopman; —
我把一本经书交给了店员； —

he hid it in thesleeves of his greatcoat and went away. —
他把书藏在大衣袖子里走了。 —

But he returned suddenly, thebreviary fell at my feet, and the man strode away, saying:
但他突然回来了，经书从我的脚边掉了下来，那人匆匆离去，说：

　　“I won’t take it! It would be all over with you.”
“我不会要！否则你就完蛋了。”

I did not understand these words. Why should it be all over with me? —
我不明白这些话的意思。为什么我会完蛋？ —

ButI was very glad that he had not taken the book. —
但我很高兴他没有拿走这本书。 —

After this my little shop-manbegan to regard me with more disfavor and sus — picion than ever.
之后，我的小店员开始比以往更加不满和猜疑地看待我。

I remembered all this when Larionich went upstairs. —
当Larionich上楼时我记得这一切。 —

He did not staythere long, and came back more depressed and quiet than usual, but beforesupper he said to me privately :
他没有在那里待很久，回来时比平时更加消沉和安静，但在晚饭前私下对我说：

“I tried to arrange for you to be set free from the shop, and given over tothe workshop, but it was no good. —
“我试图安排让你从店里解脱出来，进入车间工作，但没有成功。 —

Kouzma would not have it. You are verymuch out of favor with him.”
库兹马不同意。你在他那里很不受欢迎。”

I had an enemy in the house, too — the shopman’s fiancee, animmoderately sportive damsel. —
在房子里也有个敌人—店员的未婚妻，一个过分好动的姑娘。 —

All the young fellows in the workshop playedabout with her; —
车间里的所有年轻人都和她玩得很投入； —

they used to wait for her in the vestibule and embrace her.
他们在门厅等着她，然后拥抱她。

This did not offend her; she only squeaked like a little dog. —
这并没有使她生气；她只像小狗一样尖声叫。 —

She was chewingsomething from morning to night; —
她从早到晚都在嚼着东西； —

her pockets were always full of ginger —bread or buns; her jaws moved ceaselessly. —
她的口袋里总是装满姜饼或小圆面包；她的下颚不停地动着。 —

To look at her vacant face with itsrestless gray eyes was unpleasant. —
看着她那空洞的脸和不安的灰色眼睛很不愉快。 —

She used to ask Pavl and me riddles whichalways concealed some coarse obscenity, and repeated catchwords which,being said very quickly, became improper words.
她常常向我和保尔提一些包含粗俗暴露的谜语，并重复一些快速说出就变成下流词语的口头禅。

　　One day one of the elderly workmen said to her:
有一天，一个年长的工人对她说：

　　“You are a shameless hussy, my girl!”
“你这个无耻的丫头！”

　　To which she answered swiftly, in the words of a ribald song:
她迅速回答说，用一个下流歌曲的词句：

　　“If a maiden is too modest, She’ll never be a woman worth having.”
“如果一个少女太过拘谨，她永远不会值得拥有。”

It was the first time I had ever seen such a girl. —
这是我第一次见到这样的姑娘。 —

She disgusted andfrightened me with her coarse playfulness, and seeing that her antics werenot agreeable to me, she became more and more spiteful toward me.
她的粗俗幽默让我感到恶心和害怕，看到她的举止不受我欢迎，她对我就更加刻薄了。

　　Once when Pavl and I were in the cellar helping her to steam out thecasks of kvass and cucumbers she suggested :
当保尔和我在地下室帮她蒸出短吻面和腌黄瓜时，她建议：

　　“Would you like me to teach you how to kiss, boys?”
“你想让我教你们如何接吻吗，男孩们？”

“I know how to kiss better than you do” Pavl answered, and I told her togo and kiss her future hus — band. —
“我知道如何接吻比你好，”帕夫尔回答道，然后我让她去亲吻她未来的丈夫。 —

I did not say it very politely, either.
我说这话的口气也不算客气。

　　She was angry.
她生气了。

“Oh, you coarse creature! A young lady makes herself agreeable to himand he turns up his nose. —
“哦，你这个粗鲁的家伙！一个年轻女士讨你喜欢，你却嗤之以鼻。 —

Well, I never! What a ninny!”
唉，我从来没见过这么幼稚的人!”

　　And she added, shaking a threatening finger at me :
她还摇着手指威胁我说：

　　“You just wait. I will remember that of you!”
“你等着，我会记住你的！”

　　But Pavl said to her, taking my part :
但帕夫尔替我说话，支持我说：

　　“Your young man would give you something if he knew about yourbehavior!”
“如果你男朋友知道了你的行为，会给你点颜色看的！”

　　She screwed up her pimply face contemptuously.
她鄙视地皱起了长满痘痘的脸。

“I am not afraid of him! I have a dowry. I am much better than he is! —
“我才不怕他！我有嫁妆。我比他好多了！ —

Agirl only has the time till she is married to amuse herself.”
一个姑娘只有在结婚前有时间娱乐自己。”

　　She began to play about with Pavl, and from that time I found in her anunwearying calumniator.
她开始跟帕夫尔玩在一起，从那时起我发现她成了一个不知疲倦的诽谤者。

My life in the shop became harder and harder. I read church books allthe time. —
在店里生活变得越来越艰难。我整天读教堂的书。 —

The disputes and conversations of the valuers had ceased to amuseme, for they were always talking over the same things in the same old way.
评估师们的争论和谈话已经不再逗我开心了，因为他们总是以同样的方式讨论着同样的事情。

Petr Vassilich alone still interested me, with his knowledge of the dark sideof hu — man life, and his power of speaking interestingly andenthusiastically. —
我只对彼得·瓦西里奇感兴趣，他对人类黑暗面的了解，以及他讲起来既有趣又充满热情。 —

Sometimes I thought he must be the prophet Elias walkingthe earth, solitary and vindictive. —
有时候我觉得他就是以利亚走在人间，一个孤独而报复的先知。 —

But each time that I spoke to the old manfrankly about people, or about my own thoughts, he repeated all that I hadsaid to the shopman, who either ridiculed me offensively, or abused meangrily.
但是每次我坦率地和老人谈论人们或者我的想法时，他都会把我说的一切告诉那个店员，后者要么嘲笑我无礼，要么愤怒地辱骂我。

One day I told the old man that I sometimes wrote his sayings in thenote-book in which I had copied various poems taken out of books. —
有一天我告诉这位老人，我有时会把他的话记录在笔记本里，我曾在里面抄写过各种书中的诗歌。 —

Thisgreatly alarmed the valuer, who limped towards me swiftly, askinganxiously :
这让这位评估师感到非常担心，他跛行过来迅速问我焦急地：

“What did you do that for? It is not worth while, my lad. So that you mayremember? No; —
“你为什么要这样做？这不值得，孩子。这样你就能记住吗？不，你还是算了吧。你这个孩子！ —

you just give it up. What a boy you are! —
你得把你写的东西给我，对吗？” —

Now you will give mewhat you have written, won’t you?”
　　他努力而诚恳地劝说我要么给他笔记本，要么把它烧了，然后他开始愤怒地和店员窃窃私语。

　　He tried long and earnestly to persuade me to either give him thenotebook, or to burn it, and then he began to whisper angrily with theshopman.
当我们回家的时候，后者对我说：

　　As we were going home, the latter said to me:
“你一直在记录笔记？这事必须得”停了！你听见了吗？

　　“You have been taking notes? That has got to be” stopped! Do you hear?
只有侦探才会这样做！”

　　Only detectives do that sort of thing!”
然后我轻率地问道：

　　Then I asked incautiously:
“西塔诺夫呢？他也在记录笔记。”

　　“And what about Sitanov? He also takes notes.”
，，“他们这样说我？”

　　“Also. That long fool?”
“那位胡说八道的家伙呢？”

　　He was silent for a long time, and then with unusual gentleness he said:
他沉默了很长一段时间，然后异常温和地说：

“Listen; if you show me your note-book and Sitanov’s, too, I will give youhalf a ruble! —
“听着，如果你给我看你的笔记本，还有斯坦诺夫的，我就给你半卢布！” —

Only do it on the quiet, so that Sitanov does not see.”
“悄悄地做，别让斯坦诺夫看见。”

　　No doubt he thought that I would carry out his wish, and without sayinganother word, he ran in front of me on his short legs.
“毫无疑问，他认为我会满足他的愿望，而且没有再说什么，就在我前面用他那短腿奔跑起来。”

　　When I reached the house, I told Sitanov what the shopman hadproposed to me. Evgen frowned.
“当我到达房子时，我告诉斯坦诺夫那个店员对我提出的建议。叶甫根皱起了眉头。”

“You have been chattering purposely. —
“你故意唠叨了。” —

Now he will give some oneinstructions to steal both our note-books. —
“现在他会安排人去偷我们俩的笔记本的。” —

Give me yours — I will hide it. Andhe will turn you out before long — you see!”
“把你的给我 — 我会藏起来。而他很快就会把你赶出去 — 你瞧！”

I was convinced of that, too, and resolved to leave as soon asgrandmother returned to the town. She had been living at Balakhania all thewinter, invited by some one to teach young girls to make lace. —
“我也深信如此，决定在奶奶回镇上时就离开。她整个冬天都在巴拉哈尼亚住，有人请她教年轻女孩做花边。” —

Grandfatherwas again living in Kunavin Street, but I did not visit him, and when he cameto the town, he never came to see me. —
“祖父再次住在库纳文大街，但我没有去看他，当他来到镇上时，他从未来看我。” —

One day we ran into each other in thestreet. —
“有一天我们在街上偶遇。” —

He was walking along in a heavy racoon pelisse, importantly andslowly. —
“他穿着一件厚重的貂皮大衣，显得重要而缓慢。” —

I said “How do you do” to him. He lifted his hands to shade his eyes,looked at me from under them, and then said thoughtfully:
“我对他说了声‘你好’。他举起手遮住眼睛看着我，然后思考着说：”

　　“Oh, it is you; you are an image-painter now. Yes, yes; all right; get alongwith you.”
“‘噢，是你啊；你现在是个形象画家了。是的，是的；走吧。”

　　Pushing me out of his way, he continued his walk, slowly andimportantly.
推开我，他继续行走，慢条斯理地。

　　I saw grandmother seldom. She worked unweariedly to feed grandfather,who was suffering from the malady of old age — senile weakness — and hadalso taken upon herself the care of my uncle’s children.
我很少见到祖母。她不知疲倦地工作，养活着患有老年痴呆症的祖父，还照顾着我叔叔的孩子。

The one who caused her the most worry was Sascha,Mikhail’s son, a handsome lad, dreamy and book-loving. —
给她造成最多烦恼的是米哈伊尔的儿子萨沙，一个英俊的少年，爱做白日梦，热爱读书。 —

He worked in adyer’s shop, frequently changed his employers, and in the intervals threwhimself on grandmother’s shoulders, calmly waiting until she should findhim another place. —
他在染坊工作，经常换雇主，期间把自己扔在祖母的肩膀上，安静地等待她为他找到另一个工作。 —

She had Sascha’s sister on her shoulders, too. —
她也把萨沙的妹妹扛在了肩上。 —

She hadmade an unfor — tunate marriage with a drunken workman, who beat herand turned her out of his house.
她与一个酗酒的工人做了一段不幸的婚姻，他打她把她赶出家门。

Every time I met grandmother, I was more consciously charmed by herpersonality; —
每次见到祖母，我都更被她的个性吸引； —

but I felt already that that beautiful soul, blinded by fancifultales, was not capable of seeing, could not understand a revelation of thebitter reality of life, and my disquietude and restlessness were strange to her.
但我已感到，那位被富有想象力的故事蒙骗的美丽灵魂，并不具备看到，无法理解生活残酷现实的启示，而我的内心不安和焦躁对她来说是陌生的。

　　“You must have patience, Oleshal”
“你必须耐心，奥列沙。”

　　This was all she had to say to me in reply to my stories of the hideouslives, of the tortures of people, of sorrow — of all which perplexed me, andwith which I was burning.
这是她对我讲述的那些可怕生活、人们的折磨和悲伤的故事所做的全部回应，这些事困扰着我，让我炽热。

　　I was unfitted by nature to be patient, and if occasionally I exhibited thatvirtue which belongs to cattle, trees, and stones, I did so in the cause of self-discipline, to test my reserves of strength, my degree of stability upon earth.
我天生不适于耐心，如果偶尔显示出牛、树和石头那样的美德，那是为了自律，测试我的力量储备，我的地上的稳定程度。

Sometimes young people, with the stupidity of youth, will keep on trying tolift weights too heavy for their muscles and bones; —
有时年轻人，因为青春的愚蠢，会继续试图举起自己的肌肉和骨骼太重的重物； —

will try boastfully, likefull-grown men of proved strength, to cross themselves with heavy weights,envious of the strength of their elders.
会像被证明了力量的成年人一样，骄傲地试图用沉重的权柄十字架自己，嫉妒年长者的力量。

I also did this in a double sense, physically and spiritually, and it is onlydue to some chance that I did not strain myself dangerously, or deformmyself for the rest of my life. —
我在这方面也是这样，物理上和精神上都是如此，仅仅是由于一些偶然的原因，使我没有危险地拉伤自己，或者毁坏终生。 —

Besides, nothing disfigures a man more terriblythan his patience, the submission of his strength to external conditions.
此外，没有什么比一个人的耐心更可怕地毁容，他的力量向外部条件屈服。

　　And though in the end I shall lie in the earth disfigured, I can say, notwithout pride, to my last hour, that good people did their best for forty yearsto disfigure my soul, but that their labors were not very successful.
尽管最终我会躺在地里颜面全无，但我可以自豪地说，直到最后时刻，善良的人们努力了四十年来损害我的灵魂，但他们的努力并不成功。

The wild desire to play mischievous pranks, to amuse people, to makethem laugh, took more and more hold upon me. —
对恶作剧的狂热渴望，逗人开心，让他们笑，越来越强烈地占据了我。 —

I was successful in this. Icould tell stories about the merchants in the market-place, impersonatingthem ; —
我在这方面很成功。我能讲述关于市场的商人的故事，模仿他们； —

I could imitate the peasant men and women buying and selling icons,the shopman skilfully cheating them; —
我能模仿乡下男女买卖圣像，那些熟练欺骗他们的店员； —

the valuers disputing amongstthemselves.
还有，评估人员之间的争论。

The workshop resounded with laughter. —
车间回荡着笑声。 —

Often the workmen left theirwork to look on at my impersonations, but on all these occasions Larionichwould say:
工人们经常放下手中的工作来看我的模仿，但在这些场合下，拉留尼奇会说：

　　“You had better do your acting after supper; otherwise you hinder thework.”
“你最好在晚饭后再演戏；否则你会妨碍工作。”

When I had finished my performance I felt myself easier, as if I hadthrown off a burden which weighed upon me. —
当我完成表演时，我感到自己轻松了，仿佛卸下了一种压在我身上的负担。 —

For half an hour or an hour myhead felt pleasantly clear, but soon it felt again as if it were full of sharp,small nails, which moved about and grew hot. —
半个小时或一个小时内我的脑袋感到愉快地清晰，但很快它又感觉像是充满了尖尖的小钉子，移动着并变热了起来。 —

It seemed to me that a sort ofdirty porridge was boiling around me, and that I was being gradually boiledaway in it.
我觉得一种脏乎乎的粥在我周围煮着，而我正在慢慢地被煮化。

I wondered: Was life really like this? —
我想：生活真的是这样吗？ —

And should I have to live as thesepeople lived, never finding, never seeing anything better?
我应该像这些人一样活下去，永远找不到，看不到更好的东西吗？

　　“You are growing sulky, Maximich,” said Jikharev, looking at meattentively.
“你越来越阴郁了，马克西米奇，”基哈列夫认真地看着我说。

　　Sitanov often asked me:
斯坦诺夫经常问我：

　　“What is the matter with you?”
“你怎么了？”

　　And I could not answer him.
而我却无法回答他。

Life perseveringly and roughly washed out from my soul its most delicatewritings, maliciously changing them into some sort of indistinct trash, andwith anger and determination I resisted its violence. —
生活顽强而粗暴地把我灵魂中最精致的文字冲刷干净，恶意地将它们变成一种模糊不清的垃圾，我愤怒而决然地抵抗它的暴力。 —

I was floating on thesame river as all the others, only for me the waters were colder and did notsupport me as easily as it did the others. —
我漂浮在和其他人一样的河流上，只不过对我来说水比较冷，不像对其他人那样轻松支撑我。 —

Sometimes it seemed to me that Iwas gently sinking into unfathomable depths.
有时我觉得自己轻轻地沉入无底深渊。

People behaved better to me; they did not shout at me as they did atPavl, nor harass me; —
人们对我表现得更友好；他们不像对Pavl那样对我大声呵斥，也不骚扰我； —

they called me by my patronymic in order to emphasizetheir more respectful attitude toward me. —
他们称我父亲的名字以强调他们对我的尊重态度。 —

This was good; but it was torturingto see how many of them drank vodka, how disgustingly drunk they became,and how injurious to them were their relations with women, although Iunderstood that vodka and women were the only diversions that lifeafforded.
这很好；但看到他们中有很多人喝伏特加，变得恶心地喝醉，与女人的关系对他们有害，这让我痛心，尽管我明白伏特加和女人是生活所提供的唯一消遣。

I often called to mind with sorrow that that most intelligent, courageouswoman, Natalia Kozlovski, was also called a woman of pleasure. —
我常常想起那位最智慧、勇敢的女士纳塔利娅科兹洛夫斯基，她也被称为一个风尘女子。 —

And whatabout grandmother? And Queen Margot?
那么奶奶呢？玛戈皇后呢？

I used to think of my queen with a feeling almost of terror ; —
我几乎带着一种恐惧的感觉想起我的王后； —

she was soremoved from all the others, it was as if I had seen her in a dream.
她和其他人如此疏离，仿佛我在梦中见到她。

I began to think too much about women, and I had already revolved inmy own mind the question : —
我开始过分思考关于女人的问题，我已经在脑海中想过一个问题： —

Shall I go on the next holiday where all theothers go? This was no physical desire. —
我是否要参加下一个假期去其他人都去的地方？这并非身体的欲望。 —

I was both healthy and fastidious, butat times I was almost mad with a desire to embrace some one tender,intelligent, and frankly, unrestrainedly, as to a mother, speak to her of thedisturbances of my soul.
我既健康又挑剔，但有时我几乎被一种渴望拥抱某个温柔、智慧、坦率、无拘束的人的欲望所驱使，像对待母亲一样，向她诉说灵魂的动荡。

　　I envied Pavl when he told me at night of his affair with a maidservant inthe opposite house.
当晚，帕夫尔告诉我和对面房子里的一个女仆有一段情，我真为他羡慕。

“It is a funny thing, brother! A month ago I was throwing snowballs ather because I did not like her, and now I sit on a bench and hug her. —
“兄弟，这件事挺有意思！一个月前，我因为不喜欢她向她扔雪球，现在我坐在长凳上抱着她。 —

She isdearer to me than any one!”
她对我比任何人都重要！”

　　“What do you talk about?”
“你们谈什么？”

“About everything, of course! She talks to me about herself, and I talk toher about myself. —
“当然是什么都谈！她跟我谈她自己，我和她谈我自己。 —

And then we kiss — only she is honest. —
然后我们亲吻 —— 只是她很坦诚。 —

In fact, brother, sheis so good that it is almost a misfortune! Why, you smoke like an old soldier!”
事实上，兄弟，她太好了，几乎就成了不幸！喂，你吸烟像个老兵！”

I smoked a lot; tobacco intoxicated me, dulled my restless thoughts, myagitated feelings. —
我抽了很多烟；烟草使我陶醉，让我心烦意乱的思绪平静下来。 —

As for vodka, it only aroused in me a repulsion toward myown odor and taste, but Pavl drank with a will, and when he was drunk, usedto cry bitterly :
至于伏特加，它只会使我对自己的气味和味道感到厌恶，但帕夫尔却豪爽地喝了起来，喝醉后经常哭泣：

　　“I want to go home, I want to go home! Let me go home!”
“我想回家，我想回家！让我回家！”

As far as I can remember he was an orphan; his mother and father hadbeen dead a long time. —
据我所记，他是一个孤儿；他的父母早就去世了。 —

Brother and sister he had none; he had lived amongstrangers for eight years.
他没有兄弟姐妹；八年来他一直在陌生人中度过。

In this state of restless dissatisfaction the call of spring disturbed me stillmore. —
这种不满常常让我感到更加烦躁。 —

I made up my mind to go on a boat again, and if I could get as far asAstrakhan, to run away to Persia.
我决定再次乘船，如果能到达阿斯特拉罕，就逃往波斯。

I do not remember why I selected Persia particularly. —
我不记得为什么特别选择波斯。 —

It may have beenbecause I had taken a great fancy to the Persian merchants on theNijigorodski market-place, sitting like stone idols, spreading their dyedbeards in the sun, calmly smoking their hookas, with large, dark, omniscienteyes.
这可能是因为我对尼日哥罗茨基市场上的波斯商人产生了极大的兴趣，他们像石像一样坐在那里，将染过色的胡须悠然地在阳光下展开，静静地抽着水烟，有着大大的黑色、全知全能的眼睛。

　　There is no doubt that I should have run away somewhere, but one dayin Easter week, when part of the occupants of the workshop had gone to theirhomes, and the rest were drinking, I was walking on a sunny day on thebanks of the Oka, when I met my old master, grandmother’s nephew.
毫无疑问，我本应该逃到别的地方去，但在复活节周的某一天，当工作室的一部分人回家，剩下的人在喝酒时，我在奥卡河畔上一个晴朗的日子里遇见了我老师，奶奶的侄子。

He was walking along in a light gray overcoat, with his hands in hispockets, a cigarette between his teeth, his hat on the back of his head. —
他穿着一件浅灰色大衣，口袋里插着手，嘴里叼着一支香烟，帽子斜戴在头上。 —

Hispleasant face smiled kindly at me. He had the appearance of a man who is atliberty and is happy, and there was no one beside ourselves in the fields.
他慈祥地笑着看着我，他看起来像一个自由快乐的人，周围只有我们两人在田野上。

　　“Ah, Pyeshkov, Christ is risen!”
“啊，皮什科夫，基督复活了！”

　　After we had exchanged the Easter kiss, he asked how I was living, and Itold him frankly that the workshop, the town and everything in general wereabhor — rent to me, and that I had made up my mind to go to Persia.
以诚实地告诉他，车间、城镇和一般的一切都让我厌恶，我已决定去波斯。

“Give it up,” he said to me gravely. “What the devil is there in Persia? —
“放弃吧，”他严肃地对我说，“波斯有什么好去处呢？” —

Iknow exactly how you arc feeling, brother; —
“我知道你的感受，兄弟； —

in my youth I also had the wanderfever.”
在我的年轻时候，我也曾有过流浪的热情。”

I liked him for telling me this. There was something about him good andspringlike; —
我喜欢他告诉我这些。他身上有一种善良而春天般的气息； —

he was a being set apart.
他是一个与众不同的存在。

　　“Do you smoke?” he asked, holding out a silver cigarette-case full of fatcigarettes.
“你抽烟吗？”他问，递给我一只装满粗大香烟的银烟盒。

　　That completed his conquest of me.
这完全俘获了我。

“What you had better do, Pyeshkov, is to come back to me again,” hesuggested. —
“你最好的选择是再回来找我，”他建议道。 —

“For this year I have undertaken contracts for the new marketplace,you understand. —
“今年我已经承接了新市场的合同，你懂的。 —

And I can make use of you there; you will be a kind ofoverseer for me; —
我可以在那里利用你；你将成为我的一种监工； —

you will receive all the material ; you will see that it is all inits proper place, and that the workmen do not steal it. —
你将接收所有的材料；确保它们都放在正确的位置，并且工人们不要偷窃； —

Will that suit you?
这样行吗？

Your wages will be five rubles a month, and five copecks for dinner! —
你的工资将是每月五卢布，午饭还有五戈比！ —

Thewomen-folk will have nothing to do with you ; —
女人们不会与你有任何交往； —

you will go out in the morningand return in the evening. As for the women ; you can ignore them; —
你早上出去晚上回来；至于女人们；你可以无视她们； —

onlydon’t let them know that we have met, but just come to see us on Sunday atPhomin Street. —
只不过别让她们知道我们相遇过，只是在周日来Phomin街看看我们； —

It will be a change for you!”
这对你来说将是一个变化！”

　　We parted like friends. As he said good-by, he pressed my hand, and ashe went away, he actually waved his hat to me affably from a distance.
我们像朋友一样分开。在他告别时，他握了握我的手，当他走远时，实际上友好地向我招手致意。

When I announced in the workroom that I was leaving, most of theworkmen showed a flattering regret. —
当我宣布我要离开工房时，大多数工人都表现出悔意。 —

Pavl, especially, was upset.
特别是帕夫尔很沮丧。

“Think,” he said reproachfully; —
“想想”，他责备道； —

“how will you live with men of all kinds,after being with us? —
“在和我们在一起之后，你将如何与各种人生活？ —

With carpenters, house-painters — Oh, you — It is goingout of the frying-pan into the fire.”
与木匠、油漆匠——哦，你——这简直是从火坑跳入火炉。”

　　Jikharev growled:
吉哈列夫咆哮道：

　　“A fish looks for the deepest place, but a clever young man seeks a worseplace!”
“鱼寻找最深的地方，但聪明的年轻人却寻找更糟糕的地方！”

　　The send-off which they gave me from the workshop was a sad one.
他们从车间送我离开时，是一个悲伤的场面。

“Of course one must try this and that,” said Jikharev, who was yellowfrom the effects of a drinking bout. —
“当然，人必须尝试这个那个。”Jikharev说道，他由于一次酗酒而变得黄脸色。 —

“It is better to do it straight off, beforeyou become too closely attached to something or other.”
“最好直接做，不要对某事物有太深的依恋。”

　　“And that for the rest of your life,” added Larionich softly.
“而这将是你的余生所留下的印记。”Larionich轻声补充道。

But I felt that they spoke with constraint, and from a sense of duty. —
但我感到他们说话时是在克制自己，感到是出于一种责任感。 —

Thethread which had bound me to them was somehow rotted and broken.
将我与他们联系在一起的纽带在某种程度上已经破裂腐烂了。

　　In the loft drunken Golovev rolled about, and muttered hoarsely:
在阁楼上，醉醺醺的Golovev打滚着，嘟哝着：

“I would like to see them all in prison. —
“我希望他们都被关进监狱。 —

I know their secrets! Who believesin God here? Aha — a —!”
我知道他们的秘密！这里有谁信仰上帝？嗯—啊—！”

As usual, faceless, uncompleted icons were propped against the wall ; —
通常情况下，没有脸庞、未完成的圣像靠在墙边； —

theglass balls were fixed to the ceiling. —
玻璃球固定在天花板上。 —

It was long since we had had to workwith a light, and the balls, not being used, were covered with a gray coatingof soot and dust. —
我们很久没用灯了，玻璃球也已用不上，表面覆盖了一层灰尘和煤烟。 —

I remember the surroundings so vividly that if I shut myeyes, I can see in the darkness the whole of that basement room: —
我记得周围情景如此清晰，以至于闭上眼睛，我可以在黑暗中看到整个地下室房间： —

all thetables, and the jars of paint on the windowsills, the bundles of brushes, theicons, the slop-pail under the brass washstand-basin which looked like a fireman’shelmet, and, hanging from the ceiling, Go — lovev’s bare foot, whichwas blue like the foot of a drowned man.
所有的桌子，窗台上的油漆罐，一捆捆的画笔，圣像，黄铜沐浴池下面像消防员头盔的沥水桶，还有挂在天花板上的Golovev的赤脚，像淹死的人的脚一样蓝。

I wanted to get away quickly, but in Russia they love long-drawn-out, sadmoments. —
我想赶紧离开，但在俄罗斯他们喜欢拖泥带水、悲伤的时刻。 —

When they are saying good-by, Russian people behave as if theywere hearing a requiem mass.
当他们告别时，俄罗斯人表现得就像在听安魂弥撒一样。

　　Jikharev, twitching his brows, said to me:
吉哈列夫皱着眉对我说：

“That book — the devil’s book — I can’t give it back to you. —
“那本书 — 魔鬼的书 — 我不能把它还给你。 —

Will you taketwo greven for it?”
你愿意拿两个格列文来换吗？”

The book was my own, — the old second lieutenant of the fire-brigadehad given it to me — and I grudged giving Lermontov away. —
这本书是我的， — 火灾队的老二等兵给了我 — 我不舍得把列蒙托夫送走。 —

But when,somewhat offended, I refused the money, Jikharev calmly put the coins backin his purse, and said in an unwavering tone:
但当我有些生气地拒绝了钱时，吉哈列夫平静地把硬币放回钱包，坚定地说道：

“As you like ; but I shall not give you back the book. —
“随你吧；但我不会把这本书还给你。 —

It is not for you. Abook like that would soon lead you into sin.”
这不是给你的。像那样的书会让你沦为罪人。”

　　“But it is sold in shops; I have seen it!”
“但这在商店里有卖；我见过！”

　　But he only said with redoubled determination:
但他只是更坚决地说道：

　　“That has nothing to do with the matter; they sell revolvers in shops, too—”
“这并不重要；商店里也有卖左轮手枪。”

　　So he never returned Lermontov to me.
所以他从未还给我列蒙托夫。

　　As I was going upstairs to say good-by to my mistress, I ran into herniece in the hall.
当我上楼去向女主人告别时，在大厅里撞见了她的侄女。

　　“Is it true what they say — that you are leaving?’
“他们说的是真的吗 — 你要离开？”

　　“Yes.”
“是的。”

　　“If you had not gone of your own accord, you would have been sentaway,” she assured me, not very kindly, but with perfect frankness.
“如果你不是自愿离开，你就会被赶走”，她向我保证，虽然不是很友好，但非常坦率。

　　And the tipsy mistress said:
那醉醺醺的女主人说：

“Good-by, Christ be with you! You are a bad boy, an impudent boy; —
“再见，愿基督与你同在！你是个坏孩子，一个无礼的孩子； —

although I have never seen anything bad in you myself, they all say that youare a bad boy!” And suddenly she burst out crying, and said through hertears:
尽管我自己从未看到你有什么坏的地方，他们都说你是个坏孩子！”她突然放声哭泣，泪如泉涌地说道：

“Ah, if my dead one, my sweet husband, dear soul, had been alive, hewould have known how to deal with you; —
“啊，如果我那个过世的人，我可爱的丈夫，亲爱的灵魂，还活着，他就会知道怎么对付你； —

he would have boxed your ears andyou would have stayed on. We should not have had to send you away! —
他会揍你的耳光，你会留下来的。我们本不必把你打发走！ —

Butnowadays things are different; if all is not exactly as you like, away you go!
可是如今情况不同了；如果不是完全如你所愿，你就会离开！

　　Och! And where will you be going, boy, and what good will it do you to strollfrom place to place?”
“Och！小子，你要去哪里，漫无目的地游荡有什么好处呢？”