译《雾都孤儿》:第四章奥利弗在伦敦(三)
At last, the morning came when Oliver was allowed to go out to work with the other two boys. There had been no handkerchieves for him to work on for several days and there was not very much to eat for dinner. The three boys set out, but they walked so slowly that Oliver thought they were no going to work at all. Then suddenly the Dodger stopped and put his finger to his lips.
那个早晨终于来了,奥利弗可以和另外两个男孩子出门干活了。他有好几天都没手帕挑了,晚餐也没太多吃的了。三个男孩出门干活了,但他们就慢悠悠地逛着,奥利弗想他们根本就不是出门来干活。突然,机灵鬼停了下来,将手放在嘴唇上让别出声。
'What's the matter?' demanded Oliver.
“怎么了?”奥利弗问。
'Be quiet!' replied the Dodger. 'Do you see that old man outside the bookshop? He's the one.'
“安静点!”机灵鬼回,“你看见书店外的老绅士了吗?就是那个人。”
Oliver looked from the Dodger to Charley Bates with great surprise and confusion, but he had been told not to ask questions. The two boys walked quickly and secretly across the road towards the old gentleman. Oliver followed behind them, watching in silent amazement.
奥利弗十分不解地看着机灵鬼,又看看查理·贝兹,但他不能再问问题了。两个男孩子迅速地穿过马路静悄悄地走到老绅士身边。奥利弗跟在他们后面,吓得目瞪口呆。
The old gentleman looked quite rich; he wore gold glasses, white trousers, and had an expensive walking stick under his arm. He had picked up a book and was standing there, reading it with great concentration - just as if he were in his own armchair at home.Oliver, his eyes wide with horror and alarm, watched as the Dodger put his hand in the old gentleman's pocket, took out a handkerchief, and handed it to Charley Bates. Then the two of them ran round the corner as fast as they could.
老绅士看着就很有钱。 他戴了幅金边眼镜,穿着白色长裤,胳膊下还拄着根昂贵的手杖。他拿着本书,站在书摊前,全神贯注地看了起来――就像是躺在家里的扶手椅上似的。奥利弗惊恐地睁大双眼,看着机灵鬼将手伸到老绅士的口袋里,掏出手帕,递给查理·贝兹。他们再飞快地往拐角处跑了。
Suddenly, the whole mystery of the handkerchieves, and the watches, and the jewels, and Fagin, become clear. Oliver stood for a moment in terror, the blood rushing through him until he felt he was on fire. Then, confused and frightened, he started to run. At the same time, the old gentleman, putting his hand to his pocket, and realizing his handkerchief was missing, turned around. He saw Oliver running away, so he naturally thought Oliver was the thief. With loud cries of 'Stop, thief!', he ran after Oliver with his book still in his hand.
突然间,手帕、手表、珠宝以及费金的全部谜团,都解开了。奥利弗怔怔地站了会,全身血液像沸腾般地醒了过来,迷惑、恐惧,让他撒腿就跑。这时,老绅士将手伸进口袋,发觉手帕不见了,抬头看。正好看到奥利弗在跑,所以自然就想到了奥利弗是那个偷手帕的贼。他大喊“别跑!小偷!”他追着奥利弗跑,手上还拿着本书。
The old gentleman was not the only one who started shouting. The Dodger and Charley Bates, not wanting to attract attention to themselves by running down the streets, had stopped round the first corner. When they realized what was happening, they also shouted 'stop, thief!' and joined in the chase like good citizens.
除了老绅士,还有许多人都在喊“抓小偷”。机灵鬼和查理·贝兹跑进小巷子是不想引人注意,在第一个拐角就停了下来。当他们意识到正在发生的事时,便跟着一起喊“别跑!抓小偷了!”,像个好市民似的加入了追赶队伍。
The cry of 'stop, thief!' always causes great excitement. Everybody in the street stopped what they were doing and began to shout themselves. Many joined in the chase with enthusiasm and soon there was a big crowd running after Oliver.
“别跑!抓小偷了!”的叫喊,总能引起很大骚动。街上的每一个人都停下自己在做的事,跟着喊“抓小偷了”。许多人积极地加入了追赶队伍,不一会儿,就有一大群人在追奥利弗了。
Finally, they caught the exhausted boy. He fell down on the pavement and the crowd gathered round him.
最后,他们抓住了跑得精疲力尽的男孩。他在人行道上摔了一跤,身边挤满了人。
'Is this the boy?' they asked the old gentleman.
“是这个男孩吗?”他们问老绅士。
'Yes,' he answered, leaning over Oliver. 'But i'm afraid he's hurt himself.'
“是的”他说,俯身看着奥利弗。“但他好像受伤了。”
'I did that,' said a huge young man proudly, 'And i hurt my hand doing it.' The old gentleman looked at him with an expression of dislike.
“是我做的。”一个大块头年轻人自豪地说,“我为了抓他都伤到了自己的手。”老绅士厌恶地朝他看了一眼。
Oliver lay on the ground, covered with mub and dust and bleeding from his mouth, and looked wildly at all the faces surrounding him. At that moment a policeman arrived and took Oliver by the collar. 'Come on, get up!' he said roughly.
奥利弗倒在地上,浑身泥土,嘴角还流着血,惊恐地看着围在他身边的人。这时,一个警官走了过来,粗暴地抓住奥利弗的衣领,说“起来,起来!”
'It wasn't me, sir.' said Oliver, looking round. 'It was two other boys. They're here somewhere.'
“不是我偷的,先生。”奥利弗说。“是另外的两个男孩偷的。他们还在人群里。”
'Oh, no, they aren't,' replied the policeman. In fact, he was right, the Dodger and Charley had quietly disappeared as soon as the crowd had caught Oliver. 'Come on, get up!'
“哦,不,他们不在。”警官说。事实上,警官说对了,人们刚抓住奥利弗,机灵鬼和查理就悄无声息地离开了。“起来!起来!”
'Don't hurt him.' said the old gentleman.
“别伤了他。”老绅士说。
'I wont,' said the policeman, tearing Oliver's jacket half off his back as he lifted him up.
“不会的。”警官说,奥利弗被拖起来时,外套就被警官粗鲁地扯下了大半。
The three of them started walking, followed by the excited crowd.
他们三个人走了,身后跟着一大群人。
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PS:本书为牛津系列简易读物,有著名作家查理德·罗杰根据英国作家查尔斯·狄更斯的同名小说改写。英文为书虫系列原文,译文是笔者翻译。
另本文仅因个人兴趣而译,故本文谢绝转载和各种商业用途,同时承诺若出现任何责任由作者承担,必要时简书可删除文章。