The wind rose,and we sailed for Alan’s country.
The sun shone in the morning and we passedmany islands. Alan and I sat in the round - house,and smoked a pipe of the captain’s fine tobacco.
风刮大了。我们向艾伦的家乡驶去。上午,阳光灿烂,我们驶过了许多岛屿。艾伦和我坐在后甲板室,尝了尝船长的上等烟叶。
When I told him the story of my troubles,helistened like a good friend. But when I spoke of MrCampbell the minister,Alan was angry.
我对他讲述自己的遭遇时,艾伦象一位好朋友一样,仔细听着。
当我讲到牧师坎贝尔时,他却生气了。
“Why,Ala n,”I said,“Why don ’t you like theCampbe lls ?”
我问道:“艾伦,你为什么不喜欢坎贝尔家族的人呢?”
“We ll,”he replied,“you know I am a S tewa rtfrom App in. The Campbe lls ha ve be e n our e ne mie sfor ma n y ye a rs . The y ha ve a tta cke d us a nd s tole nfrom us . The y ha ve ta ke n our la nds ,but ne ve r by thes word !ne ve r in fa ir fight!”he cried loudly,“only bytric ks a nd fa ls e words !The y cla im the y got them byla w. The y lie !a c urs e on them a ll!”
他回答说:“是这样,你知道我出身于亚品地方的斯图尔特家族。
坎贝尔家族是我们的世仇。他们攻打我们,盗窃我们的财产。他们掠夺我们的土地,可是从不用刀剑!
他们从来也不光明正大,用武力和我们较量!而靠要阴谋诡计,集花言巧语。他们声称弄走我们的东西是合法的。撒谎!这一伙该死的!”
他嚷着。
I could not believe every word of this,but Idid not tell him. I knew that the Highlanders werealways fighting and quarrelling among themselves.
我不完全相信他的话,不过没有讲出口。我早就知道,高地人总是互相争吵不休,常常动武。
“Te ll me your own s tory,”I said. “给我讲讲你自己的身世吧。”
我说。
“My fa the r wa s a s oldie r in the Bla ck Wa tc h,”hesaid.“He wa s famous a t the a rt of the sword . Heta ugh t it to me . He ne ve r s a ve d a ny mone y,a nd a fte rhis de a th,I joine d the re d - coa ts .”
“我父亲生前在黑色警卫队当兵,精通刀法,闻名四方。我的刀法就是他传授的。他一辈子没有存下钱,所以他去世后,我就当了红外套。”
“Wha t!”I said,“we re you in the Englis h a rmy?”
“什么?你在英格兰军队里待过?”
“I wa s ,”Alan said,“but I de s e rte d . I cha n ge d tothe Highla nd s ide .”
艾伦回答说:“待过。可是后来我开了小差,投到高他人一边。”
I knew that deserting was against the law. Ithought it was a very serious fault in a soldier. I didnot say so because I did not want a quarrel with myfriend.
我知道开小差是犯法的,认为那是军人的一种严重过失。可是,为了避免同我的朋友争论,我没有这样说。
“But Ala n ,”I said,“for a de s e rte r,the punishment is de a th .”
“不过,艾伦,逃兵是要被判处死刑的。”
“Ye s ,”he said,“I am a n outlaw,If the y ma keme priso ne r,the y will ha ng me .”
“是啊,我现在是个土匪。他们要是逮住我,会处我绞刑的。”艾伦说。
“Good he a ve ns ,ma n,”I cried,“you a re a de -s e rte r a nd a re be l a nd a n outlaw a nd a s e rva nt of theKing of Fra nc e . Wh y do you come ba ck to this country?”
我叫道:“天呐,你是个逃兵、叛逆、土匪,又为法兰两国王效劳,那你回到这个国家干什么呢?”
“We ll,you s e e ,I mis s my frie nds a nd my
“噢,你要知道,我想念我的朋
c ountry. Fra nce is a fin e pla c e ,but I mis s the he a the ra nd the de e r . And I ha ve some bus ine s s in the Highland s . S ome time s I find a fe w young me n the re tos e rve in the Fre nch a rmy. But the mos t importa ntthing is the bus ine s s of Ards hie l. He is the chie f of myc la n.”
友们和自己的故土。法国倒是个很好的地方,可我怀念这里的莽原和鹿群。另外,我在高地一带还有些公事要办。有时,我在这里征集一些年轻小伙子参加法国军队。可是最重要的还是给阿德希尔办事,他是我们家族的首领。”
“Whe n the Englis h de fe a te d a ll the cla ns of theHighla nd s ,”he continued,“Ards hie l e s c a pe d toFra nc e . The gove rnme nt s e ize d a ll his la nds in Appina nd cla ime d th e re nts from the te na nts . The Re d Foxa curs e on him!- ga the rs the mone y from the te nants for th e gove rnme nt.”
他接着说。“英格兰人打败高地的所有家族以后,阿德希尔逃往法国。政府没收了他在亚品的所有田产,从他原来的佃户那里索取地租。红狐狸--那个该死的--替政府从佃户手里收租钱。”
“Who is the Re d Fox?”Iasked. “红狐狸是谁?”我问。
“He is a Campbe ll - a ma n with re d ha ir ,ColinRoy of Gle nure . Oh ,if I ca n kill him!”His look wasfierce,and he showed his teeth.“The me n of Appin- the S tewa rts a nd the Ma cc olls a nd the Ma crobs -a re poor,but th e y a re fa ithful to the ir chie f. The y pa ythe ir re nts to the gove rnme nt; but e ve ry ye a r the y pa ya s e cond re n t to the ir chie f. I curry tha t mone y toFra nc e .”
他 满脸杀气,咬牙切齿地说:
“他是坎贝尔家族的人--长着红头发,名叫科林·罗伊,家住哥伦尼尔。哼,我恨不得亲手宰了他!亚品地区的队图尔特、麦考尔和麦克罗勃这几个家族都是穷人,可是他们忠于自己的首领。除向政府交租外,他们每年还要向自己的首领交租。这笔钱由我带往法国。”
“Wha t!do the y pa y two re nts ?”I cried.
“什么?他们交双份地租?”我失声叫道。
“Ye s ,Da vid. J ame s S tewa rt o f the Gle ns ga the rsthe mo ne y in the Highla nds . He is my re la tion ,a nd hewa s my fa the r’s frie nd .”
“是的,大卫。哥伦斯家族的詹姆士·斯图尔特在高地收租款。他跟我是一家子,也是我父亲生前的朋友。”
“I think it is n oble ,”I cried.“I’m a Whig ,a ndfa ithful to King Ge orge ,but I a dmire them. The y a rege ne rous .”
我大声说;“我认为那是值得称道的。我是个辉格派,忠于乔治国王。可是我佩服他们慷慨大方。”
“Ye s ,”he said,“you ’re a Whig,but you ’re age ntlema n - not like the Campbe lls !- not like theRe d Fox!”His face was dark and angry.“Now ColinCampbe ll ha s he a rd tha t the te na nts pa y a s e condre nt to the ir c hie f. He ha s got pa pe rs a nd lawye rs a ndre d - coa ts . He is coming to Appin to drive them outof the ir home s . One da y I will hunt him down a nds hoot him!”
他说:“是的,虽然你是个辉格派,可你是个堂堂正正的人,与坎贝尔家族的人不一样!跟红狐狸不一样!”他的脸色铁青,怒容满面。
“现在,科林·坎贝尔已经得知佃户们也向他们的首领交租的事。他准备好了文件,请下几位律师,叫来了红外套,要到亚品去,把佃户们赶出家门。总有一天,我要抓住他,把他干掉!”
“Ala n ,”I said,“this is not ve ry wis e . You a rewa s tin g your bre a th. All the s e a ng ry wo rds do noha rm to the Re d Fox. And you oug ht to le a ve his punishme nt to God .”
我说;“艾伦,你这样做并不高明,你只是白费气力。你说的气话动不了红狐狸一根毫毛。你应该等上帝惩罚他。”
“Ah ,”he said,“I ca n s e e tha t a Campbe ll wa syour te a c he r!”
他说;“哈,我看出来了,你是一个坎贝尔人教出来的。”
“Be s ide s this ,”I added,“if this Campbe ll c ome swith lawye rs a nd soldie rs ,it mus t be the gove rnme nt’
s orde rs . It is not his fa ult. And if you kill him,a nothe rma n will ta ke his pla ce .”
我接着说:“再说,这个坎贝尔人要是能把律师和士兵们领来,那一定是奉政府的命令,不能怪他。
就是你杀了他,还会有别人接替他的。”
“You a re a good ma n in a fight,”Alan said,“but you ha ve Wh ig bloo d in you .”
艾伦说:“打仗你是个好样的,可是你身上流的是辉格派的血液。”
His voice was kind,but angry,too. I said no
他的语气是友好的,似也是愤
more about the Red Fox.
怒的。我就再也没有提红狐狸的事。
“How do you come a nd go a ll the time ?”Iasked.“The re a re troo ps in the Highla nds .”
“高地一带住了那么多军队,你怎么能一直说来就来,说走就走呢?”我问道。
“We ll,the troops c a n ’t be e ve rywhe re ,”he replied.“If I s e e a soldie r on the ro a d,I g o a nothe rwa y. I hide in the he a the r,or in some frie nd ’shous e .”
他回答说:“军队不会是到处都有的。我在这条路上看见有兵,就换另一条路走。有时,我在灌木丛小或在朋友家里藏身。”
I learnt other things about my friend. He wasfamous in the Highlands for his music and his poetry.
He could read both French and English. He wasan expert with the short sword and the long sword.
He was also an expert with a gun. I already knewhis faults. He was vain of himself and his clothes.
He quarreled easily,and like a child. That was hisworst habit . But he remembered the battle in theround - house,and was not often angry with me.
Was this because he respected my courage?Orwas it because I had seen his own brave deeds?Idid not know. He liked courage in anybody,but headmired it most in Alan Breck!
我 还了解到我的其他一些情况。他擅长音乐,又能作诗,在高地一带很出名。他既懂法文又懂英文。他刀法娴熟,无论长刀短刀都十分精通。他还是个神枪手。我也知道他的缺点。他对自己、对自己的衣服都很自负; 动不动就跟人吵架,象个小孩子一件,这是他最坏的毛病。不过,他没有忘记后甲板定那次战斗,在我面前倒不常发脾气。
我不知道这是不是因为他赞赏我的勇气,或者是因为我是他自己的勇敢事迹的见证人。他很喜欢别人有勇气,可是他最钦佩的还是艾伦·布雷克的勇气!