The Island of Mull was rough like the little island.
There were no paths,nothing except bog andbig stones. I saw smoke rising in the distance,andwent forward towards it. In the early evening I cameto a house. An old Highland gentleman was sittingin the sun outside and smoking a pipe.
马尔岛象那座小岛一样,也是崎岖不平,无路可走,到处都是沼泽地和一块块的巨石。我看见远处炊烟袅袅,于是就朝着那个方向走去。
太阳快落山时,我来到一座房子跟前。一位年老的高地绅士坐在房子外面,抽着烟斗晒太阳。
He spoke little English,but he gave me newsof my companions. They had reached land,and hadstayed in that house.
他讲不了几句英语,但还是说清了我那几位伙伴的情况。他们已经上了岸,并且在那座房子里住过。
“Wa s the re one with clothe s like a ge ntlema n?”Iasked.
“有一位绅士打扮的人吗?”我问道。
He said one was not in seamen’s dress. 他说有一个人,衣着不象水手。
“Ah,”I said,and did he have a hat with feathers?”
“啊,他是不是戴着一顶插有羽毛的帽子?”我紧接着问道。
“He ha d no ha t,”he replied.
“他没有戴帽子。”老人回答说。
Perhaps Alan had lost his hat. Then I rememberedthe rain and smiled. Of course,Alan kept hishat under his coat!He loved his fine clothes.
也许艾伦把他的帽子丢了。我随即想起当时下着雨,就暗自笑了。
不用说艾伦把帽子揣在怀里了!他对自己的华丽衣服是爱护备至的。
“Oh,”the old gentleman said suddenly,“a reyou the la d with the s ilve r button?”
老人突然的道;“噢,你是不是带着银扣子的小伙子?”
“Ye s ,”I said,and showed it to him. 我 说:“是的。”说完就把那颗扣子拿出来给他看。
“We ll,the n,”he said,“I ha ve a me s s a ge fo ryou. You mus t follow you r frie nd to his own co untry,by Toros a y.”
“哦,好吧。有人给你留下话,叫你务必取道托罗塞,随后赶到你朋友的家乡。”
He took me into his house and introduced meto his wife. They listened to the story of my troubles.
They gave me food,and I fell into a deepsleep. The good people let me lie there till nextday. They refused money for their kind help.
他把我领进他的家,并把我介绍给他的妻子。他们听我讲了自己的不幸遭遇,给我弄了饭吃。然后我就呼呼睡着了。这两位好心的老人让我一直睡到第二天。后来我要给他们付钱,但他们拒不肯收。
My strength had come back,and my throat wasmuch better. The news about Alan had cheered meand I went on my way.
我的体力恢复了,嗓子也好多了。打听到艾伦的消息我感到振奋,便又上路了。
I met few people. All the Highlanders werepoor in that wild country. They knew little English,and could not explain the,way to Torosay. I wandereda great deal. I stayed one night at a smallhouse. For five shillings the man gave me a bed.
He said he could guide me the next day; but hecheated me and did not take me far. Another manwanted my money,but I escaped from him.
路上没有碰见什么人。那是个穷乡僻壤,住在那里的高地人都很穷。他们不怎么懂英语,给我讲不清楚到托罗塞怎样走法。我走了好多冤枉路。我在一座小房子里过了一夜,主人收了我五先令的住宿费,并说他第二天可以给我带路。可是他骗了我,并没有带我走多远。另一个人也想向我要钱,不过我没有上他的当。
At Torosay I found an inn,and slept well.Afterfour days’travel,I was now strong and fit.
我在托罗塞找到一家小客店,美美地睡了一觉。经过四天的旅行,我的体力恢复了,感到很有精神。
There was a regular ferry boat from Torosay toKinlochaline. This was the nearest place on themain coast . The boatman was Nei I Mactch andMarob was one of the names of Alan ’s clan. Alanhad sent me to the ferry. The boat was full,but Ihad to speak to Neil.
从托罗塞到金罗查林有一条渡船,定时摆渡。金罗查林是苏格兰离海最近的地方。船夫名叫尼尔·麦克罗勃。麦克罗勃是艾伦部落的一个姓氏。是艾伦叫我到这个渡口来的。船上已经挤满了人,可是我有话给尼尔讲。
At Kinlochaline I got him on one side.
到了金罗查林,我把他叫到一边,说:
“I am looking for s ome body,”I said,“whos ename is Ala n Bre c k. ”And I offered him a shilling.
“我在找一个人,名叫艾伦·布雷克。”说完就掏出一个先令给他。
He was angry. 他生气了,说:
“This is a n insult,”He said.“It is not the wa y ofa ge ntlema n .”
“你这是糟蹋人,一个正人君子是不应该这样办事的。”
I saw my mistake. He was poor,but be wasproud like Alan.
我 明白自己错了。他虽然穷,可是象艾伦一样,自尊心很强。
I she wed him the button. 我给他看了看那颗钮扣。
“We ll,”he said,“if you a re the la d with the s ilver button,I ha ve orde rs . I Will he lp you . But youough t ne ve r to s pe a k of Ala n Bre c k,or offe r your dirtymone y to a Highla nd ge ntle ma n.”
他说;“噢,只要你是带着银钮扣的那个小伙子,我已经接到了命令,要帮助你的。不过,你绝对不应该提起艾伦· 布雷克的名字,也不应该把你的臭钱塞给高地的一位绅士。”
He gave me Alau ’s message. I must sleep atthe inn at Kinlochaline. Next day I must cross Morvenand spend the night with a friend of Alan ’s.
他告诉了我艾伦留下的话,叫我一定在金罗查林的旅店里过夜,第二天必须翻过莫尔温山,到艾伦
The third day I must cross two lochs. Then I mustask my way to Duror in Appin. I must find thehouse of James of the Glens. This was at Aucharn.
的一位朋友家里歇脚。第三天必须渡过两个海湾,然后打听去亚品地区杜洛地方的路,再在奥查恩找到格伦斯家族的詹姆斯家。
Neil told me I must avoid Whigs,Campbellsand red - coats. I must hide in the heather if I metthem. He thought I was a Jacobite.
尼尔说我一定得避开辉格派、坎贝尔家族的人和红外套,万一遇到他们就躲在灌木林里。他还以为我是个约各派呢。
The inn at Kinlochaline was a bad one,but Iwas able to sleep. Next day I met a minister. Hetravelled about the Highlands,and his name was MrHenderland. He was reading a book about the Biblein Gaelic. Mr Campbell of Essendean had translatedthis book. This made us friends,and we walkedon together.
金罗查林的客店很糟糕,不过我还将就着能睡。第二天,我碰到一位牧师。他在高地一带巡回传教,姓亨德兰德。他在读一本用盖尔语写的介绍《圣经》的书。这本书是埃森迪恩的坎贝尔先生翻译的,因此,我们成了朋友,就结伴而行。
We spoke of the Red Fox and the Appin tenants.
He said it was a very bad thing.“J ame s Ste wart of the Gle n s is h a lf - b roth e r to Ards hie l. He is aha rd ma n. He ma ke s the te na nts p a y a s e c ond re nt.
And the re ’s Ala n Bre ck-”
我们谈起红狐狸和亚品地区佃户的事。他说那是一件很糟糕的事。“格伦斯家族的詹姆斯· 斯图尔特业阿希尔的异母兄弟,待人很刻薄。他要佃户们交第二次租。还有艾伦·布雷克--”
“Ah!”I said.“Wh a t a bout him?” “啊,他怎么样?”我问。
“He ’s a bold ma n,”Mr Henderland answered.
“He will do a nything a nd kill a ny ma n. He is J ame s ’sbe s t he lp. But I re spe ct him.”
享德兰德先生回答说:”他是个勇猛的人,什么事都干得出来,什么都敢杀。他是詹姆斯的主要帮手。
不过,我尊敬他的为人。”
“And Colin Ca mpbe ll?”I asked. “那么,科林· 坎贝尔呢?”我问道。
“He ha s difficu lt work. He is c oming tomorrowwith re d coa ts to drive out th e te na nts . The AppinS tewa rts a re fie rce a nd bra ve . I be lie ve the y will killhim.”
“他们差事可不容易。他明天要带红外套来,把佃户们赶出家门。
亚品地区的斯图尔特人凶悍。我估计他们会干掉他。”
Mr Henderland enjoyed my company. Hekindly invited me to his home for the night. It was alittle house on the shore of the Linnhe Loch.
享德兰德先生喜欢我他作伴。
他好心邀我去他家过夜。那是一座位干林尼湾边的小房子。
I accepted his in citation,to avoid the house ofAlan’s friend. My adventures with the false guideand angry Neil Macrob had made me afraid ofHighland strangers.
我接受了他的邀请,因为我不想到艾伦那位朋友家里住。那个冒牌向导骗过我,尼尔· 麦克罗勃又跟我发过脾气,因此,我对自己不认识的高地人产生了恐惧心理。
Next day Mr Henderland kindly found a boatmanfor me. The man was going to cross the LinnheLoch into Appin that afternoon. He took me withhim,and this saved me from a long day’s travel .
第二天,享德兰德先生又好心地为我找到一名那天下午要驶过林尼湾去亚品的船夫。我搭上他的船,省了我再跑一整天路。