Chapter14 The Pirate Ship海盗船-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《彼得潘Peter Pan》

Chapter 14 The Pirate Ship One green light squinting over Kidds Creek,which is near the mouth of the pirate river,marked where the brig,the Jolly Roger,lay,low in the water; a rakish-looking craft foul to the hull,every beam in her detestable like ground strewn with mangled feathers.She was the cannibal of the seas, and scarce needed that watchful eye,for she floated immune in the horror of her name. She was wrapped in the blanket of night,through which no sound from her could have reached the shore.There was little sound,and none agreeable save the whir of the ships sewing machine at which Smee sat,ever industrious and obliging,the essence of the commonplace,pathetic Smee.I know not why he was so infinitely pathetic,unless it were because he was so pathetically unaware of it;but even strong men had to turn hastily from looking at him, and more than once on summer evenings he had touched the fount of Hooks tears and made it flow.Of this,as of almost everything else,Smee was quite unconscious. A few of the pirates leant over the bulwarks drinking in the miasma of the night;others sprawled by barrels over games of dice and cards;and the exhausted four who had carried the little house lay prone on the deck,where even in their sleep they rolled skilfully to this side or that out of Hooks reach, lest he should claw them mechanically in passing. Hook trod the deck in thought.O man unfathomable.It was his hour of triumph.Peter had been removed for ever from his path,and all the other ·218· 第十四章海盗船 一道绿光斜照在靠近海盗河口处的基德山涧，光的 ①brig[brig]m.双桅船 位置标明了那艘双桅杆船，也就是“快乐的罗杰号”的 ②huhn船体 停泊地点。这艘船的外表别具一格，全身污秽不堪，就 ③detestable[di'testabl]a.可 像遍布死尸的战场一样令人恐惧。它是海上的食人魔， 憎的 仅靠它的恶名，就算没有那阴森森的绿光作为瞭望的眼 ④strew[stru:]v.撒满 ⑤mangled['mangld]a.残 睛，它也能在海上安然行驶。 缺不全的 这艘船被黑夜深深地笼罩着，从岸边听不到船上有 ⑥cannibal[kanibol]n.食 任何声音。船上本来就没有什么声响，除了斯密的那台 人魔 ⑦immune[i'mju:na.不受 缝纫机在发出嗒嗒声之外，什么动静都没有。平凡又可 影响的 怜的斯密总是任劳任怨，尽职尽责。我不知道他为什么 ⑧whir[wa:]n.呼呼声 会这样可怜，大概是因为他自己完全没有意识到自己很 @essence[esons]n.本质 @pathetic[po'Oetik]a.令人 可怜。就算是最强硬的人面对他，也会忍不住想要转过 同情的 身去，不想多看他一眼。在夏天的夜晚，胡克曾多次被 ①fount[faunt]n.来源 他触动，掉下眼泪。不过，斯密对这件事和其他事都浑 然不知。 几个水手靠在船舷边，一边呼吸着夜晚污浊的空 @bulwark[bulwok]n.船舷 气，一边喝酒；其他人则匍匐在水桶旁边，或掷色子， 3miasma[mi'ezma]n.瘴 或玩纸牌；抬房子的四个海盗已经累得筋疲力尽，正趴 气 在甲板上休息。他们即便是在睡梦中，也总是滚来滚 级prone [praun]a.俯卧的 去，远远地躲着胡克，以免他的铁爪在不经之间从他们 身上划过。 胡克在甲板上沉思着，踱来踱去。哦，这个深不 unfathomable [An'facoomabl] 可测的人啊。这可是他大获全胜的时刻，彼得已经被除 a.深不可测的 掉，再没有什么绊脚石了；其他的孩子也都已经被捉到 ·219· Chapter 14 The Pirate Ship boys were on the brig,about to walk the plank.It was his grimmest deed since the days when he had brought Barbecue to heel;and knowing as we do how vain a tabernacle is man,could we be surprised had he now paced the deck unsteadily,bellied out by the winds of his success? But there was no elation in his gait,which kept pace with the action of his sombre mind.Hook was profoundly dejected. He was often thus when communing with himself on board ship in the quietude of the night.It was because he was so terribly alone.This inscrutable man never felt more alone than when surrounded by his dogs.They were socially so inferior to him. Hook was not his true name.To reveal who he really was would even at this date set the country in a blaze;but as those who read between the lines must already have guessed,he had been at a famous public school;and its traditions still clung to him like garments,with which indeed they are largely concerned.Thus it was offensive to him even now to board a ship in the same dress in which he grappled her;and he still adhered in his walk to the schools distinguished slouch.But above all he retained the passion for good form. Good form!However much he may have degenerated,he still knew that this is all that really matters. From far within him he heard a creaking as of rusty portals,and through them came a stern tap-tap-tap,like hammering in the night when one cannot sleep."Have you been good form today?"was their eternal question. "Fame,fame,that glittering bauble,it is mine,"he cried. "Is it quite good form to be distinguished at anything?"the tap-tap from his school replied. "I am the only man whom Barbecue feared,"he urged;"and Flint himself feared Barbecue.” "Barbecue,Flint-what house?"came the cutting retort. Most disquieting reflection of all,was it not bad form to think about good form? ·220· 第十四章 海盗船「 船上了，就等着逼他们走跳板了。自他战胜巴比克以 来，这算是他最辉煌的胜利了。我们都知道人们在扬扬 得意的时候的样子，现在就算他在甲板上大摇大摆地走 tabernacle ['taebanackl]n. 躯壳 路，也是出于对胜利的狂喜，这都不足为奇。 ②belly[beli]v.膨张 但是他的步伐里丝毫没有得意，这恰好和他阴郁的 ③gait[geit间n.步态 情绪吻合。胡克此时感到很失落。 在夜深人静的时候，他经常在船上这样独自一个人 ④commune[komju:n],谈 沉思。这是因为他是如此的孤独。这个让人难以捉摸的 心 人，越是在被部下包围的时候，他越是感到孤独无比。 quietude ['kwaiotju:d]n. 平静 因为，他的出身要比他的部下们的出身高太多。 inscrutable [in'skru:tabl]a. 胡克并不是他的真名。真要是把他的真名公之于 谜一样的 世的话，说不定会引起轰动；但是细心的人大概已经能 从字里行间读出一些关于他身世的蛛丝马迹。胡克曾就 读于一所著名的公学，这所学校的传统至今还留在他身 上，紧紧地伴随着他。因此，他至今仍然讨厌穿着战斗 时的服装登上已经被他征服的船只，这是很不得体的行 为；而且，他现在走路时还保持着那种从学校学到的慵 ⑦grapple[grpl搏斗 懒气质。最重要的是，他一直保持着对良好风度的热 情。 degenerate [di'd3enoreit]v. 良好风度！无论他堕落到怎样的地步，他都坚信这 落 ⑨creaking[kri:ki诃]n.嘎吱 才是最重要的。 声 在他心底深处，传来一种轧轧的声音，就像是一 @portal[po:taln.正门 扇生锈的铁门被打开了。穿过这道门，传来了阴森森的 嗒嗒嗒的节奏，就像是深夜中捶打的声音，扰得人睡不 @bauble ['b:bln.廉价的 着。“你好好保持自己的风度了吗？”嗒嗒的声音总是 小饰品 在提问这个问题。 “名誉，名誉，那个闪闪发亮的东西，它是我 的。”胡克喊道。 “在所有事情上都要过人一等，这算是良好风度 吗？”那个声音反问道，像是从学校传来一样。 “我可是巴比克唯一惧怕的人，”他急忙辩解， “弗林特本人都害怕巴比克。” “巴比克，弗林特一他们出身怎么样？”尖厉的 声音反驳地问。 最让人不安的醒悟就是，如果过分追求良好风度， 岂不适得其反吗？ ·221· Chapter 14 The Pirate Ship His vitals were tortured by this problem.It was a claw within him sharper than the iron one;and as it tore him,the perspiration dripped down his sallow countenance and streaked his doublet.Ofttimes he drew his sleeve across his face,but there was no damming that trickle. Ah,envy not Hook. There came to him a presentiment of his early dissolution.It was as if Peters terrible oath had boarded the ship.Hook felt a gloomy desire to make his dying speech,lest presently there should be no time for it. Better for Hook,”he cried,“if he had had less ambition.”It was in his darkest hours only that he referred to himself in the third person. "No little children love me." Strange that he should think of this,which had never troubled him before; perhaps the sewing machine brought it to his mind.For long he muttered to himself,staring at Smee,who was hemming placidly,under the conviction that all children feared him. Feared him!Feared Smee!There was not a child on board the brig that night who did not already love him.He had said horrid things to them and hit them with the palm of his hand,because he could not hit with his fist;but they had only clung to him the more.Michael had tried on his spectacles. To tell poor Smee that they thought him lovable!Hook itched to do it,but it seemed too brutal.Instead,he revolved this mystery in his mind:why do they find Smee lovable?He pursued the problem like the sleuth hound that he was.If Smee was lovable,what was it that made him so?A terrible answer suddenly presented itself:"Good form?" Had the bosun good form without knowing it,which is the best form of all? He remembered that you have to prove you don't know you have it before you are eligible for Pop. With a cry of rage he raised his iron hand over Smee's head;but he did not tear.What arrested him was this reflection: "To claw a man because he is good form,what would that be?" "Bad form!” The unhappy Hook was as impotent as he was damp,and he fell forward like a cut flower. ·222· 第十四章 海盗船 @vital[vaitol]n.人体的重 胡克被这个问题搅得苦恼不堪。这问题是一只铁 要器官 爪，比他自己的那只还要锋利，这只利爪撕裂着他的 ②perspiration[pa:spo'reifn间 n汗水 心，汗珠不停地从他黝黑的脸上滑下，滴到衣服上。他 ③streak[stri:k]k在…上 不时地用袖子擦擦脸，可是汗珠仍然止不住地往下流。 留下条纹的痕迹 咳，不要去羡慕胡克。 ④doublet['dAblot]n.紧身 上衣 胡克预感自己的生命即将终结，就好像彼得的那句 ⑤ofttimes['ofttaimz]ad.不 誓言已经包围了他的船。胡克有种悲伤的冲动想要留下 时 遗言，不然，就要来不及了。 presentiment [pri'zen- timont)n.预感 “胡克，”他喊道，“要是他没这么大的野心就好 dissolution [,dis'lu:fn]n. 了。”他在情绪最低落的时候才用第三人称称呼自己。 消解 “没有孩子喜欢我。” 真是奇怪，他以前从来没为这个问题感到烦心过。 也许是缝纫机的声音让他想到了什么吧。他自言自语了 好长时间，一直呆呆地凝视着斯密。这会儿，斯密正在 ⑧hem[heml缝…的稻 平静地缝衣服边，斯密坚信所有的孩子都害怕他。 边 害怕他！害怕斯密！那个晚上，所有的孩子都喜欢 conviction [kon'vikfn]n. 确信 上了他。斯密给他们讲了一些可怕的故事来吓唬他们， 他还不忍心用拳头打孩子，只用手掌打了他们几下。谁 知他越是这样，孩子们越是喜欢黏着他，迈克尔还试戴 了他的眼镜。 告诉可怜的斯密，孩子们很喜欢他！胡克恨不得这 么做。可是，这样太残酷了。胡克决定将这个秘密藏在 心里。孩子们为什么觉得斯密很可爱呢？胡克像警犬搜 @sleuth[su:0]n.侦探 寻东西一样不停地思索着这个问题。如果斯密很可爱的 @hound[haund]n.猎犬 话，他可爱在哪里？突然，一个可怕的答案冒了出来： “良好风度！” 是不是这个水手有良好风度却不自知？这不恰恰是 种最好的风度吗？ 他忽然记起来，你需要对自己有的良好风度完全不 @eligible『'elid33bl]a.有资 自知，这样你才有资格加入波普俱乐部。 格的 胡克愤怒地大吼一声，向斯密伸出了铁爪，但他 并没有把斯密撕成碎片。因为一个闪念使他停了下来： “因为一个人的良好风度而把他杀死，这算什么呢？” “是不良风度！” ⑧impotent['impatant)]a.无 可怜的胡克如遭到重击一般变得有气无力，像是一 力的 朵被剪下的花 ·223· Chapter 14 The Pirate Ship His dogs thinking him out of the way for a time,discipline instantly relaxed;and they broke into a bacchanalian dance,which brought him to his feet at once;all traces of human weakness gone,as if a bucket of water had passed over him. “Quiet,,you scugs③，”he cried,“or I'll cast anchor in you'":and at once the din was hushed."Are all the children chained,so they cannot fly away?" “Ay,ay.” “Then hoist them up.” The wretched prisoners were dragged from the hold,all except Wendy, and ranged in line in front of him.For a time he seemed unconscious of their presence.He lolled at his ease,humming,not unmelodiously,snatches of a rude song,and fingering a pack of cards.Ever and anon the light from his cigar gave a touch of colour to his face. "Now then,bullies,"he said briskly,"six of you walk the plank tonight,but I have room for two cabin boys.Which of you is it to be?" "Don't irritate him unnecessarily,"had been Wendy's instructions in the hold;so Tootles stepped forward politely.Tootles hated the idea of signing under such a man,but an instinct told him that it would be prudent to lay the responsibility on an absent person;and though a somewhat silly boy,he knew that mothers alone are always willing to be the buffer.All children know this about mothers,and despise them for it,but make constant use of it. So Tootles explained prudently,"You see,sir,I don't think my mother would like me to be a pirate.Would your mother like you to be a pirate, Slightly?" He winked at Slightly,who said mournfully,"I don't think so,"as if he wished things had been otherwise."Would your mother like you to be a pirate, Twin?" "I don't think so,"said the first twin,as clever as the others."Nibs,would-" "Stow this gab,"roared Hook,and the spokesmen were dragged back. "You,boy,"he said,addressing John,"you look as if you had a little pluck in you.Didst never want to be a pirate,my hearty?" Now John had sometimes experienced this hankering at maths prep.,and ·224· 第十四章 海盗船 ①discipline[disoplin]n.纪 他的手下以为胡克没有力气管束他们了，立刻毫无 律 纪律性地松懈下来，还像喝醉了一样跳起舞来。胡克顿 bacchanalian [,baks'neil- ina.狂欢作乐的 时像是脑袋被泼了一桶凉水一样，精神大振，所有的软 弱一扫而光。 “给我安静，你们这些蠢货，”他嚷道，“不然， ③scug[skAg]n.令人讨厌 的家伙 我要你们尝尝铁爪的滋味。”喧哗声立刻停止了。“你 ④din[din]n.喧闹声 们有没有把所有孩子锁住？别让他们跑了。” “遵命，遵命。” “把他们带上来。” 除了温迪之外，可怜的囚徒们被挨个儿从货舱里 拉了出来。他们排成一行，站在胡克面前。胡克装作没 ⑤loll,懒洋洋地坐着 有看到他们一样，懒洋洋地坐在那儿，哼着一首粗俗的 unmelodiously [,Anma 1 oudioslil ad.刺耳地 歌，手里摆弄着一叠纸牌。他嘴里叼着一根雪茄，火光 ⑦anon[non]ad.不久以后 忽隐忽现地跳动着给他的脸增添了些许颜色。 “好吧，小家伙们，”胡克干净利落地说，“你们 ⑧cabin[kaebin]n.船舱 之中的六个人今天晚上要走跳板，留下两个人在我的船 上打杂。哪两个人愿意留下呢？” “不到迫不得已，不要让他生气发火。”在船舱 里温迪是这样告诫孩子们的。于是，图图很有礼貌地走 ⑨prudent[pru:dant)a.谨慎 的 上前去，他才不乐意做胡克的手下呢，他只是觉得最明 智的做法是把责任推给一个不在场的人。尽管他有点儿 @buffer[bAfb)]n.缓冲物 笨，但他还是知道只有母亲会愿意做别人的挡箭牌。所 有孩子都知道母亲的这个弱点，他们常因此看不起母 亲，但是孩子们又经常利用这一点。 于是，图图谨慎地解释说：“先生，我想我的母亲 不会同意我做海盗。你的母亲会同意你做海盗吗，斯莱 特利？” 他朝斯莱特利眨了眨眼睛，斯莱特利装作很沮丧地 说：“我想她不会的。”就好像他非常想做海盗一样。 “双胞胎，你们的母亲会同意你做海盗吗？” 心gab[gxb].多嘴 “我想她不会的，”双胞胎中的老大说，他一样很 机灵。“尼布斯，你—” @pluck[plak]n.勇气 “废话少说！”胡克大吼，刚刚说话的这几个孩子 被拖回队伍中。“你，小家伙，”他对约翰说，“你看 3hankering ['hankorin]n. 起来还挺勇敢，你有没有想过做海盗，亲爱的？” 渴望 约翰在做数学题的时候曾经非常渴望做一个海盗， ·225· Chapter 14 The Pirate Ship he was struck by Hook's picking him out. "I once thought of calling myself Red-handed Jack,"he said diffidently. "And a good name too.Well call you that here,bully,if you join." “What do you think,Michael??”asked John. "What would you call me if I join?"Michael demanded. “Blackbeard Joe.” Michael was naturally impressed."What do you think,John?"He wanted John to decide,and John wanted him to decide. "Shall we still be respectful subjects of the King?"John inquired. Through Hook's teeth came the answer,"You would have to swear,'Down with the King." Perhaps John had not behaved very well so far,but he shone out now. "Then I refuse,"he cried,banging the barrel in front of Hook. “And I refuse,”cried Michael.. "Rule Britannia!"squeaked Curly. The infuriated pirates buffeted them in the mouth;and Hook roared out, “That seals②your doom.Bring up their mother.Get the plank ready.” They were only boys,and they went white as they saw Jukes and Cecco preparing the fatal plank.But they tried to look brave when Wendy was brought up. No words of mine can tell you how Wendy despised those pirates.To the boys there was at least some glamour in the pirate calling,but all that she saw was that the ship had not been scrubbed for years.There was not a port-hole, on the grimy glass of which you might not have written with your finger"Dirty pig";and she had already written it on several.But as the boys gathered round her she had no thought,of course,save for them. “So,my beauty,.”said Hook,as if he spoke in syrup⑥，"you are to see your ·226· 第十四章 海盗船 可现在被胡克这么一问，他感到有些突然。 “我曾经想过叫我自己红手杰克。”约翰怯怯地 说。 “这名字真不错。要是你加入我们的话，我们可以 这样称呼你。” “迈克尔，你觉得呢？”约翰问。 “要是我加入的话，你们会怎么称呼我？”迈克尔 问。 “黑胡子乔。” 迈克尔觉得这名字很有趣。“你觉得怎么样，约 翰？”他让约翰帮他做决定，约输却让他自己做决定。 “要是加入的话，我们还能继续做国王忠实的臣民 吗？”约翰问。 胡克咬牙切齿地回答说：“你们得宣誓，‘打倒国 王， 。” 约翰之前的表现或许不太好，但是这次他愤怒地大 ①Britannia[bri'tanja]n.大 不列颠 声喊了出来。 “那么，我不干，”他大声说，一拳捶在胡克面前 @seal[sil]k决定 的大木桶上。 “我也不干！”迈克尔跟着大声说。 “大英帝国万岁！”卷毛儿用尖厉的声音高呼。 被激怒的海盗上来扇他们耳光。胡克大吼：“那么 好吧，你们的命运这就定了。把他们的母亲带上来。准 ③glamour[glaema]n.魅力 备好跳板！” ④scub[skrAb]别洗 他们毕竞是些孩子，因此当他们看到朱克斯和切科 ⑤grimy['grimi]a.满是灰 把那条可怕的板子拾过来准备好的时候，他们的脸变得 尘的 惨白。但是，当温迪被带上来的时候，他们又竭力装作 很勇敢的样子。 ⑥yrup['sirop]n.糖浆 我无法向你形容温迪有多么不喜欢海盗。对男孩子 们来说，海盗还有些迷人的地方。可是，在温迪看来， 这艘船已经多年未经打扫，每扇窗子都肮脏不堪，灰尘 厚得你都能在上面写字儿了，实际上，她已经在好几扇 窗子上面写了好几遍“肮脏的猪”的字样了。只不过， 当孩子们围聚在她的周围时，她没工夫关注海盗，满脑 子想的都是怎么救孩子们。 “我的小美人儿，”胡克说，嘴巴像是抹了蜜一 ·227·