PART2 Chapter3 约翰·费里厄同先知的交谈-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《福尔摩斯探案经典之血字的研究A Study in Scarlet》

Chapter 3 fohn Ferrier T alks with the Prophet Three weeks had passed since Jefferson Hope and his comrades had departed from Salt Lake City.John Ferrier's heart was sore within him when he thought of the young man's return,and of the impending loss of his adopted child.Yet her bright and happy face reconciled him to the arrangement more than any argument could have done.He had always determined,deep down in his resolute heart,that nothing would ever induce him to allow his daughter to wed a Mormon.Such a marriage he regarded as no marriage at all,but as a shame and a disgrace.Whatever he might think of the Mormon doctrines,upon that one point he was inflexible.He had to seal his mouth on the subject, however,for to express an unorthodox opinion was a dangerous matter in those days in the Land of the Saints. Yes,a dangerous matter-so dangerous that even the most saintly dared only whisper their religious opinions with bated breath,lest something which fell from their lips might be misconstrued,and bring down a swift retribution upon them.The victims of persecution had now turned persecutorson their own account,and persecutors of the most terrible description.Not the Inquisition of Seville,nor the German Vehm-gericht,nor the Secret Societies of Italy,were ever able to put a more formidable machinery in motion than that ·176· 第三章 约翰·费里厄 同先知的交族 自从杰弗逊·霍普和他的同伴们离开盐湖城，已经 过去三个星期的时间了。约翰·费里厄想到那个年轻人 一回来自己就要失去养女，内心就很不是滋味。不过， Dimpending [im pendin]a 即将发生的 看到养女那洋溢着喜悦的面容，他就释然了，这种安排 ②resolute ['rezalu:tla.坚决 比任何说辞都更加有说服力。他意志坚定，早就下定了 的 决心，无论如何，他都不会同意让自己的女儿嫁给一个 摩门教徒的。在他看来，与摩门教徒的婚姻压根儿就不 是什么婚姻，而是一种羞耻和耻辱。不管他对于摩门教 3 inflexible [in'fleksabll a. 坚定不移的 教义有些什么样的看法，但他在这一点上是决不会改变 ④unorthodox【n':0a,doks] 的。然而，他却不得不缄口不言，因为这个时候，在这 a.异端的 样一片属于圣徒们的土地上，散布有悖教义的言论是件 危险的事情。 对啊，是件危险的事情一非常危险，即便是那 些圣徒中的圣徒也都只敢低声屏气地表达自己对宗教看 ⑤retribution【,retri'bju:fon] H.应得的惩罚 法，唯恐什么话说出口了，结果被人误解，那样就会立 6persecution [.po:si'kju: ann迫害 刻招致惩罚。曾经遭受迫害的教徒现在已经演变成了迫 persecutor ['pa:sikju:tal n. 迫害者 害别人的人了，其迫害手段之残忍简直难以形容。摩门 教徒在犹他州所布下的天罗地网非常可怕，相比之下， 塞维利亚的宗教法庭，德国的秘密刑事法庭，意大利秘 ·177· Chapter 3 John Ferrier Talks with the Prophet which cast a cloud over the State of Utah. Its invisibility,and the mystery which was attached to it,made this organization doubly terrible.It appeared to be omniscient and omnipotent2,and yet was neither seen nor heard.The man who held out against the Church vanished away,and none knew whither he had gone or what had befallen him.His wife and his children awaited him at home,but no father ever returned to tell them how he had fared at the hands of his secret judges.A rash word or a hasty act was followed by annihilation, and yet none knew what the nature might be of this terrible power which was suspended over them.No wonder that men went about in fear and trembling, and that even in the heart of the wilderness they dared not whisper the doubts which oppressed them. At first this vague and terrible power was exercised only upon the recalcitrants who,having embraced the Mormon faith,wished afterwards to pervert or to abandon it.Soon,however,it took a wider range.The supply of adult women was running short,and polygamy without a female population on which to draw was a barren doctrine indeed.Strange rumours began to be bandied about-rumours of murdered immigrants and rifled camps in regions where Indians had never been seen.Fresh women appeared in the harems of the Elders-women who pined and wept,and bore upon their faces the traces of an unextinguishable horror.Belated wanderers upon the mountains spoke of gangs of armed men,masked,stealthy,and noiseless,who flitted by them in the darkness.These tales and rumours took substance and shape, and were corroborated and re-corroborated,until they resolved themselves into a definite name.To this day,in the lonely ranches of the West,the name of the Danite Band,or the Avenging Angels,is a sinister and an ill-omened one. Fuller knowledge of the organization which produced such terrible results served to increase rather than to lessen the horror which it inspired in the minds of men.None knew who belonged to this ruthless society.The names of the ·178· 第三章约输·费里厄同先知的交谈 密社团，全都无法与之匹敌。 这个组织无影无踪，再加上神秘莫测，这就令它 ①omniscient【bm'nisiant]a. 显得加倍地恐怖。它似乎无所不知，无所不能，但其行 无所不知的 2omnipotent [om'nipatant] 动人们看不见也听不着。如果有人站出来反对教会，他 a.全能的 就会立刻失踪，没有人知道他去哪儿了，也没有人知道 其境遇如何。妻儿在家中等待着他，但做父亲的却一去 不返，没有人告诉她们他在那些秘密法官的手里遭遇到 了什么。不当的言论和不慎的行为都有可能招致灭顶之 ③annihilation【a.naia'leifon] 灾，但却没人知道这种笼罩在头顶上的可怕势力究竟是 n.灭绝 什么性质的。因此，人人都生活在诚惶诚恐之中，即使 在荒郊野外，他们也不敢对压在他们头上的势力低声吐 露半点疑虑。 recalcitrant[ri'kaelsitrant] 刚开始的时候，这种看不见的恐怖势力只针对叛教 a.拒不服从的 者，因为他们先前已经皈依了摩门教，但后来又打算背 叛或者放弃摩门教。不过，很快，该组织便扩大了惩处 的范围。由于成年妇女数量越来越少，没有可资利用的 polygamy Ipa'ligomil n. 一夫多妻 女性人口，一夫多妻制的教义就形同虚设了。种种怪异 的谣言开始四处流传开了一说什么在没有印第安人涉 足的区域里出现了遇害的移民和遭到洗劫的营地。长老 ⑥harem(ha:ri:mln.后宫 7unextinguishable [An,iks'ti 们的后房里出现了新面孔的女人一她们面容憔悴，哭 gwifabl]a.挥之不去的 哭啼啼，脸上惊恐的神色挥之不去。那些在山区里跋涉 晚归的人说到、黑暗之中，看见多伙全副武装的人，那 ⑧stealthy['stelei]a.悄悄的 些人全都蒙着脸，行动诡秘，悄无声息，从他们的身边 掠而过。这些故事和传言说得有模有样，还经过人们 一而再再而三地确认，最后，有了个确切的名字。直到 今日，在荒凉的西部大草原上，“丹奈特帮”或者“复 仇天使”这个名字仍然是罪恶和不详的代名词。 人们对这样一个酿成恐怖后果的组织有了更加充分 的了解之后，在心中激发起的恐怖感只会增加，而不会 减少。没有人知道，谁是属于这个残忍无情的团体的。 打着宗教的旗号，制造血腥和暴力的事件，其参加者的 ·179· Chapter 3 John Ferrier Talks with the Prophet participators in the deeds of blood and violence done under the name of religion were kept profoundly secret.The very friend to whom you communicated your misgivings as to the Prophet and his mission,might be one of those who would come forth at night with fire and sword to exact a terrible reparation.Hence every man feared his neighbour,and none spoke of the things which were nearest his heart. One fine morning,John Ferrier was about to set out to his wheatfields, when he heard the click of the latch,and,looking through the window,saw a stout,sandy-haired,middle-aged man coming up the pathway.His heart leapt to his mouth,for this was none other than the great Brigham Young himself.Full of trepidation?for he knew that such a visit boded him little good-Ferrier ran to the door to greet the Mormon chief.The latter,however, received his salutations coldly,and followed him with a stern face into the sitting-room. "Brother Ferrier,"he said,taking a seat,and eyeing the farmer keenly from under his light-coloured eyelashes,"the true believers have been good friends to you.We picked you up when you were starving in the desert,we shared our food with you,led you safe to the Chosen Valley,gave you a goodly share of land,and allowed you to wax rich under our protection.Is not this so?" "It is so,"answered John Ferrier. "In return for all this we asked but one condition:that was,that you should embrace the true faith,and conform in every way to its usages. This you promised to do,and this,if common report says truly,you have neglected." "And how have I neglected it?"asked Ferrier,throwing out his hands in expostulation."Have I not given to the common fund?Have I not attended at the Temple?Have I not-?" “Where are your wives?”asked Young,.looking round him.“Call them in, that I may greet them." "It is true that I have not married,"Ferrier answered."But women were ·180· 第三章约翰·费里厄同先知的交谈 姓名是严格保密的。一旦你向某个朋友表露了自己对先 知和其使命的疑虑，夜间可能就有人举着火把和刀剑对 你实施惩处，而那个朋友可能在其中。因此，所有人都 害怕自己的邻居，谁都不会吐露自己的心声。 reparation [.repa'reifan]n. 惩罚 一个晴朗的早晨，约翰·费里厄正要打算去自己的 麦地里，突然听到了门闩咔哒的声音，透过窗户朝外一 看，只见一个身体结实、头发淡黄的中年男子顺着小路 走过来。他的心提到了嗓子眼了，因为来者不是别人 正是大人物杨百翰本人。费里厄心里充满了惶恐一因 为他知道，这样一位头领上门不会是什么好事情一于 2trepidation [.trepi'deifon] 是，急忙跑到门口去迎接这位摩门教的头领。然而，后 n害怕；颤抖 者却表现出一副不理不睬的样子，铁青着脸随他走进了 3salutation [saelju'teifon]n. 客厅。 招呼 “费里厄兄弟，”他说着，坐了下来，淡色的睫毛下 一双锐利的眼睛盯着对方看，“真诚的信徒们一直把你 当朋友看。你在沙漠里忍受着饥饿时，我们收留了你， ④eyelash ['ailan n.睫毛 把我们的食物分给了你，把你安全地带到这个上帝赐予 的峡谷，分配给了你一大片土地，还让你在我们的庇护 之下慢慢富裕起来了。是不是这么回事？” “是这么回事。”费里厄回答说。 “作为对所有这一切的回报，我们只提了一个条件， 那就是，你要皈依真正的宗教信仰，而且身体力行教 规。你答应了这么做，而如果人们报告的情况属实的 话，你可是忽略这一点了。” “我怎么忽略了呢？”费里厄问了一声，伸出双手 表示争辩，“我没有缴纳公共基金吗？我没有去圣殿朝 5 expostulation [ik,spost ju'leifon]n.劝告 拜吗？我没有一？” “你的妻子们在哪儿呢？”扬问，环顾了一下四周， “把她们叫来吧，我要问候她们一声呢。” “我没有结婚，这是事实，”费里厄回答说，“但是， 女人的数量本来就很少，而且许多人比我更有权力娶她 ·181· Chapter 3 John Ferrier Talks with the Prophet few,and there were many who had better claims than I.I was not a lonely man: I had my daughter to attend to my wants." "It is of that daughter that I would speak to you,"said the leader of the Mormons."She has grown to be the flower of Utah,and has found favour in the eyes of many who are high in the land." John Ferrier groaned internally. "There are stories of her which I would fain disbelieve-stories that she is sealed to some Gentile.This must be the gossip of idle tongues.What is the thirteenth rule in the code of the sainted Joseph Smith?'Let every maiden of the true faith marry one of the elect;for if she wed a Gentile,she commits a grievous sin.'This being so,it is impossible that you,who profess the holy creed,should suffer your daughter to violate it." John Ferrier made no answer,but he played nervously with his riding-whip. "Upon this one point your whole faith shall be tested-so it has been decided in the Sacred Council of Four.The girl is young,and we would not have her wed grey hairs,neither would we deprive her of all choice.We Elders have many heifers,but our children must also be provided.Stangerson has a son,and Drebber has a son,and either of them would gladly welcome your daughter to their house.Let her choose between them.They are young and rich,and of the true faith.What say you to that?" Ferrier remained silent for some little time with his brows knitted. “You will give us time,.”he said at last.“My daughter is very young-she is scarce⑤of an age to marry.” "She shall have a month to choose,"said Young,rising from his seat."At the end of that time she shall give her answer." He was passing through the door,when he turned,with flushed face and flashing eyes."It were better for you,John Ferrier,"he thundered,"that you and she were now lying blanched skeletons upon the Sierra Blanco,than that you ·182· 第三章约输·费里厄同先知的交谈 们。我并不是子然一身的人，我有个女儿伺候着我呢。” “我要来对你说的就是你女儿的事，”摩门教的头领 说，“她已长大了，成了犹他之花。有许多身份地位都 很高的人看上她啦。” 约翰·费里厄心中暗暗叫苦。 “有关于她的传言，我对此宁可不相信来着一说 ①groan【groun]v.发牢骚 她同某个异教徒订立了婚约。这一定是那些闲着没事的 人生出来的流言蜚语。圣徒约瑟夫·史密斯订立的教规 里第十三条是怎么说的？·每一个具备真正信仰的摩门 教未婚女要嫁给上帝的选民。如果她与异教徒通婚，那 ②grievous['gri:vas]a.严重 就犯下了大罪。’上面就是这么说的，你既然信奉这神 的 圣的教义，你就不会容忍你的女儿来亵渎它的。” 约翰·费里厄没有吭声，摆弄着手里的马鞭。 “在这一点上，你的整个信仰都将受到考验一四 圣会就是这么决定的。姑娘还很年轻，我们不会让她嫁 给头发灰白的老者，也不会剥夺她的全部选择权。我们 四位长老已有许多小女子了，但是，我们的孩子们必须 ③deprive [di'praiv]v.剥夺 要娶妻啊。斯坦格森有个儿子，德雷伯也有个儿子。他 ④heifer [hefa]n小母牛： 贬)指年轻漂亮的女 们两个人都想把你的女儿娶进门，就让她在他们两个人 子 之间挑选吧。他们既年轻又富有，而且信仰真挚。你觉 得怎么样？” 费里厄依沉默了片刻，眉头紧锁。 “您要给我们时间啊，”他最后开口说，“我女儿还 很小—她还不到结婚嫁人的年龄呢。” “给她一个月时间做出选择吧，”扬说着，从坐着的 ⑤scarce [skeas]a.不足的 椅子上站起身，“一个月结束时，她可要给出答案啊。” 他正要走出门口，突然转过身来，满脸通红，眼睛 闪烁着凶光。“我可告诉你，约翰·费里厄，”他大声吼 着，“你和你女儿如果不量力地对抗四圣的命令，还不 如当初就躺在布兰科山上，成为两堆白骨的好！” 他用手做了个威胁的动作，转身走了。费里厄只听 ·183· Chapter 3 John Ferrier Talks with the Prophet should put your weak wills against the orders of the Holy Four!" With a threatening gesture of his hand,he turned from the door,and Ferrier heard his heavy step scrunching along the shingly path. He was still sitting with his elbows upon his knees,considering how he should broach the matter to his daughter,when a soft hand was laid upon his,and looking up,he saw her standing beside him.One glance at her pale, frightened face showed him that she had heard what had passed. “I could not help it,”she said,.in answer to his look.“His voice rang through the house.Oh,father,father,what shall we do?" "Don't you scare yourself,"he answered,drawing her to him,and passing his broad,rough hand caressingly over her chestnut hair."We'll fix it up somehow or another.You don't find your fancy kind o'lessening for this chap, do you?" A sob and a squeeze of his hand was her only answer. "No;of course not.I shouldn't care to hear you say you did.He's a likely lad,and he's a Christian,which is more than these folk here,in spite o'all their praying and preaching.There's a party starting for Nevada to-morrow, and I'll manage to send him a message letting him know the hole we are in. If I know anything o'that young man,he'll be back here with a speed that would whip electro-telegraphs." Lucy laughed through her tears at her father's description. "When he comes,he will advise us for the best.But it is for you that I am frightened,dear.One hears-one hears such dreadful stories about those who oppose the Prophet:something terrible always happens to them." "But we haven't opposed him yet,"her father answered."It will be time to look out for squalls when we do.We have a clear month before us;at the end of that,I guess we had best shin out of Utah." Leave Utah!” "That's about the size of it." ·184· 第三章约翰·费里厄同先知的交谈 见他那沉重的脚步踩在砂石路上的咯歧声。 费里厄双时支在膝头上，呆呆地坐着，心里在思忖 ①serunch [skrantf]v.发出 着，自己如何开口向女儿说这件事。这时，一只柔软的 咯咯声 手搭在了他的手上。他拾起头，看见女儿站立在自己身 边。瞥一眼她那苍白而又惊恐的面容，他便知道了，女 儿已经听到了刚才说的事情。 “我不听都不行啊，”她说，回应着父亲的注视 “他说话的声音整幢房子都听得见。噢，父亲，父亲， 我们该怎么办啊？” “可别自己吓自己，”他回答说，一边把她拉到自己 身边，粗糙的大手抚摸着女儿的栗色头发，“我们总会 2caressingly [ka'resinli]ad. 有办法解决这件事情的。你对那个年轻人的感情不会冷 爱抚地 ③chestnut'fesnatl a.栗色 淡，对吧？” 的 露茜没有回答，不停地抽泣，紧紧地捏住父亲 的手。 “对，当然不会。我也不想听到你说会冷淡。他是 个招人喜爱的年轻人，还是个基督徒。比起这儿的那些 ④preaching'[pri:tfin].讲 人可强多了，尽管他们又是祈祷又是布道的。明天有一 群人要动身去内华达州，我会设法给捎个信儿去，让他 知道我们面临的处境。如果我对那个年轻人还有所了解 的话，他会快速赶回来，比电报的速度还要快呢。” 露茜听到父亲这么一说，立刻破涕为笑了。 “等到他返回之后，他会拿出最好的办法来的。但 是，我担心的是您啊，亲爱的父亲。人们听说过一人 们听说过那些有关同先知作对的人的可怕遭遇。发生在 他们身上的事情总是令人感到可怕。” “但是，我们还没有同他作对啊，”她父亲回答说， ⑤squall{skw3:.麻烦事 “我们要那么办，那也得小心谨慎才是。我们还有整整 ⑥shin (fin]v.快步走 一个月的时间，到一个月结束的时候，我看我们最好逃 离犹他。” “离开犹他！” ·185·