8 The Last Night杰基尔博士的最后一夜-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《化身博士The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde》

The Last Night Mr.Utterson was sitting by his fireside one evening after dinner,when he was surprised to receive a visit from Poole. "Bless me,Poole,what brings you here?"he cried;and then taking a second look at him,“What ails you?”he added;“is the doctor il? “Mr.Utterson,”said the man,“there is something wrong.” “Take a seat,and here is a glass of wine for you,”said the lawyer..“Now, take your time,and tell me plainly what you want." “You know the doctor's ways,sir,”replied Poole,.“and how he shuts himself up.Well,he's shut up again in the cabinet;and I don't like it,sir-I wish I may die if I like it.Mr.Utterson,sir,I'm afraid." “Now,my good man,.”said the lawyer,“be explicit2.What are you afraid of?" "I've been afraid for about a week,"returned Poole,doggedly disregarding the question,"and I can bear it no more." The man's appearance amply bore out his words;his manner was altered for the worse;and except for the moment when he had first announced his terror, he had not once looked the lawyer in the face.Even now,he sat with the glass of wine untasted on his knee,and his eyes directed to a corner of the floor."I can ·078 杰基尔博士的最后一夜 一天晚饭后，厄塔森先生像往常一样，正在炉火边 坐着。这时，杰基尔的老管家浦尔突然来访，这让他感 到非常吃惊。 ①ail[cil训使疼痛 “我的老天爷！浦尔，你怎么突然来了？”他惊讶 地问。然后他又仔细看了浦尔一眼，马上又问道：“你 遇上什么事了？是博士生病了吗？” “厄塔森先生，大事不好了。”浦尔回答。 “先坐下来吧，来，先喝杯酒。”厄塔森说，“别着急， 慢慢地跟我说到底怎么了。” “先生，您是了解博士这个人的。”浦尔回答，“您 也知道他前阵子把自己关在家里不出门。这不，他又把 ②explicit[ik'splisit间a.明 自己关在工作室里了。我很不喜欢看他这样，先生，除 晰的，明确的 非我死了什么也看不见了。厄塔森先生，我有点害怕。” “我的好浦尔，”厄塔森说，“请你直说好吗？是什 ③dogged[dogadli1ad.顽 强地，固执地 么让你感觉害怕？” “有一个星期了，我一直感觉很害怕，”浦尔继续嘟 ④amply[empli]ad.充分 囔着，避而不答厄塔森的问题，“我再也无法忍受了。” 地 浦尔的表情证实了他说的话，他的举止变得很不自 然。刚开始说自己害怕时，他还看了厄塔森一眼，之后 就再也没抬头直视过。此刻，他低着头呆呆地坐着，他 双手捧着酒杯，放在膝盖上，一口没喝，眼睛直勾勾地 ·079· The Last Night bear it no more,"he repeated. “Come,”said the lawyer,,“I see you have some good reason,.Poole;Isee there is something seriously amiss.Try to tell me what it is." "I think there's been foul play,"said Poole,hoarsely. "Foul play!"cried the lawyer,a good deal frightened and rather inclined to be irritated in consequence."What foul play!What does the man mean?" "I daren't say,sir,"was the answer;"but will you come along with me and see for yourself?" Mr.Utterson's only answer was to rise and get his hat and greatcoat;but he observed with wonder the greatness of the relief that appeared upon the butler's face,and perhaps with no less,that the wine was still untasted when he set it down to follow. It was a wild,cold,seasonable night of March,with a pale moon,lying on her back as though the wind had tilted her,and flying wrack of the most diaphanous and lawny texture.The wind made talking difficult,and flecked the blood into the face.It seemed to have swept the streets unusually bare of passengers,besides;for Mr.Utterson thought he had never seen that part of London so deserted.He could have wished it otherwise;never in his life had he been conscious of so sharp a wish to see and touch his fellow-creatures;for struggle as he might,there was borne in upon his mind a crushing anticipation of calamity.The square,when they got there,was full of wind and dust,and the thin trees in the garden were lashing themselves along the railing.Poole, who had kept all the way a pace or two ahead,now pulled up in the middle of the pavement,and in spite of the biting weather,took off his hat and mopped his brow with a red pocket-handkerchief.But for all the hurry of his coming,these were not the dews of exertion that he wiped away,but the moisture of some strangling anguish;for his face was white and his voice,when he spoke,harsh and broken. “Well,sir,”he said,.“here we are,.and God grant there be nothing wrong.” ·080· 杰基尔博士的最后一夜 盯着墙角。“我再也受不了了。”他说。 “浦尔，我相信你这么说一定有自己的理由，我看 ①amiss[bmis]a.出差错 得出来，一定是发生了很严重的事情，来，告诉我到底 的，有毛病的 是怎么一回事。”厄塔森说。 ②hoarsely [h3 sli]ad.(嗓 “我想博士家里可能发生了谋杀案…”浦尔说， 音）嘶哑地 声音有点沙哑。 “谋杀！”厄塔森惊叫一声，他先是被吓了一跳，接 着又感觉有点恼怒，“什么谋杀？你这是在说什么？！” “我不敢说，先生。”浦尔回答，“不过，您能否跟 我去一趟，您自己亲眼瞧瞧去？” 于是，厄塔森没再说什么，起身戴上帽子，穿上大 衣。这时，他惊奇地发现，这位老管家的表情明显轻松 了许多，他甚至一口未抿就把酒杯放下紧跟着他离开 了，这也同样让厄塔森感到吃惊。 ③seasonable【'si:zonabl]a. 应时的 这天晚上狂风大作，寒气逼人，是典型的三月之夜。 月光惨淡，一钩弯弯的月牙似乎是被狂风刮倒了，躺在高 1diaphanous [dai'efonos] 高的夜空中，又似一片薄如轻纱的麻布片在空中飘浮着。 a.薄得透明的 风刮得很紧，叫人觉得说句话都很困难，走在街上，厄塔 森只觉得全身的血液一阵阵直往脸上涌。街面上空空如也， 别无其他行人，就像刚刚被扫荡过一样。厄塔森心想，他 还从未见过伦敦城里这片区域会如此荒凉。他真希望能多 有几个行人，他此生还从未像现在一样，如此渴望能多看 见或者多碰见几个人。他努力地克制着自己的情绪，但心 5 calamity [ka'laemoti]n. 中却由不得生出一股强烈的大难临头的感觉。当他们到达 灾难，灾害 广场上时，发现那里也是风沙漫天。花园里，细瘦的树枝 在狂风中不停地彼此纠缠抽打。一路上，浦尔都领先厄塔 森一两步走着。这会儿，他突然停下来，站在路的正中间。 尽管严寒刺骨，他却脱下帽子，拿出一块红色手帕擦拭脑 ⑥exertion[ig'zo:fon]m.尽 门上的汗珠。虽说他一路走得很急，但那汗珠并不是赶路 力，使劲 出的热汗，而是一种让人室息的痛苦引出的冷汗。瞧，他 ⑦anguish[e町gwi切n.痛 流着汗，却面无人色，嗓音沙哑，说话结结巴巴。 苦 “先生，”他说，“咱们到了，上帝保佑千万别出什 么事。” ·081· The Last Night “Amen,Poole,”said the lawyer. Thereupon the servant knocked in a very guarded manner;the door was opened on the chain;and a voice asked from within,"Is that you,Poole?" “t's all right,.”said Poole.“Open the door..” The hall,when they entered it,was brightly lighted up;the fire was built high;and about the hearth the whole of the servants,men and women, stood huddled together like a flock of sheep.At the sight of Mr.Utterson,the housemaid broke into hysterical whimpering;and the cook,crying out"Bless God!it's Mr.Utterson,"ran forward as if to take him in her arms. "What,what?Are you all here?"said the lawyer peevishly."Very irregular, very unseemly;your master would be far from pleased." "They're all afraid,"said Poole. Blank silence followed,no one protesting;only the maid lifted her voice and now wept loudly. "Hold your tongue!"Poole said to her,with a ferocity of accent that testified to his own jangled nerves;and indeed,when the girl had so suddenly raised the note of her lamentation2,they had all started and turned towards the inner door with faces of dreadful expectation."And now,"continued the butler,addressing the knife-boy,"reach me a candle,and we'll get this through hands at once." And then he begged Mr.Utterson to follow him,and led the way to the back garden. "Now,sir,"said he,"you come as gently as you can.I want you to hear,and I don't want you to be heard.And see here,sir,if by any chance he was to ask you in,don'tgo.” Mr.Utterson's nerves,at this unlooked-for termination,gave a jerk that nearly threw him from his balance;but he recollected his courage and followed the butler into the laboratory building through the surgical theatre,with its lumber of crates and bottles,to the foot of the stair.Here Poole motioned him to stand on one side and listen;while he himself,setting down the candle and making a great and obvious call on his resolution,mounted the steps and ·082· 杰基尔博士的最后一夜 “不会有事的，浦尔。”厄塔森说。 来到门口，浦尔小心翼翼地敲了敲门。里面的门锁 打开了，一个声音问道：“浦尔，是你吗？” “没错，是我，开门吧。”浦尔回答。 他们走进去，大厅里灯火通明，炉火生得很旺。所 有的仆人，男的、女的，都围着炉子站着，像一群羊似 的挤在一起。一看见厄塔森，那女仆马上控制不住开始 啜泣起来，厨娘则扯着嗓子大喊道：“上帝保佑！厄塔 Dhysterical [his'terikal]a. 森先生来了！”她一边叫喊，一边奔向厄塔森，好像是 歇斯底里的 要去拥抱他一样。 “怎么？怎么？你们都在这儿？”厄塔森有点不高 兴地说，“这不正常啊，这样不太好吧，你们的主人要 是看到了，一定会不高兴的吧。” “他们都害怕啊。”浦尔说。 阵静默，没有人再说话，只有那名女仆开始放声 大哭起来。 “别再哭了！”浦尔狠狠地冲她呵斥道，看得出来， 他也神经紧绷着，非常紧张。实际上，当那女孩突然放 ②lamentation [,lamen'teifon]n.哀伤， 开嗓门大哭起来时，他们所有人都不约而同转身看向了 痛悼 里面那扇门，表情异常惊恐，像是担心会有什么恐怖事 情会发生一样，浦尔当然也不例外。“去，”浦尔朝着小 厨工说，“给我拿根蜡烛来，我们马上就去弄个水落石 出。”然后他恳请厄塔森跟他一起，他自己在前面引路， 俩人朝着后花园走去。 “来吧，先生，”他说，“请您尽可能放轻脚步。我 想让您听听，但您自己别让他听见。先生，我先跟您讲 好，万一他喊您进去，您可千万别去。” 浦尔最后这么一叮嘱，倒是厄塔森没有想到的，他 ③surgical[sa:dikal]a.外 科的 只觉得浑身神经猛地一紧，差点慌了神。但是，他马上 ④lumber[amba】.木材： 鼓足勇气，跟在后面走进实验室那栋楼，穿过那到处堆 成材 满箱子、瓶子的阶梯教室，来到楼梯口。这时，浦尔打 5 resolution [reza'lu:fon]n. 手势示意他站在一边注意听，他自己则放下蜡烛，壮起 决定：决断 胆故意大喊一声，然后爬上楼梯，敲了敲那扇镶着红色 ·083· The Last Night knocked with a somewhat uncertain hand on the red baize of the cabinet door. "Mr.Utterson,sir,asking to see you,"he called;and even as he did so,once more violently signed to the lawyer to give ear. A voice answered from within:"Tell him I cannot see anyone,"it said complainingly. "Thank you,sir,"said Poole,with a note of something like triumph in his voice;and taking up his candle,he led Mr.Utterson back across the yard and into the great kitchen,where the fire was out and the beetles were leaping on the floor. “Sir,”he said,looking Mr.Utterson in the eyes,“Was that my master's voice?" "It seems much changed,"replied the lawyer,very pale,but giving look for look. "Changed?Well,yes,I think so,"said the butler."Have I been twenty years in this man's house,to be deceived about his voice?No,sir;master's made away with;he was made away with eight days ago,when we heard him cry out upon the name of God;and who's in there instead of him,and why it stays there,is a thing that cries to Heaven,Mr.Utterson!" "This is a very strange tale,Poole;this is rather a wild tale my man,"said Mr.Utterson,biting his finger."Suppose it were as you suppose,supposing Dr. Jekyll to have been-well,murdered what could induce the murderer to stay? That won't hold water;it doesn't commend itself to reason." "Well,Mr.Utterson,you are a hard man to satisfy,but I'll do it yet,"said Poole."All this last week (you must know)him,or it,whatever it is that lives in that cabinet,has been crying night and day for some sort of medicine and cannot get it to his mind.It was sometimes his way-the master's,that is-to write his orders on a sheet of paper and throw it on the stair.We've had nothing else this week back;nothing but papers,and a closed door,and the very meals ·084· 杰基尔博士的最后一夜 厚毛呢的门，动作显得有点犹豫。 “先生，厄塔森先生想要见您。”他一边朝门里大声 喊着，一边继续使劲打手势，示意厄塔森注意仔细听。 里面有个声音回答：“告诉他我不能见任何人。”语 气听着很不耐烦。 ①triumph['traiamf]m.g胜 “谢谢您，先生。”浦尔回答，语气里带着一股得胜 利的喜悦，狂欢 的味道。然后他下楼端起蜡烛，在前面引着厄塔森穿过 院子，来到那间大厨房。厨房里的炉火已经熄了，虫子 在地板上乱跳。 “先生，”浦尔看着厄塔森的眼晴问，“您觉得那是 我主人的声音吗？” “好像变了很多。”厄塔森也看着浦尔的眼睛回答， 脸色惨白。 “您觉得变了对吧？嗯，没错，我也觉得不一样了。” 浦尔说，“我在这儿干了足足有二十年了，我还能听不 出主人的声音？不，先生，我的主人己经被谋害了，他 八天前就遇害了。当时我们听见他哭喊着上帝。可是， 厄塔森先生，里面的人如果不是我主人又会是谁呢？他 为什么待在里面不出来，还呼天喊地的？” “这可就奇怪了，浦尔，这事太不寻常了，甚至很离 谱啊，我的好伙计。”厄塔森说着，咬了咬自己的手指，“假 如就像你所设想的那样，假定杰基尔博士已经—嗯 己经被谋害了，那么又是什么原因让凶手留在里面而没有 离开呢？你这个假设不能自圆其说啊，所以说不能成立。” “好吧，厄塔森先生，您真是一个不轻易相信别人 话的人，但是我会让您相信的。”浦尔接着说，“最近 一个星期，您应该知道，现在主人工作室里的这个人， 不！这个家伙！随便您怎么称呼吧，不论白天黑夜，都 哭着喊着要一种什么很特别的药品，但是又好像想不起 来。他会把他的指令写在一张纸上，然后扔到楼梯上， 让我们去办，这一点倒是我主人以前的作风。这一个星 期以来，我们其他什么信息都没得到，只有纸条上的指 令，和一扇紧闭的门。到了吃饭的时候，我们把饭放在 ·085· The Last Night left there to be smuggled in when nobody was looking.Well,sir,every day, ay,and twice and thrice in the same day,there have been orders and complaints, and I have been sent flying to all the wholesale chemists in town.Every time I brought the stuff back,there would be another paper telling me to return it, because it was not pure,and another order to a different firm.This drug is wanted bitter bad,sir,whatever for." "Have you any of these papers?"asked Mr.Utterson. Poole felt in his pocket and handed out a crumpled note,which the lawyer,bending nearer to the candle,carefully examined.Its contents ran thus: "Dr.Jekyll presents his compliments to Messrs.Maw.He assures them that their last sample is impure and quite useless for his present purpose.In the year 18-, Dr.J.purchased a somewhat large quantity from Messrs.M.He now begs them to search with most sedulous care,and should any of the same quality be left, forward it to him at once.Expense is no consideration.The importance of this to Dr.J.can hardly be exaggerated."So far the letter had run composedly enough, but here with a sudden splutter of the pen,the writer's emotion had broken loose.“For God's sake,”he added,“find me some of the old.” "This is a strange note,"said Mr.Utterson;and then sharply,"How do you come to have it open?" "The man at Maw's was main angry,sir,and he threw it back to me like so much dirt,"returned Poole. "This is unquestionably the doctor's hand,do you know?"resumed the lawyer. "I thought it looked like it,"said the servant rather sulkily and then,with another voice,"But what matters hand of write?"he said."I've seen him!" “Seen him?”repeated Mr..Utterson.“Well?” "That's it!"said Poole."It was this way.I came suddenly into the theatre from the garden.It seems he had slipped out to look for this drug or whatever ·086· 杰基尔博士的最后一夜 ①smuggle[smAgl,偷运 门口，没人的时候，他才会偷偷拿进去。没错，先生， 他每天都会扔出纸条来，传递他的指令，上面还有一些 2 wholesale ['haulseil]a. 指责的话。哎！有时一天会有两次，有时可能三次。我 批发的 被使唤得满城跑，去所有的化学药品批发店找他要的东 西。可我每次按照他的指令买回那些玩意后，他又会扔 出指令来，叫我退货回去，说是因为货品不纯，又让我 上别的店去找。先生，我不知道他要这种药品到底做什 么，但他确实要得很急。” ③crumpled[krAmpld]a. “你这儿还有他写的纸条吗？”厄塔森问。 弄皱的：变皱的 浦尔把手伸进兜里摸了摸，拿出一个捏得皱皱巴巴 的纸条。厄塔森接过来弯腰凑近蜡烛，非常仔细地查看 了一番。纸条上写着：“杰基尔博士向毛乌店老板致意。 他已肯定刚刚从贵号购得的那批货品质不纯，不合用途。 ④sedulous「sedjulas]a.坚 在一八××年的时候，杰基尔博士曾在贵号购买过相当 持的，恒定不变的 大一批货。他现在请求贵号能竭尽全力仔细搜寻，若还 有任何相同品质的存货，请立即送来，价格不是问题，因 ⑤splutter['splAta](液体 为该货物对杰基尔博士来说，其重要性是无法估量的。” 等的)溅洒 单从这部分内容来看，写信人还是非常冷静沉着的。但 是，就是在这儿，笔锋突然一转，写信人的情绪失控了。 他写道：“看在上帝的面上，给我找点那批老货色来吧。” “这纸条写得很奇怪啊，”厄塔森说，然后又有点尖 锐地问，“你又是怎么打开信封拿到这纸条的呢？” “先生，是毛乌店的人发了火，他们把这信像扔废 ⑥unquestionably 纸一样扔给了我。”浦尔解释道。 【n'kwestfonabli]ad.毫 “这毫无疑问是博士本人的笔迹，你难道没看出来 无疑问地 吗？”厄塔森继续追问。 ⑦sulkily['sAlkili]ad.愠怒 “我觉得看上去挺像。”浦尔有点愠怒。停了一下， 地 他又马上换了一副口气说：“但是，笔迹又能说明什么！ 我还见过那家伙呢！” “你见过他？！”厄塔森反问，“怎么回事？” “我确确实实见过！”浦尔娓娓道来，“是这么回事。 那天，我从花园里突然走进阶梯教室，正巧就看见了这 个人，他正在教室另一头的那些箱子里乱翻。我觉得他 ·087·