Poor Old Bill (II)可怜的老比尔（下）

“When we could no longer hear Captain singing we all grew very cheerful and made a banquet out of our year’s provisions， as we all hoped to be home again in under three weeks. We had three great banquets every day for a week—every man had more than he could eat， and what was left over we threw on the floor like gentlemen. And then one day， as we saw San Huëgédos， and wanted to sail in to spend our money， the wind changed round from behind us and beat us out to sea. There was no tacking against it， and no getting into the harbour， though other ships sailed by us and anchored there. Sometimes a dead calm would fall on us， while fishing boats all around us flew before half a gale， and sometimes the wind would beat us out to sea when nothing else was moving.

“当再也听不到船长的歌声时，所有人都变得很高兴。我们用一年份的粮食开了一场宴会，因为我们都盼望能在三个星期之内回家。在整整一周里，我们每天开三次大宴——每个人都有吃不完的食物，我们像绅士一样把剩下的扔到地上。后来有一天，当我们看见圣休杰多斯时，就想开过去，上岸花花钱，这时后面的风却转了向，把船吹往大海。旁边驶过的船都能正常地航行和在港口下锚，我们的船却丝毫不能变换航向，也不能进港。有时，我们陷入一阵死一般的平静，而周围的渔船却在强风当中飞驰；有时，其他的东西一动不动，风却会将我们的船吹到远海。

“It was just the same at Norenna.

“在诺任那，情况也是一样。

“We kept close together now and talked in low voices. Suddenly poor old Bill grew frightened. As we went all along the Siractic coast-line， we tried again and again， and the wind was waiting for us in every harbour and sent us out to sea. Even the little islands would not have us. And then we knew that there was no landing yet for poor old Bill， and every one upbraided his kind heart that had made them maroon Captain on a rock， so as not to have his blood upon their heads. There was nothing to do but to drift about the seas. There were no banquets now， because we feared that Captain might live his year and keep us out to sea.

“我们聚在一起，低声交谈。突然，可怜的老比尔变得很害怕。我们沿着斯拉克提克的海岸线航行，试了一次又一次，风在每一个港口等着我们，又把我们吹向海上。即便是小岛也无从靠岸。那时我们才明白了，就是因为可怜的老比尔，我们才不能上岸。大家都责骂他的善心。都是他让船员们把船长放逐到一块岩石上，以免他的血溅到他们头上。除了在海上漂流，别无他法。现在没有宴会了，大家害怕船长能得终天年，把我们一直留在海上。

“At first we used to hail all passing ships， and used to try to board them in the boats; but there was no towing against Captain’s curse， and we had to give that up. So we played cards for a year in Captain’s cabin， night and day， storm and fine， and every one promised to pay poor old Bill when we got ashore.

“刚开始时，我们向过往的所有船只招手，想乘小船登上它们，可是船长的诅咒让小船无法拖动，只有放弃。就这样我们在船长室里打了一年的牌，夜里打，白天打，晴时打，有暴风雨时也打。每人都承诺在上岸后给可怜的老比尔结钱。

“It was horrible to us to think what a frugal man Captain really was， he that used to get drunk every other day whenever he was at sea， and here he was still alive， and sober too， for his curse still kept us out of every port， and our provisions were gone.

“想到船长实际上过着多么饮食节俭的生活，我们感到很恐怖。以前他在海上每隔一天都喝得烂醉，但现在看来他还活着，还很清醒——他的诅咒仍然让我们进不了任何港口，船上的粮食也没有了。

“Well， it came to drawing lots， and Jim was the unlucky one.

“好吧，我们到了需要抓阄的地步，吉姆成了那不走运的人。

“When there was only Jakes and poor old Bill and the cabin-boy and Dick， we didn’t draw any longer. We said that the cabin-boy had had all the luck， and he mustn’t expect any more. Then poor old Bill was alone with Jakes and Dick， and Captain was still alive. When there was no more boy， and the Captain still alive， Dick， who was a huge strong man like poor old Bill， said that it was Jakes’ turn， and he was very lucky to have lived as long as he had. But poor old Bill talked it all over with Jakes， and they thought it better than Dick should take his turn.

“当船上只剩下杰克斯、可怜的老比尔、船上服务生和迪克时，我们不再抓阄。我们说服务生的运气已经太好，他不可以再期盼更多。接着只余下可怜的老比尔跟杰克斯和迪克，而船长还没有死。没有别的服务生了，而船长仍然活着，像可怜的老比尔一样高大强壮的迪克说，现在轮到杰克斯了，他能活那么长已是非常幸运。不过，可怜的老比尔把迪克的想法全跟杰克斯说了，他俩认为迪克才应该去死。

“Then there was Jakes and poor old Bill; and Captain would not die.

“之后船上只剩下杰克斯和可怜的老比尔，可船长总也不死。

“And these two used to watch one another night and day， when Dick was gone and no one else was left to them. And at last poor old Bill fell down in a faint and lay there for an hour. Then Jakes came up to him slowly with his knife， and makes a stab at poor old Bill as he lies there on the deck. And poor old Bill caught hold of him by the wrist， and put his knife into him twice to make quite sure. Then poor old Bill was all alone at sea.

“迪克死后，便没有第三个人了，两个人在白天和夜里都盯着对方。最后，可怜的老比尔晕倒了，在那儿躺了一个小时。杰克斯拿着刀慢慢地靠近，捅向那躺在甲板上的人。可怜的老比尔抓住杰克斯的手腕，保险起见，拿刀捅了他两次。于是，海上就只剩可怜的老比尔一人了。

“And the very next week， Captain must have died on his bit of an island; for poor old Bill heard the Captain’s soul going cursing over the sea， and the day after that the ship was cast on a rocky coast.

“只过了一个星期，船长一定是死在小岛上了，因为可怜的老比尔听到船长的灵魂在海上诅咒。第二天，船便被抛到了满是岩石的海岸边。

“And Captain’s been dead now for over a hundred years， and poor old Bill is safe ashore again. But it looks as if Captain hadn’t done with him yet， for poor old Bill doesn’t ever get any older， and somehow or other he doesn’t seem to die. Poor old Bill！”

“船长已经死了一百多年了，可怜的老比尔又安全地回到岸上。可是，船长似乎仍没有放过他，因为他一点儿也没有变老。不知怎的，他似乎也死不了。可怜的老比尔呀！”

When this was over the man’s fascination suddenly snapped， and we all jumped up and left him.

话一说完，这个男人突然从沉迷恋中清醒过来。我们都跳起来，离开了他。

It was not only his revolting story， but it was the fearful look in the eyes of the man who told it， and the terrible ease with which his voice surpassed the roar of the rain， that decided me never again to enter that haunt of sailors—the tavern of the sea.

我决定再也不去那个水手们常去的地方（大海的酒馆）了，不仅因为他那讨厌的故事，还因为他那让人害怕的眼神，和他盖过雨声的嗓音中那份瘆人的从容。

1原名爱德华·约翰·莫尔顿·德拉克斯·普伦基特（1878—1957，Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett），“邓萨尼勋爵”是其笔名。他一生创作了上百部作品，深远地影响了包括《克苏鲁神话》的作者 H. P. 洛夫克拉夫特和世界奇幻科幻文学女王、《地海》系列的作者厄休拉·勒古恩在内的几十名作家，是现代奇幻文学的奠基人之一。