《金银岛》第十二章 伊斯莱尔·汉兹

I lost no time and climbed up the rope on to the deck of the ship．

我不失时机地抓住缆绳，爬上大船的甲板。

The two men were there，red-cap on his back，Israel Hands against the side，his face white There was dark blood around them on the deck，

两个留守的海盗都在甲板上，戴红帽的仰面躺在甲板上，伊斯莱尔·汉兹靠在船舷上，脸色苍白。他们周围的甲板上有斑斑血迹，

and I was sure each had killed the other in their drunken fight．

我断定他们酒醉之后自相残杀，结果同归于尽了。

Then Israel Hands turned with a low cry of pain．He looked across at me and whispered one word：Rum．

这时伊斯莱尔·汉兹翻了一下身，痛苦地呻吟了一声。他看了我一眼，吐出一句话：朗姆酒。

I went below to the cabin where there were empty bottles on the floor and tobacco smoke filled the air．

我下到船舱里，地上全是空瓶，空气中充满了烟味。

I found a bottle with some rum left in it，and found some water and some bread and cheese for myself．

我发现只有一只瓶子里还有一点酒；我给自己找到一些面包干和干酪。

I took the bottle back on deck，where Hands drank half the rum before taking the bottle from his mouth．

我走上甲板把酒递给汉兹，他一口气就喝下去一半。

By thunder！he said．I wanted some of that．But where have you come from？

妈的！他说。我正需要这个。你是从哪儿来的？

I've come to take control of this ship，Mr Hands，I said，so please remember I'm your captain．

我是来接管这条船的，汉兹先生，我说。记住，现在我是你的船长。

He watched me pull down the Jolly Roger and throw it overboard，then he said，I expect you'll want to go ashore now．

他看着我降下了骷髅旗，扔到海里，他说：我看你是想到岸上去。

Suppose we talk about it．

咱们来谈谈吧。

There was some colour back in his cheeks but he looked very sick．

他的脸上露出一点血色，但还很虚弱。

Who's going to sail the ship now？

现在谁来驾船呢？

You can't do it；

你肯定不行；

but if you give me food and drink and a handkerchief to tie up my wound，I'll tell you how to sail her．

但如果你给我点吃喝，帮我用一块手帕包扎伤口，我会告诉你如何驾船的。

All right，I agreed．We'll go into North Inlet and quietly put her on the beach there．

那好吧，我说。我要把船开向岛北的水湾，慢慢地登上那里的海滩。

In three minutes I had the Hispaniola sailing easily before the wind，along the coast of Treasure Island．

不到三分钟我就轻而易举地驾着伊斯帕尼奥拉号沿着金银岛顺风而行了。

Then I went be-low and got a handkerchief and helped．

然后我下去找到一条手帕，

Hands tie up the great bleeding wound in his leg．

帮助汉兹包扎他腿上鲜血直流的伤口。

He ate a little and drank more of the rum，then he began to look a little better．

他吃了一点东西，又喝了不少酒，看起来比刚才好多了。

We sailed ahead of the wind，the island moving past quickly．

我们乘风航行，岛上的景物迅速向后退去。

After my success，I was less sorry about deserting the stockade．

我终于成功了，因而对不辞而别的内疚也减少了许多。

There was only one thing that worried me．

只有一件事让我担心，

It was the way Israel Hands watched me at my work，a cold little smile on his face．

那就是汉兹看我干活的表情，他的脸上总带着冷笑。

We could not put the ship on the beach when we reached North Inlet because the sea was too high．

因为海水太深，当我们到达北部水湾时，我们没法让船冲上岸滩。

We had to wait，sit ting in silence over another meal．

于是我们默默地坐下来，一边吃些东西一边等待。

Capn，Hands said to me，still with that smile on his face，my old mate，OBrien，is dead．

船长先生，汉兹对我说，脸上还带着狡诈的笑，我的老伙伴奥布赖恩已经死了。

Can you throw him overboard？

你能把他扔到海里去吗？

I'm not strong enough，I said．

我没这么大力气，我说。

There was a pause，then he said，Well now，

他顿了一下对我说：那么，

would you be very kind and go down to the cabin and fetch me a bottle of wine，Jim？

你现在下去给我找一瓶葡萄酒来怎么样？

This rum's too strong for my head．

这朗姆酒劲儿太大了。

I listened to his words but didn't believe them．

我听明白他的话，但一点都不信他。

He wanted me to leave the deck，that was clear,but why？

显然，他要我离开甲板，但为什么呢？

Wine？I said．Will you have white or red？

葡萄酒？我问。要白的还是红的？

I don't mind，he said，as long as it's strong and there's plenty of it．

都行，他说，只要多一些，有点劲就行。

I'll have to search for it，I told him．

好吧，我去找一找，我说。

I went below，then took off my shoes and went quietly up the other stairs to watch him．

我跑下去，然后脱下鞋爬上梯子看他。

He was on his hands and knees and，although his leg hurt him，

他用两手和两个膝盖爬行。尽管腿受伤了，他还是爬得很快，

he moved quickly across the deck and took a long knife from among some ropes．

然后从甲板上一盘缆绳下面找出一把长刀。

I could see the blood on it．

我可以看见上面的血迹。

Then he hid it under his coat and went back to his place．

然后他把刀藏在衣服下面，回到原处。

This was all I needed to know Israel Hands could move about and now had a weapon，

这正是我需要知道的一切。伊斯莱尔·汉兹能够爬行而且他现在有了武器，

and he was going to try to kill me．

他想杀掉我。

But I knew that he wouldn't use the knife until the ship was safely on the beach．

但我相信在伊斯帕尼奥拉号安全抵达沙滩之前他不会杀我的。

I went back to the cabin，put my shoes on again，and picked up a bottle of wine．Then I went back up on deck．

我回到船舱，穿上鞋，找到一瓶葡萄酒回到甲板上。

He took a long drink from the bottle of wine，saying，Here's luck！

他拿起酒瓶喝了个痛快，嘴里喊着：百事如意！

Afterwards，we sailed into North Inlet and I forgot to watch Hands carefully．

然后，我们把船驶往北部水湾，我也忘了注意汉兹。

We were nearly on the beach and I was looking over the side of the ship．

我们快到海滩了，我向船侧面望了一下。

Perhaps I heard a sound or saw his shadow moving，I don't know．

也许我听见了什么声音或看见了他的影子在动，

But when I looked round，there he was，half-way towards me with the knife in his right hand！

当我回过头去的时候，汉兹右手举着刀都快到我眼前了！

He threw himself at me and I jumped to one side，leaving him to fall on the deck．

他扑向我而我跳到一旁，他摔倒在甲板上。

Quickly，I took a pistol from my pocket and aimed it at him-he powder was wet and the pistol didn't fire！

我迅速地掏出手枪瞄准他—但是火药受潮了，枪没响！

He got up and came at me with surprising speed，but suddenly the Hispaniola hit the sand and went over on one side．

他起身以惊人的速度向我扑过来，正在这时伊斯帕尼奥拉号突然搁浅，向一侧倾斜。

We were．both thrown down and began to roll across the deck，

我们都失去平衡，滚向一边，

but I was on my feet first and climbed up into the sails，hand over hand．

但我先站起来一跃，两手交替着爬上桅杆。

When I was in a safe place，I loaded my pistols，this time with dry powder．

我爬到安全的地方，把手枪换上干火药。

Hands was pulling himself up among the sails now，the knife between his teeth．

汉兹嘴里衔着刀，也慢慢地爬向桅杆。

One more step，I said，and I'll kill you！

你要再上来一步，我说，我就杀了你。

Jim，he said．He took the knife from his mouth to speak，and looked beaten．

吉姆，他说，从口中取下长刀，咱们来讲和吧，

We'll have to make peace，you and I．You're too sharp and quick for an old sailor like me…

像我这样一个老海员斗不过你这样身手矫捷的年轻人……

But then，with a sudden movement，his hand went back and something went speeding through the air．I felt a sharp pain，and I was pinned to the mast by my shoulder．

但是突然，他的手向后一挥，就见一件东西嗖的一声飞过来。我感到一阵剧痛，我的肩膀被钉在了桅杆上。

In the terrible pain and surprise of the moment，both my pistols went off and fell from my hands．

就在这巨痛和吃惊之际，我的双枪响了，随即枪也从手中滑落。

They did not fall alone．With a cry，Hands fell into the water．

掉下去的不光是两枝枪。汉兹大叫一声，掉到了水里。

He came up，the water around him red from his blood，then he went down again，for ever．

他先是浮上来，血把周围的水染红了，然后又沉下去，永远上不来了。

I felt sick and frightened．The blood from my wound ran over my back and chest，and the knife seemed to burn like hot iron．

我感到一阵恐惧和恶心。血从我的伤口流到背上和胸上，那把长刀像火红的烙铁在我的肩膀上。

But I was trembling so badly that it shook the knife out of my skin，and I could move again．

我使劲地发抖，以至于那把刀掉下去了，我又可以动了。

I climbed down through the sails，then went below to tie up my wound．

我顺着桅杆溜下来，到船舱包扎好伤口。

There was a lot of blood but it wasn't deep．Next，I went up on deck．

我流了很多血，但伤得不深。然后我来到甲板上。

It was now evening and a light wind was blowing，so I lowered the sails before climbing down a rope and into the sea．

现在已经是晚上了，微风轻拂，我降下帆，然后顺着一条绳子下到海里。

The water was only waist-deep and I walked ashore．

海水仅及我的腰部，我向岸上走去。

The sun had gone now and，once on dry land，I began to walk to the stockade．

太阳已经落山了，我一上岸就直奔寨子而去。

Perhaps the others would blame me for deserting，I thought，

也许别人会指责我逃跑，我琢磨着，

but Captain Smollett would be pleased I had taken the Hispaniola，I was sure．

可是斯摩列特船长一定会为我夺回了伊斯帕尼奥拉号而高兴。

When I reached the stockade，the house lay in dark shadow．

我到寨子的时候，木屋笼罩在黑暗中。

But on the other side，a large fire had almost burned itself out．

在另一边有一堆快燃尽的篝火。

This seemed strange，as it had not been our habit to build lange fires．

这很奇怪，这么大的篝火不可能是我们烧的。

There were no sounds，except for the wind in the trees，

周围一点动静都没有，只有树林中的风声。

and I went quietly round to the eastern side，keeping in the shadows．

我绕到寨子东边，尽可能躲在阴影中。

As I came nearer to the corner of the house，

我接近木屋的时候，

I heard my friends breathing loudly as they slept，and at once felt happier again．

听见我的朋友们熟睡的鼾声，立即高兴起来。

I got to the door and looked in，

我找到门向里看，

but all was dark and I could see nothing．

屋里一片漆黑，什么也看不见。

With my arms out in front of me，I walked in．

我伸出手摸索着走进屋。

Suddenly，there was a high voice screaming in the darkness：

突然，一个声音响起来：

Pieces of eight！Pieces of eight！Pieces of eight！It was Silver's parrot，Captain Flint！

八个里亚尔！八个里亚尔！八个里亚尔！是西尔弗的鹦鹉，弗林特船长！

Immediately，men began to wake up，and I heard Silver's voice shout，Who's there？

随即，人们都醒了，我听见西尔弗喊道：谁在那儿？

I turned to run，crashed violently against one person，then ran straight into the arms of another．

我转身就跑，刚挣脱了一个人，又被另一个人抓住。