四签名 101琼诺赞·斯茂的奇异故事（11）

At two in the morning the rounds passed and broke for a moment the weariness of the night.

后半夜两点钟，稍微打破整夜沉寂的巡查过去了。

Finding that my companions would not be led into conversation,

我的同伴既不愿和我交谈，

I took out my pipe and laid down my musket¹ to strike the match.

我就把枪放下，掏出烟斗来划了一根火柴。

In an instant the two Sikhs were upon me.

猛然间两个印度兵向我冲了上来，

One of them snatched my firelock up and levelled it at my head,

一个人抢过枪来，开了枪上的保险门并把枪口对着我的脑袋；

while the other held a great knife to my throat and swore between his teeth that he would plunge² it into me if I moved a step.

另一个人抽出一把大刀搁在我脖子上，而且咬着牙说，只要我动一步就把刀子刺进我的喉咙。

My first thought was that these fellows were in league with the rebels, and that this was the beginning of an assault.

我第一个想法是：他们一定和叛兵一伙，这也就是他们突击的开始。

If our door were in the hands of the sepoys the place must fall,

如果他们占据了这个堡门，整个碉堡就一定会落入敌人手中，

and the women and children be treated as they were in Cawnpore.

堡里的妇孺也就会受到和在康普相同的遭遇。

Maybe you gentlemen think that I am just making out a case for myself,

也许你们几位会想，我是在这里为自己胡诌，

but I give you my word that when I thought of that, though I felt the point of the knife at my throat,

可是我敢发誓，当我想到这一点的时候，虽然我觉得出来，刀尖就抵在我的咽喉上，

I opened my mouth with the intention of giving a scream,

我还是张开了口想要大叫一声，

if it was my last one, which might alarm the main guard.

即使是最后一声也罢，因为说不定这样就能给中心警卫室一个警告。

The man who held me seemed to know my thoughts; for, even as I braced³ myself to it, he whispered:

那个按住我的人似乎已经知道了我的心思，正当我要出声的时候，他向我低声道：

'Don't make a noise. The fort is safe enough. There are no rebel dogs on this side of the river.'

'不要出声，堡垒不会有危险，河这边没有叛兵。'

There was the ring of truth in what he said, and I knew that if I raised my voice I was a dead man.

他的话听来似乎还真实。我知道，只要我一出声就会被害，

I could read it in the fellow's brown eyes.

我从这家伙的棕色眼珠里看出了他的意思，

I waited, therefore, in silence, to see what it was that they wanted from me.

所以我没有出声。我等待着，看他们要让我怎么样。

'Listen to me, sahib,' said the taller and fiercer of the pair, the one whom they called Abdullah Khan.

那个比较高，比较凶，叫爱勃德勒·克汗的向我说道：'先生，听我说。

'You must either be with us now, or you must be silenced forever.

现在只有两条路任你选择：一条路是和我们合作；一条路就是让你永远再也出不来声。

The thing is too great a one for us to hesitate.

事情太大了，咱们谁也不能犹豫。

Either you are heart and soul with us on your oath on the cross of the Christians⁴,

或是你诚心诚意地向上帝起誓和我们合作到底；

or your body this night shall be thrown into the ditch, and we shall pass over to our brothers in the rebel army.

或是我们今晚就把你的尸体扔到沟里，然后到我们叛军弟兄那边去投降，

There is no middle way. Which is it to be–death or life?

此外绝对没有中间路线。你选哪条路，生还是死？

We can only give you three minutes to decide, for the time is passing, and all must be done before the rounds come again.'

我们只能给你三分钟作出决定，因为时间短促，必须在下次巡逻到来之前把事情办妥。'

1 musket   

n.滑膛枪

参考例句：

• I hunted with a musket two years ago.两年前我用滑膛枪打猎。
• So some seconds passed,till suddenly Joyce whipped up his musket and fired.又过了几秒钟，突然，乔伊斯端起枪来开了火。

2 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

3 braced   

adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• They braced up the old house with balks of timber. 他们用梁木加固旧房子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The house has a wooden frame which is braced with brick. 这幢房子是木结构的砖瓦房。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。