血字的研究 73复仇天使（4）（在线收听）

The sturdy old man, whom he had left so short a time before, was gone, then, and this was all his epitaph.

他刚才离开不久的那位健壮老人就此死去了，而这几个字竟成了他的墓志铭。

Jefferson Hope looked wildly round to see if there was a second grave, but there was no sign of one.

杰弗逊·侯波又到处寻找，看看是否还有第二个坟墓，可是没有发现一点痕迹。

Lucy had been carried back by their terrible pursuers to fulfil her original destiny, by becoming one of the harem of an Elder's son.

露茜已经被这班可怕的追赶者带了回去，遭到了她原先注定的命运，成为长老儿子的小妻了。

As the young fellow realized the certainty of her fate, and his own powerlessness to prevent it,

当这个年轻小伙子认识到她的命运确已如此，而他自己又无法挽回的时候，

he wished that he, too, was lying with the old farmer in his last silent resting-place.

他真想跟随着这位老农，一同长眠在他最后安息的地方。

Again, however, his active spirit shook off the lethargy which springs from despair.

但是，他的积极精神终于排除了这种由于绝望而产生的过分伤感。

If there was nothing else left to him, he could at least devote his life to revenge.

如果他实在没有别的办法可想，他至少还可以把他的一生，用在报仇雪恨上。

With indomitable patience and perseverance,

杰弗逊·侯波有着百折不挠的耐心和毅力，

Jefferson Hope possessed also a power of sustained vindictiveness, which he may have learned from the Indians amongst whom he had lived.

因此他也就具有一种百折不挠的复仇决心。他的这种复仇心，可能是在他和印第安人相处的日子里，从他们那里学来的。

As he stood by the desolate fire,

他站在凄凉的火堆旁，

he felt that the only one thing which could assuage his grief would be thorough and complete retribution, brought by his own hand upon his enemies.

觉得只有彻底、干净、痛快的报仇，并且要用他自己的手，亲自杀死他的仇人，才能减轻他的悲痛。

His strong will and untiring energy should, he determined, be devoted to that one end.

他下定了决心，要把他的坚强意志和无穷的精力全部用在报仇雪恨上。

With a grim, white face, he retraced his steps to where he had dropped the food,

他面色惨白、狰狞可怕，一步一步沿着来路走去，找到他失落兽肉的地方。

and having stirred up the smouldering fire, he cooked enough to last him for a few days.

他把快要熄灭的火堆挑燃起来，烤着兽肉，一直到熟肉足够他维持数日食用为止。

This he made up into a bundle, and, tired as he was, he set himself to walk back through the mountains upon the track of the Avenging Angels.

他把烤熟的兽肉捆作一包。这时，他虽然疲惫已极，但是，仍然踏着这帮复仇天使的足迹，穿过大山，一步一步地走了回去。

For five days he toiled footsore and weary through the defiles which he had already traversed on horseback.

他沿着先前骑马走过的道路，千辛万苦地走了五天；只走得疲倦已极、脚痛难忍。

At night he flung himself down among the rocks, and snatched a few hours of sleep; but before daybreak he was always well on his way.

夜里，他就躺在乱石之间，胡乱睡上几个钟头。但是天尚未明，便又起来赶路。

On the sixth day, he reached the Eagle Canon, from which they had commenced their ill-fated flight.

第六天，他就来到了鹰谷；他们就是从这里开始他们不幸的逃亡的。

Thence he could look down upon the home of the Saints.

他从鹰谷往下瞧，可以看见摩门教徒们的田舍家园。

Worn and exhausted, he leaned upon his rifle and shook his gaunt hand fiercely at the silent widespread city beneath him.

现在，他已是形销骨立、憔悴不堪了。他倚着他的来复枪，对着脚下这平安静而广大的城市，狠狠地挥舞着他的瘦削的拳头。

As he looked at it, he observed that there were flags in some of the principal streets, and other signs of festivity.

他瞧这个城市的时候，发现在一些主要街道上挂着旗帜和其他节日的标志。

He was still speculating as to what this might mean when he heard the clatter of horse's hoofs, and saw a mounted man riding towards him.

他正在猜测其中原因的时候，忽听一阵马蹄奔腾的声音，只见一个人骑着马向他跑来。

As he approached, he recognized him as a Mormon named Cowper, to whom he had rendered services at different times.

当票马人走近的时候，侯波认出这就是一个名叫考起的摩门教徒。侯波曾经先后几次帮过他的忙，

He therefore accosted him when he got up to him, with the object of finding out what Lucy Ferrier's fate had been.

所以，当他走近时，侯波就向他打了招呼，想从他那里打听一下露茜的命运究竟如何了。