For some reason the Dodger did not want to enter London during daylight, so it was nearly eleven o'clock at night when they got near the centre. Oliver had never seen a dirtier or more miserable place. The streets in this district were narrow and muddy, and there were terrible smells everywhere. Children wondered around even at this time of night, in and out of the many shops, playing and screaming. The pubs were full of people fighting, and big, evil-looking man stood in doorways or at dark corners. Oliver almost wanted to run away, but just then the Dodger pushed open a door and pulled Oliver into a dark hall.
因为某些原因,达金斯不想在白天去伦敦,所以他们在晚上11点左右才到伦敦市中心附近。 奥利弗从没见过比这更脏或更破败的地方。这个地方的这条窄巷满是泥泞,到处都迷漫着一股恶臭味。即便到晚上这个点了,孩子们还在街上转悠,吵吵嚷嚷地在许多店里跑进跑出。小酒馆里坐满了人,长像凶恶的大块头守在门边或站在暗处。奥利弗想拔腿就跑,但刚好这时达金斯推开一扇门,拉着奥利弗到一个昏暗的大厅。
‘Who's there?’a voice cried out.
“谁在那?”一个声音问。
‘It's me,’said the Dodger. The faint light of a candle appeared in the hall.
“是我,”达金斯回。大厅里出现了闪烁着的微弱烛光。
‘Who's the other one?’
“旁边是谁?”
‘A new friend.’
“一位新朋友。”
They went up some dark and broken stairs. Oliver could hardly see where he was going, but the Dodger seemed to know the way, and helped Oliver up.They entered a room with walls that were black with age and dirt. In front of the fire was a table with a candle stuck into a bottle of beer, and an old man, with a horribly ugly face and red hair, stood next to the fire cooking. He was wearing a dirty old coat and divide his attention between his cooking and a number of silk handkerchieves, which were hanging near the fair. There were several rough beds in the room. Four or five boy, about the same age as the Artful Dodger, sat around the table, smoking and drinking like middle-aged man. They all looked up when the Dodger and Oliver entered.
他们踏上黑漆漆的破楼梯。奥利弗看不清他要往哪走, 但达金斯似是很了解,帮着奥利弗上了楼。他们进到一个房间里,墙壁因时间太久而变得漆黑肮脏。炉火前有张桌子,桌上的蜡烛正沾在啤酒瓶底上,还有一个老男人,长得很丑,一头红发,正站在炉火旁烹饪。他穿了件脏兮兮的破外套,他一边看着他在煮的东西,一边注意着挂在炉火旁的手巾。房里还有几个粗糙的床位。四五个年纪和“逮不着的机灵鬼”差不多大的男孩,围着桌子坐着,像个成年人一样在抽烟、喝酒。当达金斯和奥利弗进屋时,他们抬头看着他俩。
译《雾都孤儿》:奥利弗在伦敦(一)‘This is him, Fagin.’the Dodger said to the old man. ‘My friend Oliver Twist.’
“就是他,费金。”达金斯对老男人说。“我朋友奥利弗·特维斯特。”
Fagin smiled and shook Oliver's hand. Then all the young gentleman came up to him and shook both his hands very hard, especially the hand which held his few possessions. One of the boys was particularly kind. He even put his hands in Oliver's pockets so that Oliver would not have to empty them himself when he went to bed. The boys would probably have been even more helpful, but Fagin hit him on their heads and shoulders until they left Oliver alone.
费金笑着和奥利弗握手。然后所有的年轻绅士都围了过来,紧紧地握着他的双手,特别是他那只拿了东西的手。其中有个男孩还特别和蔼。他甚至都把手伸到了奥利弗的口袋里,这样奥利弗睡觉时,就不用自己再掏口袋了。这些男孩应该还有更大的用处,但费金敲他们的头和肩膀,让离奥利弗远点。
‘We've very gald to see you, Oliver’said Fagin. ‘I see you're staring at the handkerchieves, my dear. Aren't there a lot? We've just taken them all out to wash them, that's all. Ha! Ha! Ha!’
“我们很高兴认识你,奥利弗。”费金说。“我注意到你在盯着手巾看,亲爱的。是不是很多啊?我们把所有的手巾都拿出来洗了一遍,就这样。哈哈哈……”
This seemed to be a joke, as the old gentleman and all his young friends gave loud shouts of laughter. Then supper began. Oliver ate his share of the food and was then given a glass of gin-and-water. Fagin told him to drink it fast. Immediately afterwards, Oliver felt himself lifted onto one of the beds and he sank into a deep sleep.
这就像开了个玩笑,老绅士和他年轻的朋友们都在开怀大笑。然后开始吃晚餐。奥利弗吃了分给他的那份食物,再递来一杯掺了水的杜松子酒。费金让他快点喝下去。过了会,奥利弗感觉他被抬到了床上,接着沉沉地睡了过去。
When he woke, it was late morning. Fagin was the only other person in the room, and he was boiling coffee in a pan. When the coffee was done, he turned towards Oliver and looked closely at the boy. Oliver was only just awake and his eyes were half-closed, so he seemed to be still fast asleep. Fagin then locked the door and from a hidden hole in the floor, he took out a small box, which he placed carefully on the table. His eyes shones as he opened it and took out a gold watch covered in jewels.
当他醒时,已经很晚了。 房间里就只剩费金了,他正在锅里煮咖啡。煮好咖啡后,他看向奥利弗,静静地看着他。奥利弗才睡醒,眼睛还是半闭着的,像是他很快就又要睡着了。然后费金锁上门,从地板的暗格里拿出一个盒子,他小心翼翼地把它放到桌上。当打开盒子时,他眼里泛光地从里面拿出来一只镶着宝石的手表。
‘Aah!’he said to himself.‘What fine man they were! Loyal to the end. They never told the priest where the jewels were. Nor about old Fagin. Not even at the very end. And why should they? It was already too late. It wouldn't have stopped the rope going round their necks.’
“啊!”他自言自语。“他们真是好人啊!忠诚到最后一刻。他们从不会告诉教会珠宝藏在哪,也不会背叛费金。即便到了最后一刻,也不会。但他们为什么会这样呢?一切都晚了,绳索套住了他们的脖子就不会停下来了。”
Fagin took out at least six more watches, as well as rings and bracelets and many other valuable pieces of jewellery. He looked at them with pleasure, then replaced them.‘What a good thing hanging is.’he murmured. ‘Dead man can never talk, or betray old friends!’
费金拿出至少6块手表,还有耳环,项链和许多其他值钱的珠宝。他贪婪地看着它们,又看看别的。“绞刑的好处是…”他喃喃细语,“只有死人才不会说话,或背叛老朋友!”
At that moment he looked up and saw Oliver watching him. He closed the lid of the box with a loud crash, and picked up a bread knife from the table. ‘Why are you watching me? What have you seen? Tell me-quick!’
这时,他抬头看到奥利弗正盯着他在看。他啪的一声关上了盒子,还从桌上拿起一把切面包的刀。“你为什么要盯着我看?你看到了什么?说!”
更多译文:
PS:本书为牛津系列简易读物,有著名作家查理德·罗杰根据英国作家查尔斯·狄更斯的同名小说改写。英文为书虫系列原文,译文是笔者翻译。
另本文仅因个人兴趣而译,故本文谢绝转载和各种商业用途,同时承诺若出现任何责任由作者承担,必要时简书可删除文章。
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