Chapter 2 Godfrey and Dunstan Cass(3)
第二章：戈弗雷·凯斯和邓斯坦·凯斯(三)
At the hunt he met several friends and neighbours, and before the hunt started he managed to sell Wildfire for a good price. The money would be paid when he brought the horse to the neighbour’s house later that day. Dunstan knew it would be safer to take the horse there immediately, so that he could be sure of receiving the money. But he was confident that he could take care of Wildfire during the hunt, and so, after a glass or two of whisky, he joined the other riders in the fields. This time, however, he was not as lucky as usual, and horse and rider fell while jumping a gate. Dunstan got up, shaken but unhurt, but poor Wildfire’s back was broken, and in a few moments he died.
在狩猎场，邓斯坦遇到了几个朋友和邻居，狩猎开始前，他就以很好的价格卖掉了野火。商定当天晚些时候，他把马牵到邻居家时，钱就会付清。邓斯坦知道立即把马牵去邻居家会更稳妥，这样他肯定能拿到钱。但他相信在狩猎时能照顾好野火，所以，喝了一两杯威士忌后，他加入了场上其他骑手的行列。然而，这一次他没有像往常那么走运，在跨栏时他和马都摔倒了。邓斯坦站起来，摇摇晃晃的但没受伤，但可怜的野火的背摔断了，不一会儿就咽气了。
Dunstan looked around, and was glad to see that no other riders had noticed his accident. He did not want people to think he was a bad rider. He did not care much about Wildfire, because he thought he now had a much better plan to offer Godfrey. The worst thing was that he would have to walk home, something he was not at all used to doing.
邓斯坦环顾四周，很高兴其他骑手没有注意到这次意外。他不希望人们认为他是个糟糕的骑手。他不太关心野火，因为他觉得他现在有更好的计划给戈弗雷。最糟糕的就是，他不得不走回家，他根本就没走路回家的习惯。
He drank some more whisky from the bottle he kept in his pocket, and started down the country road. He kept thinking about Silas’s money. There would certainly be enough for his own needs as well as Godfrey's. Dunstan thought it would be easy to frighten the weaver a little, and then Silas would quickly agree to lend his money.
他拿出放在口袋里的酒瓶，再喝了些威士忌，然后沿着乡间小路走。他一路都在想塞拉斯的钱。那钱一定够他和戈弗雷的需要。邓斯坦想吓唬织布工应该很容易，然后塞拉斯很快就会同意借钱给他。
It was four o'clock in the afternoon, and the whole countryside was covered by a thick mist. Dunstan did not see anyone on his way back to Raveloe. He knew he was getting close to the old quarry, although he could not see the road in front of him. At last he saw light coming from the weaver’s cottage, and he decided to knock at the door. ‘Why not ask the old man for the money now?’ he thought.
下午四点，整个乡间都笼罩在浓雾中。邓斯坦在返回拉弗尔的路上没看到任何人。尽管他看不清前面的路，但他知道自己离老采石场越来越近。最后，他看到织布工的小屋里的光，他决定上前去敲门。“为什么不现在就向老家伙借钱呢？”他想。
But when he knocked loudly. There was no reply. And when he pushed the door, it opened. Dunstan found himself in front of a bright fire which showed every corner of the small living-room. Silas Marner was not there. Dunstan was tired and cold, so he went quickly to sit by the warm fire. As he sat down, he noticed a small piece of meat cooking over the fire. It was hanging from a large door key.
但他用力敲门，没有人回应。他推了推门，门开了。邓斯坦发现自己站在明亮的炉火前，火光照亮了小房间的每一个角落。塞拉斯·马南没在家。邓斯坦又累又冷，所以他赶紧坐在温暖的炉火旁。当他坐下时，他看到炉火上方有一小块肉。它挂在一个大的门钥匙上。
‘So, the old man's cooking meat for his supper, is he?’ thought Dunstan. ‘But where is he? Why is his door unlocked? Perhaps he went out to fetch some wood for the fire and fell into the quarry! Perhaps he's dead!' This was an interesting new idea. ‘And if he's dead who inherits his money? Who would know that anybody had come to take it away?’ And the most important question of all - ‘Where is the money?’
“所以，老家伙在烤晚上吃的肉，是吗？”邓斯坦想。“可他去哪了？为什么他的门没锁？可能他出门去拿柴火了，然后掉进了采石场！可能他摔死了！”真是个有趣的新想法。“如果他死了，谁来继承他的钱？谁会知道有人来把钱拿走了呢？”最重要的问题是——“钱放在哪？”
Dunstan's excitement made him forget that the weaver could still be alive. He wanted Silas to be dead, and he wanted Silas's money. He looked round the cottage again. There was very little furniture, just a bed, the loom, three chairs and a table. Dunstan looked under the bed, but the money was not there. Then he noticed a place on the floor near the loom, where the floorboards looked different. By pulling up one of the boards, he discovered Silas's hiding-place. He took out the two heavy bags filled with gold, put the boards back and hurried to the door.
邓斯坦兴奋得忘了织布工可能还活着。他只想着塞拉斯死了，他要拿到他的钱。他再次环顾小屋。房间里家具少得可伶，只有一张床，一架织布机，三把椅子和一张桌子。邓斯坦看了看床底下，但钱没在那里。然后他注意到织布机附近的地板，那里的地板看起来不一样。他拉起一块木板，发现了塞拉斯藏钱的地方。他拿出两个重重的袋子，里面装满了金子，再把木板放回原处，急忙冲到门口。
Outside, the rain was falling heavily and he could not see anything at all. Carrying the heavy bags, he stepped forward into the darkness.
外面正下着大雨，他什么也看不见，提着重重的袋子，闯入黑暗中缓缓前行。
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PS:本书为书虫系列四级读物，由英国著名女作家乔治·艾略特所著、英国书虫系列著名作家克莱尔·韦斯特改写。
英文为书虫系列原文，译文是笔者翻译。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。
