004 航海箱

旁白 neutral

I lost no time in telling my mother everything I knew

我立刻把我知道的一切都告诉了母亲。

旁白 neutral

" I'm sorry," I said." I should have told you what was happening a long time ago. Now we're in danger."

“对不起，”我说。“我早该告诉你发生了什么。现在我们很危险。”

旁白 neutral

My mother sighed and, as always, was worried only about our financial situation

母亲叹了口气，像往常一样，只担心我们的经济状况。

旁白 neutral

" Well, the captain owes us quite a bit of money

“嗯，船长欠我们不少钱。

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But I don't think any of his seedy, old shipmates will pay his debts."

但我觉得他那些邋遢的老船员不会替他还债。”

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" The captain wanted me to go tell Dr. Livesey in the event of his death, but I can't leave you here alone and unprotected," I said

“船长要我在他死后去告诉利夫西医生，但我不能把你一个人留在这里毫无防护，”我说。

旁白 neutral

Mother shivered." I don't think either of us can stay here," she said

母亲打了个寒颤。“我觉得我们俩都不能待在这里，”她说。

旁白 neutral

" From the crackling of the fire to the ticking of the clock, every creak and rattle in this old house is making me nervous."

“从炉火的噼啪声到时钟的滴答声，这老房子里的每一声嘎吱和响动都让我紧张不安。”

旁白 neutral

" With that dead body on the floor and the thought that the blind man's friends might show up, I'm really jumpy too," I said

“地板上有尸体，又想到那个盲人的朋友可能会来，我也很害怕，”我说。

旁白 neutral

" We must get out of here," said Mother

“我们必须离开这里，”母亲说。

旁白 neutral

I agreed." We'll ask for help in the village."

我同意了。“我们去村里找人帮忙。”

旁白 neutral

We rushed out into the frosty, foggy evening, and by the time we reached the village, it was dark

我们冲进寒冷多雾的夜色中，等我们到达村子时，天已经黑了。

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The windows of the general store shone with cheerful candlelight, so we went in

杂货店的窗户透出欢快的烛光，于是我们走了进去。

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Soon a crowd of men were listening to our story with great concern, but no one wanted to go to the Admiral Benbow

很快，一群男人关切地听着我们的讲述，但没人愿意去本葆海军上将旅店。

旁白 neutral

" I'm sorry, Mrs. Hawkins," said Mrs. Crossley, the shopkeeper

“对不起，霍金斯太太，”杂货店老板娘克罗斯利太太说。

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" Captain Flint's men are too dangerous."

“弗林特船长的手下太危险了。”

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" We might find someone to ride in the opposite direction to Dr. Livesey's," one man said," but no one in his right mind would dare help you defend the inn!"

“我们或许能找到人往利夫西医生家骑去，”一个男人说，“但没哪个头脑清醒的人敢帮你们守卫旅店！”

旁白 neutral

" I will not," Mother declared," lose money that belongs to my fatherless boy

“我绝不会，”母亲宣布道，“丢掉属于我那没爹的孩子的钱。

旁白 neutral

If none of you cowards want to help, then Jim and I will go back alone

如果你们这些胆小鬼没人愿意帮忙，那吉姆和我只好自己回去。

旁白 neutral

We'll open that sea chest, even if we have to die doing it

就算拼了命，我们也要打开那个水手箱。

旁白 neutral

Mrs. Crossley, could I at least have a bag to put our money in?"

克罗斯利太太，至少能给我一个袋子装我们的钱吗？”

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" I'll ride to the doctor's for help," one lad volunteered

“我骑马去医生那儿求助。”一个小伙子自告奋勇。

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Another villager handed me a loaded pistol

另一个村民递给我一把上了膛的手枪。

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" In case you're attacked," he said

“万一你们遭到袭击。”他说。

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So my mother and I went back to the inn, slipping along the hedges, noiseless and swift

于是，我和母亲沿着树篱悄悄而迅速地溜回了旅店。

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Finally the door closed behind us; I bolted the lock, and my mother got a candle

我们终于关上了身后的门，我插上门栓，母亲拿来了一支蜡烛。

旁白 neutral

Holding hands, we went over to where the captain lay on his back; his eyes were open and one arm was extended

我们手拉着手，走到船长仰面躺着的地方；他睁着眼睛，一条胳膊伸着。

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" We must get the key to the sea chest off that body!" she said

“我们必须从尸体上拿到海箱子的钥匙！”她说。

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" Oh, I don't even want to touch it." She let out a sob

“哦，我连碰都不想碰它。”她抽泣了一声。

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I knelt down next to the captain, and close to his hand was a paper that was blackened on one side

我在船长旁边跪下，靠近他的手边有一张一面被熏黑的纸。

旁白 neutral

" This must be the black spot," I said

“这一定是黑券，”我说。

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On the other side of the paper, in clear handwriting, was a message

纸的另一面，清晰的字迹写着一条消息。

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"'You have until ten tonight,'" I read

“‘时限是今晚十点，’”我念道。

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Just then, our old clock began to strike, and my mother and I jumped at the sound

就在这时，我们那座老钟敲响了，我和母亲被钟声吓得跳了起来。

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We calmed down when we looked at the clock, and I sighed

我们看了看钟，这才平静下来，我叹了口气。

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" It's only six o'clock. They won't be here for four hours yet."

“现在才六点。他们四个小时后才会到。”

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" Now, Jim," Mother said," find the key."

“现在，吉姆，”母亲说，“去把钥匙找来。”

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I searched all the captain's pockets but couldn't find it

我翻遍了船长所有的口袋，都没找到。

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" Perhaps it's around his neck," she suggested

“或许挂在他脖子上呢，”她提醒说。

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Overcoming a strong disgust, I tore open his shirt

我强忍住一阵强烈的厌恶，撕开了他的衬衫。

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There, on a black string, was the key

那儿，就在一根黑绳上，挂着那把钥匙。

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I pulled the string over his head, and we hurried up to the captain's room

我把绳子从他的头上拽下来，我们便匆匆上楼，去了船长的房间。

旁白 neutral

We found his sea chest against the wall, where it had stood from the day he had first arrived

我们发现他的水手箱就靠在墙边，从他第一天来到这里时就一直放在那儿。

旁白 neutral

" Give me the key," said Mother, and after a few tries, she turned the stiff lock and opened the lid

“把钥匙给我，”母亲说。试了几次后，她转动了卡涩的锁，掀开了箱盖。

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On top was a suit of clothes, carefully brushed and folded

最上面放着一套衣服，刷得干干净净，叠得整整齐齐。

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" This suit has never been worn," Mother said, astonished

“这套衣服还从来没穿过呢，”母亲惊讶地说。

旁白 neutral

Under that were some worthless trinkets, a tobacco pouch, two brass compasses, a quadrant, and six curious sea shells

衣服下面是一些不值钱的小玩意儿，一个烟袋，两个铜制指南针，一个象限仪，还有六个稀奇古怪的海贝壳。

旁白 neutral

Impatiently, Mother pulled out an old sea cloak, and underneath was a small bundle of papers and a canvas bag of coins that jingled like gold

母亲不耐烦地拽出一件旧的海上斗篷，斗篷下面是一小捆文件和一只帆布袋，袋子里的硬币叮当作响，听起来像是金币。

旁白 neutral

" I'm an honest woman," Mother said." I'll take what he owes me and no more

“我是个诚实的女人，”母亲说，“我只拿他欠我的，一分不多拿。

旁白 neutral

Hold open Mrs. Crossley's bag, Jim."

把克罗斯利太太的袋子撑开，吉姆。”

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She pulled out a handful of coins and began to count them into the bag

她抓出一把硬币，开始数着放进袋子里。

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Suddenly I heard a familiar sound — the tap-tap-tapping of the blind man's stick on the frozen road outside — and I put my hand on Mother's arm

突然，我听到了一个熟悉的声音——外面冰冻的路上传来那位盲人拐杖“嗒——嗒——嗒”的敲击声——我把手放在了母亲的手臂上。

旁白 neutral

" Listen!" I whispered

“听！”我悄声说道。

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The sound drew nearer and nearer, and we held our breath as the bolt rattled on the door

那声音越来越近，当门闩咔嗒作响时，我们屏住了呼吸。

旁白 neutral

" That horrible man is trying to get in!" I whispered again

“那个可怕的人想要进来！”我又低声说。

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Then there was a long silence

接着是一阵长久的寂静。

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At last, the tapping began anew, and to our indescribable joy, slowly died away

最后，敲击声重新响了起来，接着，让我们感到难以形容的欣喜的是，那声音便慢慢地远去了。

旁白 neutral

" Mother," I said," take the whole thing and let's go!"

“母亲，”我说，“把所有的都拿上，我们快走吧！”

旁白 neutral

" I won't take more than I'm owed," she said," but I won't be content with less. Besides, it's not even seven yet."

“我不能多拿不属于我的东西，”她说，“但我拿不够他欠我的，也决不罢休。再说，现在连七点都不到呢。”

旁白 neutral

Then we heard a low whistle a way off, as if a signal was being sent

就在这时，我们听到远处传来一声低低的口哨声，仿佛是在发信号。

旁白 neutral

That was enough for both of us

这对我们俩来说，足够吓人了。

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" I'll take what I have," she said, jumping to her feet

“现在已经有多少就算多少了，”她说着，跳起身来。

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I grabbed the bundle of papers too

我也一把抓起了那捆文件。

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Then we opened the door and ran out into the moonlight

然后我俩打开门，跑进了月光中。

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The fog was rapidly dispersing and wouldn't hide us for long

雾正迅速地散去，很快便无法再掩藏我们了。

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Behind us, we heard several running footsteps and saw a lantern coming toward us

我们听到身后传来好几个人奔跑的脚步声，看到一盏灯笼正朝我们逼近。

旁白 neutral

" My dear," Mother gasped breathlessly," take the money and run. I think I'm going to faint."

“我亲爱的，”母亲上气不接下气地说，“拿着钱快跑。我觉得我要晕倒了。”

旁白 neutral

She sighed and collapsed with her head on my shoulder

她叹了口气，倒了下去，头靠在我的肩膀上。

旁白 neutral

We were by a little bridge, so I dragged her under it

我们旁边正好有座小桥，于是我拖着她躲到了桥下。

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I couldn't move her any farther, so there we stayed — within earshot of the inn

我再也拖不动她了，我们便只能待在那里——能清楚地听到客栈那边的动静。