全新版大学英语(第二版)综合教程_第四册_Unit 5 Never Judge by Appearances——A Friend in Need

A Friend in Need

（by Somerset Maugham）

For thirty years now I have been studying my fellowmen. I do not know very much about them. I shrug my shoulders when people tell me that their first impressions of a person are always right. I think they must have small insight or great vanity. For my own part I find that the longer I know people the more they puzzle me.

我阅人至今已经有三十年之久。我不大了解他们。人家对我说他们对一个人的初次印象一准不会错的时候，我耸耸肩。我认为他们必然眼力颇浅，或者自负过高。就我来说，我发现自己认得越久的人，他们越使我迷惑不解。

//我最老的朋友们，恰恰是我可以说一点也不了解的人。

These reflections have occurred to me because I read in this morning's paper that Edward Hyde Burton had died at Kobe. He was a merchant and he had been in business in Japan for many years. I knew him very little, but he interested me because once he gave me a great surprise. Unless I had heard the story from his own lips, I should never have believed that he was capable of such an action. It was more startling because both in appearance and manner he suggested a very definite type. Here if ever was a man all of a piece. He was a tiny little fellow, not much more than five feet four in height, and very slender, with white hair, a red face much wrinkled, and blue eyes. I suppose he was about sixty when I knew him. He was always neatly and quietly dressed in accordance with his age and station.

我产生这些想法是因为看到今天早晨报纸上登载爱德华·海德·勃吞在神户逝世的消息。他是一个商人，在日本经营多年。我跟他交情很浅，可是有一次他使我大吃一惊，才对他感到兴趣。要不是听他亲口说的，我怎么也不会相信他竟然做出这种事情。不论是外貌，是举动，他都使人想起一种定了型的人物，这就使人更为震惊。如果有那么一个前后一贯的人，他就是了。他身材矮小，高不过五英尺四多一点，细瘦文弱，一头白发，一脸皱纹，气色红润，眼睛湛蓝。我认识他的时候估计他是六十岁光景。穿得总是整洁素净，正适合他的年龄和地位。

Though his offices were in Kobe, Burton often came down to Yokohama. I happened on one occasion to be spending a few days there, waiting for a ship, and I was introduced to him at the British Club. We played bridge together. He played a good game and a generous one. He did not talk very much, either then or later when we were having drinks, but what he said was sensible. He had a quiet, dry humor. He seemed to be popular at the club and afterwards, when he had gone, they described him as one of the best. It happened that we were both staying at the Grand Hotel and next day he asked me to dine with him. I met his wife, fat, elderly, and smiling, and his two daughters. It was evidently a united and affectionate family. I think the chief thing that struck me about Burton was his kindliness. There was something very pleasing in his mild blue eyes. His voice was gentle; you could not imagine that he could possibly raise it in anger; his smile was benign. Here was a man who attracted you because you felt in him a real love for his fellows. At the same time he liked his game of cards and his cocktail, he could tell with point a good and spicy story, and in his youth he had been something of an athlete. He was a rich man and he had made every penny himself. I suppose one thing that made you like him was that he was so small and frail; he aroused your instincts of protection. You felt that he could not bear to hurt a fly.

勃吞的办事处在神户，但是他常常到横滨去。我碰巧有事到那儿去耽搁几天，等一艘船，便在英国俱乐部被人介绍跟他认识。我们一起打桥牌。他打得很好，而且慷慨大方。当时或后来我们一起喝酒的时候，他不大说话，说起来却通情达理。他有一种沉着冷静的幽默感。他在俱乐部里看来人缘颇好，他离开以后，人家说他属于最高尚的人当中的一个。我们两人恰巧都下榻格朗德旅馆，第二天他邀我吃饭。看到了他的上了年纪的妻子，胖胖的、笑盈盈的，还有两个女儿。显然是一个融融怡怡、相亲相爱的家庭。给我印象最深的是他的忠厚善良。他的温和的蓝眼睛里有一种十分可爱的神色。嗓音也是柔和的；不能想象他有高声怒吼的可能；他的微笑同样亲切慈祥。有一种人吸引你，是因为你觉得他对人们具有真诚的爱。他确有魅力。然而他身上却不带令人恶心的地方；他爱好打牌，喝鸡尾酒，能够抓住要点讲述生动有趣的故事，年轻时候曾经也算是个体育运动员。他富有，而每个便士都是自己赚来的。我觉得，使你喜欢他的一种情况是他如此文弱矮小；他唤起你做保护者的本能。你感到他连伤害一只苍蝇都不忍心。

One afternoon I was sitting in the lounge of the Grand Hotel when Burton came in and seated himself in the chair next to mine.

一天下午，我坐在格朗德旅馆的休息室时勃吞走进休息室，坐到我旁边的椅子上来。

"What do you say to a little drink?" “喝点儿酒怎么样？”

He clapped his hands for a boy and ordered two gin fizzes. As the boy brought them a man passed along the street outside and seeing me waved his hand. 他拍手招来了侍者，要了两杯加苏打水的杜松子洒。侍者端来的时候，一个人在外面街上经过，一眼看见了我，就对我招招手。

"Do you know Turner?" said Burton as I nodded a greeting. “你认识透纳吗？”我点头招呼的时候，勃吞问。

"I've met him at the club. I'm told he's a remittance man." “我在俱乐部里看见过他。我听说他是靠汇款过日子的人。”

"Yes, I believe he is. We have a good many here." “不错，我相信是的。这里有许多这种人。”

"He plays bridge well." “他桥牌打得很好。”

"They generally do. There was a fellow here last year, oddly enough a namesake of mine, who was the best bridge player I ever met. I suppose you never came across him in London. Lenny Burton he called himself. I believe he'd belonged to some very good clubs."

“他们一般都如此。去年这里有一个人，可真巧，他和我同姓氏，是我所见到的最好的桥牌手。我想你在伦敦从未遇到他吧。他说他叫赖内·勃吞。我相信他是一些第一流的俱乐部的成员。”

"No, I don't believe I remember the name." “没有，我似乎没有听到过这个名字。”

"He was quite a remarkable player. He seemed to have an instinct about the cards. It was uncanny. I used to play with him a lot. He was in Kobe for some time." “他是个十分出色的牌手。对于牌他似乎有一种直觉。这是不：可思议的。我曾经常常和他打牌。他有一段时候待在神户。”

Burton sipped his gin fizz. 勃吞啜饮着苏打杜松子酒。

"It's rather a funny story," he said. "He wasn't a bad chap. I liked him. He was always well-dressed and smart-looking. He was handsome in a way with curly hair and pink-and-white cheeks. Women thought a lot of him. There was no harm in him, you know, he was only wild. Of course he drank too much. Those sort of fellows always do. A bit of money used to come on for him once a quarter and he made a bit more by card-playing. He won a good deal of mine, I know that."

“这是个相当有趣的故事，”他说。“他不是个坏人。我喜欢他。他总是衣冠楚楚，风度翩翩。头发是鬈曲的，脸腮白里透红，有那么点漂亮。女人家很欣赏他。他没坏心眼，你瞧，只不过落拓不羁。饮酒过度，自不必说了。他们这种人总是如此。每个季度都有一点钱寄给他，但是他打牌又赢得一点。他赢了我很不少的钱，这个我知道。”

Burton gave a kindly chuckle. I knew from my own experience that he could lose money at bridge with a good grace. He stroked his shaven chin with his thin hand; the veins stood out on it and it was almost transparent. 勃吞和颜悦色地轻声一笑。我从自己的经验知道，他打牌输钱的时候也能够神态自若。他用瘦骨棱棱的手摸摸自己剃得光光的下巴，手上的青筋暴露，几乎是透明的。

"I suppose that is why he came to me when he went broke, that and the fact that he was a namesake of mine. He came to see me in my office one day and asked me for a job. I was rather surprised. He told me that there was no more money coming from home and he wanted to work. I asked him how old he was. “我想这就是他倒霉的时候来找我的缘故，这是一；还有一点就是他和我同姓氏。有一天，他到我的办事处来找我给他安排一个职业。我相当惊讶。他告诉我，家里不再寄钱给他了，因此想找个工作。我问他几岁。

"'Thirty-five,' he said. “‘三十五，’他说。

"'And what have you been doing hitherto?' I asked him. “‘你至今都做过些什么事呢？’我问他。

"'Well, nothing very much,' he said. “‘嗯，没做过什么，’他说。

"I couldn't help laughing. “我忍不住笑了。

"'I'm afraid I can't do anything for you just yet,' I said. 'Come back and see me in another thirty-five years, and I'll see what I can do.' “‘我怕目前一点也帮不了你的忙，’我说。‘再过三十五年来找我吧，那时我再看看怎么办。’

"He didn't move. He went rather pale. He hesitated for a moment and then he told me that he had had bad luck at cards for some time. He hadn't been willing to stick to bridge, he'd been playing poker, and he'd got trimmed. He hadn't a penny. He'd pawned everything he had. He couldn't pay his hotel bill and they wouldn't give him any more credit. He was down and out. If he couldn't get something to do he'd have to commit suicide."

“他不走。脸色发白。迟疑了片刻，然后告诉我相当时候以来打牌手气不好。他不想老是打桥牌，于是打了扑克，结果垮了台，弄得一文不名。他把什么都当掉了。付不出旅馆的账单，他们却不让他再赊账了。他一败涂地，要是找不到事情做，只好自杀了。

"I looked at him for a bit. I could see now that he was all to pieces. He'd been drinking more than usual and he looked fifty. The girls wouldn't have thought so much of him if they'd seen him then. “我打量了他一会，看得出他整个儿垮了。酒喝得比平常更多，象是个五十岁的人了。女孩子要是现在看见他，可不会看上他了。

"'Well isn't there anything you can do except play cards?' I asked him. “‘那么，除了玩牌以外，你还会做什么事呢？’

"'I can swim,' he said. “‘我会游泳，’他说。

"'Swim!'

"I could hardly believe my ears; it seemed such an insane answer to give. “我简直不相信自己的耳朵；就象是疯子回答的话啊。

"'I swam for my university.'“‘我代表过我念的大学参加游泳比赛。’

"I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. I've known too many men who were little tin gods at their university to be impressed by it. “我有一点懂他的意思了。我认识很不少的人，他们曾经是大学里昙花一现的小偶像，他们对此总是念念不忘。

"'I was a pretty good swimmer myself when I was a young man,' I said. “‘我年轻的时候游得也很不错，’我说。

"Suddenly I had an idea." 我忽然有了个主意。”

Pausing in his story, Burton turned to me. 勃吞中断了他的故事，转脸对着我。

"Do you know Kobe?" he asked. “你可熟悉神户？”他问道

"No," I said, "I passed through it once, but I only spent a night there." “不熟悉，”我说。“有一次路过那儿，但是只过了一夜。”

"Then you don't know the Shioya Club. When I was a young man I swam from there round the beacon and landed at the creek of Tarumi. It's over three miles and it's rather difficult on account of the currents round the beacon. Well, I told my young namesake about it and I said to him that if he'd do it I'd give him a job.

“那么你不知道汐屋俱乐部了。我年轻时候，从那儿游泳，绕过灯塔，到樽见的小海湾登岸。有三英里多路呢，而且因为绕过灯塔那儿的潮流湍急，是很难游过去的。好，我就和我那位同姓氏的青年谈了这一情况，并且说，要是他能游过去我就派给他一个工作。

"I could see he was rather taken aback. “我看到他相当为难。

"'You say you're a swimmer,' I said. “‘你说你是个游泳家嘛，’我说。

"'I'm not in very good condition,' he answered. “‘我的状态不怎么好，’他回答。

"I didn't say anything. I shrugged my shoulders. He looked at me for a moment and then he nodded. “我没说什么。耸耸肩膀。他对我瞧了片刻，然后点点头。

"'All right,' he said. 'When do you want me to do it?'“‘好吧，’他说。‘你要我什么时候去呢？’

"I looked at my watch. It was just after ten. “我看看表。十点刚过。

"'The swim shouldn't take you much over an hour and a quarter. I'll drive round to the creek at half past twelve and meet you. I'll take you back to the club to dress and then we'll have lunch together.'

“‘游这段路顶多需要一小时零一刻钟多些。我在十二点半开车到那边小海湾接你。把你送回俱乐部去穿衣服，然后咱们一块儿吃中饭。’

"'Done,' he said. “‘行，’他说。

"We shook hands. I wished him good luck and he left me. I had a lot of work to do that morning and I only just managed to get to the creek at Tarumi at half past twelve. But I needn't have hurried; he never turned up."

“我们握握手。我祝他运气好，他走了。那天上午我有许多工作要做，总算刚好在十二点半赶到樽见的小海湾。其实用不着匆忙；他一直没有露面呢。”

"Did he funk it at the last moment?" I asked. “他在最后关头吓退了吗？”我问。

"No, he didn't funk it. He started all right. But of course he'd ruined his constitution by drink and dissipation. The currents round the beacon were more than he could manage. We didn't get the body for about three days."

“没有，他没有吓退，开头游得顺利。然而酗酒放荡当然毁坏了他的体质。绕过灯塔的潮流他对付不了。大约三天之后才发现他的尸体。”

I didn't say anything for a moment or two. I was a trifle shocked. Then I asked Burton a question. 有一两分钟我说不出话来。我有点儿震惊。然后问了勃吞一个问题。

"When you made him that offer of a job, did you know he'd be drowned?" “你打算给他一个工作的时候，可知道他会淹死呢？”

He gave a little mild chuckle and he looked at me with those kind and candid blue eyes of his. He rubbed his chin with his hand. 他温和地微微一笑，那双善良忠厚的蓝眼睛望着我。他一只手摸着下巴颏儿。

"Well, I hadn't got a vacancy in my office at the moment." “嗯，当时我的办事处里并没有空位子。”

我阅人至今已经有三十年之久。我不大了解他们。人家对我说他们对一个人的初次印象一准不会错的时候，我耸耸肩。我认为他们必然眼力颇浅，或者自负过高。就我来说，我发现自己认得越久的人，他们越使我迷惑不解。我最老的朋友们，恰恰是我可以说一点也不了解的人。

我产生这些想法是因为看到今天早晨报纸上登载爱德华•海德•勃吞在神户逝世的消息。他是一个商人，在日本经营多年。我跟他交情很浅，可是有一次他使我大吃一惊，才对他感到兴趣。要不是听他亲口说的，我怎么也不会相信他竟然做出这种事情。不论是外貌，是举动，他都使人想起一种定了型的人物，这就使人更为震惊。如果有那么一个前后一贯的人，他就是了。他身材矮小，高不过五英尺四多一点，细瘦文弱，一头白发，一脸皱纹，气色红润，眼睛湛蓝。我认识他的时候估计他是六十岁光景。穿得总是整洁素净，正适合他的年龄和地位。

勃吞的办事处在神户，但是他常常到横滨去。我碰巧有事到那儿去耽搁几天，等一艘船，便在英国俱乐部被人介绍跟他认识。我们一起打桥牌。他打得很好，而且慷慨大方。当时或后来我们一起喝酒的时候，他不大说话，说起来却通情达理。他有一种沉着冷静的幽默感。他在俱乐部里看来人缘颇好，他离开以后，人家说他属于最高尚的人当中的一个。我们两人恰巧都下榻格朗德旅馆，第二天他邀我吃饭。看到了他的上了年纪的妻子，胖胖的、笑盈盈的，还有两个女儿。显然是一个融融怡怡、相亲相爱的家庭。给我印象最深的是他的忠厚善良。他的温和的蓝眼睛里有一种十分可爱的神色。嗓音也是柔和的；不能想象他有高声怒吼的可能；他的微笑同样亲切慈祥。有一种人吸引你，是因为你觉得他对人们具有真诚的爱。他确有魅力。然而他身上却不带令人恶心的地方；他爱好打牌，喝鸡尾酒，能够抓住要点讲述生动有趣的故事，年轻时候曾经也算是个体育运动员。他富有，而每个便士都是自己赚来的。我觉得，使你喜欢他的一种情况是他如此文弱矮小；他唤起你做保护者的本能。你感到他连伤害一只苍蝇都不忍心。

一天下午，我坐在格朗德旅馆的休息室时勃吞走进休息室，坐到我旁边的椅子上来。

“喝点儿酒怎么样？”

他拍手招来了侍者，要了两杯加苏打水的杜松子洒。侍者端来的时候，一个人在外面街上经过，一眼看见了我，就对我招招手。

“你认识透纳吗？”我点头招呼的时候，勃吞问。

“我在俱乐部里看见过他。我听说他是靠汇款过日子的人。”

“不错，我相信是的。这里有许多这种人。”

“他桥牌打得很好。”

“他们一般都如此。去年这里有一个人，可真巧，他和我同姓氏，是我所见到的最好的桥牌手。我想你在伦敦从未遇到他吧。他说他叫赖内•勃吞。我相信他是一些第一流的俱乐部的成员。”

“没有，我似乎没有听到过这个名字。”

“他是个十分出色的牌手。对于牌他似乎有一种直觉。这是不：可思议的。我曾经常常和他打牌。他有一段时候待在神户。”

勃吞啜饮着苏打杜松子酒。

“这是个相当有趣的故事，”他说。“他不是个坏人。我喜欢他。他总是衣冠楚楚，风度翩翩。头发是鬈曲的，脸腮白里透红，有那么点漂亮。女人家很欣赏他。他没坏心眼，你瞧，只不过落拓不羁。饮酒过度，自不必说了。他们这种人总是如此。每个季度都有一点钱寄给他，但是他打牌又赢得一点。他赢了我很不少的钱，这个我知道。”

勃吞和颜悦色地轻声一笑。我从自己的经验知道，他打牌输钱的时候也能够神态自若。他用瘦骨棱棱的手摸摸自己剃得光光的下巴，手上的青筋暴露，几乎是透明的。

“我想这就是他倒霉的时候来找我的缘故，这是一；还有一点就是他和我同姓氏。有一天，他到我的办事处来找我给他安排一个职业。我相当惊讶。他告诉我，家里不再寄钱给他了，因此想找个工作。我问他几岁。

“‘三十五，’他说。

“‘你至今都做过些什么事呢？’我问他。

“‘嗯，没做过什么，’他说。

“我忍不住笑了。

“‘我怕目前一点也帮不了你的忙，’我说。‘再过三十五年来找我吧，那时我再看看怎么办。’

“他不走。脸色发白。迟疑了片刻，然后告诉我相当时候以来打牌手气不好。他不想老是打桥牌，于是打了扑克，结果垮了台，弄得一文不名。他把什么都当掉了。付不出旅馆的账单，他们却不让他再赊账了。他一败涂地，要是找不到事情做，只好自杀了。

“我打量了他一会，看得出他整个儿垮了。酒喝得比平常更多，象是个五十岁的人了。女孩子要是现在看见他，可不会看上他了。

“‘那么，除了玩牌以外，你还会做什么事呢？’

“‘我会游泳，’他说。

“‘游泳！’

“我简直不相信自己的耳朵；就象是疯子回答的话啊。

“‘我代表过我念的大学参加游泳比赛。’

“我有一点懂他的意思了。我认识很不少的人，他们曾经是大学里昙花一现的小偶像，他们对此总是念念不忘。

“‘我年轻的时候游得也很不错，’我说。

“我忽然有了个主意。”

勃吞中断了他的故事，转脸对着我。

“你可熟悉神户？”他问道。

“不熟悉，”我说。“有一次路过那儿，但是只过了一夜。”

“那么你不知道汐屋俱乐部了。我年轻时候，从那儿游泳，绕过灯塔，到樽见的小海湾登岸。有三英里多路呢，而且因为绕过灯塔那儿的潮流湍急，是很难游过去的。好，我就和我那位同姓氏的青年谈了这一情况，并且说，要是他能游过去我就派给他一个工作。

“我看到他相当为难。

“‘你说你是个游泳家嘛，’我说。

“‘我的竞技状态不怎么好，’他回答。

“我没说什么。耸耸肩膀。他对我瞧了片刻，然后点点头。

“‘好吧，’他说。‘你要我什么时候去呢？’

“我看看表。十点刚过。

“‘游这段路顶多需要一小时零一刻钟多些。我在十二点半开车到那边小海湾接你。把你送回俱乐部去穿衣服，然后咱们一块儿吃中饭。’

“‘行，’他说。

“我们握握手。我祝他运气好，他走了。那天上午我有许多工作要做，总算刚好在十二点半赶到樽见的小海湾。其实用不着匆忙；他一直没有露面呢。”

“他在最后关头吓退了吗？”我问。

“没有，他没有吓退，开头游得顺利。然而酗酒放荡当然毁坏了他的体质。绕过灯塔的潮流他对付不了。大约三天之后才发现他的尸体。”

有一两分钟我说不出话来。我有点儿震惊。然后问了勃吞一个问题。

“你打算给他一个工作的时候，可知道他会淹死呢？”

他温和地微微一笑，那双善良忠厚的蓝眼睛望着我。他一只手摸着下巴颏儿。

“嗯，当时我的办事处里并没有空位子。”

全新版大学英语（第二版）综合教程四 - Unit 5 A Friend in Need 参考译文