After Twenty Years

文/欧·亨利 译析/朱振武

【导读】在西部打拼发迹的鲍勃，千辛万苦，千里迢迢，冒着被捕的危险，赶赴二十年前与老友的约会，没想到却被逮了个正着，锒铛入狱，而把他投入监狱的正是他二十年来念兹在兹的老友吉米。

欧·亨利的小说一向以出人意表的结尾著称，但这篇故事的结尾还是让人唏嘘半晌。身为警察的老友吉米，当看出赶来赴约的老友就是警方通缉的罪犯时，抓与不抓就成了问题。我们可能会觉得吉米忒无情，觉得他完全可以佯装不知，放老友一马。但转念一想，我们就会发现，这涉及做人和做事的一个底线问题。人当然要重然诺，讲信用。一诺千金，一言九鼎，在诚信面前，金钱如粪土，诚信之于人的重要性毋庸置疑。“三杯吐然诺，五岳倒为轻”，气壮山河，气冲牛斗，这等守诺是何等气概！“长存抱柱信，岂上望夫台！”这是何等坚贞，令那些见异思迁、朝秦暮楚、朝三暮四、唯利是图的宵小之辈相形见绌，无所遁形。然而，诚信与守诺，并不是没有原则甚或没有条件的一味愚忠。在然诺与道义之间，我们肯定应该选择道义。在守诚与守法之间，我们肯定选择守法。不论做什么事，守住做人的底线，不触犯法律的红线，这才是真正的人性和理性。情，不能大于法，义，不能高于法，忠，也不能强于法，任何事情都不能凌驾于法律之上。而作为警察的吉米，如果玩忽职守，放走罪犯，他就既没有守住做人的底线，又触犯了法律的红线，他就既不是合格的人，也不是合格的公民，更不是合格的警察。欧·亨利被称作“美国的莫泊桑”，他的短篇小说之所以受到世界各国读者的喜欢，其艺术成就是一方面，其多维的思想蕴含和丰富的启示意义也是一个重要方面。

The policeman on the beat1on the beat在巡逻中。moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators were few. The time was barely 10 o’clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well-nigh depeopled the streets.

警察正一本正经地沿街巡逻。这种一本正经乃习惯使然，并非作秀，因为观者寥寥。时间刚到夜里十点，但冷风阵阵，零星飘着雨点，街上已没什么行人了。

[2] Trying doors as he went, twirling his club2club这里是“警棍”的意思。with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the paci fic thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace.The vicinity3vicinity附近，邻近地区。was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.

[3] When about midway of a certain block the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.

[4] “It’s all right, of ficer,” he said, reassuringly. “I’m just waiting for a friend.It’s an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn’t it? Well, I’ll explain if you’d like to make certain it’s all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands—‘Big Joe’ Brady’s restaurant.”

[2]警察体格壮伟，阔步昂首，一边走一边不停地推试检查着街边的店门，变着法儿玩转着手里的警棍，警觉的双目还不时地扫视着宁静的大街，俨然一个平安卫士形象。这里的人起得早也歇得早，偶尔能瞥见雪茄店或通宵便利店的几盏灯光，但大部分店面都是早早就关门打烊的。

[3]走到一个街区的一半，警察突然放慢了脚步。黑暗的五金店门口，一个男子斜靠着，嘴里叼着一根还未点燃的雪茄。见警察向他走来，他赶忙大声开口。

[4]“这里没啥事，警官。”那人让人放心地说道，“我就是等个朋友，是二十年前的一个约定。听着有点不可思议，对不？噢，你要是想弄清这的确没啥事，那我解释一下。大约那么久之前，就在这家五金店现在的位置，原来是个饭店——‘大乔’布雷迪餐馆。”

“直到五年前，”警察说，“那时才拆掉的。”

“Until five years ago,” said the policeman. “It was torn down then.”

[5] The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow. His scarfpin was a large diamond, oddly set.

[6] “Twenty years ago to-night,” said the man, “I dined here at ‘Big Joe’ Brady’s with Jimmy Wells, my best chum4my best chum意思是“我最要好的朋友”。下文中的the finest chap（最优秀的老兄）、stanchest old chap（最可靠的老兄）， old chap（老兄），old partner（老伙计），good fellow（不错的家伙），old man（老哥们），都是对老友比较亲切又随意的称呼，这些词根据上下文都做了不同的翻译，其实它们在文本中的意思大体是相同的。英文中经常用不同的词来指代人或事，是一种修辞手法。, and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn’t have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made5此处是have somethingdone的句型。, whatever they were going to be.”

[5]门口那人划了根火柴，点燃了嘴里的雪茄。火光映衬出的是一张苍白的方下巴的脸膛，双眼机敏，右眉角上还有块小白疤。他的领带别针上是一颗硕大的钻石，镶嵌得怪怪的。

[6]“二十年前的今晚，”那人说道，“我和我最要好的朋友，世上最棒的家伙吉米·韦尔斯，在这家‘大乔’布雷迪餐馆共进晚餐。我俩都在纽约长大，就像亲哥俩。我十八，吉米二十。我第二天早晨就要动身到西部去圆我的发财梦。你是没法把吉米从纽约拽出来的，他只知世上有纽约。就这样，那天晚上我俩说定，就在二十年后的此日此时，我们再次相聚于此，无论情况如何，不管路途多远。我们猜想，二十年后，不管具体情况怎样，我们俩总该混出个样了，总该发点财了。”

[7] “It sounds pretty interesting,”said the policeman. “Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me.Haven’t you heard from your friend since you left?”

[8] “Well, yes, for a time we corresponded,” said the other. “But after a year or two we lost track of each other.You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he’s alive6if he’s alive如果他活着。下文中的alive on earth（活在世上）和still in existence（还健在），其实都是“活着”的意思，但上下文中力避单一，从而增强了文本的力度和文采。注意此处对这三个表达法的翻译。, for he always was the truest, stanchest old chap in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to-night, and it’s worth it if my old partner turns up.”

[9] The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds.

“Three minutes to ten,” he announced. “It was exactly ten o’clock when we parted here at the restaurant door.”

“Did pretty well out West, didn’t you?” asked the policeman.

[10] “You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of plodder7plodder动作慢且不太聪明的人；慢性子的人。,though, good fellow as he was. I’ve had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get my pile. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him.”

[7]“听起来确实挺有意思。”警察说，“我看这中间隔的真是够长的，你走后就没有你朋友的音信吗？”

[8]“哦，是啊！我们一度通过信。”那人说，“但一两年后，我们彼此就失去了音信。你知道，西部遍地机会，我在那儿奔波忙碌，如鱼得水。但我知道吉米活着的话定会见我，因为他一向是最真诚、最可靠的家伙。他绝不会忘记。我今夜千里迢迢赶来，站在这门口等候，只要我的老伙计能来，这一切就都值得。”

[9]那人掏出一块漂亮的手表，表盖上镶嵌的小钻石闪闪发光。

“还有三分钟十点。”那人说道，“我们从这家餐馆门口分手时刚好十点。”

“在西部那边混得很不错吧？”警察问。

[10]“你说对了！吉米干得有我一半好就行了。当然，他喜欢埋头苦干，是个不错的家伙。有些人聪明绝顶，他们要算计我的钱袋子，我就得和他们斗智斗勇。人在纽约容易墨守成规，他们真应该到西部去历练历练。”

[11] The policeman twirled his club and took a step or two.

“I’ll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Going to call time on him sharp?”

“I should say not!” said the other. “I’ll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time. So long, of ficer.”

“Good-night, sir,” said the policeman, passing on along his beat, trying doors as he went.

[12] There was now a fine, cold drizzle8drizzle毛毛雨。falling, and the wind had risen from its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few foot passengers astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment,uncertain almost to absurdity, with the friend of his youth,smoked his cigar and waited.

[13] About twenty minutes he waited,and then a tall man in a long overcoat,with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man.

[11]警察转动着警棍，来回踱了几步。

“我得巡逻去了。但愿你那朋友如期赴约。就等到十点吗？”

“那不会。”那人说，“我至少要给他半个钟头。只要还活在世上，吉米那时会来的。再见，警官。”

“再见，先生。”警察说，接着往前巡视去了，挨家推门检查。

[12]天下起了冷冷的毛毛细雨，刚刚时断时续的微风，现在刮个不停。附近活动的三两行人都衣领高翻，双手插袋，行色匆匆，闷声不语。五金店门口，千里迢迢赶来赴发小之约的男子抽着雪茄，还在等着，对方是否爽约他心里一丁点儿底都没有。

[13]那人等了二十多分钟，这时，一个高个头男子从街道对面匆匆赶了过来，他穿着长长的大衣，领子高翻到耳际。

“Is that you, Bob?” he asked, doubtfully.

“Is that you, Jimmy Wells?” cried the man in the door.

[14] “Bless my heart!” exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other’s hands with his own. “It’s Bob, sure as fate. I was certain I’d find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well,well!—twenty years is a long time. The old restaurant’s gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?”

[15] “Bully; it has given me everything I asked it for. You’ve changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches.”

“Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty.”

“Doing well in New York, Jimmy?”

“Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob;we’ll go around to a place I know of, and have a good long talk about old times.”

[16] The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism9egotism自负。enlarged by success,was beginning to outline the history of his career. The other, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest.

“鲍勃，是你吗？”那人疑惑地问道。

“吉米·韦尔斯？是你吗？”站在门口的男子大声喊道。

[14]“谢天谢地！”来人喊道，紧紧地抓住这人的双手。“就是鲍勃，绝对没错！我确信能在这找到你，只要你还健在。太好了！——二十年确实很长。鲍勃，那家老餐馆早已不见，多希望它还在，那样我们就可以在这里再进晚餐。在西部干得咋样，老哥们？”

[15]“那还用说！我要啥，它给啥。你变化很大，吉米。没想到你竟长高了两三英寸！”

“哦，我二十岁后又长了点儿。”

“在纽约混得不错吧，吉米？”

“还行！我在市政府的一个部门里上班。走吧，鲍勃，我知道一个地方，咱们去那儿好好聊聊我们的过去。”

[16]二人挽着胳膊沿街往前走着。因成功而飘飘然的西部来客开始讲述自己的发迹史。而另一位则把头埋在大衣领子里，饶有兴趣地倾听着。

[17] At the corner stood a drug store,brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other’s face.

The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.

“You’re not Jimmy Wells,” he snapped. “Twenty years is a long time,but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman to a pug.”

[18] “It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,” said the tall man.“You’ve been under arrest for ten minutes, ‘Silky’ Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That’s sensible. Now, before we go on to the station here’s a note I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the window. It’s from Patrolman Wells.”

[19] The man from the West unfolded10unfold打开。fold意思是“折叠”，un-为前缀，表示反义。the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to read,but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.Bob:

I was at the appointed place on time.When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn’t do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job.

JIMMY

[17]拐角处是家药店，灯火明亮。二人来到灯光下，不约而同地都转过身目视对方的脸。

西部来客一下子停住脚步，松开了胳膊。

“你不是吉米·韦尔斯！”他气急败坏地说道， “二十年是很长，但还不至于把一个人的高鼻梁变成踏踏鼻！”

[18]“但却可能把一个好人变成坏人。”那高个男子反唇相讥，“十分钟前你就已经被捕了，‘滑头’鲍勃。芝加哥警方猜到你会窜到我们这儿，便发电报给我们，说他们要跟你‘聊聊’。乖乖地跟我走如何？聪明点儿。去警局前先给你看个纸条，有人让我交给你。你可以在窗前看看，是韦尔斯巡警给你的。”

[19]那人打开了递到手里的小纸条。他的手开始还很沉稳，但看完后有点颤抖了。纸条很短：

鲍勃：

我如期到了约会地址。你划火柴点燃雪茄烟时，我看出，你的脸正是芝加哥警方通缉的那张脸。不知怎么，我下不了手，便找了一个便衣警察来干这活儿。