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Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the high wharves which line the north side of the river to the east of London Bridge.
天鹅闸巷是一条污浊的小巷，它隐藏于伦敦桥东沿河北岸的高大码头建筑物后边。
Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached by a steep flight of steps leading down to a black gap like the mouth of a cave,
在一家出售廉价成衣的商店和一家杜松子酒店之间，靠近有一条陡峭的阶梯往下直通一个象洞穴似的黑乎乎豁口，
I found the den of which I was in search.
我发现了我要寻访的那家烟馆。
Ordering my cab to wait, I passed down the steps, worn hollow in the centre by the ceaseless tread of drunken feet;
我叫马车停下来等着，便顺着那阶梯走下去。这阶梯的石级中部已被川流不息的醉汉们双脚踩磨得凹陷不平。
and by the light of a flickering oil-lamp above the door
门上悬挂着灯光闪烁不定的油灯，
I found the latch and made my way into a long, low room, thick and heavy with the brown opium smoke,
借着灯光，我摸到门闩，便走进一个又深又矮的房间，屋里弥漫着浓重的棕褐色的鸦片烟的烟雾，
and terraced with wooden berths, like the forecastle of an emigrant ship.
靠墙放着一排排的木榻，就象移民船前甲板下的水手舱一样。
Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying in strange fantastic poses,
透过微弱的灯光，可以隐约瞧见东倒西歪的人躺在木榻上，
bowed shoulders, bent knees, heads thrown back, and chins pointing upward,
有的耸肩低头，有的屈膝蜷卧，有的头颅后仰，有的下颔朝天，
with here and there a dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer.
他们从各个角落里以失神的目光望着新来的客人。
Out of the black shadows there glimmered little red circles of light, now bright, now faint,
在幢幢黑影里，有不少地方发出了红色小光环，微光闪烁，忽明忽暗。
as the burning poison waxed or waned in the bowls of the metal pipes.
这是燃着的鸦片在金属的烟斗锅里被人吮吸时的情景。
The most lay silent, but some muttered to themselves,
大多数人静悄悄地躺着，也有些人自语，
and others talked together in a strange, low, monotonous voice,
还有人用一种奇怪的、低沉而单调的语声交头接耳，
their conversation coming in gushes, and then suddenly tailing off into silence,
窃窃私语，这种谈话有时滔滔不绝，嘟嘟囔囔，
each mumbling out his own thoughts and paying little heed to the words of his neighbour.
尽谈自己的心事，而把人家对他讲的话都当耳边风。
