The master said nothing more; we went away. But all the way from Moncalieri to Turin I could not get that prisoner, standing at his little window, that farewell to his master, that poor inkstand made in prison, which told so much, out of my head; and I dreamed of them all night, and was still thinking of them this morning--far enough from imagining the surprise which awaited me at school! No sooner had I taken my new seat, beside Derossi, and written my problem in arithmetic for the monthly examination, then I told my companion the story of the prisoner and the inkstand, and how the inkstand was made, with the pen across the copy-book, and the inscription around it, "Six years!" Derossi sprang up at these words, and began to look first at me and then at Crossi, the son of the vegetable-vender, who sat on the bench in front, with his back turned to us, wholly absorbed on his problem.
先生不再说什么,我们也就告别。在到丘林的路上,我心里总在描摹着那囚犯站在礼拜堂小窗口的光景,他拥向先生告别时的神情,以及在狱中做成的那个墨水瓶。昨天夜里就做了这样的梦,今天早晨还在想着。今天到学校里去,不料,又听到出人意外的怪事。我坐在代洛西旁边,才演好了算术问题,就把那墨水瓶的故事告诉代洛西,将墨水瓶的由来,以及雕刻的花样,周围“六年”等的文字,都大略地和他述说了一番。代洛西听见这话,就跳了起来,看看我,又看看那卖野菜人家的儿子克洛西。克洛西坐在我们前面,正背向了我们在那里一心演算。
"Hush!" he said; then, in a low voice, catching me by the arm, "don't you know that Crossi spoke to me day before yesterday of having caught a glimpse; of an inkstand in the hands of his father, who has returned from America; a conical inkstand, made by hand, with a copy-book and a pen,--that is the one; six years! He said that his father was in America; instead of that he was in prison: Crossi was a little boy at the time of the crime; he does not remember it; his mother has deceived him; he knows nothing; let not a syllable of this escape!"
代洛西叫我不要声张,又捉住了我的手,“你不知道吗?前天,克洛西对我说,他看见过他父亲在美洲雕刻的墨水瓶了。是用手做的圆锥形的墨水瓶,上面雕刻着钢笔杆摆在笔记簿上的花样。就是那个吧?克洛西说他父亲在美洲,其实,在牢里呢。父亲犯罪时,克洛西还小,所以不知道。他母亲大约也不曾告诉他哩。他什么都不知道,还是不使他知道好啊!”
I remained speechless, with my eyes fixed on Crossi. Then Derossi solved his problem, and passed it under the bench to Crossi; he gave him a sheet of paper; he took out of his hands the monthly story, Daddy's Nurse, which the teacher had given him to copy out, in order that he might copy it in his stead; he gave him pens, and stroked his shoulder, and made me promise on my honor that I would say nothing to any one; and when we left school, he said hastily to me:--
我默然地看着克洛西。代洛西正演算完,从桌下递给克洛西,附给克洛西一张纸,又从克洛西手中取过先生叫他抄写的每月例话《爸爸的看护者》的稿子来,说替他代写。还把一个钢笔头塞入他的掌里,再去拍他的肩膀。代洛西又叫我对方才所说的务守秘密。散课的时候,代洛西急忙对我说:
"His father came to get him yesterday; he will be here again this morning: do as I do."
“昨天克洛西的父亲曾来接他的儿子,今天也会来吧?”
We emerged into the street; Crossi's father was there, a little to one side: a man with a black beard sprinkled with gray, badly dressed, with a colorless and thoughtful face. Derossi shook Crossi's hand, in a way to attract attention, and said to him in a loud tone, "Farewell until we meet again, Crossi,"--and passed his hand under his chin. I did the same. But as he did so, Derossi turned crimson, and so did I; and Crossi's father gazed attentively at us, with a kindly glance; but through it shone an expression of uneasiness and suspicion which made our hearts grow cold.
我们走到大路口,看见克洛西的父亲站立在路旁,黑色的胡须,头发已有点花白,穿着粗布的衣服。那无光彩的脸上,看去好像正在沉思。代洛西故意地去握了克洛西的手,大声地说:“克洛西!再会!”说着把手托在颐下,我也照样地把颐下托住。可是这时,我和代洛西脸上都有些红了。克洛西的父亲亲切地看着我们,脸上却呈露出若干不安和疑惑的影子来。我们觉得好像胸口正在浇着冷水!