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But suddenly an idea struck her, and she added hastily: "Listen, now that I think of it. There is one thing that you can do. Go down this street, to the right, and at the third house you will find a courtyard; there there is a capataz, a trader, who is setting out to-morrow for Tucuman, with his wagons and his oxen. Go and see if he will take you, and offer him your services; perhaps he will give you a place on his wagons: go at once."
老妇人说着忽然像想着了一条路：“哦！有了！我想到了一个法子。你看怎样？向这街朝右下去。第三间房子前有一块空地，那里有一个叫做‘头脑’的，他是一个商贩，明天就要用牛车载货到杜克曼去的。你去替他帮点什么忙，求他带了你去好吗？大概他总肯在货车上载你去的吧，快去！”
The lad grasped his bag, thanked her as he ran, and two minutes later found himself in a vast courtyard, lighted by lanterns, where a number of men were engaged in loading sacks of grain on certain enormous carts which resembled the movable houses of mountebanks, with rounded tops, and very tall wheels; and a tall man with mustaches, enveloped in a sort of mantle of black and white check, and with big boots, was directing the work. The lad approached this man, and timidly proffered his request, saying that he had come from Italy, and that he was in search of his mother. The capataz, which signifies the head (the head conductor of this convoy of wagons), surveyed him from head to foot with a keen glance, and replied drily, "I have no place." "I have fifteen lire," answered the boy in a supplicating tone; "I will give you my fifteen lire. I will work on the journey; I will fetch the water and fodder for the animals; I will perform all sorts of services. A little bread will suffice for me. Make a little place for me, signor."
玛尔可提了衣包，还没有说毕道谢的话就走到了那空地。只见那里被灯笼照得通明，大批人夫正在把谷装入货车。一个着了外套穿了长靴的有须的人在旁指挥搬运。玛尔可走近那人，恭恭敬敬地陈述自己的希望，并说明从意大利来寻母亲的经过。“头脑”用了尖锐的眼光把玛尔可从头到脚打量了一会儿，冷淡地回答说：“没有空位。”玛尔可哀恳他：“这里差不多有三元钱。交给了你，路上情愿再帮你劳动，替你搬取牲口的饮料和刍草。面包只吃一些些好了，请‘头脑’带了我去！”
The capataz looked him over again, and replied with a better grace, "There is no room; and then, we are not going to Tucuman; we are going to another town, Santiago dell'Estero. We shall have to leave you at a certain point, and you will still have a long way to go on foot." "Ah, I will make twice as long a journey!" exclaimed Marco; "I can walk; do not worry about that; I shall get there by some means or other: make a little room for me, signor, out of charity; for pity's sake, do not leave me here alone!" "Beware; it is a journey of twenty days." "It matters nothing to me." "It is a hard journey." "I will endure everything." "You will have to travel alone." "I fear nothing, if I can only find my mother. Have compassion!"
“头脑”再熟视他，态度略为亲切地说：“实在没有空位。并且我们不是到杜克曼去，而是到山契可·代·莱斯德洛去。就是带你同去，你也非中途下车，再走许多路不可。”“啊，无论走多少路也不要紧，我愿意。请你不要替我担心。到了那里，我自会设法到杜克曼夫。请你发发慈悲留个空位给我。我恳求你，不要把我留在这里！”“喂，车要走二十天呢！”“不要紧。”“这是很困苦的旅行呢！”“无论怎样苦都情愿。”“将来要一个人独自步行呢！”“只要能寻到母亲，什么都愿忍受，请你应许我。”
The capataz drew his face close to a lantern, and scrutinized him. Then he said, "Very well." The lad kissed his hand. "You shall sleep in one of the wagons tonight," added the capataz, as he quitted him; "tomorrow morning, at four o'clock, I will wake you. Good night." At four o'clock in the morning, by the light of the stars, the long string of wagons was set in motion with a great noise; each cart was drawn by six oxen, and all were followed by a great number of spare animals for a change. The boy, who had been awakened and placed in one of the carts, on the sacks, instantly fell again into a deep sleep. When he awoke, the convoy had halted in a solitary spot, full in the sun, and all the men--the peones--were seated round a quarter of calf, which was roasting in the open air, beside a large fire, which was flickering in the wind. They all ate together, took a nap, and then set out again; and thus the journey continued, regulated like a march of soldiers.
“头脑”移过灯来，照着玛尔可的脸再注视了一会儿说：“可以。”玛尔可在他手上亲吻。“你今夜就睡在货车里，明天四点钟就要起来的，再会。”“头脑”说了自去。明天早晨四点钟，长长的载货的车队在星光中嘈杂地行动了。每车用六头牛拖，最后的一辆车里又装着许多替换的牛。玛尔可被叫醒以后，坐在一车的谷袋上面，不久仍复睡去。等醒来，车已停在冷落的地方，太阳正猛烈地照着。人夫焚起野火，炙小牛蹄，都集坐在周围，火被风煽扬着。大家吃了食物，睡了一会儿，再行出发。这样一天一天地继续进行，规律的刻板好像行军。
