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The bar was still crowded with revellers, and many of the brethren remained there.
酒吧间里依然挤满欢宴的人，许多弟兄还留在那儿。
The little band who had been told off for duty passed out into the street, proceeding in twos and threes along the sidewalk so as not to provoke attention.
这一小伙奉命执行任务的人走到街上，两三个一伙沿人行道行进，以免引人注意。
It was a bitterly cold night, with a half-moon shining brilliantly in a frosty, star-spangled sky.
这天夜晚，天气异常严寒，星光灿烂，一弦弯月高悬冷空。
The men stopped and gathered in a yard which faced a high building.
这些人走到一座高楼前停下来，聚集在院子里。
The words "Vermissa Herald" were printed in gold lettering between the brightly lit windows. From within came the clanking of the printing press.
明亮的玻璃窗户中间印着金色大字"维尔米萨先驱报社"。从里面传来印刷机的响声。
"Here, you," said Baldwin to McMurdo, "you can stand below at the door and see that the road is kept open for us.
"你在这里，"鲍德温对麦克默多说道，"你可站在楼下面，守住大门，使我们退路畅通。
Arthur Willaby can stay with you. You others come with me.
阿瑟·威拉比和你在一起。其余的人随我来。
Have no fears, boys; for we have a dozen witnesses that we are in the Union Bar at this very moment."
弟兄们，不要怕，因为我们有十几个证人，可以证明我们此时是在工会的酒吧间里呢。"
It was nearly midnight, and the street was deserted save for one or two revellers upon their way home.
这时将近午夜时分，街上除了一两个返家醉汉外，别无行人。
The party crossed the road, and, pushing open the door of the newspaper office,
这一伙人穿过大街，推开报社大门，
Baldwin and his men rushed in and up the stair which faced them. McMurdo and another remained below.
鲍德温一行人冲进去，跑上对面的楼梯。麦克默多和另一个人留在楼下。
From the room above came a shout, a cry for help, and then the sound of trampling feet and of falling chairs.
从楼上的房间里传来呼救声，然后是脚步践踏声、椅子翻倒声。
An instant later a grayhaired man rushed out on the landing.
过了一会儿，一个鬓发灰白的人跑到楼梯平台上来。
He was seized before he could get farther, and his spectacles came tinkling down to McMurdo's feet. There was a thud and a groan.
可是没跑几步，就被抓住，他的眼镜叮当一声落在麦克默多脚旁。只听砰的响了一下，接着是一阵呻吟声。
He was on his face, and half a dozen sticks were clattering together as they fell upon him.
这人面朝下倒在那里，几根棍棒一起向他身上噼噼啪啪地打来。
He writhed, and his long, thin limbs quivered under the blows.
他翻滚抽搐着，瘦长的四肢在打击下颤抖不已。
The others ceased at last; but Baldwin, his cruel face set in an infernal smile, was hacking at the man's head, which he vainly endeavoured to defend with his arms.
别人都停手了，可是鲍德温凶残的脸依然狞笑不止，手中的棍棒向老人头上乱砍，老人徒然努力用双手护住头。
His white hair was dabbled with patches of blood.
但他的白发已经被血浸湿了。
Baldwin was still stooping over his victim, putting in a short, vicious blow whenever he could see a part exposed, when McMurdo dashed up the stair and pushed him back.
鲍德温还在找被害人双手护不着的地方乱打一阵。这时麦克默多跑上楼来，把他推开。
"You'll kill the man," said he. "Drop it!"
"你要把这个人打死的，"麦克默多说道，"住手！"
Baldwin looked at him in amazement. "Curse you!" he cried. "Who are you to interfere -- you that are new to the lodge? Stand back!"
鲍德温惊讶地望着他。"该死的！"鲍德温喊道，"你是谁，敢来干涉我？你这个新入会的人吗？靠后站！"
He raised his stick; but McMurdo had whipped his pistol out of his hip pocket. "Stand back yourself!" he cried.
他举起了棍棒，可是麦克默多从裤子后兜中抽出手枪来。"你自己靠后站！"麦克默多高喊道。
"I'll blow your face in if you lay a hand on me.
"你敢碰我一下，我就立刻开枪。
As to the lodge, wasn't it the order of the Bodymaster that the man was not to be killed–and what are you doing but killing him?"
身主不是有命令吩咐不要杀死这个人么，你这不是要杀死他是什么？"
"It's truth he says," remarked one of the men.
"他说得不错，"其中有一个人说道。
"By Gar! you'd best hurry yourselves!" cried the man below.
"哎呀，你们最好快点吧！"楼下的那个人喊道。
"The windows are all lighting up, and you'll have the whole town here inside of five minutes."
"各家窗户里都亮了灯，过不了五分钟，全镇的人都要来追捕你们了。"
There was indeed the sound of shouting in the street, and a little group of compositors and pressmen was forming in the hall below and nerving itself to action.
这时街上果然有人喊叫，一些排字印刷工人聚集到楼下大厅里，鼓起勇气准备行动。
Leaving the limp and motionless body of the editor at the head of the stair, the criminals rushed down and made their way swiftly along the street.
那些罪犯便丢下这个编辑僵卧的身体，窜下楼来，飞快沿街而逃。
Having reached the Union House, some of them mixed with the crowd in McGinty's saloon, whispering across the bar to the Boss that the job had been well carried through.
跑到工会大厅以后，一些人混到麦金蒂酒馆的人群中，低声向首领报告，事情已经完全得手。
Others, and among them McMurdo, broke away into side streets, and so by devious paths to their own homes.
另一些人，其中也有麦克默多，奔到街上，从偏僻的小路各回各家去了。
