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Miller Hill is an ill-kept public park in the very centre of the town.
米勒山是镇中心一座荒凉的公园。
In summer it is a favourite resort of the people; but in winter it is desolate enough.
夏季这里是人们常游之地，但在冬季却异常荒凉。
From the top of it one has a view not only of the whole straggling, grimy town, but of the winding valley beneath,
从山顶上俯瞰下去，不仅可以尽览全镇污秽零乱的情景，而且可看到蜿蜒而下的山谷；
with its scattered mines and factories blackening the snow on each side of it, and of the wooded and white-capped ranges flanking it.
山谷两旁是疏疏落落的矿山和工厂，附近积雪已被染污了；此外还可观赏那林木茂密的山坡和白雪覆盖的山顶。
McMurdo strolled up the winding path hedged in with evergreens until he reached the deserted restaurant which forms the centre of summer gaiety.
麦克默多沿着长青树丛中蜿蜒的小径，漫步走到一家冷落的饭馆前，这里在夏季是娱乐的中心。
Beside it was a bare flagstaff, and underneath it a man, his hat drawn down and the collar of his overcoat turned up.
旁边是一棵光秃秃的旗杆，旗杆下有一个人，帽子戴得很低，大衣领子竖起来。
When he turned his face McMurdo saw that it was Brother Morris, he who had incurred the anger of the Bodymaster the night before.
这个人回过头来，麦克默多认出他是莫里斯兄弟，就是昨晚惹怒身主的那个人。
The lodge sign was given and exchanged as they met.
两人相见，交换了会里的暗语。
"I wanted to have a word with you, Mr. McMurdo," said the older man, speaking with a hesitation which showed that he was on delicate ground. "It was kind of you to come."
"我想和您谈一谈，麦克默多先生，"老人显得进退两难，踌躇不决地说道，"难得您赏光前来。"
"Why did you not put your name to the note?"
"你为什么信上不署名呢？"
"One has to be cautious, mister. One never knows in times like these how a thing may come back to one.
"谁也不能不小心谨慎，先生。人们不知道什么时候会招来祸事。
One never knows either who to trust or who not to trust."
也不知道谁是可以信任的，谁是不可信任的。"
"Surely one may trust brothers of the lodge."
"当然谁也可以信任会中弟兄。"
"No, no, not always," cried Morris with vehemence. "Whatever we say, even what we think, seems to go back to that man McGinty."
"不，不，不一定，"莫里斯情绪激昂地大声说道，"我们说的什么，甚至想的什么，似乎都可以传到麦金蒂那里。"
"Look here!" said McMurdo sternly. "It was only last night, as you know well, that I swore good faith to our Bodymaster.
"喂！"麦克默多厉声说道，"你知道，我昨晚刚刚宣誓要忠于我们的身主。
Would you be asking me to break my oath?"
你是不是要让我背叛我的誓言？"
"If that is the view you take," said Morris sadly, "I can only say that I am sorry I gave you the trouble to come and meet me.
"如果你这样想，"莫里斯满面愁容地说道，"我只能说，我很抱歉，让你白跑一趟来和我见面了。
Things have come to a bad pass when two free citizens cannot speak their thoughts to each other."
两个自由公民不能交谈心里话，这岂不是太糟糕了么！"
McMurdo, who had been watching his companion very narrowly, relaxed somewhat in his bearing.
麦克默多仔细地观察着对方，稍微解除了一点顾虑。
"Sure I spoke for myself only," said he. "I am a newcomer, as you know, and I am strange to it all.
他说道："当然，我说这话只是为我自己着想的。你知道，我是一个新来的人，我对这里的一切都是生疏的。
It is not for me to open my mouth, Mr. Morris, and if you think well to say anything to me I am here to hear it."
就我来说，是没有发言权的，莫里斯先生。如果你有什么话要对我讲，我将洗耳恭听。"
"And to take it back to Boss McGinty!" said Morris bitterly.
"然后去报告首领麦金蒂！"莫里斯悲痛地说道。
"Indeed, then, you do me injustice there," cried McMurdo.
"那你可真冤枉我了，"麦克默多叫道。
"For myself I am loyal to the lodge, and so I tell you straight; but I would be a poor creature if I were to repeat to any other what you might say to me in confidence.
"从我自己来说，我对会组织忠心，所以我就对你直说了。可是假如我把你对我推心置腹讲的话说给别人听，那我就是一个卑鄙的奴才了。
It will go no further than me; though I warn you that you may get neither help nor sympathy."
不过，我要警告你，你不要指望得到我的帮助或同情。"
"I have given up looking for either the one or the other," said Morris.
"我并不指望求得帮助或同情，"莫里斯说道。
"I may be putting my very life in your hands by what I say;
"我对你说这些话，就已经把性命放在你手心里了。
but, bad as you are -- and it seemed to me last night that you were shaping to be as bad as the worst -- still you are new to it, and your conscience cannot yet be ashardened as theirs.
不过，虽然你够坏的了--昨晚我觉得你会变成一个最坏的人，但毕竟你还是个新手，也不像他们那样的铁石心肠。
That was why I thought to speak with you."
这就是我想找你谈一谈的原因。"
"Well, what have you to say?"
"好，你要对我讲些什么？"
"If you give me away, may a curse be on you!"
"如果你出卖了我，你就要遭到报应！"
"Sure, I said I would not."
"当然，我说过我绝不出卖你。"
"I would ask you, then, when you joined the Freeman's society in Chicago and swore vows of charity and fidelity,
"那么，我问你，你在芝加哥加入自由人会，立誓要做到忠诚、博爱时，
did ever it cross your mind that you might find it would lead you to crime?"
你心里想过它会把你引向犯罪道路吗？"
"If you call it crime," McMurdo answered.
"假如你把它叫做犯罪的话，"麦克默多答道。"
"Call it crime!" cried Morris, his voice vibrating with passion.
叫做犯罪！"莫里斯喊道，他的声音激动得颤抖起来。
"You have seen little of it if you can call it anything else.
"你已经看到一点犯罪事实了，你还能把它叫做什么别的？！
Was it crime last night when a man old enough to be your father was beaten till the blood dripped from his white hairs?
昨天晚上，一个岁数大得可以做你父亲的老人被打得血染白发，这是不是犯罪？
Was that crime -- or what else would you call it?"
你把这叫做犯罪，还是把它叫做什么别的呢？"
"There are some would say it was war," said McMurdo, "a war of two classes with all in, so that each struck as best it could."
"有些人会说这是一场斗争，"麦克默多说道，"是一场两个阶级之间的全力以赴的斗争，所以每一方尽量打击对方。"
"Well, did you think of such a thing when you joined the Freeman's society at Chicago?"
"那么，你在芝加哥参加自由人会时，可曾想到这样的事吗？"
"No, I'm bound to say I did not."
"没有，我担保没有想到过。"
"Nor did I when I joined it at Philadelphia. It was just a benefit club and a meeting place for one's fellows.
"我在费城入会时，也没有想到过。只知道这是一个有益的会社和朋友们聚会的场所。
Then I heard of this place -- curse the hour that the name first fell upon my ears -- and I came to better myself! My God! to better myself!
后来我听人提到这个地方，我真恨死这个名字第一次传到我耳中的那一时刻了，我想到这里来使自己生活得好一些！天啊！使自己生活得好一些！
My wife and three children came with me. I started a drygoods store on Market Square, and I prospered well.
我妻子和三个孩子随我一起来了。我在市场开了一家绸布店，颇有盈利。
The word had gone round that I was a Freeman, and I was forced to join the local lodge, same as you did last night.
我是一个自由人会会员，这件事很快就传开了。后来我被迫像你昨晚那样，加入当地的分会。
I've the badge of shame on my forearm and something worse branded on my heart.
我的胳膊上烙下了这个耻辱的标记，而心里却打上了更加丑恶的烙印。
I found that I was under the orders of a black villain and caught in a meshwork of crime.
我发觉我已经受一个奸邪的恶棍指挥控制，并陷入一个犯罪网里。
What could I do? Every word I said to make things better was taken as treason, same as it was last night.
我可怎么办呢？我想把事情做得善良些，可是只要我一说话，他们便像昨晚一样，说我是叛逆。
I can't get away; for all I have in the world is in my store.
我在世上所有的一切，都在绸布店里，我也不能远走他方。
If I leave the society, I know well that it means murder to me, and God knows what to my wife and children. Oh, man, it is awful -- awful!"
如果我要脱离这个社团，我知道得很清楚，我一定会被谋害，上帝知道我的妻子儿女会怎么样？噢，朋友，这简直可怕，太可怕了！"
He put his hands to his face, and his body shook with convulsive sobs.
他双手掩面，身体不住地颤动，抽抽噎噎地啜泣起来。
McMurdo shrugged his shoulders. "You were too soft for the job," said he. "You are the wrong sort for such work."
麦克默多耸了耸肩，说道："做这种事，你心肠太软了，你不适合干这样的事。"
