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That very night, as the half-drunken company broke up, he touched McMurdo on the arm and led him aside into that inner room where they had their first interview.
就在这天晚上，喝得半醉的党徒们走散以后，麦金蒂碰了碰麦克默多的胳臂，把他引到他们第一次见面的那间内室里。
"See here, my lad," said he, "I've got a job that's worthy of you at last. You'll have the doing of it in your own hands."
"喂，我的伙计，"麦金蒂说道，"我终于给你找到了一件值得你干的差事。你可以亲手去完成它。"
"Proud I am to hear it," McMurdo answered.
"听到这我很感骄傲，"麦克默多答道。
"You can take two men with you -- Manders and Reilly. They have been warned for service.
"你可以带两个人和你一起去，这两个人是曼德斯和赖利。我已经吩咐过他们了。
We'll never be right in this district until Chester Wilcox has been settled, and you'll have the thanks of every lodge in the coal fields if you can down him."
不除去切斯特·威尔科克斯，我们在这一地区就永远不能安心。假如你能把他干掉，你就能赢得产煤区每一分会的感谢。"
"I'll do my best, anyhow. Who is he, and where shall I find him?"
"无论如何，我一定尽力去做。他是谁？我在哪里可以找到他？"
McGinty took his eternal half-chewed, half-smoked cigar from the corner of his mouth, and proceeded to draw a rough diagram on a page torn from his notebook.
麦金蒂从嘴角拿开雪茄，从笔记本上撕下一张纸来，开始画一个草图。
"He's the chief foreman of the Iron Dike Company. He's a hard citizen, an old colour sergeant of the war, all scars and grizzle.
"他是戴克钢铁公司的总领班，是个意志刚强的人，是战时的一个老海军陆战队上士，受过许多伤，头发灰白。
We've had two tries at him; but had no luck, and Jim Carnaway lost his life over it. Now it's for you to take it over.
我们曾两次去解决他，都没有成功，而吉姆·卡纳威反而丧失了性命。现在请你接着去完成它。
That's the house -- all alone at the Iron Dike crossroad, same as you see here on the map -- without another within earshot.
这就是那所房子，孤零零地在戴克钢铁公司的十字路口，正像你在这张图上所看到的一样，没有人能听得到声音。
It's no good by day. He's armed and shoots quick and straight, with no questions asked.
白天去是不行的，他经常戒备着，射击得既快又准，而且连问也不问就开枪。
But at night -- well, there he is with his wife, threechildren, and a hired help. You can't pick or choose. It's all or none.
可是在夜间--对，他和妻子、三个孩子和一个佣工住在那里。你要干就全干掉，无别的抉择。
If you could get a bag of blasting powder at the front door with a slow match to it..."
如果你把一包炸药放在前门，上面用一根慢慢引着的导火线..."
"What's the man done?"
"这个人干了什么事？"
"Didn't I tell you he shot Jim Carnaway?"
"我不是对你说过他枪杀了吉姆·卡纳威吗？"
"Why did he shoot him?"
"他为什么要枪杀吉姆呢？"
"What in thunder has that to do with you? Carnaway was about his house at night, and he shot him.
"这和你有什么关系呢？卡纳威夜里走到他房子附近，他就开枪打死了卡纳威。
That's enough for me and you. You've got to settle the thing right."
你我就谈到这里。你现在可以去把这事打点一下。"
"There's these two women and the children. Do they go up too?"
"还有两个妇女和小孩。连他们也一起干掉吗？"
"They have to -- else how can we get him?"
"也要干掉，不然我们怎样能干掉他呢？"
"It seems hard on them; for they've done nothing."
"他们并没有什么罪过，连他们一起干掉，似乎有些难以下手。"
"What sort of fool's talk is this? Do you back out?"
"这话多么愚蠢？你变卦了吗？"
"Easy, Councillor, easy! What have I ever said or done that you should think I would be after standing back from an order of the Bodymaster of my own lodge?
"慢着，参议员先生，别急！我什么时候说过或做过使你认为我不接受身主命令的事呢？
If it's right or if it's wrong, it's for you to decide."
不管是也好，非也好，反正由你来定就是了。"
"You'll do it, then?"
"那么，你去完成它？"
"Of course I will do it."
"当然我去完成它了。"
"When?"
"什么时候？"
"Well, you had best give me a night or two that I may see the house and make my plans. Then..."
"啊，你最好给我一两个晚上时间，我可以看看这所房子，拟定计划，然后..."
"Very good," said McGinty, shaking him by the hand.
"太好了，"麦金蒂和他握手，说道。
"I leave it with you. It will be a great day when you bring us the news.
"我把这事交给你了。你把消息带回来时，我们就要很好庆祝。
It's just the last stroke that will bring them all to their knees."
这正是最后的一着，使他们全都向我们屈膝。"
McMurdo thought long and deeply over the commission which had been so suddenly placed in his hands.
麦克默多突然接受这样的委托，不由久久地深思。
