Finally the great day came, and I started for Hampton. I had only a small, cheap bag that contained what few articles of clothing I could get. The distance from Malden to Hampton is about five hundred miles. I had not been away from home many hours before it began to grow painfully evident that I did not have enough money to pay my fare to Hampton.
这个重要的日子终于到了,我动身前往汉普顿。我只有一个廉价的小包,装着仅有的几件衣物。马尔登到汉普顿之间的距离大约有500英里。我离开家,走了还没几个小时,我就清楚而痛苦地意识到,靠我身上这点钱是到不了汉普顿的。
By walking, begging rides both in wagons and in the cars, in some way, after a number of days, I reached the city of Richmond, Virginia, about eighty-two miles from Hampton. When I reached there, tired, hungry, and dirty, it was late in the night. I had never been in a large city, and this rather added to my misery. When I reached Richmond, I was completely out of money. I had not a single acquaintance in the place, and, being unused to city ways, I did not know where to go. I applied at several places for lodging, but they all wanted money, and that was what I did not have. Knowing nothing else better to do, I walked the streets. In doing this I passed by many food-stands where fried chicken and half-moon apple pies were piled high and made to present a most tempting appearance. How I wished I could have gotten hold of one of those chicken legs or one of those pies. But I could not get either of these, nor anything else to eat.
我一路走,求过路的司机捎我一程,几天后不觉到了弗吉尼亚的里士满,离汉普顿还有大约82英里。到那里的时候已是深夜,我又累又饿,一身肮脏。我从没到过大城市,这有点让我更加难过。到里士满时,我已身无分文。人生地不熟,又不习惯城市的道路,我根本不知道该往哪儿走。我去了几个地方想投宿,都是要收钱的,而我缺的正是钱。我不知如何是好,就在街上晃悠。沿街走着,我经过许多食档,炸鸡和半月形的苹果焰饼堆得高高的,极其诱人。多希望我能够拿上一条鸡腿或一个焰饼啊。但我什么也拿不到,也找不到别的东西吃。