月亮与六便士【中英字幕】

At that momentwe were interrupted by the appearance of Madame Coutras, who had been payingvisits. She came in, like a ship in full sail, an imposing creature, tall andstout, with an ample bust and an obesity girthed in alarmingly bystraight-fronted corsets. She had a bold hooked nose and three chins. She heldherself upright. She had not yielded for an instant to the enervating charm ofthe tropics, but contrariwise was more active, more worldly, more decided thananyone in a temperate clime would have thought it possible to be. She wasevidently a copious talker, and now poured forth a breathless stream ofanecdote and comment. She made the conversation we had just had seem far awayand unreal.

Presently Dr.Coutras turned to me.

"I stillhave in my bureau the picture that Strickland gave me, " he said."Would you like to see it?"

"Willingly."

We got up, andhe led me on to the verandah which surrounded his house. We paused to look atthe gay flowers that rioted in his garden.

"For along time I could not get out of my head the recollection of the extraordinarydecoration with which Strickland had covered the walls of his house, " hesaid reflectively.

I had beenthinking of it, too. It seemed to me that here Strickland had finally put thewhole expression of himself. Working silently, knowing that it was his lastchance, I fancied that here he must have said all that he knew of life and allthat he divined. And I fancied that perhaps here he had at last found peace.The demon which possessed him was exorcised at last, and with the completion ofthe work, for which all his life had been a painful preparation, rest descendedon his remote and tortured soul. He was willing to die, for he had fulfilledhis purpose.

"What wasthe subject?" I asked.

这时候库特拉斯太太看朋友回来，我们的谈话暂时被打断了。库特拉斯太太象一只帆篷张得鼓鼓的小船，精神抖擞地闯了进来。她是个又高大又肥胖的女人，胸部膨脝饱满，却紧紧勒着束胸。她生着一个大鹰钩鼻，下巴耷拉着三圈肥肉，身躯挺得笔直。尽管热带气候一般总是叫人慵懒无力，对她却丝毫没有影响。相反地，库特拉斯太太又精神又世故，行动敏捷果断，在这种叫人昏昏欲睡的地带里，谁也想不到她有这么充沛的精力。此外，她显然还是个非常健谈的人；自踏进屋门的一分钟起，她就谈论这个、品评那个，话语滔滔不绝。我们刚才那场谈话在库特拉斯太太进屋以后显得非常遥远、非常不真实了。

过了一会儿，库特拉斯医生对我说：

“思特里克兰德给我的那幅画一直挂在我的书房①里。你要去看看吗？”

①原文为法语。

“我很想看看。”

我们站起来，医生领着我走到室外环绕着这幢房子的阳台上。我们在外面站了一会儿，看了看他花园里争奇斗妍的绚烂的鲜花。

“看了思特里克兰德用来装饰他房屋四壁的那些奇异的画幅，很久很久我老是忘不掉，”他沉思地说。

我脑子里想的也正是这件事。看来思特里克兰德终于把他的内心世界完全表现出来了。他默默无言地工作着，心里非常清楚，这是他一生中最后一个机会了。我想思特里克兰德一定把他理解的生活、把他的慧眼所看到的世界用图象表示了出来。我还想，他在创作这些巨画时也许终于寻找到心灵的平静；缠绕着他的魔鬼最后被拔除了。他痛苦的一生似乎就是为这些壁画做准备，在图画完成的时候，他那远离尘嚣的受折磨的灵魂也就得到了安息。对于死他勿宁说抱着一种欢迎的态度，因为他一生追求的目的已经达到了。

“他的画主题是什么？”我问。

She took nonotice. Again the beastly stench almost made him faint, and he lit a cheroot.His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, and now he was seized by anoverwhelming sensation as he stared at the painted walls. He knew nothing ofpictures, but there was something about these that extraordinarily affectedhim. From floor to ceiling the walls were covered with a strange and elaboratecomposition. It was indescribably wonderful and mysterious. It took his breathaway. It filled him with an emotion which he could not understand or analyse.He felt the awe and the delight which a man might feel who watched thebeginning of a world. It was tremendous, sensual, passionate; and yet there wassomething horrible there, too, something which made him afraid. It was the workof a man who had delved into the hidden depths of nature and had discoveredsecrets which were beautiful and fearful too. It was the work of a man who knewthings which it is unholy for men to know. There was something primeval thereand terrible. It was not human. It brought to his mind vague recollections ofblack magic. It was beautiful and obscene.

" MonDieu, this is genius. "

The words werewrung from him, and he did not know he had spoken.

Then his eyesfell on the bed of mats in the corner, and he went up, and he saw the dreadful,mutilated, ghastly object which had been Strickland. He was dead. Dr. Coutrasmade an effort of will and bent over that battered horror. Then he startedviolently, and terror blazed in his heart, for he felt that someone was behindhim. It was Ata. He had not heard her get up. She was standing at his elbow,looking at what he looked at.

"GoodHeavens, my nerves are all distraught, " he said. "You nearlyfrightened me out of my wits. "

He looked againat the poor dead thing that had been man, and then he started back in dismay.

"But hewas blind. "

"Yes; hehad been blind for nearly a year. "

她没有理睬他。屋子里的腥臭味又一次差点儿把他熏倒，他点了一支方头雪茄。他的眼睛已经完全适应屋里的朦胧光线了。他凝视着墙上的绘画，心中激荡着无法控制的感情。他对于绘画并不怎么内行，但是墙上的这些画却使他感到激动。四面墙上，从地板一直到天花板，展开一幅奇特的、精心绘制的巨画，非常奇妙，也非常神秘。库特拉斯医生几乎连呼吸都停止了。他心中出现了一种既无法理解、又不能分析的感情。如果能够这样比较的话，也许一个人看到开天辟地之初就是怀着这种欣喜而又畏服的感觉的。这幅画具有压人的气势，它既是肉欲的，又充满无限热情。与此同时它又含着某种令人恐惧的成分，叫人看着心惊肉跳。绘制这幅巨作的人已经深入到大自然的隐秘中，探索到某种既美丽、又可怕的秘密。这个人知道了一般人所不该知道的事物。他画出来的是某种原始的、令人震骇的东西，是不属于人世尘寰的。库特拉斯医生模模糊糊地联想到黑色魔法，既美得惊人，又污秽邪恶。

“上帝啊①，这是天才。”

①原文为法语。

这句话脱口而出，只是说出来以后他才意识到自己是在下了一个评语。

后来他的眼睛落在墙角的一张草席上，他走过去，看到了一个肢体残缺、让人不敢正眼看的可怕的东西，那是思特里克兰德。他已经死了。库特拉斯医生运用了极大的意志力，俯身看了看这具可怕的尸骸。他突然吓得跳起来，一颗心差点儿跳到嗓子眼儿上；因为他感到身后边有什么东西。回头一看，原来是爱塔。不知道什么时候，爱塔已经站起来，走到他胳臂肘旁边，同他一起俯视着地上的死人。

“老天爷，我的神经一定出了毛病了，”他说，“你可把我吓坏了。”

这个一度曾是活生生的人，现在已经气息全无了；库特拉斯又看了看，便心情沉郁地掉头走开。

“他的眼睛已经瞎了啊。”

“是的，他已经瞎了快一年了。”

Then two yearsmore went by, or perhaps three, for time passes imperceptibly in Tahiti, and itis hard to keep count of it; but at last a message was brought to Dr. Coutras thatStrickland was dying. Ata had waylaid the cart that took the mail into Papeete,and besought the man who drove it to go at once to the doctor. But the doctorwas out when the summons came, and it was evening when he received it. It wasimpossible to start at so late an hour, and so it was not till next day soonafter dawn that he set out. He arrived at Taravao, and for the last timetramped the seven kilometres that led to Ata's house. The path was overgrown,and it was clear that for years now it had remained all but untrodden. It wasnot easy to find the way. Sometimes he had to stumble along the bed of thestream, and sometimes he had to push through shrubs, dense and thorny; often hewas obliged to climb over rocks in order to avoid the hornet-nests that hung onthe trees over his head. The silence was intense.

It was with asigh of relief that at last he came upon the little unpainted house,extraordinarily bedraggled now, and unkempt; but here too was the sameintolerable silence. He walked up, and a little boy, playing unconcernedly inthe sunshine, started at his approach and fled quickly away: to him thestranger was the enemy. Dr. Coutras had a sense that the child was stealthilywatching him from behind a tree. The door was wide open. He called out, but noone answered. He stepped in. He knocked at a door, but again there was noanswer. He turned the handle and entered. The stench that assailed him turnedhim horribly sick. He put his handkerchief to his nose and forced himself to goin. The light was dim, and after the brilliant sunshine for a while he couldsee nothing. Then he gave a start. He could not make out where he was. Heseemed on a sudden to have entered a magic world. He had a vague impression ofa great primeval forest and of naked people walking beneath the trees. Then hesaw that there were paintings on the walls.

" MonDieu, I hope the sun hasn't affected me, " he muttered.

A slightmovement attracted his attention, and he saw that Ata was lying on the floor,sobbing quietly.

"Ata," he called. "Ata. "

两年又过去了，也许是三年，因为在塔希提，时间总是不知不觉地流逝过去，没有人费心去计算。但是最后终于有人给库特拉斯医生带来个信儿，说是思特里克兰德很快就要死了。爱塔在路上拦住一辆往帕皮提递送邮件的马车，请求赶车的人立刻到医生那里去一趟。但是消息带到的时候，医生恰巧不在家。直到傍晚他才听到这个信儿。天已经太晚了，他当天无法动身；他是第二天清早才启程去的。他首先到了塔拉窝，然后下车步行；这是他最后一次走七公里的路到爱塔家去。小路几乎已被荒草遮住，看来已经有好几年没有行人的足迹了。路很不好走；有时候他得跋涉过一段河滩；有时候他得分开长满荆棘的茂密的矮树丛。有好几次他不得不从岩石上爬过去，为了躲避挂在头顶树枝上的野蜂窝。密林里万籁无声。

最后他走到那座没有油漆过的木房子前面时，他长舒了一口气。这所房子现在已经破旧得不成样子，而且一片龌龊，不堪入目。迎接他的仍是一片无法忍受的寂静。他走到阳台上，一个小孩儿正在阳光底下玩儿，一看见他便飞快地跑掉了；在这个孩子的眼睛里，所有陌生人都是敌人。库特拉斯医生意识到孩子正躲在一棵树后面偷偷地看着他。房门敞开着。他叫了一声，但是没有人回答。他走了进去。他在另一扇门上敲了敲，仍然没有回答。他把门柄一扭便走进去。扑鼻而来的一股臭味几乎叫他呕吐出来。他用手帕堵着鼻子，硬逼着自己走进去。屋子里光线非常暗，从外面灿烂的阳光下走进来，一时他什么也看不见。当他的眼睛适应了室内的光线时，他吓了一大跳。他不知道自己走到什么地方来了，仿佛是，他突然走入了一个神奇的世界；矇矇眬眬中，他好象觉得自己正置身于一个原始大森林中，大树下面徜徉着一些赤身裸体的人。过了一会儿他才知道，他看到的是四壁上的巨大壁画。

“上帝啊①，我不是被太阳晒昏了吧，”他喃喃自语道。

①原文为法语。

一个人影晃动了一下，引起他的注意，他发现爱塔正躺在地板上，低声呜咽着。

“爱塔，”他喊道，“爱塔。”

"He willnot see you. You must go away. "

Dr. Coutrasinsisted, but she would not let him pass. Dr. Coutras shrugged his shoulders,and after a moment's rejection turned away. She walked with him. He felt thatshe too wanted to be rid of him.

"Is therenothing I can do at all?" he asked.

"You cansend him some paints, " she said. "There is nothing else he wants."

"Can hepaint still?"

"He ispainting the walls of the house. "

"This is aterrible life for you, my poor child. "

Then at lastshe smiled, and there was in her eyes a look of superhuman love. Dr. Coutraswas startled by it, and amazed. And he was awed. He found nothing to say.

"He is myman, " she said.

"Where isyour other child?" he asked. "When I was here last you had two."

"Yes; itdied. We buried it under the mango. "

When Ata hadgone with him a little way she said she must turn back. Dr. Coutras surmisedshe was afraid to go farther in case she met any of the people from thevillage. He told her again that if she wanted him she had only to send and hewould come at once.

“他不愿意见你。你快走吧。”

库特拉斯医生一定要看看病人，但是爱塔拦住他，不叫他进去。库特拉斯医生耸了耸肩膀；他想了一会儿，便转身走去。她跟在他身边。医生觉得，她也希望自己马上离开。

“有没有什么事我可以替你做的？”他问。

“你可以给他送点儿油彩来，”她说。“别的什么他都不要。”

“他还能画画儿吗？”

“他正在往墙上画壁画儿。”

“你的生活真不容易啊，可怜的孩子。”

她的脸上终于露出了笑容，眼睛里放射出一种爱的光辉，一种人世上罕见的爱情的光辉。她的目光叫库特拉斯医生吓了一跳。他感到非常惊异，甚至产生了敬畏之感。他不知道自己该说什么。

“他是我的男人。”她说。

“你们的那个孩子呢？”医生问道，“我上次来，记得你们是有两个小孩儿的。”

“是有两个。那个已经死了。我们把他埋在芒果树底下了。”

爱塔陪着医生走了一小段路以后，就对医生说，她得回去了。库特拉斯医生猜测，她不敢往更远里走，怕遇见村子里的人。他又跟她说了一遍，如果她需要他，只要捎个话去，他一定会来的。

" Maisnon, mon cher monsieur, men are always the same. Fear makes them cruel. . . . Idecided to see Strickland, and when I had finished with the chiefess asked fora boy to show me the way. But none would accompany me, and I was forced to findit alone. "

When Dr.Coutras arrived at the plantation he was seized with a feeling of uneasiness.Though he was hot from walking, he shivered. There was something hostile in theair which made him hesitate, and he felt that invisible forces barred his way.Unseen hands seemed to draw him back. No one would go near now to gather thecocoa-nuts, and they lay rotting on the ground. Everywhere was desolation. Thebush was encroaching, and it looked as though very soon the primeval forestwould regain possession of that strip of land which had been snatched from itat the cost of so much labour. He had the sensation that here was the abode ofpain. As he approached the house he was struck by the unearthly silence, and atfirst he thought it was deserted. Then he saw Ata. She was sitting on herhaunches in the lean-to that served her as kitchen, watching some mess cookingin a pot. Near her a small boy was playing silently in the dirt. She did notsmile when she saw him.

"I havecome to see Strickland, " he said.

"I will goand tell him. "

She went to thehouse, ascended the few steps that led to the verandah, and entered. Dr.Coutras followed her, but waited outside in obedience to her gesture. As sheopened the door he smelt the sickly sweet smell which makes the neighbourhoodof the leper nauseous. He heard her speak, and then he heard Strickland'sanswer, but he did not recognise the voice. It had become hoarse and indistinct.Dr. Coutras raised his eyebrows. He judged that the disease had alreadyattacked the vocal chords. Then Ata came out again.

“别这么说，我亲爱的先生①，人们都是这样的。恐惧使人们变得残酷无情……我决定去看看思特里克兰德。当我给女酋长看好病以后，我想找一个男孩子给我带路，但是没有一个人肯陪我去，最后还是我一个人摸索着去了。”

①原文为法语。

库特拉斯医生一走进那个椰子园，就有一种忐忑不安的感觉。虽然走路走得浑身燥热，却不由得打了个寒战。空气中似乎有什么敌视他的东西，叫他望而却步；他觉得有一种看不见的势力阻拦着他，许多只看不见的手往后拉他。没有人再到这里来采摘椰子，椰果全都腐烂在地上，到处是一片荒凉破败的景象。低矮的树丛从四面八方侵入这个种植园，看来人们花费了无数血汗开发出的这块土地不久就又要被原始森林重新夺回去了。库特拉斯医生有一种感觉，仿佛这是痛苦的居留地。他越走近这所房子，越感到这里寂静得令人心神不安。开始他还以为房子里没有人了呢，但是后来他看见了爱塔。她正蹲在一间当厨房用的小棚子里，用锅子煮东西，身旁有一个小男孩，一声不出地在泥土地上玩儿。爱塔看见医生的时候，脸上并没有笑容。

“我是来看思特里克兰德的。”他说。

“我去告诉他。”

爱塔向屋子走去，登上几层台阶，走上阳台，然后进了屋子。库特拉斯医生跟在她身后，但是走到门口的时候却听从她的手势在外边站住。爱塔打开房门以后，他闻到一股腥甜气味；在麻风病患者居住的地方总是有这种令人作呕的气味。他听见爱塔说了句什么，以后他听见思特里克兰德的语声，但是他却一点儿也听不出这是思特里克兰德的声音。这声音变得非常沙哑、模糊不清。库特拉斯医生扬了一下眉毛。他估计病菌已经侵袭了病人的声带了。过了一会儿，爱塔从屋子里走出来。

"But Atadid not send for me, " the doctor went on, at last, "and it chancedthat I did not go to that part of the island for a long time. I had no news ofStrickland. Once or twice I heard that Ata had been to Papeete to buy paintingmaterials, but I did not happen to see her. More than two years passed before Iwent to Taravao again, and then it was once more to see the old chiefess. Iasked them whether they had heard anything of Strickland. By now it was knowneverywhere that he had leprosy. First Tane, the boy, had left the house, andthen, a little time afterwards, the old woman and her grandchild. Stricklandand Ata were left alone with their babies. No one went near the plantation,for, as you know, the natives have a very lively horror of the disease, and inthe old days when it was discovered the sufferer was killed; but sometimes,when the village boys were scrambling about the hills, they would catch sightof the white man, with his great red beard, wandering about. They fled interror. Sometimes Ata would come down to the village at night and arouse thetrader, so that he might sell her various things of which she stood in need.She knew that the natives looked upon her with the same horrified aversion asthey looked upon Strickland, and she kept out of their way. Once some women,venturing nearer than usual to the plantation, saw her washing clothes in thebrook, and they threw stones at her. After that the trader was told to give herthe message that if she used the brook again men would come and burn down herhouse. "

"Brutes," I said.

“但是爱塔并没有叫我去，”医生最后继续说，“我凑巧也有很长时间没有机会到那个地区去。关于思特里克兰德我什么消息也没听到。有一两次我听说爱塔到帕皮提来买绘画用品，但是我都没有看见她。大约过了两年多，我才又去了一趟塔拉窝，仍然是给那个女酋长看病。我问那地方的人，他们听到过思特里克兰德的什么消息没有。这时候，思特里克兰德害了麻风病的事已经到处都传开了。首先是那个男孩子塔耐离开了他们住的地方，不久以后，老太婆带着她的孙女儿也走了。后来只剩下思特里克兰德、爱塔和他们的孩子了。没有人走近他们的椰子园。当地的土人对这种病怕得要命，这你是知道的；在过去的日子里，害麻风病的人一被发现就被活活儿打死。但是有时候村里的小孩到山上去玩，偶然会看到这个留着大红胡子的白人在附近游荡。孩子们一看见他就象吓掉了魂儿似地没命地跑掉。有时候爱塔半夜到村子里来，叫醒开杂货店的人买一些她需要的东西。她知道村子里的人对她也同样又害怕又厌恶，正象对待思特里克兰德一样，因此她总是避开他们。又有一次有几个女人奓着胆子走到他们住的椰子园附近，这次她们走得比哪次都近，看见爱塔正在小溪里洗衣服，她们向她投掷了一阵石块。这次事件发生以后，村里的杂货商就被通知给爱塔传递一个消息：以后如果她再用那条溪水，人们就要来把她的房子烧掉。”

“这些混帐东西。”我说。

"What isit that thou art saying to the doctor?" asked Ata suspiciously. "Thouwilt not go?"

"If itplease thee I will stay, poor child. "

Ata flungherself on her knees before him, and clasped his legs with her arms and kissedthem. Strickland looked at Dr. Coutras with a faint smile.

"In theend they get you, and you are helpless in their hands. White or brown, they areall the same. "

Dr. Coutrasfelt that it was absurd to offer expressions of regret in so terrible a disaster,and he took his leave. Strickland told Tane, the boy, to lead him to thevillage. Dr. Coutras paused for a moment, and then he addressed himself to me.

"I did notlike him, I have told you he was not sympathetic to me, but as I walked slowlydown to Taravao I could not prevent an unwilling admiration for the stoicalcourage which enabled him to bear perhaps the most dreadful of humanafflictions. When Tane left me I told him I would send some medicine that mightbe of service; but my hope was small that Strickland would consent to take it,and even smaller that, if he did, it would do him good. I gave the boy amessage for Ata that I would come whenever she sent for me. Life is hard, andNature takes sometimes a terrible delight in torturing her children. It waswith a heavy heart that I drove back to my comfortable home in Papeete. "

For a long timenone of us spoke.

“你在同医生说什么？”爱塔有些怀疑地问他，“你不走吧？”

“如果你愿意的话，我就不走，可怜的孩子。”

爱塔一下子跪在他的脚下，两臂抱紧他的双腿，拼命地吻他。思特里克兰德看着库特拉斯医生，脸上带着一丝微笑。

“最后他们还是要把你抓住，你怎么挣扎也白费力气。白种人也好，棕种人也好，到头来都是一样的。”

库特拉斯医生觉得对于这种可怕的疾病说一些同情的话是很荒唐的，他决定告辞。思特里克兰德叫那个名叫塔耐的男孩子给他领路，带他回村子去。说到这里，库特拉斯医生停了一会儿。最后他对我说：

“我不喜欢他，我已经告诉过你，我对他没有什么好感。但是在我慢慢走回塔拉窝村的路上，我对他那种自我克制的勇气却不由自主地产生了敬佩之情。他忍受的也许是一种最可怕的疾病。当塔耐和我分手的时候，我告诉他我会送一些药去，对他的疾病也许会有点儿好处。但是我也知道，思特里克兰德是多半不肯服我送去的药的，至于这种药——即使他服了——有多大效用，我就更不敢希望了。我让那孩子给爱塔带了个话，不管她什么时候需要我，我都会去的。生活是严酷的，大自然有时候竟以折磨自己的儿女为乐趣，在我坐上马车驶回我在帕皮提的温暖的家庭时，我的心是沉重的。”

很长一段时间，我们谁都没有说话。

"They arenot going to take thee away?" she cried.

At that timethere was no rigid sequestration on the islands, and lepers, if they chose,were allowed to go free.

"I shallgo up into the mountain, " said Strickland.

Then Ata stoodup and faced him.

"Let theothers go if they choose, but I will not leave thee. Thou art my man and I am thywoman. If thou leavest me I shall hang myself on the tree that is behind thehouse. I swear it by God. "

There wassomething immensely forcible in the way she spoke. She was no longer the meek,soft native girl, but a determined woman. She was extraordinarily transformed.

"Whyshouldst thou stay with me? Thou canst go back to Papeete, and thou wilt soonfind another white man. The old woman can take care of thy children, and Tiarewill be glad to have thee back. "

"Thou artmy man and I am thy woman. Whither thou goest I will go, too. "

For a momentStrickland's fortitude was shaken, and a tear filled each of his eyes andtrickled slowly down his cheeks. Then he gave the sardonic smile which wasusual with him.

"Women arestrange little beasts, " he said to Dr. Coutras. "You can treat themlike dogs, you can beat them till your arm aches, and still they love you." He shrugged his shoulders. "Of course, it is one of the most absurdillusions of Christianity that they have souls. "

“他们不会把你弄走吧？”她哭着说。

当时在这些岛上还没有实行严格的隔离制度。害麻风病的人如果自己愿意，是可以留在家里的。

“我要到山里去。”思特里克兰德说。

这时候爱塔站起身，看着他的脸说：

“别人谁愿意走谁就走吧。我不离开你。你是我的男人，我是你的女人。要是你离开了我，我就在房子后面这棵树上上吊。我在上帝面前发誓。”

她说这番话时，神情非常坚决。她不再是一个温柔、驯顺的土人女孩子，而是一个意志坚定的妇人。她一下子变得谁也认不出来了。

“你为什么要同我在一起呢？你可以回到帕皮提去，而且很快地你还会找到另一个白人。这个老婆子可以给你看孩子，蒂阿瑞会很高兴地再让你重新给她干活儿的。”

“你是我的男人，我是你的女人。你到哪儿去我也到哪儿去。”

有那么一瞬间，思特里克兰德的铁石心肠似乎被打动了，泪水涌上他的眼睛，一边一滴，慢慢地从脸颊上流下来。但是他的脸马上又重新浮现出平日惯有的那种讥嘲的笑容。

“女人真是奇怪的动物，”他对库特拉斯医生说，“你可以象狗一样地对待她们，你可以揍她们揍得你两臂酸痛，可是到头来她们还是爱你。”他耸了耸肩膀。“当然了，基督教认为女人也有灵魂，这实在是个最荒谬的幻觉。”

Dr. Coutras haddelivered sentence of death on many men, and he could never overcome the horrorwith which it filled him. He felt always the furious hatred that must seize aman condemned when he compared himself with the doctor, sane and healthy, whohad the inestimable privilege of life. Strickland looked at him in silence.Nothing of emotion could be seen on his face, disfigured already by theloathsome disease.

"Do theyknow?" he asked at last, pointing to the persons on the verandah, nowsitting in unusual, unaccountable silence.

"Thesenatives know the signs so well, " said the doctor. "They were afraidto tell you. "

Stricklandstepped to the door and looked out. There must have been something terrible inhis face, for suddenly they all burst out into loud cries and lamentation. Theylifted up their voices and they wept. Strickland did not speak. After lookingat them for a moment, he came back into the room.

"How longdo you think I can last?"

"Whoknows? Sometimes the disease continues for twenty years. It is a mercy when itruns its course quickly. "

Strickland wentto his easel and looked reflectively at the picture that stood on it.

"You havehad a long journey. It is fitting that the bearer of important tidings shouldbe rewarded. Take this picture. It means nothing to you now, but it may be thatone day you will be glad to have it. "

Dr. Coutrasprotested that he needed no payment for his journey; he had already given backto Ata the hundred-franc note, but Strickland insisted that he should take thepicture. Then together they went out on the verandah. The natives were sobbingviolently. "Be quiet, woman. Dry thy tears, " said Strickland,addressing Ata. "There is no great harm. I shall leave thee very soon."

库特拉斯医生曾经对许多人宣判过死刑，但是每一次都无法克服自己内心的恐怖感。他总是想，被宣判死刑的病人一定拿自己同医生比较，看到医生身心健康、享有生活的宝贵权利，一定又气又恨；病人的这种感情每次他都能感觉到。但是思特里克兰德却只是默默无言地看着他，一张已经受这种恶病蹂躏变形的脸丝毫也看不出有任何感情变化。

“他们知道吗？”最后，思特里克兰德指着外面的人说；这些人这时静悄悄地坐在露台上，同往日的情景大不相同。

“这些本地人对这种病的征象是非常清楚的，”医生说，“只是他们不敢告诉你罢了。”

思特里克兰德走到门口，向外面张望了一下。他的脸相一定非常可怕，因为外面的人一下子都哭叫、哀号起来，而且哭声越来越大。思特里克兰德一句话也没说。他愣愣地看了他们一会儿，便转身走回屋子。

“你认为我还能活多久？”

“谁说得准？有时候染上这种病的人能活二十年，如果早一些死倒是上帝发慈悲呢。”

思特里克兰德走到画架前面，沉思地看着放在上面的画。

“你到这里来走了很长一段路。带来重要消息的人理应得到报酬。把这幅画拿去吧。现在它对你不算什么，但是将来有一天可能你会高兴有这样一幅画的。”

库特拉斯医生谢绝说，他到这儿来不需要报酬，就是那一百法郎他也还给了爱塔。但是思特里克兰德却坚持要他把这幅画拿走。这以后他们俩一起走到外面阳台上。几个本地人仍然在非常哀痛地呜咽着。

“别哭了，女人。把眼泪擦干吧，”思特里克兰德对爱塔说。“没有什么大了不起的。我不久就要离开你了。”

Ata did notspeak, but with the boy followed him to the house. The girl who had brought himwas by this time sitting on the verandah, and here was lying an old woman, withher back to the wall, making native cigarettes. Ata pointed to the door. Thedoctor, wondering irritably why they behaved so strangely, entered, and therefound Strickland cleaning his palette. There was a picture on the easel.Strickland, clad only in a pareo, was standing with his back to the door, buthe turned round when he heard the sound of boots. He gave the doctor a look ofvexation. He was surprised to see him, and resented the intrusion. But thedoctor gave a gasp, he was rooted to the floor, and he stared with all hiseyes. This was not what he expected. He was seized with horror.

"You enterwithout ceremony, " said Strickland. "What can I do for you?"

The doctorrecovered himself, but it required quite an effort for him to find his voice.All his irritation was gone, and he felt -- eh bien, oui, je ne le nie pas --he felt an overwhelming pity.

"I am Dr.Coutras. I was down at Taravao to see the chiefess, and Ata sent for me to seeyou. "

"She's adamned fool. I have had a few aches and pains lately and a little fever, butthat's nothing; it will pass off. Next time anyone went to Papeete I was goingto send for some quinine. "

"Look atyourself in the glass. "

Strickland gavehim a glance, smiled, and went over to a cheap mirror in a little wooden frame,that hung on the wall.

"Well?"

"Do younot see a strange change in your face? Do you not see the thickening of yourfeatures and a look -- how shall I describe it? -- the books call itlion-faced. Mon pauvre ami, must I tell you that you have a terribledisease?"

"I?"

"When youlook at yourself in the glass you see the typical appearance of the leper."

"You arejesting, " said Strickland.

"I wish toGod I were. "

"Do youintend to tell me that I have leprosy?"

"Unfortunately,there can be no doubt of it. "

爱塔没有说话，她同那个男孩子一起跟着走进屋子。把医生找来的那个女孩儿这时在阳台上坐下来；阳台上还躺着一个老太婆，背对着墙，正在卷当地人吸的一种纸烟。医生感到这些人的举止都有些奇怪，心里有些气恼。走进屋子以后，他发现思特里克兰德正在清洗自己的调色板。画架上摆着一幅画。思特里克兰德扎着一件帕利欧，站在画架后面，背对着门。听到有脚步声，他转过身来。他很不高兴地看了医生一眼。他有些吃惊；他讨厌有人来打搅他。但是真正感到吃惊的是医生；库特拉斯一下子僵立在那里，脚下好象生了根，眼睛瞪得滚圆。他看到的是他事前绝没有料到的。他吓得胆战心惊。

“你怎么连门也不敲就进来了，”思特里克兰德说，“有什么事儿？”

医生虽然从震惊中恢复过来，但还是费了很大劲儿才能开口说话。他来时的一肚子怒气已经烟消云散；他感到——哦，对，我不能否认。①——他感到从心坎里涌现出一阵无限的怜悯之情。

①原文为法语。

“我是库特拉斯医生。我刚才到塔拉窝去给女酋长看病，爱塔派人请我来给你看看。”

“她是个大傻瓜。最近我身上有的地方有些痛，有时候有点儿发烧，但这不是什么大病。过些天自然就好了。下回有人再去帕皮提，我会叫他带些金鸡纳霜回来的。”

“你还是照照镜子吧。”

思特里克兰德看了他一眼，笑了笑，走到挂在墙上的一面小镜子前头。这是那种价钱很便宜的镜子，镶在一个小木框里。

“怎么了？”

“你没有发现你的脸有什么变化吗？你没有发现你的五官都肥大起来，你的脸——我该怎么说呢？——你的脸已经成了医书上所说的‘狮子脸’了。我可怜的朋友①，难道一定要我给你指出来，你得了一种可怕的病了吗？”

①原文为法语。

“我？”

“你从镜子里就可以看出来，你的脸相都是麻风病的典型特征。”

“你是在开玩笑么？”思特里克兰德说。

“我也希望是在开玩笑。”

“你是想告诉我，我害了麻风病么？”

“非常不幸，这已经是不容置疑的事了。”