圣誕歡歌 4.最后一位幽靈

4 The last of the spirits
4.最后一位幽靈
‘The third spirit will come at midnight.’scrooge suddenly remembered the words of Jacob Marley's ghost，and，lifting his eyes，saw a spirit，all in black，coming slowly towards him.It was a tall，silent figure，wearing a long black robe which hid its head and body.When it came close to him，it stopped and pointed onwards with one hand.Scrooge was more afraid of this spirit than he had been of the others，and his voice was shaking as he asked，‘Are you the spirit of Christmas Yet to Come?’the ghost neither spoke nor moved，but still pointed onwards.
“第三位幽靈將在午夜的時候到來。”斯克羅吉突然記起雅各布·馬利幽靈的話，他抬起眼睛，看見了一個幽靈，身著黑衣服，慢慢地朝他走來。它個頭很高，一聲不響，一件長長的黑袍蒙住了他的頭和身體。當它走近的時候，它停住了，并用一只手朝前指著。斯克羅吉對這個幽靈的恐懼勝過前面所有的，他用顫抖的聲音問道，“你是來日的圣誕幽靈嗎?”幽靈既不講話也不走開，但還是朝前指著。 “你是不是要給我看那些尚未發(fā)生的但將來會發(fā)生的事情的幻影?”斯克羅吉問。
There was no answer.
仍然沒有應答。
‘Ghost of the future!’he continued.‘You frighten me very much，but I think you can help me to change my life.I'll be very grateful to you if you show me the future.Won't you speak to me?’
“未來的鬼魂!”他繼續(xù)說。“你把我嚇壞了，但我想你能幫我改變我的生活。如果你能為我指明未來的話，我會很感激你的。你難道不跟我講話嗎?”
Again，no reply.
還是沒有回答。
‘Well，show me the way，spirit!’said Scrooge finally.‘The night is passing，and time is valuable to me，I know.’
“那好吧，幽靈，就給我指出我的出路吧。”斯克羅吉最后說。“夜晚馬上就要結束，時間對我來說很珍貴，我知道。”
The ghost moved away，with Scrooge following in its shadow.Suddenly they were in the heart of the capital，among the businessmen and moneylenders.The ghost pointed to one small group of men，so Scrooge went closer to listen to their conversation.
鬼魂走開了，斯克羅吉跟著它的影子。突然他們來到了市中心，周圍都是商人和放債人。鬼魂指了指一小群人，斯克羅吉便走上前聽著他們的談話。
‘No，I don't know much about it，’said one fat man.‘I only know he's dead.’
“不，這件事我知道的不多。”一個胖子說。“我只知道他死了。”
‘When did he die?’asked another man.
“他什么時候死的?”另一個人問。
‘Last night，I think.’
“昨天晚上，我想。”
‘Why，what was the matter with him?’asked a third.
“怎么了，他出了什么事?”第三個人問道。
‘I've no idea，’replied the fat man，looking bored.‘who cares?’
“我不知道，”胖子回答說，看上去很不耐煩。“管他呢?”
‘What's he done with his money?’asked a red-faced gentleman.
“他的錢怎么處理了?”一位紅臉先生問。
‘I haven't heard，’said the fat man.‘He hasn't left it to me， that's all I know.’
“我沒聽說，”胖子說，“我只知道他沒把錢留給我。”
They all laughed at this.Scrooge knew the men， and looked towards the spirit， hoping it would explain what the conversation meant.But the ghost moved on，pointing at two more men.Scrooge listened again.He knew these men well.They were rich and important， and he had often done business with them.
聽了這話他們都笑了。斯克羅吉認識這些人，他看著幽靈，希望它能解釋解釋他們的談話是什么意思。但鬼魂繼續(xù)朝前走，又指著另外兩個人。斯克羅吉又聽了他們在說什么。他很熟悉這些人。他們有錢又都是要人，他經常和他們做生意。
‘How are you?’said one.
“你好?”一個人說。
‘How are you?’replied the other.
“你好?”另一個回答道。
‘Well!’said the first.‘The old man has died at last，has he?’
“哎!”第一個人說。“這老頭兒終于死了，不是嗎?”
‘So they tell me，’replied the second.‘Cold，isn't it?’
“別人是這么告訴我的，”第二個人回答說。“好冷啊，不是嗎?”
‘Nice and frosty for Christmas.Good morning!’
“對圣誕節(jié)來說很不錯而且還有霜。早上好。”
Not another word.That was the end of their meeting.
再沒有回答聲，他們的會面到此結束。
Scrooge wondered why the spirit wanted him to hear these conversations.What could they mean?The dead man could not be his partner Jacob，because he was already dead.
斯克羅吉不知道為什么幽靈想讓他聽這些談話。他們是什么意思呢?那個死人不可能是他的合伙人雅各布，因為他已經死了。
Scrooge watched carefully，trying to understand.He looked round for his own shadow，but could not see himself anywhere.‘Perhaps that's not surprising，’he thought，‘because if I change my life，and I'm planning to do that，I won't be the same person in the future!’Just then he noticed the spirit，standing quiet and dark beside him， with its pointing hand.He felt the unseen eyes staring fixedly at him behind the black robe Scrooge's body shook，and he felt cold.
斯克羅吉認真地看著試圖搞個明白。他朝四周看了看找他自己的影子，但哪兒也找不到。“也許這不足為奇，”他想，“因為如果我改變我的生活，當然我正打算這樣做，將來我就會成為另一個人了!”這時他看到了幽靈，靜靜地、幽暗地站在他身邊，手指著什么地方。他感到那雙他看不見的眼睛正從黑袍子后目不轉睛地盯著他。斯克羅吉渾身顫抖，他覺得冷。
They left the busy offices and banks，and went to another part of the capital，where Scrooge had never been before.The streets were narrow and dirty，the houses miserably poor，the people unwashed and half-dressed.Down one street there was a small shop， where an old man was sitting waiting for customers.His business was buying old furniture or clothes，and selling them again，to the poorest people in London.As Scrooge and the spirit watched，three women arrived at the shop door at the same time， each carrying a large bundle.They looked very surprised and a little ashamed to see each other.Suddenly they all started laughing.
他們離開了繁忙的辦公室和銀行來到了都市的另一邊，斯克羅吉以前從沒有來過這里。街道又窄又臟，房子破爛不堪，人們連臉都沒有洗而且衣不蔽體。往南過一條馬路有一個小商店，里面坐著一個老頭等待著顧客的光臨。他的生意是收購舊家具和衣服然后再賣給倫敦最窮的人。當斯克羅吉和幽靈看著的時候，有三個婦女同時來到了商店門口，每個人都拿著一個大包袱。她們相見后感到很吃驚又有些難為情。突然她們開始大笑。
‘Ladies，you couldn't find a better place to meet，’said Joe， the old man，getting up.‘Now come inside，and show me what you've got to sell.’
“女士們，這是你們會面的最好的地方，”老頭喬說著，站了起來。“進來，給我看看你們要賣什么。”
Inside，the first woman put her bundle on the table and said，‘I don't care if everybody knows where this comes from! We all have to take care of ourselves! He always did!’
在屋里第一個婦女把她的包袱放在桌子上說，“我不在乎是不是大家都知道這是從什么地方弄來的!我們都得關心我們自己!他總是這樣做的!”
‘That's right，’agreed the second woman.
“你說得對。”第二個女人表示贊同。
‘Very true，’agreed the third.
“太正確了。”第三個也表示贊同。
‘Does a dead man need these things?’continued the first woman.‘And why was he so mean while he was alive?’We all worked for him，didn't we? Cleaned his house，washed his clothes，cooked his soup? And what did we get?Three shillings a week!It's no surprise that he died alone， with no friends around him!’
“死人需要這些東西嗎?”第一個女人繼續(xù)說。“為什么他活著的時候那么吝嗇?我們都給他干活兒，是不是?打掃他的房子，給他洗衣服、燉湯?我們又得到什么了呢?一周三個先令!他孤單單地死了，身邊一個朋友也沒有，這也就沒什么可奇怪的了!”
‘You never spoke a truer word，’said the second.
“你從沒有說過比這更千真萬確的話。”第二個婦女說。
‘He was a bad man，we all know that，’said the third.
“他是一個壞蛋，這點我們都知道。”第三個婦女說。
‘Now what have we here?’said old Joe，opening the women's bundles.‘Buttons，pencils，boots，silver spoons，some excellent bed-curtains，blankets and—a very good shirt，’he added，feeling the fine cotton.
“現(xiàn)在讓我看看你們都拿來了些什么?”老喬說著打開了三位的包。“鈕扣、鉛筆、靴子、銀匙、一些很不錯的床罩、毯子還有——一件很好的襯衣，”他補充道，手摸著那質地精良的棉布。
‘Yes，it was his best，’said the first woman.‘They put it on him after he died.But he doesn't need it now that he's dead!And the blankets and bed-curtains!He doesn't need them either!
“是的，這是他最好的衣服。”第一個女人說，“他死后他們給他穿上了，但既然他已經死了，所以他現(xiàn)在不需要它了!這些毯子和床罩!他也不需要它們了!”
‘You took the shirt off a dead body，and the blankets and curtains off his bed，while he was lying there!Well，well!’said Joe，shaking his head.‘Here's your money.’And he counted out several shillings into the women's hands.
“你從死尸上脫下了這件襯衣，從他一直睡覺的床上拿了這些毯子和床罩!哎，哎!”喬邊說邊搖頭，“這是給你的錢。”他數(shù)出幾個先令塞到這幾個婦女的手中。
‘Ha ha ha!’laughed the first woman.‘He frightened everyone away when he was alive，and we've made money out of him now that he's dead! Ha ha ha!’
“哈哈哈!”第一個婦女笑了，“他活著的時候把大家都嚇跑了，現(xiàn)在他死了我們還能從他身上掙到錢!哈哈哈!”
Scrooge felt sick and angry at the same time.‘Spirit，’he said，‘I see now.I could be that unhappy man.Good Heavens， what's this?’
斯克羅吉既感到懊喪又感到氣憤。“幽靈，”他說，“現(xiàn)在我明白了，那個不幸的人可能就是我。天哪，這是什么?”
Joe and the women had disappeared，and Scrooge was standing in a dark room.Opposite him was a bed， with no blankets or curtains.A light shone down from above，on to the body of a dead man，covered with a sheet.
喬和女人們消失了，斯克羅吉站在一間黑屋子里。他對面有一張床，上面沒有毯子和床罩。一束光從上面照下來，照在死尸上，死尸用單子蓋著。
‘How sad，’thought Scrooge，‘to die with no friends or family around him! To lie in an empty room，with no candles or flowers，and robbed of his clothes!To know that nobody loves him， because he loved nobody in his life!Money can't buy a happy life，or a peaceful death!’He looked at the spirit， whose hand was pointing at the man's covered head.It would be easy to lift the sheet，and see who the man was.But for some reason Scrooge could not do it.
斯克羅吉想，“死時身邊沒有朋友和家人，被剝光了衣服躺在空屋子里，沒有蠟燭和鮮花，知道自己不被人愛是因為他在世時不曾愛過別人，這是多么悲哀的事情啊!金錢買不到幸福的生活和安寧的死亡。”他看著幽靈，手指著那個男人被蓋住的臉。要想揭開單子看看那個男人是誰是件輕而易舉的事，但由于某種原因斯克羅吉不能這樣做。
‘Spirit，’he said，‘this is a terrible place.Let's go!’
“幽靈，”他說，“這個地方太可怕了。咱們走吧。”
Still the ghost's unmoving finger pointed at the man's head.
鬼魂一動不動的指頭依舊指著男人的頭。
‘I understand you，but I can't look at him，spirit，I can't!’said Scrooge wildly.‘If there's anyone in this town who feels anything at this man's death， show that person to me， spirit， please!’
“我理解你，但我不能看他，幽靈，不能!”斯克羅吉發(fā)瘋似地說。“如果這個鎮(zhèn)上有誰對這個人的死有任何感觸的話，請你帶我去看他，幽靈。”
For a moment the spirit lifted its dark robe like a wing，and showed Scrooge a room， where a mother and her children were sitting.The young woman kept looking at the clock，and when her husband arrived， she hurried to meet him.
幽靈把黑袍子掀起了一會兒，像個翅膀，帶斯克羅吉看了一個屋子，里面坐著一位母親和她的孩子們。年輕的母親一直看著鐘表，當她的丈夫回來時，她趕快上前去迎他。
‘What—what is the news?’she asked him worriedly.‘Is it good!…or… or bad?’
“有什么消息嗎?”她焦慮地問，“是好消息還是壞消息?”
‘There is still hope，Caroline，’he replied.
“還有希望，卡羅琳。”他回答說。
‘How can there be hope?If that hard，mean old man wants us to pay back the money now，they'll send us to prison!We haven't got enough to pay him!’
“怎么還有希望呢?如果那個刻薄吝嗇的人想讓我們現(xiàn)在立刻還錢的話，他們就會把我們送到拘留所!我們沒有那么多錢還他。”
‘He is dead，Caroline，’answered her husband.
“他死了，卡羅琳。”她丈夫回答說。
‘Thank God for that!’cried the young woman from her heart.The next moment she realized what she had said.‘Oh， I didn't mean that.I'm sorry if anyone dies.’
“這得感謝上帝!”少婦發(fā)自內心地高聲說。立刻她意識到她說的話不對。“噢，我不是這個意思，誰死了我都會難過的。”
‘Perhaps the person who inherits his business will give us more time to pay the money back.And we'll have the money by then.Tonight we can sleep well，Caroline!’
“也許他生意的繼承人會多給我們一些時間還錢的，到那時我們就能有這筆錢了。今天晚上我們能睡個好覺了，卡羅琳!”
‘So，spirit，’said Scrooge in a broken voice，‘you can show me only happiness at this man's death.It frightens me，spirit.Show me，please，that there can be sadness at a death.’
“所以，幽靈，”斯克羅吉斷斷續(xù)續(xù)地說，“你只能讓我看到這個人的死所帶來的幸福。幽靈，這讓我感到害怕，請讓我看看死亡也能帶來悲傷。”
The ghost took him silently through the streets，to poor Bob Cratchit's house.The room seemed strangely quiet.The mother and her daughters were making a small white cotton shirt together，while the usually noisy young Cratchits sat silently in a corner，and Peter was reading a book.Mrs Cratchit put her work down on the table，and covered her face with her hand.
鬼魂靜靜地帶他穿過大街來到鮑勃·克拉奇蒂的房子。房子靜得出奇，媽媽和女兒們正在一起縫制一件小白襯衫，而一向吵吵鬧鬧的小克拉奇蒂靜靜地坐在一個角落里，彼得正在看書。克拉奇蒂夫人把手頭的活放在桌子上，用手捂住臉。
‘The colour hurts my eyes，’she said.The colour?Ah，poor Tiny Tim!
“這顏色刺得我的眼睛都疼了，”她說。這顏色?啊，可憐的小蒂姆!
They're a little better now，’she went on.‘It's difficult to work by candlelight.And I don't want to show red eyes to your father when he comes home.’
“現(xiàn)在眼睛好點了，”她繼續(xù)說。“在燭光下干活真費勁，我不想讓你父親回來時看到我的眼睛紅紅的。”
‘He's a bit late，’said Peter，‘but I think he's walked more slowly these last few days，mother.’
“他稍晚了點，”彼得說，“但我覺得最近這幾天他走得更慢了，媽媽。”
They were very quiet again.At last she said bravely，‘I've known him walk with—with Tiny Tim in his arms，very fast indeed.’
他們又都沉默了，最后她勇敢地說，“我知道他是懷里抱著——抱著小蒂姆走路的，實際上很快。”
‘So have I，’cried Peter.‘Often!’
“我也知道，”彼得大聲說。“經常是這樣!”
‘But he was very light to carry，and your father loved him so much!And there's your father at the door now!’she got up quickly to kiss Bob as he came in.He looked tired and thin， and needed his long scarf，poor man!Martha took his boots and scarf off，and Belinda brought him his tea，and the little Cratchits sat close to him.He was very cheerful with all of them，and was pleased with the little shirt that his wife and daughters were making.
“但他很輕，抱著方便，你爸爸很喜歡他!現(xiàn)在爸爸到門口了!”她立刻起身，當鮑勃進屋的時候她吻了他。他看上去疲憊消瘦，而且需要他的長圍巾，好可憐的人啊!瑪莎為他脫下靴子，摘下圍巾，貝琳達給他端來茶，小克拉奇蒂們緊挨著他坐下。和他們在一起他開心極了，他妻子和女兒們縫制的小襯衫使他很高興。
‘It'll be ready long before Sunday，won't it?’he said.
“星期日之前能做好，不是嗎?”他問道。
‘Sunday!You went there today，then，Bob?’asked his wife.
“星期日!那么你今天去那兒了，鮑勃?”他妻子問。
‘Yes，my dear.You'd love to see it.It's a beautiful green place.But you'll see it often.I promised him that we would go there every Sunday.My little，little child!’cried Bob，hiding his face in his hands.He had loved the boy very much.
“是的，親愛的。你想看看它，那地方綠綠的，很漂亮，但你會經常看到它的。我答應他我們每個星期日都去那兒。我的小寶貝啊!”鮑勃哭了，雙手捂住了臉。他過去一直深愛著這個男孩。
He went upstairs to the quiet bedroom，where the chlid lay.Poor Bob sat down beside him， and when he felt calmer， he kissed the little face，and went downstairs again，almost happy.
他上樓來到了那孩子躺著的靜靜的臥室?？蓱z的鮑勃坐在他身邊，當孩子稍平靜了些的時候，他吻了他的小臉蛋然后下了樓，這時他似乎高興了。
‘My dears，’he said to his children，‘one of these days some of you will marry and leave home.In a few year's time perhaps all of you will.But I'm sure none of us will ever forget Tiny Tim，will we?’
“我親愛的孩子們，”他對他們說，“總有一天你們中的一個孩子要結婚離開家，幾年之內你們都會這樣的，但我認為我們誰也不會忘記小蒂姆，是嗎?”
‘Never，father!’they all cried.
“永遠不會的，爸爸!”他們都哭了。
‘And I know，’said Bob，‘that when we remember how patient and gentle he was，although he was only a little child，we won't argue among ourselves.We'll remember poor Tiny Tim， and love each other!’
“我知道，”鮑勃說，“當我們記起他是何等的有耐心何等的彬彬有禮時，盡管他還是個小孩子，我們的看法還是一致的。我們將會記住小蒂姆，并互愛。”
‘We will， father!’they all cried again.
“我們會的，爸爸!”他們又都哭了。
‘I am very happy， said Bob.‘I am very happy!’mrs Cratchit kissed him，his daughters kissed him，the two young Cratchits kissed him， and he and Peter shook hands.Tiny Tim，your goodness lives on in your family!
“我很高興，”鮑勃說。“我很高興!”克拉奇蒂太太吻了他，他的女兒們吻了他，兩個小克拉奇蒂吻了他，他和彼得握了手。小蒂姆，你的美德會永駐于你的家庭中的!
‘Spirit，’said Scrooge，‘I know that you will leave me soon.Tell me who that dead man on the bed was!’
“幽靈，”斯克羅吉說，“我知道一會兒你就要離開我了。告訴我床上的死人是誰!”
No answer came in words， but the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come took Scrooge through the streets of London again.
沒有回答的聲音，但“來日圣誕”鬼魂帶著斯克羅吉再一次地穿越了倫敦的大街。
‘Wait a moment，’said Scrooge.‘We're passing my office.Let me see how I shall look in the future!’
“等一會兒，”斯克羅吉說。“我們正在經過我的辦公室，讓我看看我將來是什么樣子!”
The spirit stopped.Its hand was pointing away from the office.But Scrooge hurried up to the window and looked in.It was an office still， but not his.The furniture was not the same，and the figure in the chair was not himself.The ghost continued to point onwards，and Scrooge followed.They reached a church， and entered the churchyard.Here， among the untidy graves and the uncut grass，lay the miserable man whose name Scrooge would soon learn.It was a lonely place， most suitable for a man so unloved.
幽靈停了下來。它的手并沒有指著辦公室但斯克羅吉匆忙走到窗前往里看了看，還是間辦公室，但已不屬于他了。家具變了，椅子里坐著的也不是他自己了。鬼魂繼續(xù)朝前指，斯克羅吉跟著。他們來到一座教堂前，進了教堂的院落。在這里不整齊的墳墓和未修剪的雜草中躺著一個可憐的人，一會兒斯克羅吉就會知道他是誰。這是一個冷清的地方，對一個如此不受愛戴的人來說這兒再合適不過了。
The spirit stood and pointed down at one of the graves.
幽靈站在那兒，朝下指著其中的一個墳墓。
Scrooge was strangely afraid.
斯克羅吉感到莫名的恐懼。
‘Before I look more closely at that gravestone，’he said， ‘answer me one question.Are these the shadows of the things that will be，or are they only shadows of the things that may be?’
“在我更仔細地看墓碑前，”他說，“回答我一個問題。這些影子是將來會實現(xiàn)的事情還是可能會實現(xiàn)的事情?”
Without replying， the ghost pointed silently down at the grave.Scrooge moved slowly towards it，and following the finger，read on the stone his own name， EBENEZER SCROOGE.
鬼魂沒有回答，它默默地朝下指著墳墓。斯克羅吉慢慢地向它走去，順著幽靈手指頭的方向，他看見墓碑上寫著他自己的夕字：埃比尼澤·斯克羅吉。
‘Am I that man who was lying on the bed?’he cried.
“我就是那個躺在床上的人嗎?”他大聲問。
The spirit pointed from the grave to him，and back again.
幽靈從墳墓指向他，然后又指向墳墓。
‘No，spirit! Oh， no，no!’
“不，幽靈!噢，不，不!”
The finger was still there.
手指依然還是指著墳墓。
Scrooge fell to the ground in front of the ghost，holding its long dark robe.‘Spirit!Listen!I am a changed man !I have learnt my lesson from you spirits!Why show me this terrible end，if there is no hope for me!’
斯克羅吉倒在鬼魂前面的地上，抓住它長長的黑袍子。“幽靈!聽著!我是一個改過自新的人了!我從你們這些幽靈身上吸取了教訓!如果我沒有希望的話，為什么要讓我看如此可怕的結局!”
For the first time the hand appeared to shake.
他的手第一次顫抖起來。
‘Good spirit，tell me that my future will change，if I change my life now!’
“我的好幽靈，告訴我如果我現(xiàn)在改變我的生活，我的未來也會改變的!”
The kind hand shook again.
他善良的手有些顫抖了。
‘I will remember the past，and think of the future.I will be good to other people.I will keep Christmas in my heart，and will try to be kind，ad cheerful，and merry，every day.Oh，tell me I can clean away the writing on this stone!’
“我將記住過去，并且會為未來考慮的。我會對他人行善的，我會把圣誕記在心中并盡可能的善良、高興、快樂，每天都這樣。噢，對我說我能夠把這石頭上的名字弄掉!”
Wildly，he caught the ghostly hand and held it for a moment.But the spirit was stronger than him， and pulled its hand away.Just then Scrooge noticed that something strange was happening to the spirit.It was getting smaller and smaller， and suddenly it became—a bedpost.
他死命地抓住鬼魂的手并攥了一會兒。但幽靈比他要強壯，它把手掙脫開。這時斯克羅吉看到奇怪的事情在幽靈的身上發(fā)生了。它變得越來越小，突然變成了——一根床柱子。