转载一篇我们小学时候的语文课文：《阿维•阿斯平纳尔的闹钟》——（澳）亨利·劳森

阿维.阿斯平纳尔的闹钟——（澳）亨利·劳森

近年来，一家报纸刊载了一段新闻，说是有个警官在一个下雨天的清早4点钟的时候，在格兰德尔兄弟工厂大门口阶石上，发现一个小男孩在睡觉。他把孩子弄醒了，盘问他的究竟。

In one of these years a paragraph appeared in a daily paper to the effect that a constable had discovered a little boy asleep on the steps of Grinder Bros' factory at four o'clock one rainy morning. He awakened him, and demanded an explanation.

小家伙解释说他就在那儿干活，他害怕迟到，他是每天清晨六点钟上工的，他听说那时候才不过四点钟，显然感到很惊奇。警官检查了这个吓昏了的小孩手里的一个小包。里面有一条干净的工作围裙和三斤涂着糖浆的面包。
    The little fellow explained that he worked there, and was frightened of being late; he started work at six, and was apparently greatly astonished to hear that it was only four. The constable examined a small parcel which the frightened child had in his hand. It contained a clean apron and three slices of bread and treacle.


孩子进一步解释说，他醒来时，以为时间已经迟了，他不想叫醒母亲问她是什么时候了，"因为她洗了一整天的衣服"。他也没有看钟，因为他们家"没有钟"。他没有自动说明一下，既然家里没有钟，他又怎能盼望他母亲知道是什么时候呢。但是，也许，就像他那一类的小家伙一样，他对于母亲无边的智慧，是有着无限的信心。他的名字叫阿维·阿斯平纳尔，先生，他住在琼司胡同。爸爸已经故世了。
    The child further explained that he woke up and thought it was late, and didn't like to wake mother and ask her the time "because she'd been washin'." He didn't look at the clock, because they "didn't have one." He volunteered no explanations as to how he expected mother to know the time, but, perhaps, like many other mites of his kind, he had unbounded faith in the infinitude of a mother's wisdom. His name was Arvie Aspinall, please sir, and he lived in Jones's Alley. Father was dead.


几天以后，这一家报纸很有趣地报道说，关于本报前所刊载的感人事件，已有一位慈善的社会名媛在她的朋友之间发起募捐，以便给那个被人发现在格兰德尔兄弟厂房门口睡觉的小男孩子购置闹钟一只云云。
    A few days later the same paper took great pleasure in stating, in reference to that "Touching Incident" noticed in a recent issue, that a benevolent society lady had started a subscription among her friends with the object of purchasing an alarm-clock for the little boy found asleep at Grinder Bros' workshop door.


以后，关于这感人的事件，报纸又曾提到，说是闹钟已经购妥，并且交给了孩子的妈妈，她似乎感激涕零云云。同时另一方面的消息却又说，上面所说的话是颇为言过其实的。
    Later on, it was mentioned, in connection with the touching incident, that the alarm-clock had been bought and delivered to the boy's mother, who appeared to be quite overcome with gratitude. It was learned, also, from another source, that the last assertion was greatly exaggerated.


这件感人的事件终于以下面这段消息告结束。这段消息使人毫不置疑地知道，这位慈善的杜交名媛原来不是别人，正是厂主格兰德尔家的一位美丽动人而又多才多艺的小姐。

The touching incident was worn out in another paragraph, which left no doubt that the benevolent society lady was none other than a charming and accomplished daughter of the House of Grinder.


复活节假期中，阿维·阿斯乎纳尔一直伤风很厉害，睡倒在床上，现在已经是假期最后一天的时间了。照他自己的话说，他仍然有点"闹嗓子"，时候已经是差不多9点钟了，琼司胡同的生意正闹得欢畅哩。

It was late in the last day of the Easter Holidays, during which Arvie Aspinall had lain in bed with a bad cold. He was still what he called "croopy." It was about nine o'clock, and the business of Jones's Alley was in full swing.


"好多了，妈，我好多了，"阿维说，"我喝的白糖醋水把痰给化了，那要命的咳嗽就给赶出来了。"歇不多久，而咳嗽就"赶出来"了，弄得他连话也说不出。他喘过一口气之后，就说：

"That's better, mother, I'm far better," said Arvie, "the sugar and vinegar cuts the phlegm, and the both'rin' cough gits out. It got out to such an extent for the next few minutes that he could not speak. When he recovered his breath, he said:


"不管好歹，我明天非去上工不可。妈，把闹钟给我。"

"Better or worse, I'll have to go to work to-morrow. Gimme the clock, mother."

"我跟你说你不能去。去了会送命的！"

"I tell you you shall not go! It will be your death."


"说了也没有用，妈，我们不能等着饿死--再说--万一有人替了我的差事呢！妈，把钟给我吧。"

"It's no use talking, mother; we can't starve--and--s'posin' somebody got my place! Gimme the clock, mother."

"我待会儿差一个小孩子替你去说你病了，他们一定会让你歇一两天的。"

"I'll send one of the children round to say you're ill. They'll surely let you off for a day or two."

"那没有用，他们不肯等我的，我知道他们--格兰德尔兄弟公司才不管我病不病呢！放心吧，妈，我将来总要有一天比他们都强。把闹钟给我，妈妈。"
      "Tain't no use; they won't wait; I know them--what does Grinder Bros care if I'm ill? Never mind, mother, I'll rise above 'em all yet.  Give me the clock, mother."


她把闹钟递给他，他赶着把发条上紧，对准了闹钟。

She gave him the clock, and he proceeded to wind it up and set the alarm.


"铃铛有毛病了，"他咕哝着说，"它已经一连有两个晚上打错了时间。可是我这还是试一试吧。我让他在五点钟闹，这样一来我就有时间穿衣服了，还可以早到一会儿呢。唉，就愿我不必走那么远的路就好了。"
    "There's somethin' wrong with the gong," he muttered, "it's gone wrong two nights now, but I'll chance it. I'll set the alarm at five, that'll give me time to dress and git there early. I wish I hadn't to walk so far."


他停下来，念刻在钟面上的一圈字：
     He paused to read some words engraved round the dial:


睡得早，起得早
使人聪明、富贵、身体好。
Early to bed and early to rise
Makes a man healthy and wealthy and wise.


他以前念这两句诗念了许多次了，很喜欢它的韵律。他曾经一遍又一遍地暗暗背诵它，但从没有去想一想它所包含的意义或哲理。他以前做梦也没有想到去怀疑任何印出来的字--何况这是刻在钟面上的呢。可是现在似乎有点恍然大悟了。他把这句话思索了一会儿，接着又一次把它大声念出来。最后，他一语不发地在心中翻来覆去思量着。
    He had read the verse often before, and was much taken with the swing and rhythm of it. He had repeated it to himself, over and over again, without reference to the sense or philosophy of it. He had never dreamed of doubting anything in print--and this was engraved. But now a new light seemed to dawn upon him. He studied the sentence awhile, and then read it aloud for the second time. He turned it over in his mind again in silence.


"妈！"他忽然说，"我认为这是蒙人的！"她把钟拿了过来，放在架子上，把阿维睡的沙发上的小被窝盖严，吹熄了灯。
    "Mother!" he said suddenly, "I think it lies." She placed the clock on the shelf, tucked him into his little bed on the sofa, and blew out the light.


阿维似乎唾着了。可是她却睡不着，醒着躺在那儿想自己的愁苦事。 她想到自己的一天早上死在工厂，被人抬了回来的丈夫，想到自己的只有在不用蹲监狱时候才回家来吃闲饭的大儿子；想到她的二儿子，他已经在别的城市里给自己安下了舒服的家，再也不来过问她：又想到老三--可怜的、瘦弱的小阿维--他像一个大人似地挣扎着来帮助家里，在他这个年纪本应该上学念书的，现在却不得不在格兰德尔兄弟工厂里消耗着他年轻的生命。她想到在隔壁屋里的那5个不顶事的小娃娃，想到自己的苦日子--从早上5点半给人擦地板直擦到8点钟，然后才开始干一天的活--给人洗衣服！--她又想到不得不在妓院的包围中把孩子抚养成人，只为的是没有钱，付不起更高的房租，搬不起家；接着她又想到房租。

Arvie seemed to sleep, but she lay awake thinking of her troubles. Of her husband carried home dead from his work one morning; of her eldest son who only came to loaf on her when he was out of jail; of the second son, who had feathered his nest in another city, and had no use for her any longer; of the next--poor delicate little Arvie--struggling manfully to help, and wearing his young life out at Grinder Bros when he should be at school; of the five helpless younger children asleep in the next room: of her hard life--scrubbing floors from half-past five till eight, and then starting her day's work-- washing!--of having to rear her children in the atmosphere of the slums, because she could not afford to move and pay a higher rent; and of the rent.


阿维在睡梦中讲起话来。
      Arvie commenced to mutter in his sleep.


"你睡不着吧，阿维？"她问，"你嗓子痛不痛？要什么吗？"

"Can't you get to sleep, Arvie?" she asked. "Is your throat sore? Can I get anything for you?"


"我想睡，"他迷迷糊糊地嘟囔说，"可是好像再过一会儿就要……就要……"。

"I'd like to sleep," he muttered, dreamily, "but it won't seem more'n a moment before--before--"


"就要怎么样，阿维？"她急忙问，深怕他说起胡话来。

"Before what, Arvie?" she asked, quickly, fearing that he was becoming delirious.


"就要响铃铛了。"

"Before the alarm goes off!"


他是在说梦话呢。
      He was talking in his sleep.


她轻轻站起来，把闹钟往后拨了两个钟点。"现在他可以好好休息了。"她轻轻地自言自语说。
      She rose gently and put the alarm on two hours. "He can rest now," she whispered to herself.


过了不一会儿，阿维忽然直挺挺坐起来，匆匆地说，"妈，我想闹钟刚才响了！"然后，也不等回答，他又突然躺下去睡。
      Presently Arvie sat bolt upright, and said quickly, "Mother! I thought the alarm went off!" Then, without waiting for an answer, he lay down as suddenly and slept.


雨停了，明亮的、满缀着星辰的苍穹覆盖着海洋和城市，不分彼此地覆盖着贫民窟与富丽的别墅；可是从琼司胡同中的这一家破房子里，除了南十字星座和它周围的几颗星星外。再看不见更大的一块苍天。从格兰德尔家的宅地--所谓"格兰德尔别墅"--看来，这便是贵妇名媛所说的"可爱的夜晚了"。在格兰德尔别墅，逶迤地通到水边的花园以及露台上，都洒遍了月光，它的窗户因为举行复活节舞会而灯火辉煌，它的多少大厅挤满了最尊贵的社交圈中的人物，其中有一位美丽动人而又多才多艺的小姐正在孕育一篇关于一个小清道夫的悲惨故事，赚得一群高等人士的不少热泪。
      The rain had cleared away, and a bright, starry dome was over sea and city, over slum and villa alike; but little of it could be seen from the hovel in Jones's Alley, save a glimpse of the Southern Cross and a few stars round it. It was what ladies call a "lovely night," as seen from the house of Grinder--"Grinderville"--with its moonlit terraces and gardens sloping gently to the water, and its windows lit up for an Easter ball, and its reception-rooms thronged by its own exclusive set, and one of its charming and accomplished daughters melting a select party to tears by her pathetic recitation about a little crossing sweeper.


闹钟确是有毛病了，不然就是阿斯平纳尔太太拨错了，因为在夜深入静的时候，铃声忽然震人地响了起来。她痛苦地一惊而醒，静静地躺着，想阿维一定要起来了；可是他却没有动静。她把惨白的、惊恐的脸转向阿维所睡的沙发--琼司胡同的孤伶伶的街灯从高过窗子的人行道上把灯光照进了窗子，借着灯光她看见孩子没有动弹。

There was something wrong with the alarm clock, or else Mrs Aspinall had made a mistake, for the gong sounded startlingly in the dead of night. She woke with a painful start, and lay still, expecting to hear Arvie get up; but he made no sign. She turned a white, frightened face towards the sofa where he lay--the light from the alley's solitary lamp on the pavement above shone down through the window, and she saw that he had not moved.


为什么闹钟吵不醒他，他平常睡得多不沉实呀！"阿维！"她叫道，没有回答。"阿维！"她又叫，在她恐惧的声音里还搀杂着一种奇特的责备的声调。阿维根本不回答。
    Why didn't the clock wake him? He was such a light sleeper! "Arvie!" she called; no answer. "Arvie !" she called again, with a strange ring of remonstrance mingling with the terror in her voice. Arvie never answered.


"唉！我的天哪！"她呻吟道。

"Oh! my God!" she moaned.


她起来，站在沙发旁。阿维仰面躺着；双臂交叉在胸口--这是他最喜欢的睡觉的姿势；可是他却睁大了眼，直直地朝上瞪着，好像他要透过天花板和房顶，要瞧瞧上帝应该在的地方。

She rose and stood by the sofa. Arvie lay on his back with his arms folded--a favourite sleeping position of his; but his eyes were wide open and staring upwards as though they would stare through ceiling and roof to the place where God ought to be.


他已经死了。
     He dead.


"我的天哪！我的天哪！"她哭了。

"Oh! my God! Oh! my God!" she cried.