“Tha t is true ，”Alan said，“but he will s e e thebirc h a nd the pine le a ve s . He will think，‘ Ala n is in awood of both pine a nd b irch. tre e s ’. The re a re notpe on y woods in this pa rt of both pine a nd birch . Ihope he will come he re to look for me .”
“Tha t’s ve ry c le ve r，”I said，with a smile.“Butthe re is a n e a s ie r wa y，Ala n. Why don ’t you write tohim？”
Alan returned my smile.
“De ca us e ，Mr Ba lfour of Shaws ，”he replied，“this frie nd of mine c a n’t re a d.”
我说；“对，可是高地一带到处都是灌木丛，他怎么能找到你呢？”
艾伦说：“你说得对。不过，他会看到桦树和松树叶子，就会想：
‘ 艾伦藏身的林子里既有松树，也有桦树。’这一带既有松树，又有桦树的林子不多。我估计他会来这里找我的。”
我微笑着说：“妙！妙！可是，还有个更简便的办法。艾伦，你干吗不给他写个信呢！”
艾伦也笑着说：
“肖府的巴尔福先生，因为我这位朋友不识字。”
That night Alan carried his fiery cross and setit in his friend’s window. He was anxious when hecame back. The village dogs had made a greatnoise，and people had come out of their houses. Hehad seen a red - coat at one door. The next day welay at the edge of the wood. We watched.
At noon a man with a beard appeared. Hemoved slowly up the mountain - side. When Alanwhistled he came towards us. He had a dull，wildlook. I thought he was afraid.
Alan told him he must carry a message toJames. He refused. He said he might forget thewords. He must have a letter. I thought this difficultymust defeat Alan. We had no pen and ink. ButAlan was a man of ideas！
那天夜里，艾伦带着他的火焰十字架下山，把它放在他那位朋友家的窗户上。回来时他很紧张，因为他返回森林前，村子里的那些狗汪汪乱叫，村民们纷纷从家里走了出来，他还看见一名红外套站在一家门口呢。第二天，我们躺在森林边附近，观察着动静。
正午时分，一个留着胡子的人出现了。他慢腾腾地走上山坡。艾伦吹了声口哨，他就朝我们走过来。他面色呆板、慌张，我想他心里很害怕。
艾伦让他务必给詹姆斯带个口信。他不肯，说他有可能把捎的话忘得一干二净，坚持要艾伦写封信。
我想这下艾伦可给难住了，我们见一无钢笔，二无墨水呀。可艾伦的点子真多：
He searched the wood and found a large bird’sfeather. He cut the thick white end of this to make apen. He mixed gunpowder and water to make a kind ofink. He tore a little piece from his French army papers.
Then he sat down and wrote this：
Dear cousin，Please send the money by the person with thisletter. He will know the place for it.
Your cousin，A.S.
他在树林里寻子一阵子，终于找到一根大羽毛。他把羽毛的又粗又白的那一头削了削，做成一支笔，用火药和水调成墨水，又从他的法国军队文件上撕了一小块纸。然后，他坐下来，写了下面的字句：
亲爱的堂兄：
请把钱交给送信人带给我。他知道送钱的地点。
你的堂弟艾·斯
The man took it，and carried it down the hill.
On the evening of the third day，he returned.
He gave us news. The red - coats were everywhere.
James Stewart and some of his servants werein prison. People supposed they had helped in thecrime. Everyone believed that Alanl had fired theshot. The government was offering a reward of ahundred pounds if any one caught Alan and me.
There was a sad little letter from Mrs Stewart.
She sent four guineas in gold and another one insmall coins. She had no more. She also sent a copyof the bill against us. It described Alan ’s Frenchclothes exactly，but not mine. The Stewarts had givenme freak clothes，but the bill gave a list of myold ones.
“Ala n，” I said，“you mus t ch a nge you rc lothe s .”
“No，inde e d，”Alan said.“I ha ve no oth e rs . Ic a n’t go ba c k to Fra nce in Highla nd dre s s .”
那人接过信，下山去了。第三天傍晚，他就回来了。
他给我们讲了讲当时的情况。
到处都是红外套。詹姆斯·斯图尔特和他的那些仆人都被关进监狱。
人们认为他们是杀死红狐狸的帮凶，大家都认为那一枪是艾伦打的。
政府悬赏一百英镑，搜捕艾伦和我。
斯图尔特太太写了一封令人伤心的短信。她送来四枚金几尼和折合一个几尼的硬币，说她手头再没有钱了。她也给我们捎来一张悬赏传单。传单上很准确地描述了艾伦所穿的法国服装，可是对我的衣服却说得不准确。斯图尔特家的人给我换了干净衣服，而传单上列举的是我的旧衣物。
我说；“艾伦，你得换掉你身上的衣服。”
艾伦说：“不，绝对不。我再也没有别的衣服，也不能穿着高地人的衣服回法国去。”
A thought came into my mind. If I left Alan，Imust be safe. No one could recognise me in myfresh clothes. Alan had five guineas，and he musttravel to France. I had two guineas for the shorterdistance to Queensferry. Alan ’s company was a
我 灵机一动。我要是离开艾伦，就会平安无事。我已经换了衣服，没有人能认出我。艾伦身上有五个金几尼，他得去法国。我有两个金几尼，足够去皇后渡口这段短
danger to my life. It must cost me money，too.
It was not a generous thought. Honest Alanthought he was helping me. What could I do？Isaid nothing，but the idea remained in my mind.
短的路程上的花费。跟艾伦在一起不但我的生命不保险，而且还得多花钱。
那是个自私的想法。老实善良的艾伦还认为他在帮助我，呢。我该怎么办呢？我没有说什么。可是刚才的想法一直萦绕在我的脑子里。
