Mr Rankeillor listened to my plan. Then heshook his head.
兰基勒先生听完我的方案后，摇了摇头，大声说：
“This me a ns I mus t me e t Mr Thoms on，”hecried.
“这么说，我一定得见托马森先生了。”
“I think so ，s ir，”I replied.
“是这样，先生。”我回答说。
“No . Mr Da vid ，”he said，“your pla n is not pos s ible. I s a y nothing a bout yo ur frie nd Mr Thoms on. Iknow nothing a ga in s t him. If I do le a rn a nything a -ga in s t him，I mus t do my duty. I mus t bring him be forethe law. Ca n I me e t him？Is it wis e ？”
他说：“不行，大卫，你的办法行不通。我对你的朋友托马森只能只字不提，对于他不利的事也一无所知。一旦我得知于他不利的事，我就得履行自己的职责，对他绳之以法。我能见他吗？这样做明智吗？”
“You mus t judge tha t，s ir，”I answered.
“这要由您自己作出决定了，先生。”我说。
But I could see that he liked my plan. Afterdinner he spoke of Mr Thomson again. When was Imeeting him？Where？Was Mr Thomson a personof good sense？If we caught the old fox Ebenezer，did I agree to certain conditions？
不过，我看得出来，他对我的计划很感兴趣。午饭后，他又谈到托马森先生。我什么时候与他会面呢？在什么地方？托马森先生考虑问题周到全面吗？如果我们能使那只老狐狸埃比尼泽上圈套，有些条件我能答应吗？
He asked many other questions and I answeredthem all.
他还问了很多别的问题，我一一作了回答。
He sat and thought for a long time Then he gota sheet of paper and a pencil and started writing.
他坐在那里，考虑了很长时间。
后来，他拿起一张纸、一支铅笔，开始写字。
When he had finished，he rang a bell. Hisclerk came into the room.
写完后，他按了一下铃，他的书记员走进房间。
“To rra nc e ，”he said，“you mus t c opy this out tonight. Whe n you ha ve finis he d，you mus t put on you rha t. You mus t come with this ge ntlema n a nd me . Wes ha ll ne e d a nothe r witne s s .”
他说：“托伦断，你今天晚上把这个抄出来。抄完后，戴上帽了，跟这位先生和我一起走，我们将需要你当个见证人。”
“Why，s ir’”I cried，when the clerk had gone，“do you think you will try my pla n ？”
“哦，先生，您是不是需要采用我的方案了？”
“I think I will，”he replied，“But le t us s pe a k nomore of bus ine s s . Le t me te ll you a s tory a bout myc le rk. It ha ppe ne d ma ny ye a rs a go. He ha d to me e tme in Edinburgh a t four o’cloc k. Whe n we me t，Torrance ha d ha d a drink. He did not re co gnis e me . AndI ha d forgotte n my spe c ta cle s . I did not re cognis e myown c le rk！”
他回答说：“是的。不过，咱们不谈正事啦。我给你们讲个故事吧，是关于我这个书记员的。那是好多年以前的事了。那次，我叫他四点钟的时候在爱丁堡接我。我们见面时，托伦斯因为喝了些酒，没把我认出来； 而我又因为忘了戴眼镜，连自己的书记员也没认出来。”
I was polite，and smiled at this story. It did notamuse me much，but he laughed again and again athis own joke，He repeated it several times that afternoon.
He laughed every time I did not like itmuch.
出于礼貌，我听完后笑了一下。
我并不觉得这个故事有什么好笑的地方，可他对自己的笑话却大笑不止，而且那天下午把它讲了又讲。
他每讲一次都要哈哈大笑，可我并不感兴趣。
In the evening，Mr Rankeillor and I left the
傍晚，我和兰基勒先生离开了
house，Torrance followed with the paper in hispocket. He was carrying a basket with a cover onit.
他的住所。托伦斯口袋里装着文件，跟我们一起出发了。他手里提着一个有盖的篮子。
We passed through the town. Many peoplespoke to the lawyer，or asked his advice. I saw thatthey all respected him.
我们穿过小镇。许多人跟律师打招呼，或征求他的意见。很明显，大家都尊敬他。
We left the houses and came near to theHawes Inn and the water - side. I remembered myadventures there，and the people with me. Manywere dead now - Ransome and Shuan，and the poorwounded men on the brig. My troubles had ended，and I was grateful for that. But when I saw thisplace again，I was sad and afraid once more.
我们路过一座座房子，未到离霍斯客店和码头不远的地方。我想起自己在那里的不幸遭遇和当时跟我在一起的那些人。他们中很多人已经离开人世，如兰塞姆和夏，还有双桅船上的那些可怜的伤号。我的苦日子熬到了头，感到满意，可是，我又看到这个地方时，心里再次感到难过、害怕。
I was thinking of this，when Mr Rankeillor puthis hands in his pockets. He laughed.
我正在想这件事的时候，兰基勒先生把手伸进他的口袋，大笑起来。
“Why！”he cried，“it is a s tra nge thing ！I ha veforgotte n my spe c ta cle s a ga in.”
“哎哟！可真是件怪事！我又把我的眼镜忘了。”他大声说。
Now at last I understood his joke about thespectacles. He had left them at home for a goodreason. He could get Alan’s help. but without hisspectacles he could not see him well . He could notrecognise him again. So Alan was safe from thelaw.
这时，我才明白他讲那个关于眼镜的笑话的用意。他是有意把眼镜忘在家里的。这样他可以得到艾伦的帮助，而又因为他不戴眼镜看不清楚人的面孔，以后可以说认不出来谁是艾伦。这样，艾伦就不会受到法律的制裁了。
When we had passed the inn，Mr Rankeillor
我们走过霍斯客店时，兰基勒
sent me forward to meet Alan. He was hiding in thefields near the road. We had agreed in the morningthat he must be there. I whistled a special littleHighland tune. He recognised the sign，and cameout of a bush. He was hungry，and in low spirits.
先生让我去找藏在路边田野里的艾伦。我们在上午已经商定，他准在那儿等着。我用口哨吹了一支约定的高地小曲。他听见这个暗号，就从灌木丛中走了出来，因为饿着肚子，显得没精彩的。
I told him everything was going well. I explainedthat he must act a part once again，to helpme. This pleased him，and he was soon full of lifeagain.
我告诉他一切顺利，叫他帮我的忙，再扮演一个角色。他听了很高兴，立刻又精神抖擞了。他说：
“Tha t is a ve ry good ide a ，”he said.“I’m jus t thema n for tha t. I ca n do tha t for you.”
“这个办法很妙。我演这个角色最合适了。为了你，我可以扮演这个角色。”
I waved to Mr Rankeillor. He came up andwelcomed Alan.
我向兰基勒招了招手，他走过来，对艾伦表示欢迎。他说：
“I ha ve forgotte n my s pe cta c le s ，”he said.“Ic a nnot s e e we ll with out them. Pe rha ps if I me e t youtomorrow I sha ll not re cognis e you.”
“我忘了带眼镜，不戴眼镜我看不清楚。我要是明天见到你，兴许就不认得你了。”
Alan ’s Highland pride was wounded. Hethought this was almost an insult .
艾伦身上那种高地人的自尊心被刺伤了，他认为这简直是对他的侮辱。
“I a cc e pt your a pology，s ir，”he said，“It wa sne c e s s a ry.”
“我接受你的歉意，先生，那是必要的。”他说。
The lawyer took Alan’s arm and walked on. Ifollowed with Torrance. I looked at the fields andwoods around the Shaws，They were all mine now，and my heart was filled with pride. I passed again
律 师挽起艾伦的胳膊就往前走，我和托伦斯跟在后面。我望着肖府四周的田野和森林。现在，这些都属于我了，我打心眼里感到自
by the great stone gate - posts with their family coatof - arms. Night had come when we reached thehouse.
豪。我又一次走过了上面刻有家族纹章的巨型石头门柱。我们到达肖府时，天已经黑了。
It was dark and warm，A gentle wind blew inthe trees. The noise of the leaves covered the soundof our steps. There was no light in the building. Thebats were flying about.
那 是一个漆黑、暖和的夜晚。
微风吹动着树枝，沙沙作响的树叶淹没了我们的脚步声。房子里黑洞洞的，只有几只蝙蝠在外面飞来飞去。
We whispered together. Then the lawyer andthe clerk and I crept quietly up. We hid by the cornerof the house.
我 们低声商量了一下。然后，律师、托伦斯和我蹑手蹑脚地走台阶，藏在房子的拐角处。
Alan walked up alone to the front door andknocked.
艾伦一个人走到大门口，敲了敲门。
