翻译下5

Lesson Five Trifles (Part One )

By Susan Glaspell

Text

Characters人物

George Henderson , county attorney乔治?亨德森，县法官

Henry Peters ,Sheriff亨利?彼得斯，司法官

Lewis Hale, A neighboring farmer路易斯?黑尔，附近的农场主

Mrs. Peters　彼得斯夫人

Mrs.Hale黑尔夫人



Scene场景

The kitchen in the now abandoned(閒置的) farmhouse of John Wright, a gloomy kitchen , and left without having been put in order ---unwashed pans under the sink , a loaf of (一條)bread outside the breadbox , a dish towel on the table ---other signs of incompleted work.

约翰?赖特的农场里现已闲置的房屋中的厨房。这是一间阴暗的厨房，人离开时尚未收拾整齐——洗涤槽下有没洗的煎锅，装面包的盒子外面有一块面包，桌子上有一块擦桌布——还有其他未干完活儿的迹象。

At the rear the outer door opens and the sheriff comes in followed by the county attorney and Mr. Hale .

後侧，大门打开，司法官走上，身后跟着县法官和黑尔先生。

The sheriff and Mr. Hale are men in middle life , the county attorney is a young man , all are much bundled up(臃腫) and go at once to the stove .

後侧，大门打开，司法官走上，身后跟着县法官和黑尔先生。司法官和黑尔先生是中年人，县法官是个年轻人，三个人都穿着臃肿，立刻走向炉火。

They are followed by two women ---the sheriff ‘s wife first ; she is a slight wiry瘦长却很结实 woman , with a thin nervous face .Mrs. Hale is larger and would ordinarily be called more comfortable looking , but she is disturbed now and looks fearfully about as she enters . The women have come in slowly , and stand close together near the door . 琐事（第一部分）

他们的身后跟着两个女人——前面的司法官夫人，她身材略显瘦长却很结实，面庞消瘦，而且紧张不安。后面是黑尔夫人，她身材高大，模样平时还称得上令人愉快，但现在却心烦意乱，一进屋就惊恐地四处张望。两个女人缓缓地走进房间，紧挨在一起站在门边。

County attorney : ( rubbing his hands . ) This feels good . Come up to the fire , ladies .

县法官：（搓着双手）这儿感觉不错。到炉火这边来吧，女士们。

Mrs. Peters: ( After taking a step forward . ) I ‘m not --- cold .

彼得斯夫人：（向前迈了一步后）我不——冷。

Sheriff : ( Unbuttoning his overcoat and stepping away from the stove as if to mark the beginning of official business . ) Now, Mr. Hale , before we move things about , you explain to Mr. Henderson just what you saw when you came here yesterday morning .

司法官：（解开外套，从炉边走开，仿佛以此标志着开始了公务）黑尔先生，在我们移动任何东西之前，你向亨德森先生讲讲你昨天早晨来这儿时看到的一

切。

County attorney : By the way , has anything been moved ? Are things just as you left them yesterday ?

县法官：等一下，有什么东西动过吗？是不是一切都和你昨天离开时一样？

Sheriff : ( Looking about ) It ‘s just the same . When it dropped below zero last night I thought I ‘d better send Frank out this morning to make a fire for us ----no use getting pneumonia (肺炎)with a big case on , but I told him not to touch anything except the stove ----and you know Frank .

司法官：（环视四周）完全一样。昨晚温度降到零度以下时，我想最好派弗兰克今早来给我们生上火，——发生大案时得肺炎可没什么好处，可我跟他说除了炉子以外什么也别动——你知道弗兰克这个人。

County attorney : Somebody should have been left here yesterday .

县法官：昨天这里应该留下个人。

Sheriff : Oh ----yesterday . When I had to send Frank to Morris Center for that man who went crazy ----I want you to know I had my hands full yesterday , I knew you could get back from Omaha by today and as long as I went over everything here myself ----

司法官：呵——昨天。我派弗兰克去莫里斯中心处理那个发疯的人时——我想告诉你我昨天手头事儿很多，我知道今天你能从奥马哈赶回来，而且只要我亲自查看了这里的一切——

County attorney : Well , Mr. Hale , tell just what happened when you came here yesterday morning .

县法官：好了，黑尔先生，告诉我昨天早晨你来这儿时出了什么事？

Mr. Hale : Harry and I had started to town with a load of potatoes . We came along the road from my place and as I got here I said , “ I ‘m going to see if I can’t get John Wright to go in with me on a party telephone (公用電話). “

我同哈里带着一车土豆动身进城，从我家出来走到这时，我说“我想看看是不是无法让约翰?赖特跟我一起装一部公用电话”。

I spoke to Wright about it once before and he put me off , saying floks talked too much anyway , and all he asked was peace and quiet ---

我以前跟赖特提过一次，他没回答，只是说不管怎么着人们说话太多了。他想要的只是不受打扰，安安静静。

-I guess you know about how much he talked himself ; but I thought maybe if I went to the house and talked about it before his wife , though I said to Harry that I didn’t know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John----

我猜你了解他自己平时说多少话，但我想也许我要是到他家当着他妻子的面跟他谈，尽管我告诉哈里，据我所知妻子的要求不会对约翰起多大作用……

County attorney : Let’s talk about that later , Mr. Hale . I do want to talk about that , but tell now just what happened when you got to the house .

县法官：这些我们以后再谈，黑尔先生。我的确想了解

这些情况，可现在告诉我你进屋后的事情。

Mr. Hale : I didn’t hear or see anything ; I knocked at the door , and still it was all quiet inside . I knew they must be up , it was past eight o’clock . So I knocked again , and I thought I heard somebody say , “ Come in . “ I wasn’t sure , I ‘m not sure yet , but I opened the door ---this door ( Indicating 指出the door by which the two women are still standing . ) and there in that rocker搖椅 ---( pointing to it . ) sat Mrs. Wright .

黑尔先生：我什么都没听见也没看见；我敲了敲门，屋里一点动静都没有。我知道他们已经起床，当时已经八点多了。于是我又敲了敲门。我觉得有人说“进来”，可又不能肯定，直到现在我也不能肯定。我就打开了门——这扇门（示意两个女人仍站在旁边的那扇门），赖特夫人就坐在——那把摇椅上

( They all look at the rocker . ) （所有的人都注视那把摇椅）

County attorney : What ----was she doing ? 县法官：她——在干什么？

Mr. Hale : She was rocking back and forth . She had her apron圍裙 in her hand and was kind of ---pleating it .

黑尔先生：她正在前后摇晃，手里拿着围裙，有点像在——编辫子。

County attorney : And how did she ---look ? 县法官：她——看上去怎么样？

Mr. Hale :Well, she looked queer . 她看上去挺古怪。

County attorney : How do you mean ----queer ? 县法官：古怪——什么意思？

Mr. Hale: Well , as if she didn’t know what she was going to do next . And kind of done up .

黑尔先生：好像她不知道自己接下来要做什么，而且有点精疲力尽。

County attorney :How did she seem to feel about your coming ?

县法官：对你的到来她看上去有什么感觉？

Mr. Hale : Why , I don’t think she minded ---one way or other . She didn’t pay much attention . I said , “ How do , Mrs. Wright , it’s cold , ain’t it ?”And she said , “ Is it ?”

黑尔先生：哼，我认为她不在乎——在某个方面是这样。她没怎么注意我。我说，“好吗？赖特夫人？天真冷啊。”她说，“是吗？

---and went on kind of pleating at her apron . Well , I was surprised ; she didn’t ask me to come up to the stove , or to sit down , but just sat there , not even looking at me ,

然后接着在围裙上不停地编着。咦，我挺奇怪。她没请我到炉边去或请我坐下，她只是坐在那里，甚至看都不看我一眼。

so I said , “ I want to see John . “ and then she ---laughed . I guess you would call it a laugh . I thought of Harry and the team outside , so I said a little sharp : “ Can’t I see John ?”

于是我说，“我要找约翰。”可她却——大笑起来。我猜你也会把那叫做大笑。我想起外面的哈里和马车，于是有点生气地说，“我可以见一见约

翰吗？”

“ No, “ she says , kind of dull(遲`疑) like . 她样子有点迟疑地说，“不行。”

“ Ain’t he home ?” says I . “ Yes, “ says she , “ he’s home .”

“他不在家吗？”她说，“不，他在家。”

“ then why can’t I see him ?” I asked her , out of patience .(不耐煩)

我不耐烦地问，“那我为什么不能见他？”

“ Cause he’s dead , “ says she . “ Dead?” says I . she just nodded her head , not getting a bit excited , but rocking back and forth .

她说“因为他死了。”我说“死了？”她只是点点头，一点也不激动，仍然只是前后摇晃着。

“ Why ---where is he ?”says I , not knowing what to say .

“为什么，他在哪儿？”我简直不知说什么好了

She just pointed upstairs ----like that . ( Himself pointing to the room above . ) I got up , with the idea of going up there . I walked from there to here ----then I says , “ Why , what did he die of ?”

她只是指了指楼上——就这样（自己也手指着楼上的房间）我起身，想着走上去看看，我从那儿走到这儿，然后问到，“为什么，他是怎样死的？”我问

he died of a rope 繩子round his neck ,” says she , and just went on pleating at her apron .

她说，“是绳子绕在脖子上勒死的。”边说边接着编她的围裙。

Well , I went out and called Harry . I thought I might ---need help . We went upstairs and there he was lying ----

于是，我出去叫哈里，我想我也许——需要帮助。我们走到楼上，看到他就躺在那里……

County attorney : I think I ‘d rather have you go into that upstairs , where you can point it all out . Just go on now with the rest of the story .

县法官：我想最好让你到楼上讲这部分情况，你在那里可以把一切都指出来，现在接着讲其他的情况吧。`

Mr. Hale : Well , my first thought was to get that rope off . It looked … ( Stops , his face twitches . ) …but Harry , he went up to him , and he said , “ No, he’s dead all right , and we’d better not touch anything . “ so we went back downstairs .

黑尔先生：当时，我第一个想法就是将绳子拿下来，那看上去……（停住话头，脸上肌肉扭曲）……可是哈里，他走到他跟前，说道，“不，他确实已经死了，我们最好哪儿也别碰。”于是我们又回到楼下

she was still sitting that way . “ Has anybody been notified ?” I asked . “ No, “ says she , unconcerned .

她仍然像刚才一样坐在那里。我问，“通知什么人了吗？”她漠不关心地回答，“没有。”

“ Who did this , Mrs. Wright ?” says Harry . He said it businesslike ----and she stopped pleating of her apron . :” I dunno,” she says .

哈里问，“是谁干的，赖特夫人？”他问话时就像执行公务——她答道，“不

知道。”

“ You don’t know ?” says Harry . “ No, “ says she . “ Weren’t you sleeping in the bed with him ?” says Harry . 哈里问，“你没跟他睡在一张床上？”

“ Yes, “ says she , “ but I was on the inside .

她说，“不是，可我睡在里面。”

“ somebody slipped a rope round his neck and strangled(勒死) him and you didn’t wake up ?”

says Harry .

哈里问，“有人把绳子系在他的脖子上勒死了他，可你却没有醒？”

“ I didn’t wake up , “ she said after him . We must have looked as if we didn’t see how that could be , for after a minute she said , “ I sleep sound . “睡得很死

她重复着他的话说，“我没醒。”我们当时准是看上去无法理解这怎么可能，因为过了一会她又说，“我睡得很死。”

Harry was going to ask her more questions but I said maybe we ought to let her tell her story first to the coroner 驗屍官or the sheriff ,

哈里还想再问她更多的问题，可我说也许该让她先把事情讲给验尸官或司法官听

so Harry went fast as he could to Rivers ‘s place , where there’s a telephone .

于是哈里以最快的速度赶到了雷佛斯家，那里有一部电话。

County attorney : And what did Mrs. Wright do when she knew that you had gone for the coroner ?

县法官：赖特夫人知道你们去叫验尸官后做了些什么？

Mr. Hale : She moved from that chair to this one over here . ( pointing to a small chair in the corner . ) and just sat there with her hands held together and looking down .

黑尔先生：她从那把椅子上移到这边的这把上（指着屋角的一把小椅子）。坐在那里双手握在一起，两眼看着下边。

I got a feeling that I ought to make some conversation , so I said I had come in to see if John wanted to put in a telephone , and at that she started to laugh , and then she stopped an looked at me -----scared . ( The county attorney , who has had his notebook out , makes a note . )

我有种感觉应该说点儿什么，于是我说我来是看看约翰是否愿意装一部电话，她听后大笑起来，然后停下来注视着我——神色惊慌。（县法官早已掏出记事本，现在做了个记录）

I dunno , maybe it wasn’t scared . I wouldn’t like to say it was . Soon Harry got back , and then Dr. Lloyd came , and you , Mr. Peters , and so I guess that’s all I know that you don’t .

我不知道，也许那不是惊慌，我不想说那是惊慌。不久哈里回来了，劳埃德医生也来了，还有你和彼得斯先生，所以我想这就是我所知道的所有你们不知道的事情。

County attorney : ( Looking around . ) I guess we’ll go upstairs first ---and then out to the barn (谷倉)and around there . ( To the sheriff. ) You’re convinced that there was nothing important here ---nothing that would point to any motive

.動機

县法官：（环视四周）我想我们先上楼，然后最先到谷仓和房子周围看看。（对司法官）你相信这儿没有任何重要的东西——任何能说明有某种动机的东西。

Sheriff : Nothing here but kitchen things .

司法官：这儿除了厨房用品什么也没有。

( The county attorney , after again looking around the kitchen , opens the door of a cupboard closet 食品壁橱. He gets up on a chair and looks on a shelf . Pulls his hand away , sticky . 尴尬 )

（县法官再次环视了厨房后，打开一个食品壁橱，他站到椅子上往架子上看，抽回手，显得有些尴尬）

County attorney : Here’s a nice mess .

县法官：这里乱七八糟。

( The women draw nearer . )

（两个女人走近了些）

Mrs Peters (to the other woman . ) Oh , her fruit ; it did freeze . ( to the county attorney . ) She worried about that when it turned so cold . She said the fire’d go out and her jars would break .

彼得斯夫人：（对另一个女人）哎呀，她的水果，果真冻坏了。（对县法官）天变得这么冷，她就担心这个。她说炉火会熄灭的，她的罐子就会冻破。

Sheriff : Well , can beat the women !真拿女我沒法 Held for murder and worrying about her preserves . 罐頭

司法官：好了，真拿女人没办法。因为谋杀被关了起来反倒担心她的水果罐头。

County attorney : I guess before we’re through she may have something more serious than preserves to worry about .

县法官：我猜想在我们干完之前她可能还有比水果更重要的东西要担心。

Mr. Hale : Well , women are used to worrying over trifles .

黑尔先生：唉，女人总是习惯于为琐事担忧

( The two women move a little closer together . )

两个女人靠得更近了一些）

county attorney ( With the gallantry果敢 of a young politician . ) and yet , for all their worries , what would we do without the ladies ?

县法官：（以一个年轻政治家的果敢）然而，尽管她们有此担忧，可没有女士我们又能做些什么呢？

( The women do not unbend . He goes to the sink , takes a dipperful of water from the pail 水桶and pouring it into a basin , washes his hands .

(两个女人神情并未松弛。他走到洗涤槽前，从水桶里舀出一大勺水倒进盆中，洗完手，

Starts to wipe them on the roller towel , turns it for a cleaner place . ) Dirty towels !( Kicks his foot against the pans under the sink . ) Not much of a housekeeper , would you say , ladies ?

开始用环状毛巾擦手，转动毛巾寻找一块比较干净的地方）肮脏的毛巾。（脚踢到洗涤槽下的煎锅）不是个很会管家的好主妇，女士们，你们说呢？

Mrs. Hale : ( Stiffly . ) There ‘s a great deal of work to be done on a farm .

黑尔夫人：（生硬地）一个农场中有很多很

多的活儿要干。

County attorney : To be sure . And yet ( with a little bow to her . ) I know there are some Dickson county farmhouses which do not have such roller towels .

县法官：一点儿不错。（对她微微一躬身）据我所知，迪克逊县有些农场的住户不使用这样的环状毛巾。

( He gives it a pull to expose its full length again . )

(他拉一下毛巾以再次使它全部展开）

Mrs. Hale : Those towels get dirty awful quick . Men’s hands aren’t always as clean as they might be .

黑尔夫人：那些毛巾脏得特别快。男人并不总是尽量让手上干干净净。

County attorney : Ah , loyal to your sex , I see . But you and Mrs. Wright were neighbors . I suppose you were friends , too .

县法官：哈哈，忠实于你们妇女，我明白了。你与赖特夫人是邻居，但猜想你们也是朋友吧。

Mrs. Hale : ( Shaking her head . ) I ‘ve not seen much of her of late years . I ‘ve not been in this house ----it’s more than a year .

黑尔夫人：（摇了摇头）近年来我们见面不多。我一直没进过这所房子——已经一年多了。

County attorney : And why was that ? You didn’t like her ?

县法官：为什么会这样？你不喜欢她吗？

Mrs. Hale : I liked her all well enough . Farmers’ wives have their hands full , Mr. Henderson . And then -----

黑尔夫人：她这个人我确实很喜欢。农场主的妻子总是特别忙。亨德森先生……

County attorney : yes ----?

县法官：什么？

Mrs. Hale : (looking about )It never seemed a very cheerful place .

黑尔夫人：（看看周围）这儿似乎从来就不是个令人愉快的地方。

County attorney : No-----it’s not cheerful . I shouldn’t say she had the homemaking instinct .

县法官：是的，——这里并不令人愉快。我应该说她没有持家的天性。

Mrs. Hale : Well , I don’t know as Wright had , either .

黑尔夫人：我认为赖特也没有。

County attorney : You mean that they didn’t get on very well ?

县法官：你的意思是他们相处得不太好？

Mrs Hale : No, I don’t mean anything . But I don’t think a place’d be any cheerfuller for John Wright’s being in it .

黑尔夫人：不，我并没有任何意思。我认为约翰?赖特住的地方不会更令人愉快

County attorney : I ‘d like to talk more of that a little later . I want to get the lay of things upstairs now .

县法官：我想过会儿再继续谈这个问题。现在我要看看楼上的情况。

(He goes to the left , where three steps lead to a stair door . )

他走到左边，那儿有三个梯级通向楼梯的门）

Sheriff : I suppose anything Mrs. Peters does ‘ll be all right . She was to take in some clothes for her , you know , and a few little things. We left in such a hurry yesterday .

司法官：我想彼得斯夫

人做什么事情都可以，她要为她取一些衣服，你知道，还有一些小玩意儿。我们昨天太匆忙了。

County attorney : Yes , but I would like to see what you take , Mrs Peters ,and keep an eye out for anything that might be of use to us .

县法官：是的。但我想要看看你拿的东西，彼得斯夫人，请睁大眼睛注意可能对我们有用的任何东西。

Mrs. Peters : Yes , Mr. Henderson .

彼得斯夫人：好的，亨德森先生。

( The women listen to the men’s steps on the stairs , then look about the kitchen . )

两个女人听着男人们的脚步声走上楼梯，然后在厨房里四处打量）

Mrs. Hale : I ‘d hate men coming into my kitchen , snooping around and criticizing .

黑尔夫人：我不喜欢男人进我的厨房，四处窥探，说三道四。

( she arranges the pans under sink which the county attorney had shoved out of place . )

（她将洗涤槽下县法官踢乱的煎锅摆好）

Mrs. Peters : Of course it’s no more than their duty .

彼得斯夫人：当然，那不过是他们的职责。

Mrs. Hale : Duty’s all right , but I guess that deputy sheriff that came out to make fire might have a little of this on .

黑尔夫人：职责我并不反对，可我猜想来生炉火的助理司法官可能已经让它变得更脏了。

( Gives the roller towel a pull . ) Wish I ‘d though of that sooner . Seems mean to talk about her for not having things slicked up when she had to come away in such a hurry .

（拉一下环状毛巾）真希望我能早点儿想到这点，似乎有意要说她在不得不那样匆忙离开家时没有把东西收拾整洁。

Mrs. Peters : ( Who has gone to a small table in the left rear corner of the room , and lifed one end of a towel that covers a pan . ) She had bread set . ( Stands still . )

彼得斯夫人：（她已经走到置于房间左后角的小桌旁，掀起盖着盘子的毛巾的一边）她把做面包的面发上了。（她站着不动）

Mrs. Hale :(Eyes fixed on a loaf of bread beside the breadbox , which is on a low shelf at the other side of the room . Moves slowly toward it . ) she was going to put this in there .

黑尔夫人：（眼睛盯着房间另一头一个低架上放在面包盒旁边的一条面包，慢慢走过去）她打算把这个放进这里边。

(Picks up loaf , then abruptly drops it . In a manner of returning to familiar things . )

拿起面包，然后突然放下。样子就像在谈论熟知的一件事情）

It’s a shame about her fruit . I wonder if it’s all gone . ( Gets up on the chair and looks . ) I think there’s some here that’s all right , Mrs. Peters .

她的水果真令人遗憾；不知是不是都糟蹋了。（站到椅子上去看）我觉得这还会有好的，彼得斯夫人。

Yes -----here ; ( Holding it toward the window. ) this is cherries , too . ( Looking again

. ) I declare I believe that’s the only one .

没错——在这儿，（举起来对着窗户）这也是樱桃。（再看）我敢说这是惟一的一瓶。

( Gets down , bottle in her hand . Goes to the sink and wipes it off on the outside . ) She’ll feel awful bad after all her hard work in the hot weather .

(手拿着瓶子从椅子上下来，走到洗涤槽旁把瓶子外边擦净）她一定感觉很伤心，她大热天辛辛苦苦地做了这些

I remember the afternoon I put up my cherries last summer .

我还记得去年夏天我做樱桃罐头的那个下午。

( She puts the bottle on the big kitchen table , center of the room . With a sigh , is about to sit down in the rocking –chair . Before she is seated realizes what chair it is ; with a slow look at it , steps back . The chair which she has touched rocks back and forth . ) （她把瓶子放在厨房中央的大桌子上。叹了一口气，准备在摇椅上坐下。正要坐时，意识到这是什么椅子；慢慢看了它一眼，退回来。她碰过的摇椅前后摆动）

Mrs Perters : Well , I must get those things from the front room closet . ( She goes to the door at the right , but after looking into the other room , steps back . ) You coming with me , mrs . hale ?

You could help me carry them .

( They go in the other room ; reappear , Mrs. Peters carrying a dress and skirt , Mrs. Hale following with a pair of shoes . ) 彼得斯夫人：现在，我得到正屋壁橱里取那些衣物。（她走到右边的门口，往另一个房间里看了看，又走了回来）跟我一起去，好吗？黑尔夫人?你可以帮我拿着它们。(她们走进另一个房间，又走了回来，彼得斯夫人拿着一件衣服和一条裙子，黑尔夫人拿着一双鞋跟在后面）



Mrs. Peters : My, it’s cold in there .

彼得斯夫人：哎呀，那里真冷啊！

( She puts the clothes on the big table , and hurries to the stove . )

（她将衣服放在大桌子上，快步走到炉火旁） `

Mrs. Hale ? Examing her skirt . ) Wright was close .

黑尔夫人：（审视着她的裙子）赖特是个吝啬的人。

I think maybe that’s why she kept so much to herself . she didn’t even belong to the Ladies Aid .

我想这可能就是为什么她不太与别人来往的原因。她甚至都没加入妇女捐助会。

I supposed she felt she couldn’t do her part , and then you don’t enjoy things when you feel shabby破舊的 .

我想她觉得无法履行自己的那份职责，而且当你感到自己衣着寒酸时就不喜欢各种活动，

She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively , when she was Minnie Foster , one of the town girls singing in the choir .

过去她穿着漂亮的衣服，活泼可爱，那时她还叫明妮?福斯特，是唱诗班里的一个城里姑娘。

But that –oh , that was thirty years ago . This all you was to take in

?

可那——唉，那是三十年前的事了。你要取的东西就这些吗？

Mrs. Peters : She said she wanted an apron . Funny thing to want , for there isn’t much to get you dirty in jail , goodness knows .

彼得斯夫人：她说想要个围裙。要的东西真奇怪，监狱中没什么会把你弄脏，天知道。

But I suppose just to make her feel more natural . She said they was in the top drawer in this cupboard .

可我想她只是想让自己感到更习惯。她说它们都在这个柜子上面的抽屉里。

Yes , here . And then her little shawl(圍巾) that always hung behind the door . ( Opens stair door and looks . ) Yes , here it is . ( Quickly shuts door leading upstairs . )

没错，在这儿。还有她总挂在门后的围巾。（打开楼梯门看了看）有了，在这儿。（迅速关上通向楼梯的门）