12 The Man of the Island

CHAPTER 12 The Man of the Island I was thrilled to have given Silver the slip and began to enjoy exploring the island. It was full of strange things to see—enough to excite the imagination and curiosity of any boy my age. I wish I could remember all of them, but my young mind was overwhelmed at the time with all the vivid new colors and sights. I could have spent a month just taking in all the strange plants and trees I came upon. I had marched across some marshy tract of land full of swaying willows and bulrushes (which I had read about in the

第十二章岛上的人我很高兴把西尔弗甩掉了，开始享受探索这个岛的乐趣。 那里充满了奇奇怪怪的东西，足以激发我这个年龄的任何男孩的想象力和好奇心。 我希望我能记住所有这些，但当时我年轻的心灵被所有生动的新颜色和景色淹没了。 我可以花一个月的时间来欣赏我遇到的所有奇怪的植物和树木。 我走过一片沼泽地带，到处是摇曳的柳树和芦苇（我在报纸上读到过）

Bible) and odd-shaped trees that rose up out of the swamp. Then there was some wave like, sandy country that went on for about a mile. There you could see pines and twisted- looking trees that resembled oak, except for their purplish tinge. In the distance I could see one of the hills with its craggy peak shining brightly beneath the harsh sun. Now I really began to feel like I was an explorer—I felt free and full of joy, forgetting for a time the many dangers I was facing. The island was truly uninhabited. My shipmates were left behind, and before me nothing lived but unfamiliar birds and other creatures that went running or flying for cover as soon as I approached. There were tortoises with backs so large they looked like bathing tubs, and magical flowering plants of a size and shape you only come upon in dreams. Suddenly I heard a rustle among the bulrushes—a wild duck flew up with a

《圣经》)和从沼泽中拔地而起的奇形怪状的树木。 然后是一些像波浪一样的沙地，绵延约一英里。 在那里，你可以看到松树和扭曲的树木，除了它们的紫色外，它们看起来像橡树。 在远处，我可以看到一座山，它的嶙峋的山峰在强烈的阳光下闪闪发光。 现在我真的开始觉得自己是一个探险家了——我感到自由和快乐，暂时忘记了我所面临的许多危险。 这个岛确实无人居住。 我的船友们被抛在后面，在我面前除了不熟悉的鸟和其他生物什么也没有，只要我一靠近，它们就跑起来或飞起来寻找掩护。 那里有背大得像浴盆的乌龟，还有大小和形状只有在梦中才能见到的神奇开花植物。 突然，我听到灌木丛中一阵沙沙声——一只野鸭叼着一声飞了上来

quack, then another followed, and then another. Soon, along the whole surface of the marsh, a great cloud of birds hung screaming and circling in the air. I knew my shipmates must be coming up close, so I ran quickly and crouched behind the nearest tree not far from the swamp, and waited, silent as a mouse. I heard voices and among them one I knew to be Silver's. I overcame my fear and crawled closer to catch the meaning of their words. "You're more valuable than gold to me. That's why I'm warning you now. You can't change the plan, you can only save yourself by joining in. Come on now, Tom, tell me what they would do to me if they knew I was telling you all this now?" "Silver," said Tom, "you may have let yourself be led away, but not me. I'd sooner lose my hand than turn against...."

呱呱，接着又是一只，接着又是一只。 很快，在整个沼泽的表面上，一大群鸟在空中盘旋，尖叫着。 我知道我的船友们一定快来了，所以我飞快地跑过去，蹲在离沼泽不远的一棵最近的树后面，静静地等着，像只老鼠。 我听到了说话声，其中有一个我知道是西尔弗的。 我克服了恐惧，爬得更近了，想明白他们的话的意思。 “对我来说，你比金子还珍贵。 所以我现在警告你。 你不能改变计划，你只有加入才能拯救自己。 得了吧，汤姆，告诉我，如果他们知道我现在把这一切都告诉你，他们会怎么处置我？”“西尔弗，”汤姆说，“你可以让别人把你带走，但我不能。 我宁愿失去我的手也不愿反抗....”

Suddenly, we all heard a cry of anger and then, a terrible, drawn-out scream. The noise echoed across the crags of the Spyglass and the birds rose again in a rush. I knew it was a death cry, and Tom jumped to his feet. "What was that?" he asked. "That," answered Silver, "that'll be Alan." "Alan!" cried out Tom, "well then, rest his soul. And as for you, Long John Silver, you're no mate of mine. I may die, but if I do, it will be for duty's sake. You've killed Alan, have you? Well, I defy you to kill me!" And with that, Tom started running away. But Silver, full of new strength, steadied himself, leaned back, and aimed his crutch. Its point drove at the center of Tom's back and he fell with a cry. I had no time to tell if this had hurt him badly. Silver was soon on him and, with his knife out, had driven two quick stabs into him to end his life.

突然，我们都听到了一声愤怒的喊叫，然后是一声可怕的、长时间的尖叫。 那声音在望远镜山的峭壁上回荡，鸟儿们又急忙飞了起来。 我知道这是死亡的呼喊，汤姆跳了起来。 “那是什么？”他问。 “那个，”西尔弗回答说，“一定是艾伦。” “艾伦！”汤姆叫道，“那么，让他的灵魂安息吧。 至于你，高个子约翰·西尔弗，你不是我的伙伴。 我可能会死，但如果我死了，那也是为了履行职责。 你杀了艾伦，是吗？ 好吧，我不允许你杀我！”说完，汤姆开始逃跑。 但是西尔弗又有了新的力量，他稳住了身子，向后一靠，瞄准了他的拐杖。 它的尖刺进了汤姆背部的中心，他叫了一声倒在地上。 我没有时间判断这是否严重伤害了他。 西尔弗很快就追上了他，拔出刀来，迅速地刺了他两刀，结束了他的生命。

I heard Silver panting. I felt faint, but managed not to pass out as I watched him wipe the blood from his knife. The whole scene was playing over in my mind. Silver then pulled a whistle from his pocket and blew it twice. I knew that the other men would be coming quickly now and, if they had killed those two honest men, would they not kill me? I began to crawl back and, as I did so, I heard a chorus of voices ring out. I turned, racing through the thicket until I ran only on fear. I needed to return to the ship with the men, but how could I? As I thought it through again, I knew they would wring my neck if I tried. I said my silent good-byes to the Hispaniola, to the doctor, and to the Squire and Captain. I knew there remained for me only death by starvation or at the hands of the mutineers. Yet I continued to make speed through the trees, until I was at the foot of a little hill.

我听见西尔弗在喘气。我感到头晕，但看着他擦刀上的血，我设法没有昏过去。 整个场景在我的脑海中重演。 西尔弗从口袋里掏出一个哨子，吹了两声。 我知道其他人很快就会来，如果他们杀了那两个诚实的人，他们不会杀了我吗？ 我开始往后退，就在我这么做的时候，我听到一阵合唱声响起。 我转过身来，在灌木丛中奔跑，直到我只因为害怕而奔跑。 我需要和大家一起回到船上，但我怎么能呢？ 当我再次考虑这件事时，我知道如果我尝试，他们会拧断我的脖子。 我默默地告别了伊斯班袅拉号，告别了医生，告别了乡绅和船长。 我知道留给我的只有饿死或死于叛乱分子之手。 然而，我继续在树林中加速，直到我来到一座小山脚下。

There, my heart thumping, a fresh alarm brought me to a standstill.

在那里，我的心怦怦直跳，一个新的警报使我停住了脚步。