Lonesome Dove 孤鸽镇

Everyone in the Territory wanted to see Blue Duck hanged, it seemed. The little town was full of cowhands, with women and children sleeping in wagons. There was much argument, most of it in favor of hanging Blue Duck instantly lest he escape. Parties were constantly forming to present petitions to the sheriff, or else storm the jail, but the latter were unenthusiastic. Blue Duck had ranged the llano for so long, and butchered and raped and stolen so often, that superstitions had formed around him. Some, particularly women, felt he couldn’t die, and that their lives would never be safe.
似乎领土上的每个人都想看到蓝鸭被绞死。小镇上到处都是牛仔，妇女和儿童睡在马车里。有很多争论，大多数都赞成立即绞死蓝鸭，以免他逃跑。各方不断组织起来向治安官请愿，或者冲进监狱，但后者并不热心。蓝鸭在拉诺游荡了这么久，经常被屠杀、强奸和偷窃，以至于他周围形成了迷信。有些人，尤其是女性，觉得他不会死，他们的生命永远不会安全。

Call took the opportunity to have a blacksmith completely rebuild the buggy. The blacksmith had lots of wagons to work on and took three days to get around to the buggy, but he let Call store the coffin in his back room, since it was attracting attention.
Call借此机会让铁匠彻底重建了马车。铁匠有很多马车要修，花了三天时间才找到马车，但他让Call把棺材放在他的后屋，因为它很引人注目。

The only thing to do in town besides drink was to admire the new courthouse, three stories high and with a gallows at the top, from which Blue Duck would be hung. The courthouse had fine glass windows and polished floors.
除了喝酒，镇上唯一能做的就是欣赏新法院，三层楼高，顶部有一个绞刑架，蓝鸭就挂在上面。法院有精美的玻璃窗和抛光的地板。

Two days before the hanging was to take place, Call decided to go see the prisoner. He had already met the deputy who had crippled Blue Duck’s horse. The man, whose name was Decker, was fat and stone drunk, leading Call to suspect that Goodnight had been right—the shot had been lucky. But every man in the Territory had insisted on buying the deputy a drink since then; perhaps he had been capable of sobriety before he became a hero. He was easily moved to sobs at the memory of his exploit, which he had recounted so many times that he was hoarse.
在绞刑前两天，Call决定去见犯人。他已经见过那个使蓝鸭的马残废的副手了。这个名叫戴克的人又胖又醉，这让Call怀疑晚安是对的——这次枪击很幸运。但从那以后，领土上的每个人都坚持要给这位副手买一杯饮料；也许在他成为英雄之前，他已经能够保持清醒了。想起自己的功绩，他很容易感动得抽泣起来，他已经讲了很多次，声音都嘶哑了。

The sheriff, a balding man named Owensby, had of course heard of Call and was eager to show him the prisoner. The jail had only three cells, and Blue Duck was in the middle one, which had no window. The others had been cleared, minor culprits having simply been turned loose in order to lessen the chances that Blue Duck might somehow contrive an escape.
警长，一个名叫欧文斯比的秃顶男人，当然听说过Call，并渴望向他展示囚犯。监狱只有三间牢房，蓝鸭在中间一间，没有窗户。其他人已经被清除，小罪犯只是被释放，以减少蓝鸭可能设法逃跑的机会。

The minute Call saw the man he knew it was unlikely. Blue Duck had been shot in the shoulder and leg, and had a greasy rag wound around his forehead, covering another wound. Call had never seen a man so draped in chains. He was handcuffed; each leg was heavily chained; and the chains draped around his torso were bolted to the wall. Two deputies with Winchesters kept constant watch. Despite the chains and bars, Call judged that both were scared to death.
Call一看到那个人，就知道这不太可能。蓝鸭的肩膀和腿中枪，额头上有一块油腻的抹布，盖住了另一个伤口。Call从未见过一个戴着镣铐的男人。他被戴上手铐；每条腿都被重重地锁住了；挂在他身上的链子都栓在墙上了。温彻斯特的两名副手一直在监视。尽管有铁链和栅栏，Call判断两人都吓得要死。

Blue Duck himself seemed indifferent to the furor outside. He was leaning back against the wall, his eyes half closed, when Call came in.
蓝鸭本人似乎对外面的骚动漠不关心。他靠在墙上，半闭着眼睛，这时电话进来了。

“What’s he doing?” Sheriff Owensby asked. Despite all the precautions, he was so nervous that he had not been able to keep food down since the prisoner was brought in.
“他在干什么？”欧文斯比警长问。尽管采取了所有预防措施，但他还是非常紧张，自从囚犯被带进来后，他一直无法控制食物。

“Ain’t doin’ much,” one deputy said. “What can he do?” “Well, it’s been said he can escape from any jail,” the sheriff reminded them. “We got to watch him close.” “Only way to watch him closer is to go in with him, and I’ll quit before I’ll do that,” the other deputy said.
一位副手说：“做得不多。”。“他能做什么？”“嗯，据说他可以从任何监狱逃脱，”警长提醒他们。“我们必须密切关注他。”“密切关注他的唯一方法就是和他一起进去，在我这样做之前，我会辞职的，”另一位副手说。

Blue Duck opened his slumbrous eyes a fraction wider and looked at Call.
蓝鸭睁大了一双睡眼惺忪的眼睛，看着Call。

“I hear you brought your stinkin’ old friend to my hanging,” Blue Duck said, his low, heavy voice startling the deputies and the sheriff too.
“我听说你把你那臭烘烘的老朋友带到了我的绞刑架上，”蓝鸭说，他低沉而沉重的声音也吓到了警察和警长。

“Just luck,” Call said.
“只是运气好，”Call说。

“I should have caught him and cooked him when I had the chance,” Blue Duck said.“He would have killed you,” Call said; annoyed by the man’s insolent tone. “Or I would have, if need be.” Blue Duck smiled. “I raped women and stole children and burned houses and shot men and run off horses and killed cattle and robbed who I pleased, all over your territory, ever since you been a law,” he said. “And you never even had a good look at me until today. I don’t reckon you would have killed me.” Sheriff Owensby reddened, embarrassed that the man would insult a famous Ranger, but there was little he could do about it. Call knew there was truth in what Blue Duck said, and merely stood looking at the man, who was larger than he had supposed. His head was huge and his eyes cold as snake’s eyes.
“我应该抓住他，趁有机会把他煮熟，”蓝鸭说。“他会杀了你的，”Call说；被那人傲慢的语气惹恼了。“或者，如果需要的话，我会的。”蓝鸭笑着说。他说：“自从你们成为法律以来，我在你们的领土上强奸了妇女，偷走了孩子，烧毁了房屋，枪杀了男人，跑下马，杀牛，抢劫了我喜欢的人。”。“直到今天，你才好好地看了我一眼。我想你不会杀了我的。”欧文斯比警长脸红了，他很尴尬，因为那人会侮辱一位著名的游骑兵，但他对此无能为力。Call知道蓝鸭说的是真的，只是站在那里看着那个比他想象的要大的人。他的头很大，眼睛冷得像蛇的眼睛。

“I despise all you fine-haired sons of bitches,” Blue Duck said. “You Rangers. I expect I’ll kill a passel of you yet.” “I doubt it,” Call said. “Not unless you can fly.” Blue Duck smiled a cold smile. “I can fly,” he said. “An old woman taught me. And if you care to wait, you’ll see me.” “I’ll wait,” Call said.
“我鄙视你们这些漂亮的狗娘养的，”蓝鸭说。“你们这些流浪者。我想我还会杀了你们中的一部分。”“我怀疑，”Call说。“除非你能飞。”蓝鸭冷冷地笑了笑。“我能飞，”他说。“一位老妇人教我的。如果你愿意等，你会看到我的。”“我会等的，”Call说。

On the day of the hanging the square in front of the courthouse was packed with spectators. Call had to tie his animals over a hundred yards away—he wanted to get started as soon as the hanging was over. He worked his way to the front of the crowd and watched as Blue Duck was moved from the jail to the courthouse in a small wagon under heavy escort. Call thought it likely somebody would be killed accidentally before it was over, since all the deputies were so scared they had their rifles on cock. Blue Duck was as heavily chained as ever and still had the greasy rag tied around his head wound. He was led into the courthouse and up the stairs. The hangman was making last-minute improvements on the hangrope and Call was looking off, thinking he saw a man who had once served under him in the crowd, when he heard a scream and a sudden shattering of glass. He looked up and the hair on his neck rose, for Blue Duck was flying through the air in his chains. It seemed to Call the man’s cold smile was fixed on him as he fell: he had managed to dive through one of the long glass windows on the third floor—and not alone, either. He had grabbed Deputy Decker with his handcuffed hands and pulled him out too. Both fell to the stony ground right in front of the courthouse. Blue Duck hit right on his head, while the Deputy had fallen backwards, like a man pushed out of a hayloft. Blue Duck didn’t move after he hit, but the deputy squirmed and cried. Tinkling glass fell about the two men.
绞刑当天，法院前的广场上挤满了观众。Call不得不把他的动物绑在一百码外——他想在绞刑结束后马上开始。他一路走到人群的前面，看着蓝鸭在严密的护送下被一辆小货车从监狱搬到法院。Call认为很可能有人会在比赛结束前意外身亡，因为所有的代表都非常害怕，他们把步枪都拔了起来。蓝鸭像以前一样被重重地拴着，头上的伤口上还绑着那块油腻的抹布。他被带进法院，上了楼梯。刽子手在最后一刻对吊绳进行了改进，Call转头看去，以为他在人群中看到了一个曾经在他下面服务过的人，这时他听到了一声尖叫和突然的玻璃破碎声。他抬头一看，脖子上的头发都竖起来了，因为蓝鸭子正戴着镣铐在空中飞翔。这名男子摔倒时，似乎露出了冷酷的笑容：他设法从三楼的一扇长玻璃窗里钻了进去——而且也不是一个人。他用戴着手铐的手抓住戴克副警长，也把他拉了出来。两人都倒在法院正前方的石头地上。蓝鸭正好撞到他的头上，而副警长却向后倒了下去，就像一个被推下草垛的人。蓝鸭打后一动不动，但副手却扭动着身子哭了起来。叮当作响的玻璃杯落在两个人身上。

The crowd was too stunned to move. Sheriff Owensby stood high above them, looking out the window, mortified that he had allowed hundreds of people to be cheated of a hanging.
人群惊呆了，动弹不得。欧文斯比警长高高地站在他们上方，望着窗外，为自己允许数百人被绞死而感到羞愧。

Call walked out alone and knelt by the two men. Finally a few others joined him. Blue Duck was stone dead, his eyes wide open, the cruel smile still on his lips. Decker was broken to bits and spitting blood already—he wouldn’t last long.
Call独自走出去，跪在那两个人身边。最后，又有几个人加入了他。蓝鸭已经死了，眼睛睁得大大的，嘴唇上还挂着残忍的笑容。戴克已经摔成碎片，吐血了——他活不了多久了。

“I guess that old woman didn’t teach you well enough,” Call said to the outlaw.
“我猜那个老妇人教得不够好，”Call对歹徒说。

Owensby ran down the stairs and insisted that they carry Blue Duck up and string him from the gallows. “By God, I said he’d hang, and he’ll hang,” he said. Many of the spectators were so afraid of the outlaw that they wouldn’t touch him, even dead. Six men who were too drunk to be spooked finally carried him up and left him dangling above the crowd.
欧文斯比跑下楼梯，坚持要他们把蓝鸭抬上去，把他从绞刑架上绑起来。“天哪，我说过他会被绞死的，他也会被绞死，”他说。许多观众非常害怕这个歹徒，以至于他们不会碰他，甚至不会碰他。六个醉得不敢害怕的男人终于把他抱了起来，让他在人群中晃来晃去。

Call thought it a silly waste of work, though he supposed the sheriff had politics to think of.
Call认为这是一种愚蠢的浪费，尽管他认为警长需要考虑政治因素。

He himself could not forget that Blue Duck had smiled at him in the moment that he flew. As he walked through the crowd he heard a woman say she had seen Blue Duck’s eyes move as he lay on the ground. Even with the man hanging from a gallows, the people were priming themselves to believe he hadn’t died. Probably half the crimes committed on the llano in the next ten years would be laid to Blue Duck.
他自己也忘不了蓝鸭在他飞翔的那一刻对他微笑。当他穿过人群时，他听到一个女人说她看到蓝鸭躺在地上时眼睛在动。即使那个人被挂在绞刑架上，人们也开始相信他没有死。在接下来的十年里，蓝鸭号上可能会犯下一半的罪行。

As Call was getting into his wagon, a newspaperman ran up, a red-headed boy scarcely twenty years old, white with excitement at what he had just seen.
当Call正要上车时，一个新闻记者跑了过来，一个刚满二十岁的红发男孩，对他刚才看到的一切感到兴奋。

“Captain Call?” he asked. “I write for the Denver paper. They pointed you out to me. Can I speak to you for a minute?” Call mounted the dun and caught the mule’s lead rope. “I have to ride,” he said. “It’s still a ways to Texas.” He started to go, but the boy would not give up. He strode beside the dun, talking, much as Clara had, except that the boy was merely excited. Call thought it strange that two people on one trip would follow him off.
“呼叫船长？”他问。“我是为丹佛报纸写的。他们把你指给我看。我能和你谈谈吗。“我必须骑马，”他说。“这仍然是去德克萨斯州的路。”他开始走，但男孩不会放弃。他大步走在那辆黄褐色的车旁，说话的样子和克拉拉一样，只是男孩只是很兴奋。Call觉得奇怪的是，一次旅行中有两个人会跟着他走。

“But, Captain,” the boy said. “They say you were the most famous Ranger. They say you’ve carried Captain McCrae three thousand miles just to bury him. They say you started the first ranch in Montana. My boss will fire me if I don’t talk to you. They say you’re a man of vision.” “Yes, a hell of a vision,” Call said. He was forced to put spurs to the dun to get away from the boy, who stood scribbling on a pad.
“但是，船长，”男孩说。“他们说你是最著名的游骑兵。他们说你背着麦克雷上尉走了三千英里，只是为了埋葬他。他们说，你在蒙大拿州建立了第一个牧场。如果我不跟你说话，我的老板会解雇我的。他们说：你是一个有远见的人。”“是的，一个有远见卓识的人，”Call说。他被迫用马刺戳住那个站在垫子上乱涂乱画的男孩。

It was a dry year, the grass of the llano brown, the long plain shimmering with mirages. Call followed the Pecos, down through Bosque Redondo and south through New Mexico. He knew it was dangerous—in such a year, Indians might follow the river too. But he feared the drought worse. At night lightning flickered high above the plains; thunder rumbledbut no rain fell. The days were dull and hot, and he saw no one—just an occasional antelope. His animals were tiring, and so was he. He tried driving at night but had to give it up—too often he would nod off, and once came within an ace of smashing a buggy wheel. The coffin was sprung from so much bouncing and began to leak a fine trail of salt.
那是一个干旱的年份，拉诺岛的草是棕色的，长长的平原上布满了海市蜃楼。电话跟着佩科斯河，穿过博斯克雷东多，向南穿过新墨西哥州。他知道这很危险——在这样的一年里，印第安人也可能会沿河而行。但他担心干旱会更严重。夜晚，闪电在平原上空闪烁；雷声隆隆，但没有下雨。天气又闷又热，他什么也没看见，只是偶尔看到一只羚羊。他的动物很累，他也是。他试着在晚上开车，但不得不放弃——他经常打盹，有一次差点摔坏一个车轮。棺材从这么大的弹跳中弹了出来，开始漏出一条细小的盐迹。