第十章（第38/42页）

But even if they got clear of Sir Clifford and of his own wife, even if they got clear, what were they going to do? What was he, himself going to do? What was he going to do with his life? For he must do something. He couldn't be a mere hanger-on, on her money and his own very small pension.

但即使能够摆脱克利福德爵士和那离家的悍妇，即使能获得自由，他俩又该何去何从呢？他自己将会如何？他将会怎样面对自己的生活？他必须找到谋生的方法。他不愿成为寄生虫，靠她的积蓄以及自己微薄的抚恤金过活。

It was the insoluble. He could only think of going to America, to try a new air. He disbelieved in the dollar utterly. But perhaps, perhaps there was something else.

问题难以解决。他只能盼望能远赴美国，尝试新的生活。他对美金毫无信任。但或许，或许那里会有盎然的生机。

He could not rest nor even go to bed. After sitting in a stupor of bitter thoughts until midnight, he got suddenly from his chair and reached for his coat and gun.

他无法入睡，甚至都不愿躺到床上去。他呆坐着，冥思苦想直至午夜，突然从靠椅上站起身来，拿过外衣和猎枪。

"Come on, lass," he said to the dog. "We're best outside.” It was a starry night, but moonless. He went on a slow, scrupulous, soft-stepping and stealthy round. The only thing he had to contend with was the colliers setting snares for rabbits, particularly the Stacks Gate colliers, on the Marehay side. But it was breeding season, and even colliers respected it a little. Nevertheless the stealthy beating of the round in search of poachers soothed his nerves and took his mind off his thoughts.

“跟我来，姑娘，”他招呼自己的猎犬，“我们最好去外面呆着。”夜空缀满繁星，但却不见月亮。他迈着缓慢轻盈的步伐，谨慎小心地开始巡视。让唯一需要应付的是，矿工们，尤其是来自马勒哈伊方向的斯塔克斯门的矿工们，设置了许多捕兔夹。但繁殖季节已至，就连矿工们也不忍多造杀孽。不过，聚精会神地巡视，悄悄地搜寻偷猎者，让他的心绪逐渐平抚，不再胡思乱想。

But when he had done his slow, cautious beating of his bounds—it was nearly a five-mile walk—he was tired. He went to the top of the knoll and looked out. There was no sound save the noise, the faint shuffling noise from Stacks Gate colliery, that never ceased working: and there were hardly any lights, save the brilliant electric rows at the works. The world lay darkly and fumily sleeping. It was half past two. But even in its sleep it was an uneasy, cruel world, stirring with the noise of a train or some great lorry on the road, and flashing with some rosy lightning flash from the furnaces. It was a world of iron and coal, the cruelty of iron and the smoke of coal, and the endless, endless greed that drove it all. Only greed, greed stirring in its sleep.

但是，他缓步徐行，处处留神，完成巡视时，已经走出将近五英里远，倦意阵阵袭来。他登上山坡，极目四望。悄无声息，只听得到斯塔克斯门煤矿那永不停息的沉闷的轰鸣声，暗淡无光，只看得到工地上成排耀目的电灯。黑暗笼罩，烟雾缭绕，世界已然沉睡。时间是凌晨两点半。这残酷的世界即使入眠，也没有片刻安宁。火车与公路上的重型卡车喧天震地，熔炉闪耀着玫红色的光芒。这是铁与煤构成的世界，铁的坚硬与煤的烟尘交相辉映，而驱动一切的则是无边无沿、无穷无尽的贪欲。搅扰世界甜梦的恰是这贪欲。

It was cold, and he was coughing. A fine cold draught blew over the knoll. He thought of the woman. Now he would have given all he had or ever might have to hold her warm in his arms, both of them wrapped in one blanket, and sleep. All hopes of eternity and all gain from the past he would have given to have her there, to be wrapped warm with him in one blanket, and sleep, only sleep. It seemed the sleep with the woman in his arms was the only necessity.