第 23 节
作者:这就是结局      更新:2021-04-30 15:46      字数:9321
  therefore; in a land of cloaks and sombreros; they mostly wear
  seedy overcoats; woollen mufflers; hard hemispherical hats; and
  dirty brown gloves。 Only a very few dress after their leader;
  whose broad sombrero with a cock's feather in the band; and
  voluminous cloak descending to his high boots; are as un…English
  as possible。 None of them are armed; and the ungloved ones keep
  their hands in their pockets because it is their national belief
  that it must be dangerously cold in the open air with the night
  coming on。 (It is as warm an evening as any reasonable man could
  desire)。
  Except the bullfighting inebriate there is only one person in the
  company who looks more than; say; thirty…three。 He is a small man
  with reddish whiskers; weak eyes; and the anxious look of a
  small tradesman in difficulties。 He wears the only tall hat
  visible: it shines in the sunset with the sticky glow of some
  sixpenny patent hat reviver; often applied and constantly tending
  to produce a worse state of the original surface than the ruin it
  was applied to remedy。 He has a collar and cuff of celluloid; and
  his brown Chesterfield overcoat; with velvet collar; is still
  presentable。 He is pre…eminently the respectable man of the
  party; and is certainly over forty; possibly over fifty。 He is
  the corner man on the leader's right; opposite three men in
  scarlet ties on his left。 One of these three is the Frenchman。 Of
  the remaining two; who are both English; one is argumentative;
  solemn; and obstinate; the other rowdy and mischievious。
  The chief; with a magnificent fling of the end of his cloak
  across his left shoulder; rises to address them。 The applause
  which greets him shows that he is a favorite orator。
  THE CHIEF。 Friends and fellow brigands。 I have a proposal to make
  to this meeting。 We have now spent three evenings in discussing
  the question Have Anarchists or Social…Democrats the most
  personal courage? We have gone into the principles of Anarchism
  and Social…Democracy at great length。 The cause of Anarchy has
  been ably represented by our one Anarchist; who doesn't know what
  Anarchism means 'laughter'
  THE ANARCHIST。 'rising' A point of order; Mendoza
  MENDOZA。 'forcibly' No; by thunder: your last point of order took
  half an hour。 Besides; Anarchists don't believe in order。
  THE ANARCHIST。 'mild; polite but persistent: he is; in fact; the
  respectable looking elderly man in the celluloid collar and
  cuffs' That is a vulgar error。 I can prove
  MENDOZA。 Order; order。
  THE OTHERS 'shouting' Order; order。 Sit down。 Chair! Shut up。
  The Anarchist is suppressed。
  MENDOZA。 On the other hand we have three Social…Democrats among
  us。 They are not on speaking terms; and they have put before us
  three distinct and incompatible views of Social…Democracy。
  THE MAJORITY。 'shouting assent' Hear; hear! So we are。 Right。
  THE ROWDY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'smarting under oppression' You ain't
  no Christian。 You're a Sheeny; you are。
  MENDOZA。 'with crushing magnanimity' My friend; I am an exception
  to all rules。 It is true that I have the honor to be a Jew; and;
  when the Zionists need a leader to reassemble our race on its
  historic soil of Palestine; Mendoza will not be the last to
  volunteer 'sympathetic applausehear; hear; etc。'。 But I am not
  a slave to any superstition。 I have swallowed all the formulas;
  even that of Socialism; though; in a sense; once a Socialist;
  always a Socialist。
  THE SOCIAL…DEMOCRATS。 Hear; hear!
  MENDOZA。 But I am well aware that the ordinary maneven the
  ordinary brigand; who can scarcely be called an ordinary man
  'Hear; hear!'is not a philosopher。 Common sense is good enough
  for him; and in our business affairs common sense is good enough
  for me。 Well; what is our business here in the Sierra Nevada;
  chosen by the Moors as the fairest spot in Spain? Is it to
  discuss abstruse questions of political economy? No: it is to
  hold up motor cars and secure a more equitable distribution of
  wealth。
  THE SULKY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 All made by labor; mind you。
  MENDOZA。 'urbanely' Undoubtedly。 All made by labor; and on its
  way to be squandered by wealthy vagabonds in the dens of vice
  that disfigure the sunny shores of the Mediterranean。 We
  intercept that wealth。 We restore it to circulation among the
  class that produced it and that chiefly needs itthe working
  class。 We do this at the risk of our lives and liberties; by the
  exercise of the virtues of courage; endurance; foresight; and
  abstinenceespecially abstinence。 I myself have eaten nothing
  but prickly pears and broiled rabbit for three days。
  THE SULKY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 (Stubbornly' No more ain't we。
  MENDOZA。 'indignantly' Have I taken more than my share?
  THE SULKY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'unmoved' Why should you?
  THE ANARCHIST。 Why should he not? To each according to his needs:
  from each according to his means。
  THE FRENCHMAN。 'shaking his fist at the anarchist' Fumiste!
  MENDOZA。 'diplomatically' I agree with both of you。
  THE GENUINELY ENGLISH BRIGANDS。 Hear; hear! Bravo; Mendoza!
  MENDOZA。 What I say is; let us treat one another as gentlemen;
  and strive to excel in personal courage only when we take the
  field。
  THE ROWDY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'derisively' Shikespear。
  A whistle comes from the goatherd on the hill。 He springs up and
  points excitedly forward along the road to the north。
  THE GOATHERD。 Automobile! Automobile! 'He rushes down the hill
  and joins the rest; who all scramble to their feet'。
  MENDOZA。 'in ringing tones' To arms! Who has the gun?
  THE SULKY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'handing a rifle to Mendoza' Here。
  MENDOZA。 Have the nails been strewn in the road?
  THE ROWDY SOCIAL…DEM0CRAT。 Two ahnces of em。
  MENDOZA。 Good! 'To the Frenchman' With me; Duval。 If the nails
  fail; puncture their tires with a bullet。 'He gives the rifle to
  Duval; who follows him up the hill。 Mendoza produces an opera
  glass。 The others hurry across to the road and disappear to the
  north'。
  MENDOZA。 'on the hill; using his glass' Two only; a capitalist
  and his chauffeur。 They look English。
  DUVAL。 Angliche! Aoh yess。 Cochons! 'Handling the rifle' Faut
  tire; n'est…ce…pas?
  MENDOZA。 No: the nails have gone home。 Their tire is down: they
  stop。
  DUVAL。 'shouting to the others' Fondez sur eux; nom de Dieu!
  MENDOZA。 'rebuking his excitement' Du calme; Duval: keep your
  hair on。 They take it quietly。 Let us descend and receive them。
  Mendoza descends; passing behind the fire and coming forward;
  whilst Tanner and Straker; in their motoring goggles; leather
  coats; and caps; are led in from the road by brigands。
  TANNER。 Is this the gentleman you describe as your boss? Does he
  speak English?
  THE ROWDY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 Course he does。 Y'don't suppowz we
  Hinglishmen lets ahrselves be bossed by a bloomin Spenniard; do
  you?
  MENDOZA。 'with dignity' Allow me to introduce myself: Mendoza;
  President of the League of the Sierra! 'Posing loftily' I am a
  brigand: I live by robbing the rich。
  TANNER。 'promptly' I am a gentleman: I live by robbing the poor。
  Shake hands。
  THE ENGLISH SOCIAL…DEMOCRATS。 Hear; hear!
  General laughter and good humor。 Tanner and Mendoza shake hands。
  The Brigands drop into their former places
  STRAKER。 Ere! where do I come in?
  TANNER。 'introducing' My friend and chauffeur。
  THE SULKY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'suspiciously' Well; which is he?
  friend or show…foor? It makes all the difference you know。
  MENDOZA。 'explaining' We should expect ransom for a friend。 A
  professional chauffeur is free of the mountains。 He even takes a
  trifling percentage of his princpal's ransom if he will honor us
  by accepting it。
  STRAKER。 I see。 Just to encourage me to come this way again。
  Well; I'll think about it。
  DUVAL。 'impulsively rushing across to Straker' Mon frere! 'He
  embraces him rapturously and kisses him on both cheeks'。
  STRAKER。 'disguested' Ere; git out: don't be silly。 Who are you;
  pray?
  DUVAL。 Duval: Social…Democrat。
  STRAKER。 Oh; you're a Social…Democrat; are you?
  THE ANARCHIST。 He means that he has sold out to the parliamentary
  humbugs and the bourgeoisie。 Compromise! that is his faith。
  DUVAL。 'furiously' I understand what he say。 He say Bourgeois。 He
  say Compromise。 Jamais de la vie! Miserable menteur
  STRAKER。 See here; Captain Mendoza; ow much o this sort o thing
  do you put up with here? Are we avin a pleasure trip in the
  mountains; or are we at a Socialist meetin?
  THE MAJORITY。 Hear; hear! Shut up。 Chuck it。 Sit down; etc。 etc。
  'The Social…Democrats and the Anarchist are hurtled into the
  background。 Straker; after superintending this proceeding with
  satisfaction; places himself on Mendoza's left; Tanner being on
  his right'。
  MENDOZA。 Can we offer you anything? Broiled rabbit and prickly
  pears
  TANNER。 Thank you: we have dined。
  MENDOZA。 'to his followers' Gentlemen: business is over for the
  day。 Go as you please until morning。
  The Brigands disperse into groups lazily。 Some go into the cave。
  Others sit down or lie down to sleep in the open。 A few produce a
  pack of cards and move off towards the road; for it is now
  starlight; and they know that motor cars have lamps which can be
  turned to account for lighting a card party。
  STRAKER。