三十九级台阶中英对照

TheThirty-NineSteps三十九级台阶　　简介　　理查德·哈内走回他伦敦的公寓，感到百无聊赖。他想，在英格兰好像什么令人激动的事情也不曾发生过。也许他该回非洲去。然而，那天晚上来了一位叫斯卡德尔的客人，给他讲了一个离奇的故事。　　一周以后，哈内卧在苏格兰荒原的石楠丛中，饥肠辘辘，筋疲力尽。一架小飞机在他头顶的蓝天上低空盘旋。哈内一动不动地躺着，希望谢天谢地飞机不要发现他，同时琢磨着口袋里斯卡德尔的黑色小笔记本。斯卡德尔在笔记本里记着“黑石”，这个神秘的黑石是谁呢？那个“三十九级台阶”又怎么那么重要？六月十五日伦敦会出什么事？　　而斯卡德尔已经被害，哈内的敌人在苏格兰的山山岭岭日夜追捕他，他必须自己搞清这是为什么。如果他的敌人抓住他，就会把他杀掉……　　约翰·巴肯（1875—1940）：苏格兰作家，政治家，曾任加拿大总督。他有许多著作最有名的是理查德·哈内系列惊险小说，其中包括《三十九级台阶》，该书写于一九一五年，后改编成著名导演希区科克执导的电影。　　1Themanwhodied　　1Themanwhodied　　Ireturnedtomyflatataboutthreeo'clockonthatMayafternoonveryunhappywithlife.IhasbeenbackinBritainforthreemonthsandIwasalreadybored.Theweatherwasbad，thepeopleweredull，andtheamusementsofLondonseemedasexcitingasaglassofcoldwater.'RichardHannay，'Itoldmyself，'youhavemadeamistake，andyouhadbetterdosomethingaboutit.'　　ItmademeangrywhenIthoughtoftheyearsIhadspentinAfrica.Ihadspentthoseyearsworkingveryhardandmakingmoney.Notalotofmoney，butenoughforme.IhadleftScotlandwhenIwassixyearsold，andIhadneverbeenhomesince.ForyearsIhaddreamtofcominghometoBritainandspendingtherestofmylifethere，butIwasdisappointedwiththeplaceafterthefirstweek.AndsohereIwas，thirty-sevenyearsold，healthy，withenoughmoneytohaveagoodtime，andboredtodeath.　　ThateveningIwentouttodinnerandsatreadingthenewspapersafterwards.Theywerefullofthetroublesinsouth-eastEurope，andtherewasalongreportaboutKarolides，theGreekPrimeMinister.Heseemedtobeanhonestman，butsomepeopleinEuropehatedhim.However，manypeopleinBritainlikedhim，andonenewspapersaidthathewastheonlymanwhocouldpreventawarstarting.Irememberwonderingif第1页共69页原版英语阅读网Icouldgetajobinsouth-eastEurope；itmightbealotlessboringthanlifeinLondon.　　AsIwalkedhomethatnight，IdecidedtogiveBritainonemoreday.Ifnothinginterestinghappened，IwouldtakethenextboatbacktoAfrica.　　MyflatwasinabignewbuildinginLanghamPlace.Therewasadoormanattheentrancetothebuilding，buteachflatwasseparate，withitsownfrontdoor.Iwasjustputtingthekeyintomydoorwhenamanappearednexttome.Hewasthin，withashortbrownbeardandsmall，verybrighteyes.Irecognizedhimasthemanwholivedinaflatonthetopfloorofthebuilding.Wehadspokenonceortwiceonthestairs.　　'CanIspeaktoyou？'heasked.'MayIcomeinforaminute？'Hisvoicewasshakingalittle.　　Iopenedthedoorandwewentin.　　'Isthedoorlocked？'heasked，andquicklylockedithimself.　　'I'mverysorry，'hesaidtome.'It'sveryrudeofme.ButI'minadangerouscornerandyoulookedlikethekindofmanwhowouldunderstand.IfIexplain，willyouhelpme？'　　'I'lllistentoyou，'Isaid.'That'sallIpromise.'Iwasgettingworriedbythisstrangeman'sbehaviour.　　Therewasatablewithdrinksonitnexttohim，andhetookalargewhiskyforhimself.Hedrankitquickly，andthenputtheglassdownsoviolentlythatitbroke.　　'I'msorry，'hesaid.'I'malittlenervoustonight.Yousee，atthismomentI'mdead.'　　Isatdowninanarmchairandlitmypipe.　　'Howdoesitfeel？'Iasked.Iwasnowalmostsurethatthemanwasmad.　　Hesmiled.'I'mnotmad-yet.Listen，I'vebeenwatchingyou，andIguessthatyou'renoteasilyfrightened.I'mgoingtotellyoumystory.Ineedhelpverybadly，andIwanttoknowifyou'retherightmantoask.'　　'Tellmeyourstory，'Isaid，'andI'lltellyouifIcanhelpyou.'　　Itwasanextraordinarystory.Ididn'tunderstandallofit，andIhadtoaskalotofquestions，buthereitis：　　HisnamewasFranklinP.ScudderandhewasanAmerican，buthehadbeeninsouth-eastEuropeforseveralyears.Byaccident，hehaddiscoveredagroupofpeoplewhowereworkingsecretlytopushEuropetowardsawar.Thesepeoplewereclever，anddangerous.Someofthemwantedtochangetheworldthroughwar；otherssimplywantedtomakealotofmoney，andthereisalwaysmoneytobemade第2页共69页原版英语阅读网fromawar.TheirplanwastogetRussiaandGermanyatwarwitheachother.　　'Iwanttostopthem，'Scuddertoldme，'andifIcanstayaliveforanothermonth，IthinkIcan.'　　'Ithoughtyouwerealreadydead，'Isaid.　　'I'lltellyouaboutthatinaminute，'heanswered.'Butfirst，doyouknowwhoConstantineKarolidesis？'　　'TheGreekPrimeMinister.I'vejustbeenreadingabouthimintoday'snewspapers.'　　'Right.He'stheonlymanwhocanstopthewar.He'sintelligent，he'shonest，andheknowswhat'sgoingon-andsohisenemiesplantokillhim.Ihavediscoveredhow.Thatwasverydangerousforme，soIhadtodisappear.Theycan'tkillKarolidesinGreecebecausehehastoomanyguards.Butonthe15thofJunehe'scomingtoLondonforabigmeeting，andhisenemiesplantokillhimhere.'　　'Youcanwarnhim，'Isaid.'He'llstayathome.'　　'That'swhathisenemieswant.Ifhedoesn'tcome，they'llwin，becausehe'stheonlymanwhounderstandsthewholeproblemandwhocanstopthewarhappening.'　　'Whydon'tyougototheBritishpolice？'Isaid.　　'Nogood.Theycouldbringinfivehundredpolicemen，buttheywouldn'tstopthemurder.Themurdererwillbecaught，andhe'lltalkandputtheblameonthegovernmentsinViennaandBerlin.Itwillallbelies，ofcourse，buteverybodywillbereadytobelieveit.ButnoneofthiswillhappenifFranklinP.ScudderishereinLondononthe15thofJune.'　　Iwasbeginningtolikethisstrangelittleman.Igavehimanotherwhiskyandaskedhimwhyhethoughtthathewasnowindangerhimself.　　Hetookalargemouthfulofwhisky.'IcametoLondonbyastrangeroute-throughParis，Hamburg，Norway，andScotland.Ichangedmynameineverycountry，andwhenIgottoLondon，IthoughtIwassafe.ButyesterdayIrealizedthatthey'restillfollowingme.There'samanwat