福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第8章Part3

"Well, I don't know it; but Vermissa is out of my beat. I live at Hobson's Patch, and that's here where we are drawing up. But, say, there's one bit of advice I'll give you before we part: If you're in trouble in Vermissa, go straight to the Union House and see Boss McGinty. He is the Bodymaster of Vermissa Lodge, and nothing can happen in these parts unless Black Jack McGinty wants it. So long, mate! Maybe we'll meet in lodge one of these evenings. But mind my words: If you are in trouble, go to Boss McGinty."
Scanlan descended, and McMurdo was left once again to his thoughts. Night had now fallen, and the flames of the frequent furnaces were roaring and leaping in the darkness. Against their lurid background dark figures were bending and straining, twisting and turning, with the motion of winch or of windlass, to the rhythm of an eternal clank and roar.
"I guess hell must look something like that," said a voice.
McMurdo turned and saw that one of the policemen had shifted in his seat and was staring out into the fiery waste.
"For that matter," said the other policeman, "I allow that hell must BE something like that. If there are worse devils down yonder than some we could name, it's more than I'd expect. I guess you are new to this part, young man?"
"Well, what if I am?" McMurdo answered in a surly voice.
"Just this, mister, that I should advise you to be careful in choosing your friends. I don't think I'd begin with Mike Scanlan or his gang if I were you."
"What the hell is it to you who are my friends?" roared McMurdo in a voice which brought every head in the carriage round to witness the altercation. "Did I ask you for your advice, or did you think me such a sucker that I couldn't move without it? You speak when you are spoken to, and by the Lord you'd have to wait a long time if it was me!" He thrust out his face and grinned at the patrolmen like a snarling dog.
The two policemen, heavy, good-natured men, were taken aback by the extraordinary vehemence with which their friendly advances had been rejected.
"No offense, stranger," said one. "It was a warning for your own good, seeing that you are, by your own showing, new to the place."
"I'm new to the place; but I'm not new to you and your kind!" cried McMurdo in cold fury. "I guess you're the same in all places, shoving your advice in when nobody asks for it."
"Maybe we'll see more of you before very long," said one of the patrolmen with a grin. "You're a real hand-picked one, if I am a judge."
"I was thinking the same," remarked the other. "I guess we may meet again."

“噢，我不知道这个公寓，我对维尔米萨不太熟悉。我住在霍布森领地，现在就要到了。不过，在我们分手以前，我要奉告你一句话。如果你在维尔米萨遇到困难，你就直接到工会去找首领麦金蒂。他是维尔米萨分会的身主，在此地，没有布莱克·杰克·麦金蒂的许可，是不会出什么事的。再见，老弟，或许我们有一天晚上能够在分会里见面。不过请记住我的话：如果你一旦遇到困难，就去找首领麦金蒂。”
斯坎伦下车了，麦克默多又重新陷入沉思。现在天已完全黑了，黑暗中高炉喷出的火焰在嘶列着、跳跃着发出闪光。在红光映照中，一些黑色的身影在随着起重机或卷扬机的动作，和着铿锵声与轰鸣声的旋律，弯腰、用力、扭动、转身。
“我想地狱一定是这个样子，"有人说道。
麦克默多转回身来，看到一个警察动了动身子，望着外面炉火映红的荒原。
“就这一点来说，"另一个警察说道，“我认为地狱一定象这个样子，我不认为，那里的魔鬼会比我们知道的更坏。年轻人，我想你刚到这地方吧？”
“嗯，我刚到这里又怎么样？"麦克默多粗暴无礼地答道。
“是这样，先生，我劝你选择朋友要小心谨慎。我要是你，我不会一开头就和迈克·斯坎伦或他那一帮人交朋友。”
“我和谁交朋友，这干你屁事！"麦克默多厉声说道。他的声音惊动了车厢内所有的人，大家都在看他们争吵，“我请你劝告我了吗？还是你认为我是个笨蛋，不听你的劝告就寸步难行？有人跟你说话你再张口，我要是你呀，嗨！还是靠边呆会儿吧！”他把脸冲向警察，咬牙切齿，象一只狺狺狂吠的狗。
这两个老练、温厚的警察对这种友好的表示竟遭到这么强烈的拒绝，不免都大吃一惊。
“请不要见怪！先生，"一个警察说道，“看样子，你是初到此地的。我们对你提出警告，也是为了你好嘛。”
“我虽是初到此地，可是我对你们这一类货色却并不生疏，"麦克默多无情地怒喊道，“我看你们这些人是天下乌鸦一般黑，收起你们的规劝吧，没有人需要它。”
“我们不久就要再会的，"一个警察冷笑着说道，“我要是法官的话，我敢说你可真是百里挑一的好东西了。”
“我也这样想，"另一个警察说，“我想我们后会有期的。”