狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第19章Part 11

The relentless chronometer at last announced that Walter must turn his back upon the wooden Midshipman: and away they went, himself, his Uncle, and the Captain, in a hackney-coach to a wharf, where they were to take steam-boat for some Reach down the river, the name of which, as the Captain gave it out, was a hopeless mystery to the ears of landsmen. Arrived at this Reach (whither the ship had repaired by last night's tide), they were boarded by various excited watermen, and among others by a dirty Cyclops of the Captain's acquaintance, who, with his one eye, had made the Captain out some mile and a half off, and had been exchanging unintelligible roars with him ever since. Becoming the lawful prize of this personage, who was frightfully hoarse and constitutionally in want of shaving, they were all three put aboard the Son and Heir. And the Son and Heir was in a pretty state of confusion, with sails lying all bedraggled on the wet decks, loose ropes tripping people up, men in red shirts running barefoot to and fro, casks blockading every foot of space, and, in the thickest of the fray, a black cook in a black caboose up to his eyes in vegetables and blinded with smoke.
The Captain immediately drew Walter into a corner, and with a great effort, that made his face very red, pulled up the silver watch, which was so big, and so tight in his pocket, that it came out like a bung.
'Wal'r,' said the Captain, handing it over, and shaking him heartily by the hand, 'a parting gift, my lad. Put it back half an hour every morning, and about another quarter towards the arternoon, and it's a watch that'll do you credit.'
'Captain Cuttle! I couldn't think of it!' cried Walter, detaining him, for he was running away. 'Pray take it back. I have one already.'
'Then, Wal'r,' said the Captain, suddenly diving into one of his pockets and bringing up the two teaspoons and the sugar-tongs, with which he had armed himself to meet such an objection, 'take this here trifle of plate, instead.'

毫不留情的精密计时表终于宣告：沃尔特必须离别木制海军军官候补生了。他们——他自己、舅舅和船长——乘着一辆出租马车动身前往码头，再从码头搭乘汽艇到河流下面的一个河段；当船长说出它的名称时，陆地上的人们听起来真像是个不可思议、神奇莫测的秘密。当汽艇乘着昨夜的涨潮，开到这个河段之后，他们被一群情绪兴奋的划小船的船家团团围住，里面有一位是船长认识的肮脏的赛克洛普斯；他虽然只有一只眼睛，但在一英里半之外就认出了船长，从那时起就跟他交换着难以理解的么喝。这位胡子拉碴、嗓子嘶哑得可怕的人，把他们三人当成了合法的战利品，运送到“儿子和继承人”号上。“儿子和继承人”号上十分混乱，沾着泥水的船帆被撂在湿漉漉的甲板上，没有拉紧的绳索把人们绊倒，穿着红衬衫的船员们赤着脚跑来跑去，木桶堵塞着每一小块空处；在这一切杂乱的中心，甲板上黑厨房中的一位黑厨师周围堆满了蔬菜，一直堆到他的眼睛底下，他的眼睛被烟薰得几乎失明。
船长立即把沃尔特拉到一个角落里，脸孔涨得通红，使劲地拉出了那只银表；那只表很大，在他的衣袋中塞得又很紧，所以把它拉出的时候就像从桶口拔出个大塞子似的。
“沃尔，”船长把它递过去，并热烈地握着他的手说道，“这是告别的礼物，我的孩子。每天早上把它往后拨半小时，到中午再往后拨一刻钟左右。这只表是你可以引以自豪的。”
“卡特尔船长！我不能要这个！”沃尔特喊道，一边拦住他，因为他正要跑开。“请拿回去。我已经有一只了。”
“那么，沃尔，”船长突然把手伸进另一只口袋。取出两只茶匙和一副方糖箝子，他装备着这些东西就是为了防备遭到拒绝时用的。“就请改拿走这些喝茶用的小东西吧！”