远在他乡1

When a man journeys into a far country, he must be prepared to forget many of the things he has learned, and to acquire such customs as are inherent with existence in the new land; he must abandon the old ideals and the old gods, and oftentimes he must reverse the very codes by which his conduct has hitherto been shaped. To those who have the protean faculty of adaptability, the novelty of such change may even be a source of pleasure; but to those who happen to be hardened to the ruts in which they were created, the pressure of the altered environment is unbearable, and they chafe in body and in spirit under the new restrictions which they do not understand. This chafing is bound to act and react, producing divers evils and leading to various misfortunes. It were better for the man who cannot fit himself to the new groove to return to his own country; if he delay too long, he will surely die.

如果一个人动身去一个遥远的国家，那他必须做好准备，忘掉学到的许多东西，然后习得那个新地方的固有习俗；他必须放弃原先的理想和原先信仰的神灵，而且往往要颠覆之前一直遵循的行为准则。对于那些适应能力强的人来说，变化带来的新鲜感或许还会成为乐趣的来源。但是，对于那些恰巧固守老规矩的人来说，一直接触的都是这些规矩，环境变化带来的压力则是难以承受的。在那些他们不能理解的新规矩的约束下，他们的身心都会受到损伤。这种损伤必定会发生作用并产生影响，导致各种各样的灾难，引发各种不幸。如果一个人不能适应新的常规，那最好回到自己的故乡去；如果他拖延的时间过长，肯定是要死的。

The man who turns his back upon the comforts of an elder civilization, to face the savage youth, the primordial simplicity of the North, may estimate success at an inverse ratio to the quantity and quality of his hopelessly fixed habits. He will soon discover, if he be a fit candidate, that the material habits are the less important. The exchange of such things as a dainty menu for rough fare, of the stiff leather shoe for the soft, shapeless moccasin, of the feather bed for a couch in the snow, is after all a very easy matter. But his pinch will come in learning properly to shape his mind's attitude toward all things, and especially toward his fellow man. For the courtesies of ordinary life, he must substitute unselfishness, forbearance, and tolerance. Thus, and thus only, can he gain that pearl of great price, —true comradeship. He must not say "Thank you; " he must mean it without opening his mouth, and prove it by responding in kind. In short, he must substitute the deed for the word, the spirit for the letter.

那些抛弃了自己原来所熟悉的文化、去面对北方的野蛮蒙昧和原始朴素的人可能会估计，他的成功和自己那些没有希望改掉的习惯的数量以及质量成反比。他很快就会发现，如果自己是个合适的人选，那么物质上的习惯是没那么重要的。把精致的佳肴换成简单的饭菜，把硬挺的皮鞋换成柔软不成形的软帮鞋，把羽毛褥垫换成雪中的长椅，所有这样的转换毕竟是非常容易的事。最紧要的是，他得正确地塑造自己对待一切事物的态度，尤其是对同伴的态度。对于日常生活中的礼节，他必须用无私、宽容和忍耐代替。这样，而且只有这样，他才能得到那价格不菲的珍珠，也就是真正的同志情谊。他不能说 “谢谢” ，必须不开口就把这个意思表达出来，必须用同样的方式回应，证明自己的谢意。简单地说，就是他必须用行动代替语言，用精神实质代替字面意义。

When the world rang with the tale of Arctic gold, and the lure of the North gripped the heartstrings of men, Carter Weatherbee threw up his snug clerkship, turned the half of his savings over to his wife, and with the remainder bought an outfit. There was no romance in his nature, —the bondage of commerce had crushed all that; he was simply tired of the ceaseless grind, and wished to risk great hazards in view of corresponding returns. Like many another fool, disdaining the old trails used by the Northland pioneers for a score of years, he hurried to Edmonton in the spring of the year; and there, unluckily for his soul's welfare, he allied himself with a party of men.

当北极有黄金的传闻在世界上盛传时，北方的诱惑便牵动了人们的心弦。卡特·韦瑟比放弃了舒适的文书工作，把一半的存款移交给了妻子，用剩下的钱买了一套装备。他的性格中没有冒险精神——商务的束缚已经粉碎了所有的浪漫想法，他只是厌倦了无休止的苦差事，考虑到相应的回报，他愿意冒巨大的危险。和其他许多蠢人一样，他鄙视北国拓荒者二十年来一直走的老路线。这年的春天，他便匆忙赶去埃德蒙顿，在那里，他和一群人结成联盟，这对他的心灵健康来说很不幸。

There was nothing unusual about this party, except its plans. Even its goal, like that of all other parties, was the Klondike. But the route it had mapped out to attain that goal took away the breath of the hardiest native, born and bred to the vicissitudes of the Northwest. Even Jacques Baptiste, born of a Chippewa woman and a renegade voyageur （having raised his first whimpers in a deerskin lodge north of the sixty—fifth parallel, and had the same hushed by blissful sucks of raw tallow）, was surprised. Though he sold his services to them and agreed to travel even to the never—opening ice, he shook his head ominously whenever his advice was asked.

这个联盟没有什么特殊之处，除了它的那些计划。即便是它的目的地，也和其它团体一样，是克朗代克。但是他们制定的去往目的地的路线令最强壮的本地人都喘不过气来，那些本地人在西北部的变迁中出生、长大。即使是雅克·巴普蒂斯特——奥吉布瓦女人和叛逆的船夫所生的儿子——也很吃惊。（他在北纬六十五度以北的一个鹿皮小屋里发出第一声呜咽，也是靠着幸福地吮吸生油脂安静了下来。）尽管他向他们出卖劳动，甚至答应去从未开辟过的冰面，但是每次问到他的意见时，他总是有不祥预感似的摇着头。

Percy Cuthfert's evil star must have been in the ascendant, for he, too, joined this company of argonauts. He was an ordinary man, with a bank account as deep as his culture, which is saying a good deal. He had no reason to embark on such a venture, —no reason in the world, save that he suffered from an abnormal development of sentimentality. He mistook this for the true spirit of romance and adventure. Many another man has done the like, and made as fatal a mistake.

珀西·卡斯费特一定是灾星当头，因为他也加入了这群淘金者。他是一个普通人，他的银行账户和他的文化修养一样深厚，意思是说他的存款很多。他没有理由开始这次冒险，世界上也找不出任何理由，除非他在情感上有些不正常。他错把这次冒险当成是浪漫和探险的真正内涵所在。许多人也做过类似的事，犯下这样致命的错误。

The first break—up of spring found the party following the ice—run of Elk River. It was an imposing fleet, for the outfit was large, and they were accompanied by a disreputable contingent of half—breed voyageurs with their women and children. Day in and day out, they labored with the bateaux and canoes, fought mosquitoes and other kindred pests, or sweated and swore at the portages. Severe toil like this lays a man naked to the very roots of his soul, and ere Lake Athabasca was lost in the south, each member of the party had hoisted his true colors.

春天第一次解冻时，这群人就沿着埃尔克河的融冰流出发了。这个船队声势浩大，因为人员很多，而且跟他们一起的还有一群名声不好的混血船夫以及他们的老婆孩子。日复一日，他们奋力划着平底船和独木舟，与蚊子及其他同类害虫作斗争，或者在搬东西时，一边卖力干活一边咒骂。像这样辛苦的劳作使人显露出了最真实的自我，在阿萨巴斯卡湖在南面消失之前，这个群体中的每一个成员都露出了真面目。

The two shirks and chronic grumblers were Carter Weatherbee and Percy Cuthfert. The whole party complained less of its aches and pains than did either of them. Not once did they volunteer for the thousand and one petty duties of the camp. A bucket of water to be brought, an extra armful of wood to be chopped, the dishes to be washed and wiped, a search to be made through the outfit for some suddenly indispensable article, —and these two effete scions of civilization discovered sprains or blisters requiring instant attention. They were the first to turn in at night, with a score of tasks yet undone; the last to turn out in the morning, when the start should be in readiness before the breakfast was begun. They were the first to fall to at meal—time, the last to have a hand in the cooking; the first to dive for a slim delicacy, the last to discover they had added to their own another man's share. If they toiled at the oars, they slyly cut the water at each stroke and allowed the boat's momentum to float up the blade. They thought nobody noticed; but their comrades swore under their breaths and grew to hate them, while Jacques Baptiste sneered openly and damned them from morning till night. But Jacques Baptiste was no gentleman.

那两个偷懒并经常发牢骚的人就是卡特·韦瑟比和珀西·卡斯费特。整个队伍对辛劳、痛苦的埋怨都没有他们俩当中的任何一个多。营地里有许许多多的小事，他们没有主动做过一次。比如打一桶水，多劈一抱木头，刷洗、擦干一些盘子，在全套装备中寻找某件突然急需的物品等等，而这两个娇气的城市人一扭到或者一磨出水泡就需要立即护理。晚上，他们俩是最先钻进被窝的，还有一堆事情没有做；早上，他们是最后起来的，而出发的准备工作在早饭开始之前就该做好。吃饭时他们最先开始吃，做饭时最后一个帮忙；他们最先向为数不多的美味佳肴扑过去，最后一个发现别人的那一份已经在自己碗里。如果他们辛苦地划桨，就会狡猾地每划一下就在水里停一下，然后让船的动力使桨叶浮起来。他们以为没人注意到，但同伴们低声咒骂他们，并且开始讨厌他们，而雅克·巴普蒂斯特公开嘲笑他们，还从早到晚地指责他们。但雅克·巴普蒂斯特不是什么绅士。

At the Great Slave, Hudson Bay dogs were purchased, and the fleet sank to the guards with its added burden of dried fish and pemmican. Then canoe and bateau answered to the swift current of the Mackenzie, and they plunged into the Great Barren Ground. Every likely—looking "feeder" was prospected, but the elusive "pay—dirt" danced ever to the north. At the Great Bear, overcome by the common dread of the Unknown Lands, their voyageurs began to desert, and Fort of Good Hope saw the last and bravest bending to the tow—lines as they bucked the current down which they had so treacherously glided. Jacques Baptiste alone remained. Had he not sworn to travel even to the never—opening ice?

在大奴湖，他们买了些哈得孙湾狗，船队由于添加了干鱼和干肉饼而沉到了警戒线之下。然后独木舟和平底船遇到了马更些河湍急的水流，它们冲进了大荒地。每一条貌似可能的 “支流” 都勘察到了，但是那难以捉摸的 “可采矿石” 总是跳跃着朝北去。在大熊湖，由于对未知大陆通常都有恐惧，他们的船夫受不了便开始纷纷离开。到古德霍普堡时，只剩下最勇敢的一些人，他们向下冲入刚才冒着危险划过的水流中时，全力拉着拖索。雅克·巴普蒂斯特一个人留了下来。他不是发过誓，即使是无人涉足过的冰面他也要去吗？

The lying charts, compiled in main from hearsay, were now constantly consulted. And they felt the need of hurry, for the sun had already passed its northern solstice and was leading the winter south again. Skirting the shores of the bay, where the Mackenzie disembogues into the Arctic Ocean, they entered the mouth of the Little Peel River. Then began the arduous up—stream toil, and the two Incapables fared worse than ever. Tow—line and pole, paddle and tump—line, rapids and portages, —such tortures served to give the one a deep digust for great hazards, and printed for the other a fiery text on the true romance of adventure. One day they waxed mutinous, and being vilely cursed by Jacques Baptiste, turned, as worms sometimes will. But the half—breed thrashed the twain, and sent them, bruised and bleeding, about their work. It was the first time either had been man—handled.

那骗人的航海图基本上是按照传闻绘制的，可他们现在要不断地查阅它。他们也感觉到需要加快进度了，因为北半球的夏至日已经过去了，太阳正在使冬天的范围再次向南扩展。他们沿着海湾的岸边行进，进入了小皮尔河的河口。马更些河从海湾处汇入北冰洋。然后他们开始费力地逆流而上，而那两个无用之人干得比先前更糟了。拖索和桅杆，桨和扎带，急流和搬运工作，这些折磨使其中一些人对巨大的危险深恶痛绝，而使另外一些人铭记了这个关于探险真正传奇性的激烈篇章。有一天他们失控了，雅克·巴普蒂斯特用脏话咒骂他们，他们被逼急了，就反抗起来。但是那个混血男人用鞭子抽打这两个人，还让他们带着伤流着血就去干活。这是这两个人第一次被粗暴地对待。

Abandoning their river craft at the head—waters of the Little Peel, they consumed the rest of the summer in the great portage over the Mackenzie watershed to the West Rat. This little stream fed the Porcupine, which in turn joined the Yukon where that mighty highway of the North countermarches on the Arctic Circle. But they had lost in the race with winter, and one day they tied their rafts to the thick eddy—ice and hurried their goods ashore. That night the river jammed and broke several times; the following morning it had fallen asleep for good.

在小皮尔河上游，他们丢弃了小河船，夏天剩下的时间，他们都在马更些河流域把大量货物运往西拉特河。这条小河汇入波丘派恩河，而波丘派恩河又汇入育空河。在育空河那儿，那条浩瀚的北方交通要道掉头朝北极圈反方向行进。但是他们在与冬天的赛跑中失败了。有一天，他们把木筏拴在厚厚的漩涡冰上，然后匆忙地把他们的货物运上岸。那天晚上，河流多次冻住又裂开；第二天早晨，那条河永远地冻住了。

"We can't be more 'n four hundred miles from the Yukon, " concluded Sloper, multiplying his thumb nails by the scale of the map. The council, in which the two Incapables had whined to excellent disadvantage, was drawing to a close. Hudson Bay Post, long time ago. No use um now. Jacques Baptiste's father had made the trip for the Fur Company in the old days, incidentally marking the trail with a couple of frozen toes.

“我们距离育空河不可能超过四百英里。” 斯洛珀推断道，他用两个拇指指甲的长度乘以地图的比例尺。委员会快要解体了，在这个委员会中，那两个无用之人一直抱怨，已经使自己处于非常不利的地位。 “哈得孙湾标志杆存在于很长时间以前。现在已经不用了。” 雅克·巴普蒂斯特的父亲从前为毛皮公司做事时到过这里，附带着用一对冰冻的脚趾留下了痕迹。

"Sufferin 'cracky! " cried another of the party. No whites?

“受够疯子了！” 人群中有人喊道， “没有白人吗？”

"Nary white, " Sloper sententiously affirmed; "but it's only five hundred more up the Yukon to Dawson. Call it a rough thousand from here.”

“没有白人，” 斯洛珀很简洁地肯定道， “但是到了育空河，只要再往上走五百英里就能到道森了。距离这里大概是一千英里。”

Weatherbee and Cuthfert groaned in chorus.

韦瑟比和卡斯费特异口同声地抱怨道：

"How long'll that take, Baptiste?”

“那要花多长时间啊，巴普蒂斯特？”

The half—breed figured for a moment. "Workum like hell, no man play out, ten—twenty—forty—fifty days. Um babies come" （designating the Incapables）, "no can tell. Mebbe when hell freeze over; mebbe not then. "

这个混血男人计算了一会儿。 “极其辛苦地劳作，没有人倒下，也许十天、二十天、四十天、五十天。嗯，孩子们来” （指这两个无用之人）， “没人能知道。或许要等到该死的冰全结上的时候，或许不是那时候。”

The manufacture of snowshoes and moccasins ceased. Somebody called the name of an absent member, who came out of an ancient cabin at the edge of the camp—fire and joined them. The cabin was one of the many mysteries which lurk in the vast recesses of the North. Built when and by whom, no man could tell. Two graves in the open, piled high with stones, perhaps contained the secret of those early wanderers. But whose hand had piled the stones?

雪地鞋和软帮鞋的生产停止了。有人叫了一个不在场的人的名字，被叫到的这个人从营火边的古老木屋里走出来，加入了他们的行列。这个小木屋是个谜团，它是北方广阔、隐秘的土地上隐藏着的许多谜团中的一个。没有人知道是谁在什么时候建造了它。野外有两个坟墓，用石头堆得很高，或许这其中包含了那些早期流浪者的秘密。但是谁用手垒起了这些石头呢？

The moment had come. Jacques Baptiste paused in the fitting of a harness and pinned the struggling dog in the snow. The cook made mute protest for delay, threw a handful of bacon into a noisy pot of beans, then came to attention. Sloper rose to his feet. His body was a ludicrous contrast to the healthy physiques of the Incapables. Yellow and weak, fleeing from a South American fever—hole, he had not broken his flight across the zones, and was still able to toil with men. His weight was probably ninety pounds, with the heavy hunting—knife thrown in, and his grizzled hair told of a prime which had ceased to be. The fresh young muscles of either Weatherbee or Cuthfert were equal to ten times the endeavor of his; yet he could walk them into the earth in a day's journey. And all this day he had whipped his stronger comrades into venturing a thousand miles of the stiffest hardship man can conceive. He was the incarnation of the unrest of his race, and the old Teutonic stubbornness, dashed with the quick grasp and action of the Yankee, held the flesh in the bondage of the spirit.

这一时刻已经到来了。雅克·巴普蒂斯特停下来，装配好挽具，把奋力挣扎的狗按在雪地里。那个厨师为拖延时间做着无声的抗争，他将几块熏肉扔到一个装着豆子噼啪作响的锅里，然后站起来。斯洛珀站起身来。他的身体和那两个无用之人的健壮体格形成了滑稽可笑的对比。他面黄肌瘦，是从南美一个炽热的地方逃出来的，他不间断地跨越了多个地带，但还能和他们一起辛苦劳作。他的体重可能有九十磅，还得算上沉重的猎刀，那灰白的头发说明他的壮年时期已经过了。韦瑟比和卡斯费特年轻力壮，抵得上他十倍的努力，但是他却能在一天的行程里把他们两个走得累趴下。这一整天，他都在鞭打着比他强壮的两个同伴，让他们冒险去走人类所能想象出的最艰难的一千英里道路。他既有他那个民族的不安分，又有古日耳曼人的倔强，还掺杂着美国北方佬一流的理解力和行动力，这些把他的肉体束缚在了精神里。

"All those in favor of going on with the dogs as soon as the ice sets, say ay. "

“赞成一结冰就带着狗继续前进的，说一声 ‘行’ 。”

"Ay! " rang out eight voices, —voices destined to string a trail of oaths along many a hundred miles of pain.

“行！” 八个人的声音响起，这声音注定串起他们在几百英里充满痛苦的道路上的誓言。

"Contrary minded? "

“有相反的意见吗？”

"No! " For the first time the Incapables were united without some compromise of personal interests.

“没有！” 这是那两个无用之人第一次在不放弃个人利益的情况下和大家达成一致意见。

"And what are you going to do about it? " Weatherbee added belligerently.

“那你们打算怎么做？” 韦瑟比用好斗的口吻加了一句。

"Majority rule! Majority rule! " clamored the rest of the party.

“少数服从多数！少数服从多数！” 其他人大声喊道。

"I know the expedition is liable to fall through if you don't come, " Sloper replied sweetly; "but I guess, if we try real hard, we can manage to do without you. What do you say, boys? "

“我知道如果你不来，这次探险很可能会成为泡影，” 斯洛珀温和地答道， “但是我想，如果我们真正努力尝试，少了你我们也能做到。你们说呢，伙计们？”

The sentiment was cheered to the echo.

大家都为他的观点大声喝彩。

"But I say, you know, " Cuthfert ventured apprehensively; "what's a chap like me to do?”

“但是我说，你知道的，” 卡斯费特带着焦虑大胆问道， “像我这样的人能做什么呢？”

"Ain't you coming with us?”

“你不和我们一起吗？”

"No—o.”

“是的。”

"Then do as you damn well please. We won't have nothing to say.”

“那你就爱干什么干什么吧。我们不会什么都不说。”

"Kind o 'calkilate yuh might settle it with that canoodlin' pardner of yourn, " suggested a heavy—going Westerner from the Dakotas, at the same time pointing out Weatherbee. "He'll be shore to ask yuh what yur a—goin't o do when it comes to cookin 'an' gatherin't he wood.”

“我看你可以和你那亲爱的伙伴一起解决这件事情。” 一个来自达科他州的、非常难缠的西部人建议道，同时指出了韦瑟比。 “到了做饭和捡柴火的时候，他一定会问你打算怎么做的。”

"Then we'll consider it all arranged, " concluded Sloper. "We'll pull out to—morrow, if we camp within five miles, —just to get everything in running order and remember if we've forgotten anything.”

“那么我们就认为一切都安排好了。” 斯洛珀总结道， “如果在五英里以内宿营，我们就明天出发——只是让一切准备就绪，再想想我们有没有落下什么东西。”

The sleds groaned by on their steel—shod runners, and the dogs strained low in the harnesses in which they were born to die. Jacques Baptiste paused by the side of Sloper to get a last glimpse of the cabin. The smoke curled up pathetically from the Yukon stove—pipe. The two Incapables were watching them from the doorway.

雪橇的钢铁滑板一路上吱嘎作响，狗低着身子用力拉雪橇，它们生来就是要死在挽具里的。雅克·巴普蒂斯特停在斯洛珀的旁边，想看木屋最后一眼。薄薄的烟雾从育空河边的火炉管里袅袅升起。那两个无用之人正在门口看着他们。

Sloper laid his hand on the other's shoulder.

斯洛珀把手放在巴普蒂斯特的肩上。

"Jacques Baptiste, did you ever hear of the Kilkenny cats? "

“雅克·巴普蒂斯特，你听说过基尔肯尼猫吗？”

The half—breed shook his head.

那个混血儿摇了摇头。