After Twenty Years 

      O'Henry

二十年以后

    欧亨利

The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators were few. The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh depeopled the streets.

一个执勤的警察正沿街巡逻，很认真，他一直都这样认真，并不是做给谁看的。差不多是晚上十点了，街上行人寥寥无几，冷风飕飕地吹着，有种雨水的味道。

Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The vicinity was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.

他灵巧地来回转着手里的警棍，每家每户都仔细查看，警觉的目光不时地投向安静的街道，这个警察，身材强壮，昂首阔步，俨然一个和平守护者。附近的街区睡得都早，偶尔能看见一个雪茄店或通宵餐馆还亮着灯，其他的店铺早就打烊了。

When about midway of a certain block the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.

走到街区中间时，警察突然放慢了脚步，他看见五金店门口站着一个人，嘴里叼着雪茄，没点着，正向他走过去时，这个人立马开口说话了。

"It's all right, officer," he said, reassuringly. "I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands--'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant."

"Until five years ago," said the policeman. "It was torn down then."

The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow. His scarfpin was a large diamond, oddly set.

“这边没事儿，警官”他确定地说，“我等朋友呢。我们二十年前约好的，听起来有点好笑是不是？你要是想知道这是不是真的，我跟你细说。这家五金店以前是个餐馆，叫‘老乔酒馆’”。

“五年前就拆了，”警察说。

 店门口的这个人说着，划了根火柴，把雪茄点着，火光映衬下他脸色苍白，方下巴，目光犀利，右眼旁有一道白色的伤疤，领带的别针上镶着一块大钻石，看起来很别扭。

"Twenty years ago to-night," said the man, "I dined here at 'Big Joe' Brady's with Jimmy Wells, my best chum, and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn't have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be."

"It sounds pretty interesting," said the policeman. "Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me. Haven't you heard from your friend since you left?"

“二十年前的今晚，”他说，“我和吉米威尔斯在这家饭店吃饭，吉米是我最好的朋友，全世界最好，我俩一起在纽约长大，像兄弟一样。那年我十八，他二十。我决定第二天早上就动身去西部，想办法发点财，吉米可不愿意去，他觉得全世界上就纽约最好。然后，我们就约好，二十年以后还在这里见面，不管我们到时候混成什么样，赶多远的路。那时候我们估计二十年后肯定都稳定了，也有钱了，反正不管怎么样，一定会见面。”

“听起来挺有意思，”警察说。“我看这时间挺长的，你走了之后你们没联系吗？”

"Well, yes, for a time we corresponded," said the other. "But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest, stanchest old chap in the world. He'll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to-night, and it's worth it if my old partner turns up."

“联系过，有一段时间我们写信，但一两年之后我们就失去联系了。你知道，西部不好混，这些年我就忙着赚钱了。可我知道只要吉米活着，他就一定会来，因为他一直都是世界上最忠诚，最讲义气的朋友。他不会忘的，我千里迢迢赶来，只要能见他一面，就值得。”

The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds.

"Three minutes to ten," he announced. "It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door."

"Did pretty well out West, didn't you?" asked the policeman.

"You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was. I've had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get my pile. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him."

说着他看看表，表上也镶着细细的钻。

“还差三分钟十点，”他大声说，“二十年前我们就是十点在这个门口分开的。”

“在西部混的不错，是吧？”警察问他。

“当然了！吉米能有我一半好就行。他是那种脚踏实地的人，现在肯定也是。为了发财我得天天和一些聪明人竞争，在纽约的时候得本分，到了西部就得精明了。”

The policeman twirled his club and took a step or two.

"I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Going to call time on him sharp?"

"I should say not!" said the other. "I'll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth he'll be here by that time. So long, officer."

"Good-night, sir," said the policeman, passing on along his beat, trying doors as he went.

警察晃了晃警棍，向前走了一两步。

“我得走了，但愿你朋友一会能来，就等到十点吗？”

“当然不，我至少多等他半小时，只要吉米活着，他一定会来。再见，警官！”

“晚安，先生，”警察说着，继续挨家挨户地巡逻。

There was now a fine, cold drizzle falling, and the wind had risen from its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few foot passengers astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to absurdity, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited.

天空中飘来冷冷的毛毛雨，忽大忽小的风开始猛烈地吹。街上零星的有几个行人，拉着衣领，手插在兜里，沉寂地走过。还有五金店门口，那个千里迢迢来赴约的人，抽着雪茄，等他年轻时候的朋友。

About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man.

"Is that you, Bob?" he asked, doubtfully.

 "Is that you, Jimmy Wells?" cried the man in the door.

"Bless my heart!" exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other's hands with his own. "It's Bob, sure as fate. I was certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well, well! --twenty years is a long time. The old gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?"

 

大概等了二十分钟左右，一个高个子，穿着长大衣的人走近了，衣领竖到了耳朵，急匆匆地从街的对面赶来，径直走向这个等待的人。

“鲍勃，是你吗？”他将信将疑地问道。

“吉米威尔斯？是你吗？”门口的人大声问道。

 “哎呦，我的天呢！”后来的人喊着，双手紧握对方的手。“是鲍勃，千真万确，我就知道，只要你活着就一定会来，好好好，太好了！二十年可真不短啊。你变了，鲍勃，要是这饭馆还开着就好了，我们还能在这吃一顿。你在西部怎么样，伙计？”

 "Bully; it has given me everything I asked it for. You've changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches."

 "Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty."

 "Doing well in New York, Jimmy?"

 "Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; we'll go around to a place I know of, and have a good long talk about old times."

“好极了！我想要的，现在都有了。吉米，你也变了，我记得你比你前还高了两三英尺。”

“我二十岁以后又长个了。”

“在纽约还不错吧？吉米。”

“凑合吧。在市政府工作呢。你呢，咱们去我知道的一个地方，好好叙叙旧！”

 The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career. The other, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest.

 At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other's face.

两个人挽着臂开始走在大街上。西部发迹让他开始自我膨胀了，滔滔不绝地描述他的发家史。另一个，则低着头，饶有兴致地听着。

走到了街角处的一个药店，灯光的映衬下，两个人对视了一下，然后都盯着对方的脸。

 The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.

 "You're not Jimmy Wells," he snapped. "Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man's nose from a Roman to a pug."

西部回来的这个人突然停下了，放开了手。

“你不是吉米威尔斯”他喊道。“二十年的确很长，但再长也不能把一个人的鹰钩鼻变成狮子鼻。”

 "It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one, said the tall man. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That's sensible. Now, before we go on to the station here's a note I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the window. It's from Patrolman Wells."

 The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.

 "Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job. JIMMY."

 “二十年能把一个好人变成坏人，”大高个说道。“十分钟之前你已经被捕了，滑头鲍勃。芝加哥警方认为你可能潜逃到此，早就通知我们了。溜的神不知鬼不觉哈？可以理解。押送你到车站之前，有张字条要给你看看，你到窗户旁边来看，巡警威尔斯给你的。”

“鲍勃：我按时赴约了，你点燃火柴的时候，我看见你脸上的伤疤，才知道你是芝加哥的通缉犯。可我下不去手，所以叫了一个便衣。吉米”

 

一个执勤的警察正沿街巡逻，很认真，他一直都这样认真，并不是做给谁看的。差不多是晚上十点了，街上行人寥寥无几，冷风飕飕地吹着，有种雨水的味道。

他灵巧地来回转着手里的警棍，每家每户都仔细查看，警觉的目光不时地投向安静的街道，这个警察，身材强壮，昂首阔步，俨然一个和平守护者。附近的街区睡得都早，偶尔能看见一个雪茄店或通宵餐馆还亮着灯，其他的店铺早就打烊了。

走到街区中间时，警察突然放慢了脚步，他看见五金店门口站着一个人，嘴里叼着雪茄，没点着，正向他走过去时，这个人立马开口说话了。

“这边没事儿，警官”他确定地说，“我等朋友呢。我们二十年前约好的，听起来有点好笑是不是？你要是想知道这是不是真的，我跟你细说。这家五金店以前是个餐馆，叫‘老乔酒馆’”。

“五年前就拆了，”警察说。

店门口的这个人说着，划了根火柴，把雪茄点着，火光映衬下他脸色苍白，方下巴，目光犀利，右眼旁有一道白色的伤疤，领带的别针上镶着一块大钻石，看起来很别扭。

“二十年前的今晚，”他说，“我和吉米威尔斯在这家饭店吃饭，吉米是我最好的朋友，全世界最好，我俩一起在纽约长大，像兄弟一样。那年我十八，他二十。我决定第二天早上就动身去西部，想办法发点财，吉米可不愿意去，他觉得全世界上就纽约最好。然后，我们就约好，二十年以后还在这里见面，不管我们到时候混成什么样，赶多远的路。那时候我们估计二十年后肯定都稳定了，也有钱了，反正不管怎么样，一定会见面。”

“听起来挺有意思，”警察说。“我看这时间挺长的，你走了之后你们没联系吗？”

“联系过，有一段时间我们写信，但一两年之后我们就失去联系了。你知道，西部不好混，这些年我就忙着赚钱了。可我知道只要吉米活着，他就一定会来，因为他一直都是世界上最忠诚，最讲义气的朋友。他不会忘的，我千里迢迢赶来，只要能见他一面，就值得。”

说着他看看表，表上也镶着细细的钻。

“还差三分钟十点，”他大声说，“二十年前我们就是十点在这个门口分开的。”

“在西部混的不错，是吧？”警察问他。

“当然了！吉米能有我一半好就行。他是那种脚踏实地的人，现在肯定也是。为了发财我得天天和一些聪明人竞争，在纽约的时候得本分，到了西部就得精明了。”

警察晃了晃警棍，向前走了一两步。

“我得走了，但愿你朋友一会能来，就等到十点吗？”

“当然不，我至少多等他半小时，只要吉米活着，他一定会来。再见，警官！”

“晚安，先生，”警察说着，继续挨家挨户地巡逻。

天空中飘来冷冷的毛毛雨，忽大忽小的风开始猛烈地吹。街上零星的有几个行人，拉着衣领，手插在兜里，沉寂地走过。还有五金店门口，那个千里迢迢来赴约的人，抽着雪茄，等他年轻时候的朋友。

大概等了二十分钟左右，一个高个子，穿着长大衣的人走近了，衣领竖到了耳朵，急匆匆地从街的对面赶来，径直走向这个等待的人。

“鲍勃，是你吗？”他将信将疑地问道。

“吉米威尔斯？是你吗？”门口的人大声问道。

“哎呦，我的天！”后来的人喊着，双手紧握对方的手。“是鲍勃，千真万确，我就知道，只要你活着就一定会来，好好好，太好了！二十年可真不短啊。你变了，鲍勃，要是这饭馆还开着就好了，我们还能在这吃一顿。你在西部怎么样，伙计？”

“好极了！我想要的，现在都有了。吉米，你也变了，我记得你比你前还高了两三英尺。”

“我二十岁以后又长个了。”

“在纽约还不错吧？吉米。”

“凑合吧。在市政府工作呢。你呢，咱们去我知道的一个地方，好好叙叙旧！”

两个人挽着臂开始走在大街上。西部发迹让他开始自我膨胀了，滔滔不绝地描述他的发家史。另一个，则低着头，饶有兴致地听着。

走到了街角处的一个药店，灯光的映衬下，两个人对视了一下，然后都盯着对方的脸。

西部回来的这个人突然停下了，放开了手。

“你不是吉米威尔斯”他喊道。“二十年的确很长，但再长也不能把一个人的鹰钩鼻变成狮子鼻。”

“二十年能把一个好人变成坏人，”大高个说道。“十分钟之前你已经被捕了，滑头鲍勃。芝加哥警方认为你可能潜逃到此，早就通知我们了。溜的神不知鬼不觉哈？可以理解。押送你到车站之前，有张字条要给你看看，你到窗户旁边来看，巡警威尔斯给你的。”

“鲍勃：我按时赴约了，你点燃火柴的时候，我看见你脸上的伤疤，才知道你是芝加哥的通缉犯。可我下不去手，所以叫了一个便衣。吉米”

 

 

参考译文：                二十年后

欧·亨利

 

一位巡警在马路上威风凛凛地走着。他的威武是习惯成自然， 而不是摆给人看的架势，因为行人已少而又少。时间还不到夜晚十点，但眼见要下雨，冷风一阵紧似一阵，马路上就已是空空荡荡了。

他边走边一家家打量，还不时转过头，用警惕的目光向平静的通衢大道两头远望，那甩警棍的动作多姿多彩，再加上体格魁伟，步履稳健，看起来是好一个太平天下卫士的形象。这一带收市早。你偶尔看到还亮着灯的店或者是烟店，或者是通宵餐馆，大多数店铺却早早关了门。

走到一个路段的正中时，警察突然放慢了脚步。一家灭了灯的五金店门口，有个男子斜靠门站着，嘴里叼了根烟，并没点着。看到警察走过来他抢先说话了。

“没事，警官，我在等一位朋友，”他镇定自若地说，“二十年前约好现在相见。你听了觉得奇怪，是吗?你要是不放心呢，我可以把事情说给你听听。二十年前，这家店是一家餐馆，叫大乔·布雷迪餐馆。”

“餐馆早五年就没有了。”警察说。

站在门边的人划着了根火柴点烟。火柴光一照，只见这人长着个方下巴，脸发白，目光倒炯炯有神，右边眉毛附近留着个小白伤疤。领带扣针歪别着，上面镶着颗大钻石。

那人说：“二十年前，我跟吉米·韦尔斯在这儿的餐馆吃饭。他是我最要好的哥儿们，世界顶呱呱的小子。我俩是纽约长大的，亲亲热热像兄弟俩。我十八岁，吉米二十岁。第二天上午我要去西部闯荡。在吉米看来天下似乎只有一个纽约。你就是拽也无法把他拽出纽约。那天晚上，我们约定，就从那一天那一刻算起，整整二十年后在这地方再会面，不论我们的处境如何，也不论要走多远的路。我想，过了这二十年，好歹各人也该知道了自己的命运，混出了点名堂。”

“这事倒挺新鲜。时隔二十年才又见上一面，未免太久了点。分手以后你知道你朋友的消息吗?”警察问。

那人答道：“说起来我们也有过一段书信往来，但过了一两年便断了联系。你知道西部那边地方有多大，而我来来往往又行踪无定。但是我知道要是吉米还活着，准会上这儿来找我。要说忠诚可靠，这老兄天底下数第一，他决不会忘。今天晚上我千里迢迢跑到这家店门口等着，如果老朋友当真来，跑这一趟值得。”

等朋友的人掏出块漂亮的表，盖上镶着小宝石。

“十点差三分，”他说，“我们在餐馆分手的时间是十点整。

“你在西部混得还不错吧?”警察问。

“你猜对了!吉米要是比得上我一半就算他不赖。他是个大好人，就是迟钝了点。我发财可也不容易，非多长几个心眼不可。在纽约什么都要守着老套套。人要开窍得到西部去。”

警察甩着警棍，又开步了。

“我得走啦!希望你的朋友真能来。到时候没来你就走吗?”

“不会。”他说，“至少我等他半个钟头。如果吉米还活在这世上，等半小时他准来。再见，警官。”

“再见，先生。”警官说着又继续巡逻，边走边一家家打量。

这时下起了冷飕飕的毛毛雨，原来风是一阵阵吹，现在是不停地吹。这一带为数很少的几个行人把大衣领翻上来，手插进口袋里，加快脚步，默默赶路，自认倒霉没赶上好天气。五金店门口的那个人抽着烟还在等。他千里迢迢来赴年轻时朋友的约会，干这种完全没准的事可说是荒唐。

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他等了约摸二十分钟后，一位高个子大步流星穿过马路径直朝他走来。这人穿着长外套，衣领翻上来盖住丁耳朵。

“鲍勃，真是你吗?”来者不敢相信地问道。

“吉米·韦尔斯，你来丁呀!”站在门边的人高声叫了起来。

“哎呀呀!”刚来的人也高声叫，一把抓起对方的两只手，“果然是鲍勃。我知道只要你还活着，一定会上这儿来。哟，哟，哟，二十年，可不算短呀!鲍勃，原来的餐馆已经没有了，要是还在就好，我们可以到里面再吃上一顿。在西部混得怎么样，老弟?”

    “好极啦!我想到手的都到手了。吉米，你变了很多。奇怪，你怎么又长了两三寸呢?”

    “是呀，满二十后我又长了些。”

    “你在纽约怎么样，吉米?”    ’

    “还过得去。我在市里的一个部门谋了个位置。鲍勃，走吧，我们到一个熟悉的地方去畅谈往日的事情。”

    两人手挽手沿马路走着。从西部归来的那个志得意满，讲起些年的作为。另一个把头缩在大衣领里，津津有味地听。十字路口有家药房，仍灯火辉煌。到了灯光下，两人同时转身瞪大眼看着对方的脸。

    从西部来的那个突然站住了，松开手臂。

    “你不是吉米·韦尔斯!”他惊叫起来，“二十年的时间的确长，但再长的时间也不会把鹰钩鼻变成个扁鼻。”

    “二十年足可以把一些好人变成坏人，’高个子说，“鲍勃，你已被捕十分钟了。芝加哥认为你可能上我们这儿来，打了电报说想与你谈谈。放老实点，知道吗?老实才聪明。有人叫我带张条子给你，看完了我们再去局里。你到那儿窗子下看，是巡警韦尔斯写的。”

    从西部来的人打开交给他的小纸条。开始看的时候他的手还正常，但到看完时却抖得厉害。条子上只写了几句话：

    鲍勃：我准时到了约定地点。你划着火柴点烟时我发现你原来是芝加哥通缉的罪犯。我不便自己动手，便找了位便衣代劳。

                                                              吉米