高英Blackmail原文+翻译+修辞.docx

1、高英Blackmail原文+翻译+修辞Blackmail 敲诈Arthur Hailey-阿瑟黑利 The chief house officer, Ogilvie, who had declared he would appear at the Croydons suite an hour after his cryptic telephone call actually took twice that time. As a result the nerves of both the Duke and Duchess were excessively frayed when the mute

2、d buzzer of the outer door eventually sounded.负责饭店保安工作的欧吉维探长打了那个神秘的电话，本来说好一个小时后光临克罗伊敦夫妇所住的套房的，可实际上却过了两个小时才到。结果，当外间门上的电铃终于发出沉闷的嗡嗡声时，公爵夫妇的神经都紧张到了极点。 The Duchess went to the door herself. Earlier she had dispatched her maid on an invented errand and, cruelly, instructed the moon-faced male secretary wh

3、o was terrified of dogs to exercise the Bedlington terriers. Her own tension was not lessened by the knowledge that both might return at any moment.公爵夫人亲自去开门。此前她早已借故把女仆支开，并且狠心地给那位脸儿圆圆的、见到狗就怕得要死的男秘书派了一个要命的差事，让他牵着贝德林顿狼犬出去散步。想到这两个人随时都会回来，她自己的紧张情绪怎么也松弛不下来。 A wave of cigar smoke accompanied Ogilvie in. W

4、hen he had followed her to the living room, the Duchess looked pointedly at the half-burned cigar in the fat mans mouth. “My husband and I find strong smoke offensive. Would you kindly put that out.随着欧吉维进屋的是一团雪茄烟雾。当他随着她走进起居室时，公爵夫人目光直射着这个大肥佬嘴里叼着的那烧了半截的雪茄。“我丈夫和我都讨厌浓烈的烟味，您行行好把它灭了吧!” The house detective

5、s piggy eyes surveyed her sardonically from his gross jowled face. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-appointed room, encompassing 围绕，包围the Duke who faced them uncertainly, his back to a window.探长那双夹在面部隆起的肉堆中的猪眼睛轻蔑地将她上下打量了一番。接着，他便移动目光，对这个宽敞豪华、设备齐全的房间扫视了一周，看到了那位正背朝窗户、神色茫然地望着他们的公爵。 Pretty n

6、eat set-up you folks got.” Taking his time, Ogilvie removed the offending cigar, knocked off the ash and flipped the butt toward an ornamental fireplace on his right. He missed, and the butt fell upon the carpet where he ignored it.“你们这套房间布置得倒挺讲究的呢。”欧吉维慢条斯理地从口中拿下雪茄，敲掉烟灰，然后将烟蒂扔向靠右边的一个装饰性壁炉，但他失了准头，烟蒂掉

7、到地毯上，他也不去管它。 The Duchesss lips tightened. She said sharply, imagine you did not come here to discuss dcor . 公爵夫人的嘴唇绷得紧紧的。她没好气地说道，“我想你该不是为谈论房间布置到这儿来的吧。” The obese body shook in an appreciative chuckle . No, maam, cant say I did. I like nice things, though. He lowered the level of his incongruous 不协调的

8、，不和谐的falsetto假音 voice. Like that car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel. Jaguar, aint it?他乐得咯咯直笑，肥胖的身子也跟着抖动起来。“不是的，夫人，怎么会呢!不过，我确实喜爱高雅的东西。”他压低了他那极端刺耳的尖嗓音接着说，“比如像你们那辆小轿车，就是停在饭店的那辆，美洲虎牌，是的吧?” Aah! It was not a spoken word, but an emission of breath from the Duke of Croydon. His wife shot him

9、a swift, warning glance.“噢!”这声音不像是从口中说出来的，倒像是从克罗伊敦公爵鼻子中呼出来的。他的夫人马上瞪了他一眼，以示警告。 In what conceivable way does our car concern you?”“我们的车子与你有什么相干呢?” As if the question from the Duchess had been a signal, the house detectives manner changed. He inquired abruptly, Who else is in this place?公爵夫人的这句问话似乎是个信号

10、，一听到这个信号，探长的态度马上就变了。他猝然问道，“这儿还有别的人么?” It was the Duke who answered, No one. We sent them out.公爵回答道，“没有。我们早把他们都打发出去了。” Theres things it pays to check. Moving with surprising speed, the fat man walked around the suite, opening doors and inspecting the space behind them. Obviously he knew the room arra

11、ngement well. After reopening and closing the outer door, he returned, apparently satisfied, to the living room.“还是检查一下的好。”这个大胖子以敏捷得出奇的动作对整个套房前前后后地巡查了一遍，凡是有门的地方就打开往里看看。显然，他对整套房间布局是极为熟悉的。他再次打开外间的房门并重新关上之后，面带满意的神色回到了起居室。 The Duchess had seated herself in a straight-backed Ogilvie remained standing. 公爵

12、夫人已端坐在一张直背靠椅上，欧吉维还是站立着。 Now then, he said. You two was in the hit-n-run .“我说，”他开口了，“你俩怎么撞了人就开车逃跑呢?!” She met his eyes directly. What are you talking about?她直视着他的眼睛。“你在胡扯些什么呀?” Dont play games, lady. This is for real. He took out a fresh cigar and bit off the end, You saw the papers. Theres been plen

13、ty on radio, too.“别做戏了，夫人。这可不是闹着玩儿的。”他又掏出一支新雪茄，把烟头咬掉。“你们该看过报纸吧，电台里也广播得不少哩。” Two high points of color appeared in the paleness of the Duchess of Croydons cheeks. What you are suggesting is the most disgusting, ridiculous.克罗伊敦公爵夫人那本来很苍白的双颊上泛起了两团红晕。“你那些含含糊糊的话真是太令人恶心，太荒唐可笑了” I told you Cut it out!” The

14、words spat forth with sudden savagery , all pretense of blandness gone. Ignoring the Duke, Ogilvie waved the unlighted cigar under his adversary s nose. You listen to me, your high-an-mightiness. This citys burnin mad cops, mayor, everybody else. When they find who done that last night, who killed t

15、hat kid an its mother, then high-tailed it, theyll throw the book严惩, and never mind who it hits, or whether they got fancy titles neither. Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, therell be a squad of cops in here so fast youll hardly see em. But I come to you first, in fairness

16、, sos you could tell your side of it to me. The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. f you want it the other way, just say so.“我要你一一闭嘴!”这些话从探长口中像炸雷似地吐了出来，他此时凶相毕露，先前装出的那副温和劲儿荡然无存。欧吉维全然没把公爵放在眼里，竞把那支没点燃的雪茄在他的对手鼻子底下晃了一晃。“你给我听着，尊敬的殿下。这会儿全城上下都闹翻了警察，市长，所有的人。一旦他们查出昨夜的事是谁干的，是谁撞死了那小孩和她的母亲，然后却逃之天天，他们一定会对肇事者严加惩处，

17、不管那肇事者是谁，也不管他们有着多么显赫的爵衔。现在我知道了真相，假如我照章办事的话，没等你眨眼，便会有一队警察开到这儿来。但是我要讲讲公道，所以先到你们这儿来，想听听你们自己的说法。”他那猪一般的小眼睛眨巴了几下，随即变得凶狠起来。“要是你们想另寻出路，不妨就直说了吧。” The Duchess of Croydon three centuries and a half of inbred arrogance behind her did not yield easily. Springing to her feet, her face wrathful, gray-green eyes b

18、lazing, she faced the grossness of the house detective squarely. Her tone would have withered使畏缩 anyone who knew her well. “You unspeakable blackguard! How dare you!”克罗伊敦公爵夫人依仗着三个半世纪祖传下来的狂傲天性并没有轻易就范。她猛地一下跳了起来，怒容满面，灰绿色的眼睛里喷射出火光，直直地逼视着肥肉成堆的探长。她说话的声调简直可以把熟悉她的任何人都吓得矮掉半截。“你这下流的恶棍，竟敢撒野，真是狗胆包天!” Even the s

19、elf-assurance of Ogilvie flickered for an instant. But it was the Duke of Croydon who interjected, Its no go, old girl. Im afraid. It was a good try. Facing Ogilvie, he said, What you accuse us of is true. I am to blame. I was driving the car and killed the little girl.欧吉维虽有那股自信劲儿，也不禁为之一震。但在这时克罗伊敦公爵

20、插话了：“这恐怕也不是个办法，老婆子。不过这样试试也好。”他面向欧吉维说道：“你对我们的指控属实，肇事者是我，是我开车撞死那小姑娘的。” Thats more like it, Ogilvie said. He lit the fresh cigar. Now were getting somewhere.“这还有点像话，”欧吉维说着点燃了那支新掏出的雪茄。“豌在我们总算是谈到点子上了。” Wearily, in a gesture of surrender, the Duchess of Croydon sank back into her chair. Clasping her hands

21、 to conceal their trembling, she asked. What is it you know?克罗伊敦公爵夫人疲乏地做了一个认输的手势后，颓然坐回到椅子上。她双手对握着，以掩饰自己的手在颤抖，嘴里发话问道：“你都知道些什么?” Well now, Ill spell it out. The house detective took his time, leisurely puffing a cloud of blue cigar smoke, his eyes sardonically on the Duchess as if challenging her obje

22、ction. But beyond wrinkling her nose in distaste, she made no comment.“好吧，我就全说出来。”探长要紧不慢，悠然自得地喷吐出一团青色的雪茄烟雾，同时还把那一双眼睛带着嘲弄意味地瞟向公爵夫人，仿佛有意要逗她表示反感似的。但公爵夫人一言未发，只是厌恶地皱了皱鼻子。 Ogilvie pointed to the Duke. Last night, early on, you went to Lindys Place in Irish Bayou. You drove there in your fancy Jaguar, and

23、you took a lady friend. Leastways, I guess youd call her that if youre not too fussy.欧吉维手指着公爵说：“昨晚，入夜不久；你去了爱尔兰牛轭湖的林迪娱乐城。你是开着你们那辆豪华的美洲虎去的，并且还带着一个女朋友。至少，你若不过份挑字眼的话，我想你是会这么称呼她的。” As Ogilvie glanced, grinning, at the Duchess, the Duke said sharply, Get on with it!说到这儿，欧吉维目光瞥向公爵夫人，一边还咧着嘴笑。见此情形，公爵厉声吼道：“接着

24、说下去!” Well the smug fat face swung back the way I hear it, you won a hundred at the tables, then lost it at the bar. You were into a second hundred with a real swinging party when your wife here got there in a taxi. “好哇”那张得意洋洋的胖脸又转了回来“据我所知，你先在赌桌上赢了一百，跟着又在酒吧里全花掉了。正当你准备同一些有头有脸的人物赌上第二个一百时，你的夫人乘坐出租车赶到了那

25、儿。” How do you know all this?“你是怎么得知这一切的?” Ill tell you, Duke Ive been in this town and this hotel a long time. I got friends all over. I oblige them; they do the same for me, like letting me know what gives, an where. There aint much, out of the way, which people who stay in this hotel do, I dont g

26、et to hear about. Most of em never know I know, or know me. They think they got their little secret tucked away , and so they have except like now.“告诉你吧，公爵我在这个城市和这个旅馆呆的时间都很久了。到处都有我的朋友。我时常为他们帮忙，他们也同样帮我的忙，比如说告诉我哪儿发生了些什么事儿，住在这个旅馆的人们做了些什么事情，凡是有点儿出格的，那就很少能瞒得过我。他们多半都不知道我会知道，而且也不认识我。他们以为自己的那些小秘密被隐瞒住了也的确有瞒住

27、的时候可是这一回却瞒不住了。” The Duke said coldly, I see.公爵冷冷地说，“原来如此。” One thing Id like to know. I got a curious nature, ma am. Howd you figure where he was?“有一件事我想弄明白。我生性好奇，夫人。你是如何猜到他的去处的呢?” The Duchess said, You know so much. I suppose it doesnt matter. My husband has a habit of making notes while he is tele

28、phoning. Afterward he often forgets to destroy them. ”公爵夫人说道，“你知道得这么多说给你听也无所谓了。我丈夫打电话时有做记录的习惯，而打完电话后又总是忘了毁掉这些记录。” The house detective clucked his tongue reprovingly . A little careless habit like that, Duke look at the mess it gets you in. Well, heres what I figure about the rest. You an your wife t

29、ook off home, you drivin, though the way things turned out it might have been better if shed have drove.探长连啧舌头，表示责备。“就这么一个小小的粗心大意的习愤，公爵你看它为你带来多大的麻烦。对啦，接下来的情况我猜是这样的。你和你的夫人一起回家了。是你开的车，尽管后来的结果表明，若是换了她来开车，那情形也许会好些。” My wife doesnt drive.“我夫人不会开车。” Ogilvie nodded understandingly. Explains that one. Anywa

30、y, I reckon you were lickered ( = liquored ) up, but good.欧吉维点了点头，表示理解。“这个是清楚了。反正，我估计你当时是已经醉酒了，但是好” The Duchess interrupted. Then you dont know! You dont know anything for sure! You cant possibly prove.公爵夫人打断了他的话：“这么说你并不知道!你并没有掌握什么真实情况，你拿不出任何真凭实据” Lady, I can prove all I need to.“夫人，凡是需要证实的，我都能证实。”

31、The Duke cautioned, Better let him finish, old girl.公爵规劝她说，“老婆子，还是让他把话说完吧。” Thats right, Ogilvie said. Just sit an listen. Last night I seen you come in through the basement, sos not to use the lobby. Looked right shaken, too, the pair of you. Just come in myself, an I got to wondering why. Like I said, I got a curious nature.“这就对了，欧吉维说道。“好好坐着听我讲。昨天夜里，我看见你们进来的为了不穿过门厅，你们走的是地下室，而且看起来还是一副惊魂未定的样子，你们两人都是。我本人也恰在那时进屋，一看那情形就觉得奇怪，想探个究竟。我刚才说过，我这人生性好奇。” The Duchess breathed, Go on.公爵夫人轻声道，“说下去。” Late last night the word was out about th