13.The last battle 最后一仗
The next thing that happened was the return of Lorna — my Lorna, my own darling.
接下来发生的事是洛娜回来了——我的洛娜，我亲爱的爱人。
She stepped out of her coach and ran into the house, as happy as a bird to get home again.
她走下马车，跑进屋里，像鸟儿归巢一样快乐。
All the house was full of brightness and sunshine as she ran here and there, laughing and talking.
她到处跑着、笑着、说着话，整个屋子顿时充满了光明和阳光。
Oh, how she loved this old chair, and she must see the kitchen fire, and where was her old friend the cat?
噢，她是多么喜爱这把旧椅子啊，她一定要看看厨房的炉火，还有她的老朋友那只猫去哪儿了？
As for me, I threw my best hat over the hay ricks and shouted for happiness.
至于我，我把最好的帽子扔过干草堆，高兴得大喊起来。
Lorna was now free to make her own decisions, she told us.
洛娜告诉我们，她现在可以自由地做自己的决定了。
Earl Brandir had died.
布兰迪尔伯爵已经去世了。
She had grown to love this fine old gentleman, and was very sad at his death.
她已经爱上了这位善良的老人，对他的离世感到非常悲伤。
But now she could do what she wanted — even marry that good servant of the King, John Ridd.
但现在她可以做自己想做的事了——甚至可以嫁给那位国王的忠实仆人，约翰·里德。
At last, the waiting and the worrying was over, and happiness was ours.
终于，等待和担忧都结束了，幸福属于了我们。
But in her softest moments, when she was alone with me, Lorna could not quite hide the fear that still lay deep in her heart.
但在她最温柔的时刻，当只有我们两人在一起时，洛娜无法完全掩饰深藏心底的恐惧。
I felt it too — a fear that something evil, something terrible, could still happen.
我也感受到了这种恐惧——害怕某种邪恶、可怕的事情仍然会发生。
There was great excitement all over Exmoor when people heard of our wedding.
当人们听说我们要结婚的消息时，整个埃克斯穆尔都沸腾了。
Everyone had heard of the defeat of the Doones, and the strength of John Ridd, and the beauty of Lorna.
每个人都听说了杜恩家族被击败的事，以及约翰·里德的强壮和洛娜的美丽。
People came from more than thirty miles around.
人们从三十多英里外的地方赶来。
Mother, Annie, and Lizzie arranged everything, with the help of Uncle Ben’s granddaughter, Ruth, who had also come for the wedding.
母亲、安妮和莉齐在本叔叔的孙女露丝的帮助下安排了一切，露丝也是来参加婚礼的。
When the day came, and Lorna stepped up to my side in Oare church and took my hand, I was afraid to look at her.
当那一天到来，洛娜在奥尔教堂走到我身边握住我的手时，我都不敢看她。
She was so beautiful, so fresh and lovely in her simple white dress.
她是那么美丽，穿着简单的白色礼服，清新又可爱。
But when we had each said ‘I will’, and my ring was on her finger, we turned to each other.
但当我们各自说出“我愿意”，并且我的戒指戴在她手指上后，我们转向了彼此。
Her laughing eyes were serious now, and full of so much love that my heart nearly stopped beating.
她那爱笑的眼睛此刻变得庄重，充满了深情，让我的心几乎停止了跳动。
Darling eyes, the loveliest, the most loving eyes — then the sound of a shot rang through the church, and those eyes were clouded with death.
亲爱的眼睛，最可爱、最深情的眼睛——就在这时，一声枪响回荡在教堂里，那双眼睛蒙上了死亡的阴影。
Lorna fell at my feet, and her bright red blood ran over the wooden floor.
洛娜倒在我的脚边，鲜红的血流过了木地板。
I lifted her up, whispering soft words of love, but as she leant her head on my chest, her eyes closed and she breathed her last goodbye to life.
我把她抱起来，轻声诉说着爱意，但当她把头靠在我胸口时，她闭上了眼睛，向生命作了最后的告别。
Then I laid my wife in my mother’s arms — and went out for my revenge.
然后我把妻子放在母亲的怀里——走出去复仇。
Of course, I knew who had done it.
当然，我知道是谁干的。
There was only one man in the world who could do a thing like this.
这世上只有一个人能做出这种事。
I jumped on my horse and rode away fast.
我跳上马，飞快地骑走了。
I don’t remember who showed me the way.
我不记得是谁给我指的路。
I only know that I took it.
我只知道我走上了那条路。
And the men fell back before me.
人们在我面前纷纷退让。
Soon the shouts of some men told me that I was getting close.
很快，一些人的喊叫声告诉我，我快要追上他了。
And there, ahead of me, rode a man on a great black horse; and I knew that the man was Carver Doone.
就在我前方，一个男人骑着一匹高大的黑马；我知道那人就是卡弗·杜恩。
‘His life, or mine,’ I said to myself; ‘whatever God decides.
“不是他死，就是我亡，”我对自己说，“无论上帝如何裁决。”
But the two of us cannot live in this world one more hour together.’
但这世上容不得我们两人再共存一个小时。”
I had no weapons, and I knew he had a gun, but I also knew, as surely as night follows day, that I would kill this man.
我没有武器，我知道他有枪，但我也确信无疑，就像黑夜必将跟随白昼一样，我一定会杀死这个人。
He rode up onto the moors, and I followed.
他策马奔上荒原，我紧随其后。
His horse was fast, but he did not know this part of Exmoor.
他的马跑得很快，但他不熟悉埃克斯穆尔的这一带。
He rode straight into a little valley from which I knew there was no escape — because at the end of it there was only a black, bottomless bog.
他径直骑进了一个小山谷，我知道那里无路可逃——因为山谷尽头只有一个漆黑无底的沼泽。
As I rode after him, I reached up to a tree that was growing in the rocks above me, and broke off a great branch.
当我骑马追赶他时，我伸手够到岩石上方生长的一棵树，折断了一根粗大的树枝。
Then Carver turned a corner and saw what he was riding towards.
这时卡弗转过弯，看到了他正冲向什么地方。
He pulled back from the bog in fear, and turning his horse, he fired, and rode straight at me.
他惊恐地从沼泽边勒马后退，调转马头，开了一枪，然后直冲我而来。
The bullet hit me somewhere, but I took no notice.
子弹击中了我身体的某个部位，但我毫不在意。
I put my horse across his path, lifted the branch above my head and brought it down hard on his horse’s head.
我把马横在他的路上，举起树枝过头顶，狠狠地砸在他马的头上。
Both horse and man crashed to the ground.
人和马都重重地摔在地上。
Before Carver could move, I jumped down.
没等卡弗动弹，我就跳下了马。
He got up with a black look on his face and started to speak.
他爬起来，脸色阴沉，刚要开口说话。
For an answer I hit him on the side of the face.
作为回应，我一拳打在他的脸侧。
I would not dirty my mouth by speaking to this man now.
我不愿现在跟这种人说话而弄脏了我的嘴。
Then he ran at me and put his hands around my neck.
接着他向我扑来，双手掐住了我的脖子。
I had never met strength like this, and felt my neck would break.
我从未遇到过这么大的力气，感觉脖子都要被折断了。
But I took hold of his arm, and almost pulled it from his shoulder.
但我抓住了他的手臂，差点把它从肩膀上扯下来。
Then I took him by the neck, as he had done to me.
然后我也掐住他的脖子，就像他对我做的那样。
His eyes burned with anger, and he threw himself against me.
他的眼中燃烧着怒火，拼命向我撞来。
But God gave me great strength that day.
但那天上帝赐予了我巨大的力量。
In two minutes he was lying on the ground, half dead.
两分钟后，他就躺在地上，奄奄一息了。
‘I will not hurt you any more,’ I said, when I could breathe again.
“我不会再伤害你了，”当我又能呼吸时，我说道。
‘Carver Doone, you are beaten.
“卡弗·杜恩，你被打败了。”
Go on your way, thank God you are alive — and never come near me again.’
走吧，感谢上帝你还活着——永远别再靠近我。”
But it was too late.
但已经太迟了。
The black bog had him by the feet.
黑色的沼泽已经抓住了他的双脚。
As he lay like a mad dog in front of me, the ground itself began to pull him in.
当他像条疯狗一样躺在我面前时，大地本身开始将他吞噬。
In our murderous battle, we had not noticed where we were going.
在我们这场殊死搏斗中，我们没有注意到走到了哪里。
I only just managed to jump, with my last strength, from the terrible blackness.
我只是拼尽最后一点力气，才从那可怕的黑暗中跳了出来。
But I could do nothing for Carver.
但我对卡弗无能为力。
While his mad eyes stared, and his arms waved wildly above his head, the black bog pulled him down and he disappeared from sight.
当他瞪着疯狂的眼睛，双臂在头顶上方狂乱挥舞时，黑色的沼泽将他拉了下去，他从视线中消失了。
I don’t know how I got home.
我不知道自己是怎么回到家的。
I had lost a lot of blood.
我失血过多。
By the time I got to the farm, I was riding in a dream.
等我到达农场时，我像是在梦中骑行。
John Fry took my horse away and Mother led me indoors.
约翰·弗莱牵走了我的马，母亲把我领进屋里。
‘I have killed him,’ I said, ‘as he killed Lorna.
“我已经杀了他，”我说，“就像他杀害洛娜一样。”
Now let me see my wife.
现在让我看看我的妻子。
She belongs to me, though she is dead.’
虽然她死了，但她仍属于我。”
‘You cannot see her now, John,’ said Ruth, coming forward.
“你现在不能看她，约翰，”露丝走上前来对我说。
‘Annie is with her now.’
“安妮现在正陪着她。”
‘What does that matter?
“那有什么关系？”
Let me see my dead one, and then die.’
让我看看我死去的爱人，然后我也好去死。”
All the women moved away from me, crying.
所有的女人都哭着从我身边走开了。
Only Ruth stood by me, and put her little hand in mine.
只有露丝站在我身边，把她的小手放在我的手里。
‘John, she is not your dead one.
“约翰，她并没有死。”
She may still be your living one, and your wife.
她可能还活着，还是你的妻子。”
But you must not see her now.
但你现在不能见她。
The sight of you like this will certainly kill her.’
看到你现在的样子肯定会要了她的命。”
I could not understand what she was saying, but I let them lead me upstairs to my bed.
我不明白她在说什么，但我任由她们把我领上楼回到床上。
The bullet had broken a bone in my chest, and I was soon in a fever.
子弹打断了我胸部的一根骨头，我很快就发起了高烧。
It was only much later that I learnt how Ruth had saved Lorna’s life.
直到很久以后，我才得知露丝是如何救了洛娜的命。
When I had run out of the church, Ruth had taken control.
当我冲出教堂时，露丝接管了一切。
She made John Fry and the other men carry Lorna home immediately.
她让约翰·弗莱和其他人立刻把洛娜抬回家。
There, she cut off the wedding dress, pulled the bullet from Lorna’s wound, and stopped the bleeding with cold water.
在那里，她剪开婚纱，从洛娜的伤口中取出子弹，并用冷水止住了血。
All this time, Lorna lay still and white, and everyone was sure that she would die.
在这期间，洛娜静静地躺着，脸色苍白，所有人都确信她会死。
But Ruth covered the wound with a cloth, kept her warm, and made her drink a little wine from a spoon.
但露丝用布包扎了伤口，给她保暖，并用勺子喂了她一点酒。
And after a while everyone could see that Lorna was still breathing.
过了一会儿，大家都能看到洛娜还在呼吸。
She lay close to death for many days, but with Ruth’s loving care, she slowly began to get better.
她在死亡边缘徘徊了许多天，但在露丝的悉心照料下，她慢慢开始好转。
Meanwhile, I lay in my bed, only half-conscious, and in my fever I did not believe them when they told me Lorna was still alive.
与此同时，我躺在床上，神志不清，在高烧中他们告诉我洛娜还活着时，我并不相信。
I knew in my heart that she was dead, and I had no interest in life — a life without Lorna was worthless, without meaning.
我心里认定她已经死了，我对生活失去了兴趣——没有洛娜的生活毫无价值，毫无意义。
Mother cried, and thought that I would die, but after six weeks the fever left me.
母亲哭了，以为我会死掉，但六周后我的烧退了。
I was so weak that I could not leave my room.
我虚弱得连房间都出不去。
Outside, the sun shone on the spring flowers, but in my misery I cared nothing for the beauty of the world.
外面，阳光照耀着春花，但在痛苦中，我对世间的美景毫不在意。
Then, the next morning, Ruth came to see me.
然后，第二天早上，露丝来看我了。
‘John,’ she said, ‘are you well enough to see your wife?
“约翰，”她说，“你的身体好些了吗，能见你的妻子了吗？”
I was afraid to bring her before, while you were so ill.’
之前你病得那么重，我不敢带她来。”
‘I don’t understand,’ I said, staring at her.
“我不明白，”我盯着她说。
She went away, then came back, and behind her was Lorna.
她走了出去，然后又回来了，身后跟着洛娜。
Ruth closed the door, and ran away; and Lorna stood before me.
露丝关上门跑开了；洛娜站在了我面前。
But she did not stand for long.
但她没有站太久。
She ran to me and managed to get into my arms, although they were too weak to hold her.
她向我跑来，设法钻进我的怀里，尽管我的双臂虚弱得抱不住她。
She put her warm young face against mine, and would not look at me, preferring kissing to looking.
她把她温暖年轻的脸贴在我的脸上，不愿看我，宁愿亲吻也不愿对视。
I felt my life come back to me.
我感到生命又回到了我身上。
I felt the happiness of living, and of loving.
我感受到了活着和被爱的幸福。
I felt the sweetness and the sadness of my Lorna’s tears, and the softness of her loving lips.
我感受到了洛娜泪水的甜蜜与忧伤，以及她深情双唇的柔软。
And the world, suddenly, was a good place again.
突然间，这个世界又变成了一个美好的地方。
I have not much more to tell.
我没有更多要讲的了。
Over the days that followed, Lorna sat beside me, and we watched each other getting better.
在接下来的日子里，洛娜坐在我身边，我们看着彼此一天天好起来。
We have never tired of watching each other since.
从那以后，我们从未厌倦过注视彼此。
Now, we live peacefully on the farm.
现在，我们在农场过着平静的生活。
Though Lorna still has great riches, we never use the money, except for some poor neighbour.
虽然洛娜仍然拥有巨额财富，但我们从不花那些钱，除非是为了帮助贫穷的邻居。
I sometimes buy her beautiful clothes, but she soon gives them away, or keeps them for the children.
我有时给她买漂亮的衣服，但她很快就会送人，或者留给孩子们穿。
Tom and Annie are happy.
汤姆和安妮很幸福。
Except for a few small adventures, Tom remains on the right side of the law, and they have honest children.
除了几次小小的冒险外，汤姆一直遵纪守法，他们有了诚实的孩子。
Lizzie married the captain of Jeremy Stickles’s soldiers, who had stayed with us when we fought the Doones.
莉齐嫁给了杰里米·斯蒂克尔斯士兵队的队长，他在我们与杜恩家族作战时曾和我们住在一起。
Ruth is not married yet, but there is a man who loves her, as much as I love Lorna, and I’m sure he will win her soon.
露丝还没结婚，但有个男人爱她，就像我爱洛娜一样深，我相信他很快就能赢得她的芳心。
But of Lorna herself, my darling wife, I won’t say much.
至于洛娜本人，我亲爱的妻子，我不想多说。
A man should not talk too much about the best thing in his life.
一个男人不应该过多谈论他生命中最美好的事物。
Year by year, her beauty and her loving kindness grow greater; and after all this time, and all that has happened to us, she is still my Lorna Doone.
年复一年，她的美丽和慈爱与日俱增；经历了所有这些时光和发生在我们身上的一切之后，她依然是我的洛娜·杜恩。
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