阿芒提拉多的酒桶

The Cask of Amontillado 【by Edgar Allan Poe】

我受够了弗图纳多的百般伤害，一旦他胆敢侮辱我，我定将还以颜色。您是如此了解我的脾性，毋庸置疑，我可不是说着玩的。雪尽耻辱那是迟早的事，这一点已是板上钉钉，既然拿定注意，我就不怕冒险。而且，不仅要施以惩戒，还要干的神不知鬼不觉。复仇者自己受到牵连，这仇等于没报。另外，就是设法别让仇家觉得你做的是坏事。

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat.  _At length_ I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled--but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

当然，我不会让弗图纳多从我的言行举止中怀疑到我的真实意图。一如既往，我对他笑脸相迎，他也没有觉察到我笑意背后暗藏的杀机。

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile _now_ was at the thought of his immolation.

弗图纳多，这家伙的弱点在于一一他自负于对葡萄酒的鉴别力，尽管在很多方面他都被人尊重甚至敬畏。没有几个意大利人真正懂得品酒之道。他们的兴趣大都用于找准时机给英国和奥地利的富翁们下拌设套。在绘画和珠宝方面，弗图纳多和他的同胞一样，江湖骗子一个。不过在陈酒方面，他确有一手。这一点我和他相差不远，对意大利葡萄酒，我也不俗，只要可能，我就大量买进。

He had a weak point--this Fortunato--although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared.  He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.  Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity--to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian _millionaires_. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack--but in the matter of old wines he was sincere.  In this respect I did not differ from him materially: I was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.

在喧器的狂欢节期间，一天傍晚，正当暮色四合时，我邂逅了这位朋友。他向我打招呼，亲热的有些过分了，因为他酒喝多了。他穿着五颜六色的条文紧身衣，头戴锥形圆帽，上面还挂着铃铛。遇见他我高兴极了，真想把他牢牢抓在手里。

It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. The man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand.

-我亲爱的弗图纳多，碰到你真高兴啊。你今天看起来简直精神焕发啊！我搞到了一桶所谓的阿芒提拉多葡萄酒，我不能确定一一，我对他说。

I said to him--"My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day! But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts."

-什么？ 他说，-阿芒提拉多？一桶？在狂欢节期间？不可能！

"How?" said he. "Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival!"

-我也不太确定啊，我答道，-我真蠢啊，我可是花了大价钱啦，我本该问问你的啊。可我找不到你，可我又担心错失良机啊！

"I have my doubts," I replied; "and I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain."

-阿芒提拉多！

"Amontillado!"

- 我也怀疑啊。

"I have my doubts."

-阿芒提拉多！

"Amontillado!"

- 我一定得弄明白！

"And I must satisfy them."

-阿芒提拉多！

"Amontillado!"

-忙你的吧，我去问鲁克西。要说谁更有眼光，只有他了。他会告诉我一一

"As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi. If any one has acritical turn, it is he.  He will tell me--"

-鲁克西只会将阿芒提拉多和雪利酒混为一谈。

"Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry."

-可有些傻瓜却说他和你不相上下呢！

"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own."

-走，我们走。

"Come, let us go."

-去哪？

"Whither?"

-你的酒窖。

"To your vaults."

-不，老兄，我可不想让你为难。你不是有约会吗？我还是找鲁克西一一

"My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive

you have an engagement. Luchesi--"

-我没有约会，走！

"I have no engagement;--come."

-不，老兄，我不是这个意思。酒窖里相当冷，何必遭罪。而且那里潮湿的要命，四壁都长了一层硝石苔。

"My friend, no. It is not the engagement, but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted. The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre."

-没关系啦，走吧。感冒那都是小事一桩，不值一提。阿芒提拉多！至于鲁克西，你搞错了，他只会将阿芒提拉多和雪利酒混为一谈。

"Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado."

说着弗图拉多抓起了我的胳膊。我戴上黑绸面罩，裹紧外套，由着他催促这我赶往我的府邸。

Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm. Putting on a mask of black silk, and drawing a _roquelaire_ closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo.

屋子里没有一个仆人，他们都溜出去寻欢作乐了。因为我告诉他们我要第二天早上才能返回，并嘱咐他们不可将屋子搞乱了。我很清楚，只要我一离开，保管他们一个个立马消失不见，而这正是我想要的效果。

There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the time. I had told them that I should not return until the morning, and had given them explicit orders not to stir from the house. These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned.

我取下两个烛台，给了弗图拉多一个。我带着他穿过几间套房，到达通往地窖的拱道，走下螺旋长梯，嘱咐他小心跟着。我们终于到达楼梯脚下，并肩站在蒙特雷索尔地下墓穴潮湿的地面上。

I took from their sconces two flambeaux, and giving one to Fortunato, bowed him through several suites of rooms to the archway that led into the vaults. I passed down a long and winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed. We came at length to the foot of the descent, and stood together on the damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors.

我的朋友趔趔趄趄，挂在帽子上的铃铛随着他走动而叮当作响。

The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon his cap jingled

as he strode.

-酒呢？他问。

"The pipe," said he.

-就在前面，我说，-留心墙上放光的白色蛛网。

"It is farther on," said I; "but observe the white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls."

他转向我，睁着两只朦胧的醉眼打量着我。

He turned towards me, and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication.

-硝石？隔了一会儿，他这才问道。

"Nitre?" he asked, at length.

-是的，硝石，我回答，-你感冒多久了？

"Nitre," I replied. "How long have you had that cough?"

-咳咳咳一一咳咳咳一一咳咳咳一一咳咳咳一一咳咳咳（咳嗽）

"Ugh! ugh! ugh!--ugh! ugh! ugh!--ugh! ugh! ugh!--ugh! ugh! ugh!--ugh!

ugh! ugh!"

我可怜的朋友竟半天说不出话来。

My poor friend found it impossible to reply for many minutes.

-没事，最后他答道。

"It is nothing," he said, at last.

-拜托，我毅然说，-我们回去吧，你的身体要紧。你有钱，又受人尊敬，仰慕和爱戴。你幸福，正如我从前一样。你要是有个差错，别人会惦念你的，我倒无所谓啦。我们回去吧，要不然你病了，我可担待不起啊。再说了，还有鲁克西嘛一一

"Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is precious.  You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was.  You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi--"

-别扯淡了，他说，-这点咳嗽只是小事情，不会要了我的命的。咳不死的。

"Enough," he said; "the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough."

-那当然，那当然，我答道，-说实话，我可不是说着玩的，你还是小心为妙。喝口酒挡挡寒气吧。

"True--true," I replied; "and, indeed, I had no intention of alarming you unnecessarily--but you should use all proper caution. A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps."

我随手从地上那一长排葡萄酒中拿起一瓶，敲掉瓶颈。

Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a long row of its fellows that lay upon the mould.

-喝吧，我把酒递给他。

"Drink," I said, presenting him the wine.

他举起酒瓶，斜看了我一眼，停下来亲热地向我点了点头。帽子上的铃铛也跟着叮当作响。

He raised it to his lips with a leer.  He paused and nodded to me familiarly, while his bells jingled.

-为我们周围那些安眠的死者干一杯。他说。

"I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around us."

-那我就祝你长命百岁。

"And I to your long life."

他又挽起我的胳膊，向前走去。

He again took my arm, and we proceeded.

-这地窖好大啊，他说。

"These vaults," he said, "are extensive."

- 蒙特雷索尔过去是望门豪室。

"The Montresors," I replied, "were a great and numerous family."

-我忘了你家的徽章长什么样了。

"I forget your arms."

-蓝色的田野上，一只人类的大脚踩碎了一条毒蛇，它的毒牙刺进了这个人的脚后跟。

"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."

-纹章的铭辞写的是什么？

"And the motto?"

-凡犯我者必遭报应。

"_Nemo me impune lacessit_."

-所言极是！他说。

"Good!" he said.

酒精让他两眼放光，铃铛叮当作响。美多克下肚，我也有些飘飘然。我们穿过成堆尸骨和大小酒桶杂陈的夹道，走进墓穴的最深处。我又一次停下来，我贸然抓住了弗图拉多的胳膊时。

The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled. My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc. We had passed through walls of piled bones, with casks and puncheons intermingling, into the inmost recesses of catacombs. I paused again, and this time I made bold to seize Fortunato by an arm above the elbow.

-硝石！我说，-看啦，越来越多了，像野苔似的挂在洞壁上。我们现在已经在河床下啦，水珠滴落在尸骨间啊。走吧，趁现在还来得及，我们回去吧，晚了你的感冒就一一

"The nitre!" I said; "see, it increases. It hangs like moss upon the vaults. We are below the river's bed. The drops of moisture trickle among the bones. Come, we will go back ere it is too late. Your cough--"

-没事，我们继续吧。不过，我得再来点美多克。

"It is nothing," he said; "let us go on. But first, another draught of the Medoc."

我给他敲开了一瓶格拉维。他一气灌完，眼中的光芒越发炙热了。然后他大笑着朝上扔出了瓶子，我不知道他是什么意思。

I broke and reached him a flagon of De Grave. He emptied it at a breath.  His eyes flashed with a fierce light. He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand.

我惊奇的望着他。他重复着那个动作一一简直匪夷所思。

I looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement--a grotesque one.

-你不明白？他说。

"You do not comprehend?" he said.

-嗯。我答道。

"Not I," I replied.

-那你可不算我的兄弟。

"Then you are not of the brotherhood."

-为何？

"How?"

-你不是个泥瓦匠（共济会，一种黑帮组织）。

"You are not of the masons."

-我是，我是。我说。

"Yes, yes," I said; "yes, yes."

-你？泥瓦匠？怎么可能！

"You? Impossible! A mason?"

-是的。我答道。

"A mason," I replied.

-有没有信物？他说。

"A sign," he said, "a sign."

- 在这儿。我答道，我从衣服里掏出一个泥铲子。

"It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my _roquelaire_.

-开什么玩笑，他退后几步，他大声喊道，-我们还是去看阿芒提拉多吧。

"You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. "But let us proceed to the Amontillado."

-好吧，我说，将泥铲放进披风，把手臂伸过去让他挽着。他沉沉地靠在我身上。我们继续寻找阿芒提拉多，穿过一排低低的拱门，往前走，继续往前走，到了一个深深的地窖，那里空气非常浑浊，我们的烛台黯淡了下去，只剩下一簇淡淡的火苗。

"Be it so," I said, replacing the tool beneath the cloak and again offering him my arm. He leaned upon it heavily. We continued our route in search of the Amontillado. We passed through a range of low arches, descended, passed on, and descending again, arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused our flambeaux rather to glow than flame.

墓穴的最深处有一个更狭小的窖。四壁排列着人的遗骸，以巴黎那些古墓的式样直堆至穴顶。只有三面窖壁上的还算完整，剩下那一面的尸骨已经坍塌了，杂乱无章地躺在地面上，形成了一个尸骨堆。在这面坍塌的墙里，我们又发现了一个内窖，深约4英尺，宽3英尺，高6、7英尺。它看起来似乎没有什么用处，只不过是支撑起穴顶巨大的支架间的空隙罢了，环绕墙壁的坚硬花岗石其中一块支撑在那里。

At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious.  Its walls had been lined with human remains, piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris. Three sides of this interior crypt were still ornamented in this manner. From the fourth side the bones had been thrown down, and lay promiscuously upon the earth, forming at one point a mound of some size. Within the wall thus exposed by the displacing of the bones, we perceived a still interior recess, in depth about four feet in width three, in height six or seven. It seemed to have been constructed for no especial use within itself, but formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of the roof of the catacombs, and was backed by one of their circumscribing walls of solid granite.

弗图纳多徒劳地举起烛台试图查看墓穴的深度，但是光线太微弱了，我们什么也看不见

It was in vain that Fortunato, uplifting his dull torch, endeavoured to pry into the depth of the recess. Its termination the feeble light did not enable us to see.

-继续走进去吧，我说，-阿芒提拉多就在里面，说起鲁克西一一

"Proceed," I said; "herein is the Amontillado. As for Luchesi--"

-他是个白痴。弗图纳多打断了我，摇摇晃晃向前走去，我紧随其后。片刻工夫，他走到壁窖的尽头了，一块石头挡住了去路，他茫然地站在那里，不知所措。一转眼，我便不费吹灰之力地将他绑在花岗石上了。花岗石上排列着两颗铁钉，约莫两英尺的距离。其中一颗上挂着一串短铁链，另一颗上挂了一把大锁。不消片刻，我就将他牢牢拴住了。这下他可吃惊不小，竟没有反抗。我拔出钥匙，退出了墓穴。

"He is an ignoramus," interrupted my friend, as he stepped unsteadily forward, while I followed immediately at his heels. In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered. A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite. In its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. From one of these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock. Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it. He was too much astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key I stepped back from the recess.

-伸出手来摸摸那些墙壁，那些硝石苔，确实很潮湿吧。我再一次请求你回头，回去吧。不回去？这样的话，我可真的要走了。但首先，我还是得尽力而为，给你一些小小的照顾。

"Pass your hand," I said, "over the wall; you cannot help feeling the nitre.  Indeed, it is _very_ damp. Once more let me _implore_ you to return. No?  Then I must positively leave you. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power."

- 阿芒提拉多！他大叫了起来，仍然惊魂未定。

"The Amontillado!" ejaculated my friend, not yet recovered from his astonishment.

-是啦，阿芒提拉多。我回答。

"True," I replied; "the Amontillado."

我一边说一边忙着将刚才提到的尸骨堆扔向一边，里面藏着大量石头和砂浆。用这些材料，再加上铲子的帮助，我兴致勃勃地开始用这些材料在内窖的缺口处砌起石墙来。

As I said these words I busied myself among the pile of bones of which I have before spoken. Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity of building stone and mortar. With these materials and with the aid of my trowel, I began vigorously to wall up the entrance of the niche.

这个浩大工程的第一层还没有砌完，我就意识到弗图纳多的醉意多半是醒的差不多了，是因为我听到里面传出低低的呻吟，那不是醉鬼的叫声。然后是一段漫长的寂静。我砌好了第二层，紧接着第三层，第四层。接着我就听见里面传出奋力挣脱锁链的声响，这声音持续了几分钟。我停下手中的活坐在尸骸上面，心满意足地倾听着。最后那锁链的碰撞声沉了下去。我重新操起铁铲，完成了第五层，六层，直至第七层。墙已经砌到我胸前了。我又停下来，将烛台举到刚砌成的石墙上，让那微弱的光芒投出里面的人影。

I had scarcely laid the first tier of the masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Fortunato had in a great measure worn off. The earliest indication I had of this was a low moaning cry from the depth of the recess. It was _not_ the cry of a drunken man. There was then a long and obstinate silence.  I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth; and then I heard the furious vibrations of the chain. The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labours and sat down upon the bones. When at last the clanking subsided, I resumed the trowel, and finished without interruption the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh tier. The wall was now nearly upon a level with my breast. I again paused, and holding the flambeaux over the mason-work, threw a few feeble rays upon the figure within.

一连串刺耳的尖叫从那缚住的身体的喉咙里喷发出来，仿佛试图把我喝退。一瞬间，我犹豫了，害怕了，颤抖了。我拔出佩剑，在小窖中踟蹰。但一转念我又重新镇定下来，摸着墓穴中坚硬厚实的石墙，心满意足。我靠近石墙，回应着里面的叫嚣，我渴力嚷得比他更响，更尖。这招果然见效，他认命了。

A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back. For a brief moment I hesitated--I trembled. Unsheathing my rapier, I began to grope with it about the recess; but the thought of an instant reassured me. I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. I reapproached the wall; I replied to the yells of him who clamoured. I re-echoed--I aided--I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this, and the clamourer grew still.

等到午夜时分，我的工作也已接近尾声。我已经砌完了第八层，第九层，第十层。最后的第十一层也差不多了，我剩下了一个洞，只需放进一块石头再抹上砂浆就算大功告成了。我捧着那块石头吃力地踮起脚尖，差点就把石头放了上去了。就在这时，里面传出一声阴笑，这令我毛骨悚然，紧接着就一声悲哀的叹息，很难想像那是高贵的弗图拉多在说话。只听见：

It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close. I had completed the eighth, the ninth, and the tenth tier. I had finished a portion of the last and the eleventh; there remained but a single stone to be fitted and plastered in. I struggled with its weight; I placed it partially in its destined position. But now there came from out the niche a low laugh that erected the hairs upon my head. It was succeeded by a sad voice, which I had difficulty in recognizing as that of the noble Fortunato. The voice said--

- 哈！哈！哈！一一嘿嘿一一真是个笑话一一一个彻头彻尾的笑话啊。回头真要笑破肚皮。嘿嘿嘿一一我们喝着阿芒提拉多一一嘿嘿嘿一一”

"Ha! ha! ha!--he! he! he!--a very good joke indeed--an excellent jest. We shall have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo--he! he! he!--over our wine--he! he! he!"

-喝阿芒提拉多。我说。

"The Amontillado!" I said.

-哈哈哈一一嘿嘿嘿一一是的，喝阿芒提拉多。但现在是不是太晚了？他们会不会已经等不及了，我的妻子和剩下的朋友们？我们走吧！”

"He! he! he!--he! he! he!--yes, the Amontillado. But is it not getting late? Will not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato and the rest? Let us be gone."

-是的，我说，我们回去吧。

"Yes," I said, "let us be gone."

-天啦，看在上帝的份上，蒙特雷索尔！

"_For the love of God, Montresor!_"

- 是的，看在上帝的份上。“我说。

"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!"

说完这句话，我却没有听到回答。我逐渐不耐烦了，大声喊了起来一一

But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I grew impatient.

I called aloud--

-弗图纳多！

"Fortunato!"

没有回答。我又喊了一声一一

No answer. I called again--

-弗图拉多！

"Fortunato--"

还是没有回答。我将烛台从那个被留下来的孔里塞了进去，任凭它掉在里面，只传来了一阵铃铛的叮当声。我的心脏开始难受得要命，墓穴里的空气实在太糟糕了，我必须赶紧完成我的工作。我迅速用最后一块石头将洞口堵上，抹上砂浆。然后沿着我的杰作，重新将那些尸骨叠起来挡住了这面石墙。半个世纪，无人光临。一路走好，我的朋友！

No answer still. I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall within. There came forth in reply only a jingling of the bells.  My heart grew sick on account of the dampness of the catacombs. I hastened to make an end of my labour. I forced the last stone into its position; I plastered it up. Against the new masonry I re-erected the old rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. _In pace requiescat!_