A lot of rain fell in the night，the next morningthere was a sharp，cold wind from the north - west.
I got up early and went out. There was a streamnear the house. I had a swim in it，and then cameback to the fire.
I sat there and thought. I knew now that myuncle was my enemy. My life was not safe. But Iwas young，and I had courage. I was not very wise.
I thought I was too clever for my uncle.
I went up and opened his door. I was smiling.
“We ll，s ir ，”I said,“will yo u e xpla in now？Whydid you s e nd me up the towe r?”
He said it was a joke. I laughed at this excuse.
“Ve ry we ll. ”he said,“I will e xpla in a fte r bre a kfa s t. ”I saw he was preparing another lie.
At this moment there was a knock on thedoor. I opened it and found a thin lad. He was
夜里雨下得很大，第二天早晨刮起凛冽的西北风。我一大早就起床，走出门外。离肖府不远有一条小溪，我跳下去游了一会儿泳，然后回到火边。
我坐在火边考虑了一番。我已经知道伯父是我的对头，想要置我于死他。可是，我年轻胆大，错误地认为，他虽然很鬼，可我并不傻。
我走上楼给他把门打开，微笑着说：
“好吧，你现在给我解释吧。你为什么叫我到塔楼上去?。”
他说那是他开的一个玩笑。我对这一借口嗤之以鼻。
他说.“那么，早饭后我一定讲。”我知道他又在编造谎言。
这时，有人敲门。我打开门，看见是一个瘦瘦的青年人，冻得浑身
trembling will cold. He was wearing sea clothes，and dancing a kind of sea dance to warm himself.
He was gay，but his face was sad，too.
直打哆嗦。他身穿水手服装，为了御寒，跳着一种水手舞。他的舞步轻快，却也面带愁容。
“I’ve brought a le tte r，”he said,“from Ca pta inHos e a s on to Mr Ba lfour .”
Led the lad into the kitchen and gave himsome breakfast . He was very hungry. Meanwhile myuncle was reading the letter. When he had finished，he gave it to me.
“Re a d tha t，”he said. I looked at it.
The Hawes Inn，QueensferrySir：
I am in harbour now，and send my cabin - boyto tell you. Have you any more business for me？
Today is the last chance. The wind has changed，and I shall sail in a few hours. I have had sometrouble with your lawyer，Mr Rankeillor. You oughtto see him. I have drawn a bill on your bank，andsend you the details.
“You s e e . Da vid ，”my uncle said,“this ma nHos e a s on is the ca pta in of a s hip，the Cove na nt. It isa brig . He d oe s a lot of tra de with fore ign c ountrie se s pe cia lly Ame ric a . I ha ve a s ha re in his tra d e . Wewill wa lk ove r with this oa bin - boy a nd s e e the ca ptain a t the inn. Pe rha p s we will go on the brig to s ign
“我带来一封信，是船长霍西森写给巴尔福先生的。”他说道。
我把他带进厨房，给他吃了一点早饭。他饿得很厉害。在他吃饭时，叔父看着信，看完后递给了我。
“你看一下吧，”他说。我接过信，上面写着：
伊莱亚斯·霍西森于皇后码头霍斯客店先生：
我的船已在港口停泊，特派侍童前来告知。不知你还有无生意要做。今天是最后一次机会了。风向已变，过几个小时我即起航。我和你的律师兰基勒之间发生了分歧。
你应该去见见他。我已写好请你由银行付款的票据，详情附上。
我叔父说；“你瞧，大卫，这个霍西森是一条名叫‘ 契约’号的双桅船的船长。他同外国，特别是美国，有大宗贸易往来，其中有我的股份。
咱们和这个待童一起到旅店去见一下船长。我们也许还得上船，在一
s ome pa pe rs . The n we will go to my lawye r ，a n d hewill e xpla in e ve rything to yo u. You don’t be lie ve me ，but you will be lie ve him. Eve ryone re s pe cts him，a ndhe knew your fa the r we ll.”
些字据上签字呢。然后，咱们去见我的律师，他会把一切都给你讲清楚的。你不相信我，可是你会相信他的。大家都敬重他，而且，他跟你父亲很熟识。”
I thought for a minute，and then I agreed.
“My unc le c a nnot ha rm me a t the inn，”I said tomyself.“I s ha ll be among a lot of pe o ple . And if hedoe s not ta ke me to the lawye r，I will ma ke him gothe re .”
There was another thing，too. Two days before，I had seen the sea and ships for the first time in mylife. I wanted a closer look at them.
My uncle put on his old hat and coat. Welocked the door，and began our walk. He was silentall the way，and I talked to the cabin- boy.
He told me his name was Ransome. He had beenat sea since his ninth birthday. He could not rememberhis age now. He showed me some blue marks onhis chest and used many bad words. He said he haddone a lot of evil things. I saw he was a poor simplelad. I pitied him，but I did not belive him.
He admired Captain Hoseason very much becausehe was rough and fierce and cruel. But hesaid the captain was not a good seaman. Mr Shuansailed the ship. He was the finest seaman in the
我考虑了一下，就同意了。
我想道：“客店里人来人往，叔父在那里动不了我一根毫毛。他要是不带我去见律师，我就硬拽他去。”
还有一个原因：两天以前，我平生第一次看到了大海和船只。我想再仔细看一看。
叔父戴上他的旧帽子。穿上他的旧大衣。我们锁上门就上路了。
他一路默不作声，我们和小侍童边走边聊。
他告诉我他姓兰基姆，九岁起就一直在海上漂泊，现在连自己的岁数也记不清了。他骂骂咧咧地让我看他胸部的几处伤痕，说他干过许多坏事。我看得出来他是个贫苦、纯朴的孩子，很可怜他，但并不相信他的话。
他十分佩服船长，因为船长粗野、凶狠、横蛮。可是他说船长航海的本事并不高明，行船全靠舵手夏先生，这人才是世界上顶呱呱的水
world，but he drank.”手呢，可他是个酒鬼。
He showed me a great red wound in his leg.
“Look，”he said,“Mr S hua n ga ve me this wound.”
“Wha t?”I cried,“do you le t h im hit yot?”
“Oh！”he said,“I will kill him one d a y！”
“Ha ve you no frie nds or re la tions ?”I asked.
He said that his father was dead.
“Why don’t you le a ve the s hip？”I said.
“We ll，”he said,“it is a fine life s ome time s . I likegoing on shore a nd s pe nding . my mone y. And I amlu ckie r tha n the twe nty - pounde rs . And whe n we ca rrylittle one s ，I ca n be a t them with a rope .”
I understood that the twenty - pounders wereprisoners. To punish them for some crime，the governmentsent them to North America. People therebought them for twenty pounds to be slaves in thecotton and tobacco fields. The little ones were children.
They were kidnapped from their homes，orcaught by some trick. They，too，went to be slaves.
We came to the hill - top and looked down onthe water. The town of Queensferry was farther offto the west. The Hawes Inn was at the edge of the
他让我看了看他腿上的一大块红色伤疤，说；“瞧，这是夏先生干的。”
“什么？你让他揍你？”我失声喊道。
他说：“哼！我总有一天要宰了他！”
“你没有朋友和亲人吗?”我问道。
他说他父亲已经死了。
“那你为什么不离开这条船呢?”我问他。
“不过，有时候，当个水手倒挺快活。我喜欢上岸玩，花掉我自己挣的钱。我比那些‘ 二十镑’可走运多了。而且，船长装运小家伙时，我可以用绳子抽他们。”
后来，我弄清楚了，原来所谓的“二十镑”是指囚犯。政府把他们送到北美洲，算是对他们的惩罚。
那里的居民花二十英镑把他们买下当奴隶，在棉花或烟草地里做苦工。
“小家伙”是被人从家乡诱拐出来，或者设圈套抓住的小孩子，也是运去当奴隶的。
我们登上那座山顶，俯视着海水。皇后渡口镇就在西边挺远的地方。霍斯旅店就在海边上，渡船从
shore. The ferry started from near by. It was lonelyby the inn； people had just got on the ferry to crossthe water.
By the shore there was a little skiff. Some seamenwere sitting in it. Ransome said it was the captain’sboat. He pointed to the brig. It was half amile from the land. I could see seatnen pulling onthe ropes，and I heard them singing a sea song.
They were preparing for the voyage.
旅店附近开出。旅店四周静悄悄的，人们刚刚登上开往对岸的渡船。
海滩附近有一只小艇，上面坐着几个水手。兰塞姆说那是船长坐来的。他指了指那艘双桅船，它离陆地有半英里远。我看到水手们正在装绳索，还听到他们唱一首水手歌，做着出海的准备工作。
I looked at the Coyenant with horror. I thoughtit was a terrible ship，with its twenty - poundersand its kidnapped boys and its share in the slavetrade. I pitied everyone on board.
“Nothing will ma ke me go on bo a rd the Cove -na nt，”I said to my uncle.
我憎恶地望着“契约”号，心想这是一艘骇人听闻的船，里面装着“二十镑”和被拐骗山来的男孩子，还参与奴隶买卖生意。我觉得船上的每一个人都很可怜。
“说什么我也不上‘ 契约’号。”
我对伯父说。
