A Friend in Need (Excerpt)《患難識(shí)人》（節(jié)選）

【導(dǎo)讀】毛姆的短篇小說(shuō)文筆質(zhì)樸，脈絡(luò)清晰，對(duì)生活的觀察細(xì)致入微，對(duì)人性的復(fù)雜有深刻的揭露。許多短篇，如《雨》（Rain）、《大班》（The Taipan）等都以英國(guó)海外殖民地為背景，往往表現(xiàn)遠(yuǎn)在海外的官員、商人、牧師人性的異化。這篇《患難識(shí)人》發(fā)表于1926年，后收錄在短篇小說(shuō)集《世界主義者》（Cosmopolitans）中。小說(shuō)講述了英國(guó)商人伯頓在同胞牌友走投無(wú)路時(shí)落井下石的故事，展現(xiàn)了人性的虛偽和殘忍。

Though his offices were in Kobe， Burton often came down to Yokohama. I happened on one occasion to be spending a few days there， waiting for a ship， and I was introduced to him at the British Club. We played bridge together. He played a good game and a generous one. He did not talk very much， either then or later when we were having drinks， but what he said was sensible. He had a quiet， dry humour. He seemed to be popular at the club and afterwards， when he had gone， they described him as one of the best. It happened that we were both staying at the Grand Hotel and next day he asked me to dine with him. I met his wife， fat， elderly， and smiling， and his two daughters. It was evidently a united and affectionate family. I think the chief thing that struck me about Burton was his kindliness. There was something very pleasing in his mild blue eyes. His voice was gentle; you could not imagine that he could possibly raise it in anger; his smile was benign. Here was a man who attracted you because you felt in him a real love for his fellows. He had charm. But there was nothing mawkish in him： he liked his game of cards and his cocktail， he could tell with point a good and spicy story， and in his youth he had been something of an athlete. He was a rich man and he had made every penny himself. I suppose one thing that made you like him was that he was so small and frail; he aroused your instincts of protection. You felt that he could not bear to hurt a fly.

伯頓的辦事處設(shè)在神戶，但他經(jīng)常來(lái)橫濱。有一次，我碰巧去橫濱等船，需要在那里待幾天，我在英國(guó)俱樂(lè)部經(jīng)人介紹結(jié)識(shí)了他。我們一起打橋牌。他牌技很好，牌品也不錯(cuò)。無(wú)論在牌桌上還是后來(lái)在酒桌上，他話不多，但說(shuō)出的話都那么合情合理。他會(huì)不動(dòng)聲色地講冷笑話。他在俱樂(lè)部好像很受歡迎，后來(lái)他離開后，大家說(shuō)起他還都贊不絕口。碰巧我們都住在格蘭德酒店，第二天他請(qǐng)我一起用餐。我于是認(rèn)識(shí)了他太太和兩個(gè)女兒，太太體態(tài)偏胖，上了年紀(jì)，笑容可掬。顯然是和睦幸福的一家子。伯頓給我印象最深的就是他的友善。那雙溫柔的藍(lán)眼睛里有某種東西讓人非常愉悅。他說(shuō)話語(yǔ)氣溫和，估計(jì)即便生氣也不會(huì)提高嗓門，笑容和藹可親。這人真有吸引力，你始終會(huì)感受到他對(duì)同胞真誠(chéng)的友愛(ài)。他迷人而不矯情：喜歡打牌、喝雞尾酒，還能繪聲繪色地講個(gè)耐人尋味的重口味段子，年輕時(shí)應(yīng)該是個(gè)運(yùn)動(dòng)健將。他很有錢，但每一分錢都來(lái)路正當(dāng)。我估計(jì)還有一點(diǎn)也會(huì)讓你喜歡他：他個(gè)子瘦小、羸弱，會(huì)激起你的保護(hù)欲。你會(huì)覺(jué)得他連只蒼蠅都不忍心傷害。

One afternoon I was sitting in the lounge of the Grand Hotel. This was before the earthquake2 and they had leather arm-chairs there. From the windows you had a spacious view of the harbour with its crowded traffic. There were great liners on their way to Vancouver and San Francisco or to Europe by way of Shanghai， Hong-Kong， and Singapore; there were tramps of all nations， battered and sea-worn， junks with their high sterns and great coloured sails， and innumerable sampans. It was a busy， exhilarating scene， and yet， I know not why， restful to the spirit. Here was romance and it seemed that you had but to stretch out your hand to touch it.

有天下午，我坐在格蘭德酒店的大堂吧。那是在大地震前，酒吧里還擺著皮質(zhì)扶手椅。向窗外望去，擁堵的港口一覽無(wú)余。有不少大客輪，有的開往溫哥華和舊金山，有的途經(jīng)上海、香港和新加坡，開往歐洲；也有來(lái)自世界各地的貨輪，船身斑駁，飽受海浪侵蝕；還有些帆船，船尾高高翹起，船帆五顏六色；另外還有不計(jì)其數(shù)的舢板。到處是一派繁忙熱鬧的景象。我內(nèi)心卻不由得感覺(jué)平靜怡然。浪漫傳奇就在眼前，似乎觸手可及。

Burton came into the lounge presently and caught sight of me. He seated himself in the chair next to mine.

不一會(huì)兒，伯頓也來(lái)了大堂吧，一眼看到我，于是坐進(jìn)我旁邊的椅子里。

“What do you say to a little drink？”

“喝點(diǎn)兒怎樣？”

He clapped his hands for a boy and ordered two gin fizzes. As the boy brought them a man passed along the street outside and seeing me waved his hand.

他拍手招來(lái)服務(wù)生，點(diǎn)了兩份杜松子汽水酒。服務(wù)生送酒來(lái)時(shí)，外面街上有熟人碰巧路過(guò)，看見(jiàn)我，朝我揮了揮手。

“Do you know Turner？” said Burton as I nodded a greeting.

“你認(rèn)識(shí)特納？”我朝外面的人點(diǎn)頭打招呼時(shí)，伯頓問(wèn)我。

“I’ve met him at the club. I’m told he’s a remittance man.”

“我在俱樂(lè)部遇見(jiàn)過(guò)他。據(jù)說(shuō)他靠國(guó)內(nèi)家人匯款過(guò)日子?！?/p>

“Yes， I believe he is. We have a good many here.”

“沒(méi)錯(cuò)，我相信。這里不少人都這樣?！?/p>

“He plays bridge well.”

“他橋牌打得不錯(cuò)?！?/p>

“They generally do. There was a fellow here last year， oddly enough a namesake of mine， who was the best bridge player I ever met. I suppose you never came across him in London. Lenny Burton he called himself. I believe he’d belonged to some very good clubs.”

“這些人通常都會(huì)打牌。去年有個(gè)家伙，碰巧和我同姓，是我見(jiàn)過(guò)的頂級(jí)橋牌高手。估計(jì)你在倫敦沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)他。他自稱蘭尼·伯頓，應(yīng)該是幾家高檔俱樂(lè)部的會(huì)員?！?/p>

“No， I don’t believe I remember the name.”

“我確實(shí)不記得這個(gè)名字?！?/p>

“He was quite a remarkable player. He seemed to have an instinct about the cards. It was uncanny. I used to play with him a lot. He was in Kobe for some time.”

“他打牌水平絕對(duì)一流，似乎對(duì)橋牌有種天生的直覺(jué)，挺奇妙。我們經(jīng)常一起玩。他在神戶待過(guò)一段時(shí)間。”

Burton sipped his gin fizz.

伯頓喝了一小口杜松子汽水酒。

“It’s rather a funny story，” he said. “He wasn’t a bad chap. I liked him. He was always well-dressed and smart-looking. He was handsome in a way with curly hair and pink-and-white cheeks. Women thought a lot of him. There was no harm in him， you know， he was only wild. Of course he drank too much. Those sort of fellows always do. A bit of money used to come in for him once a quarter and he made a bit more by card-playing. He won a good deal of mine， I know that.”

“說(shuō)來(lái)有趣?！彼f(shuō)，“那家伙人不壞，我挺喜歡他。他衣著得體，儀表堂堂。卷頭發(fā)、白里透紅的臉蛋，還算帥氣。女人對(duì)他非常著迷。他人不壞，只是有點(diǎn)放蕩不羈。當(dāng)然，他喝酒還是太放縱了，那些人差不多都這樣。每個(gè)季度會(huì)收到家里匯來(lái)的一小筆錢，他靠打牌再贏一點(diǎn)。光從我這兒他就贏了不少，這點(diǎn)我清楚?！?/p>

Burton gave a kindly chuckle. I knew from my own experience that he could lose money at bridge with a good grace. He stroked his shaven chin with his thin hand; the veins stood out on it and it was almost transparent.

伯頓友善地笑笑。憑我的觀察，他打橋牌即使輸了錢，也會(huì)很灑脫。他用瘦弱的手摸摸剃得干干凈凈的下巴，手上血管突起，看上去清清楚楚。

“I suppose that is why he came to me when he went broke， that and the fact that he was a namesake of mine. He came to see me in my office one day and asked me for a job. I was rather surprised. He told me that there was no more money coming from home and he wanted to work. I asked him how old he was.

“我估計(jì)，他后來(lái)潦倒時(shí)來(lái)找我，一來(lái)是從我這里贏過(guò)不少錢，二來(lái)是因?yàn)樗遗銮赏?。一天，他?lái)到我辦公室，說(shuō)希望能找份工作。我吃了一驚。他說(shuō)家里不會(huì)再給他寄錢了，他想要工作。我問(wèn)他多大年紀(jì)了。

‘“Thirty-five，” he said.

“‘三十五?！f(shuō)。

‘“And what have you been doing hitherto？” I asked him.

“‘你干過(guò)什么工作？’我問(wèn)。

‘“Well， nothing very much，” he said.

“‘哦，沒(méi)干過(guò)啥。’他說(shuō)。

‘I couldn’t help laughing.

“我忍不住笑出聲來(lái)。

‘“I’m afraid I can’t do anything for you just yet，” I said. “Come back and see me in another thirty-five years， and I’ll see what I can do.”

“‘那恐怕我?guī)筒簧夏闶裁戳?。’我說(shuō)，‘再過(guò)三十五年你來(lái)找我吧，或許我能幫你找點(diǎn)事情做做?！?/p>

‘He didn’t move. He went rather pale. He hesitated for a moment and then he told me that he had had bad luck at cards for some time. He hadn’t been willing to stick to bridge， he’d been playing poker， and he’d got trimmed. He hadn’t a penny. He’d pawned everything he had. He couldn’t pay his hotel bill and they wouldn’t give him any more credit. He was down and out. If he couldn’t get something to do he’d have to commit suicide.

“他一動(dòng)也沒(méi)動(dòng)，臉色慘白。遲疑了一會(huì)兒，他告訴我說(shuō)自己最近一段時(shí)間手氣很差。他不想老打橋牌，于是改打撲克，結(jié)果輸?shù)镁?。所有的東西都典當(dāng)了，可還是付不起酒店的賬單，他們也不再賒賬給他。他已走投無(wú)路。如果不能找點(diǎn)事情做，恐怕只能自殺了。

‘I looked at him for a bit. I could see now that he was all to pieces. He’d been drinking more than usual and he looked fifty. The girls wouldn’t have thought so much of him if they’d seen him then.

“我望著他好一陣子。他整個(gè)人都廢掉了。嚴(yán)重酗酒，看上去像個(gè)五十歲的老頭兒?？吹剿歉睒幼?，肯定不會(huì)有什么女人再會(huì)戀上他。

‘“Well， isn’t there anything you can do except play cards？” I asked him.

“‘那除了打牌，你還會(huì)什么？’我問(wèn)他。

‘“I can swim，” he said.

“‘我會(huì)游泳。’他說(shuō)。

‘“Swim！”

“‘游泳！’

‘I could hardly believe my ears; it seemed such an insane answer to give.

“我簡(jiǎn)直不敢相信自己的耳朵，聽起來(lái)真是荒唐透頂。

‘“I swam for my university.”

“‘我在大學(xué)里曾經(jīng)代表學(xué)校參加過(guò)比賽。’

‘I got some glimmering of what he was driving at， I’ve known too many men who were little tin gods at their university to be impressed by it.

“我知道他想說(shuō)什么了。我認(rèn)識(shí)好些人，上大學(xué)時(shí)都風(fēng)光一時(shí)，自以為是，因此我不為所動(dòng)。

‘“I was a pretty good swimmer myself when I was a young man，” I said.

“‘我年輕的時(shí)候游得也很不錯(cuò)。’我說(shuō)。

‘Suddenly I had an idea.’

“我突然有個(gè)了主意?！?/p>

Pausing in his story， Burton turned to me.

伯頓停了一下，轉(zhuǎn)身面向我。

‘Do you know Kobe？’ he asked.

“你了解神戶吧？”他問(wèn)。

‘No，’ I said， ‘I passed through it once， but I only spent a night there.’

“不怎么了解?！蔽艺f(shuō)，“有一次經(jīng)過(guò)那里，但只待了一晚上?！?/p>

‘Then you don’t know the Shioya Club. When I was a young man I swam from there round the beacon and landed at the creek of Tarumi. It’s over three miles and it’s rather difficult on account of the currents round the beacon. Well， I told my young namesake about it and I said to him that if he’d do it I’d give him a job.

“這么說(shuō)你不知道鹽谷俱樂(lè)部了。我年輕的時(shí)候，曾經(jīng)從鹽谷俱樂(lè)部的燈塔附近游到垂水小溪。全長(zhǎng)三英里多，燈塔附近水流很急，一般人對(duì)付不了。我跟那年輕人說(shuō)了這事，而且說(shuō)，如果他能做到，我就給他一份工作?！?/p>

‘I could see he was rather taken aback.

“看得出來(lái)，他非常吃驚。

‘“You say you’re a swimmer，” I said.

“‘你自己說(shuō)會(huì)游泳的?！艺f(shuō)。

‘“I’m not in very good condition，” he answered.

“‘我現(xiàn)在身體不大好。’他回答說(shuō)。

‘I didn’t say anything. I shrugged my shoulders. He looked at me for a moment and then he nodded.

“我一言不發(fā)，聳了聳肩。他看看我，然后點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭。

‘“All right，” he said. “When do you want me to do it？”

“‘好吧。’他說(shuō)?！阆胍沂裁磿r(shí)候游？’

‘I looked at my watch. It was just after ten.

“我看了下表，剛過(guò)十點(diǎn)。

‘“The swim shouldn’t take you much over an hour and a quarter. I’ll drive round to the creek at half past twelve and meet you. I’ll take you back to the club to dress and then we’ll have lunch together.”

“‘估計(jì)你游過(guò)這段一小時(shí)一刻鐘就夠，超也不會(huì)超太多。我開車十二點(diǎn)半到小溪那里接你，然后帶你去俱樂(lè)部換衣服，一起吃午飯?！?/p>

‘“Done，” he said.

“‘一言為定！’他說(shuō)。

‘We shook hands. I wished him good luck and he left me. I had a lot of work to do that morning and I only just managed to get to the creek at Tarumi at half past twelve. But I needn’t have hurried; he never turned up.’

“我們握手告別。我祝他好運(yùn)，然后他就走了。那天上午我非常忙，趕到垂水小溪時(shí)剛好十二點(diǎn)半。其實(shí)我根本不需要那么趕，他再?zèng)]露面。”

‘Did he funk it at the last moment？’ I asked.

“他最后一刻打退堂鼓了？”我問(wèn)。

‘No， he didn’t funk it. He started all right. But of course he’d ruined his constitution by drink and dissipation. The currents round the beacon were more than he could manage. We didn’t get the body for about three days.’

“那倒沒(méi)有。他當(dāng)時(shí)就動(dòng)身了。但是他常年飲酒作樂(lè)，身體早垮了，根本應(yīng)付不了燈塔附近的水流。我們打撈三天，也沒(méi)找到尸體?！?/p>

I didn’t say anything for a moment or two. I was a trifle shocked. Then I asked Burton a question.

我一時(shí)無(wú)言以對(duì)，有些震驚。隨后我問(wèn)伯頓：

‘When you made him that offer of a job， did you know he’d be drowned？’

“你說(shuō)可以給他一份工作的時(shí)候，知道他會(huì)淹死嗎？”

He gave a little mild chuckle and he looked at me with those kind and candid blue eyes of his. He rubbed his chin with his hand.

他輕輕笑了笑，那雙友善真誠(chéng)的藍(lán)眼睛看著我，手摸了摸下巴。

‘Well， I hadn’t got a vacancy in my office at the moment.’

“其實(shí)當(dāng)時(shí)我的辦事處根本沒(méi)有空缺?！?/p>

1毛姆.毛姆短篇小說(shuō)選Ⅱ.辛紅娟、鄢宏福譯.北京：人民文學(xué)出版社，2016.

2指1923年9月1日發(fā)生在日本橫濱和東京一帶的“關(guān)東大地震”。