Shooting an Elephant（射象）

名称：Shooting an Elephant（射象）
内容简介：
世界英语散文精卒
[00:03.53]I often wonderedwhether any of theothers grasped
[00:05.34]我常常在想．别人知不知道
[00:07.14]that I had down itsolely to avoidlooking a fool.
[00:09.72]我射死那象只是为了不想在大家面前显得像个傻瓜而已。
[00:12.30]Shooting an Elephant
[00:13.40]射象
[00:14.50]By George Orwell
[00:17.36]乔治.奥威尔
[00:20.23]I had haltedon the road.
[00:21.42]我在碎石路上就停了步。
[00:22.60]As soon as Isaw the elephant
[00:23.60]我一见到那头象
[00:24.60]I knew with perfectcertainty that Iought not to shoothim.
[00:26.92]就明确知道不应该打死它。
[00:29.25]It is a seriousmatter to shoot aworking elephant-
[00:30.90]把一头能做工的象打死是桩严重的事，
[00:32.54]it is comparable todestroying a hugeand costly piece ofmachinery-
[00:35.15]这等于是捣毁一台昂贵的巨型的机器，
[00:37.75]and obviously oneought not to do itif it can possiblybe avoided.
[00:40.33]事情很明显，只要能够避免就要尽量避免。
[00:42.92]And at thatdistance, peacefullyeating,
[00:44.49]在那么一段距离之外，那头象安详地在嚼草
[00:46.05]the elephant lookedno more dangerousthan a cow.
[00:48.06]看上去像一头母牛一样不构成危险。
[00:50.06]I thought thenand I think now
[00:51.24]我当时想--我现在也这么想--
[00:52.42]that his attack of"must" was alreadypassing off;
[00:54.21]它的发情期大概已经过去了，
[00:55.99]in which case hewould merely wanderharmlessly about
[00:57.83]因此它顶多就是毫无攻击力地在这一带闲逛，
[00:59.68]until themahout came backand caught him.
[01:01.88]等驯象人回来逮住它。
[01:04.08]Moreover, I did notin the least want toshoot him.
[01:06.05]何况，我当初根本不想开枪打它。
[01:08.01]I decided that Iwould watch him fora little while tomake sure
[01:09.96]因此我决定从旁观察，
[01:11.90]that he didnot turn savageagain, and thengo home.
[01:14.33]看它不再撒野了，我就回去。
[01:16.75]But at that moment Iglanced round at thecrowd that hadfollowed me.
[01:18.92]但是这时我回头看了一眼跟我来的人群。
[01:21.08]It was an immensecrowd,two thousandat the least andgrowing every minute
[01:23.91]人越聚越多，至少已经有两千人了
[01:26.73]It blocked the roadfor a long distanceon either side.
[01:28.88]把马路两头都远远地堵死了。
[01:31.02]I looked at the seaof yellow faces abovethe garish clothes-
[01:32.98]我看着花花绿绿衣服上是一张张黄色的脸，
[01:34.95]faces all happy andexcited over thisbit of fun,
[01:37.13]这些脸上都为了这一点热闹的乐趣而现出快乐和兴奋的神情
[01:39.31]all certain thatthe elephant wasgoing to be shot.
[01:41.61]大家都认定这头象是必死无疑了。
[01:43.92]They werewatching me
[01:44.67]他们看着我，
[01:45.41]as they wouldwatch a conjurerabout to performa trick.
[01:47.50]就像看着正准备变法的魔术师一样。
[01:49.58]They did not likeme,
[01:50.40]他们并不喜欢我，
[01:51.22]but with the magicalrifle in my handsI was momentarilyworth watching.
[01:54.01]但是在那一刻，由于我手中有那支神奇的枪，我就值得一观了。
[01:56.79]And suddenly Irealized
[01:57.73]我突然明白了，
[01:58.67]that I shouldhave to shoot theelephant afterall.
[02:00.29]我非得射杀那头大象不可。
[02:01.92]The people expectedit of me and I hadgot to do it;
[02:03.99]大家都期待我这么做，我非这么做不可;
[02:06.05]I could feel theirtwo thousand willspressing me forward,irresistibly.
[02:08.68]我可以感觉到他们两千个人的意志在不可抗拒地把我推向前
[02:11.30]And it was at thismoment,as I stoodthere with the riflein my hands,
[02:13.53]就在这个当儿，就在我手中握着那支步枪站在那儿的时候，
[02:15.75]that I first grasped
[02:16.41]我第一次感觉到了
[02:17.07]the hollowness,the futility of thewhite man's dominionin the East.
[02:19.76]白人在东方的统治的空虚和无用。
[02:22.44]Here was I, thewhite man withhis gun,
[02:24.11]我这个手中握枪的白人，
[02:25.77]standing in front ofthe unarmed nativecrowd-
[02:27.47]站在没有任何武装的本地群众前面，
[02:29.18]seemingly theleading actor ofthe piece;
[02:30.66]表面看来似乎是一出戏的主角；
[02:32.14]but in reality Iwas only
[02:33.21]但在实际上，我不过是
[02:34.27]an absurd puppetpushed to and fro bythe will of thoseyellow faces behind.
[02:38.04]身后这些黄脸的意志所推来推去的一个可笑的傀儡
[02:41.80]I perceived in thismoment that when thewhite man turnstyrant
[02:44.21]我这时看到，一旦一个白人开始变成一个暴君，
[02:46.61]it is his ownfreedom that hedestroys.
[02:48.04]他毁掉的其实是自己的自由。
[02:49.46]He becomes a sortof hollow,posingdummy,
[02:51.12]他成了一个空虚的、装模作样的木头人，
[02:52.78]the conventionalizedfigure of a sahib.
[02:54.57]一个落入俗套的白人老爷的角色。
[02:56.35]For it is thecondition of hisrule
[02:57.41]因为正是他的统治
[02:58.47]that he shallspend his life intrying to impressthe "natives,"
[03:00.50]使得他一辈子要尽力镇住"土著"，
[03:02.52]and so in everycrisis he has gotto do
[03:04.01]因此在每一次紧急时刻，他非得做
[03:05.49]what the "natives"expect of him.
[03:06.59]"土著"期望他做的事不可。
[03:07.69]He wears a mask,and his face growsto fit it.
[03:09.76]他戴着面具，他的脸按照面具长了起来，与面具吻合无间了。
[03:11.82]I had got to shootthe elephant.
[03:12.97]我非得封杀那头象不可，
[03:14.11]I had committedmyself to doing itwhen I sent for therifle.
[03:16.25]我在派人去取枪时就不可挽回地表示要这样做了。
[03:18.39]A sahib has got toact like a sahib;
[03:20.03]白人老爷的行为必须像个白人老爷
[03:21.68]he has got to appearresolute,to knowhis own mind and dodefinite things.
[03:25.09]他必须表现出态度坚决，做事果断。
[03:28.50]To come all thatway, rifle inhand,
[03:29.90]手里握着枪，
[03:31.30]with two thousandpeople marching atmy heels,
[03:32.83]背后又有两千人跟着，
[03:34.35]and then totrail feeblyaway,
[03:35.45]到了这里又临阵胆怯，
[03:36.55]having donenothing-no,that wasimpossible.
[03:38.64]就此罢手，这可不行，万万不行!
[03:40.72]The crowd wouldlaugh at me.
[03:41.68]大家都会笑话我，
[03:42.64]And my wholelife,every whiteman's life in theEast,
[03:44.50]我整整一生，在东方的每一个白人的一生，
[03:46.37]was one longstruggle not tobe laughed at.
[03:49.79]都是为了不成为别人的笑柄而奋斗的一生。
[03:53.22]When I pulled thetrigger I did nothear the bang
[03:54.68]我扣板机时。没有听到枪声，
[03:56.15]or feel the kick-onenever does when ashot goes home-
[03:58.33]也没有感到后坐力--开枪的人总是不会感到的--
[04:00.52]but I heard thedevilish roar ofglee that went upfrom the crowd.
[04:02.43]但是我听到了群众顿时爆发出高兴的欢叫声
[04:04.33]In that instant,in too short atime,
[04:05.65]在这个当儿--真是太快了，
[04:06.97]one would havethought,even forthe bullet to getthere,
[04:08.69]你会想子弹怎么会这么快就飞到了那里--
[04:10.42]a mysterious,terrible changehad come overthe elephant.
[04:12.72]那头象一下子变了样,神秘而又可怕地变了样。
[04:15.03]He neither stirrednor fell, but everyline of his body hadaltered.
[04:17.84]它没有动，也没有倒下，但是它的身上每一根线条都变了。
[04:20.64]He looked suddenlystricken, shrunken,immensely old,
[04:22.89]它一下子变老了，全身萎缩。
[04:25.13]as though thefrightful impactof the bullethad paralyzed him
[04:27.14]好像那颗子弹的可怕威力
[04:29.14]without knocking himdown.
[04:30.32]没有把它打得躺下，
[04:31.50]At last, afterwhat seemed a longtime-
[04:33.26]却使它僵在那里了。经过似乎很长时间
[04:35.03]it might havebeen five seconds,I dare say-
[04:36.43]--大约有五秒钟，
[04:37.83]he saggedflabbily tohis knees.
[04:39.35]它终于四腿发软跪了下来。
[04:40.88]His mouth slobbered.
[04:41.68]它的嘴巴淌口水，
[04:42.48]An enormous senilityseemed to havesettled upon him.
[04:44.57]全身出现了老态龙钟的样子。
[04:46.65]One could haveimagined himthousands of yearsold.
[04:48.65]你觉得它仿佛已有好几千岁了。
[04:50.66]I fired againinto the samespot.
[04:52.29]我朝刚才射中的地方又开了一枪。
[04:53.91]At the second shothe did not collapse
[04:55.41]它中了第二枪后还不肯瘫倒，
[04:56.91]but climbed withdesperate slownessto his feet andstood weakly upright
[04:59.79]虽然很迟缓，他还是努力要站起来，勉强地站着。
[05:02.68]with legs saggingand head drooping.
[05:04.29]四腿发软，脑袋耷拉。
[05:05.89]I fired a thirdtime.That wasthe shot that didfor him.
[05:08.36]我开了第三枪。这一枪终于结果了它。
[05:10.82]You could see theagony of it jolthis whole bodyand knock
[05:12.87]你可以看到被这一枪打中的痛苦使它全身一震，
[05:14.91]the last remnantof strength fromhis legs.
[05:16.29]把它四条腿剩下的一点点力气都打掉了。
[05:17.68]But in falling heseemed for a momentto rise,
[05:19.54]但它在倒下的时候还好像要站起来，
[05:21.40]for as his hind legscollapsed beneathhim he seemed totower upward
[05:23.82]因为它两条后腿瘫在它身下时,
[05:26.23]like a hugerock toppling,
[05:27.21]它仿佛像一块巨石倒下时一样,
[05:28.18]his trunkreaching skywardlike a tree.
[05:29.82]上身却抬了起来,长鼻冲天像棵大树。
[05:31.45]He trumpeted, forthe first and onlytime.
[05:33.32]它长吼一声，这是它第一声吼叫，也是仅有的一声吼叫。
[05:35.19]And then downhe came, his bellytowards me,
[05:37.08]最后它肚子朝着我这一边倒了下来，
[05:38.97]with a crash thatseemed to shake theground even whereI lay.
[05:41.59]地面一震，甚至在我趴着的地方也感觉得到。
[05:44.20]I got up.
[05:45.00]我站了起来。
[05:45.79]The Burmans werealready racingpast me across themud.
[05:47.81]那些缅甸人早已抢在前面跑到田里去了。
[05:49.82]It was obvious thatthe elephant wouldnever rise again,
[05:51.54]显然那头象再也站不起来了
[05:53.27]but he was not dead.
[05:54.42]但它还没有死，
[05:55.58]He was breathingvery rhythmicallywith long rattlinggasps,
[05:57.82]它还在有节奏地喘着气，喉咙呼噜呼噜地出声，
[06:00.07]his great moundof a side painfullyrising and falling.
[06:02.47]它庞大的半边身子痛苦地一起一伏。
[06:04.87]His mouth was wideopen-I could see fardown into caverns ofpale pink throat.
[06:08.51]它的嘴巴张得大大的，我可以一直看到粉红色喉咙的深处。
[06:12.16]I waited a longtime for him todie,
[06:13.44]我等它死去，
[06:14.72]but his breathingdid not weaken.
[06:16.14]等了很久，但它的呼吸并不减弱。
[06:17.56]Finally I fired mytwo remaining shotsinto the spot
[06:19.52]最后我把剩下的两颗子弹射到我估计
[06:21.48]where I thoughthis heart must be.
[06:22.74]是它心脏的位置。
[06:23.99]The thick bloodwelled out of himlike red velvet,
[06:25.78]浓血喷涌而出,好象红色的天鹅绒一般,
[06:27.57]but still hedid not die.
[06:29.14]可是它还没死。
[06:30.70]His body didnot even jerk whenthe shots hit him,
[06:32.45]它中枪时身子并不震动,
[06:34.19]the torturedbreath-ingcontinuedwithout a pause.
[06:35.93]痛苦的喘息仍继续不断。
[06:37.67]He was dying, veryslowly and in greatagony,
[06:39.63]它在慢慢地、极其痛苦地死去，
[06:41.59]but in some worldremote from mewhere not even
[06:43.72]但是它已到了一个远离我的世界，
[06:45.86]a bullet coulddamage him further.
[06:47.25]子弹已经不能再伤害它了。
[06:48.65]I felt that I hadgot to put an end tothat dreadful noise.
[06:50.73]我觉得我应该结束那讨厌的喘息声。
[06:52.81]It seemed dreadfulto see the greatbeast lying there,
[06:54.82]看着那头巨兽躺在那里，
[06:56.82]powerless to moveand yet powerless todie,
[06:58.43]无力动弹，又没法死掉，
[07:00.05]and not even tobe able to finishhim.
[07:01.54]又不能把它马上结果掉,很不是滋味。
[07:03.03]I sent back formy small rifle
[07:04.44]我又派人去把我的小口径步枪取来,
[07:05.85]and poured shotafter shot into hisheart and down histhroat.
[07:08.43]朝它的心脏和喉咙里开了一枪又一枪。
[07:11.00]They seemed to makeno impression.
[07:12.38]但似乎一点影响也没有。
[07:13.77]The tortured gaspscontinued steadilyas the ticking of aclock.
[07:16.52]痛苦的喘息持续不断,就像钟声滴答一样。
[07:19.27]In the end I couldnot stand it anylonger and I wentaway.
[07:21.75]我终于再也无法忍受了，就离开了那里。
[07:24.24]I heard later thatit took him half anhour to die.
[07:26.57]后来听说它过了半个小时才死掉。
[07:28.91]Burmans werebringing dahs andbaskets even beforeI left,
[07:30.73]缅甸人还没有等我走开就提着桶和篮子来了，
[07:32.54]and I was told theyhad stripped hisbody almost to thebones by the afternoon
[07:35.29]据说到了下午他们已把它剥得只剩骨骼了。
[07:38.04]Afterwards, ofcourse,
[07:39.10]后来，当然,
[07:40.16]there were endlessdiscussions aboutthe shooting of theelephant.
[07:41.71]关于射杀那头象的事，议论不断。
[07:43.25]The owner wasfurious,
[07:44.32]象主人很生气，
[07:45.38]but he was only anIndian and could donothing.
[07:46.82]但他是个印度人，对此也无可奈何。
[07:48.26]Besides, legallyI had done the rightthing,
[07:49.91]何况，从法律的观点来说，我做得并不错，
[07:51.56]for a mad elephanthas to be killed,
[07:52.90]发狂的象是必须打死的
[07:54.23]like a mad dog ifits owner fails tocontrol it.
[07:55.98]因为如果主人无法控制的话，就像疯狗一样。
[07:57.73]Among the Europeansopinion was divided.The older men said Iwas right,
[08:00.62]至于欧洲人则对此众说纷纭，莫衷一是。年纪大的人说我做得对，
[08:03.50]the younger mensaid
[08:04.12]年纪轻的人说
[08:04.73]it was a damnshame to shoot anelephant for killinga coolie,
[08:06.33]为了踩死一个苦力而开枪打死一头象太不像话了，
[08:07.92]because an elephantwas worth more thanany damn Coringheecoolie.
[08:10.00]因为象比科林吉苦力值钱。
[08:12.08]And afterwards I wasvery glad that thecoolie had beenkilled;
[08:14.36]我事后心中暗喜，那个苦力死得好，
[08:16.64]it put me legallyin the right
[08:17.91]从法律上讲无可厚非。
[08:19.18]and it gave me asufficient pretextfor shooting theelephant.
[08:21.24]使我可以名正言顺地射死那头象，
[08:23.30]I often wonderedwhether any of theothers grasped
[08:25.30]我常常在想，别人知不知道