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属类: 双语小说 【分类】世界名著 阅读:[20667]
鲁宾逊漂流记
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再说我从山岗上下来,走到岛的西南角,我马上就吓得惊惶失措,目瞪口呆了。只见海岸上满地都是人的头骨、手骨、脚骨,以及人体其他部分的骨头,我心里的恐怖,简直无法形容。我还看到有一个地方曾经生过火,地上挖了一个斗鸡坑似的圆圈,那些野蛮人大概就围坐在那里,举行残忍的宴会,吃食自己同类的肉体。

1
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When I was come down the Hill, to the Shore, as I said above, being the S.W. Point of the Island, I was perfectly confounded and amaz’d; nor is it possible for me to express the Horror of my Mind, at seeing the Shore spread with Skulls , Hands, Feet, and other Bones of humane Bodies; and particularly I observ’d a Place where there had been a Fire made, and a Circle dug in the Earth, like a Cockpit, where it is suppos’d the Savage Wretches had sat down to their inhumane Feastings upon the Bodies of their Fellow-Creatures.

2
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见到这一情景,我简直惊愕万分。好久好久,我忘记了自身的危险。想到这种极端残忍可怕的行为,想到人性竟然堕落到如此地步,我忘记了自己的恐惧。吃人的事我以前虽然也经常听人说起过,可今天才第一次亲眼看到吃人留下的现常我转过脸去,不忍再看这可怕的景象。我感到胃里东西直往上冒,人也几乎快晕倒了,最后终于恶心得把胃里的东西都吐了出来。我吐得很厉害,东西吐光后才略感轻松些。但我一分钟也不忍心再待下去了,所以马上拔脚飞跑上小山,向自己的家里走去。

2
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I was so astonish’d with the Sight of these Things, that I entertain’d no Notions of any Danger to my self from it for a long while; All my Apprehensions were bury’d in the Thoughts of such a Pitch of inhuman , hellish Brutality , and the Horror of the Degeneracy of Humane Nature; which though I had heard of often, yet I never had so near a View of before; in short, I turn’d away my Face from the horrid Spectacle; my Stomach grew sick, and I was just at the Point of Fainting, when Nature discharg’d the Disorder from my Stomach; and having vomited with an uncommon violence, I was a little reliev’d; but cou’d not bear to stay in the Place a Moment; so I gat me up the Hill again, with the Speed I cou’d, and walk’d on towards my own Habitation.

3
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当我略微跑远吃人现场之后,还是惊魂不定,呆呆地在路上站了一会儿。直到后来,心情才稍稍安定下来。我仰望苍天,热泪盈眶,心里充满了感激之情,感谢上帝把我降生在世界上别的地方,使我没有与这些可怕的家伙同流合污。尽管我感到自己目前的境况十分悲惨,但上帝还是在生活上给我种种照顾。我不仅不应该抱怨上帝,而且应衷心地感激他。尤其是,在这种不幸的境遇中,上帝指引我认识他,乞求他的祝福,这给了我莫大的安慰。这种幸福足以补偿我曾经遭受的和可能遭受的全部不幸还有余。

3
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When I came a little out of that Part of the Island, I stood a while as amaz’d; and then recovering my self, I look’d with the utmost Affection of my Soul, and with a Flood Tears in my Eyes, gave God Thanks that had cast my Lot in a Part of the World, where I was distinguish’d from such dreadful Creatures as these; and that though I had esteem’d my present Condition very miserable , had yet given me so many Comforts in it, that I had still more to give Thanks for than to complain of; and this above all, that had even in this miserable Condition been comforted with the Knowledge of himself, and the Hope of his Blessing , which was a Felicity more than sufficiently equivalent to all the Misery which I had suffer’d, or could suffer.

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我就怀着这种感激的心情回到了我的城堡。我比以往任何时候都感到自己的住所安全可靠,因而心里也宽慰多了。因为我看到,那些残忍的食人部落来到岛上并不是为了寻找什么他们所需要的东西;他们到这儿来根本不是为了寻求什么,需求什么或指望得到什么。因为,有一点是毫无疑问的:那就是他们一般在树深林密的地方登岸后,从未发现过任何他们所需要的东西。我知道,我在岛上已快十八年了,在这儿,我从未见过人类的足迹。只要我自己不暴露自己,只要自己像以前一样很好地隐蔽起来,我完全可以再住上十八年。何况,我当然绝不会暴露自己,因为我唯一的目的就是很好地隐蔽自己,除非我发现比吃人生番更文明的人,才敢与他们交往。

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In this Frame of Thankfulness, I went Home to my Castle, and began to be much easier now, as to the Safety my Circumstances, than ever I was before; for I observ’d, that these Wretches never came to this Island in search of what they could get; perhaps not seeking, not wanting, or not expecting any Thing here; and having often, no doubt, been up in the cover’d woody Part of it, without finding any Thing to their Purpose. I knew I had been here now almost eighteen Years, and never saw the least Foot-steps of Humane Creature there before; and I might be here eighteen more, as entirely conceal’d as I was now, if I did not discover my self to them, which I had no manner of Occasion to do, it being my only Business to keep my self entirely conceal’d where I was, unless I found a better sort of Creatures than Canibals to make my self known to.

5
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我对这伙野蛮的畜生,对他们互相吞食这种灭绝人性的罪恶风俗真是深恶痛绝。所以,差不多有两年时间,我整天愁眉不展,郁郁寡欢,并不敢超越自己的活动范围。我所谓的活动范围,就是指我的三处庄园--我的城堡,我的别墅和我那森林中的圈地。这中间,那森林中的圈地,我只是用来养羊,从不派别的用处。因为我天生憎恶那些魔鬼似的食人畜生,所以害怕看到他们,就像害怕看到魔鬼一样。这两年中,我也没有去看过那只小船,只想另外再造一只。我根本不敢再想把那只小船从海上弄回来,唯恐在海上碰到那些野人。那时候,若落到他们手里,我的命运就可想而知了。

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Yet I entertain’d such an Abhorrence of the Savage Wretches, that I have been speaking of, and of the wretched inhuman Custom of their devouring and eating one another up, that I continu’d pensive , and sad, and kept close within my own Circle for almost two Years after this: When I say my own Circle, I mean by it, my three Plantations , viz. my Castle, my Country Seat, which I call’d my Bower , and my Enclosure in the Woods; nor did I look after this for any other Use than as an Enclosure for my Goats; for the Aversion which Nature gave me to these hellish Wretches, was such, that I was fearful of seeing them, as of seeing the Devil himself; nor did I so much as go to look after my Boat, in all this Time; but began rather to think of making me another; for I cou’d not think of ever making any more Attempts, to bring the other Boat round the Island to me, least I should meet with some of these Creatures at Sea, in which, if I had happen’d to have fallen into their Hands, I knew what would have been my Lot.

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可是,尽管如此,时间一久,我对食人生番的担心逐渐消失了,更何况我确信自己没有被他们发现的危险。所以,我又像以前那样泰然自若地过平生活了。所不同的是,我比以前更小心了,比以前更留心观察,唯恐被上岛的野人看见。特别是,我使用枪时更小心谨慎,以免给上岛的野人听到枪声。天幸我早就驯养了一群山羊,现在就再也不必到树林里去打猎了。这就是说,我用不着开枪了。后来,我也捉过一两只野山羊,但用的都是老办法,即用捕机和陷阱捉到的。因此,此后两年中,我记得我没有开过一次枪,虽然每次出门时还总是带着的。此外,我曾从破船上弄到三把手枪,每次出门,我总至少带上两把,挂在腰间的羊皮皮带上。我又把从船上拿下来的一把大腰刀磨快,系了一条带子挂在腰间。这样,我出门时,样子实在令人可怕。除了前面我描述过的那些装束外,又添了两支手枪和一把没有刀鞘的腰刀,挂在腰间的一条皮带上。

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Time however, and the Satisfaction I had, that I was in no Danger of being discover’d by these People, began to wear off my Uneasiness about them; and I began to live just in the same compos’d Manner as before; only with this Difference, that I used more Caution, and kept my Eyes more about me than I did before, least I should happen to be seen by any of them; and particularly, I was more cautious of firing my Gun, least any of them being on the Island, should happen to hear of it; and it was therefore a very good Providence to me, that I had furnish’d my self with a tame Breed of Goats, that I needed not hunt any more about the Woods, or shoot at them; and if I did catch any of them after this, it was by Traps, and Snares , as I had done before; so that for two Years after this, I believe I never fir’d my Gun once off, though I never went out without it; and which was more, as I had sav’d three Pistols out of the Ship, I always carry’d them out with me, or at least two of them, sticking them in my Goat-skin Belt; also I furbish’d up one of the great Cutlashes, that I had out of the Ship, and made me a Belt to put it on also; so that I was now a most formidable Fellow to look at, when I went abroad, if you add to the former Description of my self, the Particular of two Pistols, and a great broad Sword, hanging at my Side in a Belt, but without a Scabbard.

7
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这样过了一段时间,除了增加上述这些预防措施外,我似乎又恢复了以前那种安定宁静的生活方式。这些经历使我越来越体会到,我的境况与其他人相比,实在说不上怎样不幸;尤其是与我可能遭到的不幸相比,更应算是万幸的了。更何况上帝完全可以使我的命运更悲惨。这又使我进行了一番反剩我想,如果大家能把自己的处境与处境更糟的人相比,而不是与处境较好的人相比,就会对上帝感恩戴德,而不会嘟嘟,怨天尤人了。如果能做到这样,不论处于何种境况,人们的怨言就会少多了。

7
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Things going on thus, as I have said, for some Time; I seem’d, excepting these Cautions, to be reduc’d to my former calm, sedate Way of Living, all these Things tended to shewing me more and more how far my Condition was from being miserable, compar’d to some others; nay , to many other Particulars of Life, which it might have pleased God to have made my Lot. It put me upon reflecting, How little repining there would be among Mankind, at any Condition of Life, if People would rather compare their Condition with those that are worse, in order to be thankful, than be always Comparing them with those which are better, to assist their Murmurings and Complainings.

8
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就我目前的境况而言,我其实不缺多少东西。可是,我总感到,由于受到那些野蛮的食人生番的惊吓,因而时时为自己的安全而担惊受怕。以往,为使自己的生活过得舒服,我充分发挥了创造发明的才能,但现在就无法充分发挥了。我本来有一个煞费苦心的计划,想试验一下能否把大麦制成麦芽,再用麦芽来酿起酒。现在,这一计划也放弃了。当然,这实在也是一个荒唐的念头,连我自己也经常责备自己把事情想得太简单了。因为我不久就看出,许多酿造啤酒必不可少的材料我都没有,也无法自己制造。首先,没有啤酒桶。前面说过,我曾尝试做木桶,但怎么也做不好。我曾花了许多天、甚至许多星期、许多个月,结果还是没有成功。其次,没有啤酒花使酒经久不坏,没有酵母发酵,没有铜锅铜罐煮沸。可是,尽管如此,我还是坚信,要是没有对食人生番的惊惧和恐怖,我早就可能着手去做了,甚至也许已做成功了。因为我的脾气是,不管什么事情,一旦决心去做,不成功是决不罢休的!

8
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As in my present Condition there were not really many Things which I wanted; so indeed I thought that the Frights I had been in about these Savage Wretches, and the Concern I had been in for my own Preservation , had taken off the Edge of my Invention for my own Conveniences; and I had dropp’d a good Design, which I had once bent my Thoughts too much upon; and that was, to try if I could not make some of my Barley into Malt, and then try to brew my self some Beer: This was really a whimsical Thought, and I reprov’d my self often for the Simplicity of it; for I presently saw there would be the want of several Things necessary to the making my Beer, that it would be impossible for me to supply; as First, Casks to preserve it in, which was a Thing, that as I have observ’d already, I cou’d never compass; no, though I spent not many Days, but Weeks, nay, Months in attempting it, but to no purpose. In the next Place, I had no Hops to make it keep, no Yeast to make it work, no Copper or Kettle to make it boil; and yet all these Things, notwithstanding, I verily believe, had not these Things interven’d, I mean the Frights and Terrors I was in about the Savages , I had undertaken it, and perhaps brought it to pass too; for I seldom gave any Thing over without accomplishing it, when I once had it in my Head enough to begin it.

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可现在,我的发明创造能力向另一方面发展了。我日日夜夜都在捉摸,怎样趁那伙食人恶魔在进行残忍的人肉宴会时杀掉他们一批;并且,如果可能的话,把他们带到岛上准备杀害的受难者救出来。我脑子里想到各种各样的计划,想消灭这些野蛮的家伙,或者至少吓他们一下,让他们再也不敢上岛来。如果真的想把我酝酿过的计划通通记载下来的话,那就会比这本书还要厚了。然而,这一切都是不切实际的空想;只想不做,起不了任何作用。更何况如果他们二三十人成群结伙而来,我孤身一人怎么能对付他们呢?他们带着标枪或弓箭之类的武器,射起来能像我的枪打得一样准。

9
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But my Invention now run quite another Way; for Night and Day, I could think of nothing but how I might destroy some of these Monsters in their cruel bloody Entertainment, and if possible, save the Victim they should bring hither to destroy. It would take up a larger Volume than this whole Work is intended to be, to set down all the Contrivances I hatch’d, or rather brooded upon in my Thought, for the destroying these Creatures, or at least frighting them, so as to prevent their coming hither any more; but all was abortive , nothing could be possible to take effect, unless I was to be there to do it my self; and what could one Man do among them, when perhaps there might be twenty or thirty of them together, with their Darts , or their Bows and Arrows, with which they could shoot as true to a Mark, I could with my Gun?

10
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有时我又想在他们生火的地方下面挖个小坑,里面放上五六磅火药。等他们生火时,必然会引爆火药,把附近的一切都炸毁。但是,我首先不愿意在他们身上浪费这么多的火药,因为我剩下的火药已不到一桶了。再说,我也不能保证火药在特定的时间爆炸,给他们一个突然袭击。可能最多也不过把火星溅到他们的脸上,使他们吓一跳罢了,决不会使他们放弃这块地方,永远不敢再来。因此,我把这个计划搁置一边另想办法。后来,我又想到可以找一个适当的地方埋伏起来,把三支枪装上双倍的弹药,等他们正热闹地举行那残忍的仪式时,就向他们开火,一枪准能打死或打伤两三个。然后带上我的三支手枪和一把腰刀向他们冲去,如果他们只有一二十人,准可以把他们杀得一个不留。这个妄想使我心里高兴了好几个星期。我整天整夜想着这个计划,连做梦也想,以至梦见我向那些野人开枪的情景。

10
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Sometime I contriv’d to dig a Hole under the Place where they made their Fire, and put in five or six Pound of Gun-powder, which when they kindled their Fire, would consequently take Fire, and blow up all that was near it; but as in the first Place I should be very loth to wast so much Powder upon them, my Store being now within the Quantity of one Barrel; so neither could I be sure of its going off’ at any certain Time, when it might surprise them, and at best, that it would do little more than just blow the Fire about their Ears and fright them, but not sufficient to make them forsake the Place; so I laid it aside, and then propos’d, that I would place my self in Ambush , in some convenient Place, with my three Guns, all double loaded; and in the middle of their bloody Ceremony, let fly at them, when I should be sure to kill or wound perhaps two or three at every shoot; and then falling in upon them with my three Pistols, and my Sword, I made no doubt, but that if there was twenty I should kill them all: This Fancy pleas’d my Thoughts for some Weeks, and I was so full of it, that I often dream’d of it; and sometimes that I was just going to let fly at them in my Sleep.

11
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我对这个计划简直着了迷,竟费了好几天的工夫去寻找适当的埋伏地点。我还常到他们吃人的地点去察看,所以对那儿地势已了如指掌。尤其是我报复心切,恨不得一刀杀死他们二三十个;而在我一次次亲临现场,看到那恐怖的景象,看到那些野蛮的畜牲互相吞食的痕迹,更使我怒气冲天。

11
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I went so far with it in my Imagination, that I employ’d my self several Days to find out proper Places to put my self in Ambuscade, as I said, to watch for them; and I went frequently to the Place it self, which was now grown more familiar to me; and especially while my Mind was thus fill’d with Thoughts of Revenge, and of a bloody putting twenty or thirty of them to the Sword, as I may call it, the Horror I had at the Place, and at the Signals of the barbarous Wretches devouring one another, abated my Malice .

12
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最后,我在小山坡上找到了一个地方,可以安全地把自己隐蔽起来,监视他们小船上岛的一举一动。在他们上岸之前,我可藏身在丛林里,因为那儿有一个小坑,大小正好能使我藏身。我可以稳稳当当地坐在那里,把他们食人的残忍行为看得一清二楚。等他们凑在一块儿的时候,就对准他们头上开枪,准能打中目标,第一枪就能打伤他们三四个。

12
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Well, at length I found a Place in the Side of the Hill, where I was satisfy’d I might securely wait, till I saw any of their Boats coming, and might then, even before they would be ready to come on Shore, convey my self unseen into Thickets of Trees, in one of which there was a Hollow large enough to conceal me entirely; and where I might sit, and observe all their bloody Doings, and take my full aim at their Heads, when they were so close together, as that it would be next to impossible that I should miss my Shoot, or that I could fail wounding three or four of them at the first Shoot.

13
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于是,我就决定在这儿把计划付诸实施。我先把两支短枪和一支鸟枪装好弹药,每支短枪装上双弹丸和四五颗小子弹,大约有手枪子弹那么大;在鸟枪里装了特大号鸟弹。另外,每支手枪再装四颗子弹。出发之前,再把弹药带足,以作第二第三次射击之用。就这样,我完成了战斗准备。

13
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In this Place then I resolv’d to fix my Design, and accordingly I prepar’d two Muskets , and my ordinary Fowling Piece. The two Muskets I loaded with a Brace of Slugs each, and four or five smaller Bullets, about the Size of Pistol Bullets; and the Fowling Piece I loaded with near a Handful of Swan-shot, of the largest Size; I also loaded my Pistols with about four Bullets each, and in this Posture , well provided with Ammunition for a second and third Charge, I prepar’d my self for my Expedition.

14
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计划安排已定,我在自己的想象中又一次次地付诸实施。同时,每天上午我都要跑到那小山坡去巡视一番,看看海上有没有小船驶近小岛,或从远处向小岛驶来。我选定的地点离我的城堡有三英里多。一连守望了两三个月,每天都毫无收获回到家里,我开始对这件苦差使感到厌倦了。这段时间,不仅海岸上或海岸附近没有小船的影子,就连用眼睛和望远镜向四面八方了望,整个洋面上也没有任何船只的影踪。

14
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After I had thus laid the Scheme of my Design, and in my Imagination put it in Practice, I continually made my Tour every Morning up to the Top of the Hill, which was from my Castle, as I call’d it, about three Miles, or more, to see if I cou’d observe any Boats upon the Sea, coming near the Island, or standing over towards it; but I began to tire of this hard Duty, after I had for two or three Months constantly kept my Watch; but came always back without any Discovery, there having not in all that Time been the least Appearance, not only on, or near the Shore; but not on the whole Ocean, so far as my Eyes or Glasses could reach every Way.

15
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在每天到小山上巡逻和了望期间,我始终精神抖擞,情绪高涨,决心实现自己的计划。我似乎随时都可以干得出惊人的壮举,一口气杀掉二三十个赤身裸体的野人。至于他们究竟犯了什么滔天大罪,我却从未认真考虑,只是当初看到这些土人伤天害理的习俗,从心底里本能地感到厌恶和愤怒罢了。造物主治理世界,当然是英明无比的,但他似乎已经弃绝了这些土人。任其他们按照自己令人憎恶的、腐败堕落的冲动去行事,任其他们多少世纪以来干着这种骇人听闻的勾当,形成这种可怕的风俗习惯。要是他们不是被上天所遗弃,要是他们没有堕落到如此毫无人性的地步,他们是决不会落到现在这种境地的。但是,前面提到,一连两三个月,我每天上午都外出巡视,却始终毫无结果。我开始感到厌倦了。于是,我对自己的计划也改变了看法,并开始冷静地考虑我自己的行动。我想:这么多世纪以来,上天都容许这些人不断互相残杀而不惩罚他们,那我有什么权力和责任擅自将他们判罪处死,代替上天执行对他们的判决呢?这些人对我又究竟犯了什么滔天大罪呢?我又有什么权力参与他们的自相残杀呢?我经常同自己进行辩论:"我怎么知道上帝对于这件公案是怎样判断的呢?毫无疑问,这些人并不知道他们互相吞食是犯罪行为;他们那样做并不违反他们的良心,因而他们也不会受到良心的谴责。他们并不知道食人是违背天理的罪行而故意去犯罪,就像我们大多数人犯罪时一样。他们并不认为杀死战俘是犯罪行为,正如我们并不认为杀牛是犯罪行为;他们也不认为吃人肉是犯罪行为,正如我们并不认为吃羊肉是犯罪行为。"

15
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As long as I kept up my daily Tour to the Hill, to look out; so long also I kept up the Vigour of my Design, and my Spirits seem’d to be all the while in a suitable Form, for so outragious an Execution as the killing twenty or thirty naked Savages, for an Offence which I had not at all entred into a Discussion of in my Thoughts, any farther than my Passions were at first fir’d by the Horror I conceiv’d at the natural Custom of that People of the Country, who it had been suffer’d by Providence in his wise Disposition of the World, to have no other Guide than that of their own abominable and vitiated Passions; and constantly were left, and perhaps had been so for some Ages, to act: horrid Things, and receive such dreadful Customs, as nothing but Nature entirely abandon’d of Heaven, and acted by hellish Degeneracy, could have run them into: But now, as I have said, I began to be weary of the fruitless Excursion, which I had made so long, and so far, every Morning in vain, so my Opinion of the Action it self began to alter, and I began with cooler and calmer Thoughts to consider what it was I was going to engage in. What Authority, or Call I had, to pretend to be Judge and Executioner upon these Men as Criminals, whom Heaven had thought fit for so many Ages to suffer unpunish’d, to go on, and to be as it were, the Executioners of his Judgments one upon another. How far these People were Offenders against me, and what Right I had to engage in the Quarrel of that Blood, which they shed promiscuously one upon another. I debated this very often with my self thus; How do I know what God himself judges in this particular Case? is certain these People either do not commit this as a Crime; it is not against their own Consciences reproving, or their Light reproaching them. They do not know it be Offence, and then commit it in Defiance of Divine Justice, we do in almost all the Sins we commit. They think it no ore a Crime to kill a Captive taken in War, than we do kill an Ox; nor to eat humane Flesh, than we do to eat Mutton.

16
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我稍稍从这方面考虑了一下,就觉得自己不对了。我感到他们并不是我过去心目中所谴责的杀人犯。有些基督徒在战斗中常常把战俘处死,甚至在敌人已经丢下武器投降后,还把成队成队的敌人毫无人道地杀个精光。从这方面来看,那些土人与战斗中残杀俘虏的基督徒岂不一样!

16
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When I had consider’d this a little, it follow’d necessarily, that I was certainly in the Wrong in it, that these People were not Murtherers in the Sense that I had before condemn’d them, in my Thoughts; any more than those Christians were Murtherers, who often put to Death the Prisoners taken in Battle; or more frequently, upon many Occasions, put whole Troops of Men to the Sword, without giving Quarter, though they threw down their Arms and submitted.

17
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其次,我又想到:尽管他们用如此残暴不仁的手段互相残杀,于我却毫无干系。他们并没有伤害我。如果他们想害我,我为了保卫自己而向他们进攻,那也还说得过去。可现在我并没有落到他们手里,他们也根本不知道我的存在,因而也不可能谋害我。在这种情况下,我若主动攻击他们,那就没有道理了。我若这样做,无异于承认那些西班牙人在美洲的暴行是正当的了。大家都知道,西班牙人在美洲屠杀了成千上万的当地土人。这些土著民族崇拜偶象,确确实实是野蛮民族;在他们的风俗中,有些仪式残忍野蛮,如把活人祭祀他们的偶像等等。可是,对西班牙人而言,他们都是无辜的。西班牙人这种杀人灭种的行为,无论在西班牙人自己中间,还是在欧洲各基督教国家中谈论起来,都引起极端的憎恶和痛恨,认为这是一种兽性的屠杀,一种人神共恨的残酷不仁的暴行。"西班牙人"这个名词,在一切具有人道主义思想和基督徒同情心的人们中,成了一个可怕的字眼,就仿佛只有西班牙这个国家才出这样的人:他们残酷不仁,对不幸的人竟毫无怜悯之心;而同情和怜悯正是仁慈品德的标志。

17
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In the next Place it occurr’d to me, that albeit the Usage they thus gave one another, was thus brutish and inhuman; yet it was really nothing to me: These People had done me Injury. That if they attempted me, or I saw it necessary my immediate Preservation to fall upon them, something might be said for it; but that as I was yet out of their Power, and they had really no Knowledge of me, and consequently sign upon me; and therefore it could not be just for to fall upon them. That this would justify the Conduct the Spaniards in all their Barbarities practis’d in America, and where they destroy’d Millions of these People, who however they were Idolaters and Barbarians , and had several bloody and barbarous Rites in their Customs, such as sacrificing human Bodies to their Idols , were yet, as to the Spaniards, very innocent People; and that the rooting them out of the Country, is spoken of with the utmost Abhorrence and Detestation, by even the Spaniards themselves, at this Time; and by all other Christian Nations of Europe, as a meer Butchery, a bloody and unnatural Piece of Cruelty, unjustifiable either to God or Man; and such, as for which the very Name of a Spaniard is reckon’d to be frightful and terrible to all People of Humanity, or of Christian Compassion : As if the Kingdom of Spain were particularly Eminent for the Product of a Race of Men, who were without Principles of Tenderness, or the common Bowels of Pity to the Miserable, which is reckon’d to be a Mark of generous Temper in the Mind.

18
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基于上述考虑,我中止了执行攻击野人的计划,或至少在某些方面几乎完全停止了行动。这样,我逐渐放弃了这一计划,因为,我认为自己作出袭击那些野人的决定是错误的。我不应干预他们的内部事务,除非他们先攻击我。我应做的是,只要可能,尽量防止他们攻击我自己。不过,现在我至少知道,如果自己一旦被发现并受到攻击,该如何对付他们了。

18
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These Considerations really put me to a Pause, and to a kind of a Full-stop; and I began by little and little to be off of my Design, and to conclude, I had taken wrong Measures in my Resolutions to attack the Savages; that it was not my Business to meddle with them, unless they first attack’d me, and this it was my Business if possible to prevent; but that if I were discover’d, and attack’d, then I knew my Duty.

19
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另外,我也认识到,这种主动攻击野人的计划不仅不能拯救自己,反而会完全彻底地毁灭自己。因为,除非我有绝对把握杀死当时上岸的每一个人,还能杀死以后上岸的每一个人;否则,如果有一个人逃回去,把这儿发生的一切告诉他们的同胞,他们就会有成千上万的人过来报仇,我这岂不是自取灭亡吗?这是我当前绝对不应该做的事。

19
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On the other hand, I argu’d with my self, That this really was the way not to deliver my self, but entirely to ruin and destroy my self; for unless I was sure to kill every one that not only should be on Shore at that Time, but that should ever come on Shore afterwards, if but one of them escap’d, to tell their Country People what had happen’d, they would come over again by Thousands to revenge the Death of their Fellows, and 1 should only bring upon my self a certain Destruction, which at present I had no manner of occasion for.

20
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最后,我得出结论:无论在原则上还是策略上,我都不应该管他们自己的事。我的任务是,采取一切可能的办法,不让他们发现我,并且不能留下任何一点细微的痕迹,会让他们怀疑有人住在这小岛上。

20
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Upon the whole I concluded, That neither in Principle or in Policy, I ought one way or other to concern my self in this Affair. That my Business was by all possible Means to conceal my self from them, and not to leave the least Signal to them to guess by, that there were any living Creatures upon the Island; I mean of humane Shape.

21
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这种聪明的处世办法还唤起了我的宗教信念。种种考虑使我认识到,当时我制定的那些残酷的计划,要灭绝这些无辜的野人,完全背离了我自己的职责,因为,他们至少对我是无辜的。至于他们彼此之间所犯的种种罪行,于我毫无关系。他们所犯的罪行,是一种全民性的行为,我应该把他们交给上帝,听凭上帝的裁判,因为上帝是万民的统治者,上帝知道用什么样的全民性的处罚来惩治全民性的犯罪行为,怎样公开判决这些在光天化日之下吃人饮血的罪人。

21
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Religion joyn’d in with this Prudential, and I was convinc’d now many Ways, that I was perfectly out of my Duty, when I was laying all my bloody Schemes for the Destruction of innocent Creatures, I mean innocent as to me: As to the Crimes they were guilty of towards one another, I had nothing to do with them; they were National, and I ought to leave them to the Justice of God, who is the Governour of Nations, and knows how by National Punishments to make a just Retribution for National Offences; and to bring publick Judgments upon those who offend in a publick Manner, by such Ways as best pleases him.

22
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现在,事情在我看来已经非常清楚了。我觉得,上帝没有让我干出这件事来,实是一件最令我庆幸的事情。我认识到,我没有任何理由去干这件事;如果我真的干了,我所犯的罪行无异于故意谋杀。于是我跪下来,以最谦卑的态度向上帝表示感谢,感谢他把我从杀人流血的罪恶中拯救出来,并祈祷他保佑我,不让我落入野人手里,以防止我动手伤害他们;降非上天高声召唤我,让我为了自卫才这样做。

22
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This appear’d so clear to me now, that nothing was a greater Satisfaction to me, than that I had not been suffer’d to do a Thing which I now saw so much Reason to believe would have been no less a Sin, than that of wilful Murther, if I had committed it; and I gave most humble Thanks on my Knees to God, that had thus deliver’d me from Blood-Guiltiness; beseeching him to grant me the Protection of his Providence, that I might not fall into the Hands of the Barbarians; or that I might not lay my Hands upon them, unless I had a more clear Call from Heaven to do it, in Defence of my own Life.

23
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此后,我在这种心情下又过了将近一年。在这段时期,我再也没有去那座小山视察他们的踪影,了解他们有没有人上岸。因为,一方面我不想碰到这些残忍的家伙,不想对他们进行攻击;另一方面,我生怕自己一旦碰上他们会受不住诱惑,把我原来的计划付诸实施,生怕自己看到有机可趁时对他们进行突然袭击。在此期间,我只做了一件事:那就是把停放在岛那边的小船转移到岛的东边来。我在一个高高的岩石下发现了一个小湾,我就把船隐藏在这个小湾里。那儿有一股急流,我知道那些野人无论如何也不敢或不愿坐小船进来的。

23
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In this Disposition I continu’d, for near a Year after this; and so far was I from desiring an Occasion for falling upon these Wretches, that in all that Time, I never once went up the Hill to see whether there were any of them in Sight, or to know whether any of them had been on Shore there, or not, that I might not be tempted to renew any of my Contrivances against them, or be provok’d by any Advantage which might present it self, to fall upon them; only this I did I went and remov’d my Boat, which I had on the other Side the Island, and carry’d it down to the East End of the whole Island, where I ran it into a little Cove which I found under some high Rocks, and where I knew, by Reason of the Currents, the Savages durst not, at least would not come with their Boats, upon any Account whatsoever .

24
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同时,我把放在船上的一切东西都搬了下来,因为一般短途来往不需要这些东西,其中包括我自己做的桅杆和帆,一个锚样的东西--其实,根本不像锚或搭钩,可我已尽我所能,做成那个样子。我把船上所有的东西通通搬下来,免得让人发现有任何船只或有人居住的踪迹。

24
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With my Boat I carry’d away every Thing that I had left there belonging to her, though not necessary for the bare going thither , viz. A Mast and Sail which I had made for her, and a Thing like an Anchor, but indeed which could not be call’d either Anchor or Grapling; however, it was the best I could make of its kind: All these I remov’d, that there might not be the least Shadow of any Discovery, or any Appearance of any Boat, or of any human Habitation upon the Island.

25
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此外,我前面已提到过,我比以往更深居简出。除了干一些日常工作,如挤羊奶,照料树林中的羊群等,我很少外出了。羊群在岛的另一边,因此没有什么危险。因为那些偶尔上岛的野人,从来没有想在岛上找到什么东西,所以他们从不离开海岸向岛里走。我也毫不怀疑,自从我处处小心提防他们之后,他们还照常到岛上来过好几次。真的,我一想到我过去出游的情况,不禁不寒而栗。我以前外出只带一支枪,枪里装的也是一些小子弹。就这样我在岛上到处东走走,西瞧瞧,看看能不能弄到什么吃的东西。在这种情况下,假使碰上他们,或被他们发现,我该怎么办呢?因为,我没有多少自卫能力。或者,假定我当时看到的不是一个人的脚印,而是一二十个野人,一见到我就向我追来。他们善于奔跑,我是无论如何跑不过他们的,那我必定会落在他们手里!

25
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Besides this, I kept my self, as I said, more retir’d than ever, and seldom went from my Cell, other than upon my constant Employment, viz. To milk my She-goats, and manage my little Flock, in the Wood; which as it was quite on the other Part of the Island, was quite out of Danger; for certain it is, that these Savage People who sometimes haunted this Island, never came with any Thoughts of finding any Thing here; and consequently never wandred off from the Coast; and I doubt not, but they might have been several Times on Shore, after my Apprehensions of them had made me cautious as well as before; and indeed, I look’d back with some Horror upon the Thoughts of what my Condition would have been, if I had chop’d upon them, and been discover’d before that, when naked and unarm’d, except with one Gun, and that loaden often only with small Shot, I walk’d every where peeping, and peeping about the Island, to see what I could get; what a Surprise should I have been in, if when I discover’d the Print of a Man’s Foot, I had instead of that, seen fifteen or twenty Savages, and found them pursuing me, and by the Swiftness of their Running, no Possibility of my escaping them.

26
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有时想到这些,我就会吓得魂不附体,心里异常难过,半天都恢复不过来。我简直不能设想当时会怎么办,因为我不但无法抵抗他们,甚至会因惊惶失措而失去从容应付的能力,更不用说采取我现在经过深思熟虑和充分准备的这些措施了。的确,我认真地把这些事情思考过后,感到闷闷不乐,有时好半天都排解不开。最后,我总是想到上帝,感谢他把我从这么多看不到的危险中拯救出来,使我躲开了不少灾祸,而我自己是无论如何无法躲避这些灾祸的,因为我完全不可能预见到这些灾祸,也完全没有想到会有这种灾祸。

26
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The Thoughts of this sometimes sunk my very Soul within me, and distress ’d my Mind so much, that I could not soon recover it, to think what I should have done, and how I not only should not have been able to resist them, but even should not have had Presence of Mind enough to do what I might have done; much less, what now after so much Consideration and Preparation I might be able to do: Indeed, after serious thinking of these Things, I should be very Melancholly, and sometimes it would last a great while; but I resolv’d it at last all into Thankfulness to that Providence, which had deliver’d me from so many unseen Dangers, and had kept me from those Mischiefs which I could no way have been the Agent in delivering my self from; because I had not the least Notion of any such Thing depending,’ or the least Supposition of it being possible.

27
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以前,当在生活中遭遇到各种危难时,我开始认识到上帝对我们总是慈悲为怀,使我们绝处逢生。现在,这种感想又重新回到我的心头。我觉得,我们经常神奇地逃脱大难,连自己也不知道是怎么回事。有时,我们会陷入无所适从的境地,踌躇不定不知道该走哪条路才好。这时候,内心常常会出现一种暗示,指示我们走这条路,虽然我们原来想走的是那条路。不仅如此,有时我们的感觉、愿望、或我们的任务明明要我们走那条路,可是心里忽然灵机一动,要我们走这条路;这种灵机也不知道是从哪里来的,也不知道出自什么影响,可就是压倒了原来的一切感觉和愿望,使我们走这条路。结果,后来的事实证明,如果我们当初走了我们自己想走的路,或者走了我们心目中认为应该走的路,我们则早已陷于万劫不复的境地。反复思索之后,我自己定下了一条规矩:每当自己心里出现这种神秘的暗示或冲动,指示我应做什么或不应做什么,我就坚决服从这种神秘的指示,尽管我不知道为什么该这么做或该这么走,我知道的只是心里的这种暗示或冲动。在我一生中,可以找出许许多多这样的例子,由于我遵循了这种暗示或冲动而获得了成功,尤其是我流落到这个倒霉的荒岛上以后的生活,更证明了这一点。此外还有许多例子。当时我若能用现在的眼光去看待,是一定会意识到的。但是,世上有许多道理,只要有一天能大彻大悟,就不算太晚。我奉劝那些三思而后行的人,如果在他们的生活里,也像我一样充满了种种出乎寻常的变故,或者即使没有什么出乎寻常的变故,都千万不要忽视这种上天的启示,不管这种启示是什么看不见的神明发出的。关于这一点,我不准备在这里讨论,也无法加以阐明。但这种启示至少可以证明,精神与精神之间是可以交往的,有形的事物和无形的事物之间是有神秘的沟通的。而且,这种证明是永远无法推翻的。关于这一点,我将用我后半生的孤寂生活中一些很重要的例子加以证明。

27
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This renew’d a Contemplation, which often had come to my Thoughts in former Time, when first I began to see the merciful Dispositions of Heaven, in the Dangers we run through in this Life. How wonderfully we are deliver’d, when we know nothing of it. How when we are in (a Quandary , as we call it) a Doubt or Hesitation , whether to go this Way, or that Way, a secret Hint shall direct us this Way, when we intended to go that Way; nay, when Sense, our own Inclination , and perhaps Business has call’d to go the other Way, yet a strange Impression upon the Mind, from we know not what Springs, and by we know not what Power, shall over-rule us to go this Way; and it shall afterwards appear, that had we gone that Way which we should have gone, and even to our Imagination ought to have gone, we should have been ruin’d and lost: Upon these, and many like Reflections, I afterwards made it a certain Rule with me, That whenever I found those secret Hints, or pressings of my Mind, to doing, or not doing any Thing that presented; or to going this Way, or that Way, I never fail’d to obey the secret Dictate ; though I knew no other Reason for it, than that such a Pressure, or such a Hint hung upon my Mind: I could give many Examples of the Success of this Conduct in the Course of my Life; but more especially in the latter Part of my inhabiting this unhappy Island; besides many Occasions which it is very likely I might have taken Notice of, if I had seen with the same Eyes then, that I saw with now: But ’tis never too late to be wise; and I cannot but advise all considering Men, whose Lives are attended with such extraordinary Incidents as mine, or even though not so extraordinary, not to slight such secret Intimations of Providence, let them come from what invisible Intelligence they will, that’ I shall not discuss, and perhaps cannot account for; but certainly they are a Proof of the Converse of Spirits, and the secret Communication between those embody’d, and those unembody’d; and such a Proof as can never be withstood: Of which I shall have Occasion to give some very remarkable Instances, in the Remainder of my solitary Residence in this dismal Place.

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由于我一直生活在危险之中,因而日夜忧虑,寝食不安,这就扼杀了我为使自己生活舒适方便的发明创造能力。如果我坦诚承认这一点,读者一定不会感到奇怪。我当前最迫切需要解决的是自己的安全问题,而不是食物问题。我连一个钉子都不敢钉,一块木头都不敢劈,生怕声音被别人听见;同样,我更不敢开枪了。尤其叫我担心的是生火这件事,唯恐烟火在白天老远就被人看见而把自己暴露。因此,我把一切需要生火的事,如用锅子烧东西或抽烟斗等都转移到我那林间别墅去做。在那儿,我呆了一段时期之后,发现了一个天然地穴,这使我感到无限的欣慰。地穴很深。我敢保证,即使野人来到洞口,也不敢进去。说实在的,一般人谁都不敢进去,只有像我这样一心一意想寻找安全的藏身之所才会冒险深入。

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I believe the Reader of this will not think strange, if I confess that these Anxieties, these constant Dangers I liv’d in, and the Concern that was now upon me, put an End to all Invention, and to all the Contrivances that I had laid for my future Accommodations and Conveniencies. I had the Care of my Safety more now upon my Hands, than that of my Food. I car’d not to drive a Nail, or chop a Stick of Wood now, for fear the Noise I should make should be heard; much less would I fire a Gun, for the same Reason; and above all, I was intollerably uneasy at making any Fire, least the Smoke which is visible at a great Distance in the Day should betray me; and for this Reason I remov’d that Part of my Business which requir’d Fire; such as burning of Pots, and Pipes, etc. into my new Apartment in the Woods, where after I had been some time, I found to my unspeakable Consolation , a meer natural Cave in the Earth, which went in a vast way, and where, I dare say, no Savage, had he been at the Mouth of it, would be so hardy as to venture in, nor indeed, would any Man else; but one who like me, wanted nothing so much as a safe Retreat.

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地穴的洞口在一块大岩石底下。有一天,我正在那儿砍柴,准备用来烧炭,偶然间发现了一个洞口,这一发现我除了归诸天意外,只能说是偶然了。现在,在我继续讲我的发现之前,必须先谈谈我为什么要烧炭。前面我已经说过,我不敢在我的住所附近生火。可是,那儿是我生活的地方,我不能不烤面包,不能不煮肉。因此,我计划按照我在英国看到的办法,拿一些木头放在草皮泥层下烧,把木头烧成木炭,熄火后再把木炭带回家。这样,如果家里需用火,就可用木炭来烧,省得有冒烟的危险。

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The Mouth of this Hollow, was at the Bottom of a great Rock, where by meer accident, (I would say, if I did not see abundant Reason to ascribe all such Things now to Providence) I was cutting down some thick Branches of Trees, to make Charcoal ; and before I go on, I must observe the Reason of my making this Charcoal; which was thus: I was afraid of making a Smoke about my Habitation, as I said before; and yet I could not live there without baking my Bread, cooking my Meat, etc. so I contriv’d to burn some Wood here, as I had seen done in England, under Turf, till it became Chark, or dry Coal; and then putting the Fire out, I preserv’d the Coal to carry Home; and perform the other Services which Fire was wanting for at Home without Danger of Smoke.

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烧木炭的事顺便就谈到这里。再说有一天,我正在那里砍柴,忽然发现,在一片浓密的矮丛林后面,好像有一个深坑。我怀着好奇心想进去看看。我费力地走进洞口,发现里面相当大。我在里面站直了还绰绰有余,甚至还能再站一个人。可是说实在的,我一进去就赶快逃出来,因为我朝地穴深处一看,只见里面一片漆黑,在黑暗中,忽然看见有两只发亮的大眼睛,也不知道是魔鬼的眼睛,还是人的眼睛,在洞口射进去的微弱光线的反射下,那对眼睛像两颗星星闪闪发光。

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But this is by the by: While I was cutting down some Wood here, I perceiv’d that behind a very thick Branch of low Brushwood, or Underwood, there was a kind of hollow Place; I was curious to look into it, and getting with Difficulty into the Mouth of it, I found it was pretty large; that is to say, sufficient for me to stand upright in it, and perhaps another with me; but I must confess to you, I made more hast out than I did in, when looking farther into the Place, and which was perfectly dark, I saw two broad shining Eyes of some Creature, whether Devil or Man I knew not, which twinkl’d like two Stars, the dim Light from the Cave’s Mouth shining directly in and making the Reflection.

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尽管这样,过了一会儿,我又恢复了镇静,连声骂自己是个大傻瓜。我对自己说,谁要是怕魔鬼,谁就不配孤身一人在岛上住二十年了。而且,我敢相信,在这洞里,没有其他东西会比我自己更令人可怕的了。于是,我又鼓起勇气,点燃了一个火把,重新钻进洞去。可是,我刚走出三步,又像第一次那样吓得半死。因为我忽然听到一声很响的叹息声,就像一个人在痛苦中发出的叹息。接着是一阵断断续续的声音,好像是半吞半吐的说话声,然后紧跟着又是一声深深的叹息声。我马上后退,吓出了一身冷汗。要是我当时戴帽子的话,一定会吓得毛发倒竖,把帽子也挤掉。可是,我还是尽量鼓起勇气。而且,我想上帝和上帝的神力是无所不在的,他一定会保护我。这样一想,也稍稍受到了鼓舞。于是,我高举火把,向前走了两步。我借着火光一看,原来地上躺着一只大得吓人的公山羊,正在那里竭力喘气,快要死了。这山羊大概是在这个洞穴里找到了一个老死的地方。

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However, after some Pause, I recover’d my self, and began to call my self a thousand Fools, and tell my self, that he that was afraid to see the Devil, was not fit to live twenty Years in an Island all alone; and that I durst to believe there was nothing in this Cave that was more frightful than my self; upon this, plucking up my Courage, I took up a great Firebrand, and in I rush’d again, with the Stick flaming in my Hand; I had not gone three Steps in, but I was almost as much frighted as I was before; for I heard a very loud Sigh, like that of a Man in some Pain, and it was follow’d by a broken Noise, as if of Words half express’d, and then a deep Sigh again: I stepp’d back, and was indeed struck with such a Surprize, that it put me into a cold Sweat; and if I had had a Hat on my Head, I will not answer for it, that my Hair might not have lifted it off. But still plucking up my Spirits as well as I could, and encouraging my self a little with considering that the Power and Presence of God was every where, and was able to protect me; upon this I stepp’d forward again, and by the Light of the Firebrand, holding it up a little over my Head, I saw lying on the Ground a most monstrous frightful old He-goat, just making his Will, as we say, and gasping for Life, and dying indeed of meer old Age.

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我推了推它,看看能不能把它赶出去;它也动了动,想站起来,可是已经爬不起来了。于是我想,就让他躺在那里吧。既然它把我吓了一大跳,只要它一息尚存,也一定会把胆敢闯进来的野人吓跑。

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I stirr’d him a little to see if I could get him out, and he essay’d to get up, but was not able to raise himself; and I thought with my self, he might even lie there; for if he had frighted me so, he would certainly fright any of the Savages, if any of them should be so hardy as to come in there, while he had any Life in him.

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这时,我从惊恐中恢复过来,开始察看周围的情况。我发现洞不太大,周围不过十二英尺,但这完全是一个天然的洞穴,既不方,也不圆,不成什么形状,没有任何人工斧凿的痕迹。我又发现,在洞的尽头,还有一个更深的地方,但很低,只能俯下身子爬进去。至于这洞通向何处,我当然不得而知。当时我手头没有蜡烛,只好暂时不进去,但我决定第二天带上蜡烛和火绒盒进去。那火绒盒我是用一支短枪上的枪机做成的。另外,我还得带一盘火种。

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I was now recover’d from my Surprize, and began to look round me, when I found the Cave was but very small, that is to say, it might be about twelve Foot over, but in no manner of Shape, either round or square, no Hands having ever been employ’d in making it, but those of meer Nature: I observ’d also, that there was a Place at the farther Side of it, that went in farther, but was so low, that it requir’d me to creep upon my Hands and Knees to go into it, and whither I went I knew not; so having no Candle, I gave it over for some Time; but resolv’d to come again the next Day, provided with Candles, and a Tinder-box, which I had made of the Lock of one of the Muskets, with some wild-fire in the Pan.

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第二天,我带了六支自己做的大蜡烛去了。我现在已经能用羊脂做出很好的蜡烛。我钻进那低矮的小洞时,不得不俯下身子,这我前面已提过了。我在地上爬了约十来码。说起来,这实在是一个大胆的冒险举动,因为我既不知道要爬多远,也不知道里面究竟有什么东西。钻过这段通道后,洞顶豁然开朗,洞高差不多有数十英尺。我环顾周围上下,只见这地下室或地窟的四壁和顶上,在我两支蜡烛烛光的照耀下,反射出万道霞光,灿烂耀目;这情景是我上岛以来第一次看到的。至于那岩石中是钻石,是宝石,还是金子,我当然不清楚,但我想很可能是这类珍宝。

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Accordingly the next Day, I came provided with six large Candles of my own making; for I made very good Candles now of Goat’s Tallow; and going into this low Place, I was oblig’d to creep upon all Fours, as I have said, almost ten Yards; which by the way, I thought was a Venture bold enough, considering that I knew not how far it might go, nor what was beyond it. When I was got through the Strait, I found the Roof rose higher up, I believe near twenty Foot; but never was such a glorious Sight seen in the Island, I dare say, as it was, to look round the Sides and Roof of this Vault , or Cave; the Walls reflected 100 thousand Lights to me from my two Candles; what it was in Rock, whether Diamonds, or any other precious Stones, or Gold, which I rather suppos’d it to be, I knew not.

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虽然在洞里没有光线,但这却是一个令人赏心悦目的最美丽的洞穴。地上干燥平坦,表面是一层细碎的沙石,所以不会有令人厌恶的毒蛇爬虫。洞顶和四壁也十分干燥。这个洞穴唯一的缺点是入口太小,然而正是因为进出困难,才使它成为一个安全隐蔽的地方,而这也正是我千方百计寻求的庇护所。所以,这个缺点于我来说反而成了一个优点。我对自己的发现真是欣喜万分,决定立刻把我所最放心不下的一部分东西搬到洞里来,特别是我的火药库和多余的枪支,包括两支鸟枪和三支短枪。因为我一共有三支鸟枪和八支短枪,在城堡里留下五支短枪架在外墙洞里像大炮一样,作战中需要时也可随时拿下来使用。

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The Place I was in, was a most delightful Cavity, or Grotto , of its kind, as could be expected, though perfectly dark; the Floor was dry and level, and had a sort of small lose Gravel upon it, so that there was no nauseous or venemous Creature to be seen, neither was there any damp, or wet, on the Sides or Roof: The only Difficulty in it was the Entrance, which however as it was a Place of Security, and such a Retreat as I wanted, I thought that was a Convenience; so that I was really rejoyc’d at the Discovery, and resolv’d without any Delay, to bring some of those Things which I was most anxious about, to this Place; particularly, I resolv’d to bring hither my Magazine of Powder, and all my spare Arms, viz. Two Fowling-Pieces, for I had three in all; and three Muskets, for of them I had eight in all; so I kept at my Castle only five, which stood ready mounted like Pieces of Cannon , on my out-most Fence; and were ready also to take out upon any Expedition.

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在这次转移军火时,我也顺便打开了我从海上捞起来的那桶受潮的火药。结果发现,火药四周进了三四寸水,结成了一层坚固的硬壳,可里面部分却完好无损,仿佛壳里的果仁保存得很好。我从桶里弄到了差不多六十磅好火药,这真是一个可喜的收获。不用说,我把全部火药都搬了过去。从此以后,我在城堡里最多只放三磅火药,唯恐发生任何意外。另外,我又把做子弹的铅也全部搬了过去。

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Upon this Occasion of removing my Ammunition, I took occasion to open the Barrel of Powder which I took up out of the Sea, and which had been wet; and I found that the Water had penetrated about three or four Inches into the Powder, on every Side, which caking and growing hard, had preserv’d the inside like a Kernel in a Shell; so that I had near sixty Pound of very good Powder in the Center of the Cask, and this was an agreeable Discovery to me at that Time; so I carry’d all away thither, never keeping above two or three Pound of Powder with me in my Castle, for fear of a Surprize of any kind: I also carry’d thither all the Lead I had Belt for Bullets.

37
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在我自己的想象中,我成了一个古代的巨人,据说这些巨人住在山岩的洞穴里,没有人能攻击他们。我自己想,只要我呆在洞里,即使有五百个野人来追踪我,也不会找到我;就是给他们发现了,也不敢向我进攻。

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I fancy’d my self now like one of the ancient Giants, which are said to live in Caves, and Holes, in the Rocks, where none could come at them; for I perswaded my self while I was here, if five hundred Savages were to hunt me, they could never find me out; or if they did, they would not venture to attack me here.

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我发现洞穴的第二天,那只垂死的老山羊就在洞口边死去了。我觉得与其把它拖出去,倒不如就地挖个大坑,用土把它埋起来更省事些。于是我就地把老山羊埋了,免得我鼻子闻到死羊的臭气。

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The old Goat who I found expiring, dy’d in the Mouth of the Cave, the next Day after I made this Discovery; and I found it much easier to dig a great Hole there, and throw him in, and cover him with Earth, than to drag him out; so I interr’d him there, to prevent the Offence to my Nose.

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我现在在岛上已经住了二十三年了,对这个地方以及对自己在岛上的生活方式,也已非常适应了。如果我不担心野人袭击的话,我宁愿在此度过我的余生,直到生命的最后一刻,就像洞中的那只老山羊一样无疾而终。同时,我又想出了一些小小的消遣和娱乐,使我的日子过得比以前快活多了。首先,我前面也提到过,教会了鹦鹉说话。现在,它说得又熟练又清楚,实在令人高兴。这只鹦鹉同我一起生活了二十六年。至于它后来又活了多久,我也不知道了。但巴西人都认为,鹦鹉可以活上一百年,也许我那可怜的鹦鹉至今还活在岛上呢,还在叫着"可怜的鲁宾逊"哩!但愿没有一个英国人会这样倒霉,跑到那里听到它说话。要真的给他听到了,他肯定认为碰上了魔鬼呢!我的狗也讨我欢喜,是个可爱的伴侣,跟我不下十六年,后来终于老死了。至于我的那些猫,前面也已说过,由于繁殖太多,我不得不开枪打死了几只,免得它们把我的东西通通吃光。后来,我从船上带下来的两只老猫都死了,我又不断地驱逐那些小猫,不给它们吃东西,结果它们都跑到树林里去,变成了野猫。只有两三只我喜欢的小猫被我留在家里驯养起来。可是每当它们生出小猫时,我就把小猫投在水里淹死。这些都是我家庭的一部分成员。另外我身边还养了两三只小山羊,教会它们在我手里吃东西。此外,还养了两只鹦鹉,也会说话,也会叫"鲁宾逊",可都比不上第一只说得那么好;当然,我在它们身上花的功夫也没有第一只那么多。我还养了几只海鸟,究竟是什么鸟,我也不知道。我在海边把它们抓住后,剪去了翅膀养起来。现在,我城堡围墙外打下去的那些小树桩,已长成浓密的丛林。那些鸟就栖息在矮丛中,并生出了小鸟,非常有趣。所以,正如我前面所说的,只要不担心受野人的袭击,我对自己所过的生活,确实感到心满意足了。

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I was now in my twenty third Year of Residence in this Island, and was so naturaliz’d to the Place, and to the Manner of Living, that could I have but enjoy’d the Certainty that no Savages would come to the Place to disturb me, I could have been content to have capitulated for spending the rest of my Time there, even to the last Moment, till I had laid me down and dy’d, like the old Goat in the Cave. I had also arriv’d to some little Diversions and Amusements, which made the Time pass more pleasantly with me a great deal, than it did before; as First, I had taught my Poll, as I noted before, to speak; and he did it so familiarly, and talk’d so articulately and plain, that it was very pleasant to me; and he liv’d with me no less than six and twenty Years: How long he might live afterwards, I know not; though I know they have a Notion in the Brasils, that they live a hundred Years; perhaps poor Poll may be alive there still, calling after Poor Robin Crusoe to this Day. I wish no English Man the ill Luck to come there and hear him; but if he did, he would certainly believe it was the Devil. My Dog was a very pleasant and loving Companion to me, for no less than sixteen Years of my Time, and then dy’d, of meer old Age; as for my Cats, they multiply’d as I have observ’d to that Degree, that I was oblig’d to shoot several of them at first, to keep them from devouring me, and all I had; but at length, when the two old Ones I brought with me were gone, and after some time continually driving them from me, and letting them have no Provision with me, they all ran wild into the Woods, except two or three Favourites, which I kept tame; and whose Young when they had any, I always drown’d; and these were part of my Family: Besides these, I always kept two or three houshold Kids about me, who I taught to feed out of my Hand; and I had two more Parrots which talk’d pretty well, and would all call Robin Crusoe; but none like my first; nor indeed did I take the Pains with any of them that I had done with him. I had also several tame Sea- Fowls , whose Names I know not, who I caught upon the Shore, and cut their Wings; and the little Stakes which I had planted before my Castle Wall being now grown up to a good thick Grove , these Fowls all liv’d among these low Trees, and bred there, which was very agreeable to me; so that as I said above, I began to be very well contented with the Life I led, if it might but have been secur’d from the dread of the Savages.

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可是,事情的发展却与我的愿望相反。这部小说的读者一定会得出这样一个正确的结论:在我们的生活中,我们竭力想躲避的坏事,却往往是我们获得拯救的途径;我们一旦遭到这种恶运,往往会吓得半死,可是,正由于我们陷入了痛苦,才得以解脱痛苦。在我一生离奇的生活中,可以举出许多这一类的例子,尤其是我孤居荒岛最后几年的生活情况更能证明这一点。

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But it was otherwise directed; and it may not be amiss for all People who shall meet with my Story, to make this just Observation from it, vis. How frequently in the Course of our Lives, the Evil which in it self we seek most to shun , and which when we are fallen into it, is the most dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very Means or Door of our Deliverance, by which alone we can be rais’d again from the Affliction we are fallen into. I cou’d give many Examples of this in the Course of my unaccountable Life; but in nothing was it more particularly remarkable, than in the Circumstances of my last Years of solitary Residence in this Island.

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前面我已说过,这是我在荒岛上的第二十三个年头了。当时正是十二月冬至前后。当然,这儿的十二月,根本不能算是冬天,但对我来说,这是收获庄稼的特殊季节。我必须经常出门到田里去。一天清晨,天还未大亮,我就出门了。忽然,只见小岛尽头的海岸上一片火光,那儿离我大约有两英里远。这使我惊恐万分。那儿我也发现过野人到过的痕迹。但使我更苦恼的是,火光不是在岛的另一边,而是在我这一边。

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It was now the Month of December, as I said above, in my twenty third Year; and this being the Southern Solstice, for Winter I cannot call it, was the particular Time of my Harvest, and requir’d my being pretty much abroad in the Fields; when going out pretty early in the Morning, even before it was thorow Day-light, I was surpriz’d with seeing a Light of some Fire upon the Shore, at a Distance from me, of about two Mile towards the End of the Island, where I had observ’d some Savages had been as before; but not on the other Side; but to my great Affliction, it was on my Side of the Island.

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看到这个情景,我着实吃惊不校我立即停住脚步,留在小树林里,不敢再往外走,唯恐受到野人的突然袭击。可是,我心里怎么也无法平静了,我怕那些野人万一在岛上走来走去,发现我的庄稼,看到有些已收割了,有些还没有收割,或者发现我其他的一些设施,他们马上会断定岛上有人;那时,他们不把我搜出来是决不会罢休的。在这危险关头,我立即跑回城堡,收起梯子,并把围墙外的一切东西尽量弄成荒芜自然的样子。

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I was indeed terribly surpriz’d at the Sight, and stepp’d short within my Grove, not daring to go out, least I might be surpriz’d; and yet I had no more Peace within, from the Apprehensions I had, that if these Savages in rambling over the Island, should find my Corn standing, or cut, or any of my Works and Improvements, they would immediately conclude, that there were People in the Place, and would then never give over till they had found me out: In this Extremity I went back directly to my Castle, pull’d up the Ladder after me, and made all Things without look as wild and natural as I could.

43
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然后,我在城堡内做好防御野人袭击的准备。我把手枪和所有的炮全都装好弹药;所谓炮,就是那些架在外墙上的短枪,样子像炮,我就这么叫叫罢了。作好了这些准备,我决心抵抗到最后一口气。同时,我也没有忘记把自己托付给神的保护,挚诚地祈求上帝把我从野蛮人的手里拯救出来。在这种心情和状态下,我大约等了两小时,就又急不可耐地想知道外面的情况,因为我没有探子派出去为我打听消息。

43
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Then I prepar’d my self within, putting my self in a Posture of Defence; I loaded all my Cannon, as I call’d them; that is to say, my Muskets, which were mounted upon my new Fortification, and all my Pistols, and resolv’d to defend my self to the last Gasp , not forgetting seriously to commend my self to the Divine Protection, and earnestly to pray to God to deliver me out of the Hands of the Barbarians; and in this Posture I continu’d about two Hours; but began to be mighty impatient for Intelligence abroad, for I had no Spies to send out.

44
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我又在家里坐了一会,琢磨着该怎样应付当前的情况。最后,我实在坐不住了,因为我迫切需要知道外面的情况。于是,我便把梯子搭在山岩旁边。前面我曾提到过,山岩边有一片坡坎,我登上那片坡坎,再把梯子抽上来放在坡坎上,然后登上山顶。我平卧在山顶上,取出我特意带在身边的望远镜,向那一带地方望去。我立即发现,那儿大约有十来个赤身裸体的野人,围着一小堆火坐着。他们生火显然不是为了取暖,因为天气很热,根本用不着取暖。我想,他们一定是带来了战俘在烧烤人肉,至于那些战俘带上岛时是活是死,我就不得而知了。

44
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After sitting a while longer, and musing what I should do in this Case, I was not able to bear sitting in Ignorance any longer; so setting up my Ladder to the Side of the Hill, where there was a flat Place, as I observ’d before, and then pulling the Ladder up after me, I set it up again, and mounted to the Top of the Hill; and pulling out my Perspective Glass, which I had taken on Purpose, I laid me down flat on my Belly , on the Ground, and began to look for the Place; I presently found there was no less than nine naked Savages, sitting round a small Fire, they had made, not to warm them; for they had no need of that, the Weather being extreme hot; but as I suppos’d, to dress some of their barbarous Diet, of humane Flesh, which they had brought with them, whether alive or dead I could not know.

45
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他们有两只独木舟,已经拉到岸上。那时正好退潮,他们大概要等潮水回来后再走。看到这一情景,我内心慌乱极了;尤其是发现他们到了小岛的这一边,离我住所那么近,很难想象我是多么惊慌失措啊!但我后来注意到,他们一定得趁着潮水上岛。这一发现使我稍稍安心了一点。只要他们不在岸上,我在涨潮期间外出是绝对安全的。知道这一点,我以后就可以外出安安心心地收获我的庄稼了。

45
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They had two Canoes with them, which they had haled up upon the Shore; and as it was then Tide of Ebb , they seem’d to me to wait for the Return of the Flood, to go away again; it is not easy to imagine what Confusion this Sight put me into, especially seeing them come on my Side the Island, and so near me too; but when I observ’d their coming must be always with the Current of the Ebb, I began afterwards to be more sedate in my Mind, being satisfy’d that I might go abroad with Safety all the Time of the Tide of Flood, if they were not on Shore before: And having made this Observation, I went abroad about my Harvest Work with the more Composure.

46
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事情果然不出我所料,当潮水开始西流时,他们就上船划桨离去了。在离开前,他们还跳了一个多小时的舞。从我的望远镜里,可以清楚地看到他们手舞足蹈的样子。我还可以看到他们都赤身裸体,一丝不挂,可是是男是女,怎么仔细看也分辩不出来。

46
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As I expected, so it prov’d; for as soon as the Tide made to the Westward , I saw them all take Boat, and row (or paddle as we call it) all away: I should have observ’d, that for an Hour and more before they went off, they went to dancing, and I could easily discern their Postures , and Gestures, by my Glasses: I could not perceive by my nicest Observation, but that they were stark naked, and had not the least covering upon them; but whether they were Men or Women, that I could not distinguish.

47
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一见他们上船离开了,我就拿了两支枪背在肩上,两支手枪挂在腰带上,又取了一把没鞘的大刀悬在腰间,尽快向靠海的那座小山上跑去,正是在那儿我第一次发现野人的踪迹。我费了两个多钟头才到达那里,因为我全副武装,负担太重,怎么也走不快。我一上小山就看到,除了我刚才看到的两只独木舟外,还有另外三只在那儿。再往远处看去,只见他们在海面上会合后往大陆方向驶去了。

47
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As soon as I saw them shipp’d, and gone, I took two Guns upon my Shoulders, and two Pistols at my Girdle, and my great Sword by my Side, without a Scabbard, and with all the Speed I was able to make, I went away to the Hill, where I had discover’d the first Appearance of all; and as soon as I gat thither, which was not less than two Hours (for I could not go apace, being so loaden with Arms as I was) I perceiv’d there had been three Canoes more of Savages on that Place; and looking out farther, I saw they were all at Sea together, making over for the Main.

48
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对我来说,这真是一个可怕的景象。尤其是我走到岸边,看到他们所干的惨绝人寰的残杀所遗留下来的痕迹,更令人可怕!那血迹,那人骨,那一块块人肉!可以想象,那些残忍的家伙一边吞食,一边寻欢作乐。见此情景,我义愤填膺。这不禁使我重新考虑:下次再碰到他们过来干此罪恶勾当,非把他们宰尽杀绝不可,不管他们是什么部落,也不管他们来多少人。

48
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This was a dreadful Sight to me, especially when going down to the Shore, I could see the Marks of Horror, which the dismal Work they had been about had left behind it, viz. The Blood, the Bones, and part of the Flesh of humane Bodies, eaten and devour’d by those Wretches, with Merriment and Sport: I was so fill’d with Indignation at the Sight, that I began now to premeditate the Destruction of the next that I saw there, let them be who, or how many soever.

49
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但我发现,他们显然并不经常到岛上来,我第二次碰到他们在那里登岸,是一年零三个月之后的事。这就是说,一年多时间中,我从未再见到过他们,也没有见过他们的脚印或其他任何上岛的痕迹。看来,在雨季,他们肯定是不会出门的,至少不会跑到这么远的地方来。然而,在这一年多中,我却时刻担心遭到他们的袭击,所以日子过得很不舒畅。由此,我悟出一个道理:等待大难临头比遭难本身更令人痛苦,尤其是无法逃避这种灾难而不得不坐等其降临,更是无法摆脱这种担惊受怕的恐惧。

49
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It seem’d evident to me, that the Visits which they thus make to this Island, are not very frequent; for it was above fifteen Months before any more of them came on Shore there again; that is to say, I neither saw them, or any Footsteps, or Signals of them, in all that Time; for as to the rainy Seasons, then they are sure not to come abroad, at least not so far; yet all this while I liv’d uncomfortably, by reason of the constant Apprehensions I was in of their coming upon me by Surprize; from whence I observe, that the Expectation of Evil is more bitter than the Suffering, especially if there is no room to shake off that Expectation, or those Apprehensions.

50
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这段时间里,我只是一心想杀这些野人。大部分时间我不干别的,只是苦思冥想杀人的计划。我设想种种计谋,下次再看到他们时该怎样向他们进攻,尤其是要提防他们像上次那样,分成两股前来。但我完全没有考虑到,即使我把他们一股通通杀光,比如说,杀掉十个或十二个,到第二天,或第二个星期,或第二个月,我还得再杀掉他们另一股。这样一股一股杀下去,永无止境,我自己最后岂不也成了杀人凶手,而且,比那些食人生番也许更残暴!

50
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During all this Time, I was in the murthering Humour; and took up most of my Hours, which should have been better employ’d, in contriving how to circumvent , and fall upon them, the very next Time I should see them; especially if they should be divided, as they were the last Time, into two Parties; nor did I consider at all, that if I kill’d one Party, suppose Ten, or a Dozen, I was still the next Day, or Week, or Month, to kill another, and so another, even ad infinitum, till I should be at length no less a Murtherer than they were in being Man-eaters; and perhaps much more so.

51
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我现在每天都在疑虑和焦急中过日子,感到自己总有一天会落入那些残忍无情的家伙手中。即使偶然大着胆子外出,也总是东张西望,极端小心谨慎。我现在发现,我老早驯养了一群羊,这真给了我极大的宽慰,因为我无论如何也不敢再开枪,尤其是在他们常来的一带地方,唯恐惊动了那些野人。我知道,即使我暂时把他们吓跑,不出明天他们就会卷土重来,那时,说不定会来两三百只独木舟,我的结果也就可想而知了。

51
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I spent my Days now in great Perplexity, and Anxiety of Mind, expecting that I should one Day or other fall into the Hands of these merciless Creatures; and if I did at any Time venture abroad, it was not without looking round me with the greatest Care and Caution imaginable; and now I found to my great Comfort, how happy it was that I provided for a tame Flock or Herd of Goats; for I durst not upon any account fire my Gun, especially near that Side of the Island where they usually came, least I should alarm the Savages; and if they had fled from me now, I was sure to have them come back again, with perhaps two or three hundred Canoes with them, in a few Days, and then I knew what to expect.

52
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然而,在一年零三个月中,我从未见到过一个野人。直到后来,才又重新碰到了他们。详细经过,我下面再谈。不错,在这段时期中,他们很可能来过一两次。不过,他们大概没有在岛上逗留多久,要不就是我自己没有听到他们的动静。可是现在,我在岛上已生活了二十四个年头了。估计是这一年的五月份,我又见到了那些食人生番。这可以说是一次奇遇。下面我就讲讲这次不期而遇的经过。

52
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However, I wore out a Year and three Months more, before I ever saw any more of the Savages, and then I found them again, as I shall soon observe. It is true, they might have been there once, or twice; but either they made no stay, or at least I did not hear them; but in the Month of May, as near as I could calculate, and in my four and twentieth Year, I had a very strange Encounter with them, of which in its Place.

53
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在这十五六个月里,我极度心烦意乱。晚上我睡不着觉,经常做恶梦,并常从梦中惊醒。白天,我心神不定,坐立不安;夜里,我在睡梦中大杀野人,并为自己列举杀害野人的种种理由。所有这一切,现在先不提。且说到了五月中旬,大约是五月十六日。这是根据我刻在柱上的日历计算的,我至今还每天在柱上划刻痕,但已不太准了。五月十六日这一天刮起了暴风雨,整天雷声隆隆,电光闪闪,直至晚上,依然风雨交加,整夜不停。我也说不清事情究竟是什么时候发生的,只记得当时我正在读《圣经》,并认真地考虑着自己当前的处境。忽然,我听到一声枪响,好像是从海上发出的。这真大大出乎我的意料。

53
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The Perturbation of my Mind, during this fifteen or sixteen Months Interval , was very great; I slept unquiet, dream’d always frightful Dreams, and often started out of my Sleep in the Night: In the Day great Troubles overwhelm’d my Mind, and in the Night I dream’d often of killing the Savages, and of the Reasons why I might justify the doing of it; but to wave all this for a while; it was in the middle of May, on the sixteenth Day I think, as well as my poor wooden Calendar would reckon; for I markt all upon the Post still; I say, it was the sixteenth of May, that it blew a very great Storm of Wind, all Day, with a great deal of Lightning, and Thunder, and a very foul Night it was after it; I know not what was the particular Occasion of it; but as I was reading in the Bible, and taken up with very serious Thoughts about my present Condition, I was surpriz’d with a Noise of a Gun as I thought fir’d at Sea.

54
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这个意外事件与我以前碰到的任何事件完全不一样,因而在我头脑里所产生的反应也完全不一样。听到枪声后,我一跃而起,转眼之间就把梯子竖在半山上,登上半山的坡坎后,又把梯子提起来架在坡坎上,最后爬上了山顶。就在这一刹那,我又看见火光一闪,知道第二枪又要响了;果然不出所料,半分钟之后,又听到了枪声。从那声音判断,知道枪声正是从我上回坐船被急流冲走的那一带海上传来的。

54
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This was to be sure a Surprize of a quite different Nature from any I had met with before; for the Notions this put into my Thoughts, were quite of another kind. I started up in the greatest hast imaginable, and in a trice clapt my Ladder to the middle Place of the Rock, and pull’d it after me, and mounting it the second Time, got to the Top of the Hill, the very Moment, that a Flash of Fire bid me listen for a second Gun, which accordingly, in about half a Minute I heard; and by the sound, knew that it was from that Part of the Sea where I was driven down the Current in my Boat.

55
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我立即想到,这一定是有船只遇难了,而且,他们一定有其他船只结伴航行,因此放枪发出求救信号。我这时非常镇定,我想,即使我无法救助他们,他们倒可能帮助我。于是,我把附近的干柴通通收集起来,在山上堆成一大堆点起了火。木柴很干,火一下子就烧得很旺。虽然风很大,火势依然不减。我确信,只要海上有船,他们一定看得见。事实是,他们确实也看到了。因为我把火一烧起来,马上又听见一声枪声,接着又是好几声枪响,都是从同一个方向传来的。我把火烧了一整夜,一直烧到天亮。天大亮后,海上开始晴朗起来。这时,我看到,在远处海面上,在小岛正东方向,仿佛有什么东西,不知是帆,还是船。我怎么看也看不清楚,用望远镜也没有用,因为距离实在太远了,而且,天气还是雾蒙蒙的;至少海面上雾气还很浓。

55
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I immediately consider’d that this must be some Ship in Distress, and that they had some Comrade, or some other Ship in Company, and fir’d these Guns for Signals of Distress, and to obtain Help: I had this Presence of Mind at that Minute, as to think that though I could not help them, it may be they might help me; so I brought together all the dry Wood I could get at hand, and making a good handsome Pile, I set it on Fire upon the Hill; the Wood was dry, and blaz’d freely; and though the Wind blew very hard, yet it burnt fairly out; that I was certain, if there was any such Thing as a Ship, they must needs see it, and no doubt they did; for as soon as ever my Fire blaz’d up, I heard another Gun, and after that several others, all from the same Quarter; I ply’d my Fire all Night long, till Day broke; and when it was broad Day, and the Air clear’d up, I saw something at a great Distance at Sea, full East of the Island, whether a Sail, or a Hull , I could not distinguish, no not with my Glasses, the Dna was so great, and the Weather still something haizy also; at least it was so out at Sea.

56
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整整一天,我一直眺望着海面上那东西,不久便发现它一直停在原处,一动也不动。于是我断定,那一定是一条下了锚的大船。可以想象,我多么急于把事情搞个水落石出,所以,就拿起枪向岛的南边跑去,跑到我前次被急流冲走的那些岩石前面。到了那里,天气已完全晴朗了。我一眼就看到,有一只大船昨天夜里撞在暗礁上失事了。这真叫我痛心;事实上,我上次驾舟出游时,就发现了那些暗礁。正是这些暗礁,挡住了急流的冲力,形成了一股逆流,使我那次得以死里逃生。这是我生平从最绝望的险境里逃出性命的经历。

56
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I look’d frequently at it all that Day, and soon perceiv’d that it did not move; so I presently concluded, that it was a Ship at an Anchor, and being eager, you may be sure, to be satisfy’d, I took my Gun in my Hand, and run toward the South Side of the Island, to the Rocks where I had formerly been carry’d away with the Current, and getting up there, the Weather by this Time being perfectly clear, I could plainly see to my great Sorrow, the Wreck of a Ship cast away in the Night, upon those concealed Rocks which I found, when I was out in my Boat; and which Rocks, as they check’d the Violence of the Stream, and made a kind of Counter-stream, or Eddy , were the Occasion of my recovering from the most desperate hopeless Condition that ever I had been in, in all my Life.

57
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由此可见,同样的险境,对这个人来说是安全的,对另一个人来说则可能意味着毁灭。我想,这些人由于不熟悉地形,那些暗礁又都隐藏在水底下,再加上昨天晚上的东北风很大,所以船触上了暗礁。如果他们发现这个小岛,我想他们一定会用船上的救生艇竭尽全力划到岸上来的。但看来他们一定没有看到小岛,只是鸣枪求救,尤其是他们看到我燃起的火光后,更是多次放枪。由此我头脑里出现了种种设想。

57
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Thus what is one Man’s Safety, is another Man’s Destruction; for it seems these Men, whoever they were, being out of their Knowledge, and the Rocks being wholly under Water, had been driven upon them in the Night, the Wind blowing hard at E. and E.N.E: Had they seen the Island, as I must necessarily suppose they did not, they must, as I thought, have endeavour’d to have sav’d themselves on Shore by the Help of their Boat; but their firing of Guns for Help, especially when they saw, as I imagin’d, my Fire, fill’d me with many Thoughts.

58
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首先,我想到,他们看到我点燃的火光后,必然会下到救生艇里拼命向岸上划来,但由于风急浪高,把他们刮走了。一会儿我又猜想,也许他们的救生艇早就没了,这种情况是经常发生的。当大船遇到惊涛骇浪时,水手们往往不得不把船上的救生艇拆散,甚至干脆扔到海里去。过会儿我又想,也许与他们结伴同行的船只,在见到他们出事的信号后,已把他们救起来带走了。我又想到,说不定他们已经坐上救生艇,可是遇到了我上次自己碰上的那股急流,给冲到大洋里去了。到了大洋里,他们可就糟了,那是必死无疑的。说不定这会儿他们都快饿死了,甚至可能正在人吃人呢!

58
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First, I imagin’d that upon seeing my Light, they might have put themselves into their Boat, and have endeavour’d to make the Shore; but that the Sea going very high, they might have been cast away; other Times I imagin’d, that they might have lost their Boat before, as might be the Case many Ways; as particularly by the Breaking of the Sea upon their Ship, which many Times obliges Men to stave, or take in Pieces their Boat; and sometimes to throw it over-board with their own Hands: Other Times I imagin’d, they had some other Ship, or Ships in Company, who upon the Signals of Distress they had made, had taken them up, and carry’d them off: Other whiles I fancy’d, they were all gone off to Sea in their Boat, and being hurry’d away by the Current that I had been formerly in, were carry’d out into the great Ocean, where there was nothing but Misery and Perishing; and that perhaps they might by this Time think of starving, and of being in a Condition to eat one another.

59
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所有这些想法,都仅仅是我自己的猜测罢了。在我目前的处境下,只能眼睁睁地看着这伙可怜的人遭难,并从心里为他们感到难过;除此之外,我毫无办法。可是,这件事在我思想上产生了很好的影响。从这次事件中,我进一步认识到上帝对自己的恩惠,我是多么感激他对我的关怀啊!尽管我处境悲惨,但我的生活还是过得非常舒适,非常幸福。同时,我也要感谢上帝在船难中仅让我一人死里逃生;到目前为止,我至少已亲自见到两艘船只在海上遇难,这两艘船的全体水手无一幸免,唯我独生。此外,从这件事中,我再一次认识到,不管上帝把我们置于何等不幸的境地或何等恶劣的生活环境,我们总会亲眼看到一些使我们感恩的事,看到有些人的处境比自己更不幸。

59
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As all these were but Conjectures at best; so in the Condition I was in, I could do no more than look on upon the Misery of the poor Men, and pity them, which had still this good Effect on my Side, that it gave me more and more Cause to give Thanks to God who had so happily and comfortably provided for me in my desolate Condition; and that of two Ships Companies who were now cast away upon this part of the World, not one Life should be spar’d but mine: I learn’d here again to observe, that it is very rare that the Providence of God casts us into any Condition of Life so low, or any Misery so great, but we may see something or other to be thankful for; and may see others in worse Circumstances than our own.

60
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就拿这伙人来说吧,我简直很难想象他们中间有什么人能死里逃生,也没有任何理由指望他们全体生还。对他们来说,唯一的希望是被结伴同行的船只搭救。可是这种可能性实在太小了,我看不出任何一点被搭救的迹象。

60
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Such certainly was the Case of these Men, of whom I could not so much as see room to suppose any of them were sav’d; nothing could make it rational, so much as to wish, or expect that they did not all perish there; except the Possibility only of their being taken up by another Ship in Company, and this was but meer Possibility indeed; for I saw not the least Signal or Appearance of any such Thing.

61
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看到这一情景,我心里产生了一种说不出的求伴求友的强烈欲望,有时竟会脱口而出地大声疾呼:"啊!哪怕有一两个人--就是只有一个人能从船上逃出性命也好啊!那样他能到我这儿来,与我作伴,我能有人说说话也好啊!"我多年来过着孤寂的生活,可从来没有像今天这样强烈地渴望与人交往,也从来没有像今天这样深切地感到没有伴侣的痛苦。

61
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I cannot explain by any possible Energy of Words, what a strange longing or hankering of Desires I felt in my Soul upon this Sight; breaking out sometimes thus; O that there had been but one or two; nay, or but one Soul sav’d out of this Ship, to have escap’d to me, that I might but have had one Companion, one Fellow-Creature to have spoken to me, and to have convers’d with! In all the Time of my solitary Life I never felt so earnest, so strong a Desire after the Society of my Fellow-Creatures, or so deep a Regret at the want of it.

62
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在人类的感情里,往往有一种隐秘的原动力,这种原动才一旦被某种目标所吸引,就会以一种狂热和冲动驱使我们的灵魂向那目标扑去,不管是看得见的目标,还是自己头脑想象中的看不见的目标;不达目标,我们就会痛苦不堪。

62
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There are some secret moving Springs in the Affections, which when they are set a going by some Object in view, or be it some Object, though not in view, yet rendred present to the Mind by the Power of Imagination, that Motion’ carries out the Soul by its Impetuosity to such violent eager embracings of the Object, that the Absence of it is insupportable.

63
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我多么渴望能有一个人逃出性命啊!"啊,哪怕只有一个人也好啊!"这句话我至少重复了上千次。"啊!哪怕只有一个人也好啊!"我的这种愿望是多么急切,因此,每当我咕遖这句话时,不禁会咬紧牙关,半天也张不开来;同时会紧握双拳,如果手里有什么脆软的东西,一定会被捏得粉碎。

63
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Such were these earnest Wishings, That but one Man had been sav’d! O that it had been but One! I believe I repeated the Words, O that it had been but One! A thousand Times; and the Desires were so mov’d by it, that when I spoke the Words, my Hands would clinch together, and my Fingers press the Palms of my Hands, that if I had had any soft Thing in my Hand, it wou’d have crusht it involuntarily; and my Teeth in my Head wou’d strike together, and set against one another so strong, that for some time I cou’d not part them again.

64
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关于这种现象及其产生的原因和表现形式,不妨让那些科学家去解释吧。我只能原原本本地把事实讲出来。当我初次发现这一现象时,我着实吃了一惊,尽管我不知道发生这种现象的原因,但是,毫无疑问的是,这是我内心热切的愿望和强烈的思绪所产生的结果。因为我深切地体会到,如果能有一位基督徒与我交谈,这对我实在是一种莫大的安慰。

64
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Let the Naturalists explain these Things, and the Reason and Manner of them; all I can say to them, is, to describe the Fact, which was even surprising to me when I found it; though I knew not from what it should proceed; it was doubtless the effect of ardent Wishes, and of strong Ideas form’d in my Mind, realizing the Comfort, which the Conversation of one of my Fellow-Christians would have been to me.

65
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但他们一个人也没有幸存下来。这也许是他们的命运,也许是我自己的命运,也许是我们双方都命运不济,不让我们能互相交往。直到我在岛上的最后一年,我也不清楚那条船上究竟有没有人生还。更令人痛心的是,过了几天,我在靠近失事船只的岛的那一头,亲眼看到了一个淹死了的青年人的尸体躺在海滩上。他身上只穿了件水手背心,一条开膝麻纱短裤和一件蓝麻纱衬衫。从他的穿着看,我无法判别他是哪个国家的人。他的衣袋里除了两块西班牙金币和一个烟斗外,其他什么也没有。这两样东西,对我来说,烟斗的价值超过西班牙金币十倍。

65
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But it was not to be; either their Fate or mine, or both, forbid it; for till the last Year of my being on this Island, I never knew whether any were saved out of that Ship or no; and had only the Affliction some Days after, to see the Corps of a drownded Boy come on Shore, at the End of the Island which was next the Shipwreck : He had on no Cloaths, but a Seaman’s Wastcoat, a pair of open knee’d Linnen Drawers, and a blew Linnen Shirt; but nothing to direct me so much as to guess what Nation he was of: He had nothing in his Pocket, but two Pieces of Eight, and a Tobacco Pipe; the last was to me of ten times more value than the first.

66
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这时,海面上已风平浪静,我很想冒险坐小船上那失事的船上看看。我相信一定能找到一些对我有用的东西。此外,我还抱着一个更为强烈的愿望,促使我非上那艘破船不可。那就是希望船上还会有活人。这样,我不仅可以救他的命,更重要的是,如果我能救他活命,对我将是一种莫大的安慰。这个念头时刻盘据在我心头,使我日夜不得安宁,只想乘小船上去看看。我想,这种愿望如此强烈,自己已到了无法抵御的地步,那一定是有什么隐秘的神力在驱使我要去。这种时候,我如果不去,那就太愚蠢了。所以,我决意上船探看一番,至于会有什么结果,那就只好听天由命了。

66
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It was now calm, and I had a great mind to venture out in my Boat, to this Wreck; not doubting but I might find something on board, that might be useful to me; but that did not altogether press me so much, as the Possibility that there might be yet some living Creature on board, whose Life I might not only save, but might by saving that Life, comfort my own to the last Degree; and this Thought clung so to my Heart, that I could not be quiet, Night or Day, but I must venture out in my Boat on board this Wreck; and committing the rest to God’s Providence, I thought the Impression was so strong upon my Mind, that it could not be resisted, that it must come from some invisible Direction, and that I should be wanting to my self if I did not go.

67
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在这种愿望的驱使下,我匆匆跑回城堡作出航的准备。我拿了不少面包,一大罐淡水,一个驾驶用的罗盘,一片甘蔗酒--这种酒我还剩下不少,一满筐葡萄干。我把一切必需品都背在身上,就走到我藏小船的地方。我先把船里的水淘干,让船浮起来;然后把所有的东西都放进船里。接着,我又跑回家去取些其他东西。这一次我拿了一大口袋米,还有那把挡太阳的伞,又取了一大罐淡水,二十多只小面包--实际上是一些大麦饼,这次拿得比上次还多。另外又拿了一瓶羊奶,一块干酪。我费了不少力气,流了不少汗,才把这些东西通通运到小船上。然后,我祈祷上帝保佑我一路平安,就驾船出发了。我沿海岸先把小舟划到小岛的东北角。现在,我得把独木舟驶入大洋中去了;要么冒险前进,要么知难而退。我遥望着远处海岛两边日夜奔腾的两股急流,回想起上次遭到的危险,不由得有点害怕了。因为我可以想见,只要被卷入这两股急流中的任何一股,小舟一定会被冲进外海,到那时,我就再也看不到小岛,再也回不到小岛了。我的船仅仅是一只小小的独木舟,只要大海上稍稍起一阵风,就难免覆没了。

67
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Under the Power of this Impression, I hasten’d back to my Castle, prepar’d every Thing for my Voyage, took a Quantity of Bread, a great Pot for fresh Water, a Compass to steer by, a Bottle of Rum; for I had still a great deal of that left; a Basket full of Raisins : And thus loading my self with every Thing necessary, I went down to my Boat, got the Water out of her, and got her afloat, loaded all my Cargo in her, and then went Home again for more; my second Cargo was a great Bag full of Rice, the Umbrella to set up over my Head for Shade; another large Pot full of fresh Water, and about two Dozen of my small Loaves, or Barley Cakes, more than before, with a Bottle of Goats-Milk, and a Cheese; all which, with great Labour and Sweat, I brought to my Boat; and praying to God to direct my Voyage, I put out, and Rowing or Padling the Canoe along the Shore, I came at last to the utmost Point of the Island on that Side, (viz.) N. E. And now I was to launch out into the Ocean, and either to venture, or not to venture. I look’d on the rapid Currents which ran constantly on both Sides of the Island, at a Distance, and which were very terrible to me, from the Remembrance of the Hazard I had been in before, and my Heart began to fail me; for I foresaw that if I was driven into either of those Currents, I should be carry’d a vast Way out to Sea, and perhaps out of my Reach, or Sight of the Island again; and that then, as my Boat was but small, if any little Gale of Wind should rise, I should be inevitably lost.

68
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我思想压力很大,不得不考虑放弃原定的计划。我把小船拉进沿岸的一条小河里,自己迈步上岸,在一块小小的高地上坐下来沉思。我心情忧郁,心绪不宁。我害怕死,又想前去探个究竟。正当我沉思默想之际,只见潮流起了变化,潮水开始上涨。这样,我一时肯定走不成了。这时,我忽然想到,应该找一个最高的地方,上去观察一下潮水上涨时那两股急流的流向,从中我可以作出判断,万一我被一股急流冲入大海,是否有可能被另一股急流冲回来。我刚想到这一层,就看见附近有一座小山;从山上可以看到左右两边的海面,并对两股急流的流向可以一目了然,从而可以确定我回来时应走哪一个方向。到了山上,我发现那退潮的急流是沿着小岛的南部往外流的,而那涨潮的急流是沿着小岛的北部往里流的。这样,我回来时,小舟只要沿着北部行驶,自然就可以被涨潮的急流带回来。

68
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These Thoughts so oppress’d my Mind, that I began to give over my Enterprize, and having haled my Boat into a little Creek on the Shore, I stept out, and sat me down upon a little rising bit of Ground, very pensive and anxious, between Fear and Desire about my Voyage; when as I was musing, I could perceive that the Tide was turn’d, and the Flood come on, upon which my going was for so many Hours impracticable; upon this presently it occurr’d to me, that I should go up to the highest Piece of Ground I could find, and observe, if I could, how the Sets of the Tide, or Currents lay, when the Flood came in, that I might judge whether if I was driven one way out, I might not expect to be driven another way home, with the same Rapidness of the Currents: This Thought was no sooner in my Head, but I cast my Eye upon a little Hill, which sufficiently over-look’d the Sea both ways, and from whence I had a clear view of the Currents, or Sets of the Tide, and which way I was to guide my self in my Return; here I found, that as the Current of the Ebb set out close by the South Point of the Island; so the Current of the Flood set in close by the Shore of the North Side, and that I had nothing to do but to keep to the North of the Island in my Return, and I should do well enough.

69
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经过观察,我大受鼓舞,决定第二天早晨乘第一次潮汐出发。我把水手值夜的大衣盖在身上,在独木舟里过了一夜。第二天一早,我就驾舟出发了。最初,我一出海就朝正北驶去,走没多远,就进入了那股向东流动的急流;小舟在急流中向前飞驶,可是流速没有上回岛南边那股急流那么大,所以我尚能掌握住小舟。我以桨代舵,使劲掌握航向,朝那失事的大船飞驶过去。不到两小时,我就到了破船跟前。

69
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Encourag’d with this Observation, I resolv’d the next Morning to set out with the first of the Tide; and reposing my self for the Night in the Canoe, under the great Watch-coat, I mention’d, I launched out: I made first a little out to Sea full North, till I began to feel the Benefit of the Current, which set Eastward , and which carry’d me at a great rate, and yet did not so hurry me as the Southern Side Current had done before, and so as to take from me all Government of the Boat; but having a strong Steerage with my Paddle, I went at a great rate, directly for the Wreck, and in less than two Hours I came up to it.

70
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眼前的景象一片凄凉。从那条船的构造外形来看,是一条西班牙船,船身被紧紧地夹在两块礁石之间。船尾和后舱都被海浪击得粉碎,那搁在礁石中间的前舱,由于猛烈撞去,上面的前桅和主桅都折断倒在了甲板上,但船首的斜桁仍完好无损,船头也还坚固。我靠近破船时,船上出现了一只狗。它一见到我驶近,就汪汪吠叫起来。我向它一呼唤,它就跳到海里,游到我的小船边来,我把它拖到船上,只见它又饥又渴,快要死了。我给了它一块面包,它就大吃大嚼起来,活像一只在雪地里饿了十天半月的狼。我又给他喝了点淡水,它就猛喝,要是我不制止它的话,真的可以喝得把肚子都涨破。

70
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It was a dismal Sight to look at: The Ship, which by its building was Spanish, stuck fast, jaum’d in between two Rocks; all the Stern and Quarter of her was beaten to pieces, with the Sea; and as her Forecastle, which stuck in the Rocks, had run on with great Violence, her Mainmast and Foremast were brought by the Board; that is to say, broken short off; but her Boltsprit was found, and the Head and Bow appear’d firm; when I came close to her, a Dog appear’d upon her, who seeing me coming, yelp’d, and cry’d; and as soon as I call’d him, jump’d into the Sea, to come to me, and I took him into the Boat; but found him almost dead for Hunger and Thirst: I gave him a Cake of my Bread, and he eat it like a ravenous Wolf, that had been starving a Fortnight in the Snow: I then gave the poor Creature some fresh Water, with which, if I would have let him, he would have burst himself.

71
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接着,我就上了大船。我第一眼看到的,是两个淹死的人;他们紧紧地抱在一起,躺在前舱的厨房里。看来,船触礁时,海面上狂风暴雨,海浪接连不断地打在船上,船上的人就像被埋在水里一样,实在受不了最后窒息而死。除了那条狗,船上没有任何其他生还的生物。船上所有的货物,也都让海水给浸坏了,只有舱底下几桶酒因海水已退而露在外面,也不知道是葡萄酒还是白兰地。那些酒桶很大,我没法搬动它们。另外,我还看见几只大箱子,可能是水手的私人财物。我搬了两只到我的小船上,也没有来得及检查一下里面究竟装的是什么东西。

71
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After this I went on board; but the first Sight I met with, was two Men drown’d, in the Cookroom, or Forecastle of the Ship, with their Arms fast about one another: I concluded, as is indeed probable, that when the Ship struck, it being in a Storm, the Sea broke so high, and so continually over her, that the Men were not able to bear it, and were strangled with the constant rushing in of the Water, as much as if they had been under Water. Besides the Dog, there was nothing left in the Ship that had Life; nor any Goods that I could see, but what were spoil’d by the Water. There were some Casks of Liquor, whether Wine or Brandy, I knew not, which lay lower in the Hold; and which, the Water being ebb’d out, I could see; but they were too big to meddle with: I saw several Chests, which I believ’d belong’d to some of the Seamen ; and I got two of them into the Boat, without examining what was in them.

72
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要是触礁的是船尾,撞碎的是船首,我此行收获就大了。从两只箱子里找出来的东西看,我完全可以断定,船上装的财富十分可贵。从该船所走的航线来看,我也不难猜想它是从南美巴西南部的布宜诺斯艾利斯或拉普拉塔河口出发的,准备开往墨西哥湾的哈瓦那,然后也许再从那儿驶向西班牙。所以,船上无疑满载金银财宝,可是这些财富目前对任何人都毫无用处。至于船上的人究竟发生了什么情况,我当然无从得知了。

72
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Had the Stern of the Ship been fix’d, and the Forepart broken off, I am perswaded I might have made a good Voyage; for by what I found in these two Chests, I had room to suppose, the Ship had a great deal of Wealth on board; and if I may guess by the Course she steer’d, she must have been bound from the Buenos Ayres, or the Rio de la Plata, in the South Part of America, beyond the Brasils, to the Havana, in the Gulph of Mexico, and so perhaps to Spain: She had no doubt a great Treasure in her; but of no use at that time to any body; and what became of the rest of her People, I then knew not.

73
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除了那两只箱子,我还找到了一小桶酒,约有二十加仑。我费了九牛二虎之力,才把酒桶搬到小船上。船舱里还有几支短枪和一只盛火药的大角筒,里面大约有四磅火药。短枪对我来说已毫无用处。因此我就留下了,只取了盛火药的角筒。另外我又拿了一把火炉铲和一把火钳,这两样正是我十分需要的东西。我还拿了两把小铜壶,一只煮巧克力的铜锅和一把烤东西用的铁钯。我把这些货物通通装进我的小船,再带上那只狗,就准备回家了。这时正值涨潮,潮水开始向岛上流。天黑后不到一小时,我就回到了岸上,但人已劳累得疲倦不堪了。

73
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I found besides these Chests, a little Cask full of Liquor, of about twenty Gallons, which I got into my Boat, with much Difficulty; there were several Muskets in a Cabin, and a great Powder-horn, with about 4 Pounds of Powder in it; as for the Muskets, I had no occasion for them; so I left them, but took the Powder-horn: I took a Fire Shovel and Tongs , which I wanted extremely; as also two little Brass Kettles, a Copper Pot to make Chocolate, and a Gridiron; with this Cargo, and the Dog, I came away, the Tide beginning to make home again; and the same Evening, about an Hour within Night, I reach’d the Island again, weary and fatigu’d to the last Degree.

74
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当晚在小船上安歇了一夜。第二天早晨,我决定把运回来的东西都放到新发现的地穴里去,而不是放到城堡里去。我先吃了点东西,把所有的东西都搬到岸上,并仔仔细细地查看了一番。我搬回来的那桶酒是一种甘蔗酒,但与我们巴西的甘蔗酒不一样。一句话,这种酒非常难喝。可是,我打开那两只大箱子后,找到了几样东西对我非常有用。例如,在一只箱子里,有一只精致的小酒箱,里面的酒瓶也十分别致,装的是上等的提神烈性甜酒,每瓶约三品脱,瓶口上还包着银子;还有两罐上好的蜜饯,因为封口很好,咸水没有进去。另外还有两罐却已被海水泡坏了。我又找到一些很好的衬衫,这正是我求之不得的东西。还有一打半白麻纱手帕和有色的领巾。麻纱手帕我也十分需要,大热天拿来擦脸真是再爽快也没有了。此外,在箱子的钱箱里,有三大袋西班牙银币,约一千一百多枚,其中一袋里有六块西班牙金币和一些小块的金条,都包在纸里,估计约有一磅重。

74
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I repos’d that Night in the Boat, and in the Morning I resolved to harbour what I had gotten in my new Cave, not to carry it home to my Castle. After refreshing my self, I got all my Cargo on Shore, and began to examine the Particulars: The Cask of Liquor I found to be a kind of Rum, but not such as we had at the Brasils; and in a Word, not at all good; but when I came to open the Chests, I found several Things, of great use to me: For Example, I found in one, a fine Case of Bottles, of an extraordinary kind, and fill’d with Cordial Waters, fine, and very good; the Bottles held about three Pints each, and were tipp’d with Silver: I found two Pots of very good Succades, or Sweetmeats, so fastned also on top, that the Salt Water had not hurt them; and two more of the same, which the Water had spoil’d: I found some very good Shirts, which were very welcome to me; and about a dozen and half of Linnen white Handkerchiefs, and colour’d Neckcloths; the former were also very welcome, being exceeding refreshing to wipe my Face in a hot Day; besides this, when I came to the Till in the Chest, I found there three great Bags of Pieces of Eight, which held about eleven hundred Pieces in all; and in one of them, wrapt up in a Paper, six Doubloons of Gold, and some small Bars or Wedges of Gold; I suppose they might all weigh near a Pound.

75
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在另一只大箱子里找到了一些衣服,但对我来说都没有多大用处。看样子,这只箱子是属于船上的副炮手的。箱子里没有很多火药,只有两磅压成细粒的火药,装在三只小瓶里;我想大概是装鸟枪用的。总的来说,我这趟出海弄到的东西有用的不太多。至于钱币,对我当然毫无用处,真是不如粪土!我宁愿用全部金币银币来换三四双英国袜子和鞋子,因为这些都是我迫切需要的东西,我已经好几年没有鞋袜穿了。不过,我还是弄到了两双鞋子,那是我从遇难船上两个淹死的水手的脚上脱下来的。另外,在这只大箱子里还找到两双鞋,这当然也是求之不得的。但这两双鞋子都没有英国鞋子舒适耐穿,因为不是一般走路穿的鞋子,只是一种便鞋而已。在这只船员的箱子里,我另外又找到了五十多枚西班牙银币,但没有金币。我想这只箱子的主人一定比较贫寒,而另一只箱子的主人一定是位高级船员。

75
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The other Chest I found had some Cloaths in it, but of little Value; but by the Circumstances it must have belong’d to the Gunner’s Mate; though there was no Powder in it; but about two Pound of fine glaz’d Powder, in three small Flasks , kept, I suppose, for charging their Fowling-Pieces on occasion: Upon the whole, I got very little by this Voyage, that was of any use to me; for as to the Money, I had no manner of occasion for it: ’Twas to me as the Dirt under my Feet; and I would have given it all for three or four pair of English Shoes and Stockings, which were Things I greatly wanted, but had not had on my Feet now for many Years: I had indeed gotten two pair of Shoes now, which I took off of the Feet of the two drown’d Men, who I saw in the Wreck; and I found two pair more in one of the Chests, which were very welcome to me; but they were not like our English Shoes, either for Ease, or Service; being rather what we call Pumps, than Shoes: I found in this Seaman’s Chest, about fifty Pieces of Eight in Ryals, but no Gold; I suppose this belong’d to a poorer Man than the other, which seem’d to belong to some Officer.

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不管怎么说,我还是把所有的钱搬回了山洞,像以前一样妥善收藏好。可惜的是,我无法进入破船的其他部分;否则的话,我准可以用我的独木舟一船一船地把钱币运到岸上。如果有一天我能逃回英国,就是把这些钱都放在这里也非常安全,等以后有机会再回来取也不迟。

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Well, however, I lugg’d this Money home to my Cave, and laid it up, as I had done that before, which I brought from our own Ship; but it was great Pity as I said, that the over Part of this Ship had not come to my Share; for I am satisfy’d I might have loaded my Canoe several Times over with Money, which if I had ever escap’d to England, would have lain here safe enough, till I might have come again and fetch’d it.

77
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我们所有的东西运到岸上安置妥当后,就回到小船上。我沿着海岸,划到原来停泊的港口,把船缆系好。然后,我拖着波惫的身子回到了我的老住所。到了那里,只见一切平安无事。于是我开始休息,并又像过去一样照常度日,料理家务。有这么一段短短的时期,我日子过得非常怡闲自在,只是比以前较谨慎罢了。我时时注意外面的动静,也很少外出。即使有时大胆到外面活动,也只是到小岛的东部走走,因为我确信野人从未到过那儿,因此用不着处处提防,也用不着带上许多武器弹药。要是到其他地方去,只带少许武器弹药就不行了。

77
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Having now brought all my Things on Shore, and secur’d them, I went back to my Boat, and row’d, or paddled her along the Shore, to her old Harbour, where I laid her up, and made the best of my way to my old Habitation, where I found every thing safe and quiet; so I began to repose my self, live after my old fashion, and take care of my Family Affairs; and for a while, I liv’d easy enough; only that I was more vigilant than I us’d to be, look’d out oftner, and did not go abroad so much; and if at any time I did stir with any Freedom, it was always to the East Part of the Island, where I was pretty well satisfy’d the Savages never came, and where I could go without so many Precautions, and such a Load of Arms and Ammunition, as I always carry’d with me, if I went the other way.

78
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我在这种情况下又过了将近两年。在这两年里,我头脑里充塞着各种各样的计划,一心设法逃离孤岛,尽管我自己也知道,我那倒霉的头脑似乎生来就是为了折磨我的肉体。有时候,我还想上那条破船去察看一番,尽管我也知道,船上已没有什么东西值得我再次冒险出海了。有时候,我又想乘小舟东逛逛西走走。我毫不怀疑,如果我现在有我从萨累逃出来时坐的那条小船,早就冒险出海了;至于去什么地方,那我也顾不上了。

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I liv’d in this Condition near two Years more; but my unlucky Head, that was always to let me know it was born to make my Body miserable, was all this two Years fill’d with Projects and Designs, how, if it were possible, I might get away from this Island; for sometimes I was for making another Voyage to the Wreck, though my Reason told me that there was nothing left there, worth the Hazard of my Voyage: Sometimes for a Ramble one way, sometimes another; and I believe verily, if I had had the Boat that I went from Sallee in, I should have ventur’d to Sea, bound any where, I knew not whither.

79
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一般人往往有一种通病,那就是不知足,老是不满于上帝和大自然对他们的安排。现在我认识到,他们的种种苦难,至少有一半是由于不知足这种毛病造成的。患有这种病的人大可以从我的一生经历中得到教训。就拿我自己来说吧,正是由于我不满自己原来的境况,又不听父亲的忠告--我认为,我有悖教训,实为我的"原罪",再加上我后来又犯了同样的错误,才使自己落到今天这样悲惨的地步。当时,造物主已安排我在巴西做了种植园主。如果我自己不痴心妄想发财,而是满足于逐渐致富,这时候我也许已成了巴西数一数二的种植园主了,而现在我却白白地在这荒岛上流落了这么多年,过着悲惨孤寂的生活。而且,我在巴西经营时间不长;就是在这段短短的时间里,我也获利不少。因此我确信,要是我继续经营下去的话,到现在一定拥有十几万葡萄牙金币的家财了。当时,我的种植园已走上了轨道,并且日益兴旺。可是,我偏偏把这一切丢弃,甘愿去当一名船上的管货员,只是为了到几内亚去贩卖黑奴。现在想来,我为什么要这样做呢?要是我守住家业,只要有耐心,经过一段时间之后,同样可以积聚大笔财富,我不是也可以在自己的家门口,从那些黑奴贩子手里买到黑奴吗?虽说价钱贵一点,但这点差价绝不值得自己去冒这样大的风险!

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I have been in all my Circumstances a Memento to those who are touch’d with the general Plague of Mankind, whence, for ought I know, one half of their Miseries flow; I mean, that of not being satisfy’d with the Station wherein God and Nature has plac’d them; for not to look back upon my primitive Condition, and the excellent Advice of my Father, the Opposition to which, was, as I may call it, my ORIGINAL SIN; my subsequent Mistakes of the same kind had been the Means of my coming into this miserable Condition; for had that Providence, which so happily had seated me at the Brasils, as a Planter, bless’d me with confin’d Desires, and I could have been contented to have gone on gradually, I might have been by this Time; I mean, in the Time of my being in this Island, one of the most considerable Planters in the Brasils, nay, I am perswaded, that by the Improvements I had made, in that little Time I liv’d there, and the Encrease I should probably have made, if I had stay’d, I might have been worth an hundred thousand Moydors; and what Business had I to leave a settled Fortune, a well stock’d Plantation , improving and encreasing, to turn Supra-Cargo to Guinea, to fetch Negroes; when Patience and Time would have so encreas’d our Stock at Home, that we could have bought them at our own Door, from those whose Business it was to fetch them; and though it had cost us something more, yet the Difference of that Price was by no Means worth saving, at so great a Hazard.

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然而,这正是一般不懂世事的青年人共同的命运。他们不经过多年的磨炼,不用高昂的代价获得人生的阅历,是不会明白自己的愚蠢行为的。我现在的情况就是这样。我生性不知自足,一直到现在还不能安于现状。所以,我头脑里老是盘算着逃离荒岛的种种办法和可能性。为了使读者对我后面要叙述的故事更感兴趣,在这儿我不妨先谈一下我这种荒唐的逃跑计划最初是怎样形成的,后来又是怎样实施的,以及我实施这一计划的根据。

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But as this is ordinarily the Fate of young Heads, so Reflection upon the Folly of it, is as ordinarily the Exercise of more years, or of the dear bought Experience of Time; and so it was with me now; and yet so deep had the Mistake taken root in my Temper, that I could not satisfy my self in my Station, but was continually poring upon the Means, and Possibility of my Escape from this Place; and that I may with the greater Pleasure to the Reader, bring on the remaining Part of my Story, it may not be improper , to give some Account of my first Conceptions on the Subject of this foolish Scheme, for my Escape; and how, and upon what Foundation I acted.

81
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这次去破船上的航行回来之后,我又回到城堡里过起隐居生活来。我把独木舟按原来的办法沉入水底隐藏好,过着以前那样平静的日常生活。现在,我比以前更有钱了,但并不因此而更富有,因为金钱对我毫无用处,就像秘鲁的印第安人,在西班牙人来到之前,金钱对他们也是毫无用处的。

81
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I am now to be suppos’d retir’d into my Castle, after my late Voyage to the Wreck, my Frigate laid up, and secur’d under Water, as usual, and my Condition restor’d to what it was before: I had more Wealth indeed than I had before, but was not at all the richer; for I had no more use for it, than the Indians of Peru had, before the Spaniards came there.

82
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我来到这孤岛上已二十四年了。现在正值雨季三月。一天夜里,我躺在吊床上,辗转反侧,难以入睡。我很健康,没有病痛,没有什么不舒服,心情也很平静,可是怎么也合不上眼,就是睡不着。可以这么说,整个晚上都没打过盹。那天晚上,我心潮起伏,思绪万千,思前想后,实在一言难荆我粗略地回顾了自己一生的历程。我回想起自己怎样流落到这荒岛上,又怎样在这儿过了二十四年的孤寂生活。我想到,来到岛上的最初几年,我怎样过着无忧无虑的快乐生活;后来,在沙滩上发现了人的脚印后,又怎样焦虑恐惧,过着忧心忡忡的生活。我也知道,多少年来,那些食人生番经常到岛上来,有时甚至成千上百登上岸来。但在此之前,我不知道这件事,当然也不会担惊受怕。那时,我尽管有危险,但自己不知道,所以也活得快活自在。我想,如果不知道有危险,就等于没有危险,生活就照样无忧无虑,十分幸福。由此,我悟出不少有益的道理。造物主统治人类,把人类的认识和知识局限在狭隘的范围内,这正是造物主的英明之处。实际上,人类往往生活在种种危险之中,如果让人类发现这些危险,那一定会使人人心烦意乱,精神不振。但造物主不让人类看清事实真相,使他们全然不知道四周的危险,这样,人们就过着泰然宁静的生活。

82
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It was one of the Nights in the rainy Season in March, the four and twentieth Year of my first setting Foot in this Island of Solitariness ; I was lying in my Bed, or Hammock, awake, very well in Health, had no Pain, no Distemper, no Uneasiness of Body; no, nor any Uneasiness of Mind, more than ordinary; but could by no means close my Eyes; that is, so as to sleep; no, not a Wink all Night long, otherwise than as follows: It is as impossible, as needless, to set down the innumerable Crowd of Thoughts that whirl’d through that great thorow-fare of the Brain, the Memory, in this Night’s Time: I run over the whole History of my Life in Miniature, or by Abridgment , as I may call it, to my coming to this Island; and also of the Part of my Life, since I came to this Island. In my Reflections upon the State of my Case, since I came on Shore on this Island, I was comparing the happy Posture of my Affairs, in the first Years of my Habitation here, compar’d to the Life of Anxiety, Fear and Care, which I had liv’d ever since I had seen the Print of a Foot in the Sand; not that I did not believe the Savages had frequented the Island even all the while, and might have been several Hundreds of them at Times on Shore there; but I had never known it, and was incapable of any Apprehensions about it; my Satisfaction was perfect, though my Danger was the same; and I was as happy in not knowing my Danger, as if I had never really been expos’d to it: This furnish’d my Thoughts with many very profitable Reflections, and particularly this one, How infinitely Good that Providence is, which has provided in its Government of Mankind, such narrow bounds to his Sight and Knowledge of Things, and though he walks in the midst of so many thousand Dangers, the Sight of which, if discover’d to him, would distract his Mind, and sink his Spirits; he is kept serene , and calm, by having the Events of Things hid from his Eyes, and knowing nothing of the Dangers which surround him.

83
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我这样想了一段时间后,就开始认真地考虑到这么多年来我在这荒岛上一直所面临的危险。这种危险是实实在在的,可是,我过去却经常坦然自若地在岛上走来走去。实际上,可能只是一座小山,一棵大树,或是夜正好降临,才使我免遭杀害,而且,将会是以一种最残忍的方式的杀害:那就是落入吃人生番手里。如果落到他们手里,他们就会把我马上抓起来,就像我抓只山羊或海鳖一样。同时,在他们看来,把我杀死吃掉,也不是什么犯罪行为,就像把一只鸽子或鹬杀了吃掉在我看来也不是什么犯罪行为一样。我衷心感激我的伟大的救世主,如果我不承认我的感激之情,那我就不诚实了。我必须恭恭敬敬地承认,我之所以在不知不觉中免于大难,完全是由于救世主的保佑,要是没有他的保佑,我早就落入野人的毒手了。

83
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After these Thoughts had for some Time entertain’d me, I came to reflect seriously upon the real Danger I had been In, for so many Years, in this very Island; and how I had walk’d about in the greatest Security, and with all possible Tranquillity ; even when perhaps nothing but a Brow of a Hill, a great Tree, or the casual Approach of Night, had been between me and the worst kind of Destruction, viz. That of falling into the Hands of Cannibals, and Savages, who would have seiz’d on me with the same View, as I did of a Goat, or a Turtle; and have thought it no more a Crime to kill and devour me, than I did of a Pidgeon, or a Curlieu: I would unjustly slander my self, if I should say I was not sincerely thankful to my great Preserver, to whose singular Protection I acknowledg’d, with great Humility , that all these unknown Deliverances were due; and without which, I must inevitably have fallen into their merciless Hands.

84
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这些念头想过之后,我又想到了那些畜生的天性--那些食人生番的天性。我想,主宰万物的上帝怎么会容忍自己所创造的生物堕落到这样毫无人性的地步,干出人吃人的禽兽不如的残酷行径。我考虑来,考虑去,最后还是不得其解。

84
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When these Thoughts were over, my Head was for some time taken up in considering the Nature of these wretched Creatures; I mean, the Savages; and how it came to pass in the World, that the wise Governour of all Things should give up any of his Creatures to such Inhumanity; nay, to something so much below, even Brutality it self, as to devour its own kind; but as this ended in some (at that Time fruitless)

85
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于是,我又想到另一些问题:这些畜生究竟住在什么地方?他们住在对面的大陆上,这一点不错。但他们住的地方离海岸究竟有多远?他们老远从家里跑出来,究竟有什么目的?他们所乘的船,又是什么样子?我又想,他们既然可以到我这边来,为什么我不可设法到他们那边去呢?

85
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Speculations , it occurr’d to me to enquire , what Part of the World these Wretches liv’d in; how far off the Coast was from whence they came; what they ventur’d over so far from home for; what kind of Boats they had; and why I might not order my self, and my Business so, that I might be as able to go over thither, as they were to come to me.

86
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可是,我从来没有考虑过一旦到了那里我该怎么办;也没有考虑过万一落入野人手里结果会如何;也没有考虑过万一他们追杀我,我又该怎样逃命。不但如此,我甚至一点也没有考虑到,我一上大陆,那些食人生番必然会追杀我,不管他们来自什么部落,所以,我是绝无逃生希望的。何况,即使不落到他们的手里,我也没有东西吃,也不知道往哪里走。总之,所有这些,我都没有想过。当时,我只是一心一意想乘上小舟渡过海峡到达对面的大陆上。我认为,自己目前的处境是世界上最悲惨不过的了,除了死亡,任何其他不幸都比我目前的境况强。我想,只要一上大陆,我就会得救;或者,我可以像上次在非洲那样,让小舟沿海岸行驶,一直驶到有居民的地方,从而可以获救。而且,说不定还会碰到文明世界的船只,他们就一定会把我救出来。最坏的结果,也不过是死,一死倒好,一了百了,种种苦难也算到了尽头。请读者注意。我当时心烦意乱,性情急躁,所以才产生了上述种种想法。而我之所以心烦意乱,性情急躁,是因为长期以来生活一直不顺利,加上最近我上那条遇难船后感到万分失望,因而心情更加烦躁不安。因为我原来指望在船上能找到一两个活人,这样我总算可以找到说说话的伴侣,并可从他们那儿了解一些情况,譬如我目前究竟在哪里,有没有脱险的可能等等。这些都是我冒险上船所迫切追求的目的,可是结果一无所获。所有这些都使我头脑发昏,感情冲动。在此之前,我已心情平静,只想听天由命,一切凭上天作主;可现在,心情怎么也安定不下来了。我仿佛无法控制自己的思想,整天只想着怎样渡海到对面的大陆上去。而且,这种愿望越来越强烈,简直使我无法抗拒。

86
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I never so much as troubl’d my self to consider what I should do with my self, when I came thither; what would become of me, if I fell into the Hands of the Savages; or how I should escape from them, if they attempted me; no, nor so much as how it was possible for me to reach the Coast, and not be attempted by some or other of them, without any Possibility of delivering my self; and if I should not fall into their Hands, what I should do for Provision, or whither I should bend my Course; none of these Thoughts, I say, so much as came in my way; but my Mind was wholly bent upon the Notion of my passing over in my Boat, to the Main Land: I look’d back upon my present Condition, as the most miserable that could possibly be, that I was not able to throw my self into any thing but Death, that could be call’d worse; that if I reached the Shore of the Main, I might perhaps meet with Relief, or I might coast along, as I did on the Shore of Africk, till I came to some inhabited Country, and where I might find some Relief; and after all perhaps, I might fall in with some Christian Ship, that might take me in; and if the worse came to the worst, I could but die, which would put an end to all these Miseries at once. Pray note, all this was the fruit of a disturb’d Mind, an impatient Temper, made as it were desperate by the long Continuance of my Troubles, and the Disappointments I had met in the Wreck, I had been on board of; and where I had been so near the obtaining what I so earnestly long’d for, viz. Some-body to speak to, and to learn some Knowledge from of the Place where I was, and of the probable Means of my Deliverance; I say, I was agitated wholly by these Thoughts: All my Calm of Mind in my Resignation to Providence, and waiting the Issue of the Dispositions of Heaven, seem’d to be suspended; and I had, as it were, no Power to turn my Thoughts to any thing, but to the Project of a Voyage to the Main, which came upon me with such Force, and such an Impetuosity of Desire, that it was not to be resisted.

87
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有两三小时工夫,强烈的欲望使我激动得心跳加剧,热血沸腾,好像得了热病一样。当然,这只是我头脑发热罢了。我就这么想啊想啊,直想得精疲力竭,直至昏昏睡去。也许有人以为,我在睡梦中也会登上大陆。可是,我没有做这样的梦,却做了一个与此毫不相干的梦。我梦见自己像往常一样,一大早走出城堡,忽然看见海面上有两只独木船载着十一个野人来到岛上;他们另外还带来了一个野人,准备把他杀了吃掉。突然,他们要杀害的那个野人一下子跳起来,拼命奔逃。睡梦中,我恍惚见他很快就跑到我城堡外的浓密的小树林里躲起来。我发现只有他一个人,其他野人并没有过来追他,便走出城堡,向他招手微笑,并叫他不要怕。他急忙跪在地下,仿佛求我救救他。于是,我向他指指我的梯子,叫他爬上去,并把他带到我住所的洞穴里。由此,他就成了我的仆人。我一得到这个人,心里就想,现在,我真的可以冒险上大陆了。这个野人可以做我的向导,告诉我该如何行动,什么地方可弄到食物,什么地方不能去,以免被野人吃掉,告诉我什么地方可去,什么地方不可去。正这样想着,我就醒来了。起初,我觉得自己大有获救的希望,高兴得无法形容;及至清醒过来,发现原来不过是一场梦境,不禁又极度失望,懊丧不已。

87
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When this had agitated my Thoughts for two Hours, or more, with such Violence, that it set my very Blood into a Ferment , and my Pulse beat as high as if I had been in a Feaver, meerly with the extraordinary Fervour of my Mind about it; Nature, as if I had been fatigued exhausted with the very Thought of it, threw me into a sound Sleep; one would have thought, I should have dream’d of it: But I did not, nor of any Thing relating to it; but I dream’d, that as I was going out in the Morning as usual from my Castle, I saw upon the Shore, two Canoes, and eleven Savages coming to Land, and that they brought with them another Savage, who they were going to kill, in Order to eat him; when on a sudden, the Savage that they were going to kill, jumpt away, and ran for his Life; and I thought in my Sleep, that he came running into my little thick Grove, before my Fortification, to hide himself; and that I seeing him alone, and not perceiving that the other sought him that Way, show’d my self to him, and smiling upon him, encourag’d him; that he kneel’d down to me, seeming to pray me to assist him; upon which I shew’d my Ladder, made him go up, and carry’d him into my Cave, and he became my Servant; and that as soon as I had gotten this Man, I said to my self, now I may certainly venture to the main Land; for this Fellow will serve me as a Pilot, and will tell me what to do, and whether to go for Provisions; and whether not to go for fear of being devoured , what Places to venture into, and what to escape: I wak’d with this Thought, and was under such inexpressible Impressions of Joy, at the Prospect of my Escape in my Dream, that the Disappointments which I felt upon coming to my self, and finding it was no more than a Dream, were equally extravagant the other Way, and threw me into a very great Dejection of Spirit.

88
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但是,这个梦境却给了我一个启示:我若想摆脱孤岛生活,唯一的办法就是尽可能弄到一个野人;而且,如果可能的话,最好是一个被其他野人带来准备杀了吃掉的俘虏。但要实现这个计划也有其困难的一面,那就是进攻一大队野人,并把他们杀得一个不留。这种做法可以说是孤注一掷之举,难保不出差错;不仅如此,而且从另一方面来说,这种做法是否合法,也还值得怀疑。一想到要杀这么多人,流这么多血,我的心不由得颤抖起来,尽管这样做是为了使自己获救。我前面也已经谈到过我为什么不应该主动去攻击野人的种种理由,所以我不必在此再噜嗦了。另外,我现在还可以举出种种其他理由来证明为什么我应该攻击这些野人。譬如说,这些野人是我的死敌,只要可能,他们就会把我吃掉;再譬如说,我这样做是为了保护自己的生命,是为了拯救自己,这是一种自卫的行动。因为,他们若向我进攻,我也不得不还击。如此等等,理由还可以举出一大堆。可是,一想到为了自己获救,非得别人流血,我就感到可怕,好久好久都想不通。

88
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Upon this however, I made this Conclusion, that my Only Way to go about an Attempt for an Escape, was, if possible, to get a Savage into my Possession; and if possible, it should be one of their Prisoners, who they had condemn’d to be eaten, and should bring thither to kill; but these Thoughts still were attended with this Difficulty, that it was impossible to effect this, without attacking a whole Caravan of them, and killing them all; and this was not only a very desperate Attempt, and might miscarry; but on the other Hand, I had greatly scrupled the Lawfulness of it to me; and my Heart trembled at the thoughts of shedding so much Blood, tho’ it was for my Deliverance. I need not repeat the Arguments which occurr’d to me against this, they being the same mention’d before; but tho’ I had other Reasons to offer now (viz.) that those Men were Enemies to my Life, and would devour me, if they could; that it was Self-preservation in the highest Degree, to deliver my self from this Death of a Life, and was acting in my own Defence, as much as if they were actually assaulting me, and the like. I say, tho’ these Things argued for it, yet the Thoughts of shedding Humane Blood for my Deliverance, were very Terrible to me, and such as I could by no Means reconcile my self to, a great while.

89
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我内心进行了激烈的思想斗争,心里十分矛盾,各种理由在我头脑里反复斗争了好久。最后,要使自己获救的迫切愿望终于战胜了一切,我决定不惜一切代价,弄到一个野人。现在,第二步就是怎样实施这一计划。这当然一时难以决定。由于想不出什么妥当的办法,我决定先进行守候观察,看他们什么时候上岸,其余的事先不去管它,到时候见机行事。

89
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However at last, after many secret Disputes with my self, and after great Perplexities about it, for all these Arguments one Way and another struggl’d in my Head a long Time, the eager prevailing Desire of Deliverance at length master’d all the rest; and I resolv’d, if possible, to get one of those Savages into my Hands, cost what it would. My next Thing then was to contrive how to do it, and this indeed was very difficult to resolve on: But as I could pitch upon no probable Means for it, so I resolv’d to put my self upon the Watch, to see them when they came on Shore, and leave the rest to the Event, taking such Measures as the Opportunity should present, let be what would be.

90
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这样决定之后,我就经常出去侦察。我一有空就出去。时日一久,就又感到厌烦起来。因为这一等又是一年半以上,差不多每天都要跑到小岛的西头或西南角去,看看海面上有没有独木舟出现。可是,这么长时间中一次也没有看到,真是令人灰心丧气,懊恼至极。但这一次我没有像上次那样完全放弃希望,相反,等待时日愈久,我愈急不可待。总之,我从前处处小心,尽量避免碰到野人;可现在却急于要同他们碰面了。

90
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With these Resolutions in my Thoughts, I set my self upon the Scout , as often as possible, and indeed so often till I was heartily tir’d of it, for it was above a Year and Half that I waited, and for great part of that Time went out to the West End, and to the South West Corner of the Island, almost every Day, to see for Canoes, but none appear’d. This was very discouraging, and began to trouble me much, tho’ I cannot say that it did in this Case, as it had done some time before that, (viz.) wear off the Edge of my Desire to the Thing. But the longer it seem’d to be delay’d, the more eager I was for it; in a Word, I was not at first so careful to shun the sight of these Savages, and avoid being seen by them, as I was now eager to be upon them.

91
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此外,我认为自己有充分的能力驾驭一个野人,甚至两三个野人也毫无问题,只要我能把他们弄到手就行,我可以叫他们完全成为我的奴隶,要他们做什么就做什么,并且任何时候都可以防止他们伤害我。我为自己的这种想法大大得意了一番。可是,事情连影子也没有,一切都只是空想,计划当然也无从实现,因为很久很久野人都没有出现。

91
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Besides, I fancied my self able to manage One, nay, Two or Three Savages, if I had them so as to make them entirely Slaves to me, to do whatever I should direct them, and to prevent their being able at any time to do me any Hurt. It was a great while, that I pleas’d my self with this Affair, but nothing still presented; all my Fancies and Schemes came to nothing, for no Savages came near me for a great while.

简典