《剥皮的手》-莫泊桑
《The Hand》- Maupassant
预审法官贝尔穆提耶被人簇拥着，正在对圣鲁克的神秘案件发表看法。一个月来，这件说不清道不明的杀人案件已经搅得整个巴黎为之恐慌。谁都不明白案件究竟是怎么回事。
The inquiry judge was surrounded by people, he is giving opinions about the mysterious case. In the past one month, this strange homicide case has made the whole Paris panic and scary. No one knows what is going on with this case.
贝尔穆提耶先生背靠壁炉站着，列举各项证据，讨论各种看法，但就是不下结论。
Mr.Bell was standing with his back against the wall, listing the evidences and talking about the perspectives, but not to draw a conclusion.
几个女人站起身想靠近他，却又在原地不动，凝视法官那张刮净了胡须的嘴，等候至关重要的话语从里面冒出来。
Several women stood up, willing to approach him, but stay up. They are staring the judge’s mouth which has just shaved, waiting for the fatal words come out from it.
她们紧张得浑身颤抖，又是好奇，又是害怕，明知是可怕吓人的事，却又饥肠辘辘一样充满渴望。
They trembled all over with tension, curiosity and fear. They knew it was scary, but still aspire it like really hungry.
其中一个女人的脸色比其他人更为苍白，在一片沉默中，她先开口道：
One of the woman’s faces is more pale than others, she choose to speak firstly in the silence:
“真可怕。这算是‘超自然’了，我们永远都弄不清楚。”
“It was so scary, this was a sort of supernatural, we will never understand what is going on”
法官转过身对她说：
The judge turned around and said to her:
“是的，夫人，或许我们永远都弄不清楚。至于您刚才使用的‘超自然’一词却与本案无关。我们面对的是一件精心策划又精心实施的罪行，它被重重迷雾笼罩，使得我们无法将之从那难解的犯罪情境中剥离出来。不过，我本人倒是曾经办过一个案子，其中也似乎惨杂着什么诡异之事。由于没法查清楚，最后就只能不了了之了。”
“Yes, madam, we may never know it. But the word “supernatural” you just used have nothing to do with this case. We are facing a elaborate crime, it is covered by dense fog, making us can’t get it out from the complicated circumstance. But I have worked on a case which also mixed with some mysterious things. It end up with nothing definite because we can’t figure it out.”
几个女人同时发出声来，语速之快使得她们的话音合而为一：
The women made some noises simultaneously, their voice combined because of the speed:
“哦！快给我们说说吧。”
“Really! Tell us please”
就像预审法官理所应当表现出的样子，贝尔穆提耶先生庄重地笑了笑，接着说：
Mr.Bell smiled gravely, just like a inquiry judge, said:
“至少，你们不要以为我会有丝毫的可能设想这件奇案中有什么超人类的东西，我只相信正常的理由。是的，要想表达我们无法理解的事物，我们只用‘无法解释’一词，而不用‘超自然’这个字眼，这就好多了。总之，在我要对你们讲的这个案件中，让我尤为触动的是围绕着案子的情景，也就是案发前的情况。”
“At least, you should not believe it is a possible that I think there are some supernatural things in the case. Yes, we only use the word “unexplainable” instead of “supernatural”, that is better. Anyway, in this case which I am telling you, the thing that shocked me is the circumstance of the case, that is the situation before the crime.”
好吧，事情是这样的：
Well, here is the thing:
那时，我在阿雅克肖担任预审法官，那是座白色的小城，坐落在群山环抱下一个秀丽的海湾边上。
At that time, I was a inquiry judge in A, that is a white city, sitting on the side of a beautiful bay which is surrounded by mountains.
在那里，我特别关注由当地血亲复仇风俗所引发的案件。那些仇杀案有的精彩，有的残忍，有的英勇，有的悲壮。
When I was there, I paid much attention to those cases about the culture of revenge among blood relations. Some of them are brilliant, some are cruel, some are brave and some are tragic.
那里有各种阴谋诡计，有人所能想到的最美的复仇故事，有一旦结下就永不磨灭的百年仇怨，还有不断扩大、几成光荣之举的杀戮。
There are all kinds of conspiracies and tricks, the most beautiful stories of revenge you can imagine, hatred of hundred years which will never disappear, slaughters which are constantly expanding.
两年间，我听说的都是血债血偿，尽是科西嘉人可怕的偏见，一旦有人受辱，他就不得不向侮辱自己的人，向他的亲属和后代复仇。
In the two years, I heard about bloody revenges, I heard about terrible prejudice of Ks. Someone have to take revenge on the people who insult him and on their relatives and offspring.
我曾见过残杀老人、儿童和旁系亲属的，那时我满脑子装的尽是这样的故事。
I watched them to kill old people, children and relatives, my head was full of these stories.
然而，有一天我听说有个英国人把海湾深处的一栋小别墅租下了几年，还带来了一个途经马赛时雇用的仆人。
But one day, I heard there is a British who rent a house in the deep of bay, and he brought a servant from M.
很快，所有人都谈论起这个怪人来。他一个人在宅子里生活，除了打猎和钓鱼从不出门。
Quickly, everyone started to talk about this freak, he lived in the house alone, and never go out except hunting or fishing.
他从不和人说话，也从不来城里，每天早晨却要花一两个小时用手枪和马枪练习射击。
He never talk to others, and never come to the town, but he spent one and two hours to practice shooting in the morning.
有关他的种种故事渐渐传开了。有人说他是个因为政治原因弃国远遁的上层人物，也有人说他是犯了滔天大罪之后躲藏于此，甚至连恐怖至极的犯罪情节都描绘得有模有样。
There were so many stories about him. Some people said he was a elite who get out of the state because of politics, some people said he committed horrible crimes and hide here, they can even describe all the plots of crimes in detail.
身为预审法官，我想要亲自打听此人的底细，结果却无从得知，只知道他自称约翰·洛威尔先生。
As the inquiry judge, I want to know the history about this person, but I got nothing except he named himself John.
我只能对他严加监视。但实际上，他也没什么可疑之处。
I can only watch him strictly, but in fact, he had nothing suspicious.
然而，有关他的流言蜚语仍在继续着、扩大着，变得无处不在。我决定试着亲自去见见这个异乡人，于是开始按时去他家周围打猎。
However, gossip about him is expanding constantly, I decided to see him by myself and I began to go hunting around his home.
我耐心等了很久，机会终于来了。我开枪射中一只松鸡，就在英国人眼皮底下把它打死了，猎犬把松鸡叼了回来。
I waited for a long time and finally i got a change. I shoot a grouse under his eyes and the hound got it back.
然而一拿到猎物，我便立刻上前对自己的失礼表示歉意，并请约翰·洛威尔先生收下这只松鸡。
Once I got the grouse, I immediately come forward to him and apologized for my impoliteness, and I asked Mr.John to take the grouse.
这是个留着红头发、红胡子的大个子男人，高大魁梧，模样像个大力士，但气质温和又礼貌，身上一点也没有那种所谓的英国式的古板。
This is a big guy with red hair and red beard who is just like a giant, but he is polite and gentle, and there is no some sort of British old-fashion with him.
对于我周全的礼节，他用英格兰腔的法语对我表达了深深的谢意。如此一来，在这一个月中，我和英国人搭上了五六次话。
He expressed gratitude for my politeness, so in this month, I talked to him for several times.
终于，一天傍晚，路过他家门前时，我瞅见他正跨骑在花园的椅子上抽烟斗。
Finally, one day, when I passed by his home, I saw him was smoking on the chair in the garden.
我向他问好，他请我进去喝啤酒。我没有推辞便接受了。
I said hello to him and he invited me to drink beer. I didn’t refuse it.
他用英国人特有的周到礼仪招待了我，对法国，对科西嘉大加赞赏，说自己深爱这个国家，深爱这片海岸。
He served me with great politeness, he appreciated the France so much and he said he love this country, love the bay.
这时，我装作很感兴趣的样子，其实是小心翼翼地问了几个有关他人生经历和有何打算的问题。
And I was pretending to be very interested, and actually I carefully asked him several questions about his life experience and what does he want to do.
他回答得很爽快，告诉我他曾游历多地，去过非洲、印度、美洲。最后，他笑着说：“我有过很多次奇遇。”
He answered me nicely and told me that he had travelled Africa, India and America. In the end, he said: ”I have many wonderful adventures”
我们又谈到了打猎，他便对我详细说了很多打猎的趣闻：有关捕猎河马、老虎、大象，甚至还有大猩猩。
Then we talked about hunting, he said some interesting things about hunting the hippos, tigers, elephants and even gorillas.
我说：“这些野兽都很可怕。”
I said: “These wild animals are scary”
他微微一笑：“噢！不对，最可怕的是人。”说完他哈哈大笑起来，笑得酣畅痛快，是大块头英国佬高兴时特有的笑。“我还猎过很多人。”
He smiled: “No, human is the most scary” Then he burst into laughter, “I also hunted many people”
接着，他谈起了武器，并请我进他房间，向我展示他收藏的各种类别的枪支。
Then, he talked about weapons and invited me to go into his room, he showed many different kinds of guns to me.
他的客厅四周蒙着黑色帷幔，全都镶金边。乌黑的绸缎上布满了大朵的黄花，像火焰一样耀眼夺目。
His living-room was covered by some black draperies which all with golden borders. And there are many yellow flowers on the draperies.
他说：“这是日本绸缎。”
It’s Japanese silks.
但是在最宽的一幅帷幔上，有一样奇特的东西吸引了我的注意。只见在一块方方正正的红丝绒上，有个黑色的物体。我走到跟前仔细观看，竟然是只手，一只人手。
There is a thing which attracted me on the draperies, a black stuff. When I came closer to see it , unexpectedly , it is hand, a human’s hand.
那并不是干净的白色手骨，而是一只黑不溜秋的干尸手，留着黄指甲，肌肉暴露在外，还沾有从前的血迹，那血迹仿佛一块污渍，抹在似乎是被斧头齐根斩断的前臂骨头上。
That’s not a clean bone of hand, it’s a black dried hand with dirty nails and blood, the bloodstain is just like a blot on the bone which was cut by an axe.
这手的腕上紧紧缠绕着一根粗铁链，牢牢地将这只恶心的手与墙上的一个铁环扣在一起。铁环很结实，足以拴住一头大象。
And there is a thick iron chain around the wrist, buckled the hand with a iron hoop. It seems really firm to tie down a elephant.
我问：“这是什么东西？”
What is this?
英国人不慌不忙地回答：“这是我最难缠的对手，来自美洲。我用大刀把它劈成两半，又用尖利的碎石剥下了它的皮，放在太阳下面晒了一个星期。哈！对于我来说，这真是太痛快了。”
This is the most tough opponent of mine, from America. I used a knife to cut it into two pieces, and put it under the sun. It was so joyful.
我摸了摸这块人体的残肢，长这手的应该是个巨人。手指出奇地长，链接着粗大的肌腱，有些地方还剩下点皮。这只被剥了皮的手惨不忍睹，不禁让人想起某件野蛮的仇杀案。
I touched the hand, I think it was a giant, fingers are long.
我说：“这人应该身强力壮。”
This guy should be really strong.
英国人温文尔雅地回答道：“啊，是的，但我比他更强。我用这根链子锁着他呢。”
Yes, but I am stronger than him. And I use the iron chain to lock him.
我以为他在开玩笑，便说：“链子现在一点用都没有了，这只手又不会逃跑。”I
I thought he was joking and said, the chain is useless, the hand will not escape.
约翰·洛威尔先生肃然答道：“它一直想溜走。这根链子非常必要。”
He said, it always want to run away, the chain is necessary.
我朝他脸上飞快瞥了一眼，心中不禁想：这是个疯子，还是恶作剧？
I glimpsed him and considered: Is this a madman or is this a prank?
但他的表情总是让人难以捉摸，依然是那么平静、和蔼。于是我把话题转到别的事情上，把他的各式枪支欣赏赞叹了一番。
But his expression is always strange, peaceful and nice. So I turned the topic to other things, appreciated the guns a lot.
然而，我又注意到，柜子上有三支上了膛的手枪，似乎英国人一直在提防会遭到什么暗算。
However, I noticed that there are three loaded guns on the cabinet, seems that the British man was bewaring of some attacks.
后来，我又去过他家几次，再之后就不去了。因为大家已经对他的存在习以为常，就不以为怪了。
After that, I went to his home several times again and then I didn’t went there anymore, because everyone has used to him.
整整一年过去了。大约十一月底的一天早上，仆人把我叫醒，告诉我说约翰·洛威尔夜里被人杀害了。
After a whole year, in a morning of the end of November, a servant awake me up and told me that Mr.John was murdered.
半小时后，我与警察局局长及宪兵队队长进入了这英国人的房子。
Half an hour later, I went into the house with police.
他的仆人待在门口，精神恍惚，哭个不停。我起先怀疑这个人，但他其实是无辜的。
His servant was standing out the door and crying. In the beginning, I doubt this guy, but actually he is innocent.
罪犯一直没能找到。
We never found the criminal.
走进客厅，我一眼就看到约翰先生的尸体仰面躺在屋子中央。
When I walked into the room, I saw the corpse of John lying on the center of the house.
他身上的背心已经被撕烂了，衬衫的一只袖子也被扯下来耷拉着，这一切都说明，这里曾发生过激烈的搏斗。
His shirt was teared apart, this showed that there was a drastic fighting here.
英国人是被活活掐死的！他面堂发黑发肿，表情狰狞，显露出极度的恐惧。
The British was strangled. His face was black and turgid with fear.
牙齿间似乎咬着什么东西，淌满血的脖子上被扎了五个窟窿，就像是被尖头铁器凿的一样。
There are something in his mouth, his neck was pierced with five holes, just like by some ironware.
医生来到现场，花了很长时间观察尸体皮肤上的指印，最后说了这样一句稀奇古怪的话：
The doctor came to the scene and spent much time to watch the fingers, he finally said a word:
“他是被一具骷髅掐死的。”
He was strangled by a skeleton.
我只觉得后背脊梁打了个冷战，随即向墙壁望去。那里曾经系着一只可怕的被剥了皮的手，但是现在，手已经不在了，只剩下一根断掉的铁链摇摇晃晃。
I just felt so scary and then go see the wall. There was a hand, but now it’s gone.
于是，我蹲下身子去观察死者，发现他死死咬住的正是那只失踪的一根手指，断处在第二关节，与其说是被咬断的，不如说是用牙磨断的。
I squatted down to watch the corpse, found out that there was a finger in the mouth.
接下来的现场勘查一无所获。门、窗、家具都完好无损，两条看门狗也没被吵醒。
The second day we found nothing. The door, the window are all undamaged, and two dogs were not waken up.
仆人的口供大致如下：
The testimony of the servant is like:
一个月来，他的主人似乎心神不宁。他收到很多信，收到一封就烧一封。
In the past one month, his master was always restless. The master received a lot of letters, and then he just burned them.
他经常会像发疯似的突然暴怒，抄起马鞭就拼命抽打这只曾经锁在墙上、现在却不知所终的干尸手。
He often exploded with rage just like he was crazy, and use the horsewhip to lash the dried hand.
直到案发时，也没人知道这手是怎么没的。
Until the time of the murder, no one knows where is the hand.
他每天都睡得很晚，把门窗关得死死的，并且总是随身携带几件武器。
He slept late every night and shut the doors and windows tightly , and he always carry some weapons with him.
他经常在夜间高声说话，像是在和什么人争吵。
He often talked aloud at night, just like he was arguing with someone.
案发当晚，他很反常地没有发出任何声响，仆人来开窗时才发现约翰先生已经被害。仆人也想不出谁会是凶手。
At the night of the murder, abnormally, he didn’t make any noise, until the servant opened the door, Mr.John was found to be dead. The servant can’t figure out who is the criminal.
我把所知道的有关死者的情况通报给了法官和治安官员，他们在整个科西嘉岛上进行了严密搜查，但仍然一无所获。
I told all the information about the victim to the judge and police officers. They scoured around the island but still got nothing.
然而，案发三个月后的一天夜里，我做了个可怕的噩梦。
However, during one night three months later, i had a nightmare.
我仿佛看见了那只手，那只恐怖的剥皮的手，像蝎子或蜘蛛那样飞快地沿着我房间的窗帘和墙壁爬行。
I saw the hand, that scary hand, scrambling along the curtains and walls of my room, just like a scorpion or a spider.
我惊醒了三次，又昏睡过去三次，每次都能见到那只阴森丑陋的断手晃动着爪子一样的手指，在我房间里飞快地爬来爬去。
I woke up three times and fell asleep three times, but every time i can see the scary ugly hand, scrambling in my room.
第二天有人给我送来了那只手。由于没法找到约翰·洛威尔的家人，人们只能把他葬在公墓里。
The second day, someone sent me the hand. People have to bury Mr.John in the cemetery because they can’t find his family.
断手就是在他的坟墓上面找到的，手上缺了一根食指。
The hand was found on the tomb, it missed a finger.
好了，女士们，故事就是这样，我只知道这么多。
Well, ladies, it’s the story, that’s all i know.
在场的女人们一个个心惊肉跳，脸色惨白，直打哆嗦。其中一位高声道：
The women are all terrified, their face become pale with trembling. One of them said:
“但是，这还不是结局啊，也算不上是解释！如果您不告诉我们您认为这是怎么一回事的话，我们恐怕是睡不着的。”
But this is not a end, and not a explain, if you don’t tell us what is going on, we will be so terrified to sleep.
法官严肃地笑了一下：
The judge smiled:
“噢！我嘛，夫人们，我肯定会让你们幻想的恐怖故事大为失色的。
Oh, ladies, I will let you down.
我想得很简单，这只手的合法主人并没有死，他用残存的那只手来寻找这一只。
It was simple to me, the master of this hand is not dead, so he use the hand to find another hand.
但我无法得知他是怎么干的，这也算是一种血亲复仇吧。”
But I have no idea how did he do it, maybe this is a kind of blood revenge.
其中一个女人嗫嚅道：“不，不可能是这样的。”
Another woman said: no, that’s impossible.
而预审法官的脸上笑容依旧，他最后说：“我已经说得很清楚了，你们是不会喜欢我的解释的。”
The inquiry judge was still smiling, finally he said: I have made it quite clear, you will definitely not like my explain.