译《化身博士》第九章:杰基尔医生的忏悔(一)

译《化身博士》第八章:兰宁医生的信(二)

I was born in the year 18- I inherited a large fortune, a strong healthy body and an excellent mind. I was naturally hard-working and soon I was extremely successful in my chosen work as a scientist. Although I was still young, important people came to me for advice. At an age when most young men are going out and having fun, I was behaving like a grey-haired old man.

我18岁那年,继承了一大笔钱,身体健康和头脑灵活。我努力工作,不久所选项目便取得成功跻身为一名科学家。尽管当时还很年轻,但举足轻重的人物也会来问我的意见。正值像大多数年轻人一样喜欢出门玩乐的年纪,我却活得像个老古板。

This was not easy for me. The outside world saw a serious, hard-working doctor. Behind this quiet character, however, was an active, fun-loving young man-about-town. This, of course, was nothing to be ashamed of, but I did not realize that at the time. I was ashamed and I soon learned to keep my two lives separate.

这对我来说很不容易。外人看到的是一个严谨勤劳的博士。然而,在这严谨的表象下,是一个活泼爱玩的年轻花花公子。当然,这并不是什么难以启齿的,但那时还不明白。我当时很自责,不久就学会了过两种生活。

图片发自App

I was not dishonest in any way. Both these people were me. The serious, successful young doctor was me, and the wild, fun-loving, irresponsible young man was me too. I thought about this for a long time and slowly I realized that I was not extraordinary in this. Every man has two sides to his character. He is two people. They live together-often uncomfortably-in the same body.

在某种意义来说我很诚实。两者都是我。严谨成功的年轻博士是我,狂妄爱玩毫无责任心的年轻人也是我。我想了很久,才慢慢明白我不是个例。每个人都有两种人格,他是两个人。他们一起――通常不和睦――生活在同一个躯壳里。

'How fantastic,' I thought, 'if I could separate these two characters and give my fun-loving side his freedom. Then he could go out and enjoy himself unashamedly and leave serious, studious Doctor Jekyll to get on with his important, life-saving work.'

“多神奇啊!”我想,“如果我能将这两种人格分离,放爱玩的那部分自由,他能出去玩乐而不会心有愧疚,然后让严谨枯燥的杰基尔博士继续他重要有意义的工作。”

'Was it possible,' I wondered, 'to find a drug that could give each side of my character its own separate face and body?'

“能不能找到一种药物能分离人格,也能让它们有各自的脸和身型?”我忍不住想。

After much thought and careful study I believed I had found the answer. I had read many scientific books and spent many hours in my laboratory, searching for the right mixture of chemicals to make my drug. At last I had everything I needed except a special kind of salt. I bought somefrom a chemist, and then I was ready.

经过反复思考和认真研究后,我觉得我找到了答案。我钻研了许多科学书籍和花费大量时间做实验,找我需要的药物的正确配方。最后,除一味特殊的盐外,我找齐了所有药物。然后我从化学家那买来些盐,所有药物就都齐了。

I hesitated for a long time before I began my experiment. Only a small mistake in the mixture of the drug could mean immediate death. But in the end, my wish to know was stronger than my fear. And so, late one disastrous night, I mixed everything together and prepared my drug. I watched the smoke rising from the liquid as it changed colour from red to purple and at last to green. Then, bravely, I drank every bitter drop.

开始实验前,我犹豫不决很久。只要配药出现一丁点的失误都会立即致死。可最终,我跃跃欲试的想法远超于我心底的担忧。所以,后来可以说是一个灾难性的夜晚,我将药混在一起,准备好我要的药物。我看到液体里冒出一缕烟雾,液体的颜色也由红变紫,最后变成绿色。接着我猛地喝下每一滴涩涩的水。

I felt a violent sickness in my stomach and a terrible pain in all my bones. The room seemed to turn round and round and I trembled with fear. Then the fear and pain disappeared and a strange, sweet feeling took its place. Wild thoughts danced through my mind. They were not good, serious thoughts. They were the wild passions of an evil and cruel stranger. But inside myself I felt younger, lighter, more carefree than ever before. 'If this is pure evil,' I thought, 'I like it.'

我感到胃里一阵剧痛,全身的骨头散架般痛,房间就像陀螺般不停地转,我怕得发抖,然后恐惧疼痛感都没了,有一种陌生的新鲜感。脑海中也冒出疯狂的想法。它们是不好不成熟的想法,那是罪恶残忍陌生人的狂想。但我自己感觉比之前更年轻、轻松、无无忧无虑了。“如果这就是纯粹的恶,那正合我意。”我想。

I stood there, enjoying these strange new thoughts and passions-and suddenly realized that I was shorter. At that time there was no mirror in my study. Later I put one on the wall of my study so that I could watch these changes in my appearance. Now, however, it was three o'clock in the morning and all the servants were asleep. I decided it was safe to go to my bedroom in my new body and take a look at myself in the mirror there. I crossed the garden and entered my house like a stranger. As I came into my room, I saw Edward Hyde for the first time.

我站在那,感受这些陌生的新想法和激情――突然意识到我变矮了。那时,书房里还没有镜子,后来我在书房的墙上安了面镜子,这样我能看到自己的样貌变化。然而,现在是凌晨三点,所有仆人都已熟睡。我觉得这副新面孔走到卧房是安全的,能在镜子前好好看看自己。我穿过花园,像个陌生人一样进入自己的房间。我进屋时,第一次见到爱德华·海德。

At that time, the good side of my character was stronger than the evil side. Henry Jekyll had his faults, but he was mostly a good, kind man. I cannot be sure, but I believe that is the reason why Edward Hyde was so much smaller than Henry Jekyll. But that was not the only difference between the two men. Henry Jekyll had a kind, open, honest face. Pure evil stared out of Edward Hyde's eyes. I felt no dislike, however. Indeed, I welcomed him. Edward Hyde was me, young and strong and full of life.

那时,我人格中好的那部分强于恶的那部分。亨利·杰基尔有他不好的地方,但大体上是个心地善良的好人。我无法断定,但我相信这就是为什么爱德华·海德会比亨利·杰基尔矮很多的原因。他们俩的不同不止这个。亨利·杰基尔长着张平近易人开朗诚实的脸,而爱德华·海德散发出的全是恶意。然而,我没有不喜欢,倒是很欢迎他的到来。爱德华·海德是我,一个年轻、强健、圆满的生活。

Later, however, I noticed that Hyde's appearance and manner had a strong effect on other people. Nobody could meet Edward Hyde without a feeling of dislike and horror. I believe I understand the reason for this too. Everyone is a mixture of good and evil. Even the worst criminal has a little good in him. Only Edward Hyde was pure evil.

然而,后来我注意到海德的外貌和行为对他人都有很大的影响。没人不对爱德华·海德感到厌恶和恐惧。我相信我也清楚其中原由。每个人都有善恶两面,就算是极恶穷凶的罪犯也存有一丁点善意。只有爱德华·海德是纯粹的恶。

I stood for a long time, staring at the mirror. 'Am I trapped?' I wondered. 'If I am, I must leave this house before daylight. If I don't, I shall be arrested as a thief.'

我站立良久,怔怔地望着镜子。“我会被抓吗?”心想,“若要被抓,我得天亮前就离开屋子。若没被抓,我也会被当成贼关起来。”

I hurried back to my study. With trembling hands I mixed another dose of the drug and drank it. Again I felt that terrible pain and sickness. but a few seconds later I found myself with the face and body and character of Henry Jekyll once more.

我匆忙回到书房。双手止不住地抖,我又混合一剂药,一饮而尽。再一次体会那种刺骨疼痛,再过几秒,我发现我又变回了亨利·杰基尔。

最后有个地方,我怎么想都觉得翻得不妥,如有知道的,麻烦帮忙讲解下,谢谢!例句如下:

I was naturally hard-working and soon I was extremely successful in my chosen work as a scientist.

我努力工作,不久所选项目便取得成功跻身为一名科学家。

科学家是进科研组就可以说是科学家?还是科研有成果后才署名的啊?

译《化身博士》第九章:杰基尔医生的忏悔(二)

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PS:本书为牛津系列简易读物,由英国著名作家罗斯玛丽·博德根据英国作家查罗伯特·路易莎·斯蒂文森的同名小说改写。

英文为书虫系列原文,译文是笔者翻译。本文仅因个人兴趣而译,故本文谢绝转载和各种商业用途,同时承诺若出现任何责任由作者承担,必要时可删除文章。

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