福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第56期:猶他之花(6)
He called on John Ferrier that night, and many times again, until his face was a familiar one at the farmhouse.
當天晚上，他就去拜訪了約翰·費瑞厄；以后，他又去了許多趟，終于混得彼此非常熟悉起來。
John, cooped up in the valley, and absorbed in his work, had had little chance of learning the news of the outside world during the last twelve years.
約翰·費瑞厄深居山谷之中，十二年來，他專心一意地從事他的田莊工作，幾乎與外界隔絕。
All this Jefferson Hope was able to tell him, and in a style which interested Lucy as well as her father.
侯波對于這些年來的事情非常熟悉，因此他能把他所見所聞，一樣樣地講給他聽。他講得有聲有色，不但使這位父親聽得津津有味，就連露茜也感到非常有趣。
He had been a pioneer in California, and could narrate many a strange tale of fortunes made and fortunes lost in those wild, halcyon days.
侯波也是當年最早到達加利福尼亞的一個，因此，他能夠說出，在那些遍地黃金，充滿暴力的日子里，多少人發(fā)財致富，多少人傾家蕩產。
He had been a scout too, and a trapper, a silver explorer, and a ranchman.
他做過斥候，捕捉過野獸，也曾尋找過銀礦，并且在收場里當過工人。
Wherever stirring adventures were to be had, Jefferson Hope had been there in search of them.
只要哪里傳出有冒險的事業(yè)，他就要前去探求一番。
He soon became a favourite with the old farmer, who spoke eloquently of his virtues.
很快地他就獲得了老農的歡心，他不斷地夸獎著侯波。
On such occasions, Lucy was silent, but her blushing cheek and her bright, happy eyes showed only too clearly that her young heart was no longer her own.
在這當兒，露茜總是默默無言。但是，她那紅暈的雙頰、明亮而幸福的眼睛，都非常清楚地說明，她的那顆年輕的心，已經不再屬于她自己了。
Her honest father may not have observed these symptoms, but they were assuredly not thrown away upon the man who had won her affections.
她那誠實的老父也許還沒有看出這些征兆，但無疑地，這些征兆并沒有逃過這個贏得她芳心的小伙子的那雙眼睛。
One summer evening he came galloping down the road and pulled up at the gate.
一個夏天的傍晚，侯波騎著馬從大道上疾馳而過，向著費瑞厄家門口跑來。
She was at the doorway, and came down to meet him. He threw the bridle over the fence and strode up the pathway.
露茜正在門口，她走向前去迎接他。他把韁繩拋在籬垣上，大踏步沿著門前小徑走了過來。
"I am off, Lucy," he said, taking her two hands in his, and gazing tenderly down into her face: "I won't ask you to come with me now, but will you be ready to come when I am here again?"
"我要走了，露茜，"他說著，一面握住她的兩只手，溫柔地瞧著她的臉，"現在我不要求你馬上跟我一塊兒走，但是當我回來的時候，你能不能決定和我走呢？"
"And when will that be?" she asked, blushing and laughing.
"可是，你什么時候回來呢？"她含羞帶笑地問道。
"A couple of months at the outside. I will come and claim you then, my darling. There's no one who can stand between us."
"頂多兩個月，親愛的。那個時候，你就要屬于我了，誰也阻擋不了咱們。"
"And how about father?" she asked.
她問道："可是，父親的意見怎么樣？"
"He has given his consent, provided we get these mines working all right. I have no fear on that head."
"他已經同意了，只要我們的銀礦進行得順利就行。我倒并不擔心這個問題。"
"Oh, well; of course, if you and father have arranged it all, there's no more to be said," she whispered, with her cheek against his broad breast.
"哦，那就行了。只要你和父親把一切都安排好了，那就用不著多說了。"她輕輕地說著，一面把她的面頰偎依在他那寬闊的胸膛上。
"Thank God!" he said, hoarsely, stooping and kissing her. "It is settled, then. The longer I stay, the harder it will be to go.
"感謝上帝！"他聲音粗啞地說，一面彎下身去吻著她，"那么，事情就這樣決定了。我愈呆得久，就會愈加難舍難分。
They are waiting for me at the canon. Good-bye, my own darling–good-bye. In two months you shall see me."
他們還在峽谷里等著我呢。再見吧，我的親愛的，再見了！不到兩個月，你一定就會見到我了。"
He tore himself from her as he spoke, and, flinging himself upon his horse, galloped furiously away, never even looking round, as though afraid that his resolution might fail him if he took one glance at what he was leaving.
他一邊說，一邊從她的懷里掙脫出來，翻身上馬，頭也不回地奔馳而去，好象只要他稍一回顧他所離別的人兒，他的決心就要動搖了。
She stood at the gate, gazing after him until he vanished from her sight.
她站在門旁，久久地望著他，一直到他的身影消逝不見。
Then she walked back into the house, the happiest girl in all Utah.
然后她才走進屋去，她真是整個猶他地方最幸福的一個姑娘了。
