Nobody laughed

沒人笑得出來

It wasn’t, more than others of its size, a dull town.相比于其他城鎮的規模，這個城鎮并不乏味。Buzz McCleary got drunk regularly once a month and got?arrested, and for two summers there was a semi-professional baseball team.布茲·麥克利里每月固定大醉一場然后被抓。兩個夏季以來，那兒都有個半職業棒球隊。Sol Grey managed the promoting?of the ball team.索爾·格雷在掌管著球隊的升遷。He went about town to the?druggist, the banker, the local Standard Oil manager and others, and got them?to put up money.他去鎮上找藥商，銀行家，當地標準石油經理還有其他人籌集資金。Some of the players were?hired outright.其中有一些運動員是全職雇傭。They were college boys having a little fun during?their vacation time, getting board and cigarette money, playing under assumed?names, not to hurt their amateur standing.他們是暑期出來尋歡作樂的，拿著住宿費和煙火費，假以他人名義，為的是不讓他們業余水平受損的大學生。Then there were two fellowsfrom the coal mining country a hundred miles to the north in a neighboring?state.有兩個來自一百英里外煤礦鄉下的小伙子往北來到了臨近的州。The handle factory gave these?men jobs.處理廠給了這幾人工作。Bugs Calloway was one of?these.布格斯·卡洛韋是其中之一。He was home run hitter andafterwards got into one of the big leagues.他贏了本壘打然后就加入到大的聯盟去了。That made the town pretty?proud.這事讓鎮里的人感到十分驕傲。“It puts us on the map, “Sol?Grey said.索爾·格雷說：“我們這個鎮出名啦！”?However, the baseball team couldn’t carry on.可是，棒球隊沒法繼續走下去。It had been a small league and the league went to?pieces.曾經他們是個小聯盟而現在卻支離破碎。Things got dull after that.在那之后，事情也變得乏味了。In a such emergency the town had to give attention to?Hallie and Pinhead Perry.在危急之時，小鎮把目光投到了哈利和笨佩里身上。

（6）The Perrys had been in?Greenhope since the town was very small.在小鎮剛發展的時候，佩里們就住在格林霍普。Greenhope was a town of the?upper South, and there had been Perrys there ever since long before the Civil?War.格林霍普是南方上游的一個城鎮。在內戰爆發前，佩里家族就住在那里了。There were rich Perrys,?well-to-do Perrys, a Perrys who was a preacher, and one who had been a?brigadier general in the Northern army in the Civil War.佩里家族中有的很富有，有的很能干，有的是牧師，還有的曾是南北內戰中北方軍隊的陸軍準將。That didn’t go so well with?the other well-to-do Perrys.但他們卻與家族其他富有的人相處得不好。They liked to keep reminding?people that the Perrys were of the South.他們喜歡向人們吹噓說佩里家族就是整個南方。“The Perrys are one of the?oldest and best families of the old South,” they said.“佩里家族是老南方中歷史悠久又優秀的家族之一。”They kept pretty quiet about Brigadier General Perry who?went over to the damned Yanks.但他們卻對佩里將軍投奔北方美國佬的事情保持沉默。

As for Pinhead Perry, he, to be sure, belonged to the?no account branch of the Perrys.至于笨佩里，毫無疑問是屬于地位卑微的家族分支。The tree of even the best?Southern family must have some such branches.即使是優秀的南方家族族譜也會有這樣的分支。Look at the Pinametters.But let’s not drag in names.但我們不要對號入座。?Pinhead Perrys was poor.笨佩里很窮。He was born poor, and he was?simpleminded. He was undersized.他出身貧寒，頭腦簡單，身材又矮小。A girl named Mag Hunter got?into trouble with a Perrys named Robert, also of the no account Perrys, and?Mag’s father went over to Robert’s father’s house one night with a shotgun.一個叫瑪格·亨特的女孩同樣與也是佩里家族地位卑微的叫羅伯特惹了麻煩。于是有天晚上她的父親帶了把槍去他家找他。After Robert married Mag he?lit out.在他們結婚后，羅伯特就離家出走了。No one knew where he went, but?everyone said he went over into a neighboring state, into the coal mining?country.沒有人知道他去哪里，但所有人都說他去了隔壁州一個鄉下挖煤。He was a big man with a big?nose and hard fists.他是一個有著大鼻子和結實拳頭的大個子。“What the hell’d I want a wife for? Why keep a cow?when milk’s so cheap?” he said before he went away.他在離家出走前說：“我要一個妻子干什么？當牛奶很便宜的時候還需要養著奶牛嗎？”

（7）They called his son Pinhead,?begin calling him that when he was a little thing.周圍的人都在他很小的時候就叫他笨腦瓜。His mother worked in the?kitchen of several well-to-do families in Greenhope but it was a little hard?for her to get a job, what with Negro help so cheap and her having Pinhead.他的母親在格林霍普幾個富有人家的廚房干活，因為有廉價黑人的競爭，還要照顧笨佩里，她很難找到工作。Pinhead was a little?off in the head from the first, but not so much.笨佩里偏離的頭部有點小，但不是很小。

His father was a big man but the only thing big about?Pinhead was his nose.他的父親是個大個子而笨佩里唯一大的是他的鼻子。It was gigantic. It was a?mountain of a nose. It was very red.鼻子非常巨大，就像山峰一樣，非常的紅。It looked very strange, even grotesque, sticking on?Pinhead.它看起來很奇怪，甚至怪異，就好像粘在笨佩里身上一樣。He was such a?little scrawny thing, sitting often for a half day at a time on the kitchen?step at the back of the house of some well-to-do citizen.他骨瘦如柴，常常半天時間坐在廚房里，不與那些富人們接觸。He was a very quiet child and?his mother, in spite of the rather hard life she had, always dressed him?neatly.他是個安靜的男孩，而他的母親，無論生活多么艱苦，總是給他穿得整整齊齊。Other kitchen help,?the white kitchen help, what there was of it in the Greenhope, wouldn’t have?much to do with Mag Perry, and all the other Perrys are indignant at the very?idea of the calling herself a Perry.其他廚房下手，包括那在格林霍普的白人下手，才不會與瑪格·佩里來往。其他佩里人對叫她自己為佩里感到憤憤不平。It was confusing, they said.他們說，這很令人困惑。The other white kitchen help whispered.?”“She was?only married to Bob Perry a month when the kid was born,”?They said. They?avoided Mag.其他白人廚房下手避免讓她知道而低聲說：“孩子出生的時候，她嫁給了鮑勃·佩里才只一個月而已。

There was a philosopher in the town, a sharp-tongued?lawyer who hadn’t much practice.鎮里有個哲學家，有個說話尖酸但缺乏鍛煉的律師。He explained. The sex morals?of America have to be upheld by the working classes,”?He said.? “The?financial morals are in the hands of the middle-class. That keeps them?busy,”?He said.他解釋說，“美國的性道德要靠這些工人階級來維持。金融道德掌握在中產階級那里，才讓他們十分繁忙。”

（8）Pinhead Perry grew up and his?mother Mag died and Pinhead got married.笨佩里長大了，在他母親逝世后，他結婚了。He married one of Albright?girls...her name was Hallie...from out by Albright’s Creek.他的妻子叫做哈莉，是奧爾布賴特人，來自奧爾布賴特河的地方。She was the youngest one of?eight children and was a cripple.她是個瘸子，十八個孩子中最小的。She was a little pale thing?and had twisted foot.他扭著腳走路，臉色蒼白。“It oughten to be allowed,”?people said. They said such bad blood ought not to be allowed to breed.人們說，“她不能被生出來”They said, “Look at them?Albrights.”“看看這些奧爾布賴特人。”The Albrights were always getting into jail.這些人總是做壞事被抓進監獄。They were horse traders and chicken thieves. Theyweremoon-liquor makers.他們販賣馬匹又拐賣兒童，還偷做月亮酒。

But just the same the Albright were proud and defiant?lot. Old Will Abright, the father, had land of his own. And he had money.他的父親，老威爾·奧爾布賴特有錢又有地，就像和奧爾布賴特一樣又傲慢又目中無人。If it came to paying a fineto get one of his boys out of jail, he could do it.要是讓他交罰款救出在監獄里的眾多孩子之一，他是能夠做到的。He was kind of man who,although he had less less than hundred of acres of land...most of hillside landand not much good, and a big family, mostly boys...always getting drunk, alwaysfighting, always getting into jail for chicken stealing or liquor making,in spite,as they said in Greenhope,of hell and high water...in spite of everything as,you see, he had money.他是那種盡管有少于百畝的土地，而且又不是很好的山坡地，還有個生了很多男孩這樣大家庭的人。這些男孩總是喝醉，打架，總是因為偷東西或者偷偷造酒而被抓入獄。盡管如此，就像他曾在格林霍普說過的，不管一切如何千辛萬苦，他就是有錢。He didn’t put it in a bank. Hecarried it.他沒把錢放在銀行里而是隨身攜帶著。“Old Will’s always got a?roll,” people in town said.“老威爾總是隨身攜帶錢。”鎮里的人如是說。“It’s big enough to choke a?cow,” they said. The town people were impressed.鎮里人印象深刻，說：“這錢很多，多到能夠窒息一頭牛。”It gave Will Albrighta kind of distinction.這錢讓威爾·奧爾布賴特與別人區別開來。That family also had big noses?and old Will had a big walrus mustache.他的家庭同樣也有大鼻子而老威爾留著一副海象胡子。

（10）They were rather a dirty and?a?disorderly?lot, the?Albrights ,and they were sometimes sullen?and defiant ,but just the same ,like the Perrys and other big families of that?country ,they had family?pride.奧爾布賴特家族就像佩里家族還有其他大家族一樣，他們又臟又亂，有時甚至悶悶不樂、目中無人。就因為他們為他們的家族感到自豪。They stuck together.他們都陷入了困境。Suppose you had a few drinks?in town on a Saturday night, and you felt a little quarrelsome and not averse?to a fight yourself, and?you?met one of the Albright boys, say down?in the lower end of town, down by the Greek restaurant, and he got gay and gave?you a little of his lip, and you said to him.假設周六晚上你在鎮上喝了點酒，與某人發生了爭吵，然后在一家希臘人開的餐館，在小鎮的邊角上，他放肆地輕吻了你。“Come on, you big stiff, let’s see what you have got.”接著你對他說：“來吧，大傻瓜，讓我看看你的本事。”?And you got ready to sock him.你也準備好用拳頭打他。?Better not to do that.最好不要那樣。God only knows how many other?Albrights you’d have on your hands.只有上帝才知道你手上有多少奧爾布賴特家族的人命。They’d be like Stinewall?Jackson at the battle of Chancellorsville.他們就像斯通沃爾·杰克遜在切斯勞維爾戰役中一樣。They came down on?you?suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, out of the woods, as it were.他們就和平常一樣突然出現在你面前，你不知道他們從哪里冒出來。?“Now, you take one of that crew. You can’t?trust?‘em. One of them’ll stick a knife into you. That’s what he’ll do”.“現在，干掉這幫人中的一人。你不能相信他們。其中一人會用刀殺了你。他們會那樣做。”?And think of it, little, quiet Pinhead Perry, marrying?into that crew.想一想，又小又安靜的笨佩里是那幫人的人了。He had grown up.他被撫養長大。But that’s no way to put it.He was still small and rather?sick looking.他還是很矮小，帶著病怏怏的表情。Gid knows how he had lived?since his mother died.吉迪恩自從他母親去世后就學會生存。

(11) He had become a beggar.他成了一個乞丐。That was it.就是他。He’d stand before one of the?grocery stores when people were coming out with packages in their hands.他站在一家食品雜貨店前，看著人們手里提著袋子出來。“Hello!” he called all the?other Perrys “cousins” and that was bad.“你好！”他叫著其他佩里的“兄弟姐妹”，但反應不好。“Hello, Cousin John,” or?“Cousin Mary,” or Kate or Harry.“你好，約翰堂兄”或者“瑪麗堂妹”或者凱特或哈利。He smiled in that rather nice little way he had.他以他很好的方式笑了笑。His mouth looked very tiny under his big noses and his?teeth had got black.他的嘴巴在他大鼻子的對照下，看起來很小，牙齒也變黑了。He was crazy about bananas,?“Hello, Cousin Kate . Give me a dime please. I got to get me some bananas.”他熱愛香蕉，“你好，凱特堂兄。請給我一個10美分的硬幣，我想要買些香蕉。”?And there were men, the smart-alecks of the town,?taking up with him too, men who should have known better, encouraging him.那兒還有鎮里聰明的人，和他相好，他們本該相互了解，來鼓勵他。That lawyer…his father was Yank from Ohio…thephilosophic one, always making wisecracks about decent people…getting Pinheadto sweep out his office…he let him sleep up there…and Burt McHugh, the plumber,and Ed Cabe, who ran the poolroom down by the tracks.?那個明哲的律師，他的父親是來自俄亥俄州的美國佬，總是嘲弄正直的人們，總讓笨佩里打掃他的辦公室，讓他睡在那里。還有水管工伯特·麥克休和艾·德索，在鐵軌下開設賭場。

“Pinhead, I think you’d better go up and seeyour Cousin Tom.笨佩里，你最好上去看你的湯姆堂兄。He was asking for you.他正在叫你。I think he’ll give you a quarter.我覺得他會給你一個25分硬幣。”Cousin Tom Perry was cashier?of the biggest bank in town.堂兄湯姆·佩里是鎮上最大銀行的出納員。One of those fellows, damn?smart-alecks, had seen Judge Buchanan…一個他的同事，太聰明了，他見過法官布坎南the Perrys and the Buchanan go?into the bank.佩里和布坎南走進銀行。He was a director.他是個主管There was going to be a director’s meeting.那將要開個主管的會議。There were other men going in.其他人也走了進來。you could depend on Pinhead walking right into the?director’s room where they had the mahogany table and the mahogany chairs.跟著笨佩里就不會走錯會議室，因為那里有紅木桌椅。The Buchanans sure liked to take down the?Perrys.而坎南確定要把佩里干倒。

（12）“You go in there, Pinhead.你去那里，笨佩里。Cousin Tom has been asking for you.湯姆堂兄在叫你呢。He wants to give you a quarter.他想要給你一個25分硬幣。”?“Lordy,” said Burt McHugh, the plumber, “Cousin Tom?give him a quarter, eh? Why, he’d as soon give him an automobile.”“老天爺，”水管工伯特·麥克休說，“湯姆堂兄要給你一個25分硬幣，對吧？為什么他還給他一輛汽車。”?Pinhead took up with the Albrights.笨佩里和奧爾布賴特氏好上。They liked him.他們喜歡他。He’d go out there and stay for?weeks.他們要出去外邊呆上幾周。The Albright place was three?miles out of town.奧爾布賴特氏的地方離小鎮有三英里遠。On a Saturday night, and?sometimes all day on Sundays, there’d be a party out there.周六晚，有時周日一整天那里都有派對。There’d be moon whiskey, plenty of that, and sometimes?some of the men from town, even sometimes men who should have known better, men?like Ed Cabe and that smarty lawyer, or even maybe Willy Buchanan, the judge’s?youngest son, the one who drank so hard and they said had a cancer.那兒有許多月亮威士忌酒。有時從鎮里來的人，有些是應該比較出名的，像艾·德索，聰明的律師，甚至是法官最小的兒子威利·布坎南，喝得爛醉，說自己得了癌癥。

And all kinds of rough people.還有所有粗魯的人。

There were two older Albright girls, unmarried, Sallyand Katherine,and it was said they were “putting out.”薩莉和凱瑟琳是兩位大年紀，還未結婚的奧爾布賴特氏女孩。據說他們被趕出家門。Drinking and sometimes dancing?and singing and general hell-raising and maybe a fight or two.她們喝著酒，有時唱歌跳舞，還愛惹麻煩甚至打架。

“What the hell?” old Will Albright said“他媽的？”老威爾·奧爾布賴特說…his wife was dead and Sally?and Katherine did the housework…他的妻子死了而薩莉和凱瑟琳在干家務活“What the hell? It’s my farm.

It’s my house. A man’s king in his own house, ain’t he?”“他媽的？這是我的農場，我的房子，老子的地盤老子做主，不是么？”

Pinhead grew fond of the little crippled Albright?girl, little twisted-footed Hallie.笨佩里對有點殘廢跛腳的哈莉漸生愛意。And he’d sit out there in that?house, dancing and all that kind of a jamboree going on…in a corner of the big?untidy bare room at the front of the house, two of the Albright boys playing?guitars and singing rough songs at the tops of their voices.他呆在屋里，在舉行的派對里跳舞，而在又雜亂又空空的大房間角落，兩個奧爾布賴特男孩正在彈著吉他，用高音唱著難聽的歌。

（13）If the Albright boys were?sullen and looking for a fight when they came to town, they weren’t so much?like that at home.當奧爾布賴特男孩來到鎮里的時候，如果他們沉著臉，并找人打架，但他們在家里卻不那樣子。They’d be singing some song?like “Hand Me Down My Bottle of Moon” and that one about the warden and the?prisoners in the prison, you know, on a Christmas morning, the warden trying to?be Santa Claus to the boys and what the old hardboiled prisoner said to him,?the two older Albright girls dancing maybe with a couple of the men from?town—old Will Albright…他們正唱著像“把月亮瓶交給我”這樣的歌曲。還有你知道的，監獄里的犯人和監獄長，在圣誕日的早上，獄長試著像圣誕老人一樣對待這兩個男孩，而有個又老又強硬的犯人跟他說，那兩個跳著舞的大齡奧爾布賴特女孩也許和來自鎮里的男人呆在一起。he was sure boss in his ownfamily…sitting over near the fireplace, chewing tobacco andkeeping time with his feet.老威爾·奧爾布賴特是一家之長，坐在壁爐旁邊，嚼著煙草，用雙腳記錄著時間。He’d spit clean and sharp?right through his walrus mustache and never leave a trace.他把痰吐干凈，理直他的海象胡須，從未留下痕跡。That lawyer said he could keep perfect time with his?feet and his jaws.那個律師說他用雙腳和下巴就能夠數出完美的時間。“Look at it,” he said, “there?ain’t another man in the state can spit like Old Will.”“快看！”，他說：“州里還沒有誰能夠像老威爾那樣吐痰。”?Pinhead sitting quietly over in a corner with his?Hallie.笨佩里安靜地與哈莉坐在角落里。They both smiled softly.他們都輕輕地笑。Pinhead didn’t drink.笨佩里沒喝酒，也不會喝酒。He wouldn’t. “You let him?alone,” Will Albright said to his boys.威爾·奧爾布賴特對那些男孩說：“讓他一人呆著。”Pinhead and Hallie got married one Saturday night andthere was a big party, everyonehowling drunk.笨佩里和哈莉結婚了。周六晚上舉行了一個盛大的派對，所有人都喝得酩酊大醉。Two of the guests wrecked a car?trying to get back to town and one of them, Henry Haem…a nice young fellow, a?clerk in Williamson’s drygoods store…you wouldn’t think he’d want to associate?with such people...he got his arm broke .兩個他的客人，在回鎮里的路上出了車禍。其中一個人很好的年輕人，叫亨利·海姆，是威廉姆森紡織品商店的店員，你想不到他會去巴結這些人…結果他的胳膊斷了。Will Albright gave Pinhead and?Hallie ten acres of land…good enough land…not too good boys built them a house.威爾·奧爾布賴特給笨佩里和哈莉他們十英畝的地…足夠好的土地…建上房子就更好了。It wasn’t much of a house but?you could live in it if you were hardly enough.房子雖然不大，但夠你住的了。?Neither Pinhead nor Hallie was so very hard.笨佩里和哈莉都不辛苦。

(14) They lived. They had children.他們住了下來，而且有了孩子。People said there had been ten of the children.人們說他們有十個孩子。Pinhead and Hallie were getting pretty old.笨佩里和哈莉越來越老了。It was after the Albrights were all gone.在奧爾布賴特之后的都去世了。Pinhead was nearly seventy and Hallie was even older.笨佩里幾乎70歲了而哈莉則更老。Woman in town said, “How could?she ever have had all of those children?”鎮里的女人說，“她以前怎么可能有過那些孩子？”

“ I’d like to know,” they said.“我想要知道，”他們說。

The children were nearly all gone.他們的孩子幾乎都沒了。Some had died.有些已經死了。An officer had descended on?the family and four of the children had been carried off to a state?institution.一位官員突然來訪，并把其中四個孩子帶到國家機構去。

There were left only Pinhead and Hallie andone daughter.只剩下笨佩里和哈莉還有一個女兒。They had managed to cling to?her and the little strip of land given them by Will Abright, but the house, a?mere shed in the beginning, was now in ruins.他們設法依賴她還有威爾·奧爾布賴特給的小帶狀土地，但是房子前方很小的棚屋，不過現在已損壞了。Every day the three people?struck out for town where now, the philosophic lawyer being died, a new one had?taken his place.每天他們三個從明哲的律師死去的地方出發去鎮里，就有新的人來代替他們。There will always be at least?one such smarty in every town.每個鎮至少總是有個聰明的人。This one was a tall, slender?young man who had inherited money and was fond of race horses.這是個又高又瘦，繼承了家產又熱愛賽馬的年輕人。?He was also passionately fond of practicaljokes.他同樣也熱愛惡作劇。?The plumber, Burt McHugh, was also gone, but there?were new men, Ed Hollman the sheriff, Frank Collins, another young lawyer, Joe?Walker, who owned the hotel, and Bob Cairn, who ran the weekly newspaper in?Greenhope.水管工伯特·麥克休同樣也去世了。不過新來了一些人，有警長愛德華·霍爾曼；另一個年輕的律師弗蘭克·柯林斯；酒店長喬·沃克；格林霍普周報的編輯鮑勃·凱恩。

There were the men who with Sol Grey and others had?helped organize the baseball team.還有其他人和索爾·格雷一起的組建了棒球隊。They went to every game.他們每場比賽都去。When the team disbanded they were heartbroken.當球隊解散的時候，他們很傷心。

（15）And there was Pinhead cominginto town followed by Hallie andthe onedaughter.笨佩里帶著妻子哈莉和女兒來到鎮里。Mabel was her name.梅布爾是她的名字。Mabel was tall and gaunt and cross-eyed.梅布爾又高又瘦又是斗雞眼。She was habitually silent and had an odd habit.她習慣性地不說話而且有個古怪的習慣。Let some man or woman stop on the sidewalk and look?steadily at her for a moment and she would cry.如果讓路上的男男女女停下來鎮定地看她一會兒，她就會哭起來。When she did it, Pinhead and?Hallie both ran to her.當她這樣做的時候，笨佩里和哈莉都會跑向她。She was so tall that they had?to stand on tiptoes and reach up, but they both began patting her thin cheeks?and her gaunt shoulders.她太高了，以至于他們倆得踮起腳尖才夠得著。他們輕拍著她的臉頰還有瘦弱的肩膀。“There, there,” they said.“在這里，在這里，”他們說。It didn’t turn out so badly.從未有過這么糟。When someone had made Mabel cry, it usually ended by?Pinhead collecting a nickle or a dime.當有人把梅布爾弄哭了，通常都是笨佩里收集著硬幣給她，她才不會哭。He went up to the guilty one?and smiled softly.他走到哭泣的她身邊，輕輕地笑。“Give her a little something?and she‘ll quit.”“給她點東西她就會停止了。”He said, “She wants a banana.”他說：“她想要一根香蕉。”?He had kept to his plea for bananas.他為香蕉而一直懇求著。It was the best way to get money.這是得到錢的最好方式。He, Hallie and Mabel always walked into town single-file?, Pinhead walking in front...他，哈莉還有梅布爾總是依次一個一個走進鎮里，笨佩里走在前面…although he was old now, he?was still very alive...雖然他老了，但看起來很有生氣…then came Hallie...然后進來的是哈莉…her hair hanging down in strings about her pinched face…她那綁成辮子的頭發垂在她蒼白的臉上…and then Mabel ,very tall and?in the summer barelegged .而后是梅布爾，她非常高，光著腿。Summer or winter she wore the?same dress.無論冬夏都穿著同樣的衣服。

（16）It had been black. It had beengiven her by a window.她的衣服曾是黑色的，是從窗戶里扔出來的。There was a little black hat?that perched with cloth of many colors.那還有一頂帶有許多顏色布料的小黑帽。The colors blended.這些顏色混合在一起。There was a good deal of discussion of the dress in?town.鎮里的人們討論著他們的服飾裝扮。No two people agreed as to its?color.沒有人會同意那樣的顏色。Everything depended?on the angle at which she approached you.每件事都取決于她接近你的角度。

These people came into town every day to beg.每天這些人都來到鎮里乞討。They begged food at the back doors of houses.他們在房子的后門討吃的。The town had grown and many new people had come in?formerly.這個小鎮發展了，人也多了起來。The Perrys came into town?along a dirt road, passing town people who, when there had been a shower and?the road was not too dusty, were out for a drive in buggies and phaetons, but?now the road was paved and they, the Perrys, passed automobiles.佩里們沿著臟兮兮的道路走來，經過鎮里的時候，道路正在清洗不會那么臟。鎮里的人們開著機動車或者四輪馬車出去。不過現在的道路被鋪平了，經過佩里們身邊的都是汽車。It was too bad for the other?Perrys.對于其他的佩里們來說太糟糕了。The family was still?prosperous and had increased in numbers and standing.他們的家族還很興旺，現在又新增了人員。None of the other Perrys took their afternoon drives?out of town by that road.沒有一個佩里們會在下午開車經過那條路。?It was the lack of a baseball team. It was because of?a dull summer.棒球隊里缺人，是因為這個沉悶的夏季。It was Sol Gray, the man who?had the notion of organizing the baseball team, who got the big idea.是因為有組建一支棒球隊，有好主意的索爾·格雷。

He told the others.他告訴其他人。He told Joe Walker the hotel man and Bob Cairn who was?editor of the newspaper.他告訴酒店長喬·沃克和報社編輯鮑勃·凱恩。He explained. He said that he?was standing in front of a store.他解釋著說他那會兒站在一家商店前。?“I was in front of Herd’s grocery,” he said.他說：“我那時在赫德的雜貨店前。”He had just been standing?there when the three Perrys had come along.他只是站在那里，看著他們三個走過來。He thought that Pinhead had?intended to ask him for a nickel or a dime.他想著笨佩里打算向他乞討一塊硬幣。Anyway Pinhead had stopped.但是笨佩里卻沒有。Sol thought he must have been thinking of something of?something else.索爾在想，他肯定在想著別的事情。Perhaps he was trying to think?of some way to break the monotony of life in Greenhope that summer.也許他正想著一些方法來打破這個夏天在格林霍普單調的生活。He found himself staring hard?and long, not at Mabel but at Hallie Perry.他發現自己久久地凝視著哈莉·佩里而不是他的女兒梅布爾。

（17）He did it unconsciously like?that and didn’t know how long he had keep it up, but suddenly there had come a?queer change over Pinhead.他無意識地凝視著，不知道看了多久，突然出現一個同性戀改變了笨佩里的想法。?“Why, you all know Pinhead,” Soul said, the men were?all gathered that day before Doc Forman’s drugstore.索爾說：“為什么，你們都知道笨佩里的。”這些人都在那天聚集在福爾曼醫生的藥店前。Sol kept bending over and?slapping his knees with his hands as he told of what had happened, He had been?staring at Hallie that way, not thinking of what he was doing, and Pinhead ha?got suddenly and furiously jealous.索爾保持彎腰的姿勢，用手拍打著膝蓋，當他說著話的時候，用那樣的眼神注視著哈莉，不知道他在干什么。笨佩里這時就突然很生氣，吃醋起來。?Pinhead had no doubt intended to ask Sol for a nickel?or a dime to buy bananas.笨佩里無疑要向索爾乞討一枚硬幣去買香蕉。Up to that moment no one in?town had ever seen Pinhead angry.直到那一刻，之前還沒有人見過笨佩里生氣的樣子。?“Well, did he get sore?” Sol Grey cried.“怎么，他生氣了？”索爾·格雷大聲說。He shook with laughter.他搖晃著笑了笑。Pinhead had begun to berate?him. “You let my woman alone!”笨佩里開始嚴厲地責備他說, “你別管我的女人！”?“What do you mean staring at my woman?”“盯著我的女人看是什么意思？”?“I won’t have any man fooling with my woman!”“我不會讓任何男人欺負我的女人的！”?It was pretty rich.他十分富有。Pinhead had got the idea intohis head that Sol…he was alumberand coaldealer… a man who took pride in his clothes… a married man… the crazy loon hadthought Sol was trying to make up to Pinhead’s wife.笨佩里有了主意：索爾是個廢物兼煤炭交易商，是個為他的著裝感到驕傲的人，是個結了婚的人。笨佩里這個瘋子以為索爾正在拍他妻子的馬屁。?It was something gaudy. It was something to talk and?to laugh about. It was something to work on.有些東西很花哨，有些事情需要說說笑笑，有些則需要好好做。Sol said that Pinhead had?offered to fight him.索爾說笨佩里有要打他的沖動。“My god”, cried Joe Walker.“我的天！”，喬·沃克大喊。Pinhead Perry was past seventy?by that time and there was Hallie with her lame foot and her goiter.笨佩里已經七十多歲了，陪伴他的是跛著腳還有甲腫的哈莉。

And all three of the Perrys so hopelessly dirty.他們三個是多么的骯臟。

“My God! Oh My Lord! He thinks she’s beautiful!” Joe?Walker cried.“我的天，我的地！他覺得她很漂亮！”喬·沃克大喊。

“Swell” said Bob Cairn.“那是腫脹。”鮑勃·凱恩說。The newspaper man, who was

always looking for ideas, had one at once.這位總是尋找靈感的報社編輯，馬上想到了這個詞。

（18）And all three of the Perrys so?hopelessly dirty.他們三個是多么的骯臟。

“My God! Oh my Lord! He thinks she’s beautiful,” Joe

Walker cried.“我的天，我的地！他覺得她很漂亮！”喬·沃克大喊。

“Swell,” said Bob Cairn.“那是腫脹。”鮑勃·凱恩說。The newspaper man, who was?always looking for ideas, had one at once.這位總是尋找靈感的報社編輯，馬上想到了這個詞。

It sure had innumerable funny angles and all the men?went to work.當然有數不盡有趣的角度去解讀，但所有人都得工作。They began stopping Pinhead on?the street.他們開始在街上阻止笨佩里。He would be coming along?followed by the two women, but the man who had stopped the little procession?would draw Pinhead aside.他獨自走來，后面跟著他的妻兒，而那個阻止他妻兒的人則把笨佩里拉到一旁。“It’s like this”, he’d say.對他說：“像這樣。”He’d declare he hated to bring?the matter up but he thought he should.他已經宣稱他討厭把事情弄大，但他覺得他應該會。“A man’s a man,” he’d say.他說：“一個男人的男人。”“He can’t have other men fooling around with his?woman.”“他不能讓其他的男人欺負他的妻子。”It was so much fun to see the serious, baffled, hurt?look in Pinhead’s eyes.看到笨佩里嚴肅，困惑，痛苦的雙眼就覺得很有趣。There would be dark hints cast?out.那或許會有模糊的暗示出來。

The man who had taken Pinchead aside spoke of an?evening, a night in fact, of the past.那個拉笨佩里到一旁的人說了一整晚過去的事情。He said he had been out at?night and had come into town past Pinhead’s house.他說他曾經晚上出來，來到鎮里經過笨佩里的家。There was no road out that way?and Pinhead and his two women, when they made their daily trip into town, had?to follow a cow path along Albright Creek to get into the main road, but the?man did not bother to take that into account.那里沒有好走的道路。當笨佩里和他的妻兒在鎮里日常往來的時候，他們不得不跟著奶牛走的路，經過奧爾布賴特河，來到主道上。但那個人卻沒把這事放在心上。

(19) “I was going along the road past your house,”“我在路上走著經過你家。”?There had been various men of the town seen creeping?away from the house at night.似乎鎮上有許多人曾經偷偷地在晚上離開。?No doubt Pinhead was sleep.無疑那會兒笨佩里睡著了。Certain very respectable men of the town were named.無疑鎮里受人尊敬的人被任命起來。There was Hal Pawsey.有哈爾·波西。He kept the jewelry store in Greenhope and was a very shy?modest man.他是個在格林霍普開著家珠寶店，非常害羞謙遜的人。Pinhead rushed into his store?and began to shout.笨佩里跑進他的店里開始大喊大叫。There was a woman, the wife of?the Baptist minister, in the store at that time.那會兒浸禮會牧師的妻子正在里頭。She was seeing about getting?her watch fixed.她是來看看她的手表修好了沒有。Hallie and Mabel were outside?on the sidewalk and they were both crying.哈莉和梅布爾則在外頭哭泣著。Pinhead began beating with?his fists on the glass showcase in the store. He broke the case.笨佩里開始用他的拳頭打碎櫥窗的玻璃搶走珠寶。He used such language that he frightened the Baptist?minister’s wife so that she ran out of the store.他用那樣的話嚇唬著浸禮會牧師的妻子以便可以逃之夭夭。?That was one incident of the summer but there were?many others.那是夏天發生的案件，不過還有許多其他類似的案件。The hotel man, the newspaper?man, the lawyer, Sol Grey, and several others kept busily at work.酒店長，報社編輯，律師，索爾·格雷還有其他人都很忙。

They got Pinhead to tackle a stranger in town, a?traveling man, coming out of a store with bags in his hand, and Pinhead got?arrested and had to serve a term in jail.因為襲擊了鎮里的陌生人，笨佩里被抓入獄。他襲擊的是一位拿著袋子從店里出來的旅客。It was the first time he’d?ever been in jail.這是他第一次被抓入獄。

Then when he was let out, they began again.當他出獄的時候，他們又開始了。It was swell. It was great fun.那又激情又好玩的人和事。There was a story going around town that Pinhead had?begun to beat his wife and that she took it stoically.鎮里傳開來的故事是笨佩里開始打他的妻子而她卻忍了下來。Someone had seen him doing it?on the road into town.有人還看到他一路打他的妻子打到鎮里。They said she just stood and?took it and didn’t cry much.他們說她就只是站著忍著，沒有嚎啕大哭。

（20）The man kept it going.笨佩里繼續這樣做。It was a dull summer.那是個沉悶的夏天。One evening, when the moon was?shining and the corn was getting keen-high, several of the men went in a car?out to pinhead's house.一天晚上，當月光照亮夜空，玉米長到膝蓋高的時候，幾個人開著車直奔笨佩里的家。They left the car in the road?and crept through bushes until they got quite near to the house.他們把車停在路上，然后悄悄地潛入灌木叢直到靠近笨佩里家。One of them had given pinhead?some money and had advised him to spend it to buy a bag of flour.其中一人還給過笨佩里錢并建議他去買包面粉。The man in the bushes could see into the open door of?the shack.在灌木叢里的人能夠看到棚屋開著的門。"My God,” said Joe Walker.“我的天！”喬·沃克說。"Look!" he said. "He's got her tied to?a chair."“看！他要把她綁到椅子上。”

"Ain't that rich?" he said.“他不是很富有嗎？”他說。

Pinhead had Hallie sitting in the One chair of?one-roomed house…笨佩里讓哈莉坐在屋里的椅子上the roof was almost gone and?when it rained the water poured in…屋頂快沒了，下雨的時候雨水會傾瀉而下…and he was tying her to the?chair with a piece of rope.他正試著用繩子把她綁到椅子上。Someone of the men had told?pinhead that another man of the town had planned to visit the house that night.其中有人已經告訴過笨佩里那晚鎮里有人要去他家拜訪。?The men form town lay in the bushes watching.那個鎮里來的人正在灌木叢里看著。The tall daughter Mabel was on the porch outside and?she was crying.而他們長得高的女兒梅布爾在門外哭泣著。Pinhead, having got his wife?to the chair, began to scatter flour on the floor of the room and on the porch?outside.笨佩里已經把他妻子綁在椅子上，然后開始把面粉撒在屋內和門外。He back away from Hallie,?scattering the floor, and she was crying.他背對著哈莉，撒著面粉，而哈莉正哭著。When he had got to the door?and as he was backing across the narrow rickety front porch, he scattered the?flour thickly.當他去門口又回來路過狹窄快散架的前門的時候，把地上的面粉散得更厚了。The idea was that if any one?of Hallie's lovers came, he'd leave his footprints in the flour.他的想法是如果哈莉的任何情人來的時候，就會在地板上留下腳印。

（21）He came out into a little yard?at the front and got under a bush. He sat on the ground under the bush.他出來，走到前門院子，躲到灌木叢里并坐在地上。In the moonlight the men from town could see him?quite plainly.在月光的照射下，鎮里人能夠清清楚楚地看到他。They said after words that he?also began to cry.他們說完話后笨佩里開始哭了。For some reason, even to the?men of Greenhope, who were trying as best they could to get through a dull?summer, the scene from the bushes before Pinhead’s house that night wasn’t?funny.出于某些原因，甚至是格林霍普那些盡他們最大努力度過這個沉悶夏天的人，那晚在笨佩里家灌木叢里看到的那一幕覺得并不有趣。When they had crept out from?under the bushes and had got back to their car and into town, one of them went?to the drugstore and told the story, but nobody laughed.當他們從灌木叢里偷偷溜出來，開車回鎮里的時候，其中一人去了藥店并說了這件事，但沒有人笑得出來。