遠處一聲槍響

“Sounds like there was a rat under there,” said George.

「聽起來下面有隻老鼠。」喬治說。

“We ought to get a trap down there.”

「我們應該在下面放個捕鼠夾。」

Whit broke out, “What the hell’s takin’ him so long?

惠特忍不住爆出一句：「他他媽的怎麼那麼久？

Lay out some cards, why don’t you?

你倒是發牌啊？

We ain’t going to get no euchre played this way.”

這樣下去我們一把尤克都打不成。」

George brought the cards together tightly and studied the backs of them.

喬治把牌緊緊攏在一起，盯著牌背看。

The silence was in the room again.

寂靜又回到了房間裡。

A shot sounded in the distance.

遠處傳來一聲槍響。

The men looked quickly at the old man.

所有人很快地看向老人。

Every head turned toward him.

每一顆頭都轉向他。

For a moment he continued to stare at the ceiling.

有那麼一會兒，他繼續盯著天花板。

Then he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent.

然後他慢慢翻過身，面向牆壁，一聲不響地躺著。

George shuffled the cards noisily and dealt them.

喬治嘩啦嘩啦地大聲洗牌，然後發牌。

Whit drew a scoring board to him and set the pegs to start.

惠特把計分板拉到面前，把插棍插到起點。

Whit said, “I guess you guys really come here to work.”

惠特說：「我看你們是真的來做工的。」

“How do ya mean?” George asked.

「什麼意思？」喬治問。

Whit laughed.

惠特笑了。

“Well, ya come on a Friday.

「你看，你們禮拜五來。

You got two days to work till Sunday.”

到禮拜天之前還得做兩天工。」

“I don’t see how you figure,” said George.

「我不懂你怎麼算的。」喬治說。

Whit laughed again.

惠特又笑了。

“You do if you been around these big ranches much.

「你要是在這些大農場混久了就懂。

Guy that wants to look over a ranch comes in Sat’day afternoon.

想來看看農場怎樣的人，都挑禮拜六下午來。

He gets Sat’day night supper an’ three meals on Sunday, and he can quit Monday mornin’ after breakfast without turning his hand.

他可以吃禮拜六的晚飯、禮拜天三餐，禮拜一早上吃完早飯就走人，一根手指都不用動。

But you come to work Friday noon.

可是你們禮拜五中午就來上工。

You got to put in a day an’ a half no matter how you figure.”

不管怎麼算，你們都得做一天半。」

George looked at him levelly.

喬治平靜地看著他。

“We’re gonna stick aroun’ a while,” he said.

「我們會待一陣子。」他說。

“Me an’ Lennie’s gonna roll up a stake.”

「我跟雷尼要攢一筆錢。」

The door opened quietly and the stable buck put in his head; a lean negro head, lined with pain, the eyes patient.

門悄悄開了，馬廄工探進頭來；一顆瘦削的黑人頭顱，刻滿痛苦的皺紋，眼神很有耐心。

“Mr. Slim.”

「斯林姆先生。」

Slim took his eyes from old Candy.

斯林姆把目光從老坎迪身上移開。

“Huh? Oh! Hello, Crooks.

「嗯？喔！你好，克魯克斯。

What’s’a matter?”

怎麼了？」

“You told me to warm up tar for that mule’s foot.

「你叫我把那頭騾子腳上要用的焦油熱好。

I got it warm.”

我熱好了。」

“Oh! Sure, Crooks.

「喔！好，克魯克斯。

I’ll come right out an’ put it on.”

我馬上出去塗。」

“I can do it if you want, Mr. Slim.”

「你要的話，我可以塗，斯林姆先生。」

“No. I’ll come do it myself.”

「不用。我自己來。」

He stood up.

他站起來。

Crooks said, “Mr. Slim.”

克魯克斯說：「斯林姆先生。」

“Yeah.”

「嗯。」

“That big new guy’s messin’ around your pups out in the barn.”

「那個新來的大個子在穀倉裡弄你的小狗。」

“Well, he ain’t doin’ no harm.

「嗯，他不會怎樣的。

I give him one of them pups.”

我給了他一隻。」

“Just thought I’d tell ya,” said Crooks.

「我只是想跟你說一聲。」克魯克斯說。

“He’s takin’ ’em outa the nest and handlin’ them.

「他把牠們從窩裡拿出來摸。

That won’t do them no good.”

這樣對牠們不好。」

“He won’t hurt ’em,” said Slim.

「他不會傷害牠們的。」斯林姆說。

“I’ll come along with you now.”

「我現在跟你一起過去。」

George looked up.

喬治抬起頭。

“If that crazy bastard’s foolin’ around too much, jus’ kick him out, Slim.”

「要是那個瘋王八蛋鬧得太過分，就把他踢出來，斯林姆。」

Slim followed the stable buck out of the room.

斯林姆跟著馬廄工走出房間。

George dealt and Whit picked up his cards and examined them.

喬治發牌，惠特拿起牌來看。

“Seen the new kid yet?” he asked.

「看過那個新來的妞了沒？」他問。

“What kid?” George asked.

「什麼妞？」喬治問。

“Why, Curley’s new wife.”

「就柯利的新老婆啊。」

“Yeah, I seen her.”

「嗯，我看過。」

“Well, ain’t she a looloo?”

「怎樣，是不是很正？」

“I ain’t seen that much of her,” said George.

「我沒看到多少。」喬治說。

Whit laid down his cards impressively.

惠特鄭重其事地放下牌。

“Well, stick around an’ keep your eyes open.

「那你待久一點，眼睛放亮。

You’ll see plenty.

你會看到很多。

She ain’t concealin’ nothing.

她什麼都不藏。

I never seen nobody like her.

我從沒見過像她這樣的。

She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody.

她一天到晚對每個人拋媚眼。

I bet she even gives the stable buck the eye.

我打賭她連馬廄工都拋。

I don’t know what the hell she wants.”

我真不知道她到底想要什麼。」

George asked casually, “Been any trouble since she got here?”

喬治隨口問：「她來了以後有出過什麼事嗎？」

It was obvious that Whit was not interested in his cards.

很明顯，惠特對手上的牌沒興趣。

He laid his hand down and George scooped it in.

他把牌放下，喬治一把收了回來。

George laid out his deliberate solitaire hand—seven cards, and six on top, and five on top of those.

喬治慢條斯理地排起接龍——七張，上面六張，再上面五張。

Whit said, “I see what you mean.

惠特說：「我懂你的意思。

No, they ain’t been nothing yet.

沒有，還沒出什麼事。

Curley’s got yella-jackets in his drawers, but that’s all so far.

柯利急得像內褲裡有黃蜂，不過目前也就這樣。

Ever’ time the guys is around she shows up.

每次有男人在，她就出現。

She’s lookin’ for Curley, or she thought she lef’ somethin’ layin’ around and she’s lookin’ for it.

說是在找柯利，或者說她好像把什麼東西忘在哪裡了，要找。

Seems like she can’t keep away from guys.

好像她就是離不開男人。

An’ Curley’s pants is just crawlin’ with ants, but they ain’t nothing come of it yet.”

柯利急得褲子裡像爬滿螞蟻，可是到現在還沒鬧出什麼事。」

George said, “She’s gonna make a mess.

喬治說：「她會鬧出事的。

They’s gonna be a bad mess about her.

她會惹出大麻煩。

She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger.

她就像一個扳機已經扣好、隨時會讓人坐牢的誘餌。

That Curley got his work cut out for him.

那個柯利有得受了。

Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, specially like her.”

一個全是男人的農場不是女孩子待的地方，尤其是她那種。」

Whit said, “If you got idears, you ought ta come in town with us guys tomorra night.”

惠特說：「你要是有那種念頭，明晚就跟我們一起進城。」

“Why? What’s doin’?”

「幹嘛？有什麼活動？」

“Jus’ the usual thing.

「就老樣子。

We go in to old Susy’s place.

我們去老蘇西的店。

Hell of a nice place.

那地方好得很。

Old Susy’s a laugh—always crackin’ jokes.

老蘇西很好笑——一天到晚講笑話。

Like she says when we come up on the front porch las’ Sat’day night.

像上禮拜六晚上我們走上她家前廊的時候。

Susy opens the door and then she yells over her shoulder, ‘Get yor coats on, girls, here comes the sheriff.’

蘇西開了門，回頭大喊：『姑娘們，把外套穿上，警長來囉。』

She never talks dirty, neither.

而且她從來不講髒話。

Got five girls there.”

她那裡有五個姑娘。」

“What’s it set you back?” George asked.

「要花多少錢？」喬治問。

“Two an’ a half.

「兩塊半。

You can get a shot for two bits.

一杯酒兩毛五。

Susy got nice chairs to set in, too.

蘇西那裡還有舒服的椅子可以坐。

If a guy don’t want a flop, why he can just set in the chairs and have a couple or three shots and pass the time of day and Susy don’t give a damn.

要是有人不想睡一覺，他可以就坐在椅子上喝個兩三杯、聊聊天，蘇西也不在乎。

She ain’t rushin’ guys through and kickin’ ’em out if they don’t want a flop.”

她不會催人，不會因為你不想睡就把你趕出去。」

“Might go in and look the joint over,” said George.

「也許可以去看看那地方。」喬治說。

“Sure. Come along.

「好啊。一起來。

It’s a hell of a lot of fun—her crackin’ jokes all the time.

好玩得很——她一直在講笑話。

Like she says one time, she says, ‘I’ve knew people that if they got a rag rug on the floor an’ a kewpie doll lamp on the phonograph they think they’re running a parlor house.’

像有一次她說：『我認識有些人，地上鋪條碎布地毯、留聲機上擺盞丘比娃娃燈，就以為自己在開高級妓院了。』

That’s Clara’s house she’s talkin’ about.

她說的是克拉拉那家。

An’ Susy says, ‘I know what you boys want,’ she says.

蘇西還說：『我知道你們這些小夥子要什麼，』她說。

‘My girls is clean,’ she says, ‘an’ there ain’t no water in my whisky,’ she says.

『我的姑娘都乾淨，』她說，『我的威士忌也不摻水，』她說。

‘If any you guys wanta look at a kewpie doll lamp an’ take your own chance gettin’ burned, why you know where to go.’

『你們誰想去看丘比娃娃燈、自己冒險被燒到（染病），那你們知道該去哪裡。』

An’ she says, ‘There’s guys around here walkin’ bow-legged ’cause they like to look at a kewpie doll lamp.’ ”

她還說：『這附近有些人走路變成 O 型腿，就是因為愛看丘比娃娃燈。』」

George asked, “Clara runs the other house, huh?”

喬治問：「另一家是克拉拉開的，嗯？」

“Yeah,” said Whit.

「對。」惠特說。

“We don’t never go there.

「我們從來不去那裡。

Clara gets three bucks a crack and thirty-five cents a shot, and she don’t crack no jokes.

克拉拉一次收三塊，一杯三毛五，而且她不講笑話。

But Susy’s place is clean and she got nice chairs.

可是蘇西那裡乾淨，還有舒服的椅子。

Don’t let no goo-goos in, neither.”

也不讓菲律賓佬進去。」

“Me an’ Lennie’s rollin’ up a stake,” said George.

「我跟雷尼在攢錢。」喬治說。

“I might go in an’ set and have a shot, but I ain’t puttin’ out no two and a half.”

「我也許會進去坐坐喝一杯，可是我不會花那兩塊半。」

“Well, a guy got to have some fun sometime,” said Whit.

「哎，人總得偶爾找點樂子嘛。」惠特說。

The door opened and Lennie and Carlson came in together.

門開了，雷尼和卡爾森一起走進來。

Lennie crept to his bunk and sat down, trying not to attract attention.

雷尼躡手躡腳走到自己床邊坐下，盡量不引人注意。

Carlson reached under his bunk and brought out his bag.

卡爾森伸手到床底下，拿出他的袋子。

He didn’t look at old Candy, who still faced the wall.

他沒看老坎迪；坎迪還面對著牆壁。

Carlson found a little cleaning rod in the bag and a can of oil.

卡爾森在袋子裡找出一根小通條和一罐油。

He laid them on his bed and then brought out the pistol, took out the magazine and snapped the loaded shell from the chamber.

他把它們放在床上，然後拿出手槍，退出彈匣，把膛裡的子彈啪地退出來。

Then he fell to cleaning the barrel with the little rod.

然後他開始用小通條清理槍管。

When the ejector snapped, Candy turned over and looked for a moment at the gun before he turned back to the wall again.

退殼鉤喀地一響，坎迪翻過身來，看了那把槍一會兒，又轉回去面對牆壁。

Carlson said casually, “Curley been in yet?”

卡爾森若無其事地說：「柯利來過沒？」

“No,” said Whit.

「沒有。」惠特說。

“What’s eatin’ on Curley?”

「柯利又在不爽什麼？」

Carlson squinted down the barrel of his gun.

卡爾森瞇著眼往槍管裡看。

“Lookin’ for his old lady.

「在找他老婆。

I seen him going round and round outside.”

我看到他在外面繞來繞去。」

Whit said sarcastically, “He spends half his time lookin’ for her, and the rest of the time she’s lookin’ for him.”

惠特諷刺地說：「他一半時間在找她，另一半時間是她在找他。」

Curley burst into the room excitedly.

柯利激動地衝進房間。

“Any you guys seen my wife?” he demanded.

「你們有誰看到我老婆？」他質問。

“She ain’t been here,” said Whit.

「她沒來過。」惠特說。

Curley looked threateningly about the room.

柯利惡狠狠地掃視房間。

“Where the hell’s Slim?”

「斯林姆他媽的在哪？」

“Went out in the barn,” said George.

「去穀倉了。」喬治說。

“He was gonna put some tar on a split hoof.”

「他要去替一隻裂開的蹄子塗焦油。」

Curley’s shoulders dropped and squared.

柯利的肩膀一沉，接著一挺。

“How long ago’d he go?”

「他去多久了？」

“Five—ten minutes.”

「五——十分鐘吧。」

Curley jumped out the door and banged it after him.

柯利一個箭步衝出門，砰地把門甩上。

Whit stood up.

惠特站起來。

“I guess maybe I’d like to see this,” he said.

「我想我要去看看。」他說。

“Curley’s just spoilin’ or he wouldn’t start for Slim.

「柯利是皮在癢，不然不會去找斯林姆麻煩。

An’ Curley’s handy, God damn handy.

而且柯利很能打，他媽的很能打。

Got in the finals for the Golden Gloves.

打進過金手套賽的決賽。

He got newspaper clippings about it.”

他還有剪報。」

He considered.

他想了想。

“But jus’ the same, he better leave Slim alone.

「不過還是一樣，他最好別惹斯林姆。

Nobody don’t know what Slim can do.”

沒人知道斯林姆有多厲害。」

“Thinks Slim’s with his wife, don’t he?” said George.

「他以為斯林姆跟他老婆在一起，對吧？」喬治說。

“Looks like it,” Whit said.

「看起來是。」惠特說。

“ ’Course Slim ain’t.

「斯林姆當然沒有。

Least I don’t think Slim is.

至少我覺得斯林姆沒有。

But I like to see the fuss if it comes off.

可是要是真鬧起來，我想看看熱鬧。

Come on, le’s go.”

走吧，我們去。」

George said, “I’m stayin’ right here.

喬治說：「我待在這裡。

I don’t want to get mixed up in nothing.

我不想扯上任何事。

Lennie and me got to make a stake.”

我跟雷尼得攢錢。」

Carlson finished the cleaning of the gun and put it in the bag and pushed the bag under his bunk.

卡爾森擦完槍，把它放回袋子，再把袋子推回床底下。

“I guess I’ll go out and look her over,” he said.

「我想我也去看看。」他說。

Old Candy lay still, and Lennie, from his bunk, watched George cautiously.

老坎迪靜靜躺著；雷尼在自己床上，小心翼翼地看著喬治。