克魯克斯的房間

Crooks, the negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn.

克魯克斯，那個黑人馬廄工，床鋪在馬具間裡；那是靠著穀倉牆壁搭出來的一間小棚子。

On one side of the little room there was a square four-paned window, and on the other, a narrow plank door leading into the barn.

小房間的一邊有一扇四格玻璃的方窗，另一邊是一扇窄窄的木板門，通往穀倉。

Crooks’ bunk was a long box filled with straw, on which his blankets were flung.

克魯克斯的床是一個塞滿稻草的長木箱，上面隨手丟著他的毯子。

On the wall by the window there were pegs on which hung broken harness in process of being mended; strips of new leather; and under the window itself a little bench for leather-working tools, curved knives and needles and balls of linen thread, and a small hand riveter.

窗邊的牆上有幾根木釘，掛著修到一半的破馬具，還有一條條新皮革；窗子底下有一張小工作台，放著做皮件的工具：彎刀、針、一團團亞麻線，和一支小手動鉚釘器。

On pegs were also pieces of harness, a split collar with the horsehair stuffing sticking out, a broken hame, and a trace chain with its leather covering split.

木釘上還掛著幾件馬具：一個裂開、馬鬃填充物露出來的頸圈，一根斷掉的軛木，和一條皮套裂開的挽鏈。

Crooks had his apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses.

克魯克斯的床上方也有一個蘋果箱，裡面是一排藥瓶，有他自己用的，也有給馬用的。

There were cans of saddle soap and a drippy can of tar with its paint brush sticking over the edge.

還有幾罐馬鞍皂，和一罐滴滴答答的焦油，刷子從罐口斜伸出來。

And scattered about the floor were a number of personal possessions; for, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about, and being a stable buck and a cripple, he was more permanent than the other men, and he had accumulated more possessions than he could carry on his back.

地上散放著不少私人物品；因為一個人住，克魯克斯可以把東西隨處放；又因為他是馬廄工、是殘廢，他比其他人更固定，攢下的東西多到背不走。

Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boots, a big alarm clock and a single-barreled shotgun.

克魯克斯有幾雙鞋、一雙橡膠靴、一個大鬧鐘和一把單管獵槍。

And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905.

他也有書；一本破爛的字典，和一本被翻得稀爛的 1905 年版《加州民法典》。

There were battered magazines and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk.

床鋪上方一個專用的架子上，放著幾本破舊的雜誌和幾本黃色書刊。

A pair of large gold-rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed.

床上方牆上的一根釘子，掛著一副大大的金框眼鏡。

This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man.

這房間掃得乾乾淨淨，相當整齊，因為克魯克斯是個驕傲、冷漠的人。

He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs.

他跟人保持距離，也要求別人跟他保持距離。

His body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head, and because of their depth seemed to glitter with intensity.

他的脊椎是歪的，身體向左彎；他的眼睛深陷在眼窩裡，正因為陷得深，看起來閃著強烈的光。

His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles, and he had thin, pain-tightened lips which were lighter than his face.

他瘦削的臉上刻著深黑的皺紋，薄薄的嘴唇因為疼痛而抿緊，顏色比臉淡。

It was Saturday night.

那是週六晚上。

Through the open door that led into the barn came the sound of moving horses, of feet stirring, of teeth champing on hay, of the rattle of halter chains.

從通往穀倉的那扇敞開的門，傳來馬匹走動的聲音、蹄子踏動的聲音、牙齒嚼乾草的聲音、韁繩鐵鏈的嘩啦聲。

In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meager yellow light.

馬廄工的房間裡，一顆小電燈泡投下微弱的黃光。

Crooks sat on his bunk.

克魯克斯坐在床上。

His shirt was out of his jeans in back.

他的襯衫後襬從牛仔褲裡拉了出來。

In one hand he held a bottle of liniment, and with the other he rubbed his spine.

他一手拿著一瓶擦劑，另一手揉著脊椎。

Now and then he poured a few drops of the liniment into his pink-palmed hand and reached up under his shirt to rub again.

他不時把幾滴擦劑倒在粉紅色的掌心，再伸進襯衫裡揉。

He flexed his muscles against his back and shivered.

他繃緊背上的肌肉，打了個哆嗦。

Noiselessly Lennie appeared in the open doorway and stood there looking in, his big shoulders nearly filling the opening.

雷尼無聲無息地出現在敞開的門口，站在那裡往裡看，寬大的肩膀幾乎塞滿了門框。

For a moment Crooks did not see him, but on raising his eyes he stiffened and a scowl came on his face.

克魯克斯一時沒看到他，可是一抬眼，他全身一僵，臉沉了下來。

His hand came out from under his shirt.

他的手從襯衫底下抽了出來。

Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends.

雷尼無助地笑著，想跟他交朋友。

Crooks said sharply, “You got no right to come in my room.

克魯克斯厲聲說：「你沒權利進我的房間。

This here’s my room.

這是我的房間。

Nobody got any right in here but me.”

除了我，誰都沒權利進來。」

Lennie gulped and his smile grew more fawning.

雷尼嚥了一口口水，笑得更討好了。

“I ain’t doing nothing,” he said.

「我沒有要做什麼。」他說。

“Just come to look at my puppy.

「只是來看我的小狗。

And I seen your light,” he explained.

然後我看到你的燈亮著。」他解釋。

“Well, I got a right to have a light.

「哼，我有權利開燈。

You go on get outta my room.

你給我出去。

I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room.”

工寮不歡迎我，我的房間也不歡迎你。」

“Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asked.

「為什麼不歡迎你？」雷尼問。

“ ’Cause I’m black.

「因為我是黑人。

They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black.

他們在那裡面打牌，可是我不能打，因為我是黑人。

They say I stink.

他們說我臭。

Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.”

哼，我跟你說，在我看來，你們每一個都臭。」

Lennie flapped his big hands helplessly.

雷尼無助地揮著他的大手。

“Ever’body went into town,” he said.

「大家都進城了。」他說。

“Slim an’ George an’ ever’body.

「斯林姆、喬治，大家都去了。

George says I gotta stay here an’ not get in no trouble.

喬治說我得待在這裡，別惹麻煩。

I seen your light.”

我看到你的燈。」

“Well, what do you want?”

「那你要幹嘛？」

“Nothing—I seen your light.

「沒有要幹嘛——我看到你的燈。

I thought I could jus’ come in an’ set.”

我以為我可以進來坐坐。」

Crooks stared at Lennie, and he reached behind him and took down the spectacles and adjusted them over his pink ears and stared again.

克魯克斯盯著雷尼，他伸手到背後取下眼鏡，掛到粉紅色的耳朵上戴好，又盯著看。

“I don’t know what you’re doin’ in the barn anyway,” he complained.

「我不知道你到底跑來穀倉幹嘛。」他抱怨。

“You ain’t no skinner.

「你又不是趕騾的。

They’s no call for a bucker to come into the barn at all.

扛袋的根本沒有理由進穀倉。

You ain’t no skinner.

你又不是趕騾的。

You ain’t got nothing to do with the horses.”

你跟馬一點關係都沒有。」

“The pup,” Lennie repeated.

「小狗。」雷尼重複。

“I come to see my pup.”

「我來看我的小狗。」

“Well, go see your pup, then.

「那就去看你的小狗啊。

Don’t come in a place where you’re not wanted.”

別跑到不歡迎你的地方來。」

Lennie lost his smile.

雷尼的笑容不見了。

He advanced a step into the room, then remembered and backed to the door again.

他往房裡走了一步，然後想起來，又退回門口。

“I looked at ’em a little.

「我看了牠們一下下。

Slim says I ain’t to pet ’em very much.”

斯林姆說我不能太常摸牠們。」

Crooks said, “Well, you been takin’ ’em out of the nest all the time.

克魯克斯說：「哼，你一天到晚把牠們從窩裡拿出來。

I wonder the old lady don’t move ’em someplace else.”

母狗沒把牠們叼去別的地方，我還真意外。」

“Oh, she don’t care.

「喔，牠不在意。

She lets me.”

牠讓我摸。」

Lennie had moved into the room again.

雷尼又走進了房裡。

Crooks scowled, but Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him.

克魯克斯皺起眉頭，可是雷尼那讓人卸下防備的笑容打敗了他。

“Come on in and set a while,” Crooks said.

「進來坐一會兒吧。」克魯克斯說。

“ ’Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.”

「既然你不肯出去、不肯讓我一個人，乾脆坐下吧。」

His tone was a little more friendly.

他的語氣友善了一點。

“All the boys gone into town, huh?”

「大家都進城了，嗯？」

“All but old Candy.

「除了老坎迪。

He just sets in the bunk house sharpening his pencil and sharpening and figuring.”

他就坐在工寮裡削鉛筆，削了又削，一直在算。」

Crooks adjusted his glasses.

克魯克斯扶了扶眼鏡。

“Figuring? What’s Candy figuring about?”

「算？坎迪在算什麼？」

Lennie almost shouted, “ ’Bout the rabbits.”

雷尼幾乎是喊出來：「算兔子的事。」

“You’re nuts,” said Crooks.

「你瘋了。」克魯克斯說。

“You’re crazy as a wedge.

「你瘋得跟楔子一樣。

What rabbits you talkin’ about?”

你在說什麼兔子？」

“The rabbits we’re gonna get, and I get to tend ’em, cut grass an’ give ’em water, an’ like that.”

「我們要養的兔子，我要照顧牠們，割草、給牠們喝水，就那些。」

“Jus’ nuts,” said Crooks.

「根本瘋了。」克魯克斯說。

“I don’t blame the guy you travel with for keepin’ you outa sight.”

「難怪跟你一起的那傢伙不讓你見人。」

Lennie said quietly, “It ain’t no lie.

雷尼靜靜地說：「那不是騙人的。

We’re gonna do it.

我們真的要做。

Gonna get a little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’.”

要買一小塊地，靠那塊地的油水過活。」

Crooks settled himself more comfortably on his bunk.

克魯克斯在床上坐得更舒服一點。

“Set down,” he invited.

「坐吧。」他招呼。

“Set down on the nail keg.”

「坐在那個釘子桶上。」

Lennie hunched down on the little barrel.

雷尼彎著身子坐到那個小桶子上。

“You think it’s a lie,” Lennie said.

「你以為那是騙人的。」雷尼說。

“But it ain’t no lie.

「可是那不是騙人的。

Ever’ word’s the truth, an’ you can ast George.”

每一個字都是真的，你可以去問喬治。」

Crooks put his dark chin into his pink palm.

克魯克斯把黝黑的下巴擱在粉紅色的掌心裡。

“You travel aroun’ with George, don’t ya?”

「你跟喬治一起到處跑，對吧？」

“Sure. Me an’ him goes ever’ place together.”

「對。我跟他去哪裡都一起。」

Crooks continued.

克魯克斯接著說。

“Sometimes he talks, and you don’t know what the hell he’s talkin’ about.

「有時候他講話，你根本不知道他他媽的在講什麼。

Ain’t that so?”

是不是這樣？」

He leaned forward, boring Lennie with his deep eyes.

他往前傾，深陷的眼睛像要鑽進雷尼身上。

“Ain’t that so?”

「是不是這樣？」

“Yeah . . . sometimes.”

「嗯……有時候。」

“Jus’ talks on, an’ you don’t know what the hell it’s all about?”

「就一直講，你根本不知道他在講什麼鬼？」

“Yeah . . . sometimes. But . . . not always.”

「嗯……有時候。可是……不是每次。」

Crooks leaned forward over the edge of the bunk.

克魯克斯從床沿往前傾。

“I ain’t a southern negro,” he said.

「我不是南方的黑人。」他說。

“I was born right here in California.

「我就生在加州。

My old man had a chicken ranch, ’bout ten acres.

我老爸有一個養雞場，大概十英畝。

The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice.

白人小孩會來我們家玩，有時候我也去找他們玩，有些人還不錯。

My ol’ man didn’t like that.

我老爸不喜歡這樣。

I never knew till long later why he didn’t like that.

我很久以後才知道他為什麼不喜歡。

But I know now.”

可是我現在知道了。」

He hesitated, and when he spoke again his voice was softer.

他遲疑了一下，再開口時聲音輕了些。

“There wasn’t another colored family for miles around.

「方圓好幾英里，沒有第二戶有色人家。

And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch an’ there’s jus’ one family in Soledad.”

現在這個農場上一個有色人種都沒有，索萊達也只有一戶。」

He laughed.

他笑了。

“If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it.”

「我說什麼，嘿，也只是一個黑鬼在說。」

Lennie asked, “How long you think it’ll be before them pups will be old enough to pet?”

雷尼問：「你覺得那些小狗還要多久才夠大可以摸？」

Crooks laughed again.

克魯克斯又笑了。

“A guy can talk to you an’ be sure you won’t go blabbin’.

「跟你講話，可以放心你不會到處亂說。

Couple of weeks an’ them pups’ll be all right.

再過兩三個禮拜，那些小狗就沒問題了。

George knows what he’s about.

喬治很清楚自己在幹嘛。

Jus’ talks, an’ you don’t understand nothing.”

就是一直講，你什麼都聽不懂。」

He leaned forward excitedly.

他激動地往前傾。

“This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger.

「這只是一個黑鬼在講話，一個背斷掉的黑鬼。

So it don’t mean nothing, see?

所以不算什麼，懂吧？

You couldn’t remember it anyways.

反正你也記不住。

I seen it over an’ over—a guy talkin’ to another guy and it don’t make no difference if he don’t hear or understand.

我一次又一次看到——一個人跟另一個人講話，對方有沒有聽見、聽不聽得懂，根本沒差。

The thing is, they’re talkin’, or they’re settin’ still not talkin’.

重點是他們在講話，或者靜靜坐著不講話。

It don’t make no difference, no difference.”

沒差，一點都沒差。」

His excitement had increased until he pounded his knee with his hand.

他越講越激動，最後用手捶著自己的膝蓋。

“George can tell you screwy things, and it don’t matter.

「喬治可以跟你講一堆瘋話，沒關係。

It’s just the talking.

重要的就只是講話。

It’s just bein’ with another guy.

只是跟另一個人在一起。

That’s all.”

就這樣而已。」

He paused.

他停了下來。

His voice grew soft and persuasive.

他的聲音變得輕柔、帶著誘導。

“S’pose George don’t come back no more.

「假如喬治不回來了呢。

S’pose he took a powder and just ain’t coming back.

假如他溜了，就是不回來了。

What’ll you do then?”

那你怎麼辦？」

Lennie’s attention came gradually to what had been said.

雷尼的注意力慢慢轉到這句話上。

“What?” he demanded.

「什麼？」他追問。

“I said s’pose George went into town tonight and you never heard of him no more.”

「我說，假如喬治今晚進城，然後你再也沒有他的消息。」

Crooks pressed forward some kind of private victory.

克魯克斯緊追不捨，像在爭取某種只屬於他的勝利。

“Just s’pose that,” he repeated.

「就假設一下。」他重複。

“He won’t do it,” Lennie cried.

「他不會的！」雷尼大喊。

“George wouldn’t do nothing like that.

「喬治不會做那種事。

I been with George a long time.

我跟喬治在一起很久了。

He’ll come back tonight——”

他今晚就會回來——」

But the doubt was too much for him.

可是懷疑太沉重，他承受不住。

“Don’t you think he will?”

「你不覺得他會回來嗎？」

Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture.

克魯克斯的臉因為折磨人的快感而亮了起來。

“Nobody can’t tell what a guy’ll do,” he observed calmly.

「誰也說不準一個人會做什麼。」他平靜地說。

“Le’s say he wants to come back and can’t.

「假設他想回來，卻回不來。

S’pose he gets killed or hurt so he can’t come back.”

假如他被殺了，或是受傷了，所以回不來。」

Lennie struggled to understand.

雷尼努力想弄懂。

“George won’t do nothing like that,” he repeated.

「喬治不會那樣。」他重複。

“George is careful.

「喬治很小心。

He won’t get hurt.

他不會受傷。

He ain’t never been hurt, ’cause he’s careful.”

他從來沒受過傷，因為他很小心。」

“Well, s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back.

「好，假設，就假設他不回來。

What’ll you do then?”

那你怎麼辦？」

Lennie’s face wrinkled with apprehension.

雷尼的臉因為不安而皺成一團。

“I don’ know.

「我不知道。

Say, what you doin’ anyways?” he cried.

喂，你到底想幹嘛？」他大喊。

“This ain’t true.

「這不是真的。

George ain’t got hurt.”

喬治沒有受傷。」