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Night had now fallen, and the flames of the frequent furnaces were roaring and leaping in the darkness.
现在天已完全黑了，黑暗中高炉喷出的火焰在嘶列着、跳跃着发出闪光。
Against their lurid background dark figures were bending and straining,
在红光映照中，一些黑色的身影在随着起重机或卷扬机的动作，
twisting and turning, with the motion of winch or of windlass, to the rhythm of an eternal clank and roar.
和着铿锵声与轰鸣声的旋律，弯腰、用力、扭动、转身。
"I guess hell must look something like that," said a voice.
"我想地狱一定是这个样子，"有人说道。
McMurdo turned and saw that one of the policemen had shifted in his seat and was staring out into the fiery waste.
麦克默多转回身来，看到一个警察动了动身子，望着外面炉火映红的荒原。
"For that matter," said the other policeman, "I allow that hell must be something like that.
"就这一点来说，"另一个警察说道，"我认为地狱一定向像这个样子。
If there are worse devils down yonder than some we could name, it's more than I'd expect. I guess you are new to this part, young man?"
我不认为，那里的魔鬼会比我们知道的更坏。年轻人，我想你刚到这地方吧？"
"Well, what if I am?" McMurdo answered in a surly voice.
"嗯，我刚到这里又怎么样？"麦克默多粗暴无礼地答道。
"Just this, mister, that I should advise you to be careful in choosing your friends. I don't think I'd begin with Mike Scanlan or his gang if I were you."
"是这样，先生，我劝你选择朋友要小心谨慎。我要是你，我不会一开头就和迈克·斯坎伦或他那一帮人交朋友。"
"What the hell is it to you who are my friends?" roared McMurdo in a voice which brought every head in the carriage round to witness the altercation.
"我和谁交朋友，这干你屁事！"麦克默多厉声说道。他的声音惊动了车厢内所有的人，大家都在看他们争吵。
"Did I ask you for your advice, or did you think me such a sucker that I couldn't move without it?
"我请你劝告我了吗？还是你认为我是个笨蛋，不听你的劝告就寸步难行？
You speak when you are spoken to, and by the Lord you'd have to wait a long time if it was me!"
有人跟你说话你再张口，我要是你呀，嗨！还是靠边呆会儿吧！"
He thrust out his face and grinned at the patrolmen like a snarling dog.
他把脸冲向警察，咬牙切齿，像一只狺狺狂吠的狗。
The two policemen, heavy, good-natured men, were taken aback by the extraordinary vehemence with which their friendly advances had been rejected.
这两个老练、温厚的警察对这种友好的表示竟遭到这么强烈的拒绝，不免都大吃一惊。
"No offense, stranger," said one. "It was a warning for your own good, seeing that you are, by your own showing, new to the place."
"请不要见怪！先生，"一个警察说道，"看样子，你是初到此地的。我们对你提出警告，也是为了你好嘛。"
"I'm new to the place; but I'm not new to you and your kind!" cried McMurdo in cold fury.
"我虽是初到此地，可是我对你们这一类货色却并不生疏，"麦克默多无情地怒喊道。
"I guess you're the same in all places, shoving your advice in when nobody asks for it."
"我看你们这些人是天下乌鸦一般黑，收起你们的规劝吧，没有人需要它。"
"Maybe we'll see more of you before very long," said one of the patrolmen with a grin. "You're a real hand-picked one, if I am a judge."
"我们不久就要再会的，"一个警察冷笑着说道，"我要是法官的话，我敢说你可真是百里挑一的好东西了。"
"I was thinking the same," remarked the other. "I guess we may meet again."
"我也这样想，"另一个警察说，"我想我们后会有期的。"
"I'm not afraid of you, and don't you think it!" cried McMurdo.
"我不怕你们，你们也休想吓唬我。"麦克默多大声喊道。
"My name's Jack McMurdo -- see? If you want me, you'll find me at Jacob Shafter's on Sheridan Street, Vermissa; so I'm not hiding from you, am I?
"我的名字叫杰克·麦克默多，知道吗？你们要找我的话，可以到维尔米萨谢里登街的雅各布·谢夫特公寓去找，我决不会躲避你们。
Day or night I dare to look the like of you in the face -- don't make any mistake about that!"
不管白天晚上，我都敢见你们这一类家伙。你们别把这弄错了。"
There was a murmur of sympathy and admiration from the miners at the dauntless demeanour of the newcomer,
新来的人这种大胆的行动引起了矿工们的同情和称赞，他们低声议论，
while the two policemen shrugged their shoulders and renewed a conversation between themselves.
两个警察无可奈何地耸耸肩，又互相窃窃交谈。
A few minutes later the train ran into the ill-lit station, and there was a general clearing; for Vermissa was by far the largest town on the line.
几分钟以后，火车开进一个灯光暗淡的车站，这里有一片空旷地，因为维尔米萨是这一条铁路线上最大的城镇。
McMurdo picked up his leather gripsack and was about to start off into the darkness, when one of the miners accosted him.
麦克默多提起皮革旅行包，正准备向暗处走去，一个矿工走上前和他攀谈起来。
"By Gar, mate! you know how to speak to the cops," he said in a voice of awe.
"哎呀，老兄，你懂得怎样对这些警察讲话，"他敬佩地说。
"It was grand to hear you. Let me carry your grip and show you the road. I'm passing Shafter's on the way to my own shack."
"听你讲话，真叫人痛快。我来给你拿旅行包，给你领路。我回家路上正好经过谢夫特公寓。"
There was a chorus of friendly "Good-nights" from the other miners as they passed from the platform.
他们从月台走过来时，其他的矿工都友好地齐声向麦克默多道晚安。
Before ever he had set foot in it, McMurdo the turbulent had become a character in Vermissa.
所以，尽管还没立足此地，麦克默多这个捣乱分子已名满维尔米萨了。
