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It was opened at once by someone very different from what he had expected.
门马上打开了，可是开门的人却出乎他意料之外。
It was a woman, young and singularly beautiful. She was of the German type, blonde and fair-haired,
她是一个年轻、美貌出众的德国型女子，玉肤冰肌，发色金黄，
with the piquant contrast of a pair of beautiful dark eyes with which she surveyed the stranger with surprise and a pleasing embarrassment which brought a wave of colour over her pale face.
一双美丽乌黑的大眼睛，惊奇地打量着来客，白嫩的脸儿娇羞得泛出红晕。
Framed in the bright light of the open doorway, it seemed to McMurdo that he had never seen a more beautiful picture; the more attractive for its contrast with the sordid and gloomy surroundings.
在门口明亮的街灯下，麦克默多好像觉得从来没有见过这样美丽的丰姿；她与周围污秽阴暗的环境形成鲜明的对照，更加动人。
A lovely violet growing upon one of those black slag-heaps of the mines would not have seemed more surprising.
即使在这些黑煤渣堆上生出一支紫罗兰，也不会像这女子那样令人惊奇了。
So entranced was he that he stood staring without a word, and it was she who broke the silence.
他神魂颠倒、瞠目结舌地站在那里，还是这女子打破了寂静。
"I thought it was father," said she with a pleasing little touch of a German accent.
"我还以为是父亲呢，"她娇声说道，带点德国口音，
"Did you come to see him? He is down town. I expect him back every minute."
"你是来找他的吗？他到镇上去了。我正盼他回来呢。"
McMurdo continued to gaze at her in open admiration until her eyes dropped in confusion before this masterful visitor.
麦克默多仍在满心爱慕地痴望着她，在这矜持的来访者面前，那女子心慌意乱地低下了头。
"No, miss," he said at last, "I'm in no hurry to see him. But your housewas recommended to me for board. I thought it might suit me -- and now I know it will."
"不是，小姐，"麦克默多终于开口说道，"我不急着找他。可是有人介绍我到你家来住，我想这对我很合适，现在我更知道这是很合适的了。"
"You are quick to make up your mind," said she with a smile.
"你也决定得太快了，"女子微笑着说。
"Anyone but a blind man could do as much," the other answered.
"除非是瞎子，谁都会这样决定的。"麦克默多答道。
She laughed at the compliment. "Come right in, sir," she said. "I'm Miss Ettie Shafter, Mr. Shafter's daughter. My mother's dead, and I run the house.
姑娘听到赞美的话语，莞尔一笑。"先生，请进来，"她说道，"我叫伊蒂·谢夫特小姐，是谢夫特先生的女儿。我母亲早已去世，我管理家务。
You can sit down by the stove in the front room until father comes along. Ah, here he is! So you can fix things with him right away."
你可以在前厅炉旁坐下，等我父亲回来。啊，他来了，有什么事你和他商量吧。"
A heavy, elderly man came plodding up the path. In a few words McMurdo explained his business.
一个老人从小路上慢慢走过来。麦克默多三言两语向他说明了来意。
A man of the name of Murphy had given him the address in Chicago. He in turn had had it from someone else. Old Shafter was quite ready.
在芝加哥，一个叫墨菲的人介绍他到这里来。这个地址是另一个人告诉墨菲的。老谢夫特完全答应下来。
The stranger made no bones about terms, agreed at once to every condition, and was apparently fairly flush of money.
麦克默多对房费毫不犹豫，立刻同意一切条件，显然他很有钱。
For seven dollars a week paid in advance he was to have board and lodging.
他预付了每周七美元的膳宿费。
So it was that McMurdo, the self-confessed fugitive from justice, took up his abode under the roof of the Shafters,
于是这个公然自称逃犯的麦克默多，开始住在谢夫特家里，
the first step which was to lead to so long and dark a train of events, ending in a far distant land.
这最初的一步引出漫长而暗淡的无数风波，其收场则是在天涯的异国。
