维尔米萨三百四十一分会
On the day following the evening which had contained so many exciting events,
这天晚上发生了那么多激动人心的事件,到了第二天,
McMurdo moved his lodgings from old Jacob Shafter's and took up his quarters at the Widow MacNamara's on the extreme outskirts of the town.
麦克默多便从雅各布·谢夫特老人家里搬到镇子最尽头处寡妇麦克娜玛拉家中去住。
Scanlan, his original acquaintance aboard the train, had occasion shortly afterwards to move into Vermissa, and the two lodged together.
他最早在火车上结交的朋友斯坎伦,不久也不约而同地搬到维尔米萨来了,两个人遂同住在一起。
There was no other boarder, and the hostess was an easy-going old Irishwoman who left them to themselves;
这里没有别的房客,女房东是一个很随和的爱尔兰老妇人,一点也不干涉他们的事。
so that they had a freedom for speech and action welcome to men who had secrets in common.
所以他们的言语、行动都很自由,这对于同怀隐私的这两个人可真是再好不过了。
Shafter had relented to the extent of letting McMurdo come to his meals there when he liked;
谢夫特对麦克默多挺厚道,他高兴的时候,就请麦克默多到他家吃饭,
so that his intercourse with Ettie was by no means broken.
所以,麦克默多和伊蒂的来往并没有中断。
On the contrary, it drew closer and more intimate as the weeks went by.
恰恰相反,一星期一星期地过去,他们的来往反而更频繁更亲密。
In his bedroom at his new abode McMurdo felt it safe to take out the coining moulds,
麦克默多觉得他的新居很安全,便把他铸伪币的模子搬到卧室中开起工来,
and under many a pledge of secrecy a number of brothers from the lodge were allowed to come in and see them,
而在保证绝不泄密的条件下,分会中的一些弟兄们就前来观看,
each carrying away in his pocket some examples of the false money, so cunningly struck that there was never the slightest difficulty or danger in passing it.
在每个弟兄离开时,口袋里都装上一些伪币,这些伪币铸造得那么精巧,使用出去从来毫不费难,而且绝无危险。
Why, with such a wonderful art at his command, McMurdo should condescend to work at all was a perpetual mystery to his companions;
麦克默多有了这件绝技,却还要屈身去做工,这在他的会友看来实在是不解之谜,
though he made it clear to anyone who asked him that if he lived without any visible means it would very quickly bring the police upon his track.
可是麦克默多对每一个问到他的人都说明,如果自己没有任何明摆着的收入,那警察很快就会来盘查他的。
One policeman was indeed after him already; but the incident, as luck would have it, did the adventurer a great deal more good than harm.
一个警察确实已经盯上了麦克默多,不过这件枝节小事,巧得很,不仅没有给这位冒险家带来丝毫损害,反而使他声誉大振。
After the first introduction there were few evenings when he did not find his way to McGinty's saloon,
自从第一天介绍他和弟兄们相见以后,麦克默多几乎每晚都设法到麦金蒂的酒馆里去,
there to make closer acquaintance with "the boys," which was the jovial title by which the dangerous gang who infested the place were known to one another.
在那里更亲近地结识"哥儿们",谁都知道,这是对那些出没此地的一伙危险人物的尊称。
His dashing manner and fearlessness of speech made him a favourite with them all;
麦克默多刚毅果敢的性格和无所顾忌的言谈,早就博得全体兄弟们的喜爱,
while the rapid and scientific way in which he polished off his antagonist in an "all in" bar-room scrap earned the respect of that rough community.
有一次,麦克默多在酒吧间的一场"自由式"拳击赛中迅速而技巧熟练地打败了对手,这又赢得了这些粗野之辈极大的尊敬。
Another incident, however, raised him even higher in their estimation.
然而,另一件小事,使麦克默多在众人中更加提高了声望。