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He gripped Morris's shoulder and shook him in his earnestness.
麦克默多抚着莫里斯的肩膀，热情地摇摇他。
"See here, man," he cried, and he almost screeched the words in his excitement, "you won't gain anything by sitting keening like an old wife at a wake.
"喂，伙计，"麦克默多非常激动，几乎喊叫似地大声说道，"你坐在这儿像老太太哭丧一样是毫无用处的。
Let's have the facts. Who is the fellow? Where is he? How did you hear of him? Why did you come to me?"
我们来摆摆情况。这个人是谁？他在哪里？你怎么听说到他的？为什么你来找我？"
"I came to you; for you are the one man that would advise me.
"我来找你，因为唯有你能指教我。
I toldyou that I had a store in the East before I came here.
我曾对你说过，在我来这里以前，我在西部地方开过一家商店。
I left good friends behind me, and one of them is in the telegraph service.
那里有我一些好朋友。有一个朋友是在电报局工作的。
Here's a letter that I had from him yesterday. It's this part from the top of the page. You can read it yourself."
这就是我昨天收到的信，是他写给我的。这一页顶上就写得很清楚，你自己可以把它念一下。"
This was what McMurdo read: "How are the Scowrers getting on in your parts?
麦克默多读道："你们那里的死酷党人现在怎么样了？
We read plenty of them in the papers. Between you and me I expect to hear news from you before long.
在报上看到许多有关他们的报道。你知我知，我希望不久就得到你的消息。
Five big corporations and the two railroads have taken the thing up in dead earnest.
听说，有五家有限公司和两处铁路局十分认真地着手处理这件事。
They mean it, and you can bet they'll get there! They are right deep down into it.
他们既然有这种打算，那你可以确信，他们一定要到那里去的。他们正直接插手。
Pinkerton has taken hold under their orders, and his best man, Birdy Edwards, is operating. The thing has got to be stopped right now."
平克顿侦探公司已经奉命进行调查，其中的佼佼者伯尔弟·爱德华正在行动，这些罪恶的事情现在完全可以得到制止了。"
"Now read the postscript."
"请你把附言读一读。"
"Of course, what I give you is what I learned in business; so it goes no further.
"当然，我所告诉你的，是我从日常业务工作中了解到的，所以不能再进一步说清楚了。
It's a queer cipher that you handle by the yard every day and can get no meaning from."
他们使用的是奇怪的密码，我不懂他们的意思。"
McMurdo sat in silence for some time, with the letter in his listless hands.
麦克默多手里拿着这封信，无精打采地静坐了很久.
The mist had lifted for a moment, and there was the abyss before him.
一时间一团迷雾冉冉升起，在他面前呈现出万丈深渊。
"Does anyone else know of this?" he asked.
"还有别的人知道这件事吗？"麦克默多问道。
"I have told no one else."
"我没有告诉别的人。"
"But this man -- your friend -- has he any other person that he would be likely to write to?"
"不过这个人，你的朋友，会写信给别的人吗？"
"Well, I dare say he knows one or two more."
"啊，我敢说他还认识一两个人。"
"Of the lodge?"
"是会里人吗？"
"It's likely enough."
"很可能。"
"I was asking because it is likely that he may have given some description of this fellow Birdy Edwards -- then we could get on his trail."
"我所以要问这个，因为或者他可以把伯尔弟·爱德华这个人的形状介绍一下。那么我们就可以着手追寻他的行踪了。"
"Well, it's possible. But I should not think he knew him.
"啊，这倒可以。可是我不认为他认识爱德华。
He is just telling me the news that came to him by way of business. How would he know this Pinkerton man?"
他告诉我这个消息，也是从日常业务中得到的，他怎么能认识这个平克顿的侦探呢？"
McMurdo gave a violent start. "By Gar!" he cried, "I've got him. What a fool I was not to know it.
麦克默多猛然跳起来。"天哪！"他喊道，"我一定要抓住他。我连这事都不知道，该是多么愚蠢哪！
Lord! But we're in luck! We will fix him before he can do any harm. See here, Morris, will you leave this thing in my hands?"
不过我们还算幸运！趁他还未能造成损害，我们可以先收拾他。喂，莫里斯，你愿意把这件事交给我去办吗？"
"Sure, if you will only take it off mine."
"当然了，只要你能不连累我就行。"
"I'll do that. You can stand right back and let me run it. Even your name need not be mentioned.
"我一定办这件事，你完全可撒手让我来办。我甚至用不着提你的名字。
I'll take it all on myself, as if it were to me that this letter has come. Will that content you?"
我一人作事一人当，就当作这封信是写给我的。这可使你满意了吧？"
"It's just what I would ask."
"这样办正合我的心意。"
"Then leave it at that and keep your head shut. Now I'll get down to the lodge, and we'll soon make old man Pinkerton sorry for himself."
"那么，就谈到这里，你要保持缄默。现在我要到分会去，我们很快就可以让这个老平克顿侦探垂头丧气了。"
"You wouldn't kill this man?"
"你们不会杀死这个人吧？"
"The less you know, Friend Morris, the easier your conscience will be, and the better you will sleep.
"莫里斯，我的朋友，你知道得越少，你越可以问心无愧，你最好去睡大觉。
Ask no questions, and let these things settle themselves. I have hold of it now."
不要再多问了，让这件事听其自然吧。现在我来处理它。"
Morris shook his head sadly as he left. "I feel that his blood is on my hands," he groaned.
莫里斯走时，忧愁地摇了摇头，叹道："我觉得我的双手沾满了他的鲜血。"
"Self-protection is no murder, anyhow," said McMurdo, smiling grimly.
"无论如何，自卫不能算是谋杀，"麦克默多狞笑道。
"It's him or us. I guess this man would destroy us all if we left him long in the valley.
"不是我们杀死他，就是他杀死我们。如果我们让他长久呆在山谷里，我想他会把我们一网打尽的。
Why, Brother Morris, we'll have to elect you Bodymaster yet; for you've surely saved the lodge."
呃，莫里斯兄弟，我们还要选你做身主呢，因为你真正救了我们整个死酷党。"
And yet it was clear from his actions that he thought more seriously of this new intrusion than his words would show.
然而从他的行动可以清楚地看出来，他虽然这么说，可是却十分认真地思考这件新获得的消息。
It may have been his guilty conscience, it may have been the reputation of the Pinkerton organization,
可能他问心有愧；可能由于平克顿组织威名显赫；
it may have been the knowledge that great, rich corporations had set themselves the task of clearing out the Scowrers;
可能知道这些庞大而富有的有限公司自己动手清除死酷党人，
but, whatever his reason, his actions were those of a man who is preparing for the worst.
不管他出于哪种考虑，他的行动说明他是从最坏处作准备的。
