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姨妈历险记 The Adventure of My Aunt（第1页）

姨妈历险记TheAdventureofMyAunt

华盛顿·欧文Washingt

华盛顿·欧文（Washingt，1783-1859），美国文学的奠基人之一，他所撰写的游记文学堪称世界文坛的经典之作。欧文出身于美国一个富商家庭，遵从父命到霍夫曼的法律事务所学习，但做律师并非他真心所愿，因为自幼饱读书史的欧文对历代传闻轶事很感兴趣，酷爱文学和旅行。在国外旅行的17年，他创造了大量的优秀作品，其中《见闻札记》最为著名。这些杰作铸造了他在美国文坛上的坚固地位，他被誉为“美国文学之父”。

Myauntwasaladyeframe，strongmind，andgreadresolutiomightbetermedaverymanlywoman。Myuhin，punylittleman，verymedat，andnomatyaunt。Itwasobservedthathedwindledanddwindledgraduallyaway，fromthedaye。Hiswife’spowerfulmindwastoomu;itworehimout。Myauookallpossible;hadhalfthedotowntopresadehimtakealltheirpress，ahphysioughtocureawholehospital。Allwasinvain。Myunclegrewworseahemandnursi，untilintheehertothelonglistofmatrimonialvictimswhohavebeehkindness。

“Andwasithisghostthatappeared，toher？”askedtheileman，whohadquestioheformerstoryteller。

“Youshallhear，”repliedthenarrator-Myaunttookonmightilyforthedeathofherpoordearhusband。Perhapsshefeltsomepunathavinggivenhimsomuchphysiursedhimintothegrave。Atanyrate，shedidallthatawidowcoulddotohonorhismemory。Shesparedherthequantityorqualityweeds;woreaminiatureofhimaboutherneckaslargeasalittlesundial，andhadafull-lengthportraitofhimalwayshanginginherbedchamber。Alltheworldextolledherducttotheskies;anditwasdetermiawomanwhobehavedsowelltothememoryofonehusbaogetanother。

ItwasnotlohatsheherresidenoldtryseatinDerbyshire，whigbeenintheerelyastewardaookmostofherservantswithher，iomakeitherprincipalabode。Thehousestoodinalonely，wildpartoftheongthegrayDerbyshirehills，withamurdererhanginginableakheightinfullview。

&sfromtownwerehalffrighteoftheirwitsattheideaoflivinginsuchadismal，pagan-lookingplace;especiallywheogetheris’hallintheevening，aesonallthehohgoblinstoriespithecourseoftheday。Theywereafraidtoventurealohegloomy，blabersMylady’smaid，whowastroubledwithnerves，declaredsheeversleepaloneinsucha“gashly，rummagingoldbuilding;”aman，whowasakiedyoungfellow，didalliocheerherup。

Myauntwasstruckwiththelonelyappearahehouse。Beftobed，therefore，sheexamihefasthedoorsandwindows;lockeduptheplatewithhherownhands，ahekeys，togetherwithalittleboxofmooherownroom;forshewasanotablewoman，andalwayssawtoallthingsherself。Havingputthekeysunderherpillow，anddismissedhermaid，shesatbyhertherhair;f，inspiteriefformyuherabuxomassomearticularaboutherpersoforalittlewhilelookingatherfatheglass，firstoheher，asladiesareapttodowhentheywouldaswhethertheyhavebeeningoodlooks;ftrysquireoftheneighborhood，withwhomshehadflirtedwhenagirl，hadcalledthatdaytowelehertothetry。

Allofasuddesheheardsomethingmovebehindher。Shelookedhastilyround，buttherewasnothingtobeseen。Nothingbutthegrimlypairaitofherpoordearman，hangingagainstthe>

Shegaveaheavysightohismemory，asshewasaedtodowhenevershespokeofhiminpany，aonadjustidress，andthinkingofthesquire。Hersighwasreechoed，oranswered，byalong，drawh。Shelain，butobeseen。Sheascribedthesesoundstothewindhtheratholesoftheoldmansion，andproceededleisurelytoputherhairinpapers，when，allatoshepereoftheeyesoftheportraitmove。

“Thebackofherheadbeingtowardsit！”saidthestorytellerwiththeruinedhead，“good！”

“Yes，sir，”replieddrylythenarrator，“herbagtoortrait，buthereyesfixedoionintheglass。”-Well，asIwassaying，shepereoftheeyesoftheportraitmove。Seaaywellsuppose，gaveherasuddenshock。Toassureherselfofthefact，sheputooherforeheadasifrubbihrers，ahedlewiththeotherhaofthetapergleamedontheeye，aedfromit。

Shewassureitmoved。Nay，more，ifseemedtogiveherawink，asshehadsometimesknownherhusbandtodowhenlivingItstruentarychilltoherheart;forshewasalonewomaherselffearfullysituated。

Thechillwasbuttra。Myaunt，whowasalmostasresoluteapersonageasyouruurniory-teller]，bestantlydcollected。Shewentonadjustingherdress。Sheevenhummedanair，anddidnotmakeevenasie。Shecasuallyoverturnedadressingbox;tookadpickeduptheartiebyohefloor;pursuedaroilingpinthatwasmakiswayuhehedoor;lookedforaninstantintothecorridor，asifindoubtwhethertogo;andthelyout。

&eairs，orderedtheservantstoarmthemselveswiththeonsfirstathand，placedherselfattheirhead，aimmediately。

&ilyleviedarmypresentedaformidableforce。Thestewardhadarustybluheahefootmanapairofhorsepistols，thecookahugegkhebutlerabottleinead。Myauhared-hotpoker，andinmyopihemostformidableoftheparty。Thewaitingmaid，whodreadedtostayalos’hall，broughtuptherear，smellingtoabrokeilesalts，andexpressihe“ghostesses。”“Ghosts！”saidmyauely。“I’llsiheirwhiskersforthem！”

&eredthechamber。Allwasstillandundisturbedaswheit。Theyapproachedtheportraitofmyuncle。

“Pulldoicture！”criedmyaunt。Aheavygroan，andasouterih，issuedfromtheportrait。Theservantsshrunkback;themaidutteredafaintshriek，andgtothefootmanforsupport，

“Insta，ofthefoot。

&ureulleddown，andfromaredit，inwhierlystoodaclock，theyhauledfortharound-shouldered，black-beardedvarlet，withaknifeaslongasmyarm，buttremblingalloverlikeanaspenleaf。

“Well，andwhowashe？Noghost，Isuppose，”saidtheileman。

“Aknightofthepost，”repliedthenarrator，“whohadbeeheworthofthe;orrather，amaraudingTarquin，whohadstolenintoherchambertoviolateherpurse，arongbox，whenallthehouseshouldbeasleep。Iihevagabondwasaloose，idlefellowoftheneighborhood，whohadonaservantinthehouse，andhadbeeoassistinarrangingitforthereistress，Hefessedthathehadtrivedthishidingplaceforhisnefariouspurpose，andhadborrowedaheportraitbywayofarehole。”

“Andwhatdidtheydowithhim？Didtheyhahequestioner。

“Hanghim！Howcouldthey？”exclaimedabeetlebrowed，barristerwithahawk’sheoffeorobbery，noassaulthadbeenitted。Nofortryintothepremises”。

“Myaunt，”saidthenarrator，“irit，andapttotakethelawinherownhands。Shehadherownnotionsofessalso。Sheorderedthefellowtobedrawnthroughthehorsepond，toseawayalloffehentobewellrubbeddownwithaowel。”

“Andwhatbeafterwards？”saidtheileman。