"Monsieur," he said, "I am the head clerk of the House of Thomson and French, of Rome. For the past ten years we have had dealings with Morrel and Son of Marseille. We have some hundred thousand francs invested in the business, and we are somewhat uneasy, since the company is said to be on the brink of ruin. I have therefore arrived directly from Rome to ask you for information about its affairs."
“阁下，”他说，“我是罗马汤姆生·弗伦奇银行的高级职员。最近十年来，我们和马赛摩莱尔父子公司有联系。我们大概有十万法郎投资在他们那儿，我们接到报告，听说这家商行已将破产，所以我们有点不大放心。我是罗马特地派来的，来问您关于这家公司的消息。”
The day after the one on which the scene we have just described took place on the road between Bellegarde and Beaucaire, a man of between thirty and thirty-two years of age, dressed in a cornflower-blue frock-coat, nankeen trousers and a white waistcoat, whose manner and accent both proclaimed him to be British, presented himself at the house of the mayor of Marseille.
上面所描写过的那次会见发生后的下一天，一个年约三十一二岁，身穿颜色鲜明的蓝色外套，紫花裤子，白色背心的人，走去见马赛市长，看他的外表听他的口音，他是一个英国人。
"I do indeed know, Monsieur," the mayor replied, "that for the past four or five years Monsieur Morrel seems to have been dogged by misfortune. He lost four or five ships in succession and suffered from three or four bankruptcies. But, even though I myself am his creditor for around ten thousand francs, it is not appropriate for me to give you any information about his financial affairs. Ask me, as mayor, what I think of Monsieur Morrel and I shall tell you that he is a man who is honest to the point of inflexibility and that he has up to now fulfilled all his responsibilities with the utmost nicety. That is all I can tell you, Monsieur. If you wish to know anything further, you must ask Monsieur de Boville, inspector of prisons, residing at number fifteen, Rue de Noailles. I believe he has two hundred thousand francs invested in Monsieur Morrel's firm and, if there is really anything to be feared, as the amount is far greater than mine, you will probably find him better informed than I am about the matter."
“阁下，”市长答道，“我知道得极其清楚，最近四五年来，灾祸似乎老跟着摩莱尔先生。他损失了四五条船，受了三四家商行倒闭的打击。虽然我也是一个一万法郎的债权人，可是关于他的经济状况，我却不能告诉您什么情况。假如您要我以市长的身份来回答我对于摩莱尔先生的看法，那我就该说，他是一个极其可靠的人。到目前为止，每一笔账，他都是十分严格地按期付款的。阁下，我所能说的不过如此。要是您想知道得更详细，请您自己去问典狱长波维里先生，他住在诺黎史路十五号。我相信，他有二十万法郎放在摩莱尔的手里，假如有什么不放心的地方，他这笔数目比我的大，他大概会比我知道得更清楚。”
M. de Boville was in his study. Seeing him, the Englishman started, as if with surprise, suggesting that this was not the first time they had met. As for M. de Boville, he was so desperate that it was obvious that his mind, entirely taken up with its immediate concerns, had no room left for either his memory or his imagination to wander back into the past.
波维里先生正在他的书房里，那个英国人一见他，就做出一种诧异的姿态，表示他并非初次见他。但波维里先生正处在一种绝望状态之中，他的全部脑力显然已被他当时正在思考的问题吸引住了，所以他的记忆力或他的想象力都无余暇去回想往事。
The Englishman, with the phlegm characteristic of his race, asked him more or less the same question and in the same terms as he had just put to the mayor of Marseille.
那英国人以他那一国人的那种冷淡态度，把他对马赛市长说过的那几句话，又大同小异地说了一遍。
The Englishman appeared to appreciate the delicacy of this reply. He bowed and left, making his way towards the street in question with that stride which is peculiar to the natives of Great Britain.
英国人似乎很欣赏这一番极其委婉的话，就鞠了一躬，跨着大不列颠子孙所特有的那种步伐向所说的那条街道走去。
"Alas, Monsieur!" M. de Boville exclaimed. "Your fears are unfortunately quite justified and you see before you a desperate man. I had two hundred thousand francs invested in the house of Morrel: that money was my daughter's dowry; she was to be married in a fortnight. It was to be reimbursed, the first hundred thousand on the fifteenth of this month, the remainder on the fifteenth of next month. I advised Monsieur Morrel that I wished to have the money paid in due time; and now he has just been here, Monsieur, barely half an hour ago, to tell me that if his ship the Pharaon does not return between now and the fifteenth, he will be unable to reimburse me."
“噢，阁下，”波维里先生叹道，“您的不放心是有根据的，您看，您的面前就是一个绝望的人。我有二十万法郎放在摩莱尔父子公司手里，这二十万法郎是我女儿的嫁资，她过两星期就要结婚了，这笔钱一半在这个月十五日到期，另外那一半在下个月十五日到期。我已经通知摩莱尔先生，希望这些款子能按时付清。半小时以前他还到这儿告诉我，要是他的船，那艘埃及王号，不在十五日进港，他就完全不能支付这笔款子。”
A look of joy suffused M. de Boville's face, but he made an effort and said: "I must warn you, Monsieur, that in all probability you will not recover six per cent of the amount."
波维里先生的脸上掠过一道喜悦的光彩，可是他竭力克制自己，说：“阁下，我应该告诉您，从各方面估计，这笔款子您最多不过只有六厘希望。”
The Englishman seemed to reflect for a moment, then said: "So you are anxious about the repayment of this debt?"
英国人象是想了一想，然后说：“那末，阁下，这笔放款使您很忧虑吗？”
"Yes, indeed."
“是的，我。”
"Very well, I shall buy it from you."
“好吧，那末，我来向您买过来。”
"And how will you pay?"
“而您是付——”
"In cash." The Englishman took a sheaf of banknotes out of his pocket, probably amounting to twice the sum that M. de Boville was afraid of losing.
“现款。”英国人于是从他的口袋里抽出一叠钞票，那叠钞票大概有两倍于波维里先生所害怕损失的那笔数目。
"But at a huge discount, I don't doubt?"
“但一定要大大的打一个折扣吧？”
"That does not concern me," the Englishman replied. "It concerns the House of Thomson and French; I am only acting for them. Perhaps they wish to hasten the ruin of a rival firm. All that I do know, Monsieur, is that I am prepared to give you this sum in exchange for the transfer of the debt; all I shall want is a brokerage fee."
“那不关我的事，”英国人回答说，“那是汤姆生·弗伦奇银行的事，我只是受命而行。他们或许存心想加速一家敌对商行的垮台。我所知道的，阁下，只是我准备把这笔款子交给您，换得您在这笔债务上签一个字。我只要求一点经手的酬劳。”
"No, for two hundred thousand francs. Our company," the Englishman said with a laugh, "does not do that kind of business."
“不，就出二十万法郎。我们的银行，”英国人大笑了一声，接着说，“是不做那种事情的。”
"More than that: I consider it lost."
“老实说，我认为是已经损失的了。”
"Why not rather say that it sounds like bankruptcy!" M. de Boville cried in despair.
“还不如说是一笔倒账！”波维里先生绝望地叹道。
"You?"
“您？”
"But this sounds very like procrastination," said the Englishman.
“但是，”英国人说，“这看来很象是一次延期付款呀！”
"You are the inspector of prisons?"
“您是典狱长？”
"Oh, yes! I remember very well!" M. de Boville said. "He was mad."
“噢，他我记得十分清楚，”波维里先生喊道，“他是疯子。”
"There is a dossier on each prisoner."
“每一个犯人都是有特别报告的。”
"So it was said."
“他们是那末说。”
"Monsieur," said the Englishman with a laugh, "I am like my firm, which does not do that kind of business. No, my fee is of quite a different kind."
“阁下，”英国人大笑起来，回答说，“我象我的银行一样，是不做这种事的，不，我所要的回佣大不相同。”
"Well, Monsieur, I was brought up in Rome by a poor devil of an abbé who suddenly disappeared. I later learned that he was held in the Château d"If. I should like to have some information about his death."
“好了，阁下，我是在罗马读的书，我的老师是一个苦命的长老，他后来突然失踪了。我听说他是被关在伊夫堡的，我很想知道他临死时的详细情形。”
"And notes concerning the prisoners are attached to these registers?"
“这些档案上有与犯人有关的记录？”
"Quite probably. What was the nature of his madness?"
“或许很可能，但他发的疯是哪一种？”
"Naturally."
“不错。”
"What was his name?"
“他叫什么名字？”
"Oh, there's no doubt about it."
“噢，他是的，的确是的。”
"You hold the registers of admissions and discharges?"
“您保管着入狱出狱的档案？”
"I have been for fourteen years."
“我已经当了十四年啦。”
"Abbé Faria."
“法利亚长老。”
"Tell me. I am listening."
“请说，阁下，我求您。”
"What, Monsieur! This is too scrupulous!" M. de Boville exclaimed. "There is usually a commission of one and a half per cent. Do you want two? Or three? Do you want five per cent? Or more? Tell me."
“那当然是十分公道的，”波维里先生喊道。“普通的回佣是一厘半，您可要二厘，三厘，五厘，或更多？只管请说！”
"The poor devil! And he died?"
“可怜！他死了吗？”
"He claimed to have knowledge of some huge treasure and would offer vast sums to the government if it would set him free."
“他自以为有一个极大的宝藏，愿意贡献政府大笔款项，假如政府肯放他自由。”
"Yes, Monsieur, some five or six months ago, last February."
“是的，先生，在五六个月以前，二月间死的。”
"You have an excellent memory, Monsieur, to remember the date so precisely."
“你的记忆力很强，先生，能把日期记得这样清楚。”
"Can you tell me what that was?" the Englishman asked, with a look of curiosity that a close observer would have been surprised to see on his normally impassive features.
“我可以问问那是件什么事吗？”英国人带着一种好奇的表情问。他那冷漠的脸上竟会现出这种表情，一个细心的观察者见了大概是会很惊奇的。
"I recall it because something strange happened at the same time as the poor man's death."
“我之所以记得这件事，是因为那可怜虫死时还附带发生了一件稀有的怪事。”
"Indeed?" said the Englishman.
“真的！”英国人说。
"Why, yes, I can. The abbé's cell was some forty-five or fifty feet approximately from that of a former Bonapartist agent, one of those who did most to assist in the usurper's return in 1815, a very resolute and dangerous fellow."
“可以，阁下，离长老的黑牢四五十呎远的地方，有一个老拿破仑党分子，就是一八一五年逆贼回来时最卖力的那些分子之一，——是一个非常大胆，非常危险的人物。”
"Yes," said M. de Boville. "I even had occasion to see the man in 1816 or 1817, and you could only enter his cell with a squad of soldiers. The man made a deep impression on me; I shall never forget his face."
“是的，”波维里先生答道，“在一八一六或一八一七年的时候，我曾亲自见过这个人，我们要到他的黑牢里去，总得带一排兵同去才行。那个人给我的印象很深。我永远不会忘记他那张脸！”
"This dangerous man was called…"
“这个危险人物的名字是叫——”
"That was a risky plan, arguing some courage," the Englishman said.
“这一着手段很大胆，敢这样做的人是要有勇气的。”英国人说。
The Englishman gave a hint of a smile. "So you say that the two cells…" he continued.
英国人作了一个觉察不出的微笑。“而您说，阁下，”他说，“那两间黑牢——”
"Edmond Dantès. Yes, Monsieur, it appears that this Edmond Dantès had obtained some tools, or made them for himself, because they found a passageway through which the two prisoners used to communicate."
“爱德蒙·邓蒂斯。看来，阁下，这个爱德蒙·邓蒂斯是弄到了工具的，或是他自己制造的，因为他们发现了一条那两个犯人互相交通的地道。”
"Were about fifty feet apart, but it seems that this Edmond Dantès…"
“——隔着五十呎的一个距离，但看来这个爱德蒙·邓蒂斯——”
"The passage was no doubt made with a view to escape?"
“这条地道，无疑的，是为了想逃走才挖的罗？”
"I understand. That must have put an end to the plans for escape."
“我知道，那自然就把逃走的计划打断了。”
"Precisely. But, unfortunately for the prisoners, Abbé Faria had a seizure and died."
“当然罗，但对这些犯人们不幸的是，法利亚长老发了一场癇厥病死了。”
"As far as the dead man was concerned, yes," M. de Boville replied. "But not for the one who was left alive. On the contrary, this Dantès saw the means to hasten his escape. No doubt he thought that prisoners who die in the Château d'If are buried in an ordinary cemetery. He moved the dead man into his own cell, took his place in the shroud into which he had been sewn and waited for the body to be buried."
“对死者而言，是如此，”波维里先生答道，“但对那残生者而言却不然。相反的，这个邓蒂斯却想出了一个加速他逃走的方法。他一定以为伊夫堡死掉的犯人是象普通人一样埋葬在坟场里的。他把死人搬到他自己的地牢里，自己假装死人钻在他们准备的口袋里，只等埋葬的时间到来。”
"Well, of course they attached the weight to his legs and threw him into the sea."
“嗯，他们在他的脚上绑上一个三十六磅的铁球，把他丢到海里去了。”
"Really?" the Englishman exclaimed.
“真的吗？”英国人惊喊道。
"It would have been difficult."
“那是很不容易的。”
"The Château d'If has no cemetery. The dead are simply thrown into the sea after a thirty-six-pound cannonball has been tied to their legs."
“伊夫堡是没有坟场的，他们就在死者脚上绑一个三十六磅重的铁球，朝海里一丢就算了。”
"How was that?"
“那是怎么的呢？”
"So can I," said the Englishman, starting to laugh in his turn, but in the way that the English laugh, through clenched teeth. "I suppose that means," he went on, being the first to regain his composure, "that he was drowned."
“我也想象得出，”英国人说，他也大笑起来。但他的笑是英国人的那种笑法，是从他的牙齿缝里笑出来的。“那末，”英国人先恢复他的常态，继续说，“他淹死了吗？”
"Which means?" said the Englishman, as if he was finding it hard to follow.
“哦？”英国人应了一声，象是他还不十分明了似的。
"No."
“不。”
"What? Don't you understand?"
“怎么？您不明白吗？”
"Yes, Monsieur," the inspector went on. "You can just imagine the fugitive's amazement when he felt himself falling from the top of the cliff. I should like to have seen his face at that moment."
“是的，阁下，”典狱长继续说。“您可以想象得到，当那个亡命者发觉他自己笔直向岩石扑下去的时候，该是多么的吃惊。我倒很想看看他那时的面孔。”
"No matter!" said M. de Boville, in much better humour, now that he was certain of recovering his two hundred thousand francs. "No matter! I can still imagine it!" And he burst out laughing.
“没有关系，”波维里先生因为他那二十万法郎已确定可以收回，所以答话极其轻松幽默，——“没有关系，我可以想象得出的。”他于是大笑起来。
"Ah, as I told you, Monsieur, he was a very dangerous fellow; but, fortunately, he himself relieved the government of any fears it may have had on his account."
“我已经告诉过您，阁下，他原是一个非常危险的人物，而不幸他自己的这一个举动倒省得政府再为他担心了。”
"Oh, heavens yes, no doubt about it. They will have a certificate whenever they want."
“噢，是的。他们随时都可来看实际的证据。”
"So be it," said the Englishman. "But to return to the registers…"
“应该如此，”英国人说，“但话又说回到这些档案上来了。”
"I should very much like to."
“是的，务必请您方便一下。”
"It is intriguing. So, Monsieur, you want to see everything concerning your poor abbé; he was as mild as a lamb."
“是的，真是的。那末，阁下，您是想看看关于那可怜的长老的全部文件吗？他倒真是很文雅的。”
"Yes. Well and truly."
“这毫无疑问。”
"With the result that the prison governor got rid of the maniac and the madman simultaneously?"
“那末堡长倒把凶犯和疯犯同时摆脱掉了？”
"Yes, certainly, a death certificate. You understand, Dantès' relatives, if he has any, might wish to know for certain whether he was alive or dead."
“有的，有的，有死亡证明书。您知道，邓蒂斯的亲属，假如他还有什么亲属的话，或许会有兴趣想知道他是否是死了还是活着的。”
"Indeed. This story distracted us. Forgive me."
“真的，这个事把我们的注意力扯开了。原谅我。”
"And now they can rest assured if they have anything to inherit from him. He is definitely dead?"
“那末现在，假如他有什么遗产的话，他们是可以问心无愧地享用的。他已经死了，这不会有错吧？”
"I imagine some sort of report was drawn up about it?"
“对于这件事总有某种官方文件记录吧？”英国人问。
"Come into my study and I shall show it to you."
“请到我的书斋里去，我拿给您看。”
"Just as you say."
“一点不错。”
"For what? For the story? Not at all, it intrigued me."
“原谅您什么，——为那个故事吗？决不，在我听来，真是非常新奇的。”
They both went into M. de Boville's study, where everything was perfectly in order: each register at its number, each dossier in its box. The inspector asked the Englishman to sit down in the armchair and put in front of him the register and dossier relating to the Château d'If, allowing him to peruse it at his leisure, while he sat in a corner and read the newspaper.
于是他们走进波维里先生的书斋。这儿的一切都井井有条。每一种档案都编着号码，每一夹文件都有固定的地方。典狱长请英国人坐在一张圈椅里，把有关伊夫堡的档案和文件放到他的面前，让他随便地去翻阅，而他自己则去坐到一个角上，开始读他的报纸。
The Englishman had no difficulty finding the dossier concerning Abbé Faria, but it appeared that he had been greatly interested in the story that M. de Boville had told him because, after studying these first papers, he continued to peruse the file until he came to the bundle concerning Edmond Dantès. Here, he found everything in its place: the denunciation, the interrogation, M. Morrel's petition and M. de Villefort's annotation. He quietly folded the denunciation and put it in his pocket; read the interrogation and observed that it did not mention the name of Noirtier; and read through the petition dated 10 April 1815, in which Morrel, following the advice of the deputy prosecutor, had exaggerated the services rendered by Dantès to the imperial cause -- with the best of intentions, since Napoleon was then still on the throne -- all of which was confirmed by Villefort's signature. At this, he understood everything. Under the Second Restoration, this petition to Napoleon, which Villefort had kept, became a deadly weapon in the hands of the royal prosecutor. Thus he was not surprised, continuing through the register, to find these sentences bracketed together opposite his name:
那英国人很容易地找到了有关法利亚长老的记载，但典狱长讲给他听的那番话似乎使他发生了很大的兴趣，因为在阅读了第一类文件以后，他又往后翻，直到他翻到了关于爱德蒙·邓蒂斯的文件才住手。他发现一切都原封不动的在那儿，——告密信，审判书，摩莱尔的请愿书，维尔福先生的按语。他偷偷地折起那封告密书，把它放进他的口袋，读了一遍审判书，发觉里面并没有提到诺梯埃的名字，也看了一遍请愿书，上面的日期是一八一五年四月十日，在这封请愿书里，摩莱尔因为听了代理检察官的劝告，所以善意地（因为那时拿破仑还在位）夸大了邓蒂斯对帝国的效劳，——这种效劳，经维尔福的签署证明，当然是铁定的了。于是他懂得是怎么一回事了。这封上给拿破仑的请愿书，被维尔福扣押了下来，到王朝第二次复辟的时候，在检察官的手里就变成了一件可怕的攻击他的武器。所以当他在档案里找到这张条子，在他的姓名底下有一个括弧列着他的罪名时，他也就不再表示惊奇了：
Fanatical Bonapartist. Played an active part in the return from Elba.
拿破仑党暴徒。在从厄尔巴岛逃回的过程中发挥了积极的作用。
Beneath these lines, in different handwriting, he read: "In view of the above note, no action."
在这几行字下面，有另一个人的笔迹写着：“已阅，——无可设法。”
To be kept in solitary confinement, under the closest supervision.
被单独监禁，在最严密的监督下。
EDMOND DANTES:
爱德蒙·邓蒂斯：
As we mentioned, the inspector had placed himself some distance away and was reading Le Drapeau Blanc, so as not to inconvenience Abbé Faria's former pupil. This is why he did not see the Englishman fold and pocket the denunciation that Danglars had written in the arbour at La Réserve, which bore the stamp of the Marseille post office for the evening collection at 6 o'clock on 27 February.
我们已经说过，那位典狱长，为了怕打扰法利亚长老的学生的研究工作，所以自己去坐在一个角上，在那儿读《白旗报》。他并没有看到英国人把那封邓格拉司在里瑟夫酒家的凉棚底下所写，上面盖有马赛邮局二月二十七日下午六时邮戳的告密信折起来放进他的口袋里。
However, by comparing the writing in the brackets with that on the certificate under M. Morrel's petition, he felt certain that both were in the same hand, and that the hand was Villefort's.
然而，他拿括弧下的笔迹和摩莱尔的请愿书底下签署的笔迹比较一下，发现括弧下的字和签署是同一的笔迹，——那就是说，是出于维尔福的手笔。
As for the note appended to the note, the Englishman realized that it must have been placed there by an inspector who had taken a passing interest in Dantès' case, but who would have been unable to take any further steps in his favour because of the information that we have just quoted.
至于罪状底下的那两句按语，那英国人懂得大概是某一位巡察大员加上去的，那位大员大概忽然一时对邓蒂斯的情形发生了兴趣，但由于我们上面所说过的那些记录，所以他虽然颇感兴趣，却无可设法。
He got up so that M. de Boville could take his place at the desk, where he sat down and proceeded, as quickly and simply as possible, to draw up the necessary paper, while the Englishman was counting the banknotes on to the edge of the filing cabinet.
他站起来，把他的位子让给波维里先生，后者毫不客气地坐了下来，急忙写那张对方需要的转让证书，而那英国人则在写字台的对面数钞票。
We have to admit, on the other hand, that, even if he had seen this, he attached too little importance to this scrap of paper and too much to his two hundred thousand francs to protest at what the Englishman was doing, however improper it might be.
另一方面，我们不得不承认，即使他看到了，他也会觉得这片纸头无足轻重，而他那二十万法郎是这样的重要，所以不论英国人这种举动是多么的违反规章，他也不会来反对的。
"Thank you," the latter said, slamming the register shut. "I have what I need. Now I must keep my side of the bargain. Prepare a transfer of the money you are owed, in which you acknowledge that you have received the full sum, and I shall count it out."
“谢谢！”英国人“啪”的一声把档案合上，说，“我想知道的都已知道了，现在该由我来履行我的诺言了。只要请您给我一张债务转让证书，里面载明已收到现款，我就把钱付给您。”