Mr. Merryweather had had it whispered to him that it had been bought for a honeymoon Young Lord L -- had surrendered to Cupid at last! Jonas knew for a fact that it had been purchased by the Admiralty with a view to carrying out some very hush hush experiments! Definitely，Indian Island was news!

“梅里韦先生”则说，据他耳闻是有位青年勋贵××终于拟结丝萝，打算在岛上度蜜月啦。还有位“郁纳斯”说，他了解的情况是，海军部买下了这个地方，准备搞几项试验，但内容保密啦，等等，等等。然而有一点可以肯定：印地安岛成了新闻！

From his pocket Mr. Justice Wargrave drew out a letter. The handwriting was practically illegible but words here and there stood out with unexpected clarity.

沃格雷夫法官先从口袋里掏出一封信。尽管笔迹认不真切，但通篇行文措辞却异常明确：

Dearest Lawrence… such years since I heard anything of you… must come to Indian Island… the most enchanting place… so much to talk over… old days… communion with Nature… bask in sunshine… 12.40 from Paddington… meet you at Oakbridge… and his correspondent signed herself with a flourish his ever Constance Culmington.

“亲爱的劳伦斯……分别多年……务请光临印地安岛……景色迷人之至……离情别意，又何其多！……往日云烟……人天交融……向阳之乐……12点40分由帕庭顿车站出发……在橡树桥恭候大驾……具名是位女的，花体签名是：康斯坦斯·卡尔明顿。

Mr. Justice Wargrave cast back in his mind to remember when exactly he had last seen Lady Constance Culmington. It must be seven -- no，eight years ago. She had then been going to Italy to bask in the sun and be at one with Nature and the contaditd. Later，he had heard，she had proceeded to Syria where she proposed to bask in yet stronger sun and live at one with Nature and the bedouin.

沃格雷夫法官先生苦苦思索着末一次见到康斯坦斯·卡尔明顿夫人的具体日期，想必有七年，不，八年了吧！那时她正去意大利准备享向阳之乐，同大自然和田夫野老融为一体。后来，听说她又向前到了叙利亚，那里的阳光更盛，乐意更浓，更能同大自然和阿拉伯牧民融为一体。

Constance Culmington，he reflected to himself，was exactly the sort of woman who would buy an island and surround herself with mystery! Nodding his head in gentle approval of his logic，Mr. Justice Wargrave allowed his head to nod.

他想起来了，康斯坦斯·卡尔明顿就是这种妇女，一个人买上一座小岛住下，那显得有多么神秘！沃格雷夫法官先生觉得自己推断得这样有理，不禁微微点起头来。就这样点呀点呀的……

He slept…

他睡着了……

Vera Claythorne，in a third-class carriage with five other travellers in it，leaned her head back and shut her eyes. How hot it was travelling by train today! It would be nice to get to the sea! Really a great piece of luck getting this job. When you wanted a holiday post it nearly always meant looking after a swarm of children-secretarial holiday posts were much more difficult to get. Even the agency hadn't held out much hope.

三等车厢里坐着六位乘客。维拉·克莱索恩头往后靠着，阖着眼，这种天气坐火车旅行，真叫热！去海边，简直太舒服了。搞到这份差使真走运。本来么！凡是假期里找活儿，十之八九是弄上一大帮孩子照管。想找个秘书之类的工作，真是谈何容易！连职业妇女介绍所都说不上有多大指望。

And then the letter had come.

《无人生还》 "And then there Were None" Agatha Christie举世公认的“侦探小说女王”阿加莎·克里斯蒂一直是众多推理迷的心头好,本书即是她的代表作--有“本格推理的第一作品”之称的《无人生还》。在克里斯蒂的作品中,《无人生还》真。

就在这个节骨眼上，来了这封信。

"I have received your name from the Skilled Women's Agency together with their recommendation. I understand they know you personally. I shall be glad to pay you the salary you ask and shall expect you to take up your duties on August 8th. The train is the 12.40 from Paddington and you will be met at Oakbridge station. I enclose five pound notes for expenses.

职业妇女介绍所转来了你的情况和他们对你的推荐。幸悉他们对你深有了解。我答应你要求的薪金数目。希望你能从八月八日开始工作。火车12点40分从帕庭顿开出，在橡树桥车站有人接你。附上现金五镑作为旅途开支。

Yours truly，Una Nancy Owen."

光纳·南希·欧文谨上

And at the top was the stamped address Indian Island，Sticklehaven，Devon.

信角上打印的地址是德文郡斯蒂克尔海文的印地安岛……

Indian Island! Why，there had been nothing else in the papers lately! All sorts of hints and interesting rumours. Though probably that was mostly untrue. But the house had certainly been built by a millionaire and was said to be absolutely the last word in luxury.

印地安岛！就是它！最近的报纸真的像是除了它就再也没有别的好谈了！流言蜚语，猜测纷纭，说什么的都有！话尽管多，也可能绝大部分纯属虚构。但是，关于房子是由一个百万富翁买下的这一点是确凿无疑的。再则，房子是豪华已极，这个断语也绝对正确。

Vera Claythorne，tired by a recent strenuous term at school，thought to herself -- "Being a games mistress in a third-class school isn't much of a catch. school."

维拉·克莱索恩上学期在学校里忙得精疲力尽，她总想：“在一所三流学校里当个带孩子作游戏的女老师，那能有多大油水呢？哪怕找个像样点的学校，也会好得多……”

And then，with a cold feeling round her heart，she thought: "But I'm lucky to have even this. After all，people don't like a Coroner's Inquest，even if the Coroner did acquit me of all blame!"

想到这里，心头油然产生了一阵寒栗，她想：“就算是这个工作吧，弄到手也该说运气不错了。要知道，谁都怕听验尸什么的，尽管验尸官再怎么帮我开脱也罢！”

He had even complimented her on her presence of mind and courage，she remembered. For an inquest it couldn't have gone better. And Mrs. Hamilton had been kindness itself to her- Only Hugo (but she wouldn't think of Hugo!)

现在想起来真该庆幸自己当时确实是够勇敢的，把握得住自己。就那次验尸来说，再没有比它更顺利的了。汉密尔顿夫人对她真够照顾的。——只有雨果——（算了，不去想雨果就得了！）

Suddenly，in spite of the heat in the carriage she shivered and wished she wasn't going to the sea. A picture rose clearly before her mind. Cyril's head，bobbing up and down，swimming to the rock… Up and down-up and down… And herself，swimming in easy practised strokes after him -- cleaving her way through the water but knowing，only too surely，that she wouldn't be in time… The sea -- its deep warm blue -- mornings spent lying out on the sands -- Hugo -- Hugo who had said he loved her.

想到这里，即使车厢里是那样闷热，她也会突然寒栗起来，但愿她现在不是去海边！多么清晰的一幅情景啊！就在她眼前，西里尔的脑袋在水面忽上忽下，飘向岩石……忽上忽下……忽上忽下……而她自己呢，就在他后面装出像劈波斩浪似地划着，其实她明明知道，她是赶不上了……

She must not think of Hugo…

她一定要做到不去想那个雨果……

She opened her eyes and frowned across at the man opposite her. A tall man with a brown face，light eyes set rather close together and an arrogant almost cruel mouth.

她睁开眼睛，皱着眉头看看对面坐着的那个男人。高个子，棕色脸庞，两只眼睛挨在一起，显得很轻佻，嘴形尤其傲慢，近乎残忍。

She thought to herself: "I bet he's been to some interesting parts of the world and seen some interesting things…"

她又想开了：“我敢打赌，这个人肯定跑过一些有意思的码头，见过世面……”

If only I could get a job at some decent.

要是我能找到一份像样的工作就好了。

Philip Lombard，summing up the girl opposite in a mere flash of his quick moving eyes thought to himself: "Quite attractive -- a bit schoolmistressy perhaps…"

菲利普·隆巴德用他那双明快的眼睛那么一瞟，心里就琢磨起对座的女人来了：“相当动人——女教师味儿可能重了些……”

A cool customer，he should imagine -- and one who could hold her own -- in love or war. He'd rather like to take her on…

他完全想像得出：这可是位硬心肠的主儿——无论搞恋爱，上阵打仗都一样——都能把握得住自己。他挺愿意同她搞搞……

He frowned. No，cut out all that kind of stuff. This was business. He'd got to keep his mind on the job.

他对自己不满意起来了。算了吧，割断这档子哥哥妹妹的柔情蜜意吧！生意经要紧，得集中精力搞买卖。

What exactly was up，he wondered? That little Jew had been damned mysterious.

可是，到底是怎样一桩买卖呢，他也弄不明白。那个小个子犹太人很会装神弄鬼。

"Take it or leave it，Captain Lombard."

“干，还是不干？隆巴德队长！”

He had said thoughtfully: "A hundred guineas，eh?"

他仔细琢磨着回答道：“一百块金币，呃？”

He had said it in a casual way as though a hundred guineas was nothing to him. A hundred guineas when he was literally down to his last square meal! He had fancied，though，that the little Jew had not been deceived -- that was the damnable part about Jews，you couldn't deceive them about money -- they knew.

童谣全文：十个小兵人，外出去吃饭；一个被呛死，还剩九个人。九个小兵人，熬夜熬得深；一个睡过头，还剩八个人。八个小兵人，动身去德文；一个要留下，还剩七个人。七个小兵人，用刀砍木棍；一个砍自己，还剩六个人。

他故意说得漫不经心，似乎一百块金币对他根本算不了什么。其实，一百块金币啊！要知道眼下他连一顿像点样的饭都吃不上了。他还担心，要不就是这小个子犹太人在搞鬼——犹太人就是这一点最要命啦，银钱问题上谁也搞不过他们——他们可精着呢！

He had said in the same casual tone: "And you can't give me any further information?"

他还是用漫不经心的腔调说：“你不能跟我说得再清楚点儿吗？”

Mr. Isaac Morris had shaken his little bald head very positively.

艾萨克·莫里斯先生斩钉截铁地摇了摇他那秃脑袋。

"No，Captain Lombard，the matter rests there. It is understood by my client that your reputation is that of a good man in a tight place. I am empowered to hand you one hundred guineas in return for which you will travel to Sticklehaven，Devon. The nearest station is Oakbridge，you will be met there and motored to Sticklehaven where a motor launch will convey you to Indian Island. There you will hold yourself at the disposal of my client."

“不，隆巴德队长，就这么回事。我的当事人说你是专门对付这种棘手场合的好手。我受权交给你一百金币，只要你去德文郡的斯蒂克尔海文跑上一趟。靠那里最近的一站就是橡树桥，在那儿有人等你，会开车送你去斯蒂克尔海文的。再从那里用摩托艇把你送上印地安岛。到了岛上，你就听我的当事人的安排吧。”

Lombard had said abruptly: "For how long?"

隆巴德立刻问道：“干多久？”

"Not longer than a week at most."

“最多不超过一个星期。”

Fingering his small moustache，Captain Lombard said: "You understand I can't undertake anything -- illegal?"

隆巴德摸弄着小胡子说：“你清楚，我是不干那种勾当的——我是说，不合法的勾当。”

He had darted a very sharp glance at the other as he had spoken. There had been a very faint smile on the thick Semitic lips of Mr. Morris as he answered gravely: "If anything illegal is proposed，you will，of course，be at perfect liberty to withdraw."

他说着，狠狠地盯了对方一眼。莫里斯先生犹太人特有的厚嘴唇上隐约地掠过一丝笑意。他一本正经地说道：“当然，要是让你干什么不正当的勾当，你完全可以自由退出。”

Damn the smooth little brute，he had smiled! It was as though he knew very well that in Lombard's past actions legality had not always been a sine qua non.

这个该死的滑不溜鳅的小畜生，他还笑！好像隆巴德过去的所作所为他全晓得似的，晓得对隆巴德这种人来说，分什么合法不合法呢，扯淡！

Lombard's own lips parted in a grin.

隆巴德自己也不由得咧嘴一笑。

By Jove，he'd sailed pretty near the wind once or twice! But he'd always got away with it! There wasn't much he drew the line at really…

天知道，有这么一两次他几乎出事！结果，总算滑过去了！其实，他是不大在乎什么出界不出界的……

No，there wasn't much he'd draw the fine at. He fancied that he was going to enjoy himself at Indian Island…

不在乎！什么出界不出界，没那个事！令人陶醉的是：上了印地安岛，可得好好享受一番了……

In a non-smoking carriage Miss Emily Brent sat very upright as was her custom. She was sixty-five and she did not approve of lounging. Her father，a Colonel of the old school，had been particular about deportment.

在不准吸烟的车厢里，埃米莉·布伦特小姐像往常一样挺胸直腰地坐着。虽说六十五岁了，她还是不敢苟同斜倚侧靠的那种懒洋洋的劲头儿。她那位古板老派的上校父亲，尤其讲究举止仪表。

The present generation was shamelessly lax -- in their carriage，and in every other way.

看看现在这一代！瞧瞧这个车厢里！其实在那儿都一样：放荡，不知道害臊……

Enveloped in an aura of righteousness and unyielding principles，Miss Brent sat in her crowded third-class carriage and triumphed over its discomfort and its heat. Every one made such a fuss over things nowadays! They wanted injections before they had teeth pulled -- they took drugs if they couldn't sleep -- they wanted easy chairs and cushions and the girls allowed their figures to slop about anyhow and lay about half naked on the beaches in summer.

布伦特小姐沉浸在愤世嫉俗、毫不妥协的精神状态之中。她虽然踞处于拥挤不堪的三等车厢，却能怡然超脱于令人难受的闷热之外。如今，大家对什么事情都爱折腾！什么拔牙之前要打针啦，睡不着要吃药啦——要坐靠背椅子，要垫软靠垫啦，而姑娘家竟然可以把身子扭来扭去的，夏天还半裸地在河滩上躺得到处都是！

Miss Brent's lips set closely. She would like to make an example of certain people.

布伦特小姐紧闭着嘴唇，非得给那些人立个榜样看看！

She remembered last year's summer holiday. This year，however，it would be quite different. Indian Island…

她还记得去年夏天的那次假期。可是今年，一定大不相同。印地安岛……

It’s natural for the guests to feel anger and despair as they face their ineluctable deaths. Agatha Christie, true to her reputation as the “queen of crime”, vividly depicts their humanity and represents 。

Mentally she reread the letter which she had already read so many times.

她暗思默想地把那封已经读过不知多少遍的信，又读了一遍。

Dear Miss Brent。

亲爱的布伦特小姐：

I do hope you remember me? We were together at Bellhaven Guest House in August some years ago，and we seemed to have so much in common.

我多么希望你还记得我，几年前，有一次在八月里，我们一起住过贝尔海文招待所，看来我们十分投契。

I am starting a guest house of my own on an island off the coast of Devon. I think there is really an opening for a place where there is good plain cooking and a nice old-fashioned type of person. None of this nudity and gramophones half the night. I shall be very glad if you could see your way to spending your summer holiday on Indian Island-quite free-as my guest. Would early in August suit you? Perhaps the 8th.

我正在着手自己经营一个招待所，就在德文郡岸外的一个小岛上。我认为这可以说是个创举。在这里，吃得上清淡的伙食，见得到泱泱古风的人物，没有袒胸裸体的玩意儿，也没有一唱就是大半夜的话匣子，如果你能安排得开，作为我的免费贵客来这个印地安岛度暑假，我将深感荣幸。八月初合适吗？就定在八日吧！

Yours sincerely，U. N. --

谨上，尤·纳· ——

What was the name? The signature was rather difficult to read. Emily Brent thought impatiently: "So many people write their signatures quite illegibly."

落款是什么？签名太难认了。埃米莉·布伦特又按捺不住了：“这么多的人签名就是不认真。”

She let her mind run back over the people at Bellhaven. She had been there two summers running. There had been that nice middleaged woman -- Mrs. -- Mrs. -- now what was her name? -- her father had been a Canon. And there had been a Miss Olton -- Ormen -- No，surely it was Oliver! Yes -- Oliver.

她回想在贝尔海文见过的人。她接连去过两个夏天。有过这么一个挺不错的中年妇女——叫什么太太的——叫什么名字来着，就是那位父亲在大教堂里当牧师的。还有一位奥尔顿小姐——要不就是奥曼——不，肯定叫奥利弗！对，就是奥利弗。

Indian Island! There had been things in the paper about Indian Island -- something about a film star -- or was it an American millionaire?

印地安岛！报上谈到过什么的，好像是关于一个电影明星，要不就是一个美国百万富翁，是不？

Of course often those places went very cheap-islands didn't suit everybody. They thought the idea was romantic but when they came to live there they realized the disadvantages and were only too glad to sell.

当然，这类地方经常要价不高——小岛并非对谁都合适的。原来的设想也许很罗曼蒂克，但是一住到那里之后，这也不方便，那也不称心，就会以尽快脱手为快了。

Emily Brent thought to herself: "I shall be getting a free holiday at any rate."

埃米莉·布伦特想着：“管它呢！反正我白住上一个假期。”

With her income so much reduced and so many dividends not being paid，that was indeed something to take into consideration. If only she could remember a little more about Mrs. -- or was it Miss Oliver?

在收入剧减，这里也滞付、那里也停发股息的情况下，这确是一个不得不考虑的问题，现在的问题是，只要能记得起，那怕再记起一点点也好，关于这位叫什么夫人的，也许叫奥利弗小姐的，就好了！

General Macarthur looked out of the carriage window. The train was just coming into Exeter where he had to change. Damnable，these slow branch line trains! This place，Indian Island，was really no distance at all as the crow flies. He hadn't got it clear who this fellow Owen was. A friend of Spoof Leggard's，apparently -- and of Johnny Dyer's.

麦克阿瑟将军从车窗望出去，列车刚刚驶进厄克塞特小站。见鬼！这些支线区间慢车！如果照直行驶，印地安岛这个地方，简直就算不上有多远路程。他没弄明白欧文这家伙到底是谁。是斯波夫·莱加德的朋友吧！显然是的——还是约翰尼·威尔的呢？

One or two of your old cronies are coming -- would like to have a talk over old times.

……您的一两位军队上的老同事也要来——大家都想叙叙旧。

Well，he'd enjoy a chat about old times. He'd had a fancy lately that fellows were rather fighting shy of him. All owing to that damned rumour! By God，it was pretty hard -- nearly thirty years ago now! Armitage had talked，he supposed. Damned young pup! What did he know about it? Oh，well，no good brooding about these things! One fancied things sometimes -- fancied a fellow was looking at you queerly.

是啊，他就爱摆弄陈年往事。近来，他怀疑人家是不是在躲着他，都怪那个该死的谣言！天哪！那真是叫人受不了！……现在算来，快三十年了！他想，一定阿米泰奇传出去的。该死的小畜生！这桩事情他究竟清楚多少？得了，还是少想些吧！人有时就是好猜想——猜想有谁死盯着你什么的。

This Indian Island now，he'd be interested to see it. A lot of gossip flying about. Looked as though there might be something in the rumour that the Admiralty or the War Office or the Air Force had got hold of it…

现在说说这座印地安岛吧！他多么想见见它。有多少闲话传说着，真是沸沸扬扬。那一条说海军部或陆军部、空军部买下它的传闻，看来其中确实有些名堂……

Young Elmer Robson，the American millionaire，had actually built the place. Spent thousands on it，so it was said. Every mortal luxury…

而年青的美国百万富翁埃尔默·罗布森，也的确盖起了那幢楼房。据说钱是成万成万花上去的。据说人间富贵景象尽集于此……

Exeter! And an hour to wait! And he didn't want to wait. He wanted to get on.

厄克塞特！还得等上一小时！他真不愿再等了，真想快快上路……

Dr. Armstrong was driving his Morris across Salisbury Plain. He was very tired… Success had its penalties. There had been a time when he had sat in his consulting room in Harley Street，correctly apparelled，surrounded with the most up-to-date appliances and the most luxurious furnishings and waited -- waited through the empty days for his venture to succeed or fail… *

阿姆斯特朗大夫驾驶着他那辆莫里斯牌汽车穿过索尔斯伯里原野。他累极了……出名也有出名的苦处啊。想当初，他全身上下打扮得整整齐齐，在设备崭新、装潢豪华的候诊室里等着，熬着——熬过无人上门的清闲日子，等着不知是凶是吉的渺茫前程。

Well，it had succeeded! He'd been lucky! Lucky and skilful of course. He was a good man at his job -- but that wasn't enough for success. You had to have luck as well. And he'd had it! An accurate diagnosis，a couple of grateful women patients -- women with money and position -- and word had got about. "You ought to try Armstrong -- quite a young man -- but so clever -- Pam had been to all sorts of people for years and he put his finger on the trouble at once!" The ball had started rolling.

好吧！总算大吉大利，他交了红运！红运再加上医术高明！他业务上有一套——但要出名光靠这一点可不够，还得运气好。而他就是运气好。有过那样一次了不起的确诊，再加上两三个感恩戴德的女病人，而且都是既有身分又有钱的主儿，好话就从此传开了。“你应该去找阿姆斯特朗大夫，他年纪不大，可是高明极了。阿潘东找大夫西寻医生地折腾了好几年，而他一帖药就见效！”从此，阿姆斯特朗就一帆风顺了。

And now Dr. Armstrong had definitely arrived. His days were full. He had little leisure. And so，on this August morning，he was glad that he was leaving London and going to be for some days on an island off the Devon coast. Not that it was exactly a holiday. The letter he had received had been rather vague in its terms，but there was nothing vague about the accompanying cheque. A whacking fee. These Owens must be rolling in money. Some little difficulty，it seemed，a husband who was worried about his wife's health and wanted a report on it without her being alarmed. She wouldn't hear of seeing a doctor. Her nerves --

而今他一跃而登龙门，天天门庭若市，忙得不可开交。像今天这样能在八月的早晨，走出伦敦，去德文郡沿海小岛小住一段，清闲上几天，岂不快哉！但是，要说完全是度假吧，也不尽然。一则来信措辞含糊，二则毫不含糊的倒是那张随信附来的支票。好大一笔钱！这欧文一家子想必滚在钱堆里了。看来不过是些小毛病，男的不放心女的身体，又不愿意惊动她，就想不声不响地让医生去证实一下。她听不得看医生之类的话，她的神经……

Nerves! The doctor's eyebrows went up. These women and their nerves! Well，it was good for business，after all. Half the women who consulted him had nothing the matter with them but boredom，but they wouldn't thank you for telling them so! And one could usually find something.

老舍简介及作品简介，神经！大夫的眉毛皱起来了。瞧这些女人！还有什么神经之类的！好吧！反正是生财有道。反正找他看病的女人，好说也有一半的确是什么毛病也说不上来，纯属吃饱了饭撑的。可是这种大实话说了也不见情。好在总能拉扯上些这个那个的：

"A slightly uncommon condition of the -- some long word -- nothing at all serious -- but it just needs putting right. A simple treatment."

“稍许有点不大……什么的……属于一种……这个名词说起来特别长，拗口——反正，没什么大不了的——治，还得治，不难。”

Well，medicine was mostly faith -- healing when it came to it. And he had a good manner -- he could inspire hope and belief.

说实在的，药，主要是个信任问题，说灵就灵。而且他能说会道，不但让人有求于他，还叫人信得过他。

《无人生还》(And then there were none)是英国著名的推理小说女王阿加莎·克里斯蒂(Agatha Christie)写的一篇推理小说。 阿加莎·克里斯蒂(Agatha Christie,1890年生于英国德文郡托尔奎。一战期间,她参加了英国和红十字志愿队,从事救护工作。

Lucky that he'd managed to pull himself together in time after that business ten -- no，fifteen years ago. It had been a near thing，that! He'd been going to pieces. The shock had pulled him together. He'd cut out drink altogether. By Jove，it had been a near thing though…

幸好那桩事情总算对付过来了，总有十年——不，十五年了吧。那桩事情真是好险哪！他差点垮了台。幸好那次震动使他重新镇静下来。从此以后，他滴酒不沾。老天爷……尽管事情已经过去了，想起来真是差点儿完蛋……

随着一阵震耳欲聋的鸣笛声，一辆超级达尔曼跑车以每小时八十英里的速度飞驰过去。阿姆斯特朗大夫差点给挤得撞到路边的树桩上。又是一个到处捣乱的小笨蛋！他讨厌他们。这次又是差一点完蛋。该死的小笨蛋！

Tony Marston，roaring down into Mere，thought to himself: "The amount of cars crawling about the roads is frightful. Always something blocking your way. And they will drive in the middle of the road! Pretty hopeless driving in England，anyway… Not like France where you really could let out…"

安东尼·马斯顿猛开快车，他一边想着：这么一大堆车子尽在路上爬呀爬的，真有点吓人，不是这辆，就是那辆，总拦着你，使你动弹不得，而且，它们还总是走在路中间！英国的汽车交通真没办法……哪像法国，人家真叫你敞开来超车……

Should he stop here for a drink，or push on? Heaps of time! Only another hundred miles and a bit to go. He'd have a gin and gingerbeer. Fizzing hot day!

要不要停下来喝一杯？还是往前赶？时间有的是！只有百把英里了。得喝上杯带劲儿的，再喝杯淡的。这个热得吱吱叫的鬼天气！

This island place ought to be rather good fun -- if the weather lasted. Who were these Owens，he wondered? Rich and stinking，probably. Badger was rather good at nosing people like that out. Of course，he had to，poor old chap，with no money of his own…

如果就这样热下去，岛上那种地方就带劲儿了！姓欧文的是何许样人，他不清楚。总是个阔佬吧，阔得邪乎。探这些阔佬的道儿，巴杰尔确实在行。当然，他也是身不由己，可怜的老家伙，自己没钱真够呛……

Hope they'd do one well in drinks. Never knew with these fellows who'd made their money and weren't born to it. Pity that story about Gabrielle Turl having bought Indian Island wasn't true. He'd like to have been in with that film star crowd.

但愿他们有好酒待客。同这帮弄了好多钱而又不是生来就懂得花钱的家伙从没有打过交道。可惜关于加布里埃尔·特尔买下那个小岛的说法不确，他可真想同这位女明星拉拉近乎。

Oh，well，he supposed there'd be a few girls there.

好吧！安东尼·马斯顿估计那儿总会有上几个姑娘的。

Coming out of the Hotel，he stretched himself，yawned，looked up at the blue sky and climbed into the Dalmain.

他走出饭店，伸伸懒腰，打了个哈欠，望一望蓝天，然后又爬进达尔曼跑车。

有几个女人不胜爱慕地盯着他看——六英尺高的身材，体态匀称，头发松鬈，脸膛黝黑，还有一双一往情深的蓝眼睛。

He let in the clutch with a roar and leapt up the narrow street. Old men and errand boys jumped for safety. The latter looked after the car admiringly.

他轰然发动着汽车，开上了狭窄的街道，把老头儿和那些替别人跑腿的小鬼吓得直往两边跳。可是小鬼们还盯着汽车看呢，羡慕极了！

Anthony Marston proceeded on his triumphal progress.

安东尼·马斯顿神气活现地继续着他的旅程。

Mr. Blore was in the slow train from Plymouth. There was only one other person in his carriage，an elderly seafaring gentleman with a bleary eye.

布洛尔先生乘坐的是从普莱茅斯开出来的慢车。除他之外，车厢里只有一个人，一个飘洋过海的老人家，眼圈儿都烂了。

At the present moment he had dropped off to sleep.

眼下，他耷拉着脑袋睡着了。

Mr. Blore was writing carefully in a little notebook.

布洛尔先生正仔细地往小本本上写着。

"That's the lot，" he muttered to himself. "Emily Brent，Vera Claythorne，Dr. Armstrong，Anthony Marston，old Justice Wargrave，Philip Lombard，General Macarthur，C. M. G.，D. S. O. Manservant and wife: Mr. and Mrs. Rogers."

“这伙人有，”他一边叨咕说，“埃米莉·布伦特，维拉·克菜索恩，阿姆斯特朗大夫，安东尼·马斯顿，沃格雷夫老法官，菲利普·隆巴德，麦克阿瑟将军，男管家和他的老婆——罗杰斯先生和罗杰斯太太。”

He closed the notebook and put it back in his pocket. He glanced over at the comer and the slumbering man.

他合上小本子，放回口袋，朝角落里望了望酣睡着的老头。

"Had one over the eight，" diagnosed Mr. Blore accurately.

“比八个多了一个。”布洛尔先生作了精确的判断。

He went over things carefully and conscientiously in his mind.

他把一桩桩事情都仔细地想了想。

"Job ought to be easy enough，" he ruminated. "Don't see how I can slip up on it. Hope I look all right."

“这趟差使是够轻松的，”他反复琢磨着。“看不出会有什么意外。但愿我模样上没问题。”

He stood up and scrutinized himself anxiously in the glass. The face reflected there was of a slightly military cast with a moustache. There was very little expression in it. The eyes were grey and set rather close together.

他站起身来着急地从镜子里仔细地端详着自己：脸上有一撮小胡子，有那么点儿军人气概，就是毫无表情。眼睛是灰色的，左右两眼挨得很近。

“像个少校吧，”布洛尔先生想，“不成，我忘了。还有个老行伍呐，他一眼就会戳穿我的。”

"South Africa，" said Mr. Blore，"that's my line! None of these people have anything to do with South Africa，and I've just been reading that travel folder so I can talk about it all right."

“南非，”布洛尔先生又想，“这是我熟悉的地方！这些人无论哪一个都和南非搭不上界，而我正好一直在读着旅行资料，可以谈上一气的。”

Fortunately there were all sorts and types of colonials. As a man of means from South Africa，Mr. Blore felt that he could enter into any society unchallenged.

亏得各色各样的殖民地多得是。布洛尔先生自觉对南非有所了解，凭这一点想必在哪里都吃得开，不至于出洋相。

Indian Island. He remembered Indian Island as a boy. Smelly sort of rock covered with gulls -- stood about a mile from the coast. It had got its name from its resemblance to a man's head -- an American Indian profile.

印地安岛！他从小就了解它……臭烘烘的岩石上扒满了海鸥——离岸大约有一英里远吧，因岛的形状像人头——美洲印地安人的头型而得名。

Funny idea to go and build a house on it! Awful in bad weather! But millionaires were full of wbims!

到这座岛上来盖别墅，真是个古怪的念头！天气一变，可够瞧的！所以说百万富翁，就是爱闹个新鲜！

The old man in the comer woke up and said: "You can't never tell at sea -- never!"

旯旮里的老头醒过来了，他说道：“海的脾气，可是谁都摸不准——从来也摸不准哪！”

Mr. Blore said soothingly，"That's right. You can't."

布洛尔先生随口答应说：“说得对。谁也摸不准。”

The old man hiccuped twice and said plaintively: "There's a squall coming."

老头打了两个嗝，唉声叹气地说：“要起风暴了呢！”

Mr. Blore said: "No，no，mate，it's a lovely day."

布洛尔先生说：“不，不，伙计，天气好着呐。”

The old man said angrily: "There's a squall ahead. I can smell it."

老头生气了，说道：“风暴就在前头，我闻得出来。”

故事发生在1939年的8月，八名身处世界各地，互相并不认识的人在同一时间收到了欧文夫妇的来信，信中热情的邀请他们前往位于德文海岸附近的士兵岛上做客，在这里，这对夫妻拥有一幢非常豪华的别墅。很快，八个人就各自动身了。

"Maybe you're right，" said Mr. Blore pacifically.

“也许您是对的。”布洛尔先生心平气和地说。

The train stopped at a station and the old fellow rose unsteadily. "Thish where I get out." He fumbled with the window. Mr. Blore helped him.

火车靠站停下了。老家伙颤颤巍巍地站了起来。“我得下车了。”他摸索着窗户说。布洛尔先生帮着他。

The old man stood in the doorway. He raised a solemn hand and blinked his bleary eyes. "Watch and pray，" he said. "Watch and pray. The day of judgment is at hand."

老头站在门口，庄严地把一只手举起来，闪着烂眼圈。老头站在门口，庄严地把一只手举起来，闪着烂眼圈。“瞧着点儿，祈祷吧，”他说，“瞧着点儿，祈祷吧。审判的日子就在眼前了。”

He collapsed through the doorway onto the platform. From a recumbent position he looked up at Mr. Blore and said with immense dignity: "I'm talking to you，young man. The day of judgment is very close at hand."

他穿过门道，跌跌撞撞地下了月台。他斜过身来对着上面的布洛尔先生无限尊严庄重地说道：“我对你说，年青人，审判的日子近在眼前了，近得很哪！”

Subsiding onto his seat Mr. Blore thought to himself: "He's nearer the day of judgment than I am!"

布洛尔先生退到位子上坐好，心里想着：“审判的日子对他要比我近得多呐。”

But there，as it happens，he was wrong…

但是，在这一点上，往后的事情证明，他错了……