血字的研究 59和先知的会谈(3)（在线收听）

One fine morning John Ferrier was about to set out to his wheatfields, when he heard the click of the latch,

一个晴朗的早晨，约翰·费瑞厄正打算外出到麦田里去，他忽然听到前门的门闩咔哒响了一下。

and, looking through the window, saw a stout, sandy-haired, middle-aged man coming up the pathway.

他从窗口向外一望，只见一个身强力壮、有着一头淡茶色头发的中年男子沿着小径走了过来。

His heart leapt to his mouth, for this was none other than the great Brigham Young himself.

他大吃一惊，因为进来的不是别人，正是大人物卜瑞格姆·扬亲自驾到。

Full of trepidation–for he knew that such a visit boded him little good–Ferrier ran to the door to greet the Mormon chief.

他感到十分害怕，因为他明白，这种访问对他说来是凶多吉少的。费瑞厄赶紧跑到门口去迎接这位摩门教的首领。

The latter, however, received his salutations coldly, and followed him with a stern face into the sitting-room.

但是，扬对于他的迎接表示非常冷淡，他板着面孔随他进了客厅。

"Brother Ferrier," he said, taking a seat, and eyeing the farmer keenly from under his light-coloured eyelashes, "the true believers have been good friends to you.

"费瑞厄兄弟，"他一面说着，一面坐了下来，两眼从他那淡色睫毛下严峻地瞧着这个农民，"上帝的忠实信徒们一直以善良的朋友态度对待你，

We picked you up when you were starving in the desert, we shared our food with you, led you safe to the Chosen Valley, gave you a goodly share of land,

当你在沙漠里行将饿毙的时候，我们拯救了你，我们把我们的食物分给了你，把你平安地带到这个上帝选定的山谷来，分给你一大片土地，而且让你在我们的保护下，

and allowed you to wax rich under our protection. Is not this so?"

慢慢地发财致富骑来，是不是这样呢？"

"It is so," answered John Ferrier.

"是这样。"费瑞厄回答说。

"In return for all this we asked but one condition: that was, that you should embrace the true faith, and conform in every way to its usages.

"为所有这一切，我们只提出过一个条件，就是：你必须信奉我们这个纯正的宗教，并且要在各方面奉行教规。

This you promised to do, and this, if common report says truly, you have neglected."

这一点，你也曾答应过这样做；可是，如果大家的报告不是假的话，就在这一点上，你却一直玩忽不顾。"

"And how have I neglected it?" asked Ferrier, throwing out his hands in expostulation.

费瑞厄伸出双手答辩道："那么，我到底怎样玩忽不顾呢？

"Have I not given to the common fund? Have I not attended at the Temple? Have I not– –?"

难道我没有按照规定缴纳公共基金吗？难道我没有去教堂礼拜吗？难道我--"

"Where are your wives?" asked Young, looking round him. "Call them in, that I may greet them."

"那么，你的妻子们都在哪里？"扬问道，四面瞧了一下，"把她们叫出来，我要见见她们。"

"It is true that I have not married," Ferrier answered. "But women were few, and there were many who had better claims than I.

费瑞厄回答说："我没有娶妻，这倒是事实。可是，女人已经不多了，而且许多人比我更需要。

I was not a lonely man: I had my daughter to attend to my wants."

我也并不是一个孤零零的人，我还有我的女儿侍奉我哩。"

"It is of that daughter that I would speak to you," said the leader of the Mormons.

这位摩门教的领袖说："我就是为着你的那个女儿才来找你谈话的。

"She has grown to be the flower of Utah, and has found favour in the eyes of many who are high in the land."

她已经长大成人了，而且称得上是咱们犹他地方的一朵花了。这里许多有地位的人物都看中了她。"

John Ferrier groaned internally.

约翰·费瑞厄听了这话以后，不禁心中暗暗叫苦。