第10页

    没过多久，约翰·克拉弗豪斯就出现了，他正吃力地沿着河床往上游走。贝娄娜在他周围小跑着，他们都很兴致高昂，贝娄娜短促明快的吠声和他低沉的歌声融合在一起。到达湖之后，他扔下了抄网和麻袋，从裤子后兜里掏出了一样东西，看上去像一根又大又粗的蜡烛。但我知道那是一根“炸药”，他就是用这个方法捕鳟鱼的。他装好炸药，把炸药紧紧地包在一块棉布里，放好引线，然后点燃引线把炸药扔进了湖里。

    Like a flash, Bellona was into the pool after it. I could have shrieked aloud for joy. Claverhouse yelled at her, but without avail. He pelted her with clods and rocks, but she swam steadily on till she got the stick of "giant" in her mouth, when she whirled about and headed for shore. Then, for the first time, he realized his danger, and started to run. As foreseen and planned by me, she made the bank and took out after him. Oh, I tell you, it was great! As I have said, the pool lay in a sort of amphitheatre. Above and below, the stream could be crossed on stepping-stones. And around and around, up and down and across the stones, raced Claverhouse and Bellona. I could never have believed that such an ungainly man could run so fast. But run he did, Bellona hot-footed after him, and gaining. And then, just as she caught up, he in full stride, and she leaping with nose at his knee, there was a sudden flash, a burst of smoke, a terrific detonation, and where man and dog had been the instant before there was naught to be seen but a big hole in the ground.

    就像一道闪电般，贝娄娜冲进了水里去追炸药。我差点高兴得大声尖叫起来。克拉弗豪斯对着狗大声吼叫，但一点用也没有。他用泥块和石子不停地朝狗丢去，但狗还是稳稳地向前游着，直到它叼住了那根“炸药”，然后突然转身向岸边游来。所以，生平第一次，他意识到了自己的危险，开始逃跑。就像我预见和计划的一样，狗游上了河岸并紧追着他不放。哦，我告诉你，太精彩了！正如我所说过的，这个湖处于一个类似圆形竞技场的地形之中。上上下下都有可以用来穿过小溪的垫脚石。克拉弗豪斯和贝娄娜绕着湖一圈圈，上上下下地跨着石头前赶后追。我从没想到这么个笨拙的人会跑得这么快。但不管他怎么跑，贝娄娜都紧紧地追着他，并越来越近。然后，就在他大步向前跑时，狗追上了他，跳起来时鼻子碰到了他的膝盖，忽然巨大的爆炸声响起，火光乍现，浓烟滚滚，人和狗瞬间就都不见了，地上只剩一个大洞。

    "Death from accident while engaged in illegal fishing." That was the verdict of the coroner's jury; and that is why I pride myself on the neat and artistic way in which I finished off John Claverhouse. There was no bungling, no brutality; nothing of which to be ashamed in the whole transaction, as I am sure you will agree. No more does his infernal laugh go echoing among the hills, and no more does his fat moon-face rise up to vex me. My days are peaceful now, and my night's sleep deep.

    “非法捕鱼中意外导致死亡。”这就是法医评审委员会的裁定，这也是为什么我对自己杀死约翰·克拉弗豪斯所用的干净艺术的手法感到自豪的原因。没有一点破绽或暴力，整个过程中没有任何让人感到羞耻的地方，我确信你也会同意我的说法。他那可恶的笑声再也不会在山间回响，他那圆月般的胖脸也不会再在我面前升起，惹我心烦。现在我白天能够安享宁静，晚上也能酣然入梦了。