Vanity and Some Sables

When “Kid” Brady was sent to the ropes by Molly McKeever’s blue-black eyes he withdrew from the Stovepipe Gang. So much for the power of a colleen’s blanderin’ tongue and stubborn true-heartedness. If you are a man who read this, may such an influence be sent you before 2 o’clock to-morrow; if you are a woman, may your Pomeranian greet you this morning with a cold nose—a sign of doghealth and your happiness.

当“小子”布雷迪被莫莉·麦基弗那双蓝黑色的眼睛打倒在绳索边上时，他便退出了“烟囱帮”。这就是一个姑娘那哄劝的舌头和执拗的真心所拥有的力量。假如你是个男人，读到这里，但愿这样的力量在明天下午两点之前也降临到你身上；假如你是个女人，但愿你的博美犬今天早晨用冰凉的鼻子迎接你——那是狗儿健康、也是你幸福的标志。

The Stovepipe Gang borrowed its name from a sub-district of the city called the “Stovepipe,” which is a narrow and natural extension of the familiar district known as “Hell’s Kitchen.” The “Stovepipe” strip of town runs along Eleventh and Twelfth avenues on the river, and bends a hard and sooty elbow around little, lost homeless DeWitt Clinton park. Consider that a stovepipe is an important factor in any kitchen and the situation is analyzed. The chefs in “Hell’s Kitchen” are many, and the “Stovepipe” gang, wears the cordon blue.

“烟囱帮”这个名字，借自城里一个小区，人称“烟囱区”，那是大家熟知的“地狱厨房”区自然延伸出来的一条狭长地带。“烟囱”这条街区沿着第十一和第十二大道，紧挨着河边，绕过那孤零零、无人问津的德威特·克林顿公园拐了个又脏又硬的弯。想想看，烟囱在任何厨房里都是要紧的物件，这情形也就说得通了。“地狱厨房”里厨子多的是，而“烟囱帮”，正戴着那顶蓝色的厨师帽。

The members of this unchartered but widely known brotherhood appeared to pass their time on street corners arrayed like the lilies of the conservatory and busy with nail files and penknives. Thus displayed as a guarantee of good faith, they carried on an innocuous conversation in a 200-word vocabulary, to the casual observer as innocent and immaterial as that heard in clubs seven blocks to the east.

这个没有正式章程、却名声在外的兄弟会，成员们看上去整天都待在街角，打扮得像温室里的百合花，忙着摆弄指甲锉和小折刀。他们这般公然亮相，仿佛是在担保自己老实本分，用两百个词的词汇量维持着一种无伤大雅的闲谈，在旁观者听来，跟东边七个街区之外那些俱乐部里的谈话一样天真无害。

But off exhibition the “Stovepipes” were not mere street corner ornaments addicted to posing and manicuring. Their serious occupation was the separating of citizens from their coin and valuables. Preferably this was done by weird and singular tricks without noise or bloodshed; but whenever the citizen honored by their attentions refused to impoverish himself gracefully his objections came to be spread finally upon some police station blotter or hospital register.

可是一旦离开这展示场，“烟囱帮”的人可不只是站在街角摆姿势、修指甲的摆设。他们真正的营生，是把市民和他们的钱财、值钱物件分开。他们偏爱用些古怪而巧妙的手法不动声色地办成这事；可要是哪位有幸受到他们“关照”的市民不肯痛痛快快地破财，他的抗议最终便会记录在某个警察局的案卷簿或医院的登记册上。

The police held the “Stovepipe” gang in perpetual suspicion and respect. As the nightingale’s liquid note is heard in the deepest shadows, so along the “Stovepipe’s” dark and narrow confines the whistle for reserves punctures the dull ear of night. Whenever there was smoke in the “stovepipe” the tasselled men in blue knew there was fire in “Hell’s Kitchen.”

警察对“烟囱帮”始终抱着又提防又敬畏的态度。就像夜莺婉转的鸣声总在最深的阴影里响起，沿着“烟囱区”那阴暗狭窄的地界，召集警力的哨声也刺破了沉沉夜色的迟钝耳膜。每当“烟囱”里冒出烟来，那些戴着流苏帽的蓝衣警察便知道，“地狱厨房”里起火了。

“Kid” Brady promised Molly to be good. “Kid” was the vainest, the strongest, the wariest and the most successful plotter in the gang. Therefore, the boys were sorry to give him up.

“小子”布雷迪向莫莉保证要洗心革面。“小子”是这帮人里最爱慕虚荣、最强壮、最机警、也最能成事的一个。所以，弟兄们舍不得放他走。

But they witnessed his fall to a virtuous life without protest. For, in the Kitchen it is considered neither unmanly nor improper for a guy to do as his girl advises.

但他们眼睁睁看着他堕入正经日子，却没有半句怨言。因为在这厨房区，一个小伙子听他女朋友的劝，既不算没出息，也不算不体面。

Black her eye for love’s sake, if you will; but it is all-to-the-good business to do a thing when she wants you to do it.

为了爱情打她一顿黑眼圈，随你的便；可要是她要你做一件事，照着做，那才是稳赚不赔的买卖。

“Turn off the hydrant,” said the Kid, one night when Molly, tearful, besought him to amend his ways. “I’m going to cut out the gang. You for mine, and the simple life on the side. I’ll tell you, Moll—I’ll get work; and in a year we’ll get married. I’ll do it for you. We’ll get a flat and a flute, and a sewing machine and a rubber plant and live as honest as we can.”

“把水龙头关了，”一天晚上，莫莉含着泪央求他改邪归正时，小子说道。“我要跟那帮人一刀两断了。我只要你，外加清清白白过日子。我告诉你，莫尔——我要去找活干；一年之后咱们就结婚。我为了你，什么都肯做。咱们弄套房子，买个笛子，一台缝纫机，一盆橡皮树，尽量老老实实地过日子。”

“Oh, Kid,” sighed Molly, wiping the powder off his shoulder with her handkerchief, “I’d rather hear you say that than to own all of New York. And we can be happy on so little!”

“哦，小子，”莫莉叹息着，用手帕替他擦去肩上的粉末，“比起拥有整个纽约，我更愿意听你说这句话。就算日子过得再简单，咱们也能幸福！”

The Kid looked down at his speckless cuffs and shining patent leathers with a suspicion of melancholy.

小子低头看看自己一尘不染的袖口和锃亮的漆皮鞋，脸上浮起一丝忧郁的神色。

“It’ll hurt hardest in the rags department,” said he. “I’ve kind of always liked to rig out swell when I could. You know how I hate cheap things, Moll. This suit set me back sixty-five. Anything in the wearing apparel line has got to be just so, or it’s to the misfit parlors for it, for mine. If I work I won’t have so much coin to hand over to the little man with the big shears.”

“最伤心的要数穿戴这一项了，”他说。“我一向就喜欢有条件的时候穿得体面些。你知道我最恨便宜货，莫尔。这身衣服可花了我六十五块。凡是穿的东西，都得讲究，不然就送去改衣铺凑合，我可不干。要是干活挣钱，我就没那么多钱交给拿大剪子的小裁缝了。”

“Never mind, Kid. I’ll like you just as much in a blue jumper as I would in a red automobile.”

“别放在心上，小子。就算你穿件蓝布工装，我也一样喜欢你，跟你开红色汽车时一样。”

Before the Kid had grown large enough to knock out his father he had been compelled to learn the plumber’s art. So now back to this honorable and useful profession he returned. But it was as an assistant that he engaged himself; and it is the master plumber and not the assistant, who wears diamonds as large as hailstones and looks contemptuously upon the marble colonnades of Senator Clark’s mansion.

小子还没长到能揍倒他老爹的年纪时，就被逼着学了水管工的手艺。如今他便回到这门体面而实用的行当里去。不过他只是当个帮工；戴着大如冰雹的钻石、对克拉克参议员宅邸的大理石廊柱嗤之以鼻的，是老板水管工，而不是帮工。

Eight months went by as smoothly and surely as though they had “elapsed” on a theater program. The Kid worked away at his pipes and solder with no symptoms of backsliding. The Stovepipe gang continued its piracy on the high avenues, cracked policemen’s heads, held up late travelers, invented new methods of peaceful plundering, copied Fifth avenue’s cut of clothes and neckwear fancies and comported itself according to its lawless bylaws. But the Kid stood firm and faithful to his Molly, even though the polish was gone from his fingernails and it took him 15 minutes to tie his purple silk ascot so that the worn places would not show.

八个月的光阴过去了，平稳顺遂，就像戏院节目单上写的那样“一晃而过”。小子埋头摆弄他的管子和焊料，没有一点故态复萌的迹象。“烟囱帮”依旧在大街上兴风作浪，砸警察的脑袋，打劫深夜的行人，想出新花样来悄无声息地打劫，学着第五大道的裁剪款式和领带花样，照着他们那套无法无天的规矩行事。可是小子对莫莉始终坚贞不渝，尽管他指甲上的光泽早已褪去，系一条紫色丝绸领巾也得花上十五分钟，好让磨旧的地方不露出来。

One evening he brought a mysterious bundle with him to Molly’s house.

一天傍晚，他带着一个神秘的包裹去了莫莉家。

“Open that, Moll!” he said in his large, quiet way. “It’s for you.”

“打开看看，莫尔！”他用他那从容不迫的口气说。“是给你的。”

Molly’s eager fingers tore off the wrappings. She shrieked aloud, and in rushed a sprinkling of little McKeevers, and Ma McKeever, dishwashy, but an undeniable relative of the late Mrs. Eve.

莫莉迫不及待地伸出手指扯掉包装纸。她尖叫一声，一群小麦基弗从屋里冲了进来，还有麦基弗大妈，那位手上带着洗碗水渍、却毫无疑问是夏娃夫人的正牌后裔。

Again Molly shrieked, and something dark and long and sinuous flew and enveloped her neck like an anaconda.

莫莉又是一声尖叫，一个又黑又长、蜿蜒扭曲的东西飞了过来，像巨蟒一样缠上了她的脖子。

“Russian sables,” said the Kid, pridefully, enjoying the sight of Molly’s round cheek against the clinging fur. “The real thing. They don’t grow anything in Russia too good for you, Moll.”

“俄国黑貂皮，”小子得意洋洋地说，望着莫莉圆润的脸颊贴着那柔软皮毛的样子，心里美滋滋的。“正宗货色。俄国再没有比这更好的东西留给你了，莫尔。”

Molly plunged her hands into the muff, overturned a row of the family infants and flew to the mirror. Hint for the beauty column. To make bright eyes, rosy cheeks and a bewitching smile: Recipe—one set Russian sables. Apply.

莫莉把双手插进皮手筒里，撞翻了一排家里的小孩子，飞奔到镜子前。这该给美容专栏提个建议：要想有明亮的眼睛、红润的脸颊和迷人的笑容——配方：俄国黑貂皮一套。涂抹使用。

When they were alone Molly became aware of a small cake of the ice of common sense floating down the full tide of her happiness.

只剩他们两人的时候，莫莉那片幸福的心潮之中，慢慢浮起了一小块常识的冰凌。

“You’re a bird, all right, Kid,” she admitted gratefully. “I never had any furs on before in my life. But ain’t Russian sables awful expensive? Seems to me I’ve heard they were.”

“你可真是个好样的，小子，”她感激地承认道。“我这辈子从来没穿过皮草。可是俄国黑貂皮不是挺贵的吗？我好像听人这么说过。”

“Have I ever chucked any bargain-sale stuff at you, Moll?” asked the Kid, with calm dignity. “Did you ever notice me leaning on the remnant counter or peering in the window of the five-and-ten? Call that scarf $250 and the muff $175 and you won’t make any mistake about the price of Russian sables. The swell goods for me. Say, they look fine on you, Moll.”

“我什么时候扔过便宜货给你，莫尔？”小子不动声色、一脸尊严地问道。“你什么时候见我靠在处理品柜台边上，或是趴在十分钱商店的橱窗上瞧过？那条围巾算它两百五，手筒算它一百七十五，俄国黑貂皮的价钱，你算准没错。上等货色才配得上我。喂，你穿上真好看，莫尔。”

Molly hugged the sables to her bosom in rapture. And then her smile went away little by little, and she looked the Kid straight in the eye sadly and steadily.

莫莉把黑貂皮搂在怀里，欣喜若狂。可渐渐地，她脸上的笑容一点点散去，她直勾勾地看着小子的眼睛，神情既悲伤又坚定。

He knew what every look of hers meant; and he laughed with a faint flush upon his face.

他明白她那眼神里的每一层意思；他脸上泛起一阵淡淡的红晕，笑了笑。

“Cut it out,” he said, with affectionate roughness. “I told you I was done with that. I bought ’em and paid for ’em, all right, with my own money.”

“别这样，”他带着几分亲昵的粗声说道。“我告诉过你，我早跟那些事一刀两断了。这些皮草是我自己掏钱买的，一分不少。”

“Out of the money you worked for, Kid? Out of $75 a month?”

“是用你挣的钱买的吗，小子？一个月七十五块？”

“Sure. I been saving up.”

“没错。我一直在攒钱。”

“Let’s see—saved $425 in eight months, Kid?”

“让我算算——八个月攒了四百二十五块，小子？”

“Ah, let up,” said the Kid, with some heat. “I had some money when I went to work. Do you think I’ve been holding ’em up again? I told you I’d quit. They’re paid for on the square. Put ’em on and come out for a walk.”

“哎，别唠叨了，”小子有些急了。“我去干活之前手头就有些钱。你以为我又出去打劫了？我告诉过你我不干了。这些皮草是明明白白买来的。穿上，跟我出去走走。”

Molly calmed her doubts. Sables are soothing. Proud as a queen she went forth in the streets at the Kid’s side. In all that region of low-lying streets Russian sables had never been seen before. The word sped, and doors and windows blossomed with heads eager to see the swell furs Kid Brady had given his girl. All down the street there were “Oh’s” and “Ah’s” and the reported fabulous sum paid for the sables was passed from lip to lip, increasing as it went.

莫莉打消了疑虑。黑貂皮总有安抚人心的力量。她像个女王似的骄傲地跟着小子走上街头。在那一带地势低洼的街道上，从来没人见过俄国黑貂皮。消息传开了，一扇扇门窗都探出脑袋，争着要看看小子布雷迪给他女朋友买的那身阔气皮草。街上到处是“哦”声“啊”声，那笔传得神乎其神的天价，从这张嘴传到那张嘴，越传越大。

At her right elbow sauntered the Kid with the air of princes. Work had not diminished his love of pomp and show and his passion for the costly and genuine. On a corner they saw a group of the Stovepipe Gang loafing, immaculate. They raised their hats to the Kid’s girl and went on with their calm, unaccented palaver.

小子走在她右边，摆出一副王孙贵胄的派头。干活并没有减损他对排场、体面以及一切名贵真品的热爱。到了街角，他们看见一群衣冠楚楚的“烟囱帮”弟兄正在闲逛。他们向小子的女朋友举帽致意，然后继续他们那种从容不迫、语气平淡的闲扯。

Three blocks behind the admired couple strolled Detective Ransom, of the Central office. Ransom was the only detective on the force who could walk abroad with safety in the Stovepipe district. He was fair dealing and unafraid and went there with the hypothesis that the inhabitants were human. Many liked him, and now and then one would tip off to him something that he was looking for.

在这对惹眼的情侣身后三个街区处，中央局的兰森警探不紧不慢地跟着。兰森是全局唯一一个敢在“烟囱区”安然自在地走动的警探。他为人公道、无所畏惧，抱着那一带住的也是人的想法在那儿走动。许多人喜欢他，时不时也有人给他透个风声，报些他正想打听的事。

“What’s the excitement down the street?” asked Ransom of a pale youth in a red sweater.

“街上闹哄哄的是怎么回事？”兰森问一个穿红毛衣的脸色苍白的小伙子。

“Dey’re out rubberin’ at a set of buffalo robes Kid Brady staked his girl to,” answered the youth. “Some say he paid $900 for de skins. Dey’re swell all right enough.”

“他们出去看小子布雷迪送给他姑娘的那套水牛皮呢，”那小伙子答道。“有人说他花了九百块买那皮子。真是阔气得没话说。”

“I hear Brady has been working at his old trade for nearly a year,” said the detective. “He doesn’t travel with the gang any more, does he?”

“我听说布雷迪干他的老本行快一年了，”警探说。“他不跟那帮人混了，是吧？”

“He’s workin’, all right,” said the red sweater, “but—say, sport, are you trailin’ anything in the fur line? A job in a plumbin’ shop don’ match wid dem skins de Kid’s girl’s got on.”

“他在正经干活呢，”穿红毛衣的说道，“可是——喂，警官先生，你是不是在打皮草的主意？在水管铺子里干活的工钱，可配不上小子姑娘身上那身皮子啊。”

Ransom overtook the strolling couple on an empty street near the river bank. He touched the Kid’s arm from behind.

兰森在河边一条空荡荡的街上赶上了这对慢悠悠走着的情侣。他从背后碰了碰小子的胳膊。

“Let me see you a moment, Brady,” he said, quietly. His eye rested for a second on the long fur scarf thrown stylishly back over Molly’s left shoulder. The Kid, with his old-time police hating frown on his face, stepped a yard or two aside with the detective.

“借一步说话，布雷迪，”他平静地说道。他的目光在莫莉左肩上那条时髦地甩在身后的长毛围巾上停了一秒钟。小子脸上又浮现出他那副老派的恨警察的神色，跟着警探走开一两码远。

“Did you go to Mrs. Hethcote’s on West 7—th street yesterday to fix a leaky water pipe?” asked Ransom.

“你昨天是不是去了西七街赫斯科特夫人家修一根漏水的管子？”兰森问道。

“I did,” said the Kid. “What of it?”

“去了，”小子说。“怎么了？”

“The lady’s $1,000 set of Russian sables went out of the house about the same time you did. The description fits the ones this lady has on.”

“太太家一套价值一千块的俄国黑貂皮，跟你差不多时间从家里不见了。描述跟这位小姐身上穿的那套一模一样。”

“To h—Harlem with you,” cried the Kid, angrily. “You know I’ve cut out that sort of thing, Ransom. I bought them sables yesterday at—”

“见你的鬼去吧——”小子怒气冲冲地喊道。“你知道我早跟那种事一刀两断了，兰森。这些黑貂皮我是昨天买的，在——”

The Kid stopped short.

小子突然住了口。

“I know you’ve been working straight lately,” said Ransom. “I’ll give you every chance. I’ll go with you where you say you bought the furs and investigate. The lady can wear ’em along with us and nobody’ll be on. That’s fair, Brady.”

“我知道你近来一直干得规规矩矩，”兰森说。“我给你一切机会。你说是在哪儿买的皮草，我跟你一块儿去查。这位小姐可以一路穿着，谁也不会看出破绽。这总公道吧，布雷迪。”

“Come on,” agreed the Kid, hotly. And then he stopped suddenly in his tracks and looked with an odd smile at Molly’s distressed and anxious face.

“走吧，”小子恼火地应道。可他随即猛地停住脚步，用一种古怪的微笑看着莫莉那张苦恼又焦急的脸。

“No use,” he said, grimly. “They’re the Hethcote sables, all right. You’ll have to turn ’em over, Moll, but they ain’t too good for you if they cost a million.”

“没用了，”他阴沉地说。“这的确是赫斯科特家的黑貂皮，没错。你得还回去，莫尔，不过就算它值一百万，也配不上你。”

Molly, with anguish in her face, hung upon the Kid’s arm.

莫莉满脸痛苦，紧紧攀住小子的胳膊。

“Oh, Kiddy, you’ve broke my heart,” she said. “I was so proud of you—and now they’ll do you—and where’s our happiness gone?”

“哦，小子，你伤透了我的心，”她说。“我本来那么为你骄傲——现在他们要抓你了——咱们的幸福到哪儿去了？”

“Go home,” said the Kid, wildly. “Come on, Ransom—take the furs. Let’s get away from here. Wait a minute—I’ve a good mind to—no, I’ll be d–––– if I can do it—run along, Moll—I’m ready, Ransom.”

“回家去，”小子狂乱地说道。“来吧，兰森——把皮草拿走。咱们离这儿远点。等等——我倒真想——不，我做不到——你先走吧，莫尔——我这就跟你走，兰森。”

Around the corner of a lumber-yard came Policeman Kohen on his way to his beat along the river. The detective signed to him for assistance. Kohen joined the group. Ransom explained.

木料场拐角处，警察科恩正巡着他沿河的那段路走来。警探朝他打了个手势求助。科恩加入了这一群人。兰森把事情说明了一遍。

“Sure,” said Kohen. “I hear about those saples dat vas stole. You say you have dem here?”

“行啊，”科恩说。“我听说过那件被偷的黑貂皮的事。你说东西就在这儿？”

Policeman Kohen took the end of Molly’s late scarf in his hands and looked at it closely.

科恩警官拿起莫莉刚才那条围巾的一端，仔细地看了看。

“Once,” he said, “I sold furs in Sixth avenue. Yes, dese are saples. Dey come from Alaska. Dis scarf is vort $12 and dis muff—”

“我以前，”他说，“在第六大道卖过皮货。没错，这是黑貂皮。是阿拉斯加来的。这条围巾值十二块，这手筒——”

“Biff!” came the palm of the Kid’s powerful hand upon the policeman’s mouth. Kohen staggered and rallied. Molly screamed. The detective threw himself upon Brady and with Kohen’s aid got the nippers on his wrist.

“啪！”小子那只有力的巴掌落在了警察的嘴上。科恩踉跄了一下，又稳住了身子。莫莉尖叫起来。警探扑到布雷迪身上，借着科恩的帮忙给他铐上了手铐。

“The scarf is vort $12 and the muff is vort $9,” persisted the policeman. “Vot is dis talk about $1,000 saples?”

“这条围巾值十二块，这手筒值九块，”警察固执地重复道。“什么一千块黑貂皮，你们说的是哪门子话？”

The Kid sat upon a pile of lumber and his face turned dark red.

小子一屁股坐到一堆木料上，脸涨得通红。

“Correct, Solomonski!” he declared, viciously. “I paid $21.50 for the set. I’d rather have got six months and not have told it. Me, the swell guy that wouldn’t look at anything cheap! I’m a plain bluffer. Moll—my salary couldn’t spell sables in Russian.”

“说得对，所罗门斯基！”他恶狠狠地嚷道。“这整套我花了二十一块五。我宁愿蹲六个月大牢，也不愿说出这事。我，那个不屑一顾便宜货的阔气小子！我不过是个装腔作势的骗子。莫尔——我那点薪水，连俄国黑貂皮的边儿都摸不着。”

Molly cast herself upon his neck.

莫莉扑到他的脖子上。

“What do I care for all the sables and money in the world,” she cried. “It’s my Kiddy I want. Oh, you dear, stuck-up, crazy blockhead!”

“我才不管什么黑貂皮，也不管全世界的钱，”她喊道。“我要的是我的小子。哦，你这个又臭美又倔的傻大个！”

“You can take dose nippers off,” said Kohen to the detective. “Before I leaf de station de report come in dat de lady vind her saples—hanging in her wardrobe. Young man, I excuse you dat punch in my vace—dis von time.”

“铐子可以摘了，”科恩对警探说。“我还没离开局里的时候，就来了报告，说那位太太找到她的黑貂皮了——挂在她的衣橱里呢。小伙子，我这回就不追究你打我脸这一下了。”

Ransom handed Molly her furs. Her eyes were smiling upon the Kid. She wound the scarf and threw the end over her left shoulder with a duchess’ grace.

兰森把皮草交还给莫莉。她的眼睛正含笑望着小子。她把围巾绕好，像位公爵夫人似的把一端优雅地甩到左肩上。

“A gouple of young vools,” said Policeman Kohen to Ransom; “come on away.”

“一对小傻瓜，”科恩警官对兰森说，“走吧，咱们走。”