潘德爾的巫師 The Witches Of Pendle

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潘德爾的巫師 The Witches Of Pendle

作者：羅伊娜·艾金耶米 (Rowena Akinyemi) [英國]

        17世紀的時候，英格蘭有許多人相信巫術。巫師可能是一個老太婆，或是一個年輕女子，有時甚至會是一個成年男子或小男孩。不過，巫師通常都是女人。人們都害怕巫師，因為巫師僅憑一句詛咒就能使人喪命。1612年，在蘭開夏郡的潘德爾山附近住著一個名叫詹妮特·迪瓦斯的小女孩。那時她剛9歲，因家裡窮時常餓肚子，長得很瘦弱。她缺衣少鞋，有時一連幾天吃不上飯。生活著對地她來說十分艱難。詹妮特的外祖母老德姆代克是一個巫師。她的母親伊麗莎白和她的姐姐艾麗森也都是巫師。就連她可憐兮兮、傻頭傻腦的哥哥詹姆斯也是巫師……不管怎樣，村民們是這樣認為的。

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第一章: 小販

The spring of 1634 arrives, but in the prison of Lancaster Castle it stays cold. The twenty women in the prison are dirty, hungry and cold. There are no beds or chairs and so they sleep on the cold floor. There are no windows, so it is always dark. The women want to get out of the prison; they want to go home. Sometimes the guards open the big, old door and put some bread and water on the floor. Then they close the door again.

1634年的春天來了，但是在蘭開斯特城堡監獄裡卻是寒冷依舊。關在獄中的20個女犯人又髒、又餓、又冷。牢房裡既沒有床也沒有椅子，她們就睡在冰冷的地上。由於沒有窗戶，房間裡總是一片黑暗。女囚們想離開監獄；她們想回家。有時候看守開啟破舊的大門，把麵包和水放在地上，然後又將大門牢牢地關上。

My name is Jennet Device, and I am one of the twenty women in prison. Day after day, I sit on the cold floor and wait. I want to feel warm again; I want to see the sky again, and Pendle Hill, the beautiful hill near my home. But I am in the dark prison of Lancaster Castle, and I sit on the cold floor and wait.

我叫詹妮特·迪瓦斯，是20個女囚犯中的一員。日復一日，我坐在冰冷的地上等待著。我希望再次感受到溫暖，我希望重新看到蔚藍的天空和我家附近的美麗的潘德爾山。然而，我卻是在黑暗的蘭開斯特城堡監獄裡，坐在冰冷的地上等待著。

One day, something happens. The guards open the big, old door. "Jennet Device!" a guard calls. "Come here at once, witch! Somebody wants to see you."

有一天，發生了一件事。看守開啟了破舊的大門。“詹妮特·迪瓦斯！”看守喊道。“快過來，女巫！有人要見你。”

I get up slowly because I'm very cold and I walk across the dark room to the door. Perhaps it's someone from Read Hall! Perhaps I'm going home!"

因為太冷了，我緩慢地爬起來，穿過黑暗的房間向門口走去。也許是從裡德宅院來的什麼人！也許我要回家了！

"Jennet Device, be quick!" the guard calls again.

“詹妮特·迪瓦斯，快點！”那個看守又喊道。

Someone is standing at the door with the guard. "Jennet," he says quietly.

有一個人站在門邊，和看守在一起。“詹妮特，”他輕輕地說了一聲。

I see him then: a tall man with brown hair and tired blue eyes. He is not from Read Hall. It is Mr Webster, from the church at Kild wick. My legs stop moving and suddenly I want to sit down.

這時，我看清楚他了：他是一個長著棕色頭髮的高個子男人，一雙藍眼睛裡帶著倦意。他不是裡德宅院的人，他是從基爾德威克的教堂來的韋伯斯特先生。我的兩條腿停止了挪動，突然，我想坐下來。

"Come on, come on," the guard says angrily. He begins to close the door.

“快點，快點。”看守生氣地說。他開始關上大門。

"Come out here for a minute, Jennet," Mr Webster says quietly. "Sit down and eat something."

“出來呆會兒，詹妮特，”韋伯斯特先生平靜地說。“坐下來吃點東西。”

I sit down at a little table near the door. Mr Webster gives me some bread and some meat and I begin to eat hungrily.

我在靠門的一張小桌旁坐了下來。韋伯斯特先生給了我一些麵包和肉，我大吃起來。

"Ten minutes," the guard says. "After ten minutes, she goes in again."

“10分鐘，”看守說，“10分鐘後她就得回去。”

"Thank you," Mr Webster says.

“謝謝你，”韋伯斯特先生說。

"How is everyone at Read Hall?" I ask at last.

“裡德宅院的人們都好嗎？”我終於開口問道。

Mr Webster smiles. "Everyone is well. I was there yesterday."

韋伯斯特先生微笑著說：“大家都好。我昨天到那裡去了。”

I close my eyes for a minute. "Mr Webster, it's not true. I'm not a witch, you know."

我閉上眼睛，過了一小會兒，我說：“韋伯斯特先生，這不是真的。你知道，我不是女巫。”

"I know, Jennet," Mr Webster says. "Last week, I brought Edmund Robinson and his father into my church, and asked them about the boy's story. Many people believed Edmund's story, but some people didn't. Edmund Robinson is going to London tomorrow with his father, and a judge is going to question them."

“我知道，詹妮特，”韋伯斯特先生說。“上個星期，我把埃德蒙·魯濱遜和他的父親帶到我的教堂，向他們詢問起了埃德蒙講的故事。許多人相信埃德蒙的話，但是也有些人不相信。明天埃德蒙將和他的父親一起去倫敦，在那裡，法官會盤問他們的。”

The guard comes back and begins to open the door.

那個看守回來了並開啟了牢門。

"Time!" he says.

“到時間了！”他說。

Mr Webster stands up. "God is here with you, Jennet. Never forget that. You can be happy, when God is with you."

韋伯斯特先生站了起來。“上帝與你同在，詹妮特。別忘了這一點。當上帝陪伴著你時，你會快樂的。”

I stand up too, and take the bread from the table. "Yes, Mr Webster. God is with me; I believe that." But happy? How can I be happy?

我也站起身來，把麵包從桌上拿走。“是的，韋伯斯特先生。上帝與我同在；我相信。”可是，快樂？我怎麼可能快樂呢？

I go back into the dark prison, and the guard closes the door behind me. The women run to me. "Bread! Give us bread!" they cry.

我重又回到了黑暗的牢房，看守在我身後關上了牢門。女囚犯們向我跑來：“麵包！給我們麵包！”她們大喊著。

Quickly, I put the bread in my shirt. I don't want to lose it. I walk across the room and sit down on the floor. I am crying, but I feel a little better. Edmund Robinson, of Newchurch, is only ten years old. Edmund told lies about me and about many women: he saw us at a witches' meeting at a house called Hoarstones. It's not true, but many people believed him. What is he going to say in London? The truth? Or more lies.

我迅速地把麵包放進襯衣裡。我可不願失去它。我穿過房間坐到了地上。我在哭泣，但是我感覺稍好一點了。紐丘奇村的埃德蒙·魯濱遜只有10歲。他說了有關我和很多婦女的謊話：他說他看到我們在一所名叫霍爾斯通斯的房子裡參加女巫會議。那不是真的，可是許多人相信他的話。在倫敦他會講些什麼呢？真話？也許是更多的謊言。

But now, in the prison of Lancaster Castle, I want to tell my story. It is a story about rich men and angry villagers; about old women and hungry children. It is a true story, and it happened to me.

不過現在，在蘭開斯特城堡監獄裡，我想講述我的故事。它是一個關於有錢人和憤怒的村民們；關於老年婦女和飢餓的兒童的故事。這是一個真實的故事，它就發生在我的身上。

I was born in 1603. My family was always very poor, and after my father died, we were poorer. In winter, I was often ill and I was always cold and hungry. In summer, I was sometimes ill and I was often cold and hungry. We lived some miles from the village of New church, in an old house called Malkin Tower. It was dirty and cold. The rain came in through the windows and there were no doors. To the west, was the big hill called Pendle. Pendle Hill was beautiful. I loved Pendle Hill because it sat quietly all year and watched me.

我出生於1603年。我的家庭一直非常貧窮。自從我的父親去世後，我們的日子更艱難了。一年到頭，我吃不飽、穿不暖，還常常生玻我們住在一所名叫馬爾金塔的老房子裡，離紐丘奇村有幾英里遠。這所房子又髒又冷，連一扇門也沒有。下雨時雨水便從窗戶澆進來。我家西面有一座潘德爾大山。它很美麗。我愛這座山，因為它終年寧靜地坐落在那裡，注視著我。

My story begins on the eighteenth day of March in the year 1612. I was nine years old, and my life began to change on that day. My mother and my grandmother were ill and they sat on the floor, with their dogs, near the little fire.

我的故事從這裡講起，那是1612年3月18日。當時我9歲。就在那一天，我的生活開始發生了變化。那天，我的媽媽和外祖母都生著病，她們圍著一小堆火，和她們的幾條狗一起坐在地上。

My sister Alizon wanted to go out. "I'm going to look for bread," she said.

我的姐姐艾麗森想到外面去。“我去找點麵包，”她說。

My brother James sat near the fire, his mouth open. "Go and look for bread," he said. "Go and look for bread. " James often said things again and again.

我哥哥詹姆斯張著嘴靠火坐著。“去找麵包，”他說，“去找麵包。”詹姆斯經常不斷地重複他的話。

Alizon ran out of the house and I followed her.

艾麗森跑出房子，我在後面跟著她。

"Go and look for bread!" James called.

“去找麵包！”詹姆斯喊道。

Alizon began to go east, up the hill and past the big trees behind Malkin Tower. Alizon walked fast. She was eighteen years old and she was tall with long, dirty brown hair and a white, hungry face. It was cold, but there was no rain. Alizon wore a coat and some shoes, but I had no coat and no shoes.

艾麗森向東走去。她爬上山，走過馬爾金塔後面的棵棵大樹。艾麗森走得很快。她那年18歲，個子高高的，棕色的長髮髒乎乎的。她臉色蒼白，飢腸轆轆。天氣很冷，但是沒有下雨。艾麗森穿著外衣和鞋子，而我卻既沒有外衣也沒有鞋子。

"Please wait a minute!" I called to my sister. "I want to come with you."

“請等一下！”我衝姐姐喊道。“我想和你一起去。”

"No!" Alizon cried. "Go back, I don't want you."

“不！”艾麗森大聲說。“回去，我不需要你。”

Suddenly, a dog ran in front of Alizon.

忽然間，一隻狗在艾麗森面前跑著。

"Good dog, good dog!" Alizon called. The dog ran to her and she put her hand on its head. It was my sister's dog and it liked her. It was a big dog with big teeth and I didn't like it because it was always hungry.

“乖狗兒，乖狗兒！”艾麗森招呼道。那條狗跑到她面前，艾麗森把手放在它的頭上。它是我姐姐的狗，它喜歡她。它是條大狗，牙齒很大，可我不喜歡它，因為它總是顯得飢餓不堪。

I followed Alizon and her dog along the river to Colne. But before we arrived at Colne, we met John Law. John Law was a big fat man, about fifty years old.

我跟著艾麗森和她的狗沿著河向科恩村走去。在路上，我們遇到了約翰·勞。他是個大胖子，五十歲上下。

"Can I have some money, please?" Alizon called. "I'm hungry."

“您能給點錢嗎？”艾麗森大聲說。“我餓著呢。”

John Law didn't answer. He walked slowly because he was fat and because he carried a big bag on his back. In his bag were a lot of beautiful things. He was a pedlar and he walked across the hills and visited all the villages.

約翰·勞沒有回答。他走得很慢，一來由於他胖，二來因為他揹著一個大口袋，口袋裡有許多好玩意兒。他是個小商販，翻山越嶺，跑遍了所有村莊。

"Can I have some money?" Alizon called again. "I'm very hungry!"

“能給我點錢嗎？”艾麗森又喊了一次。“我很餓！”

John Law stopped. "Stop following me," he said. "I'm not going to give you money."

約翰·勞停住了。“別跟著我，”他說。“我不會給你錢的。”

"Give me money!" Alizon said.

“給我錢！”艾麗森說。

"I don't want to give you money," the pedlar said. He took his hat off. There was not much hair on his head. "I don't like you and I don't like your family. A lot of bad women, you are, and your father was a bad man, too."

“我不想給你錢，”小販說。他摘下帽子，他的頭髮已經很稀少了。“我不喜歡你，我不喜歡你們全家。你們都是些壞女人，你的爸爸也是個壞人。”

Alizon was angry. "Don't talk about my father -- he's dead now! Give me some money, old man!"

艾麗森生氣了。“不許你提起我父親——他已經死了！給我錢，老頭！”

John Law's face was red. "No!" he cried. He began to walk up the hill to the village. "Go back to your dirty family!"

約翰·勞的臉漲紅了。“不！”他喊道。他開始上山往村裡走去。“回到你那骯髒的家裡去吧！”

Alizon began to laugh angrily. "A dead man! A dead man!" she called. "Dead before dark, John Law!" She looked down at her dog and put her hand on its head. "Go after him, dog," she said. "Go after him and get him!"

艾麗森憤怒地大笑起來。“一個死人！一個死人！”她大喊著。“天黑前就死，約翰·勞！”她低下頭看看她的狗，把手放在它的頭上。“去追他，”她說，“去追他，抓住他。”

The big dog began to run after the pedlar. John Law stopped. He looked afraid and his face was very red. "Call your dog back, you bad girl!" he shouted.

那條大狗奔跑著去追趕小販。約翰·勞停下了腳步。他看上去很害怕，滿臉通紅。“把你的狗叫回去，你這個壞女孩！”他大聲喊著。

Suddenly, his mouth opened and his face went white. Slowly, he began to fall, and his big body hit the road. The dog came up to him, but the pedlar did not move.

突然，他的嘴張開了，臉色煞白。慢慢地，他倒了下去，他那碩大的身軀摔倒在路上。大狗衝到他身旁，而小販卻一動不動。

Alizon watched John Law for a minute. Then she said to me, "Go and call someone from the village."

艾麗森盯著約翰·勞看了片刻，然後她對我說：“去村裡叫人來。”

I felt afraid, but I ran alog the road very quickly. "Help! Help!" I called to the villagers. "The pedlar is ill"

我很害怕，但還是沿著路快跑起來。”救人吶！救人吶！”我向村民們大喊。“小販生病了！”

The villagers came out of their houses and followed me down the hill. A young man looked at John Law carefully.

村民們從各自家裡出來，跟著我下了山。一個年輕人仔細地看了看約翰·勞。

"He's not dead," he said, "but he's very ill. Let's move him to the nearest house. Someone must go and call his son."

“他沒有死，”他說。“可是他病得很重。我們們把他抬到最近的房子裡去吧。必須把他的兒子叫來。”

Just then, John Law began to talk very slowly. "I can't move!" he said. "I'm alive, but I can't move!"

就在那時，約翰·勞十分緩慢地說道：“我動不了。”他說。“我還活著，可我動不了。”

I went back to stand near Alizon. The dog sat at her feet.

我回到艾麗森身旁站著。大狗蹲在她的腳邊。

"That Device girl…" John Law said slowly, "she -- she cursed me! She wanted me to die! And her dog came to get me."

“那個迪瓦斯家的女孩子…”約翰·勞慢吞吞地說。“她——她詛咒我！她想讓我死！她的狗向我撲過來。”

All the villagers looked at Alizon.

村民們都看著艾麗森。

"I'm sorry," Alizon said quickly. "I'm very hungry and I wanted some money, that's all."

“我很抱歉。”艾麗森急忙說。“我很餓，我想要點錢，就是這麼回事。”

"Go away!" the villagers cried. "You're a witch, and we don't want you in our village."

“快走開！”村民們喊道。“你是個女巫，我們不想讓你呆在我們村裡。”

Alizon began to run away down the hill and her dog followed. I watched the villagers. They carried John Law slowly up the hill to the nearest house. And then I followed my sister down the hill. I was hungry and tired and Malkin Tower was many miles away. I was nine years old and I was angry. I was angry because the pedlar was ill. I was angry because the villagers didn't like me. And I was angry because my sister was a witch.

艾麗森向山下跑去，她的狗緊跟著她。我看著村民們。他們抬著約翰·勞緩慢地上山，向最近的一所房子走去。隨後我跟著我的姐姐下了山。我又餓又乏，而馬爾金塔遠在數英里之外。那時我9歲，我很生氣。我生氣，因為小販病了。我生氣，因為村民們不喜歡我。我生氣，因為我的姐姐是個女巫。