改邪归正

改邪归正

A Retrieved Reformation

一名看守来到监狱鞋铺，当时吉米·瓦伦丁正在那里勤奋地缝制鞋帮。看守将他带到了前台办公室。监狱长在那里将特赦令交给了吉米，那是当天早晨由州长签署的。

A guard came to the prison shoe-shop, where Jimmy Valentine was assiduously stitching uppers, and escorted him to the front office. There the warden handed Jimmy his pardon, which had been signed that morning by the governor.

吉米带着一脸疲倦的神情接了过来。他四年的刑期已经服了近十个月。他原本料想最多只待上三个月左右的。

Jimmy took it in a tired kind of way. He had served nearly ten months of a four year sentence. He had expected to stay only about three months, at the longest.

当一个在外面有像吉米·瓦伦丁那么多朋友的人被关进“牢房”时，给不给他理发都几乎没必要了。

When a man with as many friends on the outside as Jimmy Valentine had is received in the “stir” it is hardly worth while to cut his hair.

“好啦，瓦伦丁，”监狱长说，“你明早就能出去了。振作起来，好好做个正派人。你心眼不坏。别再开保险箱了，规规矩矩地过日子吧。”

“Now, Valentine,” said the warden, “you’ll go out in the morning. Brace up, and make a man of yourself. You’re not a bad fellow at heart. Stop cracking safes, and live straight.”

“我？”吉米惊讶地说，“哎呀，我这辈子可从没砸过保险箱。”

“Me?” said Jimmy, in surprise. “Why, I never cracked a safe in my life.”

“哦，没有，”监狱长笑着说，“当然没有啦。让咱们瞧瞧，话说回来，你怎么就因为斯普林菲尔德那桩案子进来了呢？是不是因为你害怕连累某位极具名望的上流社会人士，所以不愿证明不在场证明？

“Oh, no,” laughed the warden. “Of course not. Let’s see, now. How was it you happened to get sent up on that Springfield job? Was it because you wouldn’t prove an alibi for fear of compromising somebody in extremely high-toned society?

还是说纯粹是因为一个刻薄可恶的陪审团存心跟你过不去？像你们这种无辜的受害者，总逃不过这两种说法。”

Or was it simply a case of a mean old jury that had it in for you? It’s always one or the other with you innocent victims.”

“我？”吉米依旧装出一副纯洁无辜的样子，“哎呀，监狱长，我这辈子根本就没去过斯普林菲尔德！”

“Me?” said Jimmy, still blankly virtuous. “Why, warden, I never was in Springfield in my life!”

“克罗宁，带他回去！”监狱长说，“给他备好出狱穿的衣服。明早七点给他开门，让他到中央大厅来。瓦伦丁，你最好好好考虑一下我的劝告。”

“Take him back, Cronin!” said the warden, “and fix him up with outgoing clothes. Unlock him at seven in the morning, and let him come to the bull-pen. Better think over my advice, Valentine.”

第二天早晨七点一刻，吉米站在了监狱长的外间办公室里。

At a quarter past seven on the next morning Jimmy stood in the warden’s outer office.

他身上穿着一套极不合身的成衣，脚上蹬着一双又硬又吱嘎作响的鞋子，这些都是州政府发给期满释放的强制客人的。

He had on a suit of the villainously fitting, ready-made clothes and a pair of the stiff, squeaky shoes that the state furnishes to its discharged compulsory guests.

办事员递给他一张火车票和一张五美元的钞票，法律指望凭借这笔钱让他改过自新，成为一名优秀的公民并奔向富足的生活。监狱长给了他一支雪茄，并同他握了握手。

The clerk handed him a railroad ticket and the five-dollar bill with which the law expected him to rehabilitate himself into good citizenship and prosperity. The warden gave him a cigar, and shook hands.

瓦伦丁，编号9762，在登记簿上被记录为“州长特赦”，随后詹姆斯·瓦伦丁先生步入了灿烂的阳光之中。

Valentine, 9762, was chronicled on the books, “Pardoned by Governor,” and Mr. James Valentine walked out into the sunshine.