48
A Trip 一趟旅行
1969
On October 28, 1969, Kya eased up to Jumpin's dock to tell him good-bye, as promised, then motored to the town wharf, where fishermen and shrimpers as always stopped their work to watch her. Ignoring them, she tied up and carried a faded cardboard suitcase—pulled from the back of Ma's old closet—onto Main Street. She had no purse, but toted her knapsack packed with books, some ham and biscuits, and a small amount of cash, after burying most of her royalty money in a tin can near the lagoon. For once, she looked quite normal, dressed in a brown Sears, Roebuck skirt, white blouse, and flats. Shopkeepers busied about, tending customers, sweeping the sidewalk, every one of them staring at her.
一九六九年十月二十八日，基娅停靠在老跳的码头，遵守承诺，跟他道别，然后开船去小镇码头。那儿的渔民和捕虾人都停下手头的活儿看着她。基娅不理会他们，系好船，提着一个褪色的硬纸板箱——是从妈妈的旧衣柜后面翻出来的——上了主街。她没有钱包，背着自己的背包，里面装满了书、一些火腿和饼干，还有一点现金，其余大部分版税都被她装进锡罐里，埋在潟湖旁。这一次，她看上去很正常，穿着从西尔斯-罗巴克百货公司买的裙子、白衬衫和平底鞋。店员们都在忙碌，照顾顾客，打扫人行道，但每个人都看着她。
She stood on the corner under the Bus Stop sign and waited until the Trailways bus, its air brakes hissing, pulled up, blocking the ocean. Nobody got off or on as Kya stepped forward and bought a ticket to Greenville from the driver. When she asked about the return dates and times, he handed her a printed schedule and then stowed her suitcase. She held tightly to her knapsack and boarded. And before she had time to think much about it, the bus, which seemed as long as the town, drove out of Barkley Cove.
她站在车站站牌下的角落里等着，直到大巴停下，挡住大海，气刹发出咝咝声。基娅走上前，从司机手里买了一张去格林维尔的票。没有其他人上下车。当她询问回程的日期和时间时，司机递给她一张印刷的时刻表，然后安置了她的行李。她紧紧抓着自己的背包上了车。她还来不及仔细思考，这看起来和小镇一样长的大巴已经开出了小镇。
Two days later, at 1:16 in the afternoon, Kya stepped off the Trailways from Greenville. Now even more villagers were about, staring and whispering as she tossed her long hair over her shoulder and took her suitcase from the driver. She crossed the street to the wharf, stepped into her boat, and motored straight home. She wanted to stop by and tell Jumpin' that she was back, as she had promised to do, but other boats were lined up waiting for gas at his wharf, so she figured she'd come back the next day. Besides, this way she'd get back to the gulls faster.
两天后，下午一点十六分，基娅走下从格林维尔开来的大巴。这次，甚至有更多人在周围窃窃私语，看着她理了理肩上的头发，从司机手里接过行李。她穿过街道去码头，走上自己的小船，直接开回家。她本想去老跳那儿一趟，告诉他自己回来了，之前向他保证过的。但很多船在他的码头那儿排队加油，所以她想自己可以第二天再来。另外，这样一来她也能早点见到海鸟们。
So, the next morning, October 31, as she pulled up to Jumpin's wharf, she called to him, and he stepped out from the small store.
第二天早上，十月三十一日，基娅停靠在老跳的码头，大声叫他。老跳从小店里走了出来。
“Hey, Jumpin', I'm just letting you know I'm home. Got back yesterday.” He said nothing as he walked toward her.
“嘿，老跳，我就是过来告诉你一声我回来了。昨天回来的。”他走过来，什么都没说。
As soon as she stepped onto his wharf, he said, “Miss Kya. I . . .”
她一踏上码头，他就说：“基娅小姐，我……”
She cocked her head. “What is it? What's wrong?”
她歪了歪头：“什么？怎么了？”
He stood looking at her. “Kya, have ya heard the news 'bout Mr. Chase?”
他站着，看着她。“基娅，你听说蔡斯先生的事了吗？”
“No. What news?”
“没有。什么事？”
He shook his head. “Chase Andrews is dead. Died in tha middle of the night while ya were over'n Greenval.”
他摇了摇头。“蔡斯·安德鲁斯死了。死在你去格林维尔那天半夜。”
“What?” Both Kya and Jumpin' looked deep into the other's eyes.
“什么？”基娅和老跳互相凝视着对方的眼睛。
“They found 'im yestadee mornin' at the bottom of the ol' far towa with a . . . well, they say his neck broke an' his skull smashed right in. They reckon he fell right off from the top.”
“昨天早上在防火塔底下找到了他的尸体……他们说他的脖子断了，头盖骨碎了。推测是从塔顶直接摔下来的。”
Kya's lips remained parted.
基娅的嘴还张着。
Jumpin' went on. “Whole town's buzzed up. Some folks're puttin' it down as a accident, but the word is, the sheriff itn't so sure. Chase's mama's all riled up, says there was foul play. It's a sho'-nuff mess.”
老跳继续说道：“整个小镇都沸腾了。有人说是意外，但有传言说治安官对此有点怀疑。蔡斯的妈妈被完全激怒了，说这是谋杀。现在是一团乱麻。”
Kya asked, “Why do they think foul play was . . . ?”
基娅问：“为什么他们认为可能是谋杀？”
“One a' them grates on the towa flo' was left wide open, and he fell plumb through, and they reckoned that was suspicious. Some people're sayin' them grates are left open all the time with kids always messin' 'round up there, and Mr. Chase coulda fell through by accident. But some folks cryin' murder.”
“防火塔上有一个格栅大开着，他直直地掉了下去，他们觉得这很可疑。有人说，那些格栅开着是因为总有孩子上去玩，蔡斯先生可能是意外摔下来的。但有些人嚷嚷着这是谋杀。”
Kya was silent, so Jumpin' continued. “One reason was, when Mr. Chase was found, he wan't wearin' that shell necklace he wore ever' day fer years, and his wife says he was wearin' it that very night when he lef' the house, 'fore he went to his folks for dinah. A'ways wore it, she said.”
基娅沉默着，老跳继续说道：“有一个原因是，蔡斯先生被找到时，没有戴那条他戴了好几年的贝壳项链。他的妻子说，那晚他离开家时还戴着项链，当时他去找朋友吃晚饭。她说，他一直都戴着。”
Her mouth went dry at the mention of the necklace.
听到项链，她的嘴巴一阵发干。
“Then, those two young'uns that found Chase, well, they heard the sheriff say thar weren't no footprints at the scene. Nary a one. Like somebody done rubbed out evidence. Them boys been yappin' all over town 'bout it.”
“然后，那两个找到了蔡斯的年轻人听到治安官说，现场没有脚印，一个也没有。就像是有人清除了所有证据。那两个男孩在镇上到处说。”
Jumpin' told her when the funeral would be but knew Kya wouldn't go. What a spectacle that would be for the sewing bees and Bible study groups. For sure, the speculation and gossip would include Kya. Thank tha Lawd she'd been in Greenval at the time 'a his death, or they'd'a put this on 'er, Jumpin' thought.
老跳告诉了基娅葬礼的时间，但他知道她不会去。如果她去了，缝纫小组和《圣经》学习小组的那些人都得大惊小怪。当然了，人们的推测和风言风语里提到了基娅。幸亏他死的时候她在格林维尔，不然他们就该把这件事算在她头上了，老跳想。
Kya nodded at Jumpin' and churned home. She stood on the mud bank of the lagoon, whispering one of Amanda Hamilton's verses:
基娅朝老跳点点头，开船回家。她站在潟湖泥泞的岸边，轻声念着阿曼达·汉密尔顿的一首诗：
“Never underrate
the heart,
Capable of deeds
The mind cannot conceive.
The heart dictates as well as feels.
How else can you explain
The path I have taken,
That you have taken
The long way through this pass?”
永远不要低估
这颗心，
她能做出
大脑难以想象的事情。
心不但指挥，而且感知。
否则你如何解释
我选择的路，
以及你所走过的这漫漫长途？