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Twenty had changed to fifteen, and fifteen to ten, but there was no news of the absentee.
二十天變成了十五天，十五天又變成了十天，遠方人還是沓無音訊。
One by one the numbers dwindled down, and still there came no sign of him.
限期一天天在減少，可是仍然不見他的蹤影。
Whenever a horseman clattered down the road, or a driver shouted at his team, the old farmer hurried to the gate, thinking that help had arrived at last.
每當大路上響騎馬蹄的奔騰聲，或者聽到馬車夫吆喝拉車畜群的喊聲的時候，這個老農都不禁要趕緊跑到大門邊張望，以為是他的救星終于來到了。
At last, when he saw five give way to four and that again to three, he lost heart, and abandoned all hope of escape.
最后，眼看期限從五天變成了四天，又從四天變成了三天，因此他就失去了信心，而且完全放棄了逃走的希望。
Singlehanded, and with his limited knowledge of the mountains which surrounded the settlement, he knew that he was powerless.
他一個人孤掌難鳴，再加上對于環繞著這個移民區四周的大山的情況又不熟悉，他知道自己是無力逃跑的了。
The more frequented roads were strictly watched and guarded, and none could pass along them without an order from the Council.
通行大道都已經有人嚴密地把守起來，沒有"四圣會"的命令，任何人都不能通過。
Turn which way he would, there appeared to be no avoiding the blow which hung over him.
他又有什么辦法呢，看來是走投無路了，他的這場臨頭大禍，眼看是無法避免了。
Yet the old man never wavered in his resolution to part with life itself before he consented to what he regarded as his daughter's dishonour.
但是，這位老人的決心絕沒有動搖，他寧愿拼著一死，也不會忍受對他女兒的這場污辱。
He was sitting alone one evening pondering deeply over his troubles, and searching vainly for some way out of them.
一天晚上，他獨自一個人坐著，千思萬慮地盤算著他的心事；但是左思右想，總想不出什么辦法可以逃脫這場災難。
That morning had shown the figure 2 upon the wall of his house, and the next day would be the last of the allotted time.
這天早晨，房屋的墻上已經出現了一個"２"字，明天就是一月期限的最后一天了。
What was to happen then? All manner of vague and terrible fancies filled his imagination.
到時究竟會發生什么樣的事情呢？他想象到各種各樣模糊不清而又令人可怕的情景。
And his daughter–what was to become of her after he was gone?
在他死后，他女兒的結局又將如何？
Was there no escape from the invisible network which was drawn all round them?
難道他們真的就逃不出周圍撒下的這道無形的天羅地網么？
He sank his head upon the table and sobbed at the thought of his own impotence.
他想到自己無能為力的時候，不禁伏在桌上哭起來。
What was that? In the silence he heard a gentle scratching sound–low, but very distinct in the quiet of the night.
這是什么？萬籟俱寂中，他聽到一陣輕微的爬抓聲。聲音雖然很輕，但是在更深夜靜的時候，卻聽得非常清晰。
It came from the door of the house. Ferrier crept into the hall and listened intently.
這個聲響是由大門那邊傳來的。費瑞厄于是躡手躡腳地走進了客廳，他在那里平聲靜氣，凝神傾聽著。
There was a pause for a few moments, and then the low, insidious sound was repeated.
停了一會，這個輕微的、令人毛骨悚然的聲音又響了。
Someone was evidently tapping very gently upon one of the panels of the door.
顯然有人輕輕地在門上叩擊著。
Was it some midnight assassin who had come to carry out the murderous orders of the secret tribunal?
難道這就是夜半刺客前來執行秘密法庭暗殺的使命嗎？
Or was it some agent who was marking up that the last day of grace had arrived?
或者，這就是那個狗腿子，正在寫著限期的最后一天已經到了呢？
