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I let them scramble down the sloping bank, splash through the mire, and climb halfway up to the gate before I challenged them.
我等他們下了壕溝，涉過積水，爬上岸來，
'Who goes there?' said I in a subdued voice.
我才放低了聲音問道：'來人是誰？'
'Friends,' came the answer.
來人應聲答道：'是朋友。'
I uncovered my lantern and threw a flood of light upon them.
我把燈向他們照了照，
The first was an enormous Sikh with a black beard which swept nearly down to his cummerbund.
前面的印度人個子極高，滿臉黑胡須長過了腰帶，
Outside of a show I have never seen so tall a man.
除了在舞臺上，我從來也沒有看過這樣高大的人。
The other was a little fat, round fellow with a great yellow turban and a bundle in his hand, done up in a shawl.
另外的那個人是個矮小的，胖得滾圓的家伙，纏著大黃包頭，手里拿著一個圍巾裹著的包。
He seemed to be all in a quiver with fear, for his hands twitched as if he had the ague,
他似乎駭怕得全身發抖，他的手抽動得好象發瘧疾一樣。
and his head kept turning to left and right with two bright little twinkling eyes,
他不住地左顧右盼，兩只小眼睛閃閃發亮。
like a mouse when he ventures out from his hole.
像一只鉆出洞外的老鼠的一樣。
It gave me the chills to think of killing him,
我想，殺死這個人未免有些不忍，
but I thought of the treasure, and my heart set as hard as a flint within me.
可是一想到寶物，我的心立刻變成鐵石。
When he saw my white face he gave a little chirrup of joy and came running up towards me.
他看見我是白種人，不禁歡喜地向我跑來。
'Your protection, sahib,' he panted, 'your protection for the unhappy merchant Achmet.
他喘息著說道：'先生，請保護我，請你保護這個逃難的商人阿奇麥特吧。
I have travelled across Rajpootana, that I might seek the shelter of the fort at Agra.
我從拉吉起塔諾來到阿格拉碉堡避難。
I have been robbed and beaten and abused because I have been the friend of the Company.
我曾被搶劫、鞭打和侮辱，因為過去我是你們軍隊的朋友。
It is a blessed night this when I am once more in safety–I and my poor possessions.'
現在我和我的東西得到了安全，真是感謝。'
'What have you in the bundle?' I asked.
我問道：'包里邊是什么？'
'An iron box,' he answered, 'which contains one or two little family matters
他答道，'一個鐵箱子，里邊有一兩件祖傳的東西，
which are of no value to others but which I should be sorry to lose.
別人拿去不值錢，可是我舍不得丟掉。
Yet I am not a beggar; and I shall reward you, young sahib, and your governor also if he will give me the shelter I ask.'
我不是討飯的窮人，如果您的長官能允許我住在這里的話，我一定對您--年輕的先生和您的長官多少有些報酬。'
