"TheAppointmentinSamarra"(asretoldbyW.SomersetMaugham[1933])[1]
ThespeakerisDeath
“TherewasamerchantinBagdadwhosenthisservanttomarkettobuyprovisionsandinalittlewhiletheservantcameback,whiteandtrembling,andsaid,Master,justnowwhenIwasinthemarketplaceIwasjostledbyawomaninthecrowdandwhenIturnedIsawitwasDeaththatjostledme.Shelookedatmeandmadeathreateninggesture,now,lendmeyourhorse,andIwillrideawayfromthiscityandavoidmyfate.IwillgotoSamarraandthereDeathwillnotfindme.Themerchantlenthimhishorse,andtheservantmountedit,andhedughisspursinitsflanksandasfastasthehorsecouldgallophewent.Thenthemerchantwentdowntothemarketplaceandhesawmestandinginthecrowdandhecametomeandsaid,Whydidyoumakeathreatinggesturetomyservantwhenyousawhimthismorning?Thatwasnotathreateninggesture,Isaid,itwasonlyastartofsurprise.IwasastonishedtoseehiminBagdad,forIhadanappointmentwithhimtonightinSamarra.”—JohnO’Hara,AppointmentinSamarra
Si神说话：
「在巴格达，有位商人遣使随仆到市场采买物资；不一会他返回，脸sE惨白、浑身发颤地说：主人，就刚才我在市场采买时，被人群中的一位妇人推了一下；我一转头就认出是『Si神』本尊撞了我。她看了我一眼，还作势威胁我的X命。快，借我你的马，我『马上』[2]逃离这座城市、尽我所能摆脱命运的掌握。我将前往萨马拉；到那边，Si神定不会找上我。商人出借了马匹，而随仆一跃而上，用力一蹬、刺入马的两侧，催策坐骑、Si命奔逃。而後，商人前往市场，见「我」就站在人群之中；他走向『我』说道：今早见到我的奴仆时，为何作势威胁他的X命呢？那不是恐吓，『我』说，我只是吃惊得抖了一下。『我』很错愕：怎麽会在巴格达遇见他；因我俩早已相约今晚萨马拉见。」【拙译】
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[1]原文网址：https://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english320/Maugham-AS.htm
[2]“rideaway”isatrickyone.我「马上」联想到”rideaway’and“rightaway”：为了注明谐音效果，在「马上」两字加上引号。