死亡约会 Part I Chapter 1（2）

（单词翻译）

There was a pause and then Raymond said, his voice now quietly matter-of-fact: ‘You do agree,Carol?’

Carol answered steadily¹: ‘I think she ought to die—yes…’

Then she broke out suddenly: ‘She’s mad…I’m quite sure she’s mad…She—she couldn’ttorture us like she does if she were sane². For years we’ve been saying: “This can’t go on!” and ithas gone on! We’ve said, “She’ll die some time”—but she hasn’t died! I don’t think she ever willdie unless—’

Raymond said steadily: ‘Unless we kill her…’

‘Yes.’

She clenched³ her hands on the window-sill in front of her.

Her brother went on in a cool, matter-of-fact tone, with just a slight tremor⁴ denoting his deepunderlying excitement.

‘You see why it’s got to be one of us, don’t you? With Lennox, there’s Nadine to consider. Andwe couldn’t bring Jinny into it.’

Carol shivered.

‘Poor Jinny…I’m so afraid…’

‘I know. It’s getting pretty bad, isn’t it? That’s why something’s got to be done quickly—beforeshe goes right over the edge.’

Carol stood up suddenly, pushing back the tumbled chestnut⁵ hair from her forehead.

‘Ray,’ she said, ‘you don’t think it’s really wrong, do you?’

He answered in that same would-be dispassionate tone. ‘No. I think it’s just like killing⁶ a maddog—something that’s doing harm in the world and must be stopped. This is the only way ofstopping it.’

Carol murmured: ‘But they’d—they’d send us to the chair just the same…I mean we couldn’texplain what she’s like…It would sound fantastic…In a way, you know, it’s all in our ownminds!’

Raymond said: ‘Nobody will ever know. I’ve got a plan. I’ve thought it all out. We shall bequite safe.’

Carol turned suddenly round on him.

‘Ray—somehow or another—you’re different. Something’s happened to you…What’s put allthis into your head?’

‘Why should you think anything’s happened to me?’

He turned his head away, staring out into the night.

‘Because it has…Ray, was it that girl on the train?’

‘No, of course not—why should it be? Oh, Carol, don’t talk nonsense. Let’s get back again to—to—’

‘To your plan? Are you sure it’s a—good plan?’

‘Yes. I think so…We must wait for the right opportunity, of course. And then—if it goes allright—we shall be free—all of us.’

‘Free?’ Carol gave a little sigh. She looked up at the stars. Then suddenly she shook from headto foot in a sudden storm of weeping.

‘Carol, what’s the matter?’

She sobbed⁷ out brokenly: ‘It’s so lovely—the night and the blueness and the stars. If only wecould be part of it all…If only we could be like other people instead of being as we are—all queerand warped⁸ and wrong.’

‘But we shall be—all right—when she’s dead!’

‘Are you sure? Isn’t it too late? Shan’t we always be queer and different?’

‘No, no, no.’

‘I wonder—’

‘Carol, if you’d rather not—’

She pushed his comforting arm aside.

‘No, I’m with you—definitely I’m with you! Because of the others—especially Jinny. We mustsave Jinny!’

Raymond paused a moment. ‘Then—we’ll go on with it?’

‘Yes!’

‘Good. I’ll tell you my plan…’

He bent⁹ his head to hers.