南多·福多尔和会说话的猫鼬（2023）

如果他愿意陪我。
if he would accompany me.
抵达小岛后，我们决定参观
Upon our arrival to the Isle, we decided to visit
盖夫的出没马上。
the haunt of Gef right away.
当我们走近时，兰伯特先生和我
As we approached, Mr. Lambert and I
被一只朝我们飞来的动物吓了一跳。
were startled by an animal bounding toward us.
但只有拉尔夫，
But it was only Ralph,
欧文的三岁狗，
the Irving's three-year-old dog,
谁听到了他主人的声音。
who had heard his master's voice.
我们终于到达了房♥子，并被介绍给Voirrey，
We at last reached the house and were introduced to Voirrey,
一个17岁的好看女孩，我们发现她非常聪明，
a good-looking girl of 17 who we found very intelligent,
害羞，相当安静。
shy, and rather quiet.
欧文夫人是一位迷人而端庄的女士
Mrs. Irving is a charming and dignified lady
谁给了我们友好的欢迎
who gave us a friendly welcome
并要求我们让自己在家。
and asked us to make ourselves at home.
欧文先生是一位成功的利物浦商人
Mr. Irving was a successful Liverpool businessman
谁，在战争开始时，
who, at the beginning of the War,
买♥♥下农庄，
bought the farmstead,
希望以养羊为生。
hoping to make a living breeding sheep.
当我们围坐在石蜡灯周围时
As we sat around the paraffin lamp
在黑暗镶板的小客厅里，
in the small, dark-paneled parlor,
我们又听到了GEF的故事。
we heard the Gef story all over again.
兰伯特先生和我拍了欧文一家
Mr. Lambert and I plied the Irvings
有无数的问题和收到的答案
with innumerable questions and received answers
总是统计
which invariably tallied
与欧文先生在信中记录的内容。
with what Mr. Irving had recorded in his letters.
家人对盖夫的持续缺席感到心碎。
The family was heartbroken by Gef's continued absence.
欧文太太确信猫鼬
Mrs. Irving was convinced the mongoose
还是关于房♥子的。
was still about the house.
可能听我们说的每一个字。
Probably listening to every word we were saying.
她对格夫说了几句话。
She addressed a few words to Gef
希望她的呼吁
in the hope that her appeal
会在某处引起同情的共鸣。
would strike a sympathetic chord somewhere.
没有回应。
There was no response.
然后我发表了一点演讲
Then I addressed a little speech
到客厅的四面墙，
to the four walls of the living room,
希望Gef能听到我的声音。
hoping Gef would hear me.
我指出，我们在他的帐户上已经走了很长一段路，
I pointed out that we had come a long way on his account,
我们有权得到某种表现。
and that we were entitled to some manifestation.
几句话，一声尖叫，一声吱吱，
A few words, a scream, a squeak,
或者只是镶板后面的简单划痕。
or just a simple scratch behind the paneling.
我甚至邀请他向我扔东西。
I even invited him to throw something at me.
但一切都没有意义。
But all to no purpose.
杰夫绝对没有说话的心情。
Gef was definitely not in a talking mood.
兰伯特先生和我都睡得不好。
Neither Mr. Lambert nor I slept very well.
猫鼬问题困扰著我们的头脑
The mongoose problem obsessed our minds
并导致睡眠困难。
and made sleep difficult.
整件事是从A到Z的骗局吗？
Was the whole affair a fraud from A to Z?
是持续四年的阴谋吗？
Was it a plot lasting four years?
如果是这样，动机是什么？
If so, what was the motive?
欧文一家是否聪明，
Were the Irvings engaged in a clever,
风景如画的阴谋？
picturesque conspiracy?
有没有动物？
Was there any sort of animal at all?
是否有任何真实证据
Was there any real evidence whatsoever
杰夫被听到了？
that Gef had been heard?
如果情节...
If a plot...
没有明显的动机，
there was no apparent motive,
没有经济收益。
no financial gain.
第二天早上，我们醒来时得知杰夫回来了。
The next morning we awoke to the news that Gef had returned
并且整晚都在聊天。
and been talking throughout much of the night.
顺便说一下，盖夫告诉了农民。
Incidentally, Gef had informed the farmer
他狡猾地瞥了我一眼
that he had taken a sly glance at me
不喜欢我的样子。
and did not like how I looked.
所以我被告知要站在某个位置
So I was told to stand in a certain position
在地板上大喊「我相信你，杰夫！
on the floor and cry out "I believe in you, Gef!"
我相信你，杰夫！
I believe in you, Gef!
楼上传来一声尖锐的尖叫。
There came a shrill scream from upstairs.
于是我又叫了一声，这次说
So once again I called out, this time saying
“你不下来吗？我相信你！
"Won't you come down? I believe in you!"
盖夫回答说，
To which Gef replied,
“不，我不是故意要待太久，
"No, I don't mean to stay long,
因为我不喜欢你！
as I don't like you!"
猫鼬一边说话，
As the mongoose was talking,
兰伯特先生蹑手蹑脚地走向楼梯。
Mr. Lambert crept toward the stairs.
但不幸的是，
But unfortunately,
顶部楼梯的胎面松动，
the top stair had a loose tread,
他踩了一脚，摔倒了，
which he stepped on and went tumbling down,
发出可怕的声音。
making a terrible noise.
杰夫尖叫著“他来了！”然后消失了。
Gef shrieked out "He is coming!" and vanished.
欧文夫妇是善良的化身，
The Irvings were kindness personified,
并为我们做了一切，除了生产Gef。
and did everything for us, except produce Gef.
欧文先生亲自带我们参观房♥子
Mr. Irving personally conducted us over the house
并指出了杰夫的出没。
and pointed out Gef's haunts.
我们看到了许多窥视孔，
We saw numerous peepholes,
杰夫扔东西的裂缝
cracks through which Gef threw things
在怀疑访客。
at doubting visitors.
猫鼬穿过的斜眼孔
Squint-holes through which the mongoose
看著欧文。
watches the Irvings.
我们看到了镶板后面的运行
We saw the runs behind paneling
通过它，Gef 可以跳过，看不见，
by which Gef can skip, unseen,
从一个房♥间到另一个房♥间。
from one room to another.
事实上，每个房♥间都有镶板
The fact that every room is paneled
使整个房♥子成为一个巨大的说话管，
makes the whole house one enormous speaking-tube,
墙壁像共鸣板一样。
with walls like sounding-boards.
在Voirrey的房♥间里，我们看到了Gef的「圣所」，
In Voirrey's room we were shown Gef's "sanctum,"
这是一个盒装分区，
which was a boxed partition,
据说Gef在上面跳舞
on top of which Gef was said to dance
到留声机上，弹起他最喜欢的球。
to the gramophone and bounce his favorite ball.
通过对著面板中的众多孔径之一说话，
By speaking into one of the many apertures in the panels,
应该有可能
it should be possible
传达声音
to convey the voice
到房♥子的各个部分。
to various parts of the house.
显然，Gef经常这样做。
Apparently, Gef often does this.
我可以给你拿一杯吗？
Can I fetch you a drink?
谢谢。不，嗯，我已经筋疲力尽了。
Thank you. No, um, I'm exhausted.
我想我会提前退休。
I think I'm going to retire early.
明天应该很有趣。
Tomorrow should be interesting.
我要去酒吧喝一杯。
I'm going to go to the, uh, pub for a nightcap.
除非你还需要什么？
Unless there's anything else you might need?
呃，不，无论如何。
Uh, no, by all means.
而且，嗯，如果你碰巧看到任何会说话的蒙古人......
And, um, if you happen to see any talking mongeese...
我相信是猫鼬。
It's mongooses, I believe.
好吧，如果你碰巧看到其中任何一个，
Well, if you happen to see any of either then,
马上通知我。
inform me right away.
是的，当然。
Yes, of course.
晚上。-晚安。
Night. - Good night.
晚上好。
Good evening.
还有你。- 酒吧关门了吗？
And to you. - Is the bar closed?
亲爱的，你想喝什么？
What would you like to drink, m'dear?
威士卡。
A whiskey.
我不知道这恐怕是不是好威士卡。
I dunno if it's good whiskey I'm afraid.
好吧，我们不应该等待...
Well, shouldn't we wait for...
为了谁？
For whom?
来这里看看老格夫吧？
Here to see ol' Gef, right?
我是南多尔·福多博士的助手，
I am the assistant to Dr. Nandor Fodor,
世界上最重要的超心理学家。
the world's foremost parapsychologist.
我们在这里调查一个可能的
And we are here to investigate a possible
超自然现象
supernatural occurrence
涉及一个称为，
involving an entity known as,
是的，杰夫。
yes, Gef.
嗯。
Hm.