第54页
“搭把手。”丹宁对汉斯说；靠着汉斯的帮助，他总算踩上了圆桶。
He bent over so that Edith could adjust the rope about his neck. Then he stood upright while Hans drew the rope taut across the overhead branch.
他弯下腰去，好让伊迪丝把绳子套在他的脖子上。接着他又站直了，而汉斯拉紧了他头顶上套在树枝上的绳子。
"Michael Dennin, have you anything to say?" Edith asked in a clear voice that shook in spite of her.
“迈克尔·丹宁，你还有什么要说的吗？”尽管声音颤抖，伊迪丝还是清楚地问出了这句话。
Dennin shuffled his feet on the barrel, looked down bashfully like a man making his maiden speech, and cleared his throat.
丹宁两脚在圆桶上挪了挪，有点局促地看着下面，好像第一次发表演讲似的，然后清了清嗓子。
"I'm glad it's over with," he said. "You've treated me like a Christian, an' I'm thankin' you hearty for your kindness.”
“很高兴一切就要过去了，”他说，“你们始终把我当成基督徒来看待，我衷心感谢你们对我的好意。”
"Then may God receive you, a repentant sinner," she said.
“愿上帝收留你这个悔过的罪人。”伊迪丝说。
"Ay," he answered, his deep voice as a response to her thin one, "may God receive me, a repentant sinner."
“嗯，”他答道，他那低沉的嗓音回应着她尖细的声音，“愿上帝收留我这个悔过的罪人。”
"Good-by, Michael," she cried, and her voice sounded desperate.
“别了，迈克尔。”她喊道，声音充满了绝望。
She threw her weight against the barrel, but it did not overturn.
她使出全身的力量去推那个圆桶，但是怎么都推不倒。
"Hans! Quick! Help me!" she cried faintly.
“汉斯，快！帮我一下！”她无力地喊道。
She could feel her last strength going, and the barrel resisted her. Hans hurried to her, and the barrel went out from under Michael Dennin.
她觉得她把最后一丝力气都使出来了，但是那个木桶纹丝不动。汉斯连忙跑过去，把桶一下子就从迈克尔·丹宁脚下推开了。
She turned her back, thrusting her fingers into her ears. Then she began to laugh, harshly, sharply, metallically; and Hans was shocked as he had not been shocked through the whole tragedy. Edith Nelson's break-down had come. Even in her hysteria she knew it, and she was glad that she had been able to hold up under the strain until everything had been accomplished. She reeled toward Hans.
她背过身去，拿指头堵住耳朵。接着，她笑了起来，尖利、刺耳，像金属的声音；汉斯吓了一跳，虽然他经历了整个惨剧，但是都没有受过如此的惊吓。伊迪丝·纳尔逊终于崩溃了。即使在她歇斯底里发泄的时候，她也知道自己垮了；她很高兴，在那么紧张的状态下苦撑过来了，直到所有事情就圆满完成。她摇摇晃晃地走向汉斯。
"Take me to the cabin, Hans," she managed to articulate.
“扶我到屋里去，汉斯。”她勉强说出几个字来。
"And let me rest," she added. "Just let me rest, and rest, and rest."
“让我休息一下，”她又说，“休息一下，好好休息一下，休息一下。”
With Hans's arm around her, supporting her weight and directing her helpless steps, she went off across the snow. But the Indians remained solemnly to watch the working of the white man's law that compelled a man to dance upon the air.
汉斯的臂膀搂着她，支撑着她，引导着她虚弱的脚步，她就这样从雪地上走回去了。而那些印第安人还留在原地，神色严峻地看着白人的法律怎样迫使一个人吊在半空晃来晃去。