Question

谁能翻译一下契科夫的短文"the bet"?

说明一下：绝对不要软件或谷歌翻译的。
拜托了.字数多，给个链接吧http://hi.baidu.com/%C6%AE%D2%A1%C8%F4%C1%EB%D4%C6/blog/item/253e079476b92e42d0135e77.html
真的真的真的真的不要软件或谷歌翻译的！

Answer 1

It was a dark autumn night.The old banker was walking up and down his study and remembering how,fifteen years before,he had given a party one autumn evening. There had been many clever man there, and there had been interesting conversations. Among other things they had talked of capital punishment. The majority of the guests, among whom were many journalists and intellectual men,disapproved of the death penalty.They considered that form of punishment out of date,immoral,and unsuitable for Christian States. In the opinion of some of them the death penalty ought to be replaced everywhere by imprisonment for life

一个黑沉沉的秋夜。老银行家在他的书房里踱来踱去，回想起十五年前也是在秋天
他举行过的一次晚会。在这次晚会上，来了许多有识之士，谈了不少有趣的话题。他们顺便谈起了死刑。客人们中间有不少学者和新闻记者，大多数人对死刑持否定态度。他们认为这种刑罚已经过时，不适用于信奉基督教的国家，而且不合乎道德。照这些人的看法，死刑应当一律改为无期徒刑。

study，这里是书房的意思
capital punishment，死刑
majority,n.多数，大半。[律]成年
journalist 记者
intellectual n.知识分子 adj.有智力的，聪明的
disapprove v.不赞成
death penalty 死刑
out of date adj.过时的，废弃的
immoral adj,不道德的，放荡的
unsuitable for Christian States 并不适合于那些（盛行）基督教的省区
In the opinion of…… 以某人的观点看来
be replaced everywhere (此处everywhere作后置定语)
imprisonment for life 终身监禁

关于death penalty与capital punishment之间的区别：

capital punishment n.（名词）
The penalty of death for the commission of a crime.
死刑：以死亡作为对犯下某一罪过的惩罚

death penalty n.（名词）
A sentence of punishment by execution.
死刑

“I don't agree with you,”said their host the banker."I have not tried either the death penalty or imprisonment for life,but if one may judge a priori,the death penalty is more moral and more humane than imprisonment for life.Capital punishment kills a man at once,but lifelong imprisonment kills him slowly.Which executioner is the more humane,he who kills you in a few minutes or he who drags the life out of you in the course of many years?"

"Both the equally immoral,"observed one of the guests,"for they both have the same object-----to take away life.The State is not God.It has not the right to take away what it cannot restore when it wants to."

“我不同意你们的观点，”主人银行家说，“我既没有品尝过死刑的滋味，也没有体验过无期徒刑的磨难，不过如果可以主观①评定的话，那么我以为死刑比无期徒刑更合乎道，更人道。死刑把人一下子处死，而无期徒刑却慢慢地把人处死。究竟哪一个刽子手更人道？是那个几分钟内处死您的人，还是在许多年间把您慢慢折磨死的人？”
moral 此处adj.道德的
humane adj.仁慈的
lifelong adj.终身的
executioner n.死刑执行人, 刽子手
drag v.拖, 拖曳, 缓慢而费力地行动 n.拖拉
drag the life out of you 拖延你的生命
in the course of adv.在...期间
observed one of the guests 此处省略了observed (by) one of the guests
restore vt.恢复, 使回复, 归还, 交还, 修复, 重建
It has not the right to take away what it cannot restore when it wants to.这句话的意思差不多是说：它无权夺取它没有办法恢复的东西。差不多是这样，但这个翻译不完整。

Among the guests was a young lawyer, a young man of five-and-twenty. When he was asked his opinion, he said:

"The death sentence and the life sentence are equally immoral, but if I had to choose between the death penalty and imprisonment for life, I would certainly choose the second. To live anyhow is better than not at all."

A lively discussion arose. The banker, who was younger and more nervous in those days, was suddenly carried away by excitement; he struck the table with his fist and shouted at the young man:

"It's not true! I'll bet you two millions you wouldn't stay in solitary confinement for five years."

客人中间有一个二十五岁的年轻律师。别人问他的看法时，他说：
“不论死刑还是无期徒刑都是不道德的，不过如果要我在死刑和无期徒刑中作一选择，那么我当然选择后者。活着总比死了好。”
这下热烈的争论开始了。银行家当时年轻气盛，一时性起，一拳捶到桌上，对着年轻的律师嚷道：
“这话不对！我用两百万打赌，您在囚室里坐不了五年！”
a young man of five-and-twenty 一个二十五岁的年轻男人
sentence n.此处为“判决”
anyhow adv.无论如何, 总之
(要注意这里anyhow的用法，放在动词之后[To live anyhow is better than not at all])
arose vl.引发, 激起, 唤起
carry away v.运走, 使失去自制力
fist n.拳头, 手, 抓住, 抓牢
solitary adj.孤独的
confinement n.(被)限制, (被)禁闭, 产期, 分娩
此处solitay confinement指的是囚禁，限制人身自由，
要注意的是：I bet you two millions you wouldn't stay in solitary confinement for five years。
sb. bet sb.else somemoney (that)后面加一个完整的句子

"If you mean that in earnest," said the young man, "I'll take the bet, but I would stay not five but fifteen years."

"Fifteen? Done!" cried the banker. "Gentlemen, I stake two millions!"

"Agreed! You stake your millions and I stake my freedom!" said the young man.

And this wild, senseless bet was carried out! The banker, spoilt and frivolous, with millions beyond his reckoning, was delighted at the bet. At supper he made fun of the young man, and said:

"Think better of it, young man, while there is still time. To me two millions are a trifle, but you are losing three or four of the best years of your life. I say three or four, because you won't stay longer. Don't forget either, you unhappy man, that voluntary confinement is a great deal harder to bear than compulsory. The thought that you have the right to step out in liberty at any moment will poison your whole existence in prison. I am sorry for you."

“如果这话当真，”律师回答说，“那我也打赌，我不是坐五年，而是十五年。”
“十五年？行！”银行家喊道，“诸位先生，我下两百万赌注。”
“我同意！您下两百万赌注，我用我的自由作赌注！”律师说。
就这样，这个野蛮而荒唐的打赌算成立了！银行家当时到底有几百万家财，连他自己也说不清，他娇生惯养，轻浮鲁莽，打完赌兴高采烈。吃晚饭的时候，他取笑律师说：
“年轻人，清醒清醒吧，现在为时不晚。对我来说两百万是小事一桩，而您却在冒险，会丧失您一生中最美好的三四年时光。我说三四年，因为您不可能坐得比这更久。
不幸的人，您也不要忘了，自愿受监禁比强迫坐牢要难熬得多。您有权利随时出去享受自由--这种想法会使您在囚室中的生活痛苦不堪。我可怜您！”
in earnest 这个短语用来表示相当于中文中“说真的，认真的”
take the bet 和你打赌
done 这里可以译作”成交“
stake vt.这里的意思是”赌上“
senseless adj.盲目的，无意识的
spoilt spoil的过去式，这里相当于愚蠢的
frivoulous adj.轻佻的，轻举妄动的，
reckoning n.帐单，结帐，这里的意思是资产
be delighted at……为什么事情而感到高兴
think better of it 想开点吧（比较实用的句子）
trifle n. 小事，琐事 v.开玩笑，嘲弄

you unhappy man （这是个非常实用的说法）人称代词+形容词+（名词）
这个短语的意思是：你这个郁闷的男人
voluntary confinement 自愿禁闭
compulsory adj.强制的，义务的

重难点词句：The thought that you have the right to step out in liberty at any moment will poison your whole existence in prison.
这句话的意思是：你心中任何渴望自由的想法都会成为真正囚禁你的工具。

And now the banker, walking to and fro, remembered all this, and asked himself: "What was the object of that bet? What is the good of that man's losing fifteen years of his life and my throwing away two millions? Can it prove that the death penalty is better or worse than imprisonment for life? No, no. It was all nonsensical and meaningless. On my part it was the caprice of a pampered man, and on his part simple greed for money. . . ."

Then he remembered what followed that evening. It was decided that the young man should spend the years of his captivity under the strictest supervision in one of the lodges in the banker's garden. It was agreed that for fifteen years he should not be free to cross the threshold of the lodge, to see human beings, to hear the human voice, or to receive letters and newspapers. He was allowed to have a musical instrument and books, and was allowed to write letters, to drink wine, and to smoke. By the terms of the agreement, the only relations he could have with the outer world were by a little window made purposely for that object. He might have anything he wanted -- books, music, wine, and so on -- in any quantity he desired by writing an order, but could only receive them through the window. The agreement provided for every detail and every trifle that would make his imprisonment strictly solitary, and bound the young man to stay there _exactly_ fifteen years, beginning from twelve o'clock of November 14, 1870, and ending at twelve o'clock of November 14, 1885. The slightest attempt on his part to break the conditions, if only two minutes before the end, released the banker from the obligation to pay him two millions.

此刻银行家在书房里踱来踱去，想起这件往事，不禁问自己：
“何苦打这种赌呢？律师白白浪费了十五年大好光阴，我损失了两百万，这有什么好处呢？这能否向人们证明，死刑比无期徒刑坏些或者好些？不能，不能。荒唐，毫无意义！在我这方面，完全是因为饱食终日，一时心血来潮，在律师方面，则纯粹是贪图钱财……”
随后银行家回想起上述晚会后的事。当时决定，律师必须搬到银行家后花园里的一 间小屋里住，在最严格的监视下过完他的监禁生活。规定在十五年间他无权跨出门槛，
看见活人，听见人声，收到信件和报纸。允许他有一样乐器，可以读书、写信、喝酒和
抽烟。跟外界的联系，根据契约，他只能通过一个为此特设的小窗口进行，而且不许说
话。他需要的东西，如书，乐谱，酒等等，他可以写在纸条上，要多少给多少，但只能
通过窗口。契约规定了种种条款和细节，保证监禁做到严格的隔离，规定律师必须坐满
十五年，即从一八七0年十一月十四日十二时起至一八八五年十一月十四日十二时止。
律师一方任何违反契约的企图，哪怕在规定期限之前早走两分钟，即可解除银行家支付
他两百万的义务。
在监禁的第一年，根据律师的简短便条来看，他又孤独又烦闷，痛苦不堪。不论白
天，还是夜晚，从他的小屋里经常传出钢琴的声音！他拒绝喝酒抽烟。他写道：酒激起
欲望，而欲望是囚徒的头号敌人。再说，没有比喝着美酒却见不着人更烦闷的了。烟则
熏坏他房间里的空气。第一年，律师索要的都是内容轻松的读物：情节复杂的爱情小说，
侦探小说，神话故事，喜剧等等。
第二年，小屋里不再有乐曲声，律师的纸条上只要求古典作品。第五年又传出乐曲
声，囚徒要求送酒去。那些从小窗口监视他的人说，整整这一年他只顾吃饭，喝酒，躺
在床上，哈欠连连，愤愤不平地自言自语。他不读书。有时夜里爬起来写东西，写得很
久，一到清晨又把写好的东西统统撕碎。他们不止一次听到他在哭泣。
第六年的下半年，囚徒热衷于研究语言、哲学和历史。他如饥似渴地研究这些学问，
弄得银行家都来不及订购到他所要的书。在后来的四年间，经他的要求，总计买了六百
册书。在律师陶醉于阅读期间，银行家还收到他的这样一封信：
亲爱的典狱长：我用六种文字给您写信。请将信交有关专家审阅。如果他们找不
出一个错误，那么我请求您让人在花园里放一枪。枪声将告诉我，我的努力没有付诸东
流。各国历代的天才尽管所操的语言不同，然而他们的心中都燃烧着同样热烈的激情。
啊，但愿您能知道，由于我能了解他们，现在我的内心体验到多么巨大的非人间所有的
幸福！
囚徒的愿望实现了。银行家吩咐人在花园里放了两枪。
十年之后，律师一动不动地坐在桌旁，只读一本《福音书》。银行家觉得奇怪，既
然他在囚年里能读完六百本深奥的著作，这么一本好懂的、不厚的书怎么要读上一年工
夫呢？读完《福音书》，他接着读宗教史和神学著作。
在监禁的最后两年，囚徒不加选择，读了很多的书。有时他研究自然科学，有时要
求拜伦①和莎士比亚②的作品。他的一些纸条上往往要求同时给他送化学书，医学书，
长篇小说，某篇哲学论文，或者神学著作。他看书就好像他落水后在海中漂浮，为了救
自己的命，急不可待地时而抓住沉船的这块碎片，时而抓住另一块浮木！
①拜伦（一七八八--一八二四）英国诗人。
②莎士比亚（一五六四--一六一六）英国诗人，剧作家。
老银行家回忆这些事后想道：
“明天十二点他就要获得自由。按契约我应当付他两百万。如果我付清款子，我就彻底破产，一切都完了……”
fro adv.往，去，回，向后
walk to and fro 来回踱步
nonsensical adj.无意义的, 荒谬的
caprice n.反复无常，任性，怪想
pampered adj.饮食过量的
be the caprice of a pampered man （这件事情是）吃饱了没事干
greed for money 对金钱的贪婪
greed for…… 对于某事物的贪婪
captivity n.囚禁
strictest strick的最高级
supervision n.监督，管理
lodge n.门房 vi临时住宿 vt容纳，寄存
threshold n.开始，开端
outer adj.外部的，外面的，远离中心的 n.（射击）环外命中
purposely adj.故意的
quantity n.数量
in any quantity 不记数量的
bound v.跳跃, 限制
attempt n.努力, 尝试, 企图 vt.尝试, 企图
obligation n.义务, 职责, 债务

重点短语：
1上面提到的‘吃饱了没事干“=be the caprice of a pampered man
2 bound sb. to do sth. 限制某人做某事
3 release sb. from sth. 将某人从某事中解脱出来

Fifteen years before, his millions had been beyond his reckoning; now he was afraid to ask himself which were greater, his debts or his assets. Desperate gambling on the Stock Exchange, wild speculation and the excitability whic h he could not get over even in advancing years, had by degrees led to the decline of his fortune and the proud, fearless, self-confident millionaire had become a banker of middling rank, trembling at every rise and fall in his investments. "Cursed bet!" muttered the old man, clutching his head in despair "Why didn't the man die? He is only forty now. He will take my last penny from me, he will marry, will enjoy life, will gamble on the Exchange; while I shall look at him with envy like a beggar, and hear from him every day the same sentence: 'I am indebted to you for the happiness of my life, let me help you!' No, it is too much! The one means of being saved from bankruptcy and disgrace is the death of that man!"

It struck three o'clock, the banker listened; everyone was asleep in the house and nothing could be heard outside but the rustling of the chilled trees. Trying to make no noise, he took from a fireproof safe the key of the door which had not been opened for fifteen years, put on his overcoat, and went out of the house.

It was dark and cold in the garden. Rain was falling. A damp cutting wind was racing about the garden, howling and giving the trees no rest. The banker strained his eyes, but could see neither the earth nor the white statues, nor the lodge, nor the trees. Going to the spot where the lodge stood, he twice called the watchman. No answer followed. Evidently the watchman had sought shelter from the weather, and was now asleep somewhere either in the kitchen or in the greenhouse.

"If I had the pluck to carry out my intention," thought the old man, "Suspicion would fall first upon the watchman."

He felt in the darkness for the steps and the door, and went into the entry of the lodge. Then he groped his way into a little passage and lighted a match. There was not a soul there. There was a bedstead with no bedding on it, and in the corner there was a dark cast-iron stove. The seals on the door leading to the prisoner's rooms were intact.

十五年前他不知道自己到底有多少个一百万，如今却害怕问自己：他的财产多还是债务多？交易所里全凭侥幸的赌博，冒险的投机买卖，直到老年都改不了的急躁脾气，渐渐地使他的事业一落千丈。这个无所畏惧、过分自信的、傲慢的富翁现在变成一个中产的银行家，证券的一起一落总让他胆战心惊。
“该诅咒的打赌！”老人嘟哝着，绝望地抱住头，“这个人怎么不死呢？他还只有四十岁。不久他会拿走我最后的钱，然后结婚，享受生活的乐趣，搞证券投机。我呢，变成了乞丐，只能嫉妒地看着他，每天听他那句表白：‘多亏您，我才得到幸福，让我来帮助您。’不，这太过分了！摆脱破产和耻辱的唯一办法就是这个人的死！”
时钟敲了三下。银行家侧耳细听：房子里的人都睡了，只听见窗外的树木冻得呜呜作响。他竭力不弄出响声，从保险柜里取出十五年来从未用过的房门钥匙，穿上大衣，走出房去。
花园里又黑又冷。下着雨。潮湿而刺骨的寒风呼啸着刮过花园，不容树木安静。银行家集中注意力，仍然看不见土地，看不见白色雕像，看不见那座小屋，看不见树木。
他摸到小屋附近，叫了两次看守人。没人回答。显然，看守人躲风雨去了，此刻正睡在厨房里或者花房里。
“如果我有足够的勇气实现我的意图，”老人想，“那么嫌疑首先会落在看门人身上。”
他在黑暗中摸索着台阶和门，进了小屋的前室，随后摸黑进了不大的过道，划了一根火柴。这里一个人也没有。有一张床，但床上没有被子，角落里有个黑糊糊的铁炉。
囚徒房门上的封条完整无缺。
火柴熄灭了，老人心慌得浑身发抖，摸到小窗口往里张望。
囚徒室内点着一支昏黄的蜡烛。他本人坐在桌前。从这里只能看到他的背、头发和两条胳膊。在桌子上，在两个圈椅里，在桌子旁的地毯上，到处放着摊开的书。
五分钟过去了，囚徒始终没有动一下。十五年的监禁教会了他静坐不动。银行家弯起一个手指敲敲小窗，囚徒对此毫无反应。这时银行家才小心翼翼地撕去封条，把钥匙插进锁孔里。生锈的锁一声闷响，房门吱嘎一声开了。银行家预料会立即发出惊叫声和脚步声，可是过去了两三分钟，门里却像原先一样寂静。他决定走进房间里。
桌子后面一动不动坐着一个没有人样的人。这是一具皮包骨头的骷髅，一头长长的女人那样的鬈发，胡子乱蓬蓬的。他的脸呈土黄色，脸颊凹陷，背部狭长，胳膊又细又瘦，一只手托着长发蓬乱的头，那模样看上去真叫吓人。他的头发早已灰白，瞧他那张像老人般枯瘦的脸，谁也不会相信他只有四十岁。他入睡了……桌子上，在他垂下的头前有一张纸，上面写着密密麻麻的字。
“可怜的人！”银行家想道，“他睡着了，大概正梦见那两百万呢！只要我抱起这个半死不活的人，把他扔到床上，用枕头闷住他的头，稍稍压一下，那么事后连最仔细的医检也找不出横死的迹象。不过，让我先来看看他写了什么……”
银行家拿起桌上的纸，读到下面的文字：
明天十二点我将获得自由，获得跟人交往的权利。不过，在我离开这个房间、见到太阳之前，我认为有必要对您说几句话。凭着清白的良心，面对注视我的上帝，我向您声明：我蔑视自由、生命、健康，蔑视你们的书里称之为人间幸福的一切。
十五年来，我潜心研究人间的生活。的确，我看不见天地和人们，但在你们的书里我喝着香醇的美酒，我唱歌，在树林里追逐鹿群和野猪，和女人谈情说爱……由你们天才的诗人凭借神来之笔创造出的无数美女，轻盈得犹如臼云，夜里常常来探访我，对我小声讲述着神奇的故事，听得我神迷心醉。在你们的书里，我攀登上艾尔布鲁士①和勃朗峰②的顶巅，从那里观看早晨的日出，观看如血的晚霞如何染红了天空、海洋和林立的山峰。我站在那里，看到在我的上空雷电如何劈开乌云，像人蛇般游弋；我看到绿色的森林、原野、河流、湖泊、城市，听到塞王③的歌唱和牧笛的吹奏；我甚至触摸过美丽的魔鬼的翅膀，它们飞来居然跟我谈论上帝……在你们的书里我也坠入过无底的深渊，
我创造奇迹，行凶杀人，烧毁城市，宣扬新的宗教，征服了无数王国……
①在高加索。
②在欧洲中部。
③希腊神话中半人半鸟的海妖，以歌声诱惑水手，使之灭亡。
你们的书给了我智慧。不倦的人类思想千百年来所创造的一切，如今浓缩成一团，
藏在我的头颅里。我知道我比你们所有的人都聪明。
我也蔑视你们的书，蔑视人间的各种幸福和智慧。一切都微不足道，转瞬即逝，虚幻莫测，不足为信，有如海市蜃楼。虽然你们骄傲、聪明而美丽，然而死亡会把你们彻
底消灭，就降消灭地窖里的耗子一样，而你们的子孙后代，你们的历史，你们的不朽天才，将随着地球一起或者冻结成冰，或者烧毁。
你们丧失理智，走上邪道。你们把谎言当成真理，把丑看作美，如果由于某种环境，苹果树和橙树上不结果实，却忽然长出蛤蟆和晰蜴，或者玫瑰花发出马的汗味，你们会感到奇怪；同样，我对你们这些宁愿舍弃天国来换取人世的人也味到奇怪。我不想了解你们。
为了用行动向你们表明我蔑视你们赖以生活的一切，我放弃那两百万，虽说我曾经对它像对天堂一样梦寐以求，可是现在我蔑视它。为了放弃这一权利，我决定在规定期限之前五个时离开这里，从而违反契约……
银行家读到这里，把纸放回桌上，在这个怪人头上亲了一下，含泪走出小屋。他一生中任何时候，哪怕在交易所输光之后，也下曾像现在这样深深地蔑视自己。回到家里，
他倒在床上，然而激动的眼泪使他久久不能入睡……
第二大早晨，吓白了脸的看守人跑来告诉他，说他们看到住在小屋里的人爬出窗子，
进了花园，往大门走去，后来就不知去向了。银行家带领仆人立即赶到小屋，证实囚徒确实跑掉了。为了杜绝无谓的流言，他取走桌上那份放弃权利的声明，回到房间，把它锁进保险柜里。

Answer 2

http://baike.baidu.com/view/6923.htm

最后面有.

Answer 3

分太少了

Answer 4

眼睛痛

这个看懂就可以了，非要翻译？

Answer 5

分少了