“‘Oh， well，’ says I， ‘this sounds like the purling of a rill to me. I thought we came here to teach the millionaires business， instead of learning art from em？’
“‘哦，好啦，’我说，‘在我听来，这些话简直像小河流水一般毫无意义。我原以为我们来这儿是让那些百万富翁开开眼界，不是向他们领教艺术知识的。’
“‘Be patient，’ says Andy， kindly. ‘Maybe we will see a rift in the smoke ere long.’
“‘忍耐些。’安迪和气地说。‘要不了多久，我们也许能找到机会的。’
“All the next morning Andy was out. I didnt see him until about noon. He came to the hotel and called me into his room across the hall. He pulled a roundishroundish adj.圆的 bundle about as big as a goose egg out of his pocket and unwrappedunwrap vt.打开， 解开， 展开 it. It was an ivory carving just as he had described the millionaires to me.
“第二天，安迪在外面待了一上午，中午才回来。他刚回旅馆便把我叫进他的房间，我穿过大厅来到那，见他从口袋里掏出一个鹅蛋一般大小，圆圆的包裹，解了开来。里面是一件象牙雕刻，同他讲给我听的百万富翁的那件收藏品一模一样。
“‘I went in an old second hand store and pawnshoppawnshop n.当铺 a while ago，’ says Andy， ‘and I see this half hidden under a lot of old daggersdagger n.短剑， 匕首 vt.用剑(或匕首)刺 and truck. The pawnbroker said hed had it several years and thinks it was soaked by some Arabs or Turks or some foreign dubs that used to live down by the river.’
“‘我刚才去了一家旧货典当铺里，’安迪说，‘看见这东西压在一大堆古剑和旧货下面。当铺老板说，这东西在他店里已有好几年了，大概是住在河下游的阿拉伯人、土耳其人，或者什么外国人押当后到期未赎，成了死当。’
“‘I offered him 2 for it， and I must have looked like I wanted it， for he said it would be taking the pumpernickelpumpernickel n. 裸麦粉粗面包 out of his childrens mouths to hold any conversation that did not lead up to a price of 35. I finally got it for 25.’
“‘我出两块钱向他买，准是露出了急于弄到手的神情，他便说如果价钱谈不到三十五元，就等于夺他儿女嘴里的面包。结果我们以二十五元成交。’
“‘Jeff，’ goes on Andy， ‘this is the exact counterpart of Scudders carving. Its absolutely a dead ringer for it. Hell pay 2，000 for it as quick as hed tuck a napkinnapkin n.餐巾， 餐巾纸， <英>尿布， <美>月经带 under his chin. And why shouldnt it be the genuine other one， anyhow， that the old gypsy whittled out？’
“‘杰夫，’安迪接着说，‘这同斯卡德的雕刻正是一对，一模一样。他准会以2000块的高价把它收买下来，像吃饭时围上餐巾一般快。说不定这正是那个老吉卜赛刻的另一个真货呢！’
“‘Why not， indeed？’ says I. ‘And how shall we go about compelling him to make a voluntaryvoluntary adj.自动的， 自愿的， 主动的， 故意的，非官办的， 志愿的， 自发的 purchase of it？’
“‘确实如此。’我说。‘现在我们怎么激他一下，让他自觉自愿地来买呢？’
“Andy had his plan all ready， and Ill tell you how we carried it out.
“安迪早就拟好了计划，让我告诉你我们怎样去操作。
“I got a pair of blue spectaclesspectacles n. 眼镜， put on my black frock coat， rumpled my hair up and became Prof. Pickleman. I went to another hotel， registered， and sent a telegram to Scudder to come to see me at once on important art business. The elevator dumped him on me in less than an hour. He was a foggy man with a clarionclarion n.号角 voice， smelling of Connecticut wrappers and naphthanaphtha n.［化］石脑油(一种石油馏分).
“我戴上一副蓝眼镜，穿上黑色大礼服，把头发揉得乱蓬蓬的，就成了皮克尔曼教授。我到另一家旅馆租了房间，发一个电报给斯卡德，请他立即来面谈有关艺术的事。不出一小时，他赶到旅馆，乘上电梯，来到我的房间。他是个懵懵懂懂的人，嗓门响亮，身上散发着康涅狄克州雪茄烟和石脑油的气味。
“‘Hello， Profess！’ he shouts. ‘Hows your conductconduct n.行为， 操行 v.引导， 管理， 为人， 传导？’
“‘喂，教授！’他嚷道。‘生意可好？”
“I rumpled my hair some more and gave him a blue glass stare.
“我把头发揉得更蓬乱一些，从蓝镜片后面瞪他一眼。
“‘Sir，’ says I， ‘are you Cornelius T. Scudder？ Of Pittsburg， Pennsylvania？’
“‘先生，’我说，‘你是宾夕法尼亚州匹茨堡的科尼利厄斯·蒂·斯卡德吗？’
“‘I am，’ says he. ‘Come out and have a drink.’
“‘是的’他说。‘出去喝一杯吧。’
“‘Ive neither the time nor the desire，’ says I， ‘for such harmful and deleterious amusements. I have come from New York，’ says I， ‘on a matter of busi—on a matter of art.’
“‘我既没有时间，也没有胃口，’我说，‘我可不做这种有害有毒的消遣。我从纽约来同你谈谈有关生——有关艺术的事情。’
“‘I learned there that you are the owner of an Egyptian ivory carving of the time of Rameses II.， representing the head of Queen Isis in a lotus flower. There were only two of such carvings made. One has been lost for many years. I recently discovered and purchaseddeleterious adj.有害的， 有毒的 the other in a pawn—in an obscure museum in Vienna. I wish to purchase
purchase v.购买 yours. Name your price.’
“‘我听说你有一个拉姆泽斯二世时代的埃及象牙雕刻，那是一朵莲花里的伊西斯皇后的头像。这样的雕刻全世界只有两件。其中一件已失踪多年。最近我在维也纳一家当——一家不著名的博物馆里发现了它，买了下来。我想买你收藏的那件。开个价吧。’
“‘Well， the great ice jams， Profess！’ says Scudder. ‘Have you found the other one？ Me sell？ No. I dont guess Cornelius Scudder needs to sell anything that he wants to keep. Have you got the carving with you， Profess？’
“‘好啦，天啊！教授！’斯卡德说，‘你发现了另一件吗？你要买我的？不，我想科尼利厄斯·斯卡德收藏的东西是不会出卖的。你那件雕刻带来了没有，教授？’
“I shows it to Scudder. He examines it careful all over.
“我拿出来给斯卡德看。他翻来覆去看了几遍。
“‘Its the article，’ says he. ‘Its a duplicateduplicate adj.复制的， 副的， 两重的， 两倍的，完全相同n.复制品， 副本 vt.复写， 复制， 使加倍， 使成双 of mine， every line and curve of it. Tell you what I’ll do，’ he says. ‘I wont sell， but Ill buy. Give you 2，500 for yours.’
“‘正是这玩意儿，’他说。‘和我那件一模一样，每一条线条都丝毫不差。我把我的打算告诉你。’他说。‘我不会卖的，但是我要买。我出两千五百块钱买你的。’
“‘Since you wont sell， I will，’ says I. ‘Large bills， please. Im a man of few words. I must return to New York tonight. I lecture tomorrow at the aquariumaquarium n.养鱼池， 玻璃缸， 水族馆.’
“‘你不卖，我卖。’我说。‘给个诚实价吧？我不喜欢多啰嗦。我今晚就得回纽约。明天我还要在水族馆讲课。’
“Scudder sends a check down and the hotel cashes it. He goes off with his piece of antiquity and I hurry back to Andys hotel， according to arrangement.
“斯卡德开了张支票，由旅馆付了现款。他带着那件古董走了，我根据约定，赶紧回到安迪的旅馆。
“Andy is walking up and down the room looking at his watch.
“安迪在屋子里走来走去，不时看看表。
“‘Well？’ he says.
“‘搞定了没有？’他问道。
“‘Twentyfive hundred，’ says I. ‘Cash.’
“‘两千五百块，’我说。‘现款。’
“‘Weve got just eleven minutes，’ says Andy， ‘to catch the B. & O. westboundwestbound adj.向西进行的， 西行的. Grab your baggage.’
“‘还有十一分钟。’安迪说，‘我们得赶巴尔的摩—俄亥俄线的西行火车。快去拿你的行李。”
“‘Whats the hurry，’ says I. ‘It was a square deal. And even if it was only an imitationimitation n.模仿， 效法， 冒充， 赝品， 仿造物 of the original carving itll take him some time to find it out. He seemed to be sure it was the genuine article.’
“‘何必这么急？’我说。‘这桩买卖很规矩。即使是赝品，他也要过一段时候才会发现。何况他好像认为那是真东西。’
“‘It was，’ says Andy. ‘It was his own. When I was looking at his curious yesterday he stepped out of the room for a moment and I pocketed it. Now， will you pick up your suit case and hurry？’
“‘是真的。’安迪说，‘就是他自己家里的那件。昨天我在他家里看古董时，他到外面去了一会儿，我顺手牵羊地拿了回来。喂，你赶快去拿手提箱吧。’
“‘Then，’ says I， ‘why was that story about finding another one in the pawnpawn n.典当， 抵押物， 人质， (象棋)兵、卒， 爪牙，被人利用的人 vt.当掉， 以……担保—’
“‘可是，’我说，‘你不是说在当铺里另外找到一个——’
“‘Oh，’ says Andy， ‘out of respect for that conscience of yours. Come on.’”
“‘噢，’安迪说，‘那是出于尊重你的艺术良心。快走吧。’”