Smiley's People汉译80
She despises me for not helping the old man, thought Smiley. She was in on it, she knew, and now she despises me for not helping him in his hour of need. He was a brother to her, he remembered. He instructed her.“And this approach to you—this request for operational funds,” said Smiley. “It came out of the blue? There’d been nothing before, to tell you he was up to something big?”
Again Mikhel frowned, taking his time, and it was clear that Mikhel did not care too much for questions.
“Some months ago, perhaps two, he received a letter,” he said cautiously. “Here, to this address.”
“Did he receive so few?”
“This letter was special,” said Mikhel, with the same air of caution, and suddenly Smiley realised that Mikhel was in what the Sarratt inquisitors called the loser’s corner, because he did not know—he could only guess—how much or how little Smiley knew already. Therefore Mikhel would give up his information jealously, hoping to read the strength of Smiley’s hand while he did so.
“Who was it from?”
Mikhel, as so often, answered a slightly different question.
“It was from Paris, Max, a long letter, many pages, hand-written. Addressed to the General personally, not Miller. To General Vladimir, most personal. On the envelope was written ‘Most Personal,’ in French. The letter arrived, I lock it in my desk; at eleven o’clock he walks in as usual. ‘Mikhel, I salute you.’ Sometimes, believe me, we even saluted each other. I hand him the letter, he sat”—he pointed towards Elvira’s end of the room—“he sat down, opened it quite carelessly, as if he had no expectation from it, and I saw him gradually become preoccupied. Absorbed. I would say fascinated. Impassioned even. I spoke to him. He didn’t answer. I spoke again—you know his ways—he ignored me totally. He went for a walk. ‘I shall return,’ he said.”
她鄙视我是因为我没有帮助那个老人，斯迈利想。她了解发生了什么。她是知情的。现在她鄙视我在他需要帮助的时候不帮他。他想起米克尔的话，他就像是她的兄长，教导过她。
“而这次找你——要行动经费，”斯迈利说。“是突如其来的吗？之前没有任何迹象表明他有大动作？”
米克尔再次皱起眉头，，显然，米克尔不大喜欢有人问他问题。
“几个月前，也许是两个月前，他收到了一封信。”他谨慎地说。“在这里收到的，信寄到这个地址。”
“他很少收到信吗？”
“这封信很特别，”米克尔带着同样的谨慎说道，斯迈利突然意识到，米克尔正处在萨拉特审问者所说的失败者困境里，因为他不知道——所以只能猜测——斯迈利已经知道了多少或不知道多少。所以，米克尔会非常小心地，挤牙膏似地透露自己的信息，希望能在透露信息的同时估计出斯迈利到底知道多少。
“是谁寄来的？”
米克尔像往常一样，答非所问。
“是从巴黎寄来的，马克斯，一封长信，很多页，手写的。写给将军本人，收信人不是米勒，而是弗拉基米尔将军，亲启。信封上用法文写着'亲启'。信到了，我把它锁在书桌里；11 点钟，他像往常一样走了进来。米克尔，我向您致敬。有时候，相信我，我们甚至互相敬礼。我把信递给他，他坐了“——他指了指房间里埃尔维拉所在的那一头——”他坐下来，漫不经心地打开信，好像对信没有任何期待，我看到他渐渐变得专心起来。全神贯注。可以说他完全被吸引住了。甚至是热血沸腾。我跟他说话，他都没有回答。我又说了一遍——你知道他的做派——他完全不理我。他去散步了。'我会回来的，'他说。”
“Taking the letter?”
“Of course. It was his fashion, when he had a great matter to consider, to go for a walk. When he returned, I noticed a deep excitement in him. A tension. ‘Mikhel.’ You know how he spoke. All must obey. ‘Mikhel. Get out the photocopier. Put some paper in it for me. I have a document to copy.’ I asked him how many copies. One. I asked him how many sheets. ‘Seven. Please stand at five paces’ distance while I operate the machine,’ he tells me. ‘I cannot involve you in this matter.’”
Once again, Mikhel indicated the spot as if it proved the absolute veracity of his story. The black copier stood on its own table, like an old steam-engine, with rollers, and holes for pouring in the different chemicals. “The General was not mechanical, Max. I setup the machine for him—then I stood—here—so—calling out instructions to him across the room. When he had finished, he stood over the copies while they dried, then folded them into his pocket.”
“And the original?”
“This also he put in his pocket.”
“So you never read the letter?” Smiley said, in a tone of light commiseration.
“带上信了吗？”
当然带上了，当他有大事要考虑时，就会出去走走，这是他的习惯。当他回来时，我注意到他非常兴奋，情绪很紧张。‘米克尔，’你知道他说话的口气。所有人都必须服从。‘米克尔，把复印机拿出来。帮我放几张纸进去。我有一份文件要复印。’我问他要复印几份。一份。我问他多少张。‘七张。我操作机器时，请站在五步之外。我不能让你卷入这件事。’他跟我说。”
米克尔再次指了指那个地方，仿佛证明他的故事绝对真实。黑色的复印机单独放在一张桌子上，像一台老式蒸汽机。上面有滚轴，还有用于倒入不同化学制品的孔。“将军不懂机器操作，马克斯。我为他设置好机器，然后就站在这里，隔着房间教他操作。他完成后，就站在复印件前，等它们干了，然后拿起来叠好放进口袋里。”
“那原件呢？”
“这个他也放进了口袋。”
“这么说你从没读过这封信？” 斯迈利用一种淡淡的同情的语气说道。
“No, Max. I am sad to tell you I did not.”
“But you saw the envelope. You had it here to give to him when he arrived.”
“I told you, Max. It was from Paris.”
“Which district?”
The hesitation again: “The fifteenth,” said Mikhel. “I believe it was the fifteenth. Where many of our people used to be.”
“And the date? Can you be more precise about it? You said about two months.”
“Early September. I would say early September. Late August is possible. Say six weeks ago, around.”
“The address on the envelope was also handwritten?”
“It was, Max. It was.”
“What colour was the envelope?”
“Brown.”
“And the ink?”
“I suppose blue.”
“Was it sealed?”
“Please?”
“Was the envelope sealed with sealing-wax or adhesive tape? Or was it just gummed in the ordinary way?”
Mikhel shrugged, as if such details were beneath him.
“But the sender had put his name on the outside, presumably?” Smiley persisted lightly.
“不，马克斯。我很遗憾地告诉你，我没有。”
“但你看到了信封。他来的时候，你把它放在这里准备给他的。”
“我告诉过你，马克斯。是从巴黎寄来的。”
“哪个区？”
又犹豫了： “第十五区。”米克尔说。“我相信是第十五区。我们很多人以前都在那里。”
“日期呢？你能说得更准确些吗？你说大约两个月。”
“九月初。我说是九月初。八月底也有可能。大约六周前吧。”
“信封上的地址也是手写的？”
“是的，马克斯。是的。”
“信封是什么颜色的？”
“棕色。”
“字呢？”
“我想是蓝色的
“是密封的吗？”
“什么意思？”
“信封是用封蜡还是胶带密封的？还是用普通的胶水粘的？”
米克尔耸了耸肩，似乎这些细节不值一提。
“但寄信人应该在外面写上了自己的名字吧？”斯迈利轻描淡写地继续问道。
If he had, Mikhel was not admitting it.
For a moment Smiley allowed his mind to dwell upon the brown envelope cached in the Savoy cloakroom, and the passionate plea for help it had contained. This morning I had an impression that they were trying to kill me. Will you not send me your magic friend once more? Postmark Paris, he thought. The 15th district. After the first letter, Vladimir gave the writer his home address, he thought. Just as he gave his home telephone number to Villem. After the first letter, Vladimir made sure he bypassed Mikhel.
A phone rang and Mikhel answered it at once, with a brief “Yes,” then listened.
“Then put me five each way,” he muttered, and rang off with magisterial dignity.
Approaching the main purpose of his visit to Mikhel, Smiley took care to proceed with great respect. He remembered that Mikhel—who by the time he joined the Group in Paris had seen the inside of half the interrogation centres of Eastern Europe—had a way of slowing down when he was prodded, and by this means in his day had driven the Sarratt inquisitors half mad.
“May I ask you something, Mikhel?” Smiley said, instructively selecting a line that was oblique to the main thrust of his enquiry.
“Please.”
“That evening when he called here to borrow money from you, did he stay? Did you make him tea? Play a game of chess perhaps? Could you paint it for me a little, please, that evening?”
即使米克尔看到信封上面有名字，他现在也没有说。
有那么一瞬间，斯迈利的思绪停留在萨沃伊酒店衣帽间里的那个棕色信封上，以及信封里那情绪激动的求救信。今天早上，我感觉他们要杀我。您能把您的魔法师朋友再派来一次吗？邮戳是巴黎，他想。第15区。第一封信之后，弗拉基米尔给了写信人他家里的地址，他想。就像他把家里的电话号码给了维廉一样。第一封信之后，弗拉基米尔确定他绕过了米克尔。
电话铃响了，米克尔马上接了，简短地说了声 “喂”，然后就听着。
他嘟囔了一句 “那就给我每边各下注5镑吧”，然后带着庄重威严的神气挂断了电话。
斯迈利小心翼翼地一步步接近他拜访米克尔所要达到的主要目标。他记得，米克尔在巴黎加入小组时，已经见识过东欧一半审讯中心的内部情况，当有人催促他时，他总是慢吞吞的，那时，他曾用这种方法差点把萨拉特的审问者逼疯了。
“我能问你个问题吗，米克尔？斯迈利说，他选择了一个与他的询问主旨相悖的话题。
“请说。”
“那天晚上，他打电话来向你借钱，他有没有留下来？你给他沏茶了吗？下棋了吗？请你帮我描绘一下那天晚上的情况，好吗？”
“We played chess, but not with concentration. He was preoccupied, Max.”
“Did he say any more about the big fish?”
The drooped eyes considered Smiley soulfully.
“Please, Max?”
“The big fish. The operation he said he was planning. I wondered whether he enlarged upon it in any way.”
“Nothing. Nothing at all, Max. He was entirely secretive.”
“Did you have the impression it involved another country?”
“He spoke only of having no passport. He was wounded—Max, I tell you this frankly—he was hurt that the Circus would not trust him with a passport. After such service, such devotion—he was hurt.”
“It was for his own good, Mikhel.”
“Max, I understand entirely. I am a younger man, a man of the world, flexible. The General was at times impulsive, Max. Steps had to be taken—even by those who admired him—to contain his energies. Please. But for the man himself, it was incomprehensible. An insult.”
From behind him Smiley heard the thud of feet as Elvira stomped contemptuously back to her corner.
“So who did he think should do his travelling for him?” Smiley asked, again ignoring her.
“Villem,” said Mikhel with obvious disapproval. “He does not tell me in many words but I believe he sends Villem. That was my impression. Villem would go. General Vladimir spoke with much pride of Villem’s youth and honour. Also of his father. He even made an historical reference. He spoke of bringing in the new generation to avenge the injustices of the old. He was very moved.”
“我们下过棋，但不专心。他有心事，麦克斯。”
“他还说过大鱼的事吗？”
耷拉着的眼睛深情地看着斯迈利。
“什么意思，马克斯？”
“大鱼。他说的正在计划的行动。我不知道他是否多说了两句。”
“没有。什么都没说，马克斯，他完全保密。”
“你是否觉得这涉及到另一个国家？”
“他只说没有护照。他感情受伤了，马克斯，我坦白地告诉你，他很伤心，因为圆场不信任他，不让他拿护照。他为圆场做了那么多贡献，那么尽心尽力，他很受伤。”
“这是为他好，米克尔。”
“马克斯，我完全理解。我年轻些，阅历丰富，处世灵活。将军有时很冲动，马克斯。即使是钦佩他的人也必须采取措施来控制他的精力。你知道吗？这种措施对他个人来说是无法理解的。这是一种侮辱。”
斯迈利听到身后传来咚咚的脚步声，埃尔维拉轻蔑地跺了跺脚，回到了自己的角落。
“那么，他认为应该由谁来替他旅行呢？” 斯迈利问道，再次没理她。
“维廉，”米克尔明显不以为然地说。“他没有多说，但我相信他派维廉去了。这是我的印象。维廉会去的。弗拉基米尔将军非常自豪地谈到了维廉的青年时代和获得的荣誉。还提到了他的父亲。他甚至提到了过去的事情。他说要让新一代为旧一代遭受的不公而复仇。他情绪非常激动。”
“Where did he send him? Did Vladi give any hint of that?”
“He does not tell me. He tells me only, ‘Villem has a passport, he is a brave boy, a good Balt, steady, he can travel, but it is also necessary to protect him.’ I do not probe, Max. I do not pry. That is not my way. You know that.”
“Still you did form an impression, I suppose,” Smiley said. “The way one does. There are not so many places Villem would be free to go to, after all. Least of all on fifty pounds. There was Villem’s job too, wasn’t there? Not to mention his wife. He couldn’t just step into the blue when he felt like it.”
Mikhel made a very military gesture. Pushing out his lips till his moustache was almost on its back, he tugged shrewdly at his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “The General also asked me for maps,” he said finally. “I was in two minds whether to tell you this. You are his vicar, Max, but you are not of our cause. But as I trust you, I shall.”
“Maps of where?”
“Street maps.” He flicked a hand towards the shelves as if ordering them closer. “City plans. Of Danzig. Hamburg. Lübeck. Helsinki. The northern seaboard. I asked him, ‘General, sir. Let me help you,’ I said to him. ‘Please. I am your assistant for everything. I have a right. Vladimir. Let me help you.’ He refused me. He wished to be entirely private.”
Moscow Rules, Smiley thought yet again. Many maps and only one of them is relevant. And once again, he noted, towards his trusted Paris adjutant Vladimir was taking measures to obscure his purpose.
“他派他去哪里？弗拉迪吗？”
“他没告诉我。他只跟我说：'维廉有护照，他是个勇敢的孩子，是个好波罗的海人，稳重，他可以旅行，但也有必要保护他。’我没有细问，马克斯。我不打探。这不是我的风格。你知道的。”
“我想，你还是有个大致的感觉，”斯迈利说。“这是很自然的。毕竟，维廉能自由去的地方并不多。尤其是五十镑。还有维廉的工作，不是吗？更不用说他的妻子了。他不能想去就去。”
米克尔做了一个非常军事化的手势。他嘴唇噘得老高，小胡子都快竖起来了，他用拇指和食指精明地抠了抠鼻子。“将军还问我要地图，”他最后说。“我一直在犹豫要不要告诉你这件事。你是他的牧师，马克斯，但你不属于我们的事业。但既然我信任你，我应该告诉你。”
“哪里的地图？”
“街道地图，”他朝书架指了指，似乎在命令它们靠近些。“城市平面图。但泽，汉堡，吕贝克，赫尔辛基。都是北部沿海城市。我问他：‘将军，先生。我来帮你吧。'我对他说，'你知道，不管你做什么事情，我都是你的助手。我有这个义务。弗拉基米尔，让我来帮你。'他拒绝了。他希望完全保密。
莫斯科规则，斯迈利再次想到。很多地图，只有一张有用。他注意到，对他信任的巴黎副官，弗拉基米尔又一次采取措施，不让他知道自己的真实目的。
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