(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
We present the short story "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry. Here is Shep O'Neal with the story. It looked like a good thing. But wait till I tell you. We were down south, in Alabama – Bill Driscoll and myself – when this kidnapping idea struck us. There was a town down there, as flat as a pancake, and called Summit. Bill and I had about $600. We needed just $2,000 more for an illegal land deal in Illinois. We chose for our victim -- the only child of an influential citizen named Ebenezer Dorset. He was a boy of 10, with red hair. Bill and I thought that Ebenezer would pay a ransom of $2,000 to get his boy back. But wait till I tell you. About 2 miles from Summit was a little mountain, covered with cedar trees. There was an opening on the back of the mountain. We stored our supplies in that cave. One night, we drove a horse and carriage past old Dorset's house. The boy was in the street, throwing rocks at a cat on the opposite fence. "Hey little boy!" says Bill. "Would you like to have a bag of candy and a nice ride?" The boy hits Bill directly in the eye with a piece of rock. That boy put up a fight like a wild animal. But, at last, we got him down in the bottom of the carriage and drove away. We took him up to the cave.
The boy had two large bird feathers stuck in his hair. He points a stick at me and says: "Ha! Paleface, do you dare to enter the camp of Red Chief, the terror of the plains?" "He's all right now," says Bill, rolling up his pants and examining wounds on his legs. "We're playing Indian. I'm Old Hank, the trapper, Red Chief's captive. I'm going to be scalped at daybreak. By Geronimo! That kid can kick hard." "Red Chief," says I to the boy, "would you like to go home?" "Aw, what for?" says he. "I don't have any fun at home. I hate to go to school. I like to camp out. You won't take me back home again, will you?" "Not right away," says I. "We'll stay here in the cave a while." "All right!" says he. "That'll be fine. I never had such fun in all my life." We went to bed about 11 o'clock. Just at daybreak, I was awakened by a series of terrible screams from Bill. Red Chief was sitting on Bill's chest, with one hand holding his hair. In the other, he had a sharp knife. He was attempting to cut off the top of Bill's head, based on what he had declared the night before. I got the knife away from the boy.
But, after that event, Bill's spirit was broken. He lay down, but he never closed an eye again in sleep as long as that boy was with us. "Do you think anybody will pay out money to get a little imp like that back home?" Bill asked. "Sure," I said. "A boy like that is just the kind that parents love. Now, you and the Chief get up and make something to eat, while I go up on the top of this mountain and look around." I climbed to the top of the mountain. Over toward Summit, I expected to see the men of the village searching the countryside. But all was peaceful. "Perhaps," says I to myself, "it has not yet been discovered that the wolves have taken the lamb from the fold." I went back down the mountain. When I got to the cave, I found Bill backed up against the side of it. He was breathing hard, with the boy threatening to strike him with a rock. "He put a red-hot potato down my back," explained Bill, "and then crushed it with his foot. I hit his ears. Have you got a gun with you, Sam?" I took the rock away from the boy and ended the argument. "I'll fix you," says the boy to Bill. "
No man ever yet struck the Red Chief but what he got paid for it. You better be careful!" After eating, the boy takes a leather object with strings tied around it from his clothes and goes outside the cave unwinding it. Then we heard a kind of shout. It was Red Chief holding a sling in one hand. He moved it faster and faster around his head. Just then I heard a heavy sound and a deep breath from Bill. A rock the size of an egg had hit him just behind his left ear. Bill fell in the fire across the frying pan of hot water for washing the dishes. I pulled him out and poured cold water on his head for half an hour. Then I went out and caught that boy and shook him. "If your behavior doesn't improve," says I, "I'll take you straight home. Now, are you going to be good, or not?" "I was only funning," says he. "I didn't mean to hurt Old Hank. But what did he hit me for? I'll behave if you don't send me home." I thought it best to send a letter to old man Dorset that day, demanding the ransom and telling how it should be paid. The letter said: "We have your boy hidden in a place far from Summit. We demand $1,500 for his return; the money to be left at midnight tonight at the same place and in the same box as your answer. "If you agree to these terms, send the answer in writing by a messenger tonight at half past 8 o'clock. After crossing Owl Creek, on the road to Poplar Cove, there are three large trees.
At the bottom of the fence, opposite the third tree, will be a small box. The messenger will place the answer in this box and return immediately to Summit. If you fail to agree to our demand, you will never see your boy again. If you pay the money as demanded, he will be returned to you safe and well within three hours." I took the letter and walked over to Poplar Cove. I then sat around the post office and store. An old man there says he hears Summit is all worried because of Ebenezer Dorset's boy having been lost or stolen. That was all I wanted to know. I mailed my letter and left. The postmaster said the mail carrier would come by in an hour to take the mail on to Summit. At half past eight, I was up in the third tree, waiting for the messenger to arrive. Exactly on time, a half-grown boy rides up the road on a bicycle. He finds the box at the foot of the fence. He puts a folded piece of paper into it and leaves, turning back toward Summit. I slid down the tree, got the note and was back at the cave in a half hour. I opened the note and read it to Bill. This is what it said: "Gentlemen: I received your letter about the ransom you ask for the return of my son.
I think you are a little high in your demands. I hereby make you a counter-proposal, which I believe you will accept. You bring Johnny home and pay me $250, and I agree to take him off your hands. You had better come at night because the neighbors believe he is lost. And, I could not be responsible for what they would do to anybody they saw bringing him back. Very respectfully, Ebenezer Dorset." "Great pirates of Penzance!" says I, "of all the nerve..." But I looked at Bill and stopped. He had the most appealing look in his eyes I ever saw on the face of a dumb or talking animal. "Sam," says he, "what's $250, after all? We've got the money. One more night of this boy will drive me crazy. I think Mister Dorset is making us a good offer. You aren't going to let the chance go, are you?" "Tell you the truth, Bill," says I, "this little lamb has got on my nerves, too. We'll take him home, pay the ransom and make our get-away." We took him home that night. We got him to go by telling him that his father had bought him a gun and we were going to hunt bears the next day. It was 12 o'clock when we knocked on Ebenezer's front door. Bill counted out $250 into Dorset's hand.
When the boy learned we were planning to leave him at home, he started to cry loudly and held himself as tight as he could to Bill's leg. His father pulled him away slowly. "How long can you hold him?" asks Bill. "I'm not as strong as I used to be," says old Dorset, "but I think I can promise you 10 minutes." "Enough," says Bill. "In 10 minutes, I shall cross the Central, Southern and Middle Western states, and be running for the Canadian border." And, as dark as it was, and as fat as Bill was, and as good a runner as I am, he was a good mile and a half out of Summit before I could catch up with him.
重点解析
1.as tight as 一样紧张
Wrap this bad boy in plastic wrap as tight as you can get it and let this sit for a couple of hours.
包好这个东西在碟子上，尽你可能包紧一些，然后放置2个小时。
2.responsible for 是…的原由；为…负责
Now you are responsible for everything.
现在你要为所有事负责。
3.get-away 离开；逃脱；出发
With all due respect, at some other places you get away with performances that simply aren't good enough.
在有些地方，仅仅由于表现不够好你就得离开。 在利物浦，你的水平每周都需要提高。
4.come by 得到；从旁走过
Swallows come by group at the advent of spring.
春天来临时燕子成群飞来。
5.backed up 支持
Although no loans have been made under this facility so far, these would only be credible if they were backed up by enough resources.
尽管在此项目实施下并未有达成新的借贷。 但如果他们需要足够的资源支持的时候，这将是很可靠的。
参考译文
我们为您讲述的是欧·亨利的短篇小说《红酋长的赎金》，谢普·奥尼尔为您讲述。看上去那是件好事，不过请听我慢慢道来。我们——比尔·德里斯科尔和我本人——来到了亚拉巴马州的南部地区，绑架这个主意就是当时冒出来的那里有个小镇，地势平坦得像块松软烤饼，当然它的名字还是叫做萨米特镇，意思是“顶峰”，比尔和我一共有大约六百美元的资金。我们还需要2000美元，就能在西部伊利诺斯州实现空头不动产的计划。我们选中当地有名望的居民埃比尼泽·多塞特的独生子作为绑架对象。小家伙是个十岁的男孩，比尔和我猜想埃比尼泽会为了这两干美元的赎金去变卖家产，直到只剩一分钱。但请听我接着说。离萨米特镇大约两英里的地方有一座小山，山上有一片灌木丛,长满了浓密的雪松。后山腰上有一个洞。在那儿我们储截了粮食一天晚上太阳落山后，我们赶着辆马车经过老多塞特的宅子。那孩子就在那条街上，正向对面篱笆上的一只小猫扔石头“嗨，小家伙!”比尔说，“你根不想要袋糖，再到车上来兜兜风?”那孩子扔过来块砖头，正好砸在比尔的眼睛上。这孩子使劲反抗,就像一头次中量级的北美黑，不过,最终我们还是在马车底下制服了他，然后离开了。我和比尔把他弄进山洞，小男孩红头发上插若两支秃鹰的尾羽。
看见我进来，他用一根小棍指着我说：“哈!该死的白人，你有胆子进入平原魔王红酋长的营地吗?”“他现在可不同了，”比尔说着，卷起裤腿查看他小腿上的淤青。“我们扮印第安人玩呢，我是捕兽人老汉克，红酋长的俘，明天破晓时分就要被剥掉头皮。以杰罗尼莫起誓！那小孩踢人真疼。”“红酋长，”我对这小家伙说，“你想不想回家呀?”“哦，为什么回家?”他说,“在家我没有什么可玩的。我不喜欢上学。我喜欢露营。你不会把我再送回去吧，蛇眼，是吗？”“现在不会，”我说，“我们要在这个洞呆些时候。”好啊！”他说，“那就再好不过了。我长这么大从来没有这么痛快地玩过。”我们睡觉时大约已是十一点了。天刚蒙蒙亮，我被比尔的一阵极其尖利的叫声惊醒。原来是红毛酋长已经骑在比尔的胸口上，一只手揪着比尔的头发，一只手握着我们切肉的快刀，正在为如何执行昨晚对比尔的判决而大伤脑筋，不知怎样才能完成完整地割下他的头皮。我一把抢过孩子手中的刀，并强迫他重新躺下。但比尔从此变得丧魂落魄似的，在他的那一侧躺下后，因为有这孩子跟我们在一起，就再也没有敢合眼。“你想，谁肯出钱把这样一个小捣蛋鬼赎回家呢？”比尔说。“错不了，”我说，“做父母的就是喜欢这样淘气的孩子。
喂，你跟酋长起来做早饭吃，我去山顶看看有些什么动静。”我爬上小山顶，朝顶峰镇方向眺望时，我本以为会有身强力壮的村民手执农具四处搜寻绑匪的，但映入眼帘的却是一幅宁静的风景画，“或许，”我自言自语说，“他们还没有发现圈中的小羊已被狼叼走。”我说着便下来吃早饭。我走进山洞却发现比尔靠这洞壁站在那儿直喘气，小男孩举着半个椰子大的石块威胁着要砸他的脑袋。“他把一个滚烫的熟土豆放进我的衣领，烫我的脊背。”比尔解释说，“然后又把踩在脚底下；我气不过给了他一记耳光。你身上带枪了吗，萨姆？”我夺过孩子手里的石块，硬是阻止了一场争吵。“我会收拾你的，”男孩对比尔说，“打了红毛酋长的人还没有一个不受惩罚的。你给我小心点。”吃完早饭，小家伙从口袋里掏出一块绳子捆着的皮板儿，一边解绳子一边往洞外走去。就在这个时候我们听到一声喊杀声，红毛酋长刚才从口袋里掏出来的皮板儿正是个投石器，此刻正在他的头顶上挥舞着瞄准目标。我一跃而起，一声沉重的响声过后又听到比尔一声呻吟一块鸡蛋大的石子击中比尔左耳后面，他全身散了骨架似地瘫倒在烧着洗碗水的热锅上。我把他拖到一边，往他头上浇了半个小时的凉水。我走到外面，抓住那小子的肩膀一阵猛摇，直到我自己摇不动了才住手。“你要是还不听话，”
我说，“我马上送你回家。你说，做个乖孩子呢，还是坏孩子？”“我不过是闹着玩的，”他哭丧着脸说，“又不是存心要伤害老汉克。可是他为什么要打我呀？我一定听话，蛇眼先生，只要你不赶我走。”我想最好还是在那天给老多尔斯特写封信，要求他支付赎金，并告诉他应该如何支付。信中这样写道：“我们已将你的宝贝儿子藏在一个远离顶峰镇的地方。给我们一千五元大面额的钞票作为他的赎金；这笔钱可按照下述回信的方法，于今晚午夜放到同一地点的同一盒子里面。如同意这些条件，派一人于晚八时半送来书面答复。在通往杨树湾的大路上，过了猫头鹰小溪后，路的右边沿麦田篱笆有三棵相距一百码左右的大树，第三棵树的对面篱笆桩底下放着一个小纸盒。送信人将回信放入此盒子后须立即返回顶峰镇。你要是背信弃义或拒不答应上述条件，你就永远也别想见到你的宝贝儿子了。你要是按照要求交款，他将于三小时之内平平安安回到你身边。”我拿着信，赶到杨树湾，在那家兼卖杂货的邮局里坐下，有个胡子拉碴的家伙说，老埃比尼泽．多尔斯特的儿子也不知是走失了还是被人拐走了，顶峰镇乱成了一锅粥。我就想打听到这个消息，走出邮局时趁人没注意将信投进了邮筒。听驿长说，要不了一个钟头，过路的邮车就会将这批邮件带往顶峰镇我八点钟时已经躺在树上，像只树蛙似的坐等送信人的到来。
果然很准时，一个半大的男孩骑着自行车从大路上来了。他在那篱笆桩子底下找着了盒子，迅速塞进了一张折叠好的信纸，随即踩着自行车回顶峰镇去了。我悄悄下树取了信，沿着篱笆溜进树林，半个小时后回到山洞。我打开信，凑到灯前念给比尔听。主要内容如下：敬启者：你们的来信今天收悉。关于出钱赎回儿子一事，我认为你们的要求高了些，特提出反建议，谅能乐意接受。你们亲自将小孩约翰尼送回并付给我二百五十元现款，不过你们还是趁夜晚来较好，因为邻居们都相信孩子是自己走失的，他们若发现被这样送回，会对来人采取何种行动，我可担当不起。埃比尼泽．多尔斯特谨启。”“ 简直是英国彭赞斯的海盗！”我说，“真他妈的蛮横无理——”但我看了比尔一眼后，到了嘴边的话没有骂出口。他那苦苦央求的眼神太可怜了，我还从未在哪个人的脸上，无论是不能言语的哑巴或是会讲话的野兽，见到过这样的神情。“萨姆”他说“二百五十块钱究竟算什么呢？这钱我们有。
多留这小子一晚的话，我就会被送进疯人院了。我看他不但是个十足的绅士，而且是个慷慨仗义的人。你不想放过这个机会，对吧？”“实话告诉你吧，比尔，这个小兔崽子也已经叫我有点心烦了。”我们把他送回去，赔了钱就赶紧脱身。”我们当晚便送他回家。我们对他说，他父亲已经买了支银色的来复枪，还特地买了印第安人的衣服，又说我们第二天要去捕熊，才终于把他骗上路。我们敲响埃比尼泽家的大门时，正好是夜里十二点。比尔数出了二百五十元交到多尔斯特的手里。小孩发觉我们要丢下他时，“哇”地一声哭了，哭声犹如狂风在呼号。他紧紧抱住比尔的腿，像只蚂蟥似地叮住不放。他父亲如同揭膏药一般慢慢把他拉了过去。“你能拽住他多久？”比尔问。“我现在的力气也不如以前了，”老多尔斯特说，“但我可以答应你们十分钟。”“足够了。”比尔说，“有十分钟时间，我就能穿过中部、南部和西部各州，朝着加拿大边境飞奔了。”虽然天是那么黑，比尔又是那么胖，而我又可称得上是个飞毛腿，但是等我追上比尔时，他已经跑出顶峰镇足足有一英里半远的路程了。
