The Whirligig of Life （人生的波澜）
美国 欧·亨利
治安官贝纳加·威特普坐在办公室门口，抽着接骨木烟斗。坎伯兰山脉高耸如云，在午后的雾霭中呈现一片灰蒙蒙的蓝色。一只花斑母鸡高视阔步地走在大街上，“咯咯”地叫个不停。
路那头传来了车轴的“吱呀”声，升腾起一股沙尘，接着出现了一辆牛车，车上坐着兰西·比尔布罗和他的老婆。牛车来到治安官的办公室门前停住，两人从车上爬下来。兰西是个6英尺高的瘦长汉子，有着淡褐色的皮肤和黄色的头发。山区的冷峻气氛像一副甲胄似的罩着他的全身。女人穿花布衣服，瘦削的身段，拢上来的头发，显出莫名的、不如意的神情。这一切都透露出一丝对枉度青春的抗议。
治安官为了保持尊严，把双脚伸进鞋子，然后挪了一下地方，让他们进屋。
“我们俩，”女人说，声音仿佛寒风扫过松林，“要离婚。”她瞅了兰西一眼。“离婚。”兰西严肃地点点头，重复说，“我们俩怎么都不对劲儿。住在山里，即使生活和和美美，也够寂寞的，何况她在家里不是像野猫似的气势汹汹，便是像猫头鹰似的阴阴沉沉，男人为什么要跟她一起过日子。”
“那是什么话，他自己是个没出息的害人虫，”女人并不十分激动地说，“老是跟那些无赖和贩私酒的鬼混，喝了玉米烧酒就挺尸那样躺着，还养了一群讨厌的恶狗，害得我天天去喂！”
“说真的，她老是摔锅盖，”兰西还嘴说，“把开水泼在坎伯兰最好的猎狗身上，不肯做饭给男人吃，深更半夜还骂骂咧咧地唠叨个没完，不让人睡觉。”
“他老是抗缴税款，在山里得了个二流子的名声，谁还能好好睡觉？”
治安官从容不迫地着手处理案件。他把唯一的一把椅子和一条木凳让给了诉讼人，然后打开桌上的法令全书，细查索引。没多久，他擦擦眼镜，把墨水瓶挪动了一下，开口说：“就本庭的权限而言，该法令全书并没有提到离婚的问题。但是根据公平合理的原则，如果治安官有权替人证婚，那么很清楚，他也有权办理离婚事宜。本庭可以办法离婚证书，并有最高法院认可它对效力。”
兰西·比尔布罗从裤袋里掏出一个小小的烟草袋，又抖出一张5元的钞票。“这是卖了一张熊皮和两张狐狸皮换来的，”他声明说，“我们的钱全在这儿了。”
“本庭办理一件离婚案的费用，”治安官说，“是5块钱。”他装出满不在乎的样子，把那张票子塞进粗呢坎肩的口袋里。治安官费了很大劲儿，花了不少心思，才把证词写在半张纸上，然后在另外半张纸上照抄一遍。兰西·比尔布罗和他的老婆静听治安官念那份将给他们自由的文件：
兰西·比尔布罗及其妻子阿里艾拉·比尔布罗今日亲来本官面前议定，不论将来如何，双方此后不再敬爱服从对方。订立协议时，当事人神志清醒，身体健全。特发给此离婚证书为凭。今后各不相涉，上帝鉴诸。
田纳西州，比德蒙特县
治安官 贝纳加·威特普
治安官正要把一份证书递给兰西，阿里艾拉忽然出声阻止。
“法官，你先别给他那张纸。事情并没有完全了结，我需要赡养费。男人休掉老婆，生活费用分文不给可不行。我打算到猪背山我兄弟埃德家去，我得有一双鞋子、一些鼻烟和别的东西。兰西既然有钱离婚，就得给我赡养费。”
兰西·比尔布罗听得目瞪口呆。女人总是节外生枝，提出让人意想不到的问题来。治安官贝纳加·威特普觉得这个问题需要司法解决。法令全书上没有关于赡养费的规定，可那女人的确是打着赤脚。去猪背山的路径不但曲折，而且满是石子。
“阿里艾拉·比尔布罗，”他打着官腔问道，“在本案中，你认为要多少赡养费才合适？”
“我认为，”她回答说，“买鞋什么的，就要5块钱吧。作为赡养费这不算多，我估摸着可以让我到埃德兄弟那儿去了。”
“数目不能说不合理，”治安官说，“兰西·比尔布罗，在发给离婚证书之前，本庭判决你付给原告5块钱。”
“我再没有钱了。”兰西沉郁地低声说，“我把所有的钱都给你了。”
“你如果不付，”治安官从眼镜上方严肃地望着兰西说，“就犯了藐视法庭罪。”
“我想如果让我延迟到明天付款，”丈夫请求说，“我或许能想办法拼凑出来。我从没有料到要付什么赡养费。”
“本案暂时休庭，明天继续。”贝纳加·威特普说，“你们两人明天到庭听候宣判。那是再发给你们离婚证书。”
“我们还是去齐亚大叔那儿过夜。”兰西决定说。他爬上牛车，阿里艾拉从另一边爬了上去。缰绳一抖，牛车在轮底扬起的尘土中走了。
治安官贝纳加·威特普继续抽他的接骨木烟斗。将近傍晚时，他收到了他订的周报，就一直看到暮色使字迹模糊的时候。他燃起桌上的牛油蜡烛，又看到月亮升起来，算来该是吃晚饭的时候了。他回家要穿过一条被月桂树丛遮掩的小岔道。一个黑漆漆的人影从月桂树丛中跨出来，用来复枪对着治安官的胸膛。那个人把帽子拉得很低，脸上也用什么东西遮住大半。
“我要你的钱，”那个人说，“别废话。我神经紧张，我的手指在扳机上哆嗦呢。“
“我只有5······5······5块钱。”治安官一面说，一面把钱从坎肩里掏出来。
“卷起来，”对方发出命令，“把钱塞进枪口。”
票子又新又脆，虽然治安官手指有些颤抖，不灵活，但把它卷起来并不怎么困难，只是塞进枪口的时候不太顺当。
“现在你可以走啦。”强盗说。
治安官不敢逗留，赶快跑开。
第二天，那头小红牛拖着车子又来到办公室门口。兰西·比尔布罗当着治安官的面把一张5元钞票交给他的老婆。治安官虎视眈眈地盯着那张票子。它似乎曾经被卷过、塞进过枪口，因为还有卷曲过的痕迹。但是治安官忍住了没有作声。别的钞票很可能也会卷曲的。他把离婚证书分发给两人。两人都尴尬地默默站着，慢吞吞地折起那张自由保证书。女人竭力抑制着感情，怯生生地瞥了兰西一眼。
“我想你要赶着牛车回家去了。”她说，“木架上的铁皮盒子里有面包。我把咸肉搁在锅里，免得狗偷吃。今晚别忘了给钟上弦。”
“你要去你的埃德兄弟那儿吗？”兰西装出漫不经心的样子问道。
“我打算在天黑之前赶到那里。我不指望他们会欢迎我，可是我没有别的地方可以投靠了。路很长，我想我还是趁早走吧。那么我就说再会了，兰西——要是你也愿意说的话。”
“如果谁连再会都不肯说，那简直成了畜生，”兰西用十分委屈的声调说，“除非你急于上路，不愿意让我说。”
阿里艾拉默不作声。她把那张5元的钞票和她的那份证书小心折好放进怀里。贝纳加·威特普用伤心的目光从眼镜后面望着那5块钱到别人的怀里去了。
“今晚老屋里一定很寂寞，兰西。”她说。兰西·比尔布罗凝望着坎伯兰山脉，他没有看阿里艾拉。
“我也知道会寂寞的，”他说，“但是人家怒气冲冲，一定要离婚，你不可能留住人家呀。”
“要离婚的是别人。”阿里艾拉对着木凳子说，“何况人家又没有让我留下。”
“没有人说过不让呀。”
“可是也没有人说过让呀。我想我现在还是动身到埃德兄弟那儿去吧。”
“没有人会给那只旧钟上弦。”
“要不要我搭车跟你一路回去，替你上弦，兰西？”
那个山民绝不绝不流露任何情感，可是他伸出一只大手抓住了阿里艾拉褐色的小手。“那些狗再也不会给你添麻烦了。”兰西说，“我想我以往确实太没有出息，太不上进了。那只钟还是由你去上弦吧，阿里艾拉。”
“我的心老是在那座木屋里，兰西，”她悄声说，“我再也不发火了。我们动身吧，太阳落山前，我们可以赶回家。”
治安官贝纳加·威特普看他们走向门口，竟忘了他在场，便插嘴发话了。“以田纳西州的名义，”他说，“我不准你们两人蔑视本州的法令。本庭看到两个相亲相爱的人消除了误会与不和谐的云雾，重归于好，不但非常满意，而且十分高兴。但是本庭有责任维护本州的道德和治安。本庭提醒你们，你们经过正式判决离了婚，不再享有婚姻状态下的一切权益了。”
阿里艾拉一把抓住兰西的胳膊。难道他们刚接受了生活的教训，她又得失去他吗？
“不过本庭，”治安官接着说，“可以排除离婚判决所造成的障碍。本庭可以立刻执行结婚的庄重仪式，使双方如愿恢复那光明高尚的婚姻状态。执行这种仪式的手续费，以本案而论，一切包括在内，是5块钱。”
阿里艾拉从他的话里得到了一线希望。她的手飞快地伸进怀里。那张钞票像正在落地的鸽子似的自在地飘到治安官的桌子上。当它和兰西手挽手站着，倾听那些使他们重新结合的词句时，她那蜡黄的脸颊上有了血色。
兰西扶她上了车，自己也爬上去坐在她身旁。那头小红牛又转了一次向，他们紧握着手向山中进发了。
治安官贝纳加·威特普在门口坐下来，脱掉鞋子。他又一次伸手摸摸坎肩口袋里的钞票。他又一次抽起那只接骨木烟斗。那只花斑母鸡仍旧高视阔步地走在大街上，“咯咯”地叫个不停。
The Whirligig of Life
by O. Henry (1862-1910)
Justice-of-the-Peace Benaja Widdup sat in the door of his office smoking his elder-stem pipe. Halfway to the zenith the Cumberland range rose blue-gray in the afternoon haze. A speckled hen
swaggered down the main street of the "settlement," cackling foolishly.
Up the road came a sound of creaking axles, and then a slow cloud of dust, and then a bull-cart bearing Ransie Bilbro and his wife. The cart stopped at the Justice's door, and the two climbed down.
Ransie was a narrow six feet of sallow brown skin and yellow hair. The imperturbability of the mountains hung upon him like a suit of armour. The woman was calicoed, angled, snuff-brushed, and
weary with unknown desires. Through it all gleamed a faint protest of cheated youth unconscious of its loss.
The Justice of the Peace slipped his feet into his shoes, for the sake of dignity, and moved to let them enter.
"We-all," said the woman, in a voice like the wind blowing through pine boughs, "wants a divo'ce." She looked at Ransie to see if he noted any flaw or ambiguity or evasion or partiality or self-
partisanship in her statement of their business.
"A divo'ce," repeated Ransie, with a solemn Dod. "We-all can't git along together nohow. It's lonesome enough fur to live in the mount'ins when a man and a woman keers fur one another. But when
she's a-spittin' like a wildcat or a-sullenin' like a hoot-owl in the cabin, a man ain't got no call to live with her."
"When he's a no-'count varmint," said the woman, "without any especial warmth, a-traipsin' along of scalawags and moonshiners and a-layin' on his back pizen 'ith co'n whiskey, and a-pesterin' folks
with a pack o' hungry, triflin' houn's to feed!"
"When she keeps a-throwin' skillet lids," came Ransie's antiphony, "and slings b'ilin' water on the best coon-dog in the Cumberlands, and sets herself agin' cookin' a man's victuals, and keeps him
awake o' nights accusin' him of a sight of doin's!"
"When he's al'ays a-fightin' the revenues, and gits a hard name in the mount'ins fur a mean man, who's gwine to be able fur to sleep o' nights?"
The Justice of the Peace stirred deliberately to his duties. He placed his one chair and a wooden stool for his petitioners. He opened his book of statutes on the table and scanned the index.
Presently he wiped his spectacles and shifted his inkstand.
"The law and the statutes," said he, "air silent on the subjeck of divo'ce as fur as the jurisdiction of this co't air concerned. But, accordin' to equity and the Constitution and the golden rule,
it's a bad barg'in that can't run both ways. If a justice of the peace can marry a couple, it's plain that he is bound to be able to divo'ce 'em. This here office will issue a decree of divo'ce and
abide by the decision of the Supreme Co't to hold it good."
Ransie Bilbro drew a small tobacco-bag from his trousers pocket. Out of this he shook upon the table a five-dollar note. "Sold a b'arskin and two foxes fur that," he remarked. "It's all the money
we got."
"The regular price of a divo'ce in this co't," said the Justice, "air five dollars." He stuffed the bill into the pocket of his homespun vest with a deceptive air of indifference. With much bodily
toil and mental travail he wrote the decree upon half a sheet of foolscap, and then copied it upon the other. Ransie Bilbro and his wife listened to his reading of the document that was to give
them freedom:
"Know all men by these presents that Ransie Bilbro and his wife, Ariela Bilbro, this day personally appeared before me and promises that hereinafter they will neither love, honour, nor obey each
other, neither for better nor worse, being of sound mind and body, and accept summons for divorce according to the peace and dignity of the State. Herein fail not, so help you God. Benaja Widdup,
justice of the peace in and for the county of Piedmont, State of Tennessee."
The Justice was about to hand one of the documents to Ransie. The voice of Ariela delayed the transfer. Both men looked at her. Their dull masculinity was confronted by something sudden and
unexpected in the woman.
"Judge, don't you give him that air paper yit. 'Tain't all settled, nohow. I got to have my rights first. I got to have my ali-money. 'Tain't no kind of a way to do fur a man to divo'ce his wife
'thout her havin' a cent fur to do with. I'm a-layin' off to be a-goin' up to brother Ed's up on Hogback Mount'in. I'm bound fur to hev a pa'r of shoes and some snuff and things besides. Ef Rance
kin affo'd a divo'ce, let him pay me ali-money."
Ransie Bilbro was stricken to dumb perplexity. There had been no previous hint of alimony. Women were always bringing up startling and unlooked-for issues.
Justice Benaja Widdup felt that the point demanded judicial decision. The authorities were also silent on the subject of alimony. But the woman's feet were bare. The trail to Hogback Mountain was
steep and flinty.
"Ariela Bilbro," he asked, in official tones, "how much did you 'low would be good and sufficient ali-money in the case befo' the co't."
"I 'lowed," she answered, "fur the shoes and all, to say five dollars. That ain't much fur ali-money, but I reckon that'll git me to up brother Ed's."
"The amount," said the Justice, "air not onreasonable. Ransie Bilbro, you air ordered by the co't to pay the plaintiff the sum of five dollars befo' the decree of divo'ce air issued."
"I hain't no mo' money," breathed Ransie, heavily. "I done paid you all I had."
"Otherwise," said the Justice, looking severely over his spectacles, "you air in contempt of co't."
"I reckon if you gimme till to-morrow," pleaded the husband, "I mout be able to rake or scrape it up somewhars. I never looked for to be a-payin' no alimoney."
"The case air adjourned," said Benaja Widdup, "till to-morrow, when you-all will present yo'selves and obey the order of the co't. Followin' of which the decrees of divo'ce will be delivered." He
sat down in the door and began to loosen a shoestring.
"We mout as well go down to Uncle Ziah's," decided Ransie, "and spend the night." He climbed into the cart on one side, and Ariela climbed in on the other. Obeying the flap of his rope, the little
red bull slowly came around on a tack, and the cart crawled away in the nimbus arising from its wheels.
Justice-of-the-peace Benaja Widdup smoked his elderstem pipe. Late in the afternoon he got his weekly paper, and read it until the twilight dimmed its lines. Then he lit the tallow candle on his
table, and read until the moon rose, marking the time for supper. He lived in the double log cabin on the slope near the girdled poplar. Going home to supper he crossed a little branch darkened by
a laurel thicket. The dark figure of a man stepped from the laurels and pointed a rifle at his breast. His hat was pulled down low, and something covered most of his face.
"I want yo' money," said the figure, "'thout any talk. I'm gettin' nervous, and my finger's a-wabblin' on this here trigger."
"I've only got f-f-five dollars," said the Justice, producing it from his vest pocket.
"Roll it up," came the order, "and stick it in the end of this here gun-bar'l."
The bill was crisp and new. Even fingers that were clumsy and trembling found little difficulty in making a spill of it and inserting it (this with less ease) into the muzzle of the rifle.
"Now I reckon you kin be goin' along," said the robber.
The Justice lingered not on his way.
The next day came the little red bull, drawing the cart to the office door. Justice Benaja Widdup had his shoes on, for he was expecting the visit. In his presence Ransie Bilbro handed to his wife
a five-dollar bill. The official's eye sharply viewed it. It seemed to curl up as though it had been rolled and inserted into the end of a gun-barrel. But the Justice refrained from comment. It is
true that other bills might be inclined to curl. He handed each one a decree of divorce. Each stood awkwardly silent, slowly folding the guarantee of freedom. The woman cast a shy glance full of
constraint at Ransie.
"I reckon you'll be goin' back up to the cabin," she said, along 'ith the bull-cart. There's bread in the tin box settin' on the shelf. I put the bacon in the b'ilin'-pot to keep the hounds from
gittin' it. Don't forget to wind the clock to-night."
"You air a-goin' to your brother Ed's?" asked Ransie, with fine unconcern.
"I was 'lowin' to get along up thar afore night. I ain't sayin' as they'll pester theyselves any to make me welcome, but I hain't nowhar else fur to go. It's a right smart ways, and I reckon I
better be goin'. I'll be a-sayin' good-bye, Ranse - that is, if you keer fur to say so."
"I don't know as anybody's a hound dog," said Ransie, in a martyr's voice, "fur to not want to say good-bye -- 'less you air so anxious to git away that you don't want me to say it."
Ariela was silent. She folded the five-dollar bill and her decree carefully, and placed them in the bosom of her dress. Benaja Widdup watched the money disappear with mournful eyes behind his
spectacles.
And then with his next words he achieved rank (as his thoughts ran) with either the great crowd of the world's sympathizers or the little crowd of its great financiers.
"Be kind o' lonesome in the old cabin to-night, Ranse," he said.
Ransie Bilbro stared out at the Cumberlands, clear blue now in the sunlight. He did not look at Ariela.
"I 'low it might be lonesome," he said; "but when folks gits mad and wants a divo'ce, you can't make folks stay."
"There's others wanted a divo'ce," said Ariela, speaking to the wooden stool. "Besides, nobody don't want nobody to stay."
"Nobody never said they didn't."
"Nobody never said they did. I reckon I better start on now to brother Ed's."
"Nobody can't wind that old clock."
"Want me to go back along 'ith you in the cart and wind it fur you, Ranse?"
The mountaineer's countenance was proof against emotion. But he reached out a big hand and enclosed Ariela's thin brown one. Her soul peeped out once through her impassive face, hallowing it.
"Them hounds shan't pester you no more," said Ransie. "I reckon I been mean and low down. You wind that clock, Ariela."
"My heart hit's in that cabin, Ranse," she whispered, "along 'ith you. I ai'nt a-goin' to git mad no more. Le's be startin', Ranse, so's we kin git home by sundown." Justice-of-the-peace Benaja
Widdup interposed as they started for the door, forgetting his presence.
"In the name of the State of Tennessee," he said, "I forbid you-all to be a-defyin' of its laws and statutes. This co't is mo' than willin' and full of joy to see the clouds of discord and
misunderstandin' rollin' away from two lovin' hearts, but it air the duty of the co't to p'eserve the morals and integrity of the State. The co't reminds you that you air no longer man and wife,
but air divo'ced by regular decree, and as such air not entitled to the benefits and 'purtenances of the mattermonal estate."
Ariela caught Ransie's arm. Did those words mean that she must lose him now when they had just learned the lesson of life?
"But the co't air prepared," went on the Justice, "fur to remove the disabilities set up by the decree of divo'ce. The co't air on hand to perform the solemn ceremony of marri'ge, thus fixin'
things up and enablin' the parties in the case to resume the honour'ble and elevatin' state of mattermony which they desires. The fee fur performin' said ceremony will be, in this case, to wit,
five dollars."
Aricla caught the gleam of promise in his words. Swiftly her hand went to her bosom. Freely as an alighting dove the bill fluttered to the Justice's table. Her sallow cheek coloured as she stood
hand in hand with Ransie and listened to the reuniting words.
Ransie helped her into the cart, and climbed in beside her. The little red bull turned once more, and they set out, hand-clasped, for the mountains.
Justice-of-the-peace Benaja Widdup sat in his door and took off his shoes. Once again he fingered the bill tucked down in his vest pocket. Once again he smoked his elder-stem pipe. Once again the
speck-led hen swaggered down the main street of the "settlement," cackling foolishly.
“治安官”一词的英文原文是“Justice-of-the-peace”，起源于欧洲，而欧·亨利的出生地美国曾被欧洲殖民，所以出现在文中。
接骨木烟斗是用于吸烟的装置，包括一个用于装烟草的腔室、一个中空管和一个咬嘴。
坎伯兰山脉是阿巴拉契亚山脉东南部的山脉，位于西弗吉尼亚州南部，弗吉尼亚州西部，肯塔基州东部边缘和田纳西州东部中部。
私酒，由于禁酒令曾在美国实行，私酿的威士忌对于美国阿巴拉契亚山区人民非常重要。
月桂，一种芳香的常绿乔木或带有绿色无毛（光滑无毛）叶的大灌木，属于开花植物科樟科。它原产于地中海地区，在烹饪时用作月桂叶调味料。
牛油蜡烛，由牛脂制作成的蜡烛。
来复枪，是一种便携式长筒枪，专为精确射击而设计，用双手握住，在发射时靠在肩膀上保持稳定，并且枪管上有一个螺旋形凹槽（“膛线”）切入钻孔墙壁。
