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VI
Dr. Armstrong came to Soldier Island just as the sun was sinking into the sea. On the way
across he had chatted to the boatman—a local man. He was anxious to find out a little about
these people who owned Soldier Island, but the man Narracott seemed curiously ill-informed,
or perhaps unwilling to talk.
So Dr. Armstrong chatted instead of the weather and of fishing.
He was tired after his long motor drive. His eyeballs ached. Driving west you were driving
against the sun.
Yes, he was very tired. The sea and perfect peace—that was what he needed. He would
like, really, to take a long holiday. But he couldn’t afford to do that. He could afford it
financially, of course, but he couldn’t afford to drop out. You were soon forgotten nowadays.
No, now that he had arrived, he must keep his nose to the grindstone.
He thought:
“All the same, this evening, I’ll imagine to myself that I’m not going back—that I’ve done
with London and Harley Street and all the rest of it.”
There was something magical about an island—the mere word suggested fantasy. You lost
touch with the world—an island was a world of its own. A world, perhaps, from which you
might never return.
He thought:
“I’m leaving my ordinary life behind me.”
And, smiling to himself, he began to make plans, fantastic plans for the future. He was still
smiling when he walked up the rock-cut steps.
In a chair on the terrace an old gentleman was sitting and the sight of him was vaguely
familiar to Dr. Armstrong. Where had he seen that frog-like face, that tortoise-like neck, that
hunched up attitude—yes and those pale shrewd little eyes? Of course—old Wargrave. He’d
given evidence once before him. Always looked half asleep, but was shrewd as could be when
it came to a point of law. Had great power with a jury—it was said he could make their minds
up for them any day of the week. He’d got one or two unlikely convictions out of them. A
hanging judge, some people said.
Funny place to meet him … here—out of the world.
6
阿姆斯特朗医生到达士兵岛时，太阳正好落山。坐船上岛之前，他和一个本地船夫聊
了一阵，想打听出有关岛主的情况。然而这位纳拉科特好像什么都不知道，也许，他只是
不愿意多讲。
于是，阿姆斯特朗医生只能聊聊天气和打鱼的事。
长途旅行确实太累了。他眼睛都疼了。一路向西行驶，正好直对着太阳。
是啊，他太累了。大海能给人带来宁静，这正合他意。他真想歇个长假，但是做不
到。当然，并非经济上做不到，而是他怎么能就这样放下工作呢？你很快就会被别人抛在
脑后。不行！既然来了，就必须搞出点儿名堂来。
他想：
“今晚就假装自己再也不回去了，假装和伦敦哈里街 [1] 及那里的一切都一刀两断。”
说起士兵岛，似乎总带有某种魔力。单是这个名字就让人浮想联翩。来到岛上，与世
隔绝，自成一个世界。在这个世界里，你也许真就一辈子都回不去了！
他想：
我把自己原本老套的生活全都抛到脑后了。
他美美地盘算起以后的生活，其实不过是徒劳。
直到踏上石阶，他还在对自己笑呢。
在士兵岛的露台上，有一位老先生坐在椅子上，阿姆斯特朗医生一眼看过去，觉得此
人仿佛有点儿眼熟。他在哪儿见过这张癞蛤蟆似的脸——这个乌龟似的脖子，这副弯腰驼
背的架势，还有这双暗淡而狡猾的小眼睛？没错，就是老瓦格雷夫。阿姆斯特朗医生曾经
在他面前出庭作过一次证。瞧他那副样子，像是总也睡不醒似的。可是，一说到法律，他
的机灵劲儿就来了。比如对付陪审团的时候，他可是满脑子主意。别人都说他能牵着陪审
团的鼻子走，让陪审团按他的意思作出裁决。那些原本通不过的案子，他一次次地让陪审
团表决通过了。而且，他说在哪天通过，就能在哪天通过。所以也有人说，他是个穿着法
袍的刽子手。
在这个远离尘世的地方居然遇到了他，真是不可思议。
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