两个铳枪手 The Two Musketeers

两个铳枪手·卷一 The Two Musketeers (I)

流行于枫丹的畅销读物，讲述了一场阴谋与复仇、正义与邪恶交织的故事。

A series about conspiracy, revenge, justice, and evil that took Fontaine by storm.

……

...

两鬓斑白的老人将6颗特制的铳枪子弹小心翼翼地立在桌上，用几乎已经失明的眼睛看着眼前的兄妹二人。

An old man with gray hair carefully stood six special musket rounds on the table, looking at the brother and sister before him with his nearly blind eyes.

「6颗子弹。这就够了吗？」老人问。

"Six bullets. Will they suffice?" The old man asked.

「够了。」哥哥回答。

"They will," said the brother.

老人叹了口气。他履行了承诺，将这辈子所学教给了这对十五年前倒在自己门前的孤儿。

The old man sighed. He had kept his promise, teaching the two orphans he had found at his doorstep everything he knew.

剑术、枪术、骗术…

Swordsmanship, marksmanship, deception...

如何潜入一处宅邸而不被猎狗发现、如何让人在睡梦中死去而不留痕迹，以及，如何在扣下扳机时没有丝毫犹豫…

How to infiltrate a mansion and not be spotted by the hounds, how to kill someone in their sleep without leaving a trace, and how to pull the trigger without hesitation...

「6颗子弹，6条人命…」老人自言自语道。

"Six bullets, six lives..." The old man said to himself.

「不，」妹妹说，「5条人命。」

"No," said the sister, "five lives."

「有一个人，我们要给他喂下两颗子弹。」

"Two of these are for the same person."

老人没说什么，他从没问过这对兄妹为什么选择了自己，没问过他们准备怎么做，就像当年他的老师也没有问过他一样。

The old man didn't say anything. He didn't ask why they chose him, and he didn't ask how they planned to carry it out, just like how his teacher hadn't asked him all those years ago.

但老人如今还是对自己的两位爱徒心生恻隐。他这双近乎瞎了的眼睛阅过的人生，比城市里任何人都要多。

But the old man cared about his students. His nearly blind eyes had seen more than anyone in the city.

「复仇是一条不归路，我的孩子们，」他说，「你们从我这儿学到的知识，足以让你们过上富足而充实的生活。」

"Revenge is a one-way street, children," he said, "what you've learned from me is enough for you to live a rich and meaningful life."

「我不想你们和我走一样的路，这双眼睛，就是神明对复仇者降下的惩罚。」他尽可能睁开自己浑浊的眼睛，想让桌对面的兄妹看个真切。

"I don't want you to end up like me. Just look at my eyes — divine punishment, meted out to those who seek revenge." He tried to open his cloudy eyes for them to see.

「我们早在二十年前就被杀死了，」哥哥说，「如果不将这6颗子弹射向它们该去的地方，那我们就永远无法回到生者的国度。」

"We died twenty years ago," said the brother. "If we don't fire these bullets at those who deserve them, then we cannot return to the land of the living."

老人不再说什么。早在他收下这对兄妹的时候，就知道这一天终将到来。

The old man stopped speaking. He had known this day would come when he took them in.

「好…那我也不再多劝什么了。」他用手支撑着自己身体站了起来。这年头，就算是这点动作都让他吃力不已。

"Alright... I will not try to persuade you any further." He supported himself with his arms and stood up. Lately, even something as simple as standing took a toll on him.

尽管这样，他也还是想绕到桌子对面，再抱一抱自己的爱徒。他知道，这是与他们的最后一面了。

Even so, he wanted to go around the table and hug his favorite students. He knew that this was the last time they would see each other.

「除了这6颗子弹，还有什么需要的吗？」老人最终问道。

The old man asked, "Do you need anything else?"

「没什么了。」哥哥说。

"No." said the brother.

老人发现妹妹在一旁蹙了蹙眉。他看不见，但感觉得到。

The old man noticed that the sister frowned. He couldn't see it, but he felt it.

「怎么了？爱芮丝。」老人问。他向来更喜欢爱芮丝这位徒弟，心思细腻、感情丰富，但握枪的手却从不颤抖。

"What is it, Iris?" the old man asked. He always liked Iris better. While she was considerate and passionate, she never hesitated when she had a gun in her hand.

「其实，我还有一个请求。」爱芮丝看向老人窗外的花田，说道。

Iris looked at the flowers outside the window and said, "Actually, I have another request."

「我可以采几株您种的虹彩蔷薇吗？」

"May I pick a few of your Rainbow Roses?"

……

...

——《两个铳枪手》，第224页。

—The Two Musketeers, pg. 224.

两个铳枪手·卷二 The Two Musketeers (II)

流行于枫丹的畅销读物，讲述了一场阴谋与复仇、正义与邪恶交织的故事。

A series about conspiracy, revenge, justice, and evil that took Fontaine by storm.

……

...

「结束了…」两支铳枪指着伯爵的脑门，其中一支的枪柄上不停地有血滴下，「嗒…嗒…嗒…」，像是在为枪口所指之人做生命的倒计时。

"This is it." Two muskets pointed at the Baron's head. The sound of the blood dripping from one of the guns served as a countdown for the noble's life. "Splat, splat, splat..."

「嘁，一群废物。」伯爵望着暴雨中倒在两位铳枪手身后的人，心中咒骂着。「我花了这么多钱，到头来只买得到一处不疼不痒的伤疤吗？」

"Useless trash." The Baron cursed in his mind while staring at the guards on the floor behind the two shooters. "I paid them so much money... for nothing!"

「知道我们是谁吗？」持枪的人问。

"Do you know who we are?" One of the shooters asked.

「知道了能怎样？」

"So what if I do?"

「方便你去向地狱的审判官汇报。」

"You can tell the judge of hell who sent you there."

尽管暴雨倾泻，打在他的脸上、眼睛上、耳朵上…但那鲜血滴落的声音不知怎么依旧如此清晰，嗒…嗒…嗒…

The storm washed over his face, eyes, and ears, but the sound of the dripping blood was crystal clear. Splat, splat, splat...

「…知道，爱芮丝、图利佩。我的孩子们。」伯爵说道。他不想反抗了，在这暴雨的夜晚，狼狈地坐在淤泥里，他已经累了。

"...I know who you are. Iris... Tulipe... My children." spoke the Baron. He was done resisting. On this stormy night, crumpled on the muddy ground, he was tired.

图利佩往旁边啐了一口唾沫。

Tulipe spat.

「你还有脸以父亲自居？在二十年前杀死我们母亲的时候，你又是以怎样的眼神看着她服下那些毒药的呢？」

"How dare you call yourself our father! I wonder what the look on your face was when you killed Mother twenty years ago — when you forced her to take poison."

伯爵长叹一口气，闭上眼睛。回想起二十年前的往事，令他惊讶的是，这居然比自己想的要轻松。

The Baron sighed and closed his eyes, recalling what had happened then. To his surprise, it was effortless.

那双眼睛倏然浮现在自己眼前。

Her eyes emerged suddenly before his eyes.

他怎么可能不爱上她？

How could he not have fallen in love with her?

那曼妙的身姿、悦耳的欢笑…从一间房飘到另一间房，向他投来羞赧的一瞥。

Her wondrous silhouette, her melodious laughter... From one room to the next, she had stolen glances at him.

更别说她那双棕黑的眼眸，似夜晚的星河、似宁静的湖底。

Her brown eyes, deep as a serene lake, shone like the night stars.

他怎么可能拒绝她？

How could he have turned her down?

「你能娶我吗？」面对这双眼，他无法说出「不」字。

"Will you marry me?" Looking into her eyes, he could not say no.

但她怎么可以背叛他？

How, then, could she betray him?

向他要求更多，甚至要他和自己远走高飞？

Why had she asked for more, thinking that he would elope with her?

嗒…嗒…嗒…

Splat, splat, splat...

「她要求的太多了…」伯爵睁开眼，说道。

"She asked for too much..." the Baron said, opening his eyes.

「母亲从未要求什么，她只希望像其他人一样，度过安稳的一生。」爱芮丝反驳说。血液是从她的枪柄上滴下的，但她握枪的手却没有一丝颤抖。

"Mother never asked for anything. She just wanted to live a quiet life like everyone else," Iris argued. Blood dripped from the grip of her musket, but her hand did not tremble.

「她要我放弃所有财富，和她私奔！」伯爵吼道。面前的这两个小孩，一定不懂什么是金钱，什么是地位，才会说出这么幼稚的话语！

"She asked me to give up my wealth and run away with her!" the Baron roared. He was sure that his children didn't understand the idea of wealth and power.

「她只不过要你放弃虚荣，不顾世俗的眼光。像你说的那样给予她真正的爱。」爱芮丝说。

"She asked you to give up your vanity, and give her true love instead, just as you had promised to," said Iris.

「你们要是在我的立场上，肯定也会做出一样的选择！」

"You would have made the same choice were you in my shoes!"

「不，」图利佩坚定地说，「我们绝不会为了金钱和地位去杀死自己所爱的人。那是魔鬼才做得出的事。」

"No," said Tulipe with conviction, "we would not kill our loved ones for wealth and power. Only the devil is capable of doing that."

伯爵摇摇头，他不想反驳了。

The Baron shook his head. He no longer wished to argue.

嗒…嗒…嗒…

Splat, splat, splat...

「这一切到底为了什么？」他像是对自己发问，又像是对两位铳枪手发问。

"What is the point of this?" he asked himself and the shooters both.

「你们失去了母亲，杀死了父亲…除了一身罪名，还能留下什么？」

"You lost your mother, and you're about to kill your father. What else will you have left, besides your crime?"

爱芮丝和图利佩对视了一眼，二人没有任何犹豫。

Iris and Tulipe looked at each other. There was no hesitation in their eyes.

「留下了…正义。」

"Justice."

两声枪响。如厉雷撕破雨夜。所有雨滴都被吓得一颤。

Two shots rang out, like thunder roaring through the night. Every drop of rain shivered in shock.

兄妹二人久久站在雨中，一动不动。暴雨发疯一样敲打着这个城市，但没有什么比他们现在的沉默更加刺耳。

They stood in the rain, unmoving. The storm battered the city, but nothing was louder than their silence.

许久之后，爱芮丝拿出一朵虹彩蔷薇，放在伯爵胸口。接着，她倒在了哥哥怀中，放声大哭。雨水将她的眼泪冲刷，流入无人知晓的地下，那个属于死者的国度…

After a long time, Iris took out a Rainbow Rose and placed it on the Baron's chest. Then, falling into her brother's arms, she wept. The rain washed away her tears, and the mixture flowed freely into the earth, toward the realm of the dead...

突然，她身体一震，扯了扯哥哥的衣服。

Then, her body suddenly shook as she grabbed Tulipe's clothes.

「怎么了？爱芮丝？」他问。

"What's wrong, Iris?"

「哥哥，你看…」她指向那朵刚刚放下的虹彩蔷薇，它在黑夜中悄然盛放，鲜艳如血。

"Look." she pointed at the Rainbow Rose she just put down. It bloomed quietly in the dark, as vibrant as the Baron's blood.

「母亲最喜欢的虹彩蔷薇…开了。」

"Mother's favorite flower... is blooming."

——《两个铳枪手》，第358页。

—The Two Musketeers, pg. 358.

两个铳枪手·卷三 The Two Musketeers (III)

流行于枫丹的畅销读物，讲述了一场阴谋与复仇、正义与邪恶交织的故事。

A series about conspiracy, revenge, justice, and evil that took Fontaine by storm.

…淤泥街65号，这座罪恶城市一处角落的酒馆里，木质大门「砰！」地一声被踹开。

Number 65, Ooze Avenue. The wooden door to a tavern in a cranny of this city of sin was kicked open with a bang.

嘈杂的谈话声戛然而止，人们放下酒杯，观察着这位暴雨中的不速之客。

The loud chatter stopped, and patrons put their drinks down to look at the uninvited guest in the pouring rain.

他体格健壮、衣着通体漆黑，黑衣、黑帽、黑靴…若不是有酒馆的烛光照在他身上，人们会以为是外头那沉重的黑夜踹开了这扇门。

The muscular man was dressed in black from head to toe. If it weren't for the candles in the tavern, one would think that it was the heavy darkness of the night that had forced the door open.

不速之客微微侧身，宽帽遮住了他的面容，只露出一个棱角分明的下巴。他环视酒馆，像在纳闷自己为什么会出现在这里。从他松弛的体态和如释重负的呼吸中，人们可以猜到，他要不刚达成了一项重大的伟业，要不刚完成了一场复仇…

The intruder turned slightly. The brim of his hat covered most of his face, showing only his sharp chin. He looked around, almost as if wondering why he was here. From his relaxed posture and relieved breathing, patrons could speculate that he had either accomplished something very important, or just carried out some revenge...

而现在，他只不过是想来要杯酒罢了。

And, at that moment, he just wanted a drink.

他踏着沉重的脚步向吧台走去，衣服上滴落的雨水也像忠诚的幽灵一般跟随着他。靴子在地板上砸出「咚…咚…」的声音，坚定得让人难以置信，仿佛能毫不犹豫地碾碎一切挡在他路上的东西。

He walked toward the bar, and the raindrops on his coat followed him like loyal spirits. His boots thudded with every heavy step taken, leaden with unbelievable, crushing conviction.

「一杯酒，烈的。」不速之客开口道，声音沉得能把酒瓶压碎。

"Give me something strong," said he, with a voice low enough to shatter wine bottles.

酒馆老板不情愿地给他倒了一杯。眼珠子埋怨似的瞟向那扇木质大门，心想要花多少时间才能擦去那一个鞋印。

The owner poured him a glass reluctantly, then looked at the door and wondered how long it would take him to wipe the boot-print off.

「谢谢。」男人说，「我刚和妹妹一起，办成了件大事。」

"Thank you," said the man, "I just accomplished something great alongside my sister."

「你妹妹呢？」老板有话没话地搭一句。

"Well, where is she?" The owner asked, deciding to make some small talk.

「走了，种花去了，她早就想那么干。我把钱都给了她。」

"She went to plant flowers. I gave her all my money because she's always wanted to do that."

「那你用什么付这杯酒的钱？」

"How will you pay for your drink, then?"

男人愣了愣，好像他从没想过这个问题。

The man seemed taken by surprise, as if he had never considered it.

「用这个吧。」

"Guess I'll pay with this."

「砰——」，一把漆黑的铳枪被男人摔到了桌上。

The man tossed a black musket onto the bartop with a thud.

隔桌的客人吓得没抬稳酒杯，酒全撒到了自己裤子上。四下一时全屏住了呼吸。

The patrons next to him spilled their drinks in terror. Everyone held their breath.

「我不收这个。」

"I'm not taking that."

酒馆老板假装镇定地说，调酒的手却悄悄伸到了桌下的抽屉里。那里面也有一把铳枪，但他不确定自己能比眼前的男人先开枪。

The owner feigned calm as he replied, but quietly, he reached into the drawer under the bar, where he hid a pistolet. He wasn't sure if he could fire faster than the man in front of him, though.

「别紧张，它刚刚射出了最后一颗子弹，也是最重要的一颗。它这辈子不会再开火了。」男人说着，又喝下一杯烈酒。

"Don't worry, it just fired its last and most important shot, and it will never be used again." The explanation done, the man downed another drink.

借着他抬起酒杯的动作，酒馆老板瞥到了男人的脸。一副英俊的面庞，高挺的鼻梁、几道伤疤、忧郁的黑眼睛…

The owner caught a glimpse of the man's face when he raised his head. It was a handsome face, with a high nose, some scars, and sad black eyes.

酒馆老板突然收回了自己拿枪的手，眼前的男人仿佛在进酒馆前就已经醉了，他不是来闹事的。

The owner withdrew his hand from the drawer. This man wasn't here to cause a scene. It was almost as if he had been drunk even before entering the tavern.

「能再来一杯吗？」他问。

"May I have another?" the man asked.

「你喝得有点多了。」老板说。

"You've had enough," replied the owner.

「我知道，今晚比较特殊。」他没听懂老板想要赶他走的言外之意。

"I know, but tonight was special." He didn't notice that the owner was trying to get him to leave.

「怎么个特殊？」

"How so?"

「我刚杀了个人。」

"I just killed someone."

老板倒酒的手停住了，这话从对面人嘴里说出来可不像玩笑。

The owner's hands froze. Coming from this man, it didn't sound like a joke.

「是一场复仇，」男人补充说，「他害死了我的母亲。」

"It was revenge," added the man. "He killed my mother."

「『他』是谁？」

"And who was 'he'?"

「那位『伯爵』。」

"The Baron."

「放屁。」酒馆老板现在能肯定是他醉了。

"Nonsense." Now the owner was certain that the man was drunk.

「伯爵」不是个好人，这点谁都知道，想杀他的人一个酒馆都坐不下。但没人敢这么做，如果你珍惜自己命的话。

Everyone knew that the Baron was bad news. Many wanted to kill him, but none dared to risk their lives to try.

「如果你放屁的声音够大，那么的确会忽略几分钟前的那声枪响。」男人嘲笑道。

"I suppose you could have missed the gunshot if your farts were loud enough," the man taunted.

酒馆老板再次打量了一下眼前的男人。手掌宽大，肌肉坚实，一看就经过了无数战斗的洗礼，而且不是酒馆里的小打小闹，是真正拼上自己性命的对决。

The owner looked at the man again. He had large hands and a muscular build. He seemed to have been through countless fights — no tavern scuffles these, but real fights that had put his life on the line.

突然，一道思绪劈过他的大脑。他想起了最近报纸上沸沸扬扬的铳枪杀人案，想起了那位永远会在现场留下一朵虹彩蔷薇的凶手，那位总是在暴雨之夜行刺的凶手…

Something flashed across the owner's mind. He recalled the recent series of musket murders, where the killer always left a Rainbow Rose and struck on stormy nights...

「难道说…你是…」

"No way... Are you..."

还没等老板说完话，一道惊雷在酒馆外落下。呼啸的狂风刮开木门，黑夜如海水般灌进酒馆，淹没了众人。

Before the owner could finish, lightning struck beyond the wooden door, and a wild gale threw it open. Night flooded in, drowning the patrons like a tidal wave.

等到酒馆的烛火重新被点亮，面前的男人已经消失不见，只有他那把漆黑的铳枪留了下来，宛如一个肃穆的死神，寂静地注视着众人，注视着这份属于它的黑夜…

When the candles were lit again, the man was gone, but he had left his musket behind. It stared everyone down in silence like some solemn god of death, staring into the night that belonged to it...

——《两个铳枪手》，完。

—The Two Musketeers, Fin.