The Whirligig of Life （人生的波瀾）
美國(guó) 歐·亨利
治安官貝納加·威特普坐在辦公室門口磅崭，抽著接骨木煙斗负溪。坎伯蘭山脈高聳如云疏哗，在午后的霧靄中呈現(xiàn)一片灰蒙蒙的藍(lán)色糙臼。一只花斑母雞高視闊步地走在大街上庐镐，“咯咯”地叫個(gè)不停。
路那頭傳來(lái)了車軸的“吱呀”聲变逃，升騰起一股沙塵必逆，接著出現(xiàn)了一輛牛車，車上坐著蘭西·比爾布羅和他的老婆揽乱。牛車來(lái)到治安官的辦公室門前停住名眉，兩人從車上爬下來(lái)。蘭西是個(gè)6英尺高的瘦長(zhǎng)漢子凰棉，有著淡褐色的皮膚和黃色的頭發(fā)损拢。山區(qū)的冷峻氣氛像一副甲胄似的罩著他的全身。女人穿花布衣服渊啰，瘦削的身段探橱，攏上來(lái)的頭發(fā)申屹，顯出莫名的绘证、不如意的神情。這一切都透露出一絲對(duì)枉度青春的抗議哗讥。
治安官為了保持尊嚴(yán)嚷那，把雙腳伸進(jìn)鞋子，然后挪了一下地方杆煞，讓他們進(jìn)屋魏宽。
“我們倆腐泻，”女人說(shuō)，聲音仿佛寒風(fēng)掃過(guò)松林队询，“要離婚派桩。”她瞅了蘭西一眼蚌斩∶螅“離婚∷蜕牛”蘭西嚴(yán)肅地點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭员魏，重復(fù)說(shuō)，“我們倆怎么都不對(duì)勁兒叠聋。住在山里撕阎，即使生活和和美美，也夠寂寞的碌补，何況她在家里不是像野貓似的氣勢(shì)洶洶虏束，便是像貓頭鷹似的陰陰沉沉，男人為什么要跟她一起過(guò)日子脑慧∑敲迹”
“那是什么話，他自己是個(gè)沒(méi)出息的害人蟲(chóng)闷袒，”女人并不十分激動(dòng)地說(shuō)坑律，“老是跟那些無(wú)賴和販私酒的鬼混，喝了玉米燒酒就挺尸那樣躺著囊骤，還養(yǎng)了一群討厭的惡狗晃择，害得我天天去喂！”
“說(shuō)真的也物，她老是摔鍋蓋宫屠，”蘭西還嘴說(shuō)，“把開(kāi)水潑在坎伯蘭最好的獵狗身上滑蚯，不肯做飯給男人吃浪蹂，深更半夜還罵罵咧咧地嘮叨個(gè)沒(méi)完，不讓人睡覺(jué)告材±ご危”
“他老是抗繳稅款，在山里得了個(gè)二流子的名聲斥赋，誰(shuí)還能好好睡覺(jué)缰猴？”
治安官?gòu)娜莶黄鹊刂痔幚戆讣Ｋ盐ㄒ坏囊话岩巫雍鸵粭l木凳讓給了訴訟人疤剑，然后打開(kāi)桌上的法令全書(shū)滑绒，細(xì)查索引闷堡。沒(méi)多久，他擦擦眼鏡疑故，把墨水瓶挪動(dòng)了一下杠览，開(kāi)口說(shuō)：“就本庭的權(quán)限而言，該法令全書(shū)并沒(méi)有提到離婚的問(wèn)題纵势。但是根據(jù)公平合理的原則倦零，如果治安官有權(quán)替人證婚，那么很清楚吨悍，他也有權(quán)辦理離婚事宜扫茅。本庭可以辦法離婚證書(shū)，并有最高法院認(rèn)可它對(duì)效力育瓜『叮”
蘭西·比爾布羅從褲袋里掏出一個(gè)小小的煙草袋，又抖出一張5元的鈔票躏仇×到牛“這是賣了一張熊皮和兩張狐貍皮換來(lái)的，”他聲明說(shuō)焰手，“我們的錢全在這兒了糟描。”
“本庭辦理一件離婚案的費(fèi)用书妻，”治安官說(shuō)船响，“是5塊錢《懵模”他裝出滿不在乎的樣子见间，把那張票子塞進(jìn)粗呢坎肩的口袋里。治安官費(fèi)了很大勁兒工猜，花了不少心思米诉，才把證詞寫(xiě)在半張紙上，然后在另外半張紙上照抄一遍篷帅。蘭西·比爾布羅和他的老婆靜聽(tīng)治安官念那份將給他們自由的文件：
蘭西·比爾布羅及其妻子阿里艾拉·比爾布羅今日親來(lái)本官面前議定史侣，不論將來(lái)如何，雙方此后不再敬愛(ài)服從對(duì)方魏身。訂立協(xié)議時(shí)惊橱，當(dāng)事人神志清醒，身體健全叠骑。特發(fā)給此離婚證書(shū)為憑李皇。今后各不相涉削茁，上帝鑒諸宙枷。
田納西州掉房，比德蒙特縣
治安官????? 貝納加·威特普
治安官正要把一份證書(shū)遞給蘭西，阿里艾拉忽然出聲阻止慰丛。
“法官卓囚，你先別給他那張紙。事情并沒(méi)有完全了結(jié)诅病，我需要贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)哪亿。男人休掉老婆，生活費(fèi)用分文不給可不行贤笆。我打算到豬背山我兄弟埃德家去蝇棉，我得有一雙鞋子、一些鼻煙和別的東西芥永。蘭西既然有錢離婚篡殷，就得給我贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)÷窠В”
蘭西·比爾布羅聽(tīng)得目瞪口呆板辽。女人總是節(jié)外生枝，提出讓人意想不到的問(wèn)題來(lái)棘催。治安官貝納加·威特普覺(jué)得這個(gè)問(wèn)題需要司法解決劲弦。法令全書(shū)上沒(méi)有關(guān)于贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)的規(guī)定，可那女人的確是打著赤腳醇坝。去豬背山的路徑不但曲折邑跪，而且滿是石子。
“阿里艾拉·比爾布羅呼猪，”他打著官腔問(wèn)道呀袱，“在本案中，你認(rèn)為要多少贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)才合適郑叠？”
“我認(rèn)為材鹦，”她回答說(shuō)，“買鞋什么的攒菠，就要5塊錢吧亚情。作為贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)這不算多，我估摸著可以讓我到埃德兄弟那兒去了沸版∴铱”
“數(shù)目不能說(shuō)不合理，”治安官說(shuō)视粮，“蘭西·比爾布羅细办，在發(fā)給離婚證書(shū)之前，本庭判決你付給原告5塊錢⌒ψ玻”
“我再?zèng)]有錢了岛啸。”蘭西沉郁地低聲說(shuō)茴肥，“我把所有的錢都給你了坚踩。”
“你如果不付瓤狐，”治安官?gòu)难坨R上方嚴(yán)肅地望著蘭西說(shuō)瞬铸，“就犯了藐視法庭罪〈∪瘢”
“我想如果讓我延遲到明天付款嗓节，”丈夫請(qǐng)求說(shuō)，“我或許能想辦法拼湊出來(lái)皆警。我從沒(méi)有料到要付什么贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)赦政。”
“本案暫時(shí)休庭耀怜，明天繼續(xù)恢着。”貝納加·威特普說(shuō)财破，“你們兩人明天到庭聽(tīng)候宣判掰派。那是再發(fā)給你們離婚證書(shū)∽罅。”
“我們還是去齊亞大叔那兒過(guò)夜靡羡。”蘭西決定說(shuō)俊性。他爬上牛車略步，阿里艾拉從另一邊爬了上去。韁繩一抖定页，牛車在輪底揚(yáng)起的塵土中走了趟薄。
治安官貝納加·威特普繼續(xù)抽他的接骨木煙斗。將近傍晚時(shí)典徊，他收到了他訂的周報(bào)杭煎，就一直看到暮色使字跡模糊的時(shí)候。他燃起桌上的牛油蠟燭卒落，又看到月亮升起來(lái)羡铲，算來(lái)該是吃晚飯的時(shí)候了。他回家要穿過(guò)一條被月桂樹(shù)叢遮掩的小岔道儡毕。一個(gè)黑漆漆的人影從月桂樹(shù)叢中跨出來(lái)也切，用來(lái)復(fù)槍對(duì)著治安官的胸膛。那個(gè)人把帽子拉得很低，臉上也用什么東西遮住大半雷恃。
“我要你的錢疆股，”那個(gè)人說(shuō)，“別廢話褂萧。我神經(jīng)緊張，我的手指在扳機(jī)上哆嗦呢葵萎〉加蹋“
“我只有5······5······5塊錢∠弁”治安官一面說(shuō)谎痢，一面把錢從坎肩里掏出來(lái)。
“卷起來(lái)卷雕，”對(duì)方發(fā)出命令节猿，“把錢塞進(jìn)槍口÷瘢”
票子又新又脆滨嘱，雖然治安官手指有些顫抖，不靈活浸间，但把它卷起來(lái)并不怎么困難太雨，只是塞進(jìn)槍口的時(shí)候不太順當(dāng)。
“現(xiàn)在你可以走啦魁蒜∧野猓”強(qiáng)盜說(shuō)。
治安官不敢逗留兜看，趕快跑開(kāi)锥咸。
第二天，那頭小紅牛拖著車子又來(lái)到辦公室門口细移。蘭西·比爾布羅當(dāng)著治安官的面把一張5元鈔票交給他的老婆搏予。治安官虎視眈眈地盯著那張票子。它似乎曾經(jīng)被卷過(guò)弧轧、塞進(jìn)過(guò)槍口缔刹，因?yàn)檫€有卷曲過(guò)的痕跡。但是治安官忍住了沒(méi)有作聲劣针。別的鈔票很可能也會(huì)卷曲的校镐。他把離婚證書(shū)分發(fā)給兩人。兩人都尷尬地默默站著捺典，慢吞吞地折起那張自由保證書(shū)鸟廓。女人竭力抑制著感情，怯生生地瞥了蘭西一眼。
“我想你要趕著牛車回家去了引谜‰鼓埃”她說(shuō)，“木架上的鐵皮盒子里有面包员咽。我把咸肉擱在鍋里毒涧，免得狗偷吃。今晚別忘了給鐘上弦贝室∑踅玻”
“你要去你的埃德兄弟那兒?jiǎn)幔俊碧m西裝出漫不經(jīng)心的樣子問(wèn)道滑频。
“我打算在天黑之前趕到那里捡偏。我不指望他們會(huì)歡迎我，可是我沒(méi)有別的地方可以投靠了峡迷。路很長(zhǎng)银伟，我想我還是趁早走吧。那么我就說(shuō)再會(huì)了绘搞，蘭西——要是你也愿意說(shuō)的話彤避。”
“如果誰(shuí)連再會(huì)都不肯說(shuō)夯辖，那簡(jiǎn)直成了畜生忠藤，”蘭西用十分委屈的聲調(diào)說(shuō)，“除非你急于上路楼雹，不愿意讓我說(shuō)模孩。”
阿里艾拉默不作聲贮缅。她把那張5元的鈔票和她的那份證書(shū)小心折好放進(jìn)懷里榨咐。貝納加·威特普用傷心的目光從眼鏡后面望著那5塊錢到別人的懷里去了。
“今晚老屋里一定很寂寞谴供，蘭西块茁。”她說(shuō)桂肌。蘭西·比爾布羅凝望著坎伯蘭山脈数焊，他沒(méi)有看阿里艾拉。
“我也知道會(huì)寂寞的崎场，”他說(shuō)佩耳，“但是人家怒氣沖沖，一定要離婚谭跨，你不可能留住人家呀干厚±畹危”
“要離婚的是別人÷椋”阿里艾拉對(duì)著木凳子說(shuō)所坯，“何況人家又沒(méi)有讓我留下」彝保”
“沒(méi)有人說(shuō)過(guò)不讓呀芹助。”
“可是也沒(méi)有人說(shuō)過(guò)讓呀闲先。我想我現(xiàn)在還是動(dòng)身到埃德兄弟那兒去吧状土。”
“沒(méi)有人會(huì)給那只舊鐘上弦饵蒂∩睿”
“要不要我搭車跟你一路回去酱讶，替你上弦退盯，蘭西？”
那個(gè)山民絕不絕不流露任何情感泻肯，可是他伸出一只大手抓住了阿里艾拉褐色的小手渊迁。“那些狗再也不會(huì)給你添麻煩了灶挟×鹦啵”蘭西說(shuō)，“我想我以往確實(shí)太沒(méi)有出息稚铣，太不上進(jìn)了箱叁。那只鐘還是由你去上弦吧，阿里艾拉惕医「”
“我的心老是在那座木屋里，蘭西抬伺，”她悄聲說(shuō)螟够，“我再也不發(fā)火了。我們動(dòng)身吧峡钓，太陽(yáng)落山前妓笙，我們可以趕回家∧苎遥”
治安官貝納加·威特普看他們走向門口寞宫，竟忘了他在場(chǎng)，便插嘴發(fā)話了拉鹃∠牛“以田納西州的名義统锤，”他說(shuō)，“我不準(zhǔn)你們兩人蔑視本州的法令炭庙。本庭看到兩個(gè)相親相愛(ài)的人消除了誤會(huì)與不和諧的云霧饲窿，重歸于好，不但非常滿意焕蹄，而且十分高興逾雄。但是本庭有責(zé)任維護(hù)本州的道德和治安。本庭提醒你們腻脏，你們經(jīng)過(guò)正式判決離了婚鸦泳，不再享有婚姻狀態(tài)下的一切權(quán)益了∮榔罚”
阿里艾拉一把抓住蘭西的胳膊做鹰。難道他們剛接受了生活的教訓(xùn)，她又得失去他嗎鼎姐？
“不過(guò)本庭钾麸，”治安官接著說(shuō)，“可以排除離婚判決所造成的障礙炕桨。本庭可以立刻執(zhí)行結(jié)婚的莊重儀式饭尝，使雙方如愿恢復(fù)那光明高尚的婚姻狀態(tài)。執(zhí)行這種儀式的手續(xù)費(fèi)献宫，以本案而論钥平，一切包括在內(nèi)，是5塊錢姊途∩骜”
阿里艾拉從他的話里得到了一線希望。她的手飛快地伸進(jìn)懷里捷兰。那張鈔票像正在落地的鴿子似的自在地飄到治安官的桌子上立叛。當(dāng)它和蘭西手挽手站著，傾聽(tīng)那些使他們重新結(jié)合的詞句時(shí)寂殉，她那蠟黃的臉頰上有了血色囚巴。
蘭西扶她上了車，自己也爬上去坐在她身旁友扰。那頭小紅牛又轉(zhuǎn)了一次向彤叉，他們緊握著手向山中進(jìn)發(fā)了。
治安官貝納加·威特普在門口坐下來(lái)村怪，脫掉鞋子秽浇。他又一次伸手摸摸坎肩口袋里的鈔票。他又一次抽起那只接骨木煙斗甚负。那只花斑母雞仍舊高視闊步地走在大街上柬焕，“咯咯”地叫個(gè)不停审残。
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”一詞的英文原文是“Justice-of-the-peace”，起源于歐洲斑举，而歐·亨利的出生地美國(guó)曾被歐洲殖民搅轿，所以出現(xiàn)在文中。
接骨木煙斗是用于吸煙的裝置富玷，包括一個(gè)用于裝煙草的腔室璧坟、一個(gè)中空管和一個(gè)咬嘴。
坎伯蘭山脈是阿巴拉契亞山脈東南部的山脈赎懦，位于西弗吉尼亞州南部雀鹃，弗吉尼亞州西部，肯塔基州東部邊緣和田納西州東部中部励两。
私酒黎茎，由于禁酒令曾在美國(guó)實(shí)行，私釀的威士忌對(duì)于美國(guó)阿巴拉契亞山區(qū)人民非常重要当悔。
月桂傅瞻，一種芳香的常綠喬木或帶有綠色無(wú)毛（光滑無(wú)毛）葉的大灌木，屬于開(kāi)花植物科樟科先鱼。它原產(chǎn)于地中海地區(qū)俭正，在烹飪時(shí)用作月桂葉調(diào)味料奸鬓。
牛油蠟燭焙畔，由牛脂制作成的蠟燭。
來(lái)復(fù)槍串远，是一種便攜式長(zhǎng)筒槍宏多，專為精確射擊而設(shè)計(jì)，用雙手握住澡罚，在發(fā)射時(shí)靠在肩膀上保持穩(wěn)定伸但，并且槍管上有一個(gè)螺旋形凹槽（“膛線”）切入鉆孔墻壁。
