Emperor Jones BY Eugene O’neil 屠珍 译
CHARACTERS人 物 BRUTUS JONES, Emperor HENRY SMITHERS, a Cockney Trader AN OLD NATIVE WOMAN LEM, a Native Chief SOLDIERS, adherents of Lem The Little Formless Fears; Jeff; The Negro Convicts; The Prison Guard; The Planters; The Auctioneer; The Slaves; The Congo Witch-Doctor; The Crocodile God 布鲁斯特·琼斯： 皇帝 亨利·斯密泽斯： 一个伦敦佬气派的商人 一个土著老太婆 兰姆： 一个土著部落的头头 士兵们： 兰姆的拥护者 没模样的小恐惧、杰夫、黑人犯罪、狱卒、种植园主、拍卖商、奴隶、刚果巫医、鳄鱼神 The action of the play takes place on an island in the West Indies as yet not self-determined by White Marines. The form of native government is, for the time being, an Empire.本剧发生在西印度群岛一个尚未由白人海员主持
民族自决的海岛上。当地政府的形式暂时为皇朝。
SCENES场 次
Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Scene V Scene VI Scene VII Scene VIII
In the palace of the Emperor Jones. Afternoon. 第一场： 在琼斯王的宫殿内。下午。 The edge of the Great Forest. Dusk. 第二场： 在大森林的边缘。黄昏。 In the Forest. Night. 第三场： 在森林内。夜晚。 In the Forest. Night. 第四场： 在森林内。夜晚。 In the Forest. Night. 第五场： 在森林内。夜晚。 In the Forest. Night. 第六场： 在森林内。夜晚。 In the Forest. Night. 第七场： 在森林内。夜晚。
Same as Scene Two—the edge of the Great Forest. Dawn. 第八场： 与第二场同——在大森林的边缘。黎明。
SCENE ONE 第一场 The audience chamber in the palace of the Emperor—a spacious, high-ceilinged room with bare, whitewashed walls. The floor is of white tiles. In the rear, to the left of center, a wide archway giving out on a portico with white pillars. The palace is evidently situated on high ground for beyond the portico nothing can be seen but a vista of distant hills, their summits crowned with thick groves of palm trees. In the right wall, center, a smaller arched doorway leading to the living quarters of the palace. The room is bare of furniture with the exception of one huge chair made of uncut wood which stands at center, its back to rear. This is very apparently the Emperor’s throne. It is painted a dazzling, eye-smiting scarlet. There is a brilliant orange cushion on the seat and another smaller one is placed on the floor to serve as a footstool. Strips of matting, dyed scarlet, lead from the foot of the throne to the two entrances. [皇帝宫殿的谒见厅—— 一间顶棚高、墙壁白而光秃秃的宽敞房间。地 是用白砖铺的。舞台后方，中间偏左处有一扇拱门通向白园柱的廊子。宫殿显然建造在高处，因为通过门廊除了看得到远处山峦景色之外，什么也看不到，那些山上布满棕榈树丛。右面墙当中有一扇较小的拱门通向后宫。室内除了中间摆着一把面朝台口的粗大的木椅之外，空无它物。这把椅子显然是皇帝的宝座，上面涂了一层刺眼的猩红色，椅子上面放着一个耀眼的橘黄色垫子，椅前还有一个当垫脚的较小的软垫，从宝座通向那两扇门之间都铺着染成猩红色的草席。 It is late afternoon but the sunlight still blazes yellowly beyond the [已是黄昏时分；门廊外面，阳光日仍然portico and there is an oppressive burden of exhausting heat in the air. 照得火热，屋内弥漫着一股令人倦乏的闷热。 As the curtain rises, a native negro woman sneaks in cautiously [幕启，一个土著女人从右方那扇门小心谨from the entrance on the right. She is very old, dressed in cheap 慎地溜进来。她年迈，身穿廉价的印花布衣，
1
calico, bare-footed, a red bandana handkerchief covering all but a few stray wisps of white hair. A bundle bound in colored cloth is carried over her shoulder on a stick. She hesitates beside the doorway, peering back as if in extreme dread of being discovered. Then she begins to glide noiselessly, a step at a time, toward the doorway in the rear. At this moment, Smithers appears beneath the portico. Smithers is a tall, stoop-shouldered man about forty. His bald head, perched on a long neck with an enormous Adam’s apple, looks like an egg. The tropics have tanned his naturally pasty face with its small, sharp features to a sickly yellow, and native rum has painted his pointed nose to a startling red. His little, washy-blue eyes are red-rimmed and dart about him like a ferret’s. His expression is one of unscrupulous meanness, cowardly and dangerous. He is dressed in a worn riding suit of dirty white drill, puttees, spurs, and wears a white cork helmet. A cartridge belt with an automatic revolver is around his waist. He carries a riding whip in his hand. He sees the woman and stops to watch her suspiciously. Then, making up his mind, he steps quickly on tiptoe into the room. The woman, looking back over her shoulder continually, does not see him until it is too late. When she does Smithers springs forward and grabs her firmly by the shoulder. She struggles to get away, fiercely but silently. SMITHERS—(tightening his grasp—roughly) Easy! None o’ that, me birdie. You can’t wriggle out now I got me ‘ooks on yer. WOMAN—(seeing the uselessness of struggling, gives way to frantic terror, and sinks to the ground, embracing his knees supplicatingly) No tell him! No tell him, Mister! SMITHERS—(with great curiosity) Tell ‘im? (then scornfully) Oh, you mean ‘is bloomin’ Majesty. What’s the gaime, any ‘ow? What you sneakin’ away for? Been stealin’ a bit, I s’pose. (He taps her bundle with his riding whip significantly.) WOMAN—(shaking her head vehemently) No, me no steal. SMITHERS—Bloody liar! But tell me what’s up. There’s somethin’ funny goin’ on. I smelled it in the air first thing I got up this mornin’. You blacks are up to some devilment. This palace of ‘is is like a bleedin’ tomb. Where’s all the ‘ands? (The woman keeps sullenly silent. Smithers raises his whip threateningly.) Ow, yer won’t, won’t yer? I’ll show yer what’s what. WOMAN—(coweringly) I tell, Mister. You no hit. They go—all go. (She makes a sweeping gesture toward the hills in the distance.) SMITHERS—Run away— to the ‘ills? WOMAN—Yes, Mister. Him Emperor—great Father. (She touches
2
赤脚，头上围一块红色印花大手帕，只露出几缕稀疏的白发。肩扛一根木棍，顶端挂着一个花布包袱。她在门口踌躇不决，回头凝视，好像特别害怕让人发现似的。接着她一步一步地朝后面那扇门走去。这时斯密泽斯出现在门廊下。 [斯密泽斯是个身材高大、溜肩膀‘四十岁左右的男人。他的秃顶瓜长在他那有个特大喉结的长脖子上面，活像个大鸡蛋。热带气候使他那张原本就五官小而轮廓分明的苍白脸孔晒得成了病态的蜡黄色，当地的罗姆酒又把他的尖鼻子染成吓人的红色。他那双红眼眶、淡蓝的小眼象白鼬的眼睛那样环顾瞥视。脸上流露出一种卑鄙、怯生生而又恶毒的表情。他身穿一套又脏又破的白斜纹布骑装，打着绑腿，脚登带马刺的靴子，头戴一顶白色软木遮阳帽，腰间围着一条子弹带，上面别着一把自动手枪，他手里握着一条马鞭。他一看到那个女人就停下来疑惑地观望着她。随后，他突然作出决定，踮起脚尖匆匆走进那间屋子。那个女人，一直在朝后观望，等看到他时已经躲不开了。他冲上前去紧紧抓住她的肩膀，后者默默使劲地想挣脱开来。 斯密泽斯：(使劲粗暴地抓紧她)别紧张！别跟我来这一套，我的小鸟。你现在让我抓住了，就甭想挣脱。 女人：(意识到自己挣脱不掉，吓得惊慌失措，瘫倒在地上，抱着他的双膝哀求)别告诉他！别告诉他，先生！ 斯密泽斯；(十分好奇地)告诉他？(接着轻蔑地)哦，你指的是那个得意洋洋的陛下？可你到底在耍什么花招？你干嘛要溜掉？我想你准是在偷点什么吧。(他有意识地用马鞭轻轻敲敲她那个小包袱。) 女人：(使劲摇头)没有，我没偷。 斯密泽斯：鬼骗子！那你说你到底要干什么。这里面肯定有点什么鬼花招。我今天早上一起床就感到不大对劲了。你们这些黑家伙在捣鬼。他这个宫殿就象一座死气沉沉的坟墓。干活儿的人都哪儿去啦？(那个女人突然沉默不语，斯密泽斯威胁地举起鞭子)哦，你不吭声，是不是？我得叫你知道点规矩。 女人：(哆嗦)我说，老爷。你别打俺。他们都—都走啦。(她朝远处山峦挥一下手) 斯密泽斯：逃跑了——进山去了吗？ 女人：是啊，老爷。皇帝陛下——伟大的父亲，(她连忙机械地用额头触一下地皮)吃完her forehead to the floor with a quick mechanical jerk.) Him sleep after eat. Then they go—all go. Me old woman. Me left only. Now me go too. SMITHERS—(his astonishment giving way to an immense, mean satisfaction) Ow! So that’s the ticket! Well, I know bloody well wot’s in the air—when they runs orf to the ‘ills. The tom-tom’ll be thumping out there bloomin’ soon. (with extreme vindictiveness) And I’m bloody glad of it, for one! Serve ‘im right! Puttin’ on airs, the stinkin’ nigger! ‘Is Majesty! Gawd blimey! I only ‘opes I’m there when they takes ‘im out to shoot ‘im. (suddenly) ‘E’s still ‘ere all right, ain’t ‘e? WOMAN—Yes. Him sleep. SMITHERS—’E’s bound to find out soon as wakes up. ‘E’s cunnin’ enough to know when ‘is time’s come. (He goes to the doorway on right and whistles shrilly with his fingers in his mouth. The old woman springs to her feet and runs out of the doorway, rear. Smithers goes after her, reaching for his revolver.) Stop or I’ll shoot! (then stopping—indifferently) Pop orf then, if yer like, yer black cow. (He stands in the doorway, looking after her.) (Jones enters from the right. He is a tall, powerfully-built, full-blooded negro of middle age. His features are typically negroid, yet there is something decidedly distinctive about his face—an underlying strength of will, a hardy, self-reliant confidence in himself that inspires respect. His eyes are alive with a keen, cunning intelligence. In manner he is shrewd, suspicious, evasive. He wears a light blue uniform coat, sprayed with brass buttons, heavy gold chevrons on his shoulders, gold braid on the collar, cuffs, etc. His pants are bright red with a light blue stripe down the side. Patent leather laced boots with brass spurs, and a belt with a long-barreled, pearl-handled revolver in a holster complete his makeup. Yet there is something not altogether ridiculous about his grandeur. He has a way of carrying it off.) 饭就睡觉去了。随后他们就都——都走了。只剩下我这个老婆子，现在我也要走啦。 斯密泽斯：(一阵极为奸诈的满意代替了惊讶)噢！原来是这么一回事！哼，他们往山里跑的时候，我就知道这里出了事儿。那边的手鼓很快就会咚咚敲响。(幸灾乐祸地)我也算上一个，对这事可太高兴啦！他这是活该！装腔作势，这个臭黑鬼！陛下！啊呀，老天爷！我只希望能亲眼看到他们把他拖出去毙了。(蓦地)他还在这儿，对不对？ 女人：对，在睡觉呐。 斯密泽斯：他一醒过来准会立刻察觉这件事。他够狡猾的，会明白自己的末日来临啦。他走向右边那扇门，把两个手指头塞进嘴里，吹出尖声口哨。(老太婆跳起来，从后面那扇门逃走了。斯密泽斯追过去，同时掏出手枪)站住，我要开枪啦！(接着站住——无所谓地)跑就跑呗，随你的便，你这头黑母牛。(他站在门口目送她。) [琼斯从右边上。他是个身高体壮，元气旺盛的中年黑人。他长着典型的黑人面貌，可是脸上有那么一种明显的特征—— 一种潜在的毅力，一种激起人们尊敬的果断的自信。两眼滴溜乱转，机智狡猾。在举止上，他机敏，好疑，叫人难以捉摸。他穿一件淡蓝色带铜纽扣的军服，佩着沉甸甸的金色肩章，袖口和领边也镶着金边，裤子是鲜红色的，两边是淡蓝条纹。脚登一双带铜马刺的扎带漆皮靴，腰带上的枪套里插着一杆柄上嵌珍珠的长筒手枪，这使他全身披挂得完整无缺。但是他那股庄严气派并非完全荒谬可笑。他有一种应付自如的劲头。] JONES—(not seeing anyone—greatly irritated and blinking sleepily—shouts) Who dare whistle dat way in my palace? Who dare 琼斯：(环顾左右无人——挺恼火，睡眼惺忪wake up de Emperor? I’ll git de hide frayled off some o’ you niggers ——大声叫喊)谁竟敢如此大胆放肆在我的sho’! 宫殿里吹口哨？谁竟敢把皇帝吵醒？我非 SMITHERS—(showing himself—in a manner half-afraid and half-defiant) It was me whistled to yer. (as Jones frowns angrily) I got news for yer. JONES—(putting on his suavest manner, which fails to cover up his contempt for the white man) Oh, it’s you, Mister Smithers. (He sits down on his throne with easy dignity.) What news you got to tell me? SMITHERS—(coming close to enjoy his discomfiture) Don’t yer 得把你们这几个黑鬼的皮剥下来不可！ 斯密泽斯：(装出一副半惊恐、半挑衅的样儿——走过来)是我朝您吹的口哨。(琼斯怒气冲冲地皱起眉头)我有消息要向您报告。 琼斯：(装出一副温和的样儿，可也没有掩盖他对这个白人的蔑视)哦，原来是你，斯密泽斯先生。(他从容而尊严地坐在皇位上)有什么消息要告诉我？ 斯密泽斯：(走近前去观赏他的狼狈像)你难道没感觉到今天有什么不对头的地方吗？ 3
notice nothin’ funny today? JONES—(coldly) Funny? No. I ain’t perceived nothin’ of de kind! SMITHERS—Then yer ain’t so foxy as I thought yer was. Where’s all your court? (sarcastically) The Generals and the Cabinet Ministers and all? JONES—(imperturbably) where dey mostly runs to minute I closes my eyes—drinkin’ rum and talkin’ big down in de town. (sarcastically) How come you don’t know dat? Ain’t you sousin’ with ‘em most everyday? SMITHERS—(stung but pretending indifference—with a wink) That’s part of the day’s work. I got ter—ain’t I—in my business? JONES—(contemptuously) Yo’ business! SMITHERS—(imprudently enraged) Gawd blimey, you was glad enough for me ter take yer in on it when you landed here first. You didn’ ‘ave no ‘igh and mighty airs in them days! JONES—(his hand going to his revolver like a flash—menacingly) Talk polite, white man! Talk polite, you heah me! I’m boss heah now, is you fergettin’? (The Cockney seems about to challenge this last statement with the facts but something in the other’s eyes holds and cowes him.) SMITHERS—(in a cowardly whine) No ‘arm meant, old top. JONES—(condescendingly) I accepts yo’ apology. (lets his hand fall from his revolver) No use’n you rakin’ up ole times. What I was den is one thing. What I is now ‘s another. You didn’t let me in on yo’ crooked work out o’ no kind feelin’s dat time. I done de dirty work fo’ you—and most o’ de brain work, too, fo’ dat matter—and I was wu’th money to you, dat’s de reason. SMITHERS—Well, blimey, I give yer a start, didn’t I—when no one else would. I wasn’t afraid to ‘ire yer like the rest was—’count of the story about your breakin’ jail back in the States. JONES—No, you didn’t have no s’cuse to look down on me fo’ dat. You been in jail you’self more’n once. SMITHERS—(furiously) It’s a lie! (then trying to pass it off by an attempt at scorn) Garn! Who told yer that fairy tale? JONES—Dey’s some tings I ain’t got to be tole. I kin see ‘em in folk’s eyes. (then after a pause—meditatively) Yes, you sho’ give me a start. And it didn’t take long from dat time to git dese fool, woods’ niggers right where I wanted dem. (with pride) From stowaway to Emperor in two years! Dat’s goin’ some!
4
琼斯：(冷淡地)不对头？没有。我没看出来有什么不对头的地方！ 斯密泽斯：那您就不是我过去想象的那样狡猾了。您的文武百官哪儿去啦？(讽刺地)那些将军，还有那些内阁部长呢？ 琼斯：(沉着地)我一阖上两眼，他们就跑到老地方去了呗——到城里去喝罗姆酒，吹牛去了。(挖苦地)你怎么连这事都不知道呢？你难道不是几乎每天都和他们泡在一起吗？ 斯密泽斯：(被触痛，但装出一副无所谓的样儿——眨巴一下眼)那是每天例行的一部分公事。我非那样不可——不是吗——那是我的职责啊？ 琼斯：(轻蔑地)你的职责！ 斯密泽斯：(轻率地发起火来)啊呀，老天爷，当初我用船把你送到这儿登陆，你挺满足。那时候，你可没有这种趾高气扬的派头。 琼斯：(他的手闪电般地按在他那把手枪上——威胁地)说话讲点礼貌，白人！说话讲点礼貌，听见没有！现在我是这儿的主子，难道你忘啦？(伦敦佬似乎要用事实向对方末一句话提出挑战，但是对方的眼神把他镇住了。) 斯密泽斯：(胆怯地嘀咕)没恶意，老伙计。 琼斯：(恩赐地)我接受你的道歉。(把那只握手枪的手放下了)重提旧事对你没有好处。我过去是干什么的是一码事，现在是什么人又是一回事。你那时干的勾当没连累我，并非出于好意。我为你干了那件肮脏的事——多半是靠我动脑力计划出来的——对你来说，我挺值钱，这才是 真正的理由。 斯密泽斯：哎呀，是我给你一个创业的机会，对不对？——别人谁也不会这样干的。我当初并不像别人那样不敢雇佣你——由于考虑到你在美国越狱那档子事。 琼斯：哼，你用不着拿那件事来小看我。你自己也不止一次进过监狱。 斯密泽斯：(恼火地)胡说八道！(接着尽力使用轻蔑的态度文过饰非)该死的，这套谎话是谁跟你说的？ 琼斯：有些事我用不着别人告诉我。我可以从人们的眼神里看出苗头来。(停顿——沉思一下)对，你当然给了我一个创业的机会。而且从那时起没用多少时间我就让树林里的这群傻黑鬼乖乖听从我的摆布。(自豪地)不出两年功夫就从偷渡的人作到皇帝，这很说明问题！ 斯密泽斯：(好奇地)我敢说你准是把成堆的钱 SMITHERS—(with curiosity) And I bet you got yer pile o’ money ‘id safe some place. JONES—(with satisfaction) I sho’ has! And it’s in a foreign bank where no pusson don’t ever git it out but me no matter what come. You didn’t s’pose I was holdin’ down dis Emperor job for de glory in it, did you? Sho’! De fuss and glory part of it, dat’s only to turn de heads o’ de low-flung, bush niggers dat’s here. Dey wants de big circus show for deir money. I gives it to ‘em an’ I gits de money. (with a grin) De long green, dat’s me every time! (then rebukingly) But you ain’t got no kick agin me, Smithers. I’se paid you back all you done for me many times. Ain’t I pertected you and winked at all de crooked tradin’ you been doin’ right out in de broad day. Sho’. I has—and me makin’ laws to stop it at de same time! (He chuckles.) SMITHERS—(grinning) But, meanin’ no ‘arm, you been grabbin’ right and left yourself, ain’t yer? Look at the taxes you’ve put on ‘em! Blimey! You’ve squeezed ‘em dry! JONES—(chuckling) No, dey ain’t all dry yet. I’se still heah, ain’t I? SMITHERS—(smiling at his secret thought) They’re dry right now, you’ll find out. (changing the subject abruptly) And as for me breakin’ laws, you’ve broke ‘em all yerself just as fast as yer made ‘em. JONES—Ain’t r de Emperor? De laws don’t go for him. (judicially) You heah what I tells you, Smithers. Dere’s little stealin’ like you does, and dere’s big stealin’ like I does. For de little stealin’ dey gits you in jail soon or late. For de big stealin’ dey makes you Emperor and puts you in de Hall o’ Fame when you croaks. (reminiscently) If dey’s one thing I learns in ten years on de Pullman ca’s listenin’ to de white quality talk, it’s dat same fact. And when I gits a chance to use it I winds up Emperor in two years. SMITHERS—(unable to repress the genuine admiration of the small fry for the large) Yes, yer turned the bleedin’ trick, all fight. Blimey, I never seen a bloke ‘as ‘ad the bloomin’ luck you ‘as. JONES—(severely) Luck? What you mean—luck? SMITHERS—I suppose you’ll say as that swank about the silver bullet ain’t luck—and that was what first got the fool blacks on yer side the time of the revolution, wasn’t it? JONES—(with a laugh) Oh, dat silver bullet! Sho’ was luck! But I makes dat luck, you heah? I loads de dice! Yessuh! When dat murderin’ nigger ole Lem hired to kill me takes aim ten feet away and his gun misses fire and I shoots him dead, what you heah me say? SMITHERS—You said yer’d got a charm so’s no lead bullet’d kill
5
藏在什么保险的地方去了。 琼斯：(得意地)当然啦！存在一家外国银行里，不管出了什么事，除了我，谁也甭打算把它取出来。你不至于认为我干这个皇帝差事，只是为了抖抖威风吧，对不对？当然啦！装出这副威风凛凛的样儿，只是为了让这儿丛林里俯首听命的黑鬼感到骄傲。他们拿钱出来也要看看活人马戏呀。我给他们比划比划，然后收他们的钱，(咧嘴一笑)钞票，每次都得归我。(接着训斥地)你可不能再顶撞我，斯密泽斯。我欠你的情已经多次偿还了，你在光天化日之下干那些不光彩的买卖，我难道没睁一眼闭一眼保护过你吗？我确实那样干了——可同时又在颁布制止那种勾当的法令！(他格格地笑了) 斯密泽斯：(嘻嘻干笑)并非出自恶意，你自己不是也在东捞一把、西抢一把的足搂吗？瞧瞧你强加在他们头上的那些税！老天爷！你把他们都压榨干了！ 琼斯：(格格笑)没有，他们还没完全干哪。我不是还在这儿吗？ 斯密泽斯：(心里明白，暗自发笑)你就会发现他们现在已经给榨干了。(蓦地换个话题)至于说我犯法，你自己同样也知法犯法啊，自己刚刚颁布法令，马上就把它破坏。 琼斯：我不是皇帝吗？法不上皇帝。(公事公办地)听见我跟你说的话了吧，斯密泽斯。世上有你那种小偷小摸，也有我这样的大搂大抢。小偷小摸早晚得让你锒铛入狱。大搂大抢他们就封你当皇上，等你一咽气，他们还会把你放在名人殿里。(怀旧地)要是我在火车卧车箱里干了十年，从那些白人的高谈阔论中学到了什么，这就是我学到的东西。一旦我得到机会运用它，两年之内我就当上了皇上。 斯密泽斯：(再也按捺不住自己对这个小人物如此飞黄腾达而产生的由衷的羡慕)是啊，你这种血淋淋把戏耍得真不赖。老天爷，我从来没碰见过哪个家伙比你更走运了。 琼斯：(严厉地)走运？你这是什么意思——走运？ 斯密泽斯：你可能会说，拿银子弹那档子事吹牛不算运气——可就是那件事首先使那些傻黑鬼在革命的时候站在你这边来的，对不对？ 琼斯：(大笑)哦，银子弹！当然算运气！不过，那个运气是我亲手炮制出来的，你听见没有？是我耍花招占的便宜！就是这么回事，先生！老兰姆古雇用的那个黑鬼来谋杀我，