more’n dat to scare dis chicken! SMITHERS—(scenting the other’s feeling—maliciously) Ternight when it’s pitch black in the forest, they’ll ‘ave their pet devils and ghosts ‘oundin’ after you. You’ll find yer bloody ‘air ‘ll be standin’ on end before termorrow mornin’. (seriously) It’s a bleedin’ queer place, that stinkin’ forest, even in daylight. Yer don’t know what might ‘appen in there, it’s that rotten still. Always sends the cold shivers down my back minute I gets in it. JONES—(with a contemptuous sniff) I ain’t no chicken-liver like you is. Trees an’ me, we’ se friends, and dar’s a full moon comin’ bring me light. And let dem po’ niggers make all de fool spells dey’se a min’ to. Does yo’ s’pect I’se silly, enuff to b’lieve in ghosts an’ ha’nts an’ all dat ole woman’s talk? G’long, white man! You ain’t talkin’ to me. (with a chuckle) Doesn’t you know dey’s got to do wid a man was member in good standin’ o’ de Baptist Church? Sho’ I was dat when I was porter on de Pullmans, befo’ I gits into my little trouble. Let dem try deir heathen tricks. De Baptist Church done pertect me and land dem all in hell. (then with more confident satisfaction) And I’se got little silver bullet o’ my own, don’t forgits. SMITHERS—Ho! You ‘aven’t give much ‘eed to your Baptist Church since you been down ‘ere. I’ve ‘card myself you ‘ad turned yer coat an’ was takin’ up with their blarsted witch-docters, or whatever the ‘ell yer calls the swine. JONES—(vehemently) I pretends to! Sho’ I pretends! Dat’s part o’ my game from de fust. If I finds out dem niggers believes dat black is white, den I yells it out louder ‘n deir loudest. It don’t git me nothin’ to do missionary work for de Baptist Church. I’se after de coin, an’ I lays my Jesus on de shelf for de time hem’. (stops abruptly to look at his watch—alertly) But I ain’t got de time to waste no more fool talk wid you. I’se gwine away from heah dis secon’. (He reaches in under the throne and pulls out an expensive Panama hat with a bright multi-colored band and sets it jauntily on his head.) So long, white man! (with a grin) See you in jail sometime, maybe! SMITHERS—Not me, you won’t. Well, I wouldn’t be in yer bloody boots for no bloomin’ money, but ‘ere’s wishin’ yer luck just the same. JONES—(contemptuously) You’re de frightenedest man evah I see! I tells you I’se safe’s ‘f I was in New York City. It takes dem niggers from now to dark to git up de nerve to start somethin’. By dat time, I’se got a head start dey never kotch up wid. SMITHERS—(maliciously) Give my regards to any ghosts yer meets up with. JONES—(grinning) If dat ghost got money, I’ll tell him never ha’nt
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斯密泽斯：(觉出对方的恐惧——恶意地)今天晚上，等森林里黑得伸手不见五指的时候，他们就会让他们宠爱的妖魔鬼怪追赶你。不用等到明天清早，你就会发现你那一脑袋的头发根根都会倒竖起来。(认真地)那片臭烘烘的森林，甚至在大白天，也是个神出鬼没的地方，你真不知道那里面会出现什么情形，死气沉沉得叫你毛骨悚然，我一走进去，脊梁骨就冒冷气。 琼斯：(鄙视地哼一下)我可不像你那样胆小如鼠。树和我是哥们儿，何况，还有圆圆的月亮给我照明。就让那帮可怜的黑鬼尽情念咒玩，弄他们愚蠢的巫术吧。你难道以为我愚蠢得竟会相信妖魔鬼怪和老娘儿们的那套鬼话吗？去你的，白人！你不必再说了。(格格一笑)你难道不知道和他们打交道的人是个有身份的浸礼会教徒吗？当初我在火车卧车箱里当杂工时，在我没惹那个小麻烦之前，确确实实是一名教徒。就让他们试试他们那套邪魔歪道的玩意儿吧。浸礼教会还会护着我，把他们统统打进地狱。(接着更加信心十足地)何况我自己还有那颗银子弹呢，别忘了！ 斯密泽斯：嗬！自从你来到这儿，你可并没有十分关心你那个浸礼教会。我本人就已听说，你已经叛教，还跟他们那些该死的巫医，那些你称为猪猡的家伙混在一起，打的火热。 琼斯：(激愤地)我那是假装的！我当然是装着玩儿的！那是我最初的一部分戏法儿。如果我发现那些黑鬼管黑叫白，那我嚷嚷起来，就比他们当中嚷得最响亮的还要响。这儿没什么传教的活儿可以让我为浸礼教会干干。我现在要的是钱，暂时把我的耶稣抛在一边。(突然停下来看一下表——机警地)可我现在没功夫再跟你扯闲淡了。我得马上离开这儿啦。(他从宝座下面掏出一顶围着一圈色彩鲜艳的缎带的、讲究的巴拿马草帽，洋洋得意地把它扣在脑袋上)再见，白人！(咧嘴一笑)没准儿咱俩什么时候再一次在监狱里见面！ 斯密泽斯：没那个事儿，您甭想。我无论如何也不会为几个臭钱再跟你跑了。不过，还是祝你交好运，大吉大利！ 琼斯：(鄙视地)你是我所见到的最悚的胆小鬼！告诉你说，我如果到了纽约就平安无事啦。那些黑鬼从现在起一直到天黑才能鼓起勇气干点什么。到那时，我已经先走一步，他们永远也追不上啦。 斯密泽斯：(恶意地)你要是碰到什么鬼魂，请you less’n he wants to lose it. SMITHERS—(flattered) Garn! (then curiously) Ain’t yer takin’ no luggage with yer? JONES—I travels light when I wants to move fast. And I got tinned grub buried on de edge o’ de forest. (boastfully) Now say dat I don’t look ahead an’ use my brains! (with a wide, liberal gesture) I will all dat’s left in de palace to you—and you better grab all you kin sneak away wid befo’ dey gits here. SMITHERS—(gratefully) Righto—and thanks ter yer. (as Jones walks toward the door in rear—cautioningly) Say! Look ‘ere, you am’t goin’ out that way, are yer? JONES—Does you think I’d slink out de back door like a common nigger? I’se Emperor yit, ain’t I? And de Emperor Jones leaves de way he comes, and dat black trash don’t dare stop him—not yit, leastways. (He stops for a moment in the doorway, listening to the far-off but insistent beat of the tom-tom.) Listen to dat roll-call, will you? Must be mighty big drum carry dat far. (then with a laugh) Well, if dey ain’t no whole brass band to see me off, I sho’ got de drum part of it. So long, white man. (He puts his hands in his pockets and with studied carelessness, whistling a tune, he saunters out of the doorway and off to the left.) SMITHERS—(looks after him with a puzzled admiration) ‘E’s got ‘is bloomin’ nerve with ‘im, s’elp me! (then angrily) Ho-the bleedin’ nigger—puttin’ an ‘is bloody airs! I ‘opes they nabs ‘im an’ gives ‘im what’s what! (Curtain) 代我捎个好。 琼斯：(冷笑)如果那个鬼有钱，我就会告诉他千万别找你，除非他打算把钱丢掉。 斯密泽斯：(受宠地)去你的！(然后好奇地)你不带点行李走吗？ 琼斯：我每逢出远门都是轻装上路。我早在森林边上埋好了罐头食品。(吹嘘地)你现在还能说我不向前看、不动脑子吗？(作个慷慨大方的手势)宫里所剩下的东西我都传给你吧——趁他们还没有来到之前，你最好还是尽快能抓什么就抓什么，赶快溜走吧。 斯密泽斯：(感激地)对——多谢啦。(琼斯朝后面那扇门走去——告诫地)喂，喂！你总不会从那边走出去吧？ 琼斯：你以为我会像一个普通的黑鬼从后门鬼鬼祟祟地溜走吗？我现在还是皇上，对不对？琼斯皇上从哪扇门进来，就从哪扇门出去，哪个黑废物胆敢来挡他的驾——至少现在还没那个胆量。(他在门口停一下，仔细听听远方紧密的手鼓声)听他们在呼叫点名呐。听见了没有？准是个个儿挺大的鼓，声音传得这么远。(笑一声)如果他们没有军乐队欢送我，我就把这个鼓作为替代吧。再见，白人。(他把两手插进兜儿里，假装满不在乎的样儿，用口哨吹着曲子，漫步从左方走出去。) 斯密泽斯：(带着惶惑的赞赏目光目送着他)这小子真有种，千真万确！(接着气愤地)哼——这个该死的黑鬼——还装腔作势呐！我真希望他们把他逮住，给他点颜色看看！[幕落。] SCENE TWO 第二场 [平原尽头，大森林的边缘地带。前景是一片沙土地，平地上稀稀拉拉有几块石头。一簇簇矮树丛畏缩地紧挨地面，抵挡着阵阵信风。后面是森林筑成的一面黑糊糊的暗墙，与世隔绝。只有适应了黑暗，眼睛才能辨别出邻近是树干轮廓，一根根深黑的巨柱。风刮树叶，发出单调的呜呜哀鸣。这种声音更使人觉得大森林里阴森可怖，衬托出一种背景，使它那种沉郁的寂静极为突出。 [琼斯从左方快步上。他走进森林边缘，停下来匆匆向四下里张望一下，窥视着暗处，好象在寻找什么熟悉的标志。接着，他显然十分满意地到达了自己要找的地方，然后就精疲力尽地倒在地下。 The end of the plain where the Great Forest begins. The foreground is sandy, level ground dotted by a few stones and clumps of stunted bushes cowering close against the earth to escape the buffeting of the trade wind. In the rear the forest is a wall of darkness dividing the world. Only when the eye becomes accustomed to the gloom can the outlines of separate trunks of the nearest trees be made out, enormous pillars of deeper blackness. A somber monotone of wind lost in the leaves moans in the air. Yet this sound serves but to intensify the impression of the forest’s relentless immobility, to form a background throwing into relief its brooding, implacable silence. Jones enters from the left, walking rapidly. He stops as he nears the edge of the forest, looks around him quickly, peering into the dark as if searching for some familiar landmark. Then, apparently satisfied that he is where he ought to be, he throws himself on the
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ground, dog-tired. Well, heah I is. In de nick o’ time, too! Little mo’ an’ it’d be blacker’n de ace of spades heah-abouts. (He pulls a bandana handkerchief from his hip pocket and mops off his perspiring face.) Sho’! Gimme air! I’se tuckered out sho’ ‘nuff. Dat soft Emperor job ain’t no trainin’ for’ a long hike ovah dat plain in de brilin’ sun. (then with a chuckle) Cheah up, nigger, de worst is yet to come. (He lifts his head and stares at the forest. His chuckle peters out abruptly. In a tone of awe) My goodness, look at dem woods, will you? Dat no-count Smithers said dey’d be black an’ he sho’ called de turn. (Turning away from them quickly and looking down at his feet, he snatches at a chance to change the subject—solicitously.) Feet, you is holdin’ up yo’ end fine an’ I sutinly hopes you ain’t blisterin’ none. It’s time you git a rest. (He takes off his shoes, his eyes studiously avoiding the forest. He feels of the soles of his feet gingerly.) You is still in de pink—on’y a little mite feverish. Cool yo’selfs. Remember you done got a long journey yit befo’ you. (He sits in a weary attitude, listening to the rhythmic beating of the tom-tom. He grumbles in a loud tone to cover up a growing uneasiness.) Bush niggers! Wonder dey wouldn’ git sick o’ beatin’ dat drum. Sound louder, seem like. I wonder if dey’s startin’ after me? (He scrambles to his feet, looking back across the plain.) Couldn’t see dem now, nohow, if dey was hundred feet away. (then shaking himself like a wet dog to get rid of these depressing thoughts) Sho’, dey’s miles an’ miles behind. What you gittin’ fidgetty about? (But he sits down and begins to lace up his shoes in great haste, all the time muttering reassuringly.) You know what? Yo’ belly is empty, dat’s what’s de matter wid you. Come time to eat! Wid nothin’ but wind on yo’ stumach, o’ course you feels jiggedy. Well, we eats right heah an’ now soon’s I gits dese pesky shoes laced up. (He finishes lacing up his shoes.) Dere! Now le’s see! (gets on his hands and knees and searches the ground around him with his eyes) White stone, white stone, where is you? (He sees the first white stone and crawls to it—with satisfaction.) Heah you is! I knowed dis was de right place. Box of grub, come to me. (He turns over the stone and feels in under it—in a tone of dismay.) Ain’t heah! Gorry, is I in de right place or isn’t I? Dere’s ‘nother stone. Guess dat’s it. (He scrambles to the next stone and turns it over.) Ain’t heah, neither! Grub, whar is you? Ain’t heah. Gorry, has I got to go hungry into dem woods—all de night? (While he is talking he scrambles from one stone to another, turning them over in frantic haste. Finally, he jumps to his feet excitedly.) Is I lost de place? Must have! But how dat happen when I was followin’ de trail across de plain in broad daylight? (almost plaintively) I’se hungry, I is! I gotta git my feed. Whar’s my strength gonna come from if I doesn’t? Gorry, I gotta find dat grub high an’ low somehow! Why it come dark so quick like dat? Can’t see nothin’. (He scratches a match on his trousers and peers about him. The rate of the beat of the far-off tom-tom increases perceptibly as he does so. He mutters in a bewildered voice.) How come all dese white stones come heah
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得，总算到了这儿。也正是时候！再过一会儿，这里就会比纸牌的黑桃爱斯还要黑啦(他从裤子后兜儿里掏出一块印花手帕，檫脸上的汗珠儿)真格的！让我喘口气吧！我可真是累得精疲力尽当皇上的从来没锻炼过在火辣辣的太阳底下穿过平原走那么远的道儿。(接着，格格一笑)鼓起劲来，黑汉子，还会有更糟糕的事呢。(他抬头凝视着森林，笑声骤然止住，畏惧地说)我的老天，瞧瞧那片森林，瞧见没有？那个不可靠的斯密泽斯说过，那里会是漆黑一片，他说得不错。(连忙调头不看森林，低头瞧瞧自己的两只脚，接机换个话题——焦虑地)两只脚啊，你们居然坚持到底了，干得不错，我真希望你们可千万别打泡。你们也该休息一下啦。(他脱下皮鞋，视线故意避开森林。他轻轻抚摸两只脚底板)你们还是很正常——只是有点发烧。凉快凉快吧。记住你们还得赶一段长路哪。(他倦乏地坐在那儿，听着那有节奏的手鼓声。他到声嘟嚷以掩饰自己越来越不安的情绪)这群土黑鬼！我真纳闷他们老这么敲鼓，也不嫌累！声音好象越来越响了。他们是不是开始追我了？(他爬起来，回头望着平原)他们就是在百尺远的地方，我现在也根本看不见。(接着像一条浑身湿透的狗甩去身上的水那样甩去这种令人沮丧的念头)没错儿，他们还在老远老远的地方呐，你嘀咕什么呀？(可他坐下来，急急忙忙系好鞋带，嘴里喃喃地安慰自己)你猜怎么回事？你的肚子空啦，就是这事闹的。该吃点东西啦！你肚子里除了凉风，什么都没有了，你当然就觉得浑身没劲了。好了，等我把这烦人的鞋带一扎好，咱们马上就吃。(他扎好鞋带)得！现在咱们去瞧瞧。(他跪下来，两手扶地，用眼搜索四周的地面)白石头，白石头，你在哪儿？(他看到第一块白石头就爬过去——满意地)你敢情在这儿呐！我知道就在这儿！食品罐头，快快上我这儿来吧。(他把石头推开，用手往下摸——失望地)没在这儿！天哪，这地方到底对不对哪？那儿还有一块。准是那块。(他爬到另一块石头处，推翻开)这儿也没有！吃的啊，你在哪儿呐？没在这儿。天哪，难道我得饿着肚皮进入树林——整宵吗？(他一边说，一边从一块石头爬到另一块石头，狂乱而迅速地把它们一一掀翻。最后，他急得跳起来)我是不是搞错了地方？肯定是。可这怎么会呢，我是大白天沿着小道穿过平原的呀？(近乎哀伤地)我饿了，真饿了。我一定得找到我的吃的。要是找不到，我的劲儿打哪儿来呢？天哪，不管怎么着，我非得到处搜寻，把那盒吃的找到不可！天怎么黑得这样快？什么也看不见啦。(他在裤子上划了一根火柴，环视四周。这当儿，远方when I only remembers one? (Suddenly, with a frightened gasp, he flings the match on the ground and stamps on it.) Nigger, is you gone crazy mad? Is you lightin’ matches to show dem whar you is? Fo’ Lawd’s sake, use yo’ haid. Gorry, I’se got to be careful! (He stares at the plain behind him apprehensively, his hand on his revolver.) But how come all dese white stones? And whar’s dat tin box o’ grub I hid all wrapped up in oil cloth? 手鼓声可以让人觉得越敲越快了。他迷惑不解地嘟嚷着)我记得这儿只有一块白石头，怎么现在有这么多块了呢？(突然他惊叹一声，把火柴嚷到地上，用脚踩灭)黑汉子，你莫非疯了？你点亮火柴，好让他们知道你在这儿吗？老天爷，你倒是用用脑子啊。天哪，我得加点小心！(他恐惧地回头望着平原，手扶在手枪上面)可这些白石头，到底是什么回事呢？我藏好的那盒食 (While his back is turned, the Little Formless Fears creep out from 品罐头，用油纸包得好好的在哪儿呢？ the deeper blackness of the forest. They are black, shapeless, only [他转过身去时，一些没模样的小恐惧从树their glittering little eyes can be seen. If they have any describable 林暗处爬出来。它们黑不溜秋，没有模样，只form at all it is that of a grubworm about the size of a creeping 能看见它们闪闪发光的小眼睛。如果说它们有child. They move noiselessly, but with deliberate, painful effort, 什么可以形容的模样，那只能说是像一群匍匐striving to raise themselves on end, failing and sinking prone again. 爬行的婴儿那么大的肉蛆。他们无声无息地蠕Jones turns about to face the forest. He stares up at the tops of the 动着，费劲儿地试着想站立起来，可是失败了，trees, seeking vainly to discover his whereabouts by their 又跌倒在地。琼斯转身冲向森林。他抬头望着conformation.) 树梢，徒劳无益地想从树林的状态来辨认出自己到底身在何处。] Can’t tell nothin’ from dem trees! Gorry, nothin’ ‘round heah look 从这些树什么也看不出来！天哪，这四周like I evah seed it befo’. I’se done lost de place sho’ ‘nuff! (with 围我好象从来也没见过。我肯定是找错了地方！mournful foreboding) It’s mighty queer! It’s mighty queer! (with (怀着惨痛的预感)这实在是太奇怪啦！太奇怪sudden forced defiance—in an angry tone) Woods, is you tryin’ to 啦！(急得顽抗起来——用愤怒的腔调)树林呀，put somethin’ ovah on me? 难道你打算跟我过不去吗？ (在他身前的地上，从那些没模样的东西那 (From the formless creatures on the ground in front of him comes 儿微微传来一阵讥讽的低沉笑声，很象树叶的a tiny gale of low mocking laughter like a rustling of leaves. They 沙沙声。它们冲着他向上扭动着。琼斯低头一squirm upward toward him in twisted attitudes. Jones looks down, 看，惊恐地大叫一声，倒退几步，同时拨出手leaps backward with a yell of terror, yanking out his revolver as he 枪——颤悠悠地说)这是什么？谁在那儿？你does join a quavering voice.) What’s dat? who’s dar? What is you? 是谁？滚开，别等我开枪打死你！你不滚…… Git away from me befo’ I shoots you up! You don’t?— [他开枪。一道闪光，一声很响的枪声，接着只有远方加速的击鼓声打破宁静。那些没模 (He fires. There is a flash, a loud report, then silence broken only 样的东西，又匆匆跑回森林。琼斯站在那儿不by the far-off, quickened throb of the tom-tom. The formless 动，倾听动静。那声枪声，手中觉出握着枪支，creatures have scurried back into the forest. Jones remains fixed in 这使他那紧张的神经多多少少恢复了镇定。他his position, listening intently. The sound of the shot, the reassuring 又自信地自言自语起来。 feel of the revolver in his hand, have somewhat restored his shaken 它们滚蛋了。那一枪解决了它们。那只是nerve. He addresses himself with renewed confidence.) 些小动物——可能是一群小野猪。也许就是它们把我的吃的掏出来吃掉了。当然，你这个傻 Dey’re gone. Dat shot fix ‘em. Dey was only little animals—little 黑汉子，你把它们当什么啦——鬼怪吗？(激动wild pigs, I reckon. Dey’ve maybe rooted out yo’ grub an’ eat it. 地)天哪，你开那一枪，可把自己暴露了。那帮Sho’, you fool nigger, what you think dey is—ha’nts? (excitedly) 黑鬼准听见了这声枪声！别再等待，赶快 Gorry, you give de game away when you fire dat shot. Dem niggers 进树林吧。(他开始向树林走去——进去之前heah dat fo’ su’tin! Time you beat it in de woods widout no long 又犹豫一下——接着拿出男子汉大丈夫的决心waits. (He starts for the forest—hesitates before the plunge—then 鼓励自己)进去吧，黑汉子！你还怕什么？那儿urging himself in with manful resolution.) Git in, nigger! What you 除了树木之外，啥也没有啊！进去吧！(他鼓起skeered at? Ain’t nothin’ dere but de trees! Git in! (He plunges 勇气冲进树林。) boldly into the forest.) SCENE THREE In the forest. The moon has just risen. Its beams, drifting through
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第三场 [在森林里。月亮赶刚升起，只有一片令人毛骨the canopy of leaves, make a barely perceptible, suffused, eerie glow. A dense low wall of under-brush and creepers is in the nearer foreground, fencing in a small triangular clearing. Beyond this is the massed blackness of the forest like an encompassing barrier. A path is dimly discerned leading down to the clearing from left, rear, and winding away from it again toward the right. As the scene opens nothing can be distinctly made out. Except for the beating of the tom-tom, which is a trifle louder and quicker than in the previous scene, there is silence, broken every few seconds by a queer, clicking sound. Then gradually the figure of the negro, Jeff, can be discerned crouching on his haunches at the rear of the triangle. He is middle-aged, thin, brown in color, is dressed in a Pullman porter’s uniform, cap, etc. He is throwing a pair of dice on the ground before him, picking them up, shaking them, casting them out with the regular, rigid, mechanical movements of an automaton. The heavy, plodding footsteps of someone approaching along the trail from the left are heard and Jones’ voice, pitched in a slightly higher key and strained in a cheering effort to overcome its own tremors. De moon’s rizen. Does you heah dat, nigger? You gits more light from dis out. No mo’ buttin’ yo’ fool head agin’ de trunks an’ scratchin’ de hide off yo’ legs in de bushes. Now you sees whar yo’se gwine. So cheer up! From now on you has a snap. (He steps just to the rear of the triangular clearing and mops off his face on his sleeve. He has lost his Panama hat. His face is scratched, his brilliant uniform shows several large rents.) what time’s it gittin’ to be, I wonder? I dassent light no match to find out. Phoo’. It’s wa’m an’ dats a fac’! (wearily) How long r been makin’ tracks in dese woods? Must be hours an’ hours. Seems like fo’evah! Yit can’t be, when de moon’s jes’ riz. Dis am a long night fo’ yo’, yo’ Majesty! (with a mournful chuckle) Majesty! Der ain’t much majesty ‘bout dis baby now. (with attempted cheerfulness) Never min’. It’s all part o’ de game. Dis night come to an end like everything else. And when you gits dar safe and has dat bankroll in yo’ hands you laughs at all dis. (He starts to whistle but checks himself abruptly.) What yo’ whistlin’ for, you po’ dope! Want all de won’ to heah you? (He stops talking to listen.) Heah dat ole drum! Sho’ gits nearer from de sound. Dey’re packin’ it along wid ‘em. Time fo’ me to move. (He takes a step forward, then stops—worriedly.) What’s dat odder queer clicketty sound I heah? Den it is! Sound close! Sound like—sound like—Fo’ God sake, sound like some nigger was shootin’ crap! (frightenedly) I better beat it quick when I gits dem notions. (He walks quickly into the clear space—then stands transfixed as he sees Jeff in a terrified gasp.) Who dar? Who dat? Is dat you, Jeff? (starting toward the other, forgetful for a moment of his surroundings and really believing it is a living man that he sees—in a tone of happy relief) Jeff! I’se sho’ mighty glad to see you! Dey tol’ me you done died from dat razor cut I gives you. (stopping suddenly, bewilderedly) But how you come to be heah, nigger? (He stares fascinatedly at the other who continues his mechanical play with the dice. Jones’ eyes begin to roll wildly. He
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悚然的微光在枝叶顶上闪闪移动。前景是一排密密麻麻的矮树丛和蔓藤，形成一小块三角空地。后面是黑糊糊的森林，想一个环形围绕屏障。左后方隐约可见一条小道通到林中这块空旷地，又朝右方迂回延伸而去。幕启时，台上什么也看不清楚，除了手鼓咚咚声之外，一片宁静，鼓声比前一场幕落时稍微更响点，更紧了些。每隔几秒钟就有一阵古怪的卡嗒嗒嗒声。接着，黑人杰夫在三角空地后面蹲伏的身躯渐渐显露出来；他中年，棕色皮肤，瘦削，身穿一件火车卧车箱里的茶房制服，戴一顶制服帽。他正往身前的地上掷两颗色子，拾起来，在手中摇晃几下，又自动作出僵硬而机械的动作掷下去。这时从左边小道传来一阵沉重而缓慢的脚步声，越来越近。琼斯的嗓音较前稍尖一点，还尽力显得欢欣，以克服自己的恐惧。 月亮升了起来。你听见了没有，黑汉子？这样你就可以有点亮光了，再也不会把你那个傻瓜脑袋往树干上撞啦，那些矮树丛也不会刮破你大腿上的皮啦。现在你可以看见往哪儿走了，所以说，别懊丧！从现在起，，你就可以便当地快快赶路啦。(他正好站在三角空地的后方，用衣袖檫脸上的汗。那顶巴拿马草帽已经丢失。脸被划破了，那件辉煌的制服已经有多处被撕破)现在也不知道是几点钟了？我不会再划亮火柴来看看几点钟了。呸！今天可真够热的！(乏累地)我在这个树林里到底赶了多久的路？准有好几个钟头吧。真好象过了一辈子似的！不可能是那么回事，月亮不是刚升起来吗？这对您来说可是个漫长的夜晚，皇帝陛下！(苦笑一下)陛下！现在再也没有什么陛下，只剩下这个宝贝儿啦！(勉强欢笑)没关系。这只是一部分戏法儿。这个夜晚跟别的洋样事儿一样总有个尽头，等你安全到达那边，手里捏着大把钞票时，你就会嘲笑这一切啦！(他吹起口哨，又立刻停止)你出吹什么口哨啊，你这个可怜的笨蛋！要让人人都听见你吗？(他顿住，探听四周的动静)听那面破鼓！从声音上听起来，可是越来越近了，他们一路上都带着它呐。我该活动活动啦。(他朝前边迈步，又停下来——焦虑地)这种奇怪的卡嗒卡嗒声是怎么回事？又来了！声音好象不太远！好象——好象——老天爷，好象是哪个黑鬼在掷色子呐！(惊恐地)我要是不让他们发觉，还是趁早溜掉为妙！(他急忙地走进那块空地——他一看到杰夫就呆住了，惊恐地透不过气)谁在那儿？你是谁？是你吗，杰夫？(朝对方走去，顷刻间忘掉了四周的环境，真的相信他看见的是个活人——欣慰地)杰夫！见到你，我可甭提多高兴啦！别人告诉我，我那回用剃刀砍了你一家伙，你当真死了。