“His arm，” said Chad， “is harder than a diamond. He introduced me to what he called a shoreperplexus punch， and thats was like being kicked twice by a mustang. Hes playin it low down on you， Curt. He aint no sickern I am. I hate to say it， but the runts workin you for range and shelter.”
“他的胳臂，”查德说，“比金刚石还要硬。他教我怎么打人家的大洋神经丛，谁挨他一拳简直像给野马连踢两下。他在耍你呢，老柯。他不会比我病得更凶。我本来不愿意讲出来，可是那小子在你这儿蒙吃蒙住，我不得不讲了。”
The cattlemans ingenuousingenuous adj.坦白的， 自然的， 直率的 mind refused to entertain Chads view of the case， and when， later， he came to apply the test， doubt entered not into his motives.
牧场主是个实在人，不愿意接受查德对这件事的看法。后来，当他替麦圭尔检查身体时，动机也不是怀疑。
One day， about noon， two men drove up to the ranch， alighted， hitched， and came in to dinner， standing and general invitationsinvitation n.邀请， 招待 being the custom of the country. One of them was a great San Antonio doctor， whose costly services had been engaged by a wealthy cowman who had been laid low by an accidental bullet. He was now being driven back to the station to take the train back to town. After dinner Raidler took him aside， pushed a twentydollar bill against his hand， and said：“Doc， theres a young chapchap n.<俗>伙伴， 家伙， 小伙子， 颚， 颊 v.(使)皲裂 in that room I guess has got a bad case of consumption. Id like for you to look him over and see just how bad he is， and if we can do anything for him.”
一天中午时分，有两个人来到牧场，下了马，把它们拴好，然后进去吃饭；这地方的风俗是好客的。其中一个人是圣安东尼奥著名的收费高昂的医师，因为一个富有的牧场主给走火的枪打伤了，请他去医治。现在他被伴送到火车站，搭车回城里。饭后，雷德勒把他拉到一边，塞了一张二十元的钞票给他，说道：“大夫，那间屋子里有个小伙子，大概害着很严重的肺病。我希望你去给他检查一下，看他病到什么程度，有没有办法治治。”
“How much was that dinner I just ate， Mr. Raidler？” said the doctor bluffly， looking over his spectaclesspectacles n. 眼镜. Raidler returned the money to his pocket. The doctor immediately entered McGuires room， and the cattleman seated himself upon a heap of saddles on the gallery， ready to reproach himself in the event the verdict should be unfavourable.
“我刚才吃的那顿饭要多少钱呢，雷德勒先生？”医师从眼镜上缘看出来，直率地说。雷德勒把钞票放回口袋。医师立即走进麦圭尔的房间，牧场主在回廊里的一堆马鞍上坐着，假如诊断结果不妙，他真要埋怨自己了。
In ten minutes the doctor came briskly out. “Your man，” he said promptly， “is as sound as a new dollar. His lungs are better than mine. Respiration， temperature， and pulse normal. Chest expansion four inches. Not a sign of weakness anywhere. Of course I didnt examine for the bacillusbacillus n.杆状菌， 细菌， but it isnt there. You can put my name to the diagnosis. Even cigarettes and a vilely close room havent hurt him. Coughs， does he？ Well， you tell him it isnt necessary. You asked if there is anything we could do for him. Well， I advise you to set him digging postholes or breaking mustangs. Theres our team ready. Goodday， sir.” And like a puff of wholesome， blusteryblustery adj.大风的， 吵闹的 wind the doctor was off.
不出十分钟，医师大踏步走了出来。“你那个病人，”他马上说，“跟一枚新铸的钱币那么健全。他的肺比我的还好。呼吸、体温和脉搏都正常。胸围扩张有四英寸。浑身找不到衰弱的迹象。当然啦，我没有检验结核杆菌，不过不可能有。这个诊断，我完全负责。即使拼命抽烟，关紧窗子，把屋子里的空气弄得污浊不堪，对他也没有妨碍。有点咳嗽，是吗？你告诉他完全没有必要。你刚才问有没有办法替他治治。唔，我劝你让他去打木桩，或者去驯服野马。我们要上路啦。再见，先生。”医师像一股清新的劲风那样，飞也似的走了。
Raidler reached out and plucked a leaf from a mesquite bush by the railing， and began chewing it thoughtfully.
雷德勒伸手摘了一片栏杆旁边的牧豆树的叶子，沉思地嚼着。
The branding season was at hand， and the next morning Ross Hargis， foreman of the outfit， was mustering his force of some twentyfive men at the ranch， ready to start for the San Carlos range， where the work was to begin. By six oclock the horses were all saddled， the grub wagon ready， and the cowpunchers were swinging themselves upon their mounts， when Raidler bade them wait. A boy was bringing up an extra pony， bridled and saddled， to the gate. Raidler walked to McGuires room and threw open the door. McGuire was lying on his cot， not yet dressed， smoking.
替牛群打烙印的季节快要到了。第二天早晨，牛队的头目，罗斯·哈吉斯在牧场上召集了二十五个人，准备到即将开始打烙印的圣卡洛斯牧场去。六点钟，马都备了鞍，装粮食的大车也安排就绪，牧童们陆续上马，这当儿，雷德勒叫他们稍等片刻。一个小厮牵了一匹鞍辔齐全的小马来到门口。雷德勒走进麦圭尔的房间，猛地打开门。麦圭尔正躺在床上抽烟，衣服也没有穿好。
“Get up.” said the cattleman， and his voice was clear and brassybrassy adj.像黄铜的， 厚脸皮的 n.铜头高尔夫球棍， like a bugle.
“起来。”牧场主说，他的声音像号角那样响亮。
“Hows that？” asked McGuire， a little startled.
“怎么回事？”麦圭尔有点吃惊地问道。
“Get up and dress. I can stand a rattlesnakerattlesnake n.<美>［动］响尾蛇， but I hate a liar. Do I have to tell you again？” He caught McGuire by the neck and stood him on the floor.
“起来穿好衣服。我可以容忍一条响尾蛇，可是我讨厌骗子。还要我再对你说一遍吗？”他揪住麦圭尔的脖子，把他拖到地上。
“Say， friend，” cried McGuire wildly， “are you bughouse？ Im sick—see？ Ill croak if I got to hustle. Whatve I done to yer？”—He began his chronicchronic adj.慢性的， 延续很长的 whine—“I never asked yer to—”
“喂，朋友，”麦圭尔狂叫说，“你疯了吗？我有病——明白吗？我多动就会送命。我什么地方跟你过不去？”——他又搬出他那套牢骚来了——“我从没有求你——”
“Put on your clothes.” called Raidler in a rising tone.
“穿好衣服。”雷德勒的嗓音越来越响了。
Swearing， stumbling， shivering， keeping his amazed， shining eyes upon the now menacing form of the aroused cattleman， McGuire managed to tumble into his clothes. Then Raidler took him by the collar and shoved him out and across the yard to the extra pony hitched at the gate. The cowpunchers lolled in their saddles， openmouthed.
麦圭尔咒骂，踉跄，哆嗦、同时用吃惊的亮眼睛盯着激怒的牧场主那吓人的模样，终于拖泥带水地穿上了衣服。雷德勒揪住他的衣领，走出房间，穿过院子，把他一直推到拴在门口的那匹另备的小马旁边。牧童们张着嘴，懒洋洋地坐在马鞍上。
“Take this man，” said Raidler to Ross Hargis， “and put him to work. Make him work hard， sleep hard， and eat hard. You boys know I done what I could for him， and he was welcome. Yesterday the best doctor in San Antone examined him， and says hes got the lungs of a burro and the constitution of a steer. You know what to do with him， Ross.”
“把这个人带走，”雷德勒对罗斯·哈吉斯说，“叫他干活。叫他多干，多睡，多吃。你们知道我已经尽力照顾了他，并且是真心实意的。昨天，圣安东尼奥最好的医师替他检查身体，说他的肺跟驴子一样健全，体质跟公牛一样结实。你知道该怎么对付他，罗斯。”
Ross Hargis only smiled grimly.
罗斯·哈吉斯没有回答，只是阴沉地笑了笑。
“Aw，” said McGuire， looking intently at Raidler， with a peculiarpeculiar adj.奇特的， 罕见的， 特殊的 n.特有财产， 特权 expression upon his face， “the croaker said I was all right， did he？ Said I was fakin， did he？ You put him onto me. You thought I wasnt sick. You said I was a liar. Say， friend， I talked rough， I know， but I didnt mean most of it. If you felt like I did—aw！ I forgot—I aint sick， the croakercroaker n.嘎声的人， 喊冤者 says. Well， friend， now Ill go work for yer. Heres where you play even.”
“噢，”麦圭尔凝视着雷德勒说，神情有点特别，“那个大夫说我没病，是吗？说我装假，是吗？你找他来看我的。你以为我没病。你说我是骗子。喂，朋友，我知道自己说话粗暴，可是我多半不是存心的。假如你到了我的地步——噢，我忘啦——那个大夫说我没病。好吧，朋友，现在我去替你干活。这才是公平交易。”