' Ten pence for a view over the bay' . said the old man with the telescope.'Lovely clear morning. Have a look at the old lighthouse and the remains of the great shipwreck o f 1935.'十便士看一次海湾风光，”那个带着一架望远镜的老头说道：“多么晴朗美丽的早晨。

请来看看那古老的灯塔和1935年失事的大轮船残骸吧。

”Ten pence was sheer robbery, but the view was certainly magnificent. 要十便士简直是敲诈勒索，可是海湾的景色确实壮丽。

Cliffs stretched into the distance, sparkling waves whipped by the wind were unrolling on to the b each, and a few yachts, with creamy-white sails, were curving and dodging gracefully on the sea . Just below, a flock of seagulls were screaming at one another as they twisted and glided over the water. A mile out to sea, the old lighthouse stood on a stone platform on the rocks, which were b eing greedily licked by the waves. In no way indeed did I grudge my money. As I directed the teles cope towards the lighthouse, the man beside me tapped my wrist.峭壁向远方伸展，海风激起的阵阵波浪泛着白花，冲上海滩。

海面上几艘游艇张着乳白色的风帆优雅地避开浪头蜿蜓前进。

山崖下面，一群海鸥相互叫唤着，在海面上盘旋飞翔。

离岸一英里处，在海浪贪婪地吮舔着的岩岸上，那座古老的灯塔矗立在一座石头平台上。

说实话，我毫不吝惜那几个钱。

当我把望远镜转朝灯塔时，站在我身旁的那个老头拍了拍我的手腕。

' Have you heard about the terrible tragedy that occurred there in that lighthouse?' he asked in a hushed whisper.'I imagine there may be plenty of legends attached to such a dramatic-looking place' , I suggested .“您听过在那座灯塔里发生的一起骇人听闻的惨案吗?”他压低了嗓声对我说。

“我想这个地方看起来非常富有戏剧性，有关它的传说一定不少，”我说。

'It's no legend' , declared the old man.'My father knew the two men involved. It all took place fift y years ago to-day. Let me tell you.His voice seemed to grow deeper and more dramatic.“这可不是传说，”那老头郑重其事地说。

“我父亲认识那起惨案的两个当事人。

一切都发生在50年前的今天。

让我说给您听听吧。

”他的声音似乎变得更低沉、更富有戏剧性了。

'For a whole week that lighthouse had been isolated by storms' , he began, 'with terrifying seas s urging and crashing over the rocks. People on shore were anxious about the two men working th ere. They'd been on the best of terms until two or three weeks before, when they had quarrelled over cards in the village inn. Martin had accused Blake of cheating. Blake had vowed to avenge th e insult to his honour. But thanks to the wise advice of a man they both respected, they apologise d to each other, and soon seemed to have got over their disagreement. But some slight resentme nt and bitterness remained. and it was feared that the strain of continued isolation and rough we ather might affect their nerves, though, needless to say, their friends had no idea how serious the consequences would be.“整整一个礼拜，风暴困住了那座灯塔，”他开始说。

“咆啸的大海波涛汹涌，海浪拍打着岩石，轰然作响。

岸上的人们十分担心在那儿工作的两个人。

他们俩是多年的挚友，但在两三个礼拜前，他们在乡村酒店里玩牌时吵了一架。

马丁指责布莱克打牌时耍赖，布莱克则发誓要对侮辱他人格的不实之辞进行报复。

多亏一位他们俩都尊敬的人好言相劝，他们才互相道了歉，并以乎很快地结束了他们之间的不快。

不过各自心里还有些怨恨。

因此，人们担心长时间与世隔绝所造成的极度紧张和恶劣的天气会使他们俩神经过敏，尽管两人的朋友们不消说还根本没意识到后果会有多么严重。

”'Fifty years ago to-night, no light appeared in the tower, and only at two o'clock in the morning di d the beam suddenly start to flash out its warning again. 'The next morning the light was still visib le. The storm had almost blown itself out, so a relief boat set out to investigate. A grim discovery awaited the crew . The men's living-room was in a horrifying state. The table was over-turned: a p ack of playing cards was scattered everywhere: bloodstains splashed the floor. The relief men cli mbed the winding stair to the lantern room and there discovered Martin's body, crouched beside the burning lamp. He had been stabbed and was dead. Two days later, Blake's body was washed u p. scratched, bruised, and terribly injured.“离今50年前的那个晚上，灯塔上没有出现灯光，直到凌晨两点钟左右才有一束灯光突然发出警告信号。

“第二天早上，灯光依然可见。

风暴已经平息了，人们派出一条救生船前去查看情况。

等待人们的却是一个不忍目睹的场面——马丁和布莱克的起居室一片骇人景象，桌子翻倒在地，一副牌散得到处都是，地板上溅满了血迹。

营救人员爬上旋梯来到灯塔间，在那儿发现了马丁的尸体蜷缩在仍然亮着的灯旁。

他是被戳死的。

两天后，布莱克的尸体被潮水冲了上来，他身上划破多处，浑身青肿，伤得不轻。

' Only then could we really start guessing what had happened. This great tragedy could only have been due to a renewal of their quarrel. Bored and depressed as a result of their isolation, Martin and Blake must have started to play cards. Again suspecting cheating, Martin had accused his for mer friend of dishonesty; a fight had broken out and Blake had seized his knife. In a fit of madnes s he had attacked his companion, who had fallen mortally wounded. Then, appalled by what he h ad done, the loneliness, the battering of wind and waves, Blake had rushed to the parapet and flu ng himself on to the rocks below, where the sea had claimed him.“我们只是在那时才猜测到究竟发生了什么事。

这场大惨剧只是由于他们俩再次争吵而引起的。