William Wilson is not my name．But I shall use it in this story because my real name is too well known， too hated in every corner of the world． My evil crimes have made sure of that．And as the day of my death comes nearer，I feel the need to write， to explain to you how my life of crime began.
威廉·威尔逊并不是我的名字，但我将在这个故事中使用它，因为我的真名实姓早已在世界上每一个角落广为人知、深受憎恶了。我所犯下的邪恶罪行确保了这一点。由于我的死期正一天天临近，我觉得有必要诉诸笔墨，向诸位解释一下我的犯罪生涯是如何开始的。
Most men become evil slowly．They start with little crimes and then move on to bigger ones．But I am different．I moved into real crime with just one big step．Has any man lived a life as evil as mine？ But now， the shadow of death fills me with fear；day and night I have the most terrible dreams．Perhaps someone， somewhere， will feel sorry for me．Listen to my story…
人们走向堕落大都是一步步地来，开始时犯些小过错，接下来罪行便愈犯愈大。但我的情形完全不同。我只消迈上一大步便堕入了真正的罪恶深渊。曾经有人像我一样经历过如此邪恶的一生吗？可是现在，死亡的阴影使我的内心充满了恐惧，我没日没夜地做最可怕的噩梦。也许在某个地方有某个人会为我感到难过。请听我的故事……

I was a wild and excitable child．My parents worried about me and often tried to punish me， but they never succeeded in changing me．I refused to obey them and I never followed any orders that they gave me．I wanted to be free so I listened only to myself．
我小时候是个野性十足、容易激动的孩子，我父母很为我操心，总想惩罚我，但他们从未成功地令我有所改变。我拒不服从他们，从不照着他们给我的指令去做。我一心想自由自在地生活，于是干什么都是我行我素。
The first school that I can remember was a large and very old house in a small， quiet English village．As I write，I can sill feel the coolness of the shadowy gardens near the house． I can smell the sweetness of the flowers and hear the deep sound of the church bells as they rang every hour.
我记得我上的第一所学校是位于英格兰一座僻静的小村庄中的一栋非常古旧的大房子。我现在一边写，一边还能感觉到房子旁边那幽暗的花园里的丝丝凉意，还能嗅到花朵的芬芳，听到每当整点时便敲响的深沉的教堂钟声。
These feelings give me some moments of happiness as I sit here in black misery， waiting for death．In fact，it is here，in this school，that my story really begins…
当我无比凄惨地在这里坐以待毙的时候，这些感觉给了我片刻的欢悦。事实上，我的故事就是从这里、从这所学校真正开始的……

I was the kind of boy who liked to give orders，not to take them．I always wanted to win every game，every fight，and to be first in everything．All the other boys，even those a bit older than myself，were happy to follow and obey me．All，that is，except one．His name was the same as mine，so I shall call him William William，too．We were not from the same family，but we both had the same name．This was not surprising because my name was not an unusual one．
我是那种喜欢对别人发号施令、而不喜欢听人家指挥的男孩，总是想赢得每一场游戏、每一场争斗，想在任何一件事上当老大。所有其他男孩，甚至那些比我稍微大一点的，都乐于追随我，服从我。所有人都如此，只是有一个人除外。他的名字和我的一模一样，所以我将同样把他也称为威廉·威尔逊。我们俩并不是来自同一个家庭，但都叫同一个名字。这没什么可奇怪的，因为我的名字又不是那么不常见。
This William Wilson refused to obey me．He argued with me， both in class and in the playground，and tried to stop the other boys from following me．Actually，I think I was the only boy who realized what he was doing．He did everything very cleverly and silently， and in this way nobody really noticed it．But I-I noticed what he did，and I was frightened by it．
这个威廉·威尔逊拒绝服从我。他跟我争执不下，从课堂里吵到操场上，还试图阻止其他男孩追随我。实际上，我想我是唯一一个意识到他在这样做的男孩。他将每一件事都做得非常巧妙、不动声色，这样，就不会有人真正注意到了。然而我——我注意到了他的所作所为，并且因此害怕起来。
I was afraid that Wilson was stronger than I was．I became worried and angry when I saw the other boys follow him instead of me．But Wilson was always cool and calm．Nothing ever troubled him．He seemed to want one thing only-to see me fright-ened and unhappy．But at the same time I sometimes noticed that he showed a friendliness towards me-which was most unwelcome to me．
我真怕威尔逊比我更强大。每当我看见其他男孩撇下我去追随他，我就变得心急如焚，怒不可遏。但威尔逊总是那样冷静、镇定。什么都不曾让他为难。他似乎只需要一件事——看我受惊吓和闷闷不乐。但与此同时，我注意到，他有时向我作出了友好的表示——这可是最让我不能接受的。
It is difficult for me to describe my feelings towards Wilson．I didn't hate him，but neither did I like him．I think that，more than anything，I felt afraid of him．At the same time I wanted to know more about him．I wanted to find something that frightened or worried him．But I could find nothing．There was nothing strange in the way he looked or walked．Nothing，that is，except for one thing-his voice．His voice was strange．When he spoke，he could never speak loudly．In fact， he never spoke above a whisper．
我很难形容我对威尔逊的感情。我不恨他，但也不喜欢他。我想，最主要的感情是，我害怕他；同时我又想对他有更多的了解，以便从中找出一些令他提心吊胆和焦躁不安的东西。但我一无所获。他的模样或走路的样子都没有什么古怪之处，但是称得上特别的有一样——就是他的声音。他的声音很古怪。他开口的时候，从来不能高声讲话。事实上，他的说话声比耳语也强不了多少。

Wilson was quick to find the one thing that I really did not like．It was my name．Although I come from an old and famous family，my name is a very everyday one．It could belong to any unimportant workman．I had always hated my name， but now I hated it even more because both of us had the same name．I heard it twice as often．And there was something that worried me even more deeply．We seemed to look alike as well．We were as tall as one another，we were both thin，and even our faces were alike．Because our names were the same，I knew that the older boys thought that we were brothers， but nobody seemed to notice that we looked alike．But Wilson noticed it and he also saw that I was angry about it．Nothing ever escaped him．He always knew my deepest feelings．
威尔逊机敏地发现有一件东西是我真正不喜欢的。那就是我的名宇。尽管我出身于声名显赫的古老世家，但我的名字却是个大路货，它可以归任何一个微不足道的劳动者所有。我一向憎恶我这名字，但现在对它的深恶痛绝又加深了一层，因为我们两个用的都是这同一个名字，我现在听到它的次数成了先前的两倍。还有一件事情更是令我深为烦恼。我们两个看上去非常相像，个头一般高，都很瘦，甚至面容都很相像。我知道因为我们两个的名字一样，大一些的男孩子们都以为我们是兄弟，但好像还没有人注意到我们长相类似。然而，威尔逊注意到了这一点，还看出我对此非常生气。什么也逃不过他的眼睛。他总能洞悉我心底隐藏得最深的情感。
After a while he started to dress like me，and even to walk like me．Luckily，he could not speak like me when I spoke loudly，but when I spoke in a whisper，his whisper was just like mine．
过了一阵子，他开始在穿着打扮、甚至走路的步态上模仿我。还好，我高声讲话的时候他模仿不了我，但是，一旦我悄声低语，他的悄声低语就同我的惟妙惟肖。
All these things troubled me deeply．I could see that Wilson enjoyed making me angry，and he used to laugh at me secretly．Strangely， the other boys never noticed how he made fun of me，and copied me in every way．I was the only one who noticed it.
所有这一切都深深困扰着我。我看得出威尔逊为惹我生气而乐不可支，而且常常在背地里笑话我。奇怪的是，其他男孩竟然从未觉察到他是如何拿我开玩笑，如何千方百计地模仿我。注意到这一点的只有我一个人。
Very often he used to give me advice，telling me quietly what I should do or what I should say．I hated him even more when he did this．Today，of course， I realize that his advice was always very good and sensible．What a pity that I never followed it！
他非常频繁地向我提出忠告，轻声指点我应当怎样做事，怎样讲话。他这么做的时候我就更加厌恶他。当然了，时至今日，我认识到这些忠告往往是大有益处、入情入理的。多么可惜啊，我竟然从未照着去做过！
As time went by，I became more and more angry with him．Why should he，or anyone， give me advice？My feelings towards him changed and I actually began to hate him．He noticed this and tried not to come near me so much．
时光流逝，我对他的怒气也与日俱增。凭什么要让他，或者随便什么人，来向我提出告诫？我对他的感情改变了，实际上我已开始憎恨他。他注意到这一点，便尽量不与我过分接近。
One day，towards the end of my fifth year at school we had a violent argument．While we were arguing， he showed his feelings more openly than usual，and a very strange idea came into my mind．I thought-how can I describe it？-I thought just for a second or two that I had known him before，a long，long time ago，when we were very young children．It was，as I say，a strange and very stupid idea，and I forgot it as quickly as I could.
我入学校读书将近五个年头的时候，有一天，在我们之间爆发了一场激烈的争吵。在吵架过程中，他比往常更为公开地表达了自己的思想感情，这时，一个非常奇怪的念头出现在我的头脑之中。我想——叫我怎么说呢？——也就那么一两秒钟吧，我想，我是早就认识他的，在很久很久以前、当我们还都是小孩子的时候就认识他了。正如我所说，这是个非常愚蠢的古怪想法，于是我尽可能快地把它忘掉了。

I had heard that Glendinning was very rich indeed-rich enough to lose a lot of money and not to worry about it．Now，I understood from the whispers around the table，that this was not true．I had，in fact，won everything he owned，and so destroyed him．
我原来听说格兰丁尼其实非常富有——足够让他输掉一大笔钱而又用不着为此着急上火。现在，我从牌桌旁人们的窃窃私语中得知，事实并非如此。实际上，我把他赢了个倾家荡产，并且就此毁了他。
Nobody spoke．Glendinning had covered his face with his hands and everyone clearly felt very sorry for him．Even I began to feel a little worried，and wondered what I should do.
没有人说话。格兰丁尼用双手捂着脸，大家显然都为他感到难过。连我都觉得有点不安，不知该怎样做才好。
As we stood in silence，the doors suddenly opened and a strong wind filled the room．It blew out all the candles in the room and we were left in darkness．But in the few seconds before the candles went out，we noticed that a man had entered the room．He was about as tall as I was，and his face and body were hidden by a long cloak．As we stood in the darkness，we could feel him standing in the room．
我们正默默无语地站着，突然，房门打开了，一股强风吹进了屋子，将屋子中所有的蜡烛都吹灭了，我们便陷入一片黑暗之中。但就在蜡烛熄灭之前几秒钟，我们注意到一个人已经进了这间屋子。他大概同我一般高矮，脸和身体都被一领长斗篷遮住了。当我们置身于黑暗之中时，我们能够感觉到他就站在屋子里。
Then he began to speak．He spoke in a whisper，and his voice filled me with fear．‘Gentlemen，’he said.‘I am here because I have something important to tell you．I am afraid that you do not really know the man who has just won so much money from Glendinning．Let me tell you how to learn more about him．Please look very carefully inside his left sleeve and at the several little packets inside the large pockets of his jacket．’Immediately after these words he left the room，as silently as he had entered it.
然后他开口讲话了。他的说话声宛如耳语，这声音令我顿时充满了恐惧。“先生们，”他说道，“我到这儿来是因为有重要的事情要告诉诸位。我恐怕你们并不真正了解刚刚从格兰丁尼手中赢了这样一大笔钱的那个人。我来告诉你们怎样进一步摸清他的底细。请十分仔细地查看他左边衣袖的里侧，还有他上衣大口袋里面的那几个小包。”他说完这番话，便立即离开了这间屋子，像他进来时一样悄无声息。
That moment was one of the worst moments of my life．I had no time to do anything．My friends fell on me angrily，lit the candles again，and searched my clothes．They found the single cards hidden carefully inside my left sleeve，and in my pockets they discovered the packets of special cards which helped me to win every game I played．
那一刻是我一生中经历过的最糟糕的时刻之一。我没机会做任何动作了。我的朋友们愤怒地向我扑来，重新点起蜡烛，检查了我的衣眼。他们发现我的左衣袖里面小心地藏着些单张的纸牌，又在我的衣袋里找到几包特殊的纸牌，这些牌帮助我在玩的每一盘牌戏中取胜。
My friends stood around me in a circle and looked at me in silence．Mr．Preston then picked up a cloak from the floor．‘Mr．Wilson，’he said．‘Here is your cloak． You will，I hope，leave my room，and then leave Oxford immediately．’
我的朋友们围着我站成一圈，一言不发地望着我。然后普雷斯顿先生从地板上拾起一件斗篷。“威尔逊先生，”他说，“这是你的斗篷。我希望你离开我的房间，然后马上离开牛津。”
I wanted to hit him，but something stopped me．It was the cloak that Preston was holding in his hands．Although it looked like my cloak，I knew that it wasn't，because my own cloak was already over my left arm．It was a very unusual and expensive cloak，which a shop had made specially for me．How was it possible that there was now another cloak just like it？
我想揍他，但什么东西阻止了我。是普雷斯顿手里拿着的那件斗篷。尽管它看上去像是我的斗篷，但我知道它不是，因为我自己的斗篷早就在我的左胳膊上搭着了。那是件与众不同、非常昂贵的斗篷，是一家商店为我特制的。现在，另有一件斗篷同它极为相像，这怎么可能呢？
I thought back to the moment when the stranger had come into the room．Yes，he had been wearing a cloak too… Full of fear，I quickly took the cloak from Mr．Preston and left the room．The next morning I left Oxford and escaped to Europe．I was now known to be a cheat at cards and every door in England would be closed against me．
我回想起陌生人闯进屋子的那一刻。是的，他也披着一件斗篷……我满心恐惧，迅速从普雷斯顿先生手中接过斗篷，离开了这间屋子。第二天早晨，我离开了牛津，逃到欧洲大陆上去。我现在因为玩牌作弊而臭名昭著，英格兰的每一扇门都将对我关闭了。

But bad luck travelled with me．In fact I soon realized that my troubles at Oxford had been only the beginning… Soon after I arrived in Paris，I met William Wilson again．There，too，he destroyed my evil hopes．Everywhere I went， year after year，he appeared like a ghost and came between me and my plans．In Rome he stopped me from getting what I wanted．In Vienna，too-in Berlin，and even in Moscow！Wasn't there anywhere where I could be left alone？I went from city to city，trying to escape from him．But I couldn't feel free．I couldn't be alone．He followed me everywhere．
但是坏运气一直伴随着我。其实，我不久就认识到，我在牛津惹的麻烦仅仅是个开始……我到了巴黎之后不久，便又遇到了威廉·威尔逊。他在那里继续摧毁着我作恶的希望。年复一年，无论我走到哪儿，他都要像个鬼魂一样现身，在我和我的计划之间横插一杠子。在罗马，他阻止我去得到我想要的东西；在维也纳，我同样难遂心愿；在柏林，甚至在莫斯科，也是如此！难道就没有一个让我不受干扰的地方吗？我一座城市一座城市地漫游，试图躲开他，但一直不能获得自由的感觉，不能一个人独处。他跟着我到每一个地方。
Again and again I used to ask myself these questions．‘Who is he？Where does he come from？What does he want from me？’But I could find no answer．I thought deeply about all the times when I had seen him．In every city，I realized，Wilson had done the same thing．He had not stopped my plans all the time，but only when they were evil and dangerous，either to others or to myself．I understood all this，but still I was very angry．Why couldn't Wilson leave me alone？ Why couldn't he let me live in the way I wanted to？
我总是一遍又一遍地问自己这些问题：“他是谁？他从哪里来？他想从我这儿得到什么？”但我找不出任何答案。我深入反省每一次见到他的情形，意识到，威尔逊在每一座城市所做的都是同一件事情。他并不是总在阻止我实施自己的计划，而仅仅当那些计划是邪恶的和危险的（无论对其他人还是对我自己）之时，才不让它们得逞。这些我都明白，但我还是非常愤怒。为什么威尔逊就不能不干涉我呢？为什么他就不能让我按照自己的意愿生活呢？
I realized another thing too．Every time Wilson appeared，he had never let me see his face．I had always noticed his clothes．It was difficult not to notice them because they were always the same as mine．But he kept his face hidden from me．Why did he do this？Did he really think that I was so stupid？Did he think I hadn't realized who he was？The man who followed me everywhere and destroyed my plans again and again was the same William Wilson of my schooldays！But let me continue with my story．
我还意识到另外一件事。威尔逊每次出现的时候，从来都不让我看见他的脸。我过去一直留意他的穿着。我很难不去留意这一点，因为他总是穿着和我一样的衣服。然而他把自己的面孔向我掩藏起来了。他为什么要这样做？难道他真地以为我是如此愚蠢吗？难道他觉得我没有认出他是谁吗？那个跟着我到每一个地方、一遍又一遍地摧毁我的计划的人，就是我学生时代那同一个威廉·威尔逊！可是，让我接着讲我的故事。

来自 http://www.tingvoa.com/html/20120129/63640_3.html