Justine 淑女的眼泪 Chapter 7

While we were arguing thus, Dubois' four companions were drinking with the poacher, and as wine disposes the malefactor's heart to new crimes and causes him to forget his old, our bandits no sooner learned of my resolution than, unable to make me their accomplice ¹, they decided ² to make me their victim; their principles, their manners, the dark retreat we were in, the security they thought they enjoyed, their drunkenness, my age, my innocence ³ everything encouraged them. They get up from table, they confer in whispers, they consult Dubois, doings whose lugubrious ⁴ mystery makes me shiver with horror, and at last there comes an order to me then and there to satisfy the desires of each of the four; if I go to it cheerfully, each will give me a crown to help me along my way; if they must employ violence, the thing will be done all the same; but the better to guard their secret, once finished with me they will stab me, and will bury me at the foot of yonder tree., ,I need not paint the effect this cruel proposition had upon me, Madame, you will have no difficulty understanding that I sank to my knees before Dubois, I besought ⁶ her a second time to be my protectress: the low creature did but laugh at my tears:, ,"Oh by God !" quoth she, "here's an unhappy little one. What! you shudder ⁷ before the obligation to serve four fine big boys one after another? Listen to me," she added, after some reflection, "my sway over these dear lads is sufficiently ⁸ great for me to obtain a reprieve ⁹ for you upon condition you render yourself worthy ¹⁰ of it.", , ,"Join us, throw in your lot with us, and commit the same deeds, without show of the least repugnance ¹²; either that, or I cannot save you from the rest." I did not think myself in a position to hesitate; by accepting this cruel condition I exposed myself to further dangers, to be sure, but they were the less immediate ¹³; perhaps I might be able to avoid them, whereas nothing could save me from those with which I was actually menaced., ,"I will go everywhere with you, Madame," was my prompt answer to Dubois, "everywhere, I promise you; shield me from the fury of these men and I shall never leave your side while I live.", ,He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。,This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势 。