It were a wearinessweariness n.疲倦， 厌烦， 疲劳 to follow in detail the leaps and bounds the Foster fictitious finances took from this time forth. It was marvelous， it was dizzying， it was dazzling. Everything Aleck touched turned to fairy gold， and heaped itself glittering toward the firmamentfirmament n.天空， 太空， 苍天。 Millions upon millions poured in， and still the mighty stream flowed thundering along， still its vast volume increased. Five millions—ten millions—twenty—thirty—was there never to be an end？
如果继续跟踪福斯特家的虚财飞速增长的细枝末节，就有点儿乏味了。这一进程确实不可思议，令人眼花缭乱，头晕目眩。随便什么东西，艾莱柯都能点石成金，金光闪闪的财富越堆越高，直逼天穹。千百万的金钱流了进来，强大的财源仍然汹涌澎湃，巨大的流量还在不断增长。五百万——一千万——两千万——三千万——难道永无止境了吗？
Two years swept by in a splendid delirium， the intoxicated Fosters scarcely noticing the flight of time. They were now worth three hundred million dollars， they were in every board of directors of every prodigious combinecombine v.（使）联合， （使）结合 n.联合企业， 联合收割机n.联合收割机 in the country， and still as time drifted along， the millions went on piling up， five at a time， ten at a time， as fast as they could tally them off， almost. The three hundred double itself—then doubled again—and yet again—and yet once more.
两年的时光在一场前为壮观的狂热运动中匆匆度过，陶醉于其中的福斯特夫妇几乎没有留意时光流逝。他们如今拥有三亿块钱；在全国各大财团的董事会里，他们都有一席之地；而且随着时间的推移，财富还在一百万一百万地往上摞，一次一百万，一次一千万，快得让他们刚刚能算清楚。那三亿翻了一番——又翻了一番——一番接着一番。
Twentyfour hundred millions！
已经有二十四亿了！
The business was getting a little confused. It was necessary to take an account of stock， and straighten it out. The Fosters knew it， they felt it， they realized that it was imperativeimperative n.命令， 诫命， 需要， 规则， 祈使语气 adj.命令的，强制的， 紧急的， 必要的， 势在必行的， [语法］祈使的， but they also knew that to do it properly and perfectly the task must be carried to a finish without a break when once it was begun. A tenhours job， and where could THEY find ten leisure hours in a bunch？ Sally was selling pins and sugar and calico all day and every day， Aleck was cooking and washing dishes and sweepingsweeping n.扫除， 垃圾 adj.扫荡的， 彻底的， 广泛的，规模大的 and making beds all day and every day， with none to help， for the daughters were being saved up for high society. The Fosters knew there was one way to get the ten hours， and only one. Both were ashamed to name it， each waited for the other to do it. Finally Sally said：“Somebodys got to give in. Its up to me. Consider that Ive named it—never mind pronouncing it out aloud.”
慢慢地，他们的生意有点儿乱了。有必要把股票的账目清一清，理理头绪。这一点福斯特夫妇懂得，也感觉出来了。他们意识到这项工作是必不可少的；然而，他们也懂得，想圆满完成这项任务，就要善始善终，一旦开始就不能中途停顿。完成这项工作需要十个钟头；可是，他们哪有整整十个钟头的空闲时间呢？萨利一天到晚忙着卖别针，卖糖，卖印花布，每日不变；艾莱柯一天到晚忙着做饭、刷碗、打扫屋子、叠被铺床，天天如此，没人帮她干家务，因为两个女儿都养精蓄锐等着跻身上流社会呢。福斯特夫妇知道有办法能腾出十个钟头来，这办法只有一个。可是夫妇俩人羞于启齿；都想等着对方先开口。最后，萨利开口了： “总要有人让步，那我就让吧。既然我说了——声音大一点儿你也别在意。”
Aleck colored， but was grateful. Without further remark， they fell. Fell， and—broke the Sabbath. For that was their only free tenhour stretch. It was but another step in the downwarddownward adj.向下的 path. Others would follow. Vast wealth has temptations which fatally and surely undermine the moral structure of persons not habituatedhabituate vt.使习惯于， 使熟习于 to its possession.
艾莱柯红了脸，不过她很感激丈夫。他们没有再说下去，就自甘堕落了。这堕落就是不守安息日不干活的规矩。因为只有这样他们才有十个钟头的时间。这不过是在堕落的道路上迈出的又一步。其他的堕落行为会接踵而来。巨额财富的诱惑是致命的，足以攻破修炼不深者的道德防线。
They pulled down the shades and broke the Sabbath. With hard and patient labor they overhauled their holdings and listed them. And a longdrawn procession of formidableformidable adj.强大的， 令人敬畏的， 可怕的， 艰难的 names it was！ Starting with the Railway Systems， Steamer Lines， Standard Oil， Ocean Cables， Diluted Telegraph， and all the rest， and winding up with Klondike， De Beers， Tammany Graft， and Shady Privileges in the Postoffice Department.
他们放下窗帘，不守安息日的规矩了。经过艰苦细致的工作，他们把持有的股票清点一遍，逐一造册。这一长串鼎鼎大名真吓人啊！从铁路系统公司、汽船公司、标准石油公司、越洋电缆公司、稀声电报公司，如此等等的其他公司，直到克朗代克金矿、德比尔斯钻石矿、塔马尼贪财公司和邮政部的暧昧特权公司。
Twentyfour hundred millions， and all safely planted in Good Things， giltedged and interestbearing. Income， 120，000，000 a year. Aleck fetched a long purrpurr v.咕噜咕噜叫， 发出喉音 n.咕噜咕噜声 of soft delight， and said：“Is it enough？”
二十四亿块钱，全都稳稳当当地投在绩优股上，财源茂盛，稳赚不赔。每年的收入是一亿二千万。艾莱柯轻松愉快地吐了一口长气说：“够了吧？”
“It is， Aleck.”
“够了，艾莱柯。”
“What shall we do？”
“那咱们怎么办呢？”
“Stand pat.”
“就此打住。”
“Retire from business？”
“洗手不干了？”
“Thats it.”
“说得对。”
“I am agreed. The good work is finished， we will take a long rest and enjoy the money.”
“我同意。这件美事做完，咱们该好好休息休息，花钱享受了。”
“Good！ Aleck！”
“太好了，艾莱柯！”
“Yes， dear？”
“怎么样，亲爱的？”
“How much of the income can we spend？”
“这些收入咱们能花多少？”
“The whole of it.”
“全都能花。”
It seemed to her husband that a ton of chains fell from his limbs. He did not say a word； he was happy beyond the power of speech.
看起来，她丈夫好像是一块石头落了地。他一句话也没说，他已经乐得说不出话来了。
