奉命谋杀译文比较

以下是《奉命谋杀》开头第一段的原文及新老译文的比较：

原文：

It was dusk when he came to the Ferry.

He could have been there much earlier. The truth was, he had put it off as long as he could.

First his luncheon with friends in Redquay; the light desultory conversation, the interchange of gossip about mutual friends—all that had meant only that he was inwardly shrinking from what he had to do. His friends had invited him to stay on for tea and he had accepted. But at last the time had come when he knew that he could put things off no longer.

祁译文：

他来到渡口时已是黄昏时分。

他本来早就可以到的。其实是他自己在尽量拖延时间。

先是和几个朋友在红码头餐厅共进午餐；漫无边际地大谈山海经，议论关于其他朋友的流言蜚语——所有这些都意味着，尽管他必须去做，但他的内心却在打退堂鼓。朋友们让他留下吃下午茶，他没有推脱。可是最后他终于意识到时间到了，不能再拖延了。 

某老版本译文

    薄暮时分，他来到渡口。

    他大可早就来到这里。事实上是，他尽可能拖延。

    先是跟他的一些朋友在“红码头”午宴；轻率、散漫的对谈，有关彼此都认识的一些朋友的闲话——这一切只意味着他内心里对他不得不去做的事退缩不前。他的朋友邀他留下来喝午茶，而他接受了。然而最后他知道他不能再拖延下去了的时刻终于还是来到了。