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第4章 【】亚罗号

瓦尔斯基和考莱正就修约一事达成一致和妥协。翻译官口干舌燥,巴黎的黑烟不知朦胧了什么。

“In any case, we must open up the Chinese market!We will send all Chinese tea, raw silk, embroidery and ceramics back to the UK. Our British Museum can better accommodate the cultural relics of each country.The queen hopes that we can get more capital as soon as possible. For the benefit of the British Empire, the queen launched a war against China in the parliamentary declaration-I think this time, if we fail to reach a contract with China, we don't mind launching another war!(英语:无论如何,我们必须要打开中国的市场!我们要把中国的茶叶、生丝、刺绣和陶瓷悉数送回英国,我们的大英博物馆可以更好地容纳每个国家的文物珍品。女王希望我们可以尽快地获得更多的资本,为了大英帝国的利益,女王曾在议会宣言对中国发动战争——我想这一次,若是我们未能与中国达成修约,我们不介意再发动一场战争!)“考莱道。

“Nous sommes fondamentalement alignés sur les intérêts de la reine Victoria, sur ceux de la Grande - Bretagne. Comme vous l'avez dit, si nécessaire, il est toutà fait possible de faire la guerre!(法语:我们与维多利亚女王的利益、与英国的利益是基本一致的。我们的皇上可不似这中国的皇帝一般软弱无能!如你所说,必要之时,完全可以发动战争!)“瓦尔斯基怒拍桌子,“Nous avons besoin de plus de matières premières et de marchés, et les Amériques, l’afriqueà elles seules sont loin d’être suffisantes! C'est dommage que le marché chinois ne soit pas utilisé! J'espère que les deux pays, la Grande - Bretagne et la France, pourront travailler ensemble pour ouvrir la porte pourrie de la Chine!(法语:我们需要更多的原料和市场,光是美洲、非洲还远远不够!中国这么大的市场,不好好利用,实在可惜!我希望英法两国可以携手共进,共同打开中国这腐朽的国门!)“

1856年10月8日。

划艇亚罗号停泊在广州黄埔,因此船曾被海盗盗取,而此船执照已逾期,故广东水师案例搜查。

“官爷,我们这船是英国船,怎么能扣押呢?”一水手连忙拿出一袋银子堆笑道,“这些银子官爷拿着,就当我请官爷抽大烟。官爷请笑纳。”

“胡说!这船分明是香港人苏明成所有,怎么平白无故就成了英国船!”水师怒吼,“这点儿银子还好意思拿出来!”

“官爷有所不知,这亚罗号是在香港英国政府登记,因此是英国船。还请官爷看在英国人的份儿上,暂且饶一次。若是银子不够,我们再给一些便是。”那水手道。

“是吗?”那水师盯着他,一挥手:“搜!”

“官爷,搜不得啊!”那水手慌了。

那广东水师必然不会理睬他,故登船搜索,扣留了十二名涉嫌走私的中国水手。

英国驻广州领事馆,大使哈里·斯密·巴夏礼听闻此事。

“That's not true!(英语:简直岂有此理!)”巴夏礼皱眉,“It is reported that several pirates boarded the ship under the protection of Britain, so the Qing army boarded the ship and arrested them.However, this Yarrow is registered with the British government in Hong Kong, so it is British ship. How dare China seize it?(英语:有消息称有几个海盗在英国的保护下登船,所以清军登船抓捕。然而此亚罗号在香港英国政府登记,因此便是英国的船,中国岂敢扣押?)“

“These stupid Chinese people think they can be compared with my British Empire?All it takes is a blast to make them lose their souls.So, what's your plan?(英语:这些愚蠢的中国人,以为自己可以与我大英帝国相提并论?只需要一声炮响,就可以让他们失魂落魄。如此,先生有何打算?)“侍卫问。

“Since the Yarrow is a British ship, China will not pay attention to the British Empire if it deals with it like this!It seems that I will visit Ye Mingchen, governor of Guangdong and Guangxi in person.(英语:亚罗号既然是英国的船,中国这样处理,便是不把我大英帝国放在眼里!看来,我要亲自去拜访那两广总督叶名琛了。)“巴夏礼微微一笑,“Isn't the queen worried that she can't make a promise?Isn't she trying to find an excuse to start a war?The queen and the Napoleon emperor of France are both greedy for China's fat meat, and Chinese officials ' handling of British ships without permission can just be an excuse to start a war!Tomorrow, I'm going to visit the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. I'm sure the queen will praise my upcoming contribution.(英语:女王不是正愁没法修约吗?她不是正打算找借口发动战争吗?女王和那法国的拿破仑皇帝可都馋中国这一块肥肉,而中国官员私自处理英国的船,恰好可以成为发动战争的借口!明日,我就去拜访两广总督,我相信女王一定会褒奖我即将做出的贡献的。)“

次日,英国驻广州领事馆巴夏礼拜访两广总督叶名琛。

“快看啊,那个就是洋鬼子!”正在刺绣的少妇探出脑袋,给一旁的孩子指。

“快看啊,那个就是从英国来的恶魔!”买包子的老板对顾客悄悄道。

“便是那洋鬼子,犯境我中华,他冚家(粤语:全家)都是杀人如麻!”楼上唱戏的戏子唱道,“骑咧,骑咧,拾下拾下的魔鬼!”

两广总督叶名琛听闻巴夏礼要来,便也做足了准备迎接。

“Governor Ye, we need to negotiate about the Yarrow incident.

Yarrow is English ship. If the Chinese Navy only checked it as usual, I would not have come here for this small matter.However, I heard that the British flag was taken down by the Chinese Navy. Governor Ye, what's the matter?(英语:叶总督,关于亚罗号事件,我们有必要进行谈判。亚罗号乃我英国的船,若中国水师只是照例检查,我本也不愿为此小事前来。然而我听闻,英国国旗被中国水师取下,叶总督,可有此事?)“巴夏礼问,“If so, I hope China will immediately release the seized Yarrow, apologize publicly to the UK and negotiate compensation with the UK.(英语:若有,我希望中国马上放回被扣押的亚罗号,且向英国公开道歉,并与英国协商赔款。)“

“领事大人,这亚罗号分明是我大清的船。我大清处理自己的船,纯属内政,还望你不要过多参与。”叶名琛道,“我们自己国家的内政,还由不得洋鬼子来插手。若是领事大人来与我叙叙旧,我倒是随时欢迎。然而如今你干涉我国内政,用根本不存在的英国国旗诬蔑我广东水师。那么,一切面谈。”

“Consul, this Yarrow is clearly my ship of the Qing Dynasty.It's purely internal for me to deal with my own ship in the Qing Dynasty. I hope you don't participate too much.Our own country's internal affairs are not interfered by foreign devils.If the consul comes to me to talk about the past, I'm always welcome.But now you interfere in our internal affairs and slander us with the British flag, which does not exist at all.Well, all interviews.“通官翻译道。

“ It seems Governor Ye is not willing to negotiate with me.The Chinese Navy searched my British Yarrow, which should not have been.I came to negotiate in person, and governor Ye wanted to turn me away!It is an insult to Britain that the Chinese Navy lowered British flag without permission!If we can't give Britain a sincere and public apology, this matter will not end easily.“巴夏礼道。

“看来叶总督不愿与我进行谈判。中国水师搜查我英国的亚罗号,本来就不应该。我亲自前来谈判,叶总督竟然想把我拒之门外!中国水师私自降下我英国国旗,便是对英国的侮辱!若是不能给英国一个诚恳的、公开的道歉,这件事必然不会轻易结束。”翻译官道。

“蛮夷犯境,还好意思在这里恬不知耻!”叶名琛道,“我劝你们早日滚回你们自己的国家,大清的土地可不是你想踩就踩的。不要以为十六年前你们赢了就可以为所欲为,你们还不知道我大清的实力!若大清愿意计较,恐怕早就打到你们英吉利去了!”

“ It's a shame to be here when barbarians break into the border!I advise you to roll back to your own country as soon as possible. The land of the Qing Dynasty is not something you want to step on.Don't think you can do whatever you want when you win 16 years ago. You don't know the strength of the Qing Dynasty!If the Qing Dynasty was willing to care, I'm afraid it would have hit you in English!“通官道。

“ Stupid and barbaric Chinese, so self righteous!“巴夏礼道,“You don't have a good look at the Qing Dynasty!The British Empire, known as the Empire of the sun, is the first industrial power in Europe.If you don't force us to start a war, I'm afraid there will be a river of blood. I hope we can resolve conflicts through friendly negotiations.We are a higher civilization, you are a backward civilization.There is no comparability between advanced and backward civilizations.If there is a war, I'm afraid the Qing Dynasty will be razed to the ground.“

“愚蠢又野蛮的中国人,太自以为是了!你们也不好好看看清朝是什么模样!我大英帝国号称日不落帝国,是欧洲第一工业强国。你们若非逼得我们发动战争,恐怕会血流成河,我希望我们可以通过友好的谈判方式化解矛盾冲突。我们是更高级的文明,你们是落后的文明。先进的与落后的文明之间,完全没有可比性。若真的发生战争,恐怕大清会被夷为平地。”翻译官道。

“那我在此随时恭候。”叶名琛微微一笑,“还请领事大人慢走,不送。”

“ Then I'll be here at any time.

Please also ask the consul to walk slowly and not give it away.“通官道。

“你真的要把事情做绝吗?”巴夏礼用中文问,“总督大人,您真的要与英国为敌吗?”

“不赔偿,不道歉。”叶名琛微微一笑。

“总督大人,我记得十五年前我第一次来到中国,便从事翻译工作,我们也不需要用通官来传话,也许他们翻译有误,以至于大人没能完全理解我的意思。我知道大人听不懂英国话,现在我用中国话来跟您聊聊,如何?”巴夏礼用极其流利的中文道,“我来中国十五年,中国是什么样子我心里很清楚。总督大人可否还记得十六年前的那场战争?是否还记得当时中国的惨状?若是不想流血漂橹,你们就应该马上向英国道歉!”

“我的态度很坚决,不道歉,不赔偿。”叶名琛坚持道,“亚罗号由中国人水手操纵,又为中国人拥有,且当时并未升起英国国旗。先生是个聪明人,何必找这样一个拙劣的借口?”

谈判误国,待巴夏礼回到领事馆,便视之为对条约权利的侵犯,向港督宝灵称英国国旗遭到侮辱。而叶名琛依旧拒绝道歉,但是也被迫妥协提出放走被捕中的其中九人。然而巴夏礼远远不满足于如此。

野心,是没有尽头的。