He left it on his marriage, and settled down on a small property he had near Quimper to live for the rest of his days in peace; 结婚以后，他退了役，在坎佩尔附近一小份产业上定居下来，准备在恬静的乡居生活中过自己的后半生。

but the failure of an attorney left him suddenly penniless, 但是由于替他料理财务的一位代理人出了差错，一夜之间，他发现自己已经一文不名了。

and neither he nor his wife was willing to live in penury where they had enjoyed consideration. 他和他的妻子在当地人们眼目中本来享有一定的地位，他俩绝对不愿意仍然捱在原来的地方过苦日子。

During his sea faring days he had cruised the South Seas, and he determined now to seek his fortune there. 早年他在远涉重洋时，曾经到过南太平洋群岛；这时他就打定主意再到南海去闯一条路子。

He spent some months in Papeete to make his plans and gain experience; 他先在帕皮提住了几个月，一方面规划一下自己的未来，一方面积累一些经验。

then, on money borrowed from a friend in France, he bought an island in the Paumotus. 几个月以后，他从法国一位朋友手里借了一笔钱，在包莫图斯群岛里买下一个很小的岛屿。

It was a ring of land round a deep lagoon, uninhabited, and covered only with scrub and wild guava. 这是一个环形小岛，中间围着一个咸水湖；岛上长满了灌木和野生的香石榴，从来没有人居住过。

With the intrepid woman who was his wife, and a few natives, he landed there, 他的老婆是个很勇敢的女人，他就带着自己的老婆和几个土人登上这个小岛。

and set about building a house, and clearing the scrub so that he could plant cocoa-nuts. 他们首先着手盖房子，清理灌木丛，准备种植椰子。

That was twenty years before, and now what had been a barren island was a garden. 这是在我遇到他二十年以前的事，现在这个荒岛已经成了一座整饬的种植园了。

"It was hard and anxious work at first, and we worked strenuously, both of us. “开始一段日子工作非常艰苦。我们两个人拚死拚活地干活儿。

Every day I was up at dawn, clearing, planting, working on my house, 每天天一亮我就起来，除草、种树、盖房子，

and at night when I threw myself on my bed it was to sleep like a log till morning. 晚上一倒在床上，我总是像条死狗似地一觉睡到天亮。

My wife worked as hard as I did. 我的妻子同我一样毫不吝惜自己的力气。

Then children were born to us, first a son and then a daughter. 后来我们有了孩子，先是一个男孩儿，后来又生了个女儿。

My wife and I have taught them all they know. 他们知道的一点儿知识都是我俩教的。

We had a piano sent out from France, 我们托人从国内运来一架钢琴。

and she has taught them to play and to speak English, and I have taught them Latin and mathematics, and we read history together. 我妻子教他们弹琴、说英语，我教他们拉丁文和数学；我们一起读历史。

They can sail a boat. 两个孩子还学会了驾船，

They can swim as well as the natives. 游泳的本领也一点儿不比土人差。

There is nothing about the land of which they are ignorant. 岛上的事儿他们样样都很精通。

Our trees have prospered, and there is shell on my reef. 我们的椰子林长得很好，此外，我们那里的珊瑚礁上还盛产珠蚌。

I have come to Tahiti now to buy a schooner. 我这次到塔希提来是为了买一艘双桅帆船。

I can get enough shell to make it worth while to fish for it, and, who knows? I may find pearls. 我想用这艘船打捞蚌壳，准能把买船的钱赚回来。谁能说准，我也许真会捞获一些珍珠呢。

I have made something where there was nothing. 我干的每一件事都是白手起家的。

I too have made beauty. 我也创造了美。

Ah, you do not know what it is to look at those tall, healthy trees and think that every one I planted myself." 在我瞧着那些高大、挺拔的椰子树，心里想到每一棵都是自己亲手培植出米的，你真不知道我那时是什么心情啊。”