The "Red Death" had long devastated(身心交瘁) the country. No pestilence(瘟疫) had ever been so fatal(命中注定的), or so hideous(駭人聽聞的). Blood was its Avatar(下凡化人) and its seal--the redness and the horror of blood. There were sharp pains(嘔心瀝血，名詞), and sudden dizziness, and then profuse(慷慨的) bleeding at the pores, with dissolution(終止). The scarlet(腥紅色的) stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim, were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men. And the whole seizure(捉住), progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents(事件) of half an hour.

  『紅死神』的存在折磨著這個國家。從沒有哪場瘟疫的傳說像這種怪病一般，如此駭人聽聞、讓人聞之色變。血是它的化身與標記──帶給人們腥紅恐怖的印象。發病時鮮明的傷口與突如其來的暈眩，然後是血從傷口如湧泉般傾瀉而出，直到死亡。患者得病之時，身體會出現腥色的紅疤，當紅疤自身體蔓延到臉的時候，患者就會成為使人退避三舍的病源體，會被排拒在同類的同情之外。被這種病纏上，病程進行的很快，半小時之後就會死亡。

  But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless(勇敢的) and sagacious(有遠見的). When his dominions were half depopulated(減少), he summoned(要求) to his presence a thousand hale(矍鑠地) and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames(女士) of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion(隔絕) of one of his castellated(構造如城堡的) abbeys(修道院). This was an extensive and magnificent structure, the creation of the prince's own eccentric(古怪的) yet august(令人敬畏的) taste. A strong and lofty(高聳的) wall girdled(環繞) it in. This wall had gates of iron. The courtiers(臣), having entered, brought furnaces(暖器爐) and massy hammers and welded(焊接) the bolts(門閂). They resolved to leave means neither of ingress nor egress to the sudden impulses(衝動) of despair or of frenzy(暫時瘋狂) from within. The abbey was amply(充足的) provisioned(供應). With such precautions(預防措施) the courtiers might bid(命令) defiance(蔑視) to contagion(接觸傳染). The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly(愚蠢) to grieve(哀傷於), or to think. The prince had provided all the appliances(用具) of pleasure. There were buffoons(丑角), there were improvisatori(詩人), there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security(安全感) were within. Without was the "Red Death".

  波洛斯帕王子是個開朗、勇敢而且睿智的男人。當他發現自己的領地因為疾病而減少大半，他決定帶著他那些身體健壯、精神矍鑠的騎士朋友與城堡中的女士，前往那與世隔絕、建造地宛若城堡的修道院避禍。那修道院的不但佔地廣大，而且外型相當壯觀，其中有許多設計，都包含著王子那古怪卻讓人驚嘆的美學品味。高聳的牆環繞著建築。牆有著鋼鐵的門。這門的特點是，它是由工匠從內部直接焊接而成。這意味著，任何一時興起的進出都將無法完成。不過，修道院中的一切日常用品依舊能夠正常供應。有這種預防措施，住在裡頭的人就不必擔心必須接觸才會傳染的疾病。外頭的世界會與此地無關。然若住在這裡頭的人還是蠢到持續擔心受怕或是杞人憂天，王子也會提供一切調適身心的娛樂：小丑、詩人、芭蕾舞者、音樂家，甚至是美人與酒。這裡安全無比，『紅死神』的魔爪無法觸及。

  It was towards the close of the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion(隱居),and while the pestilence raged most furiously abroad, that the Prince Prospero entertained his thousand friends at a masked ball of the most unusual magnificence.

與世隔絕的生活，轉眼過了五或六個月，而外頭，紅死神的肆虐越演越烈。只是，波洛斯帕王子對此也無能為力，在那修道院中，他能做的是，只有與他那些朋友舉辦著豪華非凡的扮妝舞會。

It was a voluptuous(妖嬈) scene, that masquerade(化妝舞會). But first let me tell of the rooms in which it was held. These were seven--an imperial(威嚴的) suite. In many palaces, however, such suites form a long and straight vista(長景), while the folding doors slide back nearly to the walls on either hand, so that the view of the whole extent is scarcely impeded(妨礙). Here the case was very different, as might have been expected from the duke's(君主) love of the bizarre(奇異的). The apartments were so irregularly disposed(有~的傾向) that the vision embraced but little more than one at a time. There was a sharp turn at every twenty or thirty yards, and at each turn a novel(新穎的) effect. To the right and left, in the middle of each wall, a tall and narrow Gothic(哥德式) window looked out upon a closed corridor(通道) which pursued(糾纏) the windings(迂迴) of the suite. These windows were of stained(污色的) glass whose colour varied in accordance(符合) with the prevailing(主要的) hue(色彩) of the decorations of the chamber into which it opened. That at the eastern extremity was hung, for example in blue--and vividly blue were its windows. The second chamber was purple in its ornaments(裝飾) and tapestries(掛毯), and here the panes(窗格) were purple. The third was green throughout, and so were the casements(窗扉). The fourth was furnished and lighted with orange--the fifth with white--the sixth with violet. The seventh apartment was closely shrouded(遮蔽) in black velvet tapestries(掛毯) that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in heavy folds upon a carpet(地毯) of the same material and hue. But in this chamber only, the colour of the windows failed to correspond with the decorations. The panes here were scarlet--a deep blood colour. Now in no one of the seven apartments was there any lamp or candelabrum, amid(在之間) the profusion of golden ornaments that lay scattered to and fro(向右) or depended from the roof. There was no light of any kind emanating(散出氣體) from lamp or candle within the suite of chambers. But in the corridors that followed the suite, there stood, opposite to each window, a heavy tripod(三腳架), bearing a brazier of fire, that projected its rays through the tinted(玻璃著色) glass and so glaringly illumined the room. And thus were produced a multitude(許多的) of gaudy(華俗的) and fantastic appearances. But in the western or black chamber the effect of the fire-light that streamed upon the dark hangings(壁掛) through the blood-tinted panes, was ghastly(可怕的) in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances(面容) of those who entered, that there were few of the company bold(大膽的) enough to set foot within its precincts(院落) at all.

  化妝舞會，燈紅酒綠。讓我先說說那場地的樣貌吧。那是七間一組的──豪華套房。雖然包含了許多個空間，但套房畢竟並排對立，形成了一條可看見長景的通道，間錯空間的摺門緊貼於壁，走廊上的一切於是一覽無遺。套房的樣式顯示了主人特殊的喜好。每一間房都有著不同尋常的風格，以致於無法一眼觀覽，就把一切看盡。每二十到三十英呎，風格就會出現一次劇烈的起伏，從左到右乃至中間的牆與那垂直設計、可以看見窗外那圍繞套房曲道的哥德式長窗，這些窗，玻璃都是有顏色的，色澤因所在的套房風格不同而異。最東邊的主色是藍──一種十分優雅的藍，而第二間則從裝飾、掛毯到窗格，都是紫色，第三間則連門都被漆上純粹的綠。然後是以亮橘色為主調的第四間──第五間改為鮮明的白色，第六間則是紫蘿藍那與純紫迴異的風格。至於第七間，它的天花板、牆與地板都被天鵝絨的黑包圍。但是，第七間有其獨特之處，只有它的內部裝飾，有些許不同，窗並沒有因為房間的主色，而將色調向主色看齊。它的窗是猩紅色的──如血一般的猩紅色。此時此刻，這七間房，沒有哪間房用到油燈或燭光的照明。為數驚人的金鍛家具與飾物妝點著這空間的牆與屋頂，但就是沒有任何一絲油燈或燭火的光自哪個房間透出，給予光亮的火位與廊上那頂著火盆的三角架，粗重的腳架被置於走道的左右，光照入了房間，房中的玻璃於是反射火光，將那些沒有上燈的空間變得燈火通明。在這樣明亮的空間裡，遊走徘徊的人中，有許多人的穿著奢華無比，但卻散透著糟糕的俗氣。至於那第七個空間，則因為紅玻璃與黑幃幕的關係，竟使進入那房間裡的人看起來相當恐怖，如果不夠大膽，還真沒法涉足那個區域。

  It was in this apartment, also, that there stood against the western wall, a gigantic(巨人似地) clock of ebony(黑檀木). Its pendulum(擺垂) swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous(單調的) clang(叮噹聲); and when the minute-hand made the circuit of the face, and the hour was to be stricken, there came from the brazen(黃銅製的) lungs of the clock a sound which was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly(非常地) musical, but of so peculiar a note and emphasis that, at each lapse(流逝) of an hour, the musicians of the orchestra(管絃樂) were constrained(被迫) to pause, momentarily(短暫地), in their performance, to harken(聽) to the sound; and thus the waltzers perforce ceased their evolutions; and there was a brief disconcert of the whole gay(快活的) company; and, while the chimes(樂鐘) of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest(頭昏眼花) grew pale, and the more aged and sedate(沉著的) passed their hands over their brows as if in confused revery(空想) or meditation(沉思). But when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded(瀰漫) the assembly; the musicians looked at each other and smiled as if at their own nervousness(神經質) and folly, and made whispering vows, each to the other, that the next chiming of the clock should produce in them no similar emotion; and then, after the lapse of sixty minutes, (which embrace three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies,) there came yet another chiming of the clock, and then were the same disconcert and tremulousness(發抖) and meditation as before.

  在西牆對邊的那個空間裡，有座黑檀木製的巨鐘屹立著。它的擺垂左右擺盪，動作笨拙極了，答答的音則十分單調。當分針在鐘面盤上周轉一圈，時間度過了一個小時，鐘體內部那黃銅製的鐘肺，就會發出巨大、沉重、宛若歌唱般的聲響，宣告有一個小時的時間已經流逝。每到這個時候，表演中的管絃樂必須暫時中止，跳躍的華爾滋也停止進行，這對快活的組合被迫聆聽那響徹全域的鐘音，那鐘音似乎有讓人頭眼昏花、臉色發白的能力，對較老成的人來說，則不得不在鐘響之時，把手置於眉間，彷彿陷入困惑或形似沉思。但是，當鐘的回音完全消失之時，明快的笑聲會將這詭異的景象一轟而散，樂手們於是相視而笑，並以私語調侃彼此的神經質與愚蠢，直到又一個六十分鐘流逝(這個時間裡包含著三千六百秒)，又一次同樣的鐘引吭起同樣的歌，將他們引入相同的恐懼與舉止，週而復始。

  But, in spite of these things, it was a gay and magnificent revel(狂歡). The tastes of the duke were peculiar. He had a fine eye for colours and effects. He disregarded(不理會) the decora(裝飾材料) of mere fashion. His plans were bold(大膽的) and fiery, and his conceptions glowed with barbaric(野蠻) luster(光采). There are some who would have thought him mad. His followers felt that he was not. It was necessary to hear and see and touch him to be sure that he was not.

  但是，儘管這麼惱人的事不斷發生，但這點小事卻不影響整個舞會的歡快與華麗。主人尤其獨特的品味，使得客人的眼睛享受了五光十色的炫彩，跳脫常理的時尚，規劃大膽而熱烈，這一切就像體現了那些裝在他腦袋裡的思想似地，狂放不羈。有人覺得他是個瘋子，但是他的追隨者卻不覺得。那些人說，只要親自同他交談與接觸，就不會覺得他是個瘋子。