全新版大学英语(第二版)综合教程四_Unit 5 A Friend in Need 参考译文
武汉限购令-借物喻人的作文400字
全新版大学英语(第二版)综合教程_第四册_Unit 5 Never Judge by
Appearances——A Friend
in Need
A
Friend in Need
(by Somerset Maugham)
For thirty years now I have been studying my
fellowmen. I do not know very much about
them.
I shrug my shoulders when people tell me that
their first impressions of a person are always
right. I think they must have small insight or
great vanity. For my own part I find that the
longer I
know people the more they puzzle me.
我阅人至今已经有三十年之久。我不大了解他们。人家对我说他们对一个人的初次印象
一准不会
错的时候,我耸耸肩。我认为他们必然眼力颇浅,或者自负过高。就我来说,我发
现自己认得越久的人,
他们越使我迷惑不解。
我最老的朋友们,恰恰是我可以说一点也不了解的人。
These
reflections have occurred to me because I read in
this morning's paper that Edward
Hyde Burton
had died at Kobe. He was a merchant and he had
been in business in Japan for many
years. I
knew him very little, but he interested me because
once he gave me a great surprise.
Unless I had
heard the story from his own lips, I should never
have believed that he was capable
of such an
action. It was more startling because both in
appearance and manner he suggested a
very
definite type. Here if ever was a man all of a
piece. He was a tiny little fellow, not much more
than five feet four in height, and very
slender, with white hair, a red face much
wrinkled, and blue
eyes. I suppose he was
about sixty when I knew him. He was always neatly
and quietly dressed in
accordance with his age
and station.
我产生这些想法是因为看到今天早晨报纸上登载爱德华·海德·勃吞在神户
逝世的消息。
他是一个商人,在日本经营多年。我跟他交情很浅,可是有一次他使我大吃一惊,才对他感
到兴趣。要不是听他亲口说的,我怎么也不会相信他竟然做出这种事情。不论是外貌,是举
动,
他都使人想起一种定了型的人物,这就使人更为震惊。如果有那么一个前后一贯的人,
他就是了。他身材
矮小,高不过五英尺四多一点,细瘦文弱,一头白发,一脸皱纹,气色红
润,眼睛湛蓝。我认识他的时候
估计他是六十岁光景。穿得总是整洁素净,正适合他的年龄
和地位。
Though
his offices were in Kobe, Burton often came down
to Yokohama. I happened on one
occasion to be
spending a few days there, waiting for a ship, and
I was introduced to him at the
British Club.
We played bridge together. He played a good game
and a generous one. He did not
talk very much,
either then or later when we were having drinks,
but what he said was sensible.
He had a quiet,
dry humor. He seemed to be popular at the club and
afterwards, when he had gone,
they described
him as one of the best. It happened that we were
both staying at the Grand Hotel
and next day
he asked me to dine with him. I met his wife, fat,
elderly, and smiling, and his two
daughters.
It was evidently a united and affectionate family.
I think the chief thing that struck me
about
Burton was his kindliness. There was something
very pleasing in his mild blue eyes. His
voice
was gentle; you could not imagine that he could
possibly raise it in anger; his smile was
benign. Here was a man who attracted you
because you felt in him a real love for his
fellows. At
the same time he liked his game of
cards and his cocktail, he could tell with point a
good and
1
spicy story, and in his
youth he had been something of an athlete. He was
a rich man and he had
made every penny
himself. I suppose one thing that made you like
him was that he was so small
and frail; he
aroused your instincts of protection. You felt
that he could not bear to hurt a fly.
勃吞的办事处在神
户,但是他常常到横滨去。我碰巧有事到那儿去耽搁几天,等一艘船,
便在英国俱乐部被人介绍跟他认识
。我们一起打桥牌。他打得很好,而且慷慨大方。当时或
后来我们一起喝酒的时候,他不大说话,说起来
却通情达理。他有一种沉着冷静的幽默感。
他在俱乐部里看来人缘颇好,他离开以后,人家说他属于最高
尚的人当中的一个。我们两人
恰巧都下榻格朗德旅馆,第二天他邀我吃饭。看到了他的上了年纪的妻子,
胖胖的、笑盈盈
的,还有两个女儿。显然是一个融融怡怡、相亲相爱的家庭。给我印象最深的是他的忠厚
善
良。他的温和的蓝眼睛里有一种十分可爱的神色。嗓音也是柔和的;不能想象他有高声怒吼
的
可能;他的微笑同样亲切慈祥。有一种人吸引你,是因为你觉得他对人们具有真诚的爱。
他确有魅力。然
而他身上却不带令人恶心的地方;他爱好打牌,喝鸡尾酒,能够抓住要点讲
述生动有趣的故事,年轻时候
曾经也算是个体育运动员。他富有,而每个便士都是自己赚来
的。我觉得,使你喜欢他的一种情况是他如
此文弱矮小;他唤起你做保护者的本能。你感到
他连伤害一只苍蝇都不忍心。
One afternoon I was sitting in the lounge of
the Grand Hotel when Burton came in and seated
himself in the chair next to mine.
一天下午,我坐在格朗德旅馆的休息室时勃吞走进休息室,坐到我旁边的椅子上来。
“喝点儿酒怎么样?”
He clapped his hands for a boy
and ordered two gin fizzes. As the boy brought
them a man
passed along the street outside and
seeing me waved his hand. 他拍手招来了侍者,要了两杯加
苏打水的杜松
子洒。侍者端来的时候,一个人在外面街上经过,一眼看见了我,就对我招招
手。
“你认识透纳吗?”我点头招
呼的时候,勃吞问。
“我在俱乐部里看见过他。我听
说他是靠汇款过日子的人。”
“不错,我相信是的。这里有许多这种
人。”
“他桥牌打得很好。”
year, oddly enough a namesake of mine,
who
was the best bridge player I ever met. I suppose
you never came across him in London.
Lenny
Burton he called himself. I believe he'd belonged
to some very good clubs.
“他们一般都如此。去年这里有一个人,可真巧
,他和我同姓氏,是我所见到的最好的
桥牌手。我想你在伦敦从未遇到他吧。他说他叫赖内·勃吞。我相
信他是一些第一流的俱乐
部的成员。”
“没有,我似乎没有听到过这个名字。”
was quite a remarkable player. He seemed to
have an instinct about the cards. It was
uncanny. I used to play with him a lot. He was
in Kobe for some time.“他是个十分出色的牌
手。对于牌他似乎有一种直觉。
这是不:可思议的。我曾经常常和他打牌。他有一段时候待
在神户。”
Burton
sipped his gin fizz. 勃吞啜饮着苏打杜松子酒。
rather a
funny story,he said. wasn't a bad chap. I liked
him. He was always
2
well-dressed
and smart-looking. He was handsome in a way with
curly hair and pink-and-white
cheeks. Women
thought a lot of him. There was no harm in him,
you know, he was only wild. Of
course he drank
too much. Those sort of fellows always do. A bit
of money used to come on for
him once a
quarter and he made a bit more by card-playing. He
won a good deal of mine, I know
that.
“这是个相
当有趣的故事,”他说。“他不是个坏人。我喜欢他。他总是衣冠楚楚,风
度翩翩。头发是鬈曲的,脸腮
白里透红,有那么点漂亮。女人家很欣赏他。他没坏心眼,你
瞧,只不过落拓不羁。饮酒过度,自不必说
了。他们这种人总是如此。每个季度都有一点钱
寄给他,但是他打牌又赢得一点。他赢了我很不少的钱,
这个我知道。”
Burton gave a kindly chuckle.
I knew from my own experience that he could lose
money at
bridge with a good grace. He stroked
his shaven chin with his thin hand; the veins
stood out on it
and it was almost transparent.
勃吞和颜悦色地轻声一笑。我从自己的经验知道,他打牌输钱
的时候也能够神态自若。他用瘦骨棱棱的手
摸摸自己剃得光光的下巴,手上的青筋暴露,几
乎是透明的。
namesake of mine. He came to see me in my
office one day and asked me for a job. I was
rather
surprised. He told me that there was no
more money coming from home and he wanted to work.
I
asked him how old he was. “我想这就是他倒霉的时候来找我的缘故
,这是一;还有一点就
是他和我同姓氏。有一天,他到我的办事处来找我给他安排一个职业。我相当惊讶
。他告诉
我,家里不再寄钱给他了,因此想找个工作。我问他几岁。
“‘三十五,’他说。
“‘你至今都做过些什么事呢?’
我问他。
“‘嗯,没做过什么,’他说。
“我忍不住笑了。
I can't do
anything for you just yet,' I said. 'Come back and
see me in another
thirty-five years, and I'll
see what I can do.'
“‘我怕目前一点也帮不了你的忙,’我说。‘再
过三十五年来找我吧,那时我再看看怎么办。’
had had bad luck at cards for some time.
He hadn't been willing to stick to bridge, he'd
been
playing poker, and he'd got trimmed. He
hadn't a penny. He'd pawned everything he had. He
couldn't pay his hotel bill and they wouldn't
give him any more credit. He was down and out. If
he
couldn't get something to do he'd have to
commit suicide.
“他不走。脸色发白。迟疑了片刻,然后告诉我相当时候以来打牌手气
不好。他不想老是打
桥牌,于是打了扑克,结果垮了台,弄得一文不名。他把什么都当掉了。付不出旅馆
的账单,
他们却不让他再赊账了。他一败涂地,要是找不到事情做,只好自杀了。
than usual and he looked fifty. The
girls wouldn't have thought so much of him if
they'd seen him
then. “我打量了他一会,看得出他整个儿垮了。酒喝得比平
常更多,象是个五十岁的人了。
女孩子要是现在看见他,可不会看上他了。
“‘那么,除了玩牌
以外,你还会做什么事呢?’
3
“‘我会游泳,’他说。
“我简直不相信自
己的耳朵;就象是疯子回答的话啊。
“‘我代表过我念的大学参加游泳比赛。’
tin gods at their
university to be impressed by it. “我有一点懂他的意思了。我认识很
不少的人,
他们曾经是大学里昙花一现的小偶像,他们对此总是念念不忘。
“‘我年轻的时候游
得也很不错,’我说。
我忽然有了个主意。”
Pausing in his story, Burton turned to me.
勃吞中断了他的故事,转脸对着我。
“你可熟悉神户?”他问道
“不熟悉,”我说。
“有一次路过那儿,但是只过了一夜。”
the
beacon and landed at the creek of Tarumi. It's
over three miles and it's rather difficult on
account of the currents round the beacon.
Well, I told my young namesake about it and I said
to
him that if he'd do it I'd give him a job.
“那么你不知道汐屋俱乐部了。我年轻时候,从那儿游泳,绕过灯塔,到樽见的小海湾
登岸。有
三英里多路呢,而且因为绕过灯塔那儿的潮流湍急,是很难游过去的。好,我就和
我那位同姓氏的青年谈
了这一情况,并且说,要是他能游过去我就派给他一个工作。
“我看到他相当为难。
“‘你说你是个游泳家嘛,’我说。
“‘我的状态不怎么好,’他回答。
nodded. “我没说什么。耸耸肩膀。他对我瞧了片刻,然后点点头。
“‘好吧,’他说。‘你要我什么时候
去呢?’
“我看看表。十点刚过。
at half past twelve and meet
you. I'll take you back to the club to dress and
then we'll have lunch
together.'
“‘游这段路顶多需
要一小时零一刻钟多些。我在十二点半开车到那边小海湾接你。把
你送回俱乐部去穿衣服,然后咱们一块
儿吃中饭。’
“‘行,’他说。
shook hands. I wished
him good luck and he left me. I had a lot of work
to do that
morning and I only just managed to
get to the creek at Tarumi at half past twelve.
But I needn't
have hurried; he never turned
up.
“我们握握手。我祝他运气好,他走了。那天上午我有许多工作要做,总算刚好在十二
点半赶到樽见的小海湾。其实用不着匆忙;他一直没有露面呢。”
“他在最后关头吓退了吗?”我问。
4
and
dissipation. The currents round the beacon were
more than he could manage. We didn't get the
body for about three days.
“没有,他没有吓退,开头游得顺
利。然而酗酒放荡当然毁坏了他的体质。绕过灯塔的
潮流他对付不了。大约三天之后才发现他的尸体。”
I didn't say anything for a moment or two.
I was a trifle shocked. Then I asked Burton a
question. 有一两分钟我说不出话来。我有点儿震惊。然后问了勃吞一个问题。
“你打算给他一
个工作的时候,可知道他会淹死呢?”
He gave a
little mild chuckle and he looked at me with those
kind and candid blue eyes of his.
He rubbed
his chin with his hand.
他温和地微微一笑,那双善良忠厚的蓝眼睛望着我。他一只
手摸着下巴颏儿。
“嗯,当时我的办事处里并没有空位
子。”
我阅人至今已经有
三十年之久。我不大了解他们。人家对我说他们对一个人的初次印象一准
不会错的时候,我耸耸肩。我认
为他们必然眼力颇浅,或者自负过高。就我来说,我发现自
己认得越久的人,他们越使我迷惑不解。我最
老的朋友们,恰恰是我可以说一点也不了解的
人。
我产生这些想法是因为看到今天早晨报纸
上登载爱德华•海德•勃吞在神户逝世的消息。他是
一个商人,在日本经营多年。我跟他交情很浅,可是
有一次他使我大吃一惊,才对他感到兴
趣。要不是听他亲口说的,我怎么也不会相信他竟然做出这种事情
。不论是外貌,是举动,
他都使人想起一种定了型的人物,这就使人更为震惊。如果有那么一个前后一贯
的人,他就
是了。他身材矮小,高不过五英尺四多一点,细瘦文弱,一头白发,一脸皱纹,气色红润,<
br>眼睛湛蓝。我认识他的时候估计他是六十岁光景。穿得总是整洁素净,正适合他的年龄和地
位。
勃吞的办事处在神户,但是他常常到横滨去。我碰巧有事到那儿去耽搁几天,等一艘船,便
在英
国俱乐部被人介绍跟他认识。我们一起打桥牌。他打得很好,而且慷慨大方。当时或后
来我们一起喝酒的
时候,他不大说话,说起来却通情达理。他有一种沉着冷静的幽默感。他
在俱乐部里看来人缘颇好,他离
开以后,人家说他属于最高尚的人当中的一个。我们两人恰
巧都下榻格朗德旅馆,第二天他邀我吃饭。看
到了他的上了年纪的妻子,胖胖的、笑盈盈的,
还有两个女儿。显然是一个融融怡怡、相亲相爱的家庭。
给我印象最深的是他的忠厚善良。
他的温和的蓝眼睛里有一种十分可爱的神色。嗓音也是柔和的;不能想
象他有高声怒吼的可
能;他的微笑同样亲切慈祥。有一种人吸引你,是因为你觉得他对人们具有真诚的爱
。他确
有魅力。然而他身上却不带令人恶心的地方;他爱好打牌,喝鸡尾酒,能够抓住要点讲述生
动有趣的故事,年轻时候曾经也算是个体育运动员。他富有,而每个便士都是自己赚来的。
我觉得,使
你喜欢他的一种情况是他如此文弱矮小;他唤起你做保护者的本能。你感到他连
伤害一只苍蝇都不忍心。
一天下午,我坐在格朗德旅馆的休息室时勃吞走进休息室,坐到我旁边的椅子上来。
5
“喝点儿酒怎么样?”
他拍手招来了侍者,要了两杯加苏打水的杜松子洒
。侍者端来的时候,一个人在外面街上经
过,一眼看见了我,就对我招招手。
“你认识透纳吗?”我点头招呼的时候,勃吞问。
“我在俱乐部里看见过他。我听说他是靠汇款过日子的人。”
“不错,我相信是的。这里有许多这种人。”
“他桥牌打得很好。”
“他们一
般都如此。去年这里有一个人,可真巧,他和我同姓氏,是我所见到的最好的桥牌
手。我想你在伦敦从未
遇到他吧。他说他叫赖内•勃吞。我相信他是一些第一流的俱乐部的
成员。”
“没有,我似乎没有听到过这个名字。”
“他是个十分出色的牌手。对于牌他似乎有一种直
觉。这是不:可思议的。我曾经常常和他
打牌。他有一段时候待在神户。”
勃吞啜饮着苏打杜松子酒。
“这是个相当有趣的故事,”他说。“他不是个坏人。我喜欢他
。他总是衣冠楚楚,风度翩
翩。头发是鬈曲的,脸腮白里透红,有那么点漂亮。女人家很欣赏他。他没坏
心眼,你瞧,
只不过落拓不羁。饮酒过度,自不必说了。他们这种人总是如此。每个季度都有一点钱寄给
他,但是他打牌又赢得一点。他赢了我很不少的钱,这个我知道。”
勃吞和颜悦色地轻声一
笑。我从自己的经验知道,他打牌输钱的时候也能够神态自若。他用
瘦骨棱棱的手摸摸自己剃得光光的下
巴,手上的青筋暴露,几乎是透明的。
“我想这就是他倒霉的时候来找我的缘故,这是一;还有一点
就是他和我同姓氏。有一天,
他到我的办事处来找我给他安排一个职业。我相当惊讶。他告诉我,家里不
再寄钱给他了,
因此想找个工作。我问他几岁。
“‘三十五,’他说。
“‘你至今都做过些什么事呢?’我问他。
“‘嗯,没做过什么,’他说。
“我忍不住笑了。
“‘我怕目前一点也帮不了你的忙,’我说。‘再过三十五年来找我吧,
那时我再看看怎么
办。’
“他不走。脸色发白。迟疑了片刻,然后告诉我相当时候以来打牌
手气不好。他不想老是打
桥牌,于是打了扑克,结果垮了台,弄得一文不名。他把什么都当掉了。付不出
旅馆的账单,
他们却不让他再赊账了。他一败涂地,要是找不到事情做,只好自杀了。
“我
打量了他一会,看得出他整个儿垮了。酒喝得比平常更多,象是个五十岁的人了。女孩
子要是现在看见他
,可不会看上他了。
“‘那么,除了玩牌以外,你还会做什么事呢?’
“‘我会游泳,’他说。
“‘游泳!’
“我简直不相信自己的耳朵;就象是疯子回答的话啊。
“‘我代表过我念的大学参加游泳比赛。’
“我有一点懂他的意思了。我认识很不少的人,
他们曾经是大学里昙花一现的小偶像,他们
对此总是念念不忘。
“‘我年轻的时候游得也很不错,’我说。
“我忽然有了个主意。”
勃吞中断了他的故事,转脸对着我。
6
“你可熟悉神户?”他问道。
“不熟悉,”我说。“有一次路过那儿,但是只过了一夜。”
“那么你不知道汐屋俱乐部了
。我年轻时候,从那儿游泳,绕过灯塔,到樽见的小海湾登岸。
有三英里多路呢,而且因为绕过灯塔那儿
的潮流湍急,是很难游过去的。好,我就和我那位
同姓氏的青年谈了这一情况,并且说,要是他能游过去
我就派给他一个工作。
“我看到他相当为难。
“‘你说你是个游泳家嘛,’我说。
“‘我的竞技状态不怎么好,’他回答。
“我没说什么。耸耸肩膀。他对我瞧了片刻,然后点点头。
“‘好吧,’他说。‘你要我什么时候去呢?’
“我看看表。十点刚过。
“‘
游这段路顶多需要一小时零一刻钟多些。我在十二点半开车到那边小海湾接你。把你送
回俱乐部去穿衣服
,然后咱们一块儿吃中饭。’
“‘行,’他说。
“我们握握手。我祝他运气好,他走了
。那天上午我有许多工作要做,总算刚好在十二点半
赶到樽见的小海湾。其实用不着匆忙;他一直没有露
面呢。”
“他在最后关头吓退了吗?”我问。
“没有,他没有吓退,开头游得顺利。然
而酗酒放荡当然毁坏了他的体质。绕过灯塔的潮流
他对付不了。大约三天之后才发现他的尸体。”
有一两分钟我说不出话来。我有点儿震惊。然后问了勃吞一个问题。
“你打算给他一个工作的时候,可知道他会淹死呢?”
他温和地微微一笑,那双善良忠厚的蓝眼睛望着我。他一只手摸着下巴颏儿。
“嗯,当时我的办事处里并没有空位子。”
7
全新版大学英语(第二版)综合教程_第四册_Unit 5 Never Judge
by Appearances——A Friend
in Need
A Friend in Need
(by Somerset Maugham)
For thirty years now I have been studying
my fellowmen. I do not know very much about
them. I shrug my shoulders when people tell me
that their first impressions of a person are
always
right. I think they must have small
insight or great vanity. For my own part I find
that the longer I
know people the more they
puzzle me.
我阅人至今已经有三十年之久。我不大了解他们。人家对我说他们对一个人的初
次印象
一准不会错的时候,我耸耸肩。我认为他们必然眼力颇浅,或者自负过高。就我来说,我发
现自己认得越久的人,他们越使我迷惑不解。
我最老的朋友们,恰恰是我可以说一点也不了解的人。
These reflections have occurred to me because
I read in this morning's paper that Edward
Hyde Burton had died at Kobe. He was a
merchant and he had been in business in Japan for
many
years. I knew him very little, but he
interested me because once he gave me a great
surprise.
Unless I had heard the story from
his own lips, I should never have believed that he
was capable
of such an action. It was more
startling because both in appearance and manner he
suggested a
very definite type. Here if ever
was a man all of a piece. He was a tiny little
fellow, not much more
than five feet four in
height, and very slender, with white hair, a red
face much wrinkled, and blue
eyes. I suppose
he was about sixty when I knew him. He was always
neatly and quietly dressed in
accordance with
his age and station.
我产生这些想法是因为看到今天早晨报纸上登载爱德华·
海德·勃吞在神户逝世的消息。
他是一个商人,在日本经营多年。我跟他交情很浅,可是有一次他使我大
吃一惊,才对他感
到兴趣。要不是听他亲口说的,我怎么也不会相信他竟然做出这种事情。不论是外貌,
是举
动,他都使人想起一种定了型的人物,这就使人更为震惊。如果有那么一个前后一贯的人,
他就是了。他身材矮小,高不过五英尺四多一点,细瘦文弱,一头白发,一脸皱纹,气色红
润,眼睛湛蓝
。我认识他的时候估计他是六十岁光景。穿得总是整洁素净,正适合他的年龄
和地位。
Though his offices were in Kobe, Burton often
came down to Yokohama. I happened on one
occasion to be spending a few days there,
waiting for a ship, and I was introduced to him at
the
British Club. We played bridge together.
He played a good game and a generous one. He did
not
talk very much, either then or later when
we were having drinks, but what he said was
sensible.
He had a quiet, dry humor. He seemed
to be popular at the club and afterwards, when he
had gone,
they described him as one of the
best. It happened that we were both staying at the
Grand Hotel
and next day he asked me to dine
with him. I met his wife, fat, elderly, and
smiling, and his two
daughters. It was
evidently a united and affectionate family. I
think the chief thing that struck me
about
Burton was his kindliness. There was something
very pleasing in his mild blue eyes. His
voice
was gentle; you could not imagine that he could
possibly raise it in anger; his smile was
benign. Here was a man who attracted you
because you felt in him a real love for his
fellows. At
the same time he liked his game of
cards and his cocktail, he could tell with point a
good and
1
spicy story, and in his
youth he had been something of an athlete. He was
a rich man and he had
made every penny
himself. I suppose one thing that made you like
him was that he was so small
and frail; he
aroused your instincts of protection. You felt
that he could not bear to hurt a fly.
勃吞的办事处在神
户,但是他常常到横滨去。我碰巧有事到那儿去耽搁几天,等一艘船,
便在英国俱乐部被人介绍跟他认识
。我们一起打桥牌。他打得很好,而且慷慨大方。当时或
后来我们一起喝酒的时候,他不大说话,说起来
却通情达理。他有一种沉着冷静的幽默感。
他在俱乐部里看来人缘颇好,他离开以后,人家说他属于最高
尚的人当中的一个。我们两人
恰巧都下榻格朗德旅馆,第二天他邀我吃饭。看到了他的上了年纪的妻子,
胖胖的、笑盈盈
的,还有两个女儿。显然是一个融融怡怡、相亲相爱的家庭。给我印象最深的是他的忠厚
善
良。他的温和的蓝眼睛里有一种十分可爱的神色。嗓音也是柔和的;不能想象他有高声怒吼
的
可能;他的微笑同样亲切慈祥。有一种人吸引你,是因为你觉得他对人们具有真诚的爱。
他确有魅力。然
而他身上却不带令人恶心的地方;他爱好打牌,喝鸡尾酒,能够抓住要点讲
述生动有趣的故事,年轻时候
曾经也算是个体育运动员。他富有,而每个便士都是自己赚来
的。我觉得,使你喜欢他的一种情况是他如
此文弱矮小;他唤起你做保护者的本能。你感到
他连伤害一只苍蝇都不忍心。
One afternoon I was sitting in the lounge of
the Grand Hotel when Burton came in and seated
himself in the chair next to mine.
一天下午,我坐在格朗德旅馆的休息室时勃吞走进休息室,坐到我旁边的椅子上来。
“喝点儿酒怎么样?”
He clapped his hands for a boy
and ordered two gin fizzes. As the boy brought
them a man
passed along the street outside and
seeing me waved his hand. 他拍手招来了侍者,要了两杯加
苏打水的杜松
子洒。侍者端来的时候,一个人在外面街上经过,一眼看见了我,就对我招招
手。
“你认识透纳吗?”我点头招
呼的时候,勃吞问。
“我在俱乐部里看见过他。我听
说他是靠汇款过日子的人。”
“不错,我相信是的。这里有许多这种
人。”
“他桥牌打得很好。”
year, oddly enough a namesake of mine,
who
was the best bridge player I ever met. I suppose
you never came across him in London.
Lenny
Burton he called himself. I believe he'd belonged
to some very good clubs.
“他们一般都如此。去年这里有一个人,可真巧
,他和我同姓氏,是我所见到的最好的
桥牌手。我想你在伦敦从未遇到他吧。他说他叫赖内·勃吞。我相
信他是一些第一流的俱乐
部的成员。”
“没有,我似乎没有听到过这个名字。”
was quite a remarkable player. He seemed to
have an instinct about the cards. It was
uncanny. I used to play with him a lot. He was
in Kobe for some time.“他是个十分出色的牌
手。对于牌他似乎有一种直觉。
这是不:可思议的。我曾经常常和他打牌。他有一段时候待
在神户。”
Burton
sipped his gin fizz. 勃吞啜饮着苏打杜松子酒。
rather a
funny story,he said. wasn't a bad chap. I liked
him. He was always
2
well-dressed
and smart-looking. He was handsome in a way with
curly hair and pink-and-white
cheeks. Women
thought a lot of him. There was no harm in him,
you know, he was only wild. Of
course he drank
too much. Those sort of fellows always do. A bit
of money used to come on for
him once a
quarter and he made a bit more by card-playing. He
won a good deal of mine, I know
that.
“这是个相
当有趣的故事,”他说。“他不是个坏人。我喜欢他。他总是衣冠楚楚,风
度翩翩。头发是鬈曲的,脸腮
白里透红,有那么点漂亮。女人家很欣赏他。他没坏心眼,你
瞧,只不过落拓不羁。饮酒过度,自不必说
了。他们这种人总是如此。每个季度都有一点钱
寄给他,但是他打牌又赢得一点。他赢了我很不少的钱,
这个我知道。”
Burton gave a kindly chuckle.
I knew from my own experience that he could lose
money at
bridge with a good grace. He stroked
his shaven chin with his thin hand; the veins
stood out on it
and it was almost transparent.
勃吞和颜悦色地轻声一笑。我从自己的经验知道,他打牌输钱
的时候也能够神态自若。他用瘦骨棱棱的手
摸摸自己剃得光光的下巴,手上的青筋暴露,几
乎是透明的。
namesake of mine. He came to see me in my
office one day and asked me for a job. I was
rather
surprised. He told me that there was no
more money coming from home and he wanted to work.
I
asked him how old he was. “我想这就是他倒霉的时候来找我的缘故
,这是一;还有一点就
是他和我同姓氏。有一天,他到我的办事处来找我给他安排一个职业。我相当惊讶
。他告诉
我,家里不再寄钱给他了,因此想找个工作。我问他几岁。
“‘三十五,’他说。
“‘你至今都做过些什么事呢?’
我问他。
“‘嗯,没做过什么,’他说。
“我忍不住笑了。
I can't do
anything for you just yet,' I said. 'Come back and
see me in another
thirty-five years, and I'll
see what I can do.'
“‘我怕目前一点也帮不了你的忙,’我说。‘再
过三十五年来找我吧,那时我再看看怎么办。’
had had bad luck at cards for some time.
He hadn't been willing to stick to bridge, he'd
been
playing poker, and he'd got trimmed. He
hadn't a penny. He'd pawned everything he had. He
couldn't pay his hotel bill and they wouldn't
give him any more credit. He was down and out. If
he
couldn't get something to do he'd have to
commit suicide.
“他不走。脸色发白。迟疑了片刻,然后告诉我相当时候以来打牌手气
不好。他不想老是打
桥牌,于是打了扑克,结果垮了台,弄得一文不名。他把什么都当掉了。付不出旅馆
的账单,
他们却不让他再赊账了。他一败涂地,要是找不到事情做,只好自杀了。
than usual and he looked fifty. The
girls wouldn't have thought so much of him if
they'd seen him
then. “我打量了他一会,看得出他整个儿垮了。酒喝得比平
常更多,象是个五十岁的人了。
女孩子要是现在看见他,可不会看上他了。
“‘那么,除了玩牌
以外,你还会做什么事呢?’
3
“‘我会游泳,’他说。
“我简直不相信自
己的耳朵;就象是疯子回答的话啊。
“‘我代表过我念的大学参加游泳比赛。’
tin gods at their
university to be impressed by it. “我有一点懂他的意思了。我认识很
不少的人,
他们曾经是大学里昙花一现的小偶像,他们对此总是念念不忘。
“‘我年轻的时候游
得也很不错,’我说。
我忽然有了个主意。”
Pausing in his story, Burton turned to me.
勃吞中断了他的故事,转脸对着我。
“你可熟悉神户?”他问道
“不熟悉,”我说。
“有一次路过那儿,但是只过了一夜。”
the
beacon and landed at the creek of Tarumi. It's
over three miles and it's rather difficult on
account of the currents round the beacon.
Well, I told my young namesake about it and I said
to
him that if he'd do it I'd give him a job.
“那么你不知道汐屋俱乐部了。我年轻时候,从那儿游泳,绕过灯塔,到樽见的小海湾
登岸。有
三英里多路呢,而且因为绕过灯塔那儿的潮流湍急,是很难游过去的。好,我就和
我那位同姓氏的青年谈
了这一情况,并且说,要是他能游过去我就派给他一个工作。
“我看到他相当为难。
“‘你说你是个游泳家嘛,’我说。
“‘我的状态不怎么好,’他回答。
nodded. “我没说什么。耸耸肩膀。他对我瞧了片刻,然后点点头。
“‘好吧,’他说。‘你要我什么时候
去呢?’
“我看看表。十点刚过。
at half past twelve and meet
you. I'll take you back to the club to dress and
then we'll have lunch
together.'
“‘游这段路顶多需
要一小时零一刻钟多些。我在十二点半开车到那边小海湾接你。把
你送回俱乐部去穿衣服,然后咱们一块
儿吃中饭。’
“‘行,’他说。
shook hands. I wished
him good luck and he left me. I had a lot of work
to do that
morning and I only just managed to
get to the creek at Tarumi at half past twelve.
But I needn't
have hurried; he never turned
up.
“我们握握手。我祝他运气好,他走了。那天上午我有许多工作要做,总算刚好在十二
点半赶到樽见的小海湾。其实用不着匆忙;他一直没有露面呢。”
“他在最后关头吓退了吗?”我问。
4
and
dissipation. The currents round the beacon were
more than he could manage. We didn't get the
body for about three days.
“没有,他没有吓退,开头游得顺
利。然而酗酒放荡当然毁坏了他的体质。绕过灯塔的
潮流他对付不了。大约三天之后才发现他的尸体。”
I didn't say anything for a moment or two.
I was a trifle shocked. Then I asked Burton a
question. 有一两分钟我说不出话来。我有点儿震惊。然后问了勃吞一个问题。
“你打算给他一
个工作的时候,可知道他会淹死呢?”
He gave a
little mild chuckle and he looked at me with those
kind and candid blue eyes of his.
He rubbed
his chin with his hand.
他温和地微微一笑,那双善良忠厚的蓝眼睛望着我。他一只
手摸着下巴颏儿。
“嗯,当时我的办事处里并没有空位
子。”
我阅人至今已经有
三十年之久。我不大了解他们。人家对我说他们对一个人的初次印象一准
不会错的时候,我耸耸肩。我认
为他们必然眼力颇浅,或者自负过高。就我来说,我发现自
己认得越久的人,他们越使我迷惑不解。我最
老的朋友们,恰恰是我可以说一点也不了解的
人。
我产生这些想法是因为看到今天早晨报纸
上登载爱德华•海德•勃吞在神户逝世的消息。他是
一个商人,在日本经营多年。我跟他交情很浅,可是
有一次他使我大吃一惊,才对他感到兴
趣。要不是听他亲口说的,我怎么也不会相信他竟然做出这种事情
。不论是外貌,是举动,
他都使人想起一种定了型的人物,这就使人更为震惊。如果有那么一个前后一贯
的人,他就
是了。他身材矮小,高不过五英尺四多一点,细瘦文弱,一头白发,一脸皱纹,气色红润,<
br>眼睛湛蓝。我认识他的时候估计他是六十岁光景。穿得总是整洁素净,正适合他的年龄和地
位。
勃吞的办事处在神户,但是他常常到横滨去。我碰巧有事到那儿去耽搁几天,等一艘船,便
在英
国俱乐部被人介绍跟他认识。我们一起打桥牌。他打得很好,而且慷慨大方。当时或后
来我们一起喝酒的
时候,他不大说话,说起来却通情达理。他有一种沉着冷静的幽默感。他
在俱乐部里看来人缘颇好,他离
开以后,人家说他属于最高尚的人当中的一个。我们两人恰
巧都下榻格朗德旅馆,第二天他邀我吃饭。看
到了他的上了年纪的妻子,胖胖的、笑盈盈的,
还有两个女儿。显然是一个融融怡怡、相亲相爱的家庭。
给我印象最深的是他的忠厚善良。
他的温和的蓝眼睛里有一种十分可爱的神色。嗓音也是柔和的;不能想
象他有高声怒吼的可
能;他的微笑同样亲切慈祥。有一种人吸引你,是因为你觉得他对人们具有真诚的爱
。他确
有魅力。然而他身上却不带令人恶心的地方;他爱好打牌,喝鸡尾酒,能够抓住要点讲述生
动有趣的故事,年轻时候曾经也算是个体育运动员。他富有,而每个便士都是自己赚来的。
我觉得,使
你喜欢他的一种情况是他如此文弱矮小;他唤起你做保护者的本能。你感到他连
伤害一只苍蝇都不忍心。
一天下午,我坐在格朗德旅馆的休息室时勃吞走进休息室,坐到我旁边的椅子上来。
5
“喝点儿酒怎么样?”
他拍手招来了侍者,要了两杯加苏打水的杜松子洒
。侍者端来的时候,一个人在外面街上经
过,一眼看见了我,就对我招招手。
“你认识透纳吗?”我点头招呼的时候,勃吞问。
“我在俱乐部里看见过他。我听说他是靠汇款过日子的人。”
“不错,我相信是的。这里有许多这种人。”
“他桥牌打得很好。”
“他们一
般都如此。去年这里有一个人,可真巧,他和我同姓氏,是我所见到的最好的桥牌
手。我想你在伦敦从未
遇到他吧。他说他叫赖内•勃吞。我相信他是一些第一流的俱乐部的
成员。”
“没有,我似乎没有听到过这个名字。”
“他是个十分出色的牌手。对于牌他似乎有一种直
觉。这是不:可思议的。我曾经常常和他
打牌。他有一段时候待在神户。”
勃吞啜饮着苏打杜松子酒。
“这是个相当有趣的故事,”他说。“他不是个坏人。我喜欢他
。他总是衣冠楚楚,风度翩
翩。头发是鬈曲的,脸腮白里透红,有那么点漂亮。女人家很欣赏他。他没坏
心眼,你瞧,
只不过落拓不羁。饮酒过度,自不必说了。他们这种人总是如此。每个季度都有一点钱寄给
他,但是他打牌又赢得一点。他赢了我很不少的钱,这个我知道。”
勃吞和颜悦色地轻声一
笑。我从自己的经验知道,他打牌输钱的时候也能够神态自若。他用
瘦骨棱棱的手摸摸自己剃得光光的下
巴,手上的青筋暴露,几乎是透明的。
“我想这就是他倒霉的时候来找我的缘故,这是一;还有一点
就是他和我同姓氏。有一天,
他到我的办事处来找我给他安排一个职业。我相当惊讶。他告诉我,家里不
再寄钱给他了,
因此想找个工作。我问他几岁。
“‘三十五,’他说。
“‘你至今都做过些什么事呢?’我问他。
“‘嗯,没做过什么,’他说。
“我忍不住笑了。
“‘我怕目前一点也帮不了你的忙,’我说。‘再过三十五年来找我吧,
那时我再看看怎么
办。’
“他不走。脸色发白。迟疑了片刻,然后告诉我相当时候以来打牌
手气不好。他不想老是打
桥牌,于是打了扑克,结果垮了台,弄得一文不名。他把什么都当掉了。付不出
旅馆的账单,
他们却不让他再赊账了。他一败涂地,要是找不到事情做,只好自杀了。
“我
打量了他一会,看得出他整个儿垮了。酒喝得比平常更多,象是个五十岁的人了。女孩
子要是现在看见他
,可不会看上他了。
“‘那么,除了玩牌以外,你还会做什么事呢?’
“‘我会游泳,’他说。
“‘游泳!’
“我简直不相信自己的耳朵;就象是疯子回答的话啊。
“‘我代表过我念的大学参加游泳比赛。’
“我有一点懂他的意思了。我认识很不少的人,
他们曾经是大学里昙花一现的小偶像,他们
对此总是念念不忘。
“‘我年轻的时候游得也很不错,’我说。
“我忽然有了个主意。”
勃吞中断了他的故事,转脸对着我。
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“你可熟悉神户?”他问道。
“不熟悉,”我说。“有一次路过那儿,但是只过了一夜。”
“那么你不知道汐屋俱乐部了
。我年轻时候,从那儿游泳,绕过灯塔,到樽见的小海湾登岸。
有三英里多路呢,而且因为绕过灯塔那儿
的潮流湍急,是很难游过去的。好,我就和我那位
同姓氏的青年谈了这一情况,并且说,要是他能游过去
我就派给他一个工作。
“我看到他相当为难。
“‘你说你是个游泳家嘛,’我说。
“‘我的竞技状态不怎么好,’他回答。
“我没说什么。耸耸肩膀。他对我瞧了片刻,然后点点头。
“‘好吧,’他说。‘你要我什么时候去呢?’
“我看看表。十点刚过。
“‘
游这段路顶多需要一小时零一刻钟多些。我在十二点半开车到那边小海湾接你。把你送
回俱乐部去穿衣服
,然后咱们一块儿吃中饭。’
“‘行,’他说。
“我们握握手。我祝他运气好,他走了
。那天上午我有许多工作要做,总算刚好在十二点半
赶到樽见的小海湾。其实用不着匆忙;他一直没有露
面呢。”
“他在最后关头吓退了吗?”我问。
“没有,他没有吓退,开头游得顺利。然
而酗酒放荡当然毁坏了他的体质。绕过灯塔的潮流
他对付不了。大约三天之后才发现他的尸体。”
有一两分钟我说不出话来。我有点儿震惊。然后问了勃吞一个问题。
“你打算给他一个工作的时候,可知道他会淹死呢?”
他温和地微微一笑,那双善良忠厚的蓝眼睛望着我。他一只手摸着下巴颏儿。
“嗯,当时我的办事处里并没有空位子。”
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