Chapter Three (Excerpt)Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby’s house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited. People were not invited—they went there. They got into automobiles which carried them out to Long Island[1] and somehow they ended up at Gatsby’s door. Once there they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby and after that they conducted themselves[2] according to the rules of behavior associated with amusement parks. Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission.Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
I had been actually invited. A chauffeur in a uniform of robin’s egg blue crossed my lawn early that Saturday morning with a surprisingly formal note from his employer—the honor would be entirely Gatsby’s, it said, if I would attend his “little party” that night.[3] He had seen me several times and had intended to call on me long before but a peculiar combination of circumstances had prevented it—signed Jay Gatsby in a majestic hand.Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
Dressed up in white flannels I went over to his lawn a little after seven and wandered around rather ill-at-ease among swirls and eddies of people I didn’t know—though here and there was a face I had noticed on the commuting train...[4]Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
There was dancing now on the canvas in the garden, old men pushing young girls backward in eternal graceless circles, superior couples holding each other tortuously, fashionably and keeping in the corners—and a great number of single girls dancing individualistically or relieving the orchestra for a moment of the burden of the banjo or the traps.[5] By midnight the hilarity[6] had increased. A celebrated tenor had sung in Italian and a notorious contralto had sung in jazz and between the numbers people were doing “stunts” all over the garden, while happy vacuous bursts of laughter rose toward the summer sky...[7]Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
I was still with Jordan Baker. We were sitting at a table with a man of about my age and a rowdy little girl who gave way upon the slightest provocation to uncontrollable laughter.[8] I was enjoying myself now. I had taken two finger bowls[9] of champagne and the scene had changed before my eyes into something significant, elemental and profound.Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
At a lull[10] in the entertainment the man looked at me and smiled. “Your face is familiar,” he said, politely. “Weren’t you in the Third Division[11] during the war?”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“Why, yes. I was in the Ninth Machine-Gun Battalion[12] .”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“I was in the Seventh Infantry[13] until June 1918. I knew I’d seen you somewhere before.”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
We talked for a moment about some wet, grey little villages in France. Evidently he lived in this vicinity for he told me that he had just bought a hydroplane and was going to try it out in the morning.[14]Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“Want to go with me, old sport[15]? Just near the shore along the Sound[16].”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“What time?”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“Any time that suits you best.”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask his name when Jordan looked around and smiled. “Having a gay time now?” she inquired.Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“Much better.” I turned again to my new acquaintance. “This is an unusual party for me. I haven’t even seen the host. I live over there——” I waved my hand at the invisible hedge in the distance, “and this man Gatsby sent over his chauffeur with an invitation.”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
For a moment he looked at me as if he failed to understand.Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“I’m Gatsby,” he said suddenly.Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“What!” I exclaimed. “Oh, I beg your pardon.”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“I thought you knew, old sport. I’m afraid I’m not a very good host.”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
He smiled understandingly—much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced—or seemed to face—the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on YOU with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just so far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey. Precisely at that point it vanished— and I was looking at an elegant young rough-neck, a year or two over thirty, whose elaborate formality of speech just missed being absurd.[17] Some time before he introduced himself I’d got a strong impression that he was picking his words with care.Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
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第三章 (节选)Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
我相信那天晚上我第一次到盖茨比家去时,我是少数几个真正接到请帖的客人之一。人们不请自来。他们坐上送他们去长岛的汽车,后来也不知怎么的他们总是出现在盖茨比的家门口。抵达之后,总会有什么认识盖茨比的人为他们介绍一下,此后他们的言谈行事就像身处一般的娱乐场所似地无所顾忌了。有时候他们从来到走根本没见过盖茨比,他们怀着一片至诚前来赴会,这片诚心就可以算作一张入场券了。Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
我确实是受到邀请的。那个星期六一清早,一位身穿蓝绿色制服的司机穿过我的草地,为他主人送来一封措词相当正式的请柬,上面写道:如蒙我光临当晚他的“小小聚会”,盖茨比当感到不胜荣幸。他数次看到我,并早就打算造访,但由于种种特殊原因未能如愿——杰伊•盖茨比签名,笔迹很神气。Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
晚上七点刚过,我身穿一套白色法兰绒便装走上他家的草坪,很不自在地在一群群我不认识的人中间走动——虽然偶尔我也能看到某些在城际火车上曾见过的面孔……Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
此刻,花园里的篷布下有人在跳舞:老头子推着年轻姑娘向后倒退,无止无休地绕着难看的圈子;一些心高气傲的男女抱在一起,跳着时髦的舞步扭来扭去,但基本上就守在一个角落里——还有许多单身姑娘在跳单人舞,或者帮乐队弹一会儿班卓琴,又或者敲一会儿打击乐器。到了午夜,欢闹更甚。一位有名的男高音歌唱家用意大利文演唱,一位臭名昭著的女低音歌手演唱爵士乐曲,在节目之间的空档中,花园里四处有人在表演自己“绝技”,引得阵阵欢乐而空洞的笑声响彻夏夜的天空……Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
我仍和乔丹•贝克呆在一起。与我们同桌的还有一位与我年纪差不多的男子和一个吵吵闹闹的小姑娘,只要稍微挑逗一下,她就忍不住放声大笑。我现在玩得也挺开心了。我已经喝了两大碗香槟,因此我眼前的景色变成了某种意味深长的、原始粗犷而又奥妙的东西。Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
在节目间歇期间,那位男士看着我,朝我微笑。“您很面熟,”他很客气地说,“一战期间您是在第三师吧?”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“正是啊。我在第九机枪营。”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“我在第七步兵团,直到1918年6月。我就知道我曾在哪儿见过您。”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
我们聊了一会儿法国某处的潮湿阴暗的小村庄。显然他应该就住在附近,因为他告诉我他刚买了一架水上飞机,并且准备明天早晨去试飞一下。Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“愿意跟我一块去吗,老兄?就在长岛海湾沿着岸边转转。”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“什么时候?”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“只要你方便,什么时候都行。”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
我话已到嘴边刚想问他的名字,这时乔丹转过头来朝我一笑。她问道:“现在玩得开心吧?”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“好多了。”我又转过头去与我的新交朋友说,“对我来说,这是个不寻常的晚会。我连主人都还没见到呢。我就住在那边——”我朝远处看不见的的篱笆一挥手,“这位姓盖茨比的先生派他的司机送给我一份请帖。”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
他看了看我,似乎没听懂我的话。Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“我就是盖茨比,”他突然说。Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“什么!”我惊叫了一声,“噢,真是抱歉。”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
“我还以为你知道呢,老兄。我恐怕不是个称职的主人。”Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
他心领神会地一笑——还不止心领神会。这是极为罕见的笑容,那笑容里含有一种永恒善意的表情,可能你一辈子也就能遇见四五次。它朝着——或者似乎朝着——整个永恒的世界微笑了一瞬间,然后就凝聚在你身上,对你表现出不可抗拒的偏爱。他对你的了解恰恰达到你本人希望被了解的程度,相信你如同你乐于相信你自己那样,并令你舒心,因为他对你的印象正是你最得意时希望给予别人的印象。恰好在这一刻他的笑容消失了——于是我看着的不过是一个风度翩翩的年轻男子,三十一二岁的年纪,说起话来文质彬彬,几乎有点可笑。在他作自我介绍之前不久,我强烈地感觉到他说话似乎字字斟酌。Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
(来源:英语学习杂志 编辑:丹妮)Lom驻马店翻译公司-忠信乐译翻译有限公司
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