评论
打印
Men in accurate clothes, with faces like those carved on cherry stones by the old salts in sailors' homes,
衣冠楚楚，面目像是海员养老院里的老水手在樱桃核上刻出来的男人们，
turned and stared at Dulcie as she sped, unheeding, past them. Manhattan, the night-blooming cereus,
她转过身来盯着达尔西，达尔西却没有注意到他们。。曼哈顿，这朵晚上开放的仙人掌花，
was beginning to unfold its dead-white, heavy-odoured petals.
开始舒展它那颜色死白，气味浓烈的花瓣了。
Dulcie stopped in a store where goods were cheap and bought an imitation lace collar with her fifty cents.
达尔西在一家卖便宜货的商店里停了一下，用她的五毛钱买了一条仿花边的纸衣领。
That money was to have been spent otherwise--fifteen cents for supper, ten cents for breakfast, ten cents for lunch.
那些钱本来另有用途——晚饭一毛五，早饭一毛，中饭一毛。
Another dime was to be added to her small store of savings; and five cents was to be squandered for licorice drops—
另外一毛是准备加进她那寒酸的储蓄里的；五分钱准备浪费在甘草糖上——
the kind that made your cheek look like the toothache, and last as long. The licorice was an extravagance—
那种糖能使你的脸颊鼓得像牙痛似的，含化的时间也像牙痛那么长。吃甘草糖是一种奢侈—
almost a carouse--but what is life without pleasures?
几乎是狂欢——可是没有乐趣的生活又算是什么呢？
Dulcie lived in a furnished room. There is this difference between a furnished room and a boardinghouse.
达尔西住的是一间连家具出租的房间。这种房间同包伙食的寄宿舍是有区别的。
In a furnished room, other people do not know it when you go hungry.
住在这种屋子里，挨饿的时候别人是不会知道的。
Dulcie went up to her room--the third floor back in a West Side brownstone-front. She lit the gas.
达尔西上楼到她的房间里去——西区一座褐石房屋的三楼后房。她点上煤气灯。
Scientists tell us that the diamond is the hardest substance known. Their mistake. Landladies know of a compound
科学家告诉我们，金刚石是世界上最坚硬的物质。他们错了。房东太太掌握了一种化合物，
beside which the diamond is as putty. They pack it in the tips of gas-burners;
同它一比，连金刚石都软得像油灰了。她们把这种东西塞在煤气灯灯头上，
and one may stand on a chair and dig at it in vain until one's fingers are pink and bruised. A hairpin will not remove it;
任你站在椅子上挖得手指发红起泡，仍旧白搭。发针不能动它分毫，
therefore let us call it immovable.
所以我们姑且管它叫做“牢不可移的”吧。
So Dulcie lit the gas. In its one-fourth-candlepower glow we will observe the room.
达尔西点燃了煤气灯。在那相当于四分之一支烛光的灯光下，我们来看看这个房间。
Couch-bed, dresser, table, washstand, chair--of this much the landlady was guilty. The rest was Dulcie's.
榻床，梳妆台，桌子，洗脸架，椅子——造孽的房东太太所提供的全在这儿了。其余是达尔西自己的。
