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"Here's another thing I always carry. A souvenir of Oxford days.
“还有一件东西我总是随身携带。牛津时期的纪念品。
It was taken in Trinity Quad--the man on my left is now the Earl of Dorcaster."
它是在三一学院拍的——我左边的那个人现在是多卡斯特伯爵。”
It was a photograph of half a dozen young men in blazers loafing in an archway through which were visible a host of spires.
那是一张照片，五六个穿着运动夹克的年轻人在拱门处闲逛，透过拱门可以看到一排尖塔。
There was Gatsby,looking a little, not much, younger--with a cricket bat in his hand.
盖茨比就站在那儿，看上去比现在稍微年轻些——手里拿着一根板球棒。
Then it was all true.
看样子这一切都是真的。
I saw the skins of tigers flaming in his palace on the Grand Canal;
我仿佛看到他在大运河上的宫殿里挂着的五彩斑斓的虎皮；
I saw him opening a chest of rubies to ease, with their crimson-lighted depths, the gnawings of his broken heart.
看见他打开一箱闪耀着红光的红宝石，用来减轻他那破碎的心的痛苦。
"I'm going to make a big request of you today," he said, pocketing his souvenirs with satisfaction,
“今天有件大事请你帮忙，”他说着，满意地把纪念品装进了口袋，
"so I thought you ought to know something about me.
“所以我想你应该知道一些关于我的事情。
I didn't want you to think I was just some nobody.
我不想让你觉得我是个无名小卒。
You see,I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad thing that happened to me."
你知道，我常常和陌生人在一起，东飘西荡，想忘掉发生在我身上的不幸的事。”
He hesitated."You'll hear about it this afternoon."
他犹豫了。“今天下午你会知道是什么事情的。”
"At lunch?"
“午餐的时候？”
"No, this afternoon. I happened to find out that you're taking Miss Baker to tea."
“不,今天下午。我碰巧发现你要请贝克小姐去喝茶。”
"Do you me an you're in love with Miss Baker?"
“你是不是爱上贝克小姐了？”
"No, old sport, I'm not. But Miss Baker has kindly consented to speak to you about this matter."
“不，老兄，我不是。但是贝克小姐好心地同意让我和你谈谈这件事。”
I hadn't the faintest idea what "this matter" was, but I was more annoyed than interested.
我根本不知道“这件事”是什么意思，但我与其说是感兴趣，不如说是生气。
I hadn't asked Jordan to tea in order to discuss Mr. Jay Gatsby.
我请乔丹喝茶并不是为了讨论杰伊·盖茨比先生。
I was sure the request would be something utterly fantastic
我相信这个请求一定是什么异想天开的事。
and for a moment I was sorry I'd ever set foot upon his overpopulated lawn.
有那么一刻，我后悔自己曾经踏上过他那人满为患的草坪。
He wouldn't say another word. His correctness grew on him as we neared the city.
他一句话也不说了。我们越接近那座城市，他变得越矜持。
We passed Port Roosevelt, where there was a glimpse of red-belted ocean-going ships,
我们经过罗斯福港，在那里可以看到涂着红腰线的远洋轮船，
and sped along a cobbled slum lined with the dark, undeserted saloons of the faded gilt nineteen-hundreds.
在一个铺满鹅卵石的贫民窟里飞驰，两旁是二十世纪初就有的酒馆，昏暗而无人光顾。
Then the valley of ashes opened out on both sides of us,
灰烬山谷在我们两侧展开，
and I had a glimpse of Mrs. Wilson straining at the garage pump with panting vitality as we went by.
我还瞥见威尔逊太太在车库里的水泵旁紧张地工作着，精力充沛地喘着粗气。
With fenders spread like wings we scattered light through half Astoria--only half,
挡泥板像翅膀一样展开，我们给半个阿斯托里亚带来了光明——只有一半阿斯托里亚而已，
for as we twisted among the pillars of the elevated I heard the familiar "jug--jug--SPAT!" of a motor cycle,
因为当我们在高架桥的柱子间穿行的时候，我听到了熟悉的摩托车“噗——噗——噗”的声音，
and afrantic policeman rode alongside.
一位黑人警察骑着摩托车来到我们旁边。
"All right, old sport," called Gatsby.
“好吧，老兄。”盖茨比叫道。
We slowed down.
我们慢了下来。
Taking a white card from his wallet he waved it before the man's eyes.
他从皮夹里掏出一张白色卡片，在那人眼前晃了晃。
"Right you are," agreed the policeman, tipping his cap.
“好吧，”警察摘下帽子敬了个礼。
"Know you next time, Mr. Gatsby. Excuse ME!"
“下次就认识您了，盖茨比先生。对不起！”
"What was that?" I inquired. "The picture of Oxford?"
“那是什么？”我问道。“牛津的照片？”
"I was able to do the commissioner a favor once, and he sends me a Christmas card every year."
“我曾经帮过警察局局长一次忙，他每年都寄给我一张圣诞卡。”
