I climbed back down from the rock. In the distance, I spotted a couple approaching.
我从岩石上爬下来,看到远处一对男女走了过来。
Your first thought is: nutcase?
你的第一个念头是:疯子?
But then I noticed, even from a hundred feet, that the couple was panicking:
不过,即使在100英尺外,我也能看出,这对男女恐慌不安,
the man was pulling the woman to the other side of him, so that he would be between her and me when we passed.
男人把女人拉到一边,这样一来我们擦身而过时他就位于我和女人之间。
The woman stopped, and the man jerked her forward authoritatively.
这位女人停下了脚步,那男人不由分说把她往前一拽。
As they got closer, I could see that he was tall and skinny, wearing a plaid shirt and black horn-rimmed glasses;
当他们两个走近时,我看到他又高又瘦,穿着一件花格的衬衫,戴着黑色的角边眼镜;
she was a blonde, and looked determinedly at the ground, her face rigid.
她是个金发女郎,面色紧张,两眼死死地盯着地面。
When they were within a few feet of me, he reached out and grabbed her arm.
在距离我只有几步远时,他伸手抓住了她的手臂。
I couldn't resist: just as we were about to pass each other, I addressed them, forthrightly: "Hello, good people!"
我实在难以控制,就当我们要擦肩而过时对他们说:“你们好,好心人!”
I said. "And how are you on this fine summer evening?"
我还打招呼说:“你们在这夏日良宵过得好吗?”
At first, silence, and then the woman started shrieking uncontrollably—"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!"—and they hurried away.
起初,没人搭腔,紧接着那女人不由自主地尖叫起来——“哦,上帝!哦,上帝!”——他们慌忙跑开了。
This was an interesting discovery. One of the most frightening things in the Park at night was a man on his own.
这是一个有趣的发现。夜晚在中央公园里,最令人恐怖的事情莫过于独行的男人。
One of the most frightening things tonight was me.
今天夜里最吓人的就是我。
I was emboldened by the realization: I was no longer afraid; I was frightening.
想到这,我顿时胆子大了起来:我用不着害怕,我就很令人害怕了。