英文朗读了不起的盖茨比（了不起的盖茨比）

The only completely stationary object in the room was an enormous couch on which two young women were buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon . They were both in white , and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house . I must have stood for a few moments listening to the whip and snap of the curtains and the groan of a picture on the wall . Then there was a boom as Tom Buchanan shut the rear windows and the caught wind died out about the room ,and the curtains and the rugs and the two young women ballooned slowly to the floor .

屋子里唯一完全静止的东西是一张庞大的长沙发椅，上面有两个年轻的女人，活像浮在一只停泊在地面的大气球上。她们俩穿着白衣，衣裙在风中飘荡，好像她们乘气球绕着房子飞了一圈刚被风吹回来似的。我准是站了好一会，倾听窗帘刮动的噼啪声和墙上一幅挂像嘎吱嘎吱的响声。忽然砰的一声，汤姆。布坎农关上了后面的落地窗，室内的余风才渐渐平息，窗帘、地毯和两位少妇也都慢慢地降落地面。

The younger of the two was a stranger to me .She was extended full length at her end of the divan, completely motionless and with her chin raised a little as if she were balancing something on it which was quite likely to fall . If she saw me out of the corner of her eyes she --gave no hint of it --indeed ,I was almost surprised into murmuring an apology for having disturbed her by coming in .

两个之中比较年轻的那个，我不认识。她平躺在长沙发的一头，身子一动也不动，下巴稍微向上仰起，仿佛她在上面平衡着一件什么东西，生怕它掉下来似的。如果从她眼角中看到了我，她可毫无表示---其实我倒吃了一惊，差一点要张口向她道歉，因为我的进来惊动了她。

The other girl ,Daisy, made an attempt to rise --she leaned slightly forward wiht a conscientious expression --then she laughed ,an absurd ,charming little laugh ,and I laughed too and came forward into the room.

另外那个少妇，黛西，想要站起身来----她身子微微向前倾，一脸诚心诚意的表情----接着她扑嗤一笑，又滑稽又可爱地轻轻一笑，我也跟着笑了，接着就走上前去进了屋子。

"I'm p-paralyzed with happiness ".

我高兴得瘫…瘫掉了。

She laughed again ,as if she said something very witty ,and held my hand for a moment ,looking up into my face ,promising that there was no one in the world she so much wanted to see . That was a way she had . She hinted in a murmur that the surname of the balancing girl was Baker . (I've heard it said that Daisy's murmur was only to make people lean toward her ; an irrelevant criticism that made it no less charming .)

她又笑了一次，好像她说了一句非常俏皮的话，接着就拉住我的手，仰起脸看着我，表示世界上没有第二个人是她更高兴见到的人。那是她特有的一种表情。她低声告诉我那个在搞平衡动作的姑娘姓贝克。（我听人说过，黛西的喃喃低语只是为了让人家把身子身她靠近，这是不相干的闲话，丝毫无损于这种表情的魅力）。

At any rate Miss Baker's lips fluttered ,she nodded at me almost imperceptibly and then quickly tipped her head back again --the object she was balancing had obviously tottered a little and given her something of a fright .Again a sort of apology arose to my lips . Almost any exhibition of complete self sufficiency draws a stunned tribute from me .

不管怎样，贝克小姐的嘴唇微微一动，她几乎看不出来地向我点了点头，接着赶忙把头又仰回去----她在保持平衡的那件东西显然歪了一下，让她吃了一惊。道歉的话又一次冒到了我的嘴边。这种几乎是完全我行我素的神情总是使我感到目瞪口呆，满心赞佩。

I looked back at my cousin who began to ask me questions in her low ,thrilling voice .It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down as if each sopeech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again .Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it ,bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth -- but there was an excitement in her voice that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget :a singing compulsion , a whispered "Listen ,"a promise that she had done gay , exciting things just a while since and that there were gay ,exciting things hoering in the next hour .

我掉过头去看我的妹妹，她开始用她那低低的、令人激动的声音向我提问题。这是那种叫人侧耳倾听的声音，仿佛每句话都是永远不会重新演奏的一组音符。她的脸庞忧郁而美丽，脸上有明媚的神采，两只明媚的眼睛，一张明媚而热情的嘴，但是她声音里有一种激动人心的特质，那是为她倾倒过的男人都觉得难以忘怀的；一种抑扬动听的魅力，一声喃喃的“听着”，一种暗示，说她片刻以前刚刚干完一些赏心乐事，而且下一个小时里还有赏心乐事。

I told her how I had stopped off in Chicago for a day on my way east and how a dozen people had sent their love through me .

我告诉了她我到东部来的途中曾在芝加哥停留一天，有十来个朋友都托我向她问好。

"Do they miss me ?"she cried ecstatically .

他们想念我吗？她欣喜若狂地喊道。

"The whole town is desolate. All the cars have the left rear wheel painted black as a mourning wreath and there's a persistent wail all night along the North Shore ."

全城都凄凄惨惨，所有的汽车都把左右漆上了黑漆当花圈，沿着城北的湖边整夜哀声不绝于耳。

"How gorgeous ! Let's go back ,Tom.Tomorrow !"Then she added irrelevantly ,"You ought to see the baby ."

太美了，汤姆，咱们回去吧。明天，随即她毫不相干地说，你应当看看宝宝。

"I'd like to ."

我很想看

"She's asleep .She's two years old .Haven't you ever seen her '?

她睡着了，她两岁，你从没见过她吗？

"Never"

从来没有

"Well ,you ought to see her .She's-----"

那么你应当看看她，她是……

Tom Buchanan who had been hovering restlessly about the room stopped and rested his hand on my shoulder.

汤姆.布坎农本来坐立不安地在屋子里来回走动，现在停了下来，把一只手放在我肩上。

"What you doing ,Nick?"

你在干什么买卖，尼克？

"I'm a bond man "

我在做债券生意。

"Who with ?"

在哪家公司？

I told him .

我告诉了他。

"Never heard of them ,"he remarked decisively.

从来没有听说过。他断然地说。

This annoyed me .

这使我感到不痛快。

"You will", I answered shortly ."You will if you stay in the East ."

你会听说的， 我简慢地答道，你在东部待久不就会听说的。

"Oh,I'll stay in the East ,don't you worry,"he said ,glancing at Daisy and then back at me ,as if he were alert for something more ."I'd be a God Damned fool to live anywhere else ."

噢，我一定会在东部待下来的，你放心吧。他先望望黛西又望望我，仿佛他在提防还有别的什么名堂。我要是个天大的傻瓜才会到别的地方去住。

At this point Miss Baker said "Absolutely"! with such suddenness that I started --it was the first word she uttered since I came into the room .Evidently it surprised her as much as it did me ,for she yawned and with a series of rapid ,deft movements stood up into the room.

这时贝克小姐说：绝对如此！来得那么突然，使我吃了一惊－－这是我进了屋子之后她说的第一句话。显然她的话也使她自已同样吃惊，因为她打了个吹欠，随即做了一连串迅速而灵巧的动作就站了起来。

"I'm stiff ,"she complained ,"I've been lying on that sofa for as long as I can remember ."

我都木了，她抱怨道，我在那张沙发上躺了不知多久了。

"Don't look at me,"Daisy retorted ."I've been trying to get you to New York all afternoon."

别盯着我看，黛西回嘴说，我整个下午在动员你上纽约去。

"No ,thanks ,"said Miss Baker to the four cocktails just in from the pantry , "I'm absolutely in training."

不要，谢谢，贝克小姐对着刚从食品间端来的四杯鸡尾酒说。我正在严格地进行锻炼哩。

Her host looked at her incredulously .

她的男主人难以置信地看着她。

"You are "!He took down his drink as if it were a drop in the bottom of a glass ."How you ever get anything done is beyond me ."

是啊！他把自已的酒喝了下去，仿佛那是杯底的一滴。我真不明白你怎么可能做得成什么事情。

I looked at Miss Baker wondering what it was she "got done ."I enyoyed looking at her .She was a slender ,small-breasted girl ,with an erect carriage which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet .Her grey sun-strained eyes looked back at me with polite reciprocal curiosity out of a wan ,charming discontented face .It occurred to me now that I had seen her ,or a picture of her ,somewhere before .

我看看贝克小姐，纳闷也“做得成”的是什么事。我喜欢看她。她是个身材苗条、乳房小小的姑娘，由于她像个年轻的军校学员那样挺起胸膛更显得俊俏挺拔。她那双被太阳照得眯缝着的灰眼睛也看着我，一张苍白、可爱、不满的脸上流露出有礼貌的、回敬的好奇心。我这才想起我以前在什么地方见过她，或者她的照片。

"You live in West Egg ,"she remarked contemptuously ."I know somebody there ."

你住在西卵吧！她用鄙夷的口气说，我认识那边的一个人。

"I don't know a single----"

我一个人也不认……

"You must know Gatsby ."

你总该认识盖茨比吧。

"Gatsby?"demanded Daisy ."What Gatsby ?"

盖茨比？黛西追问道，哪个盖茨比？

Before I could reply that he was my neighbor dinner was announced;wedging his tense arm imperatively under mine Tom Buchanan compelled me from the room as though he were moving a checker to another square .

我还没来得及回答说他是我的邻居，用人就宣布开饭了。汤姆.布坎农不由分说就把一只有力的胳臂插在我的胳臂下面，把我从屋子里推出去，仿佛他是在把一个棋子推到棋盘上另一格去似的。

Slenderly ,languidly ,their hands set lithgly on their hips the two young women preceded us out onto a rosycolored porch open toward the sunset where four candles flickered on the table in the diminished wind .

两位女郎袅袅婷婷地、懒洋洋地，手轻轻搭在腰上，在我们前面往外走玫瑰色的阳台。阳台迎着落日，餐桌上有四支蜡烛在减弱了的风中闪烁不定。

"Why candles ?"objcted Daisy , frowning .She snapped them out with her fingers ."In two weeks it'll be the longest day in the year ."She looked at us all radiantly ."Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it ? I always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it ."

点蜡烛干什么？黛西皱着眉头表示不悦。她用手指把它们掐灭了。再过两个星期就是一年中最长的一天了。她满面春风地看着我们大家。你们是否老在等一年中最长的一天，到头来偏偏还是会错过？我老在等一年中最长的一天，到头来偏偏还是错过了。

"We ought to plan something ,"yawned Miss Baker ,sitting down at the table as if she were getting into bed.

我们应当计划干点什么，贝克小姐打着只欠说道，仿佛上床睡觉似的在桌上旁边坐了下来。

"All right ",said Daisy ."What'll we plan ?"She turned to me helplessly."What do people plan ?"

好吧，黛西说，咱们计划什么呢？她把脸转向我，无可奈何地问道：人们空间计划些什么？

Before I could answer her eyes fastened with an awed expression on her little finger .

我还没来得及回答，她便两眼带着畏惧的表情盯着她的小手指了。

"Look !"she complained. "I hurt it "

瞧！她抱怨道，我把它碰伤了。

Well all looked -- the knuckle was black and blue.

我们大家都瞧了------指关节有点青紫。

"You did it ,Tom ,"she said accusingly .I know you didn't mean to but you did do it .That's what I get for marrying a brute of a man , a great big hulking physical specimen of a --- ---"

是你搞的，汤姆，她责怪他说，我知道你不是故意的，但确实是你搞的。这是我的报应，嫁给这么个粗野的男人，一个又 粗又大又笨拙的汉子…

"I hate that word hulking ,"objected Tom crossly ,"even in kidding."

我恨笨拙这个词，汤姆气呼呼地抗议道，即使开玩笑也不行。

"Hulking ,"insisted Daisy .

笨拙，黛西强嘴说。

Something she and Miss Baker talked at once ,unobtrusively and with a bantering inconsequence that was never quite chatter ,that was as cool as their white dresses and their impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire. They were here -- and they accepted Tom and me ,making only a polite pleasant effort to entertain or to be entertained. They knew that presently dinner would be over and a little later the evening too would be over and casually put away. It was sharply different from the West where an evening was hurried from phase to phase toward its close in a continually disappointed anticipation or else in sheer nervous dread of the moment itself .

有时她和贝克小姐同时讲话，可是并不惹不注意，不过开点无关紧要的玩笑，也算不上唠叨，跟她们的白色衣裙以及没有任何欲念的超然的眼睛一样冷漠。她们坐这里，应酬汤姆和我，只不过是客客气气地尽力款待客人或者接受款待。她们知道一会儿晚饭就吃完了，再过一会儿这一晚也就过去，随随便便就打发掉了。这和西部截然不同，在那里每逢晚上待客总是迫不及待地从一个阶段到另一个阶段推向结尾，总是有所期待而又不断地感到失望，要不然就对结尾时刻的到来感到十分紧张和恐惧。

"You make me feel uncivilized ,Daisy ," I confessed on my second glass of corky but rather impressive claret ."Can't you talk about crops or something ?"

你让我觉得自己不够文明，黛西，我喝第二杯虽然有点软木塞气味却相当精彩的红葡萄酒时坦白地说，你不能谈谈庄稼或者谈点儿别的什么吗？

I meant nothing in particular by this remark but it was taken up in an unexpected way.

我说这句话并没有什么特殊的用意 ，但它却出乎意外地被人接过去了。

"Civilization's going to pieces ,"broke out Tom violently ." I've gotten to be a terrible pessimist about things . Have you read "The Rise of the Coloured Empires' by this man Goddard?"

文明正在崩溃，汤姆气势汹汹地大声说，我近来成了个世界非常悲观的人。你看过戈达德这个人写的《有色帝国的兴起》吗？

"Why ,no," I answered ,rather surprised by his tone .

呃，没有。我答道，对他的语气感到很吃惊。

"Well ,it's a fine book ,and everybody ought to read it . The idea is if we don't look out the white race will be will be utterly submerged .It's all scientific stuff ; it's been proved ."

我说，这是一本很好的书，人人都应当读一读。书的大意是说，如果我们不当心，白色人种就会--就会完全淹没了。讲的全是科学道理，已经证明了的。

"Tom's getting very profound ,"said Daisy with an expression of unthoughtful sadness ,"He reads deep books with long words in them .What was that word we------"

汤姆变得很渊博了。黛西说，脸上露出一种并不深切的忧伤的表情。他看一些深奥的书，书里有许多深奥的字眼。那是个什么字来着，我们-------

"Well ,these books are all scientific ,"insisted Tom ,glancing at her impatiently ."This fellow has worked out the whole thing.It's up to us who are the dominant race to watch out or these other races will have control of things ."

我说，这些书都是有科学根据的，汤姆一具劲地说下去，对她不耐烦地瞅了一眼，这家伙把整个道理讲得一清二楚，我们是占统治地位的人种，我们有责任提高警惕，不然的话，其他人种就会掌握一切了。

"We've got to beat them down , "whispered Daisy , winking ferociously toward the fervent sun .

我们非打倒他们不可，黛西低声地讲，一面拼命地对炽热的太阳眨眼。

"You ought to live in California --"began Miss Baker but Tom interrupted her by shifting heavily in his chair .

你们应当到加利福尼亚安家…贝克小姐开口说，可是汤姆在椅子上使劲地挪动了一下身子，打断了她的话。

"This idea is that we're Nordics. I am ,and you are and you are and and ----"After an infinitesimal hesitation he included Daisy with a slight nod and she winked at me again ."---and we've produced all the things that go to make civilization ---oh, science and art and all that .Do you see ?"

主要的论点是说我们是北欧民族，我是，你是，你也是，还有…稍稍猜疑了一下之后，他点了点头把黛西也包括了进去，这时她又冲我眨了眨眼。而我们创造了所有那些加在一起构成文明的东西--科学艺术啦，以及其他等等。你们明白吗？

There was something pathetic in his concentration as if his complacency,more acute than of old ,was not enough to him any more .When ,almost immediately ,the telephone rang inside and the butler left the porch Daisy seized upon the momentary interruption and leaned toward me .

他那副专心致志的劲头看上去有点可怜，似乎他那种自负的态度虽然比往日还突出，但对他来说已经很不够了。这时屋子里电话铃响了，男管家离开阳台去接，黛西几乎立刻就抓住这个打岔的机会，把脸凑到我面前来。

"I'II tell you a family secret ,"she whispered enthusiastically ."It's about the butler's nose .Do you want to hear about the butler's nose?"

我要告诉你一桩家庭秘密，她兴奋地咬耳朵说，是关于男管家的鼻子的。你想听听男管家鼻子的故事吗？

"That's why I came over tonight ."

这正是我今 晚来拜访的目的嘛。

"Well ,he wasn't always a butler ; he used to be the silver polisher for some people in New York that had a silver service for two hundred people .He had to polish it from morning till night until finally it began to affect his nose -----"

你要知道，他并不是一直当男管家的。他从前专门替纽约一个人家里擦银器，那家里有一套供二百人用的银餐具。他从早擦到晚，后来他的鼻子就受不了啦…

"Things went from bad to worse ,"suggested Miss Baker.

后来情况越来越坏，贝克小姐提了一句。

"Yes . Things went from bad to worse until finally he had to give up his position ."

是的，情况越来越坏，最后他只得辞掉不干。

For a moment the last sunshine fell with romantic affection upon her glowing face ; her voice compelled me forward breathlessly as I listened --then the glow faded ,each light deserting her with lingering regret like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk.

有一会儿工夫，夕阳的余晕温情脉脉地照在她那红艳发光的脸上。她的声音使我身不由主地凑上前去屏息倾听---然后光彩逐渐消逝，每一道光都依依不舍地离开了她，就像孩子们在黄昏时刻离开一条愉快的街道那样。

The butler came back and murmured something close to Tom's ear whereupon Tom frowned,pushed back his chair and without a word went inside .As if his absence quickened something within her Daisy leaned forward again ,her vioce glowing and singing.

男管家回来凑着汤姆的耳朵咕哝了点什么，汤姆听了眉头一皱，把他的椅子朝后一推，一言不发就走进室内去。仿佛他的离去使她活跃了起来，黛西又探身向前，她的声音像唱歌似的抑扬动听。

"I love to see you at my table ,Nick .You remind me of a ---of a rose ,an absolute rose .Doesn't he ?"She turned to Miss Baker for confirmation ."An avsolute rose ?"

我真高兴在我的餐桌上见到你，尼克。你使我想到了一朵----一朵玫瑰花，一朵地地道道的玫瑰花。是不是？她把脸转向贝克小姐，要求她附和这句话，一朵地地道道的玫瑰花？

This was untrue . I am not even faintly like a rose .She was only extemporizing ,but a stirring warmth flowed from her ,as if her heart was trying to come out to you concealed in one of those breathless ,thrilling words .Then suddenly she threw her napkin on the table and excused herself and went into the house.

这是瞎说，我跟玫瑰花毫无相似之处。她不过是随嘴乱说一气，但是却洋溢着一种动人的激情，仿佛她的心就藏在那些气喘吁吁的、激动人心的话语里，想向你倾诉一番。然后她突然把餐巾往桌上一扔，说了声“对不起”就走进房子里面去了。

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