07

Chapter 1

There was something pathetic(可怜的) in his concentration as if his complacency(自满), more acute than of old, was not enough to him any more. 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。When, almost immediately, the telephone rang inside and the butler(男管家) left the porch Daisy seized upon the momentary interruption and leaned toward me. 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 will 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，他并不是一向当男管家的。他从前专门替纽约一个人家擦银器，那家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(热氰洋溢的) face; her voice compelled(强迫) me forward breathlessly as I listened-then the glow faded, each light deserting(抛弃;荒漠) her with lingering(迟迟不去) regret like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk(黄昏). 有一会儿工夫夕阳的余辉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汗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 voice 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 absolute rose?” “我真高兴在我的餐桌上见到你，尼克。你使我想到一朵——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(临时，即兴) but a stirring(激动人心的)warmth flowed from her as if her heart was trying to come out you concealed(隐藏) in one of those breathless, thrilling words. 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。 Then suddenly she threw her napkin(餐巾纸) on the table and excused herself and went into the house.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。

Miss Baker and I exchanged a short glance consciously devoid of meaning. 贝克小姐和我互相使了一下眼色，故意表示没有任何意思。I was about to speak when she sat up alertly(警觉地) and said ‘Sh!’in a warning voice. A subdued(闷闷不乐的) impassioned mumur was audible(听得见的) in the room beyond and Miss Baker leaned forward, unashamed,trying to hear. 我刚想开口的时候，她警觉地坐直起来，用警告的声音说了一声“嘘”。可以听得见那边屋子里有一阵低低的、激动的交谈声，贝克小姐就毫无顾忌地探身竖起耳朵去听。

The murmur trembled(发抖) on the verge(边缘) of coherence, sank down, mounted excitedly, and then ceased altogether. 喃喃的话语声几次接近听得真的程度，降低卜去，又激动地高上去，然后完全终止。

‘This Mr.Gatsby you spoke of is my neighbor--’ I said. “你刚才提到的那位盖茨比先生是我的邻居……”我开始说。

“Don’t talk. I want to hear what happens.” “ 别说话，我要听听出了什么事。”

“Is something happening?” I required innocently(天真). “是出了事吗？”我天真地问。

“You mean to say you don’t know?” said Miss Baker, honestly surprised. “I thought everybody knew.” “难道说你不知道吗？”贝克小姐说，她真的感到奇怪，“我以为人人都知道了。”

“I don’t.” “我不知道”

“why--” she said hesitantly(犹豫), “Tom’s got some woman in New York. ” “哎呀……”她犹疑了一下说，“汤姆在纽约有个女人。”

“Got some women?” I repeated blankly(茫然，完全，呆呆地). “有个女人人？”我茫然地跟着说。

Miss Baker nodded.贝克小姐点点头。

“She might have the decency(正派) not to telephone him at dinner-time. Don’t you think?” “她起码该顾点大体，不在吃饭的时候给他打电话嘛。你说呢？”

Almost before I had grasped her meaning there was the flutter of a dress and the crunch of leather boots and Tom and Daisy were back at the table. 我几乎还没明白她的意思，就听见一阵裙衣悉碎和皮靴格格的声响，汤姆和黛西回到餐桌上来了。

“It couldn’t be helped!” cried Daisy with tense(紧张) gayety(欢快). “真没办法！”黛西强作欢愉地大声说。

She sat down, glanced searchingly at Miss Baker and then at me and continued: “I looked outdoors for a minute and it’s very romantic outdoors. There’s a bird on the lawn that I think must be a nightingale come over on the Gunard or White Star Line. He’s singing away--” her voice sang“---It’s romantic, isn’t it, Tom?” 她坐了下来，先朝贝克小姐然后朝我察看了一眼，又接着说：“我到外面看一下，看到外面浪漫极了。草坪上有一只鸟，我想一定是搭康拉德或者白星轮船公司的船过来的一只夜莺。它在不停地歌唱……”她的声音也像唱歌一般，“很浪漫，是不是，汤姆？”

“Very romantic,” he said, and then miserably to me: “ If it’s light enough after dinner I want to take you down to the stables(马厩).” “非常浪漫。”他说，然后哭丧着脸对我说，“吃过饭要是天还够亮的话，我要领你到马房去看看。”

The telephone rang inside, startlingly(惊人的), and as Daisy shook her head decisively(果断的) at Tom the subject of the stables, in fact all subjects,  vanished into air. 里面电话又响了，大家都吃了一惊。黛西断然地对汤姆摇摇头，于是马房的话题，事实上所有的话题，都化为乌有了。Among the broken fragments of the last five minutes at table I remember the candles being lit again, pointlessly, and I was conscious of wanting to look squarely at every one and yet to avoid all eyes. 在餐桌上最后五分钟残存的印象中，我记得蜡烛又无缘无故地点着了，同时我意识到自己很想正眼看看大家，然而却又想避开大家的目光。

I couldn't guess what Daisy and Tom were thinking but I doubt if even Miss Baker who seemed to have mastered a certain hardy skepticism was able utterly(完全的) to put this fifth guest’s shrill(刺耳的) metallic urgency out of mind. 我猜不出黛西和汤姆想什么，但是我也怀疑，就连贝克小姐那样似乎玩世不恭的人，是否能把这第五位客人尖锐刺耳的迫切呼声完全置之度外。To a certain temperament(性情) the situation might have seemed intriguing(非常有趣的)—my own instinct was to telephone immediately for the police. 对某种性情的人来说，这个局面可能倒怪有意思的——我自己本能的反应是立刻去打电话叫警察。