研究生綜合英語 上第6單元

研究生綜合英語上第6單元HereisNewYorkOnanypersonwhodesiressuchqueerprizes,NewYorkwillbestowthegiftoflonelinessandthegiftofprivacy.紐約將孤寂與獨(dú)處當(dāng)作贈(zèng)禮，賜予所有向往這份奇特禮物的人們。Itisthislargessthataccountsforthepresencewithinthecity’swallsofaconsiderablesectionofthepopulation;fortheresidentsofManhattanaretoalargeextentstrangerswhohavepulledupstakessomewhereandcometotown,seekingsanctuaryorfulfillmentorsomegreaterorlessergrail.紐約城內(nèi)數(shù)量龐大的居民中，沖著這份贈(zèng)禮而來此落腳的絕不在少數(shù)；曼哈頓也因此聚集了眾多異鄉(xiāng)客，他們背井離鄉(xiāng)到此闖蕩，有的為了尋求庇護(hù)，有的為了一展抱負(fù)，還有的為了實(shí)現(xiàn)心中或大或小的愿望。ThecapacitytomakesuchdubiousgiftsisamysteriousqualityofNewYork.紐約之所以神秘，便在于它總能賜予這般撲朔迷離的饋贈(zèng)Itcandestroyanindividual,oritcanfulfillhim,dependingagooddealonluck.能使人萬劫不復(fù)，也能讓人飛黃騰達(dá)，皆為運(yùn)氣使然。NooneshouldcometoNewYorktoliceunlessheiswillingtobelucky.如果有誰打算碰碰運(yùn)氣，不妨到紐約來。NYistheconcentrateofartandcommerceandsportandreligionandentertainmentandfinance,bringingtoasinglecompactarenathegladiator,theevangelist,thepromoter,theactor,thetrader,andthemerchant.紐約集藝術(shù)、商業(yè)、體育、宗教、娛樂和金融于一城，城內(nèi)拳擊手、傳教士、推銷員、演員、經(jīng)紀(jì)人、商人齊聚一堂，同場競技。Itcarriesonitslapeltheunexpungeableodorofthelongpast,sothatnomatterwhereyousitinNYyoufeelthevibrationsofgreattimesandtalldeeds,ofqueerpeopleandeventsandundertakings.紐約的領(lǐng)口上彌漫著綿延悠長、揮之不去的歷史氣息，不管坐在紐約城的哪個(gè)角落，你都能感受到那些輝煌時(shí)代和宏偉業(yè)績的搏動(dòng)，那些奇妙人物、事件和活動(dòng)的余音。Iamsittingatthemomentinstiflinghotelroomin90-degreeheat,halfwaydownanairshaft,inmidtown.此時(shí)此刻，我正坐在市中心一問令人窒息的旅館客房里，它位于通風(fēng)井中部，屋內(nèi)溫度高達(dá)華氏90度。Noairmovesinoroutoftheroom,yetIamcuriouslyaffectedbyemanationsfromtheimmediatesurroundings.房間里沒法子通風(fēng)，但說來也怪，我還是捕捉到了周遭事物散發(fā)出來的訊息。Iam22blocksfromwhereRudolphValentinelayinstate,離這兒22個(gè)街區(qū)之外，魯?shù)婪颉ね邆惖壑Z在長眠；eightblocksfromwhereNathanHalewasexecuted,8個(gè)街區(qū)之外，內(nèi)森·黑爾曾被處以極刑；fiveblocksfromthepublisher’sofficewhereErnestHemingwayhitMaxEastmanonthenose,5個(gè)街區(qū)之外的出版社辦公室中，歐內(nèi)斯特·海明威的拳頭同馬科斯·伊斯特曼的鼻子來了一次親密接觸；fourmilesfromwhereWaltWhitmansatsweatingouteditorialsfortheBrooklynEagle,4英里外，沃爾特·惠特曼嘔心瀝血地為《布魯克林之鷹》寫作社論；34blocksfromthestreetWillaCatherlivedinwhenshecametoNYtowritebooksaboutNebraska,34個(gè)街區(qū)之外，威拉·凱瑟?jiǎng)倎砑~約時(shí)曾居住于此，創(chuàng)作了許多以內(nèi)布拉斯加州為題材的作品；oneblockfromwhereMarcelineusedtoclownontheboardsofthehippodrome,1個(gè)街區(qū)之外，瑪爾瑟琳在紐約劇院大樓里演出過丑角笑??；36blocksfromthespotwherethehistorianjoegouldkickedaradiotopiecesinfullviewofthepublic,36個(gè)街區(qū)之外，歷史學(xué)家喬·古爾德在眾目睽睽之下將一個(gè)收音機(jī)踢得粉碎；13blocksfromwhereHarryThawshotStanfordwhite,13個(gè)街區(qū)之外，哈里·索開槍擊斃了斯坦?！烟?；fiveblocksfromwhereIusedtousherattheMetropolitanopera5個(gè)街區(qū)之外是我曾做過領(lǐng)座員的大都會(huì)劇院；andonly112blocksfromthespotwhereClarencedaytheelderwaswashedofhissinsinthechurchoftheepiphany(Icouldcontinuethislistindefinitely),112個(gè)街區(qū)之外則矗立著老克拉倫斯·戴洗去罪惡的主顯節(jié)教堂(類似的例子，我可以無限制地羅列下去)。andforthatmatterprobablyoccupyingtheveryroomthatanynumberofexaltedandsomewisememorablecharacterssatin,這樣想來，或許有一些顯赫的大人物也曾在我現(xiàn)在棲身的屋子里住過，someofthemonhot,breathlessafternoons,lonelyandprivateandfulloftheirownsenseofemanationsfromwithout.有的也許就是在某個(gè)熱得讓人喘不過氣來的下午安坐于此，形單影只，與世隔絕，腦子里卻滿是各自捕捉到的屋子外邊散發(fā)出來的訊息。WhenIwentdowntolunchafewminutesagoInoticedthatthemansittingnexttome(abouteightinchesawayalongthewall)wasFredStone.幾分鐘前，我下樓吃午飯，發(fā)現(xiàn)坐在我旁邊的竟然是弗里德·斯通(他靠墻坐著，離我大約18英寸遠(yuǎn))。The18inchesareboththeconnectionandtheseparationthatNewYorkprovidesforitsinhabitants.18英寸是紐約為其居民之間設(shè)定的既聯(lián)系又分隔的距離。MyonlyconnectionwithFredStonewasthatIsawhimintheWizardofOzaroundthebeginningofthecentury.我同弗里德·斯通之間的唯一聯(lián)系就是我有幸在本世紀(jì)初上演的《綠野仙蹤》里看過他的表演。ButourwaiterfeltthesamestimulusfrombeingclosetoamanfromOZ,andafterMr.StonelefttheroomthewaitertoldmethatwhenhewasayoungmanjustarrivedinthiscountryandbeforehecouldunderstandawordofEnglish,hehadtakenhisgirlfortheirfirsttheaterdatetothewizardofoz.沒想到，招待我們的服務(wù)員竟也同我一樣，為能同一個(gè)“綠野仙蹤人士”如此親密接觸而興奮不已；斯通離開后，他告訴我說，他(即服務(wù)員本人)剛到美國時(shí)年紀(jì)輕輕，甚至聽不懂英語，但他同女朋友的首次劇院約會(huì)就是去看《綠野仙蹤》。itwasawonderfulshow,thewaiterrecalled-amanofstraw,amanoftin.Wonderful!那是非常棒的演出，他回憶道——稻草人啊，鐵皮人啊。真是棒極了!(Andstillonlyeighteeninchesaway.)(還是在18英寸之外)“Mr.Stoneisaheartyeater,”saidthewaiterthoughtfully,contentwithhisfragileparticipationindestiny,thislinkwithOz.“斯通先生的胃口總是那么好，”他還不無體貼地感嘆，似乎為同“綠野仙蹤”分享些許命運(yùn)交集而心滿意足呢。NewYorkblendsthegiftofprivacywiththeexcitementofparticipation;紐約城賜予人們獨(dú)處孤居之禮的同時(shí)，也奉上一份參與的興奮；betterthanmostdensecommunitiesitsucceedsininsulatingtheindividual(ifhewantsit,andalmosteverybodywantsorneedsit)againstallenormousandviolentandwonderfuleventsthataretakingplaceeveryminute.同其他人口稠密的社區(qū)相比，紐約能更好地將個(gè)人與每時(shí)每劾在他周圍發(fā)生的重大的、猛烈的、奇妙的事件隔離開來(只要他需要，而幾乎每個(gè)人都想要或需要這種隔離)。Ihavebeensittinginthemiasmicairshaft,agoodmanyrathersplashyeventshaveoccurredintown.自打我搬進(jìn)這烏煙瘴氣的通風(fēng)井以來，城里已發(fā)生了好些惹人注目的事件。Amanshotandkilledhiswifeinafitofjealous.Itcausednostiroutsidehisblockandgotonlysmallmentioninthepapers.Ididnotattend.妒火中燒之下，一個(gè)男人開槍打死了自己的妻子，但此事卻并未在他所處街區(qū)以外的地方引起任何反響，報(bào)紙上也只是稍稍提到幾筆。我當(dāng)時(shí)并不在現(xiàn)場。Sincemyarrival,thegreatestairshoweverstagedinalltheworldtookplaceintown.我來到城里以后，世界上規(guī)?？涨暗娘w行表演恰好在紐約舉行。Ididnotattendandneitherdidmostoftheeightmillionotherinhabitants,althoughtheysaytherewasquiteacrowd.當(dāng)時(shí)我并沒到場，城中800萬居民也大多沒有去觀摩，盡管據(jù)宣稱，到現(xiàn)場捧場的觀眾不在少數(shù)。Ididn’tevenhearanyplanesexceptacoupleofwestboundcommercialairlinersthathabituallyusethisairshafttoflyover.我甚至沒有聽到飛機(jī)的轟鳴聲，只是間或有幾架西行的商業(yè)航班從通風(fēng)井上空飛過。ThebiggestoceangoingshipsontheNorthAtlanticarrivedanddeparted.Ididn’tnoticethemneitherdidmostotherNewYorkers.北大西洋上最大的遠(yuǎn)洋輪船在紐約進(jìn)進(jìn)出出，可我并沒有留意，大多數(shù)紐約人也沒有注意到。Iamtoldthisisthegreatestseaportintheworld,within650milesofwaterfront,andshipscallingherefrommanyexoticlands,紐約港被稱為世界上最大的港口，沿港碼頭綿延650英里，停泊著來自他鄉(xiāng)異域的船只，buttheonlyboatI’vehappenedtonoticesincemyarrivalwasasmallslooptackingoutoftheeastrivernightbeforelastontheebbtidewhenIwaswalkingacrosstheBrooklynBridge.但我來到紐約之后，只有在前天夜里經(jīng)過布魯克林大橋時(shí)看到過一艘單桅帆船罷了，其時(shí)，它正搶在退潮前急急駛出東河。IheardtheQueenMaryblowonemidnight,though,andthesoundcarriedthewholehistoryofdepartureandlongingandloss.不過，一天半夜里我還聽到了瑪麗女王號的汽笛聲，這一聲長鳴傳達(dá)了“離行--期許--惘然”這一完整過程。TheLionshavebeenintheconvention.I’veseennotonelion.獅子會(huì)會(huì)員們齊聚集會(huì)，我卻連他們的人影都沒看到過。Afriendofminesawoneandtoldmeabouthim.(Hewaslame,andwaswearingabolero.)我的一位朋友倒是撞見一個(gè)，并告訴過我(據(jù)他描述，那人瘸著腳，身穿一件短開衫)。Attheballgroundsandhorseparksthegreatestsportingspectacleshavebeenenacted.Isawnoballplayer,noracehorse.棒球場和賽馬場上如火如荼的比賽也已拉開序幕，我卻連一個(gè)球員、一匹賽馬都沒見著。Thegovernorcametotown.Iheardthesirenscream,butthatwasalltherewastothat-an18-inchmarginagain.州長駕臨城中，我聽到警報(bào)尖鳴，但僅此而已——又是18英寸的距離使然。Amanwaskilledbyafallingcornice.Iwasnotapartytothetragedy,andagaintheinchescountedheavily.有人被從天而降的一截房檐砸中，死于非命。我卻并未卷入這場慘劇，究其原因，還是這18英寸的距離使然。ImentiontheseeventsmerelytoshowthatNYispeculiarlyconstructedtoabsorbalmostanythingthatcomesalong(whether1000-footlineroutoftheeastor20000-manconventionoutofwest)withoutinflictingtheeventonitsinhabitants;我提到這些，僅僅為了表明紐約城是一座建構(gòu)奇特的城市，這里發(fā)生的事件包羅萬象(城東1,000英尺長的班輪也好，城西2萬人的集會(huì)也罷)，但種種事件卻又未被強(qiáng)加到每個(gè)居民身上。sothateveryeventis,inasense,optional,andtheinhabitantisinthehappypositionofbeingabletochoosehisspectacleandsoconservehissoul.因此,從某種意義上說，每個(gè)事件都有可供選擇的余地，居民們大可隨心所欲地選擇心儀的場景來體味，保護(hù)其靈魂免受侵害。Inmostmetropolises,smallandlarge,thechoiceisoftennotwiththeindividualatall.在許多都市里，無論是大都會(huì)還是小城市，個(gè)人往往沒有這種選擇的自由。Heisthrowntothelions.他必然會(huì)同獅子會(huì)會(huì)員們狹路相逢。Thelionsareoverwhelming;theeventisunavoidable.獅子會(huì)會(huì)員無處不在，各種事件避無可避。Acornicefalls,thatithitseverycitizenonthehead,everylastmanintown.一截房檐從天而降，必然會(huì)砸到每個(gè)市民頭上，無一幸免。IsometimesthinkthattheonlyeventthathitseveryNYontheheadistheannualSPDparade,whichisfairlypenetrating-theIrishareahardracetotuneout,thereare5000000oftheminresidence,andtheyhavethepoliceforcerightinthefamily.我有時(shí)想，能夠砸到每個(gè)紐約人頭上的事件恐怕只有一年一度的圣帕特里克節(jié)游行，其影響之廣，可謂無孔不入——愛爾蘭是一個(gè)不可小覷的民族，紐約城中居住的愛爾蘭人有50萬之眾，他們還擁有自己的武裝力量。ThequalityinNYthatinsulatesitsinhabitantsfromlifemaysimplyweakenthemasindividuals.在將居民同其周邊生活隔離開來的同時(shí)，紐約也會(huì)弱化他們作為個(gè)體的存在。Perhapsitishealthiertoliveinacommunitywhere,whenacornicefalls,youfeeltheblow;wherewhenthegovernorpasses,youseeatanyratehishat.也許，生活在一個(gè)普通社區(qū)里，生活反而會(huì)健全些：在那里，當(dāng)一截房檐從天而降時(shí)，你總會(huì)感受到疼痛；在那里，當(dāng)州長經(jīng)過時(shí)，至少他的帽子會(huì)映入你的眼簾。IamnotdefendingNYinthisregard.說到這點(diǎn)，我并不是在為紐約辯護(hù)。Manyofitssettlesareprobablyheremerelytoescape,notface,reality.很多人選擇這里落腳也許只是為了逃避現(xiàn)實(shí)，而不是面對現(xiàn)實(shí)。Butwhateveritmeans,itisaratherraregift,andIbelieveithasapositiveeffectonthecreativecapacitiesofNYs-forcreationisinpartmerelythebusinessofforgoingthegreatandsmalldistractions.但無論如何，這都是非常希罕的禮物，而且我也相信這給紐約客的創(chuàng)造力帶來了積極的影響——因?yàn)樵谝欢ǔ潭壬?，?chuàng)造就是將大大小小令人分心的事物拋之腦后的過程。AlthoughNYoftenimpartsafeelingofgreatforlornnessorforsakenness,itisseldomseemsdeadorunresourcefu