一位忙碌经纪人的浪漫史(有删节)欧·亨利

O. Henry(1862-1910),原名William Sydney Porter,是美国最著名的短篇小说家之一。他善于描写美国社会尤其是纽约百姓的生活,善于捕捉生活中令人啼笑皆非而富有哲理的戏剧性场景,用漫画般的笔触勾勒出人物的特点。他的作品构思新颖,语言诙谐,结局常常出人意外。他一共创作了300多篇短篇小说,代表作有小说集《白菜与国王》、《四百万》、《命运之路》等。

大多数人最早接触的O. Henry的短篇小说应该是中学课本上的《麦琪的礼物》吧,那出人意料的结局一定给你留下了深刻的印象。他的《一位忙碌经纪人的浪漫史》,文中的人物描写、场景氛围的营造,以及那令人感觉很窝心的结尾都证明了它是一篇让人叫好的文章。 Pitcher, confidential clerk in the office of Harvey Maxwell, broker, allowed a look of mild interest and surprise to visit his usually expressionless countenance when his employer briskly entered at half past nine in company with his young lady stenographer. With a snappy “Good-morning, Pitcher,” Maxwell dashed at his desk as though he were intending to leap over it, and then plunged into the great heap of letters and telegrams waiting there for him.

九点半时,股票经纪人哈维·麦克斯韦尔在年轻女速记员的陪同下精神抖擞地走进办公室。他事务所里的机要秘书皮彻那通常毫无表情的脸上不禁露出一丝好奇和诧异。麦克斯韦尔精力充沛地喊了声“早啊,皮彻”,就朝他的办公桌冲去,仿佛要跳过它似的。接着,他就一头扎进一大堆等着他处理的信件和电报里。

The young lady had been Maxwell’s stenographer for a year. She was beautiful in a way that was decidedly unstenographic. She 8)forwent the pomp of the alluring pompadour. She wore no chains, bracelets or lockets. She had not the air of being about to accept an invitation to luncheon. Her dress was grey and plain, but it fitted her figure with fidelity and discretion. In her neat black turban hat was the gold-green wing of a macaw. On this morning she was softly and shyly radiant. Her eyes were dreamily bright, her cheeks genuine peachblow, her expression a happy one, tinged with reminiscence.

那位年轻姑娘给麦克斯韦尔当速记员已经有一年了。她的美绝非速记员草草几笔所能简单描述。她不梳那种华丽诱人的庞帕杜高卷式发型,也不戴项链、手镯或盒式小坠子。她脸上没有那种受邀准备参加午宴的神气。她的灰色裙子素净,但相当合身,显身材又不失大方庄重。她那顶简洁的黑色无边帽上插了根金绿色的金刚鹦鹉毛。这个上午,她身上焕发出一种温柔而羞怯的光彩,双眼流波闪烁,脸颊直泛桃红,脸上带着幸福的神色和丝丝怀想。

Pitcher, still mildly curious, noticed a difference in her ways this morning. Instead of going straight into the adjoining room, where her desk was, she lingered, slightly irresolute, in the outer office. Once she moved over by Maxwell’s desk, near enough for him to be aware of her presence.

皮彻仍旧有点好奇,他注意到她这个上午的举止有些异样。她不像往常那样径直走进麦克斯韦尔办公室隔壁那房间(她办公桌在那儿),而是在办公室外间略带迟疑地徘徊。她还一度走近麦克斯韦尔的办公桌,近得足以让他意识到她的存在。

The machine sitting at that desk was no longer a man; it was a busy New York broker, moved by buzzing wheels and uncoiling springs.

坐在办公桌前的不再是个常人,简直成了台机器。那是忙碌的纽约股票经纪人,一台上满发条运作起来齿轮吱吱响的机器。