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雙語·心是孤獨的獵手 第一部分 6

所屬教程:譯林版·心是孤獨的獵手

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2022年04月25日

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By midsummer Singer had visitors more often than any other person in the house. From his room in the evening there was nearly always the sound of a voice.After dinner at the New York Café he bathed and dressed himself in one of his cool wash suits and as a rule did not go out again.The room was cool and pleasant.He had an icebox in the closet where he kept bottles of cold beer and fruit drinks.He was never busy or in a hurry.And always he met his guests at the door with a welcome smile.

Mick loved to go up to Mister Singer's room. Even if he was a deaf-and-dumb mute he understood every word she said to him.Talking with him was like a game.Only there was a whole lot more to it than any game.It was like finding out new things about music.She would tell him some of her plans that she would not tell anybody else.He let her meddle with his cute little chess men.Once when she was excited and caught her shirt-tail in the electric fan he acted in such a kindly way that she was not embarrassed at all.Except for her Dad, Mister Singer was the nicest man she knew.

When Doctor Copeland wrote the note to John Singer about Augustus Benedict Mady Lewis there was a polite reply and an invitation for him to make a call when he found the opportunity. Doctor Copeland went to the back of the house and sat with Portia awhile in the kitchen.Then he climbed the stairs to the white man's room.There was truly none of the quiet insolence about this man.They had a lemonade together and the mute wrote down the answer to the questions he wished to know.This man was different from any person of the white race whom Doctor Copeland had ever encountered.Afterward he pondered about this white man a long time.Then later, inasmuch as he had been invited in a cordial manner to return, he made another visit.

Jake Blount came every week. When he walked up to Singer's room the whole stairway shook.Usually he carried a paper sack of beers.Often his voice would come out loud and angry from the room.But before he left his voice gradually quieted.When he descended the stairs he did not carry the sack of beers any longer, and he walked away thoughtfully without seeming to notice where he was going.

Even Biff Brannon came to the mute's room one night. But as he could never stay away from the restaurant for long, he left in a half-hour.

Singer was always the same to everyone. He sat in a straight chair by the window with his hands stuffed tight into his pockets, and nodded or smiled to show his guests that he understood.

If he did not have a visitor in the evening, Singer went to a late movie. He liked to sit back and watch the actors talking and walking about on the screen.He never looked at the title of a picture before going into a movie, and no matter what was showing he watched each scene with equal interest.

Then one day in July, Singer suddenly went away without warning. He left the door of his room open, and on the table in an envelope adddessed to Mrs.Kelly there were four dollars for the past week's rent.His few simple possessions were gone and the room was very clean and bare.When his visitors came and saw this empty room they went away with hurt surprise.No one could imagine why he had left like this.

Singer spent all of his summer vacation in the town where Antonapoulos was being kept in the asylum. For months he had planned this trip and imagined about each moment they would have together.Two weeks beforehand his hotel reservation had been made and for a long time he had carried his railroad ticket in an envelope in his pocket.

Antonapoulos was not changed at all. When Singer came into his room he ambled placidly to meet his friend.He was even fatter than before, but the dreamy smile on his face was just the same.Singer had some packages in his arms and the big Greek gave them his first attention.His presents were a scarlet dressing-gown, soft bedroom slippers, and two monogrammed nightshirts.Antonapoulos looked beneath all the tissue papers in the boxes very carefully.When he saw that nothing good to eat had been concealed there, he dumped the gifts disdainfully on his bed and did not bother with them any more.

The room was large and sunny. Several beds were spaced in a row together.Three old men played a game of slapjack in a corner.They did not notice Singer or Antonapoulos, and the two friends sat alone on the other side of the room.

It seemed to Singer that years had passed since they had been together. There was so much to say that his hands could not shape the signs with speed enough.His green eyes burned and sweat glittered on his forehead.The old feeling of gaiety and bliss was so quick in him again that he could not control himself.

Antonapoulos kept his dark, oily eyes on his friend and did not move. His hands fumbled languidly with the crotch of his trousers.Singer told him, among other things, about the visitors who had been coming to see him.He told his friend that they helped take his mind away from his lonesomeness.He told Antonapoulos that they were strange people and always talking—but that he liked to have them come.He drew quick sketches of Jake Blount and Mick and Doctor Copeland.Then as soon as he saw mat Antonapoulos was not interested Singer crumpled the sketches and forgot about them.When the attendant came in to say that their time was up, Singer had not finished half of the things he wanted to say.But he left the room very tired and happy.

The patients could receive their friends only on Thursday and Sunday. On the days when he could not be with Antonapoulos, Singer walked up and down in his room at the hotel.

His second visit to his friend was like the first, except that the old men in the room watched them listlessly and did not play slapjack.

After much trouble Singer obtained permission to take Antonapoulos out with him for a few hours. He planned each detail of the little excursion in advance.They drove out into the country in a taxi, and then at four-thirty they went to the dining-room at the hotel.Antonapoulos greatly enjoyed his extra meal.He ordered half the dishes on the menu and ate very greedily.But when he had finished he would not leave.He held to the table.Singer coaxed him and the cab driver wanted to use force.Antonapoulos sat stolidly and made obscene gestures when they came too close to him.At last Singer bought a bottle of whiskey from the hotel manager and lured him into the taxi again.When Singer threw the unopened bottle out of the window Antonapoulos wept with disappointment and offense.The end of their little excursion made Singer very sad.

His next visit was the last one, for his two weeks'vacation was almost over. Antonapoulos had forgotten what had happened before.They sat in their same corner of the room.The minutes slipped by quickly.Singer's hands talked desperately and his narrow face was very pale.At last it was time for him to go.He held his friend by the arm and looked into his face in the way that he used to do when they parted each day before work.Antonapoulos stared at him drowsily and did not move.Singer left the room with his hands stuffed hard into his pockets.

Soon after Singer returned to his room at the boarding-house, Mick and Jake Blount and Doctor Copeland began to come again. Each one of them wanted to know where he had been and why he had not let them know about his plans.But Singer pretended that he did not understand their questions, and his smile was inscrutable.

One by one they would come to Singer's room to spend the evening with him. The mute was always thoughtful and composed.His many-tinted gentle eyes were grave as a sorcerer's.Mick Kelly and Jake Blount and Doctor Copeland would come and talk in the silent room—for they felt that the mute would always understand whatever they wanted to say to him.And maybe even more than that.

到了仲夏,辛格的客人比別的房客都多。晚上,他的房間里幾乎總會傳出說話聲。在紐約咖啡館吃過晚飯之后,他洗完澡,穿上一套清涼的浴衣,照常不再出門。房間里涼爽宜人。他壁櫥里有個冰柜,里面放著冰啤酒和水果飲料。他從來不手忙腳亂,也不匆匆忙忙,總是站在門口,帶著好客的笑容迎接他的客人。

米克喜歡上樓到辛格先生的房間去。盡管他是個聾啞人,卻能聽懂她說的每一個字。跟他聊天就像做游戲,但比做游戲有意思得多,就像發(fā)現(xiàn)了新的音樂知識一樣。她不愿跟任何人說的一些計劃,卻愿意跟辛格先生說。他任她擺弄那些可愛的象棋小人兒。有一次,她很興奮,襯衫下擺卷進了電風扇,他表現(xiàn)得那么和善,沒讓她感覺到一丁點尷尬。除了她爸爸,辛格是她認識的最可親的男人。

科普蘭醫(yī)生給約翰·辛格寫信,說了奧古斯塔斯·本尼迪克特·馬迪·路易斯的事情,之后收到了一個禮貌的回復,并邀請他有機會前去做客??破仗m醫(yī)生到了辛格所在的房子,先走到后面,跟波西婭在廚房里坐了一會兒,然后上樓到那個白人的房間去。的確,這個白人身上沒有那種無言的傲慢。他們一起喝檸檬汽水,啞巴把他想知道的那些問題的答案一一寫了下來。這個人跟科普蘭醫(yī)生見過的任何白人都不一樣。過后,他琢磨了這個白人好長時間。后來,由于對方的熱誠邀請,他又去拜訪了一次。

杰克·布朗特每個星期都來。他上樓去辛格的房間時,整個樓梯都在顫動。通常,他會帶來一紙袋子啤酒。房間里經(jīng)常會傳出他高亢而又憤怒的聲音,但離開之前,他的聲音往往會漸漸平息下來。下樓時,他手里便沒有了那袋子啤酒,他若有所思地走出去,似乎并不在意方向。

有天晚上,就連比夫·布蘭農(nóng)都來到了啞巴的房間,但他不能長時間離開餐館,因此,半個小時以后他便走了。

辛格總是對所有人都一視同仁。他坐在窗前的直背椅上,雙手插進口袋,點著頭或微笑著,讓客人知道他聽得懂。

如果晚上沒有客人,辛格會去看場晚場電影,他喜歡坐在那里看著大屏幕上的那些演員說話,看著他們走來走去??措娪爸埃麖膩聿蝗タ措娪懊?,而且不管放什么電影,他都看得津津有味,極其認真。

后來,七月份的一天,辛格突然不辭而別。他把房間的門敞開著,桌上留了一封信,是寫給凱利太太的,里面放了四塊錢,用來付上周的房租。他把幾件簡單的物品都帶走了,房間里干干凈凈,空無一物。他的客人們來到這里,看見空蕩蕩的房間,又吃驚又難過,都轉(zhuǎn)身離去了。沒有人知道他為什么要這樣離開。

整個暑假,辛格都待在安東納普勒斯所在的小鎮(zhèn)上。好友住在這個鎮(zhèn)上的精神病院里。為了這次行程,他準備了好幾個月,想象著他們見面后的每一個細節(jié)。他提前兩周預(yù)訂了旅館,把火車票放進信封里,然后一直把信封放在口袋里,放了很久。

安東納普勒斯一點都沒變。辛格走進他的房間時,他平靜地慢步走過來,迎接他的朋友。他比以前胖了,但臉上那種恍惚的笑容還是老樣子。辛格抱著幾個包裹,大塊頭希臘人第一眼注意到的便是這些包裹。他的禮物是一件猩紅色晨衣、柔軟的臥室拖鞋,還有兩件印有姓名字母的長睡衣。安東納普勒斯仔細地查看著盒子里的包裝紙的底下,看到底下并沒有藏著什么好吃的,便不屑一顧地把這些禮物扔到床上,再也不看一眼。

房間很大,陽光充足,幾張床擺成一排,中間留有空隙。三個老人在角落里玩排杰克的紙牌游戲,他們并沒有注意辛格或安東納普勒斯。這兩位朋友單獨坐在房間的另一頭。

辛格覺得他們好像很多年都沒見了似的,他有那么多話要說,兩只手比畫的速度都跟不上了,一雙綠眼睛里燃燒著激情,額頭上閃著汗珠。那種熟悉的快樂和幸福感再次迅速涌遍全身,他幾乎無法自持。

安東納普勒斯那雙漆黑油亮的眼睛盯著好友,一刻都沒有挪開,兩只手無精打采地摩挲著襠部。辛格首先跟他講了那些經(jīng)常來看自己的客人。他告訴好友,這些客人分散了他的注意力,使他感覺不那么孤獨。他告訴安東納普勒斯,他們都很奇怪,經(jīng)常在說話——但他喜歡讓他們?nèi)プ隹汀K嬃私芸恕げ祭侍?、米克和科普蘭醫(yī)生的速寫肖像,看到安東納普勒斯并不感興趣,便立刻把草圖揉成一團,扔到一邊??醋o走進來對他們說時間到了,這時辛格的話連一半還沒說完,但他還是離開了房間,雖然很累,卻很幸福。

只有星期四和星期天病人們才可以會客。不能去見安東納普勒斯的時候,辛格總是在旅館房間里來回踱步。

他第二次去見好友時,情形跟第一次一樣,只有一點區(qū)別:房間里的那幾個老人沒有玩紙牌,全都無精打采地望著他倆。

辛格費了很大力氣,才終于得到允許,可以帶安東納普勒斯出去待幾個小時。他預(yù)先為這次小小的短途旅行安排好了每個細節(jié)。他們乘出租車到了鄉(xiāng)下。四點半,他們回到旅館的餐廳。安東納普勒斯非常喜歡這次加餐。他把菜譜上一半的菜都點了個遍,吃得狼吞虎咽。但吃完以后,他卻不肯離開,緊緊抓住桌子不放。辛格連哄帶騙,出租車司機則想動用武力。安東納普勒斯呆呆地坐在那里,他們一靠近,他就做出一些下流的手勢。最后,辛格從旅館經(jīng)理那里買了一瓶威士忌,總算把他又引回出租車上。辛格把沒開封的那瓶酒扔出窗外的時候,安東納普勒斯失望地大哭起來,而且非常生氣。這次短途旅行的結(jié)局讓辛格很傷心。

下一次探望便是最后一次了,因為他兩個星期的假期馬上就要結(jié)束了。安東納普勒斯全然忘記了之前發(fā)生的事情。他們同樣坐在房間的那個角落里,時間飛快地流逝著。辛格用兩只手拼命說話,狹長的臉很蒼白。終于,到了他該離開的時間。他抓住好友的胳膊,望著他的臉,就像以前他們每天上班前分別的時候一樣。安東納普勒斯昏昏欲睡地盯著他,一動不動。辛格雙手緊緊插在口袋里,走出了房間。

辛格回到租住公寓的房間后不久,米克、杰克·布朗特和科普蘭醫(yī)生便又開始來拜訪了。他們都想知道他去了哪里,為什么他不讓他們知道他的計劃。但辛格假裝聽不懂他們的問題,他的笑容高深莫測。

他們一個接一個地來到辛格的房間,陪他度過夜晚時光。啞巴總是一副若有所思、鎮(zhèn)定自若的樣子。他那雙色彩豐富的眼睛很溫柔,卻又很嚴肅,像一雙巫師的眼睛。米克·凱利、杰克·布朗特和科普蘭醫(yī)生經(jīng)常來到這個寂靜的屋子里說話——他們覺得,無論對啞巴說什么,他都會明白。也許,還不僅僅如此。

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