英語沙龍十年合集珍藏版第三輯Dusk
Dusk
There are times when you just can' t believe what a stranger tells you．Sometimes you' re wrong．But sometimes－－you may be right．
Norman Gortsby sat on a bench in the park of a busy city．It was ６：３０on an early March evening．The sun had set，the street lights were on，but it was not yet dark．In the half－light of dusk，many lonely people were walking alone in the park，or sitting on benches in the shadows．
This scene1) fitted Gortsby's mood．Dusk，he thought，was the hour of the defeated．Men and women who had dreamed or fought for something－－and lost．They came out at dusk，when their sad eyes and shabby2) clothes would not be so noticeable．
Norman Gortsby was in the mood to put himself among the defeated．He did not have money problems．He had not failed at his work．But he had been hurt and betrayed by someone he had trusted．Right now，he felt defeated．And he enjoyed sitting on a bench watching others like him，who had been disappointed by life．
Next to him on the bench sat an old man．His clothes were not shabby，but he looked as if he had no friends or anyone to care about him．He was the kind of person no one would ever notice or pay attention to．As he got up to leave，Gortsby imagined him going back to a lonely room somewhere．
His place on the bench was taken by a young man．He was well－dressed，but he seemed upset．He muttered3) to himself．
“You don' t seem in a very good mood，”said Gortsby．
The young man said，“You wouldn't be in a good mood if you were in the mess4) I'm in．I've done the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life．”
“What was that？”asked Gortsby．
“I came to the city this afternoon，”the young man said．“I was planning to stay at the Berkshire Hotel．But when I got there，I found that it had been torn down5)．They've put a movie theater there．The taxi drive r told me about another hotel somewhere else，so I went there．”
Gortsby nodded，just to be polite．
“After I checked into the hotel，I decided to go out and buy some soap．I'd forgotten to pack any．And I hate using those little bars6) of hotel soap．So I went out and walked around for a while．I bought some soap，and I had something to eat．When I turned to go back to the hotel，I realized that I couldn't remember its name．I couldn't even remember what street it is on．”
“That' s the mess I got myself into．I don' t have any friends here．I spent the money I took with me from the hotel．I used it to buy the soap and a snack．Here I am，with a few pennies in my pocket，and no place to stay tonight．”
The young man paused for a moment．Then he said，“I suppose you think that's an unbelievable story．”
“No，not at all，”said Gortsby．“The same thing happened to me in a foreign country．I was with someone，and neither of us could remember where we were staying．But we did recall the hotel was on a canal7)．And when we found the canal，we were able to find the hotel．”
The young man said，“I wouldn't mind so much in a foreign country．At least you have officials from your own country to help you with problems．But what can I do here，in my own country？If I don't find someone who believes my story and gives me some money，I'll have to spend the night in the park．But I'm glad you don't think the story is unbelievable．”
Gortsby said，“The only weak part of your story is that you don' t have the bar of soap with you．”
The young man jumped and felt quickly in his pockets．“I must have lost it，”he said angrily．
Gortsby said，“To lose both a hotel and a bar of soap in one afternoon is strange．In fact－－”
But the young man did not wait for Gortsby to finish．He walked quickly away into the shadows．
Gortsby thought，“Too bad．Going out to get a bar of soap almost made his story sound true．But he forgot to have the soap with him．Otherwise，he would have gotten money from more than one person．He should have taken a little extra trouble．”
Gortsby stood up，ready to leave the park．Then he saw a small package next to the bench．It was a bar of soap．It must have fallen out of the young man's pocket when he sat down．
Gortsby hurried after the young man．When he caught up with him，Gortsby said，“The proof8) that you were telling the truth has turned up．”He held out the bar of soap．“It must have fallen from your pocket when you sat down．Excuse me for not believing you．But without the soap，I didn't think you were telling the truth．But now I'm convinced．Please let me lend you some money．”
Silently，the young man took the money Gortsby offered him．“Here is a card with my address on it，”Gortsby continued．“You may pay me back any day this week．And here is the soap．Don't lose it again．It' s been a good friend to you．”
“Lucky thing you found it，”said the young man．“Thanks．”He shook Gortsby's hand and hurried off．
“Poor boy，”said Gortsby．“He looked ready to cry from relief．This must be a lesson for me．I shouldn't judge people too quickly．”
Gortsby walked back the way he had come．When he came to the bench he had been sitting on，he stopped．An old man was looking around and under the bench．Gortsby recognized him．He was the man who had been sitting there before the young man came．
“Have you lost something，sir？”Gortsby asked．
“Yes，sir，a bar of soap．”
□by Saki
傍 晚 時 分
傍晚時分有時你簡直不能相信陌生人的話。有時你錯了，但有時--你又可能是對的。
在一座熱鬧城市中的公園里，諾曼·戈茨比坐在一張長凳上。那是一個早春３月的傍晚，６點半鐘，太陽已經(jīng)下山了。街燈已亮，但天還不是太黑。在昏暗的暮色中，有許多孤獨者在園中獨自漫步，有的則坐在暮色籠罩的長凳上。
這情景正合戈茨比的心情。他想，黃昏正是失敗者的時刻，是那些夢想未實現(xiàn)、奮斗未成功的男男女女的時刻。他們在暮色中出門，那時，他們悲哀的雙眼、破舊的衣衫才不致太顯眼。
諾曼·戈茨比此刻就想把自己列入失敗者的行列。他并不缺錢，工作也沒出差錯。但他因被自己所信賴的人背叛而受到了傷害。此刻，他覺得自己是失敗了。而此刻他也愿意坐在凳子上看看別人，看看那些像自己一樣遭受了生活打擊的人。
坐在他旁邊的是一位老者。他的衣服不破舊，但他看上去像是那種沒有朋友、得不到任何人關心的人；是那種誰也不注意，誰也不會去注意的人。當他站起來離開時，戈茨比想像他一定是回到哪兒一間孤寂的屋子里去。
老者的位置被一個年輕人所取代。他衣著入時，卻神情沮喪，嘴里還嘟噥著。
“你好像情緒不高，”戈茨比說。
年輕人說：“你要是像我一樣狼狽，情緒也不會高的。我做了這一生中最傻的事。”
“什么事呀？”戈茨比問。
“我今天下午來到這個城市，”年輕人說，“本來打算住在伯克夏旅館?？墒堑搅四抢飬s發(fā)現(xiàn)他們已經(jīng)把它拆了，在那兒蓋了一座電影院。出租車司機告訴我有另一家旅館，我就去了。”
戈茨比點點頭，以示禮貌。
“我在旅館登記后，決定出去買肥皂。我忘帶了，又不喜歡用旅館里的那種小塊塊。我出去在周圍走了一會兒，買了肥皂，吃了點東西。往回走時卻發(fā)現(xiàn)不記得旅館的名字，甚至記不起它在哪條街上了。”
“這就是我所陷入的困境。我在這里沒有朋友，從旅館帶出來的錢也花光了，用它買了肥皂和點心。這下可好了，我口袋里只有幾分錢，今晚沒地兒可呆了。”
年輕人停了一會兒，又說，“我想，你會認為這事不可信吧。”
“不會，一點也不會，”戈茨比說。“我在外國的時候，也有過同樣的經(jīng)歷。我和一個人在一起，兩人誰也記不起我們住的地方了，但卻記得是在一條運河旁。找到運河也就找到了那家旅館。”
年輕人說：“要是在外國我倒不那么在意了。起碼那兒有自己國家的官員幫助解決困難?？蛇@是在自己的國家，我能怎么辦呢？我要是找不到一個相信我的人，給我一點錢，今晚就得在公園里過夜了。不過，我很高興你不認為這不可信。”
戈茨比說，“這事兒惟一缺乏說服力的一點是你沒有肥皂。”年輕人跳了起來，立刻把手伸進口袋去摸。“我一定是把它弄丟了，”他生氣地說。戈茨比說，“你在一個下午同時丟了旅館又丟了肥皂是很奇怪的。實際上……”
但年輕人不等戈茨比說完就迅速地消失在黑暗之中了。
戈茨比想：“太糟了。出去買塊肥皂就幾乎能使他的故事聽起來像真的一樣。但他忘了把肥皂帶著。要不然他會得到不止一個人的錢。他應該多費點心機，想得更周全些。”
戈茨比站起身來，準備離開公園。就在這時他看見長凳旁邊有一個小包，是一塊肥皂。一定是年輕人坐下時從口袋里掉出來的。
戈茨比去追年輕人，追上以后，他說，“證明你講了真話的東西找到了。”他把肥皂拿了出來。“一定是你坐下的時候從口袋里掉出來了。對不起，我沒有相信你。但若沒有肥皂，我就不相信你講的是真話。現(xiàn)在我確信無疑了。請接受我借給你一些錢吧。”
年輕人默不作聲，接了戈茨比給他的錢。“這是我的名片，上面有我的地址，”戈茨比接著說。“你可以在本周內的任何一天把錢還給我。肥皂在這兒，別再弄丟了。它可是你的好朋友。”
“幸好你找到它了，”年輕人說。“謝謝。”他握了握戈茨比的手，匆匆離去了。
“可憐的人，”戈茨比說，“如釋重負都使他要哭了。這對我應該是個教訓，對人下結論不應該太快。”
戈茨比順原路往回走去。走到他坐過的長凳時，停了下來。一位老人正在張望著長凳的周圍和下面。戈茨比認得，他就是在年輕人到來之前坐在那兒的人。
“先生，您是不是丟了什么東西？”戈茨比問。
“是啊，先生，一塊肥皂。”
NOTE 注釋：
scene [si:n] n. 情景, 景色
shabby [5FAbi] adj. 破舊的, 襤褸的
mutter [5mQtE] v. 咕噥, 嘀咕
mess [mes] n. 混亂
tear down 扯下, 拆卸
bar [bB:(r)] n. 條，小塊
canal [kE5nAl] n. 運河
proof [pru:f] n. 證據(jù)
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