美麗新世界Brave New World 第12章(3)

"It really is a bit too thick," the Head Mistress of Etonwas saying to the Director of Crematoria andPhosphorus Reclamation.

“實在太愚蠢了。”伊頓公學(xué)的女校長對火葬與磷回收場場長說，

"When I think that I actually ..."

“在我認(rèn)為實際上……”

"Yes," came the voice of Fanny Crowne, it'sabsolutely true about the alcohol.

“的確，”范尼.克朗的聲音傳來，酒精的事絕對是真的。

Some one I know knew some one who was working in the Embryo Store at the time. She said tomy friend, and my friend said to me.

我的一個熟人認(rèn)識一個當(dāng)年在胚胎庫工作的人。她告訴了我的朋友，我的朋友又告訴了我。

"Too bad, too bad," said Henry Foster, sympathizing with the Arch-Community-Songster.

“太不像話，太不像話了，”亨利.福斯特對社區(qū)首席歌唱家表示同情，說。

It may interest you to know that our ex-Director was on the point of transferring him to Iceland.

你也許會感到興趣，那時我們的前任主任正打算把他下放到冰島去。

Pierced by every word that was spoken, the tight balloon of Bernard's happy self-confidencewas leaking from a thousand wounds.

伯納那快活自信的氣球繃得太緊，大家說出的話把它戳了個千瘡百孔，大漏其氣。

Pale, distraught, abject and agitated, he moved among his guests, stammering incoherentapologies,assuring them that next time the Savage would certainly be there, begging them tosit down and take a carotene sandwich, a slice of vitamin A paté, a glass of champagne-surrogate.

他蒼白、沮喪、激動、心慌意亂，在客人之間走來走去，前言不搭后語地啜嚅著，表示歉意，向他們保證下一回野蠻人準(zhǔn)到。他求他們坐下，吃一只胡蘿卜素夾心面包，吃一片維他命A小面餅或是喝一杯代香擯。

They duly ate, but ignored him; drank and were either rude to his face or talked to one anotherabout him,

他們照吃不誤，卻不理他;他們一面喝著飲料，一面當(dāng)面出言不遜，或是彼此議論著他，

loudly and offensively, as though he had not been there.

聲音又大，又不客氣，只當(dāng)他不在。

"And now, my friends," said the Arch-Community-Songster of Canterbury, in that beautifulringing voice with which he led the proceedings at Ford's Day Celebrations, "Now, my friends, Ithink perhaps the time has come ..." He rose, put down his glass, brushed from his purpleviscose waistcoat the crumbs of a considerable collation, and walked towards the door.

現(xiàn)在，我的朋友們，坎脫伯雷社區(qū)首席歌唱家用在福帝日慶祝演出里領(lǐng)唱的美麗嘹亮的歌喉說，“現(xiàn)在，我的朋友們，我覺得也許時間已經(jīng)到了……”他站起身來，放下杯子，從他那紫紅色粘膠背心上彈掉不少點心碎屑，向門口走去。

Bernard darted forward to intercept him.

伯納沖上前去，想留住他。

"Must you really, Arch-Songster? ... It's very early still. I'd hoped you would ..."

“您真是非走不可嗎，歌唱家先生?……時間還早呢。希望您能夠……”

Yes, what hadn't he hoped, when Lenina confidentially told him that the Arch-Community-Songster would accept an invitation if it were sent.

是的，此舉很出乎他的意料之外。列寧娜曾經(jīng)秘密告訴過伯納，如果他邀請首席歌唱家，他是會接受邀請的。

He's really rather sweet, you know.

他確實相當(dāng)可愛，你知道。

And she had shown Bernard the little golden zipper-fastening in the form of a T, which theArch-Songster had given her as a memento of the week-end she had spent at Lambeth.

她還讓伯納看了一個T字形的金質(zhì)小拉鏈鈕，那是首席歌唱家為他們一起在蘭蓓斯度過的周末給她的紀(jì)念品。