一位忙碌經紀人的浪漫史(有刪節)歐·亨利

O. Henry(1862-1910),原名William Sydney Porter,是美國最著名的短篇小說家之一。他善于描寫美國社會尤其是紐約百姓的生活,善于捕捉生活中令人啼笑皆非而富有哲理的戲劇性場景,用漫畫般的筆觸勾勒出人物的特點。他的作品構思新穎,語言詼諧,結局常常出人意外。他一共創作了300多篇短篇小說,代表作有小說集《白菜與國王》、《四百萬》、《命運之路》等。

大多數人最早接觸的O. Henry的短篇小說應該是中學課本上的《麥琪的禮物》吧,那出人意料的結局一定給你留下了深刻的印象。他的《一位忙碌經紀人的浪漫史》,文中的人物描寫、場景氛圍的營造,以及那令人感覺很窩心的結尾都證明了它是一篇讓人叫好的文章。 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.

九點半時,股票經紀人哈維·麥克斯韋爾在年輕女速記員的陪同下精神抖擻地走進辦公室。他事務所里的機要秘書皮徹那通常毫無表情的臉上不禁露出一絲好奇和詫異。麥克斯韋爾精力充沛地喊了聲“早啊,皮徹”,就朝他的辦公桌沖去,仿佛要跳過它似的。接著,他就一頭扎進一大堆等著他處理的信件和電報里。

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.

那位年輕姑娘給麥克斯韋爾當速記員已經有一年了。她的美絕非速記員草草幾筆所能簡單描述。她不梳那種華麗誘人的龐帕杜高卷式發型,也不戴項鏈、手鐲或盒式小墜子。她臉上沒有那種受邀準備參加午宴的神氣。她的灰色裙子素凈,但相當合身,顯身材又不失大方莊重。她那頂簡潔的黑色無邊帽上插了根金綠色的金剛鸚鵡毛。這個上午,她身上煥發出一種溫柔而羞怯的光彩,雙眼流波閃爍,臉頰直泛桃紅,臉上帶著幸福的神色和絲絲懷想。

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.

皮徹仍舊有點好奇,他注意到她這個上午的舉止有些異樣。她不像往常那樣徑直走進麥克斯韋爾辦公室隔壁那房間(她辦公桌在那兒),而是在辦公室外間略帶遲疑地徘徊。她還一度走近麥克斯韋爾的辦公桌,近得足以讓他意識到她的存在。

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.

坐在辦公桌前的不再是個常人,簡直成了臺機器。那是忙碌的紐約股票經紀人,一臺上滿發條運作起來齒輪吱吱響的機器。