They each had their own room and all. They were both around seventy years old, or even more than that.

他們各有各的房間。他們都有七十左右年紀(jì)，或者甚至已過了七十疲陕。

They got a bang out of things, though--in a haif-assed way, of course. I know that sounds mean to say, but I don't mean it mean.

他們都還自得其樂——當(dāng)然是傻里傻氣的。我知道這話聽起來有點(diǎn)混媚创，可我并不是有意要說混話。

I just mean that I used to think about old Spencer quite a lot, and if you thought about him too much, you wondered what the heck he was still living for.

我的意思只是說我想老斯賓塞想得太多了彤恶，想他想得太多之后钞钙，就難免會想到象他這樣活著究竟有什么意思鳄橘。

I mean he was all stooped /stu?pt/ 弓背行走 over, and he had very terrible posture,

我是說他的背已經(jīng)完全駝了，身體的姿勢十分難看芒炼，

and in class, whenever he dropped a piece of chalk at the blackboard, some guy in the first row always had to get up and pick it up and hand it to him.

上課的時候在黑板邊掉了粉筆瘫怜，總要坐在第一排的學(xué)生走上去拾起來遞給他。

That's awful, in my opinion.

真是可怕極了本刽，在我看來鲸湃。

But if you thought about him just enough and not too much, you could figure it out that he wasn't doing too bad for himself.

不過你要是想他想得恰到好處，不是想得太多子寓，你就會覺得他的日子還不算太難過暗挑。

For instance, one Sunday when some other guys and I were over there for hot chocolate,

舉例來說，有一個星期天我跟另外幾個人在他家喝熱巧克力斜友，

he showed us this old beat-up Navajo blanket that he and Mrs. Spencer'dbought off 收買的 some Indian in Yellowstone Park.

他還拿出一條破舊的納瓦霍毯子來給我們看炸裆，那是他跟斯賓塞太太在黃石公園向一個印第安人買的。

You could tell old Spencer'd got a big bang out of buying it. That's what I mean.

你想象得出老斯賓塞買了那條毯子心里該有多高興鲜屏。這就是我要說的意思烹看。

You take somebody old as hell, like old Spencer, and they can get a big bang out of buying a blanket.

有些人老得快死了，就象老斯賓塞那樣洛史，可是買了條毯子卻會高興得要命惯殊。

His door was open, but I sort of knocked on it anyway, just to be polite and all.

他的房門開著，可我還是輕輕敲了下門也殖，表示禮貌土思。

I could see where he was sitting. He was sitting in a big leather皮革制的 chair, all wrapped /r?pt/包裹 up in that blanket I just told you about.

我望得見他坐的地方。他坐在一把大皮椅上毕源，用我上面說過的那條毯子把全身裹得嚴(yán)嚴(yán)的浪漠。

He looked over at me when I knocked. "Who's that?" he yelled. "Caulfield? Come in, boy." He was always yelling, outside class. It got on your nerves sometimes.

他聽見我敲門，就抬起頭來看了看霎褐。“誰该镣？”他大聲嚷道冻璃。“考爾菲德损合？進(jìn)來吧省艳，孩子〖奚螅”除了在教室里跋炕，他總是大聲嚷嚷。有時候你聽了真會起雞皮疙瘩律适。

The minute I went in, I was sort of sorry I'd come.

我一進(jìn)去辐烂，馬上有點(diǎn)兒后悔自己不該來遏插。

He was reading the Atlantic Monthly, and there were pills and medicine all over the place, and everything smelled like Vicks Nose Drops.

他正在看《大西洋月刊》，房間里到處是丸藥和藥水纠修，鼻子里只聞到一般維克斯滴鼻藥水的味道胳嘲。

It was pretty depressing /d??pres??/ 使沮喪.

這實(shí)在叫人泄氣。

I'm not too crazy about sick people, anyway. What made it even more depressing, old Spencer had on this very sad, ratty old bathrobe /?b?θro?b/ 浴衣 that he was probably born in or something.

我對生病的人反正沒多大好感扣草。還有更叫人泄氣的了牛，是老斯賓塞穿著件破爛不堪的舊浴衣，大概是他出生那天就裹在身上的辰妙。

I don't much like to see old guys in their pajamas/p??d??m?z/ 睡衣 and bathrobes anyway.

我最不喜歡老人穿著睡衣或者浴衣鹰祸。

Their bumpy/?b?mpi/ 崎嶇不平的 old chests are always showing.

他們那瘦骨磷晌的胸脯老是露在外面。

And their legs. Old guys' legs, at beaches and places, always look so white and unhairy.

還有他們的腿密浑。老人的腿蛙婴，常常在海濱之類的地方見到，總是那么白肴掷，沒什么毛敬锐。

"Hello, sir," I said. "I got your note. Thanks a lot."

“哈羅，先生呆瞻，”我說台夺。“我接到您的便條啦痴脾。多謝您關(guān)懷颤介。

He'd written me this note asking me to stop by and say good-by before vacation started, on account of I wasn't coming back.

”他曾寫了張便條給我，要我在放假之前抽空到他家去道別赞赖，因?yàn)槲疫@一走滚朵，是再也不回來了。

"You didn't have to do all that. I'd have come over to say good-by anyway."

“您真是太費(fèi)心了前域。我反正總會來向您道別的辕近。”

"Have a seat there, boy," old Spencer said. He meant the bed.

“坐在那上面吧匿垄，孩子移宅，”老斯賓塞說。他意思要我坐在床上椿疗。

I sat down on it. "How's your grippe, sir?"

我坐下了漏峰。“您的感冒好些嗎届榄，先生浅乔？”

"M'boy, if I felt any better I'd have to send for the doctor," old Spencer said.

“我的孩子，我要是覺得好些铝条，早就去請大夫了靖苇，”老斯賓塞說席噩。

That knocked him out. He started chuckling like a madman. Then he finally straightened himself out and said, "Why aren't you down at the game? I thought this was the day of the big game."

說完這話，他得意的了不得顾复，馬上象個瘋子似的吃吃笑起來班挖。最后他總算恢復(fù)了平靜，說道：“你怎么不去看球芯砸？我本來以為今天有隆重的球賽呢萧芙。”

"It is. I was. Only, I just got back from New York with the fencing team," I said.

“今天倒是有球賽假丧。我也去看了會兒双揪。只是我剛跟擊劍隊(duì)從紐約回來，”我說包帚。

Boy, his bed was like a rock.

嘿渔期，他的床真象巖石一樣。

He started getting serious as hell. I knew he would. "So you're leaving us, eh?" he said.

他變得嚴(yán)肅起來渴邦。我知道他會的疯趟。“那么說來谋梭，你要離開我們了信峻，呃？”他說瓮床。

"Yes, sir. I guess I am."

“是的盹舞，先生。我想是的隘庄√卟剑”

He started going into this nodding routine /ru??ti?n/ 慣例. You never saw anybody nod as much in your life as old Spencer did.

他開始老毛病發(fā)作，一個勁幾點(diǎn)起頭來丑掺。你這一輩子再也沒見過還有誰比他更會點(diǎn)頭获印。

You never knew if he was nodding a lot because he was thinking and all, or just because he was a nice old guy that didn't know his ass from his elbow /?elbo?/ 肘部.

你也沒法知道他一個勁兒點(diǎn)頭是由于他在動腦筋思考呢，還是由于他只是個挺不錯的老家伙街州，糊涂得都不知道哪兒是自己的屁股哪兒是自己的胳膊彎兒了蓬豁。

"What did Dr. Thurmer say to you, boy? I understand you had quite a little chat."

“綏摩博士跟你說什么來著，孩子菇肃？我知道你們好好談過一陣，”

"Yes, we did. We really did. I was in his office for around two hours, I guess."

“不錯取募，我們談過琐谤。我們的確談過。我在他的辦公室里呆了約莫兩個鐘頭玩敏，我揣摩斗忌≈世瘢”

"What'd he say to you?"

“他跟你說了些什么？”

"Oh. . . well, about Life being a game and all. And how you should play it according to the rules.

“哦……呃织阳，說什么人生是場球賽眶蕉。你得按照規(guī)則進(jìn)行比賽。

He was pretty nice about it. I mean he didn't hit the ceiling or anything. He just kept talking about Life being a game and all. You know."?

他說得挺和藹唧躲。我是說他沒有蹦得碰到天花板什么的造挽。他只是一個勁兒談著什么人生是場球賽。您知道弄痹》谷耄”

"Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules."

“人生的確是場球賽，孩子肛真。人生的確是場大家按照規(guī)則進(jìn)行比賽的球賽谐丢。”

"Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it."

“是的蚓让，先生乾忱。我知道是場球賽。我知道历极≌粒”

Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it's a game, all right--I'll admit that.

球賽，屁的球賽执解。對某些人說是球賽寞肖。你要是參加了實(shí)力雄厚的那一邊，那倒可以說是場球賽衰腌，不錯——我愿意承認(rèn)這一點(diǎn)新蟆。

But if you get on the other side, where there aren't any hot-shots, then what's a game about it?

可你要是參加了另外那一邊，一點(diǎn)實(shí)力也沒有右蕊，那么還賽得了什么球琼稻？

Nothing. No game. "Has Dr. Thurmer written to your parents yet?" old Spencer asked me.

什么也賽不成。根本談不上什么球賽饶囚∨练“綏摩博士已經(jīng)寫信給你父母了嗎？”老斯賓塞問我萝风。

"He said he was going to write them Monday."

“他說他打算在星期一寫信給他們嘀掸。”

"Have you yourself communicated with them?"

“你自己寫信告訴他們沒有规惰？”

"No, sir, I haven't communicated with them, because I'll probably see them Wednesday night when I get home."

“沒有睬塌，先生，我沒寫信告訴他們，因?yàn)槲倚瞧谌鸵丶铱纾蟾旁谕砩暇涂梢砸姷剿麄兞搜恪！?/p>

"And how do you think they'll take the news?"

“你想他們聽了這個消息會怎么樣硫兰？”

"Well. . . they'll be pretty irritated /??r?te?t?d 惱怒的 about it," I said.

“嗯诅愚，……他們聽了會覺得煩惱，”我說劫映。

"They really will. This is about the fourth school I've gone to."

“他們一定會的违孝。這已是我第四次換學(xué)校了∷昭校”

I shook my head. I shake my head quite a lot.

我搖了搖頭等浊。我經(jīng)常搖頭。

"Boy!" I said. I also say "Boy!" quite a lot.

“嘿摹蘑！”我說筹燕。我經(jīng)常說“嘿！”

Partly because I have a lousy[?la?zi] 差勁 vocabulary and partly because I act quite young for my age sometimes.

這一方面是由于我的詞匯少得可憐衅鹿，另一方面也是由于我的行為舉止有時很幼稚撒踪。

I was sixteen then, and I'm seventeen now, and sometimes I act like I'm about thirteen.

我那時十六歲，現(xiàn)在十七歲大渤，可有時候我的行為舉止卻象十三歲制妄。

It's really ironical [a?'rɑn?kl] 諷刺的, because I'm six foot two and a half and I have gray hair. I really do.

說來確實(shí)很可笑，因?yàn)槲疑砀吡⒊叨⒋绨氡萌^上還有白頭發(fā)耕捞。我真有白頭發(fā)。

The one side of my head--the right side-is full of millions of gray hairs. I've had them ever since I was a kid.

在頭上的一邊——右邊烫幕，有千百萬根白頭發(fā)俺抽，從小就有。

And yet I still act sometimes like I was only about twelve.

可我有時候一舉一動较曼，卻象還只有十二歲磷斧。

Everybody says that, especially my father. It's partly true, too, but it isn't all true.

誰都這樣說，尤其是我父親捷犹。這么說有點(diǎn)兒對弛饭，可并不完全對。

People always think something's all true. I don't give a damn, except that I get bored sometimes when people tell me to act my age.

人們總是以為某些事情是完全對的萍歉。我壓根幾就不理這個碴兒侣颂，除非有時候人們說我，要我老成些枪孩，我才冒起火來横蜒。

Sometimes I act a lot older than I am--I really do--but people never notice it. People never notice anything.

有時候我的一舉一動要比我的年齡老得多——確是這樣——可人們卻視而不見胳蛮。他們是什么也看不見的。

Old Spencer started nodding again. He also started picking his nose.

老斯賓塞又點(diǎn)起頭來了丛晌。他還開始掏起鼻子來。

He made out like he was only pinching[?p?nt???] 掐斗幼，捏 it, but he was really getting the old thumb right in there.

他裝作只是捏一捏鼻子澎蛛，其實(shí)他早將那只大拇指伸進(jìn)去了。

I guess he thought it was all right to do because it was only me that was in the room.

我揣摩他大概認(rèn)為這樣做沒有什么不對蜕窿，因?yàn)楫?dāng)時房里只有我一個谋逻。

I didn't care, except that it's pretty disgusting [d?s?ɡ?st??] 令人厭惡 to watch somebody pick their nose.

我倒也不怎么在乎，只是眼巴巴看著一個人掏鼻子桐经，總不兔有點(diǎn)惡心毁兆。

Then he said, "I had the privilege of meeting your mother and dad when they had their little chat with Dr. Thurmer some weeks ago. They're grand people.”

接著他說：“你爸爸和媽媽幾個星期前跟綏摩博士談話的時候，我有幸跟他們見了面阴挣。他們都是再好沒有的人气堕。”

"Yes, they are. They're very nice.”

是的畔咧，他們很好

Grand. There's a word I really hate. It's a phony[?fo?ni] 假冒者茎芭；贗品. I could puke[pju?k] v. 嘔吐 every time I hear it.? ?

再好沒有，我打心眼里討厭這個詞兒誓沸。完全是假模假式梅桩。我每次聽見這個詞兒，心里就作嘔拜隧。

Then all of a sudden old Spencer looked like he had something very good, something sharp as a tack 大頭釘, to say to me.

一霎時宿百，老斯賓塞好象有什么十分妙、十分尖銳——尖銳得象針一樣——的話要跟我說洪添。

He sat up more in his chair and sort of moved around. It was a false alarm, though.

他在椅子上微微坐直身子垦页，稍稍轉(zhuǎn)過身來∞弊椋可這只是一場虛驚外臂。

All he did was lift the Atlantic Monthly off his lap and try to chuck拋擲 it on the bed, next to me.

他僅僅從膝上拿起那本《大西洋月刊》，想扔到我旁邊的床上律胀。

He missed. It was only about two inches away, but he missed anyway.

他沒扔到宋光。只差那么兩英寸光景，可他沒扔到炭菌。

I got up and picked it up and put it down on the bed.

我站起來從地上拾起雜志罪佳，把它擱在床上。

All of a sudden then, I wanted to get the hell out of the room.

突然間黑低，我想離開這個混帳房間了赘艳。

I could feel a terrific lecture[?lekt??r] 演講 coming on.

我感覺得出有一席可怕的訓(xùn)話馬上要來了酌毡。

I didn't mind the idea so much, but I didn't feel like being lectured to and smell Vicks Nose Drops

我倒不怎么在乎聽訓(xùn)話，不過我不樂意一邊聽訓(xùn)話一邊聞維克斯滴鼻藥水的味道蕾管，

and look at old Spencer in his pajamas and bathrobe all at the same time. I really didn’t.

一邊還得望著穿了睡褲和浴衣的老斯賓塞枷踏。我真的不樂意。

It started, all right. "What's the matter with you, boy?" old Spencer said.

訓(xùn)話終于來了掰曾⌒袢洌“你這是怎么回事呢，孩子旷坦？”

He said it pretty tough, too, for him. "How many subjects did you carry this term?”

老斯賓塞說掏熬，口氣還相當(dāng)嚴(yán)厲∶朊罚“這個學(xué)期你念了幾門功課旗芬？”

"Five, sir.”

“五門，先生捆蜀〈裕”

"Five. And how many are you failing in?”

“五門。你有幾門不及格漱办？”

"Four." I moved my ass a little bit on the bed. It was the hardest bed I ever sat on.

“四門这刷。”我在床上微微挪動一下屁股娩井。這是我有生以來坐過的最硬的床暇屋。

"I passed English all right," I said, "because I had all that Beowulf and Lord Randal My Son stuff when I was at the Whooton School.

“英文我考得不錯，”我說洞辣，“因?yàn)椤敦愇譅柗颉泛汀m德爾我的兒子’這類玩藝兒咐刨，我在胡敦中學(xué)時候都念過了。

I mean I didn't have to do any work in English at all hardly, except write compositions[,k?mp?’zi??nz] once in a while.”

我是說念英文這一門我用不著費(fèi)多大勁兒扬霜，除了偶爾寫寫作文定鸟。”

He wasn't even listening. He hardly ever listened to you when you said something.

他甚至不在聽著瓶。只要是別人說話联予，他總不肯好好聽。

"I flunked考試不及格 you in history because you knew absolutely nothing.”

“歷史這一門我沒讓你及格材原，因?yàn)槟愫喼笔裁匆膊恢婪芯谩！?/p>

"I know that, sir. Boy, I know it. You couldn't help it.”

“我明白余蟹，先生卷胯。嘿日裙，我完全明白菱蔬。您也是沒有辦法骗卜⊥锌”

"Absolutely nothing," he said over again. That's something that drives me crazy.

“簡直什么也不知道，”他重復(fù)了一遍担钮。就是這個最叫我受不了橱赠。

When people say something twice that way, after you admit it the first time. Then he said it three times.

我都已承認(rèn)了，他卻還要重復(fù)說一遍裳朋。然而他又說了第三遍病线。

"But absolutely nothing. I doubt very much if you opened your textbook even once the whole term. Did you? Tell the truth, boy.”

“可簡直什么也不知道。我十分十分懷疑鲤嫡，整整一個學(xué)期不知你可曾把課本翻開過哪怕一回。到底翻開過沒有绑莺？老實(shí)說暖眼，孩子》牟茫”

"Well, I sort of glanced through it a couple of times," I told him. I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He was mad about history.

“嗯诫肠，我約略看過那么一兩次，”我告訴他說欺缘。我不愿傷他的心栋豫。他對歷史簡直著了迷。

"You glanced through it, eh?" he said--very sarcastic [sɑ?r?k?st?k] 諷刺的;.

“你約略看過谚殊，嗯丧鸯？”他說——諷刺得厲害。

"Your, ah, exam paper is over there on top of my chiffonier[???f??n?r] 小衣櫥. On top of the pile. Bring it here, please.”

“你的嫩絮，啊丛肢，那份試卷就在我的小衣柜頂上。最最上面的那份就是剿干。請拿來給我蜂怎。”

It was a very dirty trick詭計(jì), but I went over and brought it over to him--I didn't have any alternative[??l?t??rn?t?v] 供替代的選擇 or anything.

來這套非常下流置尔，可我還是過去把那份試卷拿給他了——此外沒有其他辦法杠步。

Then I sat down on his cement [s??ment] 水泥 bed again. Boy, you can't imagine how sorry I was getting that I'd stopped by to say good-by to him.

隨后我又坐到他那張象是水泥做的床上。嘿榜轿，你想象不出我心里有多懊喪幽歼，深悔自己不該來向他道別。

He started handling my exam paper like it was a turd[t??rd]? 糞 or something.

他拿起我的試卷來差导，那樣子就象拿著臭屎什么的试躏。

"We studied the Egyptians from November 4th to December 2nd," he said. “

“我們從十一月四日到十二月二日上關(guān)于埃及人的課。

You chose to write about them for the optional essay[?ese?] 論文 question.

在自由選揮的論文題里设褐，你選了寫埃及人颠蕴，

Would you care to hear what you had to say?"

你想聽聽你說了些什么嗎泣刹？”

"No, sir, not very much," I said.

“不，先生犀被，不怎么想聽椅您，”我說。

He read it anyway, though. You can't stop a teacher when they want to do something. They just do it.

可他照樣念了出來寡键。老師想于什么掀泳，你很難阻止他。他是非干不可的西轩。

The Egyptians were an ancient race of Caucasians residing[r??za?d??]? in one of the northern sections of Africa.

埃及人是一個屬于高加索人種的古民族员舵，住在非洲北部一帶。

The latter as we all know is the largest continent[?kɑ?nt?n?nt]? 大陸 in the Eastern Hemisphere[?hem?sf?r] 半球.

我們?nèi)贾琅号希侵奘菛|半球上最大的大陸马僻。

I had to sit there and listen to that crapcrap 廢話. It certainly was a dirty trick.

我只好坐在那里傾聽這類廢話。來這一套確實(shí)下流注服。

The Egyptians are extremely interesting to us today for various reasons.

我們今天對埃及人極感興趣韭邓，原因很多。

Modern science would still like to know what? the secret ingredients[?n'ɡrid??nts] 成分; 配料 were that the Egyptians used when they wrapped up dead people so that their faces would not rot[rɑ?t] 腐爛 for? innumerable[??nu?m?r?bl] 無數(shù)的溶弟，數(shù)不清的 centuries.

現(xiàn)代科學(xué)仍想知道埃及人到底用什么秘密藥料敷在他們所包裹的死人身上女淑，能使他們的臉經(jīng)無數(shù)世紀(jì)而不腐爛。

This interesting riddle[?r?dl] 謎 is still quite? a challenge to modern science in the twentieth century.

這一有趣的謎仍是對二十世紀(jì)現(xiàn)代科學(xué)的一個挑戰(zhàn)辜御。

He stopped reading and put my paper down. I was beginning to sort of hate him.

他不念了鸭你，隨手把試卷放下。我開始有點(diǎn)恨他了我抠。

"Your essay, shall we say, ends there," he said in this very sarcastic voice.

“你的大作苇本，我們可以這么說，寫到這兒就完了菜拓，” 他用十分諷刺的口吻說瓣窄。

You wouldn't think such an old guy would be so sarcastic and all. "However, you dropped me a little note, at the bottom of the page," he said.

你真想不到象他這樣的老家伙說話竟能這么諷刺∧啥Γ“可是俺夕，你在試卷底下還寫給我一封短信，”他說贱鄙。

"I know I did," I said. I said it very fast because I wanted to stop him before he started reading that out loud. But you couldn't stop him. He was hot as a firecracker [?fa??rkr?k?r] 鞭炮劝贸，爆竹.

“我知道我寫了封短信，”我說逗宁。我說得非秤尘牛快，因?yàn)槲蚁霐r住他瞎颗，不讓他把那玩藝兒大聲讀出來件甥“埔椋可你沒法攔住他。他熱得象個著了火的炮仗引有。

DEAR MR. SPENCER [he read out loud]. That is all I know about the Egyptians. I can't seem to get very interested in them although your lectures are very interesting.

“親愛的斯賓塞先生瓣颅，”他大聲念道∑┱“我對埃及人只知道這一些宫补。雖然您講課講得極好，我卻對他們不怎么感興趣曾我。

It is all right with me if you flunk me though as I am flunking everything else except English anyway.

您盡管可以不讓我及格粉怕，反正我除了英文一門以外，哪門功課也不可能及格抒巢。

Respectfully yours, HOLDEN CAULFIELD.

極敬愛您的學(xué)生 霍爾頓.考爾菲德敬上斋荞。

He put my goddam paper down then and looked at me like he'd just beaten hell out of me in ping-pong or something.

他放下那份混帳試卷，拿眼望著我虐秦，那樣子就象他媽的在比賽乒乓球或者其他什么球的時候把我打得一敗涂地似的，

I don't think I'll ever forgive him for reading me that crap out loud.

他這么把那封短信大聲念出來凤优，這件事我一輩子也不能原諒他悦陋。

I wouldn't've read it out loud to him if he'd written it--I really wouldn't.

要是他寫了那短信，我是決不會大聲念給他聽的——我真的不會筑辨。

In the first place, I'd only written that damn note so that he wouldn't feel too bad about flunking me.

尤其是俺驶，我他媽的寫那信只是為了安慰他，好讓他不給我及格的時候不至于太難受棍辕。

"Do you blame me for flunking you, boy?" he said.

“你怪我沒讓你及格嗎暮现，孩子？”他說楚昭。

"No, sir! I certainly don't," I said. I wished to hell he'd stop calling me "boy" all the time.

“不栖袋，先生？我當(dāng)然不怪你抚太，”我說塘幅。我他媽的真希望他別老這么一個勁兒管我叫“孩子”。

He tried chucking my exam paper on the bed when he was through with it. Only, he missed again, naturally. I had to get up again and pick it up and put it on top of the Atlantic Monthly.

他念完試卷尿贫，也想把它扔到床上电媳。只是他又沒有扔到，自然羅庆亡。我不得不再一次起身把它拾起來匾乓，放在那本《大西洋月刊》上面。

It's boring to do that every two minutes.

每兩分鐘起身給他拾一次東西又谋，實(shí)在叫人膩煩拼缝。

"What would you have done in my place?" he said. "Tell the truth, boy."?

“你要是站在我的角度娱局，會怎么做呢？”他說珍促×逑剑“老實(shí)說吧，孩子猪叙〗空叮”

Well, you could see he really felt pretty lousy about flunking me.So I shot the bull for a while.

呃，你看得出他給了我不及格穴翩，心里確實(shí)很不安犬第。我于是信口跟他胡扯起來。

I told him I was a real moron[?m??rɑ?n] 傻瓜芒帕；癡愚者歉嗓；笨人, and all that stuff.

我告訴他說我真是個窩囊廢，諸如此類的話背蟆。

I told him how I would've done exactly the same thing if I'd been in his place, and how most people didn't appreciate how tough it is being a teacher. That kind of stuff. The old bull.

我跟他說我要是換了他的地位鉴分，也不得不那么做，還說大多數(shù)人都體會不到當(dāng)老師的處境有多困難带膀。反正是那一套老話志珍。

? ? The funny thing is, though, I was sort of thinking of something else while I shot the bull. I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park, down near Central Park South. I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go. I was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over. I wondered if some guy came in a truck and took them away to a zoo or something. Or if they just flew away.

? ? I'm lucky, though. I mean I could shoot the old bull to old Spencer and think about those ducks at the same time. It's funny. You don't have to think too hard when you talk to a teacher. All of a sudden, though, he interrupted me while I was shooting the bull.

He was always interrupting you.

"How do you feel about all this, boy? I'd be very interested to know. Very interested."

? ? "You mean about my flunking out of Pencey and all?" I said. I sort of wished he'd cover up his bumpy chest. It wasn't such a beautiful view.

? ? "If I'm not mistaken, I believe you also had some difficulty at the Whooton School and at Elkton Hills." He didn't say it just sarcastic, but sort of nasty, too. "I didn't have too much difficulty at Elkton Hills," I told him. "I didn't exactly flunk out or anything. I just quit, sort of."

? ? "Why, may I ask?"

? ? "Why? Oh, well it's a long story, sir. I mean it's pretty complicated." I didn't feel like going into the whole thing with him. He wouldn't have understood it anyway. It wasn't up his alley at all. One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies. That's all. They were coming in the goddam window. For instance, they had this headmaster, Mr. Haas, that was the phoniest bastard I ever met in my life. Ten times worse than old Thurmer. On Sundays, for instance, old Haas went around shaking hands with everybody's parents when they drove up to school. He'd be charming as hell and all. Except if some boy had little old funny-looking parents. You should've seen the way he did with my roommate's parents. I mean if a boy's mother was sort of fat or corny-looking or something, and if somebody's father was one of those guys that wear those suits with very big shoulders and corny black-and-white shoes, then old Hans would just shake hands with them and give them a phony smile and then he'd go talk, for maybe a half an hour, with somebody else's parents. I can't stand that stuff. It drives me crazy. It makes me so depressed I go crazy. I hated that goddam Elkton Hills. Old Spencer asked me something then, but I didn't hear him. I was thinking about old Haas. "What, sir?" I said.

? ? "Do you have any particular qualms about leaving Pencey?"

? ? "Oh, I have a few qualms, all right. Sure. . . but not too many. Not yet, anyway. I guess it hasn't really hit me yet. It takes things a while to hit me. All I'm doing right now is thinking about going home Wednesday. I'm a moron."? "Do you feel absolutely no concern for your future, boy?"

? ? "Oh, I feel some concern for my future, all right. Sure. Sure, I do." I thought about it for a minute. "But not too much, I guess. Not too much, I guess."

? ? "You will," old Spencer said. "You will, boy. You will when it's too late."? ? ? I didn't like hearing him say that. It made me sound dead or something. It was very depressing. "I guess I will," I said.

? "I'd like to put some sense in that head of yours, boy. I'm trying to help you. I'm trying to help you, if I can."

? ? He really was, too. You could see that. But it was just that we were too much on opposite sides ot the pole, that's all. "I know you are, sir," I said. "Thanks a lot. No kidding. I appreciate it. I really do." I got up from the bed then. Boy, I couldn't've sat there another ten minutes to save my life. "The thing is, though, I have to get going now. I have quite a bit of equipment at the gym I have to get to take home with me. I really do." He looked up at me and started nodding again, with this very serious look on his face. I felt sorry as hell for him, all of a sudden. But I just couldn't hang around there any longer, the way we were on opposite sides of the pole, and the way he kept missing the bed whenever he chucked something at it, and his sad old bathrobe with his chest showing, and that grippy smell of Vicks Nose Drops all over the place. "Look, sir. Don't worry about me," I said. "I mean it. I'll be all right. I'm just going through a phase right now. Everybody goes through phases and all, don't they?"

? ? "I don't know, boy. I don't know."

? ? I hate it when somebody answers that way. "Sure. Sure, they do," I said. "I mean it, sir. Please don't worry about me." I sort of put my hand on his shoulder. "Okay?" I said.

? ? "Wouldn't you like a cup of hot chocolate before you go? Mrs. Spencer would be-

-"

? ? "I would, I really would, but the thing is, I have to get going. I have to go right to the gym. Thanks, though. Thanks a lot, sir."

? ? Then we shook hands. And all that crap. It made me feel sad as hell, though.

? ? "I'll drop you a line, sir. Take care of your grippe, now."

? ? "Good-by, boy."

? ? After I shut the door and started back to the living room, he yelled something at me, but I couldn't exactly hear him. I'm pretty sure he yelled "Good luck!" at me, I hope to hell not. I'd never yell "Good luck!" at anybody. It sounds terrible, when you think about it.

但奇怪的是，我一邊在信口開河垛叨，一邊卻在想別的事伦糯。我住在紐約，當(dāng)時不知怎的竟想起中央公園靠南邊的那個小湖來了嗽元。我在琢磨敛纲，到我回家時候，湖里的水大概已經(jīng)結(jié)冰了剂癌，要是結(jié)了冰淤翔，那些野鴨都到哪里去了呢？我一個勁兒琢磨珍手，湖水凍嚴(yán)以后办铡，那些野鴨到底上哪兒去了。我在琢磨是不是會有人開了輛卡車來琳要，捉住它們送到動物園里去寡具。或者竟是它們自己飛走了稚补？

我倒是很幸運(yùn)童叠。我是說我竟能一邊跟老斯賓塞胡扯，一邊想那些鴨子。奇怪的是厦坛，你跟老師聊天的時候五垮，竟用不著動什么腦筋《沤眨可我正在胡扯的時候放仗，他突然打斷了我的話。他老喜歡打斷別人的話撬碟。

“你對這一切是怎么個感覺呢诞挨，孩子？我對這很感興趣呢蛤。感興趣極了惶傻。”

“您是說我給開除出潘西這件事其障？”我說银室，我真希望他能把自己瘦骨磷峋的胸脯遮蓋起來。這可不是太悅目的景色励翼。

“要是我記得不錯的話蜈敢，我相信你在胡敦中學(xué)和愛爾敦.希爾斯也遇到過困難∑В”他說這話時不僅帶著諷刺扶认，而且?guī)еc(diǎn)兒惡意了。

“我在愛爾敦.希爾斯倒沒什么困難殊橙，”我對他說∮樱“我不完全是給開除出來的膨蛮。我只是自動退學(xué)，可以這么說季研〕ǜ穑”

“為什么呢，請問与涡？”

“為什么惹谐？哎呀，這事說來話長驼卖，先生氨肌。我是說問題極其復(fù)雜∽眯螅”我不想跟他細(xì)談怎囚。他聽了也不會理解。這不是他在行的學(xué)問桥胞。我離開愛爾敦.希爾斯最大的原因之一恳守，是因?yàn)槲业乃闹車际莻尉涌加ぁ＞褪悄敲椿厥隆５教幎际撬麐尩膫尉哟吆妗Ｅe例說沥阱，學(xué)校里的校長哈斯先生就是我生平見到的最最假仁假義的雜種。比老綏摩還要壞十倍伊群。比如說考杉，到了星期天，有些學(xué)生的家長開了汽車來接自己的孩子在岂，老哈斯就跑來跑去跟他們每個人握手奔则。

還象個娼婦似的巴結(jié)人。除非見了某些模樣兒有點(diǎn)古怪的家長蔽午。你真該看看他怎樣對待跟我同房的那個學(xué)生的父母易茬。我是說要是學(xué)生的母親顯得太胖或者粗野，或者學(xué)生的父親湊巧是那種穿著寬肩膀衣服和粗俗的黑白兩色鞋的人及老，那時候老哈斯就只跟他們握一下手抽莱，假惺惺地朝著他們微微一笑。然后就一徑去跟別的學(xué)生的父母講話骄恶，一談也許就是半個小時食铐。我受不了這類事情。它會逼得我發(fā)瘋僧鲁，會讓我煩惱得神經(jīng)錯亂起來虐呻。我痛恨那個混帳中學(xué)愛爾敦.希爾斯。

老斯賓塞這時又問了我什么話寞秃，可我沒聽清楚斟叼。我正在想老哈斯的事呢〈菏伲“什么朗涩，先生？”我說绑改。

“你離開潘西谢床，有什么特別不安的感覺嗎？”

“哦厘线，倒是有一些不安的感覺识腿。當(dāng)然啦……可并不太多。至少現(xiàn)在還沒有造壮。我揣摩這樁事目前還沒真正擊中我的要害覆履。不管什么事，總要過一些時候才能擊中我的要害。我這會兒心里只想著星期三回家的事硝全。我是窩囊廢栖雾。”

“你難道一點(diǎn)也不關(guān)心你自己的前途伟众，孩子析藕？”

“哦，我對自己的前途是關(guān)心的凳厢，沒錯兒账胧。當(dāng)然啦。我當(dāng)然關(guān)心先紫≈文啵”我約莫考慮了一分鐘≌诰“不過并不太關(guān)心居夹，我揣摩。并不太關(guān)心本冲，我揣摩准脂。”

“你會的檬洞，”老斯賓塞說狸膏。“你會關(guān)心的添怔，孩子湾戳。到了后悔莫及的時候，你會關(guān)心的广料≡喝”

我不愛聽他說這樣的話。聽上去好象我就要死了似的性昭，令人十分懊喪∠厍玻“我揣摩我會這樣的糜颠，”我說。

“我很想讓你的頭腦恢復(fù)些理智萧求，孩子其兴。我想給你些幫助。我想給你些幫助夸政，只要我做得到元旬。”

他倒是的確想給我些幫助。你看得出來匀归。但問題是我們倆一個在南極一個在北極坑资，相距太遠(yuǎn)；就是那么回事穆端「ぶ“我知道您是想給我?guī)椭壬鍐攒巍！?/p>

我說』挠拢“非常感謝柒莉。一點(diǎn)不假。我感謝您的好意沽翔。

我真的感謝兢孝。”說著搀擂，我就從床邊站起身來西潘。嘿，哪怕要了我的命哨颂，也不能讓我在那兒再坐十分鐘了喷市。“問題是威恼，咳品姓，我現(xiàn)在得走了。體育館里還有不少東西等我去收拾箫措，好帶回家去腹备。我真有不少東西得收拾呢〗锫”他抬起頭來望著我植酥，又開始點(diǎn)起頭來，臉上帶著極其嚴(yán)肅的神情弦牡。突然間友驮，我真為他難受得要命〖菝蹋可我實(shí)在沒法再在那兒逗留了卸留，象這樣一個在南極一個在北極，他呢椭豫，還不住地往床上扔?xùn)|西耻瑟，可又老是半路掉下旨指，他又穿著那件破舊的浴衣，還裸露出他的胸膛喳整，房間里又彌漫著一股象征流行性感冒的維克斯滴鼻藥水氣味——在這情況下谆构，我實(shí)在呆不下去了∷懔“聽我說低淡，先生。別為我擔(dān)心瞬项，”我說蔗蹋。“我是說老實(shí)話囱淋。我會改過來的猪杭。

我現(xiàn)在只是在過年輕人的一關(guān)。誰都有一些關(guān)要過的妥衣，是不是呢皂吮？”

“我不知道，孩子税手。我不知道蜂筹。”

我最討厭人家這樣回答問題芦倒∫张玻“當(dāng)然啦。當(dāng)然誰都有關(guān)要過兵扬，”我說麻裳。“我說的是實(shí)話器钟，先生津坑。

請別為我擔(dān)心“涟裕”我?guī)缀醢盐业囊恢皇謹(jǐn)R在他的肩膀上了疆瑰。“成嗎昙啄？”我說穆役。

“你喝杯熱巧克力再走好嗎？斯賓塞太太馬上——”“謝謝跟衅，真謝謝，不過問題是播歼，我得走啦伶跷。我得馬上到體育館去掰读。謝謝。多謝您啦叭莫，先生蹈集。”

于是我們握了手雇初，說了一些廢話拢肆。我心里可真難受得要命。

“我會寫信給您的靖诗，先生郭怪。注意您的感冒，多多保重身體刊橘”刹牛”

“再見吧，孩子促绵≡茆郑”

我隨手帶上門，向起居室走去败晴，忽然又聽到他大聲跟我嚷了些什么浓冒，可我沒聽清楚。我深信他說的是“運(yùn)氣好尖坤！”我希望不是稳懒。我真他媽的希望不是。我自己從來不跟任何人說“運(yùn)氣好糖驴！”你只要仔細(xì)想一想僚祷，就會覺得這話真是可怕。