The Great Gatsby — Page 17

他那专注的神情中带着一丝令人心酸的东西，仿佛他那比以往更强烈的自满感已不再能让他满足。

There was something pathetic in his concentration, as if his complacency, more acute than of old, was not enough to him any more.

就在这时，室内的电话响了，管家离开了门廊，黛西趁着这片刻的打断，身子向我倾了过来。

When, almost immediately, the telephone rang inside and the butler left the porch Daisy seized upon the momentary interruption and leaned towards me.

「我告诉你一个家族秘密，」她兴奋地低声说道。「是关于管家鼻子的事。你想听吗？」

"I'll tell you a family secret," she whispered enthusiastically. "It's about the butler's nose. Do you want to hear about the butler's nose?"

「这正是我今晚过来的原因。」

"That's why I came over tonight."

「嗯，他并不是一直都做管家的；他以前是纽约某户人家的银器擦亮工，那家人有一套能供两百人使用的银餐具。他得从早到晚地擦，直到最后开始影响到他的鼻子——」

"Well, he wasn't always a butler; he used to be the silver polisher for some people in New York that had a silver service for two hundred people. He had to polish it from morning till night, until finally it began to affect his nose—"

「情况每况愈下，」贝克小姐接口道。

"Things went from bad to worse," suggested Miss Baker.

「是啊，情况每况愈下，直到最后他不得不辞去那份工作。」

"Yes. Things went from bad to worse, until finally he had to give up his position."

那最后一缕阳光带着浪漫的柔情洒在她容光焕发的脸上；她的声音引着我屏息凝神地向前倾听——然后那光辉渐渐消退，每一道光都带着依依不舍的遗憾离她而去，如同孩子们在黄昏时依依不舍地离开一条美好的街道。

For a moment the last sunshine fell with romantic affection upon her glowing face; her voice compelled me forward breathlessly as I listened—then the glow faded, each light deserting her with lingering regret, like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk.

管家回来了，凑近汤姆耳边低语了几句，汤姆随即皱起眉头，推开椅子，一言不发地走进了屋内。

The butler came back and murmured something close to Tom's ear, whereupon Tom frowned, pushed back his chair, and without a word went inside.

仿佛他的离开在她内心激起了某种东西，黛西再次向前倾身，声音里充满了光彩与歌意。

As if his absence quickened something within her, Daisy leaned forward again, her voice glowing and singing.

「我喜欢在我的餐桌旁看到你，尼克。你让我想起了一朵——一朵玫瑰，一朵绝对纯粹的玫瑰。」

"I love to see you at my table, Nick. You remind me of a—of a rose, an absolute rose.