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不过是客客气气地尽力款待客人或者接受款待。她们知道一会儿晚饭就吃完了，再过一会儿这一晚也就过去，随随便便就打发掉了。这和西部截然不同，在那里每逢晚上二待客总是迫不及待地从一个阶段到另一个阶段推向结尾，总是有所期待而又不断地感到失望，要不然就对结尾时刻的到来感到十分紧张和恐惧。
“You make me feel uncivilized； Daisy；” I confessed on my second glass of corky but rather impressive claret。 “Can’t you talk about crops or something？” 〃你让我觉得自己不文明，黛西，〃我喝第二杯虽然有点软木塞气味却相当精彩的红葡萄酒时坦白地说，〃你不能谈谈庄稼或者谈点儿别的什么吗？〃
I meant nothing in particular by this remark； but it was taken up in an unexpected way。 我说这句话并没有什么特殊的用意，但它却出乎意外地被人接过去了。
“Civilization’s going to pieces；” broke out Tom violently。 “I’ve gotten to be a terrible pessimist about things。 Have you read ‘The Rise of the Colored Empires’ by this man Goddard？” 〃文明正在崩溃，〃汤姆气势汹汹地大声说，〃我近来成了个对世界非常悲观的人。你看过戈达德这个人写的《有色帝国的兴起》吗？〃
“Why； no；” I answered； rather surprised by his tone。 〃呃，没有。〃我答道，对他的语气感到很吃惊。
“Well； it’s a fine book； and everybody ought to read it。 The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged。 It’s all scientific stuff； it’s been proved。” 〃我说，这是一本很好的书，人人都应当读一读。书的大意是说，如果我们不当心，白色人种就会。。。。。。就会完全被淹没了。讲的全是科学道理，已经证明了的。〃
“Tom’s getting very profound；” said Daisy； with an expression of unthoughtful sadness。 “He reads deep books with long words in them。 What was that word we——” 〃汤姆变得很渊博了。〃黛西说，脸上露出一种并不深切的忧伤的表情。〃他看一些深奥的书，书里有许多深奥的字眼。那是个什么字来着，我们。。。。。。〃
“Well； these books are all scientific；” insisted Tom； glancing at her impatiently。 “This fellow has worked out the whole thing。 It’s up to us； who are the dominant race； to watch out or these other races will have control of things。” 〃我说，这些书都是有科学根据的，〃汤姆一个劲地说下去，对她不耐烦地瞅了一眼，〃这家伙把整个道理讲得一清二楚。我们是占统治地位的人种，我们有责任提高警惕，不然的话，其他人种就会掌握一切且
“We’ve got to beat them down；” whispered Daisy； winking ferociously toward the fervent sun。 〃我们非打倒他们不可。〃黛西低声地讲，一面拼命地对炽热的太阳眨眼。
“You ought to live in California—” began Miss Baker； but Tom interrupted her by shifting heavily in his chair。 〃你们应当到加利福尼亚安家。。。。。。〃贝克小姐开口说，可是汤姆在椅子沉重地挪动了一下身子，打断了她的话。
“This idea is that we’re Nordics。 I am； and you are； and you are； and——” After an infinitesimal hesitation he included Daisy with a slight nod； and she winked at me again。 “—And we’ve produced all the things that go to make civilization—oh； science and art； and all that。 Do you see？” 〃主要的论点是说我们是北欧日耳曼民族。我是，你是，你也是，还有。。。。。。。。。〃稍稍犹疑了一下之后，他点了点头把黛西也包括了进去，这时她又冲我睡了眨眼。〃而我们创造了所有那些加在一起构成文明的东西…科学艺术啦，以及其他等等。你们明白吗？〃
There was something pathetic in his concentration； as if his placency； more acute than of old； was not enough to him any more。 When； almost immediately； the telephone rang inside and the butler left the porch Daisy seized upon the momentary interruption and leaned toward me。 他那副专心致志的劲头看上去有点可怜，似乎他那种自负的态度，虽然比往日还突出，但对他来说已经很不够了。这时屋子里电话铃响了。男管家离开阳台去接，黛西几乎立刻就抓住这个打岔的机会把脸凑到我面前来。
“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？” 〃我要告诉你一桩家庭秘密，〃她兴奋地咬耳朵说，〃是关于男管家的鼻子的。你想听听男管家鼻子的故事吗？〃
“That’s why I came over tonight。” 〃这正是我今晚来拜访的目的嘛。〃
“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——” 〃你要知道，他并不是一向当男管家的。他从前专门替纽约一个人家擦银器，那家有一套供二百人用的银餐具。他从早擦到晚，后来他的鼻子就受不了啦。。。。。。〃
“Things went from bad to worse；” suggested Miss Baker。 〃后来情况越来越坏。〃贝克小姐提了一句。
“Yes。 Things went from bad to worse； until finally he had to give up his position。” 〃是的。情况越来越坏，最后他只得辞掉不干。〃
For a moment the last sunshine fell with romantic affection upon her glowing face； her voice pelled 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。 有一会儿工夫夕阳的余辉温情脉脉地照在她那红艳发光的脸上她的声音使我身不由主地凑上前去屏息倾听然后光彩逐渐消逝，每一道光都依依不舍地离开了她，就像孩子们在黄昏时刻离汗一条愉快的街道那样。
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。 As if his absence quickened something within her； Daisy leaned forward again； her voice glowing and singing。 男管家回来凑着汤姆的耳朵咕哝了点什么，汤姆听了眉头一皱，把他的椅子朝后一推，一言不发就走进室内去。仿佛他的离去使她活跃了起来，黛西又探身向前，她的声音像唱歌似的抑扬动听。
“I love to see you at my table； Nick。 You remind me of a—of a rose； an absolute rose。 Doesn’t he？” She turned to Miss Baker for confirmation： “An absolute rose？” 〃我真高兴在我的餐桌上见到你，尼克。你使我想到一朵一朵玫瑰花，一朵地地道道的玫瑰花。是不是？〃她把脸转向贝克小姐，要求她附和这句话，〃一朵地地道道的玫瑰花？〃
This was untrue。 I am not even faintly like a rose。 She was only extemporizing； but a stirring warmth flowed from her； as if her heart was trying to e out to you concealed in one of those breathless； thrilling words。 Then suddenly she threw her napkin on the table and excused herself and went into the house。 这是瞎说。我跟玫瑰花毫无相似之处。她不过是随嘴乱说一气，但是却洋溢着一种动人的激情，仿佛她的心就藏在那些气喘吁吁的、激动人心的话语里，想向你倾诉一番。然后她突然把餐巾往桌上一扔，说了声〃对不起〃就走进房子里面去了。
Miss Baker and I exchanged a short glance consciously devoid of meaning。 I was about to speak when she sat up alertly and said “Sh！” in a warning voice。 A subdued impassioned murmur was audible in the room beyond； and Miss Baker leaned forward unashamed； trying to hear。 The murmur trembled on the verge of coherence； sank down； mounted excitedly； and then ceased altogether。 贝克小姐和我互相使了一下眼色，故意表示没有任何意思。我刚想开口的时候，她警觉地坐直起来，用警告的声音说了一声〃嘘〃。可以听得见那边屋子里有一阵低低的、激动的交谈声，贝克小姐就毫无顾忌地探身竖起耳朵去听。喃喃的话语声几次接近听得真的程度，降低卜去，又激动地高上去，然后完全终止。
“This Mr。 Gatsby you spoke of is my neighbor——” I said。 〃你刚才提到的那位盖茨比先生是我的邻居。。。。。。〃我开始说。
“Don’t talk。 I want to hear what happens。” 〃别说话，我要听听出了什么事。〃
“Is something happening？” I inquired innocently。 〃是出了事吗？〃我天真地问。
“You mean to say you don’t know？” said Miss Baker； honestly surprised。 “I thought everybody knew。” 〃难道说你不知道吗？〃贝克小姐说，她真的感到奇怪，〃我以为人人都知道了。〃
“I don’t。” 〃我可不知道。〃
“Why——” she said hesitantly； “Tom’s got some woman in New York。” 〃哎呀。。。。。。〃她犹疑了一下说，〃汤姆在纽约有个女人。〃
“Got some woman？” I repeated blankly。 〃有个女人人？〃我茫然地跟着说。
Miss Baker nodded。 贝克小姐点点头。
“She might have the decency not to telephone him at dinner time。 Don’t you think？” 〃她起码该顾点大体，不在吃饭的时候给他打电话嘛。你说呢？〃
Almost before I had grasped her meaning there was the flutter of a dress and the crunch of leather boots； and Tom and Daisy were back at the table。 我几乎还没明白她的意思，就听见一阵裙衣悉碎和皮靴格格的声响，汤姆和黛西回到餐桌上来了。
“It couldn’t be helped！” cried Daisy with tense gaiety。 〃真没办法！〃黛西强作欢愉地大声说。
She sat down； glanced searchingly at Miss Baker and then at me； and continued： “I looked outdoors for a minute； and it’s ve