從“廊橋遺夢”到“小三勸退”：婚外情的一筆賬

中國社會的離婚率逐年提升，調(diào)查顯示“不忠”是婚姻的頭號殺手。然而現(xiàn)實版的“婚外戀”不止是三個人的感情糾纏，還加入了一支以勸退第三者為生的職業(yè)團隊。

《廊橋遺夢》（The Bridge of Madison County）作者沃勒（Robert James Waller）于3月10日去世，享年77歲。

沃勒花11天完成的《廊橋遺夢》講述了一段為期4天的羅曼史?！秶业乩怼冯s志的攝影記者Robert Kincaid與家庭主婦Francesca Johnson的一見鐘情與婚外戀雖然招致了評論者的詬病，卻俘獲了廣大讀者的心。這部小說連續(xù)三年占據(jù)《紐約時報》暢銷書榜榜首，1995年翻拍的同名電影的票房也高達(dá)1.82億美元。

資中筠先生是《廊橋遺夢》的中文初版的譯者，她認(rèn)為在家庭倫理之外，書中表達(dá)的另一層思想是對現(xiàn)代市場經(jīng)濟社會的逆反。她說，“男主人公羅伯特·金凱就是這一逆反的化身。他的一切言論、行為都是竭力掙脫市場化了的世俗的枷鎖，追求歸真返璞……作者調(diào)動了一切想象力塑造出這樣一個‘最后的牛仔’，與這高度組織化的市場社會格格不入，處處要反其道而行，包括對愛情”。

然而，今天的婚姻故事已經(jīng)脫離了浪漫主義的敘事，設(shè)想一下，當(dāng)婚外戀落入現(xiàn)代市場經(jīng)濟社會，還加入了職業(yè)團隊解決婚姻問題，此時的故事會如何發(fā)展？

《經(jīng)濟學(xué)人》雜志持續(xù)關(guān)注了中國離婚率提高的問題：

Surveys suggest that infidelity is the “number one marriage killer”.

調(diào)查顯示，不忠是“婚姻的頭號殺手”。

In many respects growing infidelity is a predictable consequence of economic development.People are increasingly willing to put their own desires above familial obligations or reputation.Improved education and living standards mean they have more financial freedom to do so.Most Chinese couples previously had few chances to meet members of the opposite sex in social situations after marriage, but migration means that many couples live apart.Even if they live together, the pool of temptation has grown larger and easier to dip into, thanks partly to social media.

從各種方面來看，與日俱增的不忠行為是經(jīng)濟發(fā)展可以想見的結(jié)果。人們越來越樂于將個人的欲望置于家庭責(zé)任或聲譽之上。教育水平的提升、生活標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的提高都賦予了他們更大的經(jīng)濟自由去這么做。從前，大多數(shù)中國夫妻很少有機會在婚后還與異性社交，而現(xiàn)在，人口流動使許多夫妻分居兩地。即使倆人生活在一起，日積月累的誘惑有了社交媒體后也更容易引人上鉤。

然而，婚外戀不一定以離婚收場，還能夠催生以維持婚姻為目的的產(chǎn)業(yè)——“小三勸退師”。這些公司在搖搖欲墜的婚姻關(guān)系中發(fā)現(xiàn)了商機。

據(jù)《紐約時報》報道：

One response to marital infidelity is divorce.But divorce can be costly, especially for women.Aside from the social stigma that falls more heavily on women, family property and finances in China tend to be registered in the husband's name.A divorced woman can find herself homeless, adding to the pressure of taking measures to save the marriage.

離婚是婚內(nèi)出軌的一種結(jié)果。但是離婚付出的代價過于高昂，這點針對女性尤甚。因為除了要承受接踵而來的社會非議，家庭財產(chǎn)還通常歸在丈夫名下。一個離婚的女人可能會無家可歸，這種壓力也會驅(qū)使她們采取措施挽留婚姻。

Mistress-dispelling services, increasingly common in China's larger cities, specialize in ending affairs between married men and their extramarital lovers.

“小三勸退”業(yè)務(wù)在中國的大城市中越來越普遍，專用于結(jié)束已婚男人與婚外情人的關(guān)系。

The services are not cheap.Mr.Kang charges a base fee of 300,000 renminbi, about $45,000, but he said that costs can mount if counselors need to rent expensive apartments or cars to endear themselves to the mistresses.Clients usually pay half the fee in advance and the balance once the case is successfully concluded.Mr.Kang said the balance is waived if the mistress is not dispelled.

而這種服務(wù)并不便宜。（從事該行業(yè)的）康先生的最低收費是30萬人民幣，約4萬5千美金。他還說，如果顧問需要租用昂貴的公寓或者汽車來接近那位情婦的話，收費還得往上漲。客戶通常先支付一半費用，事成之后再結(jié)清余額?？迪壬f，如果情婦未被勸離，那么余額就無需支付。

“沃勒”

《洛杉磯時報》提及了“小三勸退”服務(wù)中存在的問題：

Part detective, part confidant, they specialize in sabotaging extramarital relationships by steering lovers away from cheating spouses.They're known as mistress hunters, affairs doctors or splitting specialists—an antidote to the rising divorce rate and loosening morals.

一邊走偵探路線，一邊走知己路線，這些公司專職破壞婚外情，其工作就是將情婦從出軌的男人身邊帶離。他們是所謂的“情婦獵手”、婚外情醫(yī)生或稱分離專家——也是離婚率提升與道德基礎(chǔ)松動的一劑解藥。

Some also skirt ethical and legal lines, vilifying women and resorting to subterfuge as sneaky as the people they hunt.

一些公司也打道德與法律的擦邊球，他們會中傷情婦，訴諸手段的狡猾程度也同那些情婦半斤八兩。

《廊橋遺夢》中有一句經(jīng)典臺詞是：曾經(jīng)的夢是如此美妙，雖然美夢未能成真，夢過已經(jīng)足夠（The old dreams were good dreams; they didn't work out but I'm glad I had them）。可能有了羅曼史的慰藉，現(xiàn)實才不至于太過令人失望吧。

詞匯總結(jié)

infidelity[?nf?'del?t?]

n.無宗教信仰；背信；（夫妻間的）不忠實；（翻譯或臨摹的）不準(zhǔn)確；失真

Surveys suggest that infidelity is the “number one marriage killer”.

調(diào)查顯示，不忠是“婚姻的頭號殺手”。

temptation[tem（p）'te??（?）n]

n.引誘；誘惑物

Even if they live together, the pool of temptation has grown larger and easier to dip into, thanks partly to social media.

即使倆人生活在一起，日積月累的誘惑有了社交媒體后也更容易引人上鉤。

waived[wev]

adj.被遺棄的；被抑制的；推遲的

Mr.Kang said the balance is waived if the mistress is not dispelled.

康先生說，如果情婦未被勸離，那么余額就無需支付。

sabotage['s?b?tɑ??]

v.妨害；對…采取破壞行動

Part detective, part confidant, they specialize in sabotaging extramarital relationships by steering lovers away from cheating spouses.

一邊走偵探路線，一邊走知己路線，這些公司專職破壞婚外情，其工作就是將情婦從出軌的男人身邊帶離。

vilify['v?l?fa?]

v.誹謗；中傷；輕視；貶低

Some also skirt ethical and legal lines, vilifying women and resorting to subterfuge as sneaky as the people they hunt.

一些公司也打道德與法律的擦邊球，他們會中傷情婦，訴諸手段的狡猾程度也同那些情婦半斤八兩。