雙語·《刀鋒》 第三章 四

CHAPTER THREE 4
第三章 四

But Elliott had a flair. An inner monitor suggested to him that the Riviera was on the point of becoming once more the resort of rank and fashion.He knew the coast well from having often spent a few days in Monte Carlo at the H?tel de Paris on his way back from Rome, whither his duties at the papal court had called him, or at Cannes in the villa of one or the other of his friends.But that was in the winter, and of late rumours had reached him that it was beginning to be well spoken of as a summer resort.The big hotels were remaining open；their summer visitors were listed in the social columns of the Paris Herald and Elliott read the familiar names with approval.
艾略特是個有眼光的人。一位知情人告訴他，說里維埃拉就要重新成為貴族和上層人物的休閑之地了。過去由于在教廷供職，他從羅馬回來，途中常要在蒙特卡洛的巴黎飯店住上幾天，或者到戛納去，在哪個朋友的別墅里待一待，所以對那一帶海濱相當熟悉。不過，那都是在冬天。近來卻聽到傳言，說那兒正在成為一個非常理想的消夏勝地。那些大旅館夏天仍舊營業(yè)；夏季貴賓的名字登載進了巴黎《先鋒報》的交際欄——那一個個熟悉的名字，艾略特看了滿心喜悅。

“The world is too much with me，”he said.“I have now reached a time of life when I am prepared to enjoy the beauties of nature.”
“滾滾紅塵，叫人不勝煩惱。”他說，“我已是一把歲數(shù)的人了，也該享受享受山水之樂了。”

The remark may seem obscure. It isn't really.Elliott had always felt that nature was an impediment to the social life, and he had no patience with people who could bother to go to see a lake or a mountain when they had before their eyes a Regency commode or a painting by Watteau.He had at the time a considerable sum of money to spend.Henry Maturin, urged by his son and exasperated by the sight of his friends on the stock exchange who were making fortunes overnight, had surrendered at last to the current of events and, abandoning little by little his old conservatism, had seen no reason why he too should not get on the band wagon.He wrote to Elliott that he was as much opposed to gambling as he had ever been, but this was not gambling, it was an affirmation of his belief in the inexhaustible resources of the country.His optimism was based on common sense.He could see nothing to halt the progress of America.He ended by saying that he had bought on margin a number of sound securities for dear Louisa Bradley and was glad to be able to tell Elliott that she now had a profit of twenty thousand dollars.Finally, if Elliott wanted to make a little money and would allow him to act according to his judgement, he was confident that he would not be disappointed.Elliott, apt to use hackneyed quotations, remarked that he could resist anything but temptation；the consequence of which was that from then on, instead of turning to the social intelligence as he had done for many years when the Herald was brought him with his breakfast, he gave his first attention to the reports of the stock market.So successful were Henry Maturin's transactions on his behalf that now Elliott found himself with the tidy sum of fifty thousand dollars which he had done nothing to earn.
這話說得沒頭沒尾，有點言不由衷。他一直認為游樂山水是社交生活的一大障礙。有些人眼前明明放著一件攝政時代的古董或者華托的一幅名畫不好好欣賞，卻跑去游山玩水，這叫他無法容忍。當時，他手頭有著一筆數(shù)額可觀的現(xiàn)金。話說亨利·馬圖林一方面因兒子力勸，一方面看見那些做證券交易的朋友一夜暴富，不由紅了眼，終于向潮流屈服，漸漸放棄了他那套陳舊的保守主義，覺得自己沒有理由不搭上這趟順風車。他寫信給艾略特，說他仍舊和過去一樣反對賭博，但證券交易并非賭博，而是對祖國堅定的信任，相信祖國有著永不枯竭的財源。他的樂觀是有道理的。他認為任何力量都阻擋不住美國前進的步伐。在信的結(jié)尾處，他說他憑保證金額度為親愛的路易莎·布雷德利買進了一些安全股票，而且很高興告訴艾略特，她現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)賺入兩萬塊錢了。末了，他說艾略特如果想賺點零錢，讓他根據(jù)自己的判斷行事，保證不會叫艾略特失望。遇到這種事，艾略特總喜歡找些借口搪塞，說什么他抵擋不住眼前的誘惑。多年來，當《先鋒報》隨著早餐一道送入他的房間時，他都是先看社交界的消息，而自從讀了亨利·馬圖林的來信之后，他首先注意的就是證券市場的報道了。亨利·馬圖林代表他做的那些交易非常成功，使他不費吹灰之力便拿到了五萬塊可觀的收益。

He decided to take his profit and buy a house on the Riviera. As a refuge from the world he chose Antibes, which held a strategic position between Cannes and Monte Carlo so that it could be conveniently reached from either；but whether it was the hand of Providence or his own sure instinct that led him to choose a spot that was soon to become the centre of fashion, it is impossible to say.To live in a villa with a garden had a suburban vulgarity that revolted his fastidious taste, so he acquired two houses in the old town looking on the sea, knocked them into one, and installed central heating, bathrooms, and the sanitary conveniences that American example has forced on a recalcitrant Europe.Pickling was all the rage just then, so he furnished the house with old Proven?al furniture duly pickled and, surrendering discreetly to modernity, with modern fabrics.He was still unwilling to accept such painters as Picasso and Braque—“horrors, my dear fellow, horrors”—whom certain misguided enthusiasts were making such a fuss about, but felt himself at long last justified in extending his patronage to the Impressionists and so adorned his walls with some very pretty pictures.I remember a Monet of people rowing on a river, a Pissarro of a quay and a bridge on the Seine, a Tahitian landscape by Gauguin, and a charming Renoir of a young girl in profile with long yellow hair hanging down her back.His house when finished was fresh and gay, unusual, and simple with that simplicity that you knew could only have been achieved at great expense.
他決定把這筆錢拿上，在里維埃拉買一幢房子。他選中昂第布作為一處避世的港灣。那地方位于戛納和蒙特卡洛之間，可進可退，具有戰(zhàn)略意義，方便游走于那兩地。后來，昂第布沒多久便成了上流社會的中心，他的選擇不知是出于天意，還是受到內(nèi)心本能的驅(qū)使，誰也說不清。住在一個帶花園的鄉(xiāng)村別墅里，脫不了城市近郊的那種庸俗氣，讓講究品味的他覺得倒胃口，于是他跑到舊城區(qū)臨海的地方買了兩幢房子，再將兩幢并為一幢，安裝上中央暖氣系統(tǒng)、浴室和衛(wèi)生設(shè)備——這些都是頑固的歐洲大陸受到美國影響的產(chǎn)物。當時正流行酸洗，所以他把古老的普羅旺斯家具全都酸洗過，再用現(xiàn)代紡織品蒙上，擺放在屋里，在某種程度上也算趕了趕時髦。對于畢加索、布拉克這類現(xiàn)代派畫家，他卻仍然難以接受?！安怀蓸幼樱匣镉?，不成樣子！”他會這樣嗟嘆。他覺得這些畫家都是缺心眼的評論家制造輿論捧起來的。但是他對印象派畫家卻青睞有加，并認為自己眼光獨到，于是他家的墻上便掛了一些花花綠綠的印象派畫作。我記得其中有一張莫奈的人們在河里劃船的畫；一張畢沙羅畫的塞納河的碼頭和橋；一張高更的塔希提島風景；一張雷諾阿畫的少女側(cè)像，黃頭發(fā)從背上披下來，很令人著迷。等到房子修整完畢，真是煥然一新，叫人賞心悅目，不同凡響而又樸素無華——那種樸素，是費盡心思才取得的效果。

Then began the most splendid period of Elliott's life. He brought his excellent chef down from Paris and it was soon acknowledged that he had the best cuisine on the Riviera.He dressed his butler and his footman in white with gold straps on their shoulders.He entertained with a magnificence that never overstepped the bounds of good taste.The shores of the Mediterranean were littered with royalties from all parts of Europe：some lured there on account of theclimate, some in exile, and some because a scandalous past or an unsuitable marriage made it more convenient for them to inhabit a foreign country.There were Romanoffs from Russia, Hapsburgs from Austria, Bourbons from Spain, the two Sicilys, and Parma；there were princes of the House of Windsor and princes of the House of Bragan?a；there were Royal Highnesses from Sweden and Royal Highnesses from Greece：Elliott entertained them.There were princes and princesses not of royal blood, dukes and duchesses, marquesses and marchionesses, from Austria, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Belgium：Elliott entertained them.In winter the King of Sweden and the King of Denmark made sojourns on the coast；now and then Alfonso of Spain paid a hurried visit：Elliott entertained them.I never ceased to admire the way in which, while he bowed with courtly grace to those exalted personages, he managed to maintain the independent demeanour of the citizen of a country where all men are said to be born equal.
自此，艾略特步入了自己一生中最輝煌的時期。他從巴黎把他那位廚藝超群的廚子帶了來，不久大家便公認他家的飯菜在里維埃拉口味最好。艾府的管家和男仆全都是一身白裝，肩上掛著金帶。他請客講究排場，但有一定的底線，從不庸俗。在地中海沿岸，歐洲各地來的王公貴族處處可見，有的是喜歡這兒的氣候，有的是逃亡來的，有的是因為不堪丑聞的糾纏，有的是婚姻出現(xiàn)問題，覺得不如定居于這一片異國的土地。人群中有俄國的羅曼諾夫皇族、奧地利的哈布斯堡王族、西班牙的波旁王族、兩個西西里貴族和一個帕爾馬貴族，另外還有溫莎王室的公主、布拉干薩王室的公主，有瑞典的王室和希臘的王公貴族。對于這些人，艾略特敞開大門歡迎。對于那些從奧地利、意大利、西班牙、俄羅斯、比利時來的沒有王室血統(tǒng)的王子和公主，公爵和公爵夫人，侯爵和侯爵夫人，艾略特也都設(shè)宴款待。冬季，瑞典國王和丹麥國王來海濱小住，西班牙的阿方索國王也不時地來匆匆一游，艾略特對他們迎迓不及。他鞠躬迎接這些高貴人物不卑不亢的樣子歷來都叫我佩服有加，因為他既能表現(xiàn)得彬彬有禮，又能保持一個聲稱人人生來平等的國度里的公民所具有的獨立人格。

I had then, after some years of travel, bought a house on Cap Ferrat and thus saw a good deal of Elliott. I had risen so high in his good graces that sometimes he invited me to his very grandest parties.
游蕩了幾年之后，此時我在費拉角買了幢房屋定居了下來，于是和艾略特見面的機會就多了。我的地位在他眼中很榮幸已經(jīng)升得很高，所以，他有時候也請我參加他舉辦的最為盛大的宴會。

“Come as a favour to me, my dear fellow，”he would say.“Of course I know just as well as you do that royalties ruin a party. But other people like to meet them and I think one owes it to oneself to show the poor things some attention.Though heaven knows they don't deserve it.They're the most ungrateful people in the world；they'll use you, and when they have no further use for you they'll cast you aside like a frayed shirt；they'll accept innumer-able favours from you, but there’s not one of them who’d cross the road to do the smallest thing for you in return.”
“來吧，老伙計，算是幫我的忙了。”他會這樣對我說，“當然，你我都清楚，王公貴族在宴會上只會叫人敗興。不過，有些人還是想會會他們的，我覺得自己有責任照顧照顧那些可憐人的面子。只有上天知道，他們是不配的，因為他們是世界上最忘恩負義的人。這些人是要利用你，而一旦你對他們沒有用時，便會將你視若敝屣。你給予他們千百種恩惠，他們也不會感恩，哪怕是舉手之勞的忙也不會幫你的?！?/p>

Elliott had taken pains to get on good terms with the local authorities, and the prefect of the district and the bishop of the diocese, accompanied by his vicar general, often graced his table. The bishop had been a cavalry officer before entering the Church and in the war had commanded a regiment.He was a rubicund, stoutish man, who affected the rough-and-ready language of the barracks, and his austere, cadaverous vicar general was always on pins and needles lest he should say something scandalous.He listened with a deprecating smile when his superior told his favourite stories.But the bishop conducted his diocese with remarkable competence, and his eloquence in the pulpit was no less moving than his sallies at the luncheon table were amusing.He approved of Elliott for his pious generosity to the Church and liked him for his amiability and the good food he provided；and the two became good friends.Elliott could thus flatter himself that he was making the best of both worlds and, if I may venture so to put it, effecting a very satisfactory working arrangement between God and Mammon.
艾略特絞盡腦汁和當?shù)氐臋?quán)貴搞好關(guān)系，因此，區(qū)長、教區(qū)主教以及主教代理就成了他家常來常往的座上賓。主教在進教會之前是個騎兵軍官，第一次世界大戰(zhàn)期間指揮過一個騎兵團。他臉色紅潤，身材胖大，講話粗魯、率直，一副軍隊里的腔調(diào)，這叫表情嚴肅、面容枯槁的主教代理總是如坐針氈，生怕他會說出有傷大雅的話來。主教很喜歡講故事，這位代理在聽的時候，臉上會堆起不以為然的微笑。不過，主教大人在管理教區(qū)方面能力過人。他布道時口若懸河、動人心扉，餐桌旁則妙語如珠，給大家?guī)砹藲g樂。艾略特對教會的虔誠以及慷慨布施令他很是欣賞，他喜歡艾略特的和藹可親以及艾略特提供的美味佳肴。二人成了好朋友。艾略特揚揚得意，說他在天地兩世界都游刃有余，而按照我的說法是，他拜上帝和拜金兩不誤，取得了理想的平衡。

Elliott was house-proud and he was anxious to show his new house to his sister；he had always felt a certain reserve in her approval of him and he wanted her to see the style in which he now lived and the friends he hobnobbed with. It was the definitive answer to her hesitations.She would have to admit that he had made good.He wrote and asked her to come over with Gray and Isabel, not to stay with him, for he had no room, but to stay as his guests at the near-by H?tel du Cap.Mrs.Bradley replied that her travelling days were over, for her health was indifferent and she thought she was better off at home；and in any case it was impossible for Gray to absent himself from Chicago；business was booming and he was making a great deal of money and had to stay put.Elliott was attached to his sister and her letter alarmed him.He wrote to Isabel.She replied by cable that, though her mother was so far from well that she had to stay in bed one day a week, she was in no immediate danger and indeed with care might be expected to live a long time yet；but that Gray needed a rest and, with his father there to look after things, there was no reason why he should not take a holiday；so, not that summer but the next, she and Gray would come over.
艾略特對自己的房子頗感自豪，急于向姐姐炫耀炫耀。他總覺得姐姐在贊揚他時，肚子里留了三分話。他想讓她看看自己如今過得是多么風光，想讓她見見自己新結(jié)交的朋友。姐姐來了一看，所有的疑惑都會消失的，會承認他干得不錯。他寫信給她，讓她帶著格雷和伊莎貝爾一同來——不是住在他的府上，因為府上沒有空房間，而是以他的客人身份住進近旁的“海角旅館”。布雷德利夫人寫了回信，說她已經(jīng)過了旅行的年齡，因為健康欠佳，想想還是待在家里養(yǎng)病好；格雷在芝加哥是怎么也脫不了身的，他生意興隆，財源滾滾，忙得只好留在國內(nèi)了。艾略特跟姐姐感情很深，這封信使他慌張起來。他又給伊莎貝爾寫了封信。對方回了封電報，說母親身體雖然很不好，每星期得臥床一天，但目前還沒有危險，其實，如果當心一點，完全還能活很長時間；不過，格雷倒需要休息休息，國內(nèi)的生意有他父親照看著呢，他自己有理由度一段時間的假；今年夏天算是不行了，明年她和格雷一定來。

On October the 23rd，1929，the New York market broke.
一九二九年十月二十三日，紐約證券市場崩潰了。