双语对照 | 书虫二级《欧·亨利短篇小说集》：4.提尔蒂的一时风光

4.Tildy's Moment
4.提尔蒂的一时风光

Bogle's Family Restaurant on Eighth Avenue is not a famous place, but if you need a large cheap meal, then Bogle's is the place for you. There are twelve tables in the room, six on each side. Bogle himself sits at the desk by the door and takes the money. There are also two waitresses and a Voice. The Voice comes from the kitchen.
第八大道上的博格尔家庭餐馆不是什么有名的地方，不过如果您需要一顿份量十足的便宜饭菜，来这里就对了。店里有十二张桌子，一边六张。博格尔自己坐在门口的桌子那儿收钱。还有两个女服务员，一个“广播”，声音是从厨房传来的。
At the time of my story, one of the waitresses was called Aileen. She was tall, beautiful and full of life. The name of the other waitress was Tildy. She was small, fat and was not beautiful.
我这个故事发生的时候，那两个服务员有一个叫艾琳。她身材高挑，很漂亮，充满活力。另一个叫提尔蒂，矮个儿，胖乎乎的，不漂亮。
Most of the people who came to eat at Bogle's were men, and they loved the beautiful Aileen. They were happy to wait a long time for their meals because they could look at her. Aileen knew how to hold a conversation with twelve people and work hard at the same time. And all the men wanted to take Aileen dancing or give her presents. One gave her a gold ring and one gave her a little dog.
来博格尔餐馆吃饭的大多是男人，他们都爱漂亮的艾琳。虽然要等很久饭菜才上桌，可他们还是高高兴兴的，因为这样可以看艾琳。艾琳知道如何应付跟十二个人聊天儿，同时还能努力工作。所有的男人都想带艾琳去跳舞，或是送她礼物。有人送了她一枚金戒指，还有人送给她一只小狗。
And poor Tildy?
不过可怜的提尔蒂呢?
In the busy, noisy restaurant men's eyes did not follow Tildy. Nobody laughed and talked with her. Nobody asked her to go dancing, and nobody gave her presents. She was a good waitress, but when she stood by the tables, the men looked round her to see Aileen.
在忙乱嘈杂的餐馆里，男人的眼睛可没跟着提尔蒂。没人冲她笑、跟她搭话。没人请她跳舞，也没人送她礼物。她做服务员是把好手，可是她站在男人桌边的时候，人家的眼睛总是绕过她去看艾琳。
But Tildy was happy to work with no thanks, she was happy to see the men with Aileen, she was happy to know that the men loved Aileen. She was Aileen's friend. But deep inside, she, too, wanted a man to love her.
不过提尔蒂听不到“谢谢”也干得挺高兴的。看到男人们和艾琳在一起，知道他们爱艾琳，她都挺高兴的。她是艾琳的朋友。不过在内心深处，她也渴望着有人来爱她。
Tildy listened to all Aileen's stories. One day Aileen came in with a black eye. A man hit her because she did not want to kiss him. 'How wonderful to have a black eye for love!' Tildy thought.
提尔蒂听艾琳讲过所有的故事。一天，艾琳来上班的时候，有一边眼圈发黑。有个男人打了她，因为她不愿意吻他。“因为爱而挂上个黑眼圈，这多美妙啊!”提尔蒂想。
One of the men who came to Bogle's was a young man called Mr Seeders. He was a small, thin man, and he worked in an office. He knew that Aileen was not interested in him, so he sat at one of Tildy's tables, said nothing, and ate his fish.
有个年轻人也常来博格尔餐馆，他叫席德斯。他个儿不高，瘦瘦的，在一家公司上班。他知道艾琳对他没意思，所以坐在了提尔蒂负责的桌子上，什么也不说，吃他的鱼。
One day when Mr Seeders came in for his meal, he drank too much beer. He finished his fish, got up, put his arm round Tildy, kissed her loudly, and walked out of the restaurant.
一天，席德斯先生来吃饭的时候啤酒喝得太多了。他吃完那份鱼，站了起来，伸手搂住提尔蒂，响亮地吻了她一下，就走出了餐馆。
For a few seconds Tildy just stood there. Then Aileen said to her, 'Why, Tildy! You bad girl! I must watch you. I don't want to lose my men to you!'
有那么几秒钟的时间，提尔蒂愣在那儿。然后艾琳对她说：“哎呀，提尔蒂!你这坏丫头!我该看着你的。我可不想让你抢了我的人!”
Suddenly Tildy's world changed. She understood now that men could like her and want her as much as Aileen. She, Tildy, could have a love-life, too. Her eyes were bright, and her face was pink. She wanted to tell everybody her secret. When the restaurant was quiet, she went and stood by Bogle's desk.
提尔蒂的世界突然间变了。她现在知道，也有男人喜欢她、想要她，就像对艾琳一样。她，提尔蒂，也会有爱情生活了。她眼睛发亮，脸颊红扑扑的。她想把自己的秘密告诉所有人。餐馆安静下来以后，她去站在了博格尔先生的桌前。
'Do you know what a man in the restaurant did to me today?' she said. 'He put his arm round me and he kissed me!'
“您知道今天店里有个男人对我干了什么吗?”她说，“他搂住我，亲了我一下儿!”
'Really!' Bogle answered. This was good for business. 'Next week you'll get a dollar a week more.'
“真的?”博格尔应道。这可对生意有好处。“下礼拜开始，你每个礼拜的工资加一块钱。”
And when, in the evening. the restaurant was busy again, Tildy put down the food on the tables and said quietly, 'Do you know what a man in the restaurant did to me today? He put his arm round me and kissed me!'
到了晚上，餐馆又忙了起来。提尔蒂把饭菜送到桌上，总会悄悄地说：“您知道今天店里有个男人对我干了什么吗?他搂住我，亲了我一下儿!”
Some of the men in the restaurant were surprised; some of them said, 'Well done!' Men began to smile and say nice things to her. Tildy was very happy. Love was now possible in her grey life.
有些客人很惊讶;还有人说：“干得好!”男人们开始冲着她笑了，跟她说些甜言蜜语。提尔蒂快活极了。现在她灰色的生活里也有爱情了。
For two days Mr Seeders did not come again, and in that time Tildy was a different woman. She wore bright clothes, did her hair differently, and she looked taller and thinner. Now she was a real woman because someone loved her. She felt excited, and a little afraid. What would Mr Seeders do the next time he came in?
两天了，席德斯先生没有再来。不过这段时间里，提尔蒂完全换了个人。她穿上了鲜艳的衣服，换了发型，看上去也高了点儿、瘦了点儿。现在她成了真正的女人，因为有人爱她。她激动不已，还有点儿怕。席德斯先生下次来的时候，会干点儿什么呢?
At four o'clock in the afternoon of the third day, Mr Seeders came in. There were no people at the tables, and Aileen and Tildy were working at the back of the restaurant. Mr Seeders walked up to them.
第三天的下午4点钟，席德斯先生走了进来。还没人来吃饭，艾琳和提尔蒂都在餐馆后边儿干活儿。席德斯先生走到她们面前。
Tildy looked at him, and she could not speak. Mr Seeders' face was very red, and he looked uncomfortable.
提尔蒂看看他，说不出话来。席德斯先生的脸红得厉害，似乎很不自在。
'Miss Tildy,' he said, 'I want to say that I'm sorry for what I did to you a few days ago. It was the drink, you see. I didn't know what I was doing. I'm very sorry.'
“提尔蒂小姐，”他说，“我想为几天前的事儿道个歉。您知道，那都是因为喝多了。我都不知道自己在干什么。很抱歉。”
And Mr Seeders left.
然后，席德斯先生走了。
But Tildy ran into the kitchen, and she began to cry. She could not stop crying. She was no longer beautiful. No man loved her. No man wanted her. The kiss meant nothing to Mr Seeders. Tildy did not like him very much, but the kiss was important to her — and now there was nothing.
可是提尔蒂跑到厨房，哭了起来，哭得止不住。她不再漂亮了。没有男人爱她。没人想要她。那个吻对席德斯先生来说什么也不算。提尔蒂并不是那么喜欢他，但那个吻对她很重要——但现在什么都没了。
But she still had her friend, and Aileen put her arm round Tildy. Aileen did not really understand, but she said, 'Don't be unhappy, Tildy. That little Seeders has got a face like a dead potato! He's nothing. A real man never says sorry!'
好在她还有朋友。艾琳搂着提尔蒂。艾琳不太明白究竟是怎么回事儿，可还是说：“别难过了，提尔蒂。席德斯那么矮，脸还像个干土豆!他算什么啊。真正的男人可从不说抱歉!”