送给卡洛琳小姐的玫瑰

http://www.sina.com.cn 2003年07月16日12:09 青年参考

　　Every Saturday night,Iused to take a rose to Miss Caroline.EverySaturday night, rain or shine, at exactly eight o＇clock.

　　每周六晚上,我都要给卡洛琳小姐送去一朵玫瑰花。无论晴雨,总是在星期六晚上8点整。It was always thebestrose in the shop.Iwould watch Old Man Olsen nest it tenderlyingreen tissue paper and fern. ThenIwould take the narrow boxandpedal furiously through the quiet streets and deliv er the rosetoMiss Caroline.

　　花总是店里最好的。我总注视着奥尔森老头轻轻地把它裹在绿色薄纸和一些羊齿草里面。然后我接过装花的狭长的纸盒,飞速地蹬着自行车,穿过静悄悄的街道将花送去。Fromthebeginning there was something a little strange about thoseroses－－orrather, about the circumstances under whichIdeliveredthem. Thenight the first one was sentIpointed out toMr. Olsen thathe hadforgotten the card.

　　打一开头,关于这些玫瑰花———或者说得更清楚些,关于我送这些花的情况———就有点蹊跷。第一次送花的那个晚上,我向奥尔森先生指出,他忘了系上送花人的名片。Hepeeredat me through his glasses like a benevolent gnome.″Thereisn＇t anycard, James.″He never called me Jimmy.″And furthermore,the partysending this flower wants it done as quietly as possible.So keep itunder your hat, willyou？″

　　他像一个仁慈的妖魔,从眼镜后面瞅着我说没有名片,詹姆斯。他从不叫我吉米。而且,送花人希望尽可能悄悄地做这件事,因此你得保密,行吗？ Iwas glad Miss Caroline wasgetting aflower, because we all felt sorry for her. As everybody inoursmall town knew, the worst of all fates had befallen MissCaroline.She had been jilted.

　　我很高兴有人给卡洛琳小姐送花,因为我们都为她难过。小镇里人人都知道,卡洛琳小姐遭遇了厄运,她被人抛弃了。For yearsshehad been as good as engaged to Jeffrey Penniman, one of theablestyoung bachelors in town. She had waited while he gothimselfthrough medical school. She was still waiting when, halfwaythroughhis internship,Dr. Penniman fell in love with a younger,prettiergirl and married her.

　　几年来她差不多已经和镇上的一个最有才能的年轻单身汉杰弗里·彭尼曼订婚了。他在念医学院时她一直在等他。彭尼曼医生在实习期间爱上了一个更年轻更貌美的女孩并和她结了婚,而此时卡洛琳小姐仍在等他。ThegirlJeffrey Penniman married was a beauty, all center. Her namewasChristine Marlowe, and she came from a big city. She must havehadan uncomfortable time in our town, because naturally thewomendespised her and said unkind things about her.

　　和杰弗里结婚的姑娘确实很美。她叫克里斯廷·马洛,来自一个大城市。在我们镇上她的日子想必不好过,因为女士们都鄙视她,常常说些关于她的难听的话。As for poor Miss Caroline, the effect on her was disastrous. Forsixmonths she had shut herself up in her house, stopped leadingherGirl Scout troop, given up all civic activities. She evenrefused toplay the organ at church anymore.

　　至于可怜的卡洛琳小姐,这件事对她的影响是灾难性的。半年以来她足不出户,不再领导女童子军,放弃了一切社交活动,甚至不再去教堂弹管风琴。Miss Caroline wasn＇t old or unhandsome, but she seemed determinedtoturn herselfsintosan eccentric old maid. She looked like aghostthat night whenIdelivered the first rose.″Hello, Jimmy.″ shesaidlistlessly. WhenIhanded her the box, shelookedstartled－－″Forme？″

　　卡洛琳小姐并不老,长得也不丑,但她似乎决心要把自己变成一个古怪的老处女。当我第一次给她送玫瑰花时,她看起来像个幽灵。你好,吉米。她无精打采地跟我打招呼。当我把盒子递给她时,她似乎很吃惊——— 给我的？ A gain the nextSaturday, atexactly the same time,Ifound myself delivering anotherrose to MissCaroline. And the next Saturday yet another. The thirdtime sheopened the door so quickly thatIknew she must have beenwaiting.There was a little color in her cheeks, now, and her hairno longerlooked so straggly.

　　第二个星期六,在同一时刻我又送花去了。第三个星期六我又去了。这一次她开门开得很快,我知道她一定在等我。这时她的双颊有了一点血色,她的头发看起来也不那么乱了。Themorningafter my fourth trip to her house, Miss Caroline playedtheorganagain in church. The rose,Isaw, was pinned to her blouse.Sheheld her head high； she did not glance once at the pewwhereDr.Penniman sat with his beautiful bride.

　　我第四次给她送花后的第二天早晨,卡洛琳小姐又到教堂里弹管风琴了。那朵玫瑰花就别在她的上衣上。她高昂着头,对坐在长椅上的彭尼曼医生及其漂亮的新娘看也不看一眼。Thenightcame, eventually, whenImade my final trip to MissCaroline＇shouse.Isaid, asIhanded her the box,″This is the last timeI＇llbring this, Miss Caroline. We＇re moving away next week.ButMr.Olsen says he＇ll keep sending the flowers.″

　　我最后一次到卡洛琳小姐家的那个夜晚终于来了。当我把盒子递给她时,我说这是我最后一次给你送花了,卡洛琳小姐。下周我们要搬走了。不过奥尔森先生说他会继续派人送花给你。B ack at theshop,Idid whatIhad never had the nerve todo.Ilooked inthe filewhereMr. Olsen kept his records.″Penniman,″ it said, inMr.Olsen＇scrabbed t.″Fifty －two American Beauties.Total 13.Paidinadvance.″

　　回到店里,我做了我从来不敢做的事。我查看了奥尔森先生存放账簿的文件夹。那是奥尔森先生潦草的笔迹彭尼曼,红玫瑰52朵,总共13美元,已付。The years wentby, and one dayIcame again toOlsen＇s flower shop.Nothing had changed. Old Man Olsen was makinga corsage ofgardenias, just as he used todo.

　　几年后,有一天我重返奥尔森的花店。一切如旧。奥尔森老头还像当年那样正在扎着供胸前佩戴的一束栀子花。 W e talkedawhile. ThenIsaid,″Whatever became of Miss Caroline？ Youremr－－shegot the roses.″

　　我们谈了一会儿,然后我问道卡洛琳小姐怎么样了？你可记得———她收到了那些玫瑰花。 ″Miss Caroline？″Henodded.″She married George Halsey －－owns the drugstore.Finefellow. They have twins.″

　　卡洛琳小姐？他点点头。她嫁给了开药店的乔治·哈尔西。那可是个好人。他们都有了一对双胞胎了。 ″Oh！″Isaid, abitsurprised. ThenIdecided to showMr. Olsen how smartIhadbeen.″Didyou suppose,″Isaid,″that Mrs. Penniman ever knew herhusband wassending flowers to his old flame？″

　　噢！我感到有点惊奇。我决定向奥尔森先生显示一下我是多么聪明。你以为彭尼曼太太是否知道丈夫给老相好送花？Mr.Olsensighed.″James, you never were very bcenter. JeffreyPenniman didn＇tsend them. He never knew aboutthem.″

　　奥尔森先生叹了口气。詹姆斯,你从来都不很聪明。杰弗里·彭尼曼没有送过花,他从来都不知道这件事。 Istaredathim.″Who did,then？″我盯着他那是谁干的？ ″ Alady,″ saidMr. Olsen. He putthegardenias carefullysintosa box.″Alady who said she wasn＇t goingtosit around watching Miss Caroline make a martyr of herself atherexpense. Christine Penniman sent those roses.″

　　一位女士,他说着,把栀子花小心地放进纸盒里。一位女士,她说她不愿坐视卡洛琳小姐自暴自弃,使自己成为一个牺牲品。是克里斯廷·彭尼曼送的那些玫瑰。″Now there,″ hesaid, closing the lid with finality,″was a womanforyou！″

　　那是个, 他说着,果断地盖上了盒盖了不起的女人！ 2001

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