现代英文选评：A Student in Economics 工读生

A Student in Economics 工读生

George Milburn (1906—1966)

本文原题《经济系学生》，描写一个半工半读的大学生清苦的生活，文笔朴素，很是动人。我国学生有志留学者甚多，这篇描写美国学生生活的小说，很值得我们参考。

作者乔治·米尔本是美国小说家，生于俄克拉何马州。本文选自《短篇名作二十篇》（Twenty Grand Short Stories, Bantam Books）。

All of the boys on the third floor of Mrs. Gooch's approved rooms for men had been posted to get Charlie Wingate up that afternoon. He had to go to see the Dean. Two or three of them forgot all about it and two or three of them had other things to do, but Eddie Barbour liked waking people up.

● approved rooms for men：经学校当局核准的男生公寓。美国有些大学规定：本科学生一定得住学校宿舍，如借住校外公寓者，则该项公寓须经学校当局特别核准。Mrs. Gooch是公寓房东太太的名字。posted：通知。had been posted：事前都经嘱托。get…up：唤醒。

● Dean：大学里高级首长，可能是院长，也可能是教务长，这里是训导长，看下文便知。训导长要找那位学生下午去谈话，那位学生下午要睡觉，恐怕因睡误事，特别拜托同宿舍的朋友叫醒他。到了那时，别人都没有来叫他，只有一位朋友还把这事放在心上。

Hey! Eddie cried. "Come out of that! Wake up there, Charlie! You can't sleep no more if you got to see the Dean at two-thirty. You just about got time to make it."

Two hours' sleep ain't enough, Charlie said.

Is two hours all the sleep you got last night?

Where you get the 'last night'? I worked all night last night. I had classes till noon today. And darn little more yesterday or the day before. Two hours' sleep is not enough sleep for a man to get.

● Come out of that：别睡啦！that大约是指that condition：昏睡不醒的状态。

● You can't sleep no more=you can't sleep any more。把双重否定（can't, no）当一重否定用，是英美人很容易犯的文法错误。if you got to see是if you have got to see的省略用法，意即谓if you have to see。次句的got也是have got的省略，have got在口语中常用来代替have。

● 这一句You just about got time to make it是很常用的口语英文，但是很难用文法来分析它。just=barely，刚够得上，刚来得及。about：大约；这个字（副词）形容动词got，这种用法只见之于口语，在写作时应该避免。make it：赶得上。

● ain't：这个字是are not或am not的缩写，但是也可以作is not的缩写。

● Is two hours…：“two hours”当一个单位来看，动词可以用单数形式is。

● Where you get the 'last night'?：“上一夜”这个观念你是从哪里来的？在我根本无“上一夜”可言：昨晚做了一夜的工，今天上午又是连着上课。

● darn是诅咒的话，表示气愤。little more=little more sleep。

Charlie Wingate loped up the steps of the Administration Building, hurried through the revolving doors, and walked past hissing steam radiators down the long hall to the Dean of Men's office. He was ten minutes late. Before he opened the frosted-glass door he took out a pair of amber-colored spectacles and put them on. Then he went in and handed his summons to the secretary.

The Dean will see you in a moment, she said. "Please take a chair."

● loped：边走边跳。steps：台阶。Administration Building：行政大楼。revolving doors：旋转门。hissing：（热汽流通时）丝丝发响。steam radiators：水汀炉子。Dean of Men：男生训导长。

● frosted-glass：表面上有凹凸花纹的半透明玻璃；压花玻璃。ambercolored spectacles：琥珀色（茶晶）眼镜。put them on：戴上眼镜。summons：（训导处的）通知单。此字语尾为s，然为单数形式，其复数形式作summonses。secretary：女秘书。秘书可男可女，但在美国通常为女子的职业，故次句的女性代名词（she）出现得并不突兀。

Charlie sat down and gave an amber-hued glance about the outer office. Three dejected freshmen, holding their green caps, were waiting with him. He recognized none of them, so he picked up a week-old copy of the Christian Science Monitor and started to read it. But the room was warm and he immediately went to sleep. He had his head propped back against the wall. The newspaper slipped down into his lap. His amber-colored glasses hid his eyes and no one could see that they were closed. He was awakened by the secretary shaking him. She was smiling and the freshmen were all snickering.

● amber-hued glance：向四周一瞥，戴了有色眼镜，所见皆呈琥珀色。outer office：训导长在里间，外间供女秘书办公并学生等候传见之用。

● dejected：垂头丧气的。训导长召见，可能要受到斥责。green caps：美国大学通例，一年级新生要戴特定的帽子。

● Christian Science Monitor：《基督科学会箴言报》，为波士顿有名大报，言论向为举世所推重。（按：五六十年代的确如此。目今它是一份小型报纸，销路、声望皆已大跌。）

● propped back against the wall：头往后仰，以墙作枕。他戴有色眼镜，就是为掩饰瞌睡之用！

● snickering：窃窃低笑。

Wake up and pay for your bed, fella! one of the freshmen called, and everyone laughed heartily.

I sort of drowsed off. It's so nice and warm in here, Charlie said, apologizing to the pretty secretary.

● pay for your bed：铺位没有出钱，怎么就在这里打起瞌睡来了？fella即fellow（朋友）。

● sort of这两个字联用，作副词用，在口语英文中很常见，有“未必尽然，可以这么说”之意。例如，I sort of expected it（我多少是料定了这件事情会发生的）。sort of和kind of可以通用。drowsed off：迷迷糊糊地打起瞌睡来了。但是他不承认真的在打瞌睡，加上sort of两字，意思就较有伸缩，可以译作：“不知怎么的”。

The Dean of Men got up as he entered and with his eyes on the slip bearing Charlie's name, said, "Ah, this is Charles Wingate, isn't it?" He grasped Charlie's hand as if it were an honor and pressed a button under the edge of his desk with his other hand. The secretary appeared at the door. "Miss Dunn, will you bring in Wingate's folder—Charles W-i-n-g-a-t-e. How do you like college by now, Wingate? Eyes troubling you?"

Pretty well, sir. Yes, sir, a little. I wear these glasses.

● slip：纸条，即训导长传见的通知条。bearing Charlie's name：一面有他的名字。Charles是他的学名，Charlie是朋友熟人间的昵称。

● as if it were an honor：握手的方式很亲热，好像Charlie是什么大人物，而训导长同他一握手，训导长会觉得很光荣似的。button：电铃之钮。

● Miss Dunn：女秘书的芳名。folder：文件夹子，内藏有关该学生的文件。

● W-i-n-g-a-t-e：训导长把字母一个一个地拼出来，俾档案容易找寻。

● by now：上了这几个星期的课（到了现在这个时候）。college可译作“大学生活”，Charlie也是一名新生。Eyes troubling you? ：训导长看见学生戴茶晶眼镜故发此问。

● Pretty well：恐怕是答复第一个问题，很喜欢大学生活。a little：眼睛有一点儿毛病。I wear these glasses：我经常戴这一副眼镜。wear是present indicative，照文法书上说，这种时态可以表示“习惯，经常”之意。sir：学生叫老师，士兵叫官长，都用这个称呼。

The secretary came back with the folder and the Dean looked through it briefly. "Well, Wingate, I suppose you're anxious to know why I sent for you. The unpleasant truth is, Wingate, you don't seem to be doing so well in your college work. Your freshman adviser conferred with you twice about this, and this week he turned your case over to me. My purpose, of course, is to help you. Now, to be quite frank, Wingate, you're on the verge of flunking out. Less than a third of the semester remains, and you have a failing grade in English 101, conditional grades in Psychology 51 and Military Training, three hours of F and four hours of D, almost half your total number of hours. On the other hand, you have an A average in Spanish 1 and B in Economics 150. Wingate, how do you account for your failing English when you are an A student in Spanish?"

● briefly：简略地。sent for you：找你来谈话。注意时态用过去式，学生已在面前，“召唤”已为过去之事。

● unpleasant truth：谈起来使人很不愉快，但事实真相是如此。to be doing：注意它的进行时态。

● freshman adviser：大一导师。conferred with you：同你谈过。

● on the verge of：在边缘上，即将。flunking是美国字：学业成绩不及格。flunking out：因学期成绩不佳而被勒令退学。

● Less than a third…：点明时候，这一学期所剩不到三分之一的时间了。English 101：大学课程通常都用号码代表课程名称，English 101可能即是大一英文；大二散文可能叫做English 201。号码的编制各学校并不一律。

● conditional grades：即丁等，或D。F是不及格（failing grade），某课程如得F即不给学分。得D者，在某种条件之下（如补考得C以上，或与其他得B以上之课程相平均），仍可得学分。故D可称为“成问题的分数”。three hours of F：三个学分得F，即English 101。hours 是每星期上课的钟点数，通常钟点数即代表该课程的学分。four hours of D：大一Psychology 51是三学分，军训是一学分。

● A average：平均分数得甲等。Spanish 1：第一年西班牙文，这是美国大学里的外国语。

● account for：说明。怎么本国语考了一个戊等，外国语反而得甲等呢？

To tell you the truth, sir, I got behind on my written work in English, and I've never been able to catch up. And I don't really have to study Spanish. My father is a railway section foreman in my home town, and he's always had a gang of Mexicans working for him. I've been speaking Mexican ever since I was a kid. I probably know as much Spanish as my professor.

● got behind on my written work：欠缴作文，欠缴练习。catch up：赶上；作文练习太多，补缴也不及。

● railway section foreman：铁路某一段的工头。父亲手下工人大多数为墨西哥人（学生的家乡大约在美国的西南部，邻近墨西哥的地方），墨西哥人说西班牙话，学生耳染目濡，从小就会西班牙文。

How about this B in Economics? That's a fairly high grade.

Yes, sir. Doctor Kenshaw—he's my Ec professor—doesn't give exams. Instead he gives every one a B until he calls for our term papers. We don't recite in his class. We just listen to him lecture. And the grade you get on your term paper is your semester grade.

● fairly high grade：相当高的分数。学生承认这个分数不算坏，故答曰：“Yes, sir”。

● Ec是economics的简称，exam是examination的简称。这位教授不举行考试，平时分数每人都是一个B，最后分数视“期终论文”而定。现在期终论文还没有缴，所以这位学生平时分数可以有B。按：中国一般大学，教授到了学期终了，才把分数送进教务处。本文所述的那家美国大学，平时分数随时送教务处或学生的导师，可以说是很认真的了。

● recite：背诵。上课不背书，只要听教授讲述即可（lecture是infinitive）。

Ah! What you students term a pipe course, eh, Wingate?

Not exactly, sir. We have to do a lot of outside reading for the term paper. But I'm counting on keeping that B in Ec.

That's fine, Wingate. But it appears to me that it's high time you were getting busy on some of these other grades, too. Why can't you dig in and pull these D's up to B's, and this F up to at least a C? You've got it in you. You made an unusually high grade on your entrance exams, your record shows. Graduated from high school with honors. What's the trouble, Wingate? Tell me!

● 训导长和学生这段对话，入情入理，两人口吻，均恰如其身份，是很好的戏剧对白，也可用作会话练习。

● pipe course（美俚）：容易对付的课程。

● it's high time：这该是时候了。high解作far advanced：已到最后关头，不可再因循坐误。学生希望他的主系功课（经济学）能够维持乙等，但是别的功课他也该用功。were getting busy是subjunctive mood，学生是否真的回去用功，尚不可知；英美人说话，把“直述”和“虚拟”两种语气分别得很清楚。

● dig in（美国俗语）=study hard。pull...up：把这两个丁等“拉”高，成为乙等。D's：照文法书规定，一个单独字母的复数形式，于s之前，还要加一（’）。

● got it的it代表“能考到好分数的学养、天分等”。

● your record shows：据我这里的记录看来。这一句照文法分析起来，这三个字可算是“主句”，前面“You made…”是从句，做shows的宾语。事实上，训导长说这句话的时候，恐怕没有考虑到前后的主从关系，他先说了“你入学考试的成绩非常之好”——何以见得呢？有记录为凭。这三字用以附加说明，应该是一种parenthetic construction。

● Graduated…with honors：中学毕业成绩优异。主语You省却。honors作“成绩优异”解时，一定用复数形式。

I don't know, sir, except I work at night and…

Oh, I see it here on your enrollment card. Where do you work?

I work nights for Nick Pappas down at The Wigwam.

How many hours do you work?

Ten hours, sir. From nine till seven. The Wigwam stays open all night. I eat and go to eight o'clock class when I get off.

Very interesting, Wingate. But don't you suppose that it would be advisable to cut down a bit on this outside work and attend a little more closely to your college work? After all, that's what you're here for, primarily—to go to college, not work in a cafe.

● enrollment card：注册登记卡。学生如课外兼差者，注册时要注明。

● nights即every night。Nick Pappas恐是人名，店主的名字。The Wigwam：咖啡（cafe）的名字。wigwam原意为印第安人的茅屋，该店可译作“茅屋咖啡馆”。down at的down似指本城或本街的某一方向，在downtown附近的地方。

● get off：下班。晚上九点工作到上午七点，吃了早饭就去赶上早晨八点的课。

● advisable：值得一做。it would be advisable是虚拟语气，有“不妨如此”之意。cut down…on：减少。attend…to：用心对付。more closely：多用一点心。

● primarily：主要的。你到这里来，主要为的是要上学念书，不是到咖啡馆去做茶房的。

I couldn't work fewer hours and stay in school, sir. I just barely get by as it is. I get my board at The Wigwam, and I pay my room rent, and I've been paying out on a suit of clothes. That leaves only about a dollar a week for all the other things I have to have.

Can't you arrange for a little financial support from home?

No, sir, I'm afraid I couldn't. I have two brothers and two sisters at home younger than I am. It wouldn't be right for me to ask my father to send money out of what he makes.

● I couldn't work是虚拟式语气，意谓“即使我想这么做，也办不到。”既想减少课外工作时间，又想不辍学，两者不可兼得。

● just barely get by：只是勉强对付过去。by有“过去”之意。as it is：就现状来说。

● board：膳食之“膳”，此字原意为木板，转为桌子，又转为专指饭桌，再转为饭桌上陈列的膳食。

● paying out on：分期付款（注意时态；钱还没付清）。a suit of clothes：一套西装。

● all the other things I have to have：其他必需用途。I have to have（定语从句）：我所“不得不有”的东西。

● I am afraid I couldn't的couldn't也是虚拟语气。

● younger than I am：英文里没有姐姐和妹妹，哥哥和弟弟的分别，所以要加这四个字来说明，中文翻译起来，只要说“我有两个弟弟，两个妹妹”即可，不必说“我有两个年龄比我轻的兄弟和姐妹”。

● It wouldn't be right又是虚拟语气。我不向父亲去要钱，假如去要钱，那是不对的。虚拟语气日常会话中用处很大，读这一段对白便知。

● out of what he makes：从父亲的收入里，克扣了寄钱给我。make有“赚钱”之意。

Well, there's this about it, Wingate. The university is here, supported by the taxpayers of this State, for the purpose of giving the young men and women of this State educational opportunities. The university is not here for the purpose of training young men to be waiters in all-night restaurants. And, as far as I can see, that's about all you are deriving from your university career. So it occurs to me that you should make a choice: either find some way to devote more attention to your college work or drop out of school altogether. The fact is, you are on probation right now. As you must know, any student who is passing in less than half his work is automatically suspended from the university and must return to his home. Now one F more and out you'll go, Wingate. That's just being frank with you.

● there's this about it中的it指“因兼差分心而耽误学业”一事，this指下文所说明的那一段道理。

● taxpayers：纳税人。州立大学系赖本州人民纳税而维持的。educational opportunities：受教育的机会。

● all-night restaurants：通宵营业的餐馆。

● as far as I can see：据我所知道的。语气中有保留：事实也许并不如此。that's about all的that指“学做茶房”一事。university career：在大学读书这段过程。deriving：获得。你在大学读书所得益者，不过是学做茶房而已。about all：几乎尽在于此，此外别无收获。

● it occurs to me：我有这个想法。devote more attention to：更用心。drop out of school：退学。altogether字典上解作“完全地”，其实即相当于北平话的“干脆”退了学算了。

● on probation：试读，试用（人员）；录用与否，视成绩而定。right用以加强now。

● automatically：自动地；根据学校规定，不必另外有什么手续。suspended from the university：停学。half his work：及格学分不到全部所修学分的一半。

● out you'll go=you'll go out。out放在前面是不是念起来更为有劲？out在这里，是全句重心所在。one F more：只要再拿一个戊等。这种句法结构（后面跟and：只要如何如何，就有如何如何的结果），是很常用的。

● being frank：跟你说老实话。being是gerund。

I'd hate to have to go back home like that, sir.

Well, you'd have to. If you flunk out, the university authorities are obliged to see that you return to your home immediately.

I'd hate that, sir, I'd hate to go back home and have to live off my family, and that's probably what I'd have to do. You know there are not many jobs to be had nowadays, sir, and I'd hate to go back home and loaf.

● like that：那样子（被学校除名）回家。

● you'd have to：假如不用功，就非被除名不可。you'd的’d是would的缩写，虚拟语气。

● are obliged：有此责任。to see=to make sure：做到这一点。you return的return也是虚拟语气；假如主语是he或she，return也不用加s。

● I'd hate that：我不愿意那样（假如真的有那一天的话）。to live off my family：依赖家庭为生。

● to be had（被动式infinitive）：可能找到的事情并不多。loaf：闲荡。

It is a problem, I'll confess, Wingate. But what's the point in your coming to your university and working all-night in a cafe and then flunking your class work? Moreover, your freshman adviser reports that you make a practice of sleeping in class. Is that true?

Well, yes, sir, I suppose I do drop off sometimes.

● 第一句的is重读：“我承认这的确是一个问题。”

● point：目的。

● make a practice of：有此习惯。

● I suppose：我想。suppose在此处即等于think，并无“假设”之意。do drop off：的确瞌睡。drop off=fall asleep；这两个字的意义比上文drowse off更重，drowse off不过是假寐而已。

Pretty impossible situation, isn't it, Wingate? Well, I've given you the best advice I can. Unless you can alter your circumstances I suggest that you withdraw from the university at once. We have six thousand other students here who need our attention, and the university has to be impartial and impersonal in dealing with these problems. Unless you can find some means to avoid flunking out I suggest withdrawing beforehand.

● 第一句：这种情形，岂不是令人相当难堪？impossible=intolerable。

● you withdraw：请你自动休学。这是训导长的建议，所以withdraw还是虚拟语气的动词。

● impartial：不偏不颇。impersonal：公事公办，不考虑个别情形。means：法子。

I believe I'll try to stick it through, sir. I'll try to remove the conditional grades, and maybe I can luck through on my finals.

I hope you can, Wingate. As you feel that way about it, good luck to you. The Dean of Men stood up. Charlie stood up too. The Dean put out his hand and showed his teeth in a jovial smile and bore down on his knuckles. "I'm counting on you strong, old man." he said, encircling Charlie's shoulders with his left arm. "I know you have the stuff and that you'll come through with flying colors one of these days."

Thank you, sir, Charlie said, grinning tearfully while the Dean gave his shoulder little pats.

● stick it through：坚持下去。

● maybe：是副词。luck through：凭运气闯过去。luck当动词用。finals：大考。

● feel that way about it：对这件事情有那种想法。

● jovial smile：友善的一笑。bore down on：用力地握。bore是bear的过去式。knuckles：手指骨节，尤其指连接手掌的根部骨节。按：这一句的句法似乎欠妥，前面his hand和his teeth都是指的训导长，最后his knuckles又指那学生了，代名词his所指不清，谨慎的作家应该避免这种毛病。

● counting on you strong：满心希望要看你表现你的实力。strong是objective complement。old man相当于“朋友”。

● encircling：左臂围着学生的肩膀（右手在握手）。

● stuff：天分，实力；相当于普通话，你是个念书的“料”。

● flying colors原意是“飘扬的旗帜”，转作“胜利，辉煌的成绩”。one of these days：将来有一天。

● grinning tearfully：满眶眼泪，强颜欢笑。little pats：轻轻地拍他的肩膀。

At one o'clock Charlie finished cleaning off the last of the tables. The Wigwam was empty, so he opened the book he must read for Ec 150. He had read a few lines when a bunch of girls from the Theta house down the street came charging in, giggling and talking in gasps and screams, their fur coats clutched over their sleeping pajamas. It was long after the closing hour, and they told Charlie to keep an eye out for the university night watchman.

● 时已子夜一时，咖啡馆主顾渐少，Charlie乃可展诵他的经济学指定参考书。

● a bunch of girls：一群女生。Theta house：“姊妹会”自营宿舍之名。美国大学本科男生通常有“兄弟会”（fraternity），女生有“姊妹会”（sorority）之组织。会名大多用希腊字母标之，这里的Theta就是一个希腊字母。姊妹会有自备宿舍者，会员即寄宿在内。down the street该会宿舍在街的某一头，想必离那咖啡馆不远。charge原意是“冲锋”，这里借作“冲进来”。

● giggling：傻笑。talking in gasps and screams：有的讲了半句就要换气，有的尖了嗓子怪叫。fur coats：皮大衣。sleeping pajamas：睡衣。clutched：裹紧。

● the closing hour：本可指咖啡馆的打烊时间，但咖啡馆既通宵营业，这里当指学校宿舍关门时间，过了这个时间，照规矩学生不可再上街进食，查出要受罚的，所以这辈女生叫Charlie留意街上大学所雇的巡更的（night watchman）。

They took up the two back booths and they consulted The Wigwam's printed menu card without failing to read aloud the lines "We Employ Student Help Exclusively," and "Please Do Not Tip. A Smile Is Our Reward" with the customary shrieks. Nearly all ordered filets mignon and French fries, which were not on the menu, but two or three ordered pecan waffles and coffee, which were. When he had served their orders Charlie went back to his book again, but the low buzz of their talk and their sudden spurts of laughter disturbed him and he could not read. At a quarter of two they began peering round corners of their booths. They asked Charlie in whispers if the coast was clear.

● booths：小间，雅座。printed menu card：印好的菜单。consulted普通解作“请教”，这里是“看菜单”。without failing to：点菜之前，少不了要把这几句话朗诵出来。这几句话是：“本店专雇学生兼理店务。（Help是集体名词=the whole force of hired helpers；exclusively：只雇这一种。）请不给小帐。诸君惠赐一笑，本店服务生即觉心满意足。”

● with the customary shrieks：念了这几句话，那几个女生照例要哈哈狂笑。（这几句话本没有什么可笑，但女学生聚在一起，喜欢大笑，此殆中外一理。）shrieks和screams都是尖声叫喊，都可解作尖声大笑，但shrieks的叫声笑声更为可怕。

● ordered：点菜。filets mignon：无骨的嫩牛肉片（中国的西餐馆似把它译作“腓力牛排”）。filet乃法文拼法，去骨的肉片、鱼片皆可称为filet，亦作fillet（英文字）。mignon亦是法文，是“嫩”的意思。French fries即French fried potatoes：油炸洋芋条。

● waffles是一种蛋奶烘饼，pecan是一种胡桃，壳薄形长，味甘芳。which were=which were on the menu。菜单上没有的菜，大约店里平常也准备，所以也可以点。

● buzz：嗡嗡之声。sudden spurts of laughter：突发的笑声。spurts：（水等之）激射。

● a quarter of two：一点四十五分。一点五十分也可说ten minutes of two。

● peering：张望。whispers：低声说话。if the coast was clear：街上是否有巡夜的走过。所以用coast（海岸）者，据说这是当年海边私枭把风者语。

Charlie went to the door and looked out on the street and beckoned widely with his arm. They trooped out with their fur coats pulled tight, their fur-trimmed silken mules slapping their bare heels. They had left about thirty cents as a tip, all in cents and nickels. The coins were carefully imbedded in the cold steak grease and gluey syrup and putty-colored cigarette leavings on their plates. Charlie began stacking the plates without touching the money. He carried the dirty dishes back and set them through the opening in the kitchen wall. Fat Kruger came to the opening and Charlie went back to his book. Fat called, "Hey, Charlie, you leavin' this tip again?"

● beckoned：做手势（widely有“挥动”之意）。

● trooped：（多数人）匆忙地走。

● fur-trimmed：毛皮滚边的。mules：拖鞋（slippers是便鞋，如中国缎鞋等都是；mules才是没后跟的拖鞋）。slapping：拖拉拖拉地响。heels：脚踵。bare：没有穿袜子。

● cents：一分一枚的铜币。nickels：五分一枚的镍币。

● imbedded：塞、埋（此字源自bed，原有“塞在被褥之间”之意，imbed亦可拼作embed）。steak grease：牛排的油汤。gluey：粘而且腻的。syrup：糖浆，waffles上常常浇了糖浆才吃，故盘子里有糖浆遗留。putty：油灰（用以补漏等等）。cigarette leavings：香烟头（浸在油里，故呈油灰色）。

● stacking the plates：把盘子叠起。

● dirty dishes：dish是盛食物器皿的总名（盘、碗、盅等均可）。plate只是扁平的盘子（此二字都有别种用法，请查字典）。小姐们把钱丢在“盘子”的油汤里面，Charlie所叠起的也是“盘子”。但这里他要把所有的碗盏等等都送进厨房里去洗，故用dishes。洗碗碟的人，叫做 dishwasher。the opening in the kitchen wall：厨房墙上的窗洞。

● Fat Kruger：在厨房里做工的学生之名。

● you leavin'=you are leaving。此人发音把ng读作n，小说家为求写生逼真起见，亦把g给吃掉了。again：足见他不收小帐已不是一次了。

You're right. I'm leaving it! Charlie said. "I can get along without their tips. They leave it that way every time. I guess they think I'll grabble on their filthy plates to get a lousy thirty cents. It takes a woman to think up something like that."

● get along：维持下去。that way：总是把赏钱放在油污里面。

● grabble：用手乱摸。filthy：脏（比dirty更多一层“可憎”的意思）。lousy：此字系美国俚语，很常用，凡是一切可恨可厌的东西，都可用这个字来形容，相当于中文“这几个臭钱”中的“臭”字。（正式作文中应避免。）a lousy thirty cents：三角钱当作一个单位，故前面可用冠词a。

● It takes a woman：赏钱还赏得不干不净，这种脏主意，只有女人才想得出。（那几个女生的嘻嘻哈哈，他看在眼里，心里当然非常不舒服，一肚子气，到现在才发泄一下。）

He sat down on a counter stool with the economics book before him, trying to fix his mind on it. He read a page. The print became thin, blurred parallels of black on the page. He propped the muscles with his palms at his temples, trying to keep his eyes open. His head jerked forward and he caught it and began reading again. Soon his face lowered slowly through his hands and came to rest on the open book.

● 子夜以后咖啡馆中已无顾客，他开始专心用功。

● counter stool：靠着柜台的高脚凳子，和前面所说的雅座不同。

● print：书上的字。thin, blurred parallels of black：一行一行的字，成了稀稀的模糊的平行黑线——他的眼睛已看不见字（这是描写简单朴素之处，希读者注意）。

● propped：撑住（太阳穴temples上的肌肉）。palms：手掌。

● jerked forward：往前一冲。he caught it：收住前冲之势，止住不动。

● lowered slowly：慢慢地俯首下去。through his hand：他的手掌不是撑住了太阳穴吗？但是头慢慢地滑下去了。rest：头伏在书上。

Fat Kruger came through the kitchen swinging door and tiptoed up front. Fat gave his head a gentle shove, and Charlie started up to catch his balance.

What time is it? Charlie said, yawning and arching his back.

Half past two. Charlie, I wouldn't put my eyes out over that book if I was you, when you're dyin' for sleep, Fat said.

● swinging door：推拉自如的弹簧门。tiptoed up front：蹑着脚走向前来。

● a gentle shove：轻轻一推。started up：猛然一惊。to catch his balance：怕跌下凳子去，赶快坐稳了。

● yawning：打呵欠。arching his back：把背拱起。

● put my eyes out over that book：读书。If I was you普通语法教科书作if I were you，但if I was you也有人这么说的。

● dyin' for：渴欲。此人说话没有ng的音，前面已经说过了。

I've got to get it read, Fat. It's my outside reading in Economics and the whole semester grade depends on it. It's the hardest book to keep your mind on you ever saw. I've been reading on it for over a month and I'm only half through, and he's going to call for these reports any day now. If I flunk Ec I flunk out of school.

● 第一句的read是过去分词：“非把它读完不可”。

● semester grade：学期成绩。

● 第三句的you是泛指，实在还是说他自己，并不一定指听话的对方。you ever saw（定语从句）：你所看见过的书中，以这本书最难叫人专心阅读。saw是过去式，照语法书规定，用现在完成式have seen较妥，但口语习惯用过去式亦可。I've been reading on it：注意时态（一直在读，尚未读完）。reading on it大约相当于working on it：用心研读。

● half through：读完一半。he's going中的he指教授。call for：催缴（学生的报告）。any day now：学期所剩只有三分之一，这几天教授随时都会叫学生缴报告的。

● I flunk out of school：照语法书规定，应说I'll flunk out of school。但这里前一clause与后一clause都用flunk，亦有简炼动人的效果。

Charlie, I just can't figure you out. You never do get any real sleep. You sure must want a college education bad. It don't look to me like you would figure it's worth it.

● figure out：了解（美国俗语，很常用）。

● 第三句的sure和bad都当副词用，前者即surely，后者即badly（非常之需要）。

● 第四句的语法很成问题，但美国人普通是这么说的，所以不妨分析一下。don't是用错了，应作doesn't；前面的It代替后面like以后的clause。like在口语中常用以代替as或as if，这里似乎是代替as if（后面的动词would是虚拟式）。it's worth it中的第一个it代替college education，第二个it代替牺牲睡眠的刻苦生活。全句可译作：据我看来，你这样吃苦来读大学，总有一天你会觉得（figure）是划不来的。

Oh, it's worth it! It's a big satisfaction to my folks to have me in college. And where can a man without a college degree get nowadays? But I'll tell you the truth, I didn't know it was going to be like this when I came down here last fall. I used to read College Humor in high school, and when fellows came home from university for the holidays, all dressed up in snappy clothes, talking about dates and footballs and dances, and using college slang—well, I had a notion I'd be like that when I got down here. The university publicity department sent me a little booklet showing how it was easy to work your way through college. So here I am. I haven't had a date or been to a dance or seen a football game since I enrolled. And there are plenty of others just like me. I guess I'm getting a college education, all right—but the only collegiate thing I've been able to do is go to sleep in class.

● my folks：家里的人（我进了大学，他们心里很觉得安慰）。where can a man get?他能爬到哪里去？混不出头的！college degree：大学学位。nowadays：这年头儿。

● last fall：时已冬令，秋天已成过去，故称last fall；并不是“去年的秋天”。秋季入学时，我并不知道大学生活会这么（like this）清苦的。

● College Humor：杂志名，内容都是介绍大学生活的轻松的一方面。

● all dressed up...：是absolute phrase。snappy=smart。dates：男女朋友的约会。

● well：转换语气之用。这句的从句（when…）很长，这里起，转入主句。

● I had a notion：我当时以为（注意动词的过去式）。like that：生活可以跟他们所讲的和杂志上所看到的一样。

● university publicity department：大学的对外宣传部。中国大学中似乎尚无此一机构。booklet：小册子。

● work your way through college：半工半读地读完大学课程。

● plenty of others：像我这样不交女朋友，不跳舞，不看足球的学生多得很。

● I guess=I think。I'm getting a college education有“我（算是）在大学里读书”的自嘲之意。all right：就算这样吧。

● the only collegiate thing：唯一称得上大学教育的事情。I've been able to do是定语从句。

How you get by with sleeping in class, Charlie?

I wear these colored spectacles and prop myself, and the profs can't see I've got my eyes closed.

Fat waggled his heavy face mournfully. "Boy, it sure is tough when a man don't get his sleep."

Yeah, it is, Charlie said, looking down at his book again. "I'll get a break pretty soon, though. I'd rather chop off a hand than to flunk out of university before I'd even finished one semester."

● 第一句应作How do you get by…?怎么对付过去的呢？

● prop myself：身体往后靠。profs=professors。

● waggled：摇。mournfully：愁容满面地（摇他的头）。这一句的sure仍是surely；don't仍应作doesn't。tough：艰苦，不好过。Boy这里只是一个近乎口头禅的感叹词。美国人常用boy；oh, boy此二词。

● Yeah, it is=Yes, it is tough。

● break：休息。这里恐是指圣诞假期而言。though=however。

● rather…than：宁可砍断一只手，也不情愿在第一学期终了之前，就被学校勒令退学。I'd finished=I had finished，这个动词也是虚拟语气，并不是直述语气的过去完成式。

The tardiest of the hundred students enrolled in Dr. Sylvester Kenshaw's Economics 150 straggled into the lecture room and made their ways to alphabetically assigned chairs with much scuffling and trampling of toes and mumbled apologies. Ec 150, renowned as a pipe course, was always crowded.

● enrolled in…Economics 150：选这门课的。tardy：行动迟缓的；tardiest：上课到得最迟的（那些学生）。这个字是本句的主语，动词是straggled：三三两两悠悠荡荡地进入（教室）。alphabetically assigned chairs：依字母次序排列的指定的课椅。scuffling：碰撞。trampling of toes：踩着别人的脚趾。教室拥挤，许多学生业已入座，迟到学生在他们身边挤过去，难免有碰撞和踩人脚趾之事发生。mumbled apologies：含糊的道歉。

● renowned as a pipe course：以分数宽出名（pipe course前面已有说明）。

● crowded：教室挤，就是选课学生多。分数打得宽，学生都来选。作者对此，恐不无感慨焉。

Dr. Kenshaw was late that morning. Charlie Wingate sat in his chair on the back row in an agony of waiting. He had on his amber glasses and he could fall asleep as soon as Dr. Kenshaw opened his lecture. But he had to stay awake until then.

● on the back row：他的姓是W字母开始，故座位排在后排。in an agony of waiting：等候得焦灼不安。agony是大痛苦，或“痛苦万状”。

● He had on his amber glasses=he had his amber glasses on：戴上眼镜了。

● to stay awake=to remain awake：教授没有来，他还不能睡。

When the clock on the front wall showed nine after eleven the seated class began stirring as if it were mounted on some eccentric amusement-park device. Excited whispers eddied out on the warm air of the steamheated lecture room. "He's giving us another out!" "He's not meeting this class today!" "He's got one more minute to make it!" "Naw; six more! You have to wait fifteen minutes on department heads."

● the seated class：业已就座的全班学生。stirring：骚动。底下跟一个clause，骚动之状：好像全班学生（it=the class）都跨上了游艺场中的翻天椅或逍遥椅。some：某种。eccentric：特别的。amusement-park device：游艺场里的机关；美国游艺场中都有各种特别设备，人坐上去会四处旋转或上下翻飞。

● Excited whispers：声音虽低，可是情绪兴奋。eddied out：声音像水花似的，一圈一圈向四周散布出去。把声音比作水之旋涡，而把空气比作水；既然说到空气，就得描写空气之“暖”，此为描写之细腻处。

● 引号里几句话的He，指的都是教授。out：缺席。meeting this class：来上课。to make it：赶得及。再过一分钟，就是十一点十分，教授迟到了十分钟，学生就要一哄而散了。前文有过You just about got time to make it这样的句子。

● naw即no。平常的教授等他十分钟就够，系主任应该等他十五分钟。这位先生是经济系主任，这里点明。

There was a seething argument on this point, but when the clock showed fourteen minutes after eleven a bold leader sprang up and said, "Come on everybody!" All but five or six especially conscientious students rose and milled after him toward the door. Charlie Wingate followed, thoroughly awakened by the chance of getting to bed so soon. The leader yanked the door open and Dr. Kenshaw stumbled in, all out of breath, his eyeglasses steamed, his pointed gray beard quivering, a vain little man in a greenish-black overcoat.

● seething：沸腾状的；argument：争论。七嘴八舌，各执一辞，有的主张等满十分钟就不再等了，有的主张应该等足十五分钟。

● a bold leader：勇敢的领袖；首先发难者。sprang up：从座上一跃而起。

● especially conscientious students：特别奉公守法的学生。这种人只有五六个，他们还安坐不动。余人都唯那位领导人物马首是瞻，纷纷站起，向门口走去。milled：（像牛羊似的）四处乱走（move around in confusion）。

● awakened是过去分词。既然可以早些回去畅睡，这么一兴奋，反而神清气爽了。thoroughly：足见他来上课的时候还是想瞌睡，现在方才完全醒过来。

● yanked：（美国俗语）使劲一转旋钮，然后把门推开。stumbled in：踉跄地进来。steamed（过去分词）：教授从冷空气里进来，室内的热气在眼镜上结一层薄雾。pointed：尖形的。quivering：抖动；因匆忙之故欤？抑见学生不耐久候而发怒耶？vain：虚荣心重的，自以为了不起的；这里可解作“盛气凌人的”。little：身材矮小的。a vain little man，是“同位语”，说明主语Dr. Kenshaw。

Go back to your seats! Dr. Kenshaw commanded sternly as soon as he could get his breath. He marched over to his lecture table and planked down his leather brief case. He took off his overcoat and began wiping the steam from his eyeglasses while the students hurried back to their chairs. "It does seem to me," he said, his voice quavering with anger, "that it would be no more than courteous for the class to await my arrival on those rare occasions when I am delayed."

● sternly：严厉地。get his breath：上文不是说过他all out of breath吗？

● planked down：用力放下。brief case：公文包。

● quavering：（声音之）颤动。教授的谈吐很典雅。本文诸人物的谈吐，此公的和前文训导长的属于同一类型，都是受过高深教育者的口吻；只是训导长的显得诚恳，此公的显得尖刻。说话尖刻的人，于用字 句方面，一定也特别讲究。

● no more than courteous=only courteous。“我难得有事情，因此迟到，诸位多等一会儿，据我看来，未必就委屈了诸位，这不过是礼貌问题而已。”

A few students exchanged meaning glances. They meant, "Now we're in for it. The old boy has on one of his famous mads."

● exchanged glances：互相看看。meaning glances：眼光的意思，心照不宣。They meant=the glances meant。

● in for it（用于口语）=unable to escape from a danger, penalty, etc.（挨骂是挨定的了）。in是副词。

● The old boy即教授。mad在口语用法中，有angry的意思；但这里当作名词用，颇见特别。one of his famous mads：老先生的脾气是出了名的，今天可又要发作了。on是副词，用法同前文的He had on his amber glasses相仿。

Today, I believe I shall forego delivering my prepared lecture, Dr. Kenshaw went on in a more even voice, "and let you do the talking. Perhaps it would be moot to hear a few outside reading reports this morning. All of you doubtless are aware that these reports were due last week, although I had not expected to call for them at once. Let us begin forthwith. When your name is called, you will rise and read your report to the class."

● 教授用了几个典雅的字，如第一句的forego（=abstain from，这里似以译作“暂停”为妥）和第二句的moot（=debatable，该不该这样做是值得讨论的）。

● a few outside reading reports：几篇课外阅读的报告。

● due last week：上星期就该缴了。I had not expected…：我本来不打算马上就催你们缴。forthwith=immediately。

Mr. Abbot! he called, Mr. Abbot stammered an excuse. Dr. Kenshaw passed coldly on to Miss Adams, making no comment. All through the A's it was the same. But with the B's an ashen, spectacled Miss Ballentyne stood up and began reading in a droning voice her report on "The Economic Consequence of the Peace."Obviously Dr. Kenshaw was not listening to her. His hard little eyes under craggy brows were moving up one row and down the other, eager for a victim. On the back row, Charlie Wingate's propped legs had given way and he had slipped far down into his seat, fast asleep. When Dr. Kenshaw's preying eyes reached Charlie they stopped moving. Someone tittered nervously and then was silent as Dr. Kenshaw jerked his head round in the direction of the noise. Miss Ballentyne droned on.

● stammered an excuse：结结巴巴地说了一个理由（例如“做好了忘了带来了”或“上星期有病了”等）。

● making no comment：教授“不加评论”；并不责备他。

● All through the A's：凡A字开头的学生，统统无法应命。

● ashen, spectacled：脸色灰白，鼻架眼镜的。droning：很单调的声音。她的读书报告的题目是：《和平对于经济上的影响》。

● hard little eyes：小小的冷酷的眼睛。craggy brows：像岩石似的凸出的眉毛。up one row and down the other：一排一排地看。eager for a victim：一心要找个学生来出气。

● given way：软了下来（本来是挺直的）。fast asleep：睡熟。

● preying eyes：虎视眈眈择人而噬的眼睛。they stopped moving：（拆烂污的）学生已经捉到，教授的眼睛也无劳左右搜索了。

● tittered nervously：神经紧张地偷偷笑了一下。jerked his head round：脑袋突然转了过去，追查谁在偷笑。

When she had finished, Dr. Kenshaw said dryly, "Very good, Miss Ballentyne, very good indeed. Er…ah…would someone be kind enough to arouse the recumbent young gentleman in the last row?"

There was a murmur of laughter while everyone turned to look at Milton Weismann nudging Charlie Wingate. Charlie sprang up quickly. Dr. Kenshaw was running down the list of names in his small record book.

● dryly：冷淡地。arouse：唤醒。recumbent：身体躺着的。这也是一个典雅的字。这一句话的礼貌很周到，但是也很刻薄。全句用虚拟式，不用命令式，这是非常客气的请求：不知哪一位……？称学生为young gentleman，很典雅，但是语带讽刺。

● Milton Weismann：Wingate的邻座同学。nudging：用肘轻推。

● running down the list of names：名字一个一个地看下去。record book：记学生成绩的小册子。

Mr. …ah…Wingate, isn't it? Mr. Wingate, your report.

Pardon me, sir?

Mr. Wingate, what was the title of the book assigned to you for report in the class?

Theory of the Leisure Class by Veblen, sir.

● 教授拿教室座位次序和点名册子名单次序一对照，知道这位学生名叫Wingate，但没有十分把握，所以前面吞吞吐吐了一下。

● Pardon me, sir? 学生恐怕没有听清楚教授的话。

● Thorstein Veblen（1857—1929）：美国经济学家，他的那本《有闲阶级论》（1899年出版）是经济学名著，据说非常艰深难懂，无怪那个学生读得叫苦连天。

Ah, then that's the explanation. So you were assiduously engaged in evolving your own theory of the leisure class. Is that right, Mr. Wingate? You have evidently concluded that Economics 150 is the leisure class.

The class rocked with laughter. Dr. Kenshaw, pleased with his pun and flattered by the response to it, found it hard to keep his face straight.

● 教授在这里大大地挖苦了那学生一番。that's (=that is) the explanation：这就是说明；这一下我可明白了。

● assiduously：勤勉地。engaged in：从事于。evolving your own theory：发明你自己的理论。

● evidently：明显地。concluded：得到这样一个结论——来上我们这班课的都是有闲阶级。

● rocked with laughter：笑得前仰后合。

● pun：双关语。上文的class既解作阶级，又解作“班级”。教授妙语解颐，自己也很欣赏自己的机智。the response to it：对他妙语的反应，全班大笑，笑话没有白说，因此更为得意了。hard to keep his face straight：脸板不下来，自己也想笑。

Mr. Wingate's theory is quite apparently one to which the majority of this class subscribes. Now these reading reports were assigned to you last September, and you have had ample time to prepare them. I'll not call for any more of them today, but at the next session of this class I expect every one of these papers in. As for you, Mr. Wingate, if you'll see me directly after class, I'll be glad to hear any explanation or apology that you may wish to make.

● is quite apparently one=is quite apparently a theory。to which之to连后面的subscribes； subscribe to=agree to。“这位同学的有闲阶级理论，全班同学大多数显然都赞成的。”

● ample time：充分时间。

● the next session of this class：下次上课的时候。I expect every one of these papers in：我希望统统缴齐，一份不漏。

● apology：道歉，赔罪。

Thank you, sir, Charlie mumbled. He entered a slow torture, trying to keep awake until the class bell rang. But fifteen minutes had to pass before the bell would ring.

When the bell rang the class rose quickly and began clumping out. When the last had gone out, Dr. Kenshaw unscrewed his fountain pen and opened his roll book. He ran his finger down the list until he came to "Wingate, C." and in the space opposite under "Smstr Grd" he marked a precise little F.

● slow torture：慢性的受罪。还有十五分钟才得下课，他又不敢再在堂上睡觉。

● clumping=walking heavily。

● unscrewed：取下笔套。roll book：点名册子，就是record book。Wingate, C.：点名册以姓氏排列，故首书是Wingate，C是Charles的缩写。

● Smstr Grd是Semester Grade的省写。前文已经说明，他再得一个F，就要被除名了。precise：清清楚楚的。

A whiffling snore escaped Charlie Wingate in the back of the room. Dr. Kenshaw took his overcoat from its hanger, slipped into it, and strapped up his brief case. He put on his hat and strode out of the lecture room, slamming the door. The noise made a hollow echo in the empty room, but it did not disturb Charlie Wingate. He slept on behind his amber glasses.

● whiffling：轻轻的如微风之声。snore：鼾声。escaped：从他（鼻子里）发出来。

● hanger：衣架。its代替overcoat's。slipped into it：穿上大衣（全身滑进大衣里面去）。strapped up：把皮带扣上。

● strode（stride的过去式）：大踏步地走出去。slamming the door：把门砰的一关。

● hollow echo：空洞的回声。但是可怜的Charlie又睡熟了。