美丽新世界Brave New World 第12章(3)

"It really is a bit too thick," the Head Mistress of Etonwas saying to the Director of Crematoria andPhosphorus Reclamation.

“实在太愚蠢了。”伊顿公学的女校长对火葬与磷回收场场长说，

"When I think that I actually ..."

“在我认为实际上……”

"Yes," came the voice of Fanny Crowne, it'sabsolutely true about the alcohol.

“的确，”范尼.克朗的声音传来，酒精的事绝对是真的。

Some one I know knew some one who was working in the Embryo Store at the time. She said tomy friend, and my friend said to me.

我的一个熟人认识一个当年在胚胎库工作的人。她告诉了我的朋友，我的朋友又告诉了我。

"Too bad, too bad," said Henry Foster, sympathizing with the Arch-Community-Songster.

“太不像话，太不像话了，”亨利.福斯特对社区首席歌唱家表示同情，说。

It may interest you to know that our ex-Director was on the point of transferring him to Iceland.

你也许会感到兴趣，那时我们的前任主任正打算把他下放到冰岛去。

Pierced by every word that was spoken, the tight balloon of Bernard's happy self-confidencewas leaking from a thousand wounds.

伯纳那快活自信的气球绷得太紧，大家说出的话把它戳了个千疮百孔，大漏其气。

Pale, distraught, abject and agitated, he moved among his guests, stammering incoherentapologies,assuring them that next time the Savage would certainly be there, begging them tosit down and take a carotene sandwich, a slice of vitamin A paté, a glass of champagne-surrogate.

他苍白、沮丧、激动、心慌意乱，在客人之间走来走去，前言不搭后语地啜嚅着，表示歉意，向他们保证下一回野蛮人准到。他求他们坐下，吃一只胡萝卜素夹心面包，吃一片维他命A小面饼或是喝一杯代香摈。

They duly ate, but ignored him; drank and were either rude to his face or talked to one anotherabout him,

他们照吃不误，却不理他;他们一面喝着饮料，一面当面出言不逊，或是彼此议论着他，

loudly and offensively, as though he had not been there.

声音又大，又不客气，只当他不在。

"And now, my friends," said the Arch-Community-Songster of Canterbury, in that beautifulringing voice with which he led the proceedings at Ford's Day Celebrations, "Now, my friends, Ithink perhaps the time has come ..." He rose, put down his glass, brushed from his purpleviscose waistcoat the crumbs of a considerable collation, and walked towards the door.

现在，我的朋友们，坎脱伯雷社区首席歌唱家用在福帝日庆祝演出里领唱的美丽嘹亮的歌喉说，“现在，我的朋友们，我觉得也许时间已经到了……”他站起身来，放下杯子，从他那紫红色粘胶背心上弹掉不少点心碎屑，向门口走去。

Bernard darted forward to intercept him.

伯纳冲上前去，想留住他。

"Must you really, Arch-Songster? ... It's very early still. I'd hoped you would ..."

“您真是非走不可吗，歌唱家先生?……时间还早呢。希望您能够……”

Yes, what hadn't he hoped, when Lenina confidentially told him that the Arch-Community-Songster would accept an invitation if it were sent.

是的，此举很出乎他的意料之外。列宁娜曾经秘密告诉过伯纳，如果他邀请首席歌唱家，他是会接受邀请的。

He's really rather sweet, you know.

他确实相当可爱，你知道。

And she had shown Bernard the little golden zipper-fastening in the form of a T, which theArch-Songster had given her as a memento of the week-end she had spent at Lambeth.

她还让伯纳看了一个T字形的金质小拉链钮，那是首席歌唱家为他们一起在兰蓓斯度过的周末给她的纪念品。