吹小号的天鹅 第67期:里兹一夜(3)

"How about that?" asked the Boatman, grinning atthe clerk.

“这一手如何?”游艇老板朝服务员咧嘴笑问道。

"Is this swan a musician or isn't he?"

“这只天鹅到底是不是音乐家?”

"He plays a sweet trumpet," the clerk said.

“他的小号吹得真动听，”这个服务员说，

"But there is one more question that I hesitate tobring up.

“不过容我再问一个不该问的问题。

What about his personal habits? Will he mess theroom all up?

他的个人嗜好如何?他会把卧室搞得一团糟吗?

Actors are bad enough. Musicians are worse.

演员们全都有坏得不能再坏的恶习。音乐家就更差劲了。

I can't allow a large bird to occupy one of our beds--it might put us out of business. Otherguests might complain."

我不能让一只大鸟睡到我们的一张客床上——以后我们恐怕就没生意可做了。别的客人们也许会抱怨的。”

"I sleep in the bathtub," Louis wrote on his slate. "Will not disturb bed."

“我只睡浴缸，”路易斯在他的石板上写，“不会把床搞乱的。”

The clerk shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Who's going to pay the bill?" he asked.

这个服务员换了一只脚着地。“谁来付帐呢?”他问。

"I am," replied the Boatman. "I'll be here early tomorrow morning when Louis checks out."

“我，”游艇老板回答，“我明天一早就到这里给路易斯结帐退房。”

The clerk couldn't think of any more reasons for not letting the swan have a room.

这个服务员再想不出任何阻止这只天鹅入住的理由了。

"Very well," he said. "Sign the register, please!"

“很好，”他说，“签名登记吧，请!”

He handed Louis a pen and a card.

他递给路易斯一枝钢笔和一张登记卡。

Louis wrote: Louis the Swan Upper Red Rock Lake Montana

路易斯写道：天鹅路易斯 上红石湖 蒙大拿

The clerk studied it. He seemed satisfied at last. He summoned a bellboy and handed him akey.

这个服务员对着登记卡琢磨起来。最后他似乎很满意。他叫来一个侍应生，交给他一把钥匙。

"Take this gentleman to his room!" he ordered.

“带这位绅士去他的客房!”他命令道。

Louis removed his medal, his trumpet, his slate, his chalk pencil, and his moneybag andhanded them to the bellboy.

路易斯摘下他的奖章，他的小号，他的石板，他的石笔，把它们连同他的钱袋都递给了那个侍应生。

Together, they walked to the elevators. The Boatman said good-bye.

他们一起走到电梯那里。游艇老板对路易斯道了再见。

"Sleep well, Louis!" called the Boatman.

“好好睡吧，路易斯!”游艇老板说。

"And be ready to come to work promptly in the morning!"

“明天早上要立刻到我那里工作!”

Louis nodded.

路易斯点点头。

The elevator door opened. "This way, sir!" said the bellboy.

电梯门开了。“这边请，先生!”侍应生说。

They entered the elevator and waited for the door to close.

他们进了电梯，等门关上。

A rich smell of perfume filled the air. Louis stood very still.

空气中充满了浓烈的香水味。路易斯静静地站在那里。

Then he felt himself rising.

然后他感到自己在往上升。

The elevator stopped at the seventh floor, and the bellboy led Louis to a room, unlocked thedoor, and ushered him in.

电梯在第七层停住了，侍应生带路易斯来到一个房间，打开门锁，领着他走了进去。

"Here you are, sir!" he said. "Would you like a window open?"

“就是这里，先生!”他说，“你愿意把窗子打开吗?”

The bellboy put Louis's luggage down, snapped on a few lights, opened a window, and laid theroom key on the dresser. Then he waited.

这个侍应生放下路易斯的行李，开了几盏灯，又打开一扇窗户，把房间钥匙放到梳妆台上。然后他就在房里等着。

"I guess he wants a tip," thought Louis. So he went to his moneybag, loosened the drawstring,and took out a dollar.

“我猜他是想要小费，”路易斯想。于是他走向他的钱袋，把拉绳松开，叼出了一个美元。

"Thank you very much, sir," said the bellboy, taking the dollar.

“非常感谢，先生。”侍应生说着接过了这一美元。

He went out and closed the door softly behind him.

他这才走出去，轻轻地把房门关上。

Louis was alone at last--alone in a room at the Ritz.

路易斯终于独自一个了——独自呆在里兹的一间客房里。