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The bar； where we glanced first； was crowded； but Gatsby was not there。 She couldn’t find him from the top of the steps； and he wasn’t on the veranda。 On a chance we tried an importantlooking door； and walked into a high Gothic library； panelled with carved English oak； and probably transported plete from some ruin overseas。 我们先到酒吧间去张望了一下，那儿挤满了人，可盖茨比并不在那里。她从台阶上头向下看，找不到他，他也不在阳台上。我们怀着希望推开一扇很神气的门，走进了一间高高的哥特式图书室，四壁镶的是英国雕花橡木，大有可能是从海外某处古迹原封不动地拆过来的。
A stout； middleaged man； with enormous owleyed spectacles； was sitting somewhat drunk on the edge of a great table； staring with unsteady concentration at the shelves of books。 As we entered he wheeled excitedly around and examined Jordan from head to foot。 一个矮矮胖胖的中年男人，戴着老大的一副猫头鹰式眼镜，正醉醺醺地坐在一张大桌子的边上，迷迷糊糊目不转睛地看着书架上一排排的书。我们一走进去他就兴奋地转过身来，把乔丹从头到脚打量了一番。
“What do you think？” he demanded impetuously。 〃你觉得怎么样？〃他冒冒失失地问道。
“About what？” He waved his hand toward the bookshelves。 〃关于什么？〃他把手向书架一扬。
“About that。 As a matter of fact you needn’t bother to ascertain。 I ascertained。 They’re real。” 〃关于那个。其实你也不必仔细看了，我已经仔细看过。它们都是真的。〃
“The books？” 〃这些书吗？〃
He nodded。 他点点头。
“Absolutely real—have pages and everything。 I thought they’d be a nice durable cardboard。 Matter of fact； they’re absolutely real。 Pages and—Here！ Lemme show you。” 〃绝对是真的…一页一页的，什么都有。我起先还以为大概是好看的空书壳子。事实上，它们绝对是真的。一页一页的什么…等等！我拿给你们瞧。〃
Taking our scepticism for granted； he rushed to the bookcases and returned with Volume One of the “Stoddard Lectures。” 他想当然地认为我们不相信，急忙跑到书橱前面，拿回来一本《斯托达德演说集》卷一①。 ①约翰？斯托达德（John Stoddard，18501931），美国演说家，著有《演说集》十卷。
“See！” he cried triumphantly。 “It’s a bonafide piece of printed matter。 It fooled me。 This fella’s a regular Belasco。 It’s a triumph。 What thoroughness！ What realism！ Knew when to stop； too—didn’t cut the pages。 But what do you want？ What do you expect？” 〃瞧！〃他得意洋洋地嚷道，〃这是一本地地道道的印刷品。它真把我蒙住了。这家伙简直是个贝拉斯科①。真是巧夺天工。多么一丝不苟！多么逼真！而且知道见好就收…并没裁开纸页。你还要怎样？你还指望什么？〃 ①大卫？贝拉斯科（David Belasco，1850－－1931），美国舞台监督，以布景逼真闻名。
He snatched the book from me and replaced it hastily on its shelf； muttering that if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse。 他从我手里把那本书一把夺走，急急忙忙把它放回书架的原处，一面叽咕着说什么假使一块砖头被挪开，整个图书室就有可能塌掉。
“Who brought you？” he demanded。 “Or did you just e？ I was brought。 Most people were brought。” 〃谁带你们来的？〃他问道，〃还是不请自到的？我是有人带我来的。人多数客人都是别人带来的。〃
Jordan looked at him alertly； cheerfully； without answering。 乔丹很机灵，很高兴地看着他，但并没有答话。
“I was brought by a woman named Roosevelt；” he continued。 “Mrs。 Claud Roosevelt。 Do you know her？ I met her somewhere last night。 I’ve been drunk for about a week now； and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library。” 〃我是一位姓罗斯福的太太带来的，〃他接着说，〃克劳德？罗斯福太太。你们认识她吗？我昨天晚上不知在什么地方碰上她的。我已经醉了个把星期了，我以为在图书室里坐一会儿可以醒醒酒的。〃
“Has it？” 〃有没有醒？〃
“A little bit； I think。 I can’t tell yet。 I’ve only been here an hour。 Did I tell you about the books？ They’re real。 They’re——” 〃醒了一点，我想。我还不敢说。我在这儿刚待了一个钟头。我跟你们讲过这些书吗？它们都是真的。它们是。。。。。。〃
“You told us。” We shook hands with him gravely and went back outdoors。 〃你告诉过我们了。〃我们庄重地和他握握手，随即回到外边去。
There was dancing now on the canvas in the garden； old men pushing young girls backward in eternal graceless circles； superior couples holding each other tortuously； fashionably； and keeping in the corners—and a great number of single girls dancing individualistically or relieving the orchestra for a moment of the burden of the banjo or the traps。 By midnight the hilarity had increased。 A celebrated tenor had sung in Italian； and a notorious contralto had sung in jazz； and between the numbers people were doing “stunts。” all over the garden； while happy； vacuous bursts of laughter rose toward the summer sky。 A pair of stage twins； who turned out to be the girls in yellow； did a baby act in costume； and champagne was served in glasses bigger than fingerbowls。 The moon had risen higher； and floating in the Sound was a triangle of silver scales； trembling a little to the stiff； tinny drip of the banjoes on the lawn。 此刻花园里篷布上有人在跳舞。有老头子推着年轻姑娘向后倒退，无止无休地绕着难看的圈子；有高傲的男女抱在一起按时髦的舞步扭来扭去，守在一个角落里跳…还有许许多多单身姑娘在跳单人舞，或者帮乐队弹一会儿班卓琴或者敲一会儿打击乐器。到了午夜欢闹更甚。一位有名的男高音唱了意大利文歌曲，还有一位声名狼藉的女低音唱了爵士乐曲，还有人在两个节目之间在花园里到处表演〃绝技〃，同时一阵阵欢乐而空洞的笑声响彻夏夜的天空。一对双胞胎…原来就是那两个黄衣姑娘…演了一出化装的娃娃戏，同时香摈一杯杯地端出来，杯子比洗手指用的小碗还要大。月亮升得更高了，海湾里飘着一副三角形的银色天秤①，随着草坪上班卓琴铿锵的琴声微微颤动。 ①指大杯座星斗。
I was still with Jordan Baker。 We were sitting at a table with a man of about my age and a rowdy little girl； who gave way upon the slightest provocation to uncontrollable laughter。 I was enjoying myself now。 I had taken two fingerbowls of champagne； and the scene had changed before my eyes into something significant； elemental； and profound。 我仍然和乔丹？贝克在一起。我们坐的一张桌上还有一位跟我年纪差不多的男子和一个吵吵闹闹的小姑娘，她动不动就忍不住要放声大笑。我现在玩得也挺开心了。我已经喝了两大碗香棋，因此这片景色在我眼前变成了一种意味深长的、根本性的、奥妙的东西。
At a lull in the entertainment the man looked at me and smiled。 在文娱节目中间休息的时候，那个男的看着我微笑。
“Your face is familiar；” he said； politely。 “Weren’t you in the Third Division during the war？” 〃您很面熟，〃他很客气地说，〃战争期间您不是在第一师吗？〃
“Why； yes。 I was in the Ninth Machinegun Battalion。” 〃正是啊。我在步兵二十八连。〃
“I was in the Seventh Infantry until June nieeneighteen。 I knew I’d seen you somewhere before。” 〃我在十六连，直到一九八年六月，我刚才就知道我以前在哪儿见过您的。〃
We talked for a moment about some wet； gray little villages in France。 Evidently he lived in this vicinity； for he told me that he had just bought a hydroplane； and was going to try it out in the morning。 我们谈了一会儿法国的一此阴雨、灰暗的小村庄，显而易见他就住在附近，因为他告诉我他刚买了一架水上飞机，并且准备明天早晨去试飞一下。
“Want to go with me； old sport？ Just near the shore along the Sound。” 〃愿意跟我一块去吗，老兄？就在海湾沿着岸边转转。〃
“What time？” 〃什么时候？〃
“Any time that suits you best。” 〃随便什么时候，对你合适就行。〃
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask his name when Jordan looked around and smiled。 我已经话到了嘴边想问他的名字，这时乔丹掉转头水朝我一笑。
“Having a gay time now？” she inquired。 〃现在玩得快话吧？〃她问
“Much better。” I turned again to my new acquaintance。 “This is an unusual party for me。 I haven’t even seen the host。 I live over there——” I waved my hand at the invisible hedge in the distance； “and this man Gatsby sent over his chauffeur with an invitation。” 〃好多了。〃我又掉转脸对着我的新交，〃这对我来说是个奇特的晚会。我连主人都还没见到哩。我就住在那边。。。。。。〃我朝着远处看不见的的篱笆把一挥。〃这位姓盖茨比的派他的他司机过来送了一份请帖。〃
For a moment he looked at me as if he failed to understand。 他朝我望了一会儿，似乎没听懂我的话。
“I’m Gatsby；” he said suddenly。 〃我就是盖茨比〃他突然说
“What！” I exclaimed。 “Oh； I beg your pardon。” 〃什么！〃我叫了一声，〃噢，真对不起。〃
“I thought you knew； old sport。 I’m afraid I’m not a very good host。” 〃我还以为你知道哩，老兄。我恐怕不是个很好的上人。〃
He smiled understandingly—much more than understandin