33 The Garden Party
33 花园宴会
……a white crow……
……一只白色的乌鸦……
Hilde sat on the bed, transfixed. She felt her arms and her hands tremble, as they gripped the heavy ring binder.
席德坐在床上，动也不动。她可以感觉到她双臂与双手绷得紧紧的，拿着那本沉重的讲义夹，颤抖着。
It was almost eleven o'clock. She had been reading for over two hours. From time to time she had raised her eyes from the text and laughed aloud, but she had also turned over on her side and gasped. It was a good thing she was alone in the house.
已经快十一点。她坐在那儿读了两个多小时了。这期间她不时抬头大笑，有时笑得她不得不翻身喘气。还好屋里只有她一个人。
And what she had been through these last two hours! It started with Sophie trying to attract the major's attention on the way home from the cabin in the woods. She had finally climbed a tree and been rescued by Morten Goose, who had arrived like a guardian angel from Lebanon.
这两个小时内发生的事可真多呀。最先是苏菲在从林间小木屋回家的路上努力要引起少校的注意力。最后她爬到一棵树上，然后被大雁莫通给救了。那只雁是从黎巴嫩飞来的，仿佛是她的守护天使一般。
Although it was a long, long time ago, Hilde had never forgotten how her father had read The Wonderful Adventures of Nils to her. For many years after that, she and her father had had a secret language together that was connected with the book. Now he had dragged the old goose out again.
虽然已经过了很久，但席德永远不会忘记从前爸爸念《尼尔奇遇记》(The Wonderful Adventure of Nils)给她听的情景。因为那之后有许多年，她和爸爸之间发展出了一种与那本书有关的秘密语言。现在他又把那只老雁给揪出来了。
Then Sophie had her first experience as a lone customer in a cafe. Hilde had been especially taken with what Alberto said about Sartre and existentialism. He had almost managed to convert her--although he had done that many times before in the ring binder too.
后来苏菲第一次体验到独自一人上咖啡厅的滋味。席德对艾伯特讲的萨特和存在主义的事特别感兴趣。他几乎让她变成了一个存在主义者。不过，话说回来，他过去也有好几次曾经这样过。
Once, about a year ago, Hilde had bought a book on astrology. Another time she had come home with a set of tarot cards. Next time it was a book on spiritualism. Each time, her father had lectured her about "superstition" and her "critical faculty," but he had waited until now for the final blow. His counterattack was deadly accurate. Clearly, his daughter would not be allowed to grow up without a thorough warning against that kind of thing. To be absolutely sure, he had waved to her from a TV screen in a radio store. He could have saved himself the trouble ...
大约一年前，席德买了一本占星学的书，还有一次她拿了一组意大利纸牌回家，后来又有一次她买了一本有关招魂术的书。每一次，爸爸总是跟她说一些什么“迷信”呀、“批判的能力”呀等等道理，但他一直等到现在才来“绝地大反攻”。他的反击可说是正中要害。很明显的，他想在他的女儿长大之前彻彻底底警告她那些东西的害处。为了安全起见，他安排了他从电器商店的电视屏幕上对她挥手的场面。其实他大可不必这样的……
What she wondered about most of all was Sophie. Sophie--who are you? Where do you come from? Why have you come into my life?
她最感到好奇的还是那个女孩。苏菲，苏菲——你在哪里？你从何处来？你为什么进入我的生命？
Finally Sophie had been given a book about herself. Was it the same book that Hilde now had in her hands? This was only a ring binder. But even so--how could one find a book about oneself in a book about oneself? What would happen if Sophie began to read that book?What was going to happen now? What could happen now? There were only a few pages left in her ring binder.
最后，艾伯特给了苏菲一本有关她自己的书。那本书是否就是席德现在手上拿的这一本呢？当然，这只是一个讲义夹。但即使是这样，一个人怎么可能在一本有关他自己的书里面发现一本有关他自己的书呢？如果苏菲开始读这本书，会有什么事发生呢？席德用手指摸一摸讲义夹，只剩下几页了。
Sophie met her mother on the bus on her way home from town. Oh, no! What would her mother say when she saw the book in Sophie's hand?Sophie tried to put it in the bag with all the streamers and balloons she had bought for the party but she didn't quite make it.
苏菲从镇上回家时在公车上碰到了她妈妈。该死！她如果看见她手上拿的这本书，不知道会说什么呢!苏菲想把那本书放在装着宴会用彩带和气球的袋子里，但并没有成功。
"Hi, Sophie! We caught the same bus! How nice!"
“嗨，苏菲！我们居然坐同一辆公车!真好！”
"Hi, Mom!"
“嗨，妈!”
"You bought a book?"
“你买了一本书呀？”
"No, not exactly."
“没有，不是买的。”
"Sophie's World ……how curious."
“《苏菲的世界》……多奇怪呀。”
Sophie knew she didn't have the slightest chance of lying to her mother.
苏菲知道这时她是骗不了妈妈的。
"I got it from Alberto."
“是艾伯特给我的。”
"Yes, I'm sure you did. As I said, I'm looking forward to meeting this man. May I see?"
“嗯，我想一定是的。我说过了，我一直在等着见这个人呢。我可以看看吗？”
"Would you mind very much waiting till we get home, at least. It is my book, Mom."
“可不可以等到我们回家以后？妈，这是我的书耶！”
"Of course it's your book. I just want to take a peek at the first page, okay? ……'Sophie Amundsen was on her way home from school. She had walked the first part of the way with Joanna. They had been discussing robots . . .'"
“这当然是你的书啦。我只想看看第一页。好吗？……苏菲放学回家了。有一段路她和乔安同行，她们谈着有关机器人的问题......”
"Does it really say that?"
“书里真的这么写吗？”
"Yes, it does, Sophie. It's written by someone called Albert Knag. He must be a newcomer. What's your Al-berto's name, by the way?"
“没错。是一个名叫艾勃特的人写的。他一定是刚出道的。喔，对了，你那位哲学家叫什么名字？”
"Knox."
“艾伯特。”
"It'll probably turn out that this extraordinary person has written a whole book about you, Sophie. It's called using a pseudonym."
“也许这个怪人写了一本关于你的书呢，苏菲。他用的可能是笔名。”
"It's not him, Mom. Why don't you just give up. You don't understand anything anyway."
“那不是他。妈，你就别再说了吧。反正你什么都不懂。”
"No, I don't suppose I do. The garden party is tomorrow, then everything will be all right again."
“是呀，我是不懂。明天我们就举行花园宴会了，然后一切又会恢复正常。”
"Albert Knag lives in a completely different reality. That's why this book is a white crow."
“艾伯特活在一个完全不同的世界里，所以这本书是一只白乌鸦。”
"You really must stop all this! Wasn't it a white rabbit?"
“你真的不能再这样下去了！以前你说的不是白兔吗？”
"You stop it!"
“好了，别说了。”
That was as far as they got before they reached their stop at the end of Clover Close. They ran straight into a demonstration.
她们说到这里，苜蓿巷就到了。她们刚下车就遇上了一次示威游行。
"My God!" exclaimed Helene Amundsen, "I really thought we would be spared street politics in this neighborhood."
“天哪!”苏菲的妈妈喊，“我还以为我们这个社区不会发生这样的事呢!”
There were no more than about ten or twelve people. Their banners read:
示威的人顶多只有十到十二个。他们乎里拿的布条上写着：
THE MAJOR IS AT HAND
“少校快来了!”
YES TO YUMMY MIDSUMMER EATS
“支持美味的仲夏节大餐!”
MORE POWER TO THE UN
“加强联合国!”
Sophie almost felt sorry for her mother.
苏菲几乎替妈妈感到难过。
"Never mind," she said.
“别理他们。”她说。
"But it was a peculiar demonstration, Sophie. Quite absurd, really."
“可是这个示威好奇怪呀，挺荒谬的。”
"It was a mere bagatelle."
“只不过是个小把戏罢了!”
"The world changes more and more rapidly all the time. Actually, I'm not in the least surprised."
“世界改变得愈来愈快了。其实，我一点也不感到惊讶。”
"You should be surprised that you're not surprised, at any rate."
“不管怎样，你应该对你不感到惊讶这件事感到惊讶。”
"Not at all. They weren't violent, were they? I just hope they haven't trampled all over our rosebeds. Surely it can't be necessary to demonstrate in a garden. Let's hurry home and see."
“一点也不。他们并不暴力呀，是不是？我只希望他们还没有把我们的玫瑰花床踩坏。我想他们一定不会在一座花园里示威吧。我们赶快回家看看。”
"It was a philosophical demonstration, Mom. Real philosophers don't trample on rosebeds."
“妈，这是一次哲学性的示威。真正的哲学家是不会践踏玫瑰花床的。”
"I'll tell you what, Sophie. I don't think I believe in real philosophers any longer. Everything is synthetic nowadays."
“我告诉你吧，苏菲。我不相信世上还有真正的哲学家了。这年头什么都是合成的。”
They spent the afternoon and evening preparing. They continued the next morning, setting and decorating the table. Joanna came over to give them a hand.
生日宴会那天下午和晚上，他们一直忙着准备。第二天早上，他们仍继续未完的工作，铺桌子、装饰餐桌。乔安也过来帮忙。
"Good grief!" she said, "Mom and Dad are coming too. It's your fault, Sophie!"
“这下可好了！”她说，“我爸妈也打算要来。都是你，苏菲！”
Everything was ready half an hour before the guests were due. The trees were festooned with streamers and Japanese lanterns. The garden gate, the trees lining the path, and the front of the house were hung with balloons. Sophie and Joanna had spent most of the afternoon blowing them up.
在客人预定到达前半小时，一切都准备好了。树上挂满了彩带和日本灯笼。花园的门上、小径两旁的树上和屋子的前面都挂满了气球。那天下午大部分时间，苏菲和乔安都忙着吹气球。
The table was set with chicken, salad, and different kinds of homemade bread. In the kitchen there were raisin buns and layer cake, Danish pastry and chocolate cake. But from the start the place of honor in the center of the table was reserved for the birthday cake--a pyramid of almond-paste rings. On the top of the cake was the tiny figure of a girl in a confirmation dress. Sophie's mother had assured her that it could just as well represent an unconfirmed fifteen-year-old, but Sophie was certain her mother had only put it there because Sophie had told her she was not sure she wanted to be confirmed. Her mother seemed to think the cake embodied the confirmation itself.
餐桌上摆了鸡、沙拉和各式各样的自制面包。厨房里还有葡萄面包和双层蛋糕、丹麦酥和巧克力蛋糕。可是打从一开始，餐桌上最中央的位置就保留给生日蛋糕。那是一个由杏仁圈饼做成的金字塔。在蛋糕的尖顶，有一个穿着坚信礼服装的小女孩图案。苏菲的妈妈曾向她保证那个图案也可以代表一个没有受坚信礼的十五岁女孩，可是苏菲相信妈妈之所以把它放在那儿，是因为苏菲说她不确定自己是不是想受坚信礼。而妈妈似乎认为那个蛋糕就象征坚信礼。
"We haven't spared any expense," she repeated several times in the half hour before the party was due to start.
“我们是不惜工本。”在宴会开始前的半小时，这样的话她说了好几次。
The guests began to arrive. First came three of the girls from Sophie's class, dressed in summer shirts and light cardigans, long skirts, and the barest suggestion of eye makeup. A bit later, Jeremy and David came strolling in through the gate, with a blend of shyness and boyish arrogance.
客人们开始陆续抵达了。第一批来的是苏菲班上的三个女同学。她们穿着夏天的衬衫、浅色的羊毛背心、长裙子，涂了很淡很淡的眼影。过了一会儿，杰瑞米和罗瑞也缓缓地从大门口走进来了，看起来有点害羞，又有几分小男生的傲慢。
"Happy birthday!"
“生日快乐!”
"You're an adult now, too!"
“你长大了！”
Sophie noticed that Joanna and Jeremy had already begun eyeing each other discreetly. There was something in the air. It was Midsummer Eve.
苏菲注意到乔安和杰瑞米已经开始偷偷地眉来眼去了。空气里有一种让人说不上来的气息，也许是仲夏的缘故。
Everybody had brought birthday presents, and as it was a philosophical garden party, several of the guests had tried to find out what philosophy was. Although not all of them had managed to find philosophical presents, most of them had written something philosophical on their cards. Sophie received a philosophical dictionary as well as a diary with a lock; on the cover was written MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHTS. As the guests arrived they were served apple juice in long-stemmed wine glasses. Sophie's mother did the serving.
每一个人都带了生日礼物。由于这是一个哲学性的花园宴会，有几个客人曾经试着研究哲学到底是什么。虽然并不是每个人都找到了与哲学有关的礼物，但大多数人都绞尽脑汁想了一些富有哲学意味的话写在生日卡片上。苏菲收到了一本哲学字典和一本有锁的日记，上面写着“我个人的哲学思维”。客人一抵达，苏菲的妈妈便端上用深色玻璃杯装的苹果西打请他们喝。
"Welcome ……And what is this young man's name? I don't believe we've met before ……So glad you could come, Cecilie . . ."
“欢迎……这位年轻的男士贵姓大名？……以前好像从来没见过……你能来真是大好了，赛西莉……”
When all the younger guests had arrived and were strolling under the trees with their wine glasses, Joanna's parents drew up at the garden gate in a white Mercedes. The financial adviser was impeccably dressed in an expensively cut gray suit. His wife was wearing a red pants suit with dark red sequins. Sophie was sure she had bought a Barbie doll in a toy store dressed in that suit, and had a tailor make it up in her size. There was another possibility; the financial adviser could have bought the doll and given it to a magician to make into a live woman. But this possibility was unlikely, so Sophie rejected it.
当所有较年轻的客人都已经端着杯子在树下闲逛时，乔安的父母开了一辆白色的宾士轿车，停在花园门口。乔安的爸爸穿了一身昂贵的灰色西装，全身上下无懈可击，妈妈则穿着一套红色裤装，上面贴着暗红色的亮片。苏菲敢说她一定是在玩具店里买了一个穿着这种套装的芭比娃娃，然后请裁缝按照她的尺寸做一套。还有一种可能就是：乔安的爸爸买了一个这样的芭比娃娃，然后请魔术师把它变成一个活生生的女人。可是这种可能性很小，因此苏菲就放弃了。
They stepped out of the Mercedes and walked into the garden where younger guests looked at them with surprise. The financial adviser presented a long, narrow package from the Ingebrigtsen family. Sophie tried hard to maintain her composure when it turned out to be--yes, it was!--a Barbie doll. But Joanna made no such effort:
他们跨出宾士轿车，走进花园，园里所有年轻客人都，晾奇地瞪大了眼睛。乔安的爸爸亲自拿了一个长方形的包裹给苏菲。那是他们全家人送她的礼物。当苏菲发现里面是——没错，是一个芭比娃娃时，很努力地保持镇静。可是乔安就不了：“你疯了吗？苏菲从来不玩洋娃娃的！”
"Are you crazy? Sophie doesn't play with dolls!"
乔安的妈妈连忙走来，衣服上的亮片发出霹霹啪啪的声音。
Mrs. Ingebrigtsen came hurrying over, with all her sequins clanking. "But it's only for decoration, you know."
“可是这只是当装饰用的呀。”
"Well, thank you very much indeed." Sophie tried to smooth things over. "Now I can start ft collection."
“真的很谢谢你，”苏菲想打圆场。“现在我可以开始搜集娃娃了。”
People began to drift toward the table.
大家开始向餐桌的方向聚拢。
"We're only waiting for Alberto," said Sophie's mother to her in a somewhat brisk tone that was intended to hide her growing apprehension. Rumors of the special guest of honor had already spread among the other guests.
“现在就剩下艾伯特还没到了。”苏菲的妈妈用一种热切的声音向苏菲说，企图隐藏她愈来愈忧虑的心情。其他客人已经开始交换着有关这个特别来宾的小道消息了。
"He has promised to come, so he'll come."
“他已经答应我了，所以他一定会来。”
"But we can't seat the guests before he arrives, can we?"
“不过在他来之前我们可以让其他客人先就座吗？”
"Of course we can. Let's go ahead."
“当然可以。来吧!”
Helene Amundsen began to seat people around the long table. She made sure that the vacant chair was between her own and Sophie's place. She said a few words about the beautiful weather and the fact that Sophie was now a grownup.
苏菲的妈妈开始请客人围着长桌子坐下。她特别在她自己和苏菲的位置间留了一个空位。她向大家说了一些话，内容不外是今天的菜、天气多好和苏菲已经是大人了等等。
They had been sitting at the table for half an hour when a middle-aged man with a black goatee and a beret came walking up Clover Close and in through the garden gate. He was carrying a bouquet of fifteen red roses.
他们在桌边坐了半小时后，就有一个蓄着黑色山羊胡子、戴着扁帽的中年男子走到苜蓿巷，并且进了花园的大门。他捧着一束由十五朵玫瑰做成的花束。
"Alberto!"
“艾伯特!”
Sophie left the table and ran to greet him. She threw her arms around his neck and took the bouquet from him. He responded to the welcome by rooting around in his jacket pocket and drawing out a couple of Chinese firecrackers which he lit and tossed into the yard. As. he approached the table, he lit a sparkler and set it on top of the almond pyramid. Then he went over and stood at the empty place between Sophie and her mother.
苏菲离开餐桌，跑去迎接他。她用双手抱住他的脖子，并从他手里接过那束花。只见他在夹克的口袋里摸索一下，掏出两三个大—鞭炮，把它们点燃后就丢到各处。走到餐桌旁后，他点亮了一支烟火，放在杏仁塔上，然后便走过去，站在苏菲和妈妈中间的空位上。
"I'm delighted to be here," he said.
“我很高兴能到这里来。”他说。
The guests were dumbstruck. Mrs. Ingebrigtsen gave her husband a significant look. Sophie's mother was so relieved that the man had finally arrived, however, that she would have forgiven him anything. Sophie herself was struggling to suppress her laughter.
在座的宾客都愣住了。乔安的妈妈对她先生使了一个眼色。苏菲的妈妈看到艾伯特终于出现，在松了一口气之余，对他的一切行为都不计较了。苏菲自己则努力按捺她的笑意。
Helene Amundsen tapped on her glass and said:"Let us also welcome Alberto Knox to this philosophical garden party. He is not my new boyfriend, because although my husband is so often away at sea, I don't have a new boyfriend for the time being. However, this astounding person is Sophie's new philosophy teacher. His prowess extends further than to setting off fireworks.This man is able, for example, to draw a live rabbit out of a top hat. Or was it a crow, Sophie?"
苏菲的妈妈用手敲了敲她的玻璃杯，说道：“让我们也欢迎艾伯特先生来到这个哲学的花园宴会。他不是我的新男友。因为，虽然我丈夫经常在海上，我目前并没有交男朋友。这位令人很意外的先生是苏菲的新哲学老师。他的本事不只是放鞭炮而已。他还能，比方说，从一顶礼帽里拉出一只活生生的兔子来。苏菲，你说是兔子还是乌鸦来着？”
"Many thanks," said Alberto. He sat down.
“多谢。”艾伯特说，然后便坐下来。
"Cheers!" said Sophie, and the guests raised their glasses and drank his health.
“干杯！”苏菲说。于是在座客人便举起他们那装着深红色可乐的玻璃杯，向他致意。
They sat for a long time over their chicken and salad. Suddenly Joanna got up, walked determinedly over to Jeremy, and gave him a resounding kiss on the lips. He responded by trying to topple her backward over the table so as to get a better grip as he returned her kiss.
他们坐了很久，吃着鸡和沙拉。突然间乔安站起来，毅然决然地走到杰瑞米身旁，在他的唇上大声地亲了一下。杰瑞米也试图把她向后扳倒在桌上，以便回吻她。
"Well, I've never ..." exclaimed Mrs. Ingebrigtsen.
“我要昏倒了。”乔安的妈妈喊。
"Not on the table, children," was Mrs. Amundsen's only comment.
“孩子们，不要在桌上玩。”苏菲的妈妈只说了这么一句话。
"Why not?" asked Alberto, turning toward her.
“为什么不要呢？”艾伯特转身对着她问。
"That was an odd question."
“这个问题很奇怪。”
"It's never wrong for a real philosopher to ask questions."
“一个真正的哲学家问问题是从来没有错的。”
A couple of the other boys who had not been kissed started to throw chicken bones up on the roof. This, too, elicited only a mild comment from Sophie's mother:"Would you mind not doing that. It's such a nuisance when there are chicken bones in the gutter."
另外两三个没有被吻的男孩开始把鸡骨头扔到屋顶上。对于他们的举动，苏菲的妈妈也只温和地说了一句：“请你们不要这样好吗？檐沟里有鸡骨头清理起来挺麻烦的。”
"Sorry," said one of the boys, whereupon they started throwing chicken bones over the garden hedge instead.
“对不起，伯母。”其中一个男孩说，然后他们便改把鸡骨扔到花园里的树篱上。
"I think it's time to clear the plates away and serve the cake," said Mrs. Amundsen finally. "Sophie and Joanna, will you give me a hand?"
“我想现在应该收拾盘于，开始切蛋糕了。”苏菲的妈妈终于说。“有几个人想喝咖啡？”
乔安一家、艾伯特和其他几个客人都举起了手。
“也许苏菲和乔安可以来帮我忙……”
On their way to the kitchen there was only time for a brief discussion.
他们趁走向厨房的空档，匆匆讲了几句悄悄话。
"What made you kiss him?" Sophie said to Joanna.
“你怎么会跑去亲他的？”
"I sat looking at his mouth and couldn't resist it. He is so cute!"
“我坐在那儿看着他的嘴，就是无法抗拒。他真的好可爱呀！”
"How did it taste?"
“感觉怎样？”
"Not exactly like I'd imagined, but. . ."
“不完全像我想象的那样，不过……”
"It was the first time, then?"
“那么这是你的第一次吗？”
"But not the last!"
“可是绝不是最后一次!”
Coffee and cake were soon on the table. Alberto had started giving the boys some of his firecrackers when Sophie's mother tapped on her coffee cup.
很快的，咖啡与蛋糕就上桌了。艾伯特刚拿了一些鞭炮给那几个男孩，苏菲的妈妈便敲了敲她的咖啡杯。
"I am not going to make a long speech," she began, "but I only have this one daughter, and it is only this once that exactly one week and a day ago she reached the age of fifteen. As you see, we have spared no expense. There are twenty-four almond rings on the birthday cake, so there's at least one whole ring for each of you. Those who help themselves first can take two rings, because we start from the top and the rings get bigger and bigger as you go. That's the way it is in life too. When Sophie was a little girl, she went tripping around in tiny little rings. But as the years went by, the rings got bigger and bigger. Now they reach right over to the Old Town and back. And what is more, with a father who is at sea so much, she makes calls to all parts of the world. We congratulate you on your fifteenth birthday, Sophie!"
“我只简短地说几句话。”她开始说，“我只有苏菲这个女儿。在一个星期又一天前，她满十五岁了。你们可以看出来，我们是不惜工本地办这次宴会。生日蛋糕上有二十四个杏仁圈饼，所以你们每人至少可以吃一个。那些先动手拿的人可以吃两个，因为我们要从上面开始拿，而愈往下的圈饼个愈大。人生也是这样。当苏菲还小时，她总是拿着很小的圈饼到处跑。几年过去了。圈饼愈来愈大。现在它们可以绕到旧市区那儿再绕回来了。由于她爸爸经常出海，于是她常打电话到世界各地。祝你十五岁生日快乐，苏菲!”
"Delightful!" exclaimed Mrs. Ingebrigtsen.
“真好!”乔安的妈妈说。
Sophie was not sure whether she was referring to her mother, the speech, the birthday cake, or Sophie herself.
苏菲不确定她指的是她妈妈、她妈妈讲的话、生日蛋糕还是苏菲自己。
The guests applauded, and one of the boys threw a firecracker up into the pear tree. Joanna left the table and pulled Jeremy up off his chair. They lay down on the grass and started kissing each other again. After a while they rolled in under the red-currant bushes."Nowadays it's the girl who takes the initiative," said Mr. Ingebrigtsen.
宾客们一致鼓掌。有一个男孩把一串鞭炮扔到梨树上。乔安也离开座位，想把杰瑞米从椅子上拉起来。他任由她把他拉走，然后两人便滚到草地上不停地互相亲吻。过了一会儿后，他们滚进了红醋栗的树丛。“这年头都是女孩子采取主动了。”乔先生说。
Having said that, he got up and went over to the red-currant bushes where he stood observing the phenomenon at close quarters. The rest of the guests followed suit. Only Sophie and Alberto remained sitting at the table. The other guests now stood in a semicircle around Joanna and Jeremy.
然后他便站起来，走到红醋栗树丛那儿，就近观察着这个现象。结果，其他的客人也都跟过去了。只有苏菲和艾伯特仍然坐在位子上。其他的客人站在那儿，围着乔安和杰瑞米，成了一个半圆形。这时，乔安和杰瑞米已经从最初纯纯的吻进展到了热烈爱抚的阶段。
"They can't be stopped," said Mrs. Ingebrigtsen, not without a certain pride.
“谁也挡不住他们。”乔安的妈妈说，语气里有点自豪。
"No, generation follows generation," said her husband.
“嗯，有其父必有其女。”她丈夫说。
He looked around, expecting applause for his well-chosen words. When the only response was a few silent nods, he added: "It can't be helped."
他看看四周，期待众人对他的妙语如珠报以掌声，但他们却只是默默地点点头。于是他又说：“我看是没办法了。”
Sophie saw from a distance that Jeremy was trying to unbutton Joanna's white shirt, which was already covered with green stains from the grass. She was fumbling with his belt.
这时苏菲在远处看到杰瑞米正试图解开乔安白衬衫上的扣子。那件白衬衫上早已染了一块块青苹的印渍。乔安也正摸索着杰瑞米的腰带。
"Don't catch cold!" said Mrs. Ingebrigtsen.
“别着凉了!”乔安的妈妈说。
Sophie looked despairingly at Alberto.
苏菲绝望地看着艾伯特。
"It's happening more quickly than I thought," he said. "We have to get away from here as soon as possible. I just have to make a short speech."
“事情发生得比我预料中还快。”他说。“我们必须尽快离开这儿。不过我要先对大家讲几句话。”
Sophie clapped her hands loudly.
苏菲大声地拍着手。
"Could everyone please come back and sit down again? Alberto is going to make a speech."
“大家可不可以回到这里来坐下？艾伯特要演讲了。”
Everyone except Joanna and Jeremy came drifting back to their places at the table.
除了乔安和杰瑞米外，每一个人都慢慢走回原位。
"Are you really going to make a speech?" asked He-lene Amundsen. "How charming!"
“你真的要演讲吗？”苏菲的妈妈问。“太美妙了!”
"Thank you."
“谢谢你。”
"And you like going for walks, I know. It is so important to stay in shape. And it's so much nicer when you have a dog to keep you company. Hermes, isn't that its name?"
“你喜欢散步，我知道。保持身材是很重要的。如果有一只狗陪伴那就更好了。它的名字是不是叫汉密士？”
Alberto stood up. "Dear Sophie," he began. "Since this is a philosophical garden party, I will make a philosophical speech."
艾伯特站起身，敲敲他的咖啡杯。“亲爱的苏菲，”他开始说，“我想提醒你这是一个哲学的花园宴会。因此我将发表一篇有关哲学的演讲。”
This was greeted by a burst of applause.
众人爆出热烈的掌声。
"In this riotous company, a dose of reason might not be out of place. But whatever happens, let us not forget to congratulate Sophie on her fifteenth birthday."
“在这样乱糟糟的地方，也许正适合谈谈理性。可是无论发生什么，我们都不要忘记祝苏菲十五岁生日快乐。”
He had hardly finished these sentences when they heard the drone of an approaching sports plane. It flew in low over the garden. Behind it streamed a long tail banner saying: "Happy 15th birthday!"
他刚讲完，他们便听见一架小飞机嗡嗡地飞过来。它飞低到花园上方，尾部拉着一个长长的布条，上面写着：“十五岁生日快乐!”
This led to renewed applause, even louder than before.
又是一阵掌声，比前几次都大声。
哲学演讲
"There, you see?" Mrs. Amundsen cried joyfully. "This man can do more than set off fireworks!"
“哪，你看到没有？”苏菲的妈妈高兴地说，“这个人的本事不只是放鞭炮而已！”
"Thank you. It was a mere bagatelle. During the past few weeks, Sophie and I have carried out a major philosophical investigation. We shall here and now reveal our findings. We shall reveal the innermost secrets of our existence."
“谢谢。这不过是个小把戏罢了。过去这几个星期以来，苏菲和我进行了一项大规模的哲学调查。我们现在要在这里公布我们的调查结果，我们将揭开我们的存在最深处的秘密。”
The little gathering was now so quiet that the only sounds were the twittering of the birds and a few subdued noises from the red-currant bushes.
现在，众人都安静下来了，只听见小鸟啁啾的声音和红醋栗树丛里偶尔传来的经过刻意压抑的声响。
Go on, said Sophie.
“说下去呀!”苏菲说。
"After a thorough philosophical study--which has led from the first Greek philosophers to the present day--we have discovered that we are living our lives in the mind of a major who is at this moment serving as a UN observer in Lebanon. He has also written a book about us for his daughter back in Lillesand. Her name is Hilde Mailer Knag, and she was fifteen years old on the same day as Sophie. The book about us lay on her bedside table when she woke up early on the morning of June 15. To be more precise, it was in the form of a ring binder. Even as we speak, she can feel the final pages of the ring binder under her index finger."
“在对最早的希腊哲学家一直到现代的哲学理论做过一番彻底的研究之后，我们发现我们是活在一个少校的心灵中，那位少校目前担任联合国驻黎巴嫩的观察员。他已经为他女儿写了一本关于我们的书。那个女孩住在黎乐桑，名叫席德，今年也是十五岁了，而且和苏菲同一天生日。在六月十五日清晨她醒来后，这本书就放在她床边的桌子上。说得更明确一点，那本书是装在一个讲义夹里的。现在，就在我们讲话的时候，她正用她的食指摸着讲义夹的最后几页。”
A feeling of apprehension had begun to spread around the table.
桌旁的众人脸上开始出现一种忧虑的神色。
"Our existence is therefore neither more nor less than a kind of birthday diversion for Hilde Mailer Knag. We have all been invented as a framework for the major's philosophical education of his daughter. This means, for example, that the white Mercedes at the gate is not worth a cent. It's just a bagatelle. It's worth no more than the white Mercedes that drives around and around inside the head of a poor UN major, who has just this minute sat down in the shade of a palm tree to avoid getting sunstroke. The days are hot in Lebanon, my friends."
“因此，我们的存在只不过是做为席德生日的娱乐罢了。少校创造我们，以我们为架构，以便对他的女儿进行哲学教育。这表示，(打个比方)大门口停的那辆宾士轿车是一文不值，那不过是个小把戏罢了。它只不过是在一位可怜的联合国少校的脑海里转来转去的白色宾士轿车。而那位少校此刻正坐在一棵棕榈树的树荫下，以免中暑呢。各位，黎巴嫩的天气是很炎热的。”
"Garbage!" exclaimed the financial adviser. "This is absolutely pure nonsense."
“胡说！”乔先生喊道。“这真是一派胡言。”
"You are welcome to your opinion," Alberto continued unabashed, "but the truth is that it is this garden party which is absolutely pure nonsense. The only dose of reason in the whole party is this speech."
“你可以有你自己的看法，”艾伯特毫无怯意，继续说下去，“但事实上这次花园宴会才真正是一派胡言。整个宴会里唯一有理性的就是我这席演讲。”
At that, the financial adviser got up and said:"Here we are, trying our best to run a business, and to make sure we have insurance coverage against every kind of risk. Then along comes this know-it-all who tries to destroy it all with his 'philosophical' allegations."
听到这话，乔先生便站起来说：“我们大家在这里，拚全力地做生意，并且买了各种保险，以防万一。可是这个无所事事的万事通先生却来这儿发表什么‘哲学’宣言，想破坏这一切哩！”
Alberto nodded in agreement.
艾伯特点头表示同意。
"There is indeed no insurance to cover this kind of philosophical insight. We are talking of something worse than a natural catastrophe, sir. But as you are probably aware, insurance doesn't cover those either."
“的确没有保险公司会保这种哲学见解险，这种见解比什么天灾都还糟哩。可是我说，这位先生，你可能知道，保险公司也不保那些的。”
"This is not a natural catastrophe."
“现在哪来的天灾？”
"No, it is an existential catastrophe. For example, just take a look under the currant bushes and you will see what I mean. You cannot insure yourself against the collapse of your whole life. Neither can you insure yourself against the sun going out."
“不，我说的是生存方面的天灾。比方说，你如果看看树丛底下发生的事，就会明白我的意思。你没法投保任何的险，以防止自己整个生命崩溃。你也不能防止太阳熄灭。”
"Do we have to put up with this?" asked Joanna's father, looking at his wife.
“我们一定得听他胡扯吗？”乔安的爸爸问，眼睛向下看着他的妻子。
She shook her head, and so did Sophie's mother.
她摇摇头，苏菲的妈妈也摇摇头。
"What a shame," she said, "and after we had spared no expense."
“太可惜了，”她说，“这次宴会我们可是不惜工本。”
The younger guests continued to look at Alberto. "We want to hear more," said a curly-haired boy with glasses.
但年轻人们却坐在那儿，眼睛瞪着艾伯特一直看。通常年轻人比年长的人要更容易接受新思想和新观念。
“请你说下去。”一个一头金色的卷发，戴着眼镜的男孩说。
"Thank you, but there is not much more to say. When you have realized that you are a dream image in another person's sleepy consciousness, then, in my opinion, it is wisest to be silent. But I can finish by recommending that you take a short course in the history of philosophy. It is important to be critical of the older generation's values. If I have tried to teach Sophie anything, it is precisely that, to think critically. Hegel called it thinking negatively."
“谢谢你。但我没有很多话好说了。当你已经发现自己只是某个人不清不楚的脑袋里的一个梦般的人物时，依我来看最明智的办法就是保持缄默。可是最后我可以建议你们年轻人修一门简短的哲学史课程。对于上一代的价值观抱持批判的态度是很重要。如果说我曾经教苏菲任何事的话，那就是：要有批判性的思考态度。黑格尔称之为否定的思考。”
The financial adviser was still standing, drumming his fingers on the table.
乔先生还没有坐下。他一直站在那儿，用手指敲击桌面。
"This agitator is attempting to break down all the sound values which the school and the church and we ourselves are trying to instill in the younger generation. It is they who have the future before them and who one day will inherit everything we have built up. If this man is not immediately removed from this gathering I intend to call our lawyer. He will know how to deal with this situation."
“这个煽动家企图破坏学校、教会和我们努力灌输给下一代的所有健全的价值观。年轻人有他们的未来，他们终有一天会继承我们所有的成就。如果这个家伙不立刻离开这里，我就要叫我的家庭律师来。他知道该怎么处理这样的事情。”
"It makes little difference whether you deal with this situation or not, since you are nothing but a shadow. Anyway, Sophie and I are about to leave the party, since for us the philosophy course has not been purely theoretical. It has also had its practical side. When the time is ripe we will perform our disappearing act. That is how we are going to sneak our way out of the major's consciousness."
“既然你只是一个影子，因此不管你想要处理的是什么事情，对他来说都没什么差别。还有，不管怎样，苏菲和我马上就要离开这个宴会了，因为，对我们而言，我们所上的哲学课不完全只谈理论，它也有实际的一面。当时机成熟时，我们会表演一个消失不见的把戏。那样我们就可以从少校的意识里偷偷溜走。”
消失
Helene Amundsen took hold of her daughter's arm.
苏菲的妈妈拉着苏菲的手。
"You are not leaving me, are you, Sophie?"
“你不会离开我吧？苏菲。”
Sophie put her arms around her mother. She looked up at Alberto.
苏菲用双臂抱住妈妈，并抬头看着艾伯特。
"Mom is so sad . . ."
“妈妈很难过……”
"No, that's just ridiculous. Don't forget what you have learned. It's this sort of nonsense we must liberate ourselves from. Your mother is a sweet and kind lady, just as the Little Red Ridinghood who came to my door that day had a basket filled with food for her grandmother. Your mother is no more sad than the plane that just flew over needed fuel for its congratulation maneuvers."
“不，这是很荒谬的。你不可以忘记你所学的。我们要挣脱的是这些胡言。你的妈妈就像那个带着一篮子食物要送给她祖母的小红帽一样的可爱、亲切。她当然会难过，可是那就像那架飞在我们头顶上祝你生日快乐的飞机需要有燃料一样。”
"I think I see what you mean," said Sophie, and turned back to her mother. "That's why I have to do what he says, Mom. One day I had to leave you."
“我明白你的意思了。”苏菲说，于是她转身背对着妈妈。“所以我必须照他的话做。早晚有一天，我是一定得离开你的。”
"I'm going to miss you," said her mother, "but if there is a heaven over this one, you'll just have to fly. I promise to take good care of Govinda. Does it eat one or two lettuce leaves a day?"
“我会想你的，”她妈妈说，“可是如果这上面有一个天堂，你得飞上去才行，我答应你我会好好照顾葛文达。它一天吃一片还是两片莴苣叶子？”
Alberto put his hand on her shoulder.
艾伯特把手放在她的肩膀上。
"Neither you nor anyone else here will miss us for the simple reason that you do not exist. You are no more than shadows."
“在座没有一个人，包括你在内，会想念我们。理由很简单：因为你们并不存在。所以你们不会有什么器官可以用来想念我们。”
"That is the worst insult I've ever heard," Mrs. Ingebrigtsen burst out.
“这简直是太污辱人了。”乔安的妈妈大声说。
Her husband nodded.
她的丈夫点点头。
"If nothing else, we can always get him nailed for defamation of character. I'm sure he's a Communist. He wants to strip us of everything we hold dear. The man's a scoundrel."
“我们至少可以告他毁谤。他想要剥夺所有我们珍视的东西。这人是个无赖，是个该死的蛮子!”
With that, both Alberto and the financial adviser sat down. The letter's face was crimson with rage. Now Joanna and Jeremy also came and sat at the table. Their clothes were grubby and crumpled. Joanna's golden hair was caked with mud and earth.
说完后，他和艾伯特都坐下来了。乔安的爸爸气得脸色发红。此时，乔安和杰瑞米也过来坐下了。他们的衣服全都脏兮兮的，皱成一团。乔安的金发上也沾了一块块的泥巴。
"Mom, I'm going to have a baby," she announced.
“妈，我要生小孩了。”她宣布说。
"All right, but you'll have to wait till you get home."
“好吧，可是你得等到回家再生。”
She had immediate support from her husband. "She'll simply have to contain herself," he said. "And if there is to be a christening tonight, she'll have to arrange it herself."
乔先生也立刻表示支持。“她得克制一下她自己。如果小孩今晚要受洗的话，她得自己设法安排。”
Alberto looked down at Sophie with a somber expression.
艾伯特用一种肃穆的神情看着苏菲。
"It's time."
“时候到了。”
"Can't you at least bring us a little more coffee before you go?" asked her mother.
“你走之前能不能给我们端几杯咖啡来呢？”苏菲的妈妈问。
"Of course, Mom, I'll do it right away."
“当然可以，马上来。”
Sophie took the thermos from the table. She had to make more coffee. While she stood waiting for it to brew, she fed the birds and the goldfish. She also went into the bathroom and put a lettuce leaf out for Govinda. She couldn't see the cat anywhere, but she opened a large can of cat food, emptied it into a bowl and set it out on the step. She felt her tears welling up.
她从桌上拿了保温瓶。她得把厨房里的咖啡机再加满水才行。当她站在那儿等水煮开时，顺便喂了鸟和金鱼，并走进浴室，拿出一片莴苣叶给葛文达吃。她到处找不到雪儿，不过她还是开了一大罐猫食，倒在一只碗里，并把碗放在门前的台阶上。她的眼泪不断涌出来。
When she returned with the coffee, the garden party looked more like a children's party than a young woman's philosophical celebration. Several soda bottles had been knocked over on the table, there was chocolate cake smeared all over the tablecloth and the dish of raisin buns lay upside down on the lawn. Just as Sophie arrived, one of the boys put a firecracker to the layer cake, which exploded all over the table and the guests. The worst casualty was Mrs. Ingebrigtsen's red pants suit. The curious thing was that both she and everybody else took it with the utmost calm. Joanna picked up a huge piece of chocolate cake, smeared it all over Jeremy's face, and proceeded to lick it off again.
当她端着咖啡回到园里时，宴会中的情景像是一个儿童聚会，而不像是一个十五岁生日宴会。桌上有好几个打翻的汽水瓶，桌布上到处沾满了巧克力蛋糕，装葡萄干面包的盘子覆在苹坪上。苏菲来到时，有一个男孩正把一串鞭炮放在双层蛋糕上。鞭炮爆炸时，蛋糕上的奶油溅得桌上、客人的身上到处都是。受害最深的是乔安的妈妈那身红色的裤装。奇怪的是她和每一个人都一副若无其事的样子。这时，乔安拿了一大块巧克力蛋糕，涂在杰瑞米的脸上，然后开始用舌头把它舔掉。
Her mother and Alberto were sitting in the glider a little way away from the others.
苏菲的妈妈和艾伯特一起坐在秋千上，与其他人有一段距离。
They waved to Sophie.
他们向苏菲挥挥手。
"So you finally had your confidential talk," said Sophie.
“你们两个终于开始密谈了。”苏菲说。
"And you were perfectly right," said her mother, quite elated now. "Alberto is a very altruistic person. I entrust you to his strong arms."
“你说对了。”她妈妈说，一副兴高采烈的样子。“艾伯特是一个很体贴人的人。我可以放心地把你交给他了。”
Sophie sat down between them.
苏菲坐在他们两人中间。
Two of the boys had managed to climb onto the roof. One of the girls went around pricking holes in all the balloons with a hairpin. Then an uninvited guest arrived on a motorcycle with a crate of beer and bottles of aquavit strapped to the carrier. A few helpful souls welcomed him in.
这时，有两个男孩爬上了屋顶。一个女孩走来走去，用发夹到处戳气球。然后有一个不请自来的客人骑了一辆摩托车到来，后座的架子上绑了一箱啤酒和几瓶白兰地。有几个人很高兴地欢迎他进来。
At that, the financial adviser rose from the table. He clapped his hands and said:"Do you want to play a game?"
乔先生看到后便站起来，拍拍手说：“我们来玩游戏好吗？”
He grabbed a bottle of beer, drank it down, and set the empty bottle in the middle of the lawn. Then he went to the table and fetched the last five rings of the birthday cake. He showed the other guests how to throw the rings so they landed over the neck of the bottle.
他抓了一瓶啤酒，一口喝尽，并把空瓶子放在草坪中央。然后他走到餐桌旁，拿了生日蛋糕上的最后五个杏仁圈，向其他客人示范如何把圈饼丢出去，套在啤酒瓶的瓶颈上。
"The death throes," said Alberto. "We'd better get away before the major ends it all and Hilde closes the ring binder."
“死亡的苦痛。”艾伯特说。“现在，在少校结束一切，在席德把讲义夹合上前，我们最好赶紧离开。”
"You'll have to clear up alone, Mom."
“妈，你得一个人清理这些东西了！”
"It doesn't matter, child. This was no life for you. If Alberto can give you a better one, nobody will be happier than I. Didn't you tell me he had a white horse?"
“没关系，孩子。这不是你应该过的生活。如果艾伯特能够让你过得比较好，我比谁都高兴。你不是告诉过我他有一匹白马吗？”
Sophie looked out across the garden. It was unrecognizable. Bottles, chicken bones, buns, and balloons were trampled into the grass.
苏菲向花园望去，已经认不得这是哪里了。草地上到处都是瓶子、鸡骨头、面包和气球。
"This was once my little Garden of Eden," she said.
“这里曾经是我小小的伊甸园。”她说。
"And now you're being driven out of it," said Alberto.
“现在你要被赶出来了。”艾伯特答道。
One of the boys was sitting in the white Mercedes. He revved the engine and the car smashed through the garden gate, up the gravel path, and down into the garden.
这时有一个男孩正坐在白色的宾士轿车里。他发动引擎，车子就飞快冲过大门口，开到石子路上，并开进花园。
Sophie felt a hard grip on her arm as she was dragged into the den. Then she heard Alberto's voice:"Now!"
苏菲感觉有人紧抓着她的手臂，把她拖进密洞内。然后她听见艾伯特的声音：“来吧！”
At the same moment the white Mercedes crashed into an apple tree. Unripe fruit showered down onto the hood.
就在这时，白色的宾士车撞到了一棵苹果树。树上那些还没成熟的苹果像下雨般纷纷落在车盖上。
"That's going too far!" shouted the financial adviser. "I demand substantial compensation!"
“简直太过分了！”乔安的爸爸大吼。“我要你赔!”
His wife gave him her full support.
他大大全力支持他。
"It's that damned scoundrel's fault! Where is he?"
“都是那个无赖的错。咦，他跑到哪里去了？”
"They have vanished into thin air," said Helene Amundsen, not without a touch of pride.
“他们在空气中消失了。”苏菲的妈妈说，语气里有点自豪。
She drew herself up to her full height, walked toward the long table and began to clear up after the philosophical garden party.
她站起身，走向那张长餐桌，开始清理碗盘。
"More coffee, anyone?"
“还有没有人要喝咖啡？”