There were two or three things that I wanted to know. —
我想知道的有两三件事。 —

I do not care about a mystery. —
我不在乎谜团。 —

So I began to inquire.
所以我开始询问。

It took me two weeks to find out what women carry in dress suit cases. —
我花了两个星期才弄清楚女人在旅行箱里放些什么。 —

And then I began to ask why a mattress is made in two pieces. —
然后我开始问为什么床垫要分成两截。 —

This serious query was at first received with suspicion because it sounded like a conundrum. —
这个严肃的问题起初受到怀疑，因为听起来像个谜语。 —

I was at last assured that its double form of construction was designed to make lighter the burden of woman, who makes up beds. —
最后我被告知，床垫的双层结构是为了减轻女人的负担，因为她们要整理床铺。 —

I was so foolish as to persist, begging to know why, then, they were not made in two equal pieces; whereupon I was shunned.
我太愚蠢了，居然坚持不懈，想知道为什么它们不是分成两等分；结果我被回避了。

The third draught that I craved from the fount of knowledge was enlightenment concerning the character known as A Man About Town. He was more vague in my mind than a type should be. —
我想对一个名叫城里人的角色有更明确的了解。他在我脑海中比一个类型应该有的形象更模糊。 —

We must have a concrete idea of anything, even if it be an imaginary idea, before we can comprehend it. —
我们必须对任何事情有一个具体的概念，即使是一个虚构的概念，才能理解它。 —

Now, I have a mental picture of John Doe that is as clear as a steel engraving. —
现在，我对约翰·多的心理画像如同钢版画一样清晰。 —

His eyes are weak blue; he wears a brown vest and a shiny black serge coat.
他的眼睛颜色暗淡的蓝色；他穿着一件棕色背心和一件闪亮的黑色绒面外套。

He stands always in the sunshine chewing something; —
他总是站在阳光下嚼着东西； —

and he keeps half-shutting his pocket knife and opening it again with his thumb. —
他总是用拇指半合着口袋刀，又打开。 —

And, if the Man Higher Up is ever found, take my assurance for it, he will be a large, pale man with blue wristlets showing under his cuffs, and he will be sitting to have his shoes polisbed within sound of a bowling alley, and there will be somewhere about him turquoises.
如果找到高层人物，相信我，他一定是一个身材高大，苍白的人，袖口下露出蓝色腕带，他坐在离保龄球馆听得到声音的地方，而且他身上一定有一些绿松石。

But the canvas of my imagination, when it came to limning the Man About Town, was blank. —
但是当我想像一个都会男子时，我的想象空白一片。 —

I fancied that he bad a detachable sneer (like the smile of the Cheshire cat) and attached cuffs; —
我想他有一种可拆卸的冷笑（像猫咪的微笑），和可拆卸的袖口； —

and that was all. Whereupon I asked a newspaper reporter about him.
那就是全部了。于是我问了一个新闻记者。

“Why,” said he, “a ‘Man About Town’ something between a ‘rounder’ and a ‘clubman.’ He isn’t exactly–well, he fits in between Mrs. Fish’s receptions and private boxing bouts. —
“嗯，”他说，“一个『都会男子』介于『里恰酒吧出游者』和『俱乐部会员』之间。” 他并不完全是……嗯，他处于费什夫人的宴会和私人拳击赛之间。 —

He doesn’t–well, he doesn’t belong either to the Lotos Club or to the Jerry McGeogheghan Galvanised Iron Workers’ Apprentices’ Left Hook Chowder Association. —
他不-嗯，他也不属于Lotos俱乐部或Jerry McGeogheghan镀锌铁工学徒左勾肉汤协会。 —

I don’t exactly know how to describe him to you. —
我不太知道如何向你描述他。 —

You’ll see him everywhere there’s anything doing. —
你会在任何有事情发生的地方看到他。是的， —

Yes, I suppose he’s a type. —
我想他是一种类型。 —

Dress clothes every evening; knows the ropes; —
每晚都穿着正装；知道行规； —

calls every policeman and waiter in town by their first names. No; —
以他们的名字叫每个警察和侍者。不过， —

he never travels with the hydrogen derivatives. —
他从不与氢衍生物一起旅行。 —

You generally see him alone or with another man.”
你通常会看到他独自一人或与另一个男人在一起。”

My friend the reporter left me, and I wandered further afield. —
我的记者朋友离开了我，于是我继续往外走。 —

By this time the 3126 electric lights on the Rialto were alight. —
此时，Rialto上的3126个电灯亮了起来。 —

People passed, but they held me not. —
人们走过，但他们对我毫不在意。 —

Paphian eyes rayed upon me, and left me unscathed. —
莱茵女神的眼神射向我，却没有伤害到我。 —

Diners, heimgangers, shop-girls, confidence men, panhandlers, actors, highwaymen, millionaires and outlanders hurried, skipped, strolled, sneaked, swaggered and scurried by me; —
用餐的人、回家的人、女店员、骗子、乞丐、演员、强盗、百万富翁和外地人匆匆走过、跳过、溜走、悠闲地散步、偷偸行走、趾高气扬地走过； —

but I took no note of them. I knew them all; —
但我对他们没有留意。我认识他们所有人； —

I had read their hearts; —
我读懂了他们的内心； —

they had served. —
他们曾为我服务过。 —

I wanted my Man About Town. He was a type, and to drop him would be an error–a typograph–but no! —
我想要一个名流。他是一种类型，放弃他将是一个错误-一个排版错误-但是不! —

let us continue.
让我们继续。

Let us continue with a moral digression. —
让我们继续进行道德上的离题。 —

To see a family reading the Sunday paper gratifies. —
看到一家人在读星期日的报纸是令人满意的。 —

The sections have been separated. —
各个版块已经被分开。 —

Papa is earnestly scanning the page that pictures the young lady exercising before an open window, and bending–but there, there! —
爸爸正在认真地浏览那幅描绘年轻女士在敞开的窗户前锻炼并弯腰的图片，但是，那里，那里！ —

Mamma is interested in trying to guess the missing letters in the word Nw Yok. The oldest girls are eagerly perusing the financial reports, for a certain young man remarked last Sunday night that he had taken a flyer in Q., X. & Z. Willie, the eighteen-year-old son, who attends the New York public school, is absorbed in the weekly article describing how to make over an old skirt, for he hopes to take a prize in sewing on graduation day.
妈妈对猜测”Nw Yok”这个词中缺失的字母很感兴趣。年长的女孩们正在热切地阅读财经报告，因为上周日晚上有个年轻人说他在Q.，X.和Z.方面进行了投资。威利，这个就读于纽约公立学校的十八岁儿子，正在专注地阅读每周一篇描述如何改造旧裙子的文章，因为他希望在毕业典礼上赢得缝纫比赛的奖品。

Grandma is holding to the comic supplement with a two-hours’ grip; —
奶奶紧紧地握着连环漫画。 —

and little Tottie, the baby, is rocking along the best she can with the real estatc transfers. —
而小宝宝，托蒂，正在努力阅读地产转让的内容。 —

This view is intended to be reassuring, for it is desirable that a few lines of this story be skipped. —
这个观点旨在令人放心，因为这个故事中的几行可以被跳过。 —

For it introduces strong drink.
因为介绍了烈酒。

I went into a cafe to – and while it was being mixed I asked the man who grabs up your hot Scotch spoon as soon as you lay it down what he undcrstood by the term, epithet, description, designation, characterisation or appellation, viz.: a “Man About Town.”
我走进一家咖啡馆–在调制饮料时，我问接过你的热苏格兰勺的人，他对于“镇上的人”这个词的理解。

“Why,” said he, carefully, “it means a fly guy that’s wise to the all-night push–see? —
他小心地说：“这意味着一个精明的家伙，对于整夜的事情很了解–明白吗？ —

It’s a hot sport that you can’t bump to the rail anywhere between the Flatirons–see? —
这是一个不管你从哪个地方走到Flatirons之间都不能错过的热门运动–明白吗？ —

I guess that’s about what it means.”
我想那大概就是它的意思。

I thanked him and departed.
我感谢他然后离开了。

On the sidewalk a Salvation lassie shook her contribution receptacle gently against my waistcoat pocket.
在人行道上，一位救世军女士轻轻摇动着她的捐款盒子，靠在我的背心口袋上。

“Would you mind telling me,” I asked her, “if you ever meet with the character commonly denominated as ‘A Man About Town’ during your daily wanderings?”
“请问一下，”我问她，“你在日常漫游中是否曾遇到被普遍称为‘镇上的人’的角色？”

“I think I know whom you mean,” she answered, with a gentle smile. “We see them in the same places night after night. —
“我想我知道你指的是谁了，”她带着温和的微笑回答道。“我们在同样的地方每个晚上都见到他们。” —

They are the devil’s body guard, and if the soldiers of any army are as faithful as they are, their commanders are well served. —
他们是魔鬼的护卫，如果任何军队的士兵都像他们一样忠诚，他们的指挥官就会得到很好的服务。 —

We go among them, diverting a few pennies from their wickedness to the Lord’s service.”
我们走到他们中间，把一些钱从他们的邪恶事业中转到上帝的事工中。

She shook the box again and I dropped a dime into it.
她再次摇晃着那个盒子，我就投了一角进去。

In front of a glittering hotel a friend of mine, a critic, was climbing from a cab. —
在一家闪闪发光的酒店前，一个朋友，一个批评家，正从出租车上下来。 —

He seemed at leisure; —
他似乎很悠闲； —

and I put my question to him. —
我向他提出了我的问题。 —

He answered me conscientiously, as I was sure he would.
他诚实地回答了我，我想他肯定会这样做。

“There is a type of ‘Man About Town’ in New York,” he answered. —
“在纽约有一种‘都市人’类型，”他回答道。 —

“The term is quite familiar to me, but I don’t think I was ever called upon to define the character before. —
“这个术语我很熟悉，但我想我以前从来没被要求给这个人物下定义。 —

It would be difficult to point you out an exact specimen. —
要找出一个确切的样本是很困难的。 —

I would say, offhand, that it is a man who had a hopeless case of the peculiar New York disease of wanting to see and know. —
我会直接说，这是一种患有纽约特有病症————想要看见和了解的人。” —

At 6 o’clock each day life begins with him. —
每天六点，他的生活开始了。 —

He follows rigidly the conventions of dress and manners; —
他严格遵守着着装和礼仪的传统； —

but in the business of poking his nose into places where he does not belong he could give pointers to a civet cat or a jackdaw. —
但是在探究他不该涉足的领域时，他可比狸猫还会拐弯抹角； —

He is the man who has chased Bohemia about the town from rathskeller to roof garden and from Hester street to Harlem until you can’t find a place in the city where they don’t cut their spaghetti with a knife. —
他就是那个一直在城里四处追寻波西米亚风情，从啤酒屋到天台花园，从海斯特街到哈林。如今你在城市任何一个地方都找不到不用刀切意面的地方； —

Your ‘Man About Town’ has done that. —
你所说的”城中人”就是他。 —

He is always on the scent of something new. —
他总在追寻新鲜事物， —

He is curiosity, impudence and omnipresence. —
好奇心、厚颜无耻和无所不在是他的特点； —

Hansoms were made for him, and gold-banded cigars; —
他为的是马车和有金带的雪茄； —

and the curse of music at dinner. —
餐桌上则是音乐的诅咒； —

There are not so many of him; —
虽然他们数量不多， —

but his minority report is adopted everywhere.
但他们的报告却被广泛采纳；

“I’m glad you brought up the subject; —
“很高兴你提到了这个话题； —

I’ve felt the influence of this nocturnal blight upon our city, but I never thought to analyse it before. —
我曾感受到这个夜间的灾厄对我们城市的影响，但我以前从未想过要分析它。 —

I can see now that your ‘Man About Town’ should havc been classified long ago. —
我现在可以看到，你的“独行侠”早就应该被归类了。 —

In his wake spring up wine agents and cloak models; —
在他的身后冒出了葡萄酒代理商和时装模特儿； —

and the orchestra ‘p1ays ‘Let’s All Go Up to Maud’s’ for him, by request, instead of Handel. He makes his rounds every evening; —
而乐队演奏的是“让我们都去莫德屋”的曲子，是应他的要求演奏的，而不是亨德尔的。他每天晚上四处巡游； —

while you and I see the elephant once a week. —
而你我每周只在一起看一次杂耍。 —

When the cigar store is raided, he winks at the officer, familiar with his ground, and walks away immune, while you and I search among the Presidents for names, and among the stars for addresses to give the desk sergeant.”
当雪茄店被突袭时，他冲警官眨眼熟悉他的地盘，毫发无损地走开，而你我则在总统名单中寻找名字，在星星中寻找地址来告诉值班警官。”

My friend, the critic, paused to acquire breath for fresh eloquence. —
我的朋友，这位评论家，停下来喘口气，为了新的辞藻。 —

I seized my advantage.
我抓住了机会。

“You have classified him,” I cried with joy. —
“你已经将他归类了，”我高兴地喊道。 —

“You have painted his portrait in the gallery of city types. —
“你已经在城市类型画廊中为他画下了形象。 —

But I must meet one face to face. —
但我必须亲自面对面地见到他。 —

I must study the Man About Town at first hand. —
我必须亲自研究一下这位独行侠。 —

Where shall I find him? How shall I know him?”
我在哪里可以找到他？我如何认出他？”

Without seeming to hear me, the critic went on. —
评论家似乎没有听到我的话，继续说着。 —

And his cab-driver was waiting for his fare, too.
他的出租车司机也在等着收车费。

“He is the sublimated essence of Butt-in; —
“他是焕发的书呆子本质； —

the refined, intrinsic extract of Rubber; —
精炼的、本质的橡胶精华； —

the concentrated, purified, irrefutable, unavoidable spirit of Curiosity and Inquisitiveness. —
专注的、纯净的、不可否认的、不可避免的好奇心和求知欲的精神。 —

A new sensation is the breath in his nostrils; —
一种新的感觉充满了他的鼻孔； —

when his experience is exhausted he explores new fields with the indefatigability of a–”
当他的经验用尽时，他用不倦的毅力探索新领域，就像一只…“

“Excuse me,” I interrupted, “but can you produce one of this type? —
“对不起，”我打断道，“你能给我展示一个这种类型的人吗？ —

It is a new thing to me. —
这对我是新事物， —

I must study it. —
我必须研究一下。 —

I will search the town over until I find one. —
我会在城里搜索，直到找到一个。 —

Its habitat must be here on Broadway.”
它的栖息地一定在百老汇上。”

“I am about to dine here,” said my friend. “Come inside, and if there is a Man About Town present I will point him out to you. —
“我正要在这里进餐，”我的朋友说。“进来吧，如果有一个城里人在场，我会给你指出来的。 —

I know most of the regular patrons here.”
我认识这里的大部分常客。”

“I am not dining yet,” I said to him. “You will excuse me. —
“我还没吃饭，”我对他说。“请你原谅。 —

I am going to find my Man About Town this night if I have to rake New York from the Battery to Little Coney Island.”
如果必要的话，我会将纽约搜遍，直到找到我的城里人。”

I left the hotel and walked down Broadway. —
我离开旅馆，沿着百老汇走下去。 —

The pursuit of my type gave a pleasant savour of life and interest to the air I breathed. —
追寻我所寻找的这种类型给我呼吸的空气中增添了愉悦的生活和兴趣的味道。” —

I was glad to be in a city so great, so complex and diversified. —
我很高兴能在这样伟大、复杂和多元的城市里。 —

Leisurely and with something of an air I strolled along with my heart expanding at the thought that I was a citizen of great Gotham, a sharer in its magnificence and pleasures, a partaker in its glory and prestige.
我悠闲地走着，一股自豪之情油然而生，想到我是伟大的哥谭市的一员，分享它的壮丽和乐趣，享受它的荣耀和声望。

I turned to cross the street. —
我转身准备过马路时， —

I heard something buzz like a bee, and then I took a long, pleasant ride with Santos-Dumont.
听到了蜜蜂般的嗡嗡声，然后和桑托斯-杜蒙一起享受了一次悠长而愉快的旅程。

When I opened my eyes I remembered a smell of gasoline, and I said aloud: “Hasn’t it passed yet?”
当我睁开眼睛时，我闻到汽油的味道，我大声说：“还没过去吗？”

A hospital nurse laid a hand that was not particularly soft upon my brow that was not at all fevered. —
一位护士用一只并不特别柔软的手轻轻触摸着我的额头，额头上并没有发热。 —

A young doctor came along, grinned, and handed me a morning newspaper.
一个年轻的医生走过来，笑着给我递了一份早报。

“Want to see how it happened?” he asked cheerily. I read the article. —
他愉快地问道：“想看看发生了什么吗？”我阅读了那篇文章。 —

Its headlines began where I heard the buzzing leave off the night before. —
它的标题从我昨晚听到的嗡嗡声开始。 —

It closed with these lines:
结尾是这样的句子：

Bellevue Hospital, where it was said that his injuries were not serious. —
贝尔维尤医院，据说他的伤势并不严重。 —

He appeared to be a typica1 Man About Town.”
他看起来就像一个典型的城市人士。”