PRITHEE, smite the poet in the eye when he would sing to you praises of the month of May. It is a month presided over by the spirits of mischief and madness. —
求之于尔，当诗人吟唱五月的赞美时，爆他的眼睛。五月是一个由淘气和疯狂的精灵掌管的月份。 —

Pixies and flibbertigibbets haunt the budding woods: —
精灵和无忧无虑者们在林间出没: —

Puck and his train of midgets are busy in town and country.
小说《仲夏夜之梦》里的恶灵浮克和他的伙伴们在城乡忙碌。

In May nature holds up at us a chiding finger, bidding us remember that we are not gods, but overconceited members of her own great family. —
五月时，大自然伸出手指指责我们，提醒我们记住我们不是神，我们只是她伟大家族中过于自负的成员。 —

She reminds us that we are brothers to the chowder-doomed clam and the donkey; —
她提醒我们，我们和被命运嘲弄的蛤蜊和驴子是兄弟； —

lineal scions of the pansy and the chimpanzee, and but cousins-german to the cooing doves, the quacking ducks and the housemaids and policemen in the parks.
是花公仔和黑猩猩的血统，只是鸽子的近亲、嘎嘎鸭、公园里的女佣和警察。

In May Cupid shoots blindfolded – millionaires marry stenographers; —
五月里丘比特带着蒙上眼睛的一箭射出，百万富翁和打字员结婚； —

wise professors woo white-aproned gum-chewers behind quick-lunch counters; —
聪明的教授在快餐柜台后面追求穿白围裙的嗑口香糖者； —

schoolma’ams make big bad boys remain after school; —
女教师让大坏小孩放学后留在教室； —

lads with ladders steal lightly over lawns where Juliet waits in her trellissed window with her telescope packed; —
带着梯子的男孩轻盈地越过园地，朝着朱丽叶带着望远镜的花枝窗户走去。 —

young couples out for a walk come home married; —
年轻夫妇出去散步后就回家结婚了； —

old chaps put on white spats and promenade near the Normal School; —
老人们穿上白色护腿，漫步在师范学校附近； —

even married men, grown unwontedly tender and sentimental, whack their spouses on the back and growl: —
即使是已婚男子也会变得异常温柔和多愁善感，拍拍妻子的背，咆哮道：“老婆， —

“How goes it, old girl:”
你好吗？”

This May, who is no goddess, but Circe, masquerading at the dance given in honour of the fair débutante, Summer, puts the kibosh on us all.
今年五月，不是女神，而是西西，化身成在为美丽的新晋社交名媛夏天举办的舞会上扫大家的兴。

Old Mr. Coulson groaned a little, and then sat up straight in his invalid’s chair. —
老柯尔森先生轻轻地呻吟了一声，然后坐直在他的病椅上。 —

He had the gout very bad in one foot, a house near Gramercy Park, half a million dollars and a daughter. —
他一只脚因痛风而非常痛，住在格拉默西公园附近的一座房子里，有五十万美元和一个女儿。 —

And he had a housekeeper, Mrs. Widdup. —
他有一个家政管理员，名字叫做韦道普夫人。 —

The fact and the name deserve a sentence each. —
这个事实和名字都值得单独一句来说明。 —

They have it.
我们就这样做了。

When May poked Mr. Coulson he became elder brother to the turtle-dove. —
当五月戳戳柯尔森先生时，他就变成了像鸽子一样的哥哥。 —

In the window near which he sat were boxes of jonquils, of hyacinths, geraniums and pansies. —
在他坐着的窗户里有盒装风信子、风信子、天竺葵和三色堇。微风将它们的香气带进了房间。 —

The breeze brought their odour into the room. —
—

Immediately there was a well-contested round between the breath of the flowers and the able and active effluvium from gout liniment. —
立刻，花的气息和痛风膏的活跃气味展开了激烈的竞争。 —

The liniment won easily; but not before the flowers got an uppercut to old Mr. Coulson’s nose. —
痛风膏轻松获胜，但在此之前，花儿给老库尔森先生的鼻子来了一次直拳。 —

The deadly work of the implacable, false enchantress May was done.
这场残酷而无情的假魔女梅的阴谋已经完成。

Across the park to the olfactories of Mr. Coulson came other unmistakable, characteristic, copyrighted smells of spring that belong to the-big-city-above-the-Subway, alone. —
从公园的丛林里飘过来了春天的独特、特许的大城市的气味。 —

The smells of hot asphalt, underground caverns, gasoline, patchouli, orange peel, sewer gas, Albany grabs, Egyptian cigarettes, mortar and the undried ink on newspapers. —
热沥青、地下洞穴、汽油、广藿香、橘子皮、下水道气味、奥尔巴尼香烟、砂浆和未干的报纸上的墨水。 —

The inblowing air was sweet and mild. —
吹拂而来的空气是甜美和温和的。 —

Sparrows wrangled happily everywhere outdoors. —
麻雀在户外快乐地争吵着。 —

Never trust May.
永远不要相信梅。

Mr. Coulson twisted the ends of his white mustache, cursed his foot, and pounded a bell on the table by his side.
库尔森先生扭动着他的白胡子，咒骂着自己的脚，然后在桌子旁边猛敲了一下钟。

In came Mrs. Widdup. She was comely to the eye, fair, flustered, forty and foxy.
维达夫人走了进来。她令人愉快地看着，漂亮，慌乱，四十多岁，狡猾。

“Higgins is out, sir,” she said, with a smile suggestive of vibratory massage. —
“希金斯先生出去了，先生。”她微笑着，面带一种令人联想到振动按摩的神情。 —

“He went to post a letter. —
“他出去寄信了。 —

Can I do anything for you, sir?”
我可以为您做点什么吗，先生？”

“It’s time for my aconite,” said old Mr. Coulson. —
“该吃我的附片了，”老科尔森先生说道。 —

“Drop it for me. The bottle’s there. —
“帮我放下来。瓶子就在那里。 —

Three drops. In water. —
三滴。冲水里。” —

D – that is, confound Higgins! —
“该死的，让希金斯见鬼去吧！ —

There’s nobody in this house cares if I die here in this chair for want of attention.”
这里没有一个人在乎我坐在这把椅子上因为得不到关心而死。”

Mrs. Widdup sighed deeply.
维德普夫人深深地叹了口气。

“Don’t be saying that, sir,” she said. —
“别这样说，先生，”她说。 —

“There’s them that would care more than any one knows. —
“有些人会比任何人都关心。 —

Thirteen drops, you said, sir?”
您说是十三滴对吗，先生？”

“Three,” said old man Coulson.
“三滴，”老科尔森先生说道。

He took his dose and then Mrs. Widdup’s hand. She blushed. —
他服下了药，并握住了维德普夫人的手。她脸红了。 —

Oh, yes, it can be done. —
噢，是的，这是可以做到的。 —

Just hold your breath and compress the diaphragm.
只需屏住呼吸，压缩横膈膜而已。

“Mrs. Widdup,” said Mr. Coulson, “the springtime’s full upon us.”
“维德普夫人，春天来了。”科尔森先生说道。

“Ain’t that right?” said Mrs. Widdup. “The air’s real warm. —
“是呀，对吧？”维德普夫人说。“空气真暖和。每个角落都有黑啤酒的招牌。 —

And there’s bock-beer signs on every corner. —
公园里到处都是黄色、粉红色和蓝色的花儿；我腿和身体上都有剧痛。” —

And the park’s all yaller and pink and blue with flowers; —
“是的，是的。”科尔森先生点头道。 —

and I have such shooting pains up my legs and body.”
“但你不能让我一个人去，维德普。”

”‘In the spring,’” quoted Mr. Coulson, curling his mustache, “‘a y– that is, a man’s – fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.’”
“‘在春天，’” Mr. Coulson 引用道，捻着他的胡子说：‘一个年轻人’–也就是说，一个男人–‘悄然转向爱的思绪’。”

“Lawsy, now!” exclaimed Mrs. Widdup; —
“‘哎呀，天哪！’”Mrs. Widdup 惊叹道；” —

“ain’t that right? Seems like it’s in the air.”
‘是不是真的？似乎感觉到空气中弥漫着。’”

”‘In the spring,’” continued old Mr. Coulson, “‘a livelier iris shines upon the burnished dove.’”
“‘在春天，’”老 Coulson 继续说，” ‘更鲜艳的虹膜映照着发亮的鸽子身上。’”

“They do be lively, the Irish,” sighed Mrs. Widdup pensively.
“爱尔兰人真是活跃啊，” Mrs. Widdup 幽幽地叹息着。

“Mrs. Widdup,” said Mr. Coulson, making a face at a twinge of his gouty foot, “this would be a lonesome house without you. —
“Widdup 夫人，” Coulson 先生对着被痛风束缚的脚苦苦做出了一个鬼脸说，” 没有你，这将会是一个孤独的屋子。” —

I’m an – that is, I’m an elderly man – but I’m worth a comfortable lot of money. —
“我是，也就是说，我已是个年迈的人，” 但我值一大笔舒适的钱。 —

If half a million dollars’ worth of Government bonds and the true affection of a heart that, though no longer beating with the first ardour of youth, can still throb with genuine – “
如果有五十万美元的政府债券以及一个虽然不再如青年时那样激情四溢但仍能激动真情的心–‘

The loud noise of an overturned chair near the portières of the adjoining room interrupted the venerable and scarcely suspecting victim of May.
一个声音巨大的靠背椅翻倒的声音在邻居房间的门帘处打断了这位庄重且几乎没有察觉的五月骗局的受害者。

In stalked Miss Van Meeker Constantia Coulson, bony, durable, tall, high-nosed, frigid, well-bred, thirty-five, in-the-neighbourhood-of-Gramercy-Parkish. —
以高贵、骨瘦如柴、耐用、高鼻子的气质而闻名的康斯坦莉亚·考尔森小姐，在格拉默西公园附近被跟踪。 —

She put up a lorgnette. Mrs. Widdup hastily stooped and arranged the bandages on Mr. Coulson’s gouty foot.
她举起望远镜。Widdup太太匆忙弯腰整理考尔森先生痛风的脚上的绷带。

“I thought Higgins was with you,” said Miss Van Meeker Constantia.
“我以为Higgins跟着你呢，” 康斯坦莉亚小姐说。

“Higgins went out,” explained her father, “and Mrs. Widdup answered the bell. —
“Higgins出去了，”她父亲解释道，” Widdup太太应门了。” —

That is better now, Mrs. Widdup, thank you. No; —
“好了，Widdup太太，谢谢你。不， —

there is nothing else I require.”
我没有其他需要了。”

The housekeeper retired, pink under the cool, inquiring stare of Miss Coulson.
女管家退下了，康斯坦莉亚小姐的冷漠而好奇的目光使她有些红了脸。

“This spring weather is lovely, isn’t it, daughter?” said the old man, consciously conscious.
“这个春天的天气真好，不是吗，女儿？” 老人自觉地自我意识地说。

“That’s just it,” replied Miss Van Meeker Constantia Coulson, somewhat obscurely. —
“就是这个，”康斯坦莉亚·考尔森小姐有些晦涩地回答道，” —

“When does Mrs. Widdup start on her vacation, papa?”
Widdup太太什么时候开始她的假期，爸爸？”

“I believe she said a week from to-day,” said Mr. Coulson.
“我相信她说是从今天起一周后，”考尔森先生说。

Miss Van Meeker Constantia stood for a minute at the window gazing, toward the little park, flooded with the mellow afternoon sunlight. —
康斯坦莉亚·考尔森小姐站在窗前凝视了一分钟，望着被温暖的下午阳光洒满的小公园。 —

With the eye of a botanist she viewed the flowers – most potent weapons of insidious May. With the cool pulses of a virgin of Cologne she withstood the attack of the ethereal mildness. —
以一名植物学家的眼光，她观察着花朵 - 这些潜在的阴险五月的武器。以一位科隆的处女的冷静心脏，她抵挡住了这迷人的温暖的袭击。 —

The arrows of the pleasant sunshine fell back, frostbitten, from the cold panoply of her unthrilled bosom. —
愉快的阳光箭雨从她未被触动的胸膛冷冰冰地反弹回来。 —

The odour of the flowers waked no soft sentiments in the unexplored recesses of her dormant heart. —
花朵的气味在她沉睡的心灵深处并未唤起任何温柔的情感。 —

The chirp of the sparrows gave her a pain. —
麻雀的叽叽喳喳给她带来了痛苦。 —

She mocked at May.
她嘲笑五月。

But although Miss Coulson was proof against the season, she was keen enough to estimate its power. —
尽管考尔森小姐不受季节的影响，但她足够敏锐地评估出季节的力量。 —

She knew that elderly men and thick-waisted women jumped as educated fleas in the ridiculous train of May, the merry mocker of the months. —
她知道那些年长的男人和腰围粗壮的女人在五月这个嬉笑的月份的可笑队伍中像受过教育的蚤子一样跳跃。 —

She had heard of foolish old gentlemen marrying their housekeepers before. —
她以前听说过愚蠢的老绅士娶自己的管家为妻。 —

What a humiliating thing, after all, was this feeling called love!
爱这种感觉，多么令人屈辱啊！

The next morning at 8 o’clock, when the iceman called, the cook told him that Miss Coulson wanted to see him in the basement.
第二天早上8点，当冰人来了的时候，厨师告诉他考尔森小姐想在地下室见他。

“Well, ain’t I the Olcott and Depew; —
“哇，我简直是奥尔科特和德普； —

not mentioning the first name at all?” said the iceman, admiringly, of himself.
根本不提名字？” 冰人自鸣得意地说道。

As a concession he rolled his sleeves down, dropped his icehooks on a syringe and went back. —
他妥协地卷起袖子，把冰钩放在一根注射器上，然后回去了。 —

When Miss Van Meeker Constantia Coulson addressed him he took off his bat.
当Meeker小姐凯恩斯坦娅·科尔森和他说话时，他脱下了帽子。

“There is a rear entrance to this basement,” said Miss Coulson, “which can be reached by driving into the vacant lot next door, where they are excavating for a building. —
“这个地下室有一个后门，可以通过驱车进入旁边的空地，他们正在那里挖建筑物。 —

I want you to bring in that way within two hours 1, 000 pounds of ice. You may have to bring another man or two to help you. —
我希望你用这种方式在两小时内带进来1000磅的冰。你可能需要再带上另外一两个人来帮忙。 —

I will show you where I want it placed. I also want 1, 000 pounds a day delivered the same way for the next four days. —
我会告诉你我希望冰放在哪里。我还希望接下来的四天每天以同样的方式送来1000磅的冰。 —

Your company may charge the ice on our regular bill. —
你们的公司可以把冰算到我们的正式账单上。 —

This is for your extra trouble.”
这是为了你们的额外麻烦。

Miss Coulson tendered a ten-dollar bill. The iceman bowed, and held his hat in his two hands behind him.
科尔森小姐递给了一个十美元的钞票。冰人鞠了一躬，把帽子用双手放在身后。

“Not if you’ll excuse me, lady. —
“如果您不介意的话，女士。 —

It’ll be a pleasure to fix things up for you any way you please.”
无论您怎么喜欢，我都很乐意帮您解决问题。”

Alas for May!
可悲的五月啊！

About noon Mr. Coulson knocked two glasses off his table, broke the spring of his bell and yelled for Higgins at the same time.
大约中午的时候，库尔森先生把两个玻璃杯从桌子上打翻了，在同一时间，他的铃铛弹簧也断了，他大声叫着海金斯过来。

“Bring an axe,” commanded Mr. Coulson, sardonically, or send out for a quart of prussic acid, or have a policeman come in and shoot me. —
“拿把斧头来，”库尔森先生讽刺地命令道，或者去买一夸脱的氰化氢，或者让一个警察进来开枪打死我。 —

I’d rather that than be frozen to death.”
“我宁愿如此，也不愿被冻死。”

“It does seem to be getting cool, Sir,” said Higgins. —
“看起来确实有点凉了，先生，”海金斯说道，” —

“I hadn’t noticed it before. —
我之前没有注意到。 —

I’ll close the window, Sir.”
我来关上窗户，先生。”

“Do,” said Mr. Coulson. “They call this spring, do they? —
“那就关上吧，”库尔森先生说道，”他们说这是春天，是吗？ —

If it keeps up long I’ll go back to Palm Beach. House feels like a morgue.”
如果这种天气继续下去，我会回帕姆比奇去的。这房子感觉就像一个太平间。”

Later Miss Coulson dutifully came in to inquire how the gout was progressing.
后来，库尔森小姐忠心地进来询问痛风的进展。

”‘Stantia,” said the old man, “how is the weather outdoors?”
“康斯坦蒂娅，”老人说道，”外面的天气如何？”

“Bright,” answered Miss Coulson, “but chilly.”
“晴朗，”康斯坦蒂娅回答道，”但有些凉意。”

“Feels like the dead of winter to me,” said Mr. Coulson.
“对我来说感觉就像寒冬来临了，”库尔森先生说道。

“An instance,” said Constantia, gazing abstractedly out the window, “ of ‘winter lingering in the lap of spring,’ though the metaphor is not in the most refined taste.”
“一个例子，” 康斯坦蒂娅目不转睛地望着窗外说道，” 显示了’冬日留连于春天的妇人怀中’，虽然这个比喻并不是最雅致的说法。”

A little later she walked down by the side of the little park and on westward to Broadway to accomplish a little shopping.
稍后她沿着小公园的一侧走到西边去了百老汇购物。

A little later than that Mrs. Widdup entered the invalid’s room.
比那晚一点点，Widdup夫人进入了病人的房间。

“Did you ring, Sir?” she asked, dimpling in many places. —
“您有呼叫吗，先生？”她笑纹深陷地问道。 —

“I asked Higgins to go to the drug store, and I thought I heard your bell.”
“我让Higgins去药店，我以为我听到了您的铃声。”

“I did not,” said Mr. Coulson.
“我没有，”Coulson先生说。

“I’m afraid,” said Mrs. Widdup, “I interrupted you sir, yesterday when you were about to say something.”
“恐怕，”Widdup夫人说，“昨天在您要说些什么的时候我打断了您，先生。”

“How comes it, Mrs. Widdup,” said old man Coulson sternly, “that I find it so cold in this house?”
“Widdup夫人，为什么这个房子这么冷？”老人Coulson严厉地说。

“Cold, Sir?” said the housekeeper, “why, now, since you speak of it it do seem cold in this room. But, outdoors it’s as warm and fine as June, sir. —
“冷，先生？”管家说，“现在您这么说，这个房间确实感觉冷。但外面像六月一样温暖和美丽，先生。 —

And how this weather do seem to make one’s heart jump out of one’s shirt waist, sir. —
这种天气似乎让人的心蹦出来了，先生。 —

And the ivy all leaved out on the side of the house, and the hand-organs playing, and the children dancing on the sidewalk – ‘tis a great time for speaking out what’s in the heart. —
而且屋子一侧的常春藤都长满了叶子，有手风琴在演奏，孩子们在人行道上跳舞——是一个说出心里话的好时机，先生。 —

You were saying yesterday, sir – “
昨天您说过，先生 – “

“Woman!” roared Mr. Coulson; “you are a fool. —
“女人！” 科尔森先生怒吼道，“你真是个傻瓜。 —

I pay you to take care of this house. —
我雇你来照顾这个房子。 —

I am freezing to death in my own room, and you come in and drivel to me about ivy and hand-organs. —
我在自己的房间里冻僵了，你却进来跟我胡说乱扯关于常春藤和手风琴的事。 —

Get me an overcoat at once. —
马上给我拿件大衣来。 —

See that all doors and windows are closed below. An old, fat, irresponsible, one-sided object like you prating about springtime and flowers in the middle of winter! —
确保楼下的所有门窗都关闭好。像你这个旧的、胖乎乎的、不负责任的、片面的家伙，在冬天中间谈论春天和花朵！ —

When Higgins comes back, tell him to bring me a hot rum punch. —
希金斯回来后，告诉他给我带一杯热朗姆酒。 —

And now get out!”
现在你走开！”

But who shall shame the bright face of May? —
但是谁会让明媚的五月脸蒙羞呢？ —

Rogue though she be and disturber of sane men’s peace, no wise virgins cunning nor cold storage shall make her bow her head in the bright galaxy of months.
虽然她是个流氓，扰乱了正常人的宁静，但没有聪明的处女的算计，也没有冷冻的保管，能让她在明亮的月亮星河下低头。

Oh, yes, the story was not quite finished.
哦，是的，这个故事还没有完全结束。

A night passed, and Higgins helped old man Coulson in the morning to his chair by the window. —
一夜过去了，早上希金斯帮助科尔森老人走到窗前的椅子上。 —

The cold of the room was gone. —
房间里的寒冷消失了。 —

Heavenly odours and fragrant mildness entered.
天上的芳香和宜人的温和气息流入。

In hurried Mrs. Widdup, and stood by his chair. —
匆忙的怀着急匆匆地走进了屋子，站在他的椅子旁边。 —

Mr. Coulson reached his bony hand and grasped her plump one.
库尔森先生伸出他干瘪的手，握住她丰满的手。

“Mrs. Widdup,” he said, “this house would be no home without you. —
“Widdup夫人，”他说，“没有你，这个房子就不会成为家。 —

I have half a million dollars. —
我有五十万美元。 —

If that and the true affection of a heart no lonoer in its youthful prime, but still not cold, could – “
如果这和一颗不再年轻但仍然不冷的心真挚的情感能——”

“I found out what made it cold,” said Mrs. Widdup, leanin’ against his chair. —
“我知道是什么让它变冷的，”Widdup夫人说着，依靠在他的椅子上。 —

”‘Twas ice – tons of it – in the basement and in the furnace room, everywhere. —
“那是冰——到处都是冰——在地下室和锅炉房里，无处不在。 —

I shut off the registers that it was coming through into your room, Mr. Coulson, poor soul! And now it’s Maytime again.”
我关闭了那些通到您房间里的暖气口，库尔森先生，可怜的灵魂！现在又是五月天了。”

“A true heart,” went on old man Coulson, a little wanderingly, “that the springtime has brought to life again, and – but what will my daughter say, Mrs. Widdup?”
“一颗真挚的心，”老库尔森继续说，有点迷离，“因为春天再次使它复苏，还有——但我的女儿会说什么，Widdup夫人？”

“Never fear, sir,” said Mrs. Widdup, cheerfully. —
“不要担心，先生，”Widdup夫人高兴地说。 —

“Miss Coulson, she ran away with the iceman last night, sir!”
“库尔森小姐，她昨晚和送冰的人私奔了！”