Let the story wreck itself on the spreading rails of the Non Sequitur. Limited, if it will; —
让故事自己毁掉在不顺之路上。如果可以的话，它是有限的； —

first you must take your seat in the observation car “Raison d’etre” for one moment. —
首先你必须坐在观察车“存在的理由”里，只需一刹那的时间。 —

It is for no longer than to consider a brief essay on the subject - let us call it: —
“下一个拐角是什么”的题目上，考虑一篇简短的论文。 —

“What’s Around the Corner.”
“下个拐角是什么”。

Omne mundus in duas partes divisum est - men who wear rubbers and pay poll-taxes, and men who discover new continents. —
“众世界分为两部分 - 穿胶鞋且纳税的人们，和发现新大陆的人们。 —

There are no more continents to discover; —
不再有新大陆可发现； —

but by the time overshoes are out of date and the poll has developed into an income tax, the other half will be paralleling the canals of Mars with radium railways.
但在过了胶鞋过时和人头税变成所得税之时，另一半将会用镭铁路与火星的运河平行起来。

Fortune, Chance, and Adventure are given as synonymous in the dictionaries. —
在字典中，”Fortune”、”Chance”和”Adventure”被给予了同义词的含义。 —

To the knowing each has a different meaning. Fortune is a prize to be won. —
对于有见识的人来说，它们各自有着不同的意义。”Fortune”是一项可赢得的奖品。 —

Adventure is the road to it. Chance is what may lurk in the shadows at the roadside. —
“Adventure”是通往它的道路。”Chance”是隐藏在道路旁的可能性。 —

The face of Fortune is radiant and alluring; that of Adventure is flushed and heroic. —
“Fortune”的面孔是光辉而诱人的；”Adventure”的面孔是激动而英勇的。 —

The face of Chance is the beautiful countenance - perfect because vague and dream-born - that we see in our tea-cups at breakfast while we growl over our chops and toast.
“Chance”的面孔是美丽的容貌 - 完美而模糊，像是我们在早餐时在茶杯中看到的，当我们边嚼着肉排和吐司时，我们对此大吼大叫。

The VENTURER is one who keeps his eye on the hedgerows and wayside groves and meadows while he travels the road to Fortune. —
“VENTURER”是一个在前往”Fortune”的道路上，注视着树篱和路旁小树林、草地的人。 —

That is the difference between him and the Adventurer. —
这就是他与”Adventurer”之间的区别。 —

Eating the forbidden fruit was the best record ever made by a Venturer. —
吃下禁果是一个”Venturer”所做过的最好的记录。 —

Trying to prove that it happened is the highest work of the Adventuresome. —
试图证明这一点发生过，是”Adventuresome”所做的最高工作。 —

To be either is disturbing to the cosmogony of creation. —
成为其中任何一种都对宇宙观念的创立具有扰乱性。 —

So, as bracket-sawed and city-directoried citizens, let us light our pipes, chide the children and the cat, arrange ourselves in the willow rocker under the flickering gas jet at the coolest window and scan this little tale of two modern followers of Chance.
所以，作为括号挽锯和市政总局公务员，让我们点燃烟斗，责备孩子和猫，安坐在最凉爽的窗前，柳椅上，在跳动的煤气灯下阅读这个关于两个现代追随者偶然的小故事。

“Did you ever hear that story about the man from the West?” asked Billinger, in the little dark-oak room to your left as you penetrate the interior of the Powhatan Club.
“你听说过那个来自西方的人的故事吗？”比利奈尔在你穿过波瓦坦俱乐部的内部时，问道，在左边的这个小黑橡木房间里。

“Doubtless,” said John Reginald Forster, rising and leaving the room.
“无疑听过，”约翰·雷金纳弗·福斯特说着站起来离开了房间。

Forster got his straw hat (straws will be in and maybe out again long before this is printed) from the checkroom boy, and walked out of the air (as Hamlet says). —
福斯特从寄物间的服务员那拿到他的草草帽子（草草将会在这篇文章印刷之前成为潮流，然后可能又不再流行），然后走出了空气（正如哈姆雷特所说）。 —

Billinger was used to having his stories insulted and would not mind. —
比利奈尔习惯于他的故事遭到羞辱，他并不在意。 —

Forster was in his favorite mood and wanted to go away from anywhere. —
福斯特处在他最喜欢的情绪中，想要远离任何地方。 —

A man, in order to get on good terms with himself, must have his opinions corroborated and his moods matched by some one else. —
为了与自己保持良好关系，一个人必须有他的观点得到证实，情绪得到他人的共鸣。 —

(I had written that “somebody”; but an A. D. T. boy who once took a telegram for me pointed out that I could save money by using the compound word. —
（我本来写成了“某人”；但是曾为我接过一份电报的一个ADT男孩指出我可以节省钱用这个复合词。） —

This is a vice versa case).
这是一个反过来的情况。

Forster’s favorite mood was that of greatly desiring to be a follower of Chance. —
福斯特最喜欢的情绪是非常渴望成为机遇的追随者。 —

He was a Venturer by nature, but convention, birth, tradition and the narrowing influences of the tribe of Manhattan had denied him full privilege. —
他天生就是一个冒险家，但传统、出生和曼哈顿部族的狭隘影响否决了他完全享受这一特权。 —

He had trodden all the main-traveled thoroughfares and many of the side roads that are supposed to relieve the tedium of life. —
他走过了所有主要的道路，也曾走过一些被认为是解脱生活枯燥的小路。 —

But none had sufficed. The reason was that he knew what was to be found at the end of every street. —
但没有一个能满足他。原因是他知道每条街的尽头都有什么。 —

He knew from experience and logic almost precisely to what end each digression from routine must lead. —
他通过经验和逻辑几乎精确地知道每次偏离惯例所必然引向的地方。 —

He found a depressing monotony in all the variations that the music of his sphere had grafted upon the tune of life. —
他发现他所处的音乐世界中所有变奏都给生活的调子带来了压抑的单调乏味。 —

He had not learned that, although the world was made round, the circle has been squared, and that it’s true interest is to be in “What’s Around the Corner.”
他并不知道, 尽管世界是圆的, 但圆圈已经被方块化, 真正的兴趣在于”下一个拐角”。

Forster walked abroad aimlessly from the Powhatan, trying not to tax either his judgment or his desire as to what streets he traveled. —
福斯特漫无目的地从波瓦唐大厦游荡，试图在选择街道时既不过分依赖判断，也不过分追求自己的欲望。 —

He would have been glad to lose his way if it were possible; but he had no hope of that. —
如果可能的话，他很乐意迷路；但他对此不抱希望。 —

Adventure and Fortune move at your beck and call in the Greater City; but Chance is oriental. —
冒险和财富在大城市中任你驱使，而机遇则像东方人一样冥冥中存在。 —

She is a veiled lady in a sedan chair, protected by a special traffic squad of dragonians. Crosstown, uptown, and downtown you may move without seeing her.
机遇是一位坐在棒槌车里的面纱女子，由特殊的交通警队保护着。你可以在市区、向上和向下移动，却从未见过她的踪影。

At the end of an hour’s stroll, Forster stood on a corner of a broad, smooth avenue, looking disconsolately across it at a picturesque old hotel softly but brilliantly lit. —
走了一个小时后，福斯特站在一条宽阔而平滑的大街的拐角处，无精打采地望着对面一家风景如画、柔和而明亮的古老旅馆。 —

Disconsolately, because he knew that he must dine; and dining in that hotel was no venture. —
他感到非常沮丧，因为他知道他必须进餐；而在那家酒店用餐并没有什么冒险可言。 —

It was one of his favorite caravansaries, and so silent and swift would be the service and so delicately choice the food, that he regretted the hunger that must be appeased by the “dead perfection” of the place’s cuisine. —
那是他最喜欢的客栈之一，服务默默迅捷，食品精致可口，以至于他为必须在那里品尝“完美至极”的美食而感到遗憾。 —

Even the music there seemed to be always playing da capo.
即使那里的音乐似乎总是在重复演奏。

Fancy came to him that he would dine at some cheap, even dubious, restaurant lower down in the city, where the erratic chefs from all countries of the world spread their national cookery for the omnivorous American. —
他幻想着在市区更低级、甚至可疑的餐馆用餐，那里来自世界各国的不稳定厨师们将他们的国家烹饪为这只要求吃的美国人提供。 —

Something might happen there out of the routine - he might come upon a subject without a predicate, a road without an end, a question without an answer, a cause without an effect, a gulf stream in life’s salt ocean. —
在那里可能发生一些超出常规的事情 - 他可能会遇到一个没有谓语的主题，一条没有尽头的道路，一个没有答案的问题，一个没有效果的原因，一股生活咸海中的暖流。 —

He had not dressed for evening; he wore a dark business suit that would not be questioned even where the waiters served the spaghetti in their shirt sleeves.
他没有为晚宴而穿着，他穿着一套黑色商务西装，即使在服务员们在他们的衬衫袖口里上菜的地方，也不会受到质疑。

So John Reginald Forster began to search his clothes for money; —
约翰·雷金纳德·福斯特开始搜索自己的衣服找钱； —

because the more cheaply you dine, the more surely must you pay. —
因为你越便宜地用餐，你就必须支付更多的费用。 —

All of the thirteen pockets, large and small, of his business suit he explored carefully and found not a penny. —
他仔细搜查了他那件商务西装里的所有十三个口袋，大大小小的，一个子铜板都没有找到。 —

His bank book showed a balance of five figures to his credit in the Old Ironsides Trust Company, but -
他的银行存折显示他在旧铁甲信托公司有一个五位数的信用额度，但是 -

Forster became aware of a man nearby at his left hand who was really regarding him with some amusement. —
福斯特注意到一个站在他左手边的男人正在用一种有趣的表情看着他。 —

he looked like any business man of thirty or so, neatly dressed and standing in the attitude of one waiting for a street car. —
他看起来像个30岁左右的商人，穿着整洁，站在等候电车的姿势上。 —

But there was no car line on that avenue. —
但是那条大道上没有电车线路。 —

So his proximity and unconcealed curiosity seemed to Forster to partake of the nature of a personal intrusion. —
所以他的靠近和毫不掩饰的好奇对福斯特来说似乎是一种个人侵犯。 —

But, as he was a consistent seeker after “What’s Around the Corner,” instead of manifesting resentment he only turned a half-embarrassed smile upon the other’s grin of amusement.
但是，作为一个一贯追求“角落里的秘密”的人，他并没有表现出愤怒，只是向那个人戏谑地笑了笑。

“All in?” asked the intruder, drawing nearer.
“算完了吗？”闯入者靠近问道。

“Seems so,” said Forster. “Now, I thought there was a dollar in -”
“看起来是这样，”弗斯特说。“我想在-”

“Oh, I know,” said the other man, with a laugh. “But there wasn’t. —
“噢，我知道，”另一个人笑着说。“但是没有。” —

I’ve just been through the same process myself, as I was coming around the corner. —
“我自己也刚经历了同样的过程，当我绕过拐角时。” —

I found in an upper vest pocket - I don’t know how they got there - exactly two pennies. —
“我在一个上衣口袋里发现了-我不知道它们是怎么进去的-恰好两分钱。” —

You know what kind of a dinner exactly two pennies will buy!”
“你知道恰好两分钱可以买到什么样的晚餐！”

“You haven’t dined, then?” asked Forster.
“你还没吃饭吗？”弗斯特问道。

“I have not. But I would like to. Now, I’ll make you a proposition. —
“我没有。但我想吃。现在，我给你提个建议。 —

You look like a man who would take up one. Your clothes look neat and respectable. —
“你看起来像个愿意接受的人。你的衣服看起来整洁而体面。 —

Excuse personalities. I think mine will pass the scrutiny of a head waiter, also. —
“不好意思冒昧。我认为我的衣服也能通过餐厅经理的检验。 —

Suppose we go over to that hotel and dine together. —
“假设我们一起去那家酒店吃饭。 —

We will choose from the menu like millionaires - or, if you prefer, like gentlemen in moderate circumstances dining extravagantly for once. —
“我们将像百万富翁那样从菜单中选择-或者，如果你愿意，像中等条件下的绅士一样奢侈地用餐一次。 —

When we have finished we will match with my two pennies to see which of us will stand the brunt of the house’s displeasure and vengeance. —
“当我们吃完之后，我们会用我的两分钱来决定谁将承受饭店不满的威胁和报复。” —

My name is Ives. I think we have lived in the same station of life - before our money took wings.”
我叫艾弗斯。在我们的财富消失之前，我觉得我们曾经生活在同一个阶层。

“You’re on,” said Forster, joyfully.
“好的,“福斯特高兴地说道。

Here was a venture at least within the borders of the mysterious country of Change - anyhow, it promised something better than the stale infestivity of a table d’hote.
这至少是在神秘的变化之国边境内的一次冒险 - 无论如何，它承诺给我们带来比普通的窗饭店更好的东西。

The two were soon seated at a corner table in the hotel dining room. —
两人很快就坐在酒店餐厅的一个角落桌子旁。 —

Ives chucked one of his pennies across the table to Forster.
艾弗斯往福斯特那边抛了一枚便士。

“Match for which of us gives the order,” he said.
“共猜头，输的人给餐厅服务员点菜,“他说。

Forster lost.
福斯特输了。

Ives laughed and began to name liquids and viands to the waiter with the absorbed but calm deliberation of one who was to the menu born. —
艾弗斯笑了笑，以一个既专注又镇定的态度开始对服务员点酒水和食物，如同天生懂得点菜一样。 —

Forster, listening, gave his admiring approval of the order.
听着，福斯特对点的菜单表示了赞许。

“I am a man,” said Ives, during the oysters, “Who has made a lifetime search after the to-be-continued-in-our-next. —
“我是个寻求下文的人，”艾弗斯在吃牡蛎时说道，” 我不像普通的冒险家，他们为一项心仪的奖品而冲锋陷阵。 —

I am not like the ordinary adventurer who strikes for a coveted prize. —
我也不像一个知道自己要赢或输一定数额赌注的赌徒。 —

Nor yet am I like a gambler who knows he is either to win or lose a certain set stake. —
我是一个追寻不断延续的人。” —

What I want is to encounter an adventure to which I can predict no conclusion. —
我希望遇到一次无法预测结局的冒险。 —

It is the breath of existence to me to dare Fate in its blindest manifestations. —
对我来说，敢于面对命运的最盲目显现，这是存在的呼吸。 —

The world has come to run so much by rote and gravitation that you can enter upon hardly any footpath of chance in which you do not find signboards informing you of what you may expect at its end. —
世界已经变得如此按部就班和沉重，以至于你几乎无法进入任何一条偶然的小径，而那里没有指示牌告诉你在它的尽头会发生什么。 —

I am like the clerk in the Circumlocution Office who always complained bitterly when any one came in to ask information. —
我就像办事处的职员，每当有人前来询问信息时，他总是抱怨不已。 —

‘He wanted to know, you know!’ was the kick he made to his fellow-clerks. —
“他想知道，你知道！”这是他对同事们的嘲笑。 —

Well, I don’t want to know, I don’t want to reason, I don’t want to guess - I want to bet my hand without seeing it.”
好吧，我不想知道，我不想推理，我不想猜测 - 我想不看就下注。

“I understand,” said Forster delightedly. “I’ve often wanted the way I feel put into words. —
“我明白了，”福斯特高兴地说道，”我经常希望我的感觉能用言辞表达出来。 —

You’ve done it. I want to take chances on what’s coming. —
你做到了。我想要去冒险，看看接下来会发生什么。 —

Suppose we have a bottle of Moselle with the next course.”
假设我们在下一道菜上来时喝一瓶莫塞尔酒。

“Agreed,” said Ives. “I’m glad you catch my idea. —
“同意，”艾弗斯说道，”很高兴你理解我的意思。 —

It will increase the animosity of the house toward the loser. —
这会增加家庭对失败者的敌意。 —

If it does not weary you, we will pursue the theme. —
如果你不觉得疲倦，我们会继续探讨这个主题。 —

Only a few times have I met a true venturer - one who does not ask a schedule and map from Fate when he begins a journey. —
我只遇到过很少的真正的冒险家——那些在开始旅程时不向命运要求日程和地图的人。 —

But, as the world becomes more civilized and wiser, the more difficult it is to come upon an adventure the end of which you cannot foresee. —
然而，随着世界变得更加文明和聪明，越来越难碰到那种你无法预见结局的冒险。 —

In the Elizabethan days you could assault the watch, wring knockers from doors and have a jolly set-to with the blades in any convenient angle of a wall and ‘get away with it.’ Nowadays, if you speak disrespectfully to a policeman, all that is left to the most romantic fancy is to conjecture in what particular police station he will land you.”
在伊丽莎白时代，你可以袭击守夜人，从门上撬掉门闩，在任何墙角都可以和剑客开打，而且不会有事。如今，如果你对警察不敬，最浪漫的想象中只剩下你会被送到哪个特定的警察局。

“I know - I know,” said Forster, nodding approval.
“我知道，我知道，”弗斯特点头表示赞同。

“I returned to New York to-day,” continued Ives, “from a three years’ ramble around the globe. —
“我从环球旅行三年后今天回到纽约，”伊夫斯接着说，”国外情况并不比国内好多少。 —

Things are not much better abroad than they are at home. —
整个世界似乎都被结论所侵入。 —

The whole world seems to be overrun by conclusions. —
顾虑越来越多。 —

The only thing that interests me greatly is a premise. I’ve tried shooting big game in Africa. —
对我来说唯一真正感兴趣的就是一个前提。我尝试在非洲打猎大型猎物。 —

I know what an express rifle will do at so many yards; —
我知道敞蓬枪在很多码数上的表现； —

and when an elephant or a rhinoceros falls to the bullet, I enjoy it about as much as I did when I was kept in after school to do a sum in long division on the blackboard.”
当大象或犀牛倒下的时候，我感到的喜悦就像小时候在黑板上被留堂写长除法题一样。

“I know - I know,” said Forster.
“我知道 - 我知道，”福斯特说。

“There might be something in aeroplanes,” went on Ives, reflectively. “I’ve tried ballooning; —
“或许飞机有些意思，”艾维斯反思道。“我尝试过乘热气球； —

but it seems to be merely a cut-and-dried affair of wind and ballast.”
但似乎那只是一个死板的做风和增重的事情。”

“Women,” suggested Forster, with a smile.
“女人，”福斯特建议道，带着微笑。

“Three months ago,” said Ives. “I was pottering around in one of the bazaars in Constantinople. —
“三个月前，”艾维斯说。“我在君士坦丁堡的一个巴扎里闲逛。 —

I noticed a lady, veiled, of course, but with a pair of especially fine eyes visible, who was examining some amber and pearl ornaments at one of the booths. —
我注意到一个戴着面纱的女士，在一个摊位上正在观察一些琥珀和珍珠饰品。 —

With her was an attendant - a big Nubian, as black as coal. —
旁边有个陪同者 - 一个黑得像煤炭一样的大努比亚人。 —

After a while the attendant drew nearer to me by degrees and slipped a scrap of paper into my hand. —
过了一会儿，那个陪同者慢慢接近我，把一张纸条塞到我的手里。 —

I looked at it when I got a chance. On it was scrawled hastily in pencil: —
我趁有机会时看了一下。上面匆忙地用铅笔写着： —

‘The arched gate of the Nghtingale Garden at nine to-night.’ Does that appear to you to be an interesting premise, Mr. Forster?”
“今晚九点的夜莺花园的拱门。”弗斯特先生，你觉得这是一个有趣的前提吗？

“I made inquiries and learned that the Nightingale Garden was the property of an old Turk - a grand vizier, or something of the sort. —
我打听了一下，得知夜莺花园是一位老土耳其人的财产，可能是一位大维齐尔之类的人。 —

Of course I prospected for the arched gate and was there at nine. —
当然，我对拱门进行了勘察，并且在九点的时候到达了那里。 —

The same Nubian attendant opened the gate promptly on time, and I went inside and sat on a bench by a perfumed fountain with the veiled lady. —
同样的努比亚侍从准时打开了大门，我进去后与一位蒙面的女士一起坐在了一座香气四溢的喷泉旁边。 —

We had quite an extended chat. She was Myrtle Thompson, a lady journalist, who was writing up the Turkish harems for a Chicago newspaper. —
我们进行了相当长时间的交谈。她是名叫米尔特尔·汤普森的女记者，正在为一家芝加哥报纸撰写土耳其后宫的报道。 —

She said she noticed the New York cut of my clothes in the bazaar and wondered if I couldn’t work something into the metropolitan papers about it.”
她说她在巴扎里注意到了我衣服上的纽约款式，并想知道我是否能在大都会的报纸上发表相关文章。

“I see,” said Forster. “I see.”
“我明白了，”福斯特说。”我明白了。”

“I’ve canoed through Canada,” said Ives, “down many rapids and over many falls. —
“我曾划独木舟穿越加拿大，下过许多急流，经历过许多瀑布。 —

But I didn’t seem to get what I wanted out of it because I knew there were only two possible outcomes - I would either go to the bottom or arrive at the sea level. —
但我似乎没有得到我想要的，因为我知道只有两种可能的结果 - 要么落到谷底，要么到达海平面。 —

I’ve played all games at cards; but the mathematicians have spoiled that sport by computing the percentages. —
我玩过所有的纸牌游戏；但是数学家们通过计算概率把这个游戏搅得一团糟。 —

I’ve made acquaintances on trains, I’ve answered advertisements, I’ve rung strange door-bells, I’ve taken every chance that presented itself; —
我在火车上结识了人，我回应了广告，我按响了陌生人的门铃，我抓住了每一个机会。 —

but there has always been the conventional ending - the logical conclusion to the premise.”
但总是有一个常规的结局 - 从前提得出的合乎逻辑的结论。

“I know,” repeated Forster. “I’ve felt it all. —
“我知道，”福斯特重复道。”我都感受到了。 —

But I’ve had few chances to take my chance at chances. —
但我很少有机会把握机会。 —

Is there any life so devoid of impossibilities as life in this city? —
还有什么生活比在这座城市里更缺乏不可能性呢？ —

There seems to be a myriad of opportunities for testing the undeterminable; —
似乎有无数机会来检验不可确定的事情； —

but not one in a thousand fails to land you where you expected it to stop. —
但千里之外也没有一次能够让你没有预期地停下来。 —

I wish the subways and street cars disappointed one as seldom.”
我希望地铁和有轨电车也一样让人少失望。

“The sun has risen,” said Ives, “on the Arabian nights. There are no more caliphs. —
“太阳已经升起了，”艾夫斯说道，“阿拉伯夜晚已经没有了哈里发。” —

The fisherman’s vase is turned to a vacuum bottle, warranted to keep any genie boiling or frozen for forty-eight hours. —
渔夫的花瓶变成了真空瓶，可以保证让任何妖精保持沸腾或冷冻四十八小时。 —

Life moves by rote. Science has killed adventure. —
生活就像按部就班的，科学已经扼杀了冒险精神。 —

There are no more opportunities such as Columbus and the man who ate the first oyster had. —
再也没有像哥伦布和第一个吃牡蛎的人那样的机会了。 —

The only certain thing is that there is nothing uncertain.”
唯一确定的事是没有什么是确定的。

“Well,” said Forster, “my experience has been the limited one of a city man. —
“嗯，”福斯特说，“我的经验是一个城市人的有限经验。” —

I haven’t seen the world as you have; but it seems that we view it with the same opinion. —
我没有像你这样看过世界，但似乎我们对它的看法是相同的。 —

But, I tell you I am grateful for even this little venture of ours into the borders of the haphazard. —
但是，我告诉你，即使是我们这次对于偶然的探险也是心怀感激的。 —

There may be at least one breathless moment when the bill for the dinner is presented. —
可能至少会有一个令人屏息的时刻，当账单被呈上时。 —

Perhaps, after all, the pilgrims who traveled without scrip or purse found a keener taste to life than did the knights of the Round Table who rode abroad with a retinue and King Arthur’s certified checks in the lining of their helmets. —
也许，毕竟，那些没有随身带钱包或钱币的朝圣者对生活有着比圆桌骑士们更加敏锐的品味，后者们随身携带着一大批随行人员和亚瑟王的信用支票。 —

And now, if you’ve finished your coffee, suppose we match one of your insufficient coins for the impending blow of Fate. What have I up?”
现在，如果你已经喝完咖啡了，假设我们为即将到来的命运之击翻一枚你那金额不足的硬币。我猜到了吗？

“Heads,” called Ives.
“正面,“艾夫斯喊道。

“Heads it is,” said Forster, lifting his hand. “I lose. —
“没错，正面.“福斯特说着，举起了手。 “我输了。 —

We forgot to agree upon a plan for the winner to escape. —
我们忘记为胜者安排一个逃脱的计划了。 —

I suggest that when the waiter comes you make a remark about telephoning to a friend. —
我建议当侍者来的时候，你对他说打个电话给朋友。 —

I will hold the fort and the dinner check long enough for you to get your hat and be off. —
我会坚守阵地和晚餐账单足够让你拿你的帽子走掉。 —

I thank you for an evening out of the ordinary, Mr. Ives, and wish we might have others.”
非常感谢这个不同寻常的晚上，艾夫斯先生，希望我们以后还能有类似的晚上。

“If my memory is not at fault,” said Ives, laughing, “the nearest police station is in MacDougal Street. —
“如果我没有记错的话，”艾夫斯笑着说， “最近的警察局就在麦克杜格尔街。 —

I have enjoyed the dinner, too, let me assure you.”
我也非常享受这顿晚餐，让我向你保证。

Forster crooked his finger for the waiter. —
福斯特用手指向服务员发出信号。 —

Victor, with a locomotive effort that seemed to owe more to pneumatics than to pedestrianism, glided to the table and laid the card, face downward, by the loser’s cup. —
维克多像是个气动机构一样费力地滑到桌子旁边，将卡片面朝下放在失败者的茶杯旁边。 —

Forster took it up and added the figures with deliberate care. —
福斯特小心翼翼地拿起卡片，认真地计算着上面的数字。 —

Ives leaned back comfortably in his chair.
艾夫斯舒服地靠在椅子上。

“Escuse me,” said Forster; “but I though you were going to ring Grimes about that theatre party for Thursday night. —
“对不起，”福斯特说道，”我以为你要给格赖姆斯打电话订星期四晚上的戏院派对。 —

Had you forgotten about it?”
你是不是忘了？”

“Oh,” said Ives, settling himself more comfortably, “I can do that later on. —
“哦，”艾夫斯舒服地说道，”我以后可以做这个。 —

Get me a glass of water, waiter.”
服务员，给我一杯水。”

“Want to be in at the death, do you?” asked Forster.
“你是想亲眼看着他倒下吗？”福斯特问道。

“I hope you don’t object,” said Ives, pleadingly. —
“我希望你不会介意，”艾夫斯乞求道。 —

“Never in my life have I seen a gentleman arrested in a public restaurant for swindling it out of a dinner.”
“我这辈子还从来没见过在公共餐厅里有人因为欺骗而被逮捕而被扔进监狱。”

“All right,” said Forster, calmly. “You are entitled to see a Christian die in the arena as your pousse-cafe.”
“好吧，”福斯特平静地说。”你有权看到一个基督徒像你的冷饮一样在竞技场上死去。”

Victor came with the glass of water and remained, with the disengaged air of an inexorable collector.
维克多拿着一杯水过来，以一种无情的收集者的态度站在那里。

Forster hesitated for fifteen seconds, and then took a pencil from his pocket and scribbled his name on the dinner check. —
福斯特犹豫了十五秒钟，然后从口袋里拿出一支铅笔，在晚餐账单上涂了自己的名字。 —

The waiter bowed and took it away.
服务员鞠躬后将账单拿走了。

“The fact is,” said Forster, with a little embarrassed laugh, “I doubt whether I’m what they call a ‘game sport,’ which means the same as a ‘soldier of Fortune.’ I’ll have to make a confession. I’ve been dining at this hotel two or three times a week for more than a year. —
“事实上，”福斯特带着一点尴尬的笑声说道，“我怀疑自己是否被称为‘玩家’，这意味着和‘冒险家’差不多。”我得做一个坦白交代。我已经在这家酒店就餐了一年多，每周都会来两三次。 —

I always sign my checks.” And then, with a note of appreciation in his voice: —
我总是在账单上签名。”然后，他的声音中带着一丝赞赏： —

“It was first-rate of you to stay to see me through with it when you knew I had no money, and that you might be scooped in, too.”
“你能留下来帮我搞定这个账单真是太棒了，而且还知道我没有钱，你自己也有可能被卷进来。”

“I guess I’ll confess, too,” said Ives, with a grin. “I own the hotel. —
“我也得做个坦白，”艾维斯笑道，“我是这家酒店的老板。” —

I don’t run it, of course, but I always keep a suite on the third floor for my use when I happen to stray into town.”
当然，我不去经营它，但每次我偶然来到城里时，我都会在三楼保留一套房间供我使用。

He called a waiter and said: “Is Mr. Gilmore still behind the desk? All right. —
他叫来一名服务员说：“吉尔莫先生还在前台吗？好的。 —

Tell him that Mr. Ives is here, and ask him to have my rooms made ready and aired.”
告诉他艾夫斯先生在这里，并请他准备好并通风我的房间。”

“Another venture cut short by the inevitable,” said Forster. —
“又一个被无法避免的事情打断的企业，”弗斯特说。 —

“Is there a conundrum without an answer in the next number? —
下一期没有答案的谜语吗？ —

But let’s hold to our subject just for a minute or two, if you will. —
但如果您愿意，让我们坚持我们的主题只有一两分钟。 —

It isn’t often that I meet a man who understands the flaws I pick in existence. —
我很少遇到一个能理解我对现实挑剔的人。 —

I am engaged to be married a month from to-day.”
我订婚了，离今天一个月。

“I reserve comment,” said Ives.
“我不评论，”艾夫斯说。

“Right; I am going to add to the assertion. I am devotedly fond of the lady; —
“没错，我要加强这种说法。我对这位女士深深喜爱， —

but I can’t decide whether to show up at the church or make a sneak for Alaska. —
但我无法决定是去教堂出席还是悄悄离开去阿拉斯加。 —

It’s the same idea, you know, that we were discussing - it does for a fellow as far as possibilities are concerned. —
这就是我们正在讨论的相同的想法 - 就可能性而言，这对于一个人来说有着同样的影响。 —

Everybody knows the routine - you get a kiss flavored with Ceylon tea after breakfast; —
大家都知道例行公事——早餐后你会得到一吻，带有锡兰茶的味道； —

you go to the office; you come back home and dress for dinner - theatre twice a week - bills - moping around most evenings trying to make conversation - a little quarrel occasionally - maybe sometimes a big one, and a separation - or else a settling down into a middle-aged contentment, which is worst of all.”
你去办公室；回家后为晚餐而穿衣服——一周两次去戏院——付账单——整个晚上闷闷不乐地试图进行交谈——偶尔有些争执——有时候可能是一场大争吵，然后分手——或者调整到中年的满足感，这是最糟糕的。”

“I know,” said Ives, nodding wisely.
“我知道，”艾夫斯聪明地点了点头。

“It’s the dead certainty of the thing,” went on Forster, “that keeps me in doubt. —
“正是这个事情的确定性，”弗斯特继续说道，“让我犹豫不决。 —

There’ll nevermore be anything around the corner.”
再也不会有什么转机了。”

“Nothing after the ‘Little Church,’” said Ives. “I know.”
“从‘小教堂’之后没有了任何事情了，”艾夫斯说。“我知道。”

“Understand,” said Forster, “that I am in no doubt as to my feelings toward the lady. —
“明白了，”弗斯特说，“我对这位女士的感情是毫无疑问的。 —

I may say that I love her truly and deeply. —
我可以说我真诚而深情地爱她。 —

But there is something in the current that runs through my veins that cries out against any form of the calculable. —
但是有种东西在我的血液里流淌，对任何形式的可计算性都在疾呼。 —

I do not know what I want; but I know that I want it. —
我不知道我想要什么；但我知道我想要它。 —

I’m talking like an idiot, I suppose, but I’m sure of what I mean.”
“我说话好像个白痴，但我对自己的意思很确定。”

“I understand you,” said Ives, with a slow smile. “Well, I think I will be going up to my rooms now. —
“我明白你的意思，”艾夫斯慢慢地笑着说。”好吧，我想我现在要回我的房间了。” —

If you would dine with me here one evening soon, Mr. Forster, I’d be glad.”
“如果你愿意，在这里和我一起吃晚饭，福斯特先生，我会很高兴。”

“Thursday?” suggested Forster.
“周四怎么样？”福斯特建议道。

“At seven, if it’s convenient,” answered Ives.
“如果方便的话，七点钟开始。”艾夫斯回答道。

“Seven goes,” assented Forster.
“七点可以。”福斯特同意道。

At halft-past eight Ives got into a cab and was driven to a number in one of the correct West Seventies. —
八点半的时候，艾夫斯坐上了一辆出租车，驶向西部七十年代的某个街区的一个号码。 —

His card admitted him to the reception room of an old-fashioned house into which the spirits of Fortune, Chance and Adventure had never dared to enter. —
他的名片让他进入了一个古老风格的房子的接待室，那里从来没有出现过幸运、机会和冒险的精神。 —

On the walls were the Whistler etchings, the steel engravings by Oh-what’s-his-name? —
墙上挂着惠斯勒的蚀刻，也有那个…你怎么叫它来着的？的钢刻画，桌子上摆着还生动逼真的葡萄和菜市货，桌子上还洒落着西瓜籽，还有格罗兹的头像。 —

, the still-life paintings of the grapes and garden truck with the watermelon seeds spilled on the table as natural as life, and the Greuze head. —
这是一个有家的感觉。甚至还有铜制壁炉架。 —

It was a household. There was even brass andirons. —
按照西方传统,世界上存在有财富,机会和冒险. —

On a table was an album, half-morocco, with oxidized-silver protections on the corners of the lids. —
桌子上放着一本半羊皮装订的相册，盖子的角上镶嵌着氧化银保护物。 —

A clock on the mantel ticked loudly, with a warning click at five minutes to nine. —
壁炉架上的钟表嘀嗒作响，到九点前的五分钟会发出警示声。 —

Ives looked at it curiously, remembering a time-piece in his grandmother’s home that gave such a warning.
艾夫斯好奇地看着它，记起了奶奶家里有一只也有这个警示功能的时钟。

And then down the stairs and into the room came Mary Marsden. —
然后玛丽·马斯顿下楼走进了房间。 —

She was twenty-four, and I leave her to your imagination. —
她二十四岁，留给你的想象。 —

But I must say this much - youth and health and simplicity and courage and greenish-violet eyes are beautiful, and she had all these. —
但我必须说这么多-青春、健康、纯真、勇气和微微带有紫罗兰色调的眼睛是美丽的，她具备这些特质。 —

She gave Ives her hand with the sweet cordiality of an old friendship.
她向艾夫斯伸出手，毫不客气地表示着一份旧友的情谊。

“You can’t think what a pleasure it is,” she said, “to have you drop in once every three years or so.”
“你无法想象每隔三年左右你来一次有多么高兴，”她说。

For half an hour they talked. I confess that I cannot repeat the conversation. —
他们谈了半个小时。我承认我不能重复这次对话。 —

You will find it in books in the circulating library. —
你可以在流通图书馆的书籍中找到它。 —

When that part of it was over, Mary said:
当这部分结束时，玛丽说道：

“And did you find what you wanted while you were abroad?”
“在你出国期间，你找到了你想要的东西吗？”

“What I wanted?” said Ives.
“我想要什么？”艾夫斯说。

“Yes. You know you were always queer. Even as a boy you wouldn’t play marbles or baseball or any game with rules. —
“是的。你知道你一直都是个奇怪的人。就连小时候，你都不喜欢玩弹珠或棒球这样需要遵守规则的游戏。 —

You wanted to dive in water where you didn’t know whether it was ten inches or ten feet deep. —
你喜欢潜进你不知道水深是十英寸还是十英尺的水里。 —

And when you grew up you were just the same. —
长大后你还是一样。 —

We’ve often talked about your peculiar ways.”
我们经常谈论你奇特的行为方式。”

“I suppose I am an incorrigible,” said Ives. “I am opposed to the doctrine of predestination, to the rule of three, gravitation, taxation, and everything of the kind. —
“我想我是个无可救药的人，”艾夫斯说。“我反对预定论、三角定理、万有引力、税务以及任何类似的事物。 —

Life has always seemed to me something like a serial story would be if they printed above each instalment a synopsis of succeeding chapters.”
人生对我来说一直就像连载小说，如果每个章节上面都印有随后章节的梗概一样。”

Mary laughed merrily.
玛丽开心地笑了起来。

“Bob Ames told us once,” she said, “of a funny thing you did. —
“鲍勃·艾姆斯曾经告诉我们，”她说，“关于你的一个有趣的事情。 —

It was when you and he were on a train in the South, and you got off at a town where you hadn’t intended to stop just because the brakeman hung up a sign in the end of the car with the name of the next station on it.”
那是你和他在南方乘火车时发生的，你因为列车员在车厢尾部挂了一个标志，上面写着下一个站的名字，所以你下车了，尽管你本来不打算在那个城市停留。”

“I remember,” said Ives. “That ‘next station’ has been the thing I’ve always tried to get away from.”
“我记得，”艾维斯说道，“那个‘下一个车站’一直是我一直试图逃离的事情。”

“I know it,” said Mary. “And you’ve been very foolish. —
“我知道，”玛丽说道。“你一直很愚蠢。” —

I hope you didn’t find what you wanted not to find, or get off at the station where there wasn’t any, or whatever it was you expected wouldn’t happen to you during the three years you’ve been away.”
“我希望你没有找到你不想找到的东西，或者在没有车站的地方下车，或者在你离开这三年里不曾期望发生在你身上的事情。”

“There was something I wanted before I went away,” said Ives.
“在我离开之前，有些东西我是想要的。”艾维斯说道。

Mary looked in his eyes clearly, with a slight, but perfectly sweet smile.
玛丽清晰地看着他的眼睛，微微一笑，但非常甜美。

“There was,” she said. “You wanted me. And you could have had me, as you very well know.”
“有的，”她说道。“你想要我。而你本来可以得到我的，你非常清楚。”

Without replying, Ives let his gaze wander slowly about the room. —
艾维斯没有回答，只是慢慢地让视线在房间里游荡。 —

There had been no change in it since last he had been in it, three years before. —
自从他三年前离开以来，房间里没有任何变化。 —

He vividly recalled the thoughts that had been in his mind then. —
他清晰地回忆起当时心中的想法。 —

The contents of that room were as fixed in their way, as the everlasting hills. —
房间里的物品在自己的方式上是固定不变的，就像永恒的山脉一样。 —

No change would ever come there except the inevitable ones wrought by time and decay. —
除了时间和腐朽所带来的必然变化，那里永远不会有任何改变。 —

That silver-mounted album would occupy that corner of that table, those pictures would hang on the walls, those chairs be found in their same places every morn and noon and night while the household hung together. —
那个镶银相册会占据那张桌子的角落，那些图片会挂在墙上，那些椅子每天早中晚都会放在同样的位置，家人在一起的时候。 —

The brass andirons were monuments to order and stability. —
铜制的焚木台是秩序和稳定的象征。 —

Herre and there were relics of a hundred years ago which were still living mementos and would be for many years to come. —
那里还有一些百年前的遗物，它们仍然是活生生的纪念品，未来几年仍将如此。 —

One going from and coming back to that house would never need to forecast or doubt. —
去那个房子，回到那个房子的人永远不需要预测或怀疑。 —

He would find what he left, and leave what he found. —
他会找到他离开时的样子，留下他找到的一切。 —

The veiled lady, Chance, would never lift her hand to the knocker on the outer door.
面纱遮面的女士，机遇，永远不会伸手敲打外门的门环。

And before him sat the lady who belonged in the room. Cool and sweet and unchangeable she was. —
他面前坐着的女士就是属于这个房间的。她冷静、甜美、不变。 —

She offered no surprises. If one should pass his life with her, though she might grow white-haired and wrinkled, he would never perceive the change. —
她没有给人任何惊喜。如果一个人与她度过一生，尽管她可能会头发白了、皱纹增多，他也不会察觉到变化。 —

Three years he had been away from her, and she was still waiting for him as established and constant as the house itself. —
三年过去了，他离开她，但她仍像房子一样坚定不移地等待着他。 —

He was sure that she had once cared for him. —
他确信她曾经在乎过他。 —

It was the knowledge that she would always do so that had driven him away. —
正是因为知道她将永远如此，所以他才离开她。 —

Thus his thoughts ran.
他的思绪如此回旋。

“I am going to be married soon,” said Mary.
“我很快就要结婚了”，玛丽说。

On the next Thursday afternoon Forster came hurriedly to Ive’s hotel.
在下周四的下午，福斯特匆匆来到艾夫的旅馆。

“Old man,” said he, “we’ll have to put that dinner off for a year or so; I’m going abroad. —
“老兄，”他说，“我们得将那顿晚餐推迟一年左右；我要出国了。 —

The steamer sails at four. That was a great talk we had the other night, and it decided me. —
轮船下午4点开航。我们之前的那次大谈对我产生了重大影响，也决定了我。 —

I’m going to knock around the world and get rid of that incubus that has been weighing on both you and me - the terrible dread of knowing what’s going to happen. —
我要去环游世界，摆脱那个一直压在你我身上的包袱 - 恐惧未来的恶梦。 —

I’ve done one thing that hurts my conscience a little; but I know it’s best for both of us. —
我做了一件让我有点内疚的事情；但我知道这对我们两个人来说是最好的。 —

I’ve written to the lady to whom I was engaged and explained everything - told her plainly why I was leaving - that the monotony of matrimony would never do for me. —
我给我订婚的女士写信，并解释了一切 - 坦率地告诉她为什么我要离开 - 婚姻的单调对我来说永远不适合。 —

Don’t you think I was right?”
你不觉得我是对的吗？

“It is not for me to say,” answered Ives. “Go ahead and shoot elephants if you think it will bring the element of chance into your life. —
艾夫斯回答说：“这不是我说话的权力。如果你认为打猎大象能给你的生活带来变数，就去做吧。 —

We’ve got to decide these things for ourselves. —
这些事情我们必须自己决定。 —

But I tell you one thing, Forster, I’ve found the way. —
但是我告诉你一件事，福斯特，我找到了方法。 —

I’ve found out the biggest hazard in the world - a game of chance that never is concluded, a venture that may end in the highest heaven or the blackest pit. —
我找到了世界上最大的风险 - 一个永远不会结束的游戏，可能会在最高天堂或最黑暗的深渊中结束。 —

It will keep a man on edge until the clods fall on his coffin, because he will never know - not until his last day, and not then will he know. —
它会让一个人紧张不安，直到泥土掩埋他的棺材，因为他永远不会知道 - 直到他的最后一天，即使那时他也不会知道。 —

It is a voayge without a rudder or compass, and you must be captain and crew and keep watch, every day and night, yourself, with no one to relieve you. —
这是一次没有舵或指南针的航行，你必须成为船长和船员，并且自己每天每夜进行警戒，没有人来替你。 —

I have found the VENTURE. Don’t bother yourself about leaving Mary Marsden, Forster. —
我找到了这个冒险。不要为了离开玛丽·马斯登而烦恼，福斯特。 —

I married her yesterday at noon.”
昨天中午我和她结婚了。