日子一天天過去,成功在伯納的腦袋里嘶嘶地響,讓他跟那個(gè)他一向不滿的世界和解了,其效果有如一切美酒。
In so far as it recognized him as important, the orderof things was good.
只要這個(gè)社會(huì)承認(rèn)他是個(gè)重要人物,一切秩序都是好的。
But, reconciled by his success, he yet refused to forego the privilege of criticizing this order.
但是盡管他的成功使他和解,他仍然拒絕放棄對(duì)現(xiàn)存秩序的批判,
For the act of criticizing heightened his sense of importance, made him feel larger.
因?yàn)榕行袨樘岣吡怂闹匾校屗X得自己偉大多了。
Moreover, he did genuinely believe that there were things to criticize. (At the same time, hegenuinely liked being a success and having all the girls he wanted.)
何況他還真正感到有些東西應(yīng)當(dāng)批判(同時(shí)他也確實(shí)喜歡做個(gè)成功的人,得到想得到的姑娘)。
Before those who now, for the sake of the Savage,paid their court to him, Bernard would paradea carping unorthodoxy.
他在因?yàn)橐靶U人而討好他的人面前總想擺出一副離經(jīng)叛道者的挑剔形象。
He was politely listened to. But behind his back people shook their heads.
人家當(dāng)面有禮貌地聽著,背后卻搖頭。
"That young man will come to a bad end," they said,
“那小青年沒有好下場。”他們說,
prophesying the more confidently in that they themselves would in due course personally see toit that the end was bad.
同時(shí)很有把握地預(yù)言,他們早晚會(huì)見到他倒霉的。
"He won't find another Savage to help him out a second time," they said.
“那時(shí)他就再也找不到第二個(gè)野蠻人幫助他脫離危險(xiǎn)了,”他們說。
Meanwhile, however, there was the first Savage; they were polite.
不過,第一個(gè)野蠻人還在,他們還得客氣。
And because they were polite, Bernard felt positively gigantic–gigantic and at the same timelight with elation, lighter than air.
而他則因?yàn)樗麄兊目蜌饫嫌X得自己確實(shí)偉大——偉大。同時(shí)快活得飄飄然,比空氣還輕。
"Lighter than air," said Bernard, pointing upwards.
“比空氣還輕。”伯納說,指著天上。
Like a pearl in the sky, high, high above them, the Weather Department's captive balloonshone rosily in the sunshine.
氣象部門的探索氣球在陽光里閃著玫瑰色的光,像天上的一顆珍珠,高高飄在他們頭頂。
"… the said Savage," so ran Bernard's instructions, "to be shown civilized life in all its aspects.…"
“……對(duì)上述的野蠻人,”伯納指點(diǎn)著說,“展示了文明生活的方方面面……。”
He was being shown a bird's-eye view of it at present,a bird's-eye view from the platform ofthe Charing-T Tower.
現(xiàn)在他們正將文明世界的鳥瞰圖向野蠻人展示——從切林T字架平臺(tái)上看去。
The Station Master and the Resident Meteorologist were acting as guides.
航空站站長和現(xiàn)任氣象專家在給野蠻人做向?qū)В?/p>
But it was Bernard who did most of the talking.
但大部分的話還是伯納包攬了。
Intoxicated, he was behaving as though, at the very least, he were a visiting World Controller.Lighter than air.
他非常激動(dòng),表現(xiàn)得嚴(yán)然至少是個(gè)前來訪問的世界總統(tǒng),比空氣還輕。