tickets-please!英、中文注释版

Tickets, Please!

D. H. Lawrence

1919

There is in the Midlands a single-line system of tramcars在英国中部有一路单轨车which boldly leaves the county town and plunges off into the

black, industrial countryside, up hill and down dale, through the long, ugly

villages of workmen's houses, over canals and railways, past churches

perched high and nobly over the smoke and shadows这条线路勇敢地告别县城，跃身冲进黑的工业近郊，忽而冲上山峦，忽而跌入峡谷，穿过一个个长且丑陋的工人村，跨沟渠，过铁路，从那庄严耸立在茫茫烟雾之上的教堂脚下驶过。,

through dark, grimy, cold little market-places, tilting away in a rush past

cinemas and shops down to the hollow where the collieries are, then up

again, past a little rural church under the ash-trees, on in a rush to the

terminus, the last little ugly place of industry, the cold little town that

shivers on the edge of the wild, gloomy country beyond它经过死气沉沉、肮脏阴冷的小集市区，斜身从电影院和商店旁飞驰而过，一头扎进矿谷，然后又向上爬，绕过一个当地的小教堂，穿过木林，一个冲刺到达终点——工业区最后一个丑陋的小地方，一个倚在黑暗的荒野边不断颤抖的寒冷小镇。. There the blue

and creamy coloured tramcar seems to pause and purr with curious

satisfaction. 就在这里，那绿与乳白相间的有轨车象猫似的收住了脚，带着一种不寻常的满足喵呜几声。But in a few minutes—the clock on the turret

of the Co-operative Wholesale Society's shops gives the time—away it

starts once more on the adventure. 但几分钟之后——批发商合作协会楼上的大钟敲响了——于是，它出发了！再一次登上历险的旅程。 Again there are the

reckless swoops downhill, bouncing the loops; 它又是不顾一切地向山下俯冲，在弯弯曲曲的山谷间上下颠簸； again the chilly wait in the hill-top market-place: 又是山顶集市那个寒冷的小站； again the breathless slithering round the precipitous drop

under the church又是教堂脚下那令人心悸的陡峭的大下坡；: again the patient halts at

the loops, waiting for the outcoming car又是坏形道口那耐心等待错车的临时停车: so

on and on, for two long hours, till at last the city looms beyond, the fat

gasworks, the narrow factories draw near, 就这样走呵走呵，走了漫长的两个小时，一直走到一个个狭长的工厂扑面而来。 we are in the sordid streets of the great town, once

more we sidle to a standstill at our terminus这时，它便踏上了这座了不起的县城的污秽街道，再一次怯生生地滑进终点站。, abashed by the great crimson and

cream-coloured city cars, 在那些红白相间、伟大的市内电车面前，它是那样局促不安； but

still jerky, jaunty, somewhat daredevil, green as a jaunty sprig of parsley

out of a black colliery garden. 然而，它依旧生气勃勃，充满自信，多少有点象一个敢作敢为的小东西，象是一叶从黑矿区花园里伸展出来的荷兰芹，绿油油的充满了活力。

To ride on these cars is always an adventure. 坐这种车总是一种历险 The

drivers are often men unfit for active service: cripples and hunchbacks因为是在战争时期，司机都是些不适于做大活动量的工作的男人，象跛子和驼子。. So they have the

spirit of the devil in them. The ride becomes a steeplechase. 因此，他们身上都具有一种魔鬼的精神。坐车变成了障碍越野赛！ Hurrah! we have leapt in a clean jump

over the canal bridges—now for the four-lane corner!

我们利索地纵身一跳，便跃过

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了运河大桥——现在又该向交叉路口进发了。With a shriek and a trail of sparks we are

clear again. 随着一声嘶叫和一道亮光划过，我们又过去了。 To be sure a tram often leaps

the rails—but what matter!

说实在的，有轨车经常脱轨，可这又有什么呢？ It sits in a

ditch till other trams come to haul it out. 它蹲在一条沟里，一直等到其它有轨车来把它拖出去。 It is quite common for a car, packed with one solid mass of living

people, to come to a dead halt in the midst of unbroken blackness在难以冲破的黑夜里，一辆车，实实足足地塞满了大活人，会一下子动不了了，象这种事也是司空见惯的。, the heart

of nowhere on a dark night, and for the driver and the girl-conductor to call:

'All get off—car's on fire.'在这黑沉沉的深夜，前不着村后不着店，司机和女售票员会突然大喊起来：“全下去——车着火了！” Instead of rushing out in a panic, the passengers

stolidly reply:

可是乘客们非但没有惊恐的冲下去，反倒无动于衷地回敬他们'Get on—get on.

We're not coming out. We're stopping where we are. Push on, George.'“上车——上车！我们不下。就在这儿呆着吧！加油！乔治！ So till flames actually appear. 这就样一直呆到火苗真的蹿了起来。：”

The reason for this reluctance to dismount is that the nights are ho

wlingly cold, black and windswept, and a car is a haven of refuge他们之所以不愿下车，是因为在这大风呼号、冰冷漆黑的夜里，一辆车就是一个避风港. From village to village

the miners travel, for a change of cinema, of girl, of pub矿工们从这个村跑到那个村，就是为了换个电影院，换个姑娘，或是换个酒馆。. The trams are desperately packed.

Who is going to risk himself in the black gulf outside每辆车都拚命地塞满了人，谁愿意就因为车子出了点毛病而冒险跑到外面幽黑的荒野中去等待？, to wait perhaps an hour

for another tram, then to see the forlorn notice 'Depot Only'—because there

is something wrong;

没准还得再等上一个小时才下一趟车，而看到的竟是车上那倒霉的牌子：“到站才停”；or to greet a unit of three bright cars all so tight with people that

they sail past with a howl of derision? Trams that pass in the night! 谁愿意冒险去迎候那灯光辉煌却也拥挤不堪的三节厢有轨车，而听着它发出一声嘲笑的鸣叫疾驰而过呢？深夜里来往的车呵，你只能听到他的声音。

This, the most dangerous tram-service in England, as the authorities

themselves declare, with pride, is entirely conducted by girls, and driven by

rash young men, a little crippled, or by delicate young men, who creep

forward in terror正如官方人士骄傲地宣称的那样，这种英格兰最危险的有轨车上的售票员全部由姑娘们担任。司机是些腿脚不便的楞小伙，再不就是些柔弱有病的年轻人，战战兢兢地开着车向前爬行.

The girls are fearless young hussies而女孩子却是些天不怕地不怕的野姑娘。. In their

ugly blue uniforms, skirts up to their knees, shapeless old peaked caps on

their heads, they have all the sangfroid of an old non-commissioned officer别看她们身着难看的蓝制服，裙子都遮不住膝盖，头顶没有模样的旧尖顶帽，可身上却都有一种老兵油子式的沉着和自信。. With a tram packed with howling colliers, roaring hymns

downstairs and a sort of antiphony of obscenities upstairs, the lasses are

perfectly at their ease. 虽然车上挤满了吵吵嚷嚷的矿工，下边一层吼着赞美诗，上边一层此起彼伏地哼着小曲儿，这些小姑娘却都安然自得 They pounce on the youths who try to

evade their ticket-machine她们猛地扑向那些不买票就想混下车的小青年，. They push off

the men at the end of their distance而对那些到站该下车的男人却是一阵好搡。. They

are not going to be done in the eye她们眼里可不揉沙子—not they. 别想她们的便宜

They fear nobody—and everybody fears them.

她们谁也不怕——可人人都怕她们。

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'Hello, Annie!'

'Hello, Ted!'

'Oh, mind my corn, Miss Stone! It's my belief you've got a heart of

stone, for you've trod on it again.'

'You should keep it in your pocket,' replies Miss Stone, and she goes

sturdily upstairs in her high boots.

'Tickets, please.'

She is peremptory, suspicious, and ready to hit first她坚毅专横，疑心很重，时刻准备主动出击。. She can hold her own against ten thousand. . The step-of

that tram-car is her Thermopylae塞莫皮莱（希腊东部一多岩石平原）. 她一个人能抵挡上万人。车上的踏板就是她的塞莫波雷隘口。

Therefore there is a certain wild romance aboard these cars—and in

the sturdy bosom of Annie herself. 然而，在这些车上，在安妮坚实的胸膛里，有着某种热烈的罗曼蒂克气氛。 The romantic time is in the morning, between ten o'clock and

one, when things are rather slack上午十点到一点之间，工作相当清闲，这也就是轻松浪漫的时刻了: that is, except market-day and Saturday不过，赶集日和星期六除外。. Then

Annie has time to look about her. Then she often hops off her car and into a

shop where she has spied something, while her driver chats in the main

road. 司机们正在大马路上聊天，此刻他通常是跳下车，钻进一家她看好了什么东西的商店。 There is

very good feeling between the girls and the drivers. Are they not

companions in peril, shipmates aboard this careering vessel of a tramcar,

for ever rocking on the waves of a stony land?

他们这只历经艰险的大船——有轨车——满载货物，无休止地在陆地的风暴波涛中颠簸，那么，他们难道不是同舟共济的伙伴吗？

Then, also, in the easy hours the inspectors检票员 are most in evidence.

For some reason, everybody employed in this tram-service is young: there

are no grey heads. 鉴于某种原因，这条线路上的工作人员都很年轻，没有也不会有鬓发灰白的老翁。 It would not do. Therefore the inspectors are of the right age, and one,

the chief, is also good-looking因而检票员也都是风华正茂，而且其中有一个，就是那个检票领班，还很漂亮。. See him stand on a wet, gloomy morning in his long oilskin, his

peaked cap well down over his eyes, waiting to board a car. 那是个潮湿阴沉的早晨，只见他身裹一件长长的油布雨衣，尖顶帽低低地压在眼眉上，站在那里等车 His face is ruddy,

his small brown moustache is weathered, he has a faint, impudent smile.

他面红润，棕小胡子上沾着露水，脸上挂着一丝粗野无礼的微笑。Fairly tall and agile, even

in his waterproof,

即使是穿着雨衣，他也显得相当高大敏捷。he springs aboard a car

and greets Annie.

他跳上车和安妮打招呼：

'Hello, Annie! Keeping the wet out?'

“喂，安妮！没淋湿吧？”

'Trying to.'

还好。”

There are only two people in the car. Inspecting is soon over. 查票工作很快就结束了。 Then for a long and impudent chat on the footboard—a good, easy,

twelve-mile chat.随之而来的便是踏板上毫无顾忌的一路长谈，一场很好、很轻松、长达十二英里的闲聊。

The inspector's name is John Thomas Raynor: always called John

Thomas, except sometimes, in malice, Coddy. 人们总是叫他约翰·托马斯，除非有时出于恶意，叫他科迪。 His face sets in fury when he is addressed, from a distance,

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with this abbreviation. 如果有人远远地用这个简称叫他，他就会勃然大怒。 There is

considerable scandal about John Thomas in half-a-dozen villages.

有半打村子里都流传着他那为数不算少的丑闻。He flirts with the girl-conductors in the morning,

and walks out with them in the dark night when they leave their tramcar

at the depot（station）. 他早晨和女售票员调情，晚上待她们离开车场后，又缠着要同她们一起去“散步？？”。 Of course, the girls quit the service frequently. 当然了，这就不断导致一些姑娘离去。 Then he flirts and walks out with a newcomer: 于是他又与新来的姑娘故伎重演； always providing she is sufficiently attractive, and that she will

consent to walk. 不过也总得这个姑娘相当漂亮，而且她也是同意去“散步”的。 It is

remarkable, however, that most of the girls are quite comely, they are all

young, and this roving life aboard the car gives them a sailor's dash and

recklessness.

值得一提的是，这儿的大部分姑娘都非常年轻标致，这种乘着车子四处飘荡的生活赋予她们水手般大无畏的气魄。What matter how they behave when the ship is in port?

船停泊在港口，她们在岸上举止如何又有什么关系呢？Tomorrow they will be aboard again.明天她们就会又回到甲板上去了。

Annie, however, was something of a Tartar, 然而，安妮颇有点鞑靼人的味道

and her sharp tongue had kept John Thomas at arm's length for many

months. 而且，几个月来，她那条锋利的舌头一直使约翰·托马斯不敢近前。 Perhaps, therefore,

she liked him all the more; 不过，她可能为此反倒更加喜欢他了。 for he always came

up smiling, with impudence. 他走来时总是面带微笑，笑容里有一股厚颜无耻的劲头。 She

watched him vanquish one girl, then another. 她注视着他征服一个又一个姑娘。 She

could tell by the movement of his mouth and eyes, when he flirted with her

in the morning, that he had been walking out with this lass, or the other

the night before. 早上，在他和安妮调情时，安妮可以根据他的嘴角和眼神，说出他在前一天晚上曾和这个或那个姑娘出去过。 A fine cock-of-the-wall he was. She could sum him up

pretty well.

他真可谓是个唐璜式的人物。安妮算是把他看透了

In their subtle antagonism, they knew each other like old friends;

这种微妙的对峙气氛中，他们宛若是两个老友，they were as shrewd with one another almost

as man and wife. 在彼此了如指掌，而相互关系中的那种敏感狡黠则几乎象夫妻之间一样。 But

Annie had always kept him fully at arm's length. 但安妮总是与他保持一段距离。

Besides, she had a boy of her own. 况且，她还有自己的男朋友呢。

The Statutes fair, however, came in November, at Middleton. 斯达秋兹游艺会十一月份在比斯特伍德举行 It happened that Annie had the Monday night off.

安妮正好在星期一晚上休班。 It was a drizzling, ugly night, yet she dressed herself

up and went to the fairground.

那天晚上，气候恶劣，细雨霏霏，可她还是装扮一番，上游艺会去了。She was alone, but she expected soon to find a pal of some sort.

她只身前往，盼望能很快结交一个什么朋友。

The roundabouts were veering round and grinding out their music, the

side-shows were making as much commotion as possible.

游艺台转来转去，吱吱啦啦地放出“音乐”，杂耍表演热闹非常。In the coconut shies there were no coconuts, but

artificial substitutes, which the lads declared were fastened into the irons.

There was a sad decline in brilliance and luxury.

在打椰棚里没有椰子，而是些战争时期的人造代用品，孩子们说那是用铁丝绑上的。可悲的是，远不如以前那样光彩夺目、华贵奢侈了。None

the less, the ground was muddy as ever, there was the same crush, the

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press of faces lighted up by the flares and the electric lights, the same smell

of naphtha and fried potatoes and electricity.

然而，那地面却仍象过去一样泥泞，仍旧是拥挤的人和在灯火辉映下攒聚的面孔，空气中仍充斥着那种石脑油、马铃薯和电器的混合味道。

Who should be the first to greet Miss Annie, on the show-ground, but

John Thomas! 安妮小在游艺场里第一个碰到的不是别人，偏偏是约翰·托马斯。 He had a

black overcoat buttoned up to his chin, and a tweed cap pulled down over

his brows, 他身穿一件黑大衣，扣子一直扣到下巴，头戴一顶苏格兰呢帽，低低地压在眼眉上。 his

face between was ruddy and smiling and hardy as ever. 帽子和大衣中间的一张脸红腻腻的，象往常一样微笑着，还是那么活泼。 She knew so well the way his mouth

moved.

他的嘴角会怎么挑动，安妮是再清楚不过的了。

She was very glad to have a 'boy'. 她非常高兴能有个“男孩子”陪她。 To be at the

Statutes without a fellow was no fun.

到游艺场来玩，没有个伴儿多没意思。Instantly,

like the gallant he was, he took her on the dragons, grim-toothed,

round-about switchbacks. 约翰·托马斯很会讨女人的欢心，他马上就带她去乘小火车——那条龇牙咧嘴、绕来绕去的铁龙。。 It was not nearly so exciting as a tramcar, actually. 实际上，坐这玩意儿并不象坐有轨车那样令人激动 But then, to be seated in a shaking

green dragon, uplifted above the sea of bubble faces, careering in a rickety

fashion in the lower heavens, whilst John Thomas leaned over her, his

cigarette in his mouth, was, after all, the right style. She was a plump,

quick, alive little creature然而，坐在摇晃的绿铁龙里，浮游在人头攒动的海洋之上，东倒西歪地在低空中疾驰，同时，还有叼着香烟的约翰·托马斯俯在她的头上，这对她来说，是件最对口味的事。.

So she was quite excited and happy.

John Thomas made her stay on for the next round.约翰·托马斯拉着她又坐了一圈。And therefore she could hardly for shame to repulse him when he put his

arm round her and drew her a little nearer to him, in a very warm and

cuddly manner. 这样，当约翰·托马斯这么温柔抚爱地挽住她，把她搂得更靠近自己时，她怎么好拒人于千里之外呢？ Besides, he was fairly discreet, he kept his movement as

hidden as possible. 况且，他还是小心翼翼的，一切都做得尽量不太唐突。She looked down,

and saw that his red, clean hand was out of sight of the crowd. 她低头看了看，看见他那只红润漂亮的手并没有露在人们的视野之中 And they knew each other so well.

So they warmed up to the fair.

因此，他们一心兴致勃勃地逛游艺场。

After the dragons they went on the horses. 乘完铁龙，他们又去骑木马。 John

Thomas paid each time, she could but be complaisant.

每次都是约翰·托马斯付钱，所以，她只能表现得很温顺了。He, of course, sat astride on the outer horse—named

'Black Bess约翰·托马斯当然是骑外侧的那匹马了——马的名字叫“黑拜斯””。'—and she sat

sideways towards him, on the inner horse—named 'Wildfire'——而她呢，则脸朝他侧身坐在里侧的马上——马的名字叫“野火. But, of course, John Thomas was not

going to sit discreetly on 'Black Bess', holding the brass bar.

约翰·托马斯当然也不会抓住铜扶手、规规矩矩地骑在“黑拜斯”身上。Round they spun and heaved, in the light.

他们在灯光下飞快地旋转着，起伏着。 And round he swung on his wooden steed,

flinging one leg across her mount, and perilously tipping up and down,

across the space, half-lying back, laughing at her.

他一边转，一边在木马上打旋，抬起一条腿从安妮的坐骑上抡过，然后，半仰着朝她大笑，那条腿在空中可怕地踢上踢下。他兴高采烈。安妮呢，唯恐自己的帽子歪到一边去了，她感到兴奋异常。He was perfectly happy; she was

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afraid her hat was on one side, but she was excited.

他兴高采烈。安妮呢，唯恐自己的帽子歪到一边去了，她感到兴奋异常。

He threw quoits on a table, and won her two large, pale-blue hatpins.

他投套圈给她赢来了两个浅蓝的帽卡子。And then, hearing the noise of the cinema,

announcing another performance, they climbed the boards and went in. 这时，他们听到电影院里传来下一场电影的预报，便爬上台阶，走进影院。

Of course, during these performances, pitch darkness falls from time to

time, when the machine goes wrong.

。当然了，放映时机器经常会出毛病，影院里不断出现伸手不见五指的黑暗。Then there is a wild whooping, and a loud smacking of

simulated kisses. 于是场里便会发出一阵狂喊，同时是一片啧啧的响亮的接吻声。 In these

moments John Thomas drew Annie towards him. 此时，约翰·托马斯便把安妮搂过来。

After all, he had a wonderfully warm, cosy way of holding a girl with his

arm, he seemed to make such a nice fit不管怎么说，他的拥抱给姑娘一种温暖舒适的感觉，仿佛总是那样自然，恰到好处。. And, after all, it was pleasant to be so held; so very

comforting and cosy and nice. 而且，这种搂抱令人心旷神怡，又惬意，又美好。 He leaned

over her and she felt his breath on her hair.

他俯下身来，安妮感觉到了他的呼吸；She

knew he wanted to kiss her on the lips.

她明白，他是想吻她的嘴唇。 And, after all,

he was so warm and she fitted in to him so softly. After all, she wanted him

to touch her lips他是那样的热烈，安妮又是那样娇弱地依偎着他。总而言之，安妮希望他吻她。.

But the light sprang up, she also started electrically, and put her hat

straight. He left his arm lying nonchalant behind her. Well, it was fun, it

was exciting to be at the Statutes with John Thomas. 但灯光一下亮了；安妮象触电一样抬起身，扶正了帽子。约翰·托马斯随随便便地将手臂留在了安妮身后。

When the cinema was over they went for a walk across the dark, damp

fields. He had all the arts of love-making. He was especially good at holding

a girl, when he sat with her on a stile阶梯 in the black, drizzling下毛毛雨

darkness. He seemed to be holding her in space, against his own warmth

and gratification. And his kisses were soft and slow and searching.

So Annie walked out with John Thomas, though she kept her own boy

dangling in the distance. Some of the tram-girls chose to be huffy（angry）.

But there, you must take things as you find them, in this life.

There was no mistake about it, Annie liked John Thomas a good deal.

She felt so pleasant and warm in herself, whenever he was near. And John

Thomas really liked Annie, more than usual. The soft, melting way in

which she could flow into a fellow, as if she melted into his very bones, was

something rare and good. He fully appreciated this.

But with a developing acquaintance there began a developing intimacy.

Annie wanted to consider him a person, a man; she wanted to take an

intelligent interest in him, and to have an intelligent response. She did not

want a mere nocturnal presence— which was what he was so far. And she

prided herself that he could not leave her.

Here she made a mistake. John Thomas intended to remain a

nocturnal presence, he had no idea of becoming an all-round individual面面俱到、形影不离 to her. When she started to take an intelligent interest in him

6

and his life and his character, he sheered off(leave). He hated intelligent

interest. And he knew that the only way to stop it was to avoid it. The

possessive female was aroused in Annie. So he left her.

It was no use saying she was not surprised. She was at first startled,

thrown out of her count. For she had been so very sure of holding him. For

a while she was staggered（Surprised）, and everything became uncertain to

her. Then she wept with fury, indignation愤愤不平, desolation, and misery.

Then she had a spasm抽搐 of despair. And then, when he came, still

impudently放肆, on to her car, still familiar, but letting her see by the

movement of his eyes that he had gone away to somebody else, for the time

being, and was enjoying pastures new更好的地方, then she determined to

have her own back报复.

She had a very shrewd（evil） idea what girls John Thomas had taken

out. She went to Nora Purdy. Nora was a tall, rather pale, but well-built

girl, with beautiful yellow hair. She was somewhat secretive.

'Hey!' said Annie, accosting her; then, softly: 'Who's John Thomas on

with now?'

'I don't know,' said Nora.

'Why tha（you） does,' said Annie, ironically lapsing into陷入 dialect.

'Tha knows as well as I do.'

'Well, I do, then,' said Nora. 'It isn't me, so don't bother.'

'It's Cissy Meakin, isn't it?'

'It is for all I know.'

'Hasn't he got a face on him!' said Annie. 'I don't half like his cheek! I

could knock him off the footboard when he comes round me!'

'He'll get dropped on挨上一顿揍 one of these days,' said Nora.

'Ay, he will when somebody makes up their mind to drop it on him. I

should like to see him taken down a peg or two, shouldn't you?'

'I shouldn't mind,' said Nora.

'You've got quite as much cause to as I have,' said Annie. 'But we'll

drop on him one of these days, my girl. What! don't you want to?'

“你和我都有理由关心这件事，”安妮说，“哪天咱们揍他一顿，我的姑娘。什么？你不乐意？”

'I don't mind,' said Nora.

But as a matter of fact Nora was much more vindictive（punished）

than Annie.

One by one Annie went the round of the old flames（former lover）. It

so happened that Cissy Meakin left the tramway service in quite a short

time. Her mother made her leave. Then John Thomas was on the qui vive警戒着. He cast his eyes over his old flock（crowd of people）. And his eyes

lighted on Annie. He thought she would be safe学乖了 now. Besides, he

liked her.

7

She arranged to walk home with him on Sunday night. It so happened

that her car would be in the depot（station） at half-past nine: the last car

would come in at ten-fifteen. So John Thomas was to wait for her there.

At the depot the girls had a little waiting-room of their own. It was

quite rough, but cosy（comfortable）, with a fire and an oven and a mirror

and table and wooden chairs. The half-dozen girls who knew John Thomas

only too well had arranged to take service this Sunday afternoon. So as the

cars began to come in early, the girls dropped into the waiting-room. And

instead of hurrying off home they sat round the fire and had a cup of tea.

Outside was the darkness and lawlessness of war-timc.

John Thomas came on the car after Annie, at about a quarter to ten.

He poked his head easily into the girls' waiting-room.

'Prayer meeting?' he asked.

'Ay,' said Laura Sharp. 'Ladies' effort.'

'That's me!' said John Thomas. It was one of his favourite exclamations感叹语.

'Shut the door, boy,' said Muriel Baggaley.

'On which side of me?' said John Thomas.

'Which tha likes,' said Polly Birken.

He had come in and closed the door behind him. The girls moved in

their circle to make a place for him near the fire. He took off his greatcoat

and pushed back his hat.

'Who handles the teapot?' he said.

Nora silently poured him out a cup of tea.

'Want a bit o' my bread and dripping?' said Muriel Baggaley to him.

'Ay, give us a bit.'

And he began to eat his piece of bread.

'There's no place like home, girls,' he said.

They all looked at him as he uttered this piece of impudence厚颜无耻.

He seemed to be sunning himself in the presence of so many damsels.少女

'Especially if you're not afraid to go home in the dark,' said Laura

Sharp.

'Me? By myself I am!'

They sat till they heard the last tram come in. In a few minutes Emma

Housely entered.

'Come on, my old duck!' cried Polly Birkin.

'It

is perishing（cold）,' said Emma, holding her fingers to the fire.

'"But I'm afraid to go home in the dark,"' sang Laura Sharp, the tune

having got into her mind.

'Who're you going with tonight, Mr Raynor?' asked Muriel Baggaley,

coolly.

'Tonight?' said John Thomas. 'Oh, I'm going home by myself

tonight—all on my lonely-o.'

8

'That's me!' said Nora Purdy, using his own ejaculation（射精、突然说出—口头禅）. The girls laughed shrilly.

'Me as well, Nora,' said John Thomas.

'Don't know what you mean,' said Laura.

'Yes, I'm toddling溜了,' said he, rising and reaching for his coat.

'Nay,' said Polly. 'We're all here waiting for you.'

'We've got to be up in good time in the morning,' he said, in the

benevolent仁慈的 official manner. They all laughed.

'Nay,' said Muriel. 'Don't disappoint us all.' 'I'll take the lot（all）, if you

like,' he responded, gallantly.

'That you won't, either,' said Muriel. 'Two's company; seven's too much

of a good thing.'

'Nay, take one,' said Laura. 'Fair and square正大光明的, all above

board, say which one.'

'Ay!' cried Annie, speaking for the first time. 'Choose, John

Thomas—let's hear thee.'

'Nay,' he said. 'I'm going home quiet tonight.' He frowned at the use of

his double name.

'Whereabouts?' said Annie. '”Take a good un then, But that’s got to

take one’ of us out!”

'Nay, how can I take one?' he said, laughing uneasily. 'I don't want to

make enemies.'

'You'd only make

one,' said Annie, grimly.

'The chosen

one,' said Laura. A laugh went up.

'Oh, my! Who said girls!' exclaimed（shouted） John Thomas, again

turning as if to escape. 'Well, good-night!'

'Nay, you've got to take one,' said Muriel. 'Turn your face to the wall,

and say which one touches you. Go on—we shall only just touch your

back—one of us. Go on—turn your face to the wall, and don't look, and say

which one touches you.'

He was uneasy, mistrusting them. Yet he had not the courage to break

away. They pushed him to a wall and stood him there with his face to it.

Behind his back they all grimaced, tittering57. He looked so comical（funny）. He looked around uneasily.

'Go on!' he cried.

'You're looking—you're looking!' they shouted.

He turned his head away. And suddenly, with a movement like a swift

cat, Annie went forward and fetched him a box（hit） on the side of the

head that sent his cap flying and himself staggering踉跄. He started

round.

But at Annie's signal they all flew at him, slapping him, pinching him,

pulling his hair, though more in fun than in spite or anger. He, however,

saw red. His blue eyes flamed with strange fear as well as fury, and he

butted（ran） through the girls to the door. It was locked. He wrenched扭

9

at it. Roused（angry）, alert, the girls stood round and looked at him. He

faced them, at bay陷入绝境. At that moment they were rather horrifying to

him, as they stood in their short uniforms. He was distinctively afraid.

'Come on, John Thomas! Come on! Choose!' said Annie.

'What are you after? Open the door,' he said.

'We shan't—not till you've chosen,' said Muriel.

'Chosen what?' he said.

'Chosen the one you're to marry,' she replied.

He hesitated a moment:

'Open the blasted door,' he said, 'and get back to your senses.' He spoke

with official authority.

'You've got to choose,' cried the girls.

'Come on! Come on!' cried Annie. Looking him in the eye. “Come on!

Come on!”

He went forward, rather vaguely茫然地. She had taken off her belt and,

swinging it, she fetched him a sharp blow over the head with the buckle 搭扣end. He sprang and seized her. But immediately the other girls rushed

upon him, pulling him and tearing and beating him. Their blood was now

thoroughly up. He was their sport now. They were going to have their own

back, out of him. Strange, wild creatures, they hung on him and rushed at

him to bear him down. His tunic was torn right up the back. Nora had hold

at the back of his collar, and was actually strangling勒死 him. Luckily the

button-hole burst. He struggled in a wild frenzy（madness） of fury and

terror, almost mad terror. His tunic was simply torn off his back, his

shirt-sleeves were torn away, his arms were naked. The girls simply

rushed at him, clenched勒住 their hands and pulled at him; or they rushed

at him and pushed him, butted him with all their might: or they struck him

wild blows. He ducked and cringed畏缩 and struck sideways. They became

more intense.

At last he was down. They rushed on him, kneeling on him. He had

neither breath nor strength to move. His face was bleeding with a long

scratch, his brow was bruised青紫.

Annie knelt on him, the other girls knelt and hung on to him. Their

faces were flushed, their hair wild, their eyes were all glittering strangely.

He lay at last quite still, with face averted（moved）, as an animal lies when

it is defeated and at the mercy of the captor. Sometimes his eye glance back

at the wild faces of the girls. His breast rose heavily, his wrists were torn.

'Now then, my fellow!' gasped （breath）Annie at length（at last）.'Now

then—now———'

At the sound of her terrifying, cold triumph, he suddenly started to

struggle as an animal might, but the girls threw themselves upon him with

unnatural strength and power, forcing him down.

'Yes—now then!' gasped Annie at length.

10

And there was a dead silence, in which the thud of heart-beating was

to be heard. It was a suspense of pure silence in every soul.

'Now you know where you are,' said Annie.

The sight of his white, bare arm maddened the girls. He lay in a kind

of trance恍惚 of fear and antagonism（hostility）. They felt themselves

filled with supernatural strength.

Suddenly Polly started to laugh—to giggle wildly—helplessly— and

Emma and Muriel joined in. But Annie and Nora and Laura remained the

same, tense, watchful, with gleaming闪烁 eyes. He winced退缩 away from

these eyes.

'Yes,' said Annie, in a curious low tone, secret and deadly. “Yes! You’ve

got it now. You know what you’ve done, don’t you? You know what you’ve

done.”

He made no sound nor sign, but lay with bright, averted转移的 eyes

and averted, bleeding face.

'You ought to be

killed, that's what you ought,' said Annie, tensely.

“You ought to be

killed.” And there was a terrifying lust（desire） in her

voice.

Polly was ceasing to laugh, and giving long-drawn Oh-h-hs and sighs

as she came to herself.

'He's got to choose,' she said, vaguely模糊含糊的.

'Yes, he has,' said Laura, with vindictive（punished） decision.

'Do you hear—do you hear?' said Annie. And with a sharp movement,

that made him wince, he turned his face to her.

'Do you hear?' she repeated, shaking him.

But he was quite dumb. She fetched him a sharp slap on the face. He

started and his eyes widened. Then his face darkened with defiance蔑视,

after all.

'Do you hear?' she repeated.

He only looked at her with hostile eyes.

“Speak!” She said, putting her face devilishly残忍地 near his.

'What?' he said, almost overcome.

'You've got to

choose,' she cried, as if it were some terrible menace,威胁

and as if it hurt her that she could not exact more.

'What?' he said, in fear.

'Choose your girl, Coddy. You’ve got to choose her now. And you’ll get

your neck broken if you play any more of your tricks, my boy. You’re settled

now.”

There was a pause. Again he averted his face. He was cunning in his

overthrow. He did not give in to them really - no, not if they tore him to

bits.

'All right then,' he said. 'I choose Annie.' His voice was strange and full

of malice（hate）. Annie let go of him as if he had been a hot coal.

'He’s chosen Annie!” said the girls in chorus.

11

'Me!' cried Annie. She was still kneeling, but away from him. He was

still lying prostrate屈服, with averted face. The girls grouped, uneasily

around.

'Me!' repeated Annie, with a terrible bitter accent.

Then she got up, pushing him away from her with a strange disgust

and bitterness.

'I wouldn't touch him,' she said.

But her face quivered with a kind of agony（pain）, she seemed as if she

would fall. The other girls turned aside. He remained lying on the floor,

with his torn clothes and bleeding, averted face.

“Oh if he’s chosen --” said Polly.

'I don't want him—he can choose another,' said Annie, with the same

rather bitter hopelessness.

'Get up,' said Polly, lifting his shoulder. 'Get up.'

He rose slowly, a strange, ragged, dazed creature. The girls eyed him

from a distance, curiously, furtively偷偷地, dangerously.

'Who wants him?' cried Laura, roughly.

'Nobody,' they answered, with contempt轻视. Yet each one of them

waited for him to look at her, hoped he would look at her. All except Annie,

and something was broken in her.

He, however, kept his face closed and averted from them all. There

was a silence of the end. He picked up the torn pieces of his tunic, without

knowing what to do with them. The girls stood about uneasily, flushed,

panting气喘吁吁, tidying their hair and their dress unconsciously, and

watching him. He looked at none of them. He espied（see suddenly） his cap

in a corner, and went and picked it up. He put it on his head, and one of the

girls burst into a thrill（Excitement）, hysteric laugh at the sight he

presented. He , however, took no heed不理睬, but went straight to where

his overcoat hung on a peg. The girls moved away from contact with him as

if he had been an electric wire. He put on his coat and buttoned it down.

Then he rolled his tunic-rags into a bundle, and stood before the locked

door, dumbly.

“Open the door, somebody,” said Laura.

“Annie’s got the key,” said one.

Annie silently offered the key to the girls. Nora unlocked the door.

“Tit for tat以牙还牙，, old man,” she said. “Show yourself a man, and

don’t bear a grudge怀恨在心，.”

But without a word or sign he had opened the door and gone, his face

closed, his head dropped.

“That’ll learn him,” said Laura.

“Shut up, for God’s sake!” cried Annie fiercely, as if in torture.

“Well, I’m about ready to go, Polly. Look sharp!” said Muriel.

The girls were all anxious to be off. They were tidying themselves

hurriedly, with mute, stupefied呆若木鸡的 faces.

12

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