了不起的盖茨比（众人关于盖茨比身世的推测）

　“I like to come,” Lucille said. “I never care what I do, so I always have a good time. When I was here last I tore my gown on a chair, and he asked me my name and address—inside of a week I got a package from Croirier’s with a new evening gown in it.”

     "我喜欢来，"露西尔说，"我从来不在乎干什么，只要我玩得痛快就行。上次我来这里，礼服被椅子擦破了，他就问了我的姓名住址--一个星期不到，我就收到克罗依莉亚时装店送来的一个包裹，里面是一条新的晚礼服裙。"

　　“Did you keep it?” asked Jordan.

     "你收下了吗？"乔丹问。

　　“Sure I did. I was going to wear it to-night, but it was too big in the bust and had to be altered. It was gas blue with lavender beads. Two hundred and sixty-five dollars.”

     "我当然收下了。我本来打算今晚穿的，可是它胸口太宽松了，只能改改尺寸再穿。那裙子是淡蓝色的，镶着淡紫色的珠子。二百六十五美元。"“当然啊。我本来想今晚穿的，但是胸口太宽松了，只能改改再穿。那裙子是蓝色的，镶着淡紫色的珠子。两百六十五美元。“

　　“There’s something funny about a fellow that’ll do a thing like that,” said the other girl eagerly. “He doesn’t want any trouble with ANYbody.”

     "一个能干出这种事的家伙，还是挺有意思的，"另外那个姑娘热切地说，"他不想得罪任何人。"

　　“Who doesn’t?” I inquired.

     "谁不想？"我问。

　　“Gatsby. Somebody told me...”

    "盖茨比。有人告诉我……"

　　The two girls and Jordan leaned together confidentially.

【confidentially: in a private or secret way】

     两个姑娘和乔丹神秘兮兮地探身凑在一起。“盖茨比。有人跟我说——”

　　“Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once.”

     "有人告诉我，人家认为他曾经杀过一个人。"

　　A thrill passed over all of us. The three Mr. Mumbles bent forward and listened eagerly.

我们所有人都悚然一惊。那三位先生也探身来细听。

　　“I don’t think it’s so much THAT,” argued Lucille sceptically; “it’s more that he was a German spy during the war.”

    "我想并不是那回事，"露西尔质疑道，"多半是他在大战期间当过德国间谍的缘故。"我们所有人都悚然一惊。那三位含糊先生也探过身来专注地听。

　　One of the men nodded in confirmation.

其中一位男士点头表示赞同。

　　“I heard that from a man who knew all about him, grew up with him in Germany,” he assured us positively.

     "我也听过一个人这样说，这人对他一清二楚，是从小和他一起在德国长大的。"他言之凿凿地对我们说。

“Oh, no,” said the first girl, “it couldn’t be that, because he was in the American army during the war.” As our credulity switched back to her she leaned forward with enthusiasm. “You look at him sometimes when he thinks nobody’s looking at him. I’ll bet he killed a man.”

【credulity: willingness to believe what you hear. 】

     "噢，错了，"第一个姑娘又说，"不可能是那样，因为大战期间他是在美国军队里。"于是我们又转向她，倾向于听信她的说法，而她也兴致勃勃地把身子往前一探：“你们找机会瞧瞧他，趁他以为没人注意他的时候。我敢打赌他杀过人。”

　　She narrowed her eyes and shivered（哆嗦）. Lucille shivered. We all turned and looked around for Gatsby. It was testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world.

    她眯起眼睛，哆嗦了起来。露西尔也在哆嗦。我们都转过身去四下张望，想找到盖茨比。那些认为这个世上没有什么需要背后议论的人，谈起他却还是窃窃私语；这正是他引起了人们浪漫推测的证明。

了不起盖茨比经典名句：

    It was testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world.

    连这些平时说话谈天都百无禁忌的人，现在谈起他来却这样窃窃私语，这一点也足以证明他引起了人们何等浪漫的遐想了。