了不起的盖茨比（They're a rotten crowd）

导读：“They're a rotten crowd”，他们是一帮混蛋，“他们”指的是东卵传统贵族，诸如汤姆、黛西等人。东卵代表着特权、肤浅、腐败、物质主义，不欢迎圈外的任何人。这是尼克第一次对自己的观点做出明确的判断。You're worth the whole damn bunch put together，那些混蛋加在一起也比不上你，事实上，尼克从一开始就不喜欢盖茨比，他在文中坦白道：“I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end.”所以这一时刻意义重大，原因很多。首先，在小说的开头，尼克说他“倾向于保留所有的判断”，然而，随着故事的发展，尼克对盖茨比的印象发生了转变，因为他被盖茨比的纯真和坚持打动了，也因此更加厌恶东卵贵族的虚伪和冷漠。

其次，这是尼克向盖茨比展示的第一个真正的友谊时刻，一个发自内心的赞美。尼克也成了唯一真正理解盖茨比的人，唯一真正欣赏盖茨比的人。

原文：It was nine o’clock when we finished breakfast and went out on the porch. The night had made a sharp difference in the weather and there was an autumn flavor in the air. The gardener, the last one of Gatsby’s former servants, came to the foot of the steps.

    九点钟，我们俩吃过早餐，走到外面的门廊上。一夜过去，天气骤然变了，空气里有了一些秋意。园丁——盖茨比家仅剩的先前雇佣的人，走到台阶下。

　　“I’m going to drain the pool to-day, Mr. Gatsby. Leaves’ll start falling pretty soon, and then there’s always trouble with the pipes.”

     "盖茨比先生，我今天准备把游泳池的水放掉。树叶很快就要开始落了，到时候水管会被堵住的。"

　　“Don’t do it to-day,” Gatsby answered. He turned to me apologetically. “You know, old sport, I’ve never used that pool all summer?”

"今天先别放。"盖茨比回应道。他带有歉意地转向我，"你知道吗，老兄，我整个夏天从来没用过那个游泳池！"

　　I looked at my watch and stood up.

    我看了看我的表，站起身来。

　　“Twelve minutes to my train.”

    "离我那班车还有十二分钟。"

　　I didn’t want to go to the city. I wasn’t worth a decent stroke of work, but it was more than that—I didn’t want to leave Gatsby. I missed that train, and then another, before I could get myself away.

我并不愿意进城去。我也没有准备好投入那些体面的工作，可是不仅如此--我不愿意离开盖茨比。我错过了那班车，又错过了下一班，然后才勉强离开。

 　　“I’ll call you up,” I said finally.

    "我会给你打电话的。"我最后说。　　

    “Do, old sport.”

     "好的，老兄。

　　“I’ll call you about noon.”

     "我中午前后给你打电话。"

　　 We walked slowly down the steps.

    我们慢慢地走下了台阶。

　　“I suppose Daisy’ll call too.” He looked at me anxiously, as if he hoped I’d corroborate this.

     “我想黛西也会打过来吧。”他焦虑不安地看着我，好像希望我能证实这一点。　　

    “I suppose so.”

    "我想她会的。"

　　“Well, good-by.”

     "那么，再见吧。"

　　We shook hands and I started away. Just before I reached the hedge I remembered something and turned around.

    我们握了手，随后我就走开了。在我快走到树篱之前，我想起了一件事，于是又掉转身来。

　　“They’re a rotten crowd,” I shouted across the lawn. “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.”

     "他们是一帮烂人，"我隔着草坪喊道，"那些混蛋加在一起也比不上你。"

     I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end. First he nodded politely, and then his face broke into that radiant and understanding smile, as if we’d been in ecstatic cahoots on that fact all the time. His gorgeous pink rag of a suit made a bright spot of color against the white steps, and I thought of the night when I first came to his ancestral home, three months before. The lawn and drive had been crowded with the faces of those who guessed at his corruption—and he had stood on those steps, concealing his incorruptible dream, as he waved them good-by.

cahoot：同伙，合谋。

我后来一直很庆幸说了那句话。那是我对他唯一的赞美，因为我自始至终不赞成他的。他起先客气地点点头，随后他脸上露出了欣慰的会心一笑，仿佛我们俩对这个事实早已心照不宣。他那套华丽的粉红色衣服在白色台阶的映衬下成了一抹鲜艳的色彩，于是我联想起三个月前我初次来他的“祖传”别墅的那个晚上。当时他的草坪和汽车道上挤满了宾客，那些臆想他的不堪的宾客--而他站在台阶上，藏起他那不朽的梦想，向他们挥手道别。

　　I thanked him for his hospitality. We were always thanking him for that—I and the others.

我感谢了他的友好招待。我们总是为此而感谢他--我和其他人都是。

　　“Good-by,” I called. “I enjoyed breakfast, Gatsby.”

     "再见，"我喊道，"谢谢你的早餐，盖茨比。"