評論
打印
The introductions were made. Most of the guests were Japanese, and it was difficult for me to ask them just why we were gathered here. The few Americans and Germans seemed just as inhibited as I was. "Gentlemen," said the mayor, "I am happy to welcome you to Hiroshima."
到場的賓客們被互相介紹了一番。他們大多數(shù)都是日本人，我也不好開口去問為什么要請我們來這兒聚會。在場的少數(shù)幾位美國人和德國人看來也同我一樣有些局促不安。“先生們，”市長開言道，“我很高興歡迎你們到廣島來。”
Everyone bowed, including the Westerners. After three days in Japan, the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.
大家都開始彎腰鞠躬，連在場的西方人也不例外。只要在日本呆上三天，人的脊椎骨就會變得特別地柔韌靈活。
"Gentlemen, it is a very great honor to have you here in Hiroshima."
“先生們，你們光臨廣島是我們的極大榮幸。”
There were fresh bows, and the faces grew more and more serious each time the name Hiroshima was repeated.
大家又開始鞠躬。隨著廣島這一名字的一次次重復(fù)，大家的面容變得越來越嚴(yán)肅起來。
"Hiroshima, as you know, is a city familiar to everyone,” continued the mayor.
“廣島，大家知道，是一座大家都很熟悉的城市，”市長接著說道。
"Yes, yes, of course,” murmured the company, more and more agitated.
“對，對，當(dāng)然是這樣，”在場的人們低聲議論著，臉上的神色越來越不安起來。
"Seldom has a city gained such world renown, and I am proud and happy to welcome you to Hiroshima, a town known throughout the world for its-oysters".
“難得有個城市像廣島這樣聞名遐邇。我既高興而又自豪地歡迎諸位來到廣島。令廣島如此舉世聞名的乃是它的--牡蠣。”
I was just about to make my little bow of assent, when the meaning of these last words sank in, jolting me out of my sad reverie .
我正準(zhǔn)備點(diǎn)頭對市長的話表示贊同，可就在這時，我突然聽明白了剛才這句話末尾幾個字的意義，我的頭腦也就隨之從憂愁傷感中清醒過來。
"Hiroshima-oysters? What about the bomb and the misery and humanity's most heinous crime?"
“廣島--牡蠣?怎么沒提原子彈和這個城市所遭受的災(zāi)難以及人類有史以來犯下的最大的罪惡呢?”
While the mayor went on with his speech in praise of southern Japanese sea food, I cautiously backed away and headed toward the far side of the room, where a few men were talking among themselves and paying little attention to the mayor's speech.
市長還在繼續(xù)演講，一個勁兒贊美著日本南方的海味。我躡手躡腳地退到屋子的后邊，那兒有幾個人在開小會，沒怎么理睬市長的演講。
"You look puzzled," said a small Japanese man with very large eye-glasses.
“您看上去像是心中有什么疑惑未解似的，”一個身材矮小、戴著一副特大眼鏡的日本人對我說道。
"Well, I must confess that I did not expect a speech about oysters here. I thought that Hiroshima still felt the impact of the atomic cataclysm ."
“不錯，我得承認(rèn)我真的沒有料到在這兒會聽到一番關(guān)于牡蠣的演說。我原以為廣島仍未擺脫原子彈災(zāi)禍的陰影。”
