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Chapter 15 A Night at the Ritz
第十五章 里茲一夜
When the desk clerk at the Ritz Hotel saw the Boatman enter the lobby followed by an enormous snow-white swan with a black beak,
當里茲飯店的服務員看到這個領著一只黑嘴的雪白大天鵝走進大廳的游艇老板時，
the clerk didn't like it at all.
心里十分不樂意。
The clerk was a carefully-dressed man--very neat, his hair nicely combed.
這個服務員顯然是一個經過精心打扮的男人--穿得很齊整，頭發梳得锃亮。
The Boatman stepped boldly up to the desk.
游艇老板大模大樣地走到了服務臺前。
"I'd like a single room for tonight for my friend here," said the Boatman.
“我今晚要給我的朋友在這兒開一間單人房，”游艇老板說。
The clerk shook his head. "No birds," he said. "The Ritz doesn't take birds."
那個服務員搖搖頭。“鳥可不行，”他說，“里茲是不接待鳥類的。”
"You take celebrities, don't you?" asked the Boatman.
“你們接待名人，對吧？”游艇老板問。
"Certainly," replied the clerk.
“那當然。”服務員回答。
"You'd take Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, wouldn't you, if they wanted to spend the night?"
“你們接待理查德·伯頓和伊莉莎白·泰勒，對不對，如果他們想在此過夜的話？”
"Of course," replied the clerk.
“當然。”這個服務員回答。
"You'd take Queen Elizabeth, wouldn't you?"
“你們接待伊莉莎白女王，對嗎？”
"Of course."
“當然了。”
"O.k.," said the Boatman. "My friend here is a celebrity.
“OK，”游艇老板說，“我這位朋友就是個名人。
He is a famous musician. He created a sensation in the Public Garden this afternoon.
他是一個著名的音樂家。他今天下午在大眾公園引起了一場轟動。
You must have heard the commotion. He's a Trumpeter Swan and plays like the great Armstrong."
你想必也有所耳聞吧。他是一只號手天鵝，吹得和偉大的阿姆斯特朗一樣好。”
The clerk gazed suspiciously at Louis. "Has he any luggage?" asked the clerk.
這個服務員吃驚地注視著路易斯。“他有行李嗎？”這個服務員問。
"Luggage?" cried the Boatman. "Take a look at him! Look at the stuff he's got with him!"
“行李？”游艇老板叫起來。“看看他吧！看他帶的那些東西！”
"Well, I don't know," said the clerk, staring at Louis's possessions
“哦，我還不知道呢，”服務員說著，盯向路易斯的那些東西
his trumpet, his moneybag, his slate, his chalk pencil, his lifesaving medal.
他的小號，他的錢袋，他的石板，他的石筆，他的救生獎章。
"A bird is a bird. How do I know he hasn't got lice?
“鳥到底是鳥嘛。我怎么知道他沒長虱子？
Birds often have lice. The Ritz won't take anybody that has lice."
鳥身上經常生虱子。里茲可不會接待任何一個生虱子的客人。”
"Lice?" roared the Boatman. "Did you ever see a cleaner guest in your whole life? Look at him! He's immaculate."
“虱子？”游艇老板吼起來，“你這輩子見過一位這么干凈的客人嗎？看看他！他簡直是純潔無瑕。”
At this, Louis held his slate up to the clerk. "No lice," he wrote.
這時，路易斯把他的石板舉到那個服務員的面前。“沒有虱子。”他寫道。
The clerk stared in amazement. He was beginning to weaken.
這個服務員驚訝地盯著石板。他開始松口了。
"Well, I have to be careful," he said to the Boatman.
“好吧，可我還是謹慎一些為好，”他對游艇老板說，
"You say he's a celebrity. How do I know he's famous. You may be just kidding me about that."
“你說他是一個名人。可我怎么知道他是名人呢。可能你不過想拿我尋開心而已。”
