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Of course a miracle may happen, and you may be a great painter, but you must confess the chances are a million to one against it. It'll be an awful sell if at the end you have to acknowledge you've made a hash of it.
“當(dāng)然了，也許會發(fā)生奇跡，你也許會成為一個大畫家。但你必須承認(rèn)，這種可能性是微乎其微的。假如到頭來你不得不承認(rèn)把事情搞得一塌糊涂，你就后悔莫及了。”
I've got to paint, he repeated.
“我必須畫畫兒，”他又重復(fù)了一句。
Supposing you're never anything more than third-rate, do you think it will have been worth while to give up everything? After all, in any other walk in life it doesn't matter if you're not very good; you can get along quite comfortably if you're just adequate; but it's different with an artist.
“假如你最多只能成為一個三流畫家，你是不是還認(rèn)為值得把一切都拋棄掉呢？不管怎么說，其他各行各業(yè)，假如你才不出眾，并沒有多大關(guān)系；只要還能過得去，你就能夠舒舒服服地過日子；但是當(dāng)一個藝術(shù)家完全是另一碼事。”
You blasted fool, he said.
“你他媽的真是個傻瓜。”他說。
I don't see why, unless it's folly to say the obvious.
“我不知道你為什么這么說，除非我這樣把最明顯的道理說出來是在干傻事。”
I tell you I've got to paint. I can't help myself. When a man falls into the water it doesn't matter how he swims, well or badly: he's got to get out or else he'll drown.
“我告訴你我必須畫畫兒。我由不了我自己。一個人要是跌進水里，他游泳游得好不好是無關(guān)緊要的，反正他得掙扎出去，不然就得淹死。”
There was real passion in his voice, and in spite of myself I was impressed. I seemed to feel in him some vehement power that was struggling within him; it gave me the sensation of something very strong, overmastering, that held him, as it were, against his will. I could not understand. He seemed really to be possessed of a devil, and I felt that it might suddenly turn and rend him. Yet he looked ordinary enough. My eyes, resting on him curiously, caused him no embarrassment. I wondered what a stranger would have taken him to be, sitting there in his old Norfolk jacket and his unbrushed bowler; his trousers were baggy, his hands were not clean; and his face, with the red stubble of the unshaved chin, the little eyes, and the large, aggressive nose, was uncouth and coarse. His mouth was large, his lips were heavy and sensual. No; I could not have placed him.
他的語音里流露著一片熱誠，我不由自主地被他感動了。我好象感覺到一種猛烈的力量正在他身體里面奮力掙扎；我覺得這種力量非常強大，壓倒一切，仿佛違拗著他自己的意志，并把他緊緊抓在手中。我理解不了。他似乎真的讓魔鬼附體了，我覺得他可能一下子被那東西撕得粉碎。但是從表面上看，他卻平平常常。我的眼睛好奇地盯著他，他卻一點也不感到難為情。他坐在那里，穿著一件破舊的諾弗克上衣，戴著頂早就該拂拭的圓頂帽，我真不知道一個陌生人會把他當(dāng)做什么人。他的褲腿象兩只口袋，手并不很干凈，下巴上全是紅胡子茬，一對小眼睛，撅起的大鼻頭，臉相又笨拙又粗野。他的嘴很大，厚厚的嘴唇給人以耽于色欲的感覺。不成，我無法判定他是怎樣一類人。
You won't go back to your wife? I said at last.
“你不準(zhǔn)備回到你妻子那里去了？”最后我開口說。
Never.
“永遠(yuǎn)不回去了。”
She's willing to forget everything that's happened and start afresh. She'll never make you a single reproach.
“她可是愿意把發(fā)生的這些事全都忘掉，一切從頭開始。她一句話也不責(zé)備你。”
She can go to hell.
“讓她見鬼去吧！”
You don't care if people think you an utter blackguard? You don't care if she and your children have to beg their bread?
“你不在乎別人把你當(dāng)做個徹頭徹尾的壞蛋嗎？你不在乎你的妻子兒女去討飯嗎？”
Not a damn.
“一點也不在乎。”
I was silent for a moment in order to give greater force to my next remark. I spoke as deliberately as I could.
我沉默了一會兒，為了使我底下這句話有更大的力量。我故意把一個個的字吐得真真切切。
You are a most unmitigated cad.
“你是個不折不扣的混蛋。”
Now that you've got that off your chest, let's go and have dinner.
“成了，你現(xiàn)在把壓在心上的話已經(jīng)說出來了，咱們可以去吃飯了。”
