評論
打印
63 He arrives home, in a rainstorm, after 7 p.m. Today was not profitable. He tells himself not to worry. Four days left in the week.
64 At least he's off his feet and home.
65 Inside, an era is preserved. The telephone is a heavy, rotary model. There is no VCR, no cable.
66 His is the only house in the neighborhood with a television antenna on the roof.
晚上7點過后，他在暴風雨中回到了家。今天沒賺錢。他跟自己說別著急。這個星期還有4天呢。
至少他回到了家，不用再站立了。
屋內，儼然是保存完好的一個舊時代。電話是笨重的撥盤式的那種。沒有錄像放映機，沒有有線電視。
他家是附近惟一一家屋頂上支著電視接收天線的人家。
67 He leads a solitary life. Most of his human contact comes on the job. Now, he heats the oven and slips in a frozen dinner because it's easy to fix.
68 The job usually takes him 10 hours.
69 He's a weary man who knows his days -- no matter what his intentions -- are numbered.
70 He works on straight commission. He gets no paid holidays, vacations or raises. Yes, some months are lean.
他過著離群索居的生活。他跟別人的來往大都限于工作上。他打開了烤爐，放了一盒冷藏食品進去，因為這樣做飯方便。
他的工作通常要花去他10個小時。
他身心疲憊，知道來日無多了――不管他愿不愿意。
他的收入完全依靠傭金。他沒有帶薪假期，沒有度假，也沒有加薪。的確，有些月份收入相當微薄。
71 In 1993, he needed back surgery to relieve pain caused from decades of walking. He was laid up for five months and couldn't work. He was forced to sell his house. The new owners, familiar with his situation, froze his rent and agreed to let him live there until he dies.
1993年，他需要作背部手術，以減輕數十年行走引起的疼痛。他臥床五個月，無法工作。他被迫出售房子。房子的新主人了解他的處境，凍結了他的房租，并答應讓他在有生之年繼續住在那里。
72 He doesn't feel sorry for himself.
73 The house is only a building. A place to live, nothing more.
74 His dinner is ready. He eats at the kitchen table and listens to the radio. The afternoon mail brought bills that he will deal with later this week. The checkbook is upstairs in the bedroom.
75 His checkbook.
他并不因此自悲自憐。
房子只不過是個建筑物。一個住的地方。僅此而已。
晚飯好了。他在廚房的桌子旁吃飯，邊吃邊聽著收音機。下午的郵差送來了他的賬單，這些賬單他將在這個星期后幾天支付。支票簿在樓上臥室里。
他的私人支票簿。
76 He types in the recipient's name and signs his name.
77 The signature is small and scrawled.
78 Unreadable.
79 But he knows.
80 Bill Porter.
81 Bill Porter, salesman.
他用打字機打上收款人的名字，隨后簽上名。
簽名小小的，字跡潦草。
難以辨認。
可他認得出來。
比爾·波特。
推銷員比爾·波特。
82 From his easy chair he hears the wind lash his house and the rain pound the street outside his home. He must dress warmly tomorrow. He's sleepy. With great care he climbs the stairs to his bedroom.
83 In time, the lights go off.
84 Morning will be here soon.
他坐在安樂椅上，只聽得呼嘯的大風猛烈地沖擊著他的屋子，大雨擊打著屋外的街面。明天他得穿得暖和些。他覺得睏了，他小心翼翼地爬上樓就寢。
沒過一會兒，燈就滅了。
早晨很快就會來臨。
