評論
打印
The Big Chance
良機
He wasn't the kind to pick a secretary by the color of her hair. Not Bill Hargrave. Both Paula and Nancy had been smart enough to know that. And for some time everyone in the office had known that one of them, Paula or Nancy, was going to get the job. In fact, the decision would probably be made this afternoon. Hargrave was leaving town and wanted to settle the matter before he left.
他不是那種根據頭發的顏色來挑選秘書的人。比爾·哈格雷夫不是那種人。波拉和南希都很聰明，明白這點。一段時間以來，辦公室里人人都知道，她倆中的一個，不是波拉就是南希，將要得到這個職務。事實上，決定可能就在今天下午作出。哈格雷夫就要外出，要在動身前安排好這事。
The two girls could see him from their desks outside his office. Maybe it was only some correspondence that he was looking at with cool, keen eyes. But for a moment his finger seemed to pause above those two efficient little pushbuttons. If he pressed the left one, it would be Paula's pulse which would begin to beat faster.
兩個姑娘可以從他辦公室外面各自的辦公桌那兒看到他。他那沉著、熱切的目光正在注視著的可能只不過是則信函而已。可是有那么一會兒，他的手指似乎在那兩個頗有效率的小按鈕上躊躇著。要是他按左邊那個，就會使波拉的脈搏加快跳動。
Paula couldn't keep her eyes off that light on her desk. She kept making mistakes in her typing and nervously taking the sheets of paper out in order to start all over again.
波拉的目光一直盯著桌上的那個小燈。她打字時老是出錯，老是情緒緊張地把紙拉出來，以便重新開始。
She leaned across her typewriter and said to Nancy, “The boss is all dressed up today. He must be going on a special trip.”
她靠在打字機上對南希說：“頭兒今天穿得上下筆挺。他準是要作一次不同尋常的旅行。”
She was just talking to relieve her nervousness. Nancy took her time about answering. She wasn't used to having Paula talk to her in such an intimate tone. Not since they'd learned a month ago that they were both in line for a promotion, for the important job as Bill Hargrave's secretary.
她說話不過是為了消除緊張情緒。南希沒有馬上回答。她不習慣波拉用如此親昵的口吻和她說話。一個月前，她們就得知她倆之中將有人獲得提升，擔任比爾·哈格雷夫的秘書這一重要職務。從那時起，南希就對波拉用如此親昵的口吻和她說話覺得別扭。
“He does look nice.”
“他看上去是挺精神的。”
