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Depression and Loneliness track me down after about ten days in Italy. I am walking through the Villa Borghese one evening after a happy day spent in school, and the sun is setting gold over St. Peter's Basilica. I am feeling contented in this romantic scene, even if I am all by myself, while everyone else in the park is either fondling a lover or playing with a laughing child. But I stop to lean against a balustrade and watch the sunset, and I get to thinking a little too much, and then my thinking turns to brooding, and that's when they catch up with me.
在意大利待了十天左右，“抑郁”和“寂寞”追捕到我。上了一天快樂的課之后，一天傍晚，我漫步過博蓋塞花園，金色夕陽落在圣彼得大教堂上。我對這浪漫景象感到滿足，盡管孤伶伶一個人，而公園里的其他人不是跟愛人親熱就是陪著嘻笑的孩童玩耍。然而我停下來倚靠在欄桿上，觀看夕陽， 開始想得太多了點，而后轉為沉思，于是它們在此時追查到我。
They come upon me all silent and menacing like Pinkerton Detectives, and they flank me—Depression on my left, Loneliness on my right. They don't need to show me their badges. I know these guys very well. We've been playing a cat-and-mouse game for years now. Though I admit that I am surprised to meet them in this elegant Italian garden at dusk. This is no place they belong.
它們像偵探似地，一聲不響、滿懷敵意地找上我，把我夾在中間——左側是“抑郁”，右側是“寂寞”。它們無須亮出徽章，我對這兩個家伙了若指掌。我們已玩了多年貓捉老鼠的游戲。盡管我承認，暮色中，在優雅的意大利庭園里見到他們，著實令我 大吃一驚。它們不屬于這個地方。
I say to them, "How did you find me here? Who told you I had come to Rome?"
我對它們說“你們怎么發現我在這里？誰告訴你們我來了羅馬？”
Depression, always the wise guy, says, "What—you're not happy to see us?"
老是自作聰明的“抑郁”說：“什么——你不高興看見我們？”
"Go away," I tell him.
“走開。”我告訴它。
Loneliness, the more sensitive cop, says, "I'm sorry, ma'am. But I might have to tail you the whole time you're traveling. It's my assignment."
比較善解人意的警察“寂寞”說：“很抱歉，夫人，我可能非得在你旅行期間從頭到尾監視你。這是我的任務。”
"I'd really rather you didn't," I tell him, and he shrugs almost apologetically, but only moves closer.
“我寧可你不這么做，”我告訴它，但它只是稍帶歉意地聳聳肩，卻靠得更近。
