第8章 雾

Fog

乔治·斯莱思·斯特里特 / George Slythe Street

Beauty or none， there is much to be said for a London fog. It gives us all that “change” which we are always needing. When our world is all but invisible， and growing visible bit by bit looks utterly different from its accustomed self， the stupidest of us all can hardly fail to observe a change for our eyes at least as great as there would have been in going to Glasgow. When， arriving at one’s house or one’s club； that monotonous diurnal incident seems an almost incredible feat， accomplished with profound relief and gratitude for a safe deliverance， one has at least an unaccustomed sensation. One is not a man going into his club， but a mariner saved from shipwreck at the last gasp， to be greeted with emotion by erst indifferent waiters. Yes， a fog gives Londoners a more thorough change than going to the Riviera to avoid it. Then it brings out the kindness and cheerfulness， which are their prime claim to honour， into strong relief. True， it also throws into relief the incomparable egoism of the prosperous among them. People with no serious cares or worries in the world of course bemoan and upbraid this trif？ling inconvenience. But the working， struggling Londoners， cabmen and busmen， you and I， display our indomitable good-humour to advantage. I stayed on top of a bus for half an hour in the block on Monday at Hyde Park Corner and talked with the driver. People are often disappointed in a bus-driver because they expect a wit and a pretty swearer. They f？ind neither， but they f？ind an overworked man of extraordinary cheerfulness， responsive， ready to laugh. He is master of his business — a fact emphasised by the fog — to a degree refreshing to one whose experience of men professing some practical calling is that the great majority， some from mere stupidity， some from over-hasty enthusiasm， are quite incompetent. When f？inally I left him， his mate piloted me through wheels and horses to the pavement， and I felt I had been among folk who deserve to live. On Sunday night I walked a mile to my abode， and made a point of asking my whereabouts of every one I met. Not one churlish or even hurried answer： politeness， jokes， reminiscences， laughter. We are a kindly people， and it is worth a fog to know it. Another pleasure of a fog is a mild but extended form of the pleasure we feel when we hear that a millionaire has broken his leg. The too fortunate are suffering a discontent health cannot remove. There was in that block a fat brougham containing an important-looking old man who foamed at the mouth， and one ref？lected that there was a temporary equality of fortunes.

Such are the pleasures we may take in a London fog.

无论它美与不美，一场伦敦大雾总是有值得大书特书的地方。它能带给我们每时每刻都需要的那种“变化”。最初，这个世界几乎是白茫茫的一片，然后，一点一点地慢慢清晰起来，这和我们平常所见的完全不同。这时，就算是最迟钝的人也不会察觉不到眼前的景物起了变化。这种变化之大，绝不亚于从伦敦来到格拉斯哥。又比如，回到家里，或来到俱乐部，这种平凡单调的日常琐事，在雾天也几乎成为惊人的壮举，完成之后不免要深深地松一口气，自幸安全脱险——这时人们至少会得到一种不同寻常的新鲜之感。这时我们已经不像是一个到俱乐部去玩的人，而像是一个航行遇险的海员在九死一生之际，终于得救，并且受到一群以前非常淡漠而这时却非常激动的侍者们的热烈欢迎。的确，一场迷雾带给伦敦人的变化非常之大，比起去里维埃拉避雾度假所带来的变化都要大。

其次，雾还能使人的善良之心和喜悦之情充分表现出来，这是伦敦人引以为荣的两大特点。当然，它也会把富人的那种极度自私自利揭露出来。那些几乎是无忧无虑地活在世上的人，自然会因为这点儿小小不便或哀声叹气，或咒骂不已。但是为生计奔波的伦敦人，比如那些马车夫和汽车司机，比如你和我，却会把我们那种欢快心情充分展现出来。某个星期一，我在海德公园拐角的街区坐了半小时公共汽车，一路上与司机攀谈。人们往往会对汽车司机感到失望，因为他们认为他应该喋喋不休，咒骂不已，而他却没有这类长处。但是我们应该看到，这是个非常辛苦但又非常快乐的人，非常勤快，服务周到，笑口常开。

他在自己的工作方面是个行家——这点在雾天最能突出显示出来——对于那些单凭经验，总以为从事具体行业的人往往不是愚蠢就是冒失，因而其绝大多数都没能力的人士来说他无疑是个反例。最后，我下车时，他的副手引我绕过汽车和马车，一直把我送到人行道上，这时我有一种感觉，觉得我的周围的确都是好人。上周日的晚上，我曾步行一英里回到我的寓所，一路上，我每碰到一个人就向他问路。但是没有一个人给予粗鲁甚至简慢的回答，每个人都是彬彬有礼，俏皮风趣，谈古论今，有说有笑。我们这个民族确实是个友好的民族，能体会这一点，即使是遇上一次雾天，也是值得的。雾的另外一种乐趣，就如同我们听到某个百万富翁摔断了腿时所感到的那种乐趣相差无几，只是在性质上比较温和有所淡化而已。那种命运特别好的人往往并不快乐，即使健康状况良好也不能把它驱除掉。在某个街区的一辆宽敞的布鲁厄姆马车上坐着一位派头十足的老头，他口吐白沫，大发雷霆。看到这个情景，人们不禁会想，在这件事上，命运总算暂时是公平的。

这些就是我们在一场伦敦的雾中所找到的一些乐趣。

记忆填空

1. When， arriving one's house or one's club； that monotonous diurnal incident seems an almost incredible ， accomplished with profound relief and gratitude for a safe deliverance， one has at an unaccustomed sensation. One is not a going into his club， but a mariner saved from shipwreck at the gasp， to be greeted with emotion by erst indifferent waiters.

2. We are a kindly ， and it is worth a fog to know it. pleasure of a fog is a mild but extended form of the pleasure we feel we hear that a millionaire has broken his leg. The too fortunate are suffering a discontent health not remove.

佳句翻译

1. 无论它美与不美，一场伦敦大雾总是有值得大书特书的地方。

2. 些几乎是无忧无虑地活在世上的人，自然会因为这点儿小小不便或哀声叹气，或咒骂不已。

3. 看到这个情景，人们不禁会想，在这件事上，命运总算暂时是公平的。

短语应用

1. When our world is all but invisible， and growing visible bit by bit looks utterly different from its accustomed self， the stupidest of us all can hardly fail to observe a change for our eyes at least as great as there would have been in going to Glasgow.

fail to：无法，不能

2. People are often disappointed in a bus-driver because they expect a wit and a pretty swearer.

disappointed in：对……失望