现代小说范例之二：围城（节选） Fortress Besieged

现代小说范例之二：围城（节选）Fortress Besieged • 【概述】《围城》是钱钟书先生(1910.11.21——1998.12.19.)的代表作。小说自1947年面世以来，一直为广大的国内外读者所喜爱。《围城》几乎可以算得上是现代幽默文学语言的范本，幽默的语言在这部小说中比比皆是，不胜枚举，钱钟书良好的天赋使他能驾轻就熟地掌握和运用这些语言。此外，《围城》小说中用了很多别致新颖的修辞(如隐喻)，并不断的、多层次的出现，更凸显了作者的语言风格，对于情节的发生和发展产生了不可替代的作用。 • Translated by Kelly, Jeanne & Nathan K. Mao.

钱钟书先生在小说中充满了对人性的洞察和调侃。他的语言简洁明快，字里行间充满幽默，形成了自己独特的风格。小说中外国语言的插入和异域文化的介入，无不造成了语言的前景或凸显，起到了神化人物性格、渲染故事情节的奇妙作用，作者对中西文化的融会贯通可以从这部小说中窥见一斑。因此，选用《围城》的英译作为范例，具有普遍性和代表性。钱钟书先生在小说中充满了对人性的洞察和调侃。他的语言简洁明快，字里行间充满幽默，形成了自己独特的风格。小说中外国语言的插入和异域文化的介入，无不造成了语言的前景或凸显，起到了神化人物性格、渲染故事情节的奇妙作用，作者对中西文化的融会贯通可以从这部小说中窥见一斑。因此，选用《围城》的英译作为范例，具有普遍性和代表性。

苏小姐领了个二十左右的娇小女孩子出来，介绍道：“这是我表妹唐晓芙。”唐小姐妩媚端正的圆脸，有两个浅酒涡。天生着一般女人要花钱费时、调脂和粉来仿造的好脸色，新鲜得使人见了忘掉口渴而又觉嘴馋，仿佛是好水果。 Miss Su led out a cute little girl of about twenty and introduced her to Fang, “This is my cousin, T’ang Hsiao-fu.” On Miss T’ang’s charming, well-proportioned, round face were two shallow dimples; one look at her fresh and natural complexion, which most girls would have had to spend time and money to imitate, was enough to make one drool and forget his thirst, as though her skin were a piece of delicious fruit.

她眼睛并不顶大，可是灵活温柔，反衬得许多女人的大眼睛只像政治家讲的大话，大而无当。她眼睛并不顶大，可是灵活温柔，反衬得许多女人的大眼睛只像政治家讲的大话，大而无当。 Not especially large, her eyes were lively and gentle, making the big eyes of many women seem like the big talk of politicians—big and useless.

古典学者看她说笑时露出的好牙齿，会诧异为什么古今中外诗人，都甘心变成女人头插的钗，腰束的带，身体睡的席，甚至脚下践踏的鞋，可是从没想到化作她的牙刷。 Not especially large, her eyes were lively and gentle, making the big eyes of many women seem like the big talk of politicians—big and useless. A classic scholar, upon seeing her lovely teeth when she smiled, might wonder why both Chinese and Western traditional and modern poets would want to turn into the pin in a woman’s hair, the belt around her waist, the mat on which she slept, or even the shoes and socks, that she wore, and not think of transforming themselves into her toothbrush.

她头发没烫，眉毛不镊，口红也没有擦，似乎安心遵守天生的限止，不要弥补造化的缺陷。总而言之，唐小姐是摩登文明社会里那桩罕物——一个真正的女孩子。 Her hair unwaved, her eyebrows unplucked, and her lips unadorned by lipstick, she appeared to allow nature to take its own course with regard to her looks and had no wish to amend it in any way. In short, she was one of those rarities of modern civilized society—a genuine girl.

有许多都市女孩子已经是装模做样的早熟女人，算不得孩子；有许多女孩子只是浑沌痴顽的无性别孩子，还说不上女人。方鸿渐立刻想在她心上造个好印象。唐小姐尊称他为“同学老前辈”， Many city girls who put on all the precocious airs cannot be considered as girls; then there are just as many others who are confused, silly, and sexless, and they too don’t deserve to be called women. Fang Hung-chien immediately wanted to impress her, while she called him “elder senior schoolmate,” a respectful term of address.

他抗议道：“这可不成！你叫我‘前辈’，我已经觉得像史前原人的遗骸了。你何必又加上‘老’字？我们不幸生得太早，没福气跟你同时同学，这是恨事。你再叫我‘前辈’，就是有意提醒我是老大过时的人，太残忍了！”他抗议道：“这可不成！你叫我‘前辈’，我已经觉得像史前原人的遗骸了。你何必又加上‘老’字？我们不幸生得太早，没福气跟你同时同学，这是恨事。你再叫我‘前辈’，就是有意提醒我是老大过时的人，太残忍了！” “That won’t do,” he protested. “When you call me ‘senior,’ I feel like a prehistoric relic. Why do you add the word ‘elder’? It’s my misfortune to have been born too early. Not being lucky enough to go to school at the same time you did is something I regret. If you call me ‘senior’ again, you are just deliberately reminding me that I’m old and out of date. That’s too cruel.”

　唐小姐道：“方先生真会挑眼7！算我错了，‘老’字先取消。”　唐小姐道：“方先生真会挑眼7！算我错了，‘老’字先取消。” Miss T’ang said, “Mr. Fang, you are too concerned with insignificant details. Forgive me. I’ll first retract the word ‘elder.’”

苏小姐同时活泼地说：“不羞！还要咱们像船上那些人叫你‘小方’么？晓芙，不用理他。他不受抬举，干脆什么都不叫他。”苏小姐同时活泼地说：“不羞！还要咱们像船上那些人叫你‘小方’么？晓芙，不用理他。他不受抬举，干脆什么都不叫他。” At the same time Miss Su said lightheartedly, “Aren’t you ashamed? Do you still want us to call you Little Fang like they did on the boat? Hsiao-fu, ignore him, if he can’t accept the honor, then simply don’t call him anything.”

方鸿渐看唐小姐不笑的时候，脸上还依恋着笑意，像音乐停止后袅袅空中的余音。许多女人会笑得这样甜，但她们的笑容只是面部肌肉柔软操，仿佛有教练在喊口令：“一！”忽然满脸堆笑，“二！”忽然笑不知去向，只余个空脸，像电影开映前的布幕。方鸿渐看唐小姐不笑的时候，脸上还依恋着笑意，像音乐停止后袅袅空中的余音。许多女人会笑得这样甜，但她们的笑容只是面部肌肉柔软操，仿佛有教练在喊口令：“一！”忽然满脸堆笑，“二！”忽然笑不知去向，只余个空脸，像电影开映前的布幕。 Fang Hung-chien noticed that the trace of a smile lingered on Miss T’ang’s face when she was not smiling, like the few last notes that float in the air after the music has ceased. Many women can smile just as sweetly, but their smile is only facial muscle calisthenics, as if a drill master were barking the order, “One!” and suddenly the whole face would be wreathed in smiles, then “Two!” and just as suddenly the smile would vanish, leaving the face as blank as the screen in a movie theater before the movie starts.

他找话出跟她讲，问她进的什么系。苏小姐不许她说，说：“让他猜。”他找话出跟她讲，问她进的什么系。苏小姐不许她说，说：“让他猜。” 　　方鸿渐猜文学不对，教育也不对， Trying to make conversation , he asked what Miss T’ang’s major at college was. Miss Su, on the other hand, wouldn’t let Miss T’ang tell and insist that he guess. Fang Hung-chien said that Miss T’ang’s major was literature, which was wrong; he then said it was education, which was also wrong.

猜化学物理全不对，应用张吉民先生的话道：“Search me！难道读的是数学？那太利害了！” When he found chemistry and physics were both wrong, he resorted to one of the Chang Chi-min’ English expression: “Search me! Don’t tell me it’s mathematics. That would be too much!”

唐小姐说出来，原来极平常的是政治系。苏小姐注一句道：“这才利害呢。将来是我们的统治者，女官。”唐小姐说出来，原来极平常的是政治系。苏小姐注一句道：“这才利害呢。将来是我们的统治者，女官。” Miss T’ang then told him. It was actually quite a common subject—political science. Miss Su said, “It’s still too much. In the future she will be our ruler, a lady official.”

方鸿渐说：“女人原是天生的政治动物。虚虚实实，以退为进，这些政治手腕，女人生下来全有。 女人学政治，那真是以后天发展先天，锦上添花了。我在欧洲，听过Ernst Bergmann先生的课。 Fang Hung-chien said, “Women are natural political animals. Political tactics, such as saying yes and meaning no, retreating in order to advance, are what they know from birth. For a woman to study political science is really developing the innate through the acquired; it is as superfluous as adding flowers to embroidery. In Europe when I attended Professor Ernest Peygmann’s lectures,

他说男人有思想创造力，女人有社会活动力，所以男人在社会上做的事该让给女人去做，男人好躲在家里从容思想，发明新科学，产生新艺术。我看此话甚有道理。女人不必学政治，而现在的政治家要成功，都得学女人。政治舞台上的戏剧全是反串。”他说男人有思想创造力，女人有社会活动力，所以男人在社会上做的事该让给女人去做，男人好躲在家里从容思想，发明新科学，产生新艺术。我看此话甚有道理。女人不必学政治，而现在的政治家要成功，都得学女人。政治舞台上的戏剧全是反串。” he said men have the capacity for creative thought and women for social activity. Thus men’s work in society should be turned over to women, so that men can seclude themselves at home to think at leisure, invent new science, and produce new art. I think it makes a lot of sense. Women don’t need to study politics, but if present-day politicians want to succeed, they should all imitate women. In politics roles are being reversed.”

　苏小姐道：“这是你那位先生故作奇论，你就喜欢那一套。”　苏小姐道：“这是你那位先生故作奇论，你就喜欢那一套。” Miss Su said, “You are just purposely spouting weird ideas. You like that sort of thing.”

方鸿渐道：“唐小姐，你表姐真不识抬举，好好请她女子参政，她倒笑我故作奇论！你评评理看。老话说，要齐家而后能治国平天下。请问有多少男人会管理家务的？ Fang Hung-chien said, “Miss T’ang, your cousin really doesn’t appreciate the respect I’m showing her, I speak of women participating in government, yet she turns around and laughs at me for purposely spouting weird ideas! You be the judge as to who’s right. As the old saying goes, ‘The house must first be put in order before the kingdom can be ruled and the country pacified. How many men, may I ask, can take care of domestic chores?

管家要仰仗女人，而自己吹牛说大丈夫要治国平天下，区区家务不屑理会，只好比造房子要先向半空里盖个屋顶。管家要仰仗女人，而自己吹牛说大丈夫要治国平天下，区区家务不屑理会，只好比造房子要先向半空里盖个屋顶。 They rely on women to manage the house, yet they go around boasting about how great men will run the country and bring peace. If they can’t be bothered with trivial little domestic chores, then it’s just like building a house by first positioning a roof in midair.

把国家社会全部交给女人有许多好处，至少可以减少战争。外交也许更复杂，秘密条款更多，可是女人因为身体关系，并不擅长打仗。 There are several advantages in handing over the state and society completely to women. At least it would reduce the chances of war. Maybe diplomacy would become more complicated and there would be more secret treaties, but women’s biological limitation would make them shun war.

女人对于机械的头脑比不上男人，战争起来或者使用简单的武器，甚至不过揪头发、抓头皮、拧肉这些本位武化，损害不大。女人对于机械的头脑比不上男人，战争起来或者使用简单的武器，甚至不过揪头发、抓头皮、拧肉这些本位武化，损害不大。 And even if a war started, since women aren’t as mechanically minded as men, they would probably use simple weapons and apply basic military maneuvers such as pulling out the hair, scratching the face, and pinching the body. In such cases damage would be insignificant.

无论如何，如今新式女人早不肯多生孩子了，到那时候她们忙着干国事，更没工夫生产，人口稀少，战事也许根本不会产生。”无论如何，如今新式女人早不肯多生孩子了，到那时候她们忙着干国事，更没工夫生产，人口稀少，战事也许根本不会产生。” At any rate, the new women today have already balked at raising a lot of children. By that time they’ll be so busy managing the affairs of the state that they’ll have even less time to procreate. With the population down, wars probably won’t even occur.”

唐小姐感觉方鸿渐说这些话，都为着引起自己对他的注意，心中暗笑，说：“我不知道方先生是侮辱政治还是侮辱女人，至少都不是好话。”唐小姐感觉方鸿渐说这些话，都为着引起自己对他的注意，心中暗笑，说：“我不知道方先生是侮辱政治还是侮辱女人，至少都不是好话。” Miss T’ang sensed that Fang Hung-chien was saying all that to attract her attention. Laughing to herself, she said, “I can’t tell whether Mr. Fang is insulting politics or women. At the least, it’s not complimentary.”

苏小姐道：“好哇！拐了弯拍了人家半天的马屁，人家非但不领情，根本就没有懂！我劝你少开口罢。”苏小姐道：“好哇！拐了弯拍了人家半天的马屁，人家非但不领情，根本就没有懂！我劝你少开口罢。” Miss Su said, “Oh, great, you spend all day beating around the bush trying to flatter her and she not only doesn’t appreciate it, she doesn’t even understand it. I suggest you save your breath.”

　唐小姐道：“我并没有不领情。我感激得很方先生肯为我表演口才。假使我是学算学的，我想方先生一定另有议论，说女人是天生的计算动物。”　唐小姐道：“我并没有不领情。我感激得很方先生肯为我表演口才。假使我是学算学的，我想方先生一定另有议论，说女人是天生的计算动物。” “It’s not that I don’t appreciate what he said,” said Miss T’ang. “ I am truly grateful that Mr. Fang is willing to show off his eloquence. If I were studying mathematics, I bet he would have some other viewpoints and say that women are natural calculating animals.”

苏小姐道：“也许说你这样一个人肯念算学，他从此不厌恨算学。反正翻来覆去，强词夺理，全是他的话。我从前并不知道他这样油嘴。这次同回国算领教了。大学同学的时候，他老远看见我们脸就涨红，愈走近脸愈红，红得我们瞧着都身上发难过。苏小姐道：“也许说你这样一个人肯念算学，他从此不厌恨算学。反正翻来覆去，强词夺理，全是他的话。我从前并不知道他这样油嘴。这次同回国算领教了。大学同学的时候，他老远看见我们脸就涨红，愈走近脸愈红，红得我们瞧着都身上发难过。 Miss Su said, “Maybe he would say that if someone like you wanted to study mathematics, he’d stop hating mathematics from then on. Anyway, no matter how you put it or how ridiculous the arguments get, it’s all just talk. I never knew he had such a glib tongue. I guess I found that out on the boat returning home. When we were classmates in college, his face would turn scarlet whenever he saw us coeds from a distance and get redder the closer he came. It was so red that we’d get hot and uncomfortable all over just looking at his face.

我们背后叫他‘寒暑表’，因为他脸色忽升忽降，表示出他跟女学生距离的远近，真好玩儿！想不到外国去了一趟，学得这样厚皮老脸，也许混在鲍小姐那一类女朋友里训练出来的。”我们背后叫他‘寒暑表’，因为他脸色忽升忽降，表示出他跟女学生距离的远近，真好玩儿！想不到外国去了一趟，学得这样厚皮老脸，也许混在鲍小姐那一类女朋友里训练出来的。” We used to call him ‘The Themometer’ behind his back since his facial coloring indicated his relative distance from girls. It was so much fun. I never would have thought that once he’d gone abroad he’d get so thickskinned and brazen-faced. Maybe he got his training from running around with girl friends like Miss Bao.”

Selected from Fortress Besieged. Kelly, Jeanne & Nathan K. Mao, trans. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2003. 9

现代小说范例之二：围城（节选） Fortress Besieged