🔊 Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton. Do not think that I am very much impressed by that as a boxing title, but it meant a lot to Cohn. He cared nothing for boxing, in fact he disliked it, but he learned it painfully and thoroughly to counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness he had felt on being treated as a Jew at Princeton. There was a certain inner comfort in knowing he could knock down anybody who was snooty to him, although, being very shy and a thoroughly nice boy, he never fought except in the gym. He was Spider Kelly’s star pupil. Spider Kelly taught all his young gentlemen to box like featherweights, no matter whether they weighed one hundred and five or two hundred and five pounds. But it seemed to fit Cohn. He was really very fast. He was so good that Spider promptly overmatched him and got his nose permanently flattened. This increased Cohn’s distaste for boxing, but it gave him a certain satisfaction of some strange sort, and it certainly improved his nose. In his last year at Princeton he read too much and took to wearing spectacles. I never met any one of his class who remembered him. They did not even remember that he was middleweight boxing champion. I mistrust all frank and simple people, especially when their stories hold together, and I always had a suspicion that perhaps Robert Cohn had never been middleweight boxing champion, and that perhaps a horse had stepped on his face, or that maybe his mother had been frightened or seen something, or that he had, maybe, bumped into something as a young child, but I finally had somebody verify the story from Spider Kelly. Spider Kelly not only remembered Cohn. He had often wondered what had become of him.

罗伯特·科恩曾是普林斯顿大学的中量级拳击冠军。别以为我对这个拳击头衔有多印象深刻,但对科恩来说,它意义重大。他根本不在乎拳击,事实上他讨厌拳击,但他痛苦而彻底地学会了它,以抵消他在普林斯顿大学因被视为犹太人而感到的自卑和羞怯。知道他能打倒任何对他傲慢的人,内心有一种安慰,尽管他非常害羞,是个十足的好孩子,除了在体育馆外从不打架。他是蜘蛛凯利的得意门生。蜘蛛凯利教他所有的年轻绅士像羽量级拳手一样打拳,不管他们体重是一百零五磅还是两百零五磅。但这似乎很适合科恩。他确实很快。他打得那么好,以至于蜘蛛立刻给他安排了过强的对手,使他的鼻子永久性地塌了。这增加了科恩对拳击的厌恶,但也给了他某种奇怪的满足感,而且确实改善了他的鼻子。在普林斯顿大学的最后一年,他读书太多,开始戴眼镜。我从未遇到他班上任何记得他的人。他们甚至不记得他是中量级拳击冠军。我不信任所有坦率和简单的人,尤其是当他们的故事连贯时,我总是怀疑也许罗伯特·科恩从未是中量级拳击冠军,也许是一匹马踩了他的脸,或者他母亲受了惊吓或看到了什么,或者他小时候可能撞到了什么,但我最终请人从蜘蛛凯利那里核实了这个故事。蜘蛛凯利不仅记得科恩。他还常常想知道他后来怎么样了。

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middleweight /ˈmɪdəlweɪt/

n. 中量级（拳击等运动中的体重级别）➕

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counteract /ˌkaʊntərˈækt/

v. 抵消；对抗➕

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inferiority /ɪnˌfɪəriˈɒrəti/

n. 自卑感；低劣➕

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snooty /ˈsnuːti/

adj. 傲慢的；自命不凡的➕

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featherweights /ˈfeðəweɪts/

n. 羽量级（拳击等运动中的体重级别）➕

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overmatched /ˌoʊvərˈmætʃt/

v. 使对手过强；使不匹配➕

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distaste /dɪsˈteɪst/

n. 厌恶；反感➕

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mistrust /ˌmɪsˈtrʌst/

v. 不信任；怀疑➕

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verify /ˈverɪfaɪ/

v. 验证；核实➕

🔊 Robert Cohn was a member, through his father, of one of the richest Jewish families in New York, and through his mother of one of the oldest. At the military school where he prepped for Princeton, and played a very good end on the football team, no one had made him race-conscious. No one had ever made him feel he was a Jew, and hence any different from anybody else, until he went to Princeton. He was a nice boy, a friendly boy, and very shy, and it made him bitter. He took it out in boxing, and he came out of Princeton with painful self-consciousness and the flattened nose, and was married by the first girl who was nice to him. He was married five years, had three children, lost most of the fifty thousand dollars his father left him, the balance of the estate having gone to his mother, hardened into a rather unattractive mould under domestic unhappiness with a rich wife; and just when he had made up his mind to leave his wife she left him and went off with a miniature-painter. As he had been thinking for months about leaving his wife and had not done it because it would be too cruel to deprive her of himself, her departure was a very healthful shock.

罗伯特·科恩通过他父亲是纽约最富有的犹太家庭之一的一员,通过他母亲是最古老的家庭之一。在他为普林斯顿大学做准备的军事学校里,并在橄榄球队担任出色的边锋,没有人让他意识到种族问题。直到他去了普林斯顿大学,才有人让他感觉到自己是个犹太人,因此与别人不同。他是个好男孩,友好但非常害羞,这让他痛苦。他在拳击中发泄,离开普林斯顿大学时带着痛苦的自我意识和塌鼻子,并与第一个对他好的女孩结了婚。他结婚五年,生了三个孩子,失去了他父亲留下的五万美元中的大部分,遗产的余额归他母亲,由于与富有妻子的家庭不幸,他变得僵硬,形成了相当不吸引人的模样；就在他下定决心离开妻子时,她却离开了他,跟一个微型画家私奔了。由于他几个月来一直想着离开妻子,但没有做,因为剥夺她自己太残忍,她的离去是一个非常有益健康的打击。

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prepped /prept/

v. 准备（prep的过去式,尤指为考试或事件做准备）➕

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race-conscious /ˈreɪs ˈkɒnʃəs/

adj. 有种族意识的；意识到种族差异的➕

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self-consciousness /ˌself ˈkɒnʃəsnəs/

n. 自我意识；忸怩➕

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estate /ɪˈsteɪt/

n. 遗产；地产；财产➕

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unattractive /ˌʌnəˈtræktɪv/

adj. 无吸引力的；不讨人喜欢的➕

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mould /məʊld/

n. 模具；类型；性格➕

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miniature-painter /ˈmɪnətʃə ˈpeɪntə/

n. 微型画画家➕

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deprive /dɪˈpraɪv/

v. 剥夺；使丧失➕

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departure /dɪˈpɑːtʃə/

n. 离开；出发；背离➕

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healthful /ˈhelθfəl/

adj. 有益健康的；健康的➕

🔊 The divorce was arranged and Robert Cohn went out to the Coast. In California he fell among literary people and, as he still had a little of the fifty thousand left, in a short time he was backing a review of the Arts. The review commenced publication in Carmel, California, and finished in Provincetown, Massachusetts. By that time Cohn, who had been regarded purely as an angel, and whose name had appeared on the editorial page merely as a member of the advisory board, had become the sole editor. It was his money and he discovered he liked the authority of editing. He was sorry when the magazine became too expensive and he had to give it up. By that time, though, he had other things to worry about. He had been taken in hand by a lady who hoped to rise with the magazine. She was very forceful, and Cohn never had a chance of not being taken in hand. Also he was sure that he loved her. When this lady saw that the magazine was not going to rise, she became a little disgusted with Cohn and decided that she might as well get what there was to get while there was still something available, so she urged that they go to Europe, where Cohn could write. They came to Europe, where the lady had been educated, and stayed three years. During these three years, the first spent in travel, the last two in Paris, Robert Cohn had two friends, Braddocks and myself. Braddocks was his literary friend. I was his tennis friend.

离婚安排好后,罗伯特·科恩去了西海岸。在加利福尼亚,他混迹于文学界,并且由于他还有一点剩下的五万美元,短时间内他开始资助一份艺术评论。这份评论在加利福尼亚的卡梅尔开始出版,在马萨诸塞州的普罗温斯敦结束。那时,科恩原本纯粹被视为天使,他的名字只作为顾问委员会成员出现在编辑页上,却成了唯一的编辑。这是他的钱,而且他发现他喜欢编辑的权威。当杂志变得太昂贵,他不得不放弃时,他感到遗憾。但那时,他还有其他事情要担心。他被一位女士接手,她希望随着杂志崛起。她非常强势,科恩根本没有机会不被接手。而且他确信他爱她。当这位女士看到杂志不会崛起时,她对科恩有点厌恶,决定在还有东西可得时尽可能得到能得到的,所以她催促他们去欧洲,科恩可以在那里写作。他们来到欧洲,这位女士曾在那里受教育,待了三年。在这三年中,第一年在旅行,后两年在巴黎,罗伯特·科恩有两个朋友,布拉多克斯和我。布拉多克斯是他的文学朋友。我是他的网球朋友。

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Coast /kəʊst/

n. 海岸；沿海地区（这里指美国西海岸）➕

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literary /ˈlɪtərəri/

adj. 文学的；文艺的➕

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backing /ˈbækɪŋ/

v. 支持；资助（back的现在分词）➕

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review /rɪˈvjuː/

n. 评论；回顾；审查➕

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commenced /kəˈmenst/

v. 开始（commence的过去式）➕

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publication /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃn/

n. 出版；出版物➕

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angel /ˈeɪndʒl/

n. 天使；赞助人（这里指资助者）➕

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editorial /ˌedɪˈtɔːriəl/

adj. 编辑的；社论的➕

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advisory /ədˈvaɪzəri/

adj. 咨询的；顾问的➕

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sole /səʊl/

adj. 唯一的；单独的➕

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authority /ɔːˈθɒrəti/

n. 权威；权力；当局➕

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editing /ˈedɪtɪŋ/

n. 编辑；剪辑➕

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forceful /ˈfɔːsfəl/

adj. 有力的；强硬的➕

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disgusted /dɪsˈɡʌstɪd/

adj. 感到厌恶的；憎恶的➕

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urged /ɜːdʒd/

v. 敦促；强烈要求（urge的过去式）➕

🔊 The lady who had him, her name was Frances, found toward the end of the second year that her looks were going, and her attitude toward Robert changed from one of careless possession and exploitation to the absolute determination that he should marry her. During this time Robert’s mother had settled an allowance on him, about three hundred dollars a month. During two years and a half I do not believe that Robert Cohn looked at another woman. He was fairly happy, except that, like many people living in Europe, he would rather have been in America, and he had discovered writing. He wrote a novel, and it was not really such a bad novel as the critics later called it, although it was a very poor novel. He read many books, played bridge, played tennis, and boxed at a local gymnasium.

那位拥有他的女士,名叫弗朗西斯,在第二年结束时发现自己的容颜渐逝,她对罗伯特的态度从漫不经心的占有和利用变成了绝对决心要他娶她。在此期间,罗伯特的母亲给了他一份津贴,每月约三百美元。两年半的时间里,我相信罗伯特·科恩没有看过其他女人。他相当快乐,只是像许多生活在欧洲的人一样,他宁愿在美国,而且他发现了写作。他写了一部小说,它并不像评论家后来说的那么糟糕,尽管是一部很差的小说。他读了很多书,打桥牌,打网球,并在当地的体育馆打拳。

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possession /pəˈzeʃn/

n. 拥有；财产；所有权➕

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exploitation /ˌeksplɔɪˈteɪʃn/

n. 剥削；利用；开发➕

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absolute /ˈæbsəluːt/

adj. 绝对的；完全的➕

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determination /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃn/

n. 决心；决定➕

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allowance /əˈlaʊəns/

n. 津贴；补贴；零用钱➕

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critics /ˈkrɪtɪks/

n. 批评家；评论家➕

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gymnasium /dʒɪmˈneɪziəm/

n. 体育馆；健身房➕

🔊 I first became aware of his lady’s attitude toward him one night after the three of us had dined together. We had dined at l’Avenue’s and afterward went to the Café de Versailles for coffee. We had several fines after the coffee, and I said I must be going. Cohn had been talking about the two of us going off somewhere on a weekend trip. He wanted to get out of town and get in a good walk. I suggested we fly to Strasbourg and walk up to Saint Odile, or somewhere or other in Alsace. "I know a girl in Strasbourg who can show us the town," I said. Somebody kicked me under the table. I thought it was accidental and went on: "She’s been there two years and knows everything there is to know about the town. She’s a swell girl." I was kicked again under the table and, looking, saw Frances, Robert’s lady, her chin lifting and her face hardening. "Hell," I said, "why go to Strasbourg? We could go up to Bruges, or to the Ardennes." Cohn looked relieved. I was not kicked again. I said good-night and went out. Cohn said he wanted to buy a paper and would walk to the corner with me. "For God’s sake," he said, "why did you say that about that girl in Strasbourg for? Didn’t you see Frances?" "No, why should I? If I know an American girl that lives in Strasbourg what the hell is it to Frances?" "It doesn’t make any difference. Any girl. I couldn’t go, that would be all." "Don’t be silly." "You don’t know Frances. Any girl at all. Didn’t you see the way she looked?" "Oh, well," I said, "let’s go to Senlis." "Don’t get sore." "I’m not sore. Senlis is a good place and we can stay at the Grand Cerf and take a hike in the woods and come home." "Good, that will be fine." "Well, I’ll see you to-morrow at the courts," I said. "Good-night, Jake," he said, and started back to the café. "You forgot to get your paper," I said. "That’s so." He walked with me up to the kiosque at the corner. "You are not sore, are you, Jake?" He turned with the paper in his hand. "No, why should I be?" "See you at tennis," he said. I watched him walk back to the café holding his paper. I rather liked him and evidently she led him quite a life.

我第一次意识到他那位女士对他的态度,是在我们三个共进晚餐后的一晚。我们在l’Avenue餐厅吃饭,然后去凡尔赛咖啡馆喝咖啡。咖啡后我们喝了几杯茴香酒,我说我必须走了。科恩一直在谈论我们俩去某个地方周末旅行。他想出城好好走走。我建议我们飞往斯特拉斯堡,然后步行到圣奥迪尔,或者阿尔萨斯的其他地方。我说:“我认识斯特拉斯堡的一个女孩,她可以带我们逛这个城市。”有人在桌子下踢了我一下。我以为是无意的,继续说:“她在那里两年了,知道城里的一切。她是个很棒的女孩。”我又在桌子下被踢了一下,一看,是弗朗西斯,罗伯特的那位女士,她的下巴抬起,脸变得僵硬。“见鬼,”我说,“为什么去斯特拉斯堡？我们可以去布鲁日,或者去阿登高地。”科恩看起来松了一口气。我没有再被踢。我说了晚安就出去了。科恩说他想买份报纸,会陪我走到街角。“看在上帝的份上,”他说,“你为什么提斯特拉斯堡的那个女孩？你没看到弗朗西斯吗？”“不,我为什么要看？如果我认识一个住在斯特拉斯堡的美国女孩,关弗朗西斯什么事？”“没什么区别。任何女孩。我不能去,就这样。”“别傻了。”“你不了解弗朗西斯。任何女孩。你没看到她看我的样子吗？”“哦,好吧,”我说,“那我们去桑利斯吧。”“别生气。”“我没生气。桑利斯是个好地方,我们可以住在大鹿旅馆,在树林里徒步,然后回家。”“好的,那很好。”“那么,明天球场见,”我说。“晚安,杰克,”他说,然后开始走回咖啡馆。“你忘了买报纸,”我说。“是啊。”他陪我一直走到街角的报亭。“你没生气吧,杰克？”他手里拿着报纸转过身。“不,我为什么要生气？”“网球场上见,”他说。我看着他把报纸走回咖啡馆。我挺喜欢他的,显然她让他生活得很痛苦。

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dined /daɪnd/

v. 用餐；进餐（dine的过去式）➕

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accidental /ˌæksɪˈdentl/

adj. 偶然的；意外的➕

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swell /swel/

adj. 极好的；了不起的（俚语）➕

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hardening /ˈhɑːdənɪŋ/

v. 变硬；使坚强（harden的现在分词）➕

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relieved /rɪˈliːvd/

adj. relieved的；宽慰的➕

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For God’s sake /fɔːr ɡɒdz seɪk/

phr. 看在上帝的份上；求求你（表示恳求或恼怒）➕

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kiosque /kiˈɒsk/

n. 亭子；报摊（kiosk的变体拼写）➕

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evidently /ˈevɪdəntli/

adv. 显然；明显地➕

Chapter one (第一章)