Prepared as Clyde was to dislike all this, so steeped had he been in the moods and maxims1 antipathetic toanything of its kind, still so innately2 sensual and romantic was his own disposition3 and so starved where sex wasconcerned, that instead of being sickened, he was quite fascinated. The very fleshly sumptuousness4 of most ofthese figures, dull and unromantic as might be the brains that directed them, interested him for the time being.
After all, here was beauty of a gross, fleshly character, revealed and purchasable. And there were no difficultiesof mood or inhibitions to overcome in connection with any of these girls. One of them, a quite pretty brunette ina black and red costume with a band of red ribbon across her forehead, seemed to be decidedly at home withHigby, for already she was dancing with him in the back room to a jazz melody most irrationally5 hammered outupon the piano.
And Ratterer, to Clyde's surprise, was already seated upon one of the gilt6 chairs and upon his knees was lounginga tall young girl with very light hair and blue eyes. And she was smoking a cigarette and tapping her goldslippers to the melody of the piano. It was really quite an amazing and Aladdin-like scene to him. And here wasHegglund, before whom was standing7 a German or Scandinavian type, plump and pretty, her arms akimbo andher feet wide apart. And she was asking--with an upward swell8 of the voice, as Clyde could hear: "You makelove to me to-night?" But Hegglund, apparently9 not very much taken with these overtures10, calmly shook hishead, after which she went on to Kinsella.
And even as he was looking and thinking, a quite attractive blonde girl of not less than twenty-four, but whoseemed younger to Clyde, drew up a chair beside him and seating herself, said: "Don't you dance?" He shook hishead nervously11. "Want me to show you?""Oh, I wouldn't want to try here," he said.
"Oh, it's easy," she continued. "Come on!" But since he would not, though he was rather pleased with her for being agreeable to him, she added: "Well, how about something to drink then?""Sure," he agreed, gallantly12, and forthwith she signaled the young Negress who had returned as waitress, and in amoment a small table was put before them and a bottle of whisky with soda13 on the side--a sight that soastonished and troubled Clyde that he could scarcely speak. He had forty dollars in his pocket, and the cost ofdrinks here, as he had heard from the others, would not be less than two dollars each, but even so, think of himbuying drinks for such a woman at such a price! And his mother and sisters and brother at home with scarcelythe means to make ends meet. And yet he bought and paid for several, feeling all the while that he had let himselfin for a terrifying bit of extravagance, if not an orgy, but now that he was here, he must go through with it.
And besides, as he now saw, this girl was really pretty. She had on a Delft blue evening gown of velvet14, withslippers and stockings to match. In her ears were blue earrings15 and her neck and shoulders and arms were plumpand smooth. The most disturbing thing about her was that her bodice was cut very low--he dared scarcely look ather there--and her cheeks and lips were painted-- most assuredly the marks of the scarlet16 woman. Yet she did notseem very aggressive, in fact quite human, and she kept looking rather interestedly at his deep and dark andnervous eyes.
"You work over at the Green-Davidson, too, don't you?" she asked.
"Yes," replied Clyde trying to appear as if all this were not new to him--as if he had often been in just such aplace as this, amid such scenes. "How did you know?""Oh, I know Oscar Hegglund," she replied. "He comes around here once in a while. Is he a friend of yours?""Yes. That is, he works over at the hotel with me.""But you haven't been here before.""No," said Clyde, swiftly, and yet with a trace of inquiry17 in his own mood. Why should she say he hadn't beenhere before?
"I thought you hadn't. I've seen most of these other boys before, but I never saw you. You haven't been workingover at the hotel very long, have you?""No," said Clyde, a little irritated by this, his eyebrows18 and the skin of his forehead rising and falling as hetalked--a form of contraction19 and expansion that went on involuntarily whenever he was nervous or thoughtdeeply. "What of it?""Oh, nothing. I just knew you hadn't. You don't look very much like these other boys--you look different." Shesmiled oddly and rather ingratiatingly, a smile and a mood which Clyde failed to interpret.
"How different?" he inquired, solemnly and contentiously20, taking up a glass and drinking from it.
"I'll bet you one thing," she went on, ignoring his inquiry entirely21. "You don't care for girls like me very much, do you?""Oh, yes, I do, too," he said, evasively.
"Oh, no, you don't either. I can tell. But I like you just the same. I like your eyes. You're not like those otherfellows. You're more refined, kinda. I can tell. You don't look like them.""Oh, I don't know," replied Clyde, very much pleased and flattered, his forehead wrinkling and clearing asbefore. This girl was certainly not as bad as he thought, maybe. She was more intelligent--a little more refinedthan the others. Her costume was not so gross. And she hadn't thrown herself upon him as had these others uponHegglund, Higby, Kinsella and Ratterer. Nearly all of the group by now were seated upon chairs or divans22 aboutthe room and upon their knees were girls. And in front of every couple was a little table with a bottle of whiskyupon it.
"Look who's drinking whisky!" called Kinsella to such of the others as would pay any attention to him, glancingin Clyde's direction.
"Well, you needn't be afraid of me," went on the girl, while Clyde glanced at her arms and neck, at her too muchrevealed bosom23, which quite chilled and yet enticed24 him. "I haven't been so very long in this business. And Iwouldn't be here now if it hadn't been for all the bad luck I've had. I'd rather live at home with my family if Icould, only they wouldn't have me, now." She looked rather solemnly at the floor, thinking mainly of the littleinexperienced dunce Clyde was--so raw and green. Also of the money she had seen him take out of his pocket-plainlyquite a sum. Also how really good-looking he was, not handsome or vigorous, but pleasing. And he wasthinking at the instant of Esta, as to where she had gone or was now. What might have befallen her--who couldsay? What might have been done to her? Had this girl, by any chance, ever had any such unfortunate experienceas she had had? He felt a growing, if somewhat grandiose25, sympathy, and looked at her as much as to say: "Youpoor thing." Yet for the moment he would not trust himself to say anything or make any further inquiries26.
"You fellows who come into a place like this always think so hard of everybody. I know how you are. But we'renot as bad as you think."Clyde's brows knit and smoothed again. Perhaps she was not as bad as he thought. She was a low woman, nodoubt--evil but pretty. In fact, as he looked about the room from time to time, none of the girls appealed to himmore. And she thought him better than these other boys--more refined--she had detected that. The complimentstuck. Presently she was filling his glass for him and urging him to drink with her. Another group of young menarrived about then--and other girls coming out of the mysterious portals at the rear to greet them--Hegglund andRatterer and Kinsella and Higby, as he saw, mysteriously disappeared up that back stairs that was heavilycurtained from the general room. And as these others came in, this girl invited him to come and sit upon a divanin the back room where the lights were dimmer.
And now, seated here, she had drawn27 very close to him and touched his hands and finally linking an arm in hisand pressing close to him, inquired if he didn't want to see how pretty some of the rooms on the second floorwere furnished. And seeing that he was quite alone now--not one of all the group with whom he had comearound to observe him--and that this girl seemed to lean to him warmly and sympathetically, he allowed himself to be led up that curtained back stair and into a small pink and blue furnished room, while he kept saying tohimself that this was an outrageous28 and dangerous proceeding29 on his part, and that it might well end in miseryfor him. He might contract some dreadful disease. She might charge him more than he could afford. He wasafraid of her--himself--everything, really--quite nervous and almost dumb with his several fears and qualms30.
And yet he went, and, the door locked behind him, this interestingly well-rounded and graceful31 Venus turned themoment they were within and held him to her, then calmly, and before a tall mirror which revealed her fully32 toherself and him, began to disrobe.
虽说克莱德过去一直虔心灵修，笃信《圣经》上箴言，与他此刻所见所闻都是水火不相容，理应表示深恶痛绝，可是，由于他天性那么喜好犬马声色。
罗曼蒂克，而且对于性问题又是那么饥渴难忍，所以现在，他不是感到厌恶，倒是反而着了迷。这些姑娘几乎个个体态丰腴，富于肉感，尽管主宰她们躯体的头脑也许很迟钝，一点儿也没有浪漫情趣，可是在眼前依然把克莱德深深地吸引住了。毕竟眼前就是一种粗俗的肉体美，一无遮盖，唾手可得。随你跟哪个姑娘亲近，都用不着克服心中不安情绪，或是冲破某些禁规戒律。其中有一个长得黑里俏的美人儿，穿着一袭红黑相间的衣裙，额前饰着一条红缎带，看来跟希格比厮混得很熟了，因为她早已跟他在后面房间里，随着钢琴上疯狂地弹出的一支爵士乐曲，一块儿跳起舞来了。
这时，拉特勒已坐在一把镀金椅子里，膝上有一个浅褐色头发。碧蓝眼睛。
细高挑儿的姑娘懒洋洋地斜卧着……不免使克莱德大吃一惊。而且她正抽着一支香烟，用她金色轻便鞋按着钢琴弹奏出的曲调，轻轻地在打拍子。此时此刻，他仿佛觉得自己真的置身于惊人的阿拉丁式的阿拉伯童话世界。还有，在赫格伦面前，站着一个德国型，或是斯堪的纳维亚型的姑娘，她长得又丰满。又漂亮，两手叉腰，两脚却八字形撇开。这时，她正在问……克莱德听得出，她是一个劲儿在提高嗓门:
"今儿晚上，你跟我温存一番，好吗?
"可是，赫格伦显然并没有被这种挑逗所激动，泰然自若地摇摇头，于是，这个姑娘就往金塞拉那边走去了。
克莱德正在边看边想的时候，有一个长得相当妩媚动人的碧眼金发女郎，年纪不会在二十四岁以下，可是在克莱德看来，却比实际年龄显得年轻些，她端来一把椅子，挨在他身边坐下，说:
"你不想跳舞吗?
"他心神不安地摇摇头。"我就教你，好吗?
""哦，反正我学不好的。""哦，这个可不难，"她接下去说。"走吧!
"可他还是一口回绝了，虽然他对她那种殷勤劲儿相当高兴。于是，她又找补着说:
"那末，就喝一点儿，怎么样?
""当然可以，"他有点儿献殷勤似的同意了。于是，她马上招呼那个黑人小姑娘转身过来充当侍女。不一会儿，一张小圆桌就摆在他们面前，桌上放着一瓶威士忌苏打水……克莱德一见此状，不由得感到惊异和困扰，几乎连话儿都说不出来了。他口袋里有四十块美元，可是他听别人说，这里的酒每瓶至少也要两块美元。试想他怎么能买高价酒给这类女人喝!
他家里母亲和弟弟妹妹，因为入不敷出，日子可难过呢。不过，他到底还是买了好几瓶，钱都付了，心里老是觉得上当，即使不算狂饮作乐，也不免有点儿惊人的浪费了。可是，话又说回来，他既然来到这里了，好歹也得硬撑到底。
再说，这时他已看出:
这个姑娘确实很标致。她身上穿一件德尔夫特蓝色天鹅绒晚礼服，脚上穿着轻便鞋和长袜子，色彩配得很好。她戴着一副蓝色的耳环，脖子。肩膀和胳臂都是丰满而又光泽。最叫克莱德心慌意乱的是……她的胸衣领口很低……他几乎不敢往她那儿看……她的双颊和嘴唇都涂了脂粉口红……一望可知，就是烟花女的标志。不过，她似乎并不胡搅蛮缠，说实话，颇有人情味。而且，她还津津有味地一个劲儿望着他那双深沉。乌黑，而又显得紧张不安的眼睛。
"你也是在格林－戴维逊工作，是吗?
"她开口问。
"是的，"克莱德回答说。他竭力装出自己对这里一切并不陌生的样子……仿佛他对此地和此类场面早就习已为常了。"你怎么会知道的?
""哦，我认识奥斯卡。赫格伦，"她回答说。"这儿他常来。他是你的朋友吧?
""是的，也就是说，他跟我一块在酒店工作。""可这儿你还没来过呢。""没有呢，"克莱德连忙接住说，不过心里不觉有点儿疑惑不解。她干吗要说他从前没有来过呢?
"我想你没来过呗。因为那拨小伙子八成儿我都见过，可是我从来没见过你。
你不久前才到酒店工作，是吧?
""是的，"克莱德说着，对她这一句话不免有点儿反感，因此，他前额两道眉毛马上皱起了鸡皮疙瘩，不停地上下翕动着……每当他心里紧张，或是陷入沉思的时候，就不由自主地会有这种时而绷紧。时而松弛的表情。"那又怎么啦?
""哦，没什么。我只不过是胡猜罢了。我说，你跟别的小伙子们不大一样……看起来你就是有点儿不同。"她既想巴结又怪别扭地笑了。此时此刻她的这种笑和她的这种心态，都让克莱德猜不透。
"怎么个不一样?
"他脸一沉，气呼呼地问她，随手端起酒杯，就喝起酒来了。
"有一点我敢说猜对了，"他的问话她压根儿没听见，只顾自己说，"象我这样的姑娘，你不怎么喜欢，是吧?
""哦，不，我很喜欢，"他含含糊糊地说。
"哦，不，你才不喜欢吧。我看得出来。不过，我呀还是喜欢你。我喜欢你的那双眼睛。你跟所有那些家伙可不一样。你比他们好象文雅些，心肠好些。
这我看得出来。你跟他们就是不一样。""哦，我可不知道，"克莱德回答说，经她一恭维，心里真是乐滋滋，可是额角上依然象刚才那样皱起鸡皮疙瘩。这个姑娘也许不至于象他原先设想的那么坏吧。她比其他那些姑娘要聪明些……稍微文雅些。她的装束打扮也不是那么俗不可耐。而且，她也不象缠住赫格伦。希格比。金塞拉和拉特勒的这帮子姑娘那样扑倒在克莱德身上。这时候，这拨年轻小伙子们都坐在椅子里，或是软椅里，姑娘们都偎坐在他们膝上。而且每一对伴侣面前，都置放一张各有一瓶威士忌的小圆桌。
"你们看，谁在那儿喝威士忌!
"金塞拉是冲那些正在洗耳恭听他的人说的，两眼却向克莱德眨巴着。
"哦，你不用怕我，"那个姑娘接下去说，这时克莱德两眼直瞅着她的手臂和脖子，还有她那过于袒裸的胸脯，使他浑身发冷，却又黯然销魂。"我不久前才做这个生意。要不是过去运气太坏，我才不会上这儿呢。要是有办法，我宁可跟家里亲人待在一起，只不过现在他们不要我了。"她煞有介事地两眼俯视着，可心里多半在捉摸克莱德这个没有经验的小笨蛋……好一个乳臭未干的黄口小儿!
同时，她也想到刚才看见他从口袋里掏钱……数目相当可观。而且，她还想到他长得多么好看，虽算不上漂亮，劲头也不大，却很惹人喜爱。可是偏巧这时候，克莱德心里却在惦念着爱思达，真不知道她上哪儿去了，此刻她又在哪儿。她现在会怎么样……有谁知道呢?
她会碰上什么遭遇呢?
眼前这个姑娘，也许就碰到过如同爱思达那样的不幸吧?
一种出自肺腑之间，却又不免有些鄙视的同情心，在他心中油然而生。他两眼直瞅着她，仿佛要说:
"你这个可怜的女人啊。
"不过，他一时还不敢说，而且再也不敢向她问这问那了。
"你们，这些小伙子，也就是说到这种地方来逛逛的人，总是把我们每一个人想得都是非常坏。我可了解你们。其实，我们可并不是象你们所想象的那么坏呗。"克莱德又在不断地皱眉头了。也许，她可不是象他所想象的那么坏吧。她是一个下流女人，这是不用说的……虽然丑恶，可是很漂亮。事实上，他不时举目四顾，觉得满屋子姑娘哪一个都没有象她那样更叫他喜欢的了。而她呢，也觉得克莱德比别的小伙子好得多……谈吐也很文雅……这一点她已经看清楚了。这样的恭维话，果然正中要害。于是，她就马上给他斟酒，劝他一起喝。
这时候，另有一拨年轻小伙子进来了……另有其他姑娘从后面神秘之门走了出来，迎接他们……他看见赫格伦。拉特勒。金塞拉。希格比，全都鬼鬼祟祟地直奔后面挂上厚厚的帷幕与大厅隔开的楼梯，一转眼就不见了。正当这另一拨年轻人进来的时候，这个姑娘就把他请到后面灯光更为幽暗的房间。坐在一张长长的软椅里。
两人坐定以后，她就紧紧地偎着他，来回抚摸他的手，到后来用一只胳臂挽住他的胳臂，同他的身子紧贴一起，还问他想不想看看二楼一些房间陈设该有多么漂亮。他一看这会儿只剩下他一个人在这里……同他一块来的那伙人，没有一个会看见他的……再说，这个姑娘仿佛一往情深地紧偎着他……因此，他就让她带领，登上挂着帷幕的后面楼梯，径直走进了一个粉红和蓝色相映成趣的小房间，同时，他心里却一直在琢磨，只要迈出这荒唐而危险的一步，最后很可能使他遭到灭顶之灾。也许，他还会传染一些令人骇怕的病呢。也许她向他要钱，他还付不起。现在他害怕她……害怕自己……说真的，对世界上一切都害怕……而且，由于以上种种惧怕和良心的谴责，他一下子紧张起来，几乎连一句话都说不出来了。不过话又说回来，他去还是去了，他一进去，门就锁上了。这个耐人寻味的。丰腴优美的维纳斯女神一转过身来，把他紧紧地楼住了，随后，她神色从容地站到一面映出她全身倩影的穿衣镜前，让她自己和他都可以看得清清楚楚，她已开始宽衣解带……
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maxims
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| n.格言，座右铭( maxim的名词复数 ) | |
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innately
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| adv.天赋地；内在地，固有地 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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sumptuousness
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irrationally
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gilt
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standing
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swell
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apparently
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overtures
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nervously
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gallantly
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soda
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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earrings
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scarlet
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inquiry
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eyebrows
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contraction
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contentiously
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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divans
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| n.（可作床用的）矮沙发( divan的名词复数 )；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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enticed
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| 诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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grandiose
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| adj.宏伟的，宏大的，堂皇的，铺张的 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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qualms
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| n.不安；内疚 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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