吹小號(hào)的天鵝 第65期:里茲一夜

Chapter 15 A Night at the Ritz

第十五章 里茲一夜

When the desk clerk at the Ritz Hotel saw theBoatman enter the lobby followed by an enormoussnow-white swan with a black beak,

當(dāng)里茲飯店的服務(wù)員看到這個(gè)領(lǐng)著一只黑嘴的雪白大天鵝走進(jìn)大廳的游艇老板時(shí)，

the clerk didn't like it at all.

心里十分不樂(lè)意。

The clerk was a carefully-dressed man--very neat, hishair nicely combed.

這個(gè)服務(wù)員顯然是一個(gè)經(jīng)過(guò)精心打扮的男人--穿得很齊整，頭發(fā)梳得锃亮。

The Boatman stepped boldly up to the desk.

游艇老板大模大樣地走到了服務(wù)臺(tái)前。

"I'd like a single room for tonight for my friend here," said the Boatman.

“我今晚要給我的朋友在這兒開(kāi)一間單人房，”游艇老板說(shuō)。

The clerk shook his head. "No birds," he said. "The Ritz doesn't take birds."

那個(gè)服務(wù)員搖搖頭。“鳥(niǎo)可不行，”他說(shuō)，“里茲是不接待鳥(niǎo)類(lèi)的。”

"You take celebrities, don't you?" asked the Boatman.

“你們接待名人，對(duì)吧?”游艇老板問(wèn)。

"Certainly," replied the clerk.

“那當(dāng)然。”服務(wù)員回答。

"You'd take Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, wouldn't you, if they wanted to spend thenight?"

“你們接待理查德·伯頓和伊莉莎白·泰勒，對(duì)不對(duì)，如果他們想在此過(guò)夜的話?”

"Of course," replied the clerk.

“當(dāng)然。”這個(gè)服務(wù)員回答。

"You'd take Queen Elizabeth, wouldn't you?"

“你們接待伊莉莎白女王，對(duì)嗎?”

"Of course."

“當(dāng)然了。”

"O.k.," said the Boatman. "My friend here is a celebrity.

“OK，”游艇老板說(shuō)，“我這位朋友就是個(gè)名人。

He is a famous musician. He created a sensation in the Public Garden this afternoon.

他是一個(gè)著名的音樂(lè)家。他今天下午在大眾公園引起了一場(chǎng)轟動(dòng)。

You must have heard the commotion. He's a Trumpeter Swan and plays like the greatArmstrong."

你想必也有所耳聞吧。他是一只號(hào)手天鵝，吹得和偉大的阿姆斯特朗一樣好。”

The clerk gazed suspiciously at Louis. "Has he any luggage?" asked the clerk.

這個(gè)服務(wù)員吃驚地注視著路易斯。“他有行李嗎?”這個(gè)服務(wù)員問(wèn)。

"Luggage?" cried the Boatman. "Take a look at him! Look at the stuff he's got with him!"

“行李?”游艇老板叫起來(lái)。“看看他吧!看他帶的那些東西!”

"Well, I don't know," said the clerk, staring at Louis's possessions

“哦，我還不知道呢，”服務(wù)員說(shuō)著，盯向路易斯的那些東西

his trumpet, his moneybag, his slate, his chalk pencil, his lifesaving medal.

他的小號(hào)，他的錢(qián)袋，他的石板，他的石筆，他的救生獎(jiǎng)?wù)隆?/p>

"A bird is a bird. How do I know he hasn't got lice?

“鳥(niǎo)到底是鳥(niǎo)嘛。我怎么知道他沒(méi)長(zhǎng)虱子?

Birds often have lice. The Ritz won't take anybody that has lice."

鳥(niǎo)身上經(jīng)常生虱子。里茲可不會(huì)接待任何一個(gè)生虱子的客人。”

"Lice?" roared the Boatman. "Did you ever see a cleaner guest in your whole life? Look at him!He's immaculate."

“虱子?”游艇老板吼起來(lái)，“你這輩子見(jiàn)過(guò)一位這么干凈的客人嗎?看看他!他簡(jiǎn)直是純潔無(wú)瑕。”

At this, Louis held his slate up to the clerk. "No lice," he wrote.

這時(shí)，路易斯把他的石板舉到那個(gè)服務(wù)員的面前。“沒(méi)有虱子。”他寫(xiě)道。

The clerk stared in amazement. He was beginning to weaken.

這個(gè)服務(wù)員驚訝地盯著石板。他開(kāi)始松口了。

"Well, I have to be careful," he said to the Boatman.

“好吧，可我還是謹(jǐn)慎一些為好，”他對(duì)游艇老板說(shuō)，

"You say he's a celebrity. How do I know he's famous. You may be just kidding me about that."

“你說(shuō)他是一個(gè)名人。可我怎么知道他是名人呢。可能你不過(guò)想拿我尋開(kāi)心而已。”