“I had confidence in Andys chicanerychicanery n.强辩, 强词夺理, 狡辩, 欺骗 in financial affairs, so I left the whole thing in his hands. The University was flourishing fine, and me and Andy kept our silk hats shined up, and Floresville kept on heaping honors on us like we was millionaires instead of almost busted philanthropists.
“我对安迪在经济事务上的足智多谋是信得过的,所以让他掌握大局。大学十分发达,我和安迪的大礼帽仍旧锃亮。百花村的居民接二连三地把荣誉加在我们身上,把我们当作百万富翁看待,其实我们这种慈善家差不多要破产了。
“The students kept the town lively and prosperous. Some stranger came to town and started a faro bank over the Red Front livery stable, and began to amass money in quantities. Me and Andy strolled up one night and piked a dollar or two for sociabilitysociability n.好交际, 社交性, 善于交际. There were about fifty of our students there drinking rum punches and shoving high stacks of blues and reds about the table as the dealer turned the cards up.
“学生们把镇上搞得生气勃勃。有一个陌生人到镇上来,在红墙马房楼上开了一家法罗赌场,收入着实可观。有一晚,我和安迪随便过去逛逛,出于社交礼貌,下了一两块钱的注。赌客中有五十来个是我们的学生,他们一面喝五味酒,一面用一叠叠的红蓝筹码下注,等庄家亮出牌来。
“‘Why, dang it, Andy,’ says I, ‘these freeschoolhunting, ganderheaded, silksocked little sons of sapsuckers have got more money than you and me ever had. Look at the rolls theyre pulling out of their pistolpistol n.手枪 pockets?’
“‘岂有此理,安迪,’我说,‘这批敲诈勒索的笨头笨脑的纨绔子弟来这儿找免费教育的小便宜,可是他们的钱比你我两人任何时候所有的钱都多。你看见他们从腰包里掏出来的一卷卷钞票吗?’
“‘Yes,’ says Andy, ‘a good many of them are sons of wealthy miners and stockmen. Its very sad to see em wasting their opportunities this way.’
“‘看见了,’安迪说,‘他们中间有许多是有钱矿主和牧场主的子弟。眼看他们这样荒废机会,真叫人伤心。’
“At Christmas all the students went home to spend the holidays. We had a farewell blowout at the University, and Andy lectured on ‘Modern Music and Prehistoric Literature of the Archipelagos’. Each one of the faculty answered to toasts, and compared me and Andy to Rockefeller and the Emperor Marcus Autolycus. I pounded on the table and yelled for Professor McCorkle; but it seems he wasnt present on the occasion. I wanted a look at the man that Andy thought could earn 100 a week in philanthropy that was on the point of making an assignment.
“到了圣诞节,学生全部回家度假了。我们在大学里举行了一个惜别会,安迪以‘爱琴群岛的现代音乐和史前文学’为题,作了一次演讲。每一位教授都举杯回敬我们,把我和安迪比作洛克菲勒和马库斯·奥托里格斯皇帝。说我捶着桌子,高声要问麦科克尔教授敬酒;但是他似乎没有躬与盛会。我很想见见安迪认为在这个快要倒台的慈善事业里还可以挣一百元周薪的人物。”
“The students all left on the night train, and the town sounded as quiet as the campus of a correspondence schoolcorrespondence school n.函授学校 at midnight. When I went to the hotel I saw a light in Andys room, and I opened the door and walked in.
“学生都搭夜车走了,镇上静得像是函授学校午夜时的校园。我回旅馆的时候,看到安迪的房间里还有灯光,便推门进去。
“There sat Andy and the faro dealer at a table dividing a twofoot high stack of currency in thousanddollar packages.
“安迪和那个法罗庄家坐在桌前,正在分配一餐两英尺高的一千元一扎的钞票。
“‘Correct.’ says Andy. ‘Thirtyone thousand apieceapiece adv.每个, 每人, 各. Come in, Jeff. ’says he. ‘This is our share of the profits of the first half of the scholastic term of the Worlds University, incorporated and philanthropated. Are you convinced now,’ says Andy, ‘that philanthropy when practiced in a business way is an art that blesses him who gives as well as him who receives?’
“‘一点不惜,’安迪说,‘每人三万一千元。进来,杰夫。’他对我说。‘这是我们合伙的慈善组织,世界大学,上学期应得的一份利润。现在你总信服了吧。’安迪说。‘慈善事业如果当成生意来做,也是一门艺术,施与受的人都有福气。’
“‘Great!’ says I, feeling fine. ‘Ill admit you are the doctor this time.’
“‘好极啦!’我喜出望外地说,‘我承认你这次干得真高明。’
“‘Well be leaving on the morning train.’ says Andy. ‘Youd better get your collars and cuffs and press clippings together.’
“‘我搭早车走吧,你赶快收拾你的硬领、硬袖和剪报。’
“‘Great!’ says I. ‘Ill be ready. But, Andy.’ says I, ‘I wish I could have met that Professor James Darnley McCorkle before we went. I had a curiosity to know that man.’
“‘好极啦!’我又说。‘我不会误事的。但是,安迪,在离开之前,我很想见见詹姆斯·达恩利·麦科克尔教授。我觉得好奇,想跟这位教授认识认识。’
“‘Thatll be easy,’ says Andy, turning around to the faro dealer.
“‘那很容易。’安迪说着向那个法罗庄家转过身去。
“‘Jim,’ says Andy, ‘shake hands with Mr. Peters.’”
“‘杰姆,这位是彼得斯先生,跟他握握手吧。’”
就医记