UNIT 6

这就是纽约

E．B．怀特  

1 On any person who desires such queer prices, New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gut of privacy. It is this largess that accounts for the presence within the city's walls of a considerable section of the population; for me residents of Manhattan are to a large extent strangers who have pulled up stakes somewhere and come to town seeking sanctuary or fulfillment or some greater or lesser grail. The capacity to make such dubious gifts is a mysterious quality of New York. It can destroy an individual, or it can fulfill him, depending a good deal on luck. No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.

 1纽约将孤寂与独处当作赠礼，赐予所有向往这份奇特礼物的人们。纽约城内数量庞大的居民中，冲着这份赠礼而来此落脚的绝不在少数；曼哈顿也因此聚集了众多异乡客，他们背井离乡到此闯荡，有的为了寻求庇护，有的为了一展抱负，还有的为了实现心中或大或小的愿望。纽约之所以神秘，便在于它总能赐予这般扑朔迷离的馈赠，能使人万劫不复，也能让人飞黄腾达，皆为运气使然。如果有谁打算碰碰运气，不妨到纽约来。  

2 New York is the concentrate of art and commerce and sport and religion and entertainment and finance, bringing to a single compact arena the gladiator, The evangelist, the promoter, the actor, the trader, and the merchant. It carries on its lapel the inexpugnable odor of the long past, so that no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds, of queer people and events and undertakings, I am sitting at the moment in a stifling hotel room in 90- degree heat, halfway down an air shaft, in midtown. No air moves in or out of the room, yet I am curiously affected by emanations from the immediate surroundings. I am 22 blocks from where Rudolph Valentino lay in state, eight blocks from where Nathan Hale was executed, five blocks from the publisher's office where Ernest Hemingway hit Max Eastman on the nose, four miles from where Walt Whitman sat sweating out editorials for the Brooklyn Eagle,34 blocks from the street Willa Cather lived in where she came to New York to write books about Nebraska, one block from where Marceline used to clown on the boards of the Hippodrome, 36 blocks from the spot where the historian Joe Gould kicked a radio to pieces in full view of the public, 13 blocks from where Harry Thaw shot Stanford White, five blocks from where I used to usher at the Metropolitan Opera and only 112 blocks from the spot where Clarence Day the elder was washed of his sins in the Church of the Epiphany (I could continue this list indefinitely); and for that matter I am probably occupying the very room that any number of exalted and somewise memorable characters sat in, some of them on hot, breathless afternoons, lonely and private and full of their own sense of emanations from without. 

2纽约集艺术、商业、体育、宗教、娱乐和金融于一城，城内拳击手、传教士、推销员、演员、经纪人、商人齐聚一堂，同场竞技。纽约的领口上弥漫着绵延悠长、挥之不去的历史气息，不管坐在纽约城的哪个角落，你都能感受到那些辉煌时代和宏伟业绩的搏动，那些奇妙人物、事件和活动的余音。此时此刻，我正坐在市中心一问令人窒息的旅馆客房里，它位于通风井中部，屋内温度高达华氏90度。房间里没法子通风，但说来也怪，我还是捕捉到了周遭事物散发出来的讯息。离这儿22个街区之外，鲁道夫·瓦伦帝诺在长眠；8 个街区之外，内森·黑尔曾被处以极刑；5个街区之外的出版社办公室中，欧内斯特·海明威的拳头同马科斯·伊斯特曼的鼻子来了一次亲密接触；4英里外，沃尔特·惠特曼呕心沥血地为《布鲁克林之鹰》写作社论；34个街区之外，威拉·凯瑟刚来纽约时曾居住于此，创作了许多以内布拉斯加州为题材的作品；1个街区之外，玛尔瑟琳在纽约剧院大楼里演出过丑角笑剧；36个街区之外，历史学家乔·古尔德在众目睽睽之下将一个收音机踢得粉碎；13个街区之外，哈里·索开枪击毙了斯坦福·怀特；5个街区之外是我曾做过领座员的大都会剧院；112个街区之外则矗立着老克拉伦斯·戴洗去罪恶的主显节教堂(类似的例子，我可以无限制地罗列下去)。这样想来，或许有一些显赫的大人物也曾在我现在栖身的屋子里住过，有的也许就是在某个热得让人喘不过气来的下午安坐于此，形单影只，与世隔绝，脑子里却满是各自捕捉到的屋子外边散发出来的讯息。 

3 When I went down to lunch a few minutes ago I noticed that the man sitting next to me (about eighteen inches away along the wall) was Fred Stone. The 18 inches are both the connection and the separation that New York provides for its inhabitants. My only connection with Fred Stone was that I saw him in The Wizard of Oz around the beginning of the century. But our waiter felt the same stimulus from being close to a man from Oz, and after Mr. Stone left the room the waiter told me that when he (the waiter) was a young man just arrived in this country and before he could understand a word of English, he had taken his girl for their first theater date to The Wizard of Oz. It was a wonderful show, the waiter recalled—a man of straw, a man of tin. Wonderful! (And still only eighteen inches away.) "Mr. Stone is a very hearty eater," said the waiter thoughtfully, content with this fragile participation in destiny, this link with Oz. 

3几分钟前，我下楼吃午饭，发现坐在我旁边的竟然是弗里德·斯通(他靠墙坐着，离我大约18英寸远)。18英寸是纽约为其居民之间设定的既联系又分隔的距离。我同弗里德·斯通之间的唯一联系就是我有幸在本世纪初上演的《绿野仙踪》里看过他的表演。没想到，招待我们的服务员竟也同我一样，为能同一个“绿野仙踪人士”如此亲密接触而兴奋不已；斯通离开后，他告诉我说，他(即服务员本人)刚到美国时年纪轻轻，甚至听不懂英语，但他同女朋友的首次剧院约会就是去看《绿野仙踪》。那是非常棒的演出，他回忆道——稻草人啊，铁皮人啊。真是棒极了!(还是在18英寸之外)“斯通先生的胃口总是那么好，”他还不无体贴地感叹，似乎为同“绿野仙踪”分享些许命运交集而心满意足呢。 

4 New York blends the gift of privacy with the excitement of participation; and better than most dense communities it succeeds in insulating the individual (if he wants it, and almost everybody wants or needs it) against all enormous and violent and wonderful events that are taking place every minute. Since I have been sitting in this miasmic air shaft, a good many rather splashy events have occurred in town. A man shot and killed his wife in a fit of jealousy. It caused no stir outside his block and got only small mention in the papers. I did not attend. Since my arrival, the greatest air show ever staged in all the world took place in town. I didn't attend and neither did most of the eight million other inhabitants, although they say there was quite a crowd. I didn't even hear any planes except a couple of westbound commercial airliners that habitually use this air shaft to fly over. The biggest oceangoing ships on the North Atlantic arrived and departed. I didn't notice them and neither did most other New Yorkers. I am told this is the greatest seaport in the world, with 650 miles of   waterfront, and ships calling here from many exotic lands, but the only boat I've happened to notice since my arrival was a small sloop tacking out of the East River night before last on the ebb tide when I was walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. I heard the Queen Mary blow one midnight, though, and the sound carried thewhole history of departure and longing and loss. The Lions have been in convention. I've see not one Lion. A friend of mine saw one and told me about him. (He was lame, and was wearing a bolero.) At the ball grounds and horse parks the greatest sporting spectacles have been enacted. 1 saw no ballplayer, no race horse. The governor came to town. I heard the siren scream, but that was all there was to that- an 18- inch margin again. A man was killed by a falling cornice. I was not a party to the tragedy, and again the inches counted heavily. 

4纽约城赐予人们独处孤居之礼的同时，也奉上一份参与的兴奋；同其他人口稠密的社区相比，纽约能更好地将个人与每时每劾在他周围发生的重大的、猛烈的、奇妙的事件隔离开来(只要他需要，而几乎每个人都想要或需要这种隔离)。自打我搬进这乌烟瘴气的通风井以来，城里已发生了好些惹人注目的事件。妒火中烧之下，一个男人开枪打死了自己的妻子，但此事却并未在他所处街区以外的地方引起任何反响，报纸上也只是稍稍提到几笔。我当时并不在现场。我来到城里以后，世界上规模空前的飞行表演恰好在纽约举行。当时我并没到场，城中800万居民也大多没有去观摩，尽管据宣称，到现场捧场的观众不在少数。我甚至没有听到飞机的轰鸣声，只是间或有几架西行的商业航班从通风井上空飞过。北大西洋上最大的远洋轮船在纽约进进出出，可我并没有留意，大多数纽约人也没有注意到。纽约港被称为世界上最大的港口，沿港码头绵延650英里，停泊着来自他乡异域的船只，但我来到纽约之后，只有在前天夜里经过布鲁克林大桥时看到过一艘单桅帆船罢了，其时，它正抢在退潮前急急驶出东河。不过，一天半夜里我还听到了玛丽女王号的汽笛声，这一声长鸣传达了“离行--期许--惘然”这一完整过程。狮子会会员们齐聚集会，我却连他们的人影都没看到过。我的一位朋友倒是撞见一个，并告诉过我(据他描述，那人瘸着脚，身穿一件短开衫)。棒球场和赛马场上如火如荼的比赛也已拉开序幕，我却连一个球员、一匹赛马都没见着。州长驾临城中，我听到警报尖鸣，但仅此而已——又是18英寸的距离使然。有人被从天而降的一截房檐砸中，死于非命。我却并未卷入这场惨剧，究其原因，还是这18英寸的距离使然。 

5 I mention these events merely to show that New York is peculiarly constructed to absorb almost anything that comes along (whether 1,000-foot liner out of the East or a 20,000-man convention out of the West) without inflicting the event on its inhabitants so that every event is, in a sense, optional, and the inhabitant is in the happy position of being able to choose his spectacle and so conserve his soul. In most metropolises, small and large, the choice is often not with the individual at all. He is thrown to the Lions. The Lions are overwhelming the event is unavoidable. A cornice falls, that it hits every citizen on the head, every last man in town. I sometimes think that the only event that hits every New Yorker on the head is the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, which is fairly penetrating- the Irish are a hard race to tune out, there are 500,000 of them in residence, and they have the police force right in the family. 

5我提到这些，仅仅为了表明纽约城是一座建构奇特的城市，这里发生的事件包罗万象(城东1,000英尺长的班轮也好，城西2万人的集会也罢)，但种种事件却又未被强加到每个居民身上。因此，从某种意义上说，每个事件都有可供选择的余地，居民们大可随心所欲地选择心仪的场景来体味，保护其灵魂免受侵害。在许多都市里，无论是大都会还是小城市，个人往往没有这种选择的自由。他必然会同狮子会会员们狭路相逢。狮子会会员无处不在，各种事件避无可避。一截房檐从天而降，必然会砸到每个市民头上，无一幸免。我有时想，能够砸到每个纽约人头上的事件恐怕只有一年一度的圣帕特里克节游行，其影响之广，可谓无孔不入——爱尔兰是一个不可小觑的民族，纽约城中居住的爱尔兰人有50万之众，他们还拥有自己的武装力量。 

6 The quality in New York that insulates its inhabitants from life may simply weaken them as individuals. Perhaps it is healthier to live in a community where, when a cornice falls, you feel the blow; where, when the governor passes, you see at any rate his hat. 

6在将居民同其周边生活隔离开来的同时，纽约也会弱化他们作为个体的存在。也许，生活在一个普通社区里，生活反而会健全些：在那里，当一截房檐从天而降时，你总会感受到疼痛；在那里，当州长经过时，至少他的帽子会映入你的眼帘。 

7 I am not defending New York in this regard. Many of its settlers are probably here merely to escape, not face, reality. But whatever it means, it is a rather rare gift, and I believe it has a positive effect on the creative capacities of New Yorkers- for creation is in part merely the business of forgoing the great and small distractions. 

7说到这点，我并不是在为纽约辩护。很多人选择这里落脚也许只是为了逃避现实，而不是面对现实。但无论如何，这都是非常希罕的礼物，而且我也相信这给纽约客的创造力带来了积极的影响——因为在一定程度上，创造就是将大大小小令人分心的事物抛之脑后的过程。 

8 Although New York often imparts a feeling of great forlornness or forsakenness it seldom seems dead or unresourceful; and you always feel that either by shifting your location 10 blocks or by reducing your fortune by five dollars you can experience rejuvenation. Many people who have no real independence or spirit depend on the city's tremendous variety and sources of excitement for spiritual sustenance and maintenance of morale. In the country there are a few chances of sudden rejuvenation- a shift in weather, perhaps, or something arriving in the mail. But in New York the chances are endless. I think that although many persons are here from some excess of spirit, (which caused them to break away from their small town), some, too, are here from a deficiency of spirit, who finds in New York a protection, or an easy substitution. 

8尽管纽约常常带给人一种强烈的失落感或被遗弃感，但她却很少显得死气沉沉或乏味无趣，你总会生出如下想法：只需变换一下位置，搬到10个街区以外，或者稍稍破一下财，花掉5美元，你就能立刻重获生机，神采奕奕。许多缺乏自主精神的人纷纷从纽约城的多姿多彩及令人兴奋的活动中寻求支柱，支撑和维系他们的精神和信念。在这个国家的其他地方，这种立竿见影的“重生”机会少之又少——或许只有天气的变化或新到的邮件才能带来些许惊喜。但在纽约，这种机会却是无穷无尽的。在我看来，尽管有不少人来到纽约是因为他们活力过剩，无法宣泄(这促使他们背井离乡，来到纽约)，同时，也不乏一些人是因为精神匮乏才来到纽约，在这里寻求庇护或某种轻而易举就能得到的替代品。

这就是纽约 

BY E.B White  贾辉丰（译） 

有谁指望孤独或者私密，纽约将赐予他这类古怪的奖赏。正因其大度，城市的高墙里面，才容纳了众多这一类人；纽约的居民都是些外来客，离乡背井，进入城市，寻求庇护，寻求施展，或寻求一些可大可小的目标。纽约的一个神秘特点就是有本事派发这类暧昧的礼品。它可以摧毁一个人，也可以成全他，很大程度上就看运气。除非愿意碰碰运气，否则，不来纽约最好。纽约是艺术、商业、体育、宗教、娱乐和金融荟萃之地，在这么一个浓缩的竞技场上，挤满了角斗士、布道者、企业家、演员、证券商和买卖人。它的西服翻领上浸润的味道，年深日久，洗也洗不掉，结果，不论你身在纽约何处，都免不了与伟大时代、辉煌事功、奇人、奇事、奇闻发生感应。此刻，我坐在中城1闷热的旅馆房间里——房间紧靠高楼天井的半截腰处，忍受华氏九十度的高温。房间里没有一丝风，然而，我仍不由地感受到周遭有什么东西扑面而来。隔二十二个街区，是鲁道夫•瓦伦蒂诺2的遗体安葬处；隔八个街区，内森•黑尔3给人处决；隔五个街区，欧内斯特•海明威在出版商的办公室直捣马克斯•伊斯曼4的鼻梁；隔四英里，沃尔特•惠特曼5坐在桌前，埋头为《布鲁克林鹰报》写评论；隔三十四个街区的一条街上，薇拉•凯瑟6住过，她来纽约，写一些关于内布拉斯加州的书；隔一个街区，马塞林7曾经在竞技场剧院的舞台上插科打诨；三十六个街区外一处地方，历史学家乔•古尔德8当了众人的面，将一台收音机踢得粉碎；

注：

1纽约市区（主要是曼哈顿岛）有“上城”、“中城”、“下城”之说，曼哈顿岛南端到十四街左右为下城，包括华尔街金融区、唐人街、世贸中心原址、市政厅、格林尼治村等处；十四街到五十九街为中城，包括第五大道最热闹的一段商业区、四十二街红灯区（现已扫荡）、中央火车站、洛克菲勒中心、联合国等处；再往北就是上城，有中央公园、多处高等住宅区、林肯中心、大都会博物馆，延伸至一百街的哥伦比亚大学等处。

2鲁道夫•瓦伦蒂诺（1895—1926），美国默片时代的影星，以拉丁情人的形象风靡一时，三十一岁死于腹膜炎。

3内森•黑尔（1755—1776），原为教师，美国独立战争时期的民族英雄。加入大陆军，与英军作战，志愿深入敌后，搜集情报，被俘后以间谍罪被英国处绞刑。

4马克斯•伊斯曼（1883—1969），美国诗人和评论家，《群众杂志》主编，曾撰文批评海明威的作品。

5沃尔特•惠特曼（1819—1892），美国诗人，代表作为《草叶集》。曾于一八四六至一八四八年在民主党人主办的《布鲁克林鹰报》做编辑。

6薇拉•凯瑟（1873—1947），美国女小说家，作品《我们中的一个》获一九二二年普利策奖。

7马塞林（1873—1927），纽约著名马戏团小丑，后潦倒，开枪自杀。

8乔•古尔德（1889—1957），美国作家，历史学家，毕业于哈佛大学，放荡不羁，为纽约格林尼治村名人，善讲故事。

隔三十个街区，哈里•索枪杀了斯坦福•怀特1；隔五个街区，我曾经在大都会歌剧院为人引座；仅隔一百零二个街区，老克拉伦斯•戴2在主显教堂洗去了他的罪恶，（这份单子，我可以没完没了地续下去。）如此说来，我现在栖身的这个房间，很可能住过不知多少不朽的名流，他们中的一些，也是暑天坐在这里，热得喘不上气，孤独而又闭塞，感受着外界有什么东西扑面而来。几分钟前，我下楼用午餐时，瞥见弗雷德•斯通3坐在我旁边。（靠墙隔了大约十八英寸）十八英寸是纽约为其居民定下的一个分寸，彼此之间，有联系，又保持距离。我与弗雷德•斯通的联系，只在本世纪初，我看过他演的《绿野仙踪》。但我们的侍应生见到仙境来客，一样也很激动，斯通先生离开餐厅后，侍应生告诉我，他（侍应生）刚来美国时，年纪轻轻，一句英文不懂，头一次约女孩儿看戏，就是《绿野仙踪》。侍应生回忆，演得真是好极了，有稻草人，有铁皮人。精彩！（我俩之间，也是十八英寸。）“斯通先生胃口真好，”他深沉地说，很满意似乎参与了历史，与仙境扯上关系。

注：

1哈里•索（1871—1947），匹兹堡煤炭和铁路大王威廉•索之子，花花公子；斯坦福•怀特（1853—1906），美国著名建筑师。威廉•索之妻伊芙琳•内斯比特婚前曾为斯坦福•怀特占有，婚后，威廉•索发誓报复。一九○六年六月二十五日，将怀特枪杀于纽约麦迪逊广场花园的屋顶剧场。

2老克拉伦斯•戴，美国作家克拉伦斯•戴（1874—1935）的父亲，后者曾写过《上帝和我父亲》、《父亲与我》等幽默传记小品。

3弗雷德•斯通（1873—1959），美国著名演员，曾在歌舞剧和电影《绿野仙踪》中扮演稻草人。些关系。

1玛丽女王号邮轮，英国大西洋航线的豪华邮轮，一九三四年九月二十六日由玛丽女王主持下水，为当时世界顶级邮轮。

2一个国际性工商人士的组织，1917年创办于美国。狮子会（Lions）系该组织原文Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations Safety的首字母缩写。

纽约给人参与的快感，又搭赠了私密，与大多数拥挤的社区相比，它成功地将人们隔绝开来，（只要你有此愿望，而几乎每个人都愿意并需要这种隔绝。）免得他们因为随时可能发生的轰动、暴烈或妙不可言的事件受到打扰。就我在这空气污浊的天井旁小坐的这会儿工夫，城里出了不少热闹。一名男子因妒生狂，枪杀了他的妻子。没人大惊小怪，除了他那个街区，报纸也三言两语带过。我亦不去理会。我来纽约后，世界上规模最大的航空展也搬来纽约。我没去看，这里的八百万居民，大多数也没去看，虽然据说现场人满为患。我甚至不曾听见飞机的噪音，只有几架西去的商业航班，惯常从大楼天井上空飞过。北大西洋上的远洋巨轮来而复去。我从不注意它们，其他纽约人也是如此。我听说，这里是世界上最大的海港，滨水区方圆六百五十英里，这里停泊的船只来自世界各地。但我来后，只留意过一艘小小的单桅帆船，是我前日晚上走过布鲁克林大桥，碰巧见它趁落潮前抢风驶出东河。不过，有一日午夜，我听见玛丽女王号邮轮1鸣笛，那声音传述了一整部别离、思念和伤逝的历史。国际狮子会2的名流忙于集会。狮子无影无踪。我的朋友见到一位，对我讲了他的事情。（他跛腿，穿西班牙式短上衣。）在棒球场和赛马场，体育大赛激战正酣，我不看棒球，也不看赛马。州长进城了，我听到警笛呼啸，但也不过如此而已——仍是十八英寸的距离。一块檐板落下，砸死了人。我与这场悲剧毫无干系，而举足轻重的又是这毫厘之差。我说这些，只为表明，纽约的结构奇特，几乎包容了一切，（从东区上千英尺长的邮轮，到西区两万人众的集会。）断不会转嫁到居民头上，如此一来，所有事情的发生，一定程度上都无可无不可，纽约人乐得自行选择他们的热闹，保全了自己的灵魂。在或大或小的多数都市里，个人往往完全没有选择。他就好比给抛进了狮子会。狮子会压倒一切，躲也躲不开。檐板坠落，就像砸在每一位公民的头顶，城里的每个人都在劫难逃。有时我想，惟一还能惊动纽约人的事情，怕是每年一度的圣帕特里克日1游行了，它的渗透力极强——爱尔兰人是一个想不理会都不行的民族，五十万人居住在这里，家里就有自己的警察2。

注：

1圣帕特里克日，原为爱尔兰宗教节日，一七六六年参加美国独立战争的爱尔兰人首次在纽约游行庆祝，后成为传统，每年三月十七日举行。

2纽约的警察，多为爱尔兰裔，世代为业。

人在纽约，却与世隔绝，这个特点，很可能削弱了他们作为个人的存在。或许，融入某个社群才更健康些，在社群中，檐板落下，人人感受冲击，州长过路，你至少能瞧见他的帽子。在这一点上，我不想替纽约辩护。许多人定居这里，可能只是为了逃避而不是面对现实。但无论如何，这都是一个稀罕的馈赠，我想它对纽约人的创造力产生了积极影响——所谓创造，一定程度上，不过是懂得如何放弃大大小小的诱惑。虽然纽约经常给人孤苦伶仃、遭世人遗弃的感觉，但它从来都不沉闷或呆滞，你始终觉得，只要愿意搬出十个街区，或者少赚五块美元，就能重新焕发活力。许多人，其实精神上不能自主，他们从这座城市的千变万化和种种刺激中汲取营养，守住了自己的精气神儿。在乡下，也有些机会让人突然焕发活力——比如，天气的变化，或邮件带来什么消息。而在纽约，机会是无穷无尽的。我想，许多人来这里，许是因为精力过剩（他们为此离开了家乡的小镇），但也有些人，倒是因为意气消沉，他们发现纽约是个避风港，也没准儿等闲就帮你换了一种活法。

                                     ---  The end of Unit 6 ---

三个纽约

大体说来，有三个纽约。一个属于土生土长的男男女女，他们眼中，纽约从来如此，它的规模，它的喧嚣都是天生的，避也避不开。一个属于通勤者，他们像成群涌入的蝗虫，白天吞噬它，晚上又吐出来。一个属于生在他乡，到此来寻求什么的人。在这三个动荡的城市中，最伟大者是最后一个——纽约成为终极的目的地，成为一个目标。正是这第三个城市，造就了纽约的敏感，它的诗意，它对艺术的执着，连同它无可比拟的种种辉煌。通勤者使它如潮涨潮落般生生不息，本地人给它稳定和连续性，移居者才点燃了它的激情。意大利来的农夫，在穷街陋巷开一间小杂货店，密西西比河岸小镇来的姑娘，只为逃避邻人的流言蜚语，中西部玉米地带1来的小伙子，提箱里塞一部手稿，心里充满忧伤，无论是谁，都没有区别：每个人都像初恋一样，心情激荡地拥抱纽约，每个人都以探险者的好奇目光打量纽约，每个人发出的光和热都胜过爱迪生联合公司。

1玉米地带，美国中西部盛产玉米的地区。

通勤者是最怪诞的一群了。他居住的郊区没有活力可言，不过是白日终了时供他歇息的地方。一些人住在玛玛隆耐克或小耐克或逖耐克又在曼哈顿上班，除了极少数例外，他们对这座城市的了解，仅限于火车或汽车班次，或者午间的快餐路线。他终日伏案工作，从不曾漫步夕阳下，惊喜地撞见中央公园的贝尔威德城堡，池塘水面，石堡耸立，男孩子在岸边钓鱼，女孩子随意平躺在突起的岩石上?他决不会在纽约闲逛，突然发现点什么，毕竟，他得忙着赶火车。他将钓丝瞄准曼哈顿的钱夹子，起获点小钱儿，顾不上倾听纽约的呼吸，也不曾清晨随它醒来，夜里又伴它入梦。每个工作日的早晨，都有大约四十万男女，从地铁和隧道涌出，奔入曼哈顿岛。他们中间，很少有人去纽约公共图书馆，度过让人昏昏欲睡的下午，阅览室窗外，栎树飒飒有声，室内更显得寂静，传送图书的升降机（像架老水车）不断把书吐在托盘里。通勤者守在威切斯特，守在泽西家中的炉前，从没有见过包厘街的火炉，那里，冬夜气温降至零下时，大油桶燃起熊熊火焰。他们可能供职于下城的金融区，从没有见过洛克菲勒中心葳蕤的花圃——水仙花、麝香兰、白桦，还有清晨迎着和畅春风飘飞的彩旗。也或许，他们在中城的写字楼工作，一年到头忙得团团转，却从不曾凭临海堤，远眺总督岛。通勤者生前，跑了不知多少里程，但他从来不曾漫游过。他们的进出路线，要比土拨鼠群落更迂曲，困在东河隧道的泥浆里时，听天由命地打桥牌。仅长岛铁路公司，去年就搭乘了四千万通勤者，不过许多人，都是踏了自己的足迹，哪儿来哪儿去。纽约有它独特的地形，到头来，城里的居民，有时倒比通勤者走得还远。欧文•柏林1沿小街从下东城的樱桃街去上城的公寓，三四英里的路程，却好像绕世界转了三匝。

注：1欧文•柏林（1888—1989），美国百老汇知名作曲家。

诗歌压缩在很小的空间，加上韵律，必然意味深长。纽约就像一首诗：它将所有生活、所有民族和种族都压缩在一个小岛上，加上了韵律和内燃机的节奏。曼哈顿岛无疑是地球上最壮观的人类聚居地，数百万常住居民能够感觉这首诗的魔力，但谁又能说得清它的全部含义。高入云端，美轮美奂的写字楼下，是破烂不堪的贫民窟。河滨教堂必恭必敬地举行圣餐礼，隔几个街区，哈莱姆区1的伏都教2就在施展魔法。商界大亨乘豪华轿车沿东河快行道直驶华尔街，路经几百码外吉卜赛酋长的栖身处，但此大亨与彼酋长从不照面，况且，酋长们还没起身，他们的生活比大亨悠闲，醉酒的时候更多。纽约与巴黎不同，与伦敦也不同。它不是斯波坎市3乘六十倍，也不是底特律市乘四倍。它让所有城市望尘莫及。它甚至想法儿在大萧条最低迷的时刻，凌空达到了最高点。帝国大厦拔地而起，高达一千二百五十英尺，而此时，草木长出地面六英寸也是疯狂。（大厦顶部有一座飞艇系留塔，但从没有飞艇造访过；不景气的时候，需要雇人冲洗厕所；它还在大雾中给一架飞机撞过，无数次遭受雷击，时常有人想不开，从楼顶纵身跃下，以致行人经过第五大道和三十四街交界处时，都会下意识地加快脚步。）

注：

1哈莱姆，纽约的黑人聚居区。

2伏都教，西非原始宗教，现仍流行于海地和加勒比诸岛黑人中。

3斯波坎市，美国华盛顿州第二大城市。

曼哈顿东西南北，再无可以扩张处，只有向高空发展。这一点，便是它气势恢弘的主要原因了。它对美国的意义，如同乡下教堂的白色塔尖——那是理念与信仰的实在象征，飞升的白翎呼唤，道路就在上面。夏季的游客，乘车晃晃荡荡驶过地狱之门大桥1，在皇后区的鸽舍和后院上空滑行，从卧铺车厢的窗子眺望西南，第一抹晨曦投射在中城钢铁铸造的尖顶上，他能清晰无误地看见城市腾身而起：高墙与塔楼升高，烟雾升高，温度暂时还没有升高，千百万醒来的人们，希望和激情也在升高——如一柄犀利的长矛直逼苍穹。

1地狱之门大桥，纽约跨越东河的铁路大桥，一九一六年通车，当时为世界最长的钢拱大桥。

纽约竟能运转，简直是个奇迹。事情让人完全难以置信。居民每日刷牙，得从卡兹基尔山区和威切斯特县山中汲来几百万加仑清水。曼哈顿的小伙子给他在布鲁克林的女孩儿写信，爱的信息是通过充气管道吹给她的——“噗”的一声，就这样子。电话线、电力线、蒸汽管、煤气管、污水管的地下系统，已经是个足够的理由，让人把曼哈顿岛丢给上帝和象鼻虫了。每次切开人行道，手术的噪声都吵得人毛骨悚然。按理说，纽约早就该毁于恐慌、大火、骚乱，或者循环系统某些攸关重大的供应管线的失灵，或者哪种莫名其妙的短路。城市早就该在某个意想不到的瓶颈处，发生难以收拾的交通混乱。食品供应线若是中断，只须几天，城市就将饿毙。贫民窟流行或船只上的老鼠传播的瘟疫会扫荡它。海浪会从四面八方席卷它。每隔几天，从泽西吹来的烟雾，就像恐怖的裹尸布，大白天遮挡了所有的光线，大楼的办公室仿佛悬在半空，人们摸索，沮丧，只觉得世界末日来临，如此这般，在那些密密麻麻的巢室里工作的人，怎能不精神失常。集体歇斯底里是一股可怕的力量，然而，纽约人似乎每次都能与它擦肩而过：他们坐在半途停顿的地铁车厢里，没有幽闭恐惧感，他们靠几句俏皮话，摆脱惶恐局面，他们咬定牙关，耐心承受混乱和拥堵，凡事总能对付过去。所有设施都不完善——医院、学校和运动场人满为患，高速路乱乱哄哄，年久失修的公路和桥梁动辄寸步难行，空气窒息，光线不足，供暖要么过头，要么差得远。可尽管麻烦不断，效率低下，纽约却以大剂量的维他命补偿了它的居民，这就是对一种独特的、国际化的、强大的、无与伦比的事物的从属感。外来人小住纽约，可能而且留往陷入一连串的尴尬、不便和失望：听不明白饭馆里侍应生的话；分不清哪儿是诓人的酒馆儿，哪儿是规矩的酒吧；进地铁搭错了车；为个小小不言的问题招公共汽车司机顶撞；街上的噪声吵得人一夜无眠。游客奔来纽约，尤其是在夏季——他们一窝蜂地涌向自由女神像，（城里的许多居民从不涉足。）围攻自动售货餐厅，访问广播电台播音室，参拜圣帕特里克大教堂，在商店橱窗前流连。他们大都度过了一段美好时光，但有时在纽约，也会碰上失意者——一对青年男女，显然是游客，可能刚刚结婚，他们的灿烂梦想破灭了。这地方让他们吃不消，他们没精打采地坐在一家小馆子里，闷头吃饭，一声儿不吭。说起纽约，人们听到的一句话经常是：“棒极了，可我讨厌住在那儿。”我感觉，住在乡下和小镇上的人，习惯了方便，习惯了邻里间隔着篱笆和睦相处，想不到纽约生活也有街坊四邻的模式。城市实际上是成千上万个紧凑的居民单位的集合。当然，有大的区和单位：切尔西和默里小丘和格拉默西（居住单位），哈莱姆（种族单位），格林尼治村（热衷艺术和其他事情的单位），还有无线电城（商业开发单位），彼得•库珀村（住宅单位），医疗中心（保健单位）和许多其他部分，各有各的特点。但纽约的事情就妙在，每个大的地理单位都由无数小区组成。每个小区都自给自足。通常，它长不过三两个街区，宽不过几个街区。每个小区都是城中的城中之城。因此，不管你生活在纽约何处，一两个街区内都能找见杂货店、理发店、报摊、擦鞋摊、卖冰卖炭的地下店铺（路过时，可以把你要买的东西写在门外的便笺上）、干洗店、洗衣店、熟食店（啤酒和三明治随时外卖）、花店、殡仪馆、电影院、收音机修理店、文具店、服装店、裁缝铺、药店、泊车场、茶馆、酒吧、五金店、修鞋店。在纽约的大多数小区，每隔一两条街，都有一处小小的商业街。人们清早出门工作，走不上两百码远，就能完成五六件事情：买份报纸；把鞋送到店里钉鞋掌；买盒香烟；订一瓶威士忌吩咐下班时送来；留个字条给煤炭铺的隐身人；通知干洗店有条裤子等着穿。八小时后的回家途中，买一束绒柳、一个马自达灯泡，喝上杯酒，擦擦皮鞋——都在街角下车处与家门之间。这些地面儿事事完备，人们油然而生归属感，许多纽约人一生都守在其中，还大不过一个村子。多走出两个街区，他就仿佛到了异乡，浑身不自在，非得回来。小店的店主对小区的界限尤其敏感。我的一位女性朋友最近搬家，住进另一处公寓，在三个街区之外。搬家后第二天，她出现在多年来一直光顾的杂货店，店主见到她，激动得几乎落下眼泪。“你这一走，”他说，“我以为再也见不着你了。”对他来说，三个街区，或者大约七百五十英尺，就是离开了。我写这篇文章时，就住在纽约的某个小区，过客而已，或是漂泊者，从乡下来此盘桓几日。夏季是个好时光，可以重新打量纽约，领受私密这一馈赠，进入孤独的最高境界。夏天，城里只剩些死硬分子和响当当的角色。（旅游者除外。）临时性的、来去不定的住户没了踪影，惟有货真价实的老纽约。这里的气氛不觉轻松下来，人们只管围块腰布躺倒，一边呼哧哧喘气，一边缅怀往事。我在回想年轻人与大人物同居一城，是怎样一种感觉。我初来纽约时，心中的偶像是十几位专栏作家、评论家和诗人，大名时常出现在报刊上。我始终颇有点兴奋，像是发低烧，因为同一座岛上，还住了唐•马奎斯、海伍德•布龙、克里斯托弗•莫利、富兰克林•P•亚当斯、罗伯特•C•本奇利、弗兰克•沙利文、多萝西•帕克、亚历山大•伍尔科特、林•拉德纳，还有斯蒂芬•文森特•本涅特。我在商会街与百老汇夹角处徘徊，心想：“那座大楼的什么地方，蟑螂阿奇1夜里就在打字机键上蹦跳。”那段时期，纽约没给我好日子，但它毕竟让我活下来。我时常快步走过西十三街第六大道与第七大道之间富兰克林•P•亚当斯的住宅，房子似乎在我脚下颤动，一如火车驶离中央车站时，花园大道也会颤动。这种兴奋（与大人物近在咫尺）是绵延不断的。纽约从来不缺慕名投奔的后生晚辈——青年演员、抱负不凡的年轻诗人、芭蕾舞女演员、画家、记者、歌手，每人都揣了自己的兴奋剂，每人都有自己的一群偶像。

1蟑螂阿奇，美国报纸专栏作家、诗人和剧作家唐•马奎斯笔下角色，晚上在马奎斯的打字机上蹦跳着打字。

纽约不仅给人持续的兴奋，还是个从不谢幕的大舞台。我四下闲逛，重新审视这座舞台，希望能把它写在纸面上。现在是星期六，黄昏时分。我转入西四十八街。从架子鼓和萨克斯管练功房敞开的窗子里，传来音乐教师倦怠的指导声，器乐的嘈杂打破了夏日的沉静。考特剧院涌出日场观众。突然间，整条街响彻一名街头歌手震耳的歌声。他越走越近，寻找知音，是个欢快的黑人，一副唱大歌剧1的派头，头颅扬起，恣肆的歌声回荡在高楼壁立的窄街上。长长的手杖，是他惟一的道具，穿着小心而又随意——休闲裤，皱条纹外套，口袋里露出一本书。《可敬的妓女》2，观众刚刚接受了种族关系教育，急着想要改善黑人的境况。硬币（多是两角五分的）哗啦啦洒向街头，几分钟的游吟，一名黑人的境况有大约八美元的改善。如果每次献艺都能如此，他就完全可以在这里过活了。

1大歌剧，盛行于十九世纪的法国，规模宏大，布景豪华，音乐华丽，多采用历史题材，意大利作曲家罗西尼，德国作曲?罗梅耶贝尔、法国作曲家奥柏、柏辽兹、威尔第都曾有作品。

2《可敬的妓女》，法国作家萨特一九四六年所写话剧，以美国南方为背景，揭露种族主义罪恶。献艺时间，拿捏得恰到好处，考特剧院上演。

人们说，纽约是个机会多多的城市。甚至几分钟后迟来的骑警，也信马由缰，在路边踅来踅去，寻找散落的镍币，像鸟儿寻找抛洒的谷子。现在是七点钟，我再度光顾了东五十三街一家旧日的无照酒吧，准备坐下来吃顿饭。人很少，夏夜电扇的嗡嗡声，偶尔给摇制鸡尾酒的声音打断。小酒吧里黑黢黢的（店主并不认为贩酒法变了，电费就有理由增加）。多么幽暗，多么诱人，渲染意大利湖畔风光的壁画多么绮丽——可能是店主的哪个侄子画的。店主亲手配酒。电扇吟咏祈求风凉的祷文。从另一个隔间传来广播电台主持人的声音，青菜沙拉散发蒜茸的味道。我身后（又是十八英寸），一位年轻文人正试图说服身边的姑娘搬到他那里，做他的恋人。姑娘戒心重重，但他的话入情入理，也并未自视过高。他认为，他们相互之间，应当提供知识与性。从吧台上方的镜子里，我可以看见他们饮了第二轮酒。随后他和她分头去洗手间，两人回来后，争论也无声息了。电扇又嗡嗡地响起来，我又感觉到热浪和轻松的气氛，勾起对许多有趣的非法小馆的记忆，在那里，我曾伴随爱的主题、通风机的声响和杜松子酒消愁止痛的短暂幻觉，多少次津津有味地享用一顿便餐。

1埃得温•弗兰克•古德曼（1878—1956），美国著名管乐曲作曲家，尤以进行曲见长，十九世纪末成立古德曼管乐队，多次在纽约夏季音乐会上演出。

另一个溽热的夏夜，我在中央公园林阴道停下脚步，听古德曼管乐队1的音乐会。人们坐在乐台前呈扇形排开的长椅上，听得很入神，赞叹不已。林间晚风吹拂，树叶有了活力，哗啦啦地响，像在诉说什么；灯光从下方照亮绿绿的枝条，化作一种新的表达。头顶有飞机悠悠飞过，航灯一闪一闪的。就在我前排的椅子上，少年人坐在那里，搂着他的姑娘，他们相亲相爱，沉浸在音乐中。短号号手走到台前，表演独奏，始于“用你的明眸为我祝酒……”，号声在辽远、温暖的夜空飘荡，那么纯净，那么迷人。随后，从北河那边，传来别一种喇叭的应答——是玛丽女王号邮轮在宣布她的去意。她的独奏与短号不是一个调子，低了半个音阶。乐台上的号手决不示弱。号声吵成一片，没人介意爱的承诺中暗示了远行。“我将远走，”玛丽号在抽泣。“我的眼波会随你驻留，”号手叹息。沿柏油马路，散步的人来来往往，他们举止小心，免得扰了这里的音乐气氛。棒冰销得很快。篱障外温暖的草地上，人们在阴翳里缠绵，女孩子走近林阴道，裙子给风吹涨，裸露的肩头映在灯光下。“用你的明眸为我祝酒。”迷人的时光，一切又都是免费的。夏季的周末，城里空空荡荡。一个星期六下午，我去了办公室。听不见电话铃响，没有东西填饱来文筐儿，没有纸张的窸窣声，这是座死寂的建筑，一段可怕的休止。整个城市成了空落落的蜂巢——囚犯逃狱后丢下的监牢。夜间，楼里什么地方偶尔响起铃声，有人要用电梯——听起来像是火警铃声。夏季星期六的办公室，恍如孤绝的深渊。我凭窗俯瞰对面一排一排办公室，回想冬日暮色中景象，一切都在全速运动，蜂巢的每个格子都亮着灯，眼前仿佛一幕哑剧，可以看见木偶般的人物翻弄文件，（但听不到纸张的窸窣声。）看见他们接听电话（但听不到电话铃声），铺天盖地的纸片悄没声地川流不息：纽约这个文电之都，与加尔各答联系，与雷克雅未克1联系，总有事情得折腾。

1冰岛首都。

在拉斐特咖啡馆，来的尽是熟客，坐下聊天。这里忙乱而又沉静。我啜着咖啡，透过西窗，望见制造商信托公司和九马路北侧的红砖墙面，光线越来越弱，红色慢慢转成紫色。砖楼在向晚时分，自能改换颜色，就像玫瑰凋谢时，会泛出蓝色。这家咖啡馆是一方安歇之地。侍者从不见老，也不更换。决不追逐时尚。圣母守在旅游招贴上。咖啡浓烈，充满菊苣味，很香。夜晚走在包厘街上，头顶是高架铁道，你能感到的，只有冷冰冰的罪恶。有人向你讨一个硬币，你丢下钱，不想碰那手，手太脏了；你尽力避开他的目光，目光中流露谴责。与其说这是对个人的威胁，毋宁说它是一种整体性的威胁——无可奈何的人类苦难和贫穷，以及病入膏肓的酒精中毒咄咄逼人。夏日晚上，醉汉露宿街头。人行道是免费的床榻，没有虱子。行人走过、或跨过、或绕开这些静物，像走在尸横遍野的战场上。门廊下，银行台阶上，游民靠倒头一觉儿来醒酒。他们浇愁后丢下的空瓶子立在头前，像是伫立的哨兵，臂弯里搂定装了各种家当的纸袋子。旅游车上贫嘴的导游告诉乘客，这是“堕落者一条街”，但包厘街并不认为它已经堕落了，它用自己的办法对付自己的问题——酒坊，小客栈，漠不关心，街的尽头处，是贝尔维医疗中心。向东一两个街区，气象截然不同。陋巷里免不了贫穷和破旧的房屋，伴随这些，却是精细和安详的家庭生?。我沿着莱文顿街东行。但见一派欢快、污秽、熙熙攘攘。小店漫上了人行道，只剩下半边给人走路。灯泡没有罩子，明晃晃地照了西瓜和女内衣。楼上的人家逃离闷热的屋子，在人行道上乘凉。他们坐在橙色板条箱上，抽烟，悠然自得。这是广阔的下东城的露天晚会——毕竟，与你在乡间见到的绿草坪间鲜亮的帆布椅上坐着的一些人相比，他们这炎炎夏日里的一群要顺眼得多。热腾腾的肉体，挤烂的水果味，苍蝇嘬吮阴沟的垃圾，炒菜做饭，这里的一切都透着家常。在刘易斯街的街角，铁丝栅栏后的操场上，正举行露天舞会——街道的某种活动，许是为了遏制少年犯罪。女人推了婴儿车在跳舞的人群中穿行，像是展示舞蹈的最终结果。头顶，滑轮线上挂满了短裤和乳罩，有如装点舞厅的彩旗。音乐停止了，漂亮的意大利姑娘从手袋里取出发刷，在街灯下梳理黑油油的头发，直到头发闪光。巡逻车上的警察怏怏地观望。爱迪生联合公司说，纽约的五个行政区有八百万人口，它当然有能力掌握这一点。如同每个人口稠密的社区一样，这里汇聚了各个种族、各个宗教、各个国家的人。人口数字不断变化——几乎刚刚分类罗列好，情况就变了。可以保险地说，纽约的八百万人中，有大约二百万犹太人——将近四分之一。这二百万犹太人，当然，来自许多国家：俄国人、德国人、波兰人、罗马尼亚人、奥地利人，长长的一串。大纽约城市联盟估计，纽约的黑人约为七十万。其中，有五十万左右住在哈莱姆，从一百一十街向北延伸的一个区。过去几年来，黑人人口迅速增长。今日纽约的黑人比一九四○年多了一半。有大约二十三万波多黎各人生活在纽约。五十万爱尔兰人，五十万德国人。还有九十万俄国人，十五万英国人，四十万波兰人，大量芬兰人、捷克人、瑞典人、丹麦人、挪威人、拉脱维亚人、比利时人、威尔士人、希腊人，乃至荷兰人，他们很早就来到这里。很难说这里到底有多少中国人。官方宣布是一万二千人，但还有众多中国人非法居留纽约，他们不喜欢人口调查员。这数百万异乡人代表了不同种族、信仰和民族，纽约因他们之间的碰撞与融和，成为世界大同的常年展台。纽约公民的宽容，不仅是天性，而且是必须。这座城市必须保持宽容，否则就会在仇恨、怨愤和偏执的辐射云中爆炸。人们稍微偏离平和与豁达的心路，城市的火气就会蹿得比风筝还高。纽约郁积了各类种族问题，但引人瞩目的不是这些问题，而是大家相安无事。哈莱姆本身就是一座城，象征了种族隔离，但纽约的黑人生活，很少有黑人差别待遇的明显迹象。黑人可与白人一道搭乘地铁和公共汽车，但他们在饭店和餐馆，还感受不到这般平等。就职业而言，黑人在舞台表演、音乐、艺术和文学上很成功，但在许多就业领域，情况还很糟。黑人差别待遇信条主要体现在住房规章和惯例上。私人房东在法律上可以而且也确实排斥黑人。不过，根据最近的一项市政法规，公共财政出钱或享有税务豁免的公寓建筑，在接纳住户时，不得计较他们的种族、肤色或宗教信仰。对纽约人来说，这座城市是恒定的，又是不断变化的。在许多方面，它看上去与二十五年前不同，给人的感受也不同。高架铁路拆除了，除过第三大道，一点也没留。老住户走上第六大道，路过杰弗逊市场监狱，会怀念那铁路，它的轰鸣声，它的斑驳的阴凉，它的小型高架车站和那一阵阵颤动。百老汇的面貌也变了。以前，它在喧嚣繁华的表面下，有一副依稀可辨的骨架，如今的招牌巨大无比，建筑、商店和饭店大都给霓虹灯、文字招牌和蛋奶冰淇淋广告遮挡得没了踪影。百老汇就像一客蛋奶冰淇淋，表面光鲜，内里空乏。格林尼治村日趋幽暗：公寓楼挤进来，围住了广场，酒吧镶上镜子，镀铬。但村里毕竟还有徘徊不去的诗意、墨西哥玻璃器皿、敲制铜器、蜡染布、威士忌酒瓶改制的灯盏、涉世不深的处女作——这就是老格林尼治村，有小街，有简陋租房，一室而已，适应了一些人变幻无常的需要，他们都有一颗年轻又欢快的心。中央火车站成了夜总会，挂满超大幅的广告招贴，一心走旅游掮客的路线。其实，我曾一度住在中央火车站的终点站，（事事方便，我又没有其他地方好去。）宽旷的大厅对我来说，又是纽约一处予人灵感的室内景象，直到拉斯泰克斯松紧带公司和可口可乐跻身进来。环顾全城，深宅大院正走向衰败。施瓦布在河滨大道上凭眺哈德孙河的宅子消失了。古尔德在第五大道上的宅子成了古董店。摩根家族位于麦迪逊大街的宅子改为教会的办公室。范尼斯托克大宅现在出让给兰登书屋。今日的富人不住大宅子，改住公寓大厦的顶楼，在楼顶平台种树，高出街面几百英尺。报纸也比过去少了，这要拜已故的弗兰克•孟斯1之赐。人们怀念《环球时报》、《邮报》、《先驱报》，对许多纽约人来说，自从《世界报》败下阵去，生活再不是原来的样子。

1弗兰克•孟斯（1854—1925），美国出版发行人，拥有众多报刊杂志，以赢利为出版物最终目的。

警察现在开警车巡逻，车上装备无线电，不再晃悠着警棍绕街区打转。地铁车票需十美分，座位往往是深绿色，而不是浅黄色。人们上酒吧是为盯了电视看，难得有谁再去沉思默想。这都让人感慨。甚至游行庆典也有些变化。上回在曼哈顿的凯旋游行，?城回荡重型坦克不祥的骇人轰鸣声。贫民窟逐渐让位于恢宏的住房建设——规模巨大，目的崇高，房租低廉。城里散布了几十处这类新的开发地段，每处都是一座城（其中一处在布朗克斯，可容纳一万二千户人家），闲置的天空面积得到开发，引导人们腾空而起，远离了地面，他们的卫生条件规范化了，从此也有个地方坐下，不必坐在橙色板条箱上。联邦的钱、州政府的钱、市政府的钱、私人的钱，都流入这些项目。银行和保险公司也在背后参与其中。建筑师让大楼在地基上略微偏转一点，好改善采光。一些公寓的房租，低得只有八美元一间。还需要而且最终也会建起成千上万的新单位，但纽约永远跟不上自己的脚步，永远无法平衡。经济景气时，人口激增，新住宅从岩石上纷纷钻出。一旦赶上萧条，人口星散，高楼大厦门前冷落，房产主衰败，终至死灭。我来纽约的这些年，纽约的节奏变了，性情也变了。紧张气氛加剧，更多暴戾。你可以在许多地方，从许多人脸上看到这一点。现代生活产生的挫折感，到这里就会翻番，放大——穿越城区的公共汽车跑上一趟，沿途的挫折和麻烦，足以让司机精神错乱：交通灯的转换总是快了半拍，乘客捶打关闭的车门，卡车挡住惟一的通路，硬币失手掉到地上，不该发问的时候偏偏有人啰嗦。气氛更紧张，速度更快。出租车跑得比十年前快了——他们十年前跑得就不慢。从前出租车司机乐呵呵的，如今他们时不时地很疯狂，像是有今天没明天。在进入城里的西区高速路，驾车人懵懵懂懂地随大流而行——那种无可逃逭的运动很是刺激，后面有人催，两侧给人夹裹，你的车像一片木屑在磨坊的水流中载浮载沉。纽约从未像现在这样糟心、拥挤、紧张。钱多得是，纽约的反应也不慢。餐馆很难挤进去，经理们为了史瓦夫餐馆的一顿午餐，乖乖候在门口，如同失业者排起长龙，只为领一碗热汤。（繁荣期人们排队等一口吃的，萧条期也一样。）曼哈顿的午餐时间提前了半小时，始于十二点或十二点半，指望能先于众人抢得一席之地。人人下班时间都比以往饿了一点。公寓张起“恕无空房”的告示。第五大道的公共汽车上，只有站立的份儿，而从前每个买票的乘客都有座位。旧日的双层汽车消失了——人们搭车再不是为了兜风。某些日子的某些时刻，几乎叫不上一辆出租车，争抢得厉害。你抓住车门把手，拉开车门，发现还有一位从另一侧长驱直入。看门人靠吹哨子调度出租车发了财，一些看门人其实无门可看——不过是在大街上溜达，见机行事，给出租车乘客拉拉车门。与以往稍许悠闲的日子相比，纽约变得不舒适，也不方便了，但纽约人原本就不在意舒适和方便——果真在意，他们会搬到其他地方。纽约最微妙的变化，人人嘴上不讲，但人人心里明白。这座城市，在它漫长的历史上，第一次有了毁灭的可能。只需一小队形同人字雁群的飞机，立即就能终结曼哈顿岛的狂想，让它的塔楼燃起大火，摧毁桥梁，将地下通道变成毒气室，将几百万人化为灰烬。死灭的暗示是当下纽约生活的一部分：头顶喷气式飞机呼啸而过，报刊上的头条新闻时时传递噩耗。城市的所有居民都须面对湮灭无存这一顽固的事实，而这一事实在纽约表现得更为集中，因为纽约本身就是集中的，还因为，所有目标中，纽约在某种程度上显然最受瞩目。在可能发动袭击的狂人的头脑中，纽约无疑有着持久的、不可抵挡的诱惑力。自由女神像一向是纽约的标志，并将纽约推向世界。今天，自由与死亡各行其道。沿东河，在推平的龟湾屠宰场上，好像是为了与鬼魅般逼近的飞机竞赛，人们破土动工，创建联合国的永久总部——所有建筑项目中最伟大者。纽约从容接纳了又一座城中之城，这次是供各国政府栖身，清理叫作战争的废墟。纽约不是政府所在地，它不是国家首都，也不是州的首府。但它正在成为世界的首都。建筑师设想的这座大厦，是个直立的火柴盒状。车辆在第一大道下面的新辟隧道中奔流。四十七街将拓宽，（如果我猜得不错，卡车将在夜晚悄悄开进来，栽种高大的树木，树木的根须与城市的管线纠结在一起。）城市将再一次几乎不动声色地吸纳又一批来访者。它已经表明自己有能力收藏联合国——过去两年来，大批代表活跃在纽约，居民们却很难瞥见他们的燕尾服或黑色礼帽。这场竞赛，这场制造毁灭的飞机与艰难降生的人类议会之间的竞赛，在我们所有人心中留下印记。纽约再清楚不过地显示了普遍的困境与全面的解决方法，掩在钢与石之后的这座迷宫，既是一个绝好的目标，也是非暴力和世界大同的完美象征，这一目标高耸入云，飞机只能拦腰撞向它，它是所有民族，所有国家的家园，一切事情的发源地，在这里进行的审议，将拦截飞机，抢先阻止它们的毁灭行动。龟湾的这座新的人类之城，向西一两个街区，有一株大柳树，枝条密匝匝遮盖了庭院。这是一株伤痕累累的老树，经磨历劫，攀爬过度，靠铁丝捆扎才不致摧折，但知道的人都对它很有感情。在一定意义上，它象征了这座城市：在艰难中存活，在困境中生长，在混凝土中蓄养元气，兀然挺立，迎向日光。如今我每次见到它，感觉飞机冷森森的阴影，都会想：“必须拯救它，拯救这一棵树。”如果它不复存在，一切都将陨灭——这座城市，这个怪异而又神奇的典范，如果抬眼望去，消失不见，人将心如死灰。

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2008-11-30 10:48:54 发福的唐吉珂徳 (再给两天好天气，把被晒暖~) 

There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born there, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size, its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter--the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these trembling cities the greatest is the last--the city of final destination, the city that is a goal. It is this third city that accounts for New York’s high strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness, natives give it solidity and continuity, but the settlers give it passion. And whether it is a farmer arriving from a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a boy arriving from the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes no difference: each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs New York with the fresh yes of an adventurer, each generates heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company. . . . 

The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions. The intimation of mortality is part of New York now; in the sounds of jets overhead, in the black headlines of the latest editions. 

All dwellers in cities must live with the stubborn fact of annihilation; in New York the fact is somewhat more concentrated because of the concentration of the city itself, and because, of all targets, New York has a certain clear priority. In the mind of whatever perverted dreamer might loose the lightning, New York must hold a steady, irresistible charm. 

Unit 6 Here is New York

Teaching aims:

1. 1.     Students will get to know New York better.

2. 2.     Students will be able to use the new words and phrases.

3. 3.     Students will grasp basic translation skills in translation Passive Voices.

1. I.        Starting out

Task 1

Work with your partner to match the following US cities with their nicknames. Try to explain the origin of the nicknames on Page 160. 

Task 2:  background

1. 1.     What do you know about New York? What’s your impression on NY (From books, personal experience, or whatever)

自由女神像 Statue of Liberty 

帝国大厦（Empire State Building）

克莱斯勒大厦（Chrysler building）

联合国总（UN(United Nations) Headquarters  ）

World trade center 

洛克菲勒中心（ Rockefeller Center）

纽约时报广场（Times Square）

Wall Street华尔街  New York Stock Exchange Center; (Wall Street bull)；

中央火车站（Central station）

St Patrick's church    圣帕特里克教堂

大都会艺术博物馆，   MetroPolitan Museum of Art 

Broadway （百老汇）

艾里斯岛移民博物馆（Ellis finished island immigration museum）

纽约中央公园(Central Park)

The Columbia University (哥伦比亚大学)

attractive; leading global city; land of opportunities; full of robbery; high crime rate; high living expenditure; widening gap between the rich and poor, etc

1. 2.     The author

Elwyn Brooks "E. B." White (July 11, 1899 - October 1, 1985)[1] was an American writer, best known as the author of children's books Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, and as the co-author of the widely used language guide The Elements of Style.

Stuart Little ( 1945); Charlotte's Web (1952); The Trumpet of the Swan (1973)

Awards: 

White won an honorary Pulitzer Prize in 1978, for his work as a whole; 

Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963

埃尔文·布鲁克斯·怀特（1899－1985），美国当代著名散文家、评论家，以散文名世，“其文风冷峻清丽，辛辣幽默，自成一格”。生于纽约蒙特弗农，毕业于康奈尔大学。作为《纽约客》主要撰稿人的怀特一手奠定了影响深远的 “《纽约客》文风”。怀特对这个世界上的一切都充满关爱，他的道德与他的文章一样山高水长。除了他终生挚爱的随笔之外，他还为孩子们写了三本书：《斯图尔特鼠小弟》（又译《精灵鼠小弟》）、《夏洛的网》与《吹小号的天鹅》，同样成为儿童与成人共同喜爱的文学经典。

II. Reading Focus – Global Understanding

Text Structure

Part I (Para. 1) Introduction

Part II (Para. 2-3) The vibrations of great things or people felt in New York

Part III (Para. 4-6) The insulation provided by New York

Part IV (Para. 7-8) Conclusion

Part I (Para. 1) Introduction

New York presents the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy to everyone who comes to town.

A. Its largess can account for the presence within the city’s walls of a considerable section of the population.

B. The capacity to make such dubious gifts is a mysterious quality of New York.

C. The special quality of New York can either destroy an individual or fulfill him. 

Part II (Para. 2-3) The vibrations of great things or people felt in New York

A. I am curiously affected by emanations from the immediate surroundings while I am sitting in a hotel in New York:

I am 22 blocks from where Rudolph Valentino lay in state beautifully.

I am eight blocks from where Nathan Hale was executed. 
I am five blocks from the publishing house where Ernest Hemingway hit Max Eastman on the nose.

I am four miles from where Walt Whitman sat sweating out editorials for The Brooklyn Eagle.

B. The waiter also felt the same stimulus from being close to a famous actor.

Part III (Para. 4-6) The insulation provided by New York

1. New York succeeds in insulating the individual against all enormous and violent and wonderful events taking place every minute.

     I did not attend the world’s greatest air show staged inNew York.    

     I did not notice the biggest oceangoing ships on theNorth Atlantic.                    

B. The inhabitant in New York is in the happy position of being able to choose his spectacle and so conserve his soul.

C. The quality of New York that insulates its inhabitants from life may simply weaken them as individuals. 

Part IV (Para. 7-8) Conclusion--- The positive qualities of New York

         New York has a positive effect on the creative capacities of its inhabitants.

         New York can bring the sense of rejuvenation to its inhabitants.

III. Reading Focus – Language Point

1. It is this largess that accounts for the presence within the city’s walls of a considerable section of the population; for the residents of Manhattan are to a large extent strangers who have pulled up stakes somewhere and comet to town, seeking sanctuary or fulfillment of some greater or lesser grail. (Para. 1)

 account for:  provide or serve as a satisfactory explanation or reason for解释；说明

he was brought before the Board to account for his behaviour.他被带到董事会上为他的行为作出解释。

considerable: adj. 

considerably: adv. much, a lot  非常；很；相当多的

pull up stakes: (N. Amer.)move or go to live elsewhere(北美)搬家，迁址

She pulled up stakes and want to live abroad. 

她离开本国移居海外

When the factories and businesses closed, most of the community were forced to pull up stakes and move south.  

工厂和企业都关门了，大部份居民被迫背井离乡，搬到了南方

 grail: a thing that you try very hard to find or achieve, but never will  渴望但永远得不到的东西

翻译：纽约城内数量庞大的居民中，冲着这份赠礼而来此落脚的绝不在少数；曼哈顿也因此聚集了众多异乡客，他们背井离乡到此闯荡，有的为了寻求庇护，有的为了一展抱负，还有的为了实现心中或大或小的愿望。

2.  It carries on its lapel the unexpungeable odor of the long past, so that no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds, of queer people and events and undertakings. (Para. 2)

Ø  undertakings：

    1) an important job, piece of work, or activity that you are responsible for 

       e.g. a commercial undertaking

    2) an agreement or a promise to do something.

       e.g.  The landlord _______________________ (书面保证)  that repairs would be carried out before the end of the month.         

lie in state: (of the corpse of a person of national importance) be laid in a public place of honour before burial

（伟人遗体安葬前）受公众吊唁

3. “Mr. Stone is a very hearty eater,” said the waiter thoughtfully, content with this fragile participation in destiny, this link with Oz.(Para. 4) 

     In this sentence “content” is an adjective and “content with” means happy and satisfied with what you have. 

   e.g. 1) He seemed more content, less bitter.

      2) He had to be content with third place.

content (n.) :

   1) the things that are contained in sth 

        e.g. 1) 大火导致那栋大楼里的东西严重损毁。

              Fire has caused severe damage to the contents of the building.

             2) She hadn’t read the letter and so was unaware of its contents.

   2) the different sections that are contained in a book

        e.g. 1) a contents page

   3) the subject matter of a book, speech, programme, etc.

       e.g. Your tone of voice is as important as the content of what you have to say. 

Ø   content (v.) :

   1) to accept and be satisfied with sth and not try to have or do sth better 

      e.g. Martina contented herself with a single glass of wine.

   2) to make sb feel happy or satisfied

      e.g. My apology seemed to content him.

4. The Lions are overwhelming; the event is unavoidable.  (Para. 5) 

   辨析 overwhelming; overwhelmed; overwhelmingly

    e.g. 1) She was _______________by feelings of guilt. 

       2) The _______________ majority of those present were in favor of the plan.

       3) They voted __________________against the proposal. 

5. A cornice falls, that it hits every citizen on the head, every last man in town. (Para. 5) 

Ø  “every last man” means “everybody without exception”. This sentence means in most metropolises, no one can escape from the influence of every major event happening in the city.

    e.g. Every last man is supposed to seize each opportunity that comes along.   

6. I am not defending New York in this regard. (Para. 7)      

Ø  “in this regard” means “concerning what has just been mentioned”. 

    e.g. 1) I have nothing further to say__________________(在这方面).

Paraphrase:

    I do not think that New York is necessarily a better place because people are insulated from events.

7. I think that although many persons are here from some excess of spirit (which caused them to break away from their small town), some, too, are here from a deficiency of spirit, who find in New York a protection, or an easy substitution. (Para. 8)

Ø  excess (n.) :

   1) more than is necessary, reasonable and acceptable

       e.g. He started drinking to excess after losing his job.

   2) an amount by which sth is larger than sth else

      e.g. We cover costs up to $600 and then you pay the

 excess. 

Ø   excess (adj.) :

   1) in addtion to an amount that is necessary, usual or legal 

        e.g. 1) Excess food is stored as fat.

                  2) Drinking with excess alcohol in the blood is  

                      a serious offence.    

v    syn.: excessive     

课文背景知识：

爱国人士纳珊．海尔 (Nathan Hale) 被吊死：1776年9月22日

1775年4月19日，纳珊．海尔的五个兄弟在麻州的莱欣顿 (Lexington) 与康柯 (Concord) 等地与英军作战。纳珊在同年7月6日添加他们。从那之后，纳珊迅速的晋升为部队里的上尉。当英国将军威廉．豪威 (William Howe) 在长岛 (Long Island) 地区开始集结部队时，纳珊正在乔治．华盛顿将军的部队里作战。后来，华盛顿带领他的部队进入曼哈顿岛。在哈伦高地 (Harlem Heights) 的战役里，华盛顿与豪威正式交战。于是，华盛顿征求一位自愿者到敌军后方进行一侦察任务。海尔大步向前，自愿接下这项任务。

Harry Kendall Thaw (1871-1947) is best known for the murder of architect Stanford White at Madison Square Garden in 1906 and the sensational trial that followed.

Evelyn Nesbit

[edit] Early relationship

After his expulsion from Harvard, Thaw bounced around between Pennsylvania and New York, injecting himself with both morphine and cocaine and frequenting Broadway shows, which he described as "studying." In fact, Thaw made a habit of studying chorus girls, and this hobby first brought him into contact with noted architect Stanford White. White, who had a similar hobby, had made some disparaging remarks about Thaw to a group of chorus girls Thaw was engaged in wooing, and Thaw blamed their subsequent snub on White's influence. White soon became a focus of Thaw's disjointed rage, and so when Thaw learned that White had begun paying special attention to Evelyn Nesbit, a chorus girl from the show Florodora, Thaw arranged to meet her at a party.

White warned Nesbit of Thaw, and Nesbit for a while avoided him. But a bout of presumed appendicitis put Nesbit in the hospital and provided Thaw with an opening. Harry came in bearing gifts and praise, managing to impress both Nesbit's mother and the headmistress at the boarding school she attended. Later, under Stanford White's orders, she was moved to a sanatorium in upstate New York, where both White and Thaw visited often, though never at the same time.

[edit] Marriage proposal

White's attention soon waned, but Thaw remained an ardent admirer of Nesbit, and after her release from the sanatorium, Thaw invited her and her mother to visit Paris with him. In Europe, Thaw spent vast sums of money on Evelyn and her mother, and eventually proposed marriage to Evelyn, who demurred. Thaw, however, was not to be swayed, and for several weeks continued to press Evelyn for her hand.

Finally, under duress, Evelyn admitted to Thaw that Stanford White had indeed taken her virginity, and she claimed that she was unworthy to be Thaw's wife. This enraged Thaw, but did not dissuade him from wanting Evelyn's hand in marriage. He soon packed Mrs. Nesbit back to New York and took Evelyn to an isolated German castle, where he forced himself on Evelyn and beat her repeatedly with a dog whip. Perhaps out of fear, Evelyn nonetheless stayed with Thaw, eventually convincing him to let her return to New York.^{[citation needed]}

Thaw remained enraptured with Evelyn, and over the course of several years he managed to wear her down. Then his mother arrived at Evelyn's doorstep and announced that she wished for Evelyn to marry her son. Settling down, she said, would help curb Harry's "eccentricities." Evelyn at last gave in and returned to Pittsburgh to live with Harry and Mother Thaw. Harry's obsession with her seemed to wane as soon as the two were married, and Harry sometimes disappeared to Europe or elsewhere for days at a time.

[edit] Murder of Stanford White

In the spring of 1906, Harry and Evelyn decided to travel to Europe and New York. On June 25, while in New York, Evelyn and Harry saw Stanford White while dining at the Cafe Martin. After learning that White was to attend the premiere of Mam'zelle Champagne, a show the Thaws were also planning to attend, Harry took Evelyn back to their hotel and disappeared, returning just in time to pick up Evelyn and head to the show — curiously dressed in a black overcoat, though it was a hot evening. At the rooftop theatre of Madison Square Garden, the hat check girl repeatedly tried to relieve Harry of his heavy coat, but he refused. He wandered through the crowd during the show, approaching White's table several times, only to back away on each occasion. During the finale, "I Could Love A Million Girls", Thaw produced a pistol and fired three shots at close range into Stanford White's face, killing him.^[2]

The crowd initially suspected the shooting might be part of the show, as elaborate practical jokes were popular in high society at the time. Soon, however, it became apparent that Stanford White was dead. Thaw, holding the gun aloft, walked through the crowd and met Evelyn at the elevator. When she asked what he'd done, Thaw said that he had "probably saved your life."

[edit] Murder trials

There were two trials, the first lasting from January–April 1907 and the second in January 1908.^[3] At the first, the jury was deadlocked: at the second, where he pled insanity, Evelyn testified. Thaw's mother told Evelyn that if she would testify that Stanford White abused her and that Harry only tried to protect her, she'd receive a divorce from Harry Thaw and one million dollars in compensation. She did just that, and performed in court wonderfully: he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Evelyn got the divorce, but not the money. Thaw testified that he had had a "brainstorm", meaning a moment of temporary insanity.^[4] Thaw was incarcerated at the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Fishkill, New York, enjoying nearly complete freedom. In 1913 he walked out of the asylum and was driven over the border to Sherbrooke, Quebec. His lawyer, William Lewis Shurtleff, fought extradition back to the United States, but he was deported and arrested in the United States.^[5] In 1915, a jury judged him sane, and he was released.

[edit] Assault trial

For his part, Thaw continued to live as he had always lived. The year after his release, he was accused of sexually assaulting and horsewhipping Fred Gump, Jr., a high-school student he brought from Kansas City to New York. When Thaw was indicted for the assault, he fled to Philadelphia, where he was found with a self-inflicted slash to the throat. He was again adjudicated insane, and sent to an asylum. After seven years, he was declared sane and released in 1924.^[1]

[edit] Later life

In 1924, he purchased a historic home known as Kenilworth in Clearbrook, a farming community in Frederick County, Virginia. While living at Kenilworth, Thaw ingratiated himself with the locals, joined the Rouss Fire Company, and even marched in a few local parades in his fireman's uniform. He was regarded as an eccentric by the citizens of Clearbrook but does not seem to have run into a great deal of additional legal trouble.

In the late '20s, Thaw went into the film production business, based on Long Island. At first, he attempted to make short comedies and stories about fake spiritualists. In 1927, he contracted with John S. Lopez and detective-story author Arthur B. Reeve for a batch of scenarios continuing the fake spiritualism theme. This resulted in a lawsuit when the scenarios weren't paid for; Thaw had switched emphasis, attempting to film a story of his own life, so claimed he owed nothing. The suit eventually resulted in a $7000 judgment for Lopez in 1935. In 1944 he sold the Kenilworth home and moved to Florida.^[6]

[edit] Death

Thaw died of a heart attack in Miami, Florida on February 22, 1947 at the age of 76.^[1][7][8] He left $10,000, less than 1% of his fortune, to Evelyn Nesbit in his will.^[9] He was buried in Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Kendall_Thaw

Walt Whitman

沃尔特·惠特曼（Walt Whitman，1819年5月31日－1892年3月26日），生于纽约州长岛，他是美国著名诗人、人文主义者，他创造了诗歌的自由体（Free Verse），其代表作品是诗集《草叶集》。

Walter "Walt" Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse.^[1] His work was very controversial in its time, particularly his poetry collection Leaves of Grass.

Willa Cather

薇拉·凯瑟（Willa Cather，1873-1947），美国小说家、短篇小说家、诗人。她生于弗吉尼亚州，9岁时随家移居内布拉斯加州，在西部大草原乡镇里长大。1895年从内布拉斯加大学毕业，对音乐和文学（尤其是亨利·詹姆斯的作品）极感兴趣。后来到匹兹堡一家报社工作，开始文学创作。1900年，她开始发表短篇小说和诗歌，1903年发表诗集《四月的黄昏》（April Twilight）。在那些年月里，她的主要思想是披露西部小城镇文化的落后和思想的狭窄，这表现在她的最著名的短篇故事《雕刻家的葬礼》（“The Sculptor‘s Funeral”）、《华格纳音乐会》（“A Wagner Matinee”）等作品中。1906年她移居纽约，在《麦克卢尔杂志》（McClure’s Magazine）工作，后任总编（1908-1911）。在此期间，她结识了著名乡土文学作家萨拉·奥恩·朱厄特（Sarah Orne Jewett），并听从其劝告，辞去总编职务，悉心从事文学创作，陆续发表了《亚历山大的桥》（Alexander‘s Bridge，1912）、《啊，拓荒者！》（O Pioneers！1913）、《我的安东妮亚》（My Antonia，1918）、《百灵鸟之歌》（The Song of the Lark,1915）、《我们自己人》（One of Ours，1922）、《迷途的女人》（A Lost Lady，1923）、《教授的住宅》（The Professor’s House，1925）及《大主教之死》（Death Comes For the Archbishop，1927）等作品。凯瑟还发表了4部短篇小说集和几部中长篇小说。

Marceline

Joe Gould:  historian

Clarence Day

Clarence Shepard Day, Jr. (November 18, 1874–December 28, 1935) was an American author. Born in New York City, he attended St. Paul's School and graduated from Yale University in 1896. The following year, he joined the New York Stock Exchange, and became a partner in his father's Wall Street brokerage firm. Day enlisted in the Navy in 1898, but developed crippling arthritis and spent the remainder of his life as a semi-invalid.

Day's most famous work is the autobiographical Life with Father (1935), which detailed humorous episodes in his family's life, centering on his domineering father, during the 1890s in New York City. Scenes from the book, along with its 1932 predecessor, God and My Father, and its 1937 sequel, Life with Mother, published posthumously, were the basis for the 1939 play by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, which became one of Broadway's longest-running, non-musical hits. In 1947—the year the play ended on Broadway—William Powell and Irene Dunne portrayed Day's parents in the film of the same name. Life with Father co-starred a young Elizabeth Taylor and an even younger Martin Milner(later one of the two police-officer stars of the 1968 TV series Adam-12), and received Oscar nominations for cinematography, art direction, musical score and best actor (Powell). Life with Father also became a popular 1953–1955 television sitcom.

Clarence Day wrote humorously about his family and life. The stories of his father, Clarence "Clare" Day, Senior, were first printed in the New Yorker magazine. They portray a rambunctious, overburdened Wall Street broker who demands that everything from his family should be just so. The more he rails against his staff, his cook, his wife, his horse, salesmen, holidays, his children and the inability of the world to live up to his impossible standards, the more comical and lovable he becomes to his own family who love him despite it all. First published in 1936, shortly after his death, Day's book is a picture of New York upper middle class family life in the 1890s. The stories are filled with affectionate irony. Day's understated, matter-of-fact style underlines the comedy in everyday situations.

The best of Clarence Day Jr.: including God and my father, Life with father, Life with mother, This simian world, and selections from Thoughts without words by Clarence Day Jr.

Fred Andrew Stone (August 19, 1873 – March 6, 1959) was an American actor. Stone began his career as a performer in circuses and minstrel shows, went on to act on vaudeville, and became a star on Broadway and in feature films, which earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He was particularly famous for appearing on stage opposite David C. Montgomery, a 22-year partnership until Montgomery's death in 1917, in shows such as The Wizard of Oz premiering in 1902, the Victor Herbert operetta The Red Mill in 1906, and Chin Chin, A Modern Aladdin, in 1914. In 1939, he appeared in a radio program promoting the new MGM film of The Wizard of Oz, in which he got to meet the actor who played the Scarecrow, Ray Bolger, who was a great admirer of Stone's work, and although Bolger was too young to have seen Stone play the Scarecrow in the stage play, he did see Stone in The Red Mill.^[1]

4 Zones of Personal Space

n  Intimate distance: (0-18 inches ) between close friends, family members; show affection, give comfort or protect

n  Personal distance: (1/½-4 feet) most conversations 

n  Social distance: (4-12 feet) less personal situations, in business, workplace 

n  Public distance: (>12 feet) lectures, churches, public gatherings

     --- T. E. Hall. (1966). The hidden dimension. Doubleday & Company, Inc. 

IV. Critical Thinking 

1. 1.     Read the following sentences from the text and decide what the author actually meant. Do you agree with him or not? 

2. Ø  No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky. 

3. Ø  I think that although many persons are here from some excess of spirit (which caused them to break away from their small town), some, too, are here from a deficiency of spirit, who find in New York a protection, or an easy substitution.

1. 2.     Just like New York in America, Beijing is the city in China that many Chinese dream of living in. What are the gifts Beijing bestows on its residents? After graduation, do you want to go and live in Beijing and why? Discuss in groups the above questions. 

V. Exercises

课文背景知识：

爱国人士纳珊．海尔 (Nathan Hale) 被吊死：1776年9月22日

1775年4月19日，纳珊．海尔的五个兄弟在麻州的莱欣顿 (Lexington) 与康柯 (Concord) 等地与英军作战。纳珊在同年7月6日添加他们。从那之后，纳珊迅速的晋升为部队里的上尉。当英国将军威廉．豪威 (William Howe) 在长岛 (Long Island) 地区开始集结部队时，纳珊正在乔治．华盛顿将军的部队里作战。后来，华盛顿带领他的部队进入曼哈顿岛。在哈伦高地 (Harlem Heights) 的战役里，华盛顿与豪威正式交战。于是，华盛顿征求一位自愿者到敌军后方进行一侦察任务。海尔大步向前，自愿接下这项任务。

Harry Kendall Thaw (1871-1947) is best known for the murder of architect Stanford White at Madison Square Garden in 1906 and the sensational trial that followed.

Evelyn Nesbit

[edit] Early relationship

After his expulsion from Harvard, Thaw bounced around between Pennsylvania and New York, injecting himself with both morphine and cocaine and frequenting Broadway shows, which he described as "studying." In fact, Thaw made a habit of studying chorus girls, and this hobby first brought him into contact with noted architect Stanford White. White, who had a similar hobby, had made some disparaging remarks about Thaw to a group of chorus girls Thaw was engaged in wooing, and Thaw blamed their subsequent snub on White's influence. White soon became a focus of Thaw's disjointed rage, and so when Thaw learned that White had begun paying special attention to Evelyn Nesbit, a chorus girl from the show Florodora, Thaw arranged to meet her at a party.

White warned Nesbit of Thaw, and Nesbit for a while avoided him. But a bout of presumed appendicitis put Nesbit in the hospital and provided Thaw with an opening. Harry came in bearing gifts and praise, managing to impress both Nesbit's mother and the headmistress at the boarding school she attended. Later, under Stanford White's orders, she was moved to a sanatorium in upstate New York, where both White and Thaw visited often, though never at the same time.

[edit] Marriage proposal

White's attention soon waned, but Thaw remained an ardent admirer of Nesbit, and after her release from the sanatorium, Thaw invited her and her mother to visit Paris with him. In Europe, Thaw spent vast sums of money on Evelyn and her mother, and eventually proposed marriage to Evelyn, who demurred. Thaw, however, was not to be swayed, and for several weeks continued to press Evelyn for her hand.

Finally, under duress, Evelyn admitted to Thaw that Stanford White had indeed taken her virginity, and she claimed that she was unworthy to be Thaw's wife. This enraged Thaw, but did not dissuade him from wanting Evelyn's hand in marriage. He soon packed Mrs. Nesbit back to New York and took Evelyn to an isolated German castle, where he forced himself on Evelyn and beat her repeatedly with a dog whip. Perhaps out of fear, Evelyn nonetheless stayed with Thaw, eventually convincing him to let her return to New York.^{[citation needed]}

Thaw remained enraptured with Evelyn, and over the course of several years he managed to wear her down. Then his mother arrived at Evelyn's doorstep and announced that she wished for Evelyn to marry her son. Settling down, she said, would help curb Harry's "eccentricities." Evelyn at last gave in and returned to Pittsburgh to live with Harry and Mother Thaw. Harry's obsession with her seemed to wane as soon as the two were married, and Harry sometimes disappeared to Europe or elsewhere for days at a time.

[edit] Murder of Stanford White

In the spring of 1906, Harry and Evelyn decided to travel to Europe and New York. On June 25, while in New York, Evelyn and Harry saw Stanford White while dining at the Cafe Martin. After learning that White was to attend the premiere of Mam'zelle Champagne, a show the Thaws were also planning to attend, Harry took Evelyn back to their hotel and disappeared, returning just in time to pick up Evelyn and head to the show — curiously dressed in a black overcoat, though it was a hot evening. At the rooftop theatre of Madison Square Garden, the hat check girl repeatedly tried to relieve Harry of his heavy coat, but he refused. He wandered through the crowd during the show, approaching White's table several times, only to back away on each occasion. During the finale, "I Could Love A Million Girls", Thaw produced a pistol and fired three shots at close range into Stanford White's face, killing him.^[2]

The crowd initially suspected the shooting might be part of the show, as elaborate practical jokes were popular in high society at the time. Soon, however, it became apparent that Stanford White was dead. Thaw, holding the gun aloft, walked through the crowd and met Evelyn at the elevator. When she asked what he'd done, Thaw said that he had "probably saved your life."

[edit] Murder trials

There were two trials, the first lasting from January–April 1907 and the second in January 1908.^[3] At the first, the jury was deadlocked: at the second, where he pled insanity, Evelyn testified. Thaw's mother told Evelyn that if she would testify that Stanford White abused her and that Harry only tried to protect her, she'd receive a divorce from Harry Thaw and one million dollars in compensation. She did just that, and performed in court wonderfully: he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Evelyn got the divorce, but not the money. Thaw testified that he had had a "brainstorm", meaning a moment of temporary insanity.^[4] Thaw was incarcerated at the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Fishkill, New York, enjoying nearly complete freedom. In 1913 he walked out of the asylum and was driven over the border to Sherbrooke, Quebec. His lawyer, William Lewis Shurtleff, fought extradition back to the United States, but he was deported and arrested in the United States.^[5] In 1915, a jury judged him sane, and he was released.

[edit] Assault trial

For his part, Thaw continued to live as he had always lived. The year after his release, he was accused of sexually assaulting and horsewhipping Fred Gump, Jr., a high-school student he brought from Kansas City to New York. When Thaw was indicted for the assault, he fled to Philadelphia, where he was found with a self-inflicted slash to the throat. He was again adjudicated insane, and sent to an asylum. After seven years, he was declared sane and released in 1924.^[1]

[edit] Later life

In 1924, he purchased a historic home known as Kenilworth in Clearbrook, a farming community in Frederick County, Virginia. While living at Kenilworth, Thaw ingratiated himself with the locals, joined the Rouss Fire Company, and even marched in a few local parades in his fireman's uniform. He was regarded as an eccentric by the citizens of Clearbrook but does not seem to have run into a great deal of additional legal trouble.

In the late '20s, Thaw went into the film production business, based on Long Island. At first, he attempted to make short comedies and stories about fake spiritualists. In 1927, he contracted with John S. Lopez and detective-story author Arthur B. Reeve for a batch of scenarios continuing the fake spiritualism theme. This resulted in a lawsuit when the scenarios weren't paid for; Thaw had switched emphasis, attempting to film a story of his own life, so claimed he owed nothing. The suit eventually resulted in a $7000 judgment for Lopez in 1935. In 1944 he sold the Kenilworth home and moved to Florida.^[6]

[edit] Death

Thaw died of a heart attack in Miami, Florida on February 22, 1947 at the age of 76.^[1][7][8] He left $10,000, less than 1% of his fortune, to Evelyn Nesbit in his will.^[9] He was buried in Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Kendall_Thaw

Walt Whitman

沃尔特·惠特曼（Walt Whitman，1819年5月31日－1892年3月26日），生于纽约州长岛，他是美国著名诗人、人文主义者，他创造了诗歌的自由体（Free Verse），其代表作品是诗集《草叶集》。

Walter "Walt" Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse.^[1] His work was very controversial in its time, particularly his poetry collection Leaves of Grass.

Willa Cather

薇拉·凯瑟（Willa Cather，1873-1947），美国小说家、短篇小说家、诗人。她生于弗吉尼亚州，9岁时随家移居内布拉斯加州，在西部大草原乡镇里长大。1895年从内布拉斯加大学毕业，对音乐和文学（尤其是亨利·詹姆斯的作品）极感兴趣。后来到匹兹堡一家报社工作，开始文学创作。1900年，她开始发表短篇小说和诗歌，1903年发表诗集《四月的黄昏》（April Twilight）。在那些年月里，她的主要思想是披露西部小城镇文化的落后和思想的狭窄，这表现在她的最著名的短篇故事《雕刻家的葬礼》（“The Sculptor‘s Funeral”）、《华格纳音乐会》（“A Wagner Matinee”）等作品中。1906年她移居纽约，在《麦克卢尔杂志》（McClure’s Magazine）工作，后任总编（1908-1911）。在此期间，她结识了著名乡土文学作家萨拉·奥恩·朱厄特（Sarah Orne Jewett），并听从其劝告，辞去总编职务，悉心从事文学创作，陆续发表了《亚历山大的桥》（Alexander‘s Bridge，1912）、《啊，拓荒者！》（O Pioneers！1913）、《我的安东妮亚》（My Antonia，1918）、《百灵鸟之歌》（The Song of the Lark,1915）、《我们自己人》（One of Ours，1922）、《迷途的女人》（A Lost Lady，1923）、《教授的住宅》（The Professor’s House，1925）及《大主教之死》（Death Comes For the Archbishop，1927）等作品。凯瑟还发表了4部短篇小说集和几部中长篇小说。

Marceline

Joe Gould:  historian

Clarence Day

Clarence Shepard Day, Jr. (November 18, 1874–December 28, 1935) was an American author. Born in New York City, he attended St. Paul's School and graduated from Yale University in 1896. The following year, he joined the New York Stock Exchange, and became a partner in his father's Wall Street brokerage firm. Day enlisted in the Navy in 1898, but developed crippling arthritis and spent the remainder of his life as a semi-invalid.

Day's most famous work is the autobiographical Life with Father (1935), which detailed humorous episodes in his family's life, centering on his domineering father, during the 1890s in New York City. Scenes from the book, along with its 1932 predecessor, God and My Father, and its 1937 sequel, Life with Mother, published posthumously, were the basis for the 1939 play by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, which became one of Broadway's longest-running, non-musical hits. In 1947—the year the play ended on Broadway—William Powell and Irene Dunne portrayed Day's parents in the film of the same name. Life with Father co-starred a young Elizabeth Taylor and an even younger Martin Milner(later one of the two police-officer stars of the 1968 TV series Adam-12), and received Oscar nominations for cinematography, art direction, musical score and best actor (Powell). Life with Father also became a popular 1953–1955 television sitcom.

Clarence Day wrote humorously about his family and life. The stories of his father, Clarence "Clare" Day, Senior, were first printed in the New Yorker magazine. They portray a rambunctious, overburdened Wall Street broker who demands that everything from his family should be just so. The more he rails against his staff, his cook, his wife, his horse, salesmen, holidays, his children and the inability of the world to live up to his impossible standards, the more comical and lovable he becomes to his own family who love him despite it all. First published in 1936, shortly after his death, Day's book is a picture of New York upper middle class family life in the 1890s. The stories are filled with affectionate irony. Day's understated, matter-of-fact style underlines the comedy in everyday situations.

The best of Clarence Day Jr.: including God and my father, Life with father, Life with mother, This simian world, and selections from Thoughts without words by Clarence Day Jr.

Fred Andrew Stone (August 19, 1873 – March 6, 1959) was an American actor. Stone began his career as a performer in circuses and minstrel shows, went on to act on vaudeville, and became a star on Broadway and in feature films, which earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He was particularly famous for appearing on stage opposite David C. Montgomery, a 22-year partnership until Montgomery's death in 1917, in shows such as The Wizard of Oz premiering in 1902, the Victor Herbert operetta The Red Mill in 1906, and Chin Chin, A Modern Aladdin, in 1914. In 1939, he appeared in a radio program promoting the new MGM film of The Wizard of Oz, in which he got to meet the actor who played the Scarecrow, Ray Bolger, who was a great admirer of Stone's work, and although Bolger was too young to have seen Stone play the Scarecrow in the stage play, he did see Stone in The Red Mill.^[1]