吹小號的天鵝 第67期:里茲一夜(3)

"How about that?" asked the Boatman, grinning atthe clerk.

“這一手如何?”游艇老板朝服務員咧嘴笑問道。

"Is this swan a musician or isn't he?"

“這只天鵝到底是不是音樂家?”

"He plays a sweet trumpet," the clerk said.

“他的小號吹得真動聽，”這個服務員說，

"But there is one more question that I hesitate tobring up.

“不過容我再問一個不該問的問題。

What about his personal habits? Will he mess theroom all up?

他的個人嗜好如何?他會把臥室搞得一團糟嗎?

Actors are bad enough. Musicians are worse.

演員們全都有壞得不能再壞的惡習。音樂家就更差勁了。

I can't allow a large bird to occupy one of our beds--it might put us out of business. Otherguests might complain."

我不能讓一只大鳥睡到我們的一張客床上——以后我們恐怕就沒生意可做了。別的客人們也許會抱怨的。”

"I sleep in the bathtub," Louis wrote on his slate. "Will not disturb bed."

“我只睡浴缸，”路易斯在他的石板上寫，“不會把床搞亂的。”

The clerk shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Who's going to pay the bill?" he asked.

這個服務員換了一只腳著地。“誰來付帳呢?”他問。

"I am," replied the Boatman. "I'll be here early tomorrow morning when Louis checks out."

“我，”游艇老板回答，“我明天一早就到這里給路易斯結帳退房。”

The clerk couldn't think of any more reasons for not letting the swan have a room.

這個服務員再想不出任何阻止這只天鵝入住的理由了。

"Very well," he said. "Sign the register, please!"

“很好，”他說，“簽名登記吧，請!”

He handed Louis a pen and a card.

他遞給路易斯一枝鋼筆和一張登記卡。

Louis wrote: Louis the Swan Upper Red Rock Lake Montana

路易斯寫道：天鵝路易斯 上紅石湖 蒙大拿

The clerk studied it. He seemed satisfied at last. He summoned a bellboy and handed him akey.

這個服務員對著登記卡琢磨起來。最后他似乎很滿意。他叫來一個侍應生，交給他一把鑰匙。

"Take this gentleman to his room!" he ordered.

“帶這位紳士去他的客房!”他命令道。

Louis removed his medal, his trumpet, his slate, his chalk pencil, and his moneybag andhanded them to the bellboy.

路易斯摘下他的獎章，他的小號，他的石板，他的石筆，把它們連同他的錢袋都遞給了那個侍應生。

Together, they walked to the elevators. The Boatman said good-bye.

他們一起走到電梯那里。游艇老板對路易斯道了再見。

"Sleep well, Louis!" called the Boatman.

“好好睡吧，路易斯!”游艇老板說。

"And be ready to come to work promptly in the morning!"

“明天早上要立刻到我那里工作!”

Louis nodded.

路易斯點點頭。

The elevator door opened. "This way, sir!" said the bellboy.

電梯門開了。“這邊請，先生!”侍應生說。

They entered the elevator and waited for the door to close.

他們進了電梯，等門關上。

A rich smell of perfume filled the air. Louis stood very still.

空氣中充滿了濃烈的香水味。路易斯靜靜地站在那里。

Then he felt himself rising.

然后他感到自己在往上升。

The elevator stopped at the seventh floor, and the bellboy led Louis to a room, unlocked thedoor, and ushered him in.

電梯在第七層停住了，侍應生帶路易斯來到一個房間，打開門鎖，領著他走了進去。

"Here you are, sir!" he said. "Would you like a window open?"

“就是這里，先生!”他說，“你愿意把窗子打開嗎?”

The bellboy put Louis's luggage down, snapped on a few lights, opened a window, and laid theroom key on the dresser. Then he waited.

這個侍應生放下路易斯的行李，開了幾盞燈，又打開一扇窗戶，把房間鑰匙放到梳妝臺上。然后他就在房里等著。

"I guess he wants a tip," thought Louis. So he went to his moneybag, loosened the drawstring,and took out a dollar.

“我猜他是想要小費，”路易斯想。于是他走向他的錢袋，把拉繩松開，叼出了一個美元。

"Thank you very much, sir," said the bellboy, taking the dollar.

“非常感謝，先生。”侍應生說著接過了這一美元。

He went out and closed the door softly behind him.

他這才走出去，輕輕地把房門關上。

Louis was alone at last--alone in a room at the Ritz.

路易斯終于獨自一個了——獨自呆在里茲的一間客房里。