白日梦想家 小说英文原版

《TheSecretLifeofWalterMitty》（1939）byJamesThurber"WE'REgoingthrough!"TheCommander'svoicewaslikethinicebreaking.Heworehisfull-dressuniform,withtheheavilybraidedwhitecappulleddownrakishlyoveronecoldgrayeye."Wecan'tmakeit,sir.It'sspoilingforahurricane,ifyouaskme.""I'mnotaskingyou,LieutenantBerg,"saidtheCommander."Throwonthepowerlights!Revherupto8500!We'regoingthrough!"Thepoundingofthecylindersincreased:ta-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa.TheCommanderstaredattheiceformingonthepilotwindow.Hewalkedoverandtwistedarowofcomplicateddials."SwitchonNo.8auxiliary!"heshouted."SwitchonNo.8auxiliary!"repeatedLieutenantBerg."FullstrengthinNo.3turret!"shoutedtheCommander."FullstrengthinNo.3turret!"Thecrew,bendingtotheirvarioustasksinthehuge,hurtlingeight-enginedNavyhydroplane,lookedateachotherandgrinned."TheOldMan'llgetusthrough,"theysaidtooneanother."TheOldManain'tafraidofhell!"..."Notsofast!You'redrivingtoofast!"saidMrs.Mitty."Whatareyoudrivingsofastfor?""Hmm?"saidWalterMitty.Helookedathiswife,intheseatbesidehim,withshockedastonishment.Sheseemedgrosslyunfamiliar,likeastrangewomanwhohadyelledathiminacrowd."Youwereuptofifty-five,"shesaid."YouknowIdon'tliketogomorethanforty.Youwereuptofifty-five."WalterMittydroveontowardWaterburyinsilence,theroaringoftheSN202throughtheworststormintwentyyearsofNavyflyingfadingintheremote,intimateairwaysofhismind."You'retensedupagain,"saidMrs.Mitty."It'soneofyourdays.Iwishyou'dletDr.Renshawlookyouover."WalterMittystoppedthecarinfrontofthebuildingwherehiswifewenttohaveherhairdone."RemembertogetthoseovershoeswhileI'mhavingmyhairdone,"shesaid."Idon'tneedovershoes,"saidMitty.Sheputhermirrorbackintoherbag."We'vebeenallthroughthat,"shesaid,gettingoutofthecar."You'renotayoungmananylonger."Heracedtheenginealittle."Whydon'tyouwearyourgloves?Haveyoulostyourgloves?"WalterMittyreachedinapocketandbroughtoutthegloves.Heputthemon,butaftershehadturnedandgoneintothebuildingandhehaddrivenontoaredlight,hetookthemoffagain."Pickitup,brother!"snappedacopasthelightchanged,andMittyhastilypulledonhisglovesandlurchedahead.Hedrovearoundthestreetsaimlesslyforatime,andthenhedrovepastthehospitalonhiswaytotheparkinglot...."It'sthemillionairebanker,WellingtonMcMillan,"saidtheprettynurse."Yes?"saidWalterMitty,removinghisglovesslowly."Whohasthecase?""Dr.RenshawandDr.Benbow,buttherearetwospecialistshere,Dr.RemingtonfromNewYorkandDr.Pritchard-MitfordfromLondon.Heflewover."Adooropeneddownalong,coolcorridorandDr.Renshawcameout.Helookeddistraughtandhaggard."Hello,Mitty,"hesaid.`'We'rehavingthedevil'sowntimewithMcMillan,themillionairebankerandclosepersonalfriendofRoosevelt.Obstreosisoftheductaltract.Tertiary.Wishyou'dtakealookathim.""Gladto,"saidMitty.Intheoperatingroomtherewerewhisperedintroductions:"Dr.Remington,Dr.Mitty.Dr.Pritchard-Mitford,Dr.Mitty.""I'vereadyourbookonstreptothricosis,"saidPritchard-Mitford,shakinghands."Abrilliantperformance,sir.""Thankyou,"saidWalterMitty."Didn'tknowyouwereintheStates,Mitty,"grumbledRemington."CoalstoNewcastle,bringingMitfordandmeuphereforatertiary.""Youareverykind,"saidMitty.Ahuge,complicatedmachine,connectedtotheoperatingtable,withmanytubesandwires,beganatthismomenttogopocketa-pocketa-pocketa."Thenewanesthetizerisgivingaway!"shoutedanintern."ThereisnooneintheEastwhoknowshowtofixit!""Quiet,man!"saidMitty,inalow,coolvoice.Hesprangtothemachine,whichwasnowgoingpocketa-pocketa-queep-pocketa-queep.Hebeganfingeringdelicatelyarowofglisteningdials."Givemeafountainpen!"hesnapped.Someonehandedhimafountainpen.Hepulledafaultypistonoutofthemachineandinsertedthepeninitsplace."Thatwillholdfortenminutes,"hesaid."Getonwiththeoperation.AnursehurriedoverandwhisperedtoRenshaw,andMittysawthemanturnpale."Coreopsishassetin,"saidRenshawnervously."Ifyouwouldtakeover,Mitty?"MittylookedathimandatthecravenfigureofBenbow,whodrank,andatthegrave,uncertainfacesofthetwogreatspecialists."Ifyouwish,"hesaid.Theyslippedawhitegownonhim,headjustedamaskanddrewonthingloves;nurseshandedhimshining..."Backitup,Mac!!LookoutforthatBuick!"WalterMittyjammedonthebrakes."Wronglane,Mac,"saidtheparking-lotattendant,lookingatMittyclosely."Gee.Yeh,"mutteredMitty.Hebegancautiouslytobackoutofthelanemarked"ExitOnly.""Leavehersitthere,"saidtheattendant."I'llputheraway."Mittygotoutofthecar."Hey,betterleavethekey.""Oh,"saidMitty,handingthemantheignitionkey.Theattendantvaultedintothecar,backeditupwithinsolentskill,andputitwhereitbelonged.They'resodamncocky,thoughtWalterMitty,walkingalongMainStreet;theythinktheyknoweverything.Oncehehadtriedtotakehischainsoff,outsideNewMilford,andhehadgotthemwoundaroundtheaxles.Amanhadhadtocomeoutinawreckingcarandunwindthem,ayoung,grinninggarageman.SincethenMrs.Mittyalwaysmadehimdrivetoagaragetohavethechainstakenoff.Thenexttime,hethought,I'llwearmyrightarminasling;theywon'tgrinatmethen.I'llhavemyrightarminaslingandthey'llseeIcouldn'tpossiblytakethechainsoffmyself.Hekickedattheslushonthesidewalk."Overshoes,"hesaidtohimself,andhebeganlookingforashoestore.Whenhecameoutintothestreetagain,withtheovershoesinaboxunderhisarm,WalterMittybegantowonderwhattheotherthingwashiswifehadtoldhimtoget.Shehadtoldhim,twicebeforetheysetoutfromtheirhouseforWaterbury.Inawayhehatedtheseweeklytripstotown--hewasalwaysgettingsomethingwrong.Kleenex,hethought,Squibb's,razorblades?No.Toothpaste,toothbrush,bicarbonate,Carborundum,initiativeandreferendum?Hegaveitup.Butshewouldrememberit."Where'sthewhat's-its-name?"shewouldask."Don'ttellmeyouforgotthewhat's-its-name."AnewsboywentbyshoutingsomethingabouttheWaterburytrial...."Perhapsthiswillrefreshyourmemory."TheDistrictAttorneysuddenlythrustaheavyautomaticatthequietfigureonthewitnessstand."Haveyoueverseenthisbefore?''WalterMittytookthegunandexamineditexpertly."ThisismyWebley-Vickers50.80,"hesaidcalmly.Anexcitedbuzzranaroundthecourtroom.TheJudgerappedfororder."Youareacrackshotwithanysortoffirearms,Ibelieve?"saidtheDistrictAttorney,insinuatingly."Objection!"shoutedMitty'sattorney."Wehaveshownthatthedefendantcouldnothavefiredtheshot.WehaveshownthatheworehisrightarminaslingonthenightofthefourteenthofJuly."WalterMittyraisedhishandbrieflyandthebickeringattorneyswerestilled."Withanyknownmakeofgun,"hesaidevenly,"IcouldhavekilledGregoryFitzhurstatthreehundredfeetwithmylefthand."Pandemoniumbrokelooseinthecourtroom.Awoman'sscreamroseabovethebedlamandsuddenlyalovely,dark-hairedgirlwasinWalterMitty'sarms.TheDistrictAttorneystruckathersavagely.Withoutrisingfromhischair,Mittyletthemanhaveitonthepointofthechin."Youmiserablecur!"..."Puppybiscuit,"saidWalterMitty.HestoppedwalkingandthebuildingsofWaterburyroseupoutofthemistycourtroomandsurroundedhimagain.Awomanwhowaspassinglaughed."Hesaid'Puppybiscuit,'"shesaidtohercompanion."Thatmansaid'Puppybiscuit'tohimself."WalterMittyhurriedon.HewentintoanA.&P.,notthefirstonehecametobutasmalleronefartherupthestreet."Iwantsomebiscuitforsmall,youngdogs,"hesaidtotheclerk."Anyspecialbrand,sir?"Thegreatestpistolshotintheworldthoughtamoment."Itsays'PuppiesBarkforIt'onthebox,"saidWalterMitty.Hiswifewouldbethroughatthehairdresser'sinfifteenminutes'Mittysawinlookingathiswatch,unlesstheyhadtroubledryingit;sometimestheyhadtroubledryingit.Shedidn'tliketogettothehotelfirst,shewouldwanthimtobetherewaitingforherasusual.Hefoundabigleatherchairinthelobby,facingawindow,andheputtheovershoesandthepuppybiscuitonthefloorbesideit.HepickedupanoldcopyofLibertyandsankdownintothechair."CanGermanyConquertheWorldThroughtheAir?"WalterMittylookedatthepicturesofbombingplanesandofruinedstreets...."ThecannonadinghasgotthewindupinyoungRaleigh,sir,"saidthesergeant.CaptainMittylookedupathimthroughtousledhair."Gethimtobed,"hesaidwearily,"withtheothers.I'llflyalone.""Butyoucan't,sir,"saidthesergeantanxiously."IttakestwomentohandlethatbomberandtheArchiesarepoundinghelloutoftheair.VonRichtman'scircusisbetweenhereandSaulier.""Somebody'sgottogetthatammunitiondump,"saidMitty."I'mgoingover.Spotofbrandy?"Hepouredadrinkforthesergeantandoneforhimself.Warthunderedandwhinedaroundthedugoutandbatteredatthedoor.Therewasarendingofwoodandsplintersflewthroughtheroom."Abitofanearthing,"saidCaptainMittycarelessly.'Theboxbarrageisclosingin,"saidthesergeant."Weonlyliveonce,Sergeant,"saidMitty,withhisfaint,fleetingsmile."Ordowe?"Hepouredanotherbrandyandtosseditoff."Ineverseeamancouldholdhisbrandylikeyou,sir,"saidthesergeant."Beggingyourpardon,sir."CaptainMittystoodupandstrappedonhishugeWebley-Vickersautomatic."It'sfortykilometersthroughhell,sir,"saidthesergeant.Mittyfinishedonelastbrandy."Afterall,"hesaidsoftly,"whatisn't?"Thepoundingofthecannonincreased;therewastherat-tat-tattingofmachineguns,andfromsomewherecamethemenacingpocketa-pocketa-pocketaofthenewflame-throwers.WalterMittywalkedtothedoorofthedugouthumming"AupresdeMaBlonde."Heturnedandwavedtothesergeant."Cheerio!"hesaid....Somethingstruckhisshoulder."I'vebeenlookingalloverthishotelforyou,"saidMrs.Mitty."Whydoyouhavetohideinthisoldchair?Howdidyouexpectmetofindyou?""Thingsclosein,"saidWalterMittyvaguely."What?"Mrs.Mittysaid."Didyougetthewhat's-its-name?Thepuppybiscuit?What'sinthatbox?""Overshoes,"saidMitty."Couldn'tyouhaveputthemoninthestore?"'Iwasthinking,"saidWalterMitty."DoesiteveroccurtoyouthatIamsometimesthinking?"Shelookedathim."I'mgoingtotakeyourtemperaturewhenIgetyouhome,"shesaid.Theywentoutthroughtherevolvingdoorsthatmadeafaintlyderisivewhistlingsoundwhenyoupushedthem.Itwastwoblockstotheparkinglot.Atthedrugstoreonthecornershesaid,"Waithereforme.Iforgotsomething.Iwon'tbeaminute."Shewasmorethanaminute.WalterMittylightedacigarette.Itbegantorain,rainwithsleetinit.Hestoodupagainstthewallofthedrugstore,smoking....Heputhisshouldersbackandhisheelstogether."Tohellwiththehandkerchief,"saidWakerMittyscornfully.Hetookonelastdragonhiscigaretteandsnappeditaway.Then,withthatfaint,fleetingsmileplayingabouthislips,hefacedthefiringsquad;erectandmotionless,proudanddisdainful,WalterMittytheUndefeated,inscrutabletothelast.