A_Clean,Well-lighted_Place原文_附带解析

AClean,Well-lightedPlaceErnestHemingwayItwaslateandeveryonehadleftthecafeexceptanoldmanwhosatintheshadowtheleavesofthetreemadeagainsttheelectriclight.Inthedaytimethestreetwasdusty,butatnightthedewsettledthedustandtheoldmanlikedtositlatebecausehewasdeafandnowatnightitwasquietandhefeltthedifference.Thetwowaitersinsidethecafeknewthattheoldmanwasalittledrunk,andwhilehewasagoodclienttheyknewthatifhebecametoodrunkhewouldleavewithoutpaying,sotheykeptwatchonhim."Lastweekhetriedtocommitsuicide,"onewaitersaid."Why?""Hewasindespair.""Whatabout?""Nothing.""Howdoyouknowitwasnothing?""Hehasplentyofmoney."Theysattogetheratatablethatwascloseagainstthewallnearthedoorofthecafeandlookedattheterracewherethetableswereallemptyexceptwheretheoldmansatintheshadowoftheleavesofthetreethatmovedslightlyinthewind.Theoldmansittingintheshadowrappedonhissaucerwithhisglass.Theyoungerwaiterwentovertohim."Whatdoyouwant?"Theoldmanlookedathim."Anotherbrandy,"hesaid."You'llbedrunk,"thewaitersaid.Theoldmanlookedathim.Thewaiterwentaway."He'llstayallnight,"hesaidtohiscolleague."I'msleepynow.Inevergetintobedbeforethreeo'clock.Heshouldhavekilledhimselflastweek."Thewaitertookthebrandybottleandanothersaucerfromthecounterinsidethecafeandmarchedouttotheoldman'stable.Heputdownthesaucerandpouredtheglassfullofbrandy.Thewaitertookthebottlebackinsidethecafe.Hesatdownatthetablewithhiscolleagueagain."Iwishhewouldgohome.Inevergettobedbeforethreeo'clock.Whatkindofhouristhattogotobed?""Hestaysupbecausehelikesit.""He'slonely.I'mnotlonely.Ihaveawifewaitinginbedforme.""Hehadawifeoncetoo.""Awifewouldbenogoodtohimnow.""Youcan'ttell.Hemightbebetterwithawife.""Iwouldn'twanttobethatold.Anoldmanisanastything.""Notalways.Thisoldmanisclean.Hedrinkswithoutspilling.Evennow,drunk.Lookathim.""Idon'twanttolookathim.Iwishhewouldgohome.Hehasnoregardforthosewhomustwork."Theoldmanlookedfromhisglassacrossthesquare,thenoveratthewaiters."Anotherbrandy,"hesaid,pointingtohisglass.Thewaiterwhowasinahurrycameover."Finished,"hesaid,speakingwiththatomissionofsyntaxstupidpeopleemploywhentalkingtodrunkenpeopleorforeigners."Nomoretonight.Closenow.""Another,"saidtheoldman."No.Finished."Thewaiterwipedtheedgeofthetablewithatowelandshookhishead.Theoldmanstoodup,slowlycountedthesaucers,tookaleathercoinpursefromhispocketandpaidforthedrinks,leavinghalfapesetatip.Thewaiterwatchedhimgodownthestreet,averyoldmanwalkingunsteadilybutwithdignity."Whydidn'tyoulethimstayanddrink?"theunhurriedwaiterasked.Theywereputtinguptheshutter."Itisnothalfpasttwo.""Iwanttogohometobed.""Weareoftwodifferentkinds,"theoldwaitersaid.Hewasnowdressedtogohome."Itisnotonlyaquestionofyouthandconfidencealthoughthosethingsareverybeautiful.EachnightIamreluctanttocloseupbecausetheremaybesomeonewhoneedsthecafe.""Hombre,therearebodegasopenallnightlong.""Youdonotunderstand.Thisisacleanandpleasantcafe.Itiswelllighted.Thelightisverygoodandalso,now,thereareshadowsoftheleaves.""Goodnight,"saidtheyoungerwaiter."Goodnight,"theothersaid.Turningofftheelectriclighthecontinuedtheconversationwithhimself.Itisthelightofcourse,butitisnecessarythattheplacebecleanandpleasant.Youdonotwantmusic.Certainlyyoudonotwantmusic.Norcanyoustandbeforeabarwithdignityalthoughthatisallthatisprovidedforthesehours.Whatdidhefear?Itwasnotfearordread.Itwasanothingthatheknewtoowell.Itwasallanothingandamanwasnothingtoo.Itwasonlythatthelightwasallitneededandacertaincleannessandorder.Somelivedinitandneverfeltitbutheknewitallwasnadaypuesnadaynadaypuesnada.Hesmiledandstoodbeforeabarwithashiningsteampressurecoffeemachine."Whatyours?"askedthebarman."Nada.""Otrolocomas,"saidthebarmanandturnedaway."Alittlecup,"saidthewaiter.Thebarmanpoureditforhim."Thelightisverybrightandpleasantbutthebarisunpolished,"thewaitersaid.Thebarmanlookedathimbutdidnotanswer.Itwastoolateatnightforconversation."Youwantanothercopita?"thebarmanasked."No,thankyou,"saidthewaiterandwentout.Hedislikedbarsandbodegas.Aclean,well-lightedcafewasaverydifferentthing.Now,withoutthinkingfurther,hewouldgohometohisroom.Hewouldlieinthebedandfinally,withdaylight,hewouldgotosleep.Afterall,hesaidtohimself,itwasprobablyonlyinsomnia.Manymusthaveit.