George Milburn (1906—1966)
本文原題《經濟系學生》，描寫一個半工半讀的大學生清苦的生活，文筆樸素，很是動人。我國學生有志留學者甚多，這篇描寫美國學生生活的小說，很值得我們參考。
作者喬治·米爾本是美國小說家，生於俄克拉何馬州。本文選自《短篇名作二十篇》（Twenty Grand Short Stories, Bantam Books）。
All of the boys on the third floor of Mrs. Gooch's approved rooms for men had been posted to get Charlie Wingate up that afternoon. He had to go to see the Dean. Two or three of them forgot all about it and two or three of them had other things to do, but Eddie Barbour liked waking people up.
● approved rooms for men：經學校當局核准的男生公寓。美國有些大學規定：本科學生一定得住學校宿舍，如借住校外公寓者，則該項公寓須經學校當局特別核准。Mrs. Gooch是公寓房東太太的名字。posted：通知。had been posted：事前都經囑托。get…up：喚醒。
● Dean：大學裡高級首長，可能是院長，也可能是教務長，這裡是訓導長，看下文便知。訓導長要找那位學生下午去談話，那位學生下午要睡覺，恐怕因睡誤事，特別拜託同宿舍的朋友叫醒他。到了那時，別人都沒有來叫他，只有一位朋友還把這事放在心上。
"Hey!" Eddie cried. "Come out of that! Wake up there, Charlie! You can't sleep no more if you got to see the Dean at two-thirty. You just about got time to make it."
"Two hours' sleep ain't enough," Charlie said.
"Is two hours all the sleep you got last night?"
"Where you get the 'last night'? I worked all night last night. I had classes till noon today. And darn little more yesterday or the day before. Two hours' sleep is not enough sleep for a man to get."
● Come out of that：別睡啦！that大約是指that condition：昏睡不醒的狀態。
● You can't sleep no more=you can't sleep any more。把雙重否定（can't, no）當一重否定用，是英美人很容易犯的文法錯誤。if you got to see是if you have got to see的省略用法，意即謂if you have to see。次句的got也是have got的省略，have got在口語中常用來代替have。
● 這一句You just about got time to make it是很常用的口語英文，但是很難用文法來分析它。just=barely，剛夠得上，剛來得及。about：大約；這個字（副詞）形容動詞got，這種用法只見之於口語，在寫作時應該避免。make it：趕得上。
● ain't：這個字是are not或am not的縮寫，但是也可以作is not的縮寫。
● Is two hours…：「two hours」當一個單位來看，動詞可以用單數形式is。
● Where you get the 'last night'?：「上一夜」這個觀念你是從哪裡來的？在我根本無「上一夜」可言：昨晚做了一夜的工，今天上午又是連著上課。
● darn是詛咒的話，表示氣憤。little more=little more sleep。
Charlie Wingate loped up the steps of the Administration Building, hurried through the revolving doors, and walked past hissing steam radiators down the long hall to the Dean of Men's office. He was ten minutes late. Before he opened the frosted-glass door he took out a pair of amber-colored spectacles and put them on. Then he went in and handed his summons to the secretary.
"The Dean will see you in a moment," she said. "Please take a chair."
● loped：邊走邊跳。steps：台階。Administration Building：行政大樓。revolving doors：旋轉門。hissing：（熱汽流通時）絲絲發響。steam radiators：水汀爐子。Dean of Men：男生訓導長。
● frosted-glass：表面上有凹凸花紋的半透明玻璃；壓花玻璃。ambercolored spectacles：琥珀色（茶晶）眼鏡。put them on：戴上眼鏡。summons：（訓導處的）通知單。此字語尾為s，然為單數形式，其複數形式作summonses。secretary：女秘書。秘書可男可女，但在美國通常為女子的職業，故次句的女性代名詞（she）出現得並不突兀。
Charlie sat down and gave an amber-hued glance about the outer office. Three dejected freshmen, holding their green caps, were waiting with him. He recognized none of them, so he picked up a week-old copy of the Christian Science Monitor and started to read it. But the room was warm and he immediately went to sleep. He had his head propped back against the wall. The newspaper slipped down into his lap. His amber-colored glasses hid his eyes and no one could see that they were closed. He was awakened by the secretary shaking him. She was smiling and the freshmen were all snickering.
● amber-hued glance：向四週一瞥，戴了有色眼鏡，所見皆呈琥珀色。outer office：訓導長在裡間，外間供女秘書辦公並學生等候傳見之用。
● dejected：垂頭喪氣的。訓導長召見，可能要受到斥責。green caps：美國大學通例，一年級新生要戴特定的帽子。
● Christian Science Monitor：《基督科學會箴言報》，為波士頓有名大報，言論向為舉世所推重。（按：五六十年代的確如此。目今它是一份小型報紙，銷路、聲望皆已大跌。）
● propped back against the wall：頭往後仰，以牆作枕。他戴有色眼鏡，就是為掩飾瞌睡之用！
● snickering：竊竊低笑。
"Wake up and pay for your bed, fella!" one of the freshmen called, and everyone laughed heartily.
"I sort of drowsed off. It's so nice and warm in here," Charlie said, apologizing to the pretty secretary.
● pay for your bed：舖位沒有出錢，怎麼就在這裡打起瞌睡來了？fella即fellow（朋友）。
● sort of這兩個字聯用，作副詞用，在口語英文中很常見，有「未必盡然，可以這麼說」之意。例如，I sort of expected it（我多少是料定了這件事情會發生的）。sort of和kind of可以通用。drowsed off：迷迷糊糊地打起瞌睡來了。但是他不承認真的在打瞌睡，加上sort of兩字，意思就較有伸縮，可以譯作：「不知怎麼的」。
The Dean of Men got up as he entered and with his eyes on the slip bearing Charlie's name, said, "Ah, this is Charles Wingate, isn't it?" He grasped Charlie's hand as if it were an honor and pressed a button under the edge of his desk with his other hand. The secretary appeared at the door. "Miss Dunn, will you bring in Wingate's folder—Charles W-i-n-g-a-t-e. How do you like college by now, Wingate? Eyes troubling you?"
"Pretty well, sir. Yes, sir, a little. I wear these glasses."
● slip：紙條，即訓導長傳見的通知條。bearing Charlie's name：一面有他的名字。Charles是他的學名，Charlie是朋友熟人間的暱稱。
● as if it were an honor：握手的方式很親熱，好像Charlie是什麼大人物，而訓導長同他一握手，訓導長會覺得很光榮似的。button：電鈴之鈕。
● Miss Dunn：女秘書的芳名。folder：文件夾子，內藏有關該學生的文件。
● W-i-n-g-a-t-e：訓導長把字母一個一個地拼出來，俾檔案容易找尋。
● by now：上了這幾個星期的課（到了現在這個時候）。college可譯作「大學生活」，Charlie也是一名新生。Eyes troubling you? ：訓導長看見學生戴茶晶眼鏡故發此問。
● Pretty well：恐怕是答覆第一個問題，很喜歡大學生活。a little：眼睛有一點兒毛病。I wear these glasses：我經常戴這一副眼鏡。wear是present indicative，照文法書上說，這種時態可以表示「習慣，經常」之意。sir：學生叫老師，士兵叫官長，都用這個稱呼。
The secretary came back with the folder and the Dean looked through it briefly. "Well, Wingate, I suppose you're anxious to know why I sent for you. The unpleasant truth is, Wingate, you don't seem to be doing so well in your college work. Your freshman adviser conferred with you twice about this, and this week he turned your case over to me. My purpose, of course, is to help you. Now, to be quite frank, Wingate, you're on the verge of flunking out. Less than a third of the semester remains, and you have a failing grade in English 101, conditional grades in Psychology 51 and Military Training, three hours of F and four hours of D, almost half your total number of hours. On the other hand, you have an A average in Spanish 1 and B in Economics 150. Wingate, how do you account for your failing English when you are an A student in Spanish?"
● briefly：簡略地。sent for you：找你來談話。注意時態用過去式，學生已在面前，「召喚」已為過去之事。
● unpleasant truth：談起來使人很不愉快，但事實真相是如此。to be doing：注意它的進行時態。
● freshman adviser：大一導師。conferred with you：同你談過。
● on the verge of：在邊緣上，即將。flunking是美國字：學業成績不及格。flunking out：因學期成績不佳而被勒令退學。
● Less than a third…：點明時候，這一學期所剩不到三分之一的時間了。English 101：大學課程通常都用號碼代表課程名稱，English 101可能即是大一英文；大二散文可能叫做English 201。號碼的編制各學校並不一律。
● conditional grades：即丁等，或D。F是不及格（failing grade），某課程如得F即不給學分。得D者，在某種條件之下（如補考得C以上，或與其他得B以上之課程相平均），仍可得學分。故D可稱為「成問題的分數」。three hours of F：三個學分得F，即English 101。hours 是每星期上課的鐘點數，通常鐘點數即代表該課程的學分。four hours of D：大一Psychology 51是三學分，軍訓是一學分。
● A average：平均分數得甲等。Spanish 1：第一年西班牙文，這是美國大學裡的外國語。
● account for：說明。怎麼本國語考了一個戊等，外國語反而得甲等呢？
"To tell you the truth, sir, I got behind on my written work in English, and I've never been able to catch up. And I don't really have to study Spanish. My father is a railway section foreman in my home town, and he's always had a gang of Mexicans working for him. I've been speaking Mexican ever since I was a kid. I probably know as much Spanish as my professor."
● got behind on my written work：欠繳作文，欠繳練習。catch up：趕上；作文練習太多，補繳也不及。
● railway section foreman：鐵路某一段的工頭。父親手下工人大多數為墨西哥人（學生的家鄉大約在美國的西南部，鄰近墨西哥的地方），墨西哥人說西班牙話，學生耳染目濡，從小就會西班牙文。
"How about this B in Economics? That's a fairly high grade."
"Yes, sir. Doctor Kenshaw—he's my Ec professor—doesn't give exams. Instead he gives every one a B until he calls for our term papers. We don't recite in his class. We just listen to him lecture. And the grade you get on your term paper is your semester grade."
● fairly high grade：相當高的分數。學生承認這個分數不算壞，故答曰：「Yes, sir」。
● Ec是economics的簡稱，exam是examination的簡稱。這位教授不舉行考試，平時分數每人都是一個B，最後分數視「期終論文」而定。現在期終論文還沒有繳，所以這位學生平時分數可以有B。按：中國一般大學，教授到了學期終了，才把分數送進教務處。本文所述的那家美國大學，平時分數隨時送教務處或學生的導師，可以說是很認真的了。
● recite：背誦。上課不背書，只要聽教授講述即可（lecture是infinitive）。
"Ah! What you students term a pipe course, eh, Wingate?"
"Not exactly, sir. We have to do a lot of outside reading for the term paper. But I'm counting on keeping that B in Ec."
"That's fine, Wingate. But it appears to me that it's high time you were getting busy on some of these other grades, too. Why can't you dig in and pull these D's up to B's, and this F up to at least a C? You've got it in you. You made an unusually high grade on your entrance exams, your record shows. Graduated from high school with honors. What's the trouble, Wingate? Tell me!"
● 訓導長和學生這段對話，入情入理，兩人口吻，均恰如其身份，是很好的戲劇對白，也可用作會話練習。
● pipe course（美俚）：容易對付的課程。
● it's high time：這該是時候了。high解作far advanced：已到最後關頭，不可再因循坐誤。學生希望他的主系功課（經濟學）能夠維持乙等，但是別的功課他也該用功。were getting busy是subjunctive mood，學生是否真的回去用功，尚不可知；英美人說話，把「直述」和「虛擬」兩種語氣分別得很清楚。
● dig in（美國俗語）=study hard。pull...up：把這兩個丁等「拉」高，成為乙等。D's：照文法書規定，一個單獨字母的複數形式，於s之前，還要加一（』）。
● got it的it代表「能考到好分數的學養、天分等」。
● your record shows：據我這裡的記錄看來。這一句照文法分析起來，這三個字可算是「主句」，前面「You made…」是從句，做shows的賓語。事實上，訓導長說這句話的時候，恐怕沒有考慮到前後的主從關係，他先說了「你入學考試的成績非常之好」——何以見得呢？有記錄為憑。這三字用以附加說明，應該是一種parenthetic construction。
● Graduated…with honors：中學畢業成績優異。主語You省卻。honors作「成績優異」解時，一定用複數形式。
"I don't know, sir, except I work at night and…"
"Oh, I see it here on your enrollment card. Where do you work?"
"I work nights for Nick Pappas down at The Wigwam."
"How many hours do you work?"
"Ten hours, sir. From nine till seven. The Wigwam stays open all night. I eat and go to eight o'clock class when I get off."
"Very interesting, Wingate. But don't you suppose that it would be advisable to cut down a bit on this outside work and attend a little more closely to your college work? After all, that's what you're here for, primarily—to go to college, not work in a cafe."
● enrollment card：註冊登記卡。學生如課外兼差者，註冊時要註明。
● nights即every night。Nick Pappas恐是人名，店主的名字。The Wigwam：咖啡（cafe）的名字。wigwam原意為印第安人的茅屋，該店可譯作「茅屋咖啡館」。down at的down似指本城或本街的某一方向，在downtown附近的地方。
● get off：下班。晚上九點工作到上午七點，吃了早飯就去趕上早晨八點的課。
● advisable：值得一做。it would be advisable是虛擬語氣，有「不妨如此」之意。cut down…on：減少。attend…to：用心對付。more closely：多用一點心。
● primarily：主要的。你到這裡來，主要為的是要上學唸書，不是到咖啡館去做茶房的。
"I couldn't work fewer hours and stay in school, sir. I just barely get by as it is. I get my board at The Wigwam, and I pay my room rent, and I've been paying out on a suit of clothes. That leaves only about a dollar a week for all the other things I have to have."
"Can't you arrange for a little financial support from home?"
"No, sir, I'm afraid I couldn't. I have two brothers and two sisters at home younger than I am. It wouldn't be right for me to ask my father to send money out of what he makes."
● I couldn't work是虛擬式語氣，意謂「即使我想這麼做，也辦不到。」既想減少課外工作時間，又想不輟學，兩者不可兼得。
● just barely get by：只是勉強對付過去。by有「過去」之意。as it is：就現狀來說。
● board：膳食之「膳」，此字原意為木板，轉為桌子，又轉為專指飯桌，再轉為飯桌上陳列的膳食。
● paying out on：分期付款（注意時態；錢還沒付清）。a suit of clothes：一套西裝。
● all the other things I have to have：其他必需用途。I have to have（定語從句）：我所「不得不有」的東西。
● I am afraid I couldn't的couldn't也是虛擬語氣。
● younger than I am：英文裡沒有姐姐和妹妹，哥哥和弟弟的分別，所以要加這四個字來說明，中文翻譯起來，只要說「我有兩個弟弟，兩個妹妹」即可，不必說「我有兩個年齡比我輕的兄弟和姐妹」。
● It wouldn't be right又是虛擬語氣。我不向父親去要錢，假如去要錢，那是不對的。虛擬語氣日常會話中用處很大，讀這一段對白便知。
● out of what he makes：從父親的收入裡，剋扣了寄錢給我。make有「賺錢」之意。
"Well, there's this about it, Wingate. The university is here, supported by the taxpayers of this State, for the purpose of giving the young men and women of this State educational opportunities. The university is not here for the purpose of training young men to be waiters in all-night restaurants. And, as far as I can see, that's about all you are deriving from your university career. So it occurs to me that you should make a choice: either find some way to devote more attention to your college work or drop out of school altogether. The fact is, you are on probation right now. As you must know, any student who is passing in less than half his work is automatically suspended from the university and must return to his home. Now one F more and out you'll go, Wingate. That's just being frank with you."
● there's this about it中的it指「因兼差分心而耽誤學業」一事，this指下文所說明的那一段道理。
● taxpayers：納稅人。州立大學系賴本州人民納稅而維持的。educational opportunities：受教育的機會。
● all-night restaurants：通宵營業的餐館。
● as far as I can see：據我所知道的。語氣中有保留：事實也許並不如此。that's about all的that指「學做茶房」一事。university career：在大學讀書這段過程。deriving：獲得。你在大學讀書所得益者，不過是學做茶房而已。about all：幾乎盡在於此，此外別無收穫。
● it occurs to me：我有這個想法。devote more attention to：更用心。drop out of school：退學。altogether字典上解作「完全地」，其實即相當於北平話的「乾脆」退了學算了。
● on probation：試讀，試用（人員）；錄用與否，視成績而定。right用以加強now。
● automatically：自動地；根據學校規定，不必另外有什麼手續。suspended from the university：停學。half his work：及格學分不到全部所修學分的一半。
● out you'll go=you'll go out。out放在前面是不是念起來更為有勁？out在這裡，是全句重心所在。one F more：只要再拿一個戊等。這種句法結構（後面跟and：只要如何如何，就有如何如何的結果），是很常用的。
● being frank：跟你說老實話。being是gerund。
"I'd hate to have to go back home like that, sir."
"Well, you'd have to. If you flunk out, the university authorities are obliged to see that you return to your home immediately."
"I'd hate that, sir, I'd hate to go back home and have to live off my family, and that's probably what I'd have to do. You know there are not many jobs to be had nowadays, sir, and I'd hate to go back home and loaf."
● like that：那樣子（被學校除名）回家。
● you'd have to：假如不用功，就非被除名不可。you'd的』d是would的縮寫，虛擬語氣。
● are obliged：有此責任。to see=to make sure：做到這一點。you return的return也是虛擬語氣；假如主語是he或she，return也不用加s。
● I'd hate that：我不願意那樣（假如真的有那一天的話）。to live off my family：依賴家庭為生。
● to be had（被動式infinitive）：可能找到的事情並不多。loaf：閒蕩。
"It is a problem, I'll confess, Wingate. But what's the point in your coming to your university and working all-night in a cafe and then flunking your class work? Moreover, your freshman adviser reports that you make a practice of sleeping in class. Is that true?"
"Well, yes, sir, I suppose I do drop off sometimes."
● 第一句的is重讀：「我承認這的確是一個問題。」
● point：目的。
● make a practice of：有此習慣。
● I suppose：我想。suppose在此處即等於think，並無「假設」之意。do drop off：的確瞌睡。drop off=fall asleep；這兩個字的意義比上文drowse off更重，drowse off不過是假寐而已。
"Pretty impossible situation, isn't it, Wingate? Well, I've given you the best advice I can. Unless you can alter your circumstances I suggest that you withdraw from the university at once. We have six thousand other students here who need our attention, and the university has to be impartial and impersonal in dealing with these problems. Unless you can find some means to avoid flunking out I suggest withdrawing beforehand."
● 第一句：這種情形，豈不是令人相當難堪？impossible=intolerable。
● you withdraw：請你自動休學。這是訓導長的建議，所以withdraw還是虛擬語氣的動詞。
● impartial：不偏不頗。impersonal：公事公辦，不考慮個別情形。means：法子。
"I believe I'll try to stick it through, sir. I'll try to remove the conditional grades, and maybe I can luck through on my finals."
"I hope you can, Wingate. As you feel that way about it, good luck to you." The Dean of Men stood up. Charlie stood up too. The Dean put out his hand and showed his teeth in a jovial smile and bore down on his knuckles. "I'm counting on you strong, old man." he said, encircling Charlie's shoulders with his left arm. "I know you have the stuff and that you'll come through with flying colors one of these days."
"Thank you, sir," Charlie said, grinning tearfully while the Dean gave his shoulder little pats.
● stick it through：堅持下去。
● maybe：是副詞。luck through：憑運氣闖過去。luck當動詞用。finals：大考。
● feel that way about it：對這件事情有那種想法。
● jovial smile：友善的一笑。bore down on：用力地握。bore是bear的過去式。knuckles：手指骨節，尤其指連接手掌的根部骨節。按：這一句的句法似乎欠妥，前面his hand和his teeth都是指的訓導長，最後his knuckles又指那學生了，代名詞his所指不清，謹慎的作家應該避免這種毛病。
● counting on you strong：滿心希望要看你表現你的實力。strong是objective complement。old man相當於「朋友」。
● encircling：左臂圍著學生的肩膀（右手在握手）。
● stuff：天分，實力；相當於普通話，你是個唸書的「料」。
● flying colors原意是「飄揚的旗幟」，轉作「勝利，輝煌的成績」。one of these days：將來有一天。
● grinning tearfully：滿眶眼淚，強顏歡笑。little pats：輕輕地拍他的肩膀。
At one o'clock Charlie finished cleaning off the last of the tables. The Wigwam was empty, so he opened the book he must read for Ec 150. He had read a few lines when a bunch of girls from the Theta house down the street came charging in, giggling and talking in gasps and screams, their fur coats clutched over their sleeping pajamas. It was long after the closing hour, and they told Charlie to keep an eye out for the university night watchman.
● 時已子夜一時，咖啡館主顧漸少，Charlie乃可展誦他的經濟學指定參考書。
● a bunch of girls：一群女生。Theta house：「姊妹會」自營宿舍之名。美國大學本科男生通常有「兄弟會」（fraternity），女生有「姊妹會」（sorority）之組織。會名大多用希臘字母標之，這裡的Theta就是一個希臘字母。姊妹會有自備宿舍者，會員即寄宿在內。down the street該會宿舍在街的某一頭，想必離那咖啡館不遠。charge原意是「衝鋒」，這裡借作「衝進來」。
● giggling：傻笑。talking in gasps and screams：有的講了半句就要換氣，有的尖了嗓子怪叫。fur coats：皮大衣。sleeping pajamas：睡衣。clutched：裹緊。
● the closing hour：本可指咖啡館的打烊時間，但咖啡館既通宵營業，這裡當指學校宿舍關門時間，過了這個時間，照規矩學生不可再上街進食，查出要受罰的，所以這輩女生叫Charlie留意街上大學所雇的巡更的（night watchman）。
They took up the two back booths and they consulted The Wigwam's printed menu card without failing to read aloud the lines "We Employ Student Help Exclusively," and "Please Do Not Tip. A Smile Is Our Reward" with the customary shrieks. Nearly all ordered filets mignon and French fries, which were not on the menu, but two or three ordered pecan waffles and coffee, which were. When he had served their orders Charlie went back to his book again, but the low buzz of their talk and their sudden spurts of laughter disturbed him and he could not read. At a quarter of two they began peering round corners of their booths. They asked Charlie in whispers if the coast was clear.
● booths：小間，雅座。printed menu card：印好的菜單。consulted普通解作「請教」，這裡是「看菜單」。without failing to：點菜之前，少不了要把這幾句話朗誦出來。這幾句話是：「本店專雇學生兼理店務。（Help是集體名詞=the whole force of hired helpers；exclusively：只雇這一種。）請不給小帳。諸君惠賜一笑，本店服務生即覺心滿意足。」
● with the customary shrieks：念了這幾句話，那幾個女生照例要哈哈狂笑。（這幾句話本沒有什麼可笑，但女學生聚在一起，喜歡大笑，此殆中外一理。）shrieks和screams都是尖聲叫喊，都可解作尖聲大笑，但shrieks的叫聲笑聲更為可怕。
● ordered：點菜。filets mignon：無骨的嫩牛肉片（中國的西餐館似把它譯作「腓力牛排」）。filet乃法文拼法，去骨的肉片、魚片皆可稱為filet，亦作fillet（英文字）。mignon亦是法文，是「嫩」的意思。French fries即French fried potatoes：油炸洋芋條。
● waffles是一種蛋奶烘餅，pecan是一種胡桃，殼薄形長，味甘芳。which were=which were on the menu。菜單上沒有的菜，大約店裡平常也準備，所以也可以點。
● buzz：嗡嗡之聲。sudden spurts of laughter：突發的笑聲。spurts：（水等之）激射。
● a quarter of two：一點四十五分。一點五十分也可說ten minutes of two。
● peering：張望。whispers：低聲說話。if the coast was clear：街上是否有巡夜的走過。所以用coast（海岸）者，據說這是當年海邊私梟把風者語。
Charlie went to the door and looked out on the street and beckoned widely with his arm. They trooped out with their fur coats pulled tight, their fur-trimmed silken mules slapping their bare heels. They had left about thirty cents as a tip, all in cents and nickels. The coins were carefully imbedded in the cold steak grease and gluey syrup and putty-colored cigarette leavings on their plates. Charlie began stacking the plates without touching the money. He carried the dirty dishes back and set them through the opening in the kitchen wall. Fat Kruger came to the opening and Charlie went back to his book. Fat called, "Hey, Charlie, you leavin' this tip again?"
● beckoned：做手勢（widely有「揮動」之意）。
● trooped：（多數人）匆忙地走。
● fur-trimmed：毛皮滾邊的。mules：拖鞋（slippers是便鞋，如中國緞鞋等都是；mules才是沒後跟的拖鞋）。slapping：拖拉拖拉地響。heels：腳踵。bare：沒有穿襪子。
● cents：一分一枚的銅幣。nickels：五分一枚的鎳幣。
● imbedded：塞、埋（此字源自bed，原有「塞在被褥之間」之意，imbed亦可拼作embed）。steak grease：牛排的油湯。gluey：粘而且膩的。syrup：糖漿，waffles上常常澆了糖漿才吃，故盤子裡有糖漿遺留。putty：油灰（用以補漏等等）。cigarette leavings：香煙頭（浸在油裡，故呈油灰色）。
● stacking the plates：把盤子疊起。
● dirty dishes：dish是盛食物器皿的總名（盤、碗、盅等均可）。plate只是扁平的盤子（此二字都有別種用法，請查字典）。小姐們把錢丟在「盤子」的油湯裡面，Charlie所疊起的也是「盤子」。但這裡他要把所有的碗盞等等都送進廚房裡去洗，故用dishes。洗碗碟的人，叫做 dishwasher。the opening in the kitchen wall：廚房牆上的窗洞。
● Fat Kruger：在廚房裡做工的學生之名。
● you leavin'=you are leaving。此人發音把ng讀作n，小說家為求寫生逼真起見，亦把g給吃掉了。again：足見他不收小帳已不是一次了。
"You're right. I'm leaving it!" Charlie said. "I can get along without their tips. They leave it that way every time. I guess they think I'll grabble on their filthy plates to get a lousy thirty cents. It takes a woman to think up something like that."
● get along：維持下去。that way：總是把賞錢放在油污裡面。
● grabble：用手亂摸。filthy：髒（比dirty更多一層「可憎」的意思）。lousy：此字系美國俚語，很常用，凡是一切可恨可厭的東西，都可用這個字來形容，相當於中文「這幾個臭錢」中的「臭」字。（正式作文中應避免。）a lousy thirty cents：三角錢當作一個單位，故前面可用冠詞a。
● It takes a woman：賞錢還賞得不乾不淨，這種髒主意，只有女人才想得出。（那幾個女生的嘻嘻哈哈，他看在眼裡，心裡當然非常不舒服，一肚子氣，到現在才發洩一下。）
He sat down on a counter stool with the economics book before him, trying to fix his mind on it. He read a page. The print became thin, blurred parallels of black on the page. He propped the muscles with his palms at his temples, trying to keep his eyes open. His head jerked forward and he caught it and began reading again. Soon his face lowered slowly through his hands and came to rest on the open book.
● 子夜以後咖啡館中已無顧客，他開始專心用功。
● counter stool：靠著櫃檯的高腳凳子，和前面所說的雅座不同。
● print：書上的字。thin, blurred parallels of black：一行一行的字，成了稀稀的模糊的平行黑線——他的眼睛已看不見字（這是描寫簡單樸素之處，希讀者注意）。
● propped：撐住（太陽穴temples上的肌肉）。palms：手掌。
● jerked forward：往前一衝。he caught it：收住前衝之勢，止住不動。
● lowered slowly：慢慢地俯首下去。through his hand：他的手掌不是撐住了太陽穴嗎？但是頭慢慢地滑下去了。rest：頭伏在書上。
Fat Kruger came through the kitchen swinging door and tiptoed up front. Fat gave his head a gentle shove, and Charlie started up to catch his balance.
"What time is it?" Charlie said, yawning and arching his back.
"Half past two. Charlie, I wouldn't put my eyes out over that book if I was you, when you're dyin' for sleep," Fat said.
● swinging door：推拉自如的彈簧門。tiptoed up front：躡著腳走向前來。
● a gentle shove：輕輕一推。started up：猛然一驚。to catch his balance：怕跌下凳子去，趕快坐穩了。
● yawning：打呵欠。arching his back：把背拱起。
● put my eyes out over that book：讀書。If I was you普通語法教科書作if I were you，但if I was you也有人這麼說的。
● dyin' for：渴欲。此人說話沒有ng的音，前面已經說過了。
"I've got to get it read, Fat. It's my outside reading in Economics and the whole semester grade depends on it. It's the hardest book to keep your mind on you ever saw. I've been reading on it for over a month and I'm only half through, and he's going to call for these reports any day now. If I flunk Ec I flunk out of school."
● 第一句的read是過去分詞：「非把它讀完不可」。
● semester grade：學期成績。
● 第三句的you是泛指，實在還是說他自己，並不一定指聽話的對方。you ever saw（定語從句）：你所看見過的書中，以這本書最難叫人專心閱讀。saw是過去式，照語法書規定，用現在完成式have seen較妥，但口語習慣用過去式亦可。I've been reading on it：注意時態（一直在讀，尚未讀完）。reading on it大約相當於working on it：用心研讀。
● half through：讀完一半。he's going中的he指教授。call for：催繳（學生的報告）。any day now：學期所剩只有三分之一，這幾天教授隨時都會叫學生繳報告的。
● I flunk out of school：照語法書規定，應說I'll flunk out of school。但這裡前一clause與後一clause都用flunk，亦有簡煉動人的效果。
"Charlie, I just can't figure you out. You never do get any real sleep. You sure must want a college education bad. It don't look to me like you would figure it's worth it."
● figure out：瞭解（美國俗語，很常用）。
● 第三句的sure和bad都當副詞用，前者即surely，後者即badly（非常之需要）。
● 第四句的語法很成問題，但美國人普通是這麼說的，所以不妨分析一下。don't是用錯了，應作doesn't；前面的It代替後面like以後的clause。like在口語中常用以代替as或as if，這裡似乎是代替as if（後面的動詞would是虛擬式）。it's worth it中的第一個it代替college education，第二個it代替犧牲睡眠的刻苦生活。全句可譯作：據我看來，你這樣吃苦來讀大學，總有一天你會覺得（figure）是划不來的。
"Oh, it's worth it! It's a big satisfaction to my folks to have me in college. And where can a man without a college degree get nowadays? But I'll tell you the truth, I didn't know it was going to be like this when I came down here last fall. I used to read College Humor in high school, and when fellows came home from university for the holidays, all dressed up in snappy clothes, talking about dates and footballs and dances, and using college slang—well, I had a notion I'd be like that when I got down here. The university publicity department sent me a little booklet showing how it was easy to work your way through college. So here I am. I haven't had a date or been to a dance or seen a football game since I enrolled. And there are plenty of others just like me. I guess I'm getting a college education, all right—but the only collegiate thing I've been able to do is go to sleep in class."
● my folks：家裡的人（我進了大學，他們心裡很覺得安慰）。where can a man get?他能爬到哪裡去？混不出頭的！college degree：大學學位。nowadays：這年頭兒。
● last fall：時已冬令，秋天已成過去，故稱last fall；並不是「去年的秋天」。秋季入學時，我並不知道大學生活會這麼（like this）清苦的。
● College Humor：雜誌名，內容都是介紹大學生活的輕鬆的一方面。
● all dressed up...：是absolute phrase。snappy=smart。dates：男女朋友的約會。
● well：轉換語氣之用。這句的從句（when…）很長，這裡起，轉入主句。
● I had a notion：我當時以為（注意動詞的過去式）。like that：生活可以跟他們所講的和雜誌上所看到的一樣。
● university publicity department：大學的對外宣傳部。中國大學中似乎尚無此一機構。booklet：小冊子。
● work your way through college：半工半讀地讀完大學課程。
● plenty of others：像我這樣不交女朋友，不跳舞，不看足球的學生多得很。
● I guess=I think。I'm getting a college education有「我（算是）在大學裡讀書」的自嘲之意。all right：就算這樣吧。
● the only collegiate thing：唯一稱得上大學教育的事情。I've been able to do是定語從句。
"How you get by with sleeping in class, Charlie?"
"I wear these colored spectacles and prop myself, and the profs can't see I've got my eyes closed."
Fat waggled his heavy face mournfully. "Boy, it sure is tough when a man don't get his sleep."
"Yeah, it is," Charlie said, looking down at his book again. "I'll get a break pretty soon, though. I'd rather chop off a hand than to flunk out of university before I'd even finished one semester."
● 第一句應作How do you get by…?怎麼對付過去的呢？
● prop myself：身體往後靠。profs=professors。
● waggled：搖。mournfully：愁容滿面地（搖他的頭）。這一句的sure仍是surely；don't仍應作doesn't。tough：艱苦，不好過。Boy這裡只是一個近乎口頭禪的感歎詞。美國人常用boy；oh, boy此二詞。
● Yeah, it is=Yes, it is tough。
● break：休息。這裡恐是指聖誕假期而言。though=however。
● rather…than：寧可砍斷一隻手，也不情願在第一學期終了之前，就被學校勒令退學。I'd finished=I had finished，這個動詞也是虛擬語氣，並不是直述語氣的過去完成式。
The tardiest of the hundred students enrolled in Dr. Sylvester Kenshaw's Economics 150 straggled into the lecture room and made their ways to alphabetically assigned chairs with much scuffling and trampling of toes and mumbled apologies. Ec 150, renowned as a pipe course, was always crowded.
● enrolled in…Economics 150：選這門課的。tardy：行動遲緩的；tardiest：上課到得最遲的（那些學生）。這個字是本句的主語，動詞是straggled：三三兩兩悠悠蕩蕩地進入（教室）。alphabetically assigned chairs：依字母次序排列的指定的課椅。scuffling：碰撞。trampling of toes：踩著別人的腳趾。教室擁擠，許多學生業已入座，遲到學生在他們身邊擠過去，難免有碰撞和踩人腳趾之事發生。mumbled apologies：含糊的道歉。
● renowned as a pipe course：以分數寬出名（pipe course前面已有說明）。
● crowded：教室擠，就是選課學生多。分數打得寬，學生都來選。作者對此，恐不無感慨焉。
Dr. Kenshaw was late that morning. Charlie Wingate sat in his chair on the back row in an agony of waiting. He had on his amber glasses and he could fall asleep as soon as Dr. Kenshaw opened his lecture. But he had to stay awake until then.
● on the back row：他的姓是W字母開始，故座位排在後排。in an agony of waiting：等候得焦灼不安。agony是大痛苦，或「痛苦萬狀」。
● He had on his amber glasses=he had his amber glasses on：戴上眼鏡了。
● to stay awake=to remain awake：教授沒有來，他還不能睡。
When the clock on the front wall showed nine after eleven the seated class began stirring as if it were mounted on some eccentric amusement-park device. Excited whispers eddied out on the warm air of the steamheated lecture room. "He's giving us another out!" "He's not meeting this class today!" "He's got one more minute to make it!" "Naw; six more! You have to wait fifteen minutes on department heads."
● the seated class：業已就座的全班學生。stirring：騷動。底下跟一個clause，騷動之狀：好像全班學生（it=the class）都跨上了遊藝場中的翻天椅或逍遙椅。some：某種。eccentric：特別的。amusement-park device：遊藝場裡的機關；美國遊藝場中都有各種特別設備，人坐上去會四處旋轉或上下翻飛。
● Excited whispers：聲音雖低，可是情緒興奮。eddied out：聲音像水花似的，一圈一圈向四周散佈出去。把聲音比作水之漩渦，而把空氣比作水；既然說到空氣，就得描寫空氣之「暖」，此為描寫之細膩處。
● 引號裡幾句話的He，指的都是教授。out：缺席。meeting this class：來上課。to make it：趕得及。再過一分鐘，就是十一點十分，教授遲到了十分鐘，學生就要一哄而散了。前文有過You just about got time to make it這樣的句子。
● naw即no。平常的教授等他十分鐘就夠，系主任應該等他十五分鐘。這位先生是經濟系主任，這裡點明。
There was a seething argument on this point, but when the clock showed fourteen minutes after eleven a bold leader sprang up and said, "Come on everybody!" All but five or six especially conscientious students rose and milled after him toward the door. Charlie Wingate followed, thoroughly awakened by the chance of getting to bed so soon. The leader yanked the door open and Dr. Kenshaw stumbled in, all out of breath, his eyeglasses steamed, his pointed gray beard quivering, a vain little man in a greenish-black overcoat.
● seething：沸騰狀的；argument：爭論。七嘴八舌，各執一辭，有的主張等滿十分鐘就不再等了，有的主張應該等足十五分鐘。
● a bold leader：勇敢的領袖；首先發難者。sprang up：從座上一躍而起。
● especially conscientious students：特別奉公守法的學生。這種人只有五六個，他們還安坐不動。餘人都唯那位領導人物馬首是瞻，紛紛站起，向門口走去。milled：（像牛羊似的）四處亂走（move around in confusion）。
● awakened是過去分詞。既然可以早些回去暢睡，這麼一興奮，反而神清氣爽了。thoroughly：足見他來上課的時候還是想瞌睡，現在方才完全醒過來。
● yanked：（美國俗語）使勁一轉旋鈕，然後把門推開。stumbled in：踉蹌地進來。steamed（過去分詞）：教授從冷空氣裡進來，室內的熱氣在眼鏡上結一層薄霧。pointed：尖形的。quivering：抖動；因匆忙之故歟？抑見學生不耐久候而發怒耶？vain：虛榮心重的，自以為了不起的；這裡可解作「盛氣凌人的」。little：身材矮小的。a vain little man，是「同位語」，說明主語Dr. Kenshaw。
"Go back to your seats!" Dr. Kenshaw commanded sternly as soon as he could get his breath. He marched over to his lecture table and planked down his leather brief case. He took off his overcoat and began wiping the steam from his eyeglasses while the students hurried back to their chairs. "It does seem to me," he said, his voice quavering with anger, "that it would be no more than courteous for the class to await my arrival on those rare occasions when I am delayed."
● sternly：嚴厲地。get his breath：上文不是說過他all out of breath嗎？
● planked down：用力放下。brief case：公文包。
● quavering：（聲音之）顫動。教授的談吐很典雅。本文諸人物的談吐，此公的和前文訓導長的屬於同一類型，都是受過高深教育者的口吻；只是訓導長的顯得誠懇，此公的顯得尖刻。說話尖刻的人，於用字 句方面，一定也特別講究。
● no more than courteous=only courteous。「我難得有事情，因此遲到，諸位多等一會兒，據我看來，未必就委屈了諸位，這不過是禮貌問題而已。」
A few students exchanged meaning glances. They meant, "Now we're in for it. The old boy has on one of his famous mads."
● exchanged glances：互相看看。meaning glances：眼光的意思，心照不宣。They meant=the glances meant。
● in for it（用於口語）=unable to escape from a danger, penalty, etc.（挨罵是挨定的了）。in是副詞。
● The old boy即教授。mad在口語用法中，有angry的意思；但這裡當作名詞用，頗見特別。one of his famous mads：老先生的脾氣是出了名的，今天可又要發作了。on是副詞，用法同前文的He had on his amber glasses相仿。
"Today, I believe I shall forego delivering my prepared lecture," Dr. Kenshaw went on in a more even voice, "and let you do the talking. Perhaps it would be moot to hear a few outside reading reports this morning. All of you doubtless are aware that these reports were due last week, although I had not expected to call for them at once. Let us begin forthwith. When your name is called, you will rise and read your report to the class."
● 教授用了幾個典雅的字，如第一句的forego（=abstain from，這裡似以譯作「暫停」為妥）和第二句的moot（=debatable，該不該這樣做是值得討論的）。
● a few outside reading reports：幾篇課外閱讀的報告。
● due last week：上星期就該繳了。I had not expected…：我本來不打算馬上就催你們繳。forthwith=immediately。
"Mr. Abbot!" he called, Mr. Abbot stammered an excuse. Dr. Kenshaw passed coldly on to Miss Adams, making no comment. All through the A's it was the same. But with the B's an ashen, spectacled Miss Ballentyne stood up and began reading in a droning voice her report on "The Economic Consequence of the Peace."Obviously Dr. Kenshaw was not listening to her. His hard little eyes under craggy brows were moving up one row and down the other, eager for a victim. On the back row, Charlie Wingate's propped legs had given way and he had slipped far down into his seat, fast asleep. When Dr. Kenshaw's preying eyes reached Charlie they stopped moving. Someone tittered nervously and then was silent as Dr. Kenshaw jerked his head round in the direction of the noise. Miss Ballentyne droned on.
● stammered an excuse：結結巴巴地說了一個理由（例如「做好了忘了帶來了」或「上星期有病了」等）。
● making no comment：教授「不加評論」；並不責備他。
● All through the A's：凡A字開頭的學生，統統無法應命。
● ashen, spectacled：臉色灰白，鼻架眼鏡的。droning：很單調的聲音。她的讀書報告的題目是：《和平對於經濟上的影響》。
● hard little eyes：小小的冷酷的眼睛。craggy brows：像岩石似的凸出的眉毛。up one row and down the other：一排一排地看。eager for a victim：一心要找個學生來出氣。
● given way：軟了下來（本來是挺直的）。fast asleep：睡熟。
● preying eyes：虎視眈眈擇人而噬的眼睛。they stopped moving：（拆爛污的）學生已經捉到，教授的眼睛也無勞左右搜索了。
● tittered nervously：神經緊張地偷偷笑了一下。jerked his head round：腦袋突然轉了過去，追查誰在偷笑。
When she had finished, Dr. Kenshaw said dryly, "Very good, Miss Ballentyne, very good indeed. Er…ah…would someone be kind enough to arouse the recumbent young gentleman in the last row?"
There was a murmur of laughter while everyone turned to look at Milton Weismann nudging Charlie Wingate. Charlie sprang up quickly. Dr. Kenshaw was running down the list of names in his small record book.
● dryly：冷淡地。arouse：喚醒。recumbent：身體躺著的。這也是一個典雅的字。這一句話的禮貌很周到，但是也很刻薄。全句用虛擬式，不用命令式，這是非常客氣的請求：不知哪一位……？稱學生為young gentleman，很典雅，但是語帶諷刺。
● Milton Weismann：Wingate的鄰座同學。nudging：用肘輕推。
● running down the list of names：名字一個一個地看下去。record book：記學生成績的小冊子。
"Mr. …ah…Wingate, isn't it? Mr. Wingate, your report."
"Pardon me, sir?"
"Mr. Wingate, what was the title of the book assigned to you for report in the class?"
"Theory of the Leisure Class by Veblen, sir."
● 教授拿教室座位次序和點名冊子名單次序一對照，知道這位學生名叫Wingate，但沒有十分把握，所以前面吞吞吐吐了一下。
● Pardon me, sir? 學生恐怕沒有聽清楚教授的話。
● Thorstein Veblen（1857—1929）：美國經濟學家，他的那本《有閒階級論》（1899年出版）是經濟學名著，據說非常艱深難懂，無怪那個學生讀得叫苦連天。
"Ah, then that's the explanation. So you were assiduously engaged in evolving your own theory of the leisure class. Is that right, Mr. Wingate? You have evidently concluded that Economics 150 is the leisure class."
The class rocked with laughter. Dr. Kenshaw, pleased with his pun and flattered by the response to it, found it hard to keep his face straight.
● 教授在這裡大大地挖苦了那學生一番。that's (=that is) the explanation：這就是說明；這一下我可明白了。
● assiduously：勤勉地。engaged in：從事於。evolving your own theory：發明你自己的理論。
● evidently：明顯地。concluded：得到這樣一個結論——來上我們這班課的都是有閒階級。
● rocked with laughter：笑得前仰後合。
● pun：雙關語。上文的class既解作階級，又解作「班級」。教授妙語解頤，自己也很欣賞自己的機智。the response to it：對他妙語的反應，全班大笑，笑話沒有白說，因此更為得意了。hard to keep his face straight：臉板不下來，自己也想笑。
"Mr. Wingate's theory is quite apparently one to which the majority of this class subscribes. Now these reading reports were assigned to you last September, and you have had ample time to prepare them. I'll not call for any more of them today, but at the next session of this class I expect every one of these papers in. As for you, Mr. Wingate, if you'll see me directly after class, I'll be glad to hear any explanation or apology that you may wish to make."
● is quite apparently one=is quite apparently a theory。to which之to連後面的subscribes； subscribe to=agree to。「這位同學的有閒階級理論，全班同學大多數顯然都贊成的。」
● ample time：充分時間。
● the next session of this class：下次上課的時候。I expect every one of these papers in：我希望統統繳齊，一份不漏。
● apology：道歉，賠罪。
"Thank you, sir," Charlie mumbled. He entered a slow torture, trying to keep awake until the class bell rang. But fifteen minutes had to pass before the bell would ring.
When the bell rang the class rose quickly and began clumping out. When the last had gone out, Dr. Kenshaw unscrewed his fountain pen and opened his roll book. He ran his finger down the list until he came to "Wingate, C." and in the space opposite under "Smstr Grd" he marked a precise little F.
● slow torture：慢性的受罪。還有十五分鐘才得下課，他又不敢再在堂上睡覺。
● clumping=walking heavily。
● unscrewed：取下筆套。roll book：點名冊子，就是record book。Wingate, C.：點名冊以姓氏排列，故首書是Wingate，C是Charles的縮寫。
● Smstr Grd是Semester Grade的省寫。前文已經說明，他再得一個F，就要被除名了。precise：清清楚楚的。
A whiffling snore escaped Charlie Wingate in the back of the room. Dr. Kenshaw took his overcoat from its hanger, slipped into it, and strapped up his brief case. He put on his hat and strode out of the lecture room, slamming the door. The noise made a hollow echo in the empty room, but it did not disturb Charlie Wingate. He slept on behind his amber glasses.
● whiffling：輕輕的如微風之聲。snore：鼾聲。escaped：從他（鼻子裡）發出來。
● hanger：衣架。its代替overcoat's。slipped into it：穿上大衣（全身滑進大衣裡面去）。strapped up：把皮帶扣上。
● strode（stride的過去式）：大踏步地走出去。slamming the door：把門砰的一關。
● hollow echo：空洞的回聲。但是可憐的Charlie又睡熟了。