Edwin O'Connor (1918—1968)
下面幾段采自長篇小說《最後一次歡呼》（The Last Hurrah）之第一章。《最後一次歡呼》寫一老年政客再度競選市長的故事，內容輕鬆幽默，作者態度於諷刺中帶有同情，文筆有力。該書於1956年出版，即成暢銷書，紐約時報評為：「The best novel about American politics.」
該書雖是小說，但其主角乃影射原也任麻州州長的波士頓市長James Michael Curly。近百年來的波士頓城，愛爾蘭人的政治勢力一直很大。本書作者奧康納原籍愛爾蘭，Curly與書中的市長也是原籍愛爾蘭的。
It was early in August when Frank Skeffington decided—or rather, announced his decision, which actually had been arrived at some months before—to run for re-election as mayor of the city. This was a matter about which there had been public speculation for a good while: for, in fact, four years, ever since he had been inaugurated for what his opponents had fondly hoped was the last time. Since the beginning of the current year, however, the speculation had increased, not alone because the deadline was drawing nearer, but also because there were no other elections of importance coming up—the municipal elections took place in off years politically and so did not have to share the spotlight with national or state contests. Thus interest had mounted, and as it had, so had the hopes of Skeffington's opponents. For while he was admittedly among the most durable of politicians, he was just as admittedly getting older, and in recent speeches and press conferences he had expressed little interest in continuing his long political career. On one memorable occasion he had gone so far as to speak with a certain dreaminess of the joys of retirement, of the quiet time of withdrawal which would follow a lifetime spent in the service of the public.
● 從第一句可以看出來，英文意義之力求準確。此人是八月初決定競選（to run）蟬聯（re-election）市長的。話是這麼說了，但是作者立刻自己修正。更正確（rather）的說法是：此人在八月初只是正式宣佈決心競選而已。那決心本身（which）是在幾個月之前，就培養好了。英文說「達到」（arrived at）某種決心。
● 此句的decided，跟後面的to run。橫線中間的補充語句中的decision，也是跟後面的to run。這樣的句法結構很緊湊。
● mayor of the city：注意mayor前面不用限定冠詞the。
● matter：決心競選這件「事情」。
● public speculation：公眾的推測。市長任期快滿了，他要不要再度競選呢？大家紛紛猜測，如由中國學生寫來，這一句中的「猜測」很可能用一個動詞，不大可能用一個名詞（speculation）的。大致說來，表示動作的字，如用名詞來表示，全句的主要動詞僅用一個平凡的be（這裡是had been），這樣一個句子，比較平穩而欠生動。現在作者只想平鋪直敘地開頭，這樣平穩的句法，比較合宜。要看生動的場面，後面多的是。
● there had been：曾經有過。for a good while：猜測了好久。作者又加以補充說明，把for一字重複地用（for, in fact, four years）。事實上是，猜測了四年，從（ever since）他上次當選就任那時開始，就有人猜想他會不會任滿後競選連任了。
● inaugurated：就任。反對他的人希望那就是他的最後一任，for連the last time：最後一次，但是這樣說法作者認為還不夠嚴格，for後面加了一個「what」clause：他們所希望的最後一次。fondly hoped：一廂情願地希望。
● the current year：本年度，今年。這一句用speculation做主語，呼應上一句的speculation，句與句之間連接得很緊。not alone=not only。deadline：限期。他是否想競選連任，應該有所表示了。drawing near：移近；這是成語。
● municipal elections：市區選舉，選舉市長等官員。off years：通常說來，不選舉總統的美國選年都可稱為off years。1952，1956，1960等年才是大選年。（按：參議員、州長何年選舉，每州情況不一樣，市長何年競選，各大都市情形也不同。1993年是個off year，但紐澤西州競選州長，紐約市競選市長也很熱鬧。）politically：就政治方面說來，若是有更重要的選舉（全國性或全州性的競爭[national or state contests]），波士頓一般市民對於市長競選一事，不會這麼關心。現在所以推測增多，傳說紛紜，就是為了這兩個原因：一、他表明態度的日期日益迫近；二、此外別無重要選舉事宜。
● spotlight：舞台或照相館用的集光照明燈。光集中一點，和floodlight（光線遍照各處的泛光燈）不同。集光燈所照之處，必是使人最注目之處。現在只有這一樣選舉，市民只關心這麼一件事，好像只有它一件事，為強光燈所照射；它無需（did not have to）和別種選舉去分佔這盞強光燈（或者說，去分佔市民的注意力）。
● mounted：增高。and as it had=and as interest had mounted。就在市民的興趣增高的時候，Skeffington的政敵的希望也增高了。so had=had mounted。
● 為什麼他的政敵覺得有希望呢？因為他雖然公認（admittedly）是政海中的一個不倒翁（政客之中政治生命最長[most durable]的一個），可是同樣也是公認的（just as admittedly），此人的春秋日高，恐怕將要退休。press conference：記者招待會。political career：政治生涯。
● with a certain dreaminess：以夢想式的態度或語調。had gone so far as to：居然走得這樣遠；居然這樣明白地表示。speak…of the joys of retirement：說起退隱之樂。of the quiet time的of，也是連speak的。
● withdrawal：退出（政界）。follow：一生為公眾服務之後，「繼」之以退隱。
"Far from the madding crowd," he had said, gazing at the reporters expressionlessly. "The declining years spent in solitude and contemplation. Possibly in some rustic retreat."
This hint had not been received without a measure of cynicism; one reporter from the chief opposition paper had led the questioning which followed.
● Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife：本是Thomas Gray詩中的句子。madding即mad，遠離瘋狂的人群。
● he had said：此人在八月初公開表示要競選，但是在此之前，他「曾經」暗示過要退休。他的再度競選，既是「過去」的事，他一切關於退休的話，當然都是屬於「過去的過去」。本文第一句用了It was early in August，決定了時間先後的標準。在此以前所發生的事，該用過去完成時態。
● the reporters：記者們，這是在記者招待會上。
● declining years：晚年，衰齡。spent：是過去分詞。這是不完全句子。some rustic retreat：某處鄉村偏僻的地方。retreat也可解作隱居的地方，或不受人打擾的地方。如宿舍裡太鬧不能讀書，一定要在圖書館裡才讀得成書，那麼圖書館也就是你的retreat。
● hint：暗示。received：（被動語態）領受，聽到。那些記者聽見此話，並不相信。not…without：兩重否定，即成肯定。a measure of：某些份量的。cynicism：此字很難譯，《簡明牛津字典》把cynical解作incredulous of human goodness：不相信天下有好人好事；把cynic解作sneering fault-finder：抱冷笑的態度專找別人錯處的人。這樣說法雖然簡單一點，但還算能道出cynicism這一種態度的要義。（普通英漢字典把它譯成「犬儒主義」，這樣非得大講哲學史上這個字的來源不可了。）
● the chief opposition paper：反對黨方面一家主要的報紙。the questioning：發問，發問是那個記者領導（led）的。which followed=which followed the hint。
"Tell us, Governor," he had said (for, as Skeffington had twice been governor of the state, the courtesy title lingered long after the office itself had been lost), "just how would you propose to adjust yourself to this rustic life? Wouldn't it be pretty quiet? What would you do?"
● Governor：州長。the state：這裡指Massachusetts。Skeffington是市長，為什麼人家稱他做州長呢？
● courtesy title：禮貌上的尊稱。lingered：停留不走；繼續被人使用。the office：州長那個職位。
● just：用以加重how的語氣。propose：建議；這裡當然是自己向自己建議，想辦法。adjust yourself to：調整改變，以求適應。
● pretty（用作副詞）=fairly：略為。
● 這幾段的對話，我們可以想像美國政界要人所召開的記者招待會上，是可以聽得到的。讀者不妨給自己一個測驗：這種話我能脫口而出嗎？哪一天能講到這個樣子，英文會話可以說已經學通了。
"Read," Skeffington had replied promptly, "and reflect."At this his pale blue eyes had closed, and an expression of extraordinary benignity crossed the full, faintly veined and rather handsome face; the long, heavy head inclined perceptibly forward, and the reporters found themselves looking at the silver crown of his hair. It was almost as if, in anticipation, he were paying pious tribute to the time of ultimate retreat.
● promptly：不加思索地。reflect：思想。
● At this：說到這裡。下面就是說明上面說過的a certain dreaminess了。benignity：慈祥。crossed the…face：掠過他的臉。他的臉是豐滿的，青筋隱約可見（vein：靜脈），相當清秀。
● long, heavy head：腦袋長而且厚實。perceptibly：可看得見地。眼睛閉了，頭往前傾：正是像耽於冥想的樣子。the silver crown of his hair：一頭銀髮。
● in anticipation：心裡先行準備。paying tribute：致敬。pious：虔敬的。ultimate：最後的。
The reporter had coughed. "We know you've always been a great reader, Governor," he had said, a trifle sardonically. "Any idea of the kind of books you'd take with you?"
Skeffington's reply, made with eyes still closed, had been characteristically elusive. "The great books," he had said.
The reporter had been persistent. "Which great books, Governor?"
● coughed：想必是假咳，乾咳。
● great reader：讀書很多的人。a trifle sardonically：略帶譏諷。
● Any idea：前面省略了Have you等字樣。you'd=you would。日常對話中，subjunctive mood的用場是很大的。市長是否退隱，尚不得而知，故用虛擬式。
● made是過去分詞。characteristically：這一點很能代表他說話的特色。elusive：閃爍其辭，使人捉摸不定。
● persistent：堅持的，打破沙鍋問到底。
Skeffington's eyes had opened, the silver head had lifted, and once more the reporters met the deadpan look. "I don't know whether you'd know them or not." he had said thoughtfully. "The Bible, which is a book composed of two parts, commonly, called the Old and the New Testaments. The poems and plays of Shakespeare, an Englishman. And during the winter months I would also take the paper which you represent."
● 市長對新聞記者說，他要到鄉間去隱居讀書。敵黨的報紙記者緊緊地追問他讀什麼書。他本來有點夢想的樣子，現在他眼睛睜開，頭抬起來了。記者們所看見的，又是他的板板的沒有表情的臉了。
● deadpan：無表情的；呼應前文gazing at the reporters expressionlessly。
● 他答覆的話很簡單，但是很刻薄。《聖經》和莎翁是為英語國家家喻戶曉的，他瞧不起那記者，故意替他解釋：聖經是怎麼樣的一本書，莎士比亞是何國的人。
● the paper which you represent：閣下所代表的那張報紙。
The reporter had said warily. "Thanks for the compliment, Governor. I suppose there's some special reason."
Skeffington had nodded. "During the long winter months a glowing fire might be welcome," he had said, "and I have found from long experience that your paper burns very well. Makes good kindling. I don't imagine, by the way, that most people are aware of that. If they were, your paper's very small circulation might be substantially increased. Any more questions, gentlemen?"
● warily：小心翼翼地。這個老政客忽然讚美起敵黨的報紙來了，恐怕話中有因。
● compliment：（隱含的）讚美，捧場。
● burns（不及物動詞）very well：容易著火。
● Makes的主語It省略。kindling：引火物。他所以要定這份報紙原來是拿它來作生火之用。
● by the way：順便可以一提的。「我以為，很多人不知道貴報有這點長處。」原文作：「我不以為很多人知道……。」imagine在這裡的意思很輕，同think，suppose的用法相仿。
● If they were：假如他們知道（were aware）。very small circulation：很小的銷路。substantially increased：著實增加。大家都要來訂你們的報紙來引火生爐子了。
● gentlemen：各位先生，指各報記者。這個問題已經充分得到解答，別的還有什麼問題嗎？
It had been a typical enough interview, save for the suggestion of retirement. None of Skeffington's opponents quite believed in this, but on the other hand, neither could they afford to discount it. On the whole, any hint of this kind was felt to be encouraging rather than otherwise, especially when related to certain other signs. For example, there were the heartening rumors of Skeffington's ill health: among the true optimists it was confidently whispered that a mysterious disease was devouring his brain bit by bit, so that now there occurred intervals in every day during which he reverted to the habits of his childhood and expressed a desire to play marbles or hide-and-seek. The newspaper whose combustibility Skeffington had praised offered support of a more oblique kind. It began to run editorials reminding the voters that while the life span of man undoubtedly had been prolonged, the problem of senectitude had by no means been conquered, and that aged men in positions of public trust could constitute a definite hazard.
● interview：訪問。typical enough：有足夠代表性的。他往常跟記者們的談話，也是語帶刻薄的。此次談話若有什麼與以前不同之處，那就是他提到了退休（retirement）。save意即except，但save較古雅。
● discount it：對於此話半信半疑，把這句話打折扣。neither could they afford：如不相信此話，對他們自己也有害處。
● any hint of this kind：任何這一類的暗示（關於他的退休）。
● encouraging rather than otherwise：他的政敵覺得有鼓勵的作用，此種作用大於別種作用。related是過去分詞，形容hint。他自己既暗示要退休，這種暗示同別種跡象（signs）聯繫起來時，政敵們更有躍躍欲試取而代之之意。
● heartening和前面的encouraging相仿，都是從他的政敵的立場說話的。optimists也是政敵之中的樂觀主義者。rumors：謠言。
● it was confidently whispered中的it是代替後面的that a mysterious…這個clause。
● devouring：吞噬。there occurred中的there和普通there is中的there相仿，沒有什麼特別意義。intervals：短時期。reverted to：回復到。play marbles：玩（彩石或玻璃的）彈子。hide-and-seek：捉迷藏。
● combustibility：易燃性。support：（對於上述謠言之）支持。oblique：間接的。
● run：連續發表。（競選也是run，run這個字的用處真大。）life span：生命的長度，壽命。
● senectitude：衰老。此字罕用，美國有些報紙的社論文章做得很古雅，這種罕用字、僻字、古字有時也會搬出來。舞文弄墨，為中外所共喜，不能獨責美國報紙的社論作者也。（此處沒有用引號，但是這種句子很像有些報紙裡社論的句子。）
● that aged men 中的that是連接詞，也是連前面reminding the voters使選民們勿忘此事。aged men in positions of public trust：老年人而居高位，身負萬民重托。constitute=make up：形成。hazard：危險。（這種種話無非要叫市長真的任滿不幹。）
But Skeffington smashed them all in a matter of minutes.
On his seventy-second birthday Frank Skeffington had lunch with his nephew, and over the meal told him of his plan to run again. That night, at a birthday dinner given him by the party leaders, he made the announcement public. It was substantially the same announcement that he had delivered in private that noon.
● smashed：打碎。a matter of有about之意：不消幾分鐘，把敵方的流言都打碎了。
● announcement：呼應全文開頭的announced his decision。
● delivered in private：私下表示的。
"My decision represents a submission to the will of the populace," he said, "and is against my very personal desire. I had hoped, at the end of my current term, to retire to a well-earned rest, but unfortunately one look at the names of those who have declared themselves as candidates for this office forced me to change my decisions. Why, the mind positively boggles at the presumption of these men! As one looks down this bold list one would think that the only qualification necessary to run for mayor of this great city was to be without any qualification whatever. This is a time for experience, for leadership; I cannot abandon this fine city to the care of such fumbling hands. And so, dutifully if reluctantly, I submit my name to you once again, realizing full well that while my own health and rest are important, it is far more important that this city of ours should not be allowed to revert to Government by Pygmies!"
● 這段話是市長在生日宴會上，對黨內顯要發表的談話。市長年逾古稀，但是所說的話還是虎虎有生氣，話裡還罵了人。
● submission to：屈服於（人民的意志）。
● I had hoped：用過去完成時態，那是因為同本句的另一動詞forced比較而得。forced在後，hoped在前，但是forced也是過去的事，所以一個用過去式，一個用過去完成式。my current term：這一屆任期。a well-earned rest：憑勞力掙來的休息；做了幾十年公僕，老來也該享享清福。one look：一看。這一看使我改變了主意。
● boggles：突然受驚，因此停止不前。presumption：膽大妄為。
● As one looks down和前面的one look不同。這裡的one不是「一次」，而是「某個人」，即說話的人自己。this bold list：膽大的人的名單。他們憑什麼資格來競選市長？我們將要以為，競選市長的唯一資格就是沒有什麼資格；只有「一無所長，一無足取」的人才配來做這個大城市的市長。
● for experience, for leadership：用了兩個抽像名詞；其實是我們需要有經驗的「人」，有領導才幹的「人」，英文於此地不用「人」這個概念，此乃中英文思想不同之處。
● fumbling：笨拙的，瞎摸的。to the care of such fumbling hands：交到這種人的手裡去。
● dutifully if reluctantly：心雖不願，但是為了波士頓八十萬市民計……。submit my name：把我的名字提出來。realizing full（副詞）well：同時我充分瞭解這點道理。後面隨一"that" clause，此clause中又先出一"while" clause，後面又用it代替另一"that" clause（that this city…）。
● revert：此字前面已見過，是「返老還童」；這裡也有「開倒車」之意。Government by Pygmies：林肯有government by the people（由人民來作主的政府）的名言。這裡是由Pygmies（侏儒，小人物）來作主的政府。
This announcement had been carefully timed so that it would appear in the city edition of all morning papers; in this way, the maximum desirable effect would be achieved; the majority of his opponents would learn the bad news over their morning coffee. It was a thought which appeared to afford him a virtually limitless satisfaction.
● timed：time作動詞用，解作「時間算準」。city edition：本市版。
● the maximum desirable effect would be achieved：可以達到希望中的最大效用。
● It was a thought：（他的那些政敵一早起來，翻開報紙就看見他再度競選的消息，不禁先則愕然，繼則憤然，再則黯然）他一想到這點，心裡就感到無限安慰。他事前封鎖消息到那天晚上再公佈，目的就要使他的敵人生一天氣。virtually limitless：幾乎是無限的。