John O\'Hara (1905—1970)
約翰·奧哈拉生於美國賓州的Pottsville。他是寫實派小說家，描寫美國各階層人物，甚為生動。電影《孽海長恨》（Ten North Frederick，Gary Cooper主演），就是根據他的一部得獎的長篇小說改編的。另一部電影《酒綠燈紅》（Pal Joey，Frank Sinatra主演），也是根據他的若干篇小說改編的。
奧哈拉不走細膩婉約精緻典雅的一路，他最能模仿美國人的說話，因此文章裡面俚語、俗話很多，句子也常常不合文法。但是他的文章讀起來有一種自然粗獷之勁。
本文選自《奧哈拉短篇傑作集》（The Great Short Stories of John O\'Hara），是美國中西部的一個大學生寫給東部一個女友的一封信，請她來參加舞會。裡面略有故事，這裡均刪去。奧哈拉模仿美國大學生寫作的筆調，值得一讀；讀者可以知道一般美國學生所寫的是什麼樣的英文。再則，也可從裡面約略知道美國大學生的生活。
Dear Betty:
I debated within myself a long time whether to call you Betty, not that I didn\'t call you Betty last summer and you me Harry, but as neither of us kept our promise to write I was not sure whether we should return to the formal basis.
● 中國人寫這封信的時候，往往會在開頭加這幾個字：「當我提起筆來的時候。」這裡沒有用這幾個字，可是意思已經包含在內了。
● debated within myself：自己跟自己辯論，決定不了。call you Betty：叫人家的名字，而不稱其姓（Miss so-and-so），這是熟朋友間的稱呼法。寫信的人和其女友已久無往來，也許應該客氣一點，不直呼其名。
● last summer：上一次的夏天；假如是秋季冬季寫的，那就是今年夏天；假如是在春季夏季寫的，那就是去年的夏天。這裡恐怕是去年的夏天。
● 去年夏天，我們一起玩得很好，那時我叫你Betty，你叫我Harry。我現在提起筆來，決不定是不是應該用客氣的稱呼，並不是因為過去我們沒有好過，而是因為我們疏遠已久了。
● You me Harry仿前面的I didn\'t call you Betty。
● kept our promise：我們分手之時，相約常常通信，但是我們都沒有守約。
● the formal basis：形式的（或客氣的）基礎（或原則）。因為我們疏遠已久，我不知道我們應否回復到過去那種客氣的來往的情形。
Well, how are you liking it at Smith? I hope better than you did freshman year. Remember I told last summer how you would like it better when you were a sophomore? Personally I did not mind freshman year so much. I made a lot of new acquaintances and friends freshman year and although some of them have not lasted, still some of them have, and now that I am an upperclassman I am satisfied to have my own circle of friends, some of them in the fraternity but some not. I am not narrow about fraternity stuff. Just because a fellow I like happened to go Phi Psi and I went Delt does not mean I have to hate him. That stuff went out years ago. In fact my father was not a Delt. When he was here he was a Tau Phi Alpha. When I came here he told me I could go anything I please. \"Any crowd that will have you.\" he said humorously. I think that is the right attitude and if my son comes here he can go any fraternity he wants, preferably Delt because we have always had a good well-rounded house, not too many athletes and not too many honor students and not too many playboys. Three years ago we won the Heffelberger Cup, emblematic of having the highest scholastic average of any fraternity house on the campus, and last year we had captain of baseball, three Phi Betes, two guys that just missed Phi Bete, chairman of the Junior Prom, and also were runners-up in interfraternity tennis. So you see we have a well-rounded house with varied interests. We also have some wealthy alumni. At all our big football games you ought to see the Lincolns and Cadillacs parked in the driveway. One of the alumni from Lake Forest has a Rolls but he never brings it to the games.
● Smith即Smith College，是美國東部的一所貴族化女子大學（在麻州）。男孩子是在美國中西部（芝加哥附近）一所大學裡讀書，看後文便知。like it中的it應該是代替life。
● 第二句話很簡單：我希望你現在應該比你去年（讀大一的時候）多喜歡一點Smith的生活。去年夏天我們相聚的時候，你說過你不大喜歡那裡的生活，那時我就說過，到你大二（sophomore）的時候，你的好感就會增加了。
● did not mind：不在乎，不覺其生疏或枯燥。freshman year應該是名詞，但作者拿這兩個字和last summer一樣，當作副詞用。第一處是better than you did (like it) freshman year，另一處是made…friends freshman year。some of them：大一所交的朋友，有幾個不能保持友誼；有幾個現在還是朋友。lasted：持續。
● upperclassman：高班生。fraternity：兄弟會。兄弟會是美國多數大學生活中很重要的一部分。兄弟會自備宿舍，常常是一座漂亮的小洋房。會員住在裡面，吃也在裡面。兄弟會的名字大多是用希臘字母起名，希臘字母常常又是一句希臘文格言幾個字開頭的字母。各兄弟會之間在學業等方面競爭頗烈。
● narrow：氣量狹窄。fraternity stuff：兄弟會「那一套」。氣量狹小的人不喜結交本會以外的朋友。
● Phi Psi：兩個希臘字母（i讀長音/Ai/），是某一兄弟會。Delt是希臘字母Delta的簡稱，是另一兄弟會。
● 我的一個朋友（a fellow I like）恰巧加入了某會，而我入的是Delta會，我並不因此一定就要恨他，我們仍舊可以做朋友。
● 加入某某會，動詞用go：go Phi Psi，went Delt，這是值得注意的。
● That stuff：兄弟會之間互相仇視的那一套，好多年前就不存在了。
● my father：美國習俗，父親讀什麼大學，兒子也讀什麼大學；父親加入某兄弟會，兒子也加入該兄弟會。Delta的會員，簡捷了當地稱為Delt，Tau Phi Alpha（另一個會）的會員，就是a Tau Phi Alpha。
● go anything I please：愛加入什麼會，就加入什麼會。go字的用法見前。
● 加入兄弟會，也不容易。兄弟會有拒絕申請者入會之權。父親恐怕我在大學裡不受人歡迎，因此幽默地說：哪一家會（Any crowd）要收容你，你就去好了。你不一定要加入我的Tau Phi Alpha的。
● 我父親既如此開明，我一旦有了孩子，我也將讓他自由選擇。最好（preferably）當然還是Delta，因為幾十年來（或一百多年來），我們這個會一直人才平均發展。well-rounded：面面都能顧到。house：指宿舍裡所住的人。
● athletes：運動員。honor students：學業成績卓異的學生。playboys：花花公子。
● Heffelberger Cup：這個人所捐的銀杯。emblematic of：（這只杯子）表示在全校（on the campus）各兄弟會中，我們這一會的會員學業成績總平均最高。
● Phi Bete：想是Phi Beta Kappa的簡稱。Phi Beta Kappa是美國全國各大學間的優秀學生聯誼會。大學高班生成績優異的，得被選入會，會員得金鑰匙一枚。金鑰匙可以終身佩帶，那就是說，在大學裡得到好分數，這個榮譽是可以終身保持的。Phi Beta Kappa似乎不備宿舍。因此各兄弟會之間也互相競爭，會員能被選入Phi Beta Kappa，也是該兄弟會的光榮。Phi Beta Kappa是一句希臘格言「哲學指導人生」三個字的起首的字母。
● two guys（美國俚語）：兩個「傢伙」。just missed：差一點拿到。
● Prom（美國大學俚語）：跳舞會。Junior Prom：大三學生歡送大四學生的盛大跳舞會，通常於暑期大考前舉行。chairman：主辦這個舞會的主席。
● runner-up：（運動會的）第二名。複數是runners-up。interfraternity tennis：各兄弟會之間的網球比賽。
● varied interests：多方面的興趣。
● alumni：校友（複數）。男校友單數是alumnus。
● Lincoln和Cadillac都是美國高級汽車的牌子。parked：停放（汽車）。driveway：汽車道。
● Rolls即Rolls Royce，是英國高級汽車的牌子，比Lincoln，Cadillac還要華貴，那個人不好意思坐了來看比球。
● 這個兄弟會會員人才濟濟，校友中還有闊人。希望這位Betty小姐聽見了心動，遠道趕來參加舞會。
Well, I guess all this fraternity stuff doesn\'t mean very much to you, being an Eastern girl, but I just thought I would tell you a few things as I wanted to ask you if you could come out here for Junior Prom, as my guest. I know what you will think, too far. Well, it is pretty far but not if you come by plane. If you flew to Chicago I could meet you there in my car and it is only a pleasant drive from Chicago. We would be here in plenty of time for the tea dance Friday afternoon. (I hope your folks have no objection to flying.)
● an Eastern girl：東部學校裡的小姐。美國東部學校似乎不大注重兄弟會（或姊妹會）。例如哈佛和耶魯兩大學的本科學生，也仿英國牛津、劍橋那樣，住在不同的colleges裡面，這個college不像中國的College of Arts，College of Science那樣，以學科來分；主要的是座宿舍，各college的學生在導師的訓導之下，過有益身心的團體生活。
● what you will think：我知道你有什麼推托了——路太遠了，怎麼好來呢？
● pretty far：路是很遠。（pretty是副詞。）但是你若坐飛機來，就不遠了。
● If you flew…：此句為虛擬式。it is：我們到學校去。
● tea dance：茶舞（非正式的）。your folks：你家裡人。
As to where you would stay while here you would stay at the Kappa house (Kappa Kappa Gamma). That is the best sorority on the campus and is just around the corner literally from our house. We and the Kappas have an arrangement that the men the Kappas bring to Prom stay at our house and the women we bring stay at the Kappa house. You would like the Kappas. A lot of them get their clothes in the East and have their own cars. Some of the other sororities call the Kappas a hi-hat crowd but I don\'t think that is fair. Several times during the year we have joint dances, informals, with the Kappas and you would not want to meet a nicer crowd.
● while here：當你在這兒的時候。would stay（虛擬式）：女朋友來不來還沒一定。
● sorority：姊妹會，女學生所組織的。自備宿舍與兄弟會相仿。
● Kappa Kappa Gamma：三個希臘字母，是某一姊妹會之名。簡稱Kappa，會員也叫Kappa，複數是Kappas。
● around the corner：在附近轉角處。美國人說話中常說just around the corner，表示「就在附近」。但是有時候言過其實，並不很近的地方也可以說它是just around the corner。
● literally：照字面直解地，並不言過其實地。說是：just around the corner，我的意思就是「在附近轉角處」。
● arrangement：協定。
● the women we bring：women這個字在美國大學裡用得較廣，女生常被稱為women。一個人只要不是child（此字不分男女性），總可以說是man或woman。
● clothes in the East：東部的服飾趣味比較高雅。美國男人的西裝也以東部八大學（所謂「長春籐聯盟」Ivy League）學生所穿的最為標準。
● hi-hat：勢利眼的。美國近來常有人把high寫作hi。crowd：此字不單是「群眾」，亦有「團體」之意。本文前文有Any crowd that will have you之句。
● joint dances：聯合舞會（他的兄弟會和她們的姊妹會）。informals想是和dances「同位」，這種舞會是非正式的。
● nicer：注意它的比較級。該姊妹會的人太好了，你不再想認識「更好」的人了。nice除了「高貴講究」之外，也有對人和藹可親之意。
Well, how\'s about it? You have plenty of time to think it over and I wish you would let me know the minute you decide. You could be back in Northampton Sunday night I believe. They are trying very hard to get Tommy Dorsey for Prom. It will be announced next week. The program is tea dances Friday afternoon and joint dinner at our house (Kappas and their guests and our guests and we). There be a basketball game that night but we can miss that as it is only a freshman game. There is also a Glee Club concert before Prom and that may be good. Then Prom until four and then breakfast party at the Kappa house. The next day (Saturday) there is nothing special doing till the tea dances when every house has open house and then Buffet supper at the Kappa house. After that the \'varsity basketball game and after the game informal dancing at the gym. It has to be informal as there is a faculty rule that dancing has to end at 12 midnight Saturday night.
● the minute you decide：一有決定，煩請即刻賜示。
● Northampton：在麻州，即該女生的Smith College所在地。
● They：代名詞，所指不明（應該是舞會主辦人）。文法學家認為是錯誤的，但這種說法很常聽到。
● Tommy Dorsey：美國極有名的爵士樂隊之領隊。大學裡的Junior Prom是件大事，他們不惜重金聘請有名樂隊。至於這個樂隊是否能來，下星期宣佈。
● our guests and we：這裡有四種人，自己（we）放在最後，這是習慣用法。
● There be：be字的用法在這裡很怪，恐怕不能以語法說明。我們只當它是will be或is可也。miss that：不去看。大一球隊，無甚精彩。
● Glee Club：歌詠團。concert：音樂會。Prom until four：這是主要節目正式舞會，跳到天亮四點。
● every house：指那些兄弟會、姊妹會。open house：歡迎來賓參加。那個has用得很怪。茶舞恐怕就在各兄弟會跳，Prom是在大地方舉行的。Buffet supper：自助餐（非正式的）。
● \'varsity basketball game：大學籃球比賽。\'varsity即university，此字美國大學裡很常用。gym：即gymnasium，健身房。健身房是大地方，應該又是個大規模的舞會了，但是這還得是非正式的。原因是學校規則（faculty rule）不讓他們跳通宵。12 midnight：午夜十二點。
You would only have to bring one evening dress that is for Prom. If you could stay over Sunday afternoon and evening there is a roadhouse about twenty miles from here that used to be a country club and is very nice. We usually go there Sunday afternoon when we have dates. It is just a pleasant drive and if you have never seen the farming country out here it might prove interesting to an Easterner.
● would還是虛擬式，因為她來不來還沒有決定。only have to：只要。evening dress：正式晚禮服。
● roadhouse：公路旁的餐廳或酒店，也可能有舞廳設備。
● country club：鄉下總會。那裡除了飲食跳舞之外，還可打高爾夫、網球、騎馬、游泳等。以前是俱樂部，現在改成酒店了。
● dates：男女間的相約出遊。
Well, I have sketched the Prom week-end for you and I hope it sounds interesting. If you would come it would be the first time one of our crowd has had a girl from so far East, and we would go to town showing you a good time.
So come on and let us show you that all the fun is not at Yale and Princeton and those places. I have a lot of things to talk about in person but that will have to wait.
● sketched：簡略描寫。
● one of our crowd：我們兄弟會裡的人。so far East：從東方老遠的請一個女朋友跳舞，我們兄弟會中還沒有過呢。town：學校之外（城裡也可以去玩玩）。
● Yale and Princeton：東部的貴族化大學，Smith的女生常到那種地方去跳舞的。fun：熱鬧，有趣。all這樣用在英文裡是普通的，但是和中國人想法不同。莎士比亞有句：
All that glitters is not gold.此句之意，是「璀璨者非皆黃金」，並不說「凡是發金光的，都不是黃金」。這裡的all如放在稍後：fun is not all at Yale and…（並不是只在Yale等等學校裡，才有熱鬧好玩的事），意思較說得通。這裡all放在前面，這是英文習慣用法，意思和all放到後面去是一樣的。
● in person：當面（談），不在信裡說。that：那件事（to talk）非得等你來了再說了。