《了不起的盖茨比·Chapter I》第15节
“You make me feel uncivilized, Daisy,” I confessed on my second glass of corky but rather impressive claret. “Can’t you talk about crops or something?” I meant nothing in particular by this remark, but it was taken up in an unexpected way. “Civilization’s going to pieces,” broke out Tom violently. “I’ve gotten to be a terrible pessimist about things. Have you read The Rise of the Coloured Empires by this man Goddard?” “Why, no,” I answered, rather surprised by his tone. “Well, it’s a fine book, and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged. It’s all scientific stuff; it’s been proved.” “Tom’s getting very profound,” said Daisy, with an expression of unthoughtful sadness. “He reads deep books with long words in them. What was that word we—” “Well, these books are all scientific,” insisted Tom, glancing at her impatiently. “This fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.” “We’ve got to beat them down,” whispered Daisy, winking ferociously toward the fervent sun. “You ought to live in California—” began Miss Baker, but Tom interrupted her by shifting heavily in his chair.
注释摘要
尼克说这话时正握着第二杯红酒，他用的形容词很妙——“corky”，带软木塞味的，说明这酒不算顶级，但他又补了一句“rather impressive”，还算像样。这就是东卵的生活质地：一切都要摆出最好的样子，但你总能尝到一丝走味。他说“你们让我觉得自己很不文明”，想用自嘲把气氛拉回到某种朴素的诚恳里——“就不能聊聊庄稼什么的吗”。这句话在字面上毫无锋芒，他…