《了不起的盖茨比·Chapter III》第24节
It made no difference to me. Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply—I was casually sorry, and then I forgot. It was on that same house-party that we had a curious conversation about driving a car. It started because she passed so close to some workmen that our fender flicked a button on one man’s coat. “You’re a rotten driver,” I protested. “Either you ought to be more careful, or you oughtn’t to drive at all.” “I am careful.” “No, you’re not.” “Well, other people are,” she said lightly. “What’s that got to do with it?” “They’ll keep out of my way,” she insisted. “It takes two to make an accident.” “Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself.” “I hope I never will,” she answered. “I hate careless people. That’s why I like you.” Her grey, sun-strained eyes stared straight ahead, but she had deliberately shifted our relations, and for a moment I thought I loved her. But I am slow-thinking and full of interior rules that act as brakes on my desires, and I knew that first I had to get myself definitely out of that tangle back home. I’d been writing letters once a week and signing them: “Love, Nick,” and all I could think of was how, when that certain girl played tennis, a faint moustache of perspiration appeared on her upper lip. Nevertheless there was a vague understanding that had to be tactfully broken off before I was free. Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.
注释摘要
尼克在这段独白里，做了一件非常奇怪的事：他刚刚揭穿了乔丹·贝克是个无可救药的说谎者，却立刻宣布这对他来说无关紧要。这种道德上的快速翻篇，本身就值得细看。他说"对女人不诚实这件事，你从来不会深责"——这个"你"字用得轻巧，把个人判断悄悄推给了某种普遍的男性共识。他只是"随便感到遗憾，然后就忘了"，这话说得既诚实，又令人不安。尼克试图把自己呈现为一个宽容、不做…