《了不起的盖茨比·Chapter VI》第12节
We were at a particularly tipsy table. That was my fault—Gatsby had been called to the phone, and I’d enjoyed these same people only two weeks before. But what had amused me then turned septic on the air now. “How do you feel, Miss Baedeker?” The girl addressed was trying, unsuccessfully, to slump against my shoulder. At this inquiry she sat up and opened her eyes. “Wha’?” A massive and lethargic woman, who had been urging Daisy to play golf with her at the local club tomorrow, spoke in Miss Baedeker’s defence: “Oh, she’s all right now. When she’s had five or six cocktails she always starts screaming like that. I tell her she ought to leave it alone.” “I do leave it alone,” affirmed the accused hollowly. “We heard you yelling, so I said to Doc Civet here: ‘There’s somebody that needs your help, Doc.’ ” “She’s much obliged, I’m sure,” said another friend, without gratitude, “but you got her dress all wet when you stuck her head in the pool.” “Anything I hate is to get my head stuck in a pool,” mumbled Miss Baedeker. “They almost drowned me once over in New Jersey.” “Then you ought to leave it alone,” countered Doctor Civet.
注释摘要
尼克在这段里领着我们坐到一张醉醺醺的桌子前。他劈头就把责任揽到自己身上——盖茨比被电话叫走，留下他陪着这群人。紧接着是一句关键的坦白：就在两周前，他还觉得这群人挺有趣，可今晚，同样的场景在空气中“化脓”了（turned septic on the air）。这个词选得毒辣，把曾经的可乐变成了溃烂的、感染的、无法忍受的东西，暗示尼克的感受力在这里发生了质变。…