引用部分为台版翻译,以大师之文自勉.
前情回顾
生日宴会结束了,比尔博想讲两句话。
paragraph 01
But Bilbo had not finished. Seizing a horn from a youngster near by, he blew three loud hoots. The noise subsided. "I shall not keep you long," he cried. Cheers from all the assembly. 'I have called you all together for a Purpose.'' Something in the way that he said this made an impression. There was almost silence, and one or two of the Tooks pricked up their ears.
'Indeed, for Three Purposes! First of all, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits.' ' Tremendous outburst of approval.
translate
但是比尔博还没说完。他从旁边的年轻人手里抢来了号角,吹了三声响,全场噤声。“我不会耽搁大家太久的,” 他叫喊起来。 大家欢呼起来。“我把大家聚集起来是有原因的。” 他说这话的方式非常特殊,大家都安静下来,一两个图克族的人甚至竖起了耳朵。
“事实上,有三个原因。首先,我想告诉大家我非常喜欢你们,和你们这些美好而又令人倾佩的霍比特人呆在一起,一百一十一年的时间都嫌太少。” 大家发出了赞同的欢呼。
note
但比尔博并没有说话。他从附近的一名年轻人手中抢来一把号角,使劲的吹了三声。众人的喧闹这才安静下来。“我不会耽搁各位太久的时间,”他大喊。所有的听众都情不自禁的欢呼。“我把你们都找来是有目的的。”他说“目的”这两个字的口气十分特殊,现场一时间陷入死寂,还有一两个图克家的人紧张的竖直了耳朵。
“没错,有三个目的!第一,是告诉你们我非常的喜欢你们,和你们这些好人一起度过的一百一十一年实在太精彩,也太短暂了。”众人响起如雷的掌声。
paragraph 02
' I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. ' This was unexpected and rather difficult. There was some scattered clapping, but most of them were trying to work it out and see if it came to a compliment.
'Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. ' Cheers again. 'I should say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo. He comes of age and into his inheritance today. ' Some perfunctory clapping by the elders; and some loud shouts of 'Frodo! Frodo! Jolly old Frodo,' from the juniors. The Sackville-Bagginses scowled, and wondered what was meant by 'coming into his inheritance.'' Together we score one hundred and forty-four. Your numbers were chosen to fit this remarkable total: One Gross, if I may use the expression. ' No cheers. This was ridiculous. Many of his guests, and especially the Sackville-Bagginses, were insulted, feeling sure they had only been asked to fill up the required number, like goods in a package. 'One Gross, indeed! Vulgar expression.'
translate
" 你们中的很多人值得我去交往,但我却没有机会认识。你们中有很多人值得去深交,但我们的关系却没有深入。"这句话出乎意料,而且也有些费神。下面只有一些零星的掌声,大多数人仍然在思考这句话到底是褒是贬。
“ 其次,为了庆祝我的生日。 ” 欢呼声又起。“ 我该说: 我们的生日。 因为今天也是我的继承人同时是我的侄子,佛罗多的生日。他已经够了年纪,而今天他也将继承我的财物。” 一些老人敷衍地鼓了掌,一些少年喊着“佛罗多! 佛罗多 ! 快乐的佛罗多!” 赛克威尔·巴金斯家的人一脸阴沉,想知道继承财物是什么意思。“ 我们两个加起来正好一百四十四岁,今天这里有一百四十四个人。 这个数量是为了达到这个神奇的总数: 一箩,如果我能这么说的话。” 大家不鼓掌了,这太傻了。很多客人,特别是赛克威尔·巴金斯家的人觉得自己受到了侮辱。他们确信比尔博邀请自己只是为了凑数,就像袋子里的货一样。“ 一箩,呵呵!真是粗鄙。”
note
“你们其中有许多人是我想要认识,却没有机会深交的;另外则有许多人值得我投入更深的感情。”这段话大出众人意料之外,由于太过难懂,四下只传来零星的掌声。众人的小脑袋都在拼命转动着,希望能够搞懂这段话是褒是贬。
“第二,是为了庆祝我的生日。”众人再度欢呼。“我应该说是‘我们’的生日。因为今天当然也是我的继承人佛罗多的生日。他今天成年,也终于获得了继承我家业的资格。”有些长辈高兴的鼓掌,年轻人则是开始起哄,大喊“佛罗多!佛罗多!佛罗多万岁!”塞克维尔一家人则是皱起眉头,试图要搞懂所谓的“继承家业”到底是怎么一回事。
“我们两人的岁数加起来一共一百四十四。我邀请的宾客人数也正是为了符合这神秘的数字:请容我使用十二打这个说法。”没有人欢呼。这太可笑了。许多客人,特别是塞克维尔一家人都觉得受到了羞辱。他们没想到自己竟然是被邀请来充数的,好像用来塞箱子的填充物一样。“是唷,十二打!还真是会选字哪!”
paragraph 03
'It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history, the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake; though the fact that it was my birthday slipped my memory on that occasion. I was only fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so important. The banquet was very splendid, however, though I had a bad cold at the time, I remember, and could only say 'thag you very buch'. I now repeat it more correctly: Thank you very much for coming to my little party. ' Obstinate silence. They all feared that a song or some poetry was now imminent; and they were getting bored. Why couldn't he stop talking and let them drink his health? But Bilbo did not sing or recite. He paused for a moment.
translate
“ 如果我可以提一些旧事的话,这也是我乘着木桶逃到长湖边上的伊合拉斯的纪念日。虽然在那个时候我根本就没有想到是我的生日。那时我只有五十一岁,生日看起来一点都不重要。那场宴会很丰盛,但是我记得那个时候自己得了感冒。所以只能说"谢谢侬”。但是我现在可以正确地发这个音了,谢谢你们参加我的聚会。“ 大家依旧沉默着。他们都害怕即将到来的诗歌朗诵。他们已经很无聊了,为什么他就不能不说话,让大家祝他健康了事呢。但是比尔博既没有唱歌也没有朗诵。他沉默了一阵。
note
- drink his health 祝酒
“如果各位容许我回忆过去的话,今天也是我乘着木桶逃到长湖上伊斯加的一甲子纪念日。我当时太过紧张,根本忘记了当天是我的生日。我那时只有五十一岁,生日对我来说似乎没什么重要的。不过,当年的宴会倒是十分的精彩,只可惜我那时正好重感冒,无缘享受。我记得我那时只能说‘都谢大嗲’。这次请容我清清楚楚的说完:多谢大家来到我这个小宴会。”四下一片寂静。他们都担心比尔博马上会开始唱歌或是吟诗。为什么他就不能够闭上嘴,让大家向他敬酒呢?出人意料之外的是,比尔博并没有唱歌或是吟诗。他沉默了片刻。
paragraph 04
'Thirdly and finally, he said, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT. He spoke
this last word so loudly and suddenly that everyone sat up who still could. I regret to announce that - though, as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you - this is the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!
translate
”第三,也是最后一点。我希望做个声明。“ 他把最后一个词说的很响,以至于能坐起来的人都挺起了身子。” 我很遗憾地宣布,即使一百一十一年的相处太过短暂,我们之间的缘分还是到头了。我要走了,我现在就走。再见!“
note
“第三点,同时也是最后一点,”他说,“我在此要做一个宣布。”他在“宣布”这两个字特别放大音量,还勉强保持清醒的人们纷纷为之一震。“我很遗憾必须这样做,如同我之前所说过的一样,这精彩的一百一十一年实在太过短暂了,但也该告一段落了。我要走了。我会立刻动身!有缘再见!”