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HereisNewYork1.Onanypersonwhodesiressuchqueerprizes,NewYorkwillbestowthegiftoflonelinessandthegiftofprivacy.纽约将孤寂与独处当作赠礼，赐予所有向往这份奇特礼物的人们。Itisthislargessthataccountsforthepresencewithinthecity’swallsofaconsiderablesectionofthepopulation;fortheresidentsofManhattanaretoalargeextentstrangerswhohavepulledupstakessomewhereandcometotown,seekingsanctuaryorfulfillmentorsomegreaterorlessergrail.纽约城内数量庞大的居民中，冲着这份赠礼而来此落脚的绝不在少数；曼哈顿也因此聚集了众多异乡客，他们背井离乡到此闯荡，有的为了寻求庇护，有的为了一展抱负，还有的为了实现心中或大或小的愿望。ThecapacitytomakesuchdubiousgiftsisamysteriousqualityofNewYork.纽约之所以神秘，便在于它总能赐予这般扑朔迷离的馈赠Itcandestroyanindividual,oritcanfulfillhim,dependingagooddealonluck.能使人万劫不复，也能让人飞黄腾达，皆为运气使然。NooneshouldcometoNewYorktoliceunlessheiswillingtobelucky.如果有谁打算碰碰运气，不妨到纽约来。2.NYistheconcentrateofartandcommerceandsportandreligionandentertainmentandfinance,bringingtoasinglecompactarenathegladiator,theevangelist,thepromoter,theactor,thetrader,andthemerchant.纽约集艺术、商业、体育、宗教、娱乐和金融于一城，城内拳击手、传教士、推销员、演员、经纪人、商人齐聚一堂，同场竞技。Itcarriesonitslapeltheunexpungeableodorofthelongpast,sothatnomatterwhereyousitinNYyoufeelthevibrationsofgreattimesandtalldeeds,ofqueerpeopleandeventsandundertakings.纽约的领口上弥漫着绵延悠长、挥之不去的历史气息，不管坐在纽约城的哪个角落，你都能感受到那些辉煌时代和宏伟业绩的搏动，那些奇妙人物、事件和活动的余音。Iamsittingatthemomentinstiflinghotelroomin90-degreeheat,halfwaydownanairshaft,inmidtown.此时此刻，我正坐在市中心一问令人窒息的旅馆客房里，它位于通风井中部，屋内温度高达华氏90度。Noairmovesinoroutoftheroom,yetIamcuriouslyaffectedbyemanationsfromtheimmediatesurroundings.房间里没法子通风，但说来也怪，我还是捕捉到了周遭事物散发出来的讯息。Iam22blocksfromwhereRudolphValentinelayinstate,离这儿22个街区之外，鲁道夫·瓦伦帝诺在长眠；eightblocksfromwhereNathanHalewasexecuted,8个街区之外，内森·黑尔曾被处以极刑；fiveblocksfromthepublisher’sofficewhereErnestHemingwayhitMaxEastmanonthenose,5个街区之外的出版社办公室中，欧内斯特·海明威的拳头同马科斯·伊斯特曼的鼻子来了一次亲密接触；fourmilesfromwhereWaltWhitmansatsweatingouteditorialsfortheBrooklynEagle,4英里外，沃尔特·惠特曼呕心沥血地为《布鲁克林之鹰》写作社论；34blocksfromthestreetWillaCatherlivedinwhenshecametoNYtowritebooksaboutNebraska,34个街区之外，威拉·凯瑟刚来纽约时曾居住于此，创作了许多以内布拉斯加州为题材的作品；oneblockfromwhereMarcelineusedtoclownontheboardsofthehippodrome,1个街区之外，玛尔瑟琳在纽约剧院大楼里演出过丑角笑剧；36blocksfromthespotwherethehistorianjoegouldkickedaradiotopiecesinfullviewofthepublic,36个街区之外，历史学家乔·古尔德在众目睽睽之下将一个收音机踢得粉碎；13blocksfromwhereHarryThawshotStanfordwhite,13个街区之外，哈里·索开枪击毙了斯坦福·怀特；fiveblocksfromwhereIusedtousherattheMetropolitanopera5个街区之外是我曾做过领座员的大都会剧院；andonly112blocksfromthespotwhereClarencedaytheelderwaswashedofhissinsinthechurchoftheepiphany(Icouldcontinuethislistindefinitely),112个街区之外则矗立着老克拉伦斯·戴洗去罪恶的主显节教堂(类似的例子，我可以无限制地罗列下去)。andforthatmatterprobablyoccupyingtheveryroomthatanynumberofexaltedandsomewisememorablecharacterssatin,这样想来，或许有一些显赫的大人物也曾在我现在栖身的屋子里住过，someofthemonhot,breathlessafternoons,lonelyandprivateandfulloftheirownsenseofemanationsfromwithout.有的也许就是在某个热得让人喘不过气来的下午安坐于此，形单影只，与世隔绝，脑子里却满是各自捕捉到的屋子外边散发出来的讯息。3.WhenIwentdowntolunchafewminutesagoInoticedthatthemansittingnexttome(abouteightinchesawayalongthewall)wasFredStone.几分钟前，我下楼吃午饭，发现坐在我旁边的竟然是弗里德·斯通(他靠墙坐着，离我大约18英寸远)。The18inchesareboththeconnectionandtheseparationthatNewYorkprovidesforitsinhabitants.18英寸是纽约为其居民之间设定的既联系又分隔的距离。MyonlyconnectionwithFredStonewasthatIsawhimintheWizardofOzaroundthebeginningofthecentury.我同弗里德·斯通之间的唯一联系就是我有幸在本世纪初上演的《绿野仙踪》里看过他的表演。ButourwaiterfeltthesamestimulusfrombeingclosetoamanfromOZ,andafterMr.StonelefttheroomthewaitertoldmethatwhenhewasayoungmanjustarrivedinthiscountryandbeforehecouldunderstandawordofEnglish,hehadtakenhisgirlfortheirfirsttheaterdatetothewizardofoz.没想到，招待我们的服务员竟也同我一样，为能同一个“绿野仙踪人士”如此亲密接触而兴奋不已；斯通离开后，他告诉我说，他(即服务员本人)刚到美国时年纪轻轻，甚至听不懂英语，但他同女朋友的首次剧院约会就是去看《绿野仙踪》。itwasawonderfulshow,thewaiterrecalled-amanofstraw,amanoftin.Wonderful!那是非常棒的演出，他回忆道——稻草人啊，铁皮人啊。真是棒极了!(Andstillonlyeighteeninchesaway.)(还是在18英寸之外)“Mr.Stoneisaheartyeater,”saidthewaiterthoughtfully,contentwithhisfragileparticipationindestiny,thislinkwithOz.“斯通先生的胃口总是那么好，”他还不无体贴地感叹，似乎为同“绿野仙踪”分享些许命运交集而心满意足呢。4.NewYorkblendsthegiftofprivacywiththeexcitementofparticipation;纽约城赐予人们独处孤居之礼的同时，也奉上一份参与的兴奋；betterthanmostdensecommunitiesitsucceedsininsulatingtheindividual(ifhewantsit,andalmosteverybodywantsorneedsit)againstallenormousandviolentandwonderfuleventsthataretakingplaceeveryminute.同其他人口稠密的社区相比，纽约能更好地将个人与每时每劾在他周围发生的重大的、猛烈的、奇妙的事件隔离开来(只要他需要，而几乎每个人都想要或需要这种隔离)。Ihavebeensittinginthemiasmicairshaft,agoodmanyrathersplashyeventshaveoccurredintown.自打我搬进这乌烟瘴气的通风井以来，城里已发生了好些惹人注目的事件。Amanshotandkilledhiswifeinafitofjealous.Itcausednostiroutsidehisblockandgotonlysmallmentioninthepapers.Ididnotattend.妒火中烧之下，一个男人开枪打死了自己的妻子，但此事却并未在他所处街区以外的地方引起任何反响，报纸上也只是稍稍提到几笔。我当时并不在现场。Sincemyarrival,thegreatestairshoweverstagedinalltheworldtookplaceintown.我来到城里以后，世界上规模空前的飞行表演恰好在纽约举行。Ididnotattendandneitherdidmostoftheeightmillionotherinhabitants,althoughtheysaytherewasquiteacrowd.当时我并没到场，城中800万居民也大多没有去观摩，尽管据宣称，到现场捧场的观众不在少数。Ididn’tevenhearanyplanesexceptacoupleofwestboundcommercialairlinersthathabituallyusethisairshafttoflyover.我甚至没有听到飞机的轰鸣声，只是间或有几架西行的商业航班从通风井上空飞过。ThebiggestoceangoingshipsontheNorthAtlanticarrivedanddeparted.Ididn’tnoticethemneitherdidmostotherNewYorkers.北大西洋上最大