This happened several years ago.
When the play was over,we walked out only to find that it was raining.Because I came to the theater not directly from home, I did not ride a bike as usual.My husband wheeled his bike over and recommened me to take a taxi home.
Very sooon a taxi drew up.I did not want to stay in the rain ,so I pulled the door open and got in.Seated myself ,I waved goodbye to my husband.And just at that moment did I have time to see what was around me .The instant the taxi started ,I found out that besides the young driver ,on the front seat ,there was another man—a giant of man!
The two were silent,their faces set in a sinister cast.What is more, the light inside was very dim ,all this together enhancing the threatening atmosphere.
Soacked with cold sweat,I rolled down the taxi window violently,looking backwards to find my husband in the crowds,and almost cried out “Help!”It seemed that he himself also had noticed there were two “drivers”,and jumping on the bike hurriedly,he began to follow my taxi.But unfortunately,because the tide of the theater crowds were too thick,he soon lost to me in the darkness.
The taxi speeded away very fast in the fast lane.Suspiciously fast,it seemed to me.
Still ,they were silent.
I was doomed this time,I thought to myself.And besides ,what was with me were my roalty payments just drawn out from the bank, and they were here in my purse!
I was on pins and needles .I wanted to stop the taxi,but I could not bring myself to say so,,after all until now they had not done anythiny to me so far.And looking out of the window ,yes ,we were driving in the right direction .Anyway,today I will risk it,I thought.
“Garden village,right?”the driver asked ,gruffly.
With a quiver in my voice ,I said yes,my mind speedly going over the emergency measures for self-defence.The car drove fast for a longer while ,taking several curves according to my order ,and then stopped at my familiar building!
Almost exhausted,I fell backt to my seat,heaving a sigh of relief.Composing myself ,I fumbled for the fare in my purse with shivering hands..Opening the door ,plucking up my courage,I required “but why do you need two men to drive just one taxi?”
“Well ,you see, the times as they are ,who have the rash to drive alone in the night? If something bad such as robbery does happen ,even two are hard to cope!”he murmured his words resentfuly.
“If it were two of you , we will refuse to pick you up!”the other added ,icily.
The taxi turned aroud,just as it came ,it drove away as fast and hurrily.I stood in the light rain for a while,as if just snatched from the death’grip.For the first time,this red-brick building looming in the rain and rain fog seemed so lovely and warm to me.
However my story does not end here .With a light heart,I went upstairs to my door only to find that I did not bring my key with me.My vice pet!.And what was worse was that, here I am,but riding his bike my husband was still on the way !
Sitting on the cement stairs,I felt very boring.All of a sudden, the watch became so lazy.Soon I lost my patience,and went downstairs.The rain had stopped already.To my surprise,I found that the light in one of my familiar neighbours was still on.Why not pay a visit and have a chat,I thougt to myself,and in this way the time would pass more quickly.They gave me a warm welcome and we had a very heat talk.The moment I remembered the time and stood up home ,it was 00:15.
I knocked on my apartment’ door ,and heard my husband’voice,loud and tense.The door opened slowly and cautiously.Astonishment written all over his face,he caught me and pulled me in,saying “d-d-did they find you so quickly,the policemen!You see,I ,I have j-just called the police!”.
“What are you talking about?What policemen?”I was comfused myself too.
“Do you realize the time?After you got into the taxi,I noticed there are two men .I trid to follow you,but failed.So I can only comfort myself that everything are gonna to be fine,but you do not show up and it is so late!The more I think about the whole matters ,the more anxious and suspcious I become.There must be something wrong with that taxi.Well ,you see,I have just given the police station a call and they want me to recall the number……”
I do not know whether to laugh or to cry,and cut him short,“you are afraid of those two drivers,but in fact they are afraid of you.Nowadays,it is common to find a boyguard in the taxi.Two drivers are together to defend big man just like you.They said that if you boarded,they would not take us.”
Astonished,my husband could know what to say.
The time I am writing this article,between the driver and the passenger ,there have already installed an iron railing ,the so called safty-guarding net.For someone,they think ,in this way,the driver and passenger thus can draw a black and white line;for the others,however,this so called safty net is only useful when it comes to the gentleman,but not to the vaillian.
But whenever I take a taxi,sitting in my side of the railing , looking at the expressionless driver I always say to myself :maybe we both are honest people,but we now have been deprived of the right to trust each other.In order to guard our own safe,we are made to defend against each other,this contributing to each other’threat.
Parhaps this is fair.The fear is balanced temporarily.But because this kind of balance is achieved by accumulation of many fears which can not be balanced,we may still ofen experience terror and live in fear.
这篇文章是作家张抗抗写的《恐惧的平衡》，我试着把它翻译成了英文，里面好多部分我翻译起来都觉得很难，可能也有不到位的地方，希望大家共同学习，提出建议呢。比如说，原文里“这年月。。。。。。”这年月，我也是想了好久参考网上的翻译才把它译成了the time as it was，还有井水不犯河水，防君子不防小人啦，等等，我觉得翻译很有趣，当然也特难。把中文译成英文时，语感和对原文的透彻理解很重要，因为汉译英时，意译的地方很多。
我很喜欢做翻译，特别是文学翻译，这段时间每天都在逼着自己去做，我说“逼自己”是真的，因为不逼逼自己就不愿意动了，而我觉得学习英语，翻译和读原版小说，是特好的方法，希望大家有兴趣都去尝试下哦。这篇文章，我觉得作者在对当今社会的一个普遍现象-信任的缺失，人和人之间的无法信任这点上的描写是很到位的，通过作者自己的亲身经历，告诉我们信任的重要性。所以在这里，我拿出来，和大家分享。
双语阅读很重要，以后我会多翻译些东西，和大家一起学习哦。
[ 此贴被文娅在2011-07-28 11:27重新编辑 ]
