Smiley's People汉译16

agent124

Inside the bus there was laughter; then someone shouted an insult—old woman, keeps the world waiting!
公交车里一片笑声，接着有人辱骂了一句：老太婆，干嘛让大家都等你！

She felt the stranger’s hand scrabbling inexpertly at her arm, like a clumsy suitor groping for the buttons.
她感觉到陌生人乱抓一气，想拽住她的手臂，完全不像是专业人员所为，倒像一个笨拙的求婚者在摸索衣扣。

She pulled herself free. She tried to tell the conductor something but she couldn’t; she opened her mouth but she had forgotten how to speak.
她挣脱了。她竭力想告诉售票员什么，但说不出来；张开嘴，却忘了该说什么。

The best she could manage was to shake her head.
除了摇头，她什么也做不了。

The conductor yelled at her again, then waved his hands and shrugged.
售票员又向她喊了一句，然后朝她挥挥手，又耸耸肩。

The insults multiplied—old woman, drunk as a whore at midday!
辱骂的话说得更难听了：老娘们，中午这时候还醉得象个妓女！

Remaining where she was, Ostrakova watched the bus out of sight, waiting for her vision to clear and her heart to stop its crazy cavorting.
奥斯特拉科娃呆在原地，一边看着汽车远去，一边等自己的视线重新清晰起来，心脏停止疯狂的跳动。

Now it is I who need a glass of water, she thought. From the strong I can protect myself. God preserve me from the weak.
她心想：现在需要喝杯水的是我了。面对强敌，我能保护自己。主啊，保佑我远离虚弱吧。