“Im glad you brought up the subject， Ive felt the influence of this nocturnalnocturnal adj.夜的， 夜曲的 blight upon our city， but I never thought to analyse it before. I can see now that your ‘Man About Town’ should have been classified long ago. In his wake spring up wine agents and cloak models， and the orchestra p1ays ‘Lets All Go Up to Mauds’ for him， by request， instead of Handel. He makes his rounds every evening， while you and I see the elephant once a week. When the cigar store is raided， he winks at the officer， familiar with his ground， and walks away immuneimmune adj.免疫的， while you and I search among the Presidents for names， and among the stars for addresses to give the desk sergeant.
“你提出这个问题，我十分高兴。我已经感到这种夜间活动的害群之马对城市所产生的影响，但以前从未想到过要去分析它。现在，我知道你的‘包打听’早该归类了。紧跟着他的是酒贩子和服装模特儿。他邀请乐队为他弹奏《让我们都上玛蒂尔达去》，而不是韩德尔的作品。每天晚上，他都要周游一圈，有如我和你每周看一次大象那样。当一家烟店遭洗劫的时候，他朝警官丢眼色，他很熟悉警察的地盘，然后他就无声无息地走开，而我和你则会在总统中找名字、在明星中找地址，以便报告值班警官。”
My friend， the critic， pausedpause n.中止， 暂停， 休止符 vi.暂停， 中止， 停顿，踌躇 n.暂停 n.DOS命令：暂停批文件处理， 在继续处理之前等待按任一键 to acquire breath for fresh eloquence. I seized my advantage.
我的评论家朋友停下来为下面的宏论吸了口气。我抓住了这个机会。
“You have classified him.” I cried with joy. “You have painted his portraitportrait n.肖像， 人像 in the gallery of city types. But I must meet one face to face. I must study the ‘Man About Town’ at first hand. Where shall I find him？ How shall I know him？”
“你已经把他归类了。”我高兴地叫道，“你已经在这城市画廊中为他绘出了肖像。不过，我一定要面对面地见见他，亲自研究‘包打听’。我到哪儿才能找到他呢？我怎么才会认出他呢？”
Without seeming to hear me， the critic went on. And his cabdriver was waiting for his fare， too.
评论家好像根本没听见我的话，又继续说下去。他的马车夫还在那儿等着他付车费呢。
“He is the sublimated essence of Buttin， the refined， intrinsic extract of Rubber， the concentrated， purified， irrefutableirrefutable adj.不能反驳的， 不能驳倒的， unavoidable spirit of Curiosity and Inquisitiveness. A new sensation is the breath in his nostrilsnostril n.鼻孔， when his experience is exhaustedexhausted adj.耗尽的， 疲惫的 he explores new fields with the indefatigabilityindefatigability n.不疲劳， 不屈不挠 of a—”
“他是一种高度升华爱管闲事的精髓，一种内在的精制橡胶蒸馏品，一种高度集中、高度纯化，无可辩驳而又不可避的好奇和寻根问底的精灵。他的鼻孔能嗅出一次新的轰动事件，当他的阅历耗尽时，他又以一种…… 不屈不挠地去开拓新的领域。”
“Excuse me，” I interrupted， “but can you produce one of this type？ It is a new thing to me. I must study it. I will search the town over until I find one. Its habitat must be here on Broadway.”
“原谅我，”我打断了他，“不过，你能让我见见这样一个人吗？对我而言，这可是件新鲜事。我必须研究它。我决心找遍全城直至找到他为止。他的活动区域一定在百老汇这儿。”
“I am about to dine here.” said my friend. “Come inside， and if there is a Man About Town present I will point him out to you. I know most of the regular patronspatron n.(对某人， 某种目标， 艺术等)赞助人， 资助人 here.”
“我就要在这儿就餐，”我的朋友说，“进来吧，如果有个‘包打听’ 出现，我就指给你看。我认识这儿的绝大多数顾主。”
“I am not dining yet.” I said to him. “You will excuse me. I am going to find my Man About Town this night if I have to rake New York from the Battery to Little Coney Island.”
“可我现在不要吃饭。”我对他说，“你得原谅我。即使今晚不得不从炮台公园到小小的科尼岛，把纽约搜查一遍，我也要找到‘包打听’。”
I left the hotel and walked down Broadway. The pursuitpursuit n.追击 of my type gave a pleasant savour of life and interest to the air I breathed. I was glad to be in a city so great， so complex and diversified. Leisurely and with something of an air I strolled along with my heart expanding at the thought that I was a citizen of great Gotham， a sharer in its magnificencemagnificence n.华丽， 富丽堂皇 and pleasures， a partaker in its glory and prestigeprestige n.声望， 威望， 威信.
我离开旅馆，走上了百老汇大街。追寻“包打听”给我吸入的空气增添了一种人生和兴趣的愉悦动力。生活在如此巨大、如此复杂、如此色彩缤纷的城市里，真令人感到高兴。我怡然自得地沿街闲逛，心里只有一个念头，我是伟大的纽约市公民，分享着它的宏伟壮丽和各种享乐，也是它的荣耀和声望的参与者。
I turned to cross the street. I heard something buzz like a bee， and then I took a long， pleasant ride with SantosDumont.
我转身横跨街道，听见什么东西像蜜蜂的嗡嗡声，然后，我就同桑托斯-杜蒙特一道欢快地长途飞行。
When I opened my eyes I remembered a smell of gasolinegasoline n.汽油， and I said aloud： “Hasnt it passed yet？”
当我睁开双眼时，我记起了汽油的味道，我大声说：“还没有过去吗？”
A hospital nurse laid a hand that was not particularly soft upon my brow that was not at all fevered. A young doctor came along， grinned， and handed me a morning newspaper.
一位医院里的护士把一只不那么温柔的手放在我的前额，根本就没有发烧。一位年轻医生走过来，露齿而笑，递给我一张晨报。
“Want to see how it happened？” he asked cheerily. I read the article. Its headlines began where I heard the buzzing leave off the night before. It closed with these lines：“Bellevue Hospital， where it was said that his injuries were not serious. He appeared to be a typical Man About Town.”
“想知道是怎么发生的吗？”他兴高采烈地问道。我阅读那篇文章，以我昨晚听见嗡嗡声消逝为题。结尾是下面的话：“贝尔沃医院，据说他的伤势不重。他似乎是一个‘包打听’。”