Says I to Andy， when we get located at a hotel on South Dakota Avenue， G.S.S.W. “Now Andy， for the first time in our lives weve got to do a real dishonest act. Lobbying is something weve never been used to， but weve got to scandalizescandalize v.生反感 ourselves for Bill Humbles sake. In a straight and legitimate business，” says I， “we could afford to introduce a little foul play and chicanery， but in a disorderly and heinous piece of malpractice like this it seems to me that the straightforwardstraightforward adj.正直的， 坦率的， 简单的， 易懂的，直截了当的 adv.坦率地 and aboveboardaboveboard adj.光明正大的 way is the best. I propose，” says I， “that we hand over 500 of this money to the chairman of the national campaign committee， get a receipt， lay the receipt on the Presidents desk and tell him about Bill. The President is a man who would appreciate a candidatecandidate n.候选人， 投考者 who went about getting office that way instead of pulling wires.”
我们在华盛顿南达科他一家旅馆里安顿下来之后，我对安迪说：“安迪，我们生平第一次不得不干一件真正不诚实的事。拉关系、走门路，游说是我们从来没干过的；但是为了比尔·亨伯尔的缘故，我们不得不出此下策。在正当合法的买卖中，我们不妨行施一点狡诈欺骗，可是在这种无法无天、穷凶极恶的不法勾当里，我却认为最好采用直截了当、光明正大的办法。我这样建议，”我说，“我们从这笔钱当中取五百元交给全国竞选运动委员会主席，要一张收据，把收据放在总统的桌子上，再同他谈谈比尔的事。总统一定喜欢候选人用这种方式来谋差使，而不喜欢用幕后操纵的方式。”
Andy agreed with me， but after we talked the scheme over with the hotel clerk we give that plan up. He told us that there was only one way to get an appointment in Washington， and that was through a lady lobbyistlobbyist n.活动议案通过者， 说客. He gave us the address of one he recommended， a Mrs. Avery， who he said was high up in sociable and diplomaticdiplomatic adj.外交的， 老练的 rings and circles.
安迪赞成我的意见，但我们把自己的打算同旅馆办事员研究之后，就放弃了这个计划。他对我们说，要在华盛顿钻营一官半职只有一条路，那就是通过一个女议会说客。他把他所推荐的人——艾弗里太太的地址告诉了我们。据他说，这位太太在社交界和外交界的地位不同一般。
The next morning at 10 oclock me and Andy called at her hotel， and was shown up to her reception room.
第二天早上十点钟，我和安迪拜访了她下榻的旅馆，被引进了她的接待室。
This Mrs. Avery was a solace and a balm to the eyesight. She had hair the color of the back of a twenty dollar gold certificatecertificate n.证书， 证明书 vt.发给证明书，以证书形式授权给……， blue eyes and a system of beauty that would make the girl on the cover of a July magazine look like a cook on a Monongahela coal barge.
这位艾弗里太太真叫人看了眼目清爽。她那头发同二十元金券背面的颜色一样，眼睛是蓝的。她的美会使七月份出的杂志的封面女郎显得像是孟农加希拉煤船上的厨娘。
She had on a low necked dress covered with silver spanglesspangle n.亮晶晶的小东西 v.(使)闪烁， and diamond rings and ear bobs. Her arms was bare， and she was using a desk telephone with one hand， and drinking tea with the other.
“她穿着一件领口很低，料子上缀着银光闪闪的小箔片的衣服，戴着金刚钻戒指和耳坠。她光着胳臂，一手拿着电话，另一手揣着杯子喝茶。
“Well， boys，” says she after a bit， “what is it？”
“喂，伙计们，”她过了一会儿说，“有什么事呀？”
“I told her in as few words as possible what we wanted for Bill， and the price we could pay.
我尽可能简短地把我们要替比尔办的事告诉了她，并且开了我们所能出的价钱。
“Those western appointments，” says she， “are easy. Letme see， now，” says she， “who could put that through for us. No use fooling with the Territorial delegatesdelegate n.代表 vt.委派……为代表. I guess，” says she， “that Senator Sniper would be about the man. Hes from somewheres in the West. Lets see how he stands on my private menu card.” She takes some papers out of a pigeonhole with the letter “S” over it.
“西部的官职很容易。”她说。“让我看看，谁能替我们办这件事。找准州的代表是不管用的。我想，”她说道，“斯奈伯议员比较合适。他是西部来的。我查查我的私人资料，看他代表哪个立场。”她从书桌上标有“斯”字的一格中取出一些卡片。
“Yes，” says she， “hes marked with a star； that means “ready to serve”. Now， lets see. “Age 55； married twice； Presbyterian， likes blondes， Tolstoi， poker and stewed terrapinterrapin n.［动］龟鳖类； sentimental at third bottle of wine.”Yes，” she goes on， “I am sure I can have your friend， Mr. Bummer， appointed Minister to Brazil.”
“是啊，”她说，“他的卡片上标有一个星号；那意味着他“乐于效劳”。再让我们看看。“年龄五十五，结过两次婚，长老会教徒喜欢金发女人、托尔斯泰的小说、扑克和清炖甲鱼，只有三两的酒量。”唔，”她继续说，“我有把握让你的朋友布默先生被委任为巴西公使。”
“Humble，” says I. “And United States Marshal was the berth.”
“亨伯尔，”我纠正她说，“他要的差使是联邦法院的执法官。”
“Oh， yes，” says Mrs. Avery. “I have so many deals of this sort I sometimes get them confused. Give me all the memoranda you have of the case， Mr. Peters， and come back in four days. I think it can be arranged by then.”
“哦，不错。”艾弗里太太说，“这类事情我处理得太多啦，有时候不免纠缠不清。把这件事做一个详细的备忘录给我，彼得斯先生，四天以后再来。我想那时候该办妥了。”
So me and Andy goes back to our hotel and waits. Andy walks up and down and chews the left end of his mustachemustache n.髭， 胡子.
我和安迪便回旅馆去等着。安迪在房间里踱来踱去，咬着左面的胡子。
“A woman of high intellect and perfect beauty is a rare thing. Jeff，” says he.
“既有高度的智力，又长得十分漂亮的女人是少有的，杰夫。”他说。
“As rare，” says I， “as an omelet made from the eggs of the fabulous bird known as the epidermis。” says I.
“少得像是神话中那种叫做埃比台米斯的鸟蛋煎的蛋卷。”我说。
“A woman like that，” says Andy， “ought to lead a man to the highest positions of opulenceopulence n.富裕 and fame.”
“一个那样的女人，”安迪说，“可以使男人得到最高的名利和地位。”