遊樂場所見 - 古德明
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When Maxim Gorky,① the Russian writer, visited America, he was taken to Coney Island② by friends who wanted him to see this huge playground swarming with holiday throngs. They took him through crowded concessions, where he saw one dizzy contraption after another swinging people through the air, swirling them in eccentric curves, shooting them down breathtaking inclines. They took him underground and overground, into museums of freaks, palaces of jugglers, theatres of dancing ladies and living statuary. They were giving Gorky the time of his life!
Finally, at the end of what may have seemed to them a perfect day, they asked Gorky how he had liked it. Gorky was silent for a moment. Then he said, very simply, "What a sad people you must be!"
俄國作家高爾基①曾往訪美國，朋友帶他到科尼島②，想他看看這個度假者熙來攘往的大遊樂場。他們帶高爾基參觀擁擠的場所，其中有五花八門的玩意，或把人轉動拋起，或把人循突兀弧線旋轉，或把人滑下驚險的斜坡。他們帶高爾基從地上走到地下，又從地下走到地上，進入古怪博物館、魔術宮殿、舞女與活雕像戲院等等，管教高爾基一生難忘。
那一天，對高爾基的朋友來說，也許是美好得無以復加。到了最後，他們問高爾基覺得怎樣。高爾基略一沉吟，然後簡簡單單回答說：「你們這個民族，一定很不愉快。」
①高爾基是俄國小說家，卒於一九三六年。
②科尼島隸屬紐約市，是一遊樂場地。
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