第224 期 中文版 | 查令十字街84号

主播：潇雨，Wilson

地标：湖南，成都

If you happen to pass by 84 Charing CrossRoad, kiss it for me. I owe it so much.

如果你恰好路过查令十字街84号，请代我献上一吻，我亏欠她良多……

14East 95th St., New York City

纽约市东九十五大街14号

9thFebruary, 1952

1952年2月9日

SLOTH,

大懒虫!

I could ROT over here before you'd send meanything to read. I oughta run straight down to brentano's which I would ifanything I wanted was in print. You may add Walton's Lives to the list of booksyou aren't sending me.

依我看若要等到你寄书来，我都不晓得要超渡几回了。我不如干脆直接冲进布伦塔诺书店，有什么就买什么，不管印得多糟!

You may add Walton's Lives to the list ofbooks you aren't sending me. It's against my principles to buy a book I haven'tread, it's like buying a dress you haven't tried on, but you can't even getWalton's Lives in a library over here.

你们不妨再加记一笔沃尔顿的《五人传》到我那份“该寄而未寄”的书单里头。老实说，订这本书实在是违背了我的购书原则。我从来不买没读过的书——否则，不就像买了一件没试穿过的衣服同样下场吗?可是，这儿竟然连图书馆也借不到这本书。

They have it down at the 42nd streetbranch. But not to take home! The lady said to me, shocked. Eat it here. Justsit right down in room 315 and read the whole book without a cup of coffee, acigarette or air.

要读的话倒是有。四十二大街上的分馆有一本，但，恕不外借!坐镇在柜台的女馆员用力摇了摇头，盛气凌人地说:“仅供内用!”然后只准我窝在密不通风的315号阅览室里啃完整本书。既不能边读边喝咖啡，抽烟就更纯属妄想了。

Doesn't matter, Q quoted enough of it so Iknow I'll like it. Anything he liked I'll like except if it's fiction. I nevercan get interested in things that didn't happen to people who never lived.

没关系，反正Q多次引用这本书里的段子，所以我肯定也会喜欢它。只要是Q喜欢的，我都照单全收——小说除外，我就是没法儿喜欢那些根本不存在的虚构人物操演着不曾发生过的事儿。

What do you do with yourself all day, sitin the back of the store and read? Why don't you try selling a book tosomebody?

你们成天都没事干吗?是不是都窝在店里头看书?何不起身做点儿生意呢?

MISS Hanff to you.

汉芙小姐上

(I'm Helene only to my FRIENDS)

(只有我的“朋友”才可以叫我“海莲”！）

p.s. tell the girls and Nora if all goeswell they're getting nylons for Lent.

p.s.转告女孩们和诺拉，如果一切顺利的话，她们在大斋节都有丝袜可穿。

84,Charing Cross Road, London

伦敦市查令十字街84号

14thFebruary, 1952

1952年2月14日

Dear Helene,

亲爱的海莲:

I quite agree it is time we dropped the“Miss” when writing to you. I am not really so stand-offish as you may havebeen led to believe, but as copies of letters I have written to you go into theoffice files the formal address seemed more appropriate. But as this letter hasnothing to do with books, there will be no copy.

我也十分同意，该是我们都摒弃无谓的“小姐”、“先生”敬称的时候了。不瞒您说，我本人实在并不像您长久以为的那样既木讷又严峻。只是我写给您的信都必须存放一份副本作为业务存档，所以我认为行礼如仪似乎比较妥当。不过，此封信既然与书店业务无关，自然毋须顾虑副本、存档的问题。

We are quite at a loss to know how youmanaged the nylons which appeared this noon as if by magic. All I can tell youis that when I came back from lunch they were on my desk with a note reading:“From Helene Hanff.” No one seems to know how or when they arrived. The girlsare very thrilled and I believe they are planning to write to you themselves.

我们百思不得其解，不明白您如何隔海变戏法，让四双丝袜无中生有。我所知道的只是:今天中午我用过午餐回到书店，就赫然发现它们已经好端端地摆在我的办公桌上，上头还附着一张写着“海莲·汉芙赠”的卡片。没有人晓得它们是什么时候或是怎么来的。女孩们都吓呆了，我晓得她们正在打主意待会儿自行写信给您。

I am sorry to say that our friend Mr.George Martin who has been so ill for some time passed away in hospital lastweek. He was with the firm a great number of years, so with that loss and theKing dying so suddenly as well, we are rather a mournful crowd at the moment.

有一件令人遗憾的事要向您报告:久卧病榻的乔治·马丁先生上周在医院中病逝了。他在本书店工作已有多个年头。伴随着这个噩耗。国王的猝然驾崩亦使我们此刻都笼罩在一片哀戚之中。

I don’t see how we can ever repay you foryour many kind gifts. All I can say is, if you ever decide to make the trip toEngland, there will be a bed for you at 37 Oakfield Court for as long as youcare to stay.

我实在不知该如何回报您对我们的不断付出。我所能做到的，只是当您确定访问英国时，橡原巷37号将会有一个房间，可供您无限期地住宿。

With best wishes from us all,

全员共祝您一切美好

Frank Doel

弗兰克·德尔

译者：陈建铭

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