Waldo Jeffers had reached his limit. 金都杰弗斯已经达到了他的极限。

It was now mid-August which meant that he had been separated from Marsha for more than two months. 现在是八月中旬这意味着他已脱离玛莎超过两个月。

Two months, and all he had to show were three dog-eared letters and two very expensive long-distance phone calls. 两个月的时间，和所有他必须表现出三个狗耳字母和两个非常昂贵的长途电话。

True, when school had ended and she'd returned to Wisconsin and he to Locust, Pennsylvania she had sworn to maintain a certain fidelity. 的确，当学校已经结束，她回到了威斯康星州，他以蝗虫，宾夕法尼亚州，她曾发誓要保持一定的保真度。

She would date occasionally, but merely as amusement. 她会偶尔约约会，而仅仅是娱乐。

She would remain faithful. But lately Waldo had begun to worry. 她会保持忠诚。但最近瓦尔多已经开始担心。

He had trouble sleeping at night and when he did, he had horrible dreams. 他睡不着觉，晚上，当他做到了，他有可怕的梦。

He lay awake at night, tossing and turning underneath his printed quilt protector, tears welling in his eyes, 他彻夜难眠，辗转反侧了印花被套保护之下，泪水在他的眼里夺眶而出，

As he pictured Marsha, her sworn vows overcome by liquor and the smooth soothings of some Neanderthal, 正如他想象玛莎，她宣誓誓言克服白酒和一些尼安德特人的顺利soothings ，

Finally submitting to the final caresses of sexual oblivion. It was more than the human mind could bear. 最后提交给性遗忘的最终爱抚。这是比人的心灵可以承受的。

   

Visions of Marsha's faithlessness haunted him. 玛莎的不忠的看法困扰着他。

Daytime fantasies of sexual abandon permeated his thoughts. 性幻想白天抛弃渗透了他的想法。

And the thing was, they wouldn't understand who she really was. 而事情是，他们想不明白，她究竟是谁。

He, Waldo, alone, understood this. 他，金都，独自一人，理解这一点。

He had intuitively grasped every nook and cranny of her psyche. 他直觉地抓住了她心灵的每一个角落。

He had made her smile, and she needed him, and he wasn't there. (Awww.) 他曾使她的微笑，她需要他，他不在那里。 （呀。 ）

The idea came to him on the Thursday before the Mummers Parade was scheduled to appear. 这个想法来到他在周四的哑剧演员大游行原定出席聆讯。

He had just finished mowing and edging the Edelsons lawn for a dollar-fifty 他刚刚完成了修剪和饰边的Edelsons草坪为美元50

And had checked the mailbox to see if there was at least a word from Marsha. 并检查邮箱，看是否有至少从玛莎的话。

There was nothing more than a circular form the Amalgamated Aluminum Company of America inquiring into his awning needs. 有什么比一个圆形的形式混合的美国铝业公司询问了他的雨篷需求。

At least they cared enough to write. 至少，他们关心不够写。

   

It was a New York company. You could go anywhere in 这是一家纽约公司。你可以去任何地方

the mails. Then it struck him: he didn't have enough 该邮件。然后，它击中了他，他没有足够的

money to go to Wisconsin in the accepted fashion, 钱去威斯康星州在接受时尚，

true, but why not mail himself? It was absurdly 真实的，但为什么不自己发邮件？这是荒谬的

simple. He would ship himself parcel post special 简单。他将自己运送邮包特殊

delivery. The next day Waldo went to the supermarket 交货。第二天金都去超市

to purchase the necessary equipment. He bought 购置必要的设备。他买了

masking tape, a staple gun and a medium sized 美纹纸胶带，主食枪和尺寸的介质

cardboard box, just right for a person of his build. 纸箱，正好适合一个人他的身材。

He judged that with a minimum of jostling he could 他判断，随着最低拥挤，他可以的

ride quite comfortably. A few airholes, some water, a 乘坐相当舒适。一些airholes ，一些水，

selection of midnight snacks, and it would probably be 选择的宵夜，而且它很可能是

as good as going tourist. 不如去旅游。

   

By Friday afternoon, Waldo was set. He was thoroughly 周五下午，金都设置。他是彻底

packed and the post office had agreed to pick him up 包装和邮局已经同意接他

at three o'clock. He'd marked the package "FRAGILE" 三点钟。他已经打上了包“脆弱”

and as he sat curled up inside, resting in the foam 而当他坐在里面蜷缩起来，搁在泡沫

rubber cushioning he'd thoughtfully included, he tried 橡胶减震他会若有所思在内，他试图

to picture the look of awe and happiness on Marsha's 以图片敬畏和幸福对玛莎的外观

face as she opened the door, saw the package, tipped 脸，她打开门，看到了包，补篮

the deliverer, and then opened it to see her Waldo 的拯救者，然后打开它，看看她瓦尔多

finally there in person. She would kiss him, and then 终于有专人。她会亲吻他，然后

maybe they could see a movie. If he'd only thought of 也许他们可以去看电影。如果他只想到了

this before. Suddenly rough hands gripped his package 这之前。突然，粗糙的手抓住了他的包

and he felt himself borne up. He landed with a thud 他觉得自己承担了。他登陆了砰的一声

in a truck and then he was off. 在一辆卡车，然后他被关。

   

Marsha Bronson had just finished setting her hair. It 玛莎·布朗森刚刚完成设置她的头发。它

had been a very rough weekend. She had to remember 曾是很粗糙的周末。她记得

not to drink like that. Bill had been nice about it 不要喝这样的。比尔一直不错吧

though. After it was over he'd said that he still 虽然。之后，一切都结束了，他会说，他仍然

respected her and, after all, it was certainly the way 尊重她，毕竟，这是肯定的方式

of nature and even though no, he didn't love her, he 自然，即使没有，他不爱她，他

did feel an affection for her. And after all, they 的确感到了对她的感情。毕竟，他们

were grown adults. Oh, what Bill could teach Waldo -- 人长大的成年人。哦，明白比尔能教瓦尔多 -

but that seemed many years ago. Sheila Klein, her 但似乎很多年前。希拉·克莱恩，她

very, very best friend walked in through the porch 非常非常的最好的朋友通过门廊走进

screen door into the kitchen. "Oh God, it's 纱门走进厨房。 “哦，上帝，这是

absolutely maudlin outside." 绝对伤感之外。 “

"Ugh, I know what you mean, I feel all icky." Marsha “啊，我知道你的意思，我觉得所有的恶心。 ”玛莎

tightened the belt on her cotton robe with the silk 收紧皮带在她的棉布长袍的丝绸

outer edge. Sheila ran her finger over some salt 外缘。希拉跑了她的手指上点盐

grains on the kitchen table, licked her finger and made a face. 谷物放在厨房的桌上，舔她的手指做了个鬼脸。

"I'm supposed to be taking these salt pills, but," she “我应该服用这些药丸盐，但是，”她

wrinkled her nose, "they make me feel like throwing up." 她皱皱鼻子，“他们让我觉得扔了。 ”

Marsha started to pat herself under the chin, an 玛莎开始拍自己的下巴，一

exercise she'd seen on television. "God, don't even 锻炼她在电视上看到。 “上帝，甚至不

talk about that." She got up from the table and went 谈到这一点。 “她从桌上起身走到

to the sink where she picked up a bottle of pink and 在那里她拿起一瓶粉红色的水槽和

blue vitamins. "Want one? Supposed to be better than 蓝色的维生素。 “想要吗？应该比好

steak." And attempted to touch her knees. "I don't 牛排。 “，试图抚摸她的膝盖。 ”我不

think I'll ever touch a daiquiri again." She gave up 想我会永远碰代基里了。“她放弃了

and sat down, this time nearer the small table that 坐了下来，这个时候更近的小表

supported the telephone. "Maybe Bill'll call," she 支持电话。 “也许Billll打电话， ”她

said to Sheila's glance. 希拉的目光说。

Sheila nibbled on a cuticle. "After last night, I 希拉蚕食的角质层。 “经过昨晚，我

thought maybe you'd be through with him." 想也许你会通过他。 “

"I know what you mean. My God, he was like an “我知道你的意思，我的天啊，他就像一个

octopus. Hands all over the place." She gestured, 章鱼。手中所有的地方。 “她做了个手势，

raising her arms upward in defense. "The thing is 向上举起她的手臂防守。 “问题是

after a while, you get tired of fighting with him, you 一段时间后，你厌倦了跟他打架，你

know, and after all he didn't really do anything 知道了，毕竟他并没有真正做什么

Friday and Saturday so I kind of owed it to him, you 周五和周六，所以我有种欠了他，你

know what I mean." She started to scratch. Sheila 明白我的意思。 “她开始从头开始。希拉

was giggling with her hand over her mouth. "I'll tell 在咯咯的笑，她用手捂住嘴。 “我会告诉

you, I felt the same way, and even after a while," she 你，我有同样的感觉，甚至在一段时间， “她

bent forward in a whisper, "I wanted to," and now she 一心想着低声说：“我想， ”现在她

was laughing very loudly. 笑得很大声。

   

It was at this point that Mr. Jameson of the Clarence 正是在这一点上，詹姆逊的克拉伦斯先生

Darrow Post Office rang the door bell of the large 达罗邮政局响大的门铃

stucco colored frame house. When Marsha Bronson 灰泥色的木屋。当玛莎·布朗森

opened the door, he helped her carry the package in. 打开门，他帮她扛的软件包中。

He had his yellow and his green slips of paper signed 他有他的黄色和他的绿色纸条上签字

and left with a fifteen-cent tip that Marsha had 并留下了一个15美分的提示，玛莎有

gotten out of her mothers small beige pocket book in 得到了她母亲的米色小口袋里的书在

the den. "What do you think it is?" Sheila asked. 书房。 “那你觉得它是什么？ ”希拉问。

Marsha stood with her arms folded behind her back. S 玛莎站在交叉着胳膊在她背后。 š

he stared at the brown cardboard carton that sat in 他的棕色纸板箱，在坐着盯着

the middle of the living room. "I don't know." 客厅的中间。 “我不知道。 ”

   

Inside the package Waldo quivered with excitement as 包的内里金都发抖兴奋

he listened to the muffled voices. Sheila ran her 他听着低沉的声音。希拉她跑了

fingernail over the masking tape that ran down the 手指甲上跑下来的遮蔽胶带

center of the carton. "Why don't you look at the 中心的纸箱。 “你为什么不看

return address and see who it is from?" Waldo felt 返回地址，看看它是谁吗？“金都感觉

his heart beating. He could feel the vibrating 他的心脏跳动。他能感觉到的振动

footsteps. It would be soon. 脚步声。这将是很快。

   

Marsha walked around the carton and read the 玛莎走了一圈纸箱和阅读

ink-scratched label. "Ugh, God, it's from Waldo!" 墨划伤标签。 “啊，上帝，这是从金都！ ”

"That schmuck," said Sheila. Waldo trembled with “那个笨蛋， ”希拉说。金都颤抖

expectation. "Well, you might as well open it," said 期望。 “好了，你还不如打开它，说：”

Sheila. Both of them tried to lift the stapled flap. 希拉。他们都试图解除装订瓣。

   

"Ahh, shit," said Marsha groaning. "He must have “啊，妈的，说：”玛莎呻吟。 “他必须有

nailed it shut." They tugged at the flap again. "My 钉它关上了。 “他们扯了扯皮瓣了。 ”我

God, you need a power drill to get this thing opened." 上帝，你需要一个电钻拿到这个东西打开。 “

They pulled again. "You can't get a grip!" They 他们再次拉升。 “你不能获得抓地力！ ”他们

both stood still, breathing heavily. 无论站定，喘着粗气。

"Why don't you get the scissors," said Sheila. Marsha “你为什么不拿剪刀， ”希拉说。玛莎

ran into the kitchen, but all she could find was a 跑进厨房，但所有她能找到的是一个

little sewing scissor. Then she remembered that her 小缝纫剪刀。这时，她想起了她

father kept a collection of tools in the basement. 父亲总是一个工具集合在地下室。

She ran downstairs and when she came back, she had a 她跑下楼，当她回来的时候，她有一个

large sheet-metal cutter in her hand. 大型钣金切割机在手心里。

"This is the best I could find." She was very out of “这是最好的，我能找到的。 ”她非常出

breath. "Here, you do it. I'm gonna die." She sank 一口气。 “在这里，你做到这一点。我会死的。”她下沉

into a large fluffy couch and exhaled noisily. 成蓬松的大沙发上，呼出的喧哗。

Sheila tried to make a slit between the masking tape 希拉试图使胶带之间的缝隙

and the end of the cardboard, but the blade was too 和纸板的端部，但在叶片太

big and there wasn't enough room. "Godamn this 大，而且没有足够的空间。 “ Godamn这

thing!" she said feeling very exasperated. Then, 事情！ “她说感到很恼火。然后，

smiling, "I got an idea." 面带微笑， “我有个主意。 ”

"What?" said Marsha. “什么？ ”玛莎说。

"Just watch," said Sheila touching her finger to her head. “刚才看，说：”希拉抚摸她的手指她的头。

   

Inside the package, Waldo was so transfixed with 包的内里，沃尔是如此呆住了

excitement that he could barely breathe. His skin 兴奋的他几乎无法呼吸。他的皮肤

felt prickly from the heat and he could feel his heart 带刺的感觉从热，他能感觉到自己的心脏

beating in his throat. It would be soon. Sheila 跳动在他的喉咙。这将是很快。希拉

stood quite upright and walked around to the other 站在很正直，走了一圈其他

side of the package. Then she sank down to her knees, 包边条。然后，她一屁股坐在她的膝盖，

grasped the cutter by both handles, took a deep breath 抓住了切刀由两个手柄，深吸了一口气

and plunged the long blade through the middle of the 并通过对中间暴跌的长叶片

package, through the middle of the masking tape, 包，通过该掩模用胶带的中间，

through the cardboard, through the cushioning and 通过硬纸板，通过缓冲和

(thud) right through the center of Waldo Jeffers head, （重击） ，通过金都杰弗斯头的中间偏右，

which split slightly and caused little rhythmic arcs 这略微分开，并没有引起多大的节奏弧

of red to pulsate gently in the morning sun. 红色在清晨的阳光轻轻地跳动。