Andreas

Angela

Henry

活跃在房地产投资和分析领域的专业人士，参与多个房地产市场预测和分析讨论。

Ira

Marla

Matthew

None

Tatiana

Willa

《快乐的日子》：一场关于挑战、友谊与秘密的舞台剧

我，马修·林，站在幕后，听着台下观众的欢呼。今晚，我将代替艾拉·威尔逊，出演贝克特的《快乐的日子》中的温妮一角。这既让我担忧，又让我兴奋不已。

我并非一个籍籍无名之辈。作为剧团的常驻“大腕”，我曾成功塑造了麦克白夫人、海达·盖布勒和美狄亚等经典角色，却直到四十多岁才真正大放异彩。而温妮，这个贝克特笔下最伟大的女性角色，无疑是对我演技的一次终极考验。

这个角色的挑战不仅仅在于演技本身。贝克特遗产以其对剧本的严格限制而闻名，任何对原著的改动或替换都可能招致他们的强烈不满。他们对“种族议程”、“后现代把戏”和“性别互换”等都极其敏感。而我，将以一个男性演员的身份，直接违背剧作家的意愿，出演温妮。

我潜入舞台中央左侧的土堆中。这是一个中空的壳，用锁闩固定，像马车门一样隐藏在观众视线之外。我闭上眼睛，感受着紧张与兴奋交织的复杂情绪。舞台经理维拉向我竖起了大拇指，短暂的平静之后，手机的提示音打破了这份宁静。观众们正在发短信和发帖，我的秘密演出已经泄露。

艾拉，我的挚友，也是温妮的原定扮演者，临危受命，拄着拐杖走上舞台，向观众们请求不要在社交媒体上发布关于我的演出信息。她巧妙地使用了“挑剔”（tetchiness）一词来解释贝克特遗产的敏感性，化解了尴尬，也赢得了观众的理解。

我们的剧团已经步入暮年。成立近五十年，仅在过去十年里上演了四部作品。艾拉七十一岁，而我，作为剧团第二代成员中最年轻的，也已经六十二岁了。今晚的观众，大部分都是提前得到消息的熟人。我的“明星登场”，其实是一个公开的秘密。

艾拉的声明，将今晚的紧张气氛推向了高潮。她声称自己因病无法演出，而我，则成为了“秘密主角”。她几乎每晚都会以同样的理由缺席，而我则可以光明正大地违背贝克特遗产的意愿，尽情演绎温妮。

我的扮相十分简洁，仅仅是假发、假睫毛和一抹鲜红的唇膏。我没有刻意去迎合角色对身材的要求，我的身形依然纤细。我能否成功？随着铃声响起，我进入了角色。

温妮，如同往日一样，被埋在土堆里，只露出腰部以上。她从手提包里拿出各种物品，回忆着往事，这简单的动作，是她对生活的诠释。舞台上还有另一个角色，温妮的丈夫威利，他们如同末日时代的滑稽二人组，共同面对着荒诞的现实。

演出过程中，我脑海中闪过一个念头：“我为什么要执意出演这个角色？” 我无法回答这个问题，也无暇顾及。聚光灯下，我看不见观众，却能听到导演玛拉在记事本上写字的声音。这让我有些不安，但或许只是她为我的搭档安德烈亚斯，或者灯光和布景设计师做的笔记。

玛拉比我年轻二十岁，但我们志同道合，都热爱贝克特、契诃夫，都厌恶尤奈斯库和斯特林堡。她是耶鲁戏剧学院毕业生，而我则是一个自学成才的“街头艺术家”。

我赤脚站在土堆里的木质平台上，膝盖和大腿可以靠在内壁上。我将在第一幕的整个小时里保持这个姿势。我运用嗓音的高音区，引来阵阵笑声。

观众们并非我的朋友，他们的反应也时而友好，时而冷漠。排练时，我曾苦于剧本中支离破碎的台词。在一般的戏剧中，演员的记忆与对方的台词紧密相连，但温妮的台词却像是一股意识流。

她被困的现状，被她自觉的记忆所打破，这完美地概括了老年人的状态。尽管我知道这只是我的恐惧，但我还是担心自己是否患上了阿尔茨海默病或痴呆症。

四十年前，我开始拥有性生活，那正值艾滋病疫情最悲惨阶段的尾声。我父亲家族有冠心病史。一位之前的温妮扮演者曾写道，她对贝克特的台词感到惊讶，因为这些台词出乎意料地与她自己的生活息息相关。每晚，剧本的不同部分都显得贴切而预言性。

她经常被剧作家出其不意的“玩笑”所打动。当然，这是一个错误。温妮绝不能哭泣。或者说，如果哭泣，也应该适度而克制。然而，在第一幕接近尾声时，我发现自己也被突如其来的情绪所打动。说到温妮的牙刷，我突然想到了我生命中最初的“拾荒者”——我的祖母。

我的祖母在纽约唐人街的垃圾桶里翻找东西，而我就是在那里长大的。她从包里掏出残缺的塑料娃娃、破损的微型佛像、可回收的罐子和塑料杯、没吃完或半吃完的面包。在我的祖母看来，这些东西仍然“很好”。我爱这个女人。

如果她的世界是杂乱无章的废物，那么我的世界也将如此。这是我阅读书籍、进行自我教育的方式。例如，我对托尔斯泰或陀思妥耶夫斯基知之甚少，但我对契诃夫却有着深入的研究。

然而，说我扮演温妮是为了向祖母致敬并不准确。事实上，像所有演员一样，我被贪婪和渴望所驱使——渴望最好的角色，渴望更多。当温妮谈到她的物品时，有人察觉到我声音中的哽咽吗？玛拉和艾拉一定注意到了。

玛拉负责这次演出的指导，艾拉则会在某些特定夜晚登台。她将获得机会，尽管扮演温妮是我的梦想，而不是她的。然而，这次演出并非我的一意孤行。剧团的其他成员都表达了类似的观点。

他们尊重我对这部戏和这个角色的热情，但为什么剧团要冒着法律风险，为一个人的“幻想”买单呢？艾拉，我最好的朋友，说服了足够多的人，让这个“冒险”得以进行。

过去十年，剧团就像一个病人，时不时地靠成员们的努力获得新的活力。例如，对某个角色的毕生渴望。为什么马修·林不能扮演温妮呢？在这个角色中，我将展现最纯粹的化身。去他的遗产！

唯一剩下的问题是，贝克特遗产何时会发现我们的把戏？何时会“山穷水尽疑无路”？我和剧团成员既紧张又兴奋，如同坐上了过山车，还在上升阶段，而坠落还远得很。第一幕结束。幕布落下的速度怎么还不够快！

安德烈亚斯的手搭在我的胳膊上，把我从土堆里扶出来，我意识到自己浑身颤抖。因为只有两个演员需要离开舞台，主要的布景调整只是更换土堆下的平台，所以当我回到舞台上时，平台已经被换成了一个更低的平台，这样观众就能看到更可怕的“埋葬”。

温妮将被埋到脖子。到处都是令人惊讶的骚动。我闭上眼睛，更好地通过声音来判断观众的情绪。他们很喧闹，但我无法判断他们是高兴还是失望。艾拉在我面前，拄着拐杖，像个飞毛腿。

玛拉直到演出结束后才会出现，她会像往常一样，严厉地指出我的表演习惯。过于自我意识，并非所有事情都是滑稽剧。我曾吹嘘自己是唯一一个在《麦克白》中将洗手场景演绎得如此滑稽的演员。想象一下，肥皂滑落……

然后再次滑落。想象一下麦克白夫人在镜子前被自己的美丽所吸引，然后才想起自己手上沾满了血。当她找到最优雅的解决方案——用一双红色的手套来掩盖无法溶解的谋杀污渍时，听到观众惊讶的掌声。这些选择与导演（不是玛拉，而是剧团的另一位常客）发生了冲突。

“你做得很好，”艾拉说。我的呼吸终于恢复了。我问：“我是不是跳过了一段？”维拉试图掩饰她的不耐烦，但重要的是让我坐下，放松腿和膝盖。我明白了，我们开始离开舞台。

艾登走在我们前面，打开了更衣室的门，在矮凳上放了一个垫子，进一步抬高我的脚。我把艾登手中的瓶装水推开。“我出汗太多了，是不是出汗太多了？”我问艾拉。“在我看来，你冷静得很。”我检查我的腋窝，我的腹股沟。“这是中风的征兆吗？”我感觉不到任何潮湿。

“你的心脏怎么样？”维拉把手放在我的胸口。“你没事，”她说。“十五分钟后我们会来接你。”年轻人关上了门。六个月前，糖尿病引起的低位水肿让艾拉住进了医院。五十年来，她一直通过演艺生涯的变迁来控制病情，需要的时候就贷款，然后通过医疗补助。

现在是医疗保险，但同样的废话依然存在。胰岛素的价格完全取决于企业的随意决定。“想看看鲁比的新男朋友吗？”她在医院的病床上问我。不太想，但我笑了，她用手机给我看。她什么时候回来？我问。下周，艾拉的女儿鲁比在一个女子摇滚乐队“利蒙切洛”中担任贝斯手。

他们目前的巡演结束后，她将和她母亲住在一起，她们在纽约下东区共住一间公寓。在她回家的那个星期，艾里斯的朋友们将可以休息一下，尽管他们并不介意帮忙。鲁比的父亲已经去世很久了，他曾是艾里斯在意大利的一部电影中的搭档，艾里斯在该片中担任唯一的女主角。

她在国外待了五年，回到美国后，剧团认识了小鲁比。艾拉现在半退休了。作为好朋友，我学会了打麻将，这样我就可以陪她去她最喜欢的唐人街麻将馆。“我为什么还没死？”艾拉问她私人病房的天花板。

我问她是否想从我们上次读到的地方继续读《安娜·卡列尼娜》，我读给她听。糖尿病已经开始影响她的视力。“我知道你不想谈论这个，”她说。“但是你必须让我——”她花了一段时间才找到一个合适的词。“把这事说出来，”她说。“说吧，我不想继续成为鲁比和你们的负担。”

“你的病情恶化了吗？”我问。“如果恶化了，你的医生肯定知道如何保守秘密。”“这是我三年内的第三次住院。”“你怎么想？”“病情得到了控制，你控制得很好。”然后，我好像被抽了一巴掌。“我们是在谈论死亡吗？”我问。“我们已经谈论多年了，”她回答。“我的意思是，我想让你帮我一把。”

“不，”她说，然后她说，“我不知道。”这不仅仅是因为她患有糖尿病，糖尿病已经对她的肝脏和肾脏产生了连锁反应，很快，医生警告说，她的心脏也会受到影响。此外，还有年龄加速的衰弱，以及精神上的压力。

多次回到黑暗的内心世界。我模仿拿起一部手动电话的听筒。你好？尊严在线一号。这是一个苦涩的笑话。瑞士的组织让你跳过这么多障碍才能获得协助自杀的资格，你不如继续活着。但我与艾拉互相理解。

如果她想，她可以停止服用胰岛素。死亡不会没有痛苦，但她很有可能在昏迷中死去，这是仅次于睡梦中死去的好事。显然，这是每个人最喜欢的死亡场景。她叹了口气。我只是想强调一下现在已经很晚了。

值得注意的是，在我所有的朋友中，精神最轻松的人，在谈到自己的死亡时，却如此坚定。我把装有《安娜·卡列尼娜》的iPad收了起来。“我可以问一下，有什么事情能让你至少再活几年吗？”在她回答之前，我告诉了她我自己的生存理由。

在《快乐的日子》中扮演温妮。并不是说我快死了。也不是说我需要一个理由。艾拉问：“你想知道今晚谁在外面吗？我们认识的人吗？”我回答说，然后改变了主意。最好不要。安吉拉在剧院里。她可能说了，“你死去的祖母坐在前排。”突然，我哭了。

安吉拉·鲁恩答应来参加，但我认为那是胡说八道。虽然她是我们内部笑话的常客，但安吉拉是战斗的守护神，是我们这种事业中想要拥有的图腾。过了一会儿，我问，她喜欢吗？我想知道吗？

事实上，对马修·瑟克尔来说，安吉拉·鲁恩是某种自封贵族的一种简写。当我和我的剧团在一个艺术基础设施可笑、没有艺术支持的国家继续辛勤工作时，安吉拉的话，她只在欧洲执导作品。每三年一次，她都会出现在萨尔茨堡音乐节上。

她最成功的作品是在亚马逊仓库里上演的《费加罗的婚礼》。阿里安·米努什金曾邀请她去巴黎监督研讨会，她在斯德哥尔摩戏剧艺术学院开设了导演大师班。由于这些收入，她能够在翠贝卡买下一间阁楼。但是……

三十年前，在旧金山，她将《克拉普的最后录音带》的诠释设定在一个精神病院里，违反了贝克特的舞台指示。她的主角把自己锁在了精神病院院长的办公室里，并随意使用数小时的囚犯访谈录音带。法院禁令试图阻止演出。

当法官做出裁决时，只剩下少数几场演出，出于实际考虑，这些演出被允许继续进行。但原定前往东海岸的巡演被取消了。安吉拉更严重和持久的惩罚是她被禁止未来与伟大的爱尔兰诗人合作。

直到那时，她几乎所有的生计都来自导演他的戏剧，以及出现在贝克特小组讨论会上，并撰写关于贝克特所有事物的学术和普通兴趣文章。她的关于导演《等待戈多》的圣经文本几乎包含在每个大学戏剧史教学大纲中。50岁时，她不得不重新开始。

六个月前，在艾拉的建议下，我带安吉拉去她家附近的餐馆吃午饭。当我承认温妮是我的珠穆朗玛峰时，她拿起她的浓缩咖啡杯。“我的建议，”她说，“是撒谎。让所有合作者都保守秘密。”

不要做广告。不要做新闻。你如何将这与吸引观众联系起来将是你的巨大挑战。但我猜想，你几十年来一直没有停止培养粉丝群，他们无论如何都会来看你的演出。

“预订短期演出，”安吉拉继续说道。“社交媒体可能会加快宣传周期，”“但希望官僚主义的齿轮仍然转动缓慢。”“当遗产的禁令到来时，”“你已经逃脱了，祈祷吧。”“安吉拉问我是否有什么问题要问她，”“但我什么也想不到。”“我为你这么说，”安吉拉告诉我。“你很有创意。”

我会说，对贝克特的99%的干预都是以《戈多》为中心的。全黑人演员阵容，全女性演员阵容。在太空站里的《戈多》。在潜艇里的《戈多》。我咬着嘴唇，避免说出，“在亚马逊仓库里的《戈多》？”安吉拉的另一个缺点是她倾向于只做一件事。你选择的贝克特戏剧，安吉拉说。好极了。

她用她的德米塔斯杯碰了碰我的冰柠檬水杯。“祝你成功，也祝你把爱德华·贝克特搞砸了。”她指的是剧作家，指的是某个非常讨厌的侄子和执行人。“不，”我对艾拉说，改变了主意。“别告诉我。她玩得很开心。我说了什么？”

“别装了，”艾拉说。“你很想听听伟大的安吉拉·鲁恩是怎么想的。”“我可以在任何地方认出她的笑声，”我说。“而且我认为她一次也没有笑。”“你需要检查一下你的耳朵，”艾拉说。“或者你的记忆。她是笑的人之一。”“好。我相信她的笑声。你确定我没有跳过一段吗？”“我的耳朵没听错，”艾拉说。“有人敲门。”

是安德烈亚斯，我的威利。他四十多岁，但打扮得像老了几十岁。他坐在地板上。“观众似乎很喜欢，”他说。“我无法判断，”我说。“可能是意外的调换带来的冲击，”安德烈亚斯说。“猜猜谁在外面？”我对安德烈亚斯说。“安吉拉·鲁恩。”“真的吗，”安德烈亚斯说。

你认为这部戏是不是在她的脑子里灌输了一些想法？也许我们会看到在亚马逊仓库或波音工厂上演的《快乐的日子》？我和马修笑了，互相击掌。“你忘了，”艾拉说，“她被贝克特禁止了。”安吉拉会对我们的演出保持冷静吗？我问。安德烈亚斯重新表述了这个问题。你的意思是，她会通过发帖来泄露我们的秘密吗？

“你还有演出要完成，”艾拉告诉我。“不要为不存在的破坏而烦恼。安吉拉为什么要那样做？请喝口水。这会让我感觉好些。”我打开水瓶，喝了一口。过了一会儿，我问：“如果安吉拉没有战胜遗产，我们为什么能？”“联盟？”艾拉问。

明天晚上媒体会来吗？每个人都知道我们在做什么吗？是安德烈亚斯回答的。据人们所知，艾拉真的不能演出了。他转向艾拉。你什么时候回归演出？他用引号说“回归”。如果需要，比如说在第三天晚上，你准备好上台了吗？我问艾拉。

“你的腿怎么样？”安德烈亚斯问。“我们现在真的要讨论这个问题吗？”艾拉说。“世界末日已经降临到舞台上，视觉效果无与伦比。”“第一次看到一个女人只有头，其余部分都被地球吞噬，总是，总是能吸引观众。”

有警报，但也有笑容和一种奇怪的平静。多么令人惊讶的解放啊，只用脖子以上的部分表演。但是自从第一幕以来，我的声音变得多么尖细。这没有排练过。我知道我不应该喝那水。放松是一个错误。

我害怕玛拉的责骂。她说多少，将决定我是否会出现在酒吧，或者今晚的一些参加者是否会请我喝酒和吃饭。演出后的聚会，来自远方的朋友们为了这个场合而旅行，或者在几个月或几年的失联后突然出现，

演员们会在剧院里待上数周或数月，就是为了这些夜晚。拥抱、亲吻、口臭八卦、秘密和心与心的交流，所有这些都是延长生命的因素。今晚我会送艾拉回家，或者鲁比会来接她母亲从酒吧、从餐馆回家。有很多最喜欢的选择。

一些酒吧老板和服务员是以前的演员同事。这是一个针尖上的世界。东村仍然毛茸茸的这几个街区。艾滋病曾经让街道空旷了一段时间，但现在有鲁比的一代人，以及一群住在附近大学宿舍的新剧院学生。

他们是火焰的守护者，参加剧团的演出，希望能看到演员们恢复到他们的“最佳状态”。问题是：演员们是否会与合适的角色相匹配？但是，在他们的年龄，大多数最好的角色都过去了。一股啤酒的味道突然充满了我的口腔。我在想演出后在酒吧的款待

领先于自己，结果，我颠倒了几行台词。《快乐的日子》的好处是：没有人能分辨出来。再一次，我“妈妈”，现在已经死了四十年了，出现在我的眼前，称赞温妮使用了“分裂”（sunderings）这个词。我不明白为什么第二幕中的这个词会让我想起我的祖母，

但她来了又走了。我的嘴唇上带着最温柔的笑容。我用一种秘密的方式完成了第二幕的几处阴郁之处。我曾经在舞台上闭着眼睛睡着过。最后一段并非如此，但我已经做了心理准备。这就是我的精力开始下降的地方。

这就像在几个月的不活动之后再次慢跑。你的肺和腿还不能带你走完全程。我期待着克服这种倦怠，这种缺乏训练。我给自己到第三或第四场演出。我期待今晚睡个好觉。安吉拉·鲁恩冲进我的更衣室，哭了起来。我也一样。

看到这一幕，在更衣室门口等候的祝贺者们都停住了脚步。其中包括艾拉和玛拉、维拉和艾登。是玛拉负责，她关上了门，宣布，我们会给他们几分钟。一段时间后，玛拉敲门，我打开了门。我和安吉拉都很平静，面带笑容，但我们无法放开彼此。我们的手紧紧握在一起。

我抢先一步，对玛拉说：“我知道。我还有十五分钟就撑不住了。”我在更衣室里又待了一个小时。我的精力再次飙升。“你让我信服了，”亨利说。

他那垂头丧气的脸让他扮演了许多契诃夫式的管家和随从队长，而他公司荣耀的时刻之一是扮演他们准马克思兄弟恶搞剧《一日汤》中由玛格丽特·杜蒙特启发的贵妇。看到亨利那屠夫般的肩膀从钻石连衣裙中探出来，这是一个持续不断的噱头。

那是25年前的事了。就在眼前，直到今晚，亨利对我的温妮冒险还犹豫不决。我呢？我问。你是问我自己还是问你自己？主要是自己？我帮不了你，亨利说。你处理了一条棘手的线。你能从特技表演过渡到超凡脱俗吗？

超凡脱俗？我重复道，扬起眉毛。谢谢你，我的朋友，你的投票对我来说意义重大。所有剧团成员都来了，这可能是他们在贝克特遗产发出停演通知之前的唯一机会。一些年轻的演员，思维敏捷的演员，

都被指派将法律文件（如果真的来了）改编成“喜剧”——对剧团非法地位的恶搞。毕竟，租赁合同是三周，舞台上必须上演一些东西。马修？塔蒂亚娜，一位40多岁的黑人女演员，在当地康艾德付款办公室有一份日常工作，在她脸上亲了一口。

我也吻了她。“塔蒂亚娜，我的宝贝！为你感到兴奋，”她说。“我竟然能生活在你温妮的时代？我将来会写一篇关于它的文章。善良点，”我说，尽我所能。薇薇安·利扮演的布兰奇·杜布瓦。“你这个荡妇！”罗莎轻轻地在我上臂打了一拳。

她是剧团的创始人之一，不需要太多劝说就能批准我的策略。房间对面突然传来一阵笑声。艾拉是其他剧团成员取笑的目标。庆、米娅、杰西卡、法比安、奥兰多、洛伊、拉尔夫、豪尔赫。

他们来这里表示支持，最重要的是，互相交流。酒吧的灯光展现了亨利侧面有趣的一面，我认为亨利将来可能会扮演李尔王的丑角。也许还有里根，国王那有毒的二女儿。从酒吧回到艾里斯家要走半个小时的路，但她水肿增加了十分钟。

她和我不时停下来，让她深呼吸。她做了一个想象练习，血液流向她左腿的臀部变得旺盛。我们一路朗读《快乐的日子》的台词，直到拉德洛街，我帮她上了三层难走的楼梯。鲁比不在家。从第二天晚上开始，

剧院经理做了两项声明：一位演员替换另一位演员，以及“请观众不要在社交媒体上发布相关信息”。再一次，我似乎无法克服最后的障碍，向我的搭档安德烈亚斯表示歉意。玛拉等待更衣室的粉丝离开，然后是半个小时的点评。

令我惊讶的是，她并没有像第一天晚上那样将最后一部分描述为“贫血”。“好多了，”她说。“比你知道的要好得多。继续。”那天晚上，观众中有百老汇人士和现代舞人士，据我们所知，没有遗产方面的麻烦。维拉在晚上开始时传达的一些好消息鼓舞了大家。

关于我们的《快乐的日子》没有社交媒体剧透，只有少数几篇帖子暗示与会者将获得意外的惊喜。后来，我和艾拉在回拉德洛街的路上争吵。她责怪我与祝贺的粉丝们在更衣室里卖弄。在我冷静下来后，我问她：“我不能为自己高兴吗？”

艾拉前一天晚上的责骂让我清醒。我成功地屏蔽了今晚观众中可能会有谁的想法。看着镜子涂抹化妆品，我用“分裂”这个词来进行发声练习。我夸大了第一个和最后一个咝音，一遍遍地发出令人愉悦的声音。我的祖母在演出期间没有出现。

而且出于某种原因，当这个词在臭名昭著的最后一幕中出现在我的脑海中时，它激励了我，我爆发出一股新的能量。当幕布落下，在为谢幕而再次升起之前，两位演员做的第一件事就是互相拥抱，以承认这部戏结尾几分钟的最强烈的诠释。

当幕布升起时，我在哭，安德烈亚斯在微笑。更多明星在更衣室里致敬。艺术界人士？出版界人士？世界真小。所以维拉提醒玛拉把那些书本人士带到一边，并要求他们保持沉默，以免消息传回贝克特美国出版商格罗夫出版社的办公室。

我接待粉丝，表现得最好，最谦虚。我能感觉到艾拉坐在一个偏僻的角落，背对着我，不知何故在看着我。今晚，艾拉是回拉德洛街路上唯一一个说台词的人。她将在明天提前几天首次以温妮的身份登场。

我告诉玛拉我有预感遗产已经盯上我们了，即使我和维拉一起仔细搜索了过去几天的社交媒体，也没有发现任何危险信号，但我还是无法摆脱我的紧张情绪。第二天早上，艾拉在格雷特·琼斯街的排练室，被玛拉指导。

他们从午餐回来后，在玛拉没有提示的情况下，艾拉做了一个令人叹为观止的特技。她背诵了第一幕的前半部分，轮流站在一条腿上，然后是另一条腿上。在她找到一种摇摇晃晃的平衡之前，有很多失败的尝试。后来，当他们出现在东村的舞台上时，

玛拉向艾拉展示了舞台工作人员在温妮吞咽土堆内安装的设施。脚踏板支撑她，在马修表演的夜晚会被移除。她走进土堆，把穿袜子的脚放在附件里。按照她的指示，它们被移到了更舒适的位置，并用更多的螺丝加固。

她要求独自待一个小时，待在土堆里，舞台黑暗，礼堂空空荡荡。“如果你需要我，我会在外面，”玛拉说。为了完成当晚的演出，艾拉不得不运用她最近学到的所有技巧。深呼吸、想象、她在YouTube上看到的瑜伽，让她开始在一条腿和另一条腿之间交替保持平衡。

这减缓了她那尖细的声音，但这并不重要。她很迷人。她在谢幕时露出的拐杖让那些原本没有打算加入起立鼓掌的观众起立。她必须在更衣室独自待十分钟才能恢复镇静。鲁比来观看她母亲的演出。

在某个时刻，我更关注鲁比观看她母亲，而不是艾拉，艾拉在一些我认为非常直接的台词上赢得了笑声。我发誓要坚持到底，永远不要在那些台词上引来笑声，这是嫉妒的表现。然而……

我理解这些笑声是多么必要，因为艾拉的温妮是沉重的。你能感觉到她咬紧牙关，制造她每天的快乐。所以，毕竟，在这个友谊的后期，我发现我误判了艾拉，或者说她故意让我误判。

总是很快地拥抱和幽默。她在医院里的自我更接近她真正的精神，带着她那致命的疲惫和清醒的虚无主义。直到看到她在舞台上，我才最终相信我的好朋友。我为另一面而颤抖。我每晚用我的温妮向别人展现了哪些真相？

加入鲁比和艾拉一起回拉德洛街的是她们楼上和楼下的邻居。我提前通知了他们当晚的重要性，并为他们安排了座位。在深夜的队伍中，还有普里西拉，鲁比的教母，马修和艾拉以前的朋友，在她嫁给一位成功的内分泌学家并和他一起搬到普林斯顿后退休了。

一旦决定艾拉将扮演这个角色，我就给她打了电话。但那天晚上扫描人群时，我很高兴没有看到任何可能像律师或我脑海中文学遗产的西装的样子的人。玛拉没有逼我详细说明我的恐惧。为了安全起见，艾拉在接下来的晚上也继续演出，

然后是周末，周六有两场演出，周日有一场下午场，我作为温妮回归所有演出。周一对我来说不是休息日。这是我下午陪艾拉去唐人街打麻将的日子。她喜欢莫特街的一家老年中心，那里只能容纳三张桌子，但玩家最友好。

以及每月借给当地教堂的一个学校体育馆，它吸引了附近的居民，以及从新泽西州和罗德岛州乘车来的附属成员。今天，我和艾拉选择了后者。体育馆里至少有十多张桌子，

走进那里，听着那些叮当作响的瓷砖的声音，就像置身于一台用途模糊但令人愉悦的机器中。我恳求不玩，我只想观察艾里斯的动作。我在体育馆的策略是选择坐在最臭脸的玩家旁边，

通常是女人，然后花接下来的两个小时试图套出她的生活故事，她的处境。我从未成功过，臭脸的人往往喜欢用咕哝作为他们的交流代码。

而且，这些大多是说粤语的人，还有一些最近从福建来的移民，我两种语言都不会说。或者说，我童年时流利的粤语现在已经成为模糊的记忆，现在的尴尬。今天，我指着地球上最臭脸的中国女人旁边的两个空位，

像往常一样，我的朋友在瓷砖上的运气一般，她输多赢少，像往常一样，我在试图与我旁边的那个怒视者交朋友的活动中失败了，

尽管我让她用点头来承认我，然后，奇迹般地，用一只手捂住嘴来回应我的微笑，似乎是为了遮住她害羞的牙齿，不让我的眼睛看到。第二天晚上，温妮用她的手做了一个轻浮的手势，试图掩饰一个微笑。并非所有的艺术都是对生活的窃取。

并非所有的窃取都能在舞台上奏效。但观众发出了明显的愉悦的叹息声。维拉向六个推特账户发送了私人信息，要求他们删除对《快乐的日子》过于明确的热情。其中一个属于玛拉以前耶鲁大学的一位教授，他在演出后表示敬意。

他也是一个哭泣的人，就像安吉拉·鲁恩一样。“你化身成了我的母亲，”他对我喊道。他和我在接下来的几分钟里比较了他们的家庭女家长，教授的母亲和我的祖母。“不可征服的女人，”教授说。今晚是艾拉的夜晚。她在土堆里等着，过了八点十分，

幕布通常会多放十分钟。然后，突然，她挥舞着维拉过来，手臂慌乱。她被护送回更衣室。她的心悸无法平静下来。这一次，剧院经理的声明并非谎言。

女士们，先生们，温妮的角色，由艾拉·威尔逊扮演，今晚将由马修·林扮演。观众中有知情人士，他们的震惊和惊讶完全是表演性的。我的准备工作如此匆忙，以至于我的假发歪了，观众们不停地笑和鼓掌。

我必须等到他们的欢呼声平息下来。艾拉不想被送回家空荡荡的公寓。她像往常一样从剧院后排观看演出。她在马修在更衣室接待客人的时候待在那里，后来她陪他去他们常去的餐馆。晚上结束时，当我打开拉德洛公寓的门时，我突然想到要问艾拉：“你想让我留下来吗？”

她说不。然后是是的。然后是不。我会留下来，我说。第二天早上，我一回到西村的公寓，就给鲁比发了短信。你母亲的健康状况如何？我问她。情况没有好转，鲁比回答说。那天晚上，在我与玛拉的演出前晚餐中，我提到了在我们下一部作品中为艾拉安排角色的事情。

我告诉她我希望这件事在六个月内发生。我已经开始考虑撰写拨款申请，从富有的捐助者那里筹集资金。也许是二十年前我们上演的《李尔王》的复兴？我毫不怀疑艾拉能够胜任这项任务。莎士比亚马拉松每晚都会让她衰弱的身体得到改善。

活力需要它的场合。此外，还有许多角色可以从身体上支持艾拉。科迪莉亚，李尔最喜欢的女儿，还有丑角，在我看来，越来越像亨利，他有着宽阔的肩膀，滑稽的耸肩。

玛拉可能会受到启发，做一个创新的舞台设计，以减少艾拉的身体负担，让她可以自由地扮演李尔。这部戏和艾拉的生活之间没有重叠。当然，艾拉对光之消逝并没有愤怒。相反，她那优美的声音将获得合适的载体。

即使是最后几幕中狂暴的风暴，当失明的国王与他忠诚的女儿重逢时，也不会压制她那清晰的表达。什么风，什么雨！像以前一样，只有艾里斯的男中音才能指挥观众的耳朵，并用国王的悔恨刺穿他们的心。

当他寻求他余生中所剩无几的宽恕时。艾拉没有这样的困境，她长期以来一直是剧团的和平缔造者。对于她自己的最后一幕，她的病房门口肯定会有很多人排队，每个人都等着表示敬意。玛拉没有执导我们最初的制作，但李尔王对任何有抱负的导演来说不是一个巨人和一次政变吗？

让我考虑一下，玛拉说。我闭口不提时间紧迫的事情。玛拉对当晚演出的评价是，你的温妮今晚可能太悲伤了？直到后来那天晚上，我和艾拉一起回到拉德洛街的路上，我才意识到我太忙于担心艾拉，以至于我没有想过一次被遗产揭露的事情，

这些焦虑几周的罕见喘息。只剩下五场演出，我可能会自找麻烦，但我必须问，我们能逃脱吗？我发现自己处于一个完全令人惊讶的集体项目中心，纽约市以其一贯的沉默寡言的角色扮演着我的帮凶。

总是，在喧闹的观众八卦链中，总有一个人决定扼杀关于过于反传统的贝克特的话题，并将消息传递给遗产被阻止。有人，不止一个人，决定马修和我疯狂的梦想值得保护，或者这就是我这么认为的。然而，

从另一个角度来看，纽约只是在做它自己。为了打击大人物爱德华·贝克特，并减轻其小人物马修·林的困境。第二天晚上，在回拉德洛街的路上，我和艾拉只说了两个字。“李尔王。”“什么李尔王？”艾拉回答。

她只是在拖延时间。她和我一样清楚这一点。我重复了一遍。李尔王，把这从你的脑子里赶出去，艾里斯说。她停下了脚步。她叹了口气。她伸出手，我误以为这是请求支持。她把我推开，我让她把手放在我身上，一只恳求的手。

“你不想吗？”我问。“想要和能够，这是两个不同的问题。”“你能。你和我的医生需要谈谈，”艾拉说。“你能。我不需要告诉你这一点，但如果你只是开始在你的脑子里生活，很快你的身体就会适应这项任务。”

“你跟其他人说过吗？我和你并不是唯一能决定的人。尽管你相信，但我更像是一个累赘而不是一个资产。如果我不能继续演下去会发生什么？你会安排替补演员。你呢？”“每个人，”我喜形于色。“你是什么意思，每个人？”

剧团的每位资深成员都会学习这个角色。如果你不能继续演下去，就会从帽子中抽出一个名字。一旦有人扮演了李尔王，

舞台上的生死与友谊：一场关于《快乐的日子》的秘密演出

我最近参与了一场非同寻常的戏剧演出，它远超出了舞台本身，触及了生命、友谊和死亡的深刻主题。故事的中心是《快乐的日子》——贝克特的经典作品——以及两位演员，伊拉和马修，他们之间复杂而动人的关系。

伊拉，一位七十一岁的资深演员，长期饱受糖尿病的折磨。多年的疾病让她多次住院，身体状况每况愈下，她开始直面死亡的现实。 她感到自己成为了女儿Ruby和朋友们的负担，这种无力感让她开始认真思考死亡，甚至考虑过安乐死，尽管瑞士的尊严组织繁琐的程序让她望而却步。 她疲惫地感叹：“我只是想强调现在已经很晚了。” 这并非简单的抱怨，而是对生命流逝的无奈和对自身境况的清醒认知。

而我，马修，是伊拉多年的挚友，也是剧团中最年轻的成员。我目睹了伊拉的痛苦，也深知她对舞台的热爱。当剧团决定上演《快乐的日子》时，我萌生了一个大胆的想法：我将扮演剧中女主角Winnie，而伊拉则作为我的替补，在身体允许的情况下登台。这不仅是对伊拉身体状况的尊重，更是对我们友谊的另一种诠释。

我活着的理由，此刻就是扮演Winnie。 这并非单纯的戏剧追求，而是我试图给予伊拉希望的方式。我知道她需要一个理由继续活下去，而我愿意成为那个理由。我们一起回忆过去，分享彼此的恐惧和希望。我试图让她看到生命的闪光点，让她明白，即使在疾病的阴影下，依然有值得珍惜的东西。

然而，我们的计划并非没有风险。贝克特遗产管理机构对剧本的改动极其严格，不允许任何替换或改编。我们的演出无疑是一场冒险，一场挑战权威的秘密行动。 我们冒着被禁演的风险，却也从中找到了某种特殊的快乐和满足。

伊拉的病情和我们对《快乐的日子》的诠释交织在一起，形成了一个充满张力、令人动容的故事。舞台上的演出，成为了我们友谊的试金石，也成为了我们直面生命与死亡的独特方式。这不仅仅是一场戏剧，更是一场关于生命、友谊和死亡的深刻对话。最终，我们成功地完成了演出，而这段经历，将永远铭刻在我的记忆中。

“快乐的日子”：一场关于生命、舞台与友谊的冒险

我，马修·林，一个年过六旬的演员，正站在人生的十字路口。我并非濒临死亡，却怀揣着一个大胆的计划：在即将谢幕的剧团里，秘密出演贝克特的《快乐的日子》中的温妮一角，而我的挚友艾拉·威尔逊，则以“生病”为由，成为我的替补。

这出戏本身就充满了荒诞：温妮被困在土堆里，日复一日重复着毫无意义的日常。而我们，则在法律的边缘，与贝克特遗产管理机构玩着一场危险的游戏。他们严禁对剧本进行任何改动，而我们却在偷偷地颠覆着一切。我的扮相简单到极致，没有夸张的造型，甚至连身材都与角色设定相去甚远。我能否成功？我心里没底，却也兴奋异常。

舞台上的挑战与内心深处的共鸣

开场后，观众的反应出乎意料地积极。我沉浸在角色中，温妮的絮絮叨叨，那些从手提包里掏出的物件，都让我联想起我的祖母——一位在纽约唐人街垃圾堆里寻找生计的老人。她的世界是杂乱无章的碎片，而我的生活也何尝不是如此？我并非刻意将温妮塑造成祖母的形象，但祖母的形象却自然而然地融入了我的表演。

然而，表演并非一帆风顺。我时常担心自己是否患上了老年痴呆，那些支离破碎的台词，让我感到不安。更让我动容的是，温妮对牙刷的描述，让我瞬间回到了童年，回到了祖母身边。

友谊与死亡的交响曲

艾拉，我的老友，是一位患有糖尿病的七旬老演员。她的健康状况每况愈下，甚至谈到了安乐死。我与她之间，既有对死亡的坦然面对，也有对生命的珍视。我们互相扶持，互相鼓励。我为她朗读《安娜·卡列尼娜》，她则向我倾诉内心的恐惧与渴望。

来自“敌人”的意外帮助

安吉拉·鲁恩，一位声名显赫的戏剧导演，曾因擅自改编贝克特作品而被禁演。她却意外地成为了我们的盟友，她建议我们秘密进行演出，避免与贝克特遗产管理机构正面冲突。她的出现，为我们这场冒险增添了一丝神秘的色彩。

团队的默契与观众的惊喜

剧团的其他成员，都支持我的计划。他们明白，这不仅仅是一场演出，更是对剧团生命力的延续。我们共同承担风险，共同分享喜悦。观众们被我们的表演深深打动，他们没有泄露我们的秘密，反而成为了我们这场冒险的保护者。

《李尔王》：新的开始

演出结束后，我开始构思新的计划：复排《李尔王》，让艾拉出演主角。我相信，莎士比亚马拉松式的演出，可以帮助她改善身体状况，也能让她再次绽放光芒。亨利将扮演弄人，其他演员也将各司其职。这将是剧团的又一次冒险，也是对生命与艺术的全新诠释。艾拉对我的计划有所犹豫，她担心自己的身体状况，也担心成为剧团的负担。但我知道，她内心深处渴望再次登上舞台。而我，作为导演，需要找到一种创新的方式来减少她的身体负担，让她能够轻松自如地完成演出。时间紧迫，我需要认真思考。

这场演出，不仅仅是一场戏剧，更是对生命、舞台与友谊的深刻探索。它展现了演员们对艺术的执着追求，以及他们之间深厚的友谊。而最终，我们能否成功地瞒天过海，这仍是一个悬念。

来自祖克曼·斯佩德律师事务所。五十年来，祖克曼·斯佩德一直是备受信赖的诉讼领域领军律所，客户包括公司内部和外部法律顾问、企业和个人。该律所在华盛顿、巴尔的摩、纽约和坦帕均设有办事处，为全美乃至全球客户提供高风险纠纷、执法事务、调查以及庭审方面的服务。当您所选律师至关重要时，敬请访问 Zuckerman.com。语法解析

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try it at Progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. ♪ 本集由前进保险公司赞助播出。您是否曾想过更换保险公司以节省一些费用？前进保险让您轻松查看将家庭和汽车保险捆绑在一起是否能为您省钱。请访问 Progressive.com 试试看。前进意外保险公司及其附属公司。实际节省金额因人而异。并非在所有州都可提供。♪ 语法解析

This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker. I'm Deborah Treisman, fiction editor at The New Yorker. On this week's episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Han Ong read his story, Happy Days, from the June 30, 2025 issue of the magazine. The recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and the Berlin Prize, Ong is the author of more than a dozen plays and two novels, Fixer Chao and The Disinherited. Now here's Han Ong. Happy Days 这里是《作家之声》，来自《纽约客》的新小说。我是黛博拉·特里斯曼，《纽约客》的小说编辑。在本周的《作家之声》节目中，我们将听到韩·翁朗读他发表在 2025 年 6 月 30 日那期杂志上的小说《快乐的日子》。韩·翁曾获得麦克阿瑟奖和柏林奖，著有十多部戏剧作品以及两部小说《福克斯》和《被剥夺继承权的人》。现在请听韩·翁朗读。《快乐的日子》语法解析

Matthew is behind the curtain when the announcement comes. Ladies and gentlemen, the role of Winnie, played by Ira Wilson, will be performed at this first preview by Matthew Lim. He hears the audience go crazy, their version of crazy being an older crowd, whispers, rising, falling, rising again. This is worrisome to him, also thrilling, 马修在幕后听到这一宣布。女士们，先生们，由艾拉·威尔逊饰演的温妮一角，在这场首次预演中将由马修·林出演。他听到观众们沸腾了，对于上了年纪的观众来说，他们的沸腾是低语声此起彼伏，时高时低，又再度升高。这让他既担忧又兴奋。

Toggling from one reaction to the other induces vertigo, and he has to use deep breaths to calm the sudden onset of body chills. Willa, the 24-year-old stage manager, has the biggest smile on her face. This helps Matthew to understand that tonight's audience has accepted the happy logic of the house manager's announcement. 从一种反应切换到另一种反应让他感到眩晕，他不得不深呼吸来平复突然袭来的阵阵寒意。24 岁的舞台监督威拉脸上绽放着最灿烂的笑容。这帮助马修明白今晚的观众接受了舞台监督那番话所传达的快乐逻辑。语法解析

After all, it's not Ira but Matthew who is the theatre company's resident diva, celebrated for his portrayals of Lady Macbeth, Hedda Gabler, and Medea. Matthew is that gratifying phenomenon, a star who didn't hit his stride with audiences or with critics until he was in his forties.

and what is winnie but a great diva's part beckett's greatest to balance things out ira with her easy sonority led the company's king lear twenty years ago

Matthew gets into the mound of earth just left of center stage. It's a hollow shell that opens and is secured with a latch. Like a carriage door, it hinges and seems hidden from the audience. He closes his eyes. A minute later, Willa is reassured by his thumbs up. But the serenity is short-lived. 马修走进舞台正中央偏左的一堆土里。那是个中空的壳体，可以打开，用搭扣固定。就像马车门一样，它能转动，似乎不会被观众发现。他闭上了眼睛。一分钟之后，威拉看到他竖起大拇指，这才放心。但这份平静没持续多久。语法解析

People are texting and posting. Willa's assistant, Aiden, tells her, alarmed. Matthew has to problem-solve for them. Get Ira to make an announcement. Luckily for everyone, Ira is just out of sight in the wings. She is alerted and gamely steps in front of the curtain. Her unfitness for tonight's performance is demonstrated by an aluminum walking cane. 人们在发短信、发帖子。威拉的助手艾登惊慌地告诉她。马修得帮他们解决问题。让艾拉去宣布一下。幸运的是，艾拉就在舞台侧翼，没跑远。她得到通知后，勇敢地走到幕布前。一根铝制拐杖表明她今晚不适合登台表演。语法解析

There is applause. Please, she says, we ask that you not post about Matthew on social media. For those of you who have just done so, can I ask you please to delete those posts? You understand that given the estates, what word will she choose? Tetchiness, she says, and everyone, including Matthew, laughs. Good. Audience participation, a common project. 掌声响起。她说，请大家不要在社交媒体上发布有关马修的内容。对于那些刚刚发布过的人，能否请您删除那些帖子？大家明白，考虑到遗产问题，她会选择哪个词？她说，烦躁，然后包括马修在内的所有人都笑了。很好。观众参与，共同的项目。语法解析

Given the Beckett estate's tetchiness, Ira repeats, this is for the best. It's an off-off-Broadway run in the East Village. The 99-seat theater has been rented for cheap, and the building it's in is falling apart. Adding to the litany of shabbiness is the fact that the company is in its twilight. It has been in existence for nearly five decades. Three of the six founding members have passed. 鉴于贝克特遗产管理方的敏感易怒，艾拉再次强调，这样安排是再好不过了。这是一场在东村的外外百老汇演出。租下的这个 99 座的小剧场价格便宜，所在的建筑也破败不堪。雪上加霜的是，这个剧团也已日薄西山。它已存在近半个世纪，六位创始人中有三位已经离世。语法解析

In the entirety of the last ten years, the company has put out only a measly four productions. Ira is 71, and Matthew, the youngest of the second wave of company members, just turned 62. A select few have come to tonight's show because they were tipped off in advance. Matthew's star turn, which had been the plan all along, was an open secret.

Ira's announcement has ramped up the evening's tension deliciously. What was broadcast to tonight's audience is actually the opposite of the truth. Ira is the understudy and Matthew the stealth main attraction. Ira will cite illness or incapacity nearly every night. 艾拉的这番话让今晚的气氛愈发紧张起来，妙不可言。今晚观众所看到的其实与事实恰恰相反。艾拉只是替补，而马修才是暗中真正的主角。艾拉几乎每晚都会以生病或身体不适为由缺席。语法解析

Her poor health is no lie, so that Matthew can play Winnie in direct contravention of the stated wishes of the playwright. 她身体不好这是真的，所以马修才能反着剧作家的意愿出演温妮这个角色。语法解析

The Beckett estate allows no substitutions or alterations to the playwright's scripts or stage directions, and it lives to catch out bad-faith interpreters trying to smuggle in their racial agendas, their postmodern tricks and gender swaps. The curtain is raised and everyone holds their breath. 贝克特的遗产管理机构不允许对剧作家的剧本或舞台指示进行任何替换或改动，它时刻警惕那些别有用心的诠释者试图偷偷夹带他们的种族议程、后现代把戏和性别转换。幕布升起，所有人都屏住了呼吸。语法解析

Matthew's drag is minimal. A wig? False lashes and a bright slash of red on the lips. He has not adhered to the zaftig requirements for the role. The team has made no emendations to his board-flat-and-stick-thin physique. No fake tits in sight. Can he pull it off? He snaps into his body at the sound of the bell. An alarm to wake Winnie, who surveys her unchanged predicament. 马修的装扮很简约。一顶假发？睫毛膏和一抹鲜艳的红唇。他并未遵循这个角色要求的丰满形象。团队也没有对他的平板身材做任何修改。看不到假胸。他能撑得住吗？铃声响起，他迅速进入状态。警报声唤醒了温妮，她审视着自己依旧未变的处境。语法解析

Like yesterday and the days before, she is interred in the ground up to her waist, the afterthought of some unnamed apocalypse. Producing objects from a nearby handbag, Winnie lays out her day, each prop an occasion for a remembered phrase, a memory. This routine of taking out and putting back in is her circumscribed version of aerobics. 和昨天以及之前的日子一样，她被埋在土里，只露出腰部以上，仿佛是某个不知名末日的余波。从身旁的手提包里拿出东西，温妮开始讲述她的一天，每一件道具都勾起一句回忆的话语，一段记忆。这种拿出又放回的日常动作，是她有限空间里的有氧运动。语法解析

There's a second character, but it takes a while for him to be physically revealed, and even then only fragmentarily. The back of his head, an arm. It's Willie, Winnie's husband. They're the end-of-days vaudeville team. After all, what is Laurel without Hardy? Bugs Bunny needs Daffy Duck. The abyss is looked at directly and smiled upon. Why did I insist on playing this part? 还有一个角色，但过了好一会儿才露出真容，即便如此也只是零星地露了露。后脑勺，一只胳膊。那是威利，温妮的丈夫。他们是末日里的杂耍搭档。毕竟，没有哈迪的劳雷尔算什么？没有达菲鸭的兔八哥又算什么？深渊被直视，还被报以微笑。我为何执意要扮演这个角色？语法解析

the briefest of flashes in Matthew's head. Anyway, it's too late now, and if he wasn't able to answer the question previously, how can he be expected to in this highly charged moment? One advantage of the hot, hot lights: he is blind to the audience, though he hears his director Marla scratching away on the yellow legal pad she carries with her at all times. 马修脑海中闪过一丝念头，但转瞬即逝。反正现在也太迟了，如果之前他都回答不上来这个问题，那在这紧张的时刻又怎能指望他能答得出来呢？不过这炽热的灯光也有一个好处：他看不到观众，尽管他能听到导演玛拉在她随身携带的黄色便笺簿上沙沙地写着什么。语法解析

It's not a good sign if she has found mistakes of his to jot down this early. Still, they may be notes for his colleague Andreas, who was playing Willie, or for the lighting and set designers. Marla directed his head a-gabbler. 如果她这么早就发现他的错误并记下来，那可不是什么好兆头。不过，这些笔记可能是给他的同事安德烈亚斯（他饰演威利）的，也可能是给灯光和布景设计师的。玛拉示意他别再唠叨了。语法解析

Though she is two decades younger than him, they are sympathetic theater creatures, sharing mostly the same likes, Beckett, Chekhov, and dislikes. Ionesco Strindberg. She is a Yale Drama School graduate, whereas he describes himself as a creation of the streets, by which he means an autodidact, self-taught, self-invented, 尽管她比他小了二十岁，但两人都是富有同情心的戏剧人，有着大体相同的喜好，比如贝克特、契诃夫，以及相同的厌恶，比如尤内斯库、斯特林堡。她是耶鲁戏剧学院的毕业生，而他则自称是街头造就的产物，意思是说他是个自学成才、自我塑造的人。

Concealed by the mound, Matthew is standing with his bare feet on cushions atop a wooden platform. His knees and thighs can lean against the inner walls, which are lined with sweat-wicking fabric, pleasurable as silk. He will spend the entire hour of Act I like this. The more Matthew uses his voice's upper register, the more the laughs come. Still, 马修站在木制平台上的垫子上，光着脚，被土堆遮掩着。他的膝盖和大腿可以靠在内壁上，内壁上铺着吸汗的布料，触感如丝般舒适。在第一幕的整整一个小时里，他都会保持这样的姿势。马修越是用高音区发声，笑声就越多。不过，

The people in the audience are not yet his friends, or rather, are only intermittently friendly. Though they're not unfriendly, in rehearsal, he struggled with the play's fragmented lines. In a regular play, your memorization is tied to your co-actor's words. You're either responding or prompting. Winnie, on the other hand, is a flibber-to-jibbet of stream of consciousness. 观众们还称不上是他的朋友，或者更确切地说，只是偶尔友好。尽管他们并非不友好，但在排练时，他却为这部剧支离破碎的台词而苦恼。在一般的戏剧中，你的记忆与搭档的台词紧密相连。要么是回应，要么是提示。而《温妮》这部剧却是意识流的断断续续。语法解析

Her present state of immurement is defeated by visitations of willful memories, a perfect summation of old age. Although Matthew knows better, his fears recur. Does his fumbling with the lines signal the beginning of Alzheimer's, dementia? Some days, his spin on life is triumphant if willed. Still kicking, he has skirted dangers in his personal life. 她如今被禁锢的状态不时被刻意涌起的回忆所打破，这正是老年生活的完美写照。尽管马修心里明白，但恐惧仍会反复袭来。他记性时好时坏，这是否意味着阿尔茨海默病、痴呆症的开端？有些日子，他对生活的态度乐观而坚定，即便这态度是刻意强加的。他仍在坚持，个人生活中也曾避开过危险。语法解析

His coming to sex 40 years ago coincided with the tail end of the first most tragic phase of the AIDS epidemic. There is coronary disease on his father's side of the family. A former Winnie wrote about being surprised by Beckett's lines, which, out of nowhere and all too suddenly, pertained to her own life. Each night, a different part of the script proved relevant, prescient, 40 年前他步入性生活之时，正值艾滋病疫情第一阶段最惨痛的尾声。他父亲家族有冠心病史。曾有一位叫温妮的人写到，贝克特的台词出乎意料地、猝不及防地与她自己的生活产生了关联，每晚剧本中的不同部分都显得切题且富有预见性。

She was frequently caught short by the playwright's winking ambush. This was, of course, a mistake. Winnie must never tear up. Or rather, when it happens, it should be judicious and sparing. But then, flying toward the conclusion of Act 1, Matthew finds that he too is being pulled down by unrehearsed emotion. Speaking about Winnie's toothbrush, he flashes to the original bag lady in his life. 她常常被剧作家的狡黠伏击弄得措手不及。当然，这是个失误。温妮绝不能落泪。或者说，即便落泪，也得谨慎且克制。然而，随着第一幕接近尾声，马修发现自己也被未曾排练过的情感所牵动。在谈到温妮的牙刷时，他想起了自己生命中最初的那位流浪女。语法解析

his paternal grandmother, who trolled through the garbage cans of New York's Chinatown, where he grew up. 他的祖母，也就是他父亲的母亲，在他成长的纽约唐人街翻找垃圾桶。语法解析

After a day's harvest on the streets, she would open the maw of one of her bags and out would tumble amputated plastic dolls, chipped miniature Buddhas, recyclable cans and plastic cups, uneaten pastries or sometimes half-eaten, but in his grandmother's words, still good. He loved this woman. 在街头讨了一天的饭后，她会打开其中一个袋子的口，倒出来的尽是些被截断的塑料娃娃、有缺口的小佛像、可回收的易拉罐和塑料杯、没吃完的糕点，有时甚至是吃了一半的，但在他奶奶看来，这些都还是好的。他喜欢这个女人。语法解析

If her world was haphazard detritus, so too would his be. This had been his approach to reading books, to his self-education. For example, he had only the most glancing acquaintance with Tolstoy or Dostoevsky, but you could dig the deepest trench for his Chekhov expertise. 如果她的世界是杂乱无章的碎片，那他的世界亦是如此。这便是他读书、自我教育的方式。比如，他对托尔斯泰或陀思妥耶夫斯基只是略知一二，但要论对契诃夫的精通程度，那可真是无人能及。语法解析

Still, it would not be accurate to say that he has undertaken Winnie as a tribute to his grandmother. The truth is that, like all actors, he is motivated by greed and hunger, the best roles, and more. Is anybody wise to the catch in his voice as Winnie speaks of her belongings? And as Matthew remembers his "ma-ma," Marla must be alert. 不过，要说他饰演温妮是为了向祖母致敬，这也不准确。事实是，和所有演员一样，他也是受贪婪、渴望、最佳角色等因素驱使。当温妮谈到自己的财物时，谁听出了她声音中的哽咽？而当马修回忆起他的“妈妈”时，玛拉必须保持警觉。语法解析

So too must Ira, who, like Marla, is watching from the back of the house. Marla has two charges for this production. Ira will go on eventually, on select nights. She will get her opportunity, although playing Winnie is Matthew's dream, not hers. Still, the production was not made by Fiat. The other company members all said more or less the same thing. 艾拉也一样，她和玛拉一样在房子后面看着。玛拉在这次演出中有两个角色。艾拉最终也会上场，在选定的几个晚上。她会得到机会的，尽管扮演温妮是马修的梦想，而不是她的。不过，这次演出并非由某人强行安排。其他公司成员也都或多或少说了同样的话。语法解析

Everyone respected Matthew's great passion for the play, for the character, but why should the company put itself in legal jeopardy for what was essentially one man's fancy? Ira, Matthew's best friend, won enough of them over for the boondoggle to proceed. 人人都钦佩马修对这部剧、对这个角色的满腔热情，可公司为何要为一个人的异想天开而让自己陷入法律纠纷呢？马修的好友艾拉说服了足够多的人，这场注定失败的冒险才得以继续。语法解析

What had the group been in this last decade or so but an ailing patient, every so often given new breath by a company member's ministrations? A lifelong ambition for a part, for example. And why shouldn't Matthew Lim play Winnie? Inside his body, the role would be no spoof at all, but the purest of incarnations. Fuck the estate. 这十年来，这个团体不就像个病恹恹的病人吗？时不时地靠某个成员的悉心照料才能喘口气。比如，对某个角色的毕生渴望。马修·林为什么就不能演温妮呢？在他身上，这个角色绝不是什么滑稽戏，而是最纯粹的化身。去他的遗产。语法解析

The only question left is when the estate will get wise to their shenanigans. When will the proverbial shit hit the fan? Matthew and the company's nervousness is also delight. The roller coaster is still on its ascent, the plunge far, far off. End of Act 1. The curtain can't go down fast enough. 唯一的问题是，庄园何时才会察觉他们的鬼把戏。那句俗语说的“狗屎”何时才会砸到他们头上？马修和公司的紧张不安也令人感到愉快。过山车仍在上升，坠落还远着呢。第一幕结束。幕布落得越快越好。语法解析

Willis' hands on Matthew's arm, guiding him out of the mound, make him understand that he's shaking. Given that there are only two actors who have to clear the stage, and that the only major set adjustment involves the substitution of the platforms underneath the mound, when he comes back for act two, the platform will have been switched for a lower one so that the audience sees a direr interment. 威利斯扶着马修的胳膊，引导他从土堆旁离开，这让他意识到自己在发抖。鉴于只有两位演员需要退场，而且唯一的重大布景调整是将土堆下面的平台换成更低的，所以当马修在第二幕回来时，平台已经换成了更低的，这样观众看到的就是更凄惨的埋葬场景。语法解析

Winnie will be buried up to her neck. There is surprising tumult everywhere. Matthew's eyes are closed. The better to gauge the crowd by their sound. They're bustling, but he can't tell if they're delighted or disappointed. Ira is before him, the fastest woman on a cane. 温妮会被埋到脖子那里。到处都是一片惊人的喧闹。马修闭着眼睛。这样能更好地通过声音来判断人群的情绪。他们熙熙攘攘，但他分不清他们是高兴还是失望。艾拉在他面前，她是拄着拐杖跑得最快的女人。语法解析

Marla will not make an appearance until after the show and, as is her usual style, will be withholding parental love strict with her reminders about Matthew's bad acting habits. Too self-aware, not everything is a vaudeville skit. He has boasted of being the only actor to mine the hand-washing scene in Macbeth for laughs. Imagine the bar of soap slipping off. 玛拉要到演出结束后才会露面，而且像往常一样，她会严格地提醒马修改掉那些糟糕的表演习惯。太自以为是了，不是所有的东西都能拿来当杂耍表演。他曾吹嘘自己是唯一一个能把《麦克白》里洗手的场景演成搞笑段子的演员。想象一下肥皂从手上滑落的情景。语法解析

and slipping again. Picture Lady Macbeth distracted by her own beauty in the mirror before remembering that there is blood on her hands. And hear the surprised applause when she settles on the chicest solution: a pair of red gloves to conceal the undissolvable stains of murder. These choices involved a tussle with the director, who was not Marla but another of the company's frequent collaborators. 她又滑倒了。想象一下麦克白夫人在镜子前为自己的美貌分心，随后才想起手上沾满了鲜血。当她想出最时髦的解决办法——戴上一双红色的手套来遮掩那无法洗去的杀戮痕迹时，听到了观众惊讶的掌声。这些选择曾与导演有过一番争执，导演不是玛拉，而是剧团的另一位常客。语法解析

You're doing good, Ira says. There, his breath is back in his lungs. Did I skip over a section? He asks. Willa is trying to not show her impatience, but it's vital that Matthew sit down to relax his legs and knees. He understands, and they begin moving offstage. “你做得很好，”艾拉说道。这时，他的呼吸又回到了肺里。“我是不是跳过了一段？”他问道。威拉努力不显出不耐烦，但马修得坐下放松一下腿和膝盖，这至关重要。他明白了，于是他们开始下台。语法解析

Aiden walks ahead of them and is ready with the open dressing room door, a cushion on the ottoman to further elevate Matthew's feet. Matthew brushes aside the bottled water in the young man's hand. "'I'm sweating too much. Am I sweating too much?' he asks Ira. "'You're cool as a cucumber to me.' Matthew checks his armpits, his groin. "'Is this a sign of a stroke?' he asks, feeling non-existent wetness.' 艾登走在他们前面，已经把更衣室的门打开了，还在脚凳上放了个垫子，好让马修的双脚再抬高些。马修把年轻人手中的瓶装水拨开。“我出汗太多了。我是不是出汗太多了？”他问伊拉。“在我看来你冷静得很。”马修检查了一下自己的腋窝和腹股沟。“这是中风的征兆吗？”他问道，却感觉不到有湿意。' 语法解析

"How's your heart?" Willa puts her hand on Matthew's chest. "You're fine," she says. "We'll come to get you in fifteen." The young people close the door behind them. Six months ago, lower edema from diabetes landed Ira in the hospital. For fifty years, she had managed her condition through the vicissitudes of an acting life, with loans when needed and then through Medicaid. “心脏怎么样？”威拉把手放在马修的胸口上。“没事。”她说，“十五分钟后我们来接你。”年轻人关上了身后的门。六个月前，糖尿病引发的下肢水肿让艾拉住进了医院。五十多年来，她靠着演戏生涯的起起伏伏，有时靠贷款，有时靠医疗补助，一直控制着病情。语法解析

Now it was Medicare, but the same bullshit pertained. The price of insulin went up and down on pure corporate whim. Want to see Ruby's new boyfriend? She asked Matthew from her hospital bed. Not really, but Matthew smiled, and she showed him on her phone. When is she back? He asked. Next week, Ira's daughter Ruby played bass in an all-girl rock group, the Limoncellos. 现在是医疗保险的问题，但情况还是一样。胰岛素的价格完全由企业说了算，时涨时跌。想看看鲁比的新男友吗？她在医院病床上问马修。马修不太想看，但还是笑了笑，然后她用手机给他看了。她什么时候回来？他问。下周。艾拉的女儿鲁比在一个全女子摇滚乐队“柠檬甜酒”里弹贝斯。语法解析

When their current tour concluded, she would stay with her mother in the apartment that they shared on the Lower East Side. For the week that she was home, Iris' friends would be off the hook, although they didn't really mind lending a hand. Ruby's father, long dead, had been Iris' co-star on an Italian production in which she'd had the sole lead film role of her illustrious career. 当他们此次巡演结束时，她会和母亲一起住在她们位于下东区共有的公寓里。在她回家的那周，艾瑞斯的朋友就不用帮忙了，不过他们其实也不介意搭把手。艾瑞斯的父亲早已去世，他曾是艾瑞斯在一部意大利影片中的搭档，那是她辉煌演艺生涯中唯一一次担任主角。语法解析

She'd been abroad for five years, and when she returned to the U.S., the theater company was introduced to little Ruby. Ira was semi-retired now. Being a good friend, Matthew had learned how to play Mahjong so he could squire her to her favorite Chinatown game parlors. "'Why am I not dead?' Ira inquired of the ceiling of her private room." 她离开美国五年了，回来后，剧团的人见到了小露比。艾拉现在半退休了。马修是个好朋友，为了能陪她去她最喜欢的唐人街麻将馆，特意学会了打麻将。“我为什么还没死？”艾拉对着自己房间的天花板问道。语法解析

Matthew asked if she wanted to pick up from where they'd left off in Anna Karenina, him reading to her. Diabetes had started to affect her vision. "'I know you don't want to talk about this,' she said. "'But you have to let me—' It took her a while to settle on a phrase. "'Air this out,' she said. "'Go ahead. I don't want to continue being a drain on Ruby, on you guys.' 马修问她是否想从上次中断的地方接着读《安娜·卡列尼娜》，由他给她读。糖尿病已经开始影响她的视力。“我知道你不想谈这个，”她说，“但你得让我——”她花了好一会儿才想好用什么词。“把这事说开，”她说，“你读吧。我不想再拖累露比，拖累你们了。”' 语法解析

"'Has your condition worsened?' Matthew asked. "'If it has, your doctors sure know how to keep a secret. "'This is my third hospital visit in three years. "'What do you think?' "'It's managed. You're managing.' And then it was as if Matthew had been slapped. "'Are we having the death talk?' he asked. "'We've been having it for years,' she replied. "'I mean, the I-want-you-to-help-me talk.' “病情恶化了吗？”马修问道。“要是恶化了，你的医生可真会保密。”“这是我三年来的第三次住院。”“你觉得怎么样？”“控制住了。你控制住了。”接着马修仿佛挨了一巴掌。“我们这是在谈临终的事吗？”他问道。“我们已经谈了好几年了。”她回答道。“我是说，你希望我帮你结束生命那类的事。”' 语法解析

"No," she said, and then she said, "I don't know." It wasn't just that she was suffering from diabetes, which had had a knock-on effect on her liver and on her kidneys, and soon, her doctors had warned, her heart would carry the toll as well. There were also age-accelerated incapacities, the psychic strain along with those. “不，”她说，接着又说，“我不知道。”她不只是患有糖尿病，这病还连带影响了她的肝脏和肾脏，医生警告说，很快她的心脏也会受到损害。此外，还有因年龄增长而加剧的种种不便，以及精神上的压力。语法解析

The many returns to a dark, interior place. Matthew mimed picking up the receiver of a manual phone. Hello? Dignitas on line one. This was a bitter joke. The Swiss organization made you jump through so many hoops to qualify for assisted suicide that you might as well continue living. But he and Ira understood each other. 许多人回到那个阴暗的内室。马修模仿着拿起一部老式电话的听筒。喂？尊严组织来电。这是个苦涩的玩笑。这家瑞士机构让你为获得协助自杀的资格而历经重重关卡，简直还不如继续活下去。但他和艾拉彼此心领神会。语法解析

If she wanted to, she could stop taking her insulin. The death wouldn't be pain-free, but there was a good likelihood of her perishing in a coma, the second best thing to dying in your sleep. Apparently, everyone's favorite death scenario. She sighed. I just want to underline how late in the day it is. 如果她愿意，她可以停止注射胰岛素。死亡不会毫无痛苦，但很有可能会在昏迷中死去，这仅次于在睡梦中离世，显然是人人都向往的死亡方式。她叹了口气。我只是想强调现在的情况已经很危急了。语法解析

It was worth noting that the person who had the lightest spirit of any of his friends should be so grimly firm when it came to her own death. Matthew put the iPad with Anna Karenina away. "Can I ask, is there anything that would root you to this side of life for at least a couple of years?" And before she could answer, he told her about his own reason for living. 值得一提的是，他那些朋友中性情最轻松的人，在面对自己生命的终结时竟会如此坚定。马修把放着《安娜·卡列尼娜》的 iPad 放到一边。“我能问一下，有没有什么能让你至少在这边再留两年的理由？”还没等她回答，他就跟她讲起了自己活下去的理由。语法解析

to play Winnie in happy days. Not that he was dying. Not that he needed a reason. Ira asks, Do you want to know who's out there tonight? Anyone we know, Matthew replies, before changing his mind. Better not. Angela's in the house. She might as well have said, Your dead grandmother's in the front row. Suddenly, he's tearing up. 为了在《欢乐时光》里扮演维尼。并非他命不久矣。并非他需要理由。艾拉问道：“你想知道今晚谁在吗？”马修回答：“有熟人吗？”随即又改口：“算了，别问了。”安吉拉在家呢。她这话简直就跟说“你过世的奶奶就在前排”一样。突然，他泪如雨下。语法解析

Angela Rune had promised to attend, but Matthew had assumed that that was bullshit. Although she is a frequent butt of their in-jokes, Angela is a patron saint of battle, the totem they want in an enterprise like this. After a moment, he asks, how is she liking it? Do I want to know? 安吉拉·鲁内曾答应会来，但马修觉得那不过是句空话。尽管她常被他们拿来开玩笑，但安吉拉却是战斗的守护圣徒，是他们这种事业所渴望拥有的图腾。过了一会儿，他问道，她觉得怎么样？我真想知道吗？语法解析

In truth, Angela Ruhn, to Matthew Circle, was shorthand for a kind of self-appointed aristocrat. While Matthew and his theater company continued to toil in a country with a laughable arts infrastructure and no arts support, Angela's words, she directed productions only in Europe. Once every three years, she turned up at the Salzburg Festival. 实际上，在马修·凯尔看来，安吉拉·鲁恩就是那种自封贵族的代名词。马修和他的剧团还在一个艺术基础设施可笑且毫无艺术支持的国家辛苦劳作，而安吉拉却宣称自己只在欧洲执导作品。每三年她才会在萨尔茨堡音乐节上露一次面。语法解析

Her big hit was a Così fan tutte set in an Amazon warehouse. She had been asked by Ariane Minushkin to oversee workshops in Paris, and there were directing master classes undertaken at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Stockholm. Thanks to these paydays, she had been able to buy a loft in Tribeca. But... 她的成名作是一部以亚马逊仓库为背景的《女人皆如此》。应阿里安娜·米努什金之邀，她在巴黎负责指导工作坊，还在斯德哥尔摩的戏剧艺术学院讲授导演课。靠着这些收入，她在翠贝卡买了一套阁楼。但是……语法解析

Thirty years ago, in San Francisco, she had set an interpretation of Crap's last tape in an insane asylum, violating Beckett's stage directions. Her title character had barricaded himself in the asylum director's office and was making free with hours of recorded spools of inmate interviews. A court injunction had sought to stop the production. 三十年前，在旧金山，她曾在一个精神病院里上演了克雷普最后一盘磁带的解读，违背了贝克特的舞台指示。她剧中的主角把自己关在了院长办公室里，随意播放着数小时的病人访谈录音。当时法院曾下达禁令试图阻止这场演出。语法解析

By the time the judge made his ruling, there were only a handful of performances left, which were allowed to conclude as a matter of practicality. But the production-scheduled tour to the East Coast was cancelled. Angela's more severe and lasting punishment was that she was barred from future engagements with the Great Irish Bard. 法官作出裁决时，仅剩下几场演出，出于实际考虑，这几场演出被允许照常进行。但原计划前往东海岸的巡演取消了。而对安吉拉来说，更严厉且持久的惩罚是她被禁止再与“伟大的爱尔兰诗人”合作。语法解析

She had made nearly her entire livelihood up to then, directing his plays, as well as appearing on Beckett panels and writing both academic and general interest essays on all things Beckett. Her holy text on directing Waiting for Godot was included in nearly every college theater history syllabus. At 50, she had had to start over. 在那之前，她几乎完全依靠执导他的戏剧来维持生计，还经常参加贝克特研讨会，并撰写有关贝克特的学术论文和面向大众的文章。她关于执导《等待戈多》的权威著作几乎被所有大学戏剧史课程列为必读书目。然而到了 50 岁，她不得不重新开始。语法解析

Six months ago, at Ira's suggestion, Matthew took Angela to lunch in her neighborhood. When he confessed that Winnie was his Mount Everest, she picked up her cup of espresso. "'My advice,' she said, "'is lie. Swear all collaborators to secrecy.' 六个月前，在艾拉的提议下，马修带安吉拉去了她家附近吃午饭。当他坦白说温妮是他难以逾越的高峰时，她端起一杯意式浓缩咖啡。“我的建议，”她说，“就是撒谎。让所有合作者都发誓保密。”' 语法解析

Don't advertise. Don't do press. How you square that with attracting an audience will be your great challenge. But I suppose you haven't worked for decades without cultivating a fan base that will show up to your productions regardless. 别做广告，别搞宣传。如何在不进行这些活动的情况下吸引观众，这将是您面临的巨大挑战。不过，我想您在演艺圈打拼了这么多年，肯定也积累了不少铁杆粉丝，他们会一如既往地捧场您的作品。语法解析

"'Book a short run,' Angela continued. "'The publicity cycle may be ramped up by social media, "'but hopefully the wheels of bureaucracy still turn slowly. "'By the time the estate's injunction comes in, "'you'll already have got away with it, fingers crossed.' "'Angela asked if Matthew had any questions for her, "'but he couldn't think of any. "'I'll say this for you,' Angela told him. "'You're original.' “预订一个短途行程，”安吉拉接着说道，“社交媒体可能会加快宣传周期，但但愿官僚机构的运转还是慢吞吞的。等遗产管理方的禁令下来时，你早就已经得逞了，但愿如此。”安吉拉问马修有没有什么问题要问她，但他想不出什么来。“我得说，你这人挺有创意的。”安吉拉对他说。' 语法解析

I would say 99% of the interventions to Beckett are Godot-centered. All black casts, all women casts. Godot in a space station. Godot in a submarine. Matthew bit his lip to keep from saying, Godot in an Amazon warehouse? Another knock on Angela was that she tended to be a one-trick pony. Your choice of Beckett play, Angela said. Bravo. 我想说，对贝克特作品的 99% 的改编都是围绕《等待戈多》展开的。全是黑人演员阵容，全是女性演员阵容。《等待戈多》在空间站上演。《等待戈多》在潜艇里上演。马修咬着嘴唇，强忍着没说，《等待戈多》在亚马逊仓库上演？安吉拉的另一个缺点是她往往只会一种套路。安吉拉说，你选贝克特的哪部剧？太棒了。语法解析

She clinked her Demetasse cup against his glass of iced lemonade. "'Here's to your success, and here's to screwing Edward Beckett.' She was referring to the playwrights, to some much-hated nephew and executor. "'No,' Matthew says to Ira, changing his mind. "'Don't tell me. She's enjoying herself. What did I say?' 她用她的德梅塔斯杯轻碰了碰他那杯冰柠檬水。“祝你成功，祝你把爱德华·贝克特甩了。”她指的是剧作家，指的是那个令人讨厌的侄子兼遗嘱执行人。“不，”马修对艾拉说，改变了主意。“别跟我说。她玩得挺开心的。我说了什么？”' 语法解析

"'Come off it,' Ira says. "'You're dying to know what the great Angela Rune thinks.' "'I can tell her laugh anywhere,' Matthew says. "'And I don't think she's laughed once.' "'You need to have your ears checked,' Ira says. "'Or your memory. She's one of the laughers.' "'Good. I trust her laugh. You're sure I didn't skip a section?' "'Not by my ear,' Ira says. "'There's a knock on the door.' “别装了，”艾拉说道，“你早就迫不及待想知道伟大的安吉拉·鲁恩是怎么想的了。”“她的笑声我无论在哪里都能听出来，”马修说道，“而且我觉得她一次都没笑过。”“你该去检查检查耳朵了，”艾拉说道，“或者检查检查你的记性。她可是个爱笑的人。”“好。我相信她的笑声。你确定我没跳过哪一部分？”“依我听来没有，”艾拉说道，“这时传来一阵敲门声。' 语法解析

It's Andreas, Matthew's willy. He's in his forties, but made up to be a couple of decades older. He sits on the floor. The crowd seems into it, he says. "I can't tell," Matthew says. "There's probably residual shock from the unexpected switcheroo," Andreas says. "Guess who's out there?" Matthew says to Andreas. "Angela Rune." "No shit," Andreas says. 是安德烈亚斯，马修的玩伴。他四十多岁了，但打扮得像六七十岁。他坐在地上。“观众看起来挺投入的。”安德烈亚斯说。“我看不出来。”马修说。“可能是突然换人让他们有点震惊。”安德烈亚斯说。“猜猜谁在外面？”马修问安德烈亚斯。“安吉拉·鲁内。”“不会吧。”安德烈亚斯说。语法解析

Do you think this production is putting ideas in her head? Maybe we'll be treated to a happy day set in an Amazon warehouse? Or a Boeing factory? He and Matthew laugh, high-five each other. You forget, Ira says, she's barred from Beckett. Can Angela keep cool about our production? Matthew asks. Andreas rephrases the question. You mean, will she blow our cover by posting? 你觉得这部作品会让她产生什么想法吗？也许我们能有幸看到一个发生在亚马逊仓库里的温馨故事？或者是在波音工厂？他和马修相视而笑，击掌庆祝。伊拉说，你忘了，她被禁止接触贝克特的作品。马修问道，安吉拉能对我们的作品保持冷静吗？安德烈亚斯重新表述了这个问题。你的意思是，她会不会因为发帖而暴露我们的秘密？语法解析

"'You have a show to finish,' Ira tells Matthew. "'Don't get worked up about non-existent sabotage. Why would Angela do something like that? And please have a sip of the water. It'll make me feel better.' Matthew uncaps the water bottle, takes a sip. After a moment, he asks, "'If Angela didn't get her victory over the estate, why should we?' "'Allyship?' Ira asks.' “你还有演出要完成，”艾拉对马修说，“别为根本不存在的破坏行为激动。安吉拉为什么要干这种事？还有，请喝口水吧。这会让我心里好受些。”马修打开水瓶，抿了一口。过了一会儿，他问道：“如果安吉拉都没能从那处房产中获利，我们又凭什么能？”“同盟？”艾拉问道。' 语法解析

Will the press show up by tomorrow night? Matthew asks. Does everyone already know what we're up to? It's Andreas who answers. As far as people know, Ira's really out of commission. He turns to Ira. When do you make your return to the show? He puts return in air quotes. Are you ready to go on if need be, say, on the third night? Matthew asks Ira. 马修问道：“媒体明天晚上会到场吗？大家都知道我们在搞什么吗？”安德烈亚斯回答说：“就大家所知，伊拉是真的不能上场了。”他转向伊拉。“你什么时候回归节目？”他把“回归”二字做了个引号的手势。“如果有必要的话，比如说第三晚，你准备好上场了吗？”马修问伊拉。语法解析

"'How are your legs?' Andreas asks. "'Are we really having this discussion now?' Ira says. "'The apocalypse has advanced on stage, and the visual gag can't be beat. "'The first sighting of a woman who is all and only head, "'the rest of her swallowed by the earth, is always, always a hit with the audience.' “你的腿怎么样？”安德烈亚斯问道。“我们现在真要谈这个？”伊拉说道。“世界末日已经登上了舞台，而这个视觉笑料无与伦比。”“第一次看到一个女人只有脑袋，其余部分都被大地吞没，这总是，总是能博得观众的喝彩。”' 语法解析

There is alarm, but there are also smiles and a strange peacefulness. How surprisingly freeing it is, acting from only the neck up. But how fluty Matthew's voice has become since Act I. This was not rehearsed. He knew he shouldn't have drunk that water. It was a mistake to relax. 人们惊慌失措，但也有笑容，还有一种奇异的平静。只用脖子以上部位表演，这种感觉竟如此轻松自在。但马修的声音自第一幕以来变得多么尖细啊。这并非排练过的。他知道自己不该喝那水的。放松下来是个错误。语法解析

He dreads Marla's scolding. How much or how little, she has to say, will determine whether he'll show up to the bar or some of tonight's attendees will buy him a drink and dinner. After play gatherings featuring far-flung friends who've traveled for the occasion or who are suddenly available after months or years of being incommunicado, 他害怕玛拉的责骂。她会说多少或说多少都不说，这将决定他今晚是否会去酒吧，或者今晚到场的某些人是否会请他喝一杯、吃顿饭。在那些聚会中，有来自远方的朋友，他们专程赶来，也有许久未联系的朋友突然现身。

Actors engage themselves for weeks and months in the theater for these very evenings. The hugs and kisses and bad breath gossip and confidences and heart to hearts, all life extenders. He will walk Ira home tonight or Ruby will come and pick her mother up from the bar, from the restaurant. There are a handful of favorites to choose from. 演员们为了这些夜晚在剧院里投入了数周甚至数月的时间。拥抱、亲吻、闲聊、倾诉心声、推心置腹，这一切都是延长生命的良药。今晚他会送伊拉回家，或者鲁比会来酒吧、餐馆接她母亲。有那么几个备选的人。语法解析

Some of the barkeeps and the waiters are former acting colleagues. It's the world on the head of a pin. These few square blocks of the still-shaggy East Village. AIDS cleared the streets for a while, but now there is Ruby's Generation, as well as a new cohort of theater students living in nearby university dorms. 有些酒吧老板和侍者曾是演艺圈的同事。这世界真小，就在这几条街区的东村，这里还是一片杂乱。艾滋病曾让街道冷清了一阵子，但现在有鲁比这一代人，还有住在附近大学宿舍里的新一批戏剧专业的学生。语法解析

They are keepers of the flame, attending the company's shows in the hope of catching the performers recalled to their "protein best." The question is: will the actors be matched with the right roles? But, at their ages, most of the best roles are behind them. A sudden taste of beer suffuses Matthew's mouth. He's thinking of his post-performance treat at the bar 他们是舞台的守护者，出席公司的演出，期望能捕捉到演员们恢复到最佳状态的瞬间。问题是：演员们能否与合适的角色相匹配？然而，到了他们这个年纪，大多数好角色都已与他们无缘。马修突然尝到了啤酒的味道，满口生香。他想起了演出结束后在酒吧里的犒劳。

getting ahead of himself, and as a result, he transposes a couple of lines. Here's the advantage of happy days: no one can tell. Again, his "mama," dead for forty years now, hoves into view, complimenting Winnie's use of the word "sunderings." He doesn't understand why this word in Act II should call up his grandmother, 他有些操之过急，结果把几行台词弄混了。好在日子过得顺心，没人能察觉。这时，他已去世四十多年的“妈妈”又浮现在眼前，还夸赞起温妮用的“分裂”这个词。他不明白，为什么这出戏第二幕里的这个词会让他想起自己的祖母。

But she is there and then gone. There's the tenderest smile on his lips. He lands the few spots of Act II's gloom with a plomb, a secret. He's gone to sleep on stage before behind open eyes. This last stretch is not quite that, but he's made a mental note. This is where my energies start to flag. 但她就在那里，然后又消失了。他的唇边挂着最温柔的微笑。他以一种沉稳、神秘的方式演绎了第二幕中的几处阴郁片段。他在舞台上睁着眼睛睡着了。这最后一段并非如此，但他心里记下了。此时我的精力开始不济了。语法解析

It's like jogging again after months of indolence. Your lungs and legs can't yet carry you the whole way. He looks forward to mastering this lethargy, this lack of conditioning. He gives himself till his third or fourth performance. He expects to sleep terrifically tonight. Angela Rune in Matthew's dressing room bursts into tears. And so too does Matthew. 这就像在沉睡数月后重新开始慢跑，你的肺和腿还无法支撑你跑完全程。他期待着克服这种慵懒，这种缺乏锻炼的状态。他给自己定的目标是在第三次或第四次演出前做到。他今晚肯定能睡个好觉。安吉拉·鲁内走进马修的化妆间，哭了起来。马修也哭了。语法解析

Seeing this, the line of well-wishers freezes at the dressing room door. This includes Ira and Marla, Willa and Aiden. It's Marla who takes charge and closes the door, announcing, we'll give them a few minutes. After some time, Marla knocks and Matthew opens the door. He and Angela are composed, smiling, but they can't let go of each other. Their hands clasp. 看到这一幕，等候在更衣室门口的祝福者们停住了脚步。这其中有艾拉和玛拉，还有薇拉和艾登。玛拉主动上前关上了门，说道：“我们给他们几分钟时间。”过了一会儿，玛拉敲了敲门，马修开了门。他和安吉拉神情镇定，面带微笑，但彼此的手却始终没有松开。语法解析

Matthew heads judgment off at the pass, telling Marla, "'I know. I hit the wall with fifteen minutes remaining.' He holds court in his dressing room for another hour. His energy spikes once more. "'You convinced me,' Henry says." 马修抢先一步打消了玛拉的顾虑，说道：“我知道。还剩十五分钟的时候我就撞墙了。”他在化妆间又待了一个小时，精力再次旺盛起来。“你说服我了，”亨利说道。语法解析

His hang-dog face has got him cast as many Chekhovian butlers and retinue captains, and one of his moments of company glory was playing the Marguerite Dumont-inspired dowager in their quasi-Marx Brothers spoof, A Day at the Soups. To see Henry's butcher's shoulders peeking out of a diamante slip dress was a gag that kept on giving. 他那副垂头丧气的样子使他多次在契诃夫式的剧中饰演管家和随从队长，而他在喜剧《汤中一日》中扮演的那位受玛格丽特·杜蒙特启发的贵妇人，也是他在剧团中的高光时刻之一。看到亨利那双屠夫般的肩膀从一件镶钻的晚礼服中露出来，真是让人捧腹不已。语法解析

That was 25 years ago. Closer at hand, Henry, until tonight, was on the fence about Matthew's venture as Winnie. Did I, though? Matthew asks. Are you asking me or are you asking yourself? Mostly myself? I can't help you with that, Henry says. You've managed a tricky line. Are you able to cross from stunt and into transcendence? 那是 25 年前的事了。就在不久前，亨利，直到今晚，对于马修饰演温妮这件事，他还拿不定主意。我做到了吗？马修问道。你是问我还是在问你自己？主要是问我自己？这我帮不了你，亨利说。你走了一条很微妙的路线。你能从噱头跨越到升华吗？语法解析

transcendence matthew repeats raising his eyebrows thank you my friend your vote means the world to me all the company members have shown up this might be their only chance before the becket estate's shutdown notice some of the younger actors quick thinkers all 超越，马修再次挑起眉毛，说道：“谢谢你，我的朋友，你的选票对我来说意义重大。所有的公司成员都来了，这可能是他们在贝克特庄园发出关闭通知前的唯一机会了。一些年轻的演员，思维敏捷，全都……”

have been tasked with turning the legal document, if it comes, into a "comedy" – a spoof on the company's outlaw status. After all, the rental contract is for three weeks and something has to be put on stage. Matthew? Tatiana, a 40-something black actress with a day job at the local Con Ed payments office, gives him a bus on the cheek. 马修，如果真有那份法律文件，他们接到的任务就是把它改编成一部“喜剧”——对该公司非法地位的恶搞。毕竟，租约只有三周，总得在舞台上搞点什么。四十多岁的塔蒂亚娜是个黑人女演员，白天在当地的康爱迪生公司负责收费工作，她亲了亲马修的脸颊。语法解析

Matthew kisses her back. "'Tatiana, my darling! So thrilled for you,' she says. "'That I get to live in the same time as your Winnie? I'm going to write about it someday. Be kind,' he says, doing his best. Vivien Leigh as Blanche Dubois. "'You slut!' Rosa gently boxes him on the upper arm. 马修回吻了她。“塔蒂亚娜，亲爱的！真为你高兴。”她说，“我能和你的温妮生活在同一个时代？总有一天我要写下来。别生气。”他尽力说道。费雯·丽饰演的布兰奇·杜波依斯。“你这荡妇！”罗莎轻轻地在他上臂上打了一下。语法解析

She's one of the company's founders and didn't need much persuading to approve Matthew's gambit. There's a sudden flare of laughter from across the room. Ira is the befuddled target of some ribbing from a group of other company members. Ching, Mia, Jessica, Fabian, Orlando, Loy, Ralph, Jorge. 她是公司的创始人之一，所以不需要费太多口舌就同意了马修的计划。房间另一头突然爆发出一阵笑声。艾拉成了其他几位公司成员打趣的对象，显得有些不知所措。这些人有：程、米娅、杰西卡、法比安、奥兰多、洛伊、拉尔夫、乔治。语法解析

who are here to show support and most important, to catch up with one another. The bar lights expose an interesting facet of Henry's profile, and Matthew thinks that Henry may have King Lear's fool in his future. Also, maybe Regan, the king's poisonous middle daughter. It's a half-hour's walk from the bar back to Iris, but her edema adds ten extra minutes. 大家聚在这里表示支持，更重要的是相互问候。酒吧的灯光映照出亨利侧脸的有趣轮廓，马修觉得亨利以后可能会演《李尔王》里的弄臣，说不定还能演李尔王那恶毒的二女儿里根。从酒吧走回艾瑞斯家要花半小时，但她的水肿让她多花了十分钟。语法解析

Periodically, she and Matthew stop so that she can do some deep breathing. She performs a visualization exercise where the blood flow to her bum left leg turns vigorous. They run lines from Happy Days, alternating lines between them, all the way to Ludlow Street, where he helps her up three flights of tricky stairs. Ruby is not home. From the second night on, 每隔一段时间，她和马修就会停下来，这样她就能做几次深呼吸。她进行了一项想象练习，想象着自己左腿下部的血液流动变得活跃起来。他们一路跑着《欢乐时光》里的台词，你一句我一句，一直跑到勒德洛街，然后他帮她上了三段楼梯，楼梯很陡峭。鲁比不在家。从第二天晚上开始，

The house manager makes two announcements: the substitution of one actor for another and "Would the audience please not post on social media about it?" Again, Matthew can't seem to get over the final hurdle, would profuse apologies to Andreas, his scene partner. Marla waits for the dressing room fans to depart and then there is a half hour of notes. 舞台监督做了两次通告：一位演员将由另一位演员替代，以及“请观众不要在社交媒体上发布相关信息”。马修似乎还是无法跨越最后的障碍，向他的搭档安德烈亚斯连连道歉。玛拉等着化妆间外的粉丝离开，然后是半小时的笔记时间。语法解析

To Matthew's surprise, she does not characterize the last section as anemic, as she did the first night. "It's much better," she says. "More than you know. Keep going." There were Broadway people and modern dance people in the crowd that night, and no stirrings, as far as anyone can tell, of estate trouble. Some good news, conveyed by Willa at the start of the evening, buoyed everyone. 令马修惊讶的是，她这次没有像第一晚那样说最后一部分平淡无奇，而是说：“好多了，比你想象的要好得多。继续加油。”那天晚上观众中有百老汇的演员和现代舞者，而且据大家所知，没有出现遗产纠纷的迹象。晚上一开始，威拉带来了一个好消息，让大家都很振奋。语法解析

There had been no social media spoilers about their happy days, only a handful of posts that hinted that attendees would be in for a treat. Later, Matthew and Ira argue on the way back to Ludlow Street. She chews him out for grandstanding in his dressing room with the congratulating fans. After he calms down, he asks her, "'Can I not be giddy for myself?' 此前社交媒体上没有关于他们幸福时光的剧透，只有寥寥几条帖子暗示到场的人会有惊喜。后来，在返回勒德洛街的路上，马修和艾拉发生了争执。她斥责他在更衣室里与前来祝贺的粉丝们大出风头。他冷静下来后问道：“我就不能为自己高兴吗？”' 语法解析

Iris scolding the previous evening has chastened him. He successfully blocks out thoughts of who might be in the audience tonight. Looking in the mirror to apply makeup, he uses the word "sunderings" for vocalization exercises. He exaggerates the first and last sibilance, making the pleasurable sounds over and over. His grandmother doesn't make an appearance during the performance. 艾瑞斯昨晚的责骂让他收敛了许多。他成功地不去想今晚的观众会是谁。对着镜子化妆时，他用“撕裂”这个词来做发声练习。他把开头和结尾的“嘶”音拉得很长，一遍又一遍地享受着这悦耳的声音。演出期间，他的祖母没有露面。语法解析

And for some reason, when the word pops into his head during the infamous final leg, it galvanizes him and he delivers a fresh burst of energy. The first thing that both actors do when the curtain goes down and before it's raised for the curtain call is hug each other to acknowledge the strongest iteration yet of the play's concluding minutes. 不知为何，在那臭名昭著的最后一幕中，这个词突然出现在他的脑海中，这让他精神一振，迸发出新的活力。当幕布落下，还未升起谢幕时，两位演员做的第一件事就是拥抱彼此，以庆祝这部剧最后几分钟的演绎达到了前所未有的高度。语法解析

When the curtain is lifted, Matthew is crying and Andreas is beaming. More stars pay tribute in the dressing room. Art world folk? Members of the publishing community. It's a small world. So Willa reminds Marla to take the book people aside and enjoin them to keep mum, lest word get back to the offices of Grove Press, Beckett's American publisher.

Matthew, receiving fans, is on his best, most modest behavior. He can feel Ira, seated in a far corner and turned away from him, somehow watching. Tonight, Ira is the sole speaker of lines on the way back to Ludlow Street. She will be making her first appearance as Winnie tomorrow, a few days earlier than planned. 马修在接待粉丝时表现得格外谦逊有礼。他能感觉到坐在远处角落里背对着他的艾拉，不知怎的在注视着他。今晚，在回勒德洛街的路上，艾拉是唯一开口说话的人。明天她就要首次出演温妮这个角色了，比原计划提前了几天。语法解析

Matthew told Marla he had a feeling that the estate was on to them, and even after scouring the social media of the last few days with Willa and finding no red flags, he could not be talked out of his nerves. In the morning, Ira is in the rehearsal space on Great Jones Street, being put through her paces by Marla. 马修告诉玛拉，他有种感觉，庄园那边已经盯上他们了。即便他和薇拉仔细查看了过去几天的社交媒体，也没发现什么可疑之处，但他还是无法摆脱紧张的情绪。第二天早上，艾拉在大琼斯街的排练室里，玛拉在对她进行严格的训练。语法解析

After they come back from lunch, and without Marla's prompting, Ira does a breathtaking stunt. She recites the first half of Act 1, standing alternately on one leg and then the other. There are many failed attempts before she finds a kind of shaky balance. Later, when they turn up at the East Village stage, 午饭过后他们回来时，艾拉在没有玛拉催促的情况下，做了一个令人惊叹的举动。她单腿站立交替着背诵了第一幕的前半部分。在找到一种摇摇晃晃的平衡之前，她尝试了很多次都失败了。后来，当他们出现在东村的舞台上时，

Marla shows Ira the accommodations the stage crew has installed inside the Winnie Swallowing Mound. Foot rests to hold her, to be removed on nights when Matthew performs. She steps into the mound and puts her socked feet into the attachments. Per her instructions, they are moved to more comfortable positions for her and reinforced with more screws. 玛拉向艾拉展示了舞台工作人员在“吞咽山丘”里为她安装的设施。有脚踏板用来固定她，演出时马修表演的晚上会移除。她走进山丘，把穿着袜子的双脚放进固定装置里。按照她的指示，工作人员把它们调整到更舒适的位置，并用更多的螺丝加固。语法解析

She asks for an hour alone, to be inside the mound, the stage dark, the auditorium empty. I'll be right outside if you need me, Marla says. To get through the evening's show, Ira has to employ all her recently learned tricks. Deep breathing, visualization, the yoga she watched on YouTube that started her alternating her balance between one leg and the other. 她要求独自待上一个小时，待在那个土堆里，舞台上一片漆黑，观众席空无一人。玛拉说：“如果你需要我，我就在外面。”为了撑过当晚的演出，艾拉不得不运用她最近学到的所有技巧。深呼吸、想象，还有她在 YouTube 上看到的瑜伽，她开始交替单腿站立保持平衡。语法解析

This has the effect of slowing down her whinny, but no matter. She is mesmerizing. The revelation of her cane at curtain call brings to their feet those in the audience who weren't already inclined to join the standing ovation. She has to have ten minutes to herself in the dressing room to regain her composure. Ruby showed up to watch her mother.

At some point, Matthew was watching Ruby watch her mother more than he was paying attention to Ira, who earned laughs on lines that Matthew had thought were perfectly straightforward. He vowed to dig in his heels and never draw laughter on those lines, a sign of petty jealousy. And yet...

Matthew understands how necessary those laughs are, because Ira's Winnie is heavy-souled. You can feel her gritting her teeth to manufacture her daily cheer. So, after all, at this late date in their friendship, he discovers that he has misjudged Ira, or that she has contrived to be misjudged 马修明白那些笑声是多么必要，因为伊拉饰演的温妮内心沉重。你能感觉到她强颜欢笑，努力让自己每天都保持愉悦。所以，最终，在他们友谊的这个阶段，他发现他误解了伊拉，或者说她有意让自己被误解。

always quick with hugs and humor. Her hospital self is closer to her true spirit, with its bottom of mortal fatigue and clear-eyed nihilism. It took seeing her on stage for Matthew to finally believe his best friend. He shudders at the flip side. What truths has he been exposing to others nightly with his Winnie? 她总是热情拥抱，妙语连珠。在医院里的她更接近真实的自我，带着深深的疲惫和清醒的虚无感。直到在舞台上看到她，马修才终于相信了自己的挚友。他不禁打了个寒颤，想到自己每晚在舞台上扮演的温妮，又向别人揭露了怎样的真相。语法解析

Joining Ruby and Ira on the walk to Ludlow are their upstairs and downstairs neighbors. Matthew informed them in advance of the evening's significance, and he secured their seats. Also in the late-night procession is Priscilla, Ruby's godmother, a former peer of Matthew and Ira's who retired from acting when she married a successful endocrinologist and moved with him to Princeton. 鲁比和艾拉去勒德洛的路上，楼上楼下邻居也一同前往。马修提前告知了他们当晚活动的重要性，并为他们预留了座位。普里西拉也在深夜的队伍中，她是鲁比的教母，曾是马修和艾拉的同龄人，后来嫁给了一位成功的内分泌科医生，随他搬到了普林斯顿，从此退出了演艺圈。语法解析

Matthew made the call to her as soon as it was decided that Ira would be stepping into the role. But scanning the crowd that night, he was glad to see nobody who was plausibly lawyerly or resembled what a suit from a literary estate looked like in his imagination. Marla doesn't press him to elaborate on his fears. To be extra safe, Ira goes on the next night as well, 马修一决定艾拉将接替这个角色，就马上给她打了电话。但那天晚上扫视人群时，他很高兴没看到任何看起来像律师的人，也没有人符合他想象中文学遗产管理人的形象。玛拉没有逼他详细说明自己的担忧。为了更保险起见，艾拉第二天晚上也去了。

And then it's the weekend, with two shows on Saturday and a Sunday matinee, and Matthew is back as Winnie for all of them. Monday is no day off for him. This is his afternoon for accompanying Ira to her mahjong game in Chinatown. She favors a senior center on Mott, which can accommodate only three tables but has the most convivial players.

and a school gym lent monthly to a local church, which attracts nearby residents as well as bussing in affiliate members from New Jersey and Rhode Island. Today, Matthew and Ira have chosen the latter site. There are at least a dozen tables in the gymnasium,

and walking in to the sound of all those clattering tiles is like being inside a machine of obscure but pleasing purpose matthew begs off playing he wants only to observe iris moves his policy at the gymnasium is to choose seats for them next to the player with the grouchiest face

usually a woman and spend the next two hours trying to tease out her life story her situation he has never been successful grouchy faces tend to favor grunts as their code of exchange 通常是一位女士，然后接下来的两个小时他都试图套出她的生平故事和处境，但从未成功过。脾气暴躁的人往往喜欢用咕哝声作为交流的代码。

And also, these are mostly Cantonese speakers, joined by recent Fukienese immigrants, and he speaks neither language. Or, rather, his childhood fluency in Cantonese is a dim memory, a present embarrassment. Today, Matthew points to two empty seats next to the grouchiest Chinese woman on earth, 而且，这里大多是讲粤语的人，还有些新来的福建移民，而他这两种语言都不会说。或者说，他儿时流利的粤语如今已淡忘，成了他如今的尴尬。这时，马修指着世上最不高兴的中国女人旁边的两个空座位。

as usual his friend's luck with the tiles is middling she loses more than she wins and as usual he is defeated in his campaign to befriend the scowler next to him 像往常一样，他朋友的牌运平平，输多赢少，而他试图与身旁那个皱着眉头的人交朋友的努力也一如既往地失败了。

although he does get her to acknowledge him with a nod and then, miraculously, to return his smile with a gesture of one hand over her mouth, seemingly to screen her shy teeth from his eyes. The next night, Winnie makes a coquettish signal with her hands, trying to conceal a smile. Not all art is a theft from life.

And not all thefts work on stage. But there are audible sighs of pleasure from the audience. There are private messages from Willa sent to a half-dozen Twitter accounts asking them to scrub their too explicit enthusiasms for happy days. One of these belongs to a former Yale professor of Marla's who paid his respects after the show. 并非所有舞台上的“偷窃”都能得逞。但观众席中还是传来阵阵愉悦的轻叹。威拉还给六七个推特账号发了私信，让他们删掉那些过于直白的赞美之词，其中有一个账号属于玛拉以前在耶鲁大学的教授，他在演出结束后向她表达了敬意。语法解析

He was another crier, like Angela Rune. You've incarnated my mother, he exclaimed to Matthew. And he and Matthew spent the next few minutes comparing their family matriarchs, the professor's mother and Matthew's grandmother. Indomitable women, the professor said. Tonight is an Ira night. She is waiting inside the mound for ten past eight, 他跟安吉拉·鲁恩一样也是个爱哭的人。“你投胎成了我母亲。”他对马修惊呼道。接下来的几分钟里，他和马修都在谈论各自家族中的女长辈，教授的母亲和马修的祖母。这两位女士都坚毅无比。今晚是艾拉的夜。她八点十分会在土丘里等着。

Curtain is usually held for an extra ten minutes. And then, suddenly, she is waving Willa over, arms frantic. She's escorted back to the dressing room. Her heart palpitations will not calm down. This time around, the house manager's announcement is no lie. 幕布通常会多拉十分钟。然后，突然间，她疯狂地挥手示意威拉过去。她被护送回了化妆间。她的心悸一直无法平息。这一次，舞台监督的通告并非虚言。语法解析

Ladies and gentlemen, the part of Winnie, played by Ira Wilson, will be performed tonight by Matthew Lim. There are in-the-know people in the audience, and their shock and surprise are entirely performative. Such is the rush of Matthew's preparation that he's caught with an askew wig, and the crowd won't stop laughing and applauding. 女士们、先生们，今晚由伊拉·威尔逊饰演的维尼一角将由马修·林出演。观众中有知情人士，他们的震惊和惊讶完全是装出来的。马修准备得太匆忙，以至于假发都戴歪了，观众们笑得前仰后合，掌声不断。语法解析

he has to wait for their cheer to subside. Ira doesn't want to be sent home to an empty apartment. She watches the show from the back of the house as usual. She sticks around while Matthew sees guests in the dressing room and she accompanies him afterward to their restaurant hangout. At the end of the evening, as Matthew unlocks the door to the Ludlow apartment, it occurs to him to ask Ira, "'Do you want me to spend the night?' 他得等着他们的欢呼声平息下来。艾拉不想被送回空荡荡的公寓。她像往常一样在房子后面看演出。马修在化妆间接待客人时，她就待在旁边，之后还陪他去了他们常去的那家餐馆。晚上结束时，马修打开卢德洛公寓的门，突然想到要问艾拉：“你想让我在这儿过夜吗？”' 语法解析

She says no. Then yes. Then no. I'll spend the night, he says. He texts Ruby as soon as he gets back to his apartment in the West Village the next morning. How's your mother's health? He asks her. It's not improving, Ruby replies. At his nightly pre-show dinner with Marla that evening, he brings up the subject of a role for Ira in their next production. 她先是说不，接着又说行，然后又说不。他说：“我今晚就在这儿过夜。”第二天早上一回到西村的公寓，他就给露比发了条短信，问她母亲的身体怎么样。露比回复说：“没什么起色。”那天晚上，在和玛拉的餐前聚会上，他提起了让艾拉在他们下一部作品中出演一个角色的事。语法解析

He tells her he wants this to happen in six months' time. Already, he's thinking of writing grant proposals, raising money from wealthy donors. Maybe a revival of the King Lear they staged twenty years ago? There is no question in his mind that Ira would be equal to the task. A Shakespearean marathon every night that her failing body cannot help but improve for. 他告诉她，他希望这事能在六个月后实现。他已经在考虑写申请书，从富有的捐赠者那里筹款了。或许可以重演二十年前他们上演过的《李尔王》？在他看来，艾拉完全能够胜任这项任务。每晚一场莎士比亚戏剧的马拉松演出，她那日渐衰弱的身体肯定会因此而有所好转。语法解析

Aliveness needs its occasion. Also, there are many characters who could support Ira bodily. Cordelia, Lear's favorite daughter, and also the Fool, who in Matthew's mind is more and more Henry, with his broad shoulders, his comical shrug. 活力需要契机。而且，还有许多角色能在身体上支持伊拉。李尔王最宠爱的女儿考狄利娅，还有在马修心中越来越像亨利的弄臣，他那宽阔的肩膀，还有那滑稽的耸肩。语法解析

And Marla could be inspired to do an innovative staging to reduce the physical strain on Ira so that she is free to simply be Lear. There is no overlap between the play and Ira's life. Certainly, there's no anger against the dying of the light in Ira. Rather, her beautiful, beautiful voice will get its proper vehicle. 而且玛拉可能会受到启发，设计出一种创新的舞台布置，以减轻伊拉的身体负担，这样伊拉就能全身心地投入扮演李尔王。这部剧和伊拉的生活毫无交集。当然，伊拉对于光明的消逝也毫无怨言。相反，她那美妙绝伦的嗓音将得到恰当的施展。语法解析

Even the final acts raging storm when the blinded king is reunited with his loyal daughter will not tamp down her clarion diction. What wind, what rains! As before, there will be only iris contralto to command the spectators' ears and to pierce their hearts with the king's regret. 即便在最后几幕中，当失明的国王与忠诚的女儿重逢时，狂风暴雨肆虐，也无法掩盖她那响亮清晰的言辞。狂风呼啸，暴雨倾盆！一如往昔，只有那低沉的女低音能掌控观众的耳朵，用国王的悔恨刺痛他们的心。语法解析

as he seeks pardon from what remains of his life. No such dilemma for Ira, long the company's peacekeeper. For her own last act, there is sure to be a line out the door of her hospital room, everyone waiting to pay respects. Marla did not helm their original production, but isn't Lear a colossus and a coup for any ambitious director? 在他余生寻求宽恕之时，艾拉却不会有这样的困境。长久以来，她一直是公司的和平缔造者。她生命中的最后一幕，定然会有许多人排队等候在她的病房外，向她致以敬意。玛拉并未执导过他们最初的那部作品，但《李尔王》难道不是任何一位雄心勃勃的导演梦寐以求的巨作吗？语法解析

Let me think about it, Marla says. Matthew holds his tongue about time being of the essence. Marla's note for that evening's show, Your Winnie is maybe too sad tonight? It's only on the walk back to Ludlow with Ira later that evening that he realizes he was so busy worrying about Ira that he didn't think once about being outed to the estate and “让我想想吧，”玛拉说道。马修没提时间紧迫的事。玛拉当晚演出的笔记写着：“今晚你的温妮是不是有点太悲伤了？”直到当晚和艾拉一起走回勒德洛街时，他才意识到自己一直忙着担心艾拉，根本就没想过自己被庄园那边发现的事。

A rare reprieve from these anxious weeks. There are only five performances left, and he may be jinxing them, but he has to ask, are we going to get away with it? He has found himself at the center of an entirely surprising group project, with an uncharacteristically reticent New York City in the role of his abettor.

Always, along the chain of hectic audience gossip, there was one person who decided to nip in the bud the talk about a too iconoclastic Beckett, and the relay to the estate was stopped. Someone, more than one someone, who decided that Matthew and his crazy dreams were worth shielding, or that's how he thinks of it. Still, 在那条忙乱的观众闲言碎语的链条上，总会有那么一个人决定将有关贝克特太过离经叛道的议论扼杀在萌芽状态，于是有关此事的消息也就没有传到贝克特的家人那里。有人，不止一个人，认为马修和他的疯狂梦想值得保护，至少他是这么认为的。不过，

Viewed another way, New York is simply being itself. Out to shaft the big guy, Edward Beckett, and ease the hardship on one of its little people, Matthew Lim. The next evening, on the jaunt back to Ludlow, with Ira, he says just two words to her. "'King Lear.' "'What King Lear?' Ira replies.' 换个角度看，纽约不过是在做它自己。一心要整垮大人物爱德华·贝克特，同时减轻小人物马修·林的困境。第二天晚上，他和艾拉一起回勒德洛街时，只对她说了一句话。“《李尔王》。”“什么《李尔王》？”艾拉问道。' 语法解析

She is only stalling. She knows this as well as he. He repeats himself. King Lear, get that out of your head, Iris says. She stops walking. She sighs. She puts out a hand, and he mistakes it for a request for support. She brushes him aside, and he allows her to place an affectionate hand on him, a hand of entreaty. 她只是在拖延时间。这一点她和他心里都清楚。他重复着自己的话。伊里斯说：“别胡思乱想了，李尔王。”她停下脚步。她叹了口气。她伸出一只手，他误以为这是请求搀扶。她把他推开了，然后允许她满怀爱意地把手放在他身上，那是恳求的手。语法解析

"You don't want to?" he asks. "Want and can, these are two separate issues." "You can. You and my doctors need to have a talk," Ira says. "You can. I don't have to tell you this, but if you just start living with it inside your head, soon your body will warm to the task." “你不想？”他问道。“想和能，这是两码事。”“你能行。你得和我的医生们谈谈。”艾拉说道。“你能行。我本不必跟你说这些，但要是你老是把这事放在心上，很快你的身体就会适应的。”语法解析

"'Have you run this by the others? You and I are hardly the only parties who get to decide. I am, despite your beliefs, more a liability than not. What happens when I can't go on? You'll have understudies. You?' "'Everyone,' Matthew is beaming. "'What do you mean, everyone?' “你跟其他人商量过这事吗？你和我可没资格独自做主。别管你信不信，我对你来说更多是个累赘。要是我撑不下去了怎么办？你有替补。你呢？”“所有人。”马修笑容满面。“所有人？你这话什么意思？”' 语法解析

Every senior member of the company will learn the role. If you can't go on, a name will be drawn from a hat. Once someone has gone on as Lear, their name will be withdrawn from the hat. "'You're crazy,' she says. "'How long has this been planned?' "'Just now.' "'You're crazy,' she repeats. They resume walking. He puts a coy hand in front of his smile." 公司里的每位资深成员都要学会这个角色。要是有人上不了场，就从帽子里抽签决定。一旦有人扮演过李尔王，他的名字就会从帽子里抽掉。“你疯了，”她说。“这计划多久了？”“就刚才。”“你疯了，”她又说了一遍。他们继续往前走。他羞怯地把手挡在嘴边，遮住笑容。语法解析

Beautiful words that appear in happy days. Sundering's, mercy's. Repeating them in front of the mirror each night has been a vocal warm-up and a self-hypnosis for Matthew. Deep breath in, sundering's. Breath fully out, mercy's. Words that don't appear in the text but which he also utilizes for voice exercises. 在快乐的日子里出现的美妙话语。分离的，仁慈的。每晚对着镜子重复这些词，对马修来说既是发声练习，也是一种自我催眠。深吸一口气，分离的。完全呼出，仁慈的。虽然这些词并未出现在文中，但他也用它们来做发声练习。语法解析

Apocalypse indomitable. That was Han Ong reading his story, Happy Days. This is his eighth story in the magazine. You can hear more New Yorker fiction read by the authors on newyorker.com and on the New Yorker apps available from the App Store or from Google Play. On the New Yorker Fiction Podcast, we invite writers to choose stories from the magazine's archives to read and discuss. This month, Edwidge Danticat reads Two Men Arrive in a Village by Zadie Smith. 《不屈的末日》。这是韩·昂朗读他的故事《快乐时光》。这是他第八次在本刊发表作品。您可以在 newyorker.com 网站以及从苹果应用商店或谷歌应用商店下载的《纽约客》应用程序上收听更多作者朗读的《纽约客》小说。在《纽约客小说播客》中，我们邀请作家从杂志的档案中挑选故事进行朗读和讨论。本月，埃德维吉·丹蒂卡特朗读了扎迪·史密斯的《两个男人来到一个村庄》。语法解析

I'm Deborah Treisman. Thanks for listening. I'm David Ramnick, host of The New Yorker Radio Hour. 我是黛博拉·特里斯曼。感谢收听。我是大卫·拉姆尼克，《纽约客》广播时事节目主持人。语法解析

There's nothing like finding a story you can really sink into that lets you tune out the noise and focus on what matters. In print or here on the podcast, The New Yorker brings you thoughtfulness and depth and even humor that you can't find anywhere else. So please join me every week for The New Yorker Radio Hour, wherever you listen to podcasts. From PR. 没有什么比找到一个能让你真正沉浸其中的故事更好的了，它能让你屏蔽外界的喧嚣，专注于真正重要的事情。无论是印刷版还是在播客中，《纽约客》都能为您带来别处无法寻得的深邃思考、丰富内涵甚至幽默。所以，请每周都与我一起收听《纽约客广播时事》，无论您在何处收听播客。来自公共广播电台。

From Zuckerman Spader. For five decades, Zuckerman Spader has been a leading litigation firm trusted by in-house and outside counsel, businesses, and individuals. With offices in Washington, Baltimore, New York, and Tampa, Zuckerman Spader serves clients throughout the country and around the world in high-stakes disputes, enforcement matters, investigations, and at trial. When the lawyer you choose matters most. Online at Zuckerman.com.来自祖克曼·斯佩德律师事务所。五十年来，祖克曼·斯佩德一直是备受信赖的诉讼事务所，为公司内部和外部法律顾问、企业和个人提供服务。该事务所在华盛顿、巴尔的摩、纽约和坦帕均设有办事处，为全美乃至全球客户提供高风险纠纷、执法事务、调查以及庭审方面的服务。当您所选择的律师至关重要时，敬请访问 Zuckerman.com。

Han Ong Reads “Happy Days”

The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker

Deep Dive

《快乐的日子》：一场关于挑战、友谊与秘密的舞台剧

Deep Dive 深潜水

舞台上的生死与友谊：一场关于《快乐的日子》的秘密演出

Deep Dive 深潜水

“快乐的日子”：一场关于生命、舞台与友谊的冒险

Shownotes Transcript 成绩单

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Han Ong Reads “Happy Days” 01:02:08 Share

The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker

Deep Dive

《快乐的日子》：一场关于挑战、友谊与秘密的舞台剧

Deep Dive 深潜水

舞台上的生死与友谊：一场关于《快乐的日子》的秘密演出

Deep Dive 深潜水

“快乐的日子”：一场关于生命、舞台与友谊的冒险

Shownotes Transcript 成绩单

Han Ong Reads “Happy Days”