刘士聪  翻译天堂  2016-09-26

演练救生

丽贝卡·威尔斯

Much of the Ya-Yas’ time on the creekbank was spent chatting, dozing, reapplying their sun-grabbing tincture, and keeping an eye on us. They took turns being responsible for watching us as we splashed, dove … floated, and fought in the creek water. The Ya-Ya who was on watch could only keep one foot in the conversation because she had to concentrate on how many heads were visible in the creek. Altogether there were sixteen of us Petites Ya-Yas. Necie had seven kids, Caro had three—all boys. Teensy had a boy and girl. And then there were four of us. Every half hour, the Ya-Ya in charge would stand up, look out at the water, and blow a whistle hanging from an old costume jewelry necklace. At the sound of the whistle, we immediately had to stop whatever we were doing and count off. 丫丫姐妹们在河岸上花好多时间聊天，打瞌睡，往身上擦吸晒剂，以及照看我们。我们在河里嬉水、潜水……漂浮和打逗时，她们轮流负责照看我们。值班的丫丫只能用一半心思和别人聊天，因为她必须注意看着水面上有多少人头。我们总共是16个小丫丫。奈希有七个孩子，卡罗有三个，都是男孩。蒂恩希有一个男孩和一个女孩。然后就是我们四个。每隔半小时，值班的丫丫就站起来朝河里看，而且吹响挂在一条老式人造珠宝链上的口哨。听见口哨声，不论我们在做什么，必须立即停下来开始报数。

Each of the Peties Ya-Yas had an assigned number, and the Ya-Yas had an assigned number, and the Ya-Ya on watch would listen for our voices as we called them out. Once we were all accounted for, we could resume our playing, and that Ya-Ya, her half-hourly job done, could settle down on the blanket. Although the ladies did not stop drinking while they were on lookout, it must be said that not one of us Petites Ya-Yas spent on the creek. 每个小丫丫都编了号，我们报数时，值班丫丫就留心听我们的声音，查明情况后，我们才能继续玩耍，那个丫丫半小时的任务完成了才能坐在毯子上。虽然这几个女人一边喝着一边留意我们，但必须说，在河上度过的那些漫长的夏日里，没有一个小丫丫溺水而死。

At least twice a summer, Mama would make one of us pretend to be drowning in Spring Creek so she could practice her rescue technique. Mama learned how to rescue drowning people long before we were born. She got recertified by the Red Cross every three years, but proclaimed it her responsibility to test herself every single summer. We begged and screamed and fought to be the drowning victim. We loved special attention. 每年夏天至少两次，妈妈让我们当中的一个在春溪里假装溺水，让她练习救生技巧。在我们出生很久以前妈妈就学会了救生。她每隔三年从红十字会那里领一次合格证书，但她声明，每年夏天都要对自己进行测试，这是她的责任。我们求呀、嚷呀，争着要做溺水者。我们都喜欢引起人们的特别注意。

Basically, what you had to do was swim to the deep end and bob up and down in a panic, flailing your arms and screaming like you were about to take your last breath before sinking. 基本上，你要游到水深的一头，突然沉到水里去，又突然从水里冒上来，一副惊惶失措的样子，扑腾着两只胳膊喊叫，好像只剩下一口气就沉到水里了。

Mama would be up on the creekbank as planned. She’d be wearing her shorts and camp blouse over her swimsuit, and as soon as she heard your screams, she’d raise her hands to her eyes to block the glare. Then she’d scan the horizon like an Indian princess, and spot you. Even as she was searching, she’d start ripping off her blouse and shorts, and kicking off her tennis shoes. Then she’d run to the edge of the creekbank and plunge into the water, employing one of her famous shallow lifeguard dives. At the sight of Mama’s leap, you would quiet down a little and watch her swim, fast and sure, to the spot where you were drowning. 妈妈按照事先说好的来到河岸上。她在泳衣外面套上短裤和野营衬衫，一听见你喊叫就用双手遮着眼睛挡住眩目的阳光。她像印第安女头领一样扫视天际线，于是发现了你。甚至在她寻找你的时候，她就开始急忙脱去衬衫和短裤，甩掉脚上的网球鞋，然后跌到水边，运用她那有名的浅水救生员技巧，一猛子扎入水中。看见妈妈跳下来，你会略微镇静一会，看着她游到你出事的地方，游得又快又稳。

When she’d reach you, she’d shout, “Flail more! Dahlin! Flail more!” And you’d flap your arms harder and kick and scream with increased vigor. Then, with great assurance, Mama would hook her hand under your chin, lean your head back against her chest, and begin the rescue, using her mighty inverted scissors kick to propel the two of you through the water in short little bursts. 她一游过来就大声喊，“接着扑腾！达林！接着扑腾呀！”你就更起劲地拍打双臂，蹬腿，喊叫。然后，妈妈很从容里用手勾住你的下巴，让你的头贴在她胸上，救生开始了，她运用那强劲的反向剪式打腿，推着她和你两人从水里一下一下地游过来。

Once back on the sandbar, Mama would lean over you with her ear to your chest. Then she’d feel around in your mouth with her fingers to make sure there was nothing blocking your throat. After that began the most dramatic component of the rescue: mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The Kiss of Life. Or as we called it, “mouth-to-mouth re-Vivificatioin.” This was the crucial part of the rescue attempt, which could mean the difference between life and death. She’d clamp your nostrils together, put one hand on your chest, and begin to breathe into you. She’d breathe, then pump your chest with her plan, then breathe again. Then, when she was satisfied, Mama would stand up, her hands on her lips, her hair slicked back like a mermaid-lifeguard, and announce with a proud smile, “You were about a goner, Dahlin, but now I think you’ll make it.” 一回到河口沙洲上，妈妈就俯下身子，把耳朵贴在你胸口上。然后，她用手指摸你的口腔，以确定里面没有东西堵着你的喉咙。此后便开始救生最有戏剧性的部分：嘴对嘴呼吸使你苏醒。生命之吻。或如我们常说的，“嘴对嘴呼吸使你复生”。这是救生最重要的部分，生死攸关。她捏住你的鼻孔，一只手放在你胸上，开始往你的嘴里呼气。她呼着气，然后用手掌压你的胸口，然后再呼气。当妈妈感到满意时便直起身子，两只手放在屁股上，光溜溜的头发披向脑后，活像一个美人鱼救生员，然后她就会骄傲地微笑着说：“你差点淹死了，达要，不过现在你没事了。”

Occasionally the staged rescue would scare one of the little kids, who did not understand that it was pretend. So Mama had gotten in the habit of inviting each Petites Ya-Ya to lean over you, the rescued one, to feel the breath coming out of your nostrils. After the last kid had been reassured, everyone would start clapping. Then Mama would jump on one foot, shake the water out of her ears, and say, “Knew I hadn’t lost my touch.” 这种救生学习偶尔会让我们当中年龄小的孩子害怕，因为他/她不知道这是假装的。因此，妈妈往往让一个个小丫丫伏在你（被营者）身上，感受一下从你鼻孔里呼出来的气。等到最后一个孩子也放心了，我们大家便拍起手来。然后妈妈便单脚跳动，把耳朵里的水空出来，说：“早就知道我还没有忘掉我的救生术呢。”