在意大利待了十天左右，“抑郁”和“寂寞”追捕到我。上了一天快乐的课之后，一天傍晚，我漫步过博盖塞花园，金色夕阳落在圣彼得大教堂上。我对这浪漫景象感到满足，尽管孤伶伶一个人，而公园里的其他人不是跟爱人亲热就是陪着嘻笑的孩童玩耍。然而我停下来倚靠在栏杆上，观看夕阳， 开始想得太多了点，而后转为沉思，于是它们在此时追查到我。
Depression and Loneliness track me down after about ten days in Italy. I am walking through the Villa Borghese one evening after a happy day spent in school, and the sun is setting gold over St. Peter's Basilica. I am feeling contented in this romantic scene, even if I am all by myself, while everyone else in the park is either fondling a lover or playing with a laughing child. But I stop to lean against a balustrade and watch the sunset, and I get to thinking a little too much, and then my thinking turns to brooding, and that's when they catch up with me.
它们像侦探似地，一声不响、满怀敌意地找上我，把我夹在中间——左侧是“抑郁”，右侧是“寂寞”。它们无须亮出徽章，我对这两个家伙了若指掌。我们已玩了多年猫捉老鼠的游戏。尽管我承认，暮色中，在优雅的意大利庭园里见到他们，着实令我 大吃一惊。它们不属于这个地方。
They come upon me all silent and menacing like Pinkerton Detectives, and they flank me—Depression on my left, Loneliness on my right. They don't need to show me their badges. I know these guys very well. We've been playing a cat-and-mouse game for years now. Though I admit that I am surprised to meet them in this elegant Italian garden at dusk. This is no place they belong.
我对它们说“你们怎么发现我在这里？谁告诉你们我来了罗马？”
I say to them, "How did you find me here? Who told you I had come to Rome?"
老是自作聪明的“抑郁”说：“什么——你不高兴看见我们？”
Depression, always the wise guy, says, "What—you're not happy to see us?"
“走开。”我告诉它。
"Go away," I tell him.
比较善解人意的警察“寂寞”说：“很抱歉，夫人，我可能非得在你旅行期间从头到尾监视你。这是我的任务。”
Loneliness, the more sensitive cop, says, "I'm sorry, ma'am. But I might have to tail you the whole time you're traveling. It's my assignment."
“我宁可你不这么做，”我告诉它，但它只是稍带歉意地耸耸肩，却靠得更近。
"I'd really rather you didn't," I tell him, and he shrugs almost apologetically, but only moves closer.