一个女人是这样衰老的
The Way Woman Withers
毛荣贵教授译本

二十岁的时候，我穿着一条背心式牛仔裙在校园里走来走去，一说话就脸红。四十岁的我穿着名牌套装，坐在办公室桌前，满脸冷酷地对下属说：“这么愚蠢的问题你也敢问？也不先打个草稿。”
At the age of twenty, wearing a jeans jumper, I moved about on the campus, my face blushing the moment I had the inclination to make an utterance. At the age of forty, I, wearing a famous-brand suit and a cold look, reproach my subordinate bluntly, “How can you go so far as to raise such a silly, mindless question?”
 二十岁的时候，从图书馆借的是《莎士比亚全集》，《一个青年艺术家的自画像》和《尤里西斯》。四十岁之后，床头摆的是《跟庄密笈》，《ELLE》和《经理人的个人魅力》。
At the age of twenty, I borrowed books from the library like Shakespeare’s Complete Works, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses. After forty, on my bedsides, lie such books and magazines as The Recipe on Stocks, ELLE and Manager’s Charm.
 二十岁的暑假，在家乡的大街上偶遇自己的暗恋对象，听说他考上了研究生，被他的进步所打击，心如刀绞，想到这辈子终于不能出色得让他看我一眼，不禁潸然泪下。四十岁之后，到处打听哪里可以花钱买个MBA。
At the age of twenty, I ran into the young man whom I loved in private in the street of my hometown. Upon hearing that he had been enrolled as a graduate, I was virtually dealt a heavy blow, believing reluctantly so painful a fact that I could never do well enough to win his favor, bitter tears streaming down my cheeks. After forty, I busy myself here and there, inquiring where I could buy an MBA diploma.
 二十岁的时候，随时随地向人透露我的年龄，答得比问得还快。四十岁之后，最恨别人问年龄，你要是非问不可，你猜啊。
At the age of twenty, I was so ready to reveal my age, tell people about my age frequently before they inquired. After forty, age became almost a taboo to me. If somebody is so nosy, I respond, “Guess.”
 二十岁的时候，一心想和体育系、美术系的男生约会。四十岁之后，我简直认为自己当年是白痴。
At the age of twenty, I did long to date with the boys from either physical education, or the art department. After forty, it seems so unbelievable that I once idiotically possessed that thought.
 二十岁的时候，有书店必逛，有书必买。四十岁之后，对书店视而不见，直接去了隔壁的美容院。
At the age of twenty, bookstore was a must for me, and I was a big book buyer. While after forty, paying no attention to the bookstore, I breeze into the beauty parlor next door.
二十岁的时候，老妈打电话，不等说完三句就恨不能挂了电话。四十岁之后，一听到老妈的声音就禁不住哭出声来：“妈呀，您老的所有担心现在都应验了……”
At the age of twenty, while talking with my mother over the phone, I wanted to hang up before my mother had finished a few words. After forty the voice of Mom invariably triggers my crying, “Mom, your worries about my marriage have all come true.”
二十岁的时候，我直想往前冲，谁也别挡我。四十岁之后，我真想懒着不走啊，又快过年了。
At the age of twenty, I dashed forward without any concern for the passing days and years. In my thirties, I strive to hang on to every moment. Unfortunately, another New Year looms on the horizon.
二十岁的时候，我想出名要趁早，一个人到了四十岁还藉藉无名那还活个什么劲呀？四十岁之后，名是不指望了，只希望在四十岁的时候能像我老板一样有钱。
At the age of twenty, it’s better to be famous before it’s too late, I believed. What would be the spice of life for a person deserted by fame when approaching forty? After forty, fame seems still beyond reach, yet being as rich as my boss at forty becomes my new dream.
二十岁的时候，挤在人头攒动的公共汽车上，吃着甜筒，挺开心。四十岁之后，看见破旧的的士都心烦，买车吧，一路开往小康。
 At the age of twenty, I felt so contented sandwiched in a jammed bus, eating ice cream. After forty, even the sight of a shabby and sordid taxi may sicken me. Ok! When the oil price goes down, I’ll buy a car, drive along the road of Well-To-Do.
二十岁的时候，打赌说我这辈子不可能死守在一个地方，生活在别处嘛。四十岁之后，我为了在这座城市买个满意又便宜的房子跑断了腿。
At the age of twenty, I bet that I would never reside in one city the rest of my life. I’d choose to live in different places. After I forty, I run off my legs searching for an apartment, satisfying and cheap.
二十岁的时候，和某个人晚上一起去看了场电影，不经意中拉了一次手，结果幸福了整整一个夏天。四十岁之后，坐在香格里拉旋转餐厅陪客户吃自助餐，在缓缓的转动中，莫名其妙一阵空虚，突然间对一切感到索然无味……
At the age of twenty, one evening, I went to see a film with a young man. In the darkness, an incidental touch of hands filled me with joy all that summer. I am forty, sitting in the rotating restaurant pf Shangri-La Hotel, accompanying clients having a buffet. In the slow rotating, an indescribable emptiness, all of a sudden, seize me, and I find everything dull and dry.
二十岁的时候，看小说专挑和爱情有关的情节看。四十岁之后，我在聊天室里的代号叫“不谈爱情”。
At the age of twenty, while reading a novel, I abandoned myself to the chapters exclusively devoted to romance. After forty, I dubbed myself as “No Mention of Love” in the Internet chat-room.
 二十岁的时候，一听到名人就激动不已，就欢呼雀跃，就奋不顾身往前冲。四十岁之后，一听到名人就若有所失，就心烦意乱，就怒火中烧，就……不知道什么滋味，特别是年轻的、漂亮的女的名人。
At the age of twenty, upon hearing a celebrity, I would rush forward, hot-blooded, jumping for joy. After forty, upon hearing the names of celebrities, I feel lost, vexed and burning with anger, especially the names of those famous females, who are young and pretty.