1、（下）Lesson One The Company in Which I work 我工作的公司 By Joseph HellerIn the company in which I work , each of us is afraid of at least one person . 我工作的公司里，每个人都至少害怕一个人。 The lower your position is , the more people you are afraid of . 职位越低，所惧怕的人越多。 And all the people are afraid of the twelve men at the t
2、op who helped found and build the company and now own and direct it . 所有的人都害怕那十二位顶层上司，他们帮助创建了这个公司，而且现在仍然大权在握。 All these twelve men are elderly now and drained by time 歲月滄桑and success of energy and ambition . 所有这十二位都已经上了年纪，而且岁月的沧桑和对成功的执著追求使他们心力交瘁。 Many have spent their whole lives here .They seem fri
3、endly ,slow , and content when I come upon them in the halls and always courteous(有禮貌的) and mute 沉默不語的）when they ride with others in the public elevators . 他们中很多人在这儿干了一辈子。当我在大厅里遇见他们时，他们看上去非常友善、沉稳而心满意足，而且他们与别人一起乘坐公共电梯时又总是彬彬有礼、沉默不语 They no longer work hard .They hold meetings , make promotions, and al
4、low their names to be used on announcements that are prepared and issued by somebody else . 他们不再努力工作。他们主持会议，决定别人的晋 ， 别人在 的 中使 他们的 ， Nobody is sure anymore who really runs the company ( not even the people who arecredited with running it ) , but the company does run . 有人 经 这 公司（ 至 人们 现在经 这 公司的那 人都不 ）
5、，然而公司的 在。 In the normal course of a business day I am afraid of Jack Green because my department is part of his department and Jack Green is my boss ; 在 常的工作 里，我很害怕 ?，这是 我所在的他的，而 ?是我的上司。 Green is afraid of me because most of the work in my department is done for the Sales Department , which is more
6、important than his department , and I am much closer to Andy Kagle and the other people in the Sales Department than he is . 害怕我currency1是 我的的大“工作是 所的，而fi他的fl ，而且他fi，我与? 的”他人的fl 。 Green distrusts me fitfully . 对我不 ， He makes it clear to me every now and then that he wishes to see everything coming o
7、ut of my department before it is shown to other departments 他有时会我他 我的的每一工作在”他 他 。 I know he does not really mean this : he is too busy with his own work to pay that much attention to all of mine , 我 这不是他 的意，他的工作非常 ， 我们所有的工作。 and I will bypass him on most of our assignments rather than take up his ti
8、me and delay their delivery to people who have an immediate need for them . 我会 大“工作 交 们的人，而不意 他的时。 Most of the work we do in my department is , in the long run, trivial ( ). 我们大“工作是不足 的。 But Green always grows alarmed when someone from another department praises something that has come from my depar
9、tment . 是每当”他 我们的工作时， 会 不 ， He turns scarlet with rage and embarrassment( 成 ) is he has not seen or heard of it . 他 看见 的， fl是成 。 In my department , there are six people who are afraid of me , and one small secretary who is afraid of all of us . 在我的里，有 个人害怕我，”中一个 害怕我们所有的人。 I have one other person wor
10、king for me who is not afraid of me who is not afraidof anyone , not even me , and I would fire him quickly , but Im afraid of him 有一个 我工作的人，他对 何人都毫不惧怕， 至 我不怕，我 想尽快把他解雇掉，然而我害怕他The people in the company who are most afraid of most people are the salesmen . They live and work under pressure that is ex
11、traordinary . When things are bad , they are worse for the salesmen ;when things are good , they are not much better. 公司里非常惧怕大多数人的人是人，他们都生活和工作在极大压力之下，当情况不好时，对人来说 会fl糟。而当情况较好时，他们不会好哪儿去。 They are always on trial , always on the verge of failure , collectively and individually . 不论是整体上还是个人，他们总是在 受检查，总是
12、处不合的边缘。 They strain工作努力even the most secure and self assured of them , to look good on paper ; 他们工作非常努力（ 他们中那 很有保障的和充满的人都是这样）使在 面评语上看上去好一 ，and there is much paper for them to look good on . 况且他们看上去好的多 很。 Each week , for example , a record of the sales results of the preceding week for each sales off
13、ice and for the Sales Department as a whole for each division of the company is kept and compared to the sales results for the corresponding week of the year before . fi 每星期 各 的每个办 处所作的一星期的业绩总记录 保存 且与一年期的业绩fi较。 The figures are photocopied and distributed throughout the company to all the people and
14、departments whose work is related to selling . 这 数 被复印后 公司的每位工和与有的。 The result of the photocopying and distributing is that there is almost continuous public scrutiny 公開審查and discussion throughout the company of how well or poorly the salesmen in each sales office of each division of the companyare
15、doing at any given time . 这样的结 是公司几乎一 在对每一个“公司的办 处中的人在某一既定时内的工作业绩进行公开审查和评论。 When salesmen are doing well , there is pressure upon them to begin doing better, for fear they may start doing worse . 当人业绩好时，他们 开始使工作 fl好，免不 ，而感压力 。 When they are doing poorly , they are doing terribly . 当他们的业绩不佳时，他们 会 一塌糊
16、涂 When a salesman lands a large order or brings in an important new account , his elation is brief , 当一个人争取了一份大订单 者 了一笔大的应收的账款，他的兴奋是短暂的， for there is danger he might lose that large order or important new account to asalesman from a competing company the next time around . 很可能他的那份大订单 者大笔的进账下一次有被竞争对手
17、的公司拿去的危险， It might even be canceled before it is filled , 至在完成被取消， in which case no one is certain if anything was gained or lost . 对这种情况 有人能肯定 输 赢。 So there is crisis危機 and alarm驚慌 even in their triumphs . 此即便在他们的喜悦中存在 危机和惊慌。 Nevertheless然而 , the salesmen love their work and would not choose any ot
18、her kind . 然而，人热爱他们的工作，而不再选择”他职业。 They are vigorous(精力旺盛) , fun-loving bunch愛說愛笑 when they are not sufferingabdominal cramps(消化不良)or brooding miserably about the future ; 在 有消化不良的困扰 不再苦苦 来 时，他们是一 充满活力、爱说爱笑的人。 on the other hand , they often turn cranky( 的) without warning and complain alot . 一 面他们会 然
19、之 且 满 ， Each of them can name at least one superior in the company who he feels has a grudge( )against him and is determined to wreck( ) his career . 他们每个人都至少能说 公司的一个上层人 是 他极 不满 且 这个人会 了他的 的。 The salesmen work hard and earn big salaries , with large personal expense accounts that they squander( ， )g
20、enerously on other people in and out of the company , including me . 人工作努力， ，还有个人经 ，他们会把这笔个人经 在进 公司的”他人的 上，”中我 人。 They own good houses in good communities and play good games of golf on good private golf courses . 他们在有的子，在currency1的人“。 The company encourages this . The company , in fact , will pay f
21、or their countryclub membership and all charges they incur(開fi) there , and rewards salesmen who make a good impression on the golf course . 公司fl 这种。上，公司 他们fi 会 他们在那里的所有开fi， 且对那 在“上 人下”印的人 。 Unmarried men are not wanted in the Sales Department , not even widowers , 不 ， 至 的不， for the company has lear
22、ned from experience that it is difficult and dangerous for unmarried salesmen to mix socially with交 prominent executives and their wives or participate with them in responsible civic affairs . 公司 的经 ，对 人来说与 的currency1 人他们的们进行交来 者与 大的活不很困 而且危险。 If a salesmans wife dies and he is not ready to remarry
23、, he is usually moved into an administrative position after several months of mourning . 一位人的 子去 了，而他又 有 再，那 常在期后的几个月内他 会 去行 工作。 Bachelors are never hired for the sales force , and salesmen who get divorced , or whose wives die , know they had better remarry or begin looking ahead toward a different
24、 job . 单 都不会。 者的都很 他们 好再 者去 他职。 Strangely enough , the salesmen react very well to the constant pressure and rigid supervision to which they are subjected . 非常 的是，人对期压力和他们所受的 能 然处之。 They are stimulated and motivated by discipline and direction. 他们受纪 和上currency1 的 和。 They thrive on explicit guidance
25、toward clear objectives . 他们在上司的 下 成功，业绩 上。 For the most part , they are cheerful , confident, and gregarious when they are not irritable , anxious , and depressed . 当他们不是 者时，大多开 、充满而且很合 。 There must be something in the makeup of a man that enables him not only to be asalesman , but to want to be on
26、e .一个人一定是 某种的 和 使他不 工作而且想一 人。 The salesmen are proud of their position and of the status and importance they enjoy within the company , 们不对他们的 位而且对他们在公司中 有的 位 感。 for the function of my department , and of most other departments , is to help the salesmen sell . 此我的”他的大多数的职能 是协助人的推， The company exists
27、 to sell . Thats the reason we were hired , and the reason weare paid . 公司 是靠生存。这 是我们受雇佣拿 水的原。 The people in the company who are least afraid are the few in our small Market Research Department , 公司里 不担惊受怕的人 是在我们这个 的市 研工作的 数极少的几个人， who believe in nothing and are concerned with collecting , organizin
28、g , interpreting 解釋, and reorganizing statistical information about the public , the market , the country , and the world . 他们不担心 何 情，而心对公众、市、国内 界的统计息的收集、组织、解释 新组织。For one thing , their salaries are small , and they know they will not have muchtrouble finding jobs paying just as little in other comp
29、anies if they lose theirjobs here . 有一，他们的工资很少，而且他们 一旦失去这里的工作，这 少的工资，在”他公司找份工作不困 Their budget , too , is small , for they are no longer permitted to undertake large projects . 他们的预算很少， 他们来 有 允许承担 大目。 Most of the information we use now is obtained free from trade associations and some governmental or
30、ganizations , 我们现在使 的大“息都是贸易协会和一 府机构免 的， and there is no way of knowing anymore whether the information on which we base our own information for distribution is true or false . 而且对我们所 的息的来源 与否 晓。 But that doesnt seem to matter ; all that does matter is that the information come from a reputable 著 so
31、urce . 然而这 乎 不 ， 的是这 息 一个誉好的来源。 People in the Market Research Department are never held to blame for conditions they discover outside the company that place us at a competitive disadvantage . 市 研的人们 有 他们在公司外 现我们处竞争劣势而受责 。 They are not expected to change reality , but merely to find it if they can an
32、d suggest ingenious機靈 ways of disguising掩 it . 他们不能改 现，而 他们能的，能 现 提供巧妙的 来掩盖 。 To a great extent , that is the nature of my own work , 在很大 上，这 是我工作的 。 and all of us under Green work closely with the Sales Department and the Public Relations Department in converting whole truths into half truths and h
33、alf truthsinto whole ones . 而且所有的下与和公共 合作，而 全的 成一半，而把一半 成全。 I am very good at these techniques of deception(欺騙), although I am not always able anymore to deceive myself . 虽然我不是总能欺骗我，是却很擅这 骗人的把戏。 In fact , I am continuously astonished by people in the company who fall victim to their own propaganda .
34、 宣傳 上，我经常 公司的人们被的宣传所欺骗而吃惊 There are so many now who actually believe that what we do is really important .现在有很多人我们所的工作是非常 的。 This happens not only to salesmen , but to the shrewd精明 , capable executives in top management . 不人是这样，那 精明能干的currency1 人是这样。 It happens to people on my own level and lower .
35、和我currency1的人是这样，fi我低的人是这样。 It happens to just about everybody in the company who graduated from a good business school with honors . 公司里几乎所有currency1商务学校优秀成绩 业的人们不例外。 Every time we launch a new advertising campaign , for example , people inside the company are the first ones to be taken in by it .
36、fi ，每当我们举行一个新的广 活，公司内的人总是 被蒙骗的， Every time we introduce a new product , or an old product with a different cover, color , and name that we present as new , people inside the company are the first to rush to buy it -even when its no good . 每当我们介绍一种新的产品， 者换了外 装、颜色 起了新的品 的老产品，即使一不好，公司内的人总是第一个赶 去买的。 Its
37、 a wise person , I guess , who knows hes dumb , and an honest person who knows hes a liar . 我想， 愚蠢的人是聪明的，而 撒谎的人是诚的。 And its a dumb person whos convinced he is wise . 有愚蠢的人 会作聪明。 We wise grownups here at the company go sliding in and out all day long , scaring each other at our desks and trying to ev
38、ade the people who frighten us . 我们这 在公司这儿的聪明的成年人，整天悄悄 办公室，大 互惧怕 试图躲避 人生畏的人。 We come to work , have lunch , and go home . 我们上班，吃午饭，回 。We goose-step in and goose-step out , change our partners and wander all about ,and go back home till we all drop dead . 我们迈 规的步子进进 ，下班后和”他的伙伴一起外 ， 累 筋疲力尽 回 。 Really
39、, I ask myself every now and then , depending on how well or poorly things are going at the office or at home with my wife , or with my retarded son, or with my other son , or my daughter , or the colored maid黑人保 , or the nurse for my retarded son , is this all there is for me to do ? 上我时常问，取决办公室情形的
40、好坏， 者是 中我 子、弱智的儿子、 一个儿子、我的女儿、黑人保姆照 我的弱智儿子的护情况的好坏，他们的情形 何，这 是我的全吗？ Is this really the most I can get from the few years left in this one life of mine ? 这 的是我有生之年所能 的 多的吗？ And the answer I get , of course , is always -Yes ! 我所 的结论当然 是是的 I am bored with my work very often now . 我现在经常对工作非常 ， Everything
41、routine that comes in I pass along to somebody else . This makes my boredom worse . 每常规的工作我总是交 ”他人处 ，而这使我fl 感 。 It s a real problem to decide whether its more boring to do something boring than to pass along everything boring that comes in to somebody else and then have nothing to do at all . 是干 人生
42、的工作fl 人，还是 人生 的工作交 他人处 ，然后 所 fl 人，这 是一个问 。 Actually , I enjoy my work when the assignments are large and urgent and somewhat frightening and will come to the attention of many people . 上，当 务又大又 而且有 人生畏还会 起很多人的 意时，我 非常喜 我的工作。 I get scared , and am unable to sleep at night , but I usually perform at m
43、y best under this stimulating ( )kind of pressure and enjoy my job the most . 我 不 ，而且 不能 。在这种极有 的压力下，我的现 佳， 喜 我的工作。 I handle all of these important projects myself , and I rejoice with tremendous pride and vanity in the compliments I receive when I do them well . 我 处 所有这 大的目， 且当我成功 完成时，我会受 而沉 在极大的与
44、之中。But between such peaks of challenge and elation there is monotony and despair . 在这 与兴奋的 之是单 与 。 ( And I find , too, that once I ve succeeded in impressing somebody , I m not much excited about impressing that same person again ; （而且我 现一旦我 某人下了”的印，我 不再 一个人下”印而感兴奋不已 there is a large , emotional let
45、down after I survive each crisis , a kind of empty , tragic disappointment , and last years threat , opportunity , and inspiration are often this years inescapable tedium . 在 每次危机后，都会有一次大的情感失 ，一种 和 人 的失 。去年的 、机遇和fl 经常会成 年不可避免的 。 I frequently feel I m being taken advantage of 被 merely because I m ask
46、ed to do the work I m paid to do . ) 我常常 我被 了，这是 我被求 我的工作。） On days when I m especially melancholy , I began constructing tables of organization.classifying people in the company on the basis of envy , hope , fear , ambition , frustration , rivalry , hatredcurrency1 , or disappointment 失 . 在我极 的 子里，
47、我便开始 公司的人结构“图 、 、fi惧、fl心、 、对手、失 ， 公司的人“。 I call these charts my Happiness Charts . 我把这 我的快图。 These exercises in malice never fail to boost my spirits -but only for a while . 这 作总是使我精奋，然而都非常短暂。 I rank pretty high when the company is analyzed this way , because I m not envious or disappointed , and I have no expectations . 这样“公司时，我的” 非常靠， 我既不不心，而且我 大。 At the very top , of course , are those people , mostly young and without dependents , ”在几 的当然是这 人，他们中大“是年 又 有靠的人。 to whom the company is not yet an institution of any sacred merit 的機 but still only a place to work , and who regard their present
