海边的卡夫卡 disc 1 -track01

Kafka on the Shore

By Haruki Murakami

The Boy Named Crow

“So you’re all set for money, then?” the boy named Crow asks in his characteristic sluggish¹ voice. The kind of voice you have when you’ve just woken up and your mouth still feels heavy and dull. But he’s just pretending. He’s totally awake. As always.

I nod.

“How much?”

I review the numbers in my head. “Close to ¥400,000 in cash, plus some money I can get from an ATM. I know it’s not a lot, but it should be enough. For the time being.”

“Not bad,” the boy named Crow says. “For the time being.”

I give him another nod.

“I’m guessing this isn’t Christmas money from Santa Claus.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I reply.

Crow smirks² and looks around. “I imagine you’ve started out by rifling drawers, am I right?”

I don’t say anything. He knows whose money we’re talking about, so there’s no need for any long-winded interrogations. He’s just giving me a hard time.

“No matter,” Crow says. “You really need this money and you’re going to get it – beg, borrow or steal. It’s your father’s money, so who cares, right? Get your hands on that much and you should be able to make it. For the time being. But what’s the plan after it’s all gone? Money isn’t like mushrooms in a forest – it doesn’t just pop up on its own, you know. You’ll need to eat, a place to sleep. One day you’re going to run out.”

“I’ll think about that when the time comes,” I say.

“When the time comes,” Crow repeats, as if weighing these words in his hand.

I nod.

“Like by getting a job or something?”

“Maybe,” I say.

Crow shakes his head. “You know, you’ve got a lot to learn about the world. Listen – what kind of job could a 15-year-old kid get in some far-off place he’s never been to before? You haven’t even finished junior high. Who do you think’s going to hire you?”

I blush³ a little. It doesn’t take much to make me blush.

“Forget it,” he says. “You’re just starting out and I shouldn’t lay all this depressing⁴ stuff⁵ on you. You’ve already decided⁶ what you’re going to do, and all that’s left is to set the wheels in motion⁷. I mean, it’s your life. Basically⁸, you have to go with what you think is right.”

That’s right. When all is said and done, it is my life.

“I’ll tell you one thing, though. You’re going to have to get a lot tougher if you want to make it.”

“I’m trying my best,” I say.

“I’m sure you are,” Crow says. “These last few years you’ve grown a whole lot stronger. I’ve got to hand it to you.”

I nod again.

“But let’s face it – you’re only 15,” Crow goes on. “Your life’s just begun and there’s a ton of things out in the world you’ve never laid eyes on. Things you never could imagine.”

As always, we’re sitting beside each other on the old sofa in my father’s study. Crow loves the study and all the little objects scattered⁹ around there. Now he’s toying with a bee-shaped glass paperweight. If my father was at home, you can bet¹⁰ Crow would never go anywhere near it.

“But I have to get out of here,” I tell him. “No two ways about it.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He places the paperweight back on the table and links his hands behind his head. “Not that running away’s going to solve everything. I don’t want to rain on your parade or anything, but I wouldn’t count on escaping this place if I were you. No matter how far you run. Distance might not solve anything.”

The boy named Crow lets out a sigh, then rests a fingertip on each of his closed eyelids¹¹ and speaks to me from the darkness within.

“How about we play our game?” he says.

“All right,” I say. I close my eyes and quietly take a deep breath.

“OK, picture a terrible sandstorm,” he says. “Get everything else out of your head.”

1 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

2 smirks   

n.傻笑，得意的笑( smirk的名词复数 )v.傻笑( smirk的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Eighteenth-century wigs are still worn by the judiciary and nobody smirks. 法官至今还戴18世纪的假发套而没有人嘲笑。 来自互联网
• Once a league laughingstock, nobody even much as smirks at the Hornets anymore. 曾经联盟的笑柄，没人再去嘲笑蜜蜂了。 来自互联网

3 blush   

vi.脸红，羞愧，觉得难为情；n.脸红，难为情

参考例句：

• His remark brought a blush into the girl's cheeks.他的话使这姑娘两颊红晕。
• I have to blush to admit that thing.我不得不羞愧地承认了那件事。

4 depressing   

a.令人沮丧的；令人忧愁的

参考例句：

• Laundromat is really depressing. 自助洗衣店真闷。
• The retrospect was depressing. 回想起来令人沮丧。

5 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 motion   

n.打手势，示意，移动，动作，提议，大便；v.运动，向...打手势，示意

参考例句：

• She could feel the rolling motion of the ship under her feet.她能感觉到脚下船在晃动。
• Don't open the door while the train is in motion.列车运行时，请勿打开车门。

8 basically   

adv.基本上，从根本上说

参考例句：

• His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
• Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。

9 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

10 bet   

v.打赌，以(与)...打赌；n.赌注，赌金；打赌

参考例句：

• I bet you can't do this puzzle.我敢说，你解决不了这个难题。
• I offered to bet with him.我提出与他打赌。

11 eyelids   

n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色

参考例句：

• She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了，眼睑开始往下垂。
• Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》