Some time ago I talked to you about slavery in a barber's shop.Today I will talk about another form of slavery:I mean being a slave to the telephone.
If you have seen telephoning[2] in the movies[3] but have never talked on the telephone yourself,you cannot possibly know the meaning of being a slave to the telephone.On the screen[4] the telephonic system[5] is a perfect one.The man,or the woman,just snatches the receiver[6]and speaks,"Hullo...yes...please...all right...thank you...good-bye".There seems to be no delay,no indistinctness[7] of sound,no wrong number,no "engaged"[8] - in a word,[9]no slavery.
In real life,however,telephoning is quite a different thing.The number is often wrong,though oftener right.The right number is often "engaged",though oftener not "engaged".
Granting[10] that the number is right and is not "engaged",still[11]there is much slavery."I wish to speak to Mr Wang",you say.But you get the reply "Here we have no Mr Fang"."I wish to speak to Mr Wang",you say again,with emphasis[12] on Wang.But you get the reply "Here we've[13] twenty Wangs"."I mean Mr A.B.Wang",you say.But you get the reply "Here we've two Mr A.B.Wangs"."I mean the one who is rather tall but not very tall,who sometimes wears a blue silk gown but always a low-crowned[14]hat,and who is a native of Shanghai",you say.But you get the reply "And may I know your name"? You say your name three or four times and then wait,wait,wait.[15] When waiting,you are a perfect[16] slave.You are not allowed to read a book,nor to write a letter,nor to have a cup of tea,nor even to build castles in the air.[17]You can only imagine how the man at the other end of the line[18] is going to tell Mr A.B.Wang and how Mr A.B.Wang is hastening to the telephone.
At last,fortunately,you hear Mr A.B.Wang speaking.Then you two begin to talk - but I do not think so easily as those in the movies.Indistinctness of sound,repetition,misunderstanding,[19] annoyance[20] - all these are highly probable.
I am glad that I do not often have to talk on the telephone.I wonder why some people like to telephone as often as they have the least occasion.[21] I know a little boy who rings up[22] his father in his office more than ten times a day.Of course,[23]he enjoys doing it.
注释
[1]telephone：电话机；电话
[2]telephoning：打电话
[3]movies：电影
[4]screen：银幕
[5]telephonic system：电话之组机
[6]snatches the receiver：执住听筒
[7]indistinctness：不清爽；糊涂
[8]engaged：有人正在打电话（即电话占线）
[9]in a word：总而言之
[10]granting：假定
[11]still：仍；但
[12]emphasis：着重
[13]we've = we have
[14]low-crowned：低冠的
[15]wait,wait,wait：继续等待
[16]perfect：完全的；纯粹的
[17]build castles in the air：冥想；空想
[18]line：电线
[19]misunderstanding：误解
[20]annoyance：困恼
[21]have the least occasion：虽只有极微之理由
[22]rings up：用电话唤
[23]of course：当然