雙語暢銷書《艾倫圖靈傳》第9章:退隱山林(110)

He had tried science-at fourteen he had blown out the windows with a chemistry set concoction. And he had tried sex, with various experiences since that age.

科學這條路，他已經試過了，在14歲的時候，他製取了一堆化學混合物，並炸飛了窗戶的玻璃。那一年，他還初嘗性愛，所以他現在已有頗多經驗。

He was not a person with freedom or consistency of mind. He dreamt of a perfect relationship with a woman, but on the other hand liked the absence, when with men, of any sense of putting on a performance.

他不是那種自由而自我的人，他夢想能與一位姑娘談一段完美的戀愛，但另一方面，和男人在一起的時候，感覺在演戲。

He was also conscious of being called a 'Mary Ann' for intelligence and sensitivity. Middle-class men offered him manners and culture, and at this point of his development, homosexuality seemed something that belonged to an elite to which he aspired.

他還意識到自己因聰明和敏感而被稱爲“瑪麗安”。中產階級的男人給他提供了禮儀和文化，在他成長的這個階段，同性戀似乎是成爲精英人士的必備條件。

He looked down on those who simply offered themselves directly for cash. Alan offered such a promise of association with gracious living—but this was not the whole story, for Alan combined this with a freshness and youthfulness that stood out on the Oxford Street background.

雖然他瞧不起錢色交易，但是現在，圖靈對他承諾，讓他過上好日子。

Alan asked Arnold where he was going and Arnold replied 'nowhere special'. So Alan invited him to lunch in the restaurant across the road.

圖靈問阿諾德要去哪，阿諾德說不知道，於是圖靈請他到對面的餐館共進午餐。

Fair and with blue eyes, undernourished and with his thin hair already receding, desperate for better things and more receptive than so many educated people, Arnold touched Alan's soft spot for lost lambs, as well as other chords.

阿諾德舉止文雅，長着漂亮的藍眼睛，長期的營養不良，導致頭髮稀疏。他想要過上更好的生活，而且他很容易接受新思想，於是，他就這樣走進了圖靈的生命。

He also had a determined vivacity and a saving sense of humour that could carry him through the most difficult situations.

阿諾德還有一種天生的活潑和幽默感，這些都曾幫助他度過最艱難的處境。

Alan told him had to go back to the university, where he was a lecturer, and explained that he worked on the Electronic Brain. Arnold was fascinated; Alan asked him to come to his home at Wilmslow at the weekend.

飯後，圖靈告訴阿諾德，他要回到大學去，他在那裏當講師，他的工作是關於計算機的，並邀請阿諾德在週末時去他家作客。

By making invitations to lunch and to his home, Alan had already offered a good deal more than would usually be expected of a street encounter, where a quick adjournment to railway arch, back alley or toilet would be more customary. Arnold accepted the invitation, but then failed to appear on the night.

對於這樣的街頭偶遇來說，常規的做法是在鐵路橋下，或者在廁所裏，開展一次簡短高效的小運動。圖靈請他共進午餐，還邀請他到自己家裏，這顯然超過了一般的待遇。阿諾德接受了邀請，但他並沒有去。