Hello. You know me. I am in your office, at your parties, and on your phone. I am cunning and cruel. I have the power to ruin your life. For amusement, I will break your heart and cause you to have sleepless nights. I have made governments collapse and marriages fall apart.
     喂。你認(rèn)識我。我就在你的辦公室里,在你的聚會里,在你的電話里。我既狡詐又殘酷。我擁有足以毀掉你一生的力量。閑極無聊,我會傷透你的心,讓你輾轉(zhuǎn)難眠。我已經(jīng)讓政府垮臺,婚姻破裂。
     Since I have no face, you have no protection against becoming my victim. Try and find me if you dare. But I leave no trace and have no friends. My power grows over time. People believe me the more I am quoted. Once I encounter your reputation, it will be changed forever. Who am I?
     因?yàn)槲覜]有臉,你毫無防備,成為我的犧牲品。如果你有膽量,就設(shè)法來找我。但我不會留下任何痕跡,而且我也沒有朋友。我的力量與日俱增。我被傳述得越多,人們就會更相信我。一旦我扯上了你的名譽(yù),你將聲名狼藉。我是誰?
     I am Gossip. I have existed since people could talk, and I will be here long after you are gone. So remember to ask yourself the next time you repeat a story about somebody: Is it true? Is it fair? If the answer to either of these questions is no, then perhaps you should keep quiet.
     我就是“流言”。從人可以說話起我就一直存在;在你過世后,我仍將在此長存。所以要記住,下一次當(dāng)你要重述有關(guān)某人的故事時,先問問自己:是真的嗎?公平嗎?如果兩個問題中有一個答案是“不”,那么也許你就該保持沉默。