精彩对白

Ghost writer: Roy. Who're you expecting to bomb you, Random¹ House?

Roy: We're publishing Lang's memoirs². That's enough to make us a target, apparently³.

Ghost writer: Thank you. How many have you seen?

Roy: Five. You're the last. I must be honest. I don't think you're the right man for this assignment.

Ghost writer: Then it's a good job it's not your decision, Roy.

Roy: John Maddox, chief executive of Rhinehart, New York. Sidney Kroll, Mr. Lang's Washington attorney. And Rick Ricardelli I believe you know.

Ghost writer：All right, Rick.

John: All right, I gather from Rick you're aware of the situation? Perhaps you can enlighten us and tell us what exactly you're gonna bring to this project.

Ghost writer: Nothing. No, I'm not gonna pretend to be someone I'm not. You have my CV.

Roy: His last effort was the autobiography⁴ of a magician, ICame, I Sawed, I Conquered.

Rick: Yeah, and it went straight to number one, so.. .

Ghost writer: After you turned it down, Roy. Look, I don't read political memoirs. Who does? And I gather you've spent $10 million on this book. How much of that are you gonna see back? Two? Three? It's bad news for your shareholders⁵. And it's worse news for your client, Mr. Kroll. Adam Lang, he wants a place in history, not in the remainder tables.

Roy: Oh, please!

Ghost writer: It's because I know nothing about politics that I'll ask the questions that get right to the heart of who Adam Lang is. And that is what sells autobiographies⁶. Heart.

Rick: Wow! That's nicely done.

Roy: What utter balls.

John: You think so?

Roy: John, of course. Adam Lang's a world historical figure. His autobiography is gonna be a world-publishing event.

John: Yeah, well, I got warehouses⁷ filled with world-publishing events waiting to be pulped⁸. Sid?

Sidney: Adam is obviously still very upset by what happened to Mike McAra. He was irreplaceable. Irreplaceable, and yet he has to be replaced. Adam can certainly appreciate the benefits of trying someone different. In the end, it's about chemistry. Do you work out, maybe?

Ghost writer: Not really.

Sidney: That's a pity. Adam likes to work out.

Roy: Actually, l know a good writer on the Guardian⁹ who uses a gym.

Rick: Okay, maybe we could just run over the publishing schedule, yeah?

John: We need to wrap this up in a month.

Ghost writer: A month?

John: Yes.

Ghost writer: You want the book in a month?

Sidney: We already have a first draft.

John: Yeah, well, it needs a lot of work. That's why I like your resume here. You're fast, and you deliver.

Rick: You name it, he ghosts it.

John: And you're a Brit. The ghost should be a Brit. To get the jolly old tone right, right?

Sidney: Do you have any family commitments?

Ghost writer: No, I have no family. Why?

Sidney: Adam is locked into a US lecture tour, also a fundraising program for the Adam Lang Foundation.

Rick: It's a month in the States. That's okay.

Ghost writer: Couldn't I bring the manuscript back here to work on?

Sidney: I'm afraid not. It's in a secure environment in Marty Rhinehart's own house. Only a few people are allowed to handle it.

Roy: Sounds more like a bomb than a book. I will need to see it myself at some point. I am supposed to be editing it.

John: Yeah, in theory. Actually, we need to talk about that. How soon can you get over there?

Ghost writer: As soon as you want.

Rick: He'll fly tonight.

John: Okay, you're in. Congratulations.

Ghost writer: Thank you. Thanks.

Sidney: Actually, l have something here you might want to look at. No, no, no, this isn't Adam's book. No, it's another client of mine. Yeah, perhaps you can let me know what you think.

Ghost writer: Sure.

John: Okay, if you're gonna get that evening flight, we'd better talk contracts with Rick here. Wanna show our friend to the door? Would you? Roy?

Rick: Call you in an hour, buddy¹⁰.

John: Hey! Remember.. .Heart.

Roy: There's something not quite right about this project.

Ghost writer: What? Me, you mean?

Roy: Obviously you. And McAra. Suicide? He didn't strike me as the suicidal type.

Ghost writer: Always nice to see you, Roy.

Roy: Good luck.

妙语佳句 活学活用

1. bomb: 轰炸，对……投炸弹。

此外，bomb还可以表示“考试惨败、戏剧演出等票房差，不卖座”。例如：That movie was a real bomb in the box-office.（这部电影的票房收入非常差。）

2. CV：简历，curriculum vitae的缩写。

3. I Came, I Sawed, I Conquered：这里指捉刀手写的另一本自传的书名。仿照的是打败庞培时恺撒说的一句名言“I came, I saw, I conquered.（亲临，目睹，全胜）”，这句话充分表现了他当时胜利后喜悦的心情。此语后来也成为语言精练的典范。

4. turn down：拒绝。 turn down the thumb则表示“反对”。

5. gather：猜想，推断。例如：I gather she's ill, and that's why she hasn't come.（我想她是病了，所以没有来。）

6. What utter balls：一派胡言。Balls表示“胡说，废话”。

7. pulp：变成纸浆，使稀烂，在美国俚语中表示“被打得要死”。

8. wrap up：圆满完成，顺利结束. 例如：I can't wrap up the peace talk in less than fifty pages.（我无法以不到50页纸的篇幅写出和平会谈总结。）

9. first draft：初稿。

10. ghost：代笔，也称为ghostwrite，代人写作，替人捉刀，这样的人就称为ghostwriter（捉刀手）。

11. lock into：受困于。

12. you're in：这工作给你了，你被录用了。

13. buddy：密友，伙伴，美国口语。

14. strike：给某人以……印象；让某人觉得…… 例如：How does the idea strike you?（这想法你觉得怎样？）

精彩剧情及幕后花絮

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