I came to New York from Seattle. I was going to become rich and famous and well-dressed and suave. But in four years I've learned that I am not going to become rich and famous and well-dressed and suave. I'm a good printer's assistant, but that's all I am. One day the printer got sick, and I had to take his place. What a mess I made of things, Miss Lester. No one would take my orders. The typesetters just sort of giggled when I would tell them to get to work. And I don't blame them. I'm a fool when I give orders. I suppose I'm one of millions who was never meant to give orders. But I don't mind anymore. There's a twenty-three-year-old kid my boss just hired. He's only twenty-three, and I am thirty-one and have worked at the same place for four years. But I know that one day he will become head printer, and I will be his assistant. But I don't mind knowing this any more.
Loving you is the important thing, Miss Lester. There are some people who think that love is sex and marriage and six-o'clock kisses and children, and perhaps it is, Miss Lester. But do you know what I think? I think that love is a touch and yet not a touch.
我从西雅图来到纽约，曾以为会出人头地，飞黄腾达，但却在4年后发现最初的梦想都遥不可及。我是一个挺称职的印刷小工，但也就仅仅是一个称职的印刷小工了。就算有一天印刷员生病不干了，我顶替了他的职位，也会把一切都弄的一团糟。莱斯特小姐，没有人会听从我的指令。我叫排字员去干活，他们却只会咯咯窃笑，但我并不会责怪他们。我啊，傻乎乎的，天生就不是能够发号施令的人。但我不在乎了。老板刚雇了一个23岁的年轻人来工作，他只有23岁。而我都31了，我做印刷小工做了4年。但我知道早晚有一天这个年轻人会成为印刷员，而我要继续给他当小工。只是这一切，我都不在乎了。
因为爱你，才是值得在乎的事情，莱斯特小姐。有人觉得爱情是性，是婚姻，是清晨的吻，亦或子孙绕膝。莱斯特小姐，也许爱情真的是这样吧。但你知道我是怎么想的吗？我想，爱是急切伸出的手掌，却又害羞退缩的指尖。

Loving you is the important thing, Miss Lester. There are some people who think love is sex and marriage and six o’clock-kisses and children, and perhaps it is, Miss Lester. But do you know what I think? I think love is a touch and yet not a touch.
爱你是件很重要的事，莱斯特小姐。有人觉得爱是上床，结婚，每天早上睡眼惺忪的吻，生个孩子，可能确实是这样，但莱斯特小姐，你知道我怎么看爱情这回事儿吗？我想，爱是心已悸动，却又故作从容。