It was a singles cruise but it wasn’t a singles cruise:

它是一次单身巡游但它又不是单身巡游：

each participant simulated detachment but none

每一个参加者都装作了无牵挂但其实

was actually single. Some, like the recently widowed,

没有一个人真正单身。有一些，比如最近丧偶的，

were attached to ghosts. Others were legally attached

还跟鬼魂形影相随。另外一些则在法律上

to a living person they once but no longer loved.

和一个他们曾经爱过但已经不爱的牵连在一起。

A surprising number loved their partners profoundly

数目惊人的成员深爱着他们的伴侣

while fearing said partners inhabited the category

但却恐惧说出他们的伴侣属于

of those who loved them no longer. These participants,

那个不再爱他们的人类集合。还有那些

whose fears may or may not have been founded,

或者已经发现，或者还未发现他们的恐惧的参与者，

attempted to self-protect by labeling themselves single.

只是出于自我保护的目的说他们“单身”。

Soon a pattern emerged: those who feared abandonment

很快有一种模式出现：那些害怕被抛弃的人

developed around them a planetary-like orbit

在他们的“地球轨道”上放满“卫星”，

of potential new partners to whom they could not attach

那些“卫星”是新的潜在伴侣但这些潜在伴侣

because they were already attached. Such orbits lasted,

不可能真的被他们牵挂，因为他们其实还有别的牵挂。

sometimes, for years. The orbiters went to self-help groups

这些“卫星”有时会持续运转好几年。“卫星”们会去求助自助团体

and/or analysts and/or wrote letters to advice columnists.

或者分析师或者给专栏作家写信。因为他们

Because they could not detach from their objects of unrequited

无法对自己的单恋对象了无牵挂，于是

affection, they became the predominant clientele for future

他们成为未来的单身巡游的主要客户群，单方面支撑着

singles cruises, unilaterally sustaining the singles cruise business.

单身巡游生意的运转。

Kathryn Maris