Norman Cameron
The Firm of Happiness, Limited was one to astonish the stars,
More like a thriving town than a multiple store 8212; a hotchpotch
Of markets and playrooms and chapels and brothels and baths and bars,
As smoothly running and closely packed as the works of a watch.
Nobody finally understood the cause of the crash.
Some spoke of Nemesis; others rumoured, vaguely, of course,
That a gang of directors jad simply robbed the firm of its cash,
Or that some ironical Jew was selling it short on the Bourse.
Whatever the reason, the firm of a sudden began to fail.
The floor were undusted at corners, the commissionaries were unshaved,
The girls were anxious and raucous, the comedians 8217; jokes were stale.
The customers noticed the difference 8212;to judge from the way they behaved.
When Happiness closed its doors, the Corporation of the city
Were distressed to see so vast a property left alone
To moulder and waste; in a mingled impulse of thrift and pity
They decided to buy the empty building, and floated a loan.
Now nobody knows what to do with this monstrous hulk we have bought.
At the last Corporation meeting one alderman, half in jest,
Spoke of turning it into a barracks.Meanwhile there 8217;s the dreary thought
That we ratepayers have to keep paying the burdensome interest.
诺尔曼・卡麦隆
幸福有限责任公司震惊星辰，
像百货公司，更像兴旺的城镇 8211;
集市、游乐、酒吧、妓院、教堂、澡堂无所不包，
排列精密正如钟表运转有条不紊。
对它的倒闭人们始终不懂个中奥妙，
是上天惩罚还是人为灾祸各有传闻;
或者败在卷走资金的领导集团?
或者毁于股市将它抛售的犹太商人?
公司突然开始崩溃，不管是何原因，
管理委员面容不整，地上角落布满灰尘;
不安的小姐声音嘶哑，笑星遭到厌弃，
顾客察觉到这一切变化，不再登门。
公司巨大的资产闲置、发霉，
看到这副景象市政机关实在痛心;
他们决定筹集贷款买下空楼，
既是为了节俭也是出于怜悯。
买下巨大的空楼无人知道如何处理，
用作工棚吧，市政会上议员的玩笑半假半真。
我们这些纳税人还得为它继续支付利息，
想到这一点人人感到非常郁闷。