也许这就是精神恋爱根源,为人所称道“柏拉图式恋爱”。芭芭拉从希芭出现在学校开始,就注意到了她,并在两位主人公真正开始有正面交集前一直用挑剔、批判的眼光审视着她——她的独特、优雅、出众的气质,究竟表明她的不俗、与周遭的平庸格格不入,或她仅仅是个美丽外表下毫无内在的花瓶呢?(Is she a sphinx or simply stupid?)其实除了芭芭拉日记里的见闻和措辞之外,在一段办公室的对话中,我们也能意外地发现芭芭拉深厚知识的积累和阅历,这些使得她认为在学校的教育是无望的,大部分学生的前景是渺茫的,因为用同样挑剔、批判的眼光寻找一位内在能与之匹敌的同伴。到这一步为止,其实是友谊能够满足的范畴。
"To fall in love. Or even to have the desire to make love. I think sex flows more sluggishly in all of us than we care to believe, especially men care to believe. The first adventures are usually nothing but a satisfying of curiosity, and after that one keeps repeating the same actions, trying to find--what?
......
Is there a word? A friend, a companion, or maybe just a sharer. "