Bateman: Come on, Bryce. There are a lot more important problems than Sri Lanka to worry about.
Bryce: Like what?
Bateman: We have to end apartheid for one. And slow down the nuclear arms race. Stop terrorism and world hunger. We have to provide food and shelter for the homeless. And oppose racial discrimination and promote civil rights while also promoting equal rights for women. We have to encourage a return to traditional, moral values. Most importantly, we have to promote general social concern. And less materialism in young people.
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Bateman: I have all the characteristics of a human being: Flash, blood, skin, hair.
But not a single clear, identifiable emotion except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me. And I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflowed into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.
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Bateman: There are no more barriers to cross. AII I have in common with the uncontrollable and the insane the vicious and the evil, all the mayhem I have caused and my utter indifference toward it, I have now surpassed. My pain is constant and sharp. And I do not hope for a better world for anyone. In fact, I want my pain to be inflicted on others. I want no one to escape. But even after admitting this, there is no catharsis. My punishment continues to elude me. And I gain no deeper knowledge of myself. No new knowledge can be extracted from my telling. This confession has meant nothing.
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貝曼:拜託,布萊斯。比斯里蘭卡更麻煩的事還多著。
布萊斯:像什麼?
貝曼:像是,我們得廢除種族隔離制度,減緩核武競爭,和制止恐怖份子和世界饑荒。我們要為無家可歸者提供食物和住所,還有反對種族歧視和提高人權,同時還要提高婦女平等權。我們要推動傳統道德價值的回歸,最重要的是要讓大家關懷社會,並讓年輕人不再追求物質享受。
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貝曼:人類的特徵我應有盡有,有血有肉,有皮有髮,但沒有一個清晰可辨的情緒,有的只是貪婪和厭惡。我內心深處發生了可怕的變化,但我卻百思不解。我屬於黑夜的嗜血惡性蔓延到了白晝。我感到了致命的氣息,處於瘋狂的邊緣,我想我那張正常人的面具就快滑落了。
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貝曼:我不必再跨越重重障礙了,我和桀驁不馴、精神錯亂者和作奸犯科者所共有的不安,所有我犯過的罪行、造成的傷害以及我對這一切的漠視,我現在都成功逾越了。我的痛苦恆久而深切,我不希望別人過更好的日子,事實上,我要把我的痛苦加諸在別人身上,我不希望誰能倖免。但即使承認了一切,我的精神也得不到淨化,我依然沒有得到懲罰,對自己也得不到更深入的了解,我所說的再也無新意可取,這番自白因此毫無意義。
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