
The test of a great city is this. Are you haunted with doubt as to whether you live in the right part of it? When in Islington, I think, “I should live here.” When in Soho, I think, “I should live here.” When in Chelsea, I think, “This isn’t so far from Marylebone. I should live there.” So off I go to Zoopla to assess my options, toying with the postcodes and price ranges as though fondling mangoes in a market for optimal ripeness. I have no intention of moving but regard endless choice as a birthright.
衡量一座伟大城市的标准在于此:你是否总在怀疑自己住的地段是否对?我在伊斯灵顿时会想,“我该住在这儿。”到了苏活区(Soho)又想,“我该住在这儿。”到了切尔西(Chelsea),我会想,“离马里波恩(Marylebone)也不远嘛。我该住那里。”于是我便去Zoopla上盘算选择,拨弄着邮编和价位,仿佛在集市里把玩芒果,寻找最佳成熟度。我并没有搬家的打算,却把无穷无尽的选择当作与生俱来的权利。