LESSON 8 Death of little nell
第八課 小內(nèi)爾之死
She was dead. No sleep so beautiful and calm, so free from trace of pain, so fair to look upon. She seemed a creature fresh from the hand of God, and waiting for the breath of life; not one who had lived, and suffered death. Her couch was dressed with here and there some winter-berries and green leaves, gathered in a spot she had been used to favour. "When I die, put near me something that has loved the light, and had the sky above it always." These were her words.
她死了。沒有一種睡眠能夠這等美麗和平靜,這等脫離痛苦的跡象,而看起來(lái)又是這等的嬌美。她看上去就像剛剛出自造物主之手的生靈,正在等待著賦予新的生命;絕不像是一個(gè)曾有過(guò)生命、曾經(jīng)經(jīng)歷過(guò)死亡之苦的人。她的臥榻上散落地裝點(diǎn)著一些冬青和綠葉,全是從她曾經(jīng)最喜愛的那些地方摘取過(guò)來(lái)的。“我死后,請(qǐng)?jiān)谖疑砼苑乓恍┫矏酃饷鞯臇|西,讓我依然能接受到天空的遮蔽?!边@就是她親口說(shuō)過(guò)的話。
She was dead. Dear, gentle, patient, noble Nell was dead. Her little bird—a poor, slight thing, the pressure of a finger would have crushed—was stirring nimbly in its cage; and the strong heart of its child-mistress was mute and motionless for ever! Where were the traces of her early cares, her sufferings and fatigues? All gone. Sorrow was dead, indeed, in her; but peace and perfect happiness were born—imaged in her tranquil beauty and profound repose.
她去了。那個(gè)可愛的、溫和的、寬容的、高貴的內(nèi)爾去了。她的小鳥依然在籠子里歡蹦亂跳著,那是一個(gè)可憐的小東西,脆弱到一根手指的力量就能把它碾碎;而它的主人那強(qiáng)壯的心臟此刻卻啞然無(wú)聲,永遠(yuǎn)地靜止下來(lái)!她早期的關(guān)愛,她的苦難,她的勞累,還有跡可循嗎?所有的一切都全然消逝了了。實(shí)際上,在她心里,連悲傷也一同死去了;唯有平和、完美的幸福重生——映照在她那長(zhǎng)眠之軀上的寧?kù)o之美。
And still her former self lay there, unaltered in this change. Yes, the old fireside had smiled upon that same sweet face; it had passed like a dream through haunts of misery and care—at the door of the poor schoolmaster on the summer evening, before the furnace fire upon the cold wet night, at the still bedside of the dying boy, there had been the same mild and lovely look. So shall we know the angels in their majesty after death.
她的前世之軀依然躺在那里,在生死轉(zhuǎn)換中一動(dòng)不動(dòng)地躺在那里。是的,那個(gè)古老的火爐依然笑迎著她那甜美的面龐;這些都像無(wú)數(shù)痛苦和憂慮中的一個(gè)個(gè)夢(mèng)——夏日黃昏站在可憐的校長(zhǎng)門前時(shí),寒冷潮濕的夜里待在爐火前時(shí),站在那個(gè)即將去世的男孩窗邊時(shí),都能看到這個(gè)溫和可愛的面龐。所以,我們都將在死后見到天使的威嚴(yán)。
The old man held one languid arm in his, and the small tight hand folded to his breast for warmth. It was the hand she had stretched out to him with her last smile—the hand that had led him on through all their wanderings. Ever and anon he pressed it to his lips, then hugged it to his breast again, murmuring that it was warmer now; and as he said it he looked in agony to those who stood around, as if imploring them to help her.
老人家(她的爺爺)握住一只軟弱無(wú)力的胳膊放在他胸前,那只緊握的小手就疊放在他的胸膛上取暖。她正是用這只小手,在彌留之際微笑著伸向他——這只小手曾經(jīng)挽著他一起漫步、一起漂泊。他時(shí)不時(shí)得將這只小手放在自己的唇邊親吻,然后再將其放回到自己的胸前,嘴里還喃喃低語(yǔ)著現(xiàn)在暖和些了;他說(shuō)這話時(shí),看上去悲痛欲絕,似乎在懇求周圍站著的眾人來(lái)幫幫她。
She was dead, and past all help or need of help. The ancient rooms she had seemed to fill with life even while her own was waning fast the garden she had tended, the eyes she had gladdened the noiseless haunts of many a thoughtful hour, the paths she had trodden as it were but yesterday, could know her no more. "It is not," said the schoolmaster, as he bent down to kiss her on the cheek, and gave his tears free vent—"it is not in this world that Heaven's justice ends. Think what it is, compared with the world to which her young spirit has winged its early flight, and say, if one deliberate wish, expressed in solemn tones above this bed, could call her back to life, which of us would utter it?"
她死了,不再需要幫助,也沒有任何這樣的需要了。哪怕是在她的生命迅速枯萎之際,她的古老房間也充滿著生命,她曾悉心照料的花園、她那散發(fā)著喜悅的明亮雙眸、她曾陷入長(zhǎng)時(shí)間沉思時(shí)的寂靜之地、仿佛昨天她還漫步其上的那些小路等,再也見不到她了。校長(zhǎng)一邊躬身親吻著她的臉頰,一邊哽咽著說(shuō)道;“不應(yīng)該這樣啊,上蒼的裁決不應(yīng)該在這個(gè)世界結(jié)束。假如與她的靈魂尚在游蕩的那個(gè)世界相比,這個(gè)凡塵由算得了什么呢,可以這樣說(shuō),如果有人能夠誠(chéng)意發(fā)愿,用極其莊嚴(yán)的聲音在這張床邊表達(dá)出這個(gè)愿望,便能使得她生還,我們當(dāng)中誰(shuí)能這樣做?”
She had been dead two days. They were all about her at the time, knowing that the end was drawing on. She died soon after daybreak. They had read and talked to her in the earlier portion of the night; but as the hours crept on she sank to sleep. They could tell, by what she faintly uttered in her dreams, that they were of her wanderings with the old man. They were of no painful scenes, but of those who had helped them and used them kindly; for she often said, "God bless you!" with great fervour. Waking, she never wandered in her mind but once, and that was at beautiful music which, she said, was in the air. God knows. It may have been.
她已經(jīng)死了兩天了。那個(gè)時(shí)刻,人們都環(huán)繞著她,都已了解她的生命的大幕即將落下。破曉時(shí)分,她便真的去了。前半夜,人們還在念書給她聽,還在與她交談;但是,慢慢的,她就陷入了沉睡之中。借助于她在夢(mèng)中模糊的 囈語(yǔ),他們還能分辨出,她說(shuō)的是自己和老人家一起長(zhǎng)途跋涉的事。記憶中并沒有痛苦的畫面, 只有那些曾經(jīng)幫助過(guò)他們并友善的對(duì)待過(guò)他們的人;因?yàn)樗?jīng)常熱情的說(shuō):“上帝保佑你!”醒來(lái)時(shí),她的神智一直很清醒,唯有一次,她說(shuō)自己在美妙的音樂(lè)聲中飄上了天。只有上帝知道怎么回事,或許是真的。
瘋狂英語(yǔ) 英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)法 新概念英語(yǔ) 走遍美國(guó) 四級(jí)聽力 英語(yǔ)音標(biāo) 英語(yǔ)入門 發(fā)音 美語(yǔ) 四級(jí) 新東方 七年級(jí) 賴世雄 zero是什么意思鐵嶺市惠源東區(qū)英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)交流群