劉易斯·卡羅爾(Lewis Carroll),原名查爾斯·勒特威奇·道奇森(Charles Lutwidge Dodgson,1832~1898),英國(guó)牛津大學(xué)數(shù)學(xué)教授,著名童話小說(shuō)家,其代表作有《愛麗絲奇境漫游記》(Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)和《愛麗絲鏡中奇遇記》(Through the Looking-Glass)。
1862年7月一個(gè)金色的午后,卡羅爾攜好友以及利德爾三姐妹泛舟美麗的泰晤士河(Thames)上,從牛津(Oxford)溯流而上去戈斯托(Godstow)。途中,利德爾三姐妹不肯安靜下來(lái)欣賞沿途風(fēng)光,纏著卡羅爾講故事。經(jīng)不住三個(gè)小女孩的央求,卡羅爾為她們講了一個(gè)荒誕的奇幻故事。這個(gè)故事就是小說(shuō)《愛麗絲奇境漫游記》的雛形,后來(lái)經(jīng)擴(kuò)充和修訂,于1865年7月首次出版。
小說(shuō)的扉頁(yè)上印有這首序詩(shī)《在那陽(yáng)光燦爛的午后》(All in the Golden Afternoon)。本詩(shī)語(yǔ)言生動(dòng)歡快,寥寥數(shù)語(yǔ),便將那個(gè)燦爛如金的午后如實(shí)呈現(xiàn)在讀者眼前:泰晤士河波瀾不驚,一葉小舟,翩然蕩漾。三個(gè)小女孩天真爛漫,笑語(yǔ)聲聲,更為這個(gè)金色的午后平添了不少童趣。此情此景,卡羅爾又有什么理由拒絕她們想聽故事的“無(wú)理”要求呢?他只能絞盡腦汁,構(gòu)思情節(jié),編撰出奇幻又美妙的怪誕故事,讓三個(gè)小女孩聽得如癡如醉。夕陽(yáng)西下,小船滿載歡笑,融入暮色之中。這如夢(mèng)如幻的美景,宛如一幅油畫,在卡羅爾心中定格,成為永恒的珍藏。
All in the golden afternoon
Full leisurely1) we glide2);
For both our oars3), with little skill,
By little arms are plied4),
While little hands make vain5) pretence
Our wanderings to guide.
那日午后,陽(yáng)光燦爛
泛舟河上,舒暢悠然
小小臂膀,蕩槳行船
技藝不精,讓人無(wú)奈
小手引航,裝模作樣
毫無(wú)方向,隨意游蕩
Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour,
Beneath such dreamy weather,
To beg a tale of breath too weak
To stir the tiniest feather!
Yet what can one poor voice avail6),
Against three tongues together?
此刻天氣,如夢(mèng)一般
三人搗蛋,求聽奇幻
要求精彩,扣人心弦
令人屏息,輕羽不顫
三人同聲,一人何奈?
Imperious7) Prima8) flashes forth
Her edict9) "to begin it"—
In gentler tone Secunda8) hopes
"There will be nonsense in it!"—
While Tertia8) interrupts the tale
Not more than once a minute.
老大專橫,迫不及待
發(fā)號(hào)施令,“講吧趕快”
老二禮貌,要求簡(jiǎn)單
“夠怪夠奇我才喜歡!”
故事開始,老三又來(lái)
片刻不休,插話不斷
Anon10), to sudden silence won,
In fancy they pursue
The dream-child moving through a land
Of wonders wild and new,
In friendly chat with bird or beast—
And half believe it true.
不久之后,突然寂靜
三個(gè)小鬼,沉醉其間
追隨女孩,奇境探險(xiǎn)
充滿野趣,處處新鮮
遇到鳥獸,親切交談
如此真切,貌似人間
And ever, as the story drained11)
The wells of fancy dry,
And faintly strove that weary one,
To put the subject by
"The rest next time—"
"It is next time!"
The happy voices cry.
講述至此,已無(wú)靈感
幻想之泉,漸漸汲干
口干舌燥,疲憊不堪
“下次再說(shuō)”,今天休戰(zhàn)
“現(xiàn)在就說(shuō)!”她們不干
歡快嗓門,齊聲高喊
Thus grew the tale of Wonderland:
Thus slowly, one by one,
Its quaint12) events were hammered out13)—
And now the tale is done,
And home we steer, a merry crew,
Beneath the setting sun.
奇境故事,漸漸豐滿
一點(diǎn)一滴,一段一段
離奇情節(jié),漸次連貫
絲絲入扣,故事講完
回家途中,歡笑滿船
夕陽(yáng)之下,久久不散
Alice! a childish story take,
And with gentle hand
Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined14)
In Memory's mystic band,
Like pilgrim15)'s withered wreath of flowers
Plucked in a far-off land.
愛麗絲啊,請(qǐng)你細(xì)看
童稚故事,為你奉獻(xiàn)
記憶深處,神秘之段
孩童夢(mèng)想,溫柔編纏
恰似圣徒,所采花環(huán)
來(lái)自遠(yuǎn)方,已然凋殘
1. leisurely [5leVElI] adv. 從容地,不慌不忙地;慢慢地
2. glide [^laId] vi. 滑行;游動(dòng);滑移
3. oar [C:(r), CE(r)] n. 槳,櫓
4. ply [plaI] vt. 辛勤地從事,(不停地)做
5. vain [veIn] adj. 徒勞的;無(wú)效的
6. avail [E5veIl] vi. 有用;有益;有幫助
7. imperious [Im5pIErIEs] adj. 專橫的;傲慢的
8. Prima, Secunda, Tertia: 拉丁文,分別相當(dāng)于英文中“First,Second,Third”,這里分別指代利德爾三姐妹。
9. edict [5i:dIkt] n. 命令
10. anon [E5nCn] adv. <古> 不久以后,未久
11. drain [dreIn] vi. 慢慢流掉;逐漸消失
12. quaint [kweInt] adj. 古怪的,奇特的;不適當(dāng)?shù)?不合邏輯的
13. hammer out: 悉力作出,推敲出
14. twine [twaIn] vt. 使交織;使交錯(cuò)
15. pilgrim [5pIl^rIm] n. 朝圣者,朝覲者