《四季隨筆》節(jié)選 - 冬 05

《四季隨筆》是吉辛的散文代表作。其中對隱士賴克羅夫特醉心于書籍、自然景色與回憶過去生活的描述，其實(shí)是吉辛的自述，作者以此來抒發(fā)自己的情感，因而本書是一部富有自傳色彩的小品文集。

吉辛窮困的一生，對文學(xué)名著的愛好與追求，以及對大自然恬靜生活的向往，在書中均有充分的反映。本書分為春、夏、秋、冬四個(gè)部分，文筆優(yōu)美，行文流暢，是英國文學(xué)中小品文的珍品之一。

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Walking along the road after nightfall, I thought all at once of London streets, and, by a freak of mind, wished I were there. I saw the shining of shop-fronts, the yellow glistening of a wet pavement, the hurrying people, the cabs, the omnibuses—and I wished I were amid it all.

夜幕降臨的時(shí)候，我還在路上走著，忽然，我想起倫敦的街道，并突發(fā)異想，希望自己能在那里。我看到街道兩旁店面發(fā)出的亮光，潮濕的人行道上黃色的反光，行色匆匆的路人、出租車、馬車——我希望自己身在其中。

What did it mean, but that I wished I were young again? Not seldom I have a sudden vision of a London street, perhaps the dreariest and ugliest, which for a moment gives me a feeling of home-sickness. Often it is the High Street of Islington, which I have not seen for a quarter of a century, at least; no thoroughfare in all London less attractive to the imagination, one would say; but I see myself walking there—walking with the quick, light step of youth, and there, of course, is the charm. I see myself, after a long day of work and loneliness, setting forth from my lodging. For the weather I care nothing; rain, wind, fog—what does it matter! The fresh air fills my lungs; my blood circles rapidly; I feel my muscles, and have a pleasure in the hardness of the stone I tread upon. Perhaps I have money in my pocket; I am going to the theatre, and, afterwards, I shall treat myself to supper—sausage and mashed potatoes, with a pint of foaming ale. The gusto with which I look forward to each and every enjoyment! At the pit-door, I shall roll and hustle amid the throng, and find it amusing. Nothing tires me. Late at night, I shall walk all the way back to Islington, most likely singing as I go. Not because I am happy—nay, I am anything but that; but my age is something and twenty; I am strong and well.

我希望自己再次年輕,這意味著什么呢？我經(jīng)常會在想象中見到倫敦的某條街道，可能是最陰郁丑陋的，片刻間它還是讓我有一種想家的感覺。通常那會是伊斯靈頓區(qū)的大街，我已經(jīng)至少有四分之一個(gè)世紀(jì)那么久沒看見它了。在想象中，全倫敦沒有一條大道比它更普通，更缺乏想象的空間，你會這么說；但是我卻看到自己在那條街道上走——用年輕人輕快的步伐走著，當(dāng)然，這就是它的誘人之處。我看到自己，在漫長一天的工作和寂寞之后，離開寓所出門。天氣我是毫不在意的，下雨、刮風(fēng)、大霧——有什么關(guān)系！新鮮的空氣充滿了我的肺；血液快速地循環(huán)著；我觸摸自己的肌肉，在腳踏上堅(jiān)硬的地面之時(shí)獲得一種快感。也許兜里會有點(diǎn)錢，我會到戲院去，之后會享受一頓晚餐——香腸、土豆泥加上一品脫溢滿泡沫的濃啤酒。我對這每一個(gè)樂趣都滿懷著怎樣熱切的期待啊！在戲院的后門口，我在人群中推推搡搡，覺得很是有趣。沒有什么能讓我感覺疲憊。夜深了，我會徑直走回伊斯靈頓區(qū)，可能還一路哼著小曲。不是因?yàn)槲腋吲d——不，我的生活根本不算幸福。不過，我當(dāng)時(shí)才二十幾歲，身體強(qiáng)壯又健康。

Put me in a London street this chill, damp night, and I should be lost in barren discomfort. But in those old days, if I am not mistaken, I rather preferred the seasons of bad weather; I had, in fact, the true instinct of townsfolk, which finds pleasure in the triumph of artificial circumstance over natural conditions, delighting in a glare and tumult of busy life under hostile heavens which, elsewhere, would mean shivering ill-content. The theatre, at such a time, is doubly warm and bright; every shop is a happy harbour of refuge—there, behind the counter, stand persons quite at their ease, ready to chat as they serve you; the supper bars make tempting display under their many gas-jets; the public houses are full of people who all have money to spend. Then clangs out the piano-organ—and what could be cheerier!

在今天這個(gè)寒冷潮濕的夜晚，把我放在倫敦任何一條街道上，我都會在極度不適中迷失方向。但在那些日子，如果沒記錯(cuò)的話，我倒是更喜歡天氣糟糕的季節(jié)。事實(shí)上，我有城里人的真正本能，就是能從人造環(huán)境戰(zhàn)勝自然條件中找到快樂，在惡劣的天氣下能從繁忙生活的喧嚷中感受愉悅，而在別處，這天氣會意味著瑟瑟發(fā)抖的不幸境遇。在這種時(shí)候，劇院是份外的溫暖明亮；每家店鋪都是一個(gè)快樂的避風(fēng)港——在那兒，柜臺后站著的人們是那么悠哉樂哉，在服務(wù)時(shí)隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備與你攀談；在一盞盞煤氣燈火的照耀下，飯館展示著誘人的晚餐；酒吧里滿是有錢可花的人們。接著會響起鋼琴的聲音——有什么會更讓人愉快呢！

I have much ado to believe that I really felt so. But then, if life had not somehow made itself tolerable to me, how should I have lived through those many years? Human creatures have a marvellous power of adapting themselves to necessity. Were I, even now, thrown back into squalid London, with no choice but to abide and work there—should I not abide and work? Notwithstanding thoughts of the chemist's shop, I suppose I should.

我努力讓自己相信當(dāng)時(shí)確實(shí)曾有這樣的感覺，否則，如果生活不是用某種方式變得讓我覺得可以忍受，我怎么能熬過那么些年呢？人類有一種神奇的適應(yīng)自然環(huán)境的力量。即使現(xiàn)在，如果我被扔回骯臟的倫敦，沒有任何選擇，只能忍受并工作——我難道不會忍受和工作嗎？雖然會想到藥店的問題，我想我還是會的。