美國語文第六冊 第36期:早晨的清唱劇(2)
與之形成鮮明對比的是，每年這個季節(jié)的清晨，我們都會被長著羽毛的族類那動聽和多聲部大合唱。
If you would hear the commencement of this grand anthem of nature, you must rise at the very first appearance of dawn,
倘若你乍一聽大自然這種氣勢恢宏的圣歌，在東方天際上空形成一道完整的半圓形光環(huán)之前，
before the twilight has formed a complete semicircle above the eastern porch of heaven.
你必定會拂曉剛一嶄露頭角之際就聞歌起床。
The first note that proceeds from the little warbling host, is the shrill chirp of the hairbird,—occasionally vocal at an hours on a warm summer night.
這個啼鳴的族類第一個音符就是梳妝鳥那尖銳刺耳的叫聲，在溫馨的夏日夜晚偶爾也會一連幾個小時叫個不停。
This strain, which is a continued trilling sound, is repeated with diminishing intervals, until it becomes almost incessant.
持續(xù)啼鳴所帶來的音調(diào)張力，每隔一段時間就會漸漸減弱，幾乎從不間斷。
But ere the hairbird has uttered many notes, a single robin begins to warble from a neighboring orchard, soon followed by others,
但是，在梳妝鳥發(fā)出許多音符之前，一只知更鳥開始從相鄰的果園吱吱叫，其他鳥兒很快就加入這場大合唱，
increasing in numbers until, by the time the eastern sky is flushed with crimson, every male, robin in the country round is singing with fervor.
數(shù)量不斷增加，直到東方的天際映出深紅色，這個國家每只雄性知更鳥都在熱情地歌唱。
It would be difficult to note the exact order in which the different birds successively begin their parts in this performance;
要想在不同種類的鳥兒相繼在這場演出中開始加入自己的聲部時分辨出確切的順序，是一件相當(dāng)困難的事情。
but the bluebird, whose song is only a short, mellow warble, is heard nearly at the same time with the robin,
可是藍知更鳥則不盡然，它的歌聲只是一種短促而柔和的啼鳴，在別的知更鳥亮出歌喉的同時幾乎聽不到它的叫聲，
and the song sparrow joins them soon after with his brief but finely modulated strain.
而麻雀加入它們陣營后很快就形成簡短但調(diào)整得非常完美的樂段。
