(雙語)月亮和六便士 第2章(1)

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Chapter 2

第二章

When so much has been written about Charles Strickland, it may seem unnecessary that I should write more. A painter's monument is his work. It is true I knew him more intimately than most: I met him first before ever he became a painter, and I saw him not infrequently during the difficult years he spent in Paris; but I do not suppose I should ever have set down my recollections if the hazards of the war had not taken me to Tahiti. There, as is notorious, he spent the last years of his life; and there I came across persons who were familiar with him. I find myself in a position to throw light on just that part of his tragic career which has remained most obscure. If they who believe in Strickland's greatness are right, the personal narratives of such as knew him in the flesh can hardly be superfluous. What would we not give for the reminiscences of someone who had been as intimately acquainted with El Greco as I was with Strickland?But I seek refuge in no such excuses. I forget who it was that recommended men for their soul's good to do each day two things they disliked: it was a wise man, and it is a precept that I have followed scrupulously; for every day I have got up and I have gone to bed. But there is in my nature a strain of asceticism, and I have subjected my flesh each week to a more severe mortification. I have never failed to read the Literary Supplement of The Times. It is a salutary discipline to consider the vast number of books that are written, the fair hopes with which their authors see them published, and the fate which awaits them. What chance is there that any book will make its way among that multitude? And the successful books are but the successes of a season. Heaven knows what pains the author has been at, what bitter experiences he has endured and what heartache suffered, to give some chance reader a few hours' relaxation or to while away the tedium of a journey.

關(guān)于查理斯·思特里克蘭德的文章既已寫了這么多，看來我似乎沒有必要再多費(fèi)筆墨了。為畫家樹碑立傳歸根結(jié)底還是他的作品。當(dāng)然喏，我比大多數(shù)人對他更為熟悉；我第一次和他會面遠(yuǎn)在他改行學(xué)畫以前。在他落魄巴黎的一段坎坷困頓的日子里，我經(jīng)常和他見面。但如果不是戰(zhàn)爭的動亂使我有機(jī)會踏上塔希提島的話，我是不會把我的一些回憶寫在紙上的。眾所周知，他正是在塔希提度過生命中最后幾年；我在那里遇見不少熟悉他的人。我發(fā)現(xiàn)對他悲劇的一生中人們最不清晰的一段日子，我恰好可以投擲一道亮光。如果那些相信思特里克蘭德偉大的人看法正確的話，與他有過親身接觸的人對他的追述便很難說是多余的了。如果有人同埃爾·格列柯象我同思特里克蘭德那樣熟稔，為了讀到他寫的格列柯回憶錄，有什么代價我們不肯付呢？但是我并不想以這些事為自己辯解。我不記得是誰曾經(jīng)建議過，為了使靈魂寧靜，一個人每天要做兩件他不喜歡的事。說這句話的人是個聰明人，我也一直在一絲不茍地按照這條格言行事：因為我每天早上都起床，每天也都上床睡覺。但是我這個人生來還有苦行主義的性格，我還一直叫我的肉體每個星期經(jīng)受一次更大的磨難?！短┪钍繄蟆返奈膶W(xué)增刊我一期也沒有漏掉。想到有那么多書被辛勤地寫出來，作者看著書籍出版，抱著那么殷切的希望，等待著這些書又是什么樣的命運(yùn)，這真是一種有益身心的修養(yǎng)。一本書要能從這汪洋大海中掙扎出來希望是多么渺茫??！即使獲得成功，那成功又是多么瞬息即逝的事?。√鞎缘?，作者為他一本書花費(fèi)了多少心血，經(jīng)受多少磨折，嘗盡了多少辛酸，只為了給偶然讀到這本書的人幾小時的休憩，幫助他驅(qū)除一下旅途中的疲勞。