雙語《小約翰》 五

V
五

Have you ever loitered in the woods on a fresh autumn day？ When the sun shines calmly and clearly on the richly-tinted foliage；when the boughs creak，and the dry leaves rustle under foot．
你當(dāng)晴明的秋日，在樹林里徘徊沒有？當(dāng)太陽如此沉靜和明朗，在染色的葉子上發(fā)光，當(dāng)樹枝蕭騷著，枯葉在你的腳下顫抖著的時候。

The forest seems weary of life；it can merely think，and lives in its memories of the past．A blue mist hangs about it like a dream，full of mysterious splendour，and the glistening gossamers float on the air with slow undulations—a sweet aimless musing．
于是樹林顯得很疲倦——它只是還能夠沉思，并且生活在古老的記憶里。一片藍(lán)色的霧圍住它，有如一個夢挾著滿是神秘的絢爛。還有那明晃晃的秋絲，飄泛在空氣里懶懶地回旋，像是美麗的、沉靜的夢。

And now from the moist ground among the mosses and withered leaves suddenly and inexplicably the strange forms of toadstools spring into being．Some sturdy，deformed and fleshy；others slim and tall with ringed stems and gaily painted hats．These are the quaint dream-figures of the forest．
單在莓苔和枯葉之間的濕地上，這時就驟然而且曖昧地射出菌類的奇異的形象來。許多胖的，不成樣子而且多肉。此外是長的，還是瘦長，帶著有箍的柄和染得亮晶晶的帽子。這是樹林的奇特的妙。

On the decayed tree-trunks，too，there are little white columns in numerable，with black heads as though they had been burnt．Certain learned men regard them as a sort of fungus．But Johannes knew better：—
于是在朽爛的樹身上，也看見無數(shù)小小的白色的小干，都有黑的小尖子，像燒過似的。有幾個聰明人以為這是一種香菌。約翰卻學(xué)得一個更好的：

They are little tapers．In the still autumn nights they burn while the boguey-sprites sit near them，reading their little books．
那是燭。它們在沉靜的秋夜燃燒著，小鬼頭們便坐在旁邊，讀著細(xì)小的小書。

Windekind had told him this one such tranquil autumn day，and Johannes dreamily drank in the faint earthy smell which came up from the mouldering ground．
這是在一個極其沉靜的秋日，旋兒教給他的，而且約翰還飲著夢興，其中含有從林地中升騰起來的熏蒸的氣息。

“How is it that the leaves of the ash-trees are so speckled with black？”
“為什么這槲樹的葉子帶著這樣的黑斑呢？”

“Ah！the boguey-sprites do that too，”said Windekind．“When they have been busy writing at night，in the morning they throw out what is left in their ink-bottles over the leaves．They do not love the ash-trees；crosses are made of ash-wood，and poles for church bags．”
“是呵，這也是小鬼頭們弄的，”旋兒說，“倘若他們夜里寫了字，就將他們小墨水瓶里的剩余灑在葉子上。他們不能容忍這樹。人從槲樹的木材做出十字架和鈴包的柄來。”

Johannes was curious to know all about the busy little sprites， and he made Windekind promise to take him to see one of them．
對于這細(xì)小的精勤的小鬼頭們，約翰覺得新奇了，他還請旋兒允許，領(lǐng)他去見他們之中的一個去。

He had now stayed some time with Windekind，and he was so happy in his new life that he felt very little regret for his promise to forget all he had left behind him．And he had no hours of loneliness or terror，when repentance is always apt to intrude．Windekind never quitted him，and with him he felt everywhere at home．He slept soundly in the swinging nest，where it hung between the green reeds， however ominously the bittern might boom or the raven croak．He knew no fear of the pelting rain or howling storm—he could creep into a hollow tree or a rabbit's burrow，and hide close under Windekind's cloak，and listen to his voice as he told him tales．
他已經(jīng)和旋兒久在一處了，他在他的新生活中，非常幸福，使他對于忘卻一切舊事物的誓約，很少什么后悔。他沒有寂寞的一剎那，一寂寞是常會后悔的。旋兒永不離開他，跟著他就到處都是鄉(xiāng)里。他安靜地在掛在碧綠的蘆干之間的、葦雀的搖動的窠巢里睡眠，雖然葦雀也大叫，或者烏鴉報(bào)兇似的啞啞著。他在瀟瀟的大雨或怒吼的狂風(fēng)中，并不覺得恐怖，他就躲進(jìn)空樹或野兔的洞里去，或者他鉆在旋兒的小氅衣下，如果他講童話，他還傾聽他的聲音。

And now he was to see the Wood-Sprites．
于是他就要看見小鬼頭了。

It was a good day for such a visit．So calm，so still，Johannes fancied he could already hear tiny voices and the rustle of little feet，though it was mid-day．The birds had almost all fled；only the thrushes were feasting on the scarlet berries．One was caught in a snare．There he hung with flapping wings，struggling till his sharp clenched claws were almost torn away．Johannes made haste to set him free，and he flew off with a happy chirp．
這是適宜的日子。太沉靜，太沉靜。約翰似乎已經(jīng)聽到他們的細(xì)語和足音了，然而還是正午。禽鳥們是走了，都走了，只有嗌雀還饞著深紅的莓果。一匹是落在圈套里被捕了，它張了翅子掛在那里，而且掙扎著，直到那緊緊夾住的爪子幾乎撕開。約翰即刻去放了它，高興地啾唧著，它迅速地飛去了。

The toadstools had a great deal to say．
菌類是彼此都陷在熱烈的交談中。

“Only look at me！”said a fat puffy Toadstool．“Did you ever see the like？ See how thick and white my stem is，and how my hat shines．I am the biggest of you all．And that in one night！”
“看看我罷，”一個肥胖的鬼菌說，“你們見過這樣的么？看罷，我的柄是多么肥，多么白呀，我的帽子是多么亮呀。我是一切中最大的。而且在一夜里。”

“Pooh！”said the red spotted toadstool．“You are most vulgar！—so brown and clumsy．Now，I sway on a tall stem like a reed；I am of a splendid red like the rowan berries，and most elegantly speckled．I am the handsomest of you all．”
“哼！”紅色的捕蠅菌說，“你真蠢。這樣棕色和粗糙。而我卻在蘆干一般的我的苗條的柄上搖擺。我華美地紅得像鳥莓，還美麗地加了點(diǎn)。我比一切都美?！?/span>

“Hush！”said Johannes，who knew them both of old．“You are both poisonous．”
“住口！”早就認(rèn)識它們的約翰說，“你們倆都是毒的。”

“That is a virtue，”said the red fellow．
“這是操守！”捕蠅菌說。

“Or are you a man by chance？”retorted the fat toadstool．“Then indeed I wish you would eat me．”
“你大概是人罷？”肥胖者譏笑地嘮叨著，“那我早就愿意了，你吃掉我！”

But Johannes did not eat him；he took some dry twigs and stuck them into his round hat．That looked funny，and all the others laughed；even a swarm of slender toadstools with little brown heads who had only come up a few hours since，and pushed themselves everywhere to look out on the world．The fat toadstool turned blue with spite，thus displaying his venomous nature．
約翰果然不吃。他拿起一條枯枝來，插進(jìn)那多肉的帽里去。這見得很滑稽，其余的一切都笑了。還有一群微弱的小菌，有著棕色的小頭，是大約兩小時內(nèi)一同鉆出來的，并且往外直沖，為要觀察這世界。那鬼菌因?yàn)閼嵟兂伤{(lán)色了。這也正表白了它是有毒的種類。

Earth-stars raised their little pert heads on angular stems．Now and then a little cloud of the finest brown powder puffed out of the opening in a round head．Wherever that dust fell on the moist soil，threads would tangle and plait beneath the dark earth，and next year myriads of fresh stars would come up．
地星在四尖的腳凳上伸起它們的圓而腫起的小頭。有時就用那圓的小頭上的嘴里的極細(xì)的塵土，噴成一朵棕色的小云彩。那塵土落在濕地上，就有黑土組成的線，而且第二年便生出成百的新的地星來。

“What a beautiful existence！”they said to each other．“The happiest lot in life is to shed dust．What joy to think we may do it as long as we live！”
“怎樣的一個美的生存呵！”它們彼此說，“揚(yáng)塵是最高的生活目的。生活幾多時，就揚(yáng)塵幾多時，是怎樣的幸福呵！”

And they puffed the little smoke-like cloud into the air with the deepest concentration．
于是它們用了深信的向往，將小小的塵云驅(qū)到空氣中。

“Are they really happy，Windekind？”
“他們對么，旋兒？”

“Why not？ What higher joy can they know？ They are happy，for they ask no better because they know no better．”
“為什么不呢？它們那里還能夠更高一點(diǎn)呢？它們并不多要求幸福，因?yàn)榇送馑鼈冊俨荒軌蛄恕！?/span>

When night fell，and the shadows of the trees were merged in uniform gloom，the mysterious vitality of the forest knew no rest．The branches snapped and cracked，the dry leaves rustled hither and thither among the grass and in the underwood．Then Johannes felt the touch of invisible wings and was aware of the presence of invisible beings．He could plainly hear the murmur of little voices and tripping of little feet．There！there in the darkest depth of the thicket，a tiny blue spark glowed and vanished．There was another and another！—Hark！When he listened attentively he could hear a rustling in the leaf-strewn floor near him，close to the black tree-trunk．The blue lights again were visible and then stood still on the top．
夜已深，樹影都飛進(jìn)了一律的黑暗里的時候，充滿秘密的樹林的震動沒有停。在草和叢莽中間，處處有小枝們瑟瑟著、格格著，枯的小葉子們簌簌著。約翰感覺著不可聞的鼓翼的風(fēng)動，且知道不可辨的東西來到近旁了?，F(xiàn)在他卻聽得有分明的聲音在細(xì)語，還有腳在細(xì)步地跳躍了。看哪，叢莽的黑暗的深處，正有一粒小小的藍(lán)的火星在發(fā)光，而且消失了。那邊又一粒，而且又一粒！靜著！……倘若他留神傾聽，便聽得樹葉里有一種簌簌聲，就在他極近旁——靠近那黑暗的樹干的所在。這藍(lán)的小光就從它后面起來，并且停在尖上了。

Now Johannes saw such lights all about him；they flitted among the brown leaves，dancing along with airy leaping；and in one place a large sparkling mass beamed like a blue bonfire．
現(xiàn)在約翰看見到處閃著火光。它們在黑暗的枝柯間飄浮，小跳著吹到地面，還有大的閃爍的一堆，如一個愉快的火，在眾星間發(fā)亮。

“What fire is that？”asked Johannes．“It burns splendidly．”
“這是什么火呢？”約翰問，“這燒得輝煌?！?/span>

“That is a rotten tree-stump，”replied Windekind．
“這是一個朽爛的樹干?！毙齼赫f。

They went towards a bright light which remained steady．
他們走向一粒沉靜的、明亮的小光去。

“Now I will introduce you to Wistik．He is the oldest and wisest of the Wood-Sprites．
“那我就要給你介紹將知了。他是小鬼頭們中最年老，且最伶俐的?！?/span>

As they approached Johannes saw him sitting by his candle．The wrinkled little face with its grey beard could be plainly seen by the blue light；he was reading diligently with knitted brows．On his head he wore an acorn-cup with a tiny feather in it．Before him sat a wood-spider listening to his reading．
約翰臨近的時候，他看見他坐在他的小光旁邊。在藍(lán)色的照映中，可以分明地辨別打皺的臉帶著灰色的胡須；他蹙著眉頭，高聲地誦讀著。小頭上戴一頂槲斗的小帽還插一枝小翎，前面坐著一個十字蜘蛛，并且對他傾聽。

When the pair went near him，the little boguey，without raising his head，looked up from his book and lifted his eyebrows．The spider crept away．
待到他們倆接近時，小鬼頭便揚(yáng)起眉毛來看，卻不從他的小書上抬頭。十字蜘蛛爬去了。

“Good-evening，”said he．“I am Wistik．Who are you？”
“好晚上，”小鬼頭說，“我是將知。你們倆是誰呢？”

“My name is Johannes．I should like to make acquaintance with you．What are you reading？”
“我叫約翰。我很愿意和你相識。你在那里讀什么呢？”

“It is not meant for your ears，”said Wistik．“It is only for wood-spiders．”
“這不合于你的耳朵，”將知說，“這僅只是為那十字蜘蛛的?！?/span>

“Just let me once look at it，dear Wistik，”begged Johannes．
“也給我看一看罷，愛的將知。”約翰懇求說。

“I cannot．This is the sacred book of the spiders，and is in my charge．I may not let it out of my own hands．I have the keeping of the sacred books of the snails，and the butterflies，and the hedge-hogs，and the moles，and all the creatures that live here．They cannot all read，and when they want to know anything I read it to them．This is a great honour for me，a post of trust，you understand．”
“這我不可以。這是蜘蛛的圣書，我替它們保存著的，并且永不得交在別一個的手里。我有神圣的文件，那甲蟲的和胡蝶的、刺猬的、土撥鼠的，以及凡有生活在這里的一切的。它們不能都讀，倘它們想要知道一些，我便讀給它們聽。這于我是一個大大的光榮，一個信任的職位，你懂么？”

The sprite nodded very gravely several times，and pointed with his tiny forefinger．
那小男人屢次十分誠懇地點(diǎn)頭，且向高處伸上一個示指去。

“And what were you studying just now？”
“你剛才做了什么了呢？”

“The history of Kribbelgauw，the great hero among spiders， who lived very long ago and had a net which spread over three trees， and in which he caught millions of flies every day．Before the time of Kribbelgauw spiders made no nets，but lived on grass and dead creatures；but Kribbelgauw was a very clever fellow，and proved that all living insects were created on purpose for food for spiders．Then，by the most laborious calculation，Kribbelgauw discovered the art of making nets，for he was very learned．And to this day the wood-spiders make their nets exactly as he taught them，thread for thread，only much smaller．For the spider race is greatly degenerate．Kribbelgauw caught great birds in his net，and murdered thousands of his own children—he was something like a spider！At last there came a great storm and carried away Kribbelgauw and his net，with the three trees it was made fast to，through the air to a distant wood， where he is now perpetually honoured for his great achievements and sagacity．”
“講那涂鴉潑剌的故事。那是十字蜘蛛中的大英雄，很久以前活著的，而且有一個網(wǎng)張?jiān)谌么髽渖?，它還在那里一日里捉獲過一千二百匹飛蠅們。在涂鴉潑剌時代以前，蜘蛛們是都不結(jié)網(wǎng)，單靠著草和死動物營生的，涂鴉潑剌卻有一個明晰的頭腦。并且指出，活的動物也都為著蜘蛛的食料而創(chuàng)造。其時涂鴉潑剌又靠著繁難的計(jì)算，發(fā)明了十分精美的網(wǎng)，因?yàn)樗且晃粋ゴ蟮臄?shù)學(xué)家。于是十字蜘蛛才結(jié)它的網(wǎng)，線交線，正如它所傳授的一樣，只是小得多。因?yàn)橹┲氲淖孱愐埠茏兎N了。涂鴉潑剌曾在它的網(wǎng)上捉獲過大禽鳥，還殺害過成千的它自己的孩子們——這曾是一個大的蜘蛛呵！末后，來了一陣大風(fēng)，便拖著涂鴉潑剌和它的網(wǎng)帶著緊結(jié)著網(wǎng)的三棵樹，都穿過空中，到了遠(yuǎn)方的樹林里，在那里它便永被崇拜了，因了它的大兇心和它的機(jī)巧?！?/span>

“Is that all true？”asked Johannes．
“這都是真實(shí)么？”約翰問。

“It is all in this book，”said Wistik．
“那是載在這書兒上的?！睂⒅f。

“Do you believe it？”
“你相信這些么？”

The boguey shut one eye and laid his forefinger to his nose．
小鬼頭細(xì)著一只眼，且將示指放在鼻子上。

“The sacred books of other creatures，when they mention Kribbelgauw，speak of him as a hateful and contemptible monster．But that is no concern of mine．”
“在別種動物的圣書里，也曾講過涂鴉潑剌的，它被稱為一個剽悍的和卑劣的怪物。我于此不加可否?！?/span>

“And is there a Sprites' Book，Wistik？”
“可也有一本地祇的書兒呢，將知？”

Wistik looked at Johannes rather suspiciously．
將知微微懷疑地看定了約翰。

“What sort of creature are you really，Johannes？ There is something—just something—human about you，so to speak．”
“你究竟是一個什么東西呢，約翰？你有點(diǎn)——有點(diǎn)是人似的，我可以說?！?/span>

“No，no；be easy，Wistik，”said Windekind，“we are elves．But formerly Johannes saw a good deal of men and their doings．You may trust him entirely．It can do him no harm．”
“不是，不是！放心罷，將知，”旋兒說，“我們是妖。約翰雖然先前常在人類里往來。但你可以相信他。這于他無損的。”

“Ay，ay，well and good．But I am called the wisest of the sprites—and I studied long and hard before I knew what I know．So now I must be cautious with my learning．If I tell you too much，I shall lose my reputation．”
“是呵，是呵！那很好，然而我倒是地祇中的最賢明的，我并且長久而勤勉地研究過，直到知道了我現(xiàn)今所知道的一切。因了我的智慧，我就必須謹(jǐn)慎。如果我講得太多，就毀損我的名聲?！?/span>

“But in what book do you think that the truth is to be found？”
“你以為在什么書兒上，是記著正確的事的呢？”

“I have read a great deal，but I do not believe that I have ever read that book．It is not the Elves' Book nor the Sprites'．Yet it must exist．”
“我曾經(jīng)讀得很不少，但我卻不信我讀過這些書。那須不是妖精書，也不是地祇書。然而那樣的書兒是應(yīng)該存在的?！?/span>

“The Men's Book perhaps？”
“那是人類書么？”

“That I do not know，but I do not think it．For the True Book must bring with it great peace and great happiness．In it there must be an exact explanation of why everything is as it is，so that no one need ever ask or inquire any more．Now men，I believe，have not got so far as that．”
“那我不知道，但我不大相信，因?yàn)檎娴臅鴥菏菓?yīng)該能致大幸福和大太平的——在那上面，應(yīng)該詳細(xì)地記載著，為什么一切是這樣的，像現(xiàn)狀這樣。那就誰也不能再多問或多希望了。人類還沒有到這地步，我相信。”

“Oh dear，no！”said Windekind，laughing．
“阿，實(shí)在的?！毙齼盒χf。

“Is there anywhere such a book？”said Johannes eagerly．
“然而也真有這樣的一本書兒么？”約翰切望地問。

“Yes，yes，”whispered the sprite．“I know there is，from very ancient legends．And—hush！—I know where it is，and who can find it．”
“有，有！”小鬼頭低聲說，“那我知道——從古老的，古老的傳說。靜著呀！我又知道，它在那里，誰能夠覓得它。”

“Oh，Wistik！Wistik！”
“阿，將知！將知！”

“Why then have you not yet got it？”asked Windekind．
“為什么你還沒有呢？”旋兒問。

“Patience，patience，—it will be found．I know as yet no particulars，—but I shall soon find it．I have toiled for it and sought it all my life．For to him who finds it life shall be one perpetual autumn day—blue air above and blue mists all round，—only no falling leaves shall rustle，no twigs shall snap，no raindrops patter， the shadows shall not change，the sun-gold on the tree-tops shall not fade．What seems to us now to be light shall be darkness；what seems to us now to be joy shall be woe by comparison，to those who read that book！Ay！I know this much，and some day I shall find it．”
“只要耐心，這就要來了。幾個條件我還沒有知道。但不久我就要覓得了。我曾畢生為此工作而且向此尋求。因?yàn)橐灰挼茫瑒t生活將如晴明的秋日，上是藍(lán)色的天而周圍是藍(lán)色的霧；但沒有落葉簌簌著，沒有小枝格格著，也沒有水珠點(diǎn)滴著；陰影將永不變化，樹梢的金光將永不慘淡。誰曾讀過這書，則凡是于我們顯得明的，將是黑暗，凡是于我們顯得幸福的，將是憂愁。是的，我都知道，而且我也總有一回要覓得它?！?/span>

The Wood-Sprite raised his eyebrows very much and laid his finger on his lips．
那山鬼很高地?fù)P起眉毛，并且將手指擱在嘴上。

“Wistik，if you could but teach me—”Johannes began；but before he could say more he felt a strong gust of wind and saw a great，broad black shroud overhead，which silently and swiftly swept by．
“將知，你許能教給我罷?！奔s翰提議道，但他還未說完，便覺得有猛烈的風(fēng)的一突，還看見一個又大又黑的形象在自己前面迅速而無聲地射過去了。

When he looked for Wistik again he saw one little foot just vanishing into the hollow tree．Whisk！the sprite had leapt into his cave，book and all．The candles burnt paler and paler and suddenly went out．Those were very strange little candles．
他回顧將知時，他還及見一只細(xì)小的腳怎樣地消沒在樹干里，噗哧！小鬼頭連那書兒都跳進(jìn)他的洞里去了。小光燒得漸漸地微弱了，而且忽然消滅了。那是非常奇特的燭。

“What was that？”asked Johannes，clinging in terror to Winde-kind in the darkness．
“那是什么？”在暗中緊握著旋兒的約翰問。

“An owl，”said Windekind．
“一個貓頭鷹?！毙齼赫f。

Then they were both silent for some time．Presently Johannes said：—“Do you believe what Wistik said？”
兩個都沉默了好些時。約翰于是問道：“將知所說的，你相信么？”

“Wistik is not so wise as he thinks himself．He will never find such a book，nor you either．”
“將知卻并不如他所自負(fù)似的伶俐。那樣的書他永遠(yuǎn)覓不到，你也覓不到的?！?/span>

“But does it exist？”
“然而有是有的罷？”

“It exists，as your shadow exists，Johannes．However fast you run，however cautiously you seize it，you can never overtake it or hold it．And at last you discover that you are trying to catch yourself．Do not be foolish；forget the sprite's chatter．I can tell you a hundred finer tales．Come along！We will go to the outskirts of the wood and see how our good father draws off the white woollen coverlets of dew from the sleeping meadows．Come．”
“那書兒的存在，就如你的影子的存在，約翰。你怎樣地飛跑，你怎樣地四顧著想攫取，也總不能抓住或拿回。而且你終于覺著，你是在尋覓自己呢。不要做呆子，并且忘掉了那山鬼的胡說罷！我愿意給你講一百個更好的故事呢。同我來，我們不如到林邊去，看我們的好父親怎樣地從睡覺的草上，揭起那潔白的、綿軟的露被來罷。同來呵！”

Johannes went；but he did not understand Windekind's words， nor did he follow his counsel．And while he watched the dawn of the glorious autumn morning，he was meditating over the book in which it is written why everything is as it is，and repeating to himself in a low tone，“Wistik！”
約翰走著，然而他不懂旋兒的話，也不從他的忠告。他看見燦爛的秋晨一到黎明，便想那書兒，在那上面，是寫著為什么一切是這樣，像現(xiàn)狀這樣的——他并且低聲自己反復(fù)著說道：“將知！將知！”