鏡子的另一面
The Other Side of a Mirror
瑪麗·柯爾律治
Mary E. Coleridge
瑪麗·柯爾律治(Mary E. Coleridge,1861-1907),英國十九世紀后期詩人、小說家和文學評論家。生于文學世家,浪漫派詩人柯爾律治是她的曾叔公?,旣愐簧醇?,與妹妹及父母同住,在家接受教育。她的文學創(chuàng)作包括詩歌、小說和散文等。1896年,她以筆名“阿諾多斯”(意為“漂泊者”)出版了《奇幻追隨者》。她的詩作內(nèi)容多涉及友誼的失敗、痛苦和歡樂,風格強勁,表達濃縮、凝練,有些詩預示了二十世紀早期詩作的風格和技巧?!剁R子的另一面》被認為是她最成功的作品。
有一天我坐在鏡子面前,
I sat before my glass one day,
念咒召喚出赤裸的幻象,
And conjured up a vision bare,
全不似歡天喜地的容顏
Unlike the aspects glad and gay,
(過去鏡子里常有的形象)——
That erst were found reflected there—
一個女子的幻影,狂野的,
The vision of a woman, wild
帶著更甚于女性的絕望。
With more than womanly despair.
她的頭發(fā)從兩邊豎起,
Her hair stood back on either side
她的面孔與嬌美絕緣。
A face bereft of loveliness.
此刻那面上遮不住妒意,
It had no envy now to hide
沒人猜得出妒意所蘊含。
What once no man on earth could guess.
它用未經(jīng)圣化的堅苦
It formed the thorny aureole
織成長滿荊棘的光環(huán)。
Of hard unsanctified distress.
她雙唇開啟——沒一點聲音
Her lips were open—not a sound
從那分開的紅痕中流出。
Came through the parted lines of red.
可怕的傷口(不管它是什么)
Whate'er it was, the hideous wound
秘密地流著血,聲息全無。
In silence and in secret bled.
沒嘆息緩解她無言的悲哀,
No sigh relieved her speechless woe ,
她沒有嗓音來傾訴恐怖。
She had no voice to speak her dread.
她那慘白的兩眼閃射出
And in her lurid eyes there shone
生命之渴望的臨終光焰,
The dying flame of life's desire,
瘋狂于希望已從此離去,
Made mad because its hope was gone,
跳躍的妒火把它點燃,
And kindled at the leaping fire
燃燒于不變不倦的強力,
Of jealousy, and fierce revenge,
燃燒于兇猛的復仇意愿。
And strength that could not change nor tire.
啊,鏡子里幻象的陰影,
Shade of a shadow in the glass,
請讓鏡面脫困而瑩潔!
O set the crystal surface free!
去吧(美好的幻象都離鏡),
Pass—as the fairer visions pass—
永遠也不要回來,僅在這
Nor ever more return, to be
困惑的片刻做一次鬼魂
The ghost of a distracted hour,
來聽我低語:“我就是她欸!”
That heard me whisper, "I am she!"