小说翻译连载（２Ａ）

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-10 15:00:25

７（１）

庞德烈太太不是个满有信心的女人，这是个迄今为止与她的本性相矛盾的特点。甚至还是小孩子时她那幼小的生命就全活在她的自我的范围里面。她很早就凭本能感受到了双重生命－－服从规范的外向生存和老提问的内向生命。
那年夏天在大观岛上她开始稍微松动了一点儿掩盖着她含而不露的内心生活的外衣。也许有些既微妙又明显的影响，也必定有这样的影响，从多方面发挥作用使得她这么做；不过最明显的影响是阿得尔٠哈迪挪尔。吸引埃得娜的注意力的首先是这个克里奥女人的超群出众的外在魅力，因为她容易感受到美。其次是这位克里奥女人一身的坦率，这点人人都看得出来，并和她的习惯的矜持形成强烈对比－－这可能是另一个环节。谁知道神仙们到底是用什么样的金属铸造了可以称为同情也可以称为爱的微妙的情感纽带，
一天上午这两个女人手挽手，撑着顶巨大的白阳伞，一起朝海边走去。埃得娜说服了哈蒂娜尔女士把孩子们扔在身后不管，但她没能说服她不要带那个小针线包，阿得尔恳求着让把它塞进口袋里去了。不知什么原因她们没让罗伯特看见。
到海边去的步行小道铺得相当周到，事实上主要是条长长的沙子路，零星错乱生长在路两边的草木会常常突然跑到路面上来。成英亩的黄菊在两边蔓延。再过去些是众多的菜园，有些小小的橘子园和柠檬园夹杂其间。丛丛深绿在远处的阳光下闪亮。
两个女人都比较高，哈蒂娜尔女士的身段更有女性和为人之母的特点。埃得娜٠庞德烈的体形的魅力则美得悄悄的让人不易察觉出来。她的身体轮廓分明、颀长且对称，偶尔还会摆出个美妙的姿势，绝非时髦广告牌上的那种打扮出来的千篇一律的样子。一个人随便从她身边走过不用心看也许不会回头看一眼她的身段。不过如果他感情更丰富点观察更仔细点就会看到崇高之美的造型，看到动态与静姿的风韵之极致，这正是埃得娜的与众不同之处。
那天上午她穿件好看的薄纱裙－－白底子上自上而下滚着一道棕色的波纹，还披着白色的亚麻护肩，戴着那顶从房子外面大木钉上拿下来的大草帽，帽子一丝不漏地压着她的棕黄色的微微飘动的头发，稳重地戴在头上。
哈蒂娜尔夫人更注意保护自己的肤色。她用纱巾包住头，戴一双狗皮手套，并有护腕。她一身洁白，白裙子上飘着很得体的绣着花边的白带子。她这身轻飘飘的穿着与她的丰富的外向流溢的美相配，严肃点的线条则不合适。
海滩上排列着一些冲澡用的房子，结构粗糙但结实，小小的遮挡风雨的走廊面朝水面。每座房子分成两间，仑布朗家的客人每家都有一间，配有洗澡用的基本用品和主人愿意提供的其它方便。这两位女人不打算冲澡，她们到海边来只是想走走然后单独呆在水边。庞德烈家和哈蒂娜尔家的冲澡间在同一屋顶下。
      Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristic hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life - that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions.
      That summer at Grand Isle she began to loosen a little the mantle of reserve that had always enveloped her. There may have been - there must have been - influences, both subtle and apparent, working in their several ways to induce her to do this; but the most obvious was the influence of Adèle Ratignolle. The excessive physical charm of the Creole had first attracted her, for Edna had a sensuous susceptibility to beauty. Then the candor of the woman's whole existence, which every one might read, and which formed so striking a contrast to her own habitual reserve - this might have furnished a link. Who can tell what metals the gods use in forging the subtle bond which we call sympathy, which we might as well call love.
      The two women went away one morning to the beach together, arm in arm, under the huge white sunshade. Edna had prevailed upon Madame Ratignolle to leave the children behind, though she could not induce her to relinquish a diminutive roll of needlework, which Adèle begged to be allowed to slip into the depths of her pocket. In some unaccountable way they had escaped from Robert.
      The walk to the beach was no inconsiderable one, consisting as it did of a long, sandy path, upon which a sporadic and tangled growth that bordered it on either side made frequent and unexpected inroads. There were acres of yellow camomile reaching out on either hand. Further away still, vegetable gardens abounded, with frequent small plantations of orange or lemon trees intervening. The dark green clusters glistened from afar in the sun.
      The women were both of goodly height, Madame Ratignolle possessing the more feminine and matronly figure. The charm of Edna Pontellier's physique stole insensibly upon you. The lines of her body were long, clean and symmetrical; it was a body which occasionally fell into splendid poses; there was no suggestion of the trim, stereotyped fashion-plate about it. A casual and indiscriminating observer, in passing, might not cast a second glance upon the figure. But with more feeling and discernment he would have recognized the noble beauty of its modeling, and the graceful severity of poise and movement, which made Edna Pontellier different from the crowd.
      She wore a cool muslin that morning - white, with a waving vertical line of brown running through it; also a white linen collar and the big straw hat which she had taken from the peg outside the door. The hat rested any way on her yellow-brown hair, that waved a little, was heavy, and clung close to her head.
      Madame Ratignolle, more careful of her complexion, had twined a gauze veil about her head. She wore dogskin gloves, with gauntlets that protected her wrists. She was dressed in pure white, with a fluffiness of ruffles that became her. The draperies and fluttering things which she wore suited her rich, luxuriant beauty as a greater severity of line could not have done.
      There were a number of bath-houses along the beach, of rough but solid construction, built with small, protecting galleries facing the water. Each house consisted of two compartments, and each family at Lebrun's possessed a compartment for itself, fitted out with all the essential paraphernalia of the bath and whatever other conveniences the owners might desire. The two women had no intention of bathing; they had just strolled down to the beach for a walk and to be alone and near the water. The Pontellier and Ratignolle compartments adjoined one another under the same roof.

译注：请注意作者借用印象主义绘画派的技巧描写人物和整体结构的艺术特点。

林子丹 · 发表于 2006-6-11 01:04:07

喜欢你优美的文笔。

a sensuous susceptibility to beauty, 是否可译为“对美的敏锐反应”，这样与上句的The excessive physical charm 对仗也更整齐？

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-11 13:52:19

Originally posted by 林子丹 at 2006-6-10 01:04 PM:
" t8 [- ~4 A) F# Y喜欢你优美的文笔。
3 x4 }4 E! H5 C) C
, A( n+ e9 |% M% F( S3 Fa sensuous susceptibility to beauty, 是否可译为“对美的敏锐反应”，这样与上句的The excessive physical charm 对仗也更整齐？

看来你是个很细心的人，这的确是我临时改动的败笔，感觉不妥，但没改动，没想到就让你看出来了。谢谢！原文（a sensuous susceptibility to beauty）的字面意思是”某种在感官上容易产生的对美的感受“。

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-11 14:07:47

　　　７（２）　

　　　　庞德烈太太出于习惯带了钥匙。她打开冲澡间的门走进去，很快就拿着一条地毯出来，铺在走廊的地面上，还拿了两个巨大的蒙着粗亚麻布料的毛绒绒的枕头放在房子的前面。
她俩背靠枕头伸着腿在走廊遮荫的地方并肩坐下来。哈迪挪尔太太摘下头巾，用根颇为精致的手帕擦了擦脸，然后用把扇子，老用根细长的带子拴在身上晃动着的扇子，给自己扇风。埃得娜摘下护肩，解开紧系着喉咙的衣衫，从哈迪挪尔女士那儿拿过扇子给自己和同伴扇风。天气很暖和，有阵子她们什么也没说只说到天气热、太阳、和阳光耀眼。不过刮起了微风，一阵阵的，在水面吹起泡沫，掀起了两位女人的裙子。有阵子她们俩只顾忙着反复整理裙子、忙着扎裙子、忙着扣紧发夹扣紧帽子。有几个人在不远处的水中嬉戏。一时间海滩上阒无人声。那位黑衣女人在旁边的一间冲澡间的走廊上叨念着晨祷。两个年轻的恋人乘小孩子们的遮阳蓬空着，正在遮阳蓬下相互倾吐心中的依恋。
埃得娜٠庞德烈四处观望之后终于在凝视大海。天色晴朗，可极目远眺蓝天的尽头；有几片白云挂在天际一动也不动。沿猫岛的方向可见一片三角形的船帆，南边还有些三角船帆似乎已完全静止在远方。
阿得尔满有兴趣地观看着同伴的面孔，那面孔上的专注表情似乎已遍及全身使之固定成为一尊侧卧着的雕塑，　观看片刻之后她问：“谁呀－你想谁想什么呀” ？
“没什么” ，庞德烈太太吃了一惊，然后回答说，又马上补充：“我真傻呀！不过对这样的问题大家似乎都这么出于本能回答。让我想想” ，她仰起头，好看的双眼眯成两活灵活现的光点，接着说：“让我想想，我真不知道在想什么；不过也许能回想起来” 。
“呵！别操心了” ！哈蒂娜尔女士笑了。“我要求并不苛刻。这次我就放过你。真热啊、热得啥也不能想，尤其不能对思想进行思想” 。
埃得娜坚持说：“那就当作是好玩吧。首先，海水朝远方伸展那么远，还有蓝天下那些一动不动的船帆，构成一幅惬意的画面我只想坐着看。扑面而来的热风让我想到－－为什么会如此我想不起来－－让我想到了在肯塔基的一个夏日，想到了草场，在草里走路的那位小姑娘以为草场和海洋一样宽，草比她的腰还深。她边走边像游泳样划动着手臂，像划水样用手拍打着深深的草。啊，我现在看出联系来了”。
“你那天在肯塔基，穿过草场，到哪里去啊” ？
“想不起来去哪里了。只是在走对角线穿过一遍大草原。遮阳帽挡住了视线。只看见一遍绿色在眼前伸展，觉得好像要永远走下去，走不到尽头了。记不得我是害怕还是喜欢。不过肯定觉得好玩” 。
“很可能那是个星期天” ，她笑了笑；“父亲在长老教会的礼拜仪式上作祷告，我在跑开，他作祷告时的忧郁神色到如今想起来都让我心寒” 。
“亲爱的，自那之后你就一直听到祈祷就跑开吗” ？哈蒂娜尔觉得好笑，问道。
“不！呵，不” ！埃得娜赶快说。“那时候我是个没有思想的小孩，只是毫无疑问地跟着误导我的本能冲动走。与之相反，有段时间我有坚定的宗教信仰；从十二岁起一直到－直到－－怎么啦，大概是直到现在，不过我从未多想－－只是出于习惯。不过你知道吗” ？她停下来，眼睛迅速地转过来看着哈迪挪尔女士，身子同时往前靠一点儿好和同伴脸紧挨着脸，“今年夏天有时候我又觉得好像是在那绿色的草场上走，无所事事、毫无目标、什么也没想也没有向导” 。
哈迪挪尔太太把手放在紧挨身边的庞德烈太太的手上，见手没有收回去就紧紧又温暖地握住它。甚至伸出另一只手爱怜地轻轻抚摸，同时压低声调悄悄用法语说：“你好可怜” 。
      Mrs. Pontellier had brought down her key through force of habit. Unlocking the door of her bath-room she went inside, and soon emerged, bringing a rug, which she spread upon the floor of the gallery, and two huge hair pillows covered with crash, which she placed against the front of the building.
      The two seated themselves there in the shade of the porch, side by side, with their backs against the pillows and their feet extended. Madame Ratignolle removed her veil, wiped her face with a rather delicate handkerchief, and fanned herself with the fan which she always carried suspended somewhere about her person by a long, narrow ribbon. Edna removed her collar and opened her dress at the throat. She took the fan from Madame Ratignolle and began to fan both herself and her companion. It was very warm, and for a while they did nothing but exchange remarks about the heat, the sun, the glare. But there was a breeze blowing, a choppy, stiff wind that whipped the water into froth. It fluttered the skirts of the two women and kept them for a while engaged in adjusting, readjusting, tucking in, securing hair-pins and hat-pins. A few persons were sporting some distance away in the water. The beach was very still of human sound at that hour. The lady in black was reading her morning devotions on the porch of a neighboring bath-house. Two young lovers were exchanging their hearts\' yearnings beneath the children\'s tent, which they had found unoccupied.
      Edna Pontellier, casting her eyes about, had finally kept them at rest upon the sea. The day was clear and carried the gaze out as far as the blue sky went; there were a few white clouds suspended idly over the horizon. A lateen sail was visible in the direction of Cat Island, and others to the south seemed almost motionless in the far distance.
      \"Of whom - of what are you thinking?\" asked Adèle of her companion, whose countenance she had been watching with a little amused attention, arrested by the absorbed expression which seemed to have seized and fixed every feature into a statuesque repose.
      \"Nothing,\" returned Mrs. Pontellier, with a start, adding at once: \"How stupid! But it seems to me it is the reply we make instinctively to such a question. Let me see,\" she went on, throwing back her head and narrowing her fine eyes till they shone like two vivid points of light. \"Let me see. I was really not conscious of thinking of anything; but perhaps I can retrace my thoughts.\"
      \"Oh! never mind!\" laughed Madame Ratignolle. \"I am not quite so exacting. I will let you off this time. It is really too hot to think, especially to think about thinking. \"
      \"But for the fun of it,\" persisted Edna. \"First of all, the sight of the water stretching so far away, those motionless sails against the blue sky, made a delicious picture that I just wanted to sit and look at. The hot wind beating in my face made me think - without any connection that I can trace - of a summer day in Kentucky, of a meadow that seemed as big as the ocean to the very little girl walking through the grass, which was higher than her waist. She threw out her arms as if swimming when she walked, beating the tall grass as one strikes out in the water. Oh, I see the connection now!\"
      \"Where were you going that day in Kentucky, walking through the grass?\"
      \"I don\'t remember now. I was just walking diagonally across a big field. My sun- bonnet obstructed the view. I could see only the stretch of green before me, and I felt as if I must walk on forever, without coming to the end of it. I don\'t remember whether I was frightened or pleased. I must have been entertained.
      \"Likely as not it was Sunday,\" she laughed; \"and I was running away from prayers, from the Presbyterian service, read in a spirit of gloom by my father that chills me yet to think of.\"
      \"And have you been running away from prayers ever since, ma chère?\" asked Madame Ratignolle, amused.
      \"No! oh, no!\" Edna hastened to say. \"I was a little unthinking child in those days, just following a misleading impulse without question. On the contrary, during one period of my life religion took a firm hold upon me; after I was twelve and until - until - why, I suppose until now, though I never thought much about it - just driven along by habit. But do you know,\" she broke off, turning her quick eyes upon Madame Ratignolle and leaning forward a little so as to bring her face quite close to that of her companion, \"sometimes I feel this summer as if I were walking through the green meadow again; idly, aimlessly, unthinking and unguided.\"
      Madame Ratignolle laid her hand over that of Mrs. Pontellier, which was near her. Seeing that the hand was not withdrawn, she clasped it firmly and warmly. She even stroked it a little, fondly, with the other hand, murmuring in an undertone, \"Pauvre chérie.\"

worldcup · 发表于 2006-6-13 05:23:53

佩服楼主!顶!

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-14 10:45:19

　　　　　　　　这行为刚开始有点让埃得娜迷惑不解，但一会儿后她就放松下来让这个克里奥人轻轻地抚摸。无论是对自己还是对他人，她还不习惯于用外在的行为或者言语表达亲密的情感。她出于不好的习惯曾经老和妹妹杰妮特争吵。大姐玛格丽特像母亲一样威严，大概是因为她太早地承担了母亲和家庭主妇的责任，母亲在她们年幼时就去世了。玛格丽特话不多，讲究实际。埃得娜偶尔有个把女朋友，不过，不管是不是因为偶然，她们似乎都是些同类型的人－－自我封闭型的人。她从未想到她的性格的内向也许与此有关，－－说不定还有全部关系。她在校读书时最好的朋友非常聪明，能写动听的文章，让埃得娜羡慕并竭力模仿。她和她谈英文名著谈得兴趣昂然，有时为政治和宗教问题争辩。
有个习性偶尔搅乱她的内心但从外表上却看不出痕迹来，埃得娜常想知道为什么会这样。她记得她年纪轻轻的时候－－也许是在她横穿草浪翻滚的海洋时－－她迷上一位到肯塔基来拜访她父亲的骑兵军官，他面带尊严眼露忧伤。他一来她就走不开，一双眼睛离不开他的脸，那是张像拿破仑的脸，一绺黑发搭在额前。可是这位骑兵军官毫无察觉地消融在她的生存范围之外了。
还有一次她曾钟情于一位年轻的绅士，他是来隔壁种植园拜访某位女士的。那是在他们搬到密西西比住下来以后。那位年轻的男人已经和那年轻女士定婚，他们有时会在某个下午驾着马车来拜访玛格丽特。埃得娜还是个少女，刚满十三岁。想到自己在那位已经定婚的年轻男人眼里什么都不是，什么都不是，什么都不是，她心中就有苦楚。不过，他也梦幻一样地走了。
自以为已经达到命运的顶点时她已经是个成熟的年轻妇女。一位伟大的悲剧演员的脸庞和身段开始在她的想象里缠绵并打动她的感官。持久的倾慕多少有点真诚，而徒劳也给倾慕染上了些伟大激情的高尚色调。
悲剧演员的照片嵌在相框里摆在她的桌子上。谁都可以有个悲剧演员的照片不会招人怀疑或惹来闲话。（她想到这点内心就恨恨不已）她在其他人面前赞叹他的崇高天赋，到处让人看那照片并细数其逼真之处。独自一人时她有时会拿起镜框激情地吻那冰冷的玻璃。
和雷昂斯٠庞德烈结婚纯属偶然，就此而言很像许多其它把命运安排当作假面具的婚姻。她的隐秘的情感处在强烈的阶段时她遇到了他。他跌进了爱，这是男人们的习惯，以任何其它东西都不能满足的热情和认真求爱。他让她高兴，他的绝对投入让她自满。她往好处想以为两人有思想和情趣的共鸣，可是她打错了算盘。如果再加上她父亲和玛格丽特激烈地反对她嫁给一个天主教徒，我们就不必继续寻找使她接受庞德烈为丈夫的动机。
The action was at first a little confusing to Edna, but she soon lent herself readily to the Creole\'s gentle caress. She was not accustomed to an outward and spoken expression of affection, either in herself or in others. She and her younger sister, Janet, had quarreled a good deal through force of unfortunate habit. Her older sister, Margaret, was matronly and dignified, probably from having assumed matronly and housewifely responsibilities too early in life, their mother having died when they were quite young. Margaret was not effusive; she was practical. Edna had had an occasional girl friend, but whether accidentally or not, they seemed to have been all of one type - the self-contained. She never realized that the reserve of her own character had much, perhaps everything, to do with this. Her most intimate friend at school had been one of rather exceptional intellectual gifts, who wrote fine-sounding essays, which Edna admired and strove to imitate; and with her she talked and glowed over the English classics, and sometimes held religious and political controversies.
      Edna often wondered at one propensity which sometimes had inwardly disturbed her without causing any outward show or manifestation on her part. At a very early age - perhaps it was when she traversed the ocean of waving grass - she remembered that she had been passionately enamored of a dignified and sad-eyed cavalry officer who visited her father in Kentucky. She could not leave his presence when he was there, nor remove her eyes from his face, which was something like Napoleon\'s, with a lock of black hair falling across the forehead. But the cavalry officer melted imperceptibly out of her existence.
      At another time her affections were deeply engaged by a young gentleman who visited a lady on a neighboring plantation. It was after they went to Mississippi to live. The young man was engaged to be married to the young lady, and they sometimes called upon Margaret, driving over of afternoons in a buggy. Edna was a little miss, just merging into her teens; and the realization that she herself was nothing, nothing, nothing to the engaged young man was a bitter affliction to her. But he, too, went the way of dreams.
      She was a grown young woman when she was overtaken by what she supposed to be the climax of her fate. It was when the face and figure of a great tragedian began to haunt her imagination and stir her senses. The persistence of the infatuation lent it an aspect of genuineness. The hopelessness of it colored it with the lofty tones of a great passion.
      The picture of the tragedian stood enframed upon her desk. Any one may possess the portrait of a tragedian without exciting suspicion or comment. (This was a sinister reflection which she cherished ) In the presence of others she expressed admiration for his exalted gifts, as she handed the photograph around and dwelt upon the fidelity of the likeness. When alone she sometimes picked it up and kissed the cold glass passionately.
      Her marriage to Léonce Pontellier was purely an accident, in this respect resembling many other marriages which masquerade as the decrees of Fate. It was in the midst of her secret great passion that she met him. He fell in love, as men are in the habit of doing, and pressed his suit with an earnestness and an ardor which left nothing to be desired. He pleased her; his absolute devotion flattered her. She fancied there was a sympathy of thought and taste between them, in which fancy she was mistaken. Add to this the violent opposition of her father and her sister Margaret to her marriage with a Catholic, and we need seek no further for the motives which led her to accept Monsieur Pontellier for her husband.

Translator\'s note:
One more chapter after this one, and then I will have to be gone for a while.

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-14 10:49:03

Originally posted by worldcup at 2006-6-12 05:23 PM:
9 V) I% I8 A9 i g& K1 r1 K' }' @* _2 n

- a/ [1 J2 K5 ?+ c$ q. K* E佩服楼主!顶!

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-19 08:43:23

幸福的顶点，本是嫁给那位悲剧演员，在这个世界上不是为她而来的。作为献身于一位崇拜她的男人的妻子，她觉得她会在现实世界里颇有尊严地找到自己的位置，永远关住身后那些通向浪漫和梦幻世界的入口。
不过没过多久那悲剧演员也跑去加入了那位骑兵军官、那位定了婚的年轻男人和其他几个人的队伍；埃得娜无意中面对了现实。她慢慢喜欢上了丈夫，她认识到了没有任何激情或者假装的过度的温情点染她的情爱，因此这情爱没解体的危险，想到这里她有点说不出的满足。
她爱孩子有些冲动，不稳定。有时她会在心里强烈地牵挂着他们，有时则把他们给忘了。去年他们在依博维尔市和庞德烈奶奶度过了一部分夏天。她对他们的幸福和生活之健全感到放心，除了偶尔有阵强烈的思念之外她没怎么想他们。他们不在身边多少是个解脱，不过她对自己都不承认这一点。这似乎替她解除了某种她盲目承担的责任，而她命中注定不适合承担这责任。
那天当她们坐在一起面朝大海时埃得娜并没有对哈迪挪尔说这么多，但她不留心说了好多。她把头靠在哈蒂娜尔的肩膀上，红着脸如痴如醉地听着自己的声音，陶醉于尚不习惯的坦率的滋味，它像酒，像第一丝自由的气息冲昏了她的头脑。
传来了有些人走过来的声音。是罗伯特，四周跟着一群小孩，在找她们。庞德烈家的两个小孩跟着他，他怀里抱着哈迪挪尔太太的小女儿，身边还有些其他小孩。两个保姆跟在后面，表情不高兴但也没办法。
这两位女人马上站起来抖动镶花边的裙子并放松放松肌肉。庞德烈太太把坐垫和毯子扔进冲澡房里。孩子们蹦跳着跑到阳蓬边，站成一排，看着占了他们的地方的那两个恋人，他们还在相互发愿相互嗟叹。恋人们站起来了，仅仅是不出声地表示了一下不满，然后慢慢朝别的地方走去。
孩子们自己得到了阳蓬，庞德烈太太走过去加入到他们里面。
哈蒂娜尔女士恳求罗伯特陪她回去，她抱怨四肢痛关节僵硬，走路时她靠着他的肩膀拖着步子走。
The acme of bliss, which would have been a marriage with the tragedian, was not for her in this world. As the devoted wife of a man who worshiped her, she felt she would take her place with a certain dignity in the world of reality, closing the portals forever behind her upon the realm of romance and dreams.
      But it was not long before the tragedian had gone to join the cavalry officer and the engaged young man and a few others; and Edna found herself face to face with the realities. She grew fond of her husband, realizing with some unaccountable satisfaction that no trace of passion or excessive and fictitious warmth colored her affection, thereby threatening its dissolution.
      She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart; she would sometimes forget them. The year before they had spent part of the summer with their grandmother Pontellier in Iberville. Feeling secure regarding their happiness and welfare, she did not miss them except with an occasional intense longing. Their absence was a sort of relief, though she did not admit this, even to herself. It seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and for which Fate had not fitted her.
      Edna did not reveal so much as all this to Madame Ratignolle that summer day when they sat with faces turned to the sea. But a good part of it escaped her. She had put her head down on Madame Ratignolle\'s shoulder. She was flushed and felt intoxicated with the sound of her own voice and the unaccustomed taste of candor. It muddled her like wine, or like a first breath of freedom.
      There was the sound of approaching voices. It was Robert, surrounded by a troop of children, searching for them. The two little Pontelliers were with him, and he carried Madame Ratignolle\'s little girl in his arms. There were other children beside, and two nurse-maids followed, looking disagreeable and resigned.
      The women at once rose and began to shake out their draperies and relax their muscles. Mrs. Pontellier threw the cushions and rug into the bath-house. The children all scampered off to the awning, and they stood there in a line, gazing upon the intruding lovers, still exchanging their vows and sighs. The lovers got up, with only a silent protest, and walked slowly away somewhere else.
      The children possessed themselves of the tent, and Mrs. Pontellier went over to join them.
      Madame Ratignolle begged Robert to accompany her to the house; she complained of cramp in her limbs and stiffness of the joints. She leaned draggingly upon his arm as they walked.
译注：
和前面几节不一样，作者在这里直接向读者介绍主要人物，而不是让读者自己判断
人物之间的关系。这么做的好处是可以节省篇幅，间接让读者明白女主人公和她丈夫就秉性宗教习惯等等是类型完全不同的人。

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-22 10:19:40

８

   “罗伯特，帮个忙”；罗伯特身边的漂亮女人刚上路和他慢慢往回走时就对他说。在他用伞撑开出来的圆形荫影下，她靠着他的手臂，抬头看着他的脸。
“可以，帮多少个忙都可以” ，他回过头来，低头看着她充满着深思熟虑也有点察颜观色的双眼。
“我只要你帮一个忙；你别惹庞德烈太太” 。
“原来如此“！他大声用法语说，“哈迪挪尔夫人有嫉妒心” ！同时猛然像孩子一样笑起来。
“胡说八道！我是当真的；我说话算数。你别惹庞德烈太太” 。
“为什么呀” ？他问，开始对同伴的恳求较真了。
“她和我们不是一伙的，她和我们不一样。她很有可能不幸犯下大错把你当真” 。
他脸上泛起了恼火的红光，同时摘下软帽子一边走一边用帽子拍打着腿。 “为什么她不可以把我当真” ？他厉声追问。“难道我是演滑稽剧的、丑角、玩具盒里的小杰克？她为什么不可以？你们这些克里奥人哪！我对你们没耐心！难道我就该老让人看作是滑稽剧目里的主角？我希望庞德烈太太的确会把我当真。我希望她有够有眼力，能看出我除了扮演小丑之外还有其它能力。如果我想法上有任何怀疑－－”
“呵，够了，罗伯特” ！她打断他言辞激烈的流露。“你没想想你在说什么。你说话不考虑就跟在那边沙滩上玩的小孩子差不多。你对这里任何一个已婚女人的关心哪怕只有一点想让人信以为真的意思，那你就不是我们大家都以为你是的一位绅士，你就不配和信任你的那些人的妻子和孩子们混在一起” 。
哈蒂娜尔说出了她认为是法律和宗教福音里的东西。这位年轻的男人不耐烦地耸了耸肩。
“啊，好吧！是不合适” ，他使劲戴上帽子。“你该想想说这些话对人该是多么难为情” 。
“天哪！难道我们的所有谈话都得是彼此恭维” ？
“不爽快的是得让个女人告诉你－－”他不理她，说着自己的，但是突然换了话题。“要是我是阿若宾也许就－－你记得阿尔西٠阿若宾吗？还记得比路西市的那位领事夫人的事吗？然后他讲了讲阿若宾的事和领事妇人的事，说起那位唱法国歌剧的男高音收到过许多根本就不该写出来的信，也讲到其它一些既严肃又好笑的事情，直到显然忘了庞德烈太太的秉性很有可能把年轻的男人当真为止。
VIII
      \"Do me a favor, Robert,\" spoke the pretty woman at his side, almost as soon as she and Robert had started on their slow, homeward way. She looked up in his face, leaning on his arm beneath the encircling shadow of the umbrella which he had lifted.
      \"Granted; as many as you like,\" he returned, glancing down into her eyes that were full of thoughtfulness and some speculation.
      \"I only ask for one; let Mrs. Pontellier alone.\"
      \"Tiens!\" he exclaimed, with a sudden, boyish laugh. \"Voilà que Madame Ratignolle est jalouse!\"
      \"Nonsense! I\'m in earnest; I mean what I say. Let Mrs. Pontellier alone.\"
      \"Why?\" he asked; himself growing serious at his companion\'s solicitation.
      \"She is not one of us; she is not like us. She might make the unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously.\"
      His face flushed with annoyance, and taking off his soft hat he began to beat it impatiently against his leg as he walked. \"Why shouldn\'t she take me seriously?\" he demanded sharply. \"Am I a comedian, a clown, a jack-in-the-box? Why shouldn\'t she? You Creoles! I have no patience with you! Am I always to be regarded as a feature of an amusing programme? I hope Mrs. Pontellier does take me seriously. I hope she has discernment enough to find in me something besides the blagueur. If I thought there was any doubt - \"
      \"Oh, enough, Robert!\" she broke into his heated outburst. \"You are not thinking of what you are saying. You speak with about as little reflection as we might expect from one of those children down there playing in the sand. If your attentions to any married women here were ever offered with any intention of being convincing, you would not be the gentleman we all know you to be, and you would be unfit to associate with the wives and daughters of the people who trust you.\"
      Madame Ratignolle had spoken what she believed to be the law and the gospel. The young man shrugged his shoulders impatiently.
      \"Oh ! well! That isn\'t it,\" slamming his hat down vehemently upon his head \"You ought to feel that such things are not flattering to say to a fellow.\"
      \"Should our whole intercourse consist of an exchange of compliments? Ma foi!\"
      \"It isn\'t pleasant to have a woman tell you - \" he went on, unheedingly, but breaking off suddenly: \"Now if I were like Arobin - you remember Alcée Arobin and that story of the consul\'s wife at Biloxi?\" And he related the story of Alcée Arobin and the consul\'s wife; and another about the tenor of the French Opera, who received letters which should never have been written; and still other stories, grave and gay, till Mrs. Pontellier and her possible propensity for taking young men seriously was apparently forgotten.

夜半 · 发表于 2006-6-23 04:35:50

真不错，谢谢楼主

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-25 15:09:24

他们回到小屋后，哈迪挪尔女士要进屋休息一小时，她认为这对她有好处。离开之前，罗伯特就他不耐心－－他说成是粗暴－－对待她的好心提醒请求原谅。
“阿得尔，你犯了个错误” ，他轻轻一笑后说，“今生今世庞德烈太太不可能对我认真。你该警告我不要太把自己当回事。这样你的建议会更有说服力、会让我有个好好想想的题目。晚安。不过你好像累了” ，他讨好地补充说。 “想要杯鸡肉清汤吗？要我拌点棕榈酒进去吗？棕榈酒里加滴辣汁吧” 。
她同意了鸡肉清汤的建议，因为这是为了表达谢意可以接受。他自己下厨，厨房在主房后面和其它小屋不在一起，亲自给她端来了一杯棕黄色的鸡肉汤，盛在一个精致的法国瓷杯里，还有个碟子，碟子上面放着一两块脆饼干。
她从挡着敞开的门的门帘子的后面伸出裸露的白手臂，从他手里接了过去，并用法语说他是个“好用（佣）的人” ，并说那是心里话。罗伯特谢了谢她，然后转身朝“主房子” 走过去。
那对恋人刚走进度假村的地盘。他俩面对面快要靠在一起了，就像背朝大海弓着背的水橡树。他们的脚下一尘不染。他们也许是头朝下脚踩天走路，如此绝对地走在蓝天中的仙气里。跟在他们后面缓慢如爬行的黑衣女士，脸色比往常更苍白、行动更迟钝。看不见庞德烈太太和她的孩子们的踪影。罗伯特扫视着远方想发现他们的踪迹。他们肯定会呆在外面到吃中饭才回来。年轻人上楼走进他母亲的房间。它坐落在房子的顶层，呈锐角多边形，天花板奇形怪状地倾斜着，两扇宽大又低矮的窗户面朝海湾，可以眺望一望无际的海湾。房间里的布置实用，颜色也清爽。

仑布朗太太正忙着用缝纫机。地板上坐一位黑人小女孩，用手摇动缝纫机的踏脚板。危及身体的事这个克里奥女人能躲避就躲避是不愿意冒任何风险的。
罗伯特走过去坐在低矮窗户的宽宽的窗台上。他从口袋里掏出一本书，从他准时翻动书页和翻动的频度看他是在用功看书。缝纫机是个旧牌子，体型巨大，在房间里轰隆隆作响。罗伯特乘着响声停歇时和母亲断断续续地说闲话。
“庞德烈太太在哪里” ？
“在海滩上、和孩子们在一起” 。
“我答应过借给她看龚古尔（法国现实主义作家(1822-1896) ）。你下去时别忘了带；在那边小桌上方的书架上” 。咔啦，咔啦，砰！连续响了五到八分钟。
“维克多驾马车去哪里” ？
“马车？维克多” ？
“对呀，就在下面、房子的前面。他像是已经准备好要去哪里” 。
“喊住他” 。咔啦咔啦。
罗伯特吹了声尖锐刺耳的口哨，码头上可能都能听清。
“他头也不抬” 。
仑布朗太太快步走到窗边喊：“维克多” ！她挥动手巾又喊一声。下面的那个年轻人走进车里驾车飞跑开了。
仑布朗太太满脸气得鲜红，回到机器边去了。维克多是小儿子、小弟弟－－一个急性子的人，脾气喜欢动粗，也有斧子都剁不断的决心。
“你什么时候吩咐，我就什么时候揍他一顿，给他揍点理性进去直到他揍得他受不了为止” 。
“要是你父亲还活着该多好” ！咔啦、咔啦、咔啦、咔啦、砰！仑布朗太太坚信不疑地认为仑布朗先生要是在他们结婚后没有多久没去别的星球整个宇宙和与之相关的所有事物的行为会更有智慧更有秩序。（幽默的夸张）
“蒙特尔跟你写了些什么” ？蒙特尔是位中年半纪的绅士，二十多年来的愿望和雄心就是填补仑布朗先生升天之后在仑布朗家里留下的空缺。咔啦、咔啦、砰、咔啦。
“我有封信在什么地方，” 同时在缝纫机的抽屉里找，最后在底下的工具箱里找着了。“他说要告诉你下月初他将到委拉卡石去” －－咔啦、咔啦！－－“要是你还想到那里去跟他在一起” －－砰、咔啦、咔啦、砰！
“你为什么早不告诉我，妈妈？你知道我想去的－－” 咔啦、咔啦、咔啦！
“你没看见庞德烈太太和孩子们开始往回走了吗？午餐她又会迟到。不到最后一分钟她从来就不作好吃午餐的准备” 。咔啦，咔啦！“你去哪里” ？
“那本龚古尔你说的在哪里” ？

      Madame Ratignolle, when they had regained her cottage, went in to take the hour\'s rest which she considered helpful. Before leaving her, Robert begged her pardon for the impatience - he called it rudeness - with which he had received her well-meant caution.
      \"You made one mistake, Adèle,\" he said, with a light smile; \"there is no earthly possibility of Mrs. Pontellier ever taking me seriously. You should have me taking myself seriously. Your advice might then have carried some weight and given me subject for some reflection. Au revoir. But you look tired,\" he added, solicitously. \"Would you like a cup of bouillon? Shall I stir you a toddy? Let me mix you a toddy with a drop of Angostura.\"
      She acceded to the suggestion of bouillon, which was grateful and acceptable. He went himself to the kitchen, which was a building apart from the cottages and lying to the rear of the house. And he himself brought her the golden-brown bouillon, in a dainty Sèvres cup, with a flaky cracker or two on the saucer.
      She thrust a bare, white arm from the curtain which shielded her open door, and received the cup from his hands. She told him he was a bon garçon and she meant it. Robert thanked her and turned away toward \"the house.\"
      The lovers were just entering the grounds of the pension. They were leaning toward each other as the water-oaks bent from the sea. There was not a particle of earth beneath their feet. Their heads might have been turned upside-down, so absolutely did they tread upon blue ether. The lady in black, creeping behind them, looked a trifle paler and more jaded than usual. There was no sign of Mrs. Pontellier and the children. Robert scanned the distance for any such apparition. They would doubtless remain away till the dinner hour. The young man ascended to his mother\'s room. It was situated at the top of the house, made up of odd angles and a queer, sloping ceiling. Two broad dormer windows looked out toward the Gulf, and as far across it as a man\'s eye might reach. The furnishings of the room were light, cool, and practical.
      Madame Lebrun was busily engaged at the sewing-machine. A little black girl sat on the floor, and with her hands worked the treadle of the machine. The Creole woman does not take any chances which may be avoided of imperiling her health.
      Robert went over and seated himself on the broad sill of one of the dormer windows. He took a book from his pocket and began energetically to read it, judging by the precision and frequency with which he turned the leaves. The sewing-machine made a resounding clatter in the room; it was of a ponderous, by-gone make. In the lulls, Robert and his mother exchanged bits of desultory conversation.
      \"Where is Mrs. Pontellier?\"
      \"Down at the beach with the children.\"
      \"I promised to lend her the Goncourt. Don\'t forget to take it down when you go; it\'s there on the bookshelf over the small table.\" Clatter, clatter, clatter, bang! for the next five or eight minutes.
\"Where is Victor going with the rockaway?\"
      \"The rockaway? Victor?\"
      \"Yes; down there in front. He seems to be getting ready to drive away somewhere.\"
      \"Call him.\" Clatter, clatter!
      Robert uttered a shrill, piercing whistle which might have been heard back at the wharf.
      \"He won\'t look up.\"
      Madame Lebrun flew to the window. She called \"Victor!\" She waved a handkerchief and called again. The young fellow below got into the vehicle and started the horse off at a gallop.
      Madame Lebrun went back to the machine, crimson with annoyance. Victor was the younger son and brother - a tête montée, with a temper which invited violence and a will which no ax could break.
      \"Whenever you say the word I\'m read to thrash any amount of reason into him that he\'s able to hold.\"
      \"If your father had only lived!\" Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter, bang! It was a fixed belief with Madame Lebrun that the conduct of the universe and all things pertaining thereto would have been manifestly of a more intelligent and higher order had not Monsieur Lebrun been removed to other spheres during the early years of their married life.
      \"What do you hear from Montel?\" Montel was a middle-aged gentleman whose vain ambition and desire for the past twenty years had been to fill the void which Monsieur Lebrun\'s taking off had left in the Lebrun household. Clatter, clatter, bang, clatter!
      \"I have a letter somewhere,\" looking in the machine drawer and finding the letter in the bottom of the work-basket. \"He says to tell you he will be in Vera Cruz the beginning of next month\" - clatter, clatter! - \"and if you still have the intention of joining him\" - bang! clatter, clatter, bang!
      \"Why didn\'t you tell me so before, mother? You know I wanted -\" Clatter, clatter, clatter!
      \"Do you see Mrs. Pontellier starting back with the children? She will be in late to luncheon again. She never starts to get ready for luncheon till the last minute.\" Clatter, clatter! \"Where are you going?\"
      \"Where did you say the Goncourt was?\"

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-25 15:15:55

Originally posted by 夜半 at 2006-6-22 04:35 PM:
# l. B% o- A' b- ^- t+ }5 w* c+ j真不错，谢谢楼主

也谢柳影

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-6-26 05:38:41

部分简介

埃德娜为什么宁愿死也要离开她的丈夫？
她究竟醒悟到了什么？
这是帮助理解这部作品的两个重要问题。
她根本就不该也没必要离开他丈夫；她的醒悟不过是个人精神上的幻觉，因为她对生活感到失望。
她的丈夫，她的好朋友，甚至她的父亲，还有许多其他人物，只有那位心理医生除外（很有尼采的味道），在故事结尾都是这样认为的。事实上，许多粗心的读者也是这样认为。
不过，如果我们套用作者的话来说，观察更仔细点感情更丰富点，我们就会发现事实绝非如此。似是而非，这是这本小说所具有的极其震撼人心的艺术力量。
作者满含热情采用了许多艺术手段用非常含蓄的笔触勾画了主角埃德娜和她周围的主要人物。下面简单介绍一两点：
第一，挖墙角，在用大量笔墨正面描写某个人物的同时，用冷静客观的笔触点染出他的污点。而且作者本人不明说，只做客观陈述，请读者自己判断，像欣赏画作一样，欲说还休，欲罢不能。在绘画上，这叫作undercut，印象画派特喜欢这一手法。这是作者描写庞德烈时所运用的主要笔触。如在第三节，读者可以看出，庞德烈说小孩子发高烧是撒谎，他整得埃德娜只有哭的份。而点睛之笔是轻轻说出此类事情是两人婚姻中常有的。
第二，对比强烈，一笔多用。如在第七节用大量篇幅介绍埃德娜的性格。目的是让读者知道埃德娜为人热情，渴望爱与被爱，对异性抱有幻想；这也可以说是她的缺点或者说弱点，但她是表里如一的。与她相比，她的丈夫是虚伪又头脑冷静的。体面人整人总是能想出体面的理由，而且总是心安理得的，呵呵。所以作者越渲染埃德娜感情强烈的内心生活读者越明白她和她丈夫是冤家对头。这是种类似用光线作强烈的明暗对比的手法。如对埃德娜的品格的描写是明，而对她丈夫的品格描写是暗。这是绘画中常用的手法。在绘画中，有时对比不仅仅是为了对比，对比物同时也能引出新的视角让人看到新的问题。作者写小说时显然也借鉴了这种手法。如哈蒂诺尔女士和埃德娜始终都是两种不同的女人的对比，即一心以当专职妈妈为己任的女人和向往独立、有个性的已婚女人的对比。不过哈蒂诺尔夫人不仅是我们欣赏主要冲突的参照者而且还是介绍者，因为是她经常提请读者注意埃德娜的问题。例如，在第八节，她看出了埃德娜性格上的一个重要缺陷，并且以此警告罗伯特。这个缺陷哈蒂诺尔夫人虽没明说，但读者知道埃德娜渴望爱但从小到大婚前婚后都没曾得到过爱。她从小丧母，父亲严厉（后来我们才知道是他整死了自己的妻子并要庞德烈继续整自己的女儿），大姐当妈，老和妹妹吵架。结婚后对自己对他人都不知道怎么表示亲密（表面上云淡风清，实际上暗潮汹涌，为埃德娜离开她丈夫铺路），所以哈蒂诺尔女士说她好可怜，很可能把罗伯特开的玩笑当真。事实上埃德娜和罗伯特在故事开始时已经有了暧昧关系（如在第一节就提到过的两人在海水里的冒险），只是双方都没有意识到而已。至此我们可以看出，作者描写他人它物的最终目的是为了突出主要人物埃德娜。
第三，强烈的象征意义。小说中的许多细节和人物具有强烈的象征意义，如那对不知名姓的恋人就给人以强烈的与实际生活相冲突的纯洁的爱情的印象（争小孩子的晾蓬等）。实际上，不仅细节，就是人物的动作也像歌剧里的角色一样具有强烈的象征意义。如埃德娜小时候逃避她老爸作祈祷，在第十节她一上教堂就头昏。象征什么呢？作者给我们留下了重要线索：在第七节埃德娜回忆她小时候在草场上奔跑，并说这和她如今在大海里游泳的意义是的一样，她明白了两者之间的联系。什么联系呢？作者虽然没有明说，但是读者可以看出，就是想躲避生活中的严厉又不合理的压力。像她小时候在草场上奔跑以躲避祈祷一样，她如今想跑到大海里去躲避什么，可是她还不会游泳（也就是不知道如何对待社会和家庭中的不公正）。联想到小说中的实际和历史实际，读者可以知道她是想躲避当时的社会对女性的不合理的压力，如当时的宗教和法律都认为女人是男人的财产，婚后没有离婚的自由，等等。所以作者在第八节里就为埃德娜最终投海而死埋下了长线，这也间接说明她在内心里是多么想离开庞德烈，她怕她丈夫就跟小时候怕她爸爸一样。让主要人物的动作在具有强烈的象征意义的同时又具有生活的真实性，这是作者所取得的很成功的艺术成就，并不是所有作者都能做到这一点。

这本小说开局就写得很有意味，后面越写越好，运用了许多艺术手段，奇峰频出，高潮迭起，就不详细讨论了。只想指出，在第八节结尾，罗伯特突然想到要去墨西哥也是很有意味的。它说明罗伯特在接到警告之后明白了他所面临的问题，想逃到墨西哥去以躲避这段不合法也不合宗教说教的情爱，但他逃去后受不了又跑了回来，在埃德娜最需要他的时候却又临阵脱逃。这跟他在第八节开头听到哈蒂诺尔夫人的警告时先反抗后屈从的态度是一致的。与之相反，埃德娜为了自己的灵魂和生活中的独立，离开大观岛之后坚决地冲破重重阻力，从丈夫家里搬了出去。
这本书的篇幅虽不长，也就９９页，但每行每段都饱含意义，没有一句罗嗦话。很少见到有人写小说写得如此精炼。
还有一点也很有意思。许多著名男作家和部分与作者同时代的女作家所描写的女主人公，不管她们多聪明，多能干，始终都是男人欣赏和取悦的对象；与之相比，作者的女主人公很自然地把男人当作她欣赏和取悦的对象。
《醒悟》的确是世界文学史上一部艺术性和思想性都很深刻的好书。可惜的是，美国的主流文化比较崇洋媚欧、重男轻女，埋没了这本书。
顺便指出，有关作者的艺术手法的看法全是我个人翻译此书和翻阅绘画音乐等艺术书籍的少部分心得。如要转载请跟我打声招呼。

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-7-9 12:10:44

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饭厅里灯火通明，每盏灯都调到最亮不冒黑烟不会有爆炸的危险。都隔着一定距离挂在墙上，在房间里围成圈。有人捡了些橘树枝和柠檬树枝编成优雅的装饰挂在灯火之间。墨绿色的树枝在白色薄棉布窗帘的衬托下显得光彩夺目，从海湾里吹来一阵风，整得窗帘按其变幻无常的意志飘着、浮着、拍打着。
那是罗伯特和哈蒂挪尔女士从海滩上回家亲密交谈之后过了几个星期的某个星期六的夜晚。从城里来过星期天的丈夫们、父亲们和朋友们比往常多；他们正凑合着欣赏家人们利用仑布朗太太提供的物质条件举行的招待会。饭桌都搬到饭厅的一头去了，椅子都摆成排或者码成了堆。当天晚上早些时候，每个小家庭里要说的话都已说完、小家庭之间也都唠完了家常。如今显然想放松一下，以扩展相知的圈子并让交谈更融洽些。
孩子们得到了许可，可以比往常睡得更晚。一小群小孩正趴在地板上看庞德烈太太带过来的彩色连环画图片。庞德烈家的小男儿们在让他们看，好向他们显摆自己的权威。
娱乐或者说逗乐是音乐、舞蹈和一两次朗诵。没有系统的节目编排，也没事先安排的样子、甚至没事先筹划。
当晚稍早点，法瑞伏家的双胞胎姊妹经不住热情劝说演奏了钢琴。她俩十四岁，受洗时就献身给了圣母玛莉亚，所以老穿着蓝白相间的衣服表示是处女身分（译注：她们是天主教里的修女，不能结婚）。她们演奏完《赞巴》里的一首二重奏，在全场认真请求之下又演奏了《诗人和农夫》的序曲。
门外边的那只鹦鹉尖声叫起来：“天哪，你们走吧” ！他够坦率的了，是那年夏天里的唯一一条生命，第一个说出了它不听这些优雅的演奏。那对双胞胎的祖父，老法瑞伏先生因这打岔而生起气来，坚持要把鸟儿搬开搬到黑暗里去。维克多٠仑布朗表示反对，他的命令就如命运不可更改。好在鹦鹉再也没干扰晚会，他本性里的全部恶毒显然是蓄积了好久按捺不住才一下子朝着那对双胞胎爆发的。
然后是一对兄妹的朗诵表演，在场的许多人在城里的冬季晚会上已听了许多遍。
一位小姑娘在场地中心表演了长裙舞。她妈妈在给她伴奏，既紧张地注视着女儿又对她赞叹不已。她根本就不用担心，小姑娘把握住了全场的注意力。她戴着黑丝绸面罩身穿黑丝绸紧身衣很压得住场。露着细小的脖子和胳膊，烫过的头发就像蓬松的黑色羽毛在头顶飘动。她的舞姿优雅，涂成黑色的细小的脚拇指闪闪发光，踢脚快而突然，让人看得茫然。
不过没有理由大家不该跳舞。哈蒂挪尔女士不会跳，所以是她很乐意地答应为大家演奏。她演奏得非常好，华尔兹的节拍掌握得极好，曲子动人也奏出了情感。她说过她为了孩子一直坚持着练习音乐，因为她和丈夫都认为音乐能给家庭以欢乐并使之有吸引力。
除那对双胞胎外其他人几乎都跳舞，没人能劝说她俩哪怕是分开一会儿好让位男人搂着其中的一位在屋子里转。她俩本可以结伴跳，但她们不想。
孩子们被打发着睡觉去了。有的顺从地走了，其他的被拖走时尖声抗议。已经让他们熬夜熬到吃完冰激凌，这自然是人们所能容忍的极限。
传起冰激凌和饼干了－－金银两色的饼干分成片交替摆在盘子上；是两个黑人女人下午在维克多的监督下在厨房后面做好后冻起来的。饼干宣布为很成功－－要是少点香草精或者多点糖、要是冻得更硬点、要是盐没按比例放就会妙极了。维克多为自己的成就而骄傲，到处说它好并要大家吃个够。
庞德烈太太和丈夫舞了两遍，和罗伯特舞了一遍，和哈蒂挪尔先生舞了一遍，哈蒂挪尔先生个子又瘦又高跳起舞来像风中的芦苇，舞完后走出去走到外面的走廊上在个低矮的窗台上坐下来，在这里她可以看到整个饭厅里的情形也可以看到海湾。东边露出了柔和的亮光。月亮出来了，神秘隐约的闪光在远方跳跃的水面上播撒下了万千光亮。
罗伯特走出来，来到她坐的走廊上问：“想听莱兹小姐弹钢琴吗” ？埃得娜当然想听莱兹小姐弹，但是怕请不动她。
“我去要她弹” ，他说。“我去告诉她是你要听她弹。她喜欢你。会来的” 。他转身急忙朝远处的一间小屋走去，莱兹小姐正在那儿拖着步子走个不停。她拖着一把椅子从房间里时进时出，偶尔还抱怨一个小孩的啼哭，一位保姆正在隔壁的房子里试图让这孩子入睡。她是个不招人喜欢的小个子女人，不再年轻，由于她脾气大性情上喜欢突出自己并践踏他人权利，所以几乎和所有人都吵过架。罗伯特没费多大工夫就说服了她。
她和他一起在舞曲停息时走进来，别扭但威严地鞠了一躬。她长相不好看，小脸和身段干瘦眼睛发光。穿戴绝对没品味，披着一身破旧的黑格子花布、一束人造紫罗兰插在头发的一边。
“问问庞德烈太太想听我弹什么” ，她请罗伯特去问。罗伯特把她的话传到窗边的埃得娜时，她坐在钢琴前面一动不动，连琴键也没按。看着这位钢琴家走进来时全场都弥漫起吃惊和真心满意的气氛。这气氛慢慢消沉下来了，四处弥漫着的期待的气氛。被这么单挑出来接受这个挺有威风的小个子女人的恩典，埃得娜对此感到稍微有点儿不好意思。她不敢挑，恳求莱兹小姐随自己的便。
埃得娜自称很喜欢音乐。演奏得好的乐章，能唤起她的心灵里的画面。当哈蒂娜尔夫人早晨练习或者演奏音乐时她有时喜欢坐在屋子里听。有一首这位夫人弹的曲子埃得娜称为“孤独” （译注：本书的原名是‘一个孤独的灵魂’ ）。那是一首按小调谱写的曲子，短小哀婉。名字是个别的什么，但是她称之为“孤独” 。她听着想象里就出现了一个男人站在海滩上一块石头边的凄凉的身影，赤裸着，看着远方一只鸟儿展翅离他而出作无可奈何状。
另一支曲子让她的心灵里面出现一位身穿帝王长袍的娇滴滴的年轻女子，迈着细小的舞步沿着两边是高高的树篱的长道走过来。还有支曲子又提醒她要想到孩子们的玩乐，又有支曲子让她看到地球上啥也没有只有位贵妇矜持地抚弄一只猫。
莱兹小姐一拨动琴键一阵剧烈的颤抖就沿庞得烈夫人的脊椎从顶上滚下来。这并不是她第一次听艺术家弹钢琴。但这也许是她第一次有备而听，也许是她之经过磨炼后的生命第一次将要被打上永恒真理的烙印。
她以为具体的画面会在想象里集合而大放光彩，她等待着。她没等来。没看见孤独、希望、向往和绝望的画面。但是激情已经被从灵魂深处唤醒过来，主导着灵魂，鞭笞着灵魂，就像每天拍打着她的美妙的肉体的波浪一般。她颤抖着、泪眼模糊、欲语还咽。
小姐弹完了。她起身，生硬地鞠了个高傲的躬然后走开，也不等等人们的掌声和感谢之声。她走在走廊里过来拍了拍埃得娜的肩。
“呵，你觉得我的音乐如何”？她问。这位年轻的女人全身抽搐地抓着她的手，答不出来。莱兹小姐察觉到了她的激动甚至眼泪。又拍了拍她的肩膀说：
“你是唯一值得对你弹琴的人。其他人？叭” ！　她拖着步子在走廊两边偏来偏去地走朝自己的房子走去。
不过她对“其他人” 的看法是错误的。她的演奏引起一阵激情。“多有激情” ！“多好的艺术家” ！“我一直认为没人能像莱兹小姐那样演奏肖邦” ！“最后一只序曲！多棒！让人身颤” ！
夜深了，大家想散场了。但是有人，也许是罗伯特，想出了个在那神秘时刻在神秘的月光下去游泳的点子。

说明：因为有事本来打算暂不往下贴的，吃了夜半的果酱之后就又贴了这章，以后恐怕是没有时间了。

夜半 · 发表于 2006-7-10 03:54:18

好遗憾啊，如果以后有时间再继续贴吧，谢谢你

沅湘 · 发表于 2006-7-12 00:20:29

Originally posted by 夜半 at 2006-7-9 03:54 PM:4 ^5 F/ n P& a& @: r4 T9 K( d! b
好遗憾啊，如果以后有时间再继续贴吧，谢谢你

夜半 · 发表于 2006-7-12 01:55:41

Great! Thanks a lot. No hurry, take your time

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