《四季隨筆》節(jié)選 - 夏 05

《四季隨筆》是吉辛的散文代表作。其中對隱士賴克羅夫特醉心于書籍、自然景色與回憶過去生活的描述，其實是吉辛的自述，作者以此來抒發(fā)自己的情感，因而本書是一部富有自傳色彩的小品文集。

吉辛窮困的一生，對文學名著的愛好與追求，以及對大自然恬靜生活的向往，在書中均有充分的反映。本書分為春、夏、秋、冬四個部分，文筆優(yōu)美，行文流暢，是英國文學中小品文的珍品之一。

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On Sunday I come down later than usual; I make a change of dress, for it is fitting that the day of spiritual rest should lay aside the livery of the laborious week. For me, indeed, there is no labour at any time, but nevertheless does Sunday bring me repose. I share in the common tranquility; my thought escapes the workaday world more completely than on other days.

禮拜日，我下樓比平時要晚一些。我換了身衣服，在這個靈魂休憩的日子，將平日勞動時穿的衣服換下是適宜的。其實，我并沒有勞動的時候，但禮拜日還是帶給我休息的感覺。我分享著那份共同的平靜，思緒比其他日子更徹底地逃避了這個忙碌勞作的世界。

It is not easy to see how this house of mine can make to itself a Sunday quiet, for at all times it is well-nigh soundless; yet I find a difference. My housekeeper comes into the room with her Sunday smile; she is happier for the day, and the sight of her happiness gives me pleasure. She speaks, if possible, in a softer voice; she wears a garment which reminds me that there is only the lightest and cleanest housework to be done. She will go to church, morning and evening, and I know that she is better for it. During her absence I sometimes look into rooms which on other days I never enter; it is merely to gladden my eyes with the shining cleanliness, the perfect order, I am sure to find in the good woman's domain. But for that spotless and sweet-smelling kitchen, what would it avail me to range my books and hang my pictures? All the tranquility of my life depends upon the honest care of this woman who lives and works unseen. And I am sure that the money I pay her is the least part of her reward. She is such an old-fashioned person that the mere discharge of what she deems a duty is in itself an end to her, and the work of her hands in itself a satisfaction, a pride.

在我的房子里，要營造一種禮拜日的安謐并不容易，因為它在任何時候都幾乎是悄無聲息的。但我發(fā)現(xiàn)在這一天，它也有所不同。我的管家走了進來，臉上掛著她禮拜日的微笑；她因為這一天而顯得更高興，而看到她高興，我的心情也愉快起來。如果可能，她的聲音要比平日更加溫和。看到她身上的衣服，我知道只有最輕松干凈的家務(wù)活需要做。她今天會去教堂，早晚各一次，我知道她會因此變得更好。她出門的時候，我有時會到平常從不進去的房間瞧一瞧，只是為了讓我的眼睛欣賞一下那種閃亮的窗明幾凈，那種完美的井井有條，我可以肯定只有善良女人的管轄地才會如此。如果沒有這間一塵不染、氣息怡人的廚房，理書掛畫對我有什么意義呢？我生活全部的平靜都仰仗這位女士的精心照料，而她的工作和起居很少讓我看到。我肯定自己付給她的錢是她的酬勞中最微不足道的部分。她是一個很老派的人，履行責任本身在她看來就是目的，工作本身就是一種滿足、一種驕傲。

When a child, I was permitted to handle on Sunday certain books which could not be exposed to the more careless usage of common days; volumes finely illustrated, or the more handsome editions of familiar authors, or works which, merely by their bulk, demanded special care. Happily, these books were all of the higher rank in literature, and so there came to be established in my mind an association between the day of rest and names which are the greatest in verse and prose. Through my life this habit has remained with me; I have always wished to spend some part of the Sunday quiet with books which, at most times, it is fatally easy to leave aside, one's very knowledge and love of them serving as an excuse for their neglect in favour of print which has the attraction of newness. Homer and Virgil, Milton and Shakespeare; not many Sundays have gone by without my opening one or other of these. Not many Sundays? Nay, that is to exaggerate, as one has the habit of doing. Let me say rather that, on many a rest-day I have found mind and opportunity for such reading. Nowadays mind and opportunity fail me never. I may take down my Homer or my Shakespeare when I choose, but it is still on Sunday that I feel it most becoming to seek the privilege of their companionship. For these great ones, crowned with immortality, do not respond to him who approaches them as though hurried by temporal care. There befits the garment of solemn leisure, the thought attuned to peace. I open the volume somewhat formally; is it not sacred, if the word has any meaning at all? And, as I read, no interruption can befall me. The note of a linnet, the humming of a bee, these are the sounds about my sanctuary. The page scarce rustles as it turns.

兒時，在禮拜日這一天，我會獲準翻看一些平日不能隨便亂動的書，比如，有精美插圖的書，名家的精裝本，還有一些單憑塊頭就需要特別關(guān)照的書。令人高興的是，這些書全部都是文學中的精品，所以在我的頭腦中，休息日便和最偉大的詩歌散文之間建立了一種聯(lián)系。我在多年的生活中一直保持著這一習慣：在星期天，我總希望和一些平日極容易丟在一旁的書安靜地度過一些時光，對它們的熟識和熱愛往往成為冷落它們而選擇新書的借口。荷馬和維吉爾，彌爾頓和莎士比亞，多少個星期天過去了，我沒有一個星期天不打開它們中的一本書。很多星期天嗎？不，這是夸張，我們都習慣這么說而已。這樣說吧，在許多個星期天，我都有心情和機會來讀這些書?，F(xiàn)在，我隨時都有這樣的心情和機會。只要愿意，我可以隨手取下荷馬或莎士比亞，但我依然覺得在禮拜日享受它們的陪伴最適宜。因為這些被冠以不朽之名的偉大作品不會回報那些似乎被世俗雜務(wù)所擾而匆忙閱讀它們的人。讀這些作品，要換上一件端莊休閑的衣服，讓思緒平靜下來。我鄭重其事地打開一本書，難道不是神圣的嗎，如果這個形容詞還有任何意義的話？而在我讀書時，也沒有任何干擾。朱頂雀的歌聲，蜜蜂的嗡鳴，這些是我的“圣殿”周圍的聲音。書頁翻動時，連沙沙聲都少有。