海倫·凱勒自傳《我的生活》第62期

　　One day we had a thrilling experience. There was a regatta in the Northwest Arm, in which the boats from the different warships were engaged. We went in a sail-boat along with many others to watch the races. Hundreds of little sail-boats swung to and fro close by, and the sea was calm. When the races were over, and we turned our faces homeward, one of the party noticed a black cloud drifting in from the sea, which grew and spread and thickened until it covered the whole sky. The wind rose, and the waves chopped angrily at unseen barriers. Our little boat confronted the gale fearlessly; with sails spread and ropes taut, she seemed to sit upon the wind. Now she swirled in the billows, now she sprang upward on a gigantic wave, only to be driven down with angry howl and hiss. Down came the mainsail. Tacking and jibbing, we wrestled with opposingwinds that drove us from side to side with impetuous fury. Our hearts beat fast, and our hands trembled with excitement, not fear; for we had the hearts of vikings, and we knew that our skipper was master of the situation. He had steered through many a storm with firm hand and sea-wise eye. As they passed us, the large craft and the gunboats in the harbour saluted and the seamen shouted applause for the master of the only little sail-boat that ventured out into the storm. At last, cold, hungry and weary, we reached our pier.

　　有一天，我們經(jīng)歷了一次驚心動魄的事件。當時在“西北軍駐地”正舉行一次賽舟會，而參賽船只則來自不同的戰(zhàn)艦。我們隨同眾人一道登上一條帆船觀看比賽。上百條小艇來來回回地從我們身邊穿梭而過，海面風平浪靜。就在比賽結(jié)束，我們正準備回家的時候，人群里有個人發(fā)現(xiàn)從海上飄來了一團黑云。這團黑云迅速地擴散增厚，直到遮蔽了整個天空。此時風起云涌，海浪猛烈地擊打著堤壩。我們的小船勇敢地面對狂風的襲擊，它鼓起風帆，纜繩緊繃，似乎正好坐在風波浪尖之上。很快，它便在波濤中左沖右突，它猛地躍上一個巨大的浪峰，頃刻間就被憤怒的嘶吼聲所吞沒。隨著主帆的下落，小船在浪濤中逆風而行。我們奮力地抵御著風浪的侵襲，而身體卻被顛簸得東倒西歪。我們的心劇烈地跳動著，我們的手激動得連連顫抖，我們毫無畏懼。因為我們就在“維京”號的核心位置，而我們的船長則是對付風浪的行家里手，憑借著堅實的手掌和一雙老練的眼睛，他曾多次駕船穿越風暴。風浪過后，港口中的大船和炮艦紛紛向我們(升旗)致敬，水手們也為這艘小帆船在風暴中的壯舉而歡呼吶喊。終于，伴著寒冷、饑餓和滿身的疲憊，我們回到了碼頭。

　　Last summer I spent in one of the loveliest nooks of one of the most charming villages in New England. Wrentham, Massachusetts, is associated with nearly all of my joys and sorrows. For many years Red Farm, by King Philip’s Pond, the home of Mr. J. E. Chamberlin and his family, was my home. I remember with deepest gratitude the kindness of these dear friends and the happy days I spent with them. The sweet companionship of their children meant much to me. I joined in all their sports and rambles through the woods and frolics in the water. The prattle of the little ones and their pleasure in the stories I told them of elf and gnome, of hero and wily bear, are pleasant things to remember. Mr. Chamberlin initiated me into the mysteries of tree and wild-flower, until with the little ear of love I heard the flow of sap in the oak, and saw the sun glint from leaf to leaf. Thus it is that

　　去年夏天，我在新英格蘭地區(qū)的一個最迷人最幽靜的村莊里度過了一段愉快的時光?？梢哉f，馬薩諸塞州的蘭瑟姆是一個幾乎涵蓋了我所有喜悅和悲傷的地方。很多年來，紅色農(nóng)莊——菲利普國王池塘邊錢伯林先生和他的家人的住所，都曾是我的家。我由衷地感謝這些朋友們的仁慈和慷慨，我同他們在一起度過了最美好的時光。對我而言，同他們的子女建立起的友誼尤顯珍貴。他們所有的活動我都參加，我們還在林中漫步，在水中嬉戲。我為他們講述精靈和土地神、英雄和狡猾的黑熊的故事，同這些小孩子們談天說地，感受著他們的快樂，這對我的確是一種令人愉快的回憶。錢伯倫先生教我辨認神秘的樹種和野花，直到我的耳朵似乎聽到了橡樹體內(nèi)樹液流動的聲音，我的眼睛似乎看到了樹葉間閃爍的陽光。那景象如同這樣的詩句——

　　Even as the roots, shut in the darksome earth,

　　根，即使被封存在暗無天日的泥土中

　　Share in the tree-top’s joyance, and conceive

　　依舊會分享到樹冠的喜悅，而且會想象著

　　Of sunshine and wide air and wing things,

　　陽光、遼闊的天宇以及林間的飛鳥，

　　By sympathy of nature, so do I gave evidence of things unseen.

　　自然和諧有序，我亦順應天地