中英young good man brown.docx

1、中英young good man brown日落时分，小伙子古德曼布朗走出家门，来到萨勒姆村街道上，可跨出门槛又回头，与年轻的妻子吻别。而妻子费丝这名字对她恰如其分把漂亮的脑袋伸出门外，任风儿拂弄她帽子上粉红的缎带，呼唤着古德曼布朗。“宝贝心肝，”她樱唇贴近他耳朵，伤心地娇声曼语，“求你明天日出再出门旅行，今晚就睡在自家床上嘛。孤单单的女人会做些可怕的梦，生些吓人的念头，有时候连自己都害怕。今晚就留下来和我相守吧，亲爱的，一年到头只求你这一夜。”“我的宝贝，亲爱的费丝，”小伙子布朗回答，“一年到头就这一夜，我必须离开你。我这趟出门，就是你说的旅行，必须现在就走，明天日出时回来。怎么，我漂亮可爱

2、的妻子，结婚才三个月，你就怀疑我啦？”“那就愿上帝保佑你！”粉红缎带飘飘的费丝道，“愿你回来时看到一切平安。”“阿门！”古德曼布朗叫道，”做祷告吧，亲爱的费丝，一天黑就上床，不会有什么东西伤害你的。”于是二人分手。小伙子匆匆上路，到礼拜堂旁边，正要拐弯，回头一望，但见费丝仍在伫望，神情忧伤，虽然那粉红缎带仍在飘扬。“可怜的小费丝！”他骂着自己，“俺真够可耻的，竟为了这么趟差使丢下她！她还提到了梦，讲话的样子那么愁，就像已有什么梦警告过她，今晚俺要去干啥事。不，不，她要知道了真会活不下去。唉，她真是个有福的人间天使，过了今晚这一夜，俺再也不离开她的裙边喽，要一直跟着她上天堂。”对未来的美好信念已

3、定，古德曼布朗觉得加快实现眼前的邪恶目的，天经地义。他踏上了一条凄清的小路。阴森森的树木遮天蔽日，挤挤挨挨，勉强让狭窄的小径蜿蜒穿过。人刚过，枝叶又将小路封了起来，荒凉满目。而且这荒凉凄清还有一个特点，旅人弄不清无数的树干与头顶粗大的树枝后面会藏着什么，所以，脚步虽孤孤零零，也许经过的却是看不见的一大群人。Young Goodman BrownYoung Goodman Brown came forth at sunset into the street at Salem village; but put his head back, after crossing the threshold,

4、 to exchange a parting kiss with his young wife. And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap while she called to Goodman Brown.Dearest heart, whispered she, softly and rather sadly, when her lips were clos

5、e to his ear, prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed to-night. A lone woman is troubled with such dreams and such thoughts that shes afeard of herself sometimes. Pray tarry with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year.My love and my Faith, replied young G

6、oodman Brown, of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou call it, forth and back again, must needs be done twixt now and sunrise. What, my sweet, pretty wife, dost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married? Then God bless youe! said Faith,

7、 with the pink ribbons; and may you find all well whn you come back.Amen! cried Goodman Brown. Say thy prayers, dear Faith, and go to bed at dusk, and no harm will come to thee.So they parted; and the young man pursued his way until, being about to turn the corner by the meeting-house, he looked bac

8、k and saw the head of Faith still peeping after him with a melancholy air, in spite of her pink ribbons.Poor little Faith! thought he, for his heart smote him. What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand! She talks of dreams, too. Methought as she spoke there was trouble in her face, as if a d

9、ream had warned her what work is to be done tonight. But no, no; t would kill her to think it. Well, shes a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night Ill cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven. With this excellent resolve for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making mo

10、re haste on his present evil purpose. He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind. It was all as lonely as could be; and there is this peculiarity in such a solitude, that

11、the traveller knows not who may be concealed by the innumerable trunks and the thick boughs overhead; so that with lonely footsteps he may yet be passing through an unseen multitude.“棵棵树后没准儿都藏着个恶鬼似的印第安人呢，”古德曼布朗自言自语，怯怯地回头看看。“要是魔鬼本人就在俺身旁，那可咋办！”顺路拐弯时，他回头张望。再回头，发现一棵老树下坐着个人，衣着朴素体面。古德曼布朗一走近，这人就站起来，与小伙子并肩朝

12、前走。“你迟到啦，古德曼布朗，”这人道，“我经过波士顿的时候，老南方教堂的钟正好敲响，现在都过了整整十五分钟啦！”“费丝耽搁了俺一会儿。”小伙子回答，声音有些发颤，因为同伴突然冒了出来，虽不算完全出乎预料。林中此刻夜色沉沉，而他俩走的地方夜色最深，只能依稀辨出第二位旅人约摸五十岁光景，显然与布朗身份相同，模样也相似，不过神态也许比相貌更像。然而，两人还是可能被当做父子。尽管年长的与年轻的服装同样简单，举止同样朴实，但神情之间有种见多识广的气派。倘若事务需要，得与总督同桌进餐，或置身威廉国王堂堂大殿，这位老者大概也不会局促不安。但他身上最引人注目的却是一件东西，即一根酷似黑蛇的手杖，精雕细刻，活

13、脱一条扭来扭去的大蛇。这当然是暗淡光线造成的视觉假象。“快走吧，古德曼布朗”，旅伴催着，“才上路就这么慢腾腾的。要是这么快就乏了，把我手杖拿去吧！”“伙计，”另一位慢腾腾的步子却完全停下来。“俺已守约上这儿来见了你，现在俺想回去啦。对你熟知的那件事俺还拿不定主意哩。” There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree, said Goodman Brown to himself; and he glanced fearfully behind him as he added, What if the devil himself should be

14、 at my very elbow! His head being turned back, he passed a crook of the road, and, looking forward again, beheld the figure of a man, in grave and decent attire, seated at the foot of an old tree. He arose at Goodman Browns approach and walked onward side by side with him. You are late, Goodman Brow

15、n, said he. The clock of the Old South was striking as I came through Boston, and that is full fifteen minutes agone. Faith kept me back a while, replied the young man, with a tremor in his voice, caused by the sudden appearance of his companion, though not wholly unexpected. It was now deep dusk in

16、 the forest, and deepest in that part of it where these two were journeying. As nearly as could be discerned, the second traveller was about fifty years old, apparently in the same rank of life as Goodman Brown, and bearing a considerable resemblance to him, though perhaps more in expression than fe

17、atures. Still they might have been taken for father and son. And yet, though the elder person was as simply clad as the younger, and as simple in manner too, he had an indescribable air of one who knew the world, and who would not have felt abashed at the governors dinner table or in King Williams c

18、ourt, were it possible that his affairs should call him thither. But the only thing about him that could be fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent. Thi

19、s, of course, must have been an ocular deception, assisted by the uncertain light. Come, Goodman Brown, cried his fellow-traveller, this is a dull pace for the beginning of a journey. Take my staff, if you are so soon weary.Friend, said the other, exchanging his slow pace for a full stop, having kep

20、t covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came. I have scruples touching the matter thou wotst of.“是么？”握蛇杖的人一旁笑了。”那咱们就边走边谈。我要是说服不了你，你就回去好了，反正在这林子里才走了不远。”“够远啦！够远啦！”小伙子叫道。不知不觉又接着往前走。“俺爹可没为这号差使上林子里来过，他爹也没有过。俺家世世代代忠厚老实，全是好样的基督徒，打殉教先圣遇难起就是。难道俺得成为布朗家头一个走上这条道的人，而且是同”“同这样的人作伴，

21、你想说。”年长的补上小伙子的中断。“说得好，古德曼布朗！对你一家子，我跟任何清教徒家庭同样熟悉，而且还不是一般的熟嘞。你那当警察的爷爷，有一回狠狠地鞭打一名贵格会女教徒，从萨勒姆街这头一直抽到那头，我帮过他一把；跟菲利普王开仗的时候，你爹放火焚烧印第安人的村子，是我递给他的松脂火把，还是在我家炉子上点燃的呐。他俩都是我的好朋友，我们曾一道快快活活顺这条路走过好多次。过了半夜又快快活活地回来。看在他俩份上，我也乐意跟你交个朋友。”“事情要真像你说的，”古德曼布朗道，“俺纳闷咋没听他们自己说起过。可也是，不值得大惊小怪。这号事情哪怕有丁点儿谣言，就能把他们撵出新英格兰。俺们老是祷告上帝，而且行善积

22、德，容不得这号坏事。”“坏事不坏事不管它，”持弯弯手杖的旅伴说，“新英格兰这一带我认识的人多啦，好多教堂执事跟我共饮过圣餐酒，好多市镇委员选过我当主席。议会里多数人都坚决支持我的利益，总督和我也但这些都是国家机密。”“当真么？”布朗大惊失色，瞪着若无其事的同伴。“不管咋说，俺跟总督啦，议会啦不相干，他们有他们行事的规矩。俺这么个不起眼的庄稼汉用不着学样子。可是，跟你走下去的话，可叫俺咋有脸见咱萨勒姆村的大善人，那位老牧师呢？哦，不管安息日还是布道日，听到他声音俺就会发抖。”年长者一直挺认真地听，这时忍不住大笑起来，笑得直抖，连蛇一般的手杖也好像在响应着，扭来扭去。Sayest thou so?

23、 replied he of the serpent, smiling apart. Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go; and if I convince thee not thou shalt turn back. We are but a little way in the forest yet. Too far! too far! exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk. My father never went into the woods on su

24、ch an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of honest men and good Christians since the days of the martyrs; and shall I be the first of the name of Brown that ever took this path and keptSuch company, thou wouldst say, observed the elder person, interpreting his pause. Well said, G

25、oodman Brown! I have been as well acquainted with your family as with ever a one among the Puritans; and thats no trifle to say. I helped your grandfather, the constable, when he lashed the Quaker woman so smartly through the streets of Salem; and it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot,

26、 kindled at my own hearth, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philips war. They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path, and returned merrily after midnight. I would fain be friends with you for their sake.If it be as thou sayest, replied Goodman Brown

27、, I marvel they never spoke of these matters; or, verily, I marvel not, seeing that the least rumor of the sort would have driven them from New England. We are a people of prayer, and good works to boot, and abide no such wickedness.Wickedness or not, said the traveller with the twisted staff, I hav

28、e a very general acquaintance here in New England. The deacons of many a church have drunk the communion wine with me; the selectmen of divers towns make me their chairman; and a majority of the Great and General Court are firm supporters of my interest. The governor and I, too-But these are state s

29、ecrets. Can this be so? cried Goodman Brown, with a stare of amazement at his undisturbed companion. Howbeit, I have nothing to do with the governor and council; they have their own ways, and are no rule for a simple husbandman like me. But, were I to go on with thee, how should I meet the eye of th

30、at good old man, our minister, at Salem village? Oh, his voice would make me tremble both Sabbath day and lecture day. Thus far the elder traveller had listened with due gravity; but now burst into a fit of irrepressible mirth, shaking himself so violently that his snake-like staff actually seemed t

31、o wriggle in sympathy.“哈！哈！哈！”他笑了又笑，随后平静下来。“好，往下说，古德曼布朗，往下说。不过，请别把我给笑死啦。”“那好，就一句话了结吧，”古德曼布朗颇为懊恼。“俺老婆费丝要知道了这事，她温存的小心儿非伤透了不行。俺情愿自个儿难过。”“呣，要是那样的话，”老头回答，“古德曼布朗，你就回去吧，就算为了二十个咱们前头那号一瘸一拐的老太婆，我也不愿让费丝受到伤害。”他边说边用拐棍指指正在赶路的一个女人。布朗认出这是位非常虔诚堪称模范的太太。小时候，就是她教他教义问答的，而且至今与教师和古金执事一道是自己道德与精神方面的顾问。“怪啦，真怪啦，天都黑了，这位古迪克洛伊丝还

32、在野地里乱跑。”他道，“不过，伙计，请准许俺抄近道穿过林子，好把这位基督徒扔到后头去。她既不认识你，说不定会向俺打听这是跟谁在一起，到哪儿去。”“就这么办，”旅伴道，“你去钻林子，我还顺这条路走好了。”于是小伙子拐过一边，不过还留神盯着伙伴。只见他悄悄前行，离那老妇只剩一手杖之遥。而她却躜步疾行，这么大年纪速度惊人，一面走还一面嘟嘟囔囔不消说，是祷告呢。老头伸出拐杖，用蛇尾似的一端碰碰老妇皱纹滚滚的脖颈。“魔鬼！”虔诚的老太婆惊叫一声。“这么说，古迪克洛伊丝还认识老朋友？”老头拄着手杖面对她道。“啊，当真是阁下您啊？”善良的老太太叫道。“嘿，真是您，活像俺的老伙计古德曼布朗，就是如今那个傻小子布朗的爷爷。不过阁下您信不信？俺的那把长条帚莫名其妙就不见了