月亮与六便士【中英字幕】

"The millsof God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small, " he said, somewhatimpressively.Mrs. Stricklandand Mrs. Ronaldson looked down with a slightly pious expression whichindicated, I felt sure, that they thought the quotation was from Holy Writ.Indeed, I was unconvinced that Robert Strickland did not share their illusion.I do not know why I suddenly thought of Strickland's son by Ata. They had toldme he was a merry, light-hearted youth. I saw him, with my mind's eye, on theschooner on which he worked, wearing nothing but a pair of dungarees; and atnight, when the boat sailed along easily before a light breeze, and the sailorswere gathered on the upper deck, while the captain and the supercargo lolled indeck-chairs, smoking their pipes, I saw him dance with another lad, dancewildly, to the wheezy music of the concertina. Above was the blue sky, and thestars, and all about the desert of the Pacific Ocean.A quotationfrom the Bible came to my lips, but I held my tongue, for I know that clergymenthink it a little blasphemous when the laity poach upon their preserves. MyUncle Henry, for twenty-seven years Vicar of Whitstable, was on these occasionsin the habit of saying that the devil could always quote scripture to hispurpose. He remembered the days when you could get thirteen Royal Natives for ashilling. “上帝的磨盘转动很慢，但是却磨得很细，”罗伯特说，颇有些道貌岸然的样子。思特里克兰德太太和朵纳尔德逊太太满腹虔诚地低下头来。我一点儿也不怀疑，这母女两人所以表现得这么虔诚是因为她们都认为罗伯特刚才是从《圣经》上引证了一句话①。说实在的，就连罗伯特本人是否绝对无此错觉，我也不敢肯定。不知为什么，我突然想到爱塔给思特里克兰德生的那个孩子。听别人说，这是个活泼、开朗、快快活活的小伙子。在想象中，我仿佛看见一艘双桅大帆船，这个年轻人正在船上干活儿，他浑身赤裸，只在腰间围着一块粗蓝布；天黑了，船儿被清风吹动着，轻快地在海面上滑行，水手们都聚集在上层甲板上，船长和一个管货的人员坐在帆布椅上自由自在地抽着烟斗。思特里克兰德的孩子同另一个小伙子跳起舞来，在暗哑的手风琴声中，他们疯狂地跳着。头顶上是一片碧空，群星熠熠，太平洋烟波淼茫，浩瀚无垠。①罗伯特所说“上帝的磨盘”一语，许多外国诗人学者都曾讲过。美国诗人朗费罗也写过类似诗句，并非出自《圣经》。《圣经》上的另一句话也到了我的唇边，但是我却控制着自己，没有说出来，因为我知道牧师不喜欢俗人侵犯他们的领域，他们认为这是有渎神明的。我的亨利叔叔在威特斯台柏尔教区做了二十七年牧师，遇到这种机会就会说：魔鬼要干坏事总可以引证《圣经》。他一直忘不了一个先令就可以买十三只大牡蛎的日子。

She went to thedoor and called them. There entered a tall man in khaki, with the parson'scollar, handsome in a somewhat heavy fashion, but with the frank eyes that Iremembered in him as a boy. He was followed by his sister. She must have beenthe same age as was her mother when first I knew her, and she was very likeher. She too gave one the impression that as a girl she must have been prettierthan indeed she was."I supposeyou don't remember them in the least, " said Mrs. Strickland, proud andsmiling. "My daughter is now Mrs. Ronaldson. Her husband's a Major in theGunners. ""He's byway of being a pukka soldier, you know, " said Mrs. Ronaldson gaily."That's why he's only a Major. "I remembered myanticipation long ago that she would marry a soldier. It was inevitable. Shehad all the graces of the soldier's wife. She was civil and affable, but shecould hardly conceal her intimate conviction that she was not quite as otherswere. Robert was breezy."It's abit of luck that I should be in London when you turned up, " he said."I've only got three days' leave. ""He'sdying to get back, " said his mother."Well, Idon't mind confessing it, I have a rattling good time at the front. I've made alot of good pals. It's a first-rate life. Of course war's terrible, and allthat sort of thing; but it does bring out the best qualities in a man, there'sno denying that. "Then I toldthem what I had learned about Charles Strickland in Tahiti. I thought itunnecessary to say anything of Ata and her boy, but for the rest I was asaccurate as I could be. When I had narrated his lamentable death I ceased. Fora minute or two we were all silent. Then Robert Strickland struck a match andlit a cigarette.她走到门口去招呼他们。走进来一个穿卡其服的高大男人，脖子上系着牧师戴的硬领。这人生得身材魁梧，有一种壮健的美，一双眼睛仍然和他童年时期一样真挚爽朗。跟在他后面的是他妹妹；她这时一定同我初次见到她母亲时年龄相仿。她长得非常象她母亲，也给人这样的印象：小时候长得一定要比实际上更漂亮。“我想你一定一点儿也不记得他俩了，”思特里克兰德太太说，骄傲地笑了笑。“我的女儿现在是朵纳尔德逊太太了，她丈夫是炮兵团的少校。”“他是一个真正从士兵出身的军人，”朵纳尔德逊太太高高兴兴地说，“所以现在刚刚是个少校。”我想起很久以前我的预言：她将来一定会嫁一个军人。看来这件事早已注定了。她的风度完全是个军人的妻子。她对人和蔼亲切，但另一方面她几乎毫不掩饰自己内心的信念，她同一般人是有所不同的。罗伯特的情绪非常高。“真是太巧了，你这次来正赶上我在伦敦，”他说，“我只有三天假。”“他一心想赶快回去，”他母亲说。“啊，这我承认，我在前线过得可太有趣儿了。我交了不少朋友。那里的生活真是顶呱呱的。当然了，战争是可怕的，那些事儿大家都非常清楚。但是战争确实能表现出一个人的优秀本质，这一点谁也不能否认。”这以后我把我听到的查理斯·思特里克兰德在塔希提的情形给他们讲了一遍。我认为没有必要提到爱塔和她生的孩子，但是其余的事我都如实说了。在我谈完他惨死的情况以后我就没有再往下说了。有一两分钟大家都没有说话。后来罗伯特·思特里克兰德划了根火柴，点着了一支纸烟。

"I hope hedidn't bore you, " she said, when the door closed behind him. "Ofcourse it's a nuisance sometimes, but I feel it's only right to give people anyinformation I can about Charlie. There's a certain responsibility about havingbeen the wife of a genius. "She looked atme with those pleasant eyes of hers, which had remained as candid and assympathetic as they had been more than twenty years before. I wondered if shewas making a fool of me."Of courseyou've given up your business, " I said."Oh, yes," she answered airily. "I ran it more by way of a hobby than for anyother reason, and my children persuaded me to sell it. They thought I wasovertaxing my strength. "I saw that Mrs.Strickland had forgotten that she had ever done anything so disgraceful as towork for her living. She had the true instinct of the nice woman that it isonly really decent for her to live on other people's money."They'rehere now, " she said. "I thought they'd, like to hear what you had tosay about their father. You remember Robert, don't you? I'm glad to say he'sbeen recommended for the Military Cross. " “我希望这个人没有使你感到厌烦，”当门在凡·布施·泰勒的身背后关上以后，思特里克兰德太太说。“当然了，有时候也实在让人讨厌，但是我总觉得，有人来了解查理斯的情况，我是应该尽量把我知道的提供给人家的。作为一个伟大天才的未亡人，这该是一种义务吧。”她用她那一对可爱的眼睛望着我，她的目光非常真挚，非常亲切，同二十多年以前完全一样。我有点儿怀疑她是不是在耍弄我。“你那个打字所大概早就停业了吧？”我说。“啊，当然了，”她大大咧咧地说，“当年我开那家打字所主要也是为了觉得好玩，没有其他什么原因。后来我的两个孩子都劝我把它出让给别人。他们认为太耗损我的精神了。”我发现思特里克兰德太太已经忘记了她曾不得不自食其力这一段不光彩的历史。同任何一个正派女人一样，她真实地相信只有依靠别人养活自己才是规矩的行为。“他们都在家，”她说，“我想你给他们谈谈他们父亲的事，他们一定很愿意听的。你还记得罗伯特吧？我很高兴能够告诉你，他的名字已经提上去，就快要领陆军十字勋章了。”

"Whatwonderful cushions you have, " said Mr. Van Busche Taylor."Do youlike them?" she said, smiling. "Bakst, you know. "And yet on thewalls were coloured reproductions of several of Strickland's best pictures, dueto the enterprise of a publisher in Berlin."You'relooking at my pictures, " she said, following my eyes. "Of course,the originals are out of my reach, but it's a comfort to have these. Thepublisher sent them to me himself. They're a great consolation to me. ""They mustbe very pleasant to live with, " said Mr. Van Busche Taylor."Yes;they're so essentially decorative. ""That isone of my profoundest convictions, " said Mr. Van Busche Taylor."Great art is always decorative. "Their eyesrested on a nude woman suckling a baby, while a girl was kneeling by their sideholding out a flower to the indifferent child. Looking over them was awrinkled, scraggy hag. It was Strickland's version of the Holy Family. Isuspected that for the figures had sat his household above Taravao, and thewoman and the baby were Ata and his first son. I asked myself if Mrs.Strickland had any inkling of the facts.Theconversation proceeded, and I marvelled at the tact with which Mr. Van BuscheTaylor avoided all subjects that might have been in the least embarrassing, andat the ingenuity with which Mrs. Strickland, without saying a word that wasuntrue, insinuated that her relations with her husband had always been perfect.At last Mr. Van Busche Taylor rose to go. Holding his hostess' hand, he madeher a graceful, though perhaps too elaborate, speech of thanks, and left us. “你这些靠垫真是太了不起了，”凡·布施·泰勒先生说。“你喜欢吗？”她笑着说，“巴克斯特①设计的，你知道。”①雷昂·尼古拉耶维奇·巴克斯特（1866—1924），俄罗斯画家和舞台设计家。但是墙上还挂着几张思特里克兰德的最好画作的彩色复制品；这该归功于柏林一家颇具野心的印刷商。“你在看我的画呢，”看到我的目光所向，她说，“当然了，他的原画我无法弄到手，但是有了这些也足够了。这是出版商主动送给我的。对我来说真是莫大的安慰。”“每天能欣赏这些画，实在是很大的乐趣，”凡·布施·泰勒先生说。“一点儿不错。这些画是极有装饰意义的。”“这也是我的一个最基本的看法，”凡·布施·泰勒先生说，“伟大的艺术从来就是最富于装饰价值的。”他们的目光落在一个给孩子喂奶的裸体女人身上，女人身旁还有一个年轻女孩子跪着给小孩递去一朵花，小孩却根本不去注意。一个满脸皱纹、皮包骨的老太婆在旁边看着她们。这是思特里克兰德画的神圣家庭。我猜想画中人物都是他在塔拉窝村附近那所房子里的寄居者，而那个喂奶的女人和她怀里的婴儿就是爱塔和他们的第一个孩子。我很想知道思特里克兰德太太对这些事是不是也略知一二。谈话继续下去。我非常佩服凡·布施·泰勒先生的老练；凡是令人感到尴尬的话题，他完全回避掉。我也非常惊奇思特里克兰德太太的圆滑；尽管她没有说一句不真实的话，却充分暗示了她同自己丈夫的关系非常融睦，从来没有任何嫌隙。最后，凡·布施·泰勒先生起身告辞，他握着女主人的一只手，向她说了一大篇优美动听、但未免过于造作的感谢词，便离开了我们。

When I wasushered into the drawing-room I found that Mrs. Strickland had a visitor, andwhen I discovered who he was, I guessed that I had been asked to come at justthat time not without intention. The caller was Mr. Van Busche Taylor, anAmerican, and Mrs. Strickland gave me particulars with a charming smile ofapology to him."You know,we English are so dreadfully ignorant. You must forgive me if it's necessary toexplain. " Then she turned to me. "Mr. Van Busche Taylor is thedistinguished American critic. If you haven't read his book your education hasbeen shamefully neglected, and you must repair the omission at once. He'swriting something about dear Charlie, and he's come to ask me if I can helphim. "Mr. Van BuscheTaylor was a very thin man with a large, bald head, bony and shining; and underthe great dome of his skull his face, yellow, with deep lines in it, lookedvery small. He was quiet and exceedingly polite. He spoke with the accent ofNew England, and there was about his demeanour a bloodless frigidity which mademe ask myself why on earth he was busying himself with Charles Strickland. Ihad been slightly tickled at the gentleness which Mrs. Strickland put into hermention of her husband's name, and while the pair conversed I took stock of theroom in which we sat. Mrs. Strickland had moved with the times. Gone were theMorris papers and gone the severe cretonnes, gone were the Arundel prints thathad adorned the walls of her drawingroom in Ashley Gardens; the room blazedwith fantastic colour, and I wondered if she knew that those varied hues, whichfashion had imposed upon her, were due to the dreams of a poor painter in aSouth Sea island. She gave me the answer herself.我被领进客厅以后才发现屋里还有一位客人。当我了解了这位客人的身份以后，我猜想思特里克兰德太太约我在这个时间来，不是没有目的的。这位来客是凡·布施·泰勒先生，一位美国人；思特里克兰德太太一边表示歉意地对他展露着可爱的笑容，一边详细地给我介绍他的情况。“你知道，我们英国人见闻狭窄，简直太可怕了。如果我不得不做些解释，你一定得原谅我。”接着她转过来对我说：“凡·布施·泰勒先生就是那位美国最有名的评论家。如果你没有读过他的著作，你的教育可未免太欠缺了；你必须立刻着手弥补一下。泰勒先生现在正在写一点儿东西，关于亲爱的查理斯的。他特地来我这里看看我能不能帮他的忙。”凡·布施·泰勒先生身体非常削瘦，生着一个大秃脑袋，骨头支棱着，头皮闪闪发亮；大宽脑门下面一张脸面色焦黄，满是皱纹，显得枯干瘦小。他举止文静，彬彬有礼，说话时带着些新英格兰州口音。这个人给我的印象非常僵硬刻板，毫无热情；我真不知道他怎么会想到要研究查理斯·思特里克兰德来。思特里克兰德太太在提到她死去的丈夫时，语气非常温柔，我暗自觉得好笑。在这两人谈话的当儿，我把我们坐的这间客厅打量了一番。思特里克兰德太太是个紧跟时尚的人。她在阿施里花园旧居时那些室内装饰都不见了，墙上糊的不再是莫里斯墙纸，家具上套的不再是色彩朴素的印花布，旧日装饰着客厅四壁的阿伦德尔图片也都撤下去了。现在这间客厅是一片光怪陆离的颜色，我很怀疑，她知道不知道她把屋子装点得五颜六色的这种风尚都是因为南海岛屿上一个可怜的画家有过这种幻梦。对我的这个疑问她自己作出了回答。

The time camefor my departure from Tahiti. According to the gracious custom of the island,presents were given me by the persons with whom I had been thrown in contact --baskets made of the leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, mats of pandanus, fans; andTiare gave me three little pearls and three jars of guava-jelly made with herown plump hands. When the mail-boat, stopping for twenty-four hours on its wayfrom Wellington to San Francisco, blew the whistle that warned the passengersto get on board, Tiare clasped me to her vast bosom, so that I seemed to sinkinto a billowy sea, and pressed her red lips to mine. Tears glistened in hereyes. And when we steamed slowly out of the lagoon, making our way gingerlythrough the opening in the reef, and then steered for the open sea, a certainmelancholy fell upon me. The breeze was laden still with the pleasant odours ofthe land. Tahiti is very far away, and I knew that I should never see it again.A chapter of my life was closed, and I felt a little nearer to inevitabledeath.Not much morethan a month later I was in London; and after I had arranged certain matterswhich claimed my immediate attention, thinking Mrs. Strickland might like tohear what I knew of her husband's last years, I wrote to her. I had not seenher since long before the war, and I had to look out her address in thetelephone-book. She made an appointment, and I went to the trim little house onCampden Hill which she now inhabited. She was by this time a woman of hard onsixty, but she bore her years well, and no one would have taken her for morethan fifty. Her face, thin and not much lined, was of the sort that agesgracefully, so that you thought in youth she must have been a much handsomerwoman than in fact she was. Her hair, not yet very gray, was becominglyarranged, and her black gown was modish. I remembered having heard that hersister, Mrs. MacAndrew, outliving her husband but a couple of years, had left moneyto Mrs. Strickland; and by the look of the house and the trim maid who openedthe door I judged that it was a sum adequate to keep the widow in modestcomfort.我离开塔希提的日子已经到了。根据岛上好客的习惯，凡是萍水相逢和我有一面之识的人临别时都送给我一些礼物——椰子树叶编的筐子、露兜树叶织的席、扇子……。蒂阿瑞给我的是三颗小珍珠和用她一双胖手亲自做的三罐番石榴酱。最后，当从惠灵顿开往旧金山的邮船在码头停泊了二十四小时，汽笛长鸣，招呼旅客上船的时候，蒂阿瑞把我搂在她肥大的胸脯里（我有一种掉在波涛汹涌的大海中的感觉），眼睛里闪着泪珠，把她的红嘴唇贴在我的嘴上。轮船缓缓驶出咸水湖，从珊瑚礁的一个通道小心谨慎地开到广阔的海面上，这时，一阵忧伤突然袭上我的心头。空气里仍然弥漫着从陆地飘来的令人心醉的香气，塔希提离我却已经非常遥远了。我知道我再也不会看到它了。我的生命史又翻过了一页；我觉得自己距离那谁也逃脱不掉的死亡又迈近了一步。一个月零几天以后，我回到了伦敦。我把几件亟待处理的事办好以后，想到思特里克兰德太太或许愿意知道一下她丈夫最后几年的情况，便给她写了一封信。从大战前很长一段日子我们就没有见面了，我不知道她这时住在什么地方，只好翻了一下电话簿才找到她的地址。她在回信里约定了一个日子，到了那一天，我便到她在坎普登山的新居——一所很整齐的小房子——去登门造访。这时思特里克兰德太太已经快六十岁了，但是她的相貌一点儿也不显老，谁也不会相信她是五十开外的人。她的脸比较瘦，皱纹不多，是那种年龄很难刻上凿痕的面孔，你会觉得年轻时她一定是个美人，比她实际相貌要漂亮得多。她的头发没有完全灰白，梳理得恰合自己的身份，身上的黑色长衫样子非常时兴。我仿佛听人说过，她的姐姐麦克安德鲁太太在丈夫死后几年也去世了，给思特里克兰德太太留下一笔钱。从她现在的住房和给我们开门的使女的整齐利落的样子看，我猜想这笔钱是足够叫这位寡妇过着小康的日子的。

The colourswere so strange that words can hardly tell what a troubling emotion they gave.They were sombre blues, opaque like a delicately carved bowl in lapis lazuli,and yet with a quivering lustre that suggested the palpitation of mysteriouslife; there were purples, horrible like raw and putrid flesh, and yet with a glowing,sensual passion that called up vague memories of the Roman Empire ofHeliogabalus; there were reds, shrill like the berries of holly -- one thoughtof Christmas in England, and the snow, the good cheer, and the pleasure ofchildren -- and yet by some magic softened till they had the swooningtenderness of a dove's breast; there were deep yellows that died with anunnatural passion into a green as fragrant as the spring and as pure as thesparkling water of a mountain brook. Who can tell what anguished fancy madethese fruits? They belonged to a Polynesian garden of the Hesperides. There wassomething strangely alive in them, as though they were created in a stage ofthe earth's dark history when things were not irrevocably fixed to their forms.They were extravagantly luxurious. They were heavy with tropical odours. Theyseemed to possess a sombre passion of their own. It was enchanted fruit, totaste which might open the gateway to God knows what secrets of the soul and tomysterious palaces of the imagination. They were sullen with unawaited dangers,and to eat them might turn a man to beast or god. All that was healthy andnatural, all that clung to happy relationships and the simple joys of simplemen, shrunk from them in dismay; and yet a fearful attraction was in them, and,like the fruit on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they were terriblewith the possibilities of the Unknown.At last Iturned away. I felt that Strickland had kept his secret to the grave." Voyons,Rene, mon ami, " came the loud, cheerful voice of Madame Coutras,"what are you doing all this time? Here are the aperitifs. Ask Monsieur ifhe will not drink a little glass of Quinquina Dubonnet. ""Volontiers, Madame, " I said, going out on to the verandah.The spell wasbroken.这幅画的着色非常怪异，叫人感到心神不宁，其感觉是很难确切说清的。浓浊的蓝色是不透明的，有如刻工精细的青金石雕盘，但又颤动着闪闪光泽，令人想到生活的神秘悸动；紫色象腐肉似的叫人感到嫌恶，但与此同时又勾起一种炽热的欲望，令人模糊想到亥里俄嘉巴鲁斯①统治下的罗马帝国；红色鲜艳刺目，有如冬青灌木结的小红果——一个人会联想英国的圣诞节，白雪皑皑，欢乐的气氛和儿童的笑语喧哗——，但画家又运用自己的魔笔，使这种光泽柔和下来，让它呈现出有如乳鸽胸脯一样的柔嫩，叫人神怡心驰；深黄色有些突兀地转成绿色，给人带来春天的芳香和溅着泡沫的山泉的明净。谁能知道，是什么痛苦的幻想创造出这些果实的呢？该不是看管金苹果园的赫斯珀里得斯三姐妹②在波利尼西亚果园中培植出来的吧！奇怪的是，这些果实都象活的一样，仿佛是在混沌初开时创造出来的，当时任何事物还都没有固定的形体，丰实肥硕，散发着浓郁的热带气息，好象具有一种独特的忧郁的感情。它们是被施展了魔法的果子，任何人尝了就能打开通向不知道哪些灵魂秘密的门扉，就可以走进幻境的神秘宫殿。它们孕育着无法预知的危险，咬一口就可能把一个人变成野兽，但也说不定变成神灵。一切健康的、正常的东西，淳朴人们所有的一切美好的情谊、朴素的欢乐都远远地避开了它们；但它们又具有莫大的诱惑力，就象伊甸园中能分辨善恶的智慧果一样，能把人带进未知的境界。①一名埃拉嘉巴鲁斯（205？—222），罗马帝国皇帝。②根据希腊神话，赫斯珀里得斯姐妹负责看管赫拉女神的金苹果树，并有巨龙拉冬帮助守卫。最后，我离开了这幅画。我觉得思特里克兰德一直把他的秘密带进了坟墓。“喂，雷耐，亲爱的①，”外面传来了库特拉斯太太的兴高采烈的响亮的声音，“这么半天，你在干什么啊？开胃酒②已经准备好了。问问那位先生③愿意不愿意喝一小杯规那皮杜邦内酒。”①②③原文为法语。“当然愿意，夫人④，”我一边说一边走到阳台上去。④原文为法语。图画的魅力被打破了。

"I thinkStrickland knew it was a masterpiece. He had achieved what he wanted. His lifewas complete. He had made a world and saw that it was good. Then, in pride andcontempt, he destroyed, it. ""But Imust show you my picture, " said Dr. Coutras, moving on."Whathappened to Ata and the child?"They went tothe Marquesas. She had relations there. I have heard that the boy works on oneof Cameron's schooners. They say he is very like his father in appearance."At the doorthat led from the verandah to the doctor's consulting-room, he paused andsmiled."It is afruit-piece. You would think it not a very suitable picture for a doctor'sconsulting-room, but my wife will not have it in the drawing-room. She says itis frankly obscene. ""Afruit-piece!" I exclaimed in surprise.We entered theroom, and my eyes fell at once on the picture. I looked at it for a long time.It was a pileof mangoes, bananas, oranges, and I know not what. and at first sight it was aninnocent picture enough. It would have been passed in an exhibition of thePost- Impressionists by a careless person as an excellent but not veryremarkable example of the school; but perhaps afterwards it would come back tohis recollection, and he would wonder why. I do not think then he could everentirely forget it.“我想思特里克兰德也知道这是一幅杰作。他已经得到了自己所追求的东西。他可以说死而无憾了。他创造了一个世界，也看到自己的创造多么美好。以后，在骄傲和轻蔑的心情中，他又把它毁掉了。”“我还是得让你看看我的画，”库特拉斯医生说，继续往前走。“爱塔同他们的孩子后来怎样了？”“他们搬到马尔奎撒群岛去了。她那里有亲属。我听说他们的孩子在一艘喀麦隆的双桅帆船上当水手。人们都说他长得很象死去的父亲。”走到从阳台通向诊疗室的门口，库特拉斯医生站住，对我笑了笑。“我的画是一幅水果静物画。你也许觉得诊疗室里挂着这样一幅画不很适宜，但是我的妻子却绝对不让它挂在客厅里。她说这张画给人一种猥亵感。”“水果静物会叫人感到猥亵？”我吃惊地喊起来。我们走进屋子，我的眼睛立刻落到这幅画上。很久很久我一直看着它。画的是一堆水果：芒果、香蕉、桔子，还有一些我叫不出名字的东西。第一眼望去，这幅画一点儿也没有什么怪异的地方。如果摆在后期印象派的画展上，一个不经心的人会认为这是张满不错的、但也并非什么杰出的画幅，从风格上讲，同这一学派也没有什么不同。但是看过以后，说不定这幅画就总要回到他的记忆里，甚至连他自己也不知道为什么。据我估计，从此以后他就永远也不能把它忘掉了。

"Destroyed?"I cried." Maisoui; did you not know?""Howshould I know? It is true I had never heard of this work; but I thought perhapsit had fallen into the hands of a private owner. Even now there is no certainlist of Strickland's paintings. ""When hegrew blind he would sit hour after hour in those two rooms that he had painted,looking at his works with sightless eyes, and seeing, perhaps, more than he hadever seen in his life before. Ata told me that he never complained of his fate,he never lost courage. To the end his mind remained serene and undisturbed. Buthe made her promise that when she had buried him -- did I tell you that I dughis grave with my own hands, for none of the natives would approach theinfected house, and we buried him, she and I, sewn up in three pareos joinedtogether, under the mango-tree -- he made her promise that she would set fireto the house and not leave it till it was burned to the ground and not a stickremained. "I did not speakfor a while, for I was thinking. Then I said:"Heremained the same to the end, then. ""Do youunderstand? I must tell you that I thought it my duty to dissuade her. ""Evenafter what you have just said?""Yes; forI knew that here was a work of genius, and I did not think we had the right todeprive the world of it. But Ata would not listen to me. She had promised. Iwould not stay to witness the barbarous deed, and it was only afterwards that Iheard what she had done. She poured paraffin on the dry floors and on thepandanus-mats, and then she set fire. In a little while nothing remained butsmouldering embers, and a great masterpiece existed no longer.“怎么，毁掉了？”我喊起来。“是啊①。你不知道吗？”①原文为法语。“我怎么会知道？我没听说过这些作品倒是事实，但是我还以为它们落到某个私人收藏家手里去了呢。思特里克兰德究竟画了多少画儿，直到今天始终没有人编制出目录来。”“自从眼睛瞎了以后他就总是一动不动地坐在那两间画着壁画的屋子里，一坐就是几个钟头。他用一对失明的眼睛望着自己的作品，也许他看到的比他一生中看到的还要多。爱塔告诉我，他对自己的命运从来也没有抱怨过，他从来也不沮丧。直到生命最后一刻，他的心智一直是安详、恬静的。但是他叫爱塔作出诺言，在她把他埋葬以后——我告诉你没有，他的墓穴是我亲手挖的，因为没有一个土人肯走近这所沾染了病菌的房子，我们俩把他埋葬在那株芒果树底下，我同爱塔，他的尸体是用三块帕利欧缝在一起包裹起来的——他叫爱塔保证，放火把房子烧掉，而且要她亲眼看着房子烧光，在每一根木头都烧掉以前不要走开。”半天半天我没有说话；我陷入沉思中，最后我说：“这么说来，他至死也没有变啊。”“你了解吗？我必须告诉你，当时我觉得自己有责任劝阻她，叫她不要这么做。”“后来你真是这样说了吗？”“是的。因为我知道这是一个伟大天才的杰作，而且我认为，我们是没有权利叫人类失去它的。但是爱塔不听我的劝告。她已经答应过他了。我不愿意继续待在那儿，亲眼看着那野蛮的破坏活动。只是事情过后我才听人说，她是怎样干的。她在干燥的地板上和草席上倒上煤油，点起一把火来。没过半晌，这座房子就变成了焦炭，一幅伟大的杰作就这样化为灰烬了。”

"Iscarcely know. It was strange and fantastic. It was a vision of the beginningsof the world, the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve -- que sais-je? -- it was ahymn to the beauty of the human form, male and female, and the praise ofNature, sublime, indifferent, lovely, and cruel. It gave you an awful sense ofthe infinity of space and of the endlessness of time. Because he painted thetrees I see about me every day, the cocoa-nuts, the banyans, the flamboyants,the alligator-pears, I have seen them ever since differently, as though therewere in them a spirit and a mystery which I am ever on the point of seizing andwhich forever escapes me. The colours were the colours familiar to me, and yetthey were different. They had a significance which was all their own. And thosenude men and women. They were of the earth, and yet apart from it. They seemedto possess something of the clay of which they were created, and at the sametime something divine. You saw man in the nakedness of his primeval instincts,and you were afraid, for you saw yourself. "Dr. Coutrasshrugged his shoulders and smiled."You willlaugh at me. I am a materialist, and I am a gross, fat man -- Falstaff, eh? --the lyrical mode does not become me. I make myself ridiculous. But I have neverseen painting which made so deep an impression upon me. Tenez, I had just thesame feeling as when I went to the Sistine Chapel in Rome. There too I was awedby the greatness of the man who had painted that ceiling. It was genius, and itwas stupendous and overwhelming. I felt small and insignificant. But you areprepared for the greatness of Michael Angelo. Nothing had prepared me for theimmense surprise of these pictures in a native hut, far away from civilisation,in a fold of the mountain above Taravao. And Michael Angelo is sane andhealthy. Those great works of his have the calm of the sublime; but here,notwithstanding beauty, was something troubling. I do not know what it was. Itmade me uneasy. It gave me the impression you get when you are sitting nextdoor to a room that you know is empty, but in which, you know not why, you havea dreadful consciousness that notwithstanding there is someone. You scoldyourself; you know it is only your nerves -- and yet, and yet. . . In a littlewhile it is impossible to resist the terror that seizes you, and you arehelpless in the clutch of an unseen horror. Yes; I confess I was not altogethersorry when I heard that those strange masterpieces had been destroyed. "“我说不太清楚。他的画奇异而荒诞，好象是宇宙初创时的图景——伊甸园，亚当和夏娃……我怎么知道呢①？是对人体美——男性和女性的形体——的一首赞美诗，是对大自然的颂歌；大自然，既崇高又冷漠，既美丽又残忍……它使你感到空间的无限和时间的永恒，叫你产生一种畏惧的感觉。他画了许多树，椰子树、榕树、火焰花、鳄梨……所有那些我天天看到的；但是这些树经他一画，我再看的时候就完全不同了，我仿佛看到它们都有了灵魂，都各自有一个秘密，仿佛它们的灵魂和秘密眼看就要被我抓到手里，但又总是被它们逃脱掉。那些颜色都是我熟悉的颜色，可是又有所不同；它们都具有自己的独特的重要性。而那些赤身裸体的男男女女，他们既都是尘寰的、是他们揉捏而成的尘土，又都是神灵。人的最原始的天性赤裸裸地呈现在你眼前，你看到的时候不由得感到恐惧，因为你看到的是你自己。”①原文为法语。库特拉斯医生耸了一下肩膀，脸上露出笑容。“你会笑我的。我是个实利主义者，我生得又蠢又胖——有点儿象福斯塔夫②，对不对？——抒情诗的感情对我是很不合适的。我在惹人发笑。但是我真的还从来没有看过哪幅画给我留下这么深的印象。说老实话③，我看这幅画时的心情，就象我进了罗马塞斯廷小教堂一样。在那里我也是感到在天花板上绘画的那个画家非常伟大，又敬佩又畏服。那真是天才的画，气势磅礴，叫人感到头晕目眩。在这样伟大的壁画前面，我感到自己非常渺小，微不足道。但是人们对米开朗基罗的伟大还是有心理准备的，而在这样一个土人住的小木房子里，远离文明世界，在俯瞰塔拉窝村庄的群山怀抱里，我却根本没想到会看到这样令人吃惊的艺术作品。另外，米开朗基罗神智健全，身体健康。他的那些伟大作品给人以崇高、肃穆的感觉。但是在这里，虽然我看到的也是美，却叫我觉得心神不安。我不知道那究竟是什么，但它确实叫我不能平静。它给我一种印象，仿佛我正坐在一间空荡荡的屋子隔壁，我知道那间屋子是空的，但不知为什么，我又觉得里面有一个人，叫我惊恐万状。你责骂你自己吧；你知道这只不过是你的神经在作祟——但是，但是……过一小会儿，你就再也不能抗拒那紧紧捕捉住你的恐惧了。你被握在一种无形的恐怖的掌心里，无法逃脱。是的，我承认当我听到这些奇异的杰作被毁掉的时候，我并不是只觉得遗憾的。”②莎士比亚戏剧《亨利四世》中人物，身体肥胖，喜爱吹牛。③原文为法语。

At that momentwe were interrupted by the appearance of Madame Coutras, who had been payingvisits. She came in, like a ship in full sail, an imposing creature, tall andstout, with an ample bust and an obesity girthed in alarmingly bystraight-fronted corsets. She had a bold hooked nose and three chins. She heldherself upright. She had not yielded for an instant to the enervating charm ofthe tropics, but contrariwise was more active, more worldly, more decided thananyone in a temperate clime would have thought it possible to be. She wasevidently a copious talker, and now poured forth a breathless stream ofanecdote and comment. She made the conversation we had just had seem far awayand unreal.Presently Dr.Coutras turned to me."I stillhave in my bureau the picture that Strickland gave me, " he said."Would you like to see it?""Willingly."We got up, andhe led me on to the verandah which surrounded his house. We paused to look atthe gay flowers that rioted in his garden."For along time I could not get out of my head the recollection of the extraordinarydecoration with which Strickland had covered the walls of his house, " hesaid reflectively.I had beenthinking of it, too. It seemed to me that here Strickland had finally put thewhole expression of himself. Working silently, knowing that it was his lastchance, I fancied that here he must have said all that he knew of life and allthat he divined. And I fancied that perhaps here he had at last found peace.The demon which possessed him was exorcised at last, and with the completion ofthe work, for which all his life had been a painful preparation, rest descendedon his remote and tortured soul. He was willing to die, for he had fulfilledhis purpose."What wasthe subject?" I asked.这时候库特拉斯太太看朋友回来，我们的谈话暂时被打断了。库特拉斯太太象一只帆篷张得鼓鼓的小船，精神抖擞地闯了进来。她是个又高大又肥胖的女人，胸部膨脝饱满，却紧紧勒着束胸。她生着一个大鹰钩鼻，下巴耷拉着三圈肥肉，身躯挺得笔直。尽管热带气候一般总是叫人慵懒无力，对她却丝毫没有影响。相反地，库特拉斯太太又精神又世故，行动敏捷果断，在这种叫人昏昏欲睡的地带里，谁也想不到她有这么充沛的精力。此外，她显然还是个非常健谈的人；自踏进屋门的一分钟起，她就谈论这个、品评那个，话语滔滔不绝。我们刚才那场谈话在库特拉斯太太进屋以后显得非常遥远、非常不真实了。过了一会儿，库特拉斯医生对我说：“思特里克兰德给我的那幅画一直挂在我的书房①里。你要去看看吗？”①原文为法语。“我很想看看。”我们站起来，医生领着我走到室外环绕着这幢房子的阳台上。我们在外面站了一会儿，看了看他花园里争奇斗妍的绚烂的鲜花。“看了思特里克兰德用来装饰他房屋四壁的那些奇异的画幅，很久很久我老是忘不掉，”他沉思地说。我脑子里想的也正是这件事。看来思特里克兰德终于把他的内心世界完全表现出来了。他默默无言地工作着，心里非常清楚，这是他一生中最后一个机会了。我想思特里克兰德一定把他理解的生活、把他的慧眼所看到的世界用图象表示了出来。我还想，他在创作这些巨画时也许终于寻找到心灵的平静；缠绕着他的魔鬼最后被拔除了。他痛苦的一生似乎就是为这些壁画做准备，在图画完成的时候，他那远离尘嚣的受折磨的灵魂也就得到了安息。对于死他勿宁说抱着一种欢迎的态度，因为他一生追求的目的已经达到了。“他的画主题是什么？”我问。

She took nonotice. Again the beastly stench almost made him faint, and he lit a cheroot.His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, and now he was seized by anoverwhelming sensation as he stared at the painted walls. He knew nothing ofpictures, but there was something about these that extraordinarily affectedhim. From floor to ceiling the walls were covered with a strange and elaboratecomposition. It was indescribably wonderful and mysterious. It took his breathaway. It filled him with an emotion which he could not understand or analyse.He felt the awe and the delight which a man might feel who watched thebeginning of a world. It was tremendous, sensual, passionate; and yet there wassomething horrible there, too, something which made him afraid. It was the workof a man who had delved into the hidden depths of nature and had discoveredsecrets which were beautiful and fearful too. It was the work of a man who knewthings which it is unholy for men to know. There was something primeval thereand terrible. It was not human. It brought to his mind vague recollections ofblack magic. It was beautiful and obscene." MonDieu, this is genius. "The words werewrung from him, and he did not know he had spoken.Then his eyesfell on the bed of mats in the corner, and he went up, and he saw the dreadful,mutilated, ghastly object which had been Strickland. He was dead. Dr. Coutrasmade an effort of will and bent over that battered horror. Then he startedviolently, and terror blazed in his heart, for he felt that someone was behindhim. It was Ata. He had not heard her get up. She was standing at his elbow,looking at what he looked at."GoodHeavens, my nerves are all distraught, " he said. "You nearlyfrightened me out of my wits. "He looked againat the poor dead thing that had been man, and then he started back in dismay."But hewas blind. ""Yes; hehad been blind for nearly a year. "她没有理睬他。屋子里的腥臭味又一次差点儿把他熏倒，他点了一支方头雪茄。他的眼睛已经完全适应屋里的朦胧光线了。他凝视着墙上的绘画，心中激荡着无法控制的感情。他对于绘画并不怎么内行，但是墙上的这些画却使他感到激动。四面墙上，从地板一直到天花板，展开一幅奇特的、精心绘制的巨画，非常奇妙，也非常神秘。库特拉斯医生几乎连呼吸都停止了。他心中出现了一种既无法理解、又不能分析的感情。如果能够这样比较的话，也许一个人看到开天辟地之初就是怀着这种欣喜而又畏服的感觉的。这幅画具有压人的气势，它既是肉欲的，又充满无限热情。与此同时它又含着某种令人恐惧的成分，叫人看着心惊肉跳。绘制这幅巨作的人已经深入到大自然的隐秘中，探索到某种既美丽、又可怕的秘密。这个人知道了一般人所不该知道的事物。他画出来的是某种原始的、令人震骇的东西，是不属于人世尘寰的。库特拉斯医生模模糊糊地联想到黑色魔法，既美得惊人，又污秽邪恶。“上帝啊①，这是天才。”①原文为法语。这句话脱口而出，只是说出来以后他才意识到自己是在下了一个评语。后来他的眼睛落在墙角的一张草席上，他走过去，看到了一个肢体残缺、让人不敢正眼看的可怕的东西，那是思特里克兰德。他已经死了。库特拉斯医生运用了极大的意志力，俯身看了看这具可怕的尸骸。他突然吓得跳起来，一颗心差点儿跳到嗓子眼儿上；因为他感到身后边有什么东西。回头一看，原来是爱塔。不知道什么时候，爱塔已经站起来，走到他胳臂肘旁边，同他一起俯视着地上的死人。“老天爷，我的神经一定出了毛病了，”他说，“你可把我吓坏了。”这个一度曾是活生生的人，现在已经气息全无了；库特拉斯又看了看，便心情沉郁地掉头走开。“他的眼睛已经瞎了啊。”“是的，他已经瞎了快一年了。”

Then two yearsmore went by, or perhaps three, for time passes imperceptibly in Tahiti, and itis hard to keep count of it; but at last a message was brought to Dr. Coutras thatStrickland was dying. Ata had waylaid the cart that took the mail into Papeete,and besought the man who drove it to go at once to the doctor. But the doctorwas out when the summons came, and it was evening when he received it. It wasimpossible to start at so late an hour, and so it was not till next day soonafter dawn that he set out. He arrived at Taravao, and for the last timetramped the seven kilometres that led to Ata's house. The path was overgrown,and it was clear that for years now it had remained all but untrodden. It wasnot easy to find the way. Sometimes he had to stumble along the bed of thestream, and sometimes he had to push through shrubs, dense and thorny; often hewas obliged to climb over rocks in order to avoid the hornet-nests that hung onthe trees over his head. The silence was intense.It was with asigh of relief that at last he came upon the little unpainted house,extraordinarily bedraggled now, and unkempt; but here too was the sameintolerable silence. He walked up, and a little boy, playing unconcernedly inthe sunshine, started at his approach and fled quickly away: to him thestranger was the enemy. Dr. Coutras had a sense that the child was stealthilywatching him from behind a tree. The door was wide open. He called out, but noone answered. He stepped in. He knocked at a door, but again there was noanswer. He turned the handle and entered. The stench that assailed him turnedhim horribly sick. He put his handkerchief to his nose and forced himself to goin. The light was dim, and after the brilliant sunshine for a while he couldsee nothing. Then he gave a start. He could not make out where he was. Heseemed on a sudden to have entered a magic world. He had a vague impression ofa great primeval forest and of naked people walking beneath the trees. Then hesaw that there were paintings on the walls." MonDieu, I hope the sun hasn't affected me, " he muttered.A slightmovement attracted his attention, and he saw that Ata was lying on the floor,sobbing quietly."Ata," he called. "Ata. "两年又过去了，也许是三年，因为在塔希提，时间总是不知不觉地流逝过去，没有人费心去计算。但是最后终于有人给库特拉斯医生带来个信儿，说是思特里克兰德很快就要死了。爱塔在路上拦住一辆往帕皮提递送邮件的马车，请求赶车的人立刻到医生那里去一趟。但是消息带到的时候，医生恰巧不在家。直到傍晚他才听到这个信儿。天已经太晚了，他当天无法动身；他是第二天清早才启程去的。他首先到了塔拉窝，然后下车步行；这是他最后一次走七公里的路到爱塔家去。小路几乎已被荒草遮住，看来已经有好几年没有行人的足迹了。路很不好走；有时候他得跋涉过一段河滩；有时候他得分开长满荆棘的茂密的矮树丛。有好几次他不得不从岩石上爬过去，为了躲避挂在头顶树枝上的野蜂窝。密林里万籁无声。最后他走到那座没有油漆过的木房子前面时，他长舒了一口气。这所房子现在已经破旧得不成样子，而且一片龌龊，不堪入目。迎接他的仍是一片无法忍受的寂静。他走到阳台上，一个小孩儿正在阳光底下玩儿，一看见他便飞快地跑掉了；在这个孩子的眼睛里，所有陌生人都是敌人。库特拉斯医生意识到孩子正躲在一棵树后面偷偷地看着他。房门敞开着。他叫了一声，但是没有人回答。他走了进去。他在另一扇门上敲了敲，仍然没有回答。他把门柄一扭便走进去。扑鼻而来的一股臭味几乎叫他呕吐出来。他用手帕堵着鼻子，硬逼着自己走进去。屋子里光线非常暗，从外面灿烂的阳光下走进来，一时他什么也看不见。当他的眼睛适应了室内的光线时，他吓了一大跳。他不知道自己走到什么地方来了，仿佛是，他突然走入了一个神奇的世界；矇矇眬眬中，他好象觉得自己正置身于一个原始大森林中，大树下面徜徉着一些赤身裸体的人。过了一会儿他才知道，他看到的是四壁上的巨大壁画。“上帝啊①，我不是被太阳晒昏了吧，”他喃喃自语道。①原文为法语。一个人影晃动了一下，引起他的注意，他发现爱塔正躺在地板上，低声呜咽着。“爱塔，”他喊道，“爱塔。”

"He willnot see you. You must go away. "Dr. Coutrasinsisted, but she would not let him pass. Dr. Coutras shrugged his shoulders,and after a moment's rejection turned away. She walked with him. He felt thatshe too wanted to be rid of him."Is therenothing I can do at all?" he asked."You cansend him some paints, " she said. "There is nothing else he wants.""Can hepaint still?""He ispainting the walls of the house. ""This is aterrible life for you, my poor child. "Then at lastshe smiled, and there was in her eyes a look of superhuman love. Dr. Coutraswas startled by it, and amazed. And he was awed. He found nothing to say."He is myman, " she said."Where isyour other child?" he asked. "When I was here last you had two.""Yes; itdied. We buried it under the mango. "When Ata hadgone with him a little way she said she must turn back. Dr. Coutras surmisedshe was afraid to go farther in case she met any of the people from thevillage. He told her again that if she wanted him she had only to send and hewould come at once.“他不愿意见你。你快走吧。”库特拉斯医生一定要看看病人，但是爱塔拦住他，不叫他进去。库特拉斯医生耸了耸肩膀；他想了一会儿，便转身走去。她跟在他身边。医生觉得，她也希望自己马上离开。“有没有什么事我可以替你做的？”他问。“你可以给他送点儿油彩来，”她说。“别的什么他都不要。”“他还能画画儿吗？”“他正在往墙上画壁画儿。”“你的生活真不容易啊，可怜的孩子。”她的脸上终于露出了笑容，眼睛里放射出一种爱的光辉，一种人世上罕见的爱情的光辉。她的目光叫库特拉斯医生吓了一跳。他感到非常惊异，甚至产生了敬畏之感。他不知道自己该说什么。“他是我的男人。”她说。“你们的那个孩子呢？”医生问道，“我上次来，记得你们是有两个小孩儿的。”“是有两个。那个已经死了。我们把他埋在芒果树底下了。”爱塔陪着医生走了一小段路以后，就对医生说，她得回去了。库特拉斯医生猜测，她不敢往更远里走，怕遇见村子里的人。他又跟她说了一遍，如果她需要他，只要捎个话去，他一定会来的。

" Maisnon, mon cher monsieur, men are always the same. Fear makes them cruel. . . . Idecided to see Strickland, and when I had finished with the chiefess asked fora boy to show me the way. But none would accompany me, and I was forced to findit alone. "When Dr.Coutras arrived at the plantation he was seized with a feeling of uneasiness.Though he was hot from walking, he shivered. There was something hostile in theair which made him hesitate, and he felt that invisible forces barred his way.Unseen hands seemed to draw him back. No one would go near now to gather thecocoa-nuts, and they lay rotting on the ground. Everywhere was desolation. Thebush was encroaching, and it looked as though very soon the primeval forestwould regain possession of that strip of land which had been snatched from itat the cost of so much labour. He had the sensation that here was the abode ofpain. As he approached the house he was struck by the unearthly silence, and atfirst he thought it was deserted. Then he saw Ata. She was sitting on herhaunches in the lean-to that served her as kitchen, watching some mess cookingin a pot. Near her a small boy was playing silently in the dirt. She did notsmile when she saw him."I havecome to see Strickland, " he said."I will goand tell him. "She went to thehouse, ascended the few steps that led to the verandah, and entered. Dr.Coutras followed her, but waited outside in obedience to her gesture. As sheopened the door he smelt the sickly sweet smell which makes the neighbourhoodof the leper nauseous. He heard her speak, and then he heard Strickland'sanswer, but he did not recognise the voice. It had become hoarse and indistinct.Dr. Coutras raised his eyebrows. He judged that the disease had alreadyattacked the vocal chords. Then Ata came out again.“别这么说，我亲爱的先生①，人们都是这样的。恐惧使人们变得残酷无情……我决定去看看思特里克兰德。当我给女酋长看好病以后，我想找一个男孩子给我带路，但是没有一个人肯陪我去，最后还是我一个人摸索着去了。”①原文为法语。库特拉斯医生一走进那个椰子园，就有一种忐忑不安的感觉。虽然走路走得浑身燥热，却不由得打了个寒战。空气中似乎有什么敌视他的东西，叫他望而却步；他觉得有一种看不见的势力阻拦着他，许多只看不见的手往后拉他。没有人再到这里来采摘椰子，椰果全都腐烂在地上，到处是一片荒凉破败的景象。低矮的树丛从四面八方侵入这个种植园，看来人们花费了无数血汗开发出的这块土地不久就又要被原始森林重新夺回去了。库特拉斯医生有一种感觉，仿佛这是痛苦的居留地。他越走近这所房子，越感到这里寂静得令人心神不安。开始他还以为房子里没有人了呢，但是后来他看见了爱塔。她正蹲在一间当厨房用的小棚子里，用锅子煮东西，身旁有一个小男孩，一声不出地在泥土地上玩儿。爱塔看见医生的时候，脸上并没有笑容。“我是来看思特里克兰德的。”他说。“我去告诉他。”爱塔向屋子走去，登上几层台阶，走上阳台，然后进了屋子。库特拉斯医生跟在她身后，但是走到门口的时候却听从她的手势在外边站住。爱塔打开房门以后，他闻到一股腥甜气味；在麻风病患者居住的地方总是有这种令人作呕的气味。他听见爱塔说了句什么，以后他听见思特里克兰德的语声，但是他却一点儿也听不出这是思特里克兰德的声音。这声音变得非常沙哑、模糊不清。库特拉斯医生扬了一下眉毛。他估计病菌已经侵袭了病人的声带了。过了一会儿，爱塔从屋子里走出来。

"But Atadid not send for me, " the doctor went on, at last, "and it chancedthat I did not go to that part of the island for a long time. I had no news ofStrickland. Once or twice I heard that Ata had been to Papeete to buy paintingmaterials, but I did not happen to see her. More than two years passed before Iwent to Taravao again, and then it was once more to see the old chiefess. Iasked them whether they had heard anything of Strickland. By now it was knowneverywhere that he had leprosy. First Tane, the boy, had left the house, andthen, a little time afterwards, the old woman and her grandchild. Stricklandand Ata were left alone with their babies. No one went near the plantation,for, as you know, the natives have a very lively horror of the disease, and inthe old days when it was discovered the sufferer was killed; but sometimes,when the village boys were scrambling about the hills, they would catch sightof the white man, with his great red beard, wandering about. They fled interror. Sometimes Ata would come down to the village at night and arouse thetrader, so that he might sell her various things of which she stood in need.She knew that the natives looked upon her with the same horrified aversion asthey looked upon Strickland, and she kept out of their way. Once some women,venturing nearer than usual to the plantation, saw her washing clothes in thebrook, and they threw stones at her. After that the trader was told to give herthe message that if she used the brook again men would come and burn down herhouse. ""Brutes," I said.“但是爱塔并没有叫我去，”医生最后继续说，“我凑巧也有很长时间没有机会到那个地区去。关于思特里克兰德我什么消息也没听到。有一两次我听说爱塔到帕皮提来买绘画用品，但是我都没有看见她。大约过了两年多，我才又去了一趟塔拉窝，仍然是给那个女酋长看病。我问那地方的人，他们听到过思特里克兰德的什么消息没有。这时候，思特里克兰德害了麻风病的事已经到处都传开了。首先是那个男孩子塔耐离开了他们住的地方，不久以后，老太婆带着她的孙女儿也走了。后来只剩下思特里克兰德、爱塔和他们的孩子了。没有人走近他们的椰子园。当地的土人对这种病怕得要命，这你是知道的；在过去的日子里，害麻风病的人一被发现就被活活儿打死。但是有时候村里的小孩到山上去玩，偶然会看到这个留着大红胡子的白人在附近游荡。孩子们一看见他就象吓掉了魂儿似地没命地跑掉。有时候爱塔半夜到村子里来，叫醒开杂货店的人买一些她需要的东西。她知道村子里的人对她也同样又害怕又厌恶，正象对待思特里克兰德一样，因此她总是避开他们。又有一次有几个女人奓着胆子走到他们住的椰子园附近，这次她们走得比哪次都近，看见爱塔正在小溪里洗衣服，她们向她投掷了一阵石块。这次事件发生以后，村里的杂货商就被通知给爱塔传递一个消息：以后如果她再用那条溪水，人们就要来把她的房子烧掉。”“这些混帐东西。”我说。

"What isit that thou art saying to the doctor?" asked Ata suspiciously. "Thouwilt not go?""If itplease thee I will stay, poor child. "Ata flungherself on her knees before him, and clasped his legs with her arms and kissedthem. Strickland looked at Dr. Coutras with a faint smile."In theend they get you, and you are helpless in their hands. White or brown, they areall the same. "Dr. Coutrasfelt that it was absurd to offer expressions of regret in so terrible a disaster,and he took his leave. Strickland told Tane, the boy, to lead him to thevillage. Dr. Coutras paused for a moment, and then he addressed himself to me."I did notlike him, I have told you he was not sympathetic to me, but as I walked slowlydown to Taravao I could not prevent an unwilling admiration for the stoicalcourage which enabled him to bear perhaps the most dreadful of humanafflictions. When Tane left me I told him I would send some medicine that mightbe of service; but my hope was small that Strickland would consent to take it,and even smaller that, if he did, it would do him good. I gave the boy amessage for Ata that I would come whenever she sent for me. Life is hard, andNature takes sometimes a terrible delight in torturing her children. It waswith a heavy heart that I drove back to my comfortable home in Papeete. "For a long timenone of us spoke.“你在同医生说什么？”爱塔有些怀疑地问他，“你不走吧？”“如果你愿意的话，我就不走，可怜的孩子。”爱塔一下子跪在他的脚下，两臂抱紧他的双腿，拼命地吻他。思特里克兰德看着库特拉斯医生，脸上带着一丝微笑。“最后他们还是要把你抓住，你怎么挣扎也白费力气。白种人也好，棕种人也好，到头来都是一样的。”库特拉斯医生觉得对于这种可怕的疾病说一些同情的话是很荒唐的，他决定告辞。思特里克兰德叫那个名叫塔耐的男孩子给他领路，带他回村子去。说到这里，库特拉斯医生停了一会儿。最后他对我说：“我不喜欢他，我已经告诉过你，我对他没有什么好感。但是在我慢慢走回塔拉窝村的路上，我对他那种自我克制的勇气却不由自主地产生了敬佩之情。他忍受的也许是一种最可怕的疾病。当塔耐和我分手的时候，我告诉他我会送一些药去，对他的疾病也许会有点儿好处。但是我也知道，思特里克兰德是多半不肯服我送去的药的，至于这种药——即使他服了——有多大效用，我就更不敢希望了。我让那孩子给爱塔带了个话，不管她什么时候需要我，我都会去的。生活是严酷的，大自然有时候竟以折磨自己的儿女为乐趣，在我坐上马车驶回我在帕皮提的温暖的家庭时，我的心是沉重的。”很长一段时间，我们谁都没有说话。

"They arenot going to take thee away?" she cried.At that timethere was no rigid sequestration on the islands, and lepers, if they chose,were allowed to go free."I shallgo up into the mountain, " said Strickland.Then Ata stoodup and faced him."Let theothers go if they choose, but I will not leave thee. Thou art my man and I am thywoman. If thou leavest me I shall hang myself on the tree that is behind thehouse. I swear it by God. "There wassomething immensely forcible in the way she spoke. She was no longer the meek,soft native girl, but a determined woman. She was extraordinarily transformed."Whyshouldst thou stay with me? Thou canst go back to Papeete, and thou wilt soonfind another white man. The old woman can take care of thy children, and Tiarewill be glad to have thee back. ""Thou artmy man and I am thy woman. Whither thou goest I will go, too. "For a momentStrickland's fortitude was shaken, and a tear filled each of his eyes andtrickled slowly down his cheeks. Then he gave the sardonic smile which wasusual with him."Women arestrange little beasts, " he said to Dr. Coutras. "You can treat themlike dogs, you can beat them till your arm aches, and still they love you." He shrugged his shoulders. "Of course, it is one of the most absurdillusions of Christianity that they have souls. "“他们不会把你弄走吧？”她哭着说。当时在这些岛上还没有实行严格的隔离制度。害麻风病的人如果自己愿意，是可以留在家里的。“我要到山里去。”思特里克兰德说。这时候爱塔站起身，看着他的脸说：“别人谁愿意走谁就走吧。我不离开你。你是我的男人，我是你的女人。要是你离开了我，我就在房子后面这棵树上上吊。我在上帝面前发誓。”她说这番话时，神情非常坚决。她不再是一个温柔、驯顺的土人女孩子，而是一个意志坚定的妇人。她一下子变得谁也认不出来了。“你为什么要同我在一起呢？你可以回到帕皮提去，而且很快地你还会找到另一个白人。这个老婆子可以给你看孩子，蒂阿瑞会很高兴地再让你重新给她干活儿的。”“你是我的男人，我是你的女人。你到哪儿去我也到哪儿去。”有那么一瞬间，思特里克兰德的铁石心肠似乎被打动了，泪水涌上他的眼睛，一边一滴，慢慢地从脸颊上流下来。但是他的脸马上又重新浮现出平日惯有的那种讥嘲的笑容。“女人真是奇怪的动物，”他对库特拉斯医生说，“你可以象狗一样地对待她们，你可以揍她们揍得你两臂酸痛，可是到头来她们还是爱你。”他耸了耸肩膀。“当然了，基督教认为女人也有灵魂，这实在是个最荒谬的幻觉。”

Dr. Coutras haddelivered sentence of death on many men, and he could never overcome the horrorwith which it filled him. He felt always the furious hatred that must seize aman condemned when he compared himself with the doctor, sane and healthy, whohad the inestimable privilege of life. Strickland looked at him in silence.Nothing of emotion could be seen on his face, disfigured already by theloathsome disease."Do theyknow?" he asked at last, pointing to the persons on the verandah, nowsitting in unusual, unaccountable silence."Thesenatives know the signs so well, " said the doctor. "They were afraidto tell you. "Stricklandstepped to the door and looked out. There must have been something terrible inhis face, for suddenly they all burst out into loud cries and lamentation. Theylifted up their voices and they wept. Strickland did not speak. After lookingat them for a moment, he came back into the room."How longdo you think I can last?""Whoknows? Sometimes the disease continues for twenty years. It is a mercy when itruns its course quickly. "Strickland wentto his easel and looked reflectively at the picture that stood on it."You havehad a long journey. It is fitting that the bearer of important tidings shouldbe rewarded. Take this picture. It means nothing to you now, but it may be thatone day you will be glad to have it. "Dr. Coutrasprotested that he needed no payment for his journey; he had already given backto Ata the hundred-franc note, but Strickland insisted that he should take thepicture. Then together they went out on the verandah. The natives were sobbingviolently. "Be quiet, woman. Dry thy tears, " said Strickland,addressing Ata. "There is no great harm. I shall leave thee very soon."库特拉斯医生曾经对许多人宣判过死刑，但是每一次都无法克服自己内心的恐怖感。他总是想，被宣判死刑的病人一定拿自己同医生比较，看到医生身心健康、享有生活的宝贵权利，一定又气又恨；病人的这种感情每次他都能感觉到。但是思特里克兰德却只是默默无言地看着他，一张已经受这种恶病蹂躏变形的脸丝毫也看不出有任何感情变化。“他们知道吗？”最后，思特里克兰德指着外面的人说；这些人这时静悄悄地坐在露台上，同往日的情景大不相同。“这些本地人对这种病的征象是非常清楚的，”医生说，“只是他们不敢告诉你罢了。”思特里克兰德走到门口，向外面张望了一下。他的脸相一定非常可怕，因为外面的人一下子都哭叫、哀号起来，而且哭声越来越大。思特里克兰德一句话也没说。他愣愣地看了他们一会儿，便转身走回屋子。“你认为我还能活多久？”“谁说得准？有时候染上这种病的人能活二十年，如果早一些死倒是上帝发慈悲呢。”思特里克兰德走到画架前面，沉思地看着放在上面的画。“你到这里来走了很长一段路。带来重要消息的人理应得到报酬。把这幅画拿去吧。现在它对你不算什么，但是将来有一天可能你会高兴有这样一幅画的。”库特拉斯医生谢绝说，他到这儿来不需要报酬，就是那一百法郎他也还给了爱塔。但是思特里克兰德却坚持要他把这幅画拿走。这以后他们俩一起走到外面阳台上。几个本地人仍然在非常哀痛地呜咽着。“别哭了，女人。把眼泪擦干吧，”思特里克兰德对爱塔说。“没有什么大了不起的。我不久就要离开你了。”

Ata did notspeak, but with the boy followed him to the house. The girl who had brought himwas by this time sitting on the verandah, and here was lying an old woman, withher back to the wall, making native cigarettes. Ata pointed to the door. Thedoctor, wondering irritably why they behaved so strangely, entered, and therefound Strickland cleaning his palette. There was a picture on the easel.Strickland, clad only in a pareo, was standing with his back to the door, buthe turned round when he heard the sound of boots. He gave the doctor a look ofvexation. He was surprised to see him, and resented the intrusion. But thedoctor gave a gasp, he was rooted to the floor, and he stared with all hiseyes. This was not what he expected. He was seized with horror."You enterwithout ceremony, " said Strickland. "What can I do for you?"The doctorrecovered himself, but it required quite an effort for him to find his voice.All his irritation was gone, and he felt -- eh bien, oui, je ne le nie pas --he felt an overwhelming pity."I am Dr.Coutras. I was down at Taravao to see the chiefess, and Ata sent for me to seeyou. ""She's adamned fool. I have had a few aches and pains lately and a little fever, butthat's nothing; it will pass off. Next time anyone went to Papeete I was goingto send for some quinine. ""Look atyourself in the glass. "Strickland gavehim a glance, smiled, and went over to a cheap mirror in a little wooden frame,that hung on the wall."Well?""Do younot see a strange change in your face? Do you not see the thickening of yourfeatures and a look -- how shall I describe it? -- the books call itlion-faced. Mon pauvre ami, must I tell you that you have a terribledisease?""I?""When youlook at yourself in the glass you see the typical appearance of the leper.""You arejesting, " said Strickland."I wish toGod I were. ""Do youintend to tell me that I have leprosy?""Unfortunately,there can be no doubt of it. "爱塔没有说话，她同那个男孩子一起跟着走进屋子。把医生找来的那个女孩儿这时在阳台上坐下来；阳台上还躺着一个老太婆，背对着墙，正在卷当地人吸的一种纸烟。医生感到这些人的举止都有些奇怪，心里有些气恼。走进屋子以后，他发现思特里克兰德正在清洗自己的调色板。画架上摆着一幅画。思特里克兰德扎着一件帕利欧，站在画架后面，背对着门。听到有脚步声，他转过身来。他很不高兴地看了医生一眼。他有些吃惊；他讨厌有人来打搅他。但是真正感到吃惊的是医生；库特拉斯一下子僵立在那里，脚下好象生了根，眼睛瞪得滚圆。他看到的是他事前绝没有料到的。他吓得胆战心惊。“你怎么连门也不敲就进来了，”思特里克兰德说，“有什么事儿？”医生虽然从震惊中恢复过来，但还是费了很大劲儿才能开口说话。他来时的一肚子怒气已经烟消云散；他感到——哦，对，我不能否认。①——他感到从心坎里涌现出一阵无限的怜悯之情。①原文为法语。“我是库特拉斯医生。我刚才到塔拉窝去给女酋长看病，爱塔派人请我来给你看看。”“她是个大傻瓜。最近我身上有的地方有些痛，有时候有点儿发烧，但这不是什么大病。过些天自然就好了。下回有人再去帕皮提，我会叫他带些金鸡纳霜回来的。”“你还是照照镜子吧。”思特里克兰德看了他一眼，笑了笑，走到挂在墙上的一面小镜子前头。这是那种价钱很便宜的镜子，镶在一个小木框里。“怎么了？”“你没有发现你的脸有什么变化吗？你没有发现你的五官都肥大起来，你的脸——我该怎么说呢？——你的脸已经成了医书上所说的‘狮子脸’了。我可怜的朋友①，难道一定要我给你指出来，你得了一种可怕的病了吗？”①原文为法语。“我？”“你从镜子里就可以看出来，你的脸相都是麻风病的典型特征。”“你是在开玩笑么？”思特里克兰德说。“我也希望是在开玩笑。”“你是想告诉我，我害了麻风病么？”“非常不幸，这已经是不容置疑的事了。”