Yes.
在《斯普林菲尔德共和报》上
In the Springfield Republican.
它… 它是匿名发表的
It… it was printed anonymously.
那似乎有些不合常理
That seems a little eccentric.
不过在这样的状况下 可能也是件好事
But in the circumstances, probably a good thing.
我们不可能都成为弥尔顿
We can’t all be Milton.
别赌气 艾米莉 这不太体面
Don’t pout, Emily. It’s unbecoming.
诗歌♥对我来说是一种慰藉 用来抚平对于终将伴随我们所有人的永恒来世的恐惧
Poems are my solace for the eternity which surrounds us all.
这句话是谁说的? – 我说的
Who said that? – I did.
好吧 别这样 这听上去有些反基♥督♥
Well, don’t. It sounds unchristian.
那么 温妮去哪儿了?
And where’s Vinnie?
在这儿呢 姑妈
Here, Aunt.
你怎么样?
And what of you?
哦 我就象个朝圣者 努力完善自我
Oh, I am like Pilgrim, trying to improve.
一个朝圣者应该仅仅是 始终感知他人的自我完善
A pilgrim should only ever be conscious of other people’s self-improvement.
仅仅感知自身是自负的
Consciousness of his own is mere vanity.
但是 姑妈 自负是一种无害的恶
But, Aunt, vanity is such a harmless vice.
它只是象那些沉溺其中的人一样肤浅而已
It’s as shallow as the people who indulge in it.
没有什么恶是无害的 温妮
No vice is harmless, Vinnie.
对此 光看看巴比伦这座奢华淫靡的城市就知道了
Look no further than Babylon for that.
你怎么样 奥斯汀? – 哦 我根本没在朝圣
What of you, Austin? – Oh, I’m on no pilgrimage at all.
那么你怎么看待恶?
And what of vice?
无疑 恶只不过是伪装的善
Surely vice is only virtue in disguise.
艾米莉·狄金森从母名,她的母亲亦名艾米莉
那么 对于你的孩子们在道德观念上的暧昧不清 你怎么看 艾米莉?
And what is your opinion of your children’s moral laxity, Emily?
哦 我更愿意倾听并保持沉默
Oh, I prefer to listen and remain silent.
那样的话 一种偏见可能就不会成为一种观点
That way, a prejudice doesn’t seem like an opinion.
这样的回答太过斯芬克斯式的神秘 我听了反而一点也没有更了解
That reply was so Sphinx-like, I’m none the wiser.
哦 珍视您的无知 姑妈
Oh, cherish your ignorance, Aunt.
您从来不知道 您什么时候会需要它
You never know when you will need it.
爱德华!
Edward!
你的孩子们太让我震惊了
Your children astound me.
他们应该被送回他们的房♥间 然后报以一顿老拳
They ought to be sent to their rooms and pummelled.
一小时一次 – 冷静 伊丽莎白姑妈
Hourly. – Calm down, Aunt Elizabeth.
来一杯加仑酒 让恶转变成有药效的愉悦
Have a glass of currant wine. Turn vice into medicinal pleasure.
有药效? – 有助于你的血液循环
Medicinal? – For your circulation.
我的血液循环没有任何问题
There is nothing wrong with my circulation.
心 首先索要欢愉 然后 乞求免于痛苦
The heart asks pleasure first, And then, excuse from pain;
然后 来几片止痛药 在苦难中麻木
And then, those little anodynes That deaden suffering;
然后 它想去睡
And then, to go to sleep;
然后 如果这是审判者的意志
And then, if it should be The will of its Inquisitor,
就给它自♥由♥去死
The liberty to die.
你愿意弹些什么吗 艾米莉?
Would you play something, Emily?
一首老的赞美诗的曲调
One of the old hymn tunes.
当然
Of course.
当我还非常小的时候
When I was very young,
有一个常去我们教堂做礼拜的年轻人
a young man who used to go to our church
经常唱它
used to sing that.
他有醇美的嗓音
He had a lovely voice.
如此纯净
So pure.
他过世的时候仅仅只有十九岁
He was only 19 when he died.
那…
The…

There.
上帝保佑您一切平安
God keep you well.
当他准备妥当 他会召唤我的
When He is ready, He will call me.
我希望您长命百岁
I hope you live for a hundred years.
真是个令人憎恶的念头
What a repellent idea.
哦 姑妈 别这么说
Oh, Aunt, don’t say that.
我并不畏惧死亡 艾米莉
I’m not afraid of death, Emily.
你也不应该
Nor should you be.
如果我们让自己的灵魂随时待命 等候上帝的召唤 那就没什么可恐惧的
If we keep our souls in readiness for God, there can be no fear.
他会扫除我们去路的荆棘
He will smooth our way.
我会为你们所有人祈祷的
I shall pray for you all.
还要记得 拒无神论者于千里之外
And remember, keep atheism at bay.
而且要 盯紧那只嘀嗒作响的钟 它在催促我们
And watch the clock that ticks for us all.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.
哦 你们都好讨厌!
Oh, you are all impossible!
我去向她致谢 但她已睡去
I went to thank her, But she slept;
她的床 形如一枚漏斗石
Her bed a funnelled stone,
头畔脚旁散落着 旅人们留下的 花束
With nosegays at the head and foot, that travellers had thrown,
任何人去向她致谢 但她都已睡去
Who went to thank her; But she slept.
跨越大海的路途 并不遥远
‘Twas short to cross the sea
端详她 却依然栩栩如生
To look upon her like, alive,
但返程 却延宕绵长
But turning back ’twas slow.
您觉得您可以笑一笑吗 狄金森先生?
You think you might smile, Mr. Dickinson?
我正在笑!
I am smiling!
艾米莉!艾米莉!
Emily! Emily!
有客人来访
We have a guest.
这位是弗莱琳·巴芬小姐
This is Miss Vryling Buffam.
易位构词游戏:是将组成一个词或短句的字母重新排列顺序,
原文中所有字母每次出现都被使用一次,这样构造出另外一些新的词或短句,例如earth=heart
我的名字听上去象是一个易位构词游戏 不是吗?
It sounds like an anagram, doesn’t it?
在你面前 你看到的是一个一生被授名仪式毁掉的人
You see before you a life blighted by baptism.
是的 我希望你能提出 让你的父母注意这个情况
Yeah, I hope you brought to the attention of your parents
他们在这方面缺乏想象力
their lack of thought in that respect.
我提了 这让他们怒火中烧
I have. It makes them very cross.
不过 无疑他们会原谅你
But surely they will forgive you.
吖 但问题是 我会原谅他们吗?
Ah, but will I forgive them?
你以前是在萨姆特堡 或者其它什么地方的女子神学院读书吗?
Weren’t you at a ladies’ seminary at Fort Sumter or somewhere?
在曼荷莲学院 – 是的 我知道那儿有一次敲响过军事活动的钟声
Mount Holyoke. – Yes, I thought it had a military ring to it.
不过 那都是很多年前的事了
But that was years ago.
那么你们的学习分学科吗?
And were your studies as disciplined?
代数 几何 各种自然科学
Algebra, geometry, the natural sciences.
出于礼法的需要 还有教会史
And for the sake of decorum, ecclesiastical history.
我认为 女人应该在教育方面 获得与男人同等的有利条件
I believe all women should have the same educational advantages as men.
不过教会史?
But ecclesiastical history?
听上去象天国一样阴沉乏味
It sounds as dreary as Paradise.
所以我们带她回家了
We brought her home.
你就这么不喜欢曼荷莲学院吗?
Did you dislike Mount Holyoke so much?
她在那儿遭到欺凌
She was bullied there.
那个地方既有欺凌 气氛又高度压制
There’s bullying and there’s coercion.
那你受到了哪一方面的伤害?
And which did you suffer?
一种两方面皆有的独特组合
A unique combination of both.
那太不像话了 – 是的 而且… 它囚禁钳制思想 乃至让人绝望
It was appalling. – Yes, but… it puts iron in the soul.
但是那句话怎么说来着 当 到了最后 我们所有人的希望都会幻灭?
But what is the point of that when, in the end, we are all extinguished?
你害怕死亡吗? – 不
Do you fear death? – No.
但是我害怕天堂
But I fear Heaven.
我担心它可能虎头蛇尾 结局令人扫兴
I’m afraid it will seem like an anticlimax.
完美总是如此
Perfection usually does.
那么地狱呢 你怎么想?
And what of Hell?
我肯定那会比天堂更无聊
I’m sure that will be even duller than Heaven.
那才是最让人痛苦的事
That will be the agony.
你打算和我们一起去教堂做礼拜吗 巴芬小姐?
Will you go with us to church, Miss Buffam?
当然不会
Of course not.
去教堂就象去波士顿
Going to church is like going to Boston.
你只有在回到家之后 才会喜欢那里
You only enjoy it after you’ve gotten home.
我们会去为我们刚刚过世的牧师祈祷 愿他的灵魂安息
We are to pray for the repose of our late pastor’s soul.
更确切地说 这难道不取决于他的灵魂去往何处吗?
Doesn’t that rather depend on where it’s gone?
我们应当会成为忠实的朋友
We shall become fast friends.
确实如此 我是难以抗拒的
Of course we shall. I’m irresistible.
每个人都这么说
Everyone says so.
当新牧师上任后 你们一定要把他指给我看
When the new pastor does arrive, you must point him out to me.
那么你 也想被拯救?
So that you, too, may be saved?

No.
以便于我知道 应该避开谁
So that I will know whom to avoid.
别太享受你们的祈祷
Don’t enjoy your praying too much.
那可能会上瘾的
It might become habit-forming.
你们追随上帝吗 先生? – 是的 先生
Do you come to God, sir? – We do, sir.
你是谦卑地追随吗 先生?
Do you come humbly, sir?
我以我自身现有的状态来追随 神父
I come as myself, Pastor.

你的评论可以尖锐,也可以湿疣!