《现代大学英语1》春随人意

5、Unit4. The Nightingale and the Rose

　　1“She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses,” cried the young Student, “but in all my garden there is no red rose.”
　　“她说如果我能给她献上一朵红玫瑰，她就和我跳舞。”年轻的学生痛苦地高声说道，“但是寻遍我的花园，却没有一朵玫瑰。”

　　2 From her nest in the Oak-tree the Nightingale heard him and she looked out through the leaves and wondered.
　　夜莺在她橡树上的鸟巢里听见了他的话，就好奇地从树叶后面往外探望。

　　3 “No red rose in all my garden!” he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. “Ah, I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose my life is made wretched.”
　　“寻遍我的花园，可居然找不到一朵红玫瑰!”他哭喊道，他那俊美的眼睛里充满了泪水。“啊，我读过所有智者们写的书，熟知所有哲学的奥秘。然而就因为缺少一朵红玫瑰，生活却变得如此不幸。

　　4 “Here at last is a true lover,” said the Nightingale. “Night after night have I sung of him, though I knew him not and now I see him.”
　　“我终于找到一个真正的情种了。”夜莺说，“我年复一年，每天晚上都在为这样的人歌唱。现在，我终于找到了他。”

　　5 “The Prince gives a ball tomorrow night,” murmured the young Student, “and my love will be there. If I bring her a red rose she will dance with me till dawn. I shall hold her in my arms, and she will lean her head upon my shoulder, and her hand will be clasped in mine. But there is no rose in my garden, so I shall sit lonely and my heart will break.”
　　“明天晚上，王子要举行舞会，”年轻的学生咕噜道，“我的心上人也将前往。如果我有一枝红玫瑰，我就能和她共舞到黎明。我就会把她紧紧搂在怀里，让她的头靠在我的肩膀上。但是现在我的花园里没有红玫瑰，我到时只好孤独地坐着，任由我的心破碎。”

　　6 “Here, indeed, is the true lover,” said the Nightingale. Surely love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds and dearer than fine opals.
　　“这才是个真正的有情人呢，”夜莺说。爱情真是妙不可言的东西，它比绿宝石、蛋白石都要珍贵。

　　7 “The musicians will sit in the gallery,” said the young Student, “and play upon their stringed instruments, and my love will dance to the sound of the harp and the violin. She will dance so lightly that her feet will not touch the floor. But with me she will not dance, for I have no rose to give her,” and he flung himself down on the grass, and buried his face in his hands, and wept.
　　“乐师们将会坐在长廊，奏起弦乐，”年轻的学生说，“我的心上人将随着竖琴与小提琴的音乐翩翩起舞。她跳起舞来足不沾地，轻盈无比。但是她不会与我跳舞，因为我没有红玫瑰献给她。”说着，他就一头扑在草地上，双手捂住脸，哭了起来。

　　8 “Why is he weeping?” asked a green Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in the air.
　　“他为什么哭?”一只绿蜥蜴问道，他跑过学生的身边，尾巴翘得高高的。

　　9 “Why, indeed?” said a Butterfly, who was fluttering about after a sunbeam.
　　“是呀，为什么?”一只扇着翅膀，正在追逐一缕阳光的蝴蝶问道。

　　10 “Why, indeed?” whispered a Daisy to his neighbor, in a soft, low voice.
　　“是呀，为什么?”一枝雏菊对他的邻居悄声问道。

　　11 “He is weeping for a red rose,” said the Nightingale.
　　“他哭是因为他想要一枝红玫瑰，”夜莺回答道。

　　12 “For a red rose?” they cried; “How very ridiculous!” and the little Lizard, who was something of a cynic, laughed outright. But the Nightingale understood the secret of the Student’s sorrow, and sat silent in the Oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of love.
　　“一枝红玫瑰?”他们大声说，“真是傻透了!”那只愤世嫉俗的小蜥蜴当即大笑起来。可是夜莺理解那学生的悲伤，她一言不发地坐在橡树上，思考着爱情的奥秘。

　　13 Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She passed through the grove like a shadow and like a shadow she sailed across the garden.
　　突然，她展开她那褐色的翅膀，冲向天空，像影子一样飞过了小树林，又像影子一样飞过了花园。

　　14 In the center of the grass-plot stood a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she flew over to it. “Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest song.”
　　在一片草地的正中间挺立着一棵美丽的玫瑰树。夜莺一见到它就朝它飞了过去。“您要能给我一朵红玫瑰，“她喊道，”我就给您唱一支最甜美动听的歌。”

　　15 But the tree shook its head.
　　可是玫瑰树摇了摇头。

　　16 “My roses are white,” it answered, “as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round the old sundial, and perhaps he will give you what you want.”
　　“我的玫瑰是白色的，”它答道，“白得像海上的浪花，白得赛过山顶的积雪。但你可以去找我的兄弟，它就长在旧日晷边上，或许他可以满足你的要求。”

　　17 So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing round the old sundial.
　　这样，夜莺就飞到了旧日晷边上的玫瑰树那里。

　　18 “Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest song.” But the Tree shook its head.
　　“您要能给我一朵红玫瑰，”她喊道，“我就给您唱最甜美动听的歌。”可是那树摇了摇头。

　　19 “My roses are yellow,” it answered, “as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student’s window, and perhaps he will give you what you want.”
　　“我的玫瑰是黄色的，”它答道，“黄得像美人鱼头上的金发，黄得赛过草地上盛开的水仙花。但你可以去找我的兄弟，它就长在那个学生的窗子下面，或许他可以满足你的要求。”

　　20 So the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree that is growing beneath the Student’s window.
　　于是，夜莺又飞到了那个长在学生窗子下面的玫瑰树那里。

　　21 “Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest song.” But the Tree shook its head.
　　“您要能给我一朵红玫瑰，”她喊道，“我就给您唱一支最甜美动听的歌。”可是那树也摇了摇头。

　　22 “My roses are red,” it answered, “as red as the feet of the doves, and redder than the great fans of coral. But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches, and I shall have no roses at all this year.”
　　“我的玫瑰是红色的，”它答道，“红得像鸽子的脚，红得赛过绚烂的红珊瑚。但寒冬冻僵了我的血管，严霜冻死了我的花蕾，风暴折断了我的树枝。今年我根本长不出玫瑰了。”

　　23 “One red rose is all that I want,” cried the Nightingale, “only one red rose! Is there no way by which I can get it?”
　　“我只要一朵玫瑰花，”她喊道，“仅仅一朵 ! 难道我就没有一点办法可以得到它吗?”

　　24 “There is a way,” answered the Tree, “but it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you.”
　　“办法倒是有一个，”玫瑰树答道，“但是这个办法实在太可怕，我都不敢告诉你。”

　　25 “Tell it to me,” said the Nightingale, “I’m not afraid.”
　　“请告诉我，”夜莺答道，“我不怕。”

　　26 “If you want a red rose,” said the Tree, “you must build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with your own heart’s blood. You must sing to me with your breast against a thorn. All night long you must sing to me, and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your lifeblood must flow into my veins, and become mine.”
　　“如果你想得到一朵红玫瑰，”树说道，“你就必须在月光下以音乐来创造它，然后用你心里的鲜血去染红它。你必须用你的胸膛紧紧抵住我身上的一根刺为我歌唱。你必须为我歌唱整整一夜，让刺穿透你的心脏，使你的生命之血流进我的血管，变成我的血。”

　　27 “Death is a great price to pay for a red rose,” cried the Nightingale, “and life is very dear to all. Yet love is better than life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man?”
　　“用生命来换取一朵红玫瑰，代价的确很高昂。”夜莺喊道，“生命对每个人都是珍贵的。可是，爱情比生命更重要。再说，一只鸟的心与一个人的心相比，又算得了什么?”

　　28 So she spread her brown wings for flight and soared into the air. She swept over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed through the grove.“
　　于是，夜莺展开双翅，飞向蓝天。她像影子一样飞过了花园，又像影子一样飞过了小树林。

　　29 The young Student was still lying on the grass, and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes. “Be happy,” cried the Nightingale, “be happy, you shall have your red rose. I will build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with my own heart’s blood. All that I ask of you in return is that you will be a true lover.”
　　年轻的学生还躺在草地上，他俊美的眼睛还含着眼泪。“别伤心了，”夜莺喊道，“高兴起来吧。你会得到红玫瑰的。我将在月光下以音乐来创造它，用我自己心脏的鲜血来染红它。我所要求的唯一回报是你要成为一个真正有情有义之人。”

　　30 The Student looked up from the grass, and listened, but he could not understand what the Nightingale was saying to him. But the Oak-tree understood and felt sad, for he was very fond of the little Nightingale, who had built her nest in his branches. “Sing me one last song,” he whispered; “I shall feel lonely when you are gone.”
　　学生从草地上抬起头看着她，听着，但是他并不明白夜莺的话。可是橡树明白了，他感到非常悲伤，因为他喜欢这个在他树枝上筑巢的小夜莺。“给我唱最后一支歌吧，”他轻轻地说，“你不在了，我会感到孤单的。”

　　31 So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree, and her voice was like the water bubbling from a silver jar.
　　于是，夜莺就为橡树唱了起来，她的歌声如同银瓶里流出的汩汩清泉。

　　32 When she had finished her song, the Student got up.
　　等她唱完时，那学生站了起来。

　　33 “She has form,” he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove. “That cannot be denied. But has she got feeling? I’m afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists: She is all style without any sincerity.” And he went to his room, and lay down on his bed, and after a time, fell asleep.
　　他一面走过小树林一面自言自语，“她懂得一点音乐的形式。这点不可否认。但是她有真正的感情吗? 恐怕未必。实际上她同大多数艺术家一样，只有花哨的表现形式，就是缺乏真情。”于是他回到自己房间，在床上躺了下来，过了一会儿就睡着了。

　　34 And when the Moon shone in the heavens, the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree, and set her breast against the thorn. All night long she sang with her breast against the thorn, and the cold crystal Moon leaned down and listened. All night long she sang, and the thorn went deeper into her breast, and her lifeblood ebbed away from her.
　　当月亮升起的时候，夜莺飞到玫瑰树上，用她的胸膛紧紧抵住一根刺。整整一夜，她就这样用她的胸膛紧紧抵着刺歌唱，而发出冷冷的水晶般光辉的月亮俯下身来，倾听她的歌声。整整一夜，夜莺不停地唱着，那尖利的刺刺入她的胸膛，越刺越深，而她的生命之血就这样一点点流出。

　　35 She sang first of the birth of love in the heart of a boy and a girl. And on the topmost spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed a marvelous rose, petal following petal, as song followed song.
　　她在歌中首先歌颂少男少女心中初次萌发的恋情。这时玫瑰树最高枝端一朵美妙的玫瑰出现了。随着她一首歌接着一首歌地唱，玫瑰花一瓣接着一瓣地绽开了。

　　36 But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to pierce closer against the thorn. “Press closer, little Nightingale,” cried the Tree, “or the Day will come before the rose is finished.”
　　但是玫瑰树让夜莺再贴近一点儿尖刺。“再贴紧一点儿，小夜莺，”树喊道，“不然在玫瑰盛开之前，天就要亮了。”

　　37 So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and louder and louder grew her song, for she sang of the birth of passion in the soul of a man and a maid.
　　这样，夜莺的心在尖刺上贴得更近，她的歌声也越来越大，因为她现在正歌唱着青年男女心灵深处产生的激情。

　　38 And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her heart so the rose’s heart remained white.
　　这时淡淡的红色注入了玫瑰的花瓣，宛如新郎亲吻新娘嘴唇时脸上泛起的羞红。可是尖刺还没有刺到她的心脏，玫瑰的花心还是白色的。

　　39 And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. “Press closer, little nightingale,” cried the Tree, “or the Day will come before the rose is finished.”
　　这时玫瑰树焦急地让夜莺进一步贴近尖刺。“再贴近一点儿，小夜莺，”他喊道，“不然在玫瑰盛开之前，天就要亮了。”

　　40 So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn touched her heart, and a fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song, for she sang of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not in the tomb.
　　于是夜莺就贴得更紧，尖刺触到了她的心脏，剧烈的疼痛传遍了她的全身。她的疼痛越剧烈，她的歌声越宏亮。她在歌唱因死亡而完美的爱，那即便在坟墓里也永远不会消失的爱。

　　41 And the marvelous rose became crimson, like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson was the girdle of petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart.
　　那朵美妙无比的玫瑰渐渐变成了深红色，就像东方天际的红霞，花瓣的外环是深红色的，花心更红得好似一块红宝石。

　　42 But the Nightingale’s voice grew fainter and a film came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her song, and she felt something choking her in her throat.
　　但是夜莺的声音变得越来越弱，她的眼前出现了一层薄雾。她的歌声越来越低，她感到喉咙里有东西卡着，快要窒息了。

　　43 Then she gave one last burst of music. The white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn, and lingered on in the sky. The Red Rose heard it, and trembled all over with ecstasy, and opened its petals in the cold morning air.
　　然后，她用尽全力发出了最后的歌声。皎洁的月亮听见了她的歌，她忘记了黎明，依然挂在天空。红玫瑰听见了她的歌，狂喜地颤抖，在寒冷的黎明绽放了它的全部花瓣。

　　44 “Look, look!” cried the Tree, “the rose is finished now.” But the Nightingale made no answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass, with the thorn in her heart.
　　“快看，快看 !”玫瑰树喊道，“玫瑰已经盛开了。”可是夜莺没有回答，因为她已经死了。她躺在高高的青草之中，心上插着那根尖刺。

　　45 And at noon the Student opened his window and looked out.
　　中午时，那学生打开窗户，向外眺望。

　　46 “Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!” he cried; “here is a red rose. I have never seen any rose like it in all my life. It is so beautiful that I am sure it has a long Latin name.” And he leaned down and plucked it.
　　“哎呀，我真幸运。”他喊道，“这儿有一朵红玫瑰。这是我一生中见到过的最红的玫瑰花。我敢肯定它一定有一个长长的拉丁名字。”他俯身把它摘了下来。

　　47 Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the Professor’s daughter with the Rose in his hand.
　　然后，他戴上帽子，手持玫瑰，跑到教授女儿那里。

　　48 “You said that you would dance with me if I brought you a red rose,” cried the Student. “Here is the reddest rose in all the world. You will wear it tonight near your heart, and as we dance together it will tell you how I love you.”
　　“你说过，如果我能献上一朵红玫瑰，你就和我跳舞。”学生喊道，“这是整个世界上最红的玫瑰，你今天晚上把它佩在胸前，这样我们跳舞时，它就能告诉你我是如何地爱你。”

　　49 But the girl frowned.
　　但是女孩子皱了皱眉头。

　　50 “I’m afraid it will not go with my dress,” she answered, “and besides, the Chamberlain’s nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that jewels cost more than flowers.”
　　“恐怕它和我的衣服不相配。”她答道，“再说，皇宫内务总管的侄子已经给我送来了珠宝。而大家都知道珠宝要比花值钱。”

　　51 “Well, upon my word, you are very ungrateful,” said the Student angrily, and he threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the gutter, and a cartwheel went over it.
　　“好哇，我真没想到你会这样不知好歹。”那学生气愤地说，说完就把玫瑰扔到了大街上，玫瑰滚进了污水沟里，被车轮辗过。

　　52 “What a silly thing Love is!” said the Student as he walked away. “It is not half as useful as logic. In fact, it is quite unpractical, and, as in this age to be practical is everything, I shall go back to Philosophy and study metaphysics.”
　　“爱情是多么愚蠢啊!” 那学生边走边说。“都赶不上逻辑学的一半儿有用。其实，它根本不实用。而在这个年代，讲求实际就是一切。我还是回到哲学中去，学学形而上学。”

　　53 So he returned to his room and pulled out a great dusty book, and began to read.
　　于是，他回到房间里，拽出一本满是灰尘的巨著，读了起来。