“I wish I were thy bird.”
出自《罗密欧与朱丽叶》第二幕第二场。
在凯普莱特家的盛大舞会上,罗密欧与朱丽叶一见钟情。但直到他们接吻后,才意外发现对方竟然是自家家族世仇(蒙太古与凯普莱特)的子女。舞会结束后,朱丽叶心神不宁,走上卧室的阳台,对着夜空抒发对罗密欧的爱慕与因身份而产生的烦恼。她不知道的是,罗密欧并没有离开,他翻墙潜入凯普莱特家的花园,正好在阳台下听到了她的独白。
两人隔空对话,互诉衷肠,确认了彼此的爱意。朱丽叶担心罗密欧的安危,因为如果他被自己的家人发现,必死无疑。她多次催促他离开:
朱丽叶说:“天快亮了,我希望你离开…”
但紧接着,她又情不自禁地表达了对罗密欧的依恋和不舍。
部分原稿如下:
朱丽叶说:
Tis almost morning. I would have thee gone—
And yet no further than a wanton’s bird,
That lets it hop a little from her hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
And with a silk thread plucks it back again, So loving-jealous of his liberty. 天快亮了,我希望你走吧;
可是我就好比一个淘气的女孩子,
像放松一个囚犯似的让她心爱的鸟儿
暂时跳出她的掌心,
又用一根丝线把它拉了回来,
爱的私心使她不愿意给它自由。
I would have thee gone; and yet no further than a wanton's bird, that lets it hop a little from his hand, like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, and with a silk thread plucks it back again, so loving-jealous of his liberty.
我希望你走吧;可是就像放任一只心爱的鸟儿,让它跳出手掌心一会儿,又用一根丝线把它拉回来。因为爱得自私,生怕它获得自由。
罗密欧说:
I wish I were thy bird.
我希望我是你的鸟儿。
thy是古英语中your的所有格形式。
第4章 I wish I were thy bird.