爱到生死相许的勃朗宁夫人 勃朗宁夫人, 生死勃朗宁夫人, 生死

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她的诗和她的爱情

      　　　　－－－女诗人Elizabeth Barrett Browning小传


    Elizabeth Browning是十九世纪英国著名女诗人，生于１８０６
年３月６日。十五岁时，不幸骑马跌损了脊椎。从此，下肢瘫痪达２
４年。在她３９岁那年，结识了小她６岁的诗人Robert Browning.她
那充满着哀怨的生命从此打开了新的一章。她本来是一个残废的病人，
生命，只剩下一长串没有欢乐的日子；青春，在生与死的边缘上黯然
消逝。如今，在迟暮的岁月里赶上了早年的爱情。然而，她只能流着
泪，用无情的沉默来回答一声声爱情的呼唤。但是，爱情战胜了死亡，
从死亡的阴影里救出了一个已经放弃了生命的人。就象神话中的英雄在
悬崖边救出了被供奉给海怪的公主，替公主打开了裹在她周身的铁链；
她那不知疲倦的情人也帮着她摆脱了她的惊慌、她的疑虑、她的哀怨，
扶着她一步步来到了阳光底下。她动荡不安的感情逐渐变得稳定了；她
对于人生开始有了信心，产生了眷恋。未来的幸福，不再是一团强烈的
幻光，叫她不敢逼视，不敢伸出手去碰一下了。她敢于拿爱情来报答爱
情了。

    这份爱情使她奇迹班地重新站了起来。在病室中被禁锢了２４年之
后，她终于可以凭自己的双脚重新走到阳光下了。

    白朗宁夫妇一起度过了１５年幸福的生活，在这１５年中，从不知
道有一天的分离。１８６１年６月２９日，白朗宁夫人永别了她的Robert。
临终之前，她并没多大病疼，也没有预感，只是觉得倦；那是一个晚上，
她正和白朗宁商量消夏的计划。她和他谈心说笑，用最温存的话表示她的
爱情；后来她感到倦，就偎依在白朗宁的胸前睡去了。她这样地睡了几分
钟，头突然垂了下来；他以为她是一时昏晕，但是她去了，再不回来了。
她在他的怀抱中瞑了目。她的容貌，象少女一般，微笑，快乐。

    这部感人的诗集就是他们爱情生活的真实写照。它是英国文学史上的
珍品之一。其美丽动人，甚至超过莎士比亚的十四行诗集。有多人译过这
本诗集，如闻一多，查良铮（金庸）等。但我认为方平译得最好，令人爱
不释手。这里Post的就是方平译本。白朗宁夫人最初开始写这十四行组诗
大概是在她答应了白朗宁的求婚以后那一段时期。直到他们婚后住到了比
萨，白朗宁才读到这本诗集。他不敢把这文学上的无价之宝留给他一个人
享受。１８５０年白朗宁夫人出版了一卷诗集，把这组十四行诗也收进在
内，共四十四首，还取了一个总名，叫做《葡萄牙人十四行诗集》，用以
掩饰作者身分，因白朗宁夫人不愿意把个人情诗发表今将这本诗集奉献给
大家，希望大家会喜欢。

                                                    晓拂

Footnote:

In the 1850 _Poems_ there are *43* ( fourty three ) sonnets.
The sonnet previously called ``Future and Past'', which appeared
divorced from _Sonnets from the Portuguese_ in the 1850 collection,
was added to them as No. XLII ( 42 ) in 1856, bringing the number
up to *44* ( fourty four ).

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第一首

我想起，当年希腊的诗人曾经歌咏：
I thought once how Theocritus had sung
年复一年，那良辰在殷切的盼望中
Of the sweet years, the dear and wished-for years,
翩然降临，各自带一份礼物
Who each one in a gracious hand appears
分送给世人－－年老或是年少。
To bear a gift for mortals, old or young:
当我这么想，感叹着诗人的古调，
And, as I mused it in his antique tongue,
穿过我泪眼所逐渐展开的幻觉，
I saw, in gradual vision through my tears,
我看见，那欢乐的岁月、哀伤的岁月－－
The sweet, sad years, the melancholy years,
我自己的年华，把一片片黑影接连着
Those of my own life, who by turns had flung
掠过我的身。紧接着，我就觉察
A shadow across me. Straightway I was 'ware,
（我哭了）我背后正有个神秘的黑影
So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move
在移动，而且一把揪住了我的发，
Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair;
往后拉，还有一声吆喝（我只是在挣扎）：
And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, --
“这回是谁逮住了你？猜！”“死，”我答话。
`Guess now who holds thee?' -- `Death.' I said. But, there
听哪，那银铃似的回音：“不是死，是爱！”
The silver answer rang, -- `Not Death, but love.'

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第二首

可是在上帝的全宇宙里，总共才只
But only three in all God's universe
三个人听见了你那句话：除了
Have heard this word thou hast said, -- Himself, beside
讲话的你、听话的我，就是他－－
Thee speaking, and me listening! and replied
上帝自己！我们中间还有一个
One of us ... _that_ was God, ... and laid the curse
出来答话；那昏黑的诅咒落上
So darkly on my eyelids, as to amerce
我的眼皮，挡了你，不让我看见，
My sight from seeing thee, -- that if I had died,
就算我瞑了目，放上沉沉的“压眼钱”，
The death-weights, placed there, would have signified
也不至于那么彻底隔绝。唉，
Less absolute exclusion. `Nay' is worse
比谁都厉害，上帝的那一声“不行！”
From God than from all others, O my friend!
要不然，世俗的诽谤离间不了我们，
Men could not part us with their worldly jars,
任风波飞扬，也不能动摇那坚贞；
Nor the seas change us, nor the tempests bend;
我们的手要伸过山岭，互相接触；
Our hands would touch for all the mountain-bars
有那么一天，天空滚到我俩中间，
And, heaven being rolled between us at the end,
我俩向星辰起誓，还要更加握紧。
We should but vow the faster for the stars.

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第三首

我们原不一样，尊贵的人儿呀，
Unlike are we, unlike, O princely Heart!
原不一样是我们的职司和前程。
Unlike our uses and our destinies.
你我头上的天使，迎面飞来，
Our ministering two angels look surprise
翅膀碰上了翅膀，彼此瞪着
On one another, as they strike athwart
惊愕的眼睛。你想，你是华宫里
Their wings in passing. Thou, bethink thee, art
后妃的上宾，千百双殷勤的明眸
A guest for queens to social pageantries,
（哪怕挂满了泪珠，也不能教我的眼
With gages from a hundred brighter eyes
有这份光彩）请求你担任领唱。
Than tears even can make mine, to play thy part
那你干什么从那灯光辉映的纱窗里
Of chief musician. What hast _thou_ to do
望向我？－－我，一个凄凉、流浪的
With looking from the lattice-lights at me,
歌手，疲乏地靠着柏树，吟叹在
A poor, tired, wandering singer, ... singing through
茫茫的黑暗里。圣油搽在你头上－－
The dark, and leaning up a cypress tree?
可怜我，头上承受着凉透的夜露。
The chrism is on thine head, -- on mine, the dew, --
只有死，才能把这样的一对扯个平。
And Death must dig the level where these agree.

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第四首

Thou hast thy calling to some palace-floor,
你曾经受到邀请，进入了宫廷，
Most gracious singer of the high poems! where
　温雅的歌手！你唱着崇高的诗篇；
The dancers will break footing, from the care
　贵客们停下舞步，为了好瞻仰你，
Of watching up thy pregnant lips for more.
期待那丰满的朱唇再吐出清音；
And dost thou lift this house's latch too poor
而你却抽起我的门闩，你果真
For hand of thine? and canst thou think and bear
　不嫌它亵渎了你的手？没谁看见，
To let thy music drop here unaware
　你甘让你那音乐飘落在我门前，
In folds of golden fulness at my door?
叠作层层金声的富丽？你忍不忍？
Look up and see the casement broken in,
你往上瞧，看这窗户都被闯破－－
The bats and owlets builders in the roof!
　是蝙蝠和夜莺的窠巢盘踞在顶梁，
My cricket chirps against thy mandolin.
是啾啾的蟋蟀在跟你的琵琶应和！
Hush, call no echo up in further proof
　住声，别再激起回声来加深荒凉！
Of desolation! there's a voice within
那里边有一个哀音，它必须深躲，
That weeps ... as thou must sing ... alone, aloof.
　在暗里哭泣－－正象你应该当众歌唱。

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第五首

我肃穆地端起了我沉重的心，
I lift my heavy heart up solemnly,
象当年希腊女儿捧着那坛尸灰；
As once Electra her sepulchral urn,
眼望着你，我把灰撒在你脚下。
And, looking in thine eyes, I overturn
请看呀，有多大一堆悲哀埋藏在
The ashes at thy feet. Behold and see
我这心坎里；而在那灰暗的深处，
What a great heap of grief lay hid [1] in me,
那惨红的灰烬又怎样在隐约燃烧。
And how the red wild sparkles dimly burn
要是那点点火星给你鄙夷地
Through the ashen greyness. If thy foot in scorn
一脚踏灭、还它们一片黑暗，
Could tread them out to darkness utterly,
这样也好。可是，你偏不，
It might be well perhaps. But if instead
你要守在我身旁，等风来把尘土
Thou wait beside me for the wind to blow
扬起，把死灰吹活；爱呀，那戴在
The grey dust up, ... those laurels on thine head,
你头上的桂冠可不能给你做屏障，
O my Beloved, will not shield thee so,
保护你不让这一片火焰烧坏了
That none of all the fires shall scorch and shred
那底下的发丝。快站远些呀，快走！
The hair beneath. Stand further off then! go.

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第六首

Go from me. Yet I feel that I shall stand
舍下我，走吧。可是我觉得，从此
Henceforward in thy shadow. Nevermore
我就一直徘徊在你的身影里。
Alone upon the threshold of my door
在那孤独的生命的边缘，从今再不能
Of individual life, I shall command
掌握自己的心灵，或是坦然地
The uses of my soul, nor lift my hand
把这手伸向日光，象从前那样，
Serenely in the sunshine as before,
而能约束自己不感到你的指尖
Without the sense of that which I forbore --
碰上我的掌心。劫运教天悬地殊
Thy touch upon the palm. The widest land
隔离了我们，却留下了你那颗心，
Doom takes to part us, leaves thy heart in mine
在我的心房里搏动着双重声响。
With pulses that beat double. What I do
正象是酒，总尝得出原来的葡萄，
And what I dream include thee, as the wine
我的起居和梦寐里，都有你的份。
Must taste of its own grapes. And when I sue
当我向上帝祈祷，为着我自个儿
God for myself, He hears the name of thine,
他却听到了一个名字、那是你的；
And sees within my eyes the tears of two.
又在我眼里，看见有两个人的眼泪。

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第七首

The face of all the world is changed, I think,
全世界的面目，我想，忽然改变了，
Since first I heard of the footsteps of thy soul
自从我第一次在心灵上听到你的步子
Move still, oh, still, beside me, as they stole
轻轻、轻轻，来到我身旁－－穿过我和
betwixt me and the dreadful outer brink
死亡的边缘：那幽微的间隙。站在
Of obvious death, where I, who thought to sink,
那里的我，只道这一回该倒下了，
Was caught up into love, and taught the whole
却不料被爱救起，还教给一曲
Of life in a new rhythm. The cup of dole
生命的新歌。上帝赐我洗礼的
God gave for baptism, I am fain to drink,
那一杯苦酒，我甘愿饮下，赞美它
And praise its sweetness, Sweet, with thee anear.
甜蜜－－甜蜜的，如果有你在我身旁。
The names of a country, heaven, are changed away
天国和人间，将因为你的存在
For where thou art or shalt be, there or here;
而更改模样；而这曲歌，这支笛，
And this ... this lute and song ... loved yesterday
昨日里给爱着，还让人感到亲切，
( The singing angels know ) are only dear
那歌唱的天使知道，就因为
Because thy name moves right in what they say.
一声声都有你的名字在荡漾。

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第八首

你那样慷慨豪爽的施主呀，你把
What can I give thee back, O liberal
你心坎里金碧辉煌的宝藏、
And Princely giver, who hast brought the gold
原封地掏出来，只往我墙外推，
And purple of thine heart, unstained, untold,
任凭象我这样的人去拣起，还是
And laid them on the outside of the wall
把这罕见的舍施丢下；教我拿什么
For such as I to take or leave withal, [1]
来作为你应得的报答？请不要
In unexpected largesse? am I cold,
说我太冷漠、太寡恩，你那许多
Ungrateful, that for these most manifold
重重叠叠的深情厚意，我却
High gifts, I render nothing back at all?
没有一些儿回敬；不，并不是
Not so; not cold, -- but very poor instead.
冷漠无情，实在我太寒伧。你问
Ask God who knows. For frequent tears have run
上帝就明白。那连绵的泪雨冲尽了
The colours from my life, and left so dead
我生命的光彩，只剩一片死沉沉的
And pale a stuff, it were not fitly done
苍白，不配给你当偎依的枕头。
To give the same as pillow to thy head.
走吧！尽把它踏在脚下，作垫石。
Go further! let it serve to trample on.

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第九首

我能不能有什么、就拿什么给你？
Can it be right to give what I can give?
该不该让你紧挨著我，承受
To let thee sit beneath the fall of tears
我簌簌的苦泪；听著那伤逝的青春，
As salt as mine, and hear the sighing years
在我的唇边重复著叹息，偶而
Re-sighing on my lips renunciative
浮起一丝微笑，哪怕你连劝带哄，
Through those infrequent smiles which fail to live
也随即在叹息里寂灭？啊，我但怕
For all thy adjurations? O my fears,
这并不应该！我俩是不相称的
That this can scarce be right! We are not peers
一对，哪能匹配作情侣？我承认，
So to be lovers; and I own, and grieve,
我也伤心，象我这样的施主
That givers of such gifts as mine are, must
只算得鄙吝。唉，可是我怎能够让
Be counted with the ungenerous. Out, alas!
我满身的尘土玷污了你的紫袍，
I will not soil thy purple with my dust,
叫我的毒气喷向你那威尼斯晶杯！
Nor breathe my poison on thy Venice-glass,
我什么爱也不给，因为什么都不该给。
Nor give thee any love -- which were unjust.
爱呀，让我只爱著你，就算数了吧！
Beloved, I only love thee! let it pass.

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第十首
EBB _Sonnets from the Portuguese_ No. X
不过只要是爱，是爱，可就是美，
Yet, love, mere love, is beautiful indeed
就值得你接受。你知道，爱就是火，
And worthy of acceptation. Fire is bright,
火总是光明的，不问着火的是庙堂
Let temple burn, or flax. And equal light
或者柴堆－－那栋梁还是荆榛在烧，
Leaps in the flame from cedar-plank or weed.
火焰里总跳得出同样的光辉。当我
And love is fire. And when I say at need
不由得倾吐出：“我爱你！”在你的眼里，
_I love thee ... mark! ... _I love thee_ -- in thy sight
那荣耀的瞬息，我忽然成了一尊金身，
I stand transfigured, glorified aright,
感觉到有一道新吐的皓光从我天庭
With conscience of the new rays that proceed
投向你脸上。是爱，就无所谓卑下，
Out of my face toward thine. There's nothing low
即使是最微贱的在爱：那微贱的生命
In love, when love the lowest: meanest creatures
献爱给上帝，宽宏的上帝受了它、
Who love God, God accepts while loving so.
又回赐给它爱。我那迸发的热情
And what I _feel_, across the inferior features
就象道光，通过我这陋质，昭示了
Of what I _am_, doth flash itself, and show
爱的大手笔怎样给造物润色。
How that great work of Love enhances Nature's.

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第十一首
Selected from EBB _The sonnets from the Portuguese_, No. XI
这么说，把爱情作为我的名份，
And therefore if to love can be desert,        
我还不是完全不配承受。虽然，               
I am not all unworthy. Cheeks as pale
你看，两颊那么苍白，那摇晃的
As these you see, and trembling knees that fail
双膝仿佛负担不了沉重的心房；
To bear the burden of a heavy heart. --
这疲乏的行吟生涯也曾想望过
This weary minstrel-life that once was girt   
把奥纳斯山峰攀登，却只落得一片         
To climb Aornus, and can scare avail
辛酸的哀吟，怎好去跟谷莺竞奏？－－
to pipe now 'gainst the valley nightingale
干吗提这些来着？啊，亲爱的，
A melancholy music, why advert              
不用讲，我高攀不上，不配在你身边
To these things? O belov\`ed, it is plain
占一个位置。可是，就因为我爱你，
I am not of thy worth nor for thy place!
这片爱情提拔我，让我抬起了头、
And yet, because I love thee, I obtain
承受着光明，许我继续活下去，
From that same love this vindicating grace,  
哪怕是怎样枉然，也要爱你到底；
To live on still in love, and yet in vain, ...
也要祝福你－－即使拒绝你在当面。
To bless thee, yet renounce thee to thy face.

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白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第十三首
EBB _Sonnets from the Portuguese_, No. XIII
你可是要我把对你涌起的恩情，
And wilt thou have me fashion into speech        
　形之于言词，而且还觉得十分充裕；
The love I bear thee, finding words enough,
　不管有多猛的风，高举起火炬，
And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough
让光辉，从两张脸儿间，把我俩照明？
Between our faces, to cast light on each? --
我却把它掉在你脚边，没法命令
I drop it thy feet. I cannot teach
　我的手托着我的心灵，那么远距
My hands to hold my spirit so far off
　自己；难道我就能借文字作契据，
From myself ... me ... that I should bring thee proof
掏给你看、那无从抵达的爱情
In words, of love hid in me out of reach.
在我的心坎？不，我宁愿表达
Nay, let the silence of my womanhood
　女性的爱凭她的贞静，而换来
command my woman-love to thy belief, --
你的谅解－－看见我终不曾软化，
Seeing that I stand unwon, however wooed,
　任你怎样地央求，我只是咬紧着嘴，
And rend the garment of my life, in brief,
狠心撕裂着生命的衣裙；生怕
By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,
　这颗心一经接触，就泄露了悲哀。
Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief.

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*14.EEB
白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第十四首
Elizabeth Barrett Browning _Sonnets from the Portuguese_, No. XIV

如果你一心要爱我，那就别为了么，
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
　只是为了爱才爱我。别这么讲：
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
　“我爱她，为了她的一笑，她的模样，
`I love her for her smile ... her look ... her way
她柔语的声气；为了她这感触
Of speaking gently, ... for a trick of thought
正好合我的心意，那天里，的确
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought  [certes: certainly]
　给我带来满怀的喜悦和舒畅。”
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day' --
　亲爱的，这些好处都不能持常，
For these things in themselves, Belov\`ed, may
会因你而变，而这样唱出的爱曲
Be changed, or change for thee, -- and love, so wrought  [wrought: worked]
也将这样哑寂。也别爱我因为你
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
　又怜又惜地给我揩干了泪腮，
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry, --
一个人会忘了哭泣，当她久受你
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
　温柔的慰安－－却因此失了你的爱。
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
爱我，请只是为了那爱的意念，
But love for love's sake, that evermore
　那你就能继续地爱，爱我如深海。
Thou may'st love on, through love's eternity.

Footnote:
This sonnet is little more than a copy of the following poem
which some two and a half centuries earlier.

Love not me for comely grace,
For my pleasing eye or face,
Nor for any outward part,
No, nor for my constant heart, --
  For those may fail, or turn to ill,
    So thou and I shall sever:
Keep therefore a true woman's eye,
And love me still, but know not why --
  So hast thou the same reason still
    To doat upon me ever!
                           ANON.

Source: The Golden Treasury of The Best Songs and Lyrical Poems
        In The English Language, Oxford University Press, 1929.

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*15.EEB
白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第十五首
EBB "The sonnets from the Portuguese", No. XV

请不要这样指责我：我在你面前
Accuse me not, beseech thee, that I wear
露出一副太冷静、忧郁的面容；
Too calm and sad a face in front of thine;
你我原是面朝着两个不同的方向，
For we too look two ways, and can not shine
那普照的阳光照不到两人的前额。
With the same sunlight on our brow and hair.
你看着我，心中没半点儿不踏实，
On me thou lookest with no doubting care,
象看着一只笼罩在水晶里的蜜蜂；
As on a bee shut in a crystalline, --
哀怨把我密封在圣洁的爱情中，
Since sorrow hath shut me safe in love's divine,
想张开双翼，扑向外面的空间、
And to spread wing and fly in the outer air
是绝不可能的失败－－哪怕我狠着心
Were most impossible failure, if I strove
追求这颠扑和失败。可是我向你看，
To fail so. But I look on thee -- on thee --
我看见了爱，还看到了爱的结局，
Beholding, besides love, the end of love,
听到了记忆外层的哪一片寂寥！
Hearing oblivion beyond memory!
就象从千层万丈之上，你向下眺望，
As one who sits and gazes from above,
只见滚滚的浪涛尽向大海里流。
Over the rivers of the bitter sea.

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*16.EEB
白朗宁夫人抒情十四行诗集第十六首
EBB "Sonnets from the Portuguese", No. XVI

然而，因为你完全征服了我，
And yet, because thou overcomest so,
因为你那样高贵、象尊严的帝皇，
Because thou art more noble and like a king,
你能消除我的惶恐，把你的
Thou canst prevail against my fears and fling
紫袍裹绕住我，直到我的心
thy purple round me, till my heart shall grow
跟你的贴得那么紧，再想不起
Too close against thine heart henceforth to know
当初怎样独自在悸动。那宣抚，
How it shook when alone. Why, conquering
就象把人践踏在脚下，一样是
May prove as lordly and complete a thing
威严和彻底完满的征服！就象
In lifting upward, as in crushing low!
投降的兵士捧着战刀呈交给
And as a vanquished soldier yields his sword
把他从血滩里搀扶起来的主人；
To one who lifts him from the bloody earth, --
亲爱的，我终于认了输，承认：
Even so, Beloved, I at last record,
我的抗拒到此为止。假如你召唤我，
Here ends my strife. If _thou_ invite me forth,
听着这话，我要从羞愧中站起。
I rise above abasement at the word.
扩大些你的爱，好提高些我的价值。
Make thy love larger to enlarge my worth.