LUCKY PEAR（1870）

　　幸运的佩尔（11）

　　These two were not alone long.

　　这两人没独处多久。

　　The door opened, and Peer, who hadn’t promised to come before the next forenoon, stood in the room.

　　门开了，佩尔站在房间里，他原本承诺第二天上午之前不会来。

　　He well knew how the old people had followed him in their thoughts, how ignorant, too, they still must be of his success, and when driving by the house with the singing master, he had stopped outside; with the light still burning up in the garret, he had felt he must go to them.

　　他清楚地知道老人们如何在心中牵挂着他，也清楚他们对他的成功可能还一无所知，当他和声乐老师驾车经过房子时，他在外面停下了；看到阁楼上灯还亮着，他觉得必须去见她们。

　　“Splendid, glorious, superb! All went well!” he exclaimed jubilantly, and kissed his mother and his grandmother.

　　“精彩绝伦，荣耀无比，超级棒！一切顺利！”他欢欣鼓舞地喊道，亲吻了母亲和祖母。

　　The singing master nodded with a beaming face and pressed their hands.

　　声乐老师满面笑容地点点头，紧握她们的手。

　　“And now he must go home and have some rest,” he said.

　　“现在他必须回家休息一下，”他说。

　　And the late visit was over.

　　这次深夜拜访结束了。

　　“Our Father in Heaven, how gracious and good you are!” said these two poor women.

　　“我们在天上的父，你是多么仁慈和善良啊！”这两个可怜的女人说。

　　They talked far into the night about Peer.

　　她们谈到深夜，话题都是佩尔。

　　Everywhere in the great city people talked about him—the young, handsome, wonderful singer.

　　在这座大城市里，到处都有人在谈论他——这位年轻、英俊、出色的歌手。

　　Lucky Peer had gone that far.

　　幸运的佩尔已经取得了如此成就。

　　XIII

　　十三

　　With great fanfare, the morning paper told of the debut as something out of the ordinary, the drama critic reserving his privilege of expressing his opinion in a following issue.

　　晨报大肆宣扬了这次首演，称之为非同寻常，戏剧评论家保留在下一期发表意见的权利。

　　The merchant invited Peer and the singing master to a grand dinner.

　　商人邀请佩尔和声乐老师参加盛大晚宴。

　　It was an observance—a testimony of his and his wife’s interest in the young man, who had been born in the house, in the same year and on the very same day as their own son.

　　这是一种礼遇——证明他和妻子对这个年轻人的关心，他出生在这栋房子里，和他们自己的儿子同年同月同日生。

　　The merchant made a beautiful speech and proposed a toast to the singing master, the man who had found and polished this “precious stone,” a name one of the prominent papers had called Peer.

　　商人发表了精彩的演讲，并向声乐老师敬酒，是他发现并打磨了这颗“宝石”，这是一家知名报纸对佩尔的称呼。

　　Felix sat by his side and was the soul of gaiety and affection.

　　菲利克斯坐在他旁边，是欢乐和深情的灵魂人物。

　　After dinner he brought out his own cigars; they were better than the merchant’s.

　　晚餐后，他拿出自己的雪茄；比商人的更好。

　　“He can afford to get them,” said the latter; “he has a rich father.”

　　“他买得起这些，”商人说；“他有个富爸爸。”

　　Peer did not smoke—a great fault, but one which could be remedied easily enough.

　　佩尔不抽烟——这是一个大缺点，但很容易补救。

　　“We must be friends,” said Felix.

　　“我们必须成为朋友，”菲利克斯说。

　　“You have become the lion of the town! All the young ladies, and the old ones, too, for that matter, you have taken by storm. You are lucky with everything, I envy you, especially in that you can go in and out over there at the theater, among all the little girls.”

　　“你成了城里的红人！所有的年轻女士，甚至年长的女士，都被你迷住了。你事事走运，我羡慕你，特别是你能在剧院里进进出出，和所有小姑娘们在一起。”

　　To Peer that did not seem anything very worthy of envy.

　　对佩尔来说，这似乎没什么值得羡慕的。

　　He received a letter from Madam Gabriel.

　　他收到了加布里埃尔夫人的来信。

　　She was in a state of ecstasy over the splendid accounts in the papers of his debut and over what he would become as an artist.

　　她对他首演在报纸上的精彩报道以及他将成为的艺术家前景欣喜若狂。

　　She and the girls had drunk a toast to him with punch.

　　她和女孩们用潘趣酒为他干杯。

　　Herr Gabriel also had a share in his honor, and was quite sure that he, beyond most others, could pronounce foreign words correctly.

　　加布里埃尔先生也分享了他的荣誉，并且非常确信他比大多数人更能正确发音外语单词。

　　The pharmacist ran about town and reminded everyone that it was at their little theater they had first seen and admired his talent, which now for the first time was recognized in the capital.

　　药剂师在城里到处跑，提醒每个人正是在他们的小剧院里，他们第一次看到并赞赏他的才华，而这才华现在才在首都首次得到认可。

　　“The pharmacist’s daughter would surely be irritated,” added Madam, “now that he could propose to baronesses and countesses. The pharmacist’s daughter had been in too much of a hurry and given in too soon, for a month earlier she had become betrothed to the fat Councillor. The banns had been published, and they were to be married on the twentieth of the month.”

　　“药剂师的女儿肯定会恼火的，”夫人补充道，“既然他现在可以向男爵夫人和伯爵夫人求婚了。药剂师的女儿太心急了，妥协得太快，因为一个月前她已经和胖议员订了婚。结婚预告已经发布，他们将在本月二十日结婚。”

　　It was just the twentieth of the month when Peer received this letter.

　　佩尔收到这封信时，正好是本月二十日。

　　He felt as if he had been pierced through the heart.

　　他感觉心如刀割。

　　At that moment it became clear to him that, during all the vacillation of his soul, she had been his steadfast thought.

　　在那一刻他清楚地意识到，在他心灵的所有摇摆不定中，她一直是他坚定的思念。

　　He cared more for her than anyone else in the world.

　　他爱她胜过世上任何人。

　　Tears came into his eyes; he crumpled the letter in his hand.

　　泪水涌入他的眼睛；他把信揉成一团。

　　It was the first great grief of heart he had known since he had heard, with Mother and Grandmother, that his father had fallen in the war.

　　这是自他从母亲和祖母那里得知父亲在战争中阵亡以来，第一次感受到的巨大心灵悲痛。

　　He thought that all happiness was gone, that his future would be empty and sorrowful.

　　他认为所有的幸福都消失了，他的未来将是空虚和悲伤的。

　　The sunlight no longer beamed from his youthful face; the sunshine was put out in his heart.

　　阳光不再照耀他年轻的脸庞；他心中的阳光熄灭了。

　　“He doesn’t look well,” said Mother and Grandmother.

　　“他脸色不好，”母亲和祖母说。

　　“It is the hard work at the theater.”

　　“是剧院里的辛苦工作。”

　　They could both see that he was not the same as before, and the singing master saw it, too.

　　她们俩都能看出他和以前不一样了，声乐老师也看出来了。

　　“What is the matter” he said.

　　“怎么了？”他说。

　　“May I not know what troubles you”

　　“难道我不能知道你烦恼什么吗？”

　　At that his cheeks turned red, his tears flowed afresh, and he told him about his sorrow, his loss.

　　听到这话，他的脸颊变红，泪水再次涌出，他告诉了他自己的悲伤和失去。

　　“I loved her so deeply!” he said.

　　“我曾经那么深爱她！”他说。

　　“Only now, when it is too late, is it really clear to me!”

　　“只是现在，当一切都太晚了，我才真正明白！”

　　“Poor, grieved friend! I understand you so well. Weep freely, and as soon as you can, hold onto the thought that whatever happens in the world happens for the best. I, too, have known and felt what you now are feeling. I, like you, once loved a girl; she was intelligent, pretty, and fascinating; she was to be my wife. I could offer good her good circumstances, and she cared for me; but one condition had to be met before the marriage; her parents required it, and she required it: I must become a Christian!”

　　“可怜、悲伤的朋友！我非常理解你。尽情哭泣吧，然后尽快记住，世上发生的任何事情都是为了最好的结果。我也曾经历过并感受到你现在的感受。我，像你一样，曾经爱过一个女孩；她聪明、漂亮、迷人；她将成为我的妻子。我能给她提供优裕的条件，她也关心我；但结婚前必须满足一个条件；她的父母要求，她也要求：我必须成为基督徒！”

　　“And that you would not”

　　“而你不愿意？”

　　“I could not. One cannot, with an honest conscience, jump from one religion to another without sinning either against the one he takes leave of or the one he steps into. “

　　“我不能。一个人不能凭良心从一种宗教跳到另一种宗教，而不冒犯他离开的宗教或他加入的宗教。”

　　“Have you no faith” said Peer.

　　“你没有信仰吗？”佩尔说。

　　“I have the God of my fathers. He is a light for my feet and my understanding.” They sat in silence for a while. Then the hands of the singing master touched the keys, and he played an old folk song. Neither of them sang the words; perhaps each was deep in his own thoughts.

　　“我有我祖先的上帝。他是我脚前的灯，是我理解的光。”他们沉默地坐了一会儿。然后声乐老师的手触动了琴键，他弹奏了一首古老的民歌。两人都没有唱出歌词；也许每个人都沉浸在自己的思绪中。

　　Madam Gabriel’s letter was not read again.

　　加布里埃尔夫人的信没有再读。

　　She never dreamed what sorrow it had brought.

　　她做梦也想不到这封信带来了多大的悲伤。

　　A few days later a letter arrived from Herr Gabriel; he also wished to offer his congratulations and “a commission,” which perhaps was the real reason for the letter.

　　几天后，加布里埃尔先生来信了；他也想表示祝贺，并有一个“委托”，这或许是这封信的真正原因。

　　He asked Peer to buy a little porcelain figure, namely, Amor and Hymen, Love and Marriage.

　　他请佩尔买一个小瓷像，即爱神和婚姻之神，爱神和婚姻。

　　“It is all sold out here in town,” he wrote, “but can easily be bought in the capital. The money is enclosed with this. Send the thing as quickly as possible; it is a wedding present for the Councillor, at whose marriage I was with my wife.” Moreover, Peer was told: “Young Madsen never will become a student; he has left the house and has painted the walls with embarrassing remarks against the family. A bad subject, that young Madsen. *Sunt pueri pueri, pueri puerilia tractant*! i.e., ‘Boys are boys, and boys do boyish things.’ I translate it since you are not a Latin scholar.” And with that Herr Gabriel’s letter closed.

　　“城里这里全卖光了，”他写道，“但在首都很容易买到。钱随信附上。尽快把东西寄来；这是送给议员的结婚礼物，我带着妻子参加了他的婚礼。”此外，佩尔还被告知：“年轻的马德森永远不会成为大学生了；他已经离开了房子，并在墙上涂写了针对这家人难堪的话。那是个坏坯子，那个年轻的马德森。*Sunt pueri pueri, pueri puerilia tractant*！即，‘男孩就是男孩，男孩做男孩的事。’我给你翻译了，因为你拉丁语不好。”加布里埃尔先生的信到此结束。

　　XIV

　　十四

　　Frequently, when Peer sat at the piano, there sounded tones in it that stirred within his breast and head.

　　常常，当佩尔坐在钢琴前时，琴声中会响起触动他胸中和脑海的音符。

　　The tones rose into melodies, which now and then carried words along with them; they could not be separated from the melodies.

　　这些音符升华为旋律，时而伴随着歌词；它们与旋律密不可分。

　　Thus several little poems that were rhythmic and full of feeling came into being.

　　于是，几首富有节奏感和情感的小诗诞生了。

　　They were sung in a subdued voice.

　　它们被低声吟唱。

　　It was as if they, shy and afraid of being heard, were gliding along in loneliness.

　　仿佛它们羞怯而害怕被听见，在孤独中滑行。

　　*Everything passes, like the wind that blows;*

　　*There is nothing lasting here.*

　　*From your cheek will fade the rose,*

　　*As well as smile and tear.*

　　*Why be burdened with pain and grief*

　　*Away with your trouble and sorrow,*

　　*For everything goes, fades like the leaf;*

　　*Time and man pass with the morrow.*

　　*All vanishes, everything goes,*

　　*Your youth, your hope, and your friend.*

　　*Everything passes, like the wind that blows,*

　　*Never to return, only to end!*

　　一切消逝，如风吹过；

　　此处无物永恒。

　　玫瑰将从你脸颊褪色，

　　笑容与泪水亦然。

　　何必承受痛苦与悲伤？

　　抛开烦恼与忧愁，

　　因为一切逝去，如叶枯黄；

　　时光与人随明日远走。

　　一切消逝，万物皆去，

　　你的青春、希望与友人。

　　一切消逝，如风吹过，

　　永不复返，唯余终结！

　　“Where did you get that song and melody” asked the singing master, who by chance saw the words and music written down.

　　“你这首歌和旋律是哪里来的？”声乐老师问道，他偶然看到了写下的歌词和乐谱。

　　“It came of itself, that and all these. They will never fly farther into the world.”

　　“它自己来的，这首歌和所有这些都是。它们永远不会传到更远的世界去。”

　　“A downcast spirit sets out flowers, too,” said the singing master, “but a downcast spirit dares not give advice. Now we must set sail and steer toward your next debut. What do you say to Hamlet, the melancholy young Prince of Denmark”

　　“沮丧的心灵也会开出花朵，”声乐老师说，“但沮丧的心灵不敢给予建议。现在我们必须起航，驶向你下一次的登台。你觉得扮演忧郁的丹麦年轻王子哈姆雷特怎么样？”

　　“I know Shakespeare’s tragedy,” said Peer, “but not yet Thomas’ opera.”

　　“我知道莎士比亚的悲剧，”佩尔说，“但还不知道托马斯的歌剧。”

　　“The opera should be called *Ophelia*,” said the singing master.

　　“这部歌剧应该叫《奥菲莉亚》，”声乐老师说。

　　In the tragedy, Shakespeare has made the queen tell us of Ophelia’s death, and this has become the high light in the musical rendering.

　　在悲剧中，莎士比亚让王后告诉我们奥菲莉亚的死，这已成为音乐演绎中的亮点。

　　One sees before his eyes, and feels in the tones, what before we could learn only from the narrative of the queen.

　　人们亲眼所见，并在音调中感受到，以前我们只能从王后的叙述中了解的东西。

　　*There is a willow grows aslant a brook,*

　　*That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream;*

　　*There with fantastic garlands did she come*

　　*Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples*

　　*That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,*

　　*But our cold maids do dead men’s fingers call them:*

　　*There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds*

　　*Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke;*

　　*When down her weedy trophies and herself*

　　*Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide,*

　　*And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up:*

　　*Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes,*

　　*As one incapable of her own distress…*

　　溪边斜生着一棵杨柳，

　　灰白的叶子映在明镜般的水流中；

　　她来到那里，带着奇异的花环

　　有毛茛、荨麻、雏菊和长颈紫兰

　　放浪的牧人给它们粗俗的称呼，

　　而我们贞洁的姑娘唤它们死人指：

　　在那儿，她爬上悬垂的枝条

　　想把野草编成的冠冕挂上，

　　一根心怀嫉妒的细枝折断；

　　她连同那些野草的战利品

　　一同掉进呜咽的溪流。她的衣服四散展开，

　　像美人鱼般，将她托起片刻：

　　其间她断续唱着古老的曲调，

　　仿佛没意识到自己的苦难…

　　The opera brings all this before our eyes.

　　歌剧将这一切展现在我们眼前。

　　We see Ophelia; she comes out playing, dancing, singing the old ballad about the mermaid who entices men down beneath the river, and while she sings and plucks the flowers the same tones are heard from the depths of the stream; they sound in the voices of the chorus alluringly from the deep water; she listens; she laughs; she draws near the brink; she holds onto the overhanging willow and stoops to pluck the white water lilies; gently she glides out onto them and, singing, reclines on their broad leaves; she swings with them and is carried by the stream out into the deep, where, like the broken flower, she sinks in the moonlight, with the mermaid’s melody welling forth about her.

　　我们看到奥菲莉亚；她出来玩耍、跳舞、唱着关于美人鱼引诱男人到河底的古老歌谣，当她唱歌采花时，同样的音调从溪流深处传来；它们从深水中以合唱的声音诱人地响起；她倾听；她欢笑；她靠近岸边；她抓住垂柳，俯身去采白色的睡莲；她轻轻滑到它们上面，歌唱着，斜倚在宽大的叶子上；她和它们一起摇摆，被溪流带到深处，在那里，她像破碎的花朵一样，在月光下沉没，美人鱼的旋律在她周围涌起。

　　In this great scene it is as if Hamlet, his mother, his uncle, and the dead, avenging king were created only to make the frame for this exquisite picture.

　　在这个伟大的场景中，仿佛哈姆雷特、他的母亲、他的叔叔以及死去复仇的国王，都只是为了构成这幅精美图画的框架而被创造出来。

　　We do not get Shakespeare’s Hamlet, just as in the opera *Faust* we do not get Goethe’s Faust.

　　我们得到的不是莎士比亚的哈姆雷特，就像在歌剧《浮士德》中我们得到的不是歌德的浮士德一样。