《一个故事》，1851 年
A Story, 1851
花园里所有的苹果树都开花了。
In the garden all the apple-trees were in blossom.
它们还没长出绿叶就急着开花了，院子里所有的小鸭都走来走去，猫也在：它在阳光下晒太阳，还舔着自己爪子上的阳光。
they had hastened to bring forth flowers before they got green leaves, and in the yard all the ducklings walked up and down, and the cat too: it basked in the sun and licked the sunshine from its own paws.
当人们望向田野，麦子长得多么漂亮，绿油油的，无与伦比！所有的小鸟都叽叽喳喳、飞来飞去，仿佛这一天是个盛大的节日；而事实上也的确如此，因为这天是星期日。
And when one looked at the fields, how beautifully the corn stood and how green it shone, without parison! and there was a twittering and a fluttering of all the little birds, as if the day were a great festival; and so it was, for it was Sunday.
所有的钟都在敲响，所有的人都去做礼拜了，他们看上去心情愉悦，穿着自己最好的衣服。
All the bells were ringing, and all the people went to church, looking cheerful, and dressed in their best clothes.
一切都洋溢着欢快的神情。
there was a look of cheerfulness on everything.
天气是如此温暖、如此美好，人们完全可以说：“上帝对我们人类的慈爱真是无边无际。”
the day was so warm and beautiful that one might well have said: “God’s kindness to us men is beyond all limits.”
但在教堂里面，牧师站在讲道坛上，大声且愤怒地讲着话。
but inside the church the pastor stood in the pulpit, and spoke very loudly and angrily.
他说所有人都是邪恶的，上帝会因为他们的罪孽惩罚他们，而且邪恶的人死后会被扔进地狱，永远受煎熬。
he said that all men were wicked, and God would punish them for their sins, and that the wicked, when they died, would be cast into hell, to burn for ever and ever.
他讲得非常激动，说他们的邪恶习性不会被消除，火焰也不会熄灭，他们永远都得不到安息。
he spoke very excitedly, saying that their evil propensities would not be destroyed, nor would the fire be extinguished, and they should never find rest.
这听起来太可怕了，而且他说得如此斩钉截铁；他把地狱描述成一个悲惨的洞穴，世间所有的垃圾都聚集在那里。
that was terrible to hear, and he said it in such a tone of conviction; he described hell to them as a miserable hole where all the refuse of the world gathers.
在炽热燃烧的硫磺火焰旁没有空气，他们脚下也没有地面；他们这些恶人越陷越深，永恒的寂静包围着他们！听到这一切太可怕了，因为牧师是发自内心在讲，教堂里所有的人都吓坏了。
there was no air beside the hot burning sulphur flame, and there was no ground under their feet; they, the wicked ones, sank deeper and deeper, while eternal silence surrounded them! It was dreadful to hear all that, for the preacher spoke from his heart, and all the people in the church were terrified.
与此同时，鸟儿在外面欢快地歌唱，阳光温暖而美好地照耀着，仿佛每一朵小花都说：“上帝啊，您对我们所有人的慈爱真是无边无际。” 的确，外面的景象和牧师的布道内容完全不同。
meanwhile, the birds sang merrily outside, and the sun was shining so beautifully warm, it seemed as though every little flower said: “God, thy kindness towards us all is without limits.” Indeed, outside it was not at all like the pastor’s sermon.
就在同一天晚上，上床睡觉时，牧师注意到他的妻子静静地坐在那里，若有所思。
the same evening, upon going to bed, the pastor noticed his wife sitting there quiet and pensive.
“你怎么了？” 他问她。
“what is the matter with you?” he asked her.
“嗯，我的问题是，” 她说，“我无法集中思绪，也不明白你今天在教堂里说的那些话的意思 —— 说有那么多恶人，而且他们应该永远受煎熬。唉！永远 —— 那是多久啊！我只是一个女人，在上帝面前也是个罪人，但我不忍心让哪怕是最恶劣的罪人永远受煎熬，我们无比善良的主又怎么能这样做呢，他深知恶行是如何从内外产生的呀？不，尽管你这么说，我还是无法想象那种情况。”
“well, the matter with me is,” she said, “that I cannot collect my thoughts, and am unable to grasp the meaning of what you said to-day in church — that there are so many wicked people, and that they should burn eternally. Alas! eternally — how long! I am only a woman and a sinner before God, but I should not have the heart to let even the worst sinner burn for ever, and how could our Lord to do so, who is so infinitely good, and who knows how the wickedness es from without and within? No, I am unable to imagine that, although you say so.”
那是秋天；树叶纷纷落下，这位严肃认真的牧师坐在一个垂死之人的床边。一位虔诚、忠实的灵魂永远地闭上了眼睛；她就是牧师的妻子。
It was autumn; the trees dropped their leaves, the earnest and severe pastor sat at the bedside of a dying person. A pious, faithful soul closed her eyes for ever; she was the pastor’s wife.
“…… 如果有人能在坟墓中安息并在主面前蒙恩，那肯定就是你了。” 牧师说道。
...”If any one shall find rest in the grave and mercy before our Lord you shall certainly do so,” said the pastor.
他合上她的双手，对着死去的女人诵读了一首诗篇。
he folded her hands and read a psalm over the dead woman.
她被埋葬了；两颗大大的泪珠从这位严肃的男人脸颊上滚落，牧师住宅里空荡荡、静悄悄的，因为它的太阳已经永远落下了。
She was buried; two large tears rolled over the cheeks of the earnest man, and in the parsonage it was empty and still, for its sun had set for ever.
她已经回家了。
She had gone home.
那是夜晚。
It was night.
一阵冷风掠过牧师的头顶；他睁开眼睛，感觉好像月光照进了他的房间。
A cold wind swept over the pastor’s head; he opened his eyes, and it seemed to him as if the moon was shining into his room.
然而并非如此；有一个身影站在他的床前，看上去就像他亡妻的鬼魂。
It was not so, however; there was a being standing before his bed, and looking like the ghost of his deceased wife.
她用那样一种亲切又哀伤的眼神注视着他，就好像她想对他说些什么。
She fixed her eyes upon him with such a kind and sad expression, just as if she wished to say something to him.
牧师从床上坐起来，向她伸出双臂，说道：“连你都不能得到永生的安息！你，最善良、最虔诚的女人，也在受苦吗？”
the pastor raised himself in bed and stretched his arms towards her, saying, “Not even you can find eternal rest! You suffer, you best and most pious woman?”
死去的女人点了点头，好像在说 “是”，然后把手放在胸口。
the dead woman nodded her head as if to say “Yes,” and put her hand on her breast.
“我不能为你在坟墓中求得安息吗？”
“And can I not obtain rest in the grave for you?”
“能。” 这就是回答。
“Yes,” was the answer.
“怎么做？”
“And how?”
“从那个将永受烈火煎熬的罪人头上给我一根头发 —— 就一根头发 —— 那个上帝要在地狱里判以永生惩罚的罪人。”
“Give me one hair — only one single hair — from the head of the sinner for whom the fire shall never be extinguished, of the sinner whom God will condemn to eternal punishment in hell.”
“是啊，应该能这么轻易地救赎你，你这纯洁、虔诚的女人。” 他说。
“Yes, one ought to be able to redeem you so easily, you pure, pious woman,” he said.
“跟我来。” 死去的女人说。“上天准许我们这样做。在我身边，你想去哪儿就能飞到哪儿，只要你的心思所至。”
“Follow me,” said the dead woman. “It is thus granted to us. by my side you will be able to fly wherever your thoughts wish to go.
在人看不见的情况下，我们要潜入他们最隐秘的房间；但你必须精准地找出那个注定要遭受永生折磨的人，而且必须在鸡鸣之前找到他！” 他们就像被长了翅膀的思绪带着一样，迅速来到了大城市，城墙上用火红的字母闪耀着致命罪孽的名字：傲慢、贪婪、酗酒、放荡 —— 简而言之，就是罪孽的整个七彩之弓。
Invisible to men, we shall penetrate into their most secret chambers; but with sure hand you must find out him who is destined to eternal torture, and before the cock crows he must be found!” As quickly as if carried by the winged thoughts they were in the great city, and from the walls the names of the deadly sins shone in flaming letters: pride, avarice, drunkenness, wantonness — in short, the whole seven-coloured bow of sin.
“是的，在那里，正如我所相信的，正如我所知道的，” 牧师说，“住着那些将被投入永生之火的人。”
“Yes, therein, as I believed, as I knew it,” said the pastor, “are living those who are abandoned to the eternal fire.”
他们站在灯火辉煌的大门前；宽阔的台阶上装饰着地毯和鲜花，舞会音乐在喜庆的大厅里回荡。
And they were standing before the magnificently illuminated gate; the broad steps were adorned with carpets and flowers, and dance music was sounding through the festive halls.
一个穿着丝绸和天鹅绒衣服的男仆，拿着一根镶着大银头的棍子站在入口附近。
A footman dressed in silk and velvet stood with a large silver-mounted rod near the entrance.
“我们的舞会可比得上国王的舞会呢，” 他说，然后轻蔑地转身面向街上围观的人群。他心里所想的在他的神情和举止中表露无遗：“可怜的乞丐们，你们在这儿围观，和我比起来你们什么都不是。”
“our ball can pare favourably with the king’s,” he said, and turned with contempt towards the gazing crowd in the street. what he thought was sufficiently expressed in his features and movements: “miserable beggars, who are looking in, you are nothing in parison to me.”
“傲慢，” 死去的女人说，“你看到他了吗？”
“pride,” said the dead woman; “do you see him?”
“那个男仆？” 牧师问。“他不过是个可怜的傻瓜，不会被投入火中遭受永生的折磨！”
“the footman?” asked the pastor. “he is but a poor fool, and not doomed to be tortured eternally by fire!”
“不过是个傻瓜！” 这话在整个傲慢之屋回响：那里的人全都是傻瓜。
“only a fool!” It sounded through the whole house of pride: they were all fools there.
然后他们飞进了守财奴那四面光秃秃的墙壁里面。
then they flew within the four naked walls of the miser.
老人瘦得像具骷髅，又冷又饿，浑身发抖，满脑子想的都是他的钱。
Lean as a skeleton, trembling with cold, and hunger, the old man was clinging with all his thoughts to his money.
他们看见他狂热地从那张可怜的床榻上跳起来，从墙上抠出一块松动的石头；一只旧袜子里藏着金币。
they saw him jump up feverishly from his miserable couch and take a loose stone out of the wall; there lay gold coins in an old stocking.
他们看见他焦急地摸索着一件破旧的上衣，衣服里缝着金币，他湿漉漉的手指在颤抖。
they saw him anxiously feeling over an old ragged coat in which pieces of gold were sewn, and his clammy fingers trembled.
“他病了！那是疯狂 —— 一种毫无乐趣的疯狂 —— 被恐惧和可怕的梦境所困扰！”
“he is ill! that is madness — a joyless madness — besieged by fear and dreadful dreams!”
他们很快离开，来到了罪犯们的床铺前；这些不幸的人一排排地并排睡着。
they quickly went away and came before the beds of the criminals; these unfortunate people slept side by side, in long rows.
其中一个人像头凶猛的野兽一样，从睡梦中惊醒，发出一声可怕的喊叫，用尖尖的肘部猛地捅了一下他的同伴的肋骨，同伴在睡梦中翻了个身：
Like a ferocious animal, one of them rose out of his sleep and uttered a horrible cry, and gave his rade a violent dig in the ribs with his pointed elbow, and this one turned round in his sleep:
“安静点，怪物 —— 睡觉！这种事每晚都发生！”
“be quiet, monster — sleep! this happens every night!”
“每晚！” 另一个人重复道。“是的，每晚他都来折磨我！我一时冲动做了这样那样的事。我生来就心地邪恶，这已经是我第二次进这儿了；但如果我做错了事，我也为此受到了惩罚。不过，有一件事我还没坦白。不久前我出狱的时候，路过我以前主人的院子，当我想起这想起那的时候，邪恶的念头在我心里升起。我在墙上擦了一根火柴；可能离茅草屋顶太近了。全都烧光了 —— 一股巨大的热浪涌起，就像有时候会把我淹没的那种感觉。”
“Every night!” repeated the other. “Yes, every night he es and tortures me! In my violence I have done this and that. I was born with an evil mind, which has brought me hither for the second time; but if I have done wrong I suffer punishment for it. one thing, however, I have not yet confessed. when I came out a little while ago, and passed by the yard of my former master, evil thoughts rose within me when I remembered this and that. I struck a match a little bit on the wall; probably it came a little of the thatched roof. All burnt down — a great heat rose, such as sometimes overes me.
我自己还帮忙抢救了牲口和一些东西，除了一群飞进火里的鸽子，没有活物被烧死，还有那条院子里的狗，我当时没想到它；人们能听到它在火里嚎叫，我想睡觉的时候还能听到那嚎叫声；等我睡着了，那条又大又凶的狗就会跑过来趴在我身上，嚎叫着、压着我、折磨着我。现在听我跟你们说！你们能打呼噜；你们一整晚都在打呼噜，而我连一刻钟都睡不了！” 激动的罪犯气血上涌，他扑向同伴，握紧拳头朝他脸上打去。
I myself helped to rescue cattle and things, nothing alive burnt, except a flight of pigeons, which flew into the fire, and the yard dog, of which I had not thought; one could hear him howl out of the fire, and this howling I still hear when I wish to sleep; and when I have fallen asleep, the great rough dog es and places himself upon me, and howls, presses, and tortures me. Now listen to what I tell you! You can snore; you are snoring the whole night, and I hardly a quarter of an hour!” And the blood rose to the head of the excited criminal; he threw himself upon his rade, and beat him with his clenched fist in the face.
“邪恶的马茨又发疯了！” 他们彼此说道。其他罪犯抓住他，和他扭打起来，把他弯成对折，让他的头夹在两膝之间，然后把他绑起来，绑得他眼睛和全身的毛孔都快渗出血来。
“wicked matz has bee mad again!” they said amongst themselves. the other criminals seized him, wrestled with him, and bent him double, so that his head rested between his knees, and they tied him, so that the blood almost came out of his eyes and out of all his pores.
“你们会害死这个不幸的人的，” 牧师说，他伸出手去保护这个已经饱受折磨的人，这时场景变换了。
“You are killing the unfortunate man,” said the pastor, and as he stretched out his hand to protect him who already suffered too much, the scene changed.
他们飞过富丽堂皇的大厅和破败的小屋；放荡和嫉妒，所有致命的罪孽，都在他们眼前闪过。
they flew through rich halls and wretched hovels; wantonness and envy, all the deadly sins, passed before them.
一位正义天使宣读着他们的罪行和他们的辩词；辩词并不精彩，但它是呈现在上帝面前的，上帝能洞悉人心，知晓一切，包括来自内心和外界的邪恶，上帝是仁慈与爱的化身。
An angel of justice read their crimes and their defence; the latter was not a brilliant one, but it was read before God, who reads the heart, who knows everything, the wickedness that es from within and from without, who is mercy and love personified.
牧师的手颤抖着；他不敢伸出去，不敢从罪人的头上拔下一根头发。
the pastor’s hand trembled; he dared not stretch it out, he did not venture to pull a hair out of the sinner’s head.
泪水如一股慈悲与爱的溪流从他眼中涌出，这清凉的泪水熄灭了地狱的永恒之火。
And tears gushed from his eyes like a stream of mercy and love, the cooling waters of which extinguished the eternal fire of hell.
就在这时，公鸡打鸣了。
Just then the cock crowed.
“万慈之父，请赐予她我无法为她求得的安宁！”
“Father of all mercy, grant thou to her the peace that I was unable to procure for her!”
“我现在明白了！” 死去的女人说。“是你那些严厉的话语，你对人类的绝望，你对上帝及其造物的阴郁信念，把我引到你这儿来的。要学会了解人类！即使在恶人身上也存有上帝的一部分 —— 而这能熄灭并战胜地狱之火！”
“I have it now!” said the dead woman. “It was your hard words, your despair of mankind, your gloomy belief in God and his creation, which drove me to you. Learn to know mankind! Even in the wicked one lives a part of God — and this extinguishes and conquers the flame of 地狱之火！”
牧师感觉嘴唇上被亲了一下；一道亮光环绕着他 —— 上帝明亮的太阳照进了房间，他活着的、甜美且充满爱意的妻子把他从上帝赐予他的梦境中唤醒了！
the pastor felt a kiss on his lips; a gleam of light surrounded him — God’s bright sun shone into the room, and his wife, alive, sweet and full of love, awoke him from a dream which God had sent him!