第37章 幸运的套鞋 The Goloshes of Fortune 续（1/2）

5. 职员的变形

thE cLERK’S tRANSFoRAtIoN

我们当然没有忘记那个守夜人。过了一会儿，他想起了自己找到并送到医院的那双套鞋，于是他去把它们取了回来。

the wat, who we of urse have not fotten, thought, after a while, of the goloshes which he had found and taken to the hospital; so he went ached the.

但是中尉和街上的任何人都认不出这是他们的套鞋，所以他把它们交给了警察。

but her the lieutenant nor any one ireet uld reize the as their own, so he gave the up to the police.

“它们看起来和我的套鞋一模一样。”一个职员说道，他检查着放在自己那双套鞋旁边的这双不知名的鞋子。“即使是鞋匠的眼睛也很难分辨出这两双鞋。”

“they look exales, as they stood by the side of his own. “It would require evehan the eye of a shoeaker to know one pair fro the other.”

“职员先生。”一个拿着一些文件走进来的仆人说道。

“aster clerk,” said a servant who entered with so papers.

职员转过身跟那个人说话；但跟那人说完后，他又转回去看那双套鞋，现在他比以往任何时候都更疑惑右边的那双还是左边的那双是他的。

the clerk turned and spoke to the an; but when he had doh hi, he turo look at the goloshes aga, and now he was ier doubt than ever as to whether the pair on the right or on the left beloo hi.

“那双湿的一定是我的。” 他想；但他想错了，恰恰相反。

“those that are wet t be ihought he; but he thought wrong, it was jt the reverse.

幸运女神的套鞋是那双湿的；而且，再说，警察局的一个职员为什么就不能有时犯错呢？

the goloshes of Fortuhe wet pair; and, besides, why should not a clerka police office be wrong sotis?

于是他穿上那双套鞋，把文件塞进口袋，腋下夹着几份手稿，那是他要带回家去做摘要的。

So he drew the on, thrt his papers to his pocket, pced a few ancripts under his ar, which he had to take with hi, and to ake abstracts fro at ho.

因为那是星期天的早晨，天气非常好，他自言自语道：“去腓特烈斯堡散散步对我有好处。” 于是他就出发了。

there uld not be a quieter or ore steady young an than this clerk.

不可能有比这个职员更安静、更稳重的年轻人了。

我们不会舍不得让他去散这一小会儿步，在坐了那么久之后，这正是对他有好处的事情。

we will ne hi this little walk, it was jt the thg to do hi good after sittg so uch.

一开始他走得像个纯粹的机器人，没有思想也没有愿望；因此套鞋没有机会展示它们的魔力。

he went on at first like a re autoaton, without thought or wish; therefore the goloshes had no opportunity to dispy their agic power.

在林阴道上他遇到了一个熟人，我们的一位年轻诗人，诗人告诉他自己打算第二天开始一次夏日远足。

In the avenue he t with an acquatance, one of our young poets, who told hi that he teo start on the follog day on a sur excursion.

“你真的这么快就要走吗？” 职员问道。

“Are you really gog away so soon?” asked the clerk.

“你是一个多么自由、快乐的人啊。你可以随意漫游，而我们这样的人却被束缚住了脚。”

“what a free, happy an you are. Youroa about where you will, while such as we are tied by the foot.”

“但它是系在面包树上的。” 诗人回答道。“你不必为明天担忧；等你老了还有养老金呢。”

“but it is fasteo the bread-tree,” replied the poet.“You need have no ay for the orrow; and when you are old there is a pension for you.”

“啊，是的；但你过得最好。” 职员说，“坐着写诗歌一定很令人愉快。整个世界都对你和颜悦色，而且你是自己的主人。你应该试试在法庭上听所有那些琐碎的事情是什么感觉。”

“Ah, yes; but you have the best of it,” said the clerk; “it t be so delightful to sit and write poetry. the whole world akes itself agreeable to you, and then you are your own aster. You should try how you would like to listen to all the trivial thgsa urt of jtice.”

诗人摇了摇头，职员也摇了摇头；两人各持己见，然后就分手了。

the poet shook his head, so also did the clerk; each retaed his own opion, and so they parted.

“这些诗人真是奇怪的人。” 职员想。“我倒想试试有诗歌品味是什么感觉，自己也成为一名诗人。我肯定不会像他们那样写些悲伤的诗句。对诗人来说，这是一个美妙的春日，空气如此清新，云彩如此美丽，绿草散发着如此甜美的气息。多年来我从未有过此刻这样的感觉。”

“they are strange people, these poets,” thought the clerk. “I should like to try what it is to have a poetic taste, and to bee a poet yself. I a sure I should not write such ournful verses as they do. this is a splendid sprg day for a poet, the air is so rearkably clear, the clouds are so beautiful, and the green grass has such a sweet sll. For any years I have not felt as I do at this ont.”

从这些话中我们可以看出，他已经变成了一名诗人。在大多数诗人看来，他说的话会被认为平淡无奇，或者用德语说就是 “乏味”。认为诗人与其他人不同是一种愚蠢的想法。有很多人比那些自称为诗人的人更具有自然诗人的气质。不同之处在于，诗人的智力记忆更好；他抓住一个想法或一种情感，直到能够用清晰明了的语言表达出来，而其他人做不到这一点。

we perceive, by these rearks, that he had already bee a poet. by ost poets what he had said would be sidered on-pce, or as the Gerans call it, “sipid.” It is a foolish fancy to look upos as different to other n. there are any who are ore the poets of nature than those rofessed poets. the difference is this, the poet’s tellectual ory is better; he seizes upon an idea or a se, until heebody it, clearly and plywords, which the others ot do.

但是从一个平凡人的性格转变为一个更有天赋的人的性格是一个巨大的转变；过了一段时间，职员也意识到了这种变化。

but the transition fro a character of every-day life to one of a ifted nature is a great transition; and so the clerk beca aware of the ge after a ti.

“多么宜人的香气啊。” 他说，“这让我想起了洛拉阿姨家的紫罗兰。啊，那是我小时候的事了。天哪，我已经好久没有想起那些日子了！她是一位善良的老处女。她住在那边，证券交易所后面。即使在冬天最寒冷的时候，她也总是在水里插一枝花或者几朵花。我甚至在把温热的便士硬币贴在结冰的窗玻璃上弄出窥视孔的时候，都能闻到紫罗兰的香味，透过窥视孔看到的景色也很美。河面上停着的船被冰封住了，船员们都弃船而去；一只呱呱叫的乌鸦是船上唯一的活物。但是当春天的微风拂来，一切都复苏了。在欢呼声中，船只被涂上柏油，装上索具，然后驶向遥远的国度。

“what a delightful perfu,” said he; “it redsof the violets at Aunt Lora’s. Ah, that was when I was a little boy. dear , how long it sees sihought of those days! She was a good old aiden dy! she lived yonder, behd the Exge. She always had a sprig or a few blossoswater, let the ter be ever so severe. I uld sll the violets, even while I g enny pieces agast the frozen pao ake peep-holes, and a pretty view it was on which I peeped. outthe river y the ships, icebound, and forsaken by their crews; a screag crow represehe only livg creature on board. but when the breezes of sprg ca, everythg started to life. Aidst shoutg and cheers the ships were tarred and rigged, and then they sailed tn nds.

“我留在这里，而且永远都会留在这里，坐在警察局的岗位上，让别人拿着护照去遥远的地方。是的，这就是我的命运。” 他深深地叹了口气。

“I rea here, and always shall rea, sittg at y post at the police office, ag others take passports to distant nds. Yes, this is y fate,” and he sighed deeply.

突然他停了下来。

Suddenly he paed.

“天哪，我这是怎么了？我以前从未有过现在这种感觉；一定是春天的气息。它让人难以抵挡，但又很美妙。”

“Good gracio, what has e over ? I never felt before as I do now; it t be the air of sprg. It is overp, a is delightful.”

他在口袋里摸索着找一些文件。

he felthis pockets for so of his papers.

“这些会让我想点别的事情。” 他说。

“these will givesothg else to thk of,” said he.

他的目光落在其中一张纸的第一页上，读到：“《西格布丽夫人；一部五幕原创悲剧》。这是什么？—— 还是我自己的笔迹！我写了这部悲剧吗？”

castg his eyes on the first page of one, he read, “‘istress Sigbirth; an al tragedy,Five Acts.’ what is this? —y own handwritg, too! have I written this tragedy?”

他又读道：“《散步道上的阴谋；或者，斋戒日。一部轻歌舞剧。》我怎么会有这些？一定是有人把它们放进了我的口袋。还有一封信！” 这是剧院经理写来的；这些作品被拒绝了，措辞一点也不客气。

he read aga, “‘the Intrigue on the pronade; or, the Fast-day. A Vaudeville.’ however did I get all this? So o have put the to y pocket. And here is a letter!” It was fro the anager of a theatre; the pieces were rejected, not at allpolite ters.

“嗯，嗯！” 他说着在一条长凳上坐下；他的思绪非常活跃，他的心奇怪地变软了。

“he, he!” said he, sittg down on a bench; his thoughts were very estid his heart sely.

他不由自主地摘下一朵离他最近的花；那是一朵小小的、朴素的雏菊。

Invontarily he seized one of theflowers; it was a little, siple daisy.

这朵小花瞬间就解释了植物学家们在许多讲座中所说的一切。

All that botanistssayaures was expeda ont by this little flower.

它讲述了自己诞生的荣耀；它谈到了阳光的力量，是阳光让它娇嫩的叶子展开，并赋予了它如此甜美的芬芳。

It spoke of the glory of its birth; it told of the strength of the sunlight, which had caed its delicate leaves to expand, and given to it such sweet perfu.

在人的内心唤起情感的生命挣扎在这些小花中有其象征。

the struggles of life which aroe sensationsthe boso have their type iy flowers.

空气和阳光是花朵的恋人，但阳光是更受宠爱的那个；花朵朝着阳光转动，只有当阳光消失时，它才会合上叶子，在空气的怀抱中沉睡。

Air and light are the lovers of the flowers, but light is the favored oowards light it turns, and only when light vanishes does it fold its leaves together, and sleepthe ebraces of the air.”

“是阳光装点了我。” 花朵说。

“It is light that adorns ,” said the flower.

“但空气给了你生命的气息。” 诗人低声说。

“but the air gives you the breath of life,” whispered the poet.

就在他旁边站着一个男孩，正用棍子在一条泥泞的沟渠里拨弄着。

Jt by hi stood a boy, spshg with his sti a arshy ditch.

水滴在绿色的细枝间飞溅起来，职员想到每一滴水中都有几百万个微生物被抛向空中，对它们来说，这个高度就如同我们被抛到云层之上的高度一样。

the water-drops spurted up aong the green igs, and the clerk thought of the illions of anialcue which were thrown to the air with every drop of water, at a height which t be the sa to the as it would be toif we were hurled beyond the clouds.

当职员想到所有这些事情，并意识到自己内心的巨大变化时，他微笑着对自己说：“我一定是在睡觉做梦；然而，如果是这样，一个梦能如此自然真实，同时又知道这只是一个梦，这是多么奇妙啊。我希望明天醒来的时候我能记得这一切。我的感觉太不可思议了。我对一切都有清晰的感知，就好像我完全清醒着一样。我很确定如果我明天还记得这一切，它会显得极其荒谬可笑。我以前也有过这种情况。我们在梦中说的或听到的聪明或奇妙的事情，就如同来自地下的黄金，我们拥有它的时候它是丰富而美丽的，但在真实的光线下看，它不过是石头和枯叶而已。”

As the clerk thought of all these thgs, and beca scio of the great gehis own feelgs, he siled, and said to hiself, “I t be asleep and dreag; a, if so, how wonderful for a drea to be so natural and real, and to know at the sa ti too that it is but a drea. I hope I shall be able to reber it all when I wake toorrow. y sensations see ost unatable. I have a clear perception of everythg as if I were wide awake. I a quite sure if I rellect all this toorrow, it will appear utterly ridiculo and absurd. I have had this happen tobefore. It is with the clever or wonderful thgs we say or heardreas, as with the gold which es fro uhe earth, it is rid beautiful when we possess it, but when seena true light it is but as stones and withered leaves.”

“啊！” 他悲伤地叹了口气，望着欢快歌唱或从一根树枝跳到另一根树枝的鸟儿，“它们比我幸福多了。飞翔是一种光荣的能力。生来就有翅膀的人是幸福的。是的，如果我能把自己变成任何东西，我愿意变成一只小云雀。”

“Ah!” he sighed ournfully, as he gazed at the birds sgg rrily, or hoppg fro branch to branch, “they are uch better off than I. Flyg is a glorio power. happy is he who is born with gs. Yes, if I uld ge yself to anythg I would be a little rk.”

就在这时，他的上衣后摆和袖子连在了一起，变成了翅膀，他的衣服变成了羽毛，他的套鞋变成了爪子。

At the sa ont his at-tails and sleeves grew together and fs, his clothes ged to feathers, and his goloshes to cws.

他感觉到发生的事情，暗自笑了起来。

he felt what was takg pce, and ughed to hiself.

“嗯，现在很明显我一定是在做梦；但我从没做过这么疯狂的梦。”

“well, now it is evident I t be dreag; but I never had such a wild drea as this.”

然后他飞到绿色的树枝上唱歌，但歌声中没有诗意，因为他的诗性已经离他而去。

And then he flew up to the green boughs and sang, but there was no poetrythe song, for his poetiature had left hi.

就像所有想把事情做得彻底的人一样，这双套鞋一次只能专注于一件事情。

the goloshes, like all persons who wish to do a thg thhly, uld only attend to ohg at a ti.

他希望成为一名诗人，他就变成了诗人。

he wished to be a poet, and he bee.

然后他想变成一只小鸟，在这个变化中他失去了前一个身份的特征。

then he wao be a little bird, andthis ge he lost the characteristics of the forr one.

“嗯，” 他想，“这真迷人；白天我坐在警察局里，周围是最枯燥的法律文件，晚上我可以梦见自己是一只云雀，在腓特烈堡的花园里飞来飞去。真的可以就此写一部完整的喜剧。”

“well,” thought he, “this is charg; by day I sita police-office, aongst the dryest ers, and at night Idrea that I a a rk, flyg aboutthe gardens of Fredericksburg. Really a plete edy uld be written about it.”

然后他飞落到草丛里，脑袋四处转动，用嘴轻啄着弯弯的草叶，以他现在的大小来看，这些草叶对他来说就像北非的棕榈叶那么长。

then he flew down to the grass, turned his head aboutevery dire, and tapped his beak on the bendg bdes of grass, which,proportion to his size, seed to hi as long as the pal-leavesnorthern Africa.

不一会儿，他周围一片漆黑。

In another ont all was darkness around hi.

似乎有个巨大的东西罩在了他身上。

It seed as if sothg inse had been thrown over hi.

一个水手男孩把他的大帽子扔向这只鸟，一只手从来，然后惊慌地叫道：“你这个无礼的无赖，我是警察局的职员！” 但在男孩听来这只像 “叽叽，叽叽” 的叫声；于是他敲了敲鸟的嘴，带着他走开了。

A sailor boy had fng his rge cap over the bird, and a hand derh and caught the clerk by the bad gs shly, that he squeaked, and then cried outhis ar, “You ipudent rascal, I a a clerkthe police-office!” but it only souo the boy like “eet, eet;” so he tapped the bird on the beak, and walked away with hi.

在林阴道上，他遇到了两个男学生，他们似乎来自较高阶层的社会，但由于能力较差，在学校里一直处于最低年级。

In the avenue he t o school-boys, eared to belong to a better css of society, but whose ferior abilities kept thethe lowest css at school.

这两个男孩用八便士买下了这只鸟，于是职员回到了哥本哈根。

these boys bought the bird fhtpence, and so the clerk returo hagen.

“我在做梦，这对我来说是好事，” 他想，“否则我真的会生气。一开始我是个诗人，现在我是只云雀。一定是诗性把我变成了这个小生物。这确实是个悲惨的故事，尤其是现在我落入了男孩们的手中。我想知道这会有什么结局。”

“It is well forthat I a dreag,” he thought; “otherwise I should bee really angry. First I oet, and now I a a rk. It t have been the poetiature that gedto this little creature. It is a iserable story deed, especially now I have fallen to the hands of boys. I wonder what will be the end of it.”

男孩们把他带到一个非常雅致的房间，一个胖乎乎、和蔼可亲的女士在那里接待了他们，但当她发现他们带来了一只云雀 —— 她称之为一只普通的田鸟时，一点也不高兴。

the boys carried hi to a very elegant roo, where a stout, pleasant-lookg dy received the, but she was not at all gratified to fd that they had brought a rk — a on field-bird as she called it.

然而，她允许他们把这只鸟在一天之内放在一个靠近窗户的空笼子里。

however, she allowed the for one day to pce the birday cage that huhe dow.

“也许波莉会喜欢它，” 她说着，笑着看向一只灰色的大鹦鹉，它正骄傲地在一个漂亮的黄铜笼子里的一个环上荡来荡去。

“It will please polly perhaps,” she said, ughg at a rge gray parrot, who was sgg hiself proudly on a rga handso brass cage.

“今天是波莉的生日，” 她用一种嗲声嗲气的语气补充道，“这只小田鸟是来祝贺的。”

“It is polly’s birthday,” she addeda siperg tone, “and the little field-bird has e to offer his gratutions.”

波莉一个字也没回答，他继续骄傲地来回晃荡；但是一只美丽的金丝雀，前一个夏天从它自己温暖芬芳的故乡被带来，开始尽可能大声地唱歌。

polly did not answer a sgle word, he tio sg proudly to and fro; but a beautiful ary, who had been brought fro his own war, fragrant fathernd, the sur previo, began to sg as loud as he uld.

“你这个尖叫者！” 女士说着，把一块白手帕扔到笼子上。

“You screar!” said the dy, throg a white handkerchief over the cage.

“叽叽，叽叽，” 他叹息道，“多么可怕的暴风雪啊！” 然后他就沉默了。

“eet, eet,” sighed he, “what a dreadful snowstor!” and then he beca silent.

职员，或者像女士称呼他的那样，田鸟，被放在一个靠近金丝雀的小笼子里，离鹦鹉也不远。

the clerk, or as the dy called hi the field-bird, ceda little cage close to the ary, and not far fro the parrot.

波莉唯一能说出的人类语言，而且有时她会非常滑稽地喋喋不休地说出来的，就是 “现在让我们做男人吧。” 除此之外的一切都是尖叫，和金丝雀的啁啾声一样难以理解，除了对职员来说，他现在是一只鸟，能很好地理解他的同伴们。

the only huan speech which polly uld utter, and whilerk, who beg now a bird, uld uand his rades very well.

“我在绿色的棕榈树下飞翔，在盛开的杏树间飞翔，” 金丝雀唱道。

“I flew beh green pal-trees, and aidst the bloog alond-trees,” sang the ary.

“我和我的兄弟姐妹们一起飞过美丽的花朵，飞过清澈明亮的大海，大海在它闪闪发光的深处倒映着摇曳的树叶；我见过很多快乐的鹦鹉，他们能讲述又长又有趣的故事。

“I flew with y brothers and sisters over beautiful flowers, and across the clear, bright sea, which reflected the wavg foliageits glitterihs; and I have seen any gay parrots, who uld rete long and delightful stories.

“他们是野鸟，” 鹦鹉回答道，“而且完全没受过教育。现在让我们做男人吧。你为什么不笑呢？如果女士和她的访客们能为此发笑，你肯定也能。”

“they were wild birds,” answered the parrot, “and totally uneducated. Now letbe n. why do you not ugh? If the dy and her visitorsugh at this, surely you .

不会欣赏有趣的事物是一个很大的缺点。现在让我们做男人吧。

It is a great failg not to be able to appreciate what is ag. Now letbe n.

“你还记得吗，” 金丝雀说，“那些漂亮的少女们曾经在甜美的花朵下支起的帐篷里跳舞？你还记得那美味的水果和野生草药里清凉的汁液吗？”

“do you reber,” said the ary, “the pretty aidens who ed to daents that were spread out beh the sweet blossos? do you reber the delicio fruit and the olg juice fro the wild herbs?”

“哦，记得，” 鹦鹉说，“但是在这里我过得好多了。我吃得饱，还被礼貌地对待。我知道我有一个聪明的脑袋；我还想要什么呢？现在让我们做男人吧。你有诗歌的灵魂。我有深刻的知识和才智。你有天赋，但没有判断力。你把你天生的高音提得太高了，结果你被盖住了。他们从不会这样对我。哦，不；我比你让他们付出的更多。我用我的嘴让他们守规矩，还到处散播我的机智。现在让我们做男人吧。”

“oh, yes,” said the parrot; “but here I a uch better off. I a well fed, and treated politely. I know that I have a clever head; and what ore do I want? Now letbe n. You have a soul for poetry. I have deep knowledge and wit. You have geni, but no discretion. You raise your naturally high notes so uch, that you get vered over. they never serveso. oh, no; I st the sothg ore than you. I keep theorder with y beak, and flg y wit about . Now letbe n.”

“哦，我温暖、繁花盛开的故乡，” 金丝雀唱道，“我要歌唱你深绿色的树木和你宁静的溪流，在那里，低垂的树枝轻吻着清澈、平静的水面。我要歌唱我的兄弟姐妹们的快乐，当他们闪亮的羽毛在泉水边野生植物的深色叶子间飞舞的时候。”

“o y war, bloog fathernd,” sang the ary bird, “I will sg of thy dark-green trees and thy quiet streas, where the bendg branches kiss the clear, sooth water. I will sg of the joy of y brothers and sisters, as their shg page flits aong the dark leaves of the pnts which grow wild by the sprgs.”

“别再唱那些忧伤的曲调了，” 鹦鹉说，“唱点能让我们笑的；笑是最高智力的标志。狗或者马会笑吗？不，它们只会叫；只有人类被赋予了笑的能力。哈！哈！哈！” 波莉笑着，又重复了他那句机智的话，“现在让我们做男人吧。”

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