5.The Nightingale and the Rose(1887)

Passage Five

Oscar Wilde, born in 1854 and died in 1900, was a famous Irish writer known for his clever and funny plays. His stories often show how pride and greed can spoil the purest love.

奥斯卡·王尔德，生于1854年，卒于1900年，是一位著名的爱尔兰作家，以其聪明而有趣的戏剧而闻名。他的故事经常显示骄傲和贪婪是如何破坏最纯洁的爱情的。

The Nightingale and the Rose

Oscar Wilde

【1】“She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses,” cried the young Student, “but in all my garden there is no red rose.”

【2】From her nest in the oak tree the Nightingale heard him and she looked out through the leaves and wondered.

【3】“No red rose in all my garden!” he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. “'Ah, I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine,yet for want of a red rose my life is made wretched.”

【4】“Here at last is a true lover,” said the Nightingale. “Night after night have l sung of him,though I knew him not and now I see him.”

【5】“The Prince gives a ball tomorrow night,” murmured the young Student, “and my love will be there. If I bring her a red rose she will dance with me till dawn. I shall hold her in my arms, and she will lean her head upon my shoulder, and her hand will be clasped in mine. But there is no rose in my garden, so I shall sit lonely and my heart will break.”

【6】“Here, indeed, is the true lover,” said the Nightingale. Surely love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds and dearer than fine opals.

【7】“The musicians will sit in the gallery,” said the young Student, “and play upon their stringed instruments, and my love will dance to the sound of the harp and the violin. She will dance so lightly that her feet will not touch the floor. But with me she will not dance,for I have no rose to give her,” and he flung himself down on the grass, and buried his face in his hands, and wept.

【8】“Why is he weeping?” asked a green Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in the air.

【9】“Why, indeed?” said a Butterfly, who was fluttering about after a sunbeam.

“Why, indeed?” whispered a Daisy to his neighbor, in a soft, low voice.

【10】“He is weeping for a red rose,” said the Nightingale.“For a red rose?” they cried, “How very ridiculous!” and the little Lizard, who was something of a cynic, laughed outright. But the Nightingale understood the secret of the Student's sorrow, and sat silent in the Oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of love.

【11】Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She passed through the grove like a shadow and like a shadow she sailed across the garden.

【12】In the center of the grass-plot stood a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she flew over to it. “Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest song.”

But the tree shook its head.

【13】“'My roses are white,” it answered, “as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain, But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want.”

【14】So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing round the old sun-dial.

“Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest song.” But the Tree shook its head.

【15】“My roses are yellow," it answered, “'as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow, But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student's window, and perhaps he will give you what you want.”

【16】So the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree that is growing beneath the Student's window.

“Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest song.” But the Tree shook its head.

【17】“My roses are red,” it answered, “as red as the feet of the doves, and redder than the great fans of coral. But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches, and I shall have no roses at all this year.”

【18】“One red rose is all that I want," cried the Nightingale, “only one red rose! Is there noway by which I can get it?”

“There is a way,” answered the Tree, “'but it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you.

“Tell it to me,” said the Nightingale, “I'm not afraid.”

【19】“If you want a red rose,” said the Tree, “you must build it out of music by moonlight.and stain it with your own heart's blood. You must sing to me with your breast against a thorn. All night long you must sing to me, and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your life-blood must flow into my veins, and become mine.”

【20】“Death is a great price to pay for a red rose," cried the Nightingale, “and life is very dear to all. Yet love is better than life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man?”

【21】So she spread her brown wings for flight and soared into the air. She swept over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed through the grove.

【22】The young Student was still lying on the grass, and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes. “Be happy,” cried the Nightingale, “be happy, you shall have your red rose. I will build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with my own heart's blood. All that I ask of you in return is that you will be a true lover.”

【23】The Student looked up from the grass, and listened, but he could not understand what the Nightingale was saying to him. But the Oak-tree understood and felt sad, for he was very fond of the little Nightingale, who had built her nest in his branches. “Sing me one last song,” he whispered, “'I shall feel lonely when you are gone.”

【24】So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree, and her voice was like the water bubbling from a silver jar.

When she had finished her song, the Student got up.

【25】“She has form,” he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove. “That cannot be denied. But has she got feeling? I'm afraid not, In fact, she is like most artists: she is all style without any sincerity." And he went to his room, and lay down on his bed, and after a time, fell asleep.

【26】And when the Moon shone in the heavens, the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree, and set her breast against the thorn, All night long she sang with her breast against the thorn, and the cold crystal Moon leaned down and listened. All night long she sang, and the thorn went deeper into her breast, and her life-blood ebbed away from her.

【27】She sang first of the birth of love in the heart of a boy and a girl. And on the topmost spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed a marvelous rose, petal following petal, as song followed song.

【28】But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to pierce closer against the thorn. “Press closer, little Nightingale,” cried the Tree, “or the Day will come before the rose is finished.”

【29】So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and louder and louder grew her song,for she sang of the birth of passion in the soul of a man and a maid.

【30】And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her heart so the rose's heart remained white.

【31】And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. “Press closer, little nightingale," cried the Tree, “or the Day will come before the rose is finished.”

【32】So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn touched her heart, and a fierce pang of pain shot through her, Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song, for she sang of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not in the tomb.

【33】And the marvelous rose became crimson, like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson was the girdle of petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart.

But the Nightingale's voice grew fainter and a film came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her song, and she felt something choking her in her throat.

【34】Then she gave one last burst of music. The white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn,and lingered on in the sky. The Red Rose heard it, and trembled all over with ecstasy, and opened its petals in the cold morning air.

“Look, look!” cried the Tree, “the rose is finished now.” But the Nightingale made no answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass, with the thorn in her heart.

And at noon the Student opened his window and looked out.

【35】“Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!” he cried, “here is a red rose. I have never seen any rose like it in all my life. It is so beautiful that I am sure it has a long Latin name.And he leaned down and plucked it.

【36】Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the Professor's daughter with the Rose in his hand.“You said that you would dance with me if I brought you a red rose,” cried the Student.“Here is the reddest rose in all the world. You will wear it tonight near your heart, and as we dance together it will tell you how I love you.”But the girl frowned.

【37】“I'm afraid it will not go with my dress,” she answered, “and besides, the Chamberlain's nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that jewels cost more than flowers.”

“Well, upon my word, you are very ungrateful,” said the Student angrily, and he threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the gutter, and a cartwheel went over it.

【38】“What a silly thing Love is!" said the Student as he walked away. “'It is not half as useful as logic. In fact, it is quite unpractical, and, as in this age to be practical is everything. I shall go back to Philosophy and study metaphysics.”

So he returned to his room and pulled out a great dusty book, and began to read.

第五课

夜莺与玫瑰

奥斯卡•王尔德

【1】“她说如果我送她红玫瑰，她就和我跳舞，”年轻的学生哭着说，“但是我的花园里没有红玫瑰。”

【2】夜莺在橡树上的巢里听到了他的声音，她透过树叶向外望去，感到很奇怪。

【3】“我的花园里没有红玫瑰!”他叫道，美丽的眼睛里充满了泪水。“啊，我读了所有智者的著作，也知道了所有哲学的秘密，然而，因为缺少一朵红玫瑰，我的生活变得很悲惨。”

【4】夜莺说:“这里终于有一个真正的爱人了。”“虽然我不认识他，但我夜复一夜地歌颂他，现在我看见他了。”

【5】“王子明天晚上举办舞会，”年轻的学生喃喃地说，“我的爱人会去的。”如果我送给她一朵红玫瑰，她会和我跳舞直到天亮。我将把她抱在怀里，她将把头靠在我的肩上，她的手将紧握在我的手里。但是我的花园里没有玫瑰，所以我将孤独的坐着，我的心要碎了。”

【6】夜莺说:“这就是真正的爱人。”爱情的确是一件美妙的事情。它比翡翠更珍贵，比美丽的蛋白石更珍贵。

【7】“乐师们会坐在走廊里，”年轻的学生说，“弹着弦乐器，我的爱人会随着竖琴和小提琴的声音起舞。她会跳得很轻，以至于她的脚都不会碰到地板。但是她不会和我跳舞，因为我没有玫瑰送给她。”说完，他扑倒在草地上，双手掩面哭泣起来。

【8】“他为什么在哭?”一只绿色的蜥蜴从他身边跑过，尾巴翘在空中。

【9】“为什么呢?一只蝴蝶说，它在阳光后面飞舞。

的确,“为什么呢?一朵雏菊轻轻地对他的邻居说。

【10】夜莺说:“他在为一朵红玫瑰哭泣。”“为了一朵红玫瑰?”他们叫道，“太可笑了!”小壁虎有点玩世不恭，放声大笑起来。但是夜莺懂得学生悲伤的秘密，她默默地坐在橡树上，思考着爱情的奥秘。

【11】突然，她展开棕色的翅膀，飞向空中。她像影子一样穿过小树林，又像影子一样穿过花园。

【12】在草地的中央有一棵美丽的玫瑰树，当她看到它时，她飞了过去。“给我一朵红玫瑰，”她叫道，“我会为你唱我最甜美的歌。”

但是树摇了摇头。

【13】“我的玫瑰是白色的，”它回答说，“像大海的泡沫一样白，比山上的雪还白，但是去找我的兄弟吧，他长在古老的日晷周围，也许他会给你你想要的。”

【14】于是夜莺飞到那棵长在旧日晷周围的玫瑰树那里。

“给我一朵红玫瑰，”她叫道，“我会为你唱我最甜美的歌。”但是枞树摇了摇头。

【15】“我的玫瑰是黄色的，”它回答说，“黄得像人鱼的头发，比草地上盛开的水仙花还要黄。不过，去找我的兄弟吧，他长在学生的窗下，也许他会给你想要的东西。”

【16】于是夜莺飞到长在学生窗下的玫瑰树那里。

“给我一朵红玫瑰，”她叫道，“我会为你唱我最甜美的歌。”但是枞树摇了摇头。

【17】“我的玫瑰是红色的，”它回答说，“像鸽子的脚一样红，比珊瑚的大扇子还要红。但是冬天冻僵了我的血管，霜冻冻伤了我的花蕾，暴风雨折断了我的树枝，今年我将不会有玫瑰了。”

【18】“我只要一朵红玫瑰，”夜莺叫道，“只要一朵红玫瑰!难道我没有办法得到它吗?”

“有一个办法，”枞树回答说，“但是太可怕了，我不敢告诉你。

“告诉我吧，”夜莺说，“我不怕。”

【19】“如果你想要一朵红玫瑰，”树说，“你必须在月光下用音乐造出它来。用你自己的鲜血玷污它。你必须用你的胸膛顶着刺对我歌唱。你必须整夜对我歌唱，刺必须刺穿你的心脏，你的生命之血必须流进我的血管，变成我的血。”

【20】“用死亡来换取一朵红玫瑰，代价太大了，”夜莺叫道，“生命对所有的人来说都是非常珍贵的。然而爱情比生命更重要，而一只鸟的心又怎么能和一个人的心相比呢?”

【21】于是她展开褐色的翅膀，飞向空中。她像影子一样掠过花园，又像影子一样穿过小树林。

【22】年轻的学生仍然躺在草地上，他美丽的眼睛里的泪水还没有干。“高兴吧，”夜莺叫道，“高兴吧，你将得到你的红玫瑰。我要在月光下用音乐建造它，用我自己的心血染红它。我对你的唯一要求就是，你要做一个真正的爱人。”

【23】学生从草地上抬起头来，听着，但他听不懂夜莺在对他说什么。但是橡树明白了，感到很难过，因为他非常喜欢在他的树枝上筑巢的小夜莺。“给我唱最后一首歌吧，”他低声说，“你走后我会感到孤独。”

【24】于是夜莺对着橡树歌唱，她的声音就像银罐里冒泡的水。

当她唱完歌后，学生站了起来。

【25】“她很有风度，”他自言自语道，穿过小树林走开了。“这是不能否认的。但她有感情吗?恐怕不行。事实上，她和大多数艺术家一样，只会装腔作势，没有一点诚意。”他回到自己的房间，躺在床上，过了一会儿就睡着了。

【26】当月亮在天空中闪耀时，夜莺飞到玫瑰树上，把她的胸膛贴在刺上，她整夜把她的胸膛贴在刺上歌唱，冰冷的水晶月亮俯下身来倾听。她唱了一整夜，那根刺深深地扎进了她的胸膛，她的血液也从她身上退去了。

【27】她首先歌唱了一男一女心中爱情的诞生。在玫瑰枝的最高处，绽开了一朵神奇的玫瑰，一片接一片，一首歌接一首歌。

【28】但是树叫夜莺把刺刺得更深一些。“再深些吧，小夜莺，”树叫道，“不然玫瑰还没开完，天就要亮了。”

【29】于是夜莺紧紧地贴在荆棘上，她的歌声越来越响亮，因为她唱的是一对男女灵魂中激情的诞生。

【30】玫瑰的叶子上泛起了淡淡的粉红色，就像新郎亲吻新娘的嘴唇时脸上泛起的红晕。但是那根刺还没有刺到她的心，所以玫瑰的心仍然是白色的。

【31】树叫夜莺把刺压得更深些。“再靠近些吧，小夜莺，”树叫道，“不然，玫瑰花还没开完，天就要亮了。”

【32】于是夜莺把刺压得更紧了，刺触到了她的心，一阵剧痛刺透了她的全身，痛得越来越厉害，她的歌声也越来越狂野，因为她歌唱的是死才成全的爱，是不会死在坟墓里的爱。

【33】神奇的玫瑰变成了深红色，就像东方天空的玫瑰。花瓣的束带是深红色的，心像红宝石一样深红色。

但是夜莺的声音越来越微弱，她的眼睛蒙上了一层薄膜。她的歌声越来越微弱，她感到有什么东西哽住了她的喉咙。

【34】然后她奏出最后一曲。白色的月亮听到了，她忘记了黎明，在天空中徘徊。红玫瑰听到了，狂喜得浑身发抖，在早晨寒冷的空气中绽开了花瓣。

“看,看!枞树叫道，“玫瑰花现在已经长成了。”但是夜莺没有回答，因为她已经躺在长长的草丛里死了，那根刺还插在她的心脏上。

到了中午，学生打开窗户向外望去。

【35】“哎呀，真是太幸运了!他叫道，“这里有一朵红玫瑰。”我一生中从未见过这样的玫瑰。它是如此美丽，我相信它有一个很长的拉丁名字。他俯身拔了拔。

【36】然后他戴上帽子，手里拿着玫瑰跑向教授的女儿。“你说过，如果我给你一朵红玫瑰，你就愿意和我跳舞。”学生叫道。“这是世界上最红的玫瑰。今晚你要把它戴在胸前，我们一起跳舞的时候，它会告诉你我是多么地爱你。”但是女孩皱起了眉头。

【37】“我担心它和我的衣服不搭，”她回答说，“而且，大臣的侄子送了我一些真正的珠宝，每个人都知道珠宝比花更值钱。”

“好吧，我敢说，你真是忘恩负义。”学生生气地说。他把玫瑰扔到街上，玫瑰掉进了阴沟里，一辆车轮从它身上碾过。

【38】“爱情是多么愚蠢的东西啊!”学生一边走开一边说。“它还不及逻辑的一半有用。事实上，这是很不实际的，而在这个时代，实际就是一切。我要回到哲学，学习形而上学。”

于是他回到自己的房间，拿出一本积满灰尘的大书，开始读起来。