THE DEATH OF THE MOTH飛蛾之死
Moths that fly by day are not properly to be called moths; they do not excite that pleasant sense of dark autumn nights and ivy–blossom which the commonest yellow–underwing asleep in the shadow of the curtain never fails to rouse in us. 日間活動的飛蛾不宜稱之為飛蛾：他們未能像沉睡于簾幕陰影下那些最普通的黃尾翅蛾，總煽起類似沉沉秋夜和常春藤花朵帶來的那些快感。They are hybrid creatures, neither gay like butterflies nor sombre like their own species.他們是雜交的產(chǎn)物，既不像蝶類那么艷然，也不像同類那么黯然。 Nevertheless the present specimen, with his narrow hay–coloured wings, fringed with a tassel of the same colour, seemed to be content with life. 不過眼前這翅呈干草色、翅緣逾深的窄翅蛾子，看來倒也樂天知命。It was a pleasant morning, mid–September, mild, benignant, yet with a keener breath than that of the summer months. 這是一個愉快的早晨，時值九月中旬，天氣和煦宜人，但較之夏日略帶涼意。The plough was already scoring the field opposite the window, and where the share had been, the earth was pressed flat and gleamed with moisture. 農(nóng)夫正在犁耕窗子對面的田地，犁頭到處，土地被壓平，因潮濕而泛著幽光。Such vigour came rolling in from the fields and the down beyond that it was difficult to keep the eyes strictly turned upon the book. 盎然生機(jī)從田野和遠(yuǎn)處丘陵席卷而來，使得我目光禁不住游離書本。The rooks too were keeping one of their annual festivities; soaring round the tree tops until it looked as if a vast net with thousands of black knots in it had been cast up into the air; which, after a few moments sank slowly down upon the trees until every twig seemed to have a knot at the end of it.白嘴鴉也在舉行它們一年一度的節(jié)日慶典，盤旋于樹頂，越飛越高，有如一張千綱萬目的黑色巨網(wǎng)撒向天空，片刻后又徐徐降落披散在樹上，每根枝條的末梢因而都好似有了一個黑結(jié)。Then, suddenly, the net would be thrown into the air again in a wider circle this time, with the utmost clamour and vociferation, as though to be thrown into the air and settle slowly down upon the tree tops were a tremendously exciting experience.巨網(wǎng)旋又撒向天空，張得更大，喧嘩嘈雜無以復(fù)加，仿佛被撒向天空然后徐徐降落披伏在樹頂是極其值得激動的經(jīng)歷。
The same energy which inspired the rooks, the ploughmen, the horses, and even, it seemed, the lean bare–backed downs, sent the moth fluttering from side to side of his square of the window–pane. 這股鼓舞白嘴鴉、農(nóng)夫、耕馬甚或貧瘠不毛的丘陵的活力，也鼓舞著飛蛾，在一方窗玻璃里來回翻飛。One could not help watching him. One was, indeed, conscious of a queer feeling of pity for him. 你忍不住端詳它，一股說不清道不明的憐憫之情從心底里油然而生。The possibilities of pleasure seemed that morning so enormous and so various that to have only a moth’s part in life, and a day moth’s at that, appeared a hard fate, and his zest in enjoying his meagre opportunities to the full, pathetic. 那天清晨生活的樂趣如此豐富多彩，如果只是像只飛蛾那樣只有一天的壽命，并要想方設(shè)法享受這宿命的些許生趣，也堪稱可悲可憐罷。He flew vigorously to one corner of his compartment, and, after waiting there a second, flew across to the other. 它振翅飛到窗格的一角，停留片刻，又飛往另一個角落。What remained for him but to fly to a third corner and then to a fourth? 除了再飛向第三個角落，然后第四個角落，它又能做些什么呢！That was all he could do, in spite of the size of the downs, the width of the sky, the far–off smoke of houses, and the romantic voice, now and then, of a steamer out at sea. 它能做的只有這些，無論丘陵多么廣袤，天空多么遼闊；無論炊煙飄的有多遠(yuǎn)，海上不時傳來的汽船鳴笛聲有多動人。What he could do he did. 它能做的它都做了。Watching him, it seemed as if a fibre, very thin but pure, of the enormous energy of the world had been thrust into his frail and diminutive body. 端詳著它，好似天地間的無限生機(jī)，在它細(xì)弱的軀體中，注進(jìn)了一絲稀薄而純粹的活力。As often as he crossed the pane, I could fancy that a thread of vital light became visible. He was little or nothing but life.我看著它在窗臺間四處翻飛，仿佛看到了一束生命之光。它雖然微不足道，卻是實實在在的生命。
Yet, because he was so small, and so simple a form of the energy that was rolling in at the open window and driving its way through so many narrow and intricate corridors in my own brain and in those of other human beings, there was something marvellous as well as pathetic about him.不過，在涌進(jìn)窗口，通過紛繁仄窄的曲經(jīng)回廊向我、向蕓蕓眾生腦中長驅(qū)直入的那些活力當(dāng)中，飛蛾如此細(xì)小、如此微不足道，仍令人對之驚嘆而唏噓不已?！t was as if someone had taken a tiny bead of pure life and decking it as lightly as possible with down and feathers, had set it dancing and zig–zagging to show us the true nature of life. Thus displayed one could not get over the strangeness of it. 仿佛有人將生命之珠輕輕飾以毛羽，使其舞之蹈之，左翔右翥，把生命的本質(zhì)，展現(xiàn)在我們面前，讓我們明白生命神奇之不可參透。One is apt to forget all about life, seeing it humped and bossed and garnished and cumbered so that it has to move with the greatest circumspection and dignity.看著它腹背隆起，身披紋飾，行動不便，飛舞時謹(jǐn)小慎微，儀態(tài)凝重，關(guān)于生命的一切一切，統(tǒng)統(tǒng)都要被我們置諸腦后了。Again, the thought of all that life might have been had he been born in any other shape caused one to view his simple activities with a kind of pity.然而一想到倘若飛蛾生來是另一副模樣，它的命運該如何不同，又令人對其碌碌無為生出一絲憐憫來。
After a time, tired by his dancing apparently, he settled on the window ledge in the sun, and, the queer spectacle being at an end, I forgot about him. 飛舞片刻之后，飛蛾已然疲憊，歇息于陽光下的窗沿上；不尋常的一幕既已告終，我也就把它忘了。Then, looking up, my eye was caught by him.后來，偶一抬頭，它又引起了我的注意?！e was trying to resume his dancing, but seemed either so stiff or so awkward that he could only flutter to the bottom of the window–pane; and when he tried to fly across it he failed.它正試著再飛起來，但不知是由于費勁還是笨拙，只能拍翅飛到窗格底部；當(dāng)試圖飛到頂部時卻沒有成功?！eing intent on other matters I watched these futile attempts for a time without thinking, unconsciously waiting for him to resume his flight, as one waits for a machine, that has stopped momentarily, to start again without considering the reason of its failure. 我心不在焉，看著它徒然的努力，下意識地期待它重新飛起來，就像機(jī)器偶爾發(fā)生故障，期待它重新運轉(zhuǎn)而不查究故障原因一樣。過了片刻，After perhaps a seventh attempt he slipped from the wooden ledge and fell, fluttering his wings, on to his back on the window sill. 飛蛾在大約第七次嘗試飛上窗格頂部時從木窗沿上滑落下來，撲扇著翅膀，仰面朝天掉落在窗臺上。The helplessness of his attitude roused me. 它無助的樣子使我回過神來。It flashed upon me that he was in difficulties; he could no longer raise himself; his legs struggled vainly. 我這才明白它陷入了困境，飛不起來，只是還在徒勞地蹬腿。But, as I stretched out a pencil, meaning to help him to right himself, it came over me that the failure and awkwardness were the approach of death. I laid the pencil down again.我正要伸出鉛筆，幫它翻轉(zhuǎn)身來，突然意識到它這是在作垂死的掙扎，就把鉛筆擱下了?！ ?BR>
Moths that fly by day are not properly to be called moths; they do not excite that pleasant sense of dark autumn nights and ivy–blossom which the commonest yellow–underwing asleep in the shadow of the curtain never fails to rouse in us. 日間活動的飛蛾不宜稱之為飛蛾：他們未能像沉睡于簾幕陰影下那些最普通的黃尾翅蛾，總煽起類似沉沉秋夜和常春藤花朵帶來的那些快感。They are hybrid creatures, neither gay like butterflies nor sombre like their own species.他們是雜交的產(chǎn)物，既不像蝶類那么艷然，也不像同類那么黯然。 Nevertheless the present specimen, with his narrow hay–coloured wings, fringed with a tassel of the same colour, seemed to be content with life. 不過眼前這翅呈干草色、翅緣逾深的窄翅蛾子，看來倒也樂天知命。It was a pleasant morning, mid–September, mild, benignant, yet with a keener breath than that of the summer months. 這是一個愉快的早晨，時值九月中旬，天氣和煦宜人，但較之夏日略帶涼意。The plough was already scoring the field opposite the window, and where the share had been, the earth was pressed flat and gleamed with moisture. 農(nóng)夫正在犁耕窗子對面的田地，犁頭到處，土地被壓平，因潮濕而泛著幽光。Such vigour came rolling in from the fields and the down beyond that it was difficult to keep the eyes strictly turned upon the book. 盎然生機(jī)從田野和遠(yuǎn)處丘陵席卷而來，使得我目光禁不住游離書本。The rooks too were keeping one of their annual festivities; soaring round the tree tops until it looked as if a vast net with thousands of black knots in it had been cast up into the air; which, after a few moments sank slowly down upon the trees until every twig seemed to have a knot at the end of it.白嘴鴉也在舉行它們一年一度的節(jié)日慶典，盤旋于樹頂，越飛越高，有如一張千綱萬目的黑色巨網(wǎng)撒向天空，片刻后又徐徐降落披散在樹上，每根枝條的末梢因而都好似有了一個黑結(jié)。Then, suddenly, the net would be thrown into the air again in a wider circle this time, with the utmost clamour and vociferation, as though to be thrown into the air and settle slowly down upon the tree tops were a tremendously exciting experience.巨網(wǎng)旋又撒向天空，張得更大，喧嘩嘈雜無以復(fù)加，仿佛被撒向天空然后徐徐降落披伏在樹頂是極其值得激動的經(jīng)歷。
The same energy which inspired the rooks, the ploughmen, the horses, and even, it seemed, the lean bare–backed downs, sent the moth fluttering from side to side of his square of the window–pane. 這股鼓舞白嘴鴉、農(nóng)夫、耕馬甚或貧瘠不毛的丘陵的活力，也鼓舞著飛蛾，在一方窗玻璃里來回翻飛。One could not help watching him. One was, indeed, conscious of a queer feeling of pity for him. 你忍不住端詳它，一股說不清道不明的憐憫之情從心底里油然而生。The possibilities of pleasure seemed that morning so enormous and so various that to have only a moth’s part in life, and a day moth’s at that, appeared a hard fate, and his zest in enjoying his meagre opportunities to the full, pathetic. 那天清晨生活的樂趣如此豐富多彩，如果只是像只飛蛾那樣只有一天的壽命，并要想方設(shè)法享受這宿命的些許生趣，也堪稱可悲可憐罷。He flew vigorously to one corner of his compartment, and, after waiting there a second, flew across to the other. 它振翅飛到窗格的一角，停留片刻，又飛往另一個角落。What remained for him but to fly to a third corner and then to a fourth? 除了再飛向第三個角落，然后第四個角落，它又能做些什么呢！That was all he could do, in spite of the size of the downs, the width of the sky, the far–off smoke of houses, and the romantic voice, now and then, of a steamer out at sea. 它能做的只有這些，無論丘陵多么廣袤，天空多么遼闊；無論炊煙飄的有多遠(yuǎn)，海上不時傳來的汽船鳴笛聲有多動人。What he could do he did. 它能做的它都做了。Watching him, it seemed as if a fibre, very thin but pure, of the enormous energy of the world had been thrust into his frail and diminutive body. 端詳著它，好似天地間的無限生機(jī)，在它細(xì)弱的軀體中，注進(jìn)了一絲稀薄而純粹的活力。As often as he crossed the pane, I could fancy that a thread of vital light became visible. He was little or nothing but life.我看著它在窗臺間四處翻飛，仿佛看到了一束生命之光。它雖然微不足道，卻是實實在在的生命。
Yet, because he was so small, and so simple a form of the energy that was rolling in at the open window and driving its way through so many narrow and intricate corridors in my own brain and in those of other human beings, there was something marvellous as well as pathetic about him.不過，在涌進(jìn)窗口，通過紛繁仄窄的曲經(jīng)回廊向我、向蕓蕓眾生腦中長驅(qū)直入的那些活力當(dāng)中，飛蛾如此細(xì)小、如此微不足道，仍令人對之驚嘆而唏噓不已?！t was as if someone had taken a tiny bead of pure life and decking it as lightly as possible with down and feathers, had set it dancing and zig–zagging to show us the true nature of life. Thus displayed one could not get over the strangeness of it. 仿佛有人將生命之珠輕輕飾以毛羽，使其舞之蹈之，左翔右翥，把生命的本質(zhì)，展現(xiàn)在我們面前，讓我們明白生命神奇之不可參透。One is apt to forget all about life, seeing it humped and bossed and garnished and cumbered so that it has to move with the greatest circumspection and dignity.看著它腹背隆起，身披紋飾，行動不便，飛舞時謹(jǐn)小慎微，儀態(tài)凝重，關(guān)于生命的一切一切，統(tǒng)統(tǒng)都要被我們置諸腦后了。Again, the thought of all that life might have been had he been born in any other shape caused one to view his simple activities with a kind of pity.然而一想到倘若飛蛾生來是另一副模樣，它的命運該如何不同，又令人對其碌碌無為生出一絲憐憫來。
After a time, tired by his dancing apparently, he settled on the window ledge in the sun, and, the queer spectacle being at an end, I forgot about him. 飛舞片刻之后，飛蛾已然疲憊，歇息于陽光下的窗沿上；不尋常的一幕既已告終，我也就把它忘了。Then, looking up, my eye was caught by him.后來，偶一抬頭，它又引起了我的注意?！e was trying to resume his dancing, but seemed either so stiff or so awkward that he could only flutter to the bottom of the window–pane; and when he tried to fly across it he failed.它正試著再飛起來，但不知是由于費勁還是笨拙，只能拍翅飛到窗格底部；當(dāng)試圖飛到頂部時卻沒有成功?！eing intent on other matters I watched these futile attempts for a time without thinking, unconsciously waiting for him to resume his flight, as one waits for a machine, that has stopped momentarily, to start again without considering the reason of its failure. 我心不在焉，看著它徒然的努力，下意識地期待它重新飛起來，就像機(jī)器偶爾發(fā)生故障，期待它重新運轉(zhuǎn)而不查究故障原因一樣。過了片刻，After perhaps a seventh attempt he slipped from the wooden ledge and fell, fluttering his wings, on to his back on the window sill. 飛蛾在大約第七次嘗試飛上窗格頂部時從木窗沿上滑落下來，撲扇著翅膀，仰面朝天掉落在窗臺上。The helplessness of his attitude roused me. 它無助的樣子使我回過神來。It flashed upon me that he was in difficulties; he could no longer raise himself; his legs struggled vainly. 我這才明白它陷入了困境，飛不起來，只是還在徒勞地蹬腿。But, as I stretched out a pencil, meaning to help him to right himself, it came over me that the failure and awkwardness were the approach of death. I laid the pencil down again.我正要伸出鉛筆，幫它翻轉(zhuǎn)身來，突然意識到它這是在作垂死的掙扎，就把鉛筆擱下了?！ ?BR>