第13章 夜莺 The Nightingale（2/2）

She was now to rea at urt, to have her own cage, with liberty to go out ice a day, and once durg the night.

有十二个仆人被指派在这些时候照顾她，每个仆人都用一根系在她腿上的丝线牵着她。

elve servants were appoio attend her on these oasions, who each held her by a silken strg faste.

这种飞翔肯定没什么乐趣。

there was certaly not uch pleasure this kd of flyg.

全城都在谈论这只奇妙的鸟，当两个人相遇时，一个人说 “夜”，另一个人说 “莺”，他们就明白是什么意思了，因为没有别的话题可谈。

the whole city spoke of the wonderful bird, and when o people t, one said “night,” and the other said “gale,” and they uood what was ant, for nothg else was talked of.

十一个小贩的孩子以她的名字命名，但他们中没有一个能唱出一个音符。

Eleven peddlers’ children were nad after her, but not of the uld sg a note.

一天，皇帝收到一个大包裹，上面写着 “夜莺”。

one day the eperor received a rge packet on which was written “the Nightgale.”

“毫无疑问，这是一本关于我们这只着名鸟儿的新书。” 皇帝说。

“here is no doubt a new book about our celebrated bird,” said the eperor.

但它不是一本书，而是放在一个匣子里的一件艺术品，一只人造夜莺，做得像真的一样，全身镶满了钻石、红宝石和蓝宝石。

but stead of a book, it was a work of art taed a casket, an artificial nightgale ade to look like a livg one, and vered all over with diaonds, rubies, and sapphires.

这只人造夜莺一旦上紧发条，就能像真夜莺一样唱歌，还能上下摆动它那闪烁着金银光芒的尾巴。

As soon as the artificial bird was wound up, it uld sg like the real one, and uld ove its tail up and down, which sparkled with silver and gold.

它的脖子上挂着一条丝带，上面写着 “中国皇帝的夜莺与日本皇帝的夜莺相比相形见绌。”

Round its neck hung a piece of ribbon, on which was written “the Eperor of a’s nightgale is poor pared with that of the Eperor of Japan’s.”

“这非常漂亮，” 所有看到它的人都惊叹道，带来这只人造夜莺的人被授予 “皇家夜莺进贡总管” 的头衔。

“this is very beautiful,” excid all who saw it, and he who had brought the artificial bird received the title of “Iperial nightgale - brger - - chief.”

“现在它们必须一起唱歌，” 宫廷里的人说，“那将是多么美妙的二重唱啊。”

“Now they t sg together,” said the urt, “and what a duet it will be.”

但是它们配合得不好，因为真夜莺按照自己自然的方式唱歌，而人造夜莺只唱华尔兹。

but they did not get on well, for the real nightgale sang its own natural way, but the artificial bird sang only waltzes.

“这不是缺点，” 乐师说，“非常符合我的口味。” 于是它只得单独唱歌，并且和真鸟一样成功；

“that is not a fault,” said the ic - aster, “it is quite perfey taste,” so then it had to sg alone, and was as suessful as the real bird;

而且，它看起来漂亮多了，因为它像手镯和胸针一样闪闪发光。

besides, it was so uch prettier to look at, for it sparkled like bracelets and breast - ps.

它把同样的曲调唱了三十三遍都不累；

three and thirty tis did it sg the sa tunes without beg tired;

人们还想再听一遍，但是皇帝说活的夜莺应该唱点什么。

the people would gdly have heard it aga, but the eperor said the livg nightgale ought to sg sothg.

但是她在哪里呢？

but where was she?

当她从开着的窗户飞出去，飞回自己绿色的树林时，没有人注意到她。

No one had noticed her when she flew out at the open dow, back to her own green woods.

“多么奇怪的行为，” 当发现她飞走了时皇帝说；

“what strange duct,” said the eperor, when her flight had been disvered;

所有的朝臣都责备她，说她是个非常忘恩负义的家伙。

and all the urtiers bd her, and said she was a very ungrateful creature.

“但我们毕竟有了最好的鸟。” 一个人说，然后他们又让鸟唱歌，尽管这已经是他们第三十四次听同样的曲子了，而且即便如此他们还没学会，因为这曲子相当难。

“but we have the best bird after all,” said one, and then they would have the bird sg aga, although it was the thirty - fourth ti they had listeo the sa piece, and evehey had not learnt it, for it was rather difficult.

但是乐师高度赞扬这只鸟，甚至断言它比真夜莺更好，不仅在它的装饰和漂亮的钻石方面，而且在它的音乐能力方面。

but the ic - aster praised the bird the highest degree, and even asserted that it was better than a real nightgale, not only its dress and the beautiful diaonds, but also its ical power.

“因为您必须明白，我的君主和皇帝，对于一只真夜莺，我们永远不知道它要唱什么，但是对于这只鸟，一切都是确定的。

“For you t perceive, y chief lord and eperor, that with a real nightgale we ever tell what is gog to be sung, but with this bird everythg is settled.

它可以被拆开并解释，这样人们就可以理解华尔兹是如何构成的，以及为什么一个音符接着一个音符。”

It be opened and exped, so that people ay uand how the waltzes are ford, and why oe follows upon another.”

“这正是我们所想的。” 他们都回答道，然后乐师得到许可在接下来的周日向民众展示这只鸟，皇帝命令民众都要到场听它唱歌。

“this is exactly what we thk,” they all replied, and then the ic - aster received perission to exhibit the bird to the people on the follog Sunday, and the eperor ahat they should be present to hear it sg.

当他们听到它唱歌时，他们就像喝醉了的人一样；

when they heard it they were like people toxicated;

然而，一定是喝了茶的缘故，这完全是中国人的习俗。

however it t have been with drkg tea, which is quite a ese .

他们都说：“哦！” 并且竖起食指点头，但是一个听过真夜莺唱歌的穷苦渔夫说：“它听起来够动听的，而且旋律都一样；

they all said “oh!” and held up their fers and nodded, but a poor fisheran, who had heard the real nightgale, said, “it sounds prettily enough, and the lodies are all alike;

然而似乎缺少了点什么，我也说不太清楚。”

yet there sees sothg wantg, I ot exactly tell what.”

在这之后，真夜莺被逐出了这个帝国，而人造夜莺被放在靠近皇帝床边的一个丝绸垫子上。

And after this the real nightgale was banished fro the epire, and the artificial bird pced on a silk close to the eperor’s bed.

和它一起收到的金银珠宝礼物都放在这只鸟的周围，它现在被提升为 “皇家小厕所歌手” 的头衔，并且排在左边第一位；

the presents of gold and precio stones which had been received with it were round the bird, and it was now advao the title of “Little Iperial toilet Sger,” and to the rank of No.

1 on the left hand;

因为皇帝认为心脏所在的左边是最尊贵的，皇帝的心和其他人的心在同一个位置。

for the eperor sidered the left side, on which the heart lies, as the ost noble, and the heart of an eperor is the sa pce as that of other people.

乐师写了一部长达二十五卷的关于人造夜莺的着作，内容非常博学、冗长，还充满了最难的汉字；

the ic - aster wrote a work, iy - five vos, about the artificial bird, which was very learned and very long, and full of the ost difficult ese words;

然而所有人都说他们读过并且理解了这部着作，因为害怕被认为愚蠢而被践踏身体。

yet all the people said they had read it, and uood it, for fear of beg thought stupid and havg their bodies trapled upon.

于是一年过去了，皇帝、宫廷里的人和所有其他中国人都熟悉了人造夜莺歌声中的每一个小转折；

So a year passed, and the eperor, the urt, and all the other ese knew every little turn iificial bird’s song;

也正是因为这个原因，他们更喜欢它了。

and for that sa reason it pleased the better.

他们能跟着鸟一起唱歌，他们也经常这么做。

they uld sg with the bird, which they often did.

街头的孩子们唱着：“吱 - 吱 - 吱，咯，咯，咯。” 皇帝本人也能唱。

the street - boys sang, “Zi - zi - zi, cck, cck, cck,” and the eperor hiself uld sg it also.

这真的非常有趣。

It was really ost ag.

一天晚上，当人造夜莺正在尽情歌唱，皇帝躺在床上听着的时候，鸟的内部发出了 “嗡嗡” 声。

one eveng, wheificial bird was sgg its best, and the eperor y bed listeng to it, sothg ihe bird sounded “whizz.”

然后一个弹簧断了。

then a sprg cracked.

“呼呼呼”，所有的轮子都转动起来，然后音乐停止了。

“whir - r - r - r” went all the wheels, runng round, and then the ic sped.

皇帝立刻从床上跳起来，叫来了他的御医；

the eperor idiately sprang out of bed, and called for his physi;

但是他能做什么呢？

but what uld he do?

然后他们找来了一个钟表匠；

then they sent for a watchaker;

经过大量的讨论和检查后，这只鸟被大致修好了；

and, after a great deal of talkg aion, the bird ut to sothg like order;

但他说必须非常小心地使用它，因为发条筒已经磨损了，如果不损坏音乐装置就不可能安装新的筒。

but he said that it t be ed very carefully, as the barrels were worn, and it would be ipossible to put new ones without jurg the ic.

现在大家都非常悲伤，因为这只鸟每年只能被允许演奏一次；

Now there was great sorrow, as the bird uld only be allowed to py once a year;

而且即使这样对它内部的装置也是很危险的。

and even that was dangero for the works i.

然后乐师发表了一小段讲话，满是晦涩难懂的词汇，并宣称这只鸟还和以前一样好；

then the ic - aster ade a little speech, full of hard words, and decred that the bird was as good as ever;

当然，没有人反驳他。

and, of urse no oradicted hi.

五年过去了，然后这片土地上遭遇了一场真正的灾难。

Five years passed, and then a real grief ca upon the nd.

中国人真的很爱戴他们的皇帝，而他现在病得很重，人们都觉得他活不成了。

the ese really were fond of their eperor, and he now y so ill that he was not expected to live.

已经选出了一位新皇帝，站在街上的人们问侍从贵族老皇帝的情况；

Already a new eperor had been chosen and the people who stood ireet asked the lord - - waitg how the old eperor > 但他只是说：“呸！” 然后摇了摇头。

but he only said, “pooh!” and shook his head.

皇帝冰冷苍白地躺在他的御床上；

ld and pale y the eperor his royal bed;

整个宫廷都以为他死了，每个人都跑去向他的继任者致敬。

the whole urt thought he was dead, and every one ran away to pay hoage to his suessor.

侍从们出去谈论这件事，女仆们则邀请同伴来喝咖啡。

the chaberi out to have a talk oter, and the dies’ - aids vited pany to take ffee.

大厅和走廊都铺上了布，这样就听不到脚步声了，一切都寂静无声。

cloth had been id down on the halls and passages, so that not a footstep should be heard, and all was silent and still.

但是皇帝还没有死，尽管他脸色苍白、僵硬地躺在他华丽的床上，床上有长长的天鹅绒窗帘和沉重的金流苏。

but the eperor was not yet dead, although he y white and stiff on his geo bed, with the lo curtas and heavy gold tassels.

一扇窗户开着，月光照在皇帝和人造夜莺身上。

A dow stood open, and the oon shone upon the eperor and the artificial bird.

可怜的皇帝，发现胸口有一股奇怪的重压让他几乎无法呼吸，他睁开眼睛，看到死神坐在那里。

the poor eperor, fdg he uld scarcely breathe with a strange weight on his chest, opened his eyes, and saw death sittg there.

他戴上了皇帝的金王冠，一只手拿着皇帝的宝剑，另一只手拿着他美丽的旗帜。

he had put on the eperolden , and held one hand his sword of state, and iher his beautiful banner.

床的周围，透过长长的天鹅绒窗帘窥视着的，是许多奇怪的脑袋，有些非常丑陋，有些则看起来可爱又温和。

All around the bed and peepg through the lo curtas, were a nuber of strange heads, sly, and others lovely ale - lookg.

这些是皇帝的善恶之举，当死神坐在他的心头时，它们都呈现在他眼前。

these were the eperood and bad deeds, which stared hi the faow death sat at his heart.

“你还记得这个吗？”

“do you reber this?”

“你还记得那个吗？”

“do you rellect that?”

他们一个接一个地问着，这让他想起了那些让他额头冒汗的事情。

they asked oer ah brgg to his rebrance circustahat ade the perspiration stand on his brow.

“我什么都不知道。” 皇帝说。

“I know nothg about it,” said the eperor.

“音乐！音乐！” 他叫道；

“ic! ic!” he cried;

“那面大大的中国鼓！这样我就听不到他们说的话了。”

“the rge ese dru! that I ay not hear what they say.”

但是他们仍然继续说着，死神像中国人那样对他们所说的一切点头。

but they still went on, ah nodded like a aan to all they said.

“音乐！音乐！” 皇帝大喊。

“ic! ic!” shouted the eperor.

“你这只珍贵的小金鸟，唱吧，求求你唱吧！我给了你金子和昂贵的礼物；

“You little precio golden bird, sg, pray sg! I have given you gold and stly presents;

我甚至把我的金拖鞋挂在你的脖子上。

I have even hung y golden slipper round your neck.

唱吧！唱吧！” 但是鸟儿仍然沉默着。

Sg! sg!” but the bird reaed silent.

没有人给它上发条，所以它一个音符都唱不出来。

there was no oo d it up, and therefore it uld not sg a note.

死神继续用他冰冷、空洞的眼睛盯着皇帝，房间里可怕地寂静着。

death tio stare at the eperor with his ld, hollow eyes, and the roo was fearfully still.

突然，从开着的窗户传来了甜美的音乐声。

Suddenly there ca through the open dow the sound of sweet ic.

外面，在一棵树的树枝上，坐着那只活的夜莺。

outside, on the bough of a tree, sat the livg nightgale.

她听说了皇帝的病，所以来给他唱希望和信任之歌。

She had heard of the eperor’s illness, and was therefore e to sg to hi of hope and trt.

当她唱歌的时候，阴影变得越来越淡；

And as she sung, the shadows grew paler and paler;

皇帝血管里的血液流动得更快了，给他虚弱的四肢带来了生机；

the blood the eperor’s ves flowed ore rapidly, and gave life to his weak libs;

甚至死神自己也在听，并且说：“继续唱，小夜莺，继续唱。”

and eveh hiself listened, and said, “Go on, little nightgale, go on.”

“那么你会把那把漂亮的金剑和那面华丽的旗帜给我吗？

“then will you give the beautiful golden sword and that rich banner?

你会把皇帝的王冠给我吗？” 鸟儿说。

and will you give the eperor’s ?” said the bird.

于是死神为了一首歌放弃了每一件宝物；

So death gave up each of these treasures for a song;

夜莺继续唱歌。

and the nightgale tued her sgg.

她歌唱宁静的墓地，那里生长着白色的玫瑰，接骨木树在微风中散发着香气，清新甜美的草被哀悼者的泪水打湿。

She sung of the quiet churchyard, where the white roses grow, where the elder - tree wafts its perfu on the breeze, and the fresh, sweet grass is oistened by the ourners’ tears.

然后死神渴望去看看他的花园，便化作一股冰冷的白色薄雾从窗户飘了出去。

theh loo go and see his garden, and floated out through the dow the for of a ld, white ist.

“谢谢，谢谢，你这只神圣的小鸟。

“thanks, thanks, you heavenly little bird.

我很了解你。

I know you well.

我曾经把你逐出我的王国，然而你用你甜美的歌声把那些邪恶的面孔从我的床边赶走，把死神从我的心里赶走。

I banished you fro y kgdo once, a you have chard away the evil faces fro y bed, and banished death fro y heart, with your sweet song.

我该如何报答你呢？”

how I reward you?”

“你已经报答我了，” 夜莺说。

“You have already rewarded ,” said the nightgale.

“我永远不会忘记我第一次唱歌给你听时，让你流下了眼泪。

“I shall never fet that I drew tears fro your eyes the first ti I sang to you.

这些是让歌手心中欢喜的珠宝。

these are the jewels that rejoice a sger’s heart.

但是现在睡吧，再次变得强壮健康起来。

but now sleep, and grow strong and well aga.

我会再唱歌给你听的。”

I will sg to you aga.”

当她唱歌的时候，皇帝进入了甜美的梦乡；

And as she sung, the eperor fell to a sweet sleep;

那是多么温和又提神的睡眠啊！当他醒来时，他已经恢复精力，身体强壮了，阳光明亮地透过窗户照进来；

and how ild and refreshg that sber was! when he awoke, strengthened aored, the sun shone brightly through the dow;

但是他的仆人没有一个回来 —— 他们都以为他死了；

but not one of his servants had returned — they all believed he was dead;

只有夜莺还坐在他旁边唱歌。

only the nightiill sat beside hi, and sang.

“你必须永远和我在一起，” 皇帝说。

“You t always rea with ,” said the eperor.

“你想唱歌的时候就唱；

“You shall sg only when it pleases you;

我要把那只人造鸟砸成一千块碎片。”

and I will break the artificial bird to a thoand pieces.”

“不；

“No;

不要那样做，” 夜莺回答说；

do not do that,” replied the nightgale;

“这只鸟在它还能唱的时候表现得很好。

“the bird did very well as long as it uld.

仍然把它留在这里吧。

Keep it here still.

我不能住在宫殿里筑巢；

I ot live the pace, and build y ;

但是让我能随时来。

but let e when I like.

我会在晚上坐在你窗外的树枝上唱歌给你听，这样你就会快乐，心中充满喜悦的想法。

I will sit on a bough outside your dow, the eveng, and sg to you, so that you ay be happy, and have thoughts full of joy.

我会唱歌给你听那些快乐的人和受苦的人；

I will sg to you of those who are happy, and those who suffer;

那些隐藏在你周围的好人和坏人。

of the good and the evil, who are hidden around you.

这只小鸣禽会从你和你的宫廷飞到渔夫的家和农民的小屋。

the little sgg bird flies far fro you and your urt to the ho of the fisheran and the peasant’s t.

我爱你的心胜过你的王冠；

I love your heart better than your ;

然而王冠周围也萦绕着某种神圣的东西。

a sothg holy lgers round that also.

我会来的，我会唱歌给你听；

I will e, I will sg to you;

但是你必须答应我一件事。”

but you t proise ohg.”

“任何事都行，” 皇帝说，他穿上皇袍，手握沉重的金剑，手按在胸口站着。

“Everythg,” said the eperor, who, havg dressed hiself his iperial robes, stood with the hand that held the heavy golden sword pressed to his heart.

“我只要求一件事，” 她回答说；

“I only ask ohg,” she replied;

“不要让任何人知道你有一只告诉你一切的小鸟。

“let no one know that you have a little bird who tells you everythg.

最好保密。” 说完，夜莺飞走了。

It will be best to ceal it.” So sayg, the nightgale fle> 仆人们现在进来照看死去的皇帝；

the servants now ca to look after the dead eperor;

瞧！他就站在那里，令他们惊讶的是，他说：“早上好。”

when, lo! there he stood, and, to their astonishnt, said, “Good .”