威廉。华兹华斯

在这里你会发现长诗兄弟,诗人威廉·华兹华斯

兄弟,

“这些游客,上帝保佑我们!”人必须过有益的生活:有些人匆匆而愉快地扫视大地,仿佛大地是空气,他们就像蝴蝶一样,在夏天里飞舞;有些人则聪明伶俐,栖息在陡峭的峭壁上,手里拿着铅笔,膝上放着书,看了又写,看了又写,直到一个人能走十二英里路,或收获邻居的一英亩玉米。可是,对于那个郁郁寡欢的游手好闲之子来说,他为什么还能留在“那边”呢?在我们的墓地里既没有墓志铭,也没有纪念碑,墓碑,也没有名字——只有我们踏过的草皮和几座天然的坟墓。”“对他的妻子简,”朴实的恩纳代尔牧师这样说。那是七月的一个晚上;他坐在老茅屋屋檐下长长的石凳上,那天碰巧在忙冬天的活儿。他的妻子坐在他身边的石头上,拨弄着缠在一起的羊毛,同时,从镶着闪闪发光的金属丝的双卡上,他喂着他最小的孩子的纺锤,她在户外,用忙碌的双手和来回的脚步,协调地转动着她的大轮。教区礼拜堂孤零零地矗立在田野上,四周环绕着一圈光秃秃的青苔,半个小时过去了,牧师久久地惊异地望着他。最后,他从座位上站起来,站在老人堆成的雪白的粗羊毛堆旁,小心翼翼地把他的工具一件件锁上;他沿着从他的茅屋到教堂墓地的那条小路走去,他看见陌生人还在那儿逗留,急着要跟他搭话。 'Twas one well known to him in former days, A Shepherd-lad; who ere his sixteenth year Had left that calling, tempted to entrust His expectations to the fickle winds And perilous waters; with the mariners A fellow-mariner;--and so had fared Through twenty seasons; but he had been reared Among the mountains, and he in his heart Was half a shepherd on the stormy seas. Oft in the piping shrouds had Leonard heard The tones of waterfalls, and inland sounds Of caves and trees:--and, when the regular wind Between the tropics filled the steady sail, And blew with the same breath through days and weeks, Lengthening invisibly its weary line Along the cloudless Main, he, in those hours Of tiresome indolence, would often hang Over the vessel's side, and gaze and gaze; And, while the broad blue wave and sparkling foam Flashed round him images and hues that wrought In union with the employment of his heart, He, thus by feverish passion overcome, Even with the organs of his bodily eye, Below him, in the bosom of the deep, Saw mountains; saw the forms of sheep that grazed On verdant hills--with dwellings among trees, And shepherds clad in the same country grey Which he himself had worn. And now, at last, From perils manifold, with some small wealth Acquired by traffic 'mid the Indian Isles, To his paternal home he is returned, With a determined purpose to resume The life he had lived there; both for the sake Of many darling pleasures, and the love Which to an only brother he has borne In all his hardships, since that happy time When, whether it blew foul or fair, they two Were brother-shepherds on their native hills. --They were the last of all their race: and now, When Leonard had approached his home, his heart Failed in him; and, not venturing to enquire Tidings of one so long and dearly loved, He to the solitary churchyard turned; That, as he knew in what particular spot His family were laid, he thence might learn If still his Brother lived, or to the file Another grave was added.--He had found Another grave,--near which a full half-hour He had remained; but, as he gazed, there grew Such a confusion in his memory, That he began to doubt; and even to hope That he had seen this heap of turf before,-- That it was not another grave; but one He had forgotten. He had lost his path, As up the vale, that afternoon, he walked Through fields which once had been well known to him: And oh what joy this recollection now Sent to his heart! he lifted up his eyes, And, looking round, imagined that he saw Strange alteration wrought on every side Among the woods and fields, and that the rocks, And everlasting hills themselves were changed. 0 By this the Priest, who down the field had come, Unseen by Leonard, at the churchyard gate Stopped short,--and thence, at leisure, limb by limb Perused him with a gay complacency. Ay, thought the Vicar, smiling to himself, 'Tis one of those who needs must leave the path Of the world's business to go wild alone: His arms have a perpetual holiday; The happy man will creep about the fields, Following his fa