《四季随笔》节选 - 冬 05

《四季随笔》是吉辛的散文代表作。其中对隐士赖克罗夫特醉心于书籍、自然景色与回忆过去生活的描述，其实是吉辛的自述，作者以此来抒发自己的情感，因而本书是一部富有自传色彩的小品文集。

吉辛穷困的一生，对文学名著的爱好与追求，以及对大自然恬静生活的向往，在书中均有充分的反映。本书分为春、夏、秋、冬四个部分，文笔优美，行文流畅，是英国文学中小品文的珍品之一。

以下是由网友分享的《四季随笔》节选 - 冬 05的内容，让我们一起来感受吉辛的四季吧!

Walking along the road after nightfall, I thought all at once of London streets, and, by a freak of mind, wished I were there. I saw the shining of shop-fronts, the yellow glistening of a wet pavement, the hurrying people, the cabs, the omnibuses—and I wished I were amid it all.

夜幕降临的时候，我还在路上走着，忽然，我想起伦敦的街道，并突发异想，希望自己能在那里。我看到街道两旁店面发出的亮光，潮湿的人行道上黄色的反光，行色匆匆的路人、出租车、马车——我希望自己身在其中。

What did it mean, but that I wished I were young again? Not seldom I have a sudden vision of a London street, perhaps the dreariest and ugliest, which for a moment gives me a feeling of home-sickness. Often it is the High Street of Islington, which I have not seen for a quarter of a century, at least; no thoroughfare in all London less attractive to the imagination, one would say; but I see myself walking there—walking with the quick, light step of youth, and there, of course, is the charm. I see myself, after a long day of work and loneliness, setting forth from my lodging. For the weather I care nothing; rain, wind, fog—what does it matter! The fresh air fills my lungs; my blood circles rapidly; I feel my muscles, and have a pleasure in the hardness of the stone I tread upon. Perhaps I have money in my pocket; I am going to the theatre, and, afterwards, I shall treat myself to supper—sausage and mashed potatoes, with a pint of foaming ale. The gusto with which I look forward to each and every enjoyment! At the pit-door, I shall roll and hustle amid the throng, and find it amusing. Nothing tires me. Late at night, I shall walk all the way back to Islington, most likely singing as I go. Not because I am happy—nay, I am anything but that; but my age is something and twenty; I am strong and well.

我希望自己再次年轻,这意味着什么呢？我经常会在想象中见到伦敦的某条街道，可能是最阴郁丑陋的，片刻间它还是让我有一种想家的感觉。通常那会是伊斯灵顿区的大街，我已经至少有四分之一个世纪那么久没看见它了。在想象中，全伦敦没有一条大道比它更普通，更缺乏想象的空间，你会这么说；但是我却看到自己在那条街道上走——用年轻人轻快的步伐走着，当然，这就是它的诱人之处。我看到自己，在漫长一天的工作和寂寞之后，离开寓所出门。天气我是毫不在意的，下雨、刮风、大雾——有什么关系！新鲜的空气充满了我的肺；血液快速地循环着；我触摸自己的肌肉，在脚踏上坚硬的地面之时获得一种快感。也许兜里会有点钱，我会到戏院去，之后会享受一顿晚餐——香肠、土豆泥加上一品脱溢满泡沫的浓啤酒。我对这每一个乐趣都满怀着怎样热切的期待啊！在戏院的后门口，我在人群中推推搡搡，觉得很是有趣。没有什么能让我感觉疲惫。夜深了，我会径直走回伊斯灵顿区，可能还一路哼着小曲。不是因为我高兴——不，我的生活根本不算幸福。不过，我当时才二十几岁，身体强壮又健康。

Put me in a London street this chill, damp night, and I should be lost in barren discomfort. But in those old days, if I am not mistaken, I rather preferred the seasons of bad weather; I had, in fact, the true instinct of townsfolk, which finds pleasure in the triumph of artificial circumstance over natural conditions, delighting in a glare and tumult of busy life under hostile heavens which, elsewhere, would mean shivering ill-content. The theatre, at such a time, is doubly warm and bright; every shop is a happy harbour of refuge—there, behind the counter, stand persons quite at their ease, ready to chat as they serve you; the supper bars make tempting display under their many gas-jets; the public houses are full of people who all have money to spend. Then clangs out the piano-organ—and what could be cheerier!

在今天这个寒冷潮湿的夜晚，把我放在伦敦任何一条街道上，我都会在极度不适中迷失方向。但在那些日子，如果没记错的话，我倒是更喜欢天气糟糕的季节。事实上，我有城里人的真正本能，就是能从人造环境战胜自然条件中找到快乐，在恶劣的天气下能从繁忙生活的喧嚷中感受愉悦，而在别处，这天气会意味着瑟瑟发抖的不幸境遇。在这种时候，剧院是份外的温暖明亮；每家店铺都是一个快乐的避风港——在那儿，柜台后站着的人们是那么悠哉乐哉，在服务时随时准备与你攀谈；在一盏盏煤气灯火的照耀下，饭馆展示着诱人的晚餐；酒吧里满是有钱可花的人们。接着会响起钢琴的声音——有什么会更让人愉快呢！

I have much ado to believe that I really felt so. But then, if life had not somehow made itself tolerable to me, how should I have lived through those many years? Human creatures have a marvellous power of adapting themselves to necessity. Were I, even now, thrown back into squalid London, with no choice but to abide and work there—should I not abide and work? Notwithstanding thoughts of the chemist's shop, I suppose I should.

我努力让自己相信当时确实曾有这样的感觉，否则，如果生活不是用某种方式变得让我觉得可以忍受，我怎么能熬过那么些年呢？人类有一种神奇的适应自然环境的力量。即使现在，如果我被扔回肮脏的伦敦，没有任何选择，只能忍受并工作——我难道不会忍受和工作吗？虽然会想到药店的问题，我想我还是会的。