1891年,處在寫(xiě)作生涯巔峰期的王爾德遇見(jiàn)了阿爾弗雷德·“波西”·道格拉斯(Alfred "Bosie" Douglas),兩人很快成為了同性戀人。四年后,因?yàn)檫@段“不敢說(shuō)出名字的愛(ài)”,王爾德被判“有傷 風(fēng)化”罪而入獄。在獄中,王爾德開(kāi)始反思從前的生活,思索痛苦和人生的意義,藝術(shù)和愛(ài)的真諦,最終將那些痛苦的淚水都化作優(yōu) 美而深沉的文字,寫(xiě)成了這封名為"de profundis"(從深處)的長(zhǎng)信。

作者簡(jiǎn)介:奧斯卡·王爾德(Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900),英國(guó)維多利亞時(shí)代著名作家,“唯美主義 運(yùn)動(dòng)”的領(lǐng)軍人物,倡導(dǎo)“為藝術(shù)而藝術(shù)”(Art for art's sake)。他的代表作有戲劇《莎樂(lè)美》(Salome)《認(rèn)真的 重要性》(The Importance of Being Earnest),童話《快樂(lè)王子》(The Happy Prince) 《夜鶯與玫瑰》(The Nightingale and the Rose) ,小說(shuō)《道連·格雷的畫(huà)像》(The Picture of Dorian Gray),以及書(shū)信《自深深處》(De Profundis)等。

【原著選段】

If after I go out, a friend of mine gave a feast,?and did not invite me to it, I shouldn’t mind a bit. I?can be perfectly happy by myself. With?freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who?could not be happy? Besides, feasts are not for me?any more. I have given too many to care about?them. That side of life is over for me, very?fortunately I dare say. But if, after I go out, a friend?of mine had a sorrow, and refused to allow me to?share it, I should feel it most bitterly. If he shut the?doors of the house of mourning against me I would come back again and again and beg to be admitted, so?that I might share in what I was entitled to share. If?he thought me unworthy, unfit to weep with him, I?should feel it as the most poignant humiliation,?as the most terrible mode in which disgrace could be?inflicted on me. But that could not be. I have a right?to share in Sorrow, and he who can look at the?loveliness of the world, and share its sorrow, and?realise something of the wonder of both, is in?immediate contact with divine things, and has got as?near to God’s secret as anyone can get.

【朱純深譯本】

假如出去后,哪位朋友設(shè)宴而不請(qǐng)我,我一點(diǎn)也不會(huì)介意。一個(gè)人我就可以快樂(lè)無(wú)邊了。有了自由、書(shū)籍、鮮花,還有月亮,誰(shuí)能不快樂(lè)呢?而且,宴飲也不再是我所喜歡的了。餐宴我舉行過(guò)太多已經(jīng)不為所動(dòng)了。那方面的生活已經(jīng)與我無(wú)關(guān),我敢說(shuō)這非常幸運(yùn)。但如果出去后,哪位朋友有了哀痛而不讓我與他分擔(dān),那我就太難受了。如果他把我關(guān)在居喪之屋外頭,那我會(huì)一次又一次地回去,求他放我進(jìn)門,好分擔(dān)我有權(quán)分擔(dān)的。如果他認(rèn)為我不配,不配與他同哭,那我會(huì)覺(jué)得這是奇恥大辱,再?zèng)]有比這更可怕的羞辱了。但這是不可能的。我有權(quán)分擔(dān)悲哀。能看著世界的可愛(ài),又同時(shí)分擔(dān)它的悲哀, 并領(lǐng)悟兩者的奇妙,這樣的人已是直通神性,與上帝的真意再接近不過(guò)了。

【讀書(shū)筆記】

1、feast?n.盛筵;感官享受
? ? ? ? ? ? ?vi.參加宴會(huì);飽餐
? ? ? ? ? ? ?vt.設(shè)宴招待
【舉例】a wedding feast 婚宴
a feast for the eyes 使人大飽眼福的事物
feast on delicacies 飽嘗珍饈
feast one's friends 設(shè)宴招待朋友

2、sorrow n.悲傷;煩惱;不幸的事;歉疚
【舉例】She looked at him in/with sorrow.?她注視著他,滿懷悲傷之情。
The many sorrows turned her hair white.?這許多不幸的事使她白了頭。
He expressed his sorrow over/for what he had done.?他對(duì)自己所做的事深表歉疚。

3、mourning?n.哀痛;哀悼;服喪;喪服
【舉例】express mouning over loss of sb.?為失去某人而哀痛
be put into mourning?服喪
national mouring 國(guó)喪
wear mourning for sb. 為悼念某人而穿上喪服

4、entitle v.給……權(quán)利/資格;給……題名
【舉例】He was entitled to see the documents. 他有權(quán)看這些文件。
The work entitled him to a place among the great novelists.
這部作品使他躋身偉大小說(shuō)家的行列。
The author entitled his book "On Poetry". 作者給自己的書(shū)題名為“論詩(shī)”。

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