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英语语言文学英汉互译英译汉选自伊莎多拉•邓肯的自传MyLifeISADORADUNCAN’SAUTOBIOGRAPHY:CHAPTERONEThecharacterofachildisalreadyplain,eveninitsmother’swomb.BeforeIwasbornmymotherwasingreatagonyofspiritandinatragicsituation.Shecouldtakenofoodexcepticedoystersandicedchampagne.IfpeopleaskmewhenIbegantodanceIreply,“Inmymother’swomb,probablyasaresultoftheoystersandchampagne—thefoodofAphrodite.”Mymotherwasgoingthroughsuchatragicexperienceatthistimethatsheoftensaid,“Thischildthatwillbebornwillsurelynotbenormal,”andsheexpectedamonster.AndinfactfromthemomentIwasbornitseemedthatIbegantoagitatemyarmsandlegsinsuchafurythatmymothercried,“YouseeIwasquiteright,thechildisamaniac!”Butlateron,placedinababyjumperinthecenterofthetableIwastheamusementoftheentirefamilyandfriends,dancingtoanymusicthatwasplayed.Myfirstmemoryisofafire.Irememberbeingthrownintothearmsofapolicemanfromanupperwindow.Imusthavebeenabouttwoorthreeyearsold,butIdistinctlyrememberthecomfortingfeeling,amongalltheexcitement—thescreamsandtheflames—ofthesecurityofthepolicemanandmylittlearmsroundhisneck.HemusthavebeenanIrishman.Ihearmymothercryinfrenzy,“Myboys,myboys,”andseeherheldbackbythecrowdfromenteringthebuildinginwhichsheimaginedmytwobrothershadbeenleft.AfterwardsIrememberfindingthetwoboyssittingonthefloorofabar-room,puttingontheirshoesandstockings,andthentheinsideofacarriage,andthensittingonacounterdrinkinghotchocolate.Iwasbornbythesea,andIhavenoticedthatallthegreateventsofmylifehavetakenplacebythesea.Myfirstideaofmovement,ofthedance,certainlycamefromtherhythmofthewaves.IwasbornunderthestarofAphrodite,Aphroditewhowasalsobornonthesea,andwhenherstarisintheascendant,eventsarealwayspropitioustome.AttheseepochslifeflowslightlyandIamabletocreate.Ihavealsonoticedthatthedisappearanceofthisstarisusuallyfollowedbydisasterforme.Thescienceofastrologyhasnotperhapstheimportanceto-daythatithadinthetimeoftheancientEgyptiansoroftheChaldeans,butitiscertainthatourpsychiclifeisundertheinfluenceoftheplanets,andifparentsunderstoodthistheywouldstudythestarsinthecreationofmorebeautifulchildren.Ibelieve,too,thatitmustmakeagreatdifferencetoachild’slifewhetheritisbornbytheseaorinthemountains.Theseahasalwaysdrawnmetoit,whereasinthemountainsIhaveavaguefeelingofdiscomfortandadesiretofly.Theyalwaysgivemeanimpressionofbeingaprisonertotheearth.Lookingupattheirtops,Idonotfeeltheadmirationofthegeneraltourist,butonlyadesiretoleapoverthemandescape.Mylifeandmyartwerebornofthesea.Ihavetobethankfulthatwhenwewereyoungmymotherwaspoor.Shecouldnotaffordservantsorgovernessesforherchildren,anditistothisfactthatIowethespontaneouslifewhichIhadtheopportunitytoexpressasachildandneverlost.Mymotherwasamusicianandtaughtmusicforalivingandasshegaveherlessonsatthehousesofherpupilsshewasawayfromhomealldayandformanyhoursintheevening.WhenIcouldescapefromtheprisonofschool,Iwasfree.Icouldwanderalonebytheseaandfollowmyownfantasies.HowIpitythechildrenIseeconstantlyattendedbynursesandgovernesses,constantlyprotectedandtakencareofandsmartlydressed.Whatchanceoflifehavethey?Mymotherwastoobusytothinkofanydangerswhichmightbefallherchildren,andthereforemytwobrothersandIwerefreetofollowourownvagabondimpulses,whichsometimesledusintoadventureswhich,hadourmotherknownofthem,wouldhavedrivenherwildwithanxiety.Fortunatelyshewasblissfullyunconscious.Isayfortunatelyforme,foritiscertainlytothiswilduntrammeledlifeofmychildhoodthatIowetheinspirationofthedanceIcreated,whichwasbuttheexpressionoffreedom.Iwasneversubjectedtothecontinual“don’ts”whichitseemstomemakechildren’slivesamisery.汉译英:林语堂的《秋天的况味》秋天的黄昏,一人独坐在沙发上抽烟,看烟头白灰之下露出红光,微微透露出暖气,心头的情绪便跟着那蓝烟缭绕而上,一样的轻松,一样的自由。不转眼缭烟变成缕缕的细丝,慢慢不见了,而那霎时,心上的情绪也跟着消沉于大千世界,所以也不讲那时的情绪,而只讲那时的情绪的况味。待要再划一根洋火,再点起那已点过三四次的雪茄,却因白灰已积得太多,点不着,乃轻轻的一弹,烟灰静悄悄的落在铜炉上,其静寂如同我此时用毛笔写在中纸上一样,一点的声息也没有。于是再点起来,一口一口的吞云吐露,香气扑鼻,宛如偎红倚翠温香在抱情调。于是想到烟,想到这烟一股温煦的热气,想到室中缭绕暗淡的烟霞,想到秋天的意味。这时才想起,向来诗文上秋的含义,并不是这样的,使人联想的是萧杀,是凄凉,是秋扇,是红叶,是荒林,是萋草。然而秋确有另一意味,没有春天的阳气勃勃,也没有夏天的炎烈迫人、也不像冬天之全入于枯槁凋零。我所爱的是秋林古气磅礴气象。有人以老气横秋骂人,可见是不懂得秋林古色之滋味。在四时中,我于秋是有偏爱的,所以不妨说说。秋是代表成熟,对于春天之明媚娇艳,夏日之茂密浓深,都是过来人,不足为奇了,所以其色淡,叶多黄,有古色苍茏之慨,不单以葱翠争荣了。这是我所谓秋的意味。大概我所爱的不是晚秋,是初秋,那时暄气初消,月正圆,蟹正肥,桂花皎洁,也未陷入懔烈萧瑟气态,这是最值得赏乐的。那时的温和,如我烟上的红灰,只是一股熏熟的温香罢了。或如文人已排脱下笔惊人的格调,而渐趋纯熟炼达,宏毅坚实,其文读来有深长意味。这就是庄子所谓“正得秋而万宝成”结实的意义。在人生上最享乐的就是这一类的事。比如酒以醇以老为佳。烟也有和烈之辨。雪茄之佳者,远胜于香烟,因其味较和。倘是烧得得法,慢慢的吸完一支,看那红光炙发,有无穷的意味。鸦片吾不知,然看见人在烟灯上烧,听那微微哗剥的声音,也觉得有一种诗意。大概凡是古老,纯熟,熏黄,熟炼的事物,都使我得到同样的愉快。如一只熏黑的陶锅在烘炉上用慢火炖猪肉时所发出的锅中徐吟的声调,是使我感到同观人烧大烟一样的兴趣。或如一本用过二十年而尚未破烂的字典,或是一张用了半世的书桌,或如看见街上一块熏黑了老气横秋的招牌,或是看见书法大家苍劲雄深的笔迹,都令人有相同的快乐,人生世上如岁月之有四时,必须要经过这纯熟时期,如女人发育健全遭遇安顺的,亦必有一时徐娘半老的风韵,为二八佳人所绝不可及者。使我最佩服的是邓肯的佳句:“世人只会吟咏春天与恋爱,真无道理。须知秋天的景色,更华丽,更恢奇,而秋天的快乐有万倍的雄壮,惊奇,都丽。我真可怜那些妇女识见偏狭,使她们错过爱之秋天的宏大的赠赐。”若邓肯者,可谓识趣之人。