评论
打印
When Usher saw me，he got up and welcomed me warmly．I thought he was just being polite，but as I looked into his face，I could see that he was pleased to see me．We sat down，but he did not speak at first，and for a few moments I watched him in surprise and fear．He had changed so much since our last meeting！He had the same pale thin face，the same eyes，large and clear，and the same thin lips and soft hair．But now his skin was too white，his eyes too large and bright，and he seemed a different man．He frightened me．And his long wild hair looked like a ghostly cloud around his head．
鄂榭一看见我，便起身热情洋溢地表示欢迎。我起初还以为他这只不过是做出来的殷勤态度，可是待我朝他脸上望去，才知道他见到我是真心欢喜。我们坐了下来，但他一开始并未开口讲话；有几分钟我就这样看着他，心里既吃惊又害怕。从我们上一次见面到现在，他已经发生了多么大的变化呀！他的脸颊还是那样苍白、瘦削，眼睛还是那样大而清澈，嘴唇还是那样薄，头发还是那样柔软。但是现在，他的皮肤变得太惨白，眼睛变得太大太亮；他看上去已经完全是另一个人了。他把我吓坏了。还有他那一头乱糟糟的长发，好似幽灵般的愁云一样缭绕在他脑袋上。
I noticed that my friend was very nervous and that his feelings changed very quickly．Sometimes he talked a lot，then he suddenly became silent and did not say a word for many hours．At other times he found it difficult to think，and his voice was heavy and slow，like the voice of a man who had drunk too much．
我发现我的朋友极度神经质，情绪变化无常。有时他长篇大论地讲话，而后就会突然间变得沉默寡言，几个小时一语不发。还有的时候他觉得想问题特别困难，于是他说话的声音就变得粗重、迟缓，好像是一个饮酒过量的人发出来的。
He told me why he had wanted to see me，and how he hoped to feel better now that I was with him．He had，he explained，a strange illness which had been in his family for a long time．It was a nervous illness which made him feel everything much more strongly than other people．He could only eat food that was almost tasteless．He had to choose his clothes very carefully because most of them hurt his skin．He could not have flowers in his room because their smell was too strong for him．Light hurt his eyes，and most sounds hurt his ears except the soft sound of guitars．
他向我讲述了他为何急于见到我，以及他如何希望现在有我相陪伴，他的情况会好转些。他解释道，他得的是一种怪病，这种病已经在他的家族中肆虐好久了。这种神经过敏症搞得他对一切事物都比其他人敏感得多。他只能吃那些几乎完全寡淡无味的食物，只能万分小心地挑选衣物，因为大多数面料都会伤害他的皮肤。他不能忍受屋里摆放花卉，因为花卉的香气对他来说太浓烈了。光线会刺伤他的眼睛，大部分声音会刺伤他的耳朵——只有柔和的吉他弹奏声他还能接受。
Worst of all，he was a prisoner of his own fear．‘I shall die，’he used to say，‘because of this fear，I'm not afraid of danger．What frightens me is fear itself．At the moment I am fighting against fear，but sooner or later I won't be able to fight any more．’
最糟糕的是，他成了自己的恐惧的囚徒。“我要死了，”他常常说，“死于这种恐惧。我并不害怕危险。令我丧胆的是恐惧本身。此刻我在同恐惧搏斗，但迟早我会丧失这奋力搏斗的能力。”
