评论
打印
But the Tree shook its head. "My roses are red," it answered,
可是那树摇头。那树回答她道，“我的玫瑰是红的，
"as red as the feet of the dove, and redder than the great fans of coral that wave and wave in the ocean-cavern.
红如白鸽的脚趾，红如海底岩下扇动的珊瑚。
But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches,
但是严冬已冻僵了我的血脉，寒霜已啮伤了我的萌芽，暴风已打断了我的枝干，
and I shall have no roses at all this year."
今年我不能再开了。”
"One red rose is all I want," cried the Nightingale,
夜莺央告说，“一朵红玫瑰就够了。
"only one red rose! Is there no way by which I can get it?"
只要一朵红玫瑰！请问有甚法子没有？”
"There is away," answered the Tree; "but it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you."
那树答道，“有一个法子，只有一个，但是太可怕了，我不敢告诉你。”
"Tell it to me," said the Nightingale, "I am not afraid."
“告诉我吧，”夜莺勇敢地说，“我不怕。”
"If you want a red rose," said the Tree, "you must build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with your own heart's-blood.
那树说道，“你若要一朵红玫瑰，你需在月色里用音乐制成，然后用你自己的心血染她。
You must sing to me with your breast against a thorn.
你需将胸口顶着一根尖刺，为我歌唱。
All night long you must sing to me, and the thorn must pierce your heart,
你需整夜的为我歌唱，那刺需刺入你的心头，
and your life-blood must flow into my veins, and become mine."
你生命的血液得流到我的心房里变成我的。”
"Death is a great price to pay for a red rose," cried the Nightingale,
夜莺叹道，“那死来买一朵红玫瑰，代价真不小，
"and Life is very dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold,
谁的生命不是宝贵的，坐在青郁的森林里，看太阳在黄金车里，
And the Moon in her chariot of pearl. Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn,
月亮在白珠辇内驰骋，真是一桩乐事。山楂花的味儿真香，
and sweet are the bluebells that hide in the valley, and the heather that blows on the hill.
山谷里的吊钟花和山坡上野草真美。
Yet Love is better than Life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man?"
然而‘爱’比生命更可贵，一个鸟的心又怎能和人的心比？”
So she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air.
忽然她张起棕色的双翼，冲天的飞去。
