William Wordsworth - The Idiot Boy
The Idiot Boy
'Tis eight o'clock,--a clear March night,
The moon is up,--the sky is blue,
The owlet in the moonlight air,
He shouts from nobody knows where;
He lengthens out his lonely shout,
Halloo! halloo! a long halloo!
八点钟，明朗的三月夜，
皓月当空，天色湛蓝，
小猫头鹰，在月光下
呼叫着，声音不知来自哪里；
它拉长着孤独的叫声，
呵鹭！呵鹭！长长的呵鹭！ 1
--Why bustle thus about your door,
What means this bustle, Betty Foy?
Why are you in this mighty fret?
And why on horseback have you set
Him whom you love, your idiot boy?
——为何你的门前这般忙碌，
这匆忙是何缘由，贝蒂-霍伊？
你何以如此焦躁？
为何你把他安置到马背上
那个你爱着的智障男孩？ 2
Beneath the moon that shines so bright,
Till she is tired, let Betty Foy
With girt and stirrup fiddle-faddle;
But wherefore set upon a saddle
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy?
在明亮的月光下，
贝蒂忙到很累，操心着
系索和马镫这些零碎；
可她为何把他放在马鞍上
那个她爱着的智障男孩？ 3
There's scarce a soul that's out of bed;
Good Betty, put him down again;
His lips with joy they burr at you,
But, Betty! what has he to do
With stirrup, saddle, or with rein?
很少有人此时还没上床休息；
好心的贝蒂，放他下来吧；
他的嘴唇带着喜悦对你发出啵啵声，
但是，贝蒂！你要他做什么
——用马镫，马鞍和缰绳？ 4
The world will say 'tis very idle,
Bethink you of the time of night;
There's not a mother, no not one,
But when she hears what you have done,
Oh! Betty she'll be in a fright. [1]
世人会说这真是没事儿干，
你怎不想想这是夜晚时分；
从没有过这样的母亲，一个都没有，
但是当她听说了你做的事，
欧！贝蒂她会惊慌的。 5
But Betty's bent on her intent,
For her good neighbour, Susan Gale,
Old Susan, she who dwells alone,
Is sick, and makes a piteous moan,
As if her very life would fail.
但是贝蒂专心于她的意志，
因为她的好邻居，苏珊-盖尔，
年老独居的苏珊，
生病了，发出阵阵凄惨的呻吟，
仿佛她的生命就要到尽头。 6
There's not a house within a mile,
No hand to help them in distress;
Old Susan lies a bed in pain,
And sorely puzzled are the twain,
For what she ails they cannot guess.
方圆一哩没有一栋房子，
孤立无援中她们身陷困境；
年迈的苏珊痛苦地躺在床上，
任凭俩人苦思冥想，
也不知晓她得了什么病。 7
And Betty's husband's at the wood,
Where by the week he doth abide,
A woodman in the distant vale;
There's none to help poor Susan Gale,
What must be done? what will betide?
贝蒂的丈夫在树林里，
他是远处山谷里的伐木人，
在那里要待整个星期；
无人能帮助可怜的苏珊，
该怎么办？会有什么事？ 8
And Betty from the lane has fetched
Her pony, that is mild and good,
Whether he be in joy or pain,
Feeding at will along the lane,
Or bringing faggots from the wood.
贝蒂从小巷里牵出她的小马驹，
它总是温顺听话，
不论是高兴还是劳苦：
沿着小巷随意吃草之时，
抑或从树林往外驮运柴把之时。 9
And he is all in travelling trim,
And by the moonlight, Betty Foy
Has on the well-girt saddle set [2]
(The like was never heard of yet)
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy.
而他已整装待发，
傍着月光，贝蒂-霍伊
正用系好的鞍套固定住
（类似的事此前从未听说过）
她心爱的智障男孩。 10
And he must post without delay
Across the bridge that's in the dale,
And by the church, and o'er the down,
To bring a doctor from the town,
Or she will die, old Susan Gale.
而他得即刻出发
穿过溪谷上的桥，
经过教堂，越过丘陵，
从镇子里带回一个医生，
不然老迈的苏珊会死去。 11
There is no need of boot or spur,
There is no need of whip or wand,
For Johnny has his holly-bough,
And with a hurly-burly now
He shakes the green bough in his hand.
无需马靴或马刺，
无需鞭子或棍杖，
因为乔尼有他的冬青枝，
带出一声声喧闹
他挥舞着手里的绿枝条。 12
And Betty o'er and o'er has told
The boy who is her best delight,
Both what to follow, what to shun,
What do, and what to leave undone,
How turn to left, and how to right.
而贝蒂再三地叮嘱
她的至喜、她的男孩，
要跟着什么走，要避开什么，
可以做什么，不要碰什么，
怎么左转，怎么右拐。 13
And Betty's most especial charge,
Was, "Johnny! Johnny! mind that you
Come home again, nor stop at all,
Come home again, whate'er befal, [3]
My Johnny do, I pray you do."
而贝蒂最着重的告诫，
是，“乔尼！乔尼！你千万记住
要回家来，别在外面停留，
要回家来，无论遇到什么，
乔尼，我祈求你一定回来。” 14
To this did Johnny answer make,
Both with his head, and with his hand,
And proudly shook the bridle too,
And then, his words were not a few,
Which Betty well could understand.
对此乔尼的确做出了回答，
又是用头，又是用手，
还自豪地晃起缰绳来，
而后，他的话还真不少，
贝蒂也都能懂得。 15
And now that Johnny is just going,
Though Betty's in a mighty flurry,
She gently pats the pony's side,
On which her idiot boy must ride,
And seems no longer in a hurry. [4]
现在乔尼就要动身了，
尽管贝蒂极其恐慌，
她还是轻轻拍着小马驹的背，
她的智障男孩必须骑在上面，
她似乎又不情愿。 16
But when the pony moved his legs,
Oh! then for the poor idiot boy!
For joy he cannot hold the bridle,
For joy his head and heels are idle,
He's idle all for very joy.
但是当小马驹迈开了步，
欧！那可怜的智障男孩！
因为喜悦他抓不住缰绳，
因为喜悦他的头和脚跟没有着落，
他没有着落全然是因为喜悦。 17
And while the pony moves his legs,
In Johnny's left hand you may see,
The green bough's motionless and dead;
The moon that shines above his head
Is not more still and mute than he.
当小马驹迈动脚步时，
在乔尼的左手里，你可以看到，
绿色枝条一动不动；
在他头上照耀的月亮
也与他一样寂静无声。 18
His heart it was so full of glee,
That till full fifty yards were gone,
He quite forgot his holly whip,
And all his skill in horsemanship,
Oh! happy, happy, happy John. [5]
他的心里满是欢乐，
以至走出去整五十码，
他才想起他的冬青枝，
还有他的马上技术，
欧！快乐，快乐，快乐的乔。 19
And Betty's standing at the door,
And Betty's face with joy o'erflows,
Proud of herself, and proud of him,
She sees him in his travelling trim;
How quietly her Johnny goes.
而贝蒂就站在门口，
脸上溢满了欢欣，
为自己骄傲，为儿子骄傲，
她看见他整装而行；
她的乔尼骑得多从容。 20
The silence of her idiot boy,
What hopes it sends to Betty's heart!
He's at the guide-post--he turns right,
She watches till he's out of sight,
And Betty will not then depart.
她智障男孩的平稳，
给贝蒂的心带来了何等的希冀！
他到了路标处，他向右拐去，
她看着，直到他从视线消失，
贝蒂还不想即刻离开。 21
Burr, burr--now Johnny's lips they burr,
As loud as any mill, or near it,
Meek as a lamb the pony moves,
And Johnny makes the noise he loves,
And Betty listens, glad to hear it.
啵，啵，此刻乔尼的嘴唇啵啵作响，
像磨粉机的声音那么高，或也差不多，
温顺如小羊的小马驹迈着步子，
乔尼制造着他喜欢的声响，
贝蒂听着，满心喜悦。 22
Away she hies to Susan Gale:
Her Messenger's in a merry tune;
The owlets hoot, the owlets purr, [6]
And Johnny's lips they burr, burr, burr,
And on he goes beneath the moon.
她往苏珊的身边赶去：
她的信使在欢乐的氛围中；
小猫头鹰在叫，咕噜咕噜，
乔尼的嘴唇，啵，啵，啵，
他行走在月光里。 23
His steed and he right well agree
For of this pony there's a rumour,
That should he lose his eyes and ears,
And should he live a thousand years,
He never will be out of humour. [7]
他的马和他都非常认同
这小马驹的一个传闻：
即便它失去眼睛和耳朵，
即便它活上一千年，
它也不会发脾气。 24
But then he is a horse that thinks!
And when he thinks his pace is slack;
Now, though he knows poor Johnny well,
Yet for his life he cannot tell
What he has got upon his back.
但它可是一匹会思考的马！
而当它思考时步伐就懒散下来；
此时，尽管它对可怜的乔尼很了解，
然而终其一生它还是不知道
它背上背负了怎样的使命。 25
So through the moonlight lanes they go,
And far into the moonlight dale,
And by the church, and o'er the down,
To bring a doctor from the town,
To comfort poor old Susan Gale.
他们会穿过月光下的小径，
走进月色下的溪谷深处，
经过教堂，越过丘陵，
从镇子里带回一个医生，
来安慰可怜而年迈的苏珊。 26
And Betty, now at Susan's side,
Is in the middle of her story,
What comfort Johnny soon will bring,
With many a most diverting thing,
Of Johnny's wit and Johnny's glory.
斯时，贝蒂已在苏珊的身边，
还沉浸在思绪中，
想着乔尼不久就要带来怎样的慰藉，
还有许多极其有趣的事情，
那是乔尼的智慧，乔尼的荣耀。 27
And Betty, still at Susan's side,
By this time she's not quite so flurried:
Demure with porringer and plate
She sits, as if in Susan's fate
Her life and soul were buried.
贝蒂依然在苏珊的身边，
此时她不再那么慌张：
拿着汤碗和盘子
她坐着，仿佛在苏珊的命数里
她的生命和灵魂都已被隐匿。 28
But Betty, poor good woman! she,
You plainly in her face may read it,
Could lend out of that moment's store [8]
Five years of happiness or more,
To any that might need it.
但是贝蒂，这可怜的好心女人！她，
你单从她脸上也许就能读到，
会倾其所能
五年的幸福或是更多，
给任何一个需要的人。 29
But yet I guess that now and then
With Betty all was not so well;
And to the road she turns her ears,
And thence full many a sound she hears,
Which she to Susan will not tell.
然而我想时不时地
贝蒂的心里也不是很有把握；
她把耳朵转向路边，
她也听到了许多声音，
可她不会告诉苏珊。 30
Poor Susan moans, poor Susan groans,
"As sure as there's a moon in heaven,"
Cries Betty, "he'll be back again;
They'll both be here, 'tis almost ten,
They'll both be here before eleven."
可怜的苏珊在呜咽，在呻吟，
“和天上有月亮一样确凿，”
贝蒂哭着说，“他会回来的；
他们都会回来的，快十点了，
十一点前他们都会回来的。” 31
Poor Susan moans, poor Susan groans,
The clock gives warning for eleven;
'Tis on the stroke--"Johnny must be near,"
Quoth Betty "he will soon be here,
As sure as there's a moon in heaven."
可怜的苏珊在呜咽，在呻吟，
时钟给出要到十一点的先兆；
它一下一下地敲响了——“乔尼一定就在附近，”
贝蒂说，“他很快就到了，
和天上有月亮一样确凿。” 32
The clock is on the stroke of twelve,
And Johnny is not yet in sight,
The moon's in heaven, as Betty sees,
But Betty is not quite at ease;
And Susan has a dreadful night.
时钟在为十二点敲响，
乔尼还是没有出现，
月亮就在天上，正如贝蒂所见，
但是贝蒂不再那么镇定；
而苏珊在度过一个困苦之夜。 33
And Betty, half an hour ago,
On Johnny vile reflections cast:
"A little idle sauntering thing!"
With other names, an endless string.
But now that time is gone and past.
贝蒂，就在半小时前，
还在无足轻重地揶揄乔尼：
“懒散成性的小家伙！”
以及其他一些名号，长长的一串。
但现在，那个时光一去不复返了。 34
And Betty's drooping at the heart.
That happy time all past and gone,
"How can it be he is so late?
The Doctor he has made him wait;
Susan! they'll both be here anon."
而贝蒂的心一阵阵下沉。
那快乐时光都一去不复返了，
“他怎么会这么晚？
那医生一直让他等；
苏珊！他们俩很快就会到来。” 35
And Susan's growing worse and worse,
And Betty's in a sad quandary;
And then there's nobody to say
If she must go or she must stay:
--She's in a sad quandary.
苏珊的情况越来越糟，
贝蒂陷入忧伤的困境；
而又没有人出主意
她应该留还是去！
——她陷入忧伤的困境。 36
The clock is on the stroke of one;
But neither Doctor nor his guide
Appear along the moonlight road,
There's neither horse nor man abroad,
And Betty's still at Susan's side.
时钟敲响了一点钟；
但无论是医生还是他的领路人
都没有出现在月光照亮的路上，
那里既没有马也没有人，
贝蒂依然在苏珊身边。 37
And Susan she begins to fear
Of sad mischances not a few,
That Johnny may perhaps be drowned,
Or lost perhaps, and never found;
Which they must both for ever rue.
而苏珊开始心神不安
担心起各种悲伤的灾祸，
乔尼或许是溺水了，
或是迷路了再也找不回来；
那样她们会懊悔一辈子。 38
She prefaced half a hint of this
With, "God forbid it should be true!"
At the first word that Susan said
Cried Betty, rising from the bed,
"Susan, I'd gladly stay with you.
在欲提及她的担心之际，先说出口的
是，“但愿不会的，不会是真的！”
苏珊刚一开口
贝蒂就哭叫着，从床边站起身，
“苏珊，我很乐意留在你身边。 39
I must be gone, I must away,
Consider, Johnny's but half-wise;
Susan, we must take care of him,
If he is hurt in life or limb"--
"Oh God forbid!" poor Susan cries.
可我得走了，我得离开，
想想，乔尼只是个半智人；
苏珊，我们还得照看他，
如果他有什么闪失”——
“天哪，但愿不会！”可怜的苏珊哭道。 40
"What can I do?" says Betty, going,
"What can I do to ease your pain?
Good Susan tell me, and I'll stay;
I fear you're in a dreadful way,
But I shall soon be back again."
“我能做什么？”贝蒂说，正要离去，
“我能做什么以减轻你的痛苦？
好心的苏珊告诉我，我会留下来；
恐怕你正处在极度困苦中，
但我很快就会回来的。” 41
"Nay, Betty, go! good Betty, go!
There's nothing that can ease my pain."
Then off she hies, but with a prayer
That God poor Susan's life would spare,
Till she comes back again.
“不，贝蒂，走吧！好心的贝蒂，走吧！
没有什么可以减轻我的苦痛。”
她即刻起身离开，但带着一个祈求：
愿上帝保佑可怜的苏珊，
能活着等到她回来。 42
So, through the moonlight lane she goes,
And far into the moonlight dale;
And how she ran, and how she walked,
And all that to herself she talked,
Would surely be a tedious tale.
于是她穿越月光下的小径，
走进月色中的溪谷深处；
她跑一阵走一阵，
她一路自言自语的那些话，
足以构成一篇冗长乏味的故事。 43
In high and low, above, below,
In great and small, in round and square,
In tree and tower was Johnny seen,
In bush and brake, in black and green,
'Twas Johnny, Johnny, every where.
在高处低处，在上面下面，
在大处小处，在圆处方处，
在乔尼去过的树上、塔里，
在常春藤和凤尾蕨里，在漆黑处青翠处，
乔尼去过的每一处。 44
And while she crossed the bridge, there came
A thought with which her heart is sore--
Johnny perhaps his horse forsook,
To hunt the moon within the brook,
And never will be heard of more.
当她穿过那座桥时
一个想法袭来，内心一阵痛楚——
乔尼可能遗弃了他的马，
去捞溪水里的月亮，
而后杳无音信。 45
And now she's high upon the down,
Alone amid a prospect wide;
There's neither Johnny nor his horse,
Among the fern or in the gorse;
There's neither doctor nor his guide.
现在她在丘陵的高处，
孤身站在广漠的空地中央；
既不见乔尼也不见他的马，
在蕨草和金雀花中；
既不见医生又不见领路人。 46
"Oh saints! what is become of him?
Perhaps he's climbed into an oak,
Where he will stay till he is dead;
Or sadly he has been misled,
And joined the wandering gypsey-folk."
“老天啊！他到底怎么啦？
或许他爬上了一棵橡树，
他要呆在那里，一直到死；
或者他只是被引错了路，
加入了吉普赛人的流浪队伍。” 47
"Or him that wicked pony's carried
To the dark cave, the goblins' hall;
Or in the castle he's pursuing,
Among the ghosts, his own undoing;
Or playing with the waterfall."
“或是那顽皮的小马驹带着他
去了黑暗洞穴，小精灵聚会的地方；
或者进到他一直想去的城堡，
在众多的魂魄之中，他自己的也得以释放；
又或者正在瀑布边玩耍呢。” 48
At poor old Susan then she railed,
While to the town she posts away;
"If Susan had not been so ill,
Alas! I should have had him still,
My Johnny, till my dying day."
而后她开始埋怨起可怜的老苏珊，
在她急匆匆赶往镇里的时候；
“要是苏珊病得没这么厉害，
唉！我的乔尼就还陪在我身边，
直到我生命的终结。” 49
Poor Betty, in this sad distemper,
The doctor's self would hardly spare
Unworthy things she talked and wild,
Even he, of cattle the most mild,
The pony had his share.
可怜的贝蒂，在这悲戚的烦乱中，
医生本人也未能幸免
而成为她没来由的抱怨对象，
甚至那最温顺的牲口也变得野性，
那小马驹也有它的份呢。 50
And now she's got into the town,
And to the doctor's door she hies;
'Tis silence all on every side;
The town so long, the town so wide,
Is silent as the skies.
此时她来到了镇上，
她赶往医生的门前；
四处鸦雀无声；
镇子又长又宽，
和天空一般寂静。 51
And now she's at the doctor's door,
She lifts the knocker, rap, rap, rap,
The doctor at the casement shews,
His glimmering eyes that peep and doze;
And one hand rubs his old night-cap.
此刻她来到了医生的门前，
她抬起门环，叩响三声，
医生在窗棂处显现，
他泛着微光的眼睛困倦地向外窥看；
一只手在揉搓着旧睡帽。 52
"Oh Doctor! Doctor! where's my Johnny?"
"I'm here, what is't you want with me?"
"Oh Sir! you know I'm Betty Foy,
And I have lost my poor dear boy,
You know him--him you often see;
“医生！医生！我的乔尼在哪里？”
“我来了，你要我做什么？”
“先生！你知道我是贝蒂-霍伊，
我可怜的男孩不见了，
你知道他，你经常看到他的； 53
"He's not so wise as some folks be."
"The devil take his wisdom!" said
The Doctor, looking somewhat grim,
"What, woman! should I know of him?"
And, grumbling, he went back to bed.
“他不及一般人那么聪明。”
“魔鬼拿了他的智慧！”
医生说，现出一丝冷酷的神情，
“娘儿们！我非得知道他么？”
嘟嘟囔囔着，他重又回到床上。 54
"O woe is me! O woe is me!
Here will I die; here will I die;
I thought to find my Johnny here,
But he is neither far nor near,
Oh! what a wretched mother I!"
“我真是悲哀！我真是悲哀！
我要死在这了；我要死在这了；
我本以为会在这找到我的乔尼，
但是远处近处都没有他，
我真是个悲惨的母亲！” 55
She stops, she stands, she looks about,
Which way to turn she cannot tell.
Poor Betty! it would ease her pain
If she had the heart to knock again;
--The clock strikes three--a dismal knell!
她停了一会儿，站起身，四处张望，
不知道该走哪条路。
可怜的贝蒂！她的痛苦会减轻些
要是她有勇气再敲一次门；
——时钟敲响了三点钟，凄凉的钟声！ 56
Then up along the town she hies,
No wonder if her senses fail,
This piteous news so much it shocked her,
She quite forgot to send the Doctor
To comfort poor old Susan Gale.
然后她沿着镇子往北而行，
要说她的感知力减弱了，倒也难怪，
这凄惨的消息给她的打击太大，
她完全忘了要请医生
去安慰可怜的老苏珊。 57
And now she's high upon the down,
And she can see a mile of road,
"Oh cruel! I'm almost three-score;
Such night as this was ne'er before,
There's not a single soul abroad."
现在她又来到那片丘陵的高处，
她能看见一哩的路，
“真是残酷啊！我几乎就要六十岁了；
在这样一个从没有过的夜晚，
周围一个人也没有。” 58
She listens, but she cannot hear
The foot of horse, the voice of man;
The streams with softest sound are flowing,
The grass you almost hear it growing,
You hear it now if e'er you can.
她听，但她听不见
马的脚步声，也没有人声；
只有溪流以最轻柔的声音在流淌，
还有那你几乎听到它生长的青草，
若你曾听见，此刻也可以。 59
The owlets through the long blue night
Are shouting to each other still:
Fond lovers, yet not quite hob nob, [9]
They lengthen out the tremulous sob,
That echoes far from hill to hill.
穿过长长的蓝色夜空
小猫头鹰们在彼此呼叫着：
这些多情的情侣，相谈并不甚欢，
它们拉长着震颤的呜咽声，
在山头间远远地回荡。 60
Poor Betty now has lost all hope,
Her thoughts are bent on deadly sin;
A green-grown pond she just has pass'd,
And from the brink she hurries fast,
Lest she should drown herself therein.
可怜的贝蒂此时失望至极，
她的想法全集中在致命的罪过上了；
她刚经过一面长满青苔的池塘，
她匆匆从它的边缘穿过，
以免她想把自己溺死在里面。 61
And now she sits her down and weeps;
Such tears she never shed before;
"Oh dear, dear pony! my sweet joy!
Oh carry back my idiot boy!
And we will ne'er o'erload thee more."
此刻她坐了下来，开始哭泣；
她从没流过这么多的眼泪；
“亲爱的小马驹！我的甜蜜欢欣啊！
带回我的傻孩子吧！
我们再也不让你驮过重的东西。” 62
A thought is come into her head:
"The pony he is mild and good,
And we have always used him well;
Perhaps he's gone along the dell,
And carried Johnny to the wood."
一个想法在她脑海里闪现；
“这小马驹，它温顺听话，
我们也总是善用它；
兴许它沿着溪谷一路而去，
把乔尼带到了树林里。” 63
Then up she springs as if on wings;
She thinks no more of deadly sin;
If Betty fifty ponds should see,
The last of all her thoughts would be
To drown herself therein.
然后她跳了起来，像是飞了起来；
她不再想致命的罪过；
纵是贝蒂看到五十个池塘，
她也不会想
把自己溺死。 64
Oh reader! now that I might tell
What Johnny and his horse are doing
What they've been doing all this time;
Oh could I put it into rhyme,
A most delightful tale pursuing!
读者啊！我现在就要说到
乔尼和他的马在做什么
他们这么长时间都在做什么；
欧，我能把它放进韵脚里么，
这亟待完成的一个最令人快意的故事！ 65
Perhaps, and no unlikely thought!
He with his pony now doth roam
The cliffs and peaks so high that are,
To lay his hands upon a star,
And in his pocket bring it home.
或许，也不是完全不可能的想法！
他带着他的小马驹现在正漫步
在峭壁和山顶之上，高得足以
伸手摘到一颗星星，
并装进口袋里带回家。 66
Perhaps he's turned himself about,
His face unto his horse's tail,
And still and mute, in wonder lost, [10]
All like a silent horse-man ghost,
He travels on along the vale.
或许他让自己转了个身，
他的脸朝着马尾巴，
寂静无言，完全陷入惊奇中，
全然像个安静的马人幽灵，
他沿着山谷继续游走。 67
And now, perhaps, he's hunting sheep,
A fierce and dreadful hunter he!
Yon valley, that's so trim and green,
In five months' time, should he be seen,
A desert wilderness will be.
此时，也许，他在猎羊，
他，一个凶猛而可怕的猎人呢！
那边的流域，整洁而葱翠，
五个月之后，他若是被人看到，
那定是在无人的荒野之地。 68
Perhaps, with head and heels on fire,
And like the very soul of evil,
He's galloping away, away,
And so he'll gallop on for aye, [11]
The bane of all that dread the devil.
或许，头和足跟都着了火，
就像那邪恶的魂灵，
他正向远处策马飞驰，
就这样疾驰下去，永无休止，
恶魔，一切恐惧的祸根。 69
I to the muses have been bound
These fourteen years, by strong indentures;
Oh gentle muses! let me tell
But half of what to him befel,
For sure he met with strange adventures.
我一直和缪斯们牢结在一起
这牢固的契约已有十四年；
优雅的缪斯啊！就让我说出
哪怕一半他所遭遇的事情吧，
可以肯定，他遭遇了非比寻常的经历。 70
Oh gentle muses! is this kind
Why will ye thus my suit repel?
Why of your further aid bereave me?
And can ye thus unfriended leave me?
Ye muses! whom I love so well.
优雅的缪斯啊！这称得上体贴么
为什么就这样拒绝我的请求？
为什么不进一步帮助我？
你们就这样让我孤立无援么？
缪斯啊！我多么热爱你们。 71
Who's yon, that, near the waterfall,
Which thunders down with headlong force,
Beneath the moon, yet shining fair,
As careless as if nothing were,
Sits upright on a feeding horse?
那边是谁，那个人，在瀑布近旁，
瀑布飞泻而下，带着俯冲的力量，
在月光之中，益发明亮清晰，
无忧无虑，仿佛身边并无一物，
端端地坐在一匹正吃草的马上？ 72
Unto his horse, that's feeding free,
He seems, I think, the rein to give;
Of moon or stars he takes no heed;
Of such we in romances read:
--Tis Johnny! Johnny! as I live.
说到他的马，它正自在地吃草呢，
他似乎，我以为，完全放任不管了；
月亮或是星星，他全不理会；
还有我们怀着浪漫之情读到的这句：
——是乔尼！乔尼！的的确确。 73
And that's the very pony too.
Where is she, where is Betty Foy?
She hardly can sustain her fears;
The roaring water-fall she hears,
And cannot find her idiot boy.
那也正是他的小马驹。
她在哪儿呢，贝蒂在哪儿呢？
她快要承受不了她的担心了；
她听见瀑布的咆哮声，
而没能发现她的智障男孩。 74
Your pony's worth his weight in gold,
Then calm your terrors, Betty Foy!
She's coming from among the trees,
And now all full in view she sees
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy.
你的小马驹价值和它等重的黄金，
平息你的恐慌吧，贝蒂！
她正从树丛里走出来，
此时在她的整个视野里，她看到了
她爱着的他，她的智障男孩。 75
And Betty sees the pony too:
Why stand you thus Good Betty Foy?
It is no goblin, 'tis no ghost,
'Tis he whom you so long have lost,
He whom you love, your idiot boy.
贝蒂也看见了小马驹：
为什么你就这样站着，好心的贝蒂？
那不是小精灵，不是幽灵，
那是你丢失良久的他，
你爱着的他，你的智障男孩。 76
She looks again--her arms are up--
She screams--she cannot move for joy;
She darts as with a torrent's force,
She almost has o'erturned the horse,
And fast she holds her idiot boy.
她又看了一眼，扬起胳膊，
她尖叫着，她欢喜得迈不动步子；
她飞奔过去，像是带着一股急流的力量，
她几乎把马掀翻，
紧紧地，她抱着她的智障男孩。 77
And Johnny burrs, and laughs aloud,
Whether in cunning or in joy,
I cannot tell; but while he laughs,
Betty a drunken pleasure quaffs,
To hear again her idiot boy.
乔尼发出啵啵声，大声笑起来，
是为讨欢心还是喜不自禁，
我不能断定；但是在他笑的时候，
贝蒂畅饮着醉人的喜悦，
为再次听到她的智障男孩。 78
And now she's at the pony's tail,
And now she's at the pony's head,
On that side now, and now on this,
And almost stifled with her bliss,
A few sad tears does Betty shed.
现在她在小马驹的尾部，
现在她又到了小马驹的头部，
一会儿在那侧，一会儿在这边，
快要为这极度的喜悦而窒息，
贝蒂流下了悲伤的泪水。 79
She kisses o'er and o'er again
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy;
She's happy here, she's happy there,
She is uneasy every where;
Her limbs are all alive with joy.
她一再地亲吻着
她爱着的他，她的智障男孩；
她的快乐遍及这里那里，
在哪里她都不能平静；
她手舞足蹈满心欢喜。 80
She pats the pony, where or when
She knows not, happy Betty Foy!
The little pony glad may be,
But he is milder far than she,
You hardly can perceive his joy.
她轻拍着小马驹，至于是哪里或是何时
她完全不知道，这幸福的贝蒂！
那小马驹或许也快乐，
但是它远比她来得温和，
你几乎不能察觉到它的喜悦。 81
"Oh! Johnny, never mind the Doctor;
You've done your best, and that is all."
She took the reins, when this was said,
And gently turned the pony's head
From the loud water-fall.
“欧！乔尼，别管什么医生了；
你已尽了全力，那就足够了。”
她拿过缰绳，一边说道，
并轻轻调转小马驹的头
离开喧嚣的瀑布。 82
By this the stars were almost gone,
The moon was setting on the hill,
So pale you scarcely looked at her:
The little birds began to stir,
Though yet their tongues were still.
这时星星几乎都隐退了，
月亮正落在山头上，
暗淡得你快要看不到它：
小鸟们开始躁动，
尽管它们的舌头还保持安静。 83
The pony, Betty, and her boy,
Wind slowly through the woody dale;
And who is she, be-times abroad,
That hobbles up the steep rough road?
Who is it, but old Susan Gale?
小马驹，贝蒂，还有她的男孩，
慢慢蜿蜒穿行于树木林立的山谷；
她是谁，一大早就出来，
蹒跚走在陡峭崎岖的路上？
除了老苏珊还能是谁呢？ 84
Long Susan lay deep lost in thought,
And many dreadful fears beset her,
Both for her messenger and nurse;
And as her mind grew worse and worse,
Her body it grew better.
苏珊久久躺着陷入沉思，
很多可怕的担心包围着她，
既担心她的信使，又担心她的看护人；
在她的情绪越变越糟之际，
她的身体在好转。 85
She turned, she tossed herself in bed,
On all sides doubts and terrors met her;
Point after point did she discuss;
And while her mind was fighting thus,
Her body still grew better.
她在床上辗转反侧，
疑虑和恐惧从四面八方袭来；
她逐条逐条地思量；
在她的头脑这么做着对抗的时候，
她的身体依然在好转。 86
"Alas! what is become of them?
These fears can never be endured,
I'll to the wood."--The word scarce said,
Did Susan rise up from her bed,
As if by magic cured. [12]
“天哪！她们到底怎么了？
再不能忍受这些担心，
我要去树林。”——话音刚落，
苏珊真的从床上起来了，
不可思议地痊愈了。 87
Away she posts up hill and down,
And to the wood at length is come,
She spies her friends, she shouts a greeting;
Oh me! it is a merry meeting,
As ever was in Christendom.
她快速穿过小山和丘陵，
终于来到了树林里，
她看见了，大声打起招呼；
天哪！这真是令人愉悦的相遇，
在基督教的世界里一向如此。 88
The owls have hardly sung their last,
While our four travellers homeward wend;
The owls have hooted all night long,
And with the owls began my song, [13]
And with the owls must end.
猫头鹰几乎还没唱完它们的最后一曲，
这边我们的四位旅行者动身回家；
猫头鹰叫了一整晚，
我的诗篇以猫头鹰开始，
也得以猫头鹰结尾了。 89
For while they all were travelling home,
Cried Betty, "Tell us Johnny, do, [14]
Where all this long night you have been,
What you have heard, what you have seen,
And Johnny, mind you tell us true."
因为当他们走在回家的路上，
贝蒂恳求道，“告诉我们吧，乔尼，快点，
这个长夜你都去了哪，
听见了什么，看见了什么，
乔尼，快如实地告诉我们吧。” 90
Now Johnny all night long had heard
The owls in tuneful concert strive;
No doubt too he the moon had seen;
For in the moonlight he had been
From eight o'clock till five.
你看，乔尼整晚都听到
猫头鹰们在优美的协奏曲中角力；
无疑，他也看见了月亮；
因为他一直沐浴在月光里
从晚上八点直到清晨五点。 91
And thus to Betty's question, he,
Made answer, like a traveller bold,
(His very words I give to you,)
"The cocks did crow to-whoo, to-whoo,
And the sun did shine so cold."
--Thus answered Johnny in his glory,
And that was all his travel's story.
因而就贝蒂的问题，他，
做出了回答，就像是一个无畏的旅行者，
（他说的原话，我来告诉你，）
“公鸡突呼突呼地叫，
太阳发的光好冷啊。”
——乔尼自鸣得意地这样回答，
那就是他整个旅行的故事。 92
【1】“when she hears what you have done, Oh! Betty she'll be in a fright.”：第4和第5段，作者虚拟了一个类似读者或听众的角色进来，这一句，我理解，就是作者以讲述者的身份对这个虚拟角色说的，而“what you have done”指的就是虚拟角色在第4第5段里对贝蒂说的话（好心的指手划脚）。
【2】“Has on the well-girt saddle set”：这一句，我理解，是“has somebody on something”的句式，让某人穿戴上某物的意思。句中“has”的宾语是后面的“Him whom she loves, her idiot boy”，中间还隔了一句“(The like was never heard of yet)”。作者为守住他的押韵模式之煞费苦心由此可见一斑，或许也可以说是The like was never heard of yet。
【3】“befal”，en.wiktionary.org上说befal是一个废弃词，等同于befall。
【4】“in a hurry”： [用于否定句]情愿地。
【5】“John”：Jonny是John的昵称。作者为了他的格律这里用了“John”。
【6】“purr”：也有的版本是curr。
【7】“out of humour”：情绪不好的；易发怒的。
【8】“out of store”：耗尽。
【9】“hob nob”：hobnob，亲切交谈。
【10】in wonder lost”：等于lost in wonder，为押韵把lost放到后面。
【11】“for aye”：等于“for ever”。
【12】“as if by magic”：象使用魔术般, 不可思议地; 飞快地。
【13】“song”：Poetry; verse.(诗歌；韵文)；A lyric poem or ballad.(抒情诗或民谣)。
【14】“cry”： [Archaic] To beg for; implore:([古语] 恳求；哀求)。
William Wordsworth的叙事体长诗The Idiot Boy最早在1798年出版。这首诗一共92段，第一段6行，最后一段7行，中间的90段都是5行，共计463行。中间的90段，每段按ABCCB的模式严格押韵。值得一提的是，第一段要是除去第5行剩下的5行也符合ABCCB的押韵模式；最后一段的前5行同样也符合。
Read Alps 2011年8月29日至9月18日
'Tis eight o'clock,--a clear March night,
The moon is up,--the sky is blue,
The owlet in the moonlight air,
He shouts from nobody knows where;
He lengthens out his lonely shout,
Halloo! halloo! a long halloo!
八点钟，明朗的三月夜，
皓月当空，天色湛蓝，
小猫头鹰，在月光下
呼叫着，声音不知来自哪里；
它拉长着孤独的叫声，
呵鹭！呵鹭！长长的呵鹭！ 1
--Why bustle thus about your door,
What means this bustle, Betty Foy?
Why are you in this mighty fret?
And why on horseback have you set
Him whom you love, your idiot boy?
——为何你的门前这般忙碌，
这匆忙是何缘由，贝蒂-霍伊？
你何以如此焦躁？
为何你把他安置到马背上
那个你爱着的智障男孩？ 2
Beneath the moon that shines so bright,
Till she is tired, let Betty Foy
With girt and stirrup fiddle-faddle;
But wherefore set upon a saddle
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy?
在明亮的月光下，
贝蒂忙到很累，操心着
系索和马镫这些零碎；
可她为何把他放在马鞍上
那个她爱着的智障男孩？ 3
There's scarce a soul that's out of bed;
Good Betty, put him down again;
His lips with joy they burr at you,
But, Betty! what has he to do
With stirrup, saddle, or with rein?
很少有人此时还没上床休息；
好心的贝蒂，放他下来吧；
他的嘴唇带着喜悦对你发出啵啵声，
但是，贝蒂！你要他做什么
——用马镫，马鞍和缰绳？ 4
The world will say 'tis very idle,
Bethink you of the time of night;
There's not a mother, no not one,
But when she hears what you have done,
Oh! Betty she'll be in a fright. [1]
世人会说这真是没事儿干，
你怎不想想这是夜晚时分；
从没有过这样的母亲，一个都没有，
但是当她听说了你做的事，
欧！贝蒂她会惊慌的。 5
But Betty's bent on her intent,
For her good neighbour, Susan Gale,
Old Susan, she who dwells alone,
Is sick, and makes a piteous moan,
As if her very life would fail.
但是贝蒂专心于她的意志，
因为她的好邻居，苏珊-盖尔，
年老独居的苏珊，
生病了，发出阵阵凄惨的呻吟，
仿佛她的生命就要到尽头。 6
There's not a house within a mile,
No hand to help them in distress;
Old Susan lies a bed in pain,
And sorely puzzled are the twain,
For what she ails they cannot guess.
方圆一哩没有一栋房子，
孤立无援中她们身陷困境；
年迈的苏珊痛苦地躺在床上，
任凭俩人苦思冥想，
也不知晓她得了什么病。 7
And Betty's husband's at the wood,
Where by the week he doth abide,
A woodman in the distant vale;
There's none to help poor Susan Gale,
What must be done? what will betide?
贝蒂的丈夫在树林里，
他是远处山谷里的伐木人，
在那里要待整个星期；
无人能帮助可怜的苏珊，
该怎么办？会有什么事？ 8
And Betty from the lane has fetched
Her pony, that is mild and good,
Whether he be in joy or pain,
Feeding at will along the lane,
Or bringing faggots from the wood.
贝蒂从小巷里牵出她的小马驹，
它总是温顺听话，
不论是高兴还是劳苦：
沿着小巷随意吃草之时，
抑或从树林往外驮运柴把之时。 9
And he is all in travelling trim,
And by the moonlight, Betty Foy
Has on the well-girt saddle set [2]
(The like was never heard of yet)
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy.
而他已整装待发，
傍着月光，贝蒂-霍伊
正用系好的鞍套固定住
（类似的事此前从未听说过）
她心爱的智障男孩。 10
And he must post without delay
Across the bridge that's in the dale,
And by the church, and o'er the down,
To bring a doctor from the town,
Or she will die, old Susan Gale.
而他得即刻出发
穿过溪谷上的桥，
经过教堂，越过丘陵，
从镇子里带回一个医生，
不然老迈的苏珊会死去。 11
There is no need of boot or spur,
There is no need of whip or wand,
For Johnny has his holly-bough,
And with a hurly-burly now
He shakes the green bough in his hand.
无需马靴或马刺，
无需鞭子或棍杖，
因为乔尼有他的冬青枝，
带出一声声喧闹
他挥舞着手里的绿枝条。 12
And Betty o'er and o'er has told
The boy who is her best delight,
Both what to follow, what to shun,
What do, and what to leave undone,
How turn to left, and how to right.
而贝蒂再三地叮嘱
她的至喜、她的男孩，
要跟着什么走，要避开什么，
可以做什么，不要碰什么，
怎么左转，怎么右拐。 13
And Betty's most especial charge,
Was, "Johnny! Johnny! mind that you
Come home again, nor stop at all,
Come home again, whate'er befal, [3]
My Johnny do, I pray you do."
而贝蒂最着重的告诫，
是，“乔尼！乔尼！你千万记住
要回家来，别在外面停留，
要回家来，无论遇到什么，
乔尼，我祈求你一定回来。” 14
To this did Johnny answer make,
Both with his head, and with his hand,
And proudly shook the bridle too,
And then, his words were not a few,
Which Betty well could understand.
对此乔尼的确做出了回答，
又是用头，又是用手，
还自豪地晃起缰绳来，
而后，他的话还真不少，
贝蒂也都能懂得。 15
And now that Johnny is just going,
Though Betty's in a mighty flurry,
She gently pats the pony's side,
On which her idiot boy must ride,
And seems no longer in a hurry. [4]
现在乔尼就要动身了，
尽管贝蒂极其恐慌，
她还是轻轻拍着小马驹的背，
她的智障男孩必须骑在上面，
她似乎又不情愿。 16
But when the pony moved his legs,
Oh! then for the poor idiot boy!
For joy he cannot hold the bridle,
For joy his head and heels are idle,
He's idle all for very joy.
但是当小马驹迈开了步，
欧！那可怜的智障男孩！
因为喜悦他抓不住缰绳，
因为喜悦他的头和脚跟没有着落，
他没有着落全然是因为喜悦。 17
And while the pony moves his legs,
In Johnny's left hand you may see,
The green bough's motionless and dead;
The moon that shines above his head
Is not more still and mute than he.
当小马驹迈动脚步时，
在乔尼的左手里，你可以看到，
绿色枝条一动不动；
在他头上照耀的月亮
也与他一样寂静无声。 18
His heart it was so full of glee,
That till full fifty yards were gone,
He quite forgot his holly whip,
And all his skill in horsemanship,
Oh! happy, happy, happy John. [5]
他的心里满是欢乐，
以至走出去整五十码，
他才想起他的冬青枝，
还有他的马上技术，
欧！快乐，快乐，快乐的乔。 19
And Betty's standing at the door,
And Betty's face with joy o'erflows,
Proud of herself, and proud of him,
She sees him in his travelling trim;
How quietly her Johnny goes.
而贝蒂就站在门口，
脸上溢满了欢欣，
为自己骄傲，为儿子骄傲，
她看见他整装而行；
她的乔尼骑得多从容。 20
The silence of her idiot boy,
What hopes it sends to Betty's heart!
He's at the guide-post--he turns right,
She watches till he's out of sight,
And Betty will not then depart.
她智障男孩的平稳，
给贝蒂的心带来了何等的希冀！
他到了路标处，他向右拐去，
她看着，直到他从视线消失，
贝蒂还不想即刻离开。 21
Burr, burr--now Johnny's lips they burr,
As loud as any mill, or near it,
Meek as a lamb the pony moves,
And Johnny makes the noise he loves,
And Betty listens, glad to hear it.
啵，啵，此刻乔尼的嘴唇啵啵作响，
像磨粉机的声音那么高，或也差不多，
温顺如小羊的小马驹迈着步子，
乔尼制造着他喜欢的声响，
贝蒂听着，满心喜悦。 22
Away she hies to Susan Gale:
Her Messenger's in a merry tune;
The owlets hoot, the owlets purr, [6]
And Johnny's lips they burr, burr, burr,
And on he goes beneath the moon.
她往苏珊的身边赶去：
她的信使在欢乐的氛围中；
小猫头鹰在叫，咕噜咕噜，
乔尼的嘴唇，啵，啵，啵，
他行走在月光里。 23
His steed and he right well agree
For of this pony there's a rumour,
That should he lose his eyes and ears,
And should he live a thousand years,
He never will be out of humour. [7]
他的马和他都非常认同
这小马驹的一个传闻：
即便它失去眼睛和耳朵，
即便它活上一千年，
它也不会发脾气。 24
But then he is a horse that thinks!
And when he thinks his pace is slack;
Now, though he knows poor Johnny well,
Yet for his life he cannot tell
What he has got upon his back.
但它可是一匹会思考的马！
而当它思考时步伐就懒散下来；
此时，尽管它对可怜的乔尼很了解，
然而终其一生它还是不知道
它背上背负了怎样的使命。 25
So through the moonlight lanes they go,
And far into the moonlight dale,
And by the church, and o'er the down,
To bring a doctor from the town,
To comfort poor old Susan Gale.
他们会穿过月光下的小径，
走进月色下的溪谷深处，
经过教堂，越过丘陵，
从镇子里带回一个医生，
来安慰可怜而年迈的苏珊。 26
And Betty, now at Susan's side,
Is in the middle of her story,
What comfort Johnny soon will bring,
With many a most diverting thing,
Of Johnny's wit and Johnny's glory.
斯时，贝蒂已在苏珊的身边，
还沉浸在思绪中，
想着乔尼不久就要带来怎样的慰藉，
还有许多极其有趣的事情，
那是乔尼的智慧，乔尼的荣耀。 27
And Betty, still at Susan's side,
By this time she's not quite so flurried:
Demure with porringer and plate
She sits, as if in Susan's fate
Her life and soul were buried.
贝蒂依然在苏珊的身边，
此时她不再那么慌张：
拿着汤碗和盘子
她坐着，仿佛在苏珊的命数里
她的生命和灵魂都已被隐匿。 28
But Betty, poor good woman! she,
You plainly in her face may read it,
Could lend out of that moment's store [8]
Five years of happiness or more,
To any that might need it.
但是贝蒂，这可怜的好心女人！她，
你单从她脸上也许就能读到，
会倾其所能
五年的幸福或是更多，
给任何一个需要的人。 29
But yet I guess that now and then
With Betty all was not so well;
And to the road she turns her ears,
And thence full many a sound she hears,
Which she to Susan will not tell.
然而我想时不时地
贝蒂的心里也不是很有把握；
她把耳朵转向路边，
她也听到了许多声音，
可她不会告诉苏珊。 30
Poor Susan moans, poor Susan groans,
"As sure as there's a moon in heaven,"
Cries Betty, "he'll be back again;
They'll both be here, 'tis almost ten,
They'll both be here before eleven."
可怜的苏珊在呜咽，在呻吟，
“和天上有月亮一样确凿，”
贝蒂哭着说，“他会回来的；
他们都会回来的，快十点了，
十一点前他们都会回来的。” 31
Poor Susan moans, poor Susan groans,
The clock gives warning for eleven;
'Tis on the stroke--"Johnny must be near,"
Quoth Betty "he will soon be here,
As sure as there's a moon in heaven."
可怜的苏珊在呜咽，在呻吟，
时钟给出要到十一点的先兆；
它一下一下地敲响了——“乔尼一定就在附近，”
贝蒂说，“他很快就到了，
和天上有月亮一样确凿。” 32
The clock is on the stroke of twelve,
And Johnny is not yet in sight,
The moon's in heaven, as Betty sees,
But Betty is not quite at ease;
And Susan has a dreadful night.
时钟在为十二点敲响，
乔尼还是没有出现，
月亮就在天上，正如贝蒂所见，
但是贝蒂不再那么镇定；
而苏珊在度过一个困苦之夜。 33
And Betty, half an hour ago,
On Johnny vile reflections cast:
"A little idle sauntering thing!"
With other names, an endless string.
But now that time is gone and past.
贝蒂，就在半小时前，
还在无足轻重地揶揄乔尼：
“懒散成性的小家伙！”
以及其他一些名号，长长的一串。
但现在，那个时光一去不复返了。 34
And Betty's drooping at the heart.
That happy time all past and gone,
"How can it be he is so late?
The Doctor he has made him wait;
Susan! they'll both be here anon."
而贝蒂的心一阵阵下沉。
那快乐时光都一去不复返了，
“他怎么会这么晚？
那医生一直让他等；
苏珊！他们俩很快就会到来。” 35
And Susan's growing worse and worse,
And Betty's in a sad quandary;
And then there's nobody to say
If she must go or she must stay:
--She's in a sad quandary.
苏珊的情况越来越糟，
贝蒂陷入忧伤的困境；
而又没有人出主意
她应该留还是去！
——她陷入忧伤的困境。 36
The clock is on the stroke of one;
But neither Doctor nor his guide
Appear along the moonlight road,
There's neither horse nor man abroad,
And Betty's still at Susan's side.
时钟敲响了一点钟；
但无论是医生还是他的领路人
都没有出现在月光照亮的路上，
那里既没有马也没有人，
贝蒂依然在苏珊身边。 37
And Susan she begins to fear
Of sad mischances not a few,
That Johnny may perhaps be drowned,
Or lost perhaps, and never found;
Which they must both for ever rue.
而苏珊开始心神不安
担心起各种悲伤的灾祸，
乔尼或许是溺水了，
或是迷路了再也找不回来；
那样她们会懊悔一辈子。 38
She prefaced half a hint of this
With, "God forbid it should be true!"
At the first word that Susan said
Cried Betty, rising from the bed,
"Susan, I'd gladly stay with you.
在欲提及她的担心之际，先说出口的
是，“但愿不会的，不会是真的！”
苏珊刚一开口
贝蒂就哭叫着，从床边站起身，
“苏珊，我很乐意留在你身边。 39
I must be gone, I must away,
Consider, Johnny's but half-wise;
Susan, we must take care of him,
If he is hurt in life or limb"--
"Oh God forbid!" poor Susan cries.
可我得走了，我得离开，
想想，乔尼只是个半智人；
苏珊，我们还得照看他，
如果他有什么闪失”——
“天哪，但愿不会！”可怜的苏珊哭道。 40
"What can I do?" says Betty, going,
"What can I do to ease your pain?
Good Susan tell me, and I'll stay;
I fear you're in a dreadful way,
But I shall soon be back again."
“我能做什么？”贝蒂说，正要离去，
“我能做什么以减轻你的痛苦？
好心的苏珊告诉我，我会留下来；
恐怕你正处在极度困苦中，
但我很快就会回来的。” 41
"Nay, Betty, go! good Betty, go!
There's nothing that can ease my pain."
Then off she hies, but with a prayer
That God poor Susan's life would spare,
Till she comes back again.
“不，贝蒂，走吧！好心的贝蒂，走吧！
没有什么可以减轻我的苦痛。”
她即刻起身离开，但带着一个祈求：
愿上帝保佑可怜的苏珊，
能活着等到她回来。 42
So, through the moonlight lane she goes,
And far into the moonlight dale;
And how she ran, and how she walked,
And all that to herself she talked,
Would surely be a tedious tale.
于是她穿越月光下的小径，
走进月色中的溪谷深处；
她跑一阵走一阵，
她一路自言自语的那些话，
足以构成一篇冗长乏味的故事。 43
In high and low, above, below,
In great and small, in round and square,
In tree and tower was Johnny seen,
In bush and brake, in black and green,
'Twas Johnny, Johnny, every where.
在高处低处，在上面下面，
在大处小处，在圆处方处，
在乔尼去过的树上、塔里，
在常春藤和凤尾蕨里，在漆黑处青翠处，
乔尼去过的每一处。 44
And while she crossed the bridge, there came
A thought with which her heart is sore--
Johnny perhaps his horse forsook,
To hunt the moon within the brook,
And never will be heard of more.
当她穿过那座桥时
一个想法袭来，内心一阵痛楚——
乔尼可能遗弃了他的马，
去捞溪水里的月亮，
而后杳无音信。 45
And now she's high upon the down,
Alone amid a prospect wide;
There's neither Johnny nor his horse,
Among the fern or in the gorse;
There's neither doctor nor his guide.
现在她在丘陵的高处，
孤身站在广漠的空地中央；
既不见乔尼也不见他的马，
在蕨草和金雀花中；
既不见医生又不见领路人。 46
"Oh saints! what is become of him?
Perhaps he's climbed into an oak,
Where he will stay till he is dead;
Or sadly he has been misled,
And joined the wandering gypsey-folk."
“老天啊！他到底怎么啦？
或许他爬上了一棵橡树，
他要呆在那里，一直到死；
或者他只是被引错了路，
加入了吉普赛人的流浪队伍。” 47
"Or him that wicked pony's carried
To the dark cave, the goblins' hall;
Or in the castle he's pursuing,
Among the ghosts, his own undoing;
Or playing with the waterfall."
“或是那顽皮的小马驹带着他
去了黑暗洞穴，小精灵聚会的地方；
或者进到他一直想去的城堡，
在众多的魂魄之中，他自己的也得以释放；
又或者正在瀑布边玩耍呢。” 48
At poor old Susan then she railed,
While to the town she posts away;
"If Susan had not been so ill,
Alas! I should have had him still,
My Johnny, till my dying day."
而后她开始埋怨起可怜的老苏珊，
在她急匆匆赶往镇里的时候；
“要是苏珊病得没这么厉害，
唉！我的乔尼就还陪在我身边，
直到我生命的终结。” 49
Poor Betty, in this sad distemper,
The doctor's self would hardly spare
Unworthy things she talked and wild,
Even he, of cattle the most mild,
The pony had his share.
可怜的贝蒂，在这悲戚的烦乱中，
医生本人也未能幸免
而成为她没来由的抱怨对象，
甚至那最温顺的牲口也变得野性，
那小马驹也有它的份呢。 50
And now she's got into the town,
And to the doctor's door she hies;
'Tis silence all on every side;
The town so long, the town so wide,
Is silent as the skies.
此时她来到了镇上，
她赶往医生的门前；
四处鸦雀无声；
镇子又长又宽，
和天空一般寂静。 51
And now she's at the doctor's door,
She lifts the knocker, rap, rap, rap,
The doctor at the casement shews,
His glimmering eyes that peep and doze;
And one hand rubs his old night-cap.
此刻她来到了医生的门前，
她抬起门环，叩响三声，
医生在窗棂处显现，
他泛着微光的眼睛困倦地向外窥看；
一只手在揉搓着旧睡帽。 52
"Oh Doctor! Doctor! where's my Johnny?"
"I'm here, what is't you want with me?"
"Oh Sir! you know I'm Betty Foy,
And I have lost my poor dear boy,
You know him--him you often see;
“医生！医生！我的乔尼在哪里？”
“我来了，你要我做什么？”
“先生！你知道我是贝蒂-霍伊，
我可怜的男孩不见了，
你知道他，你经常看到他的； 53
"He's not so wise as some folks be."
"The devil take his wisdom!" said
The Doctor, looking somewhat grim,
"What, woman! should I know of him?"
And, grumbling, he went back to bed.
“他不及一般人那么聪明。”
“魔鬼拿了他的智慧！”
医生说，现出一丝冷酷的神情，
“娘儿们！我非得知道他么？”
嘟嘟囔囔着，他重又回到床上。 54
"O woe is me! O woe is me!
Here will I die; here will I die;
I thought to find my Johnny here,
But he is neither far nor near,
Oh! what a wretched mother I!"
“我真是悲哀！我真是悲哀！
我要死在这了；我要死在这了；
我本以为会在这找到我的乔尼，
但是远处近处都没有他，
我真是个悲惨的母亲！” 55
She stops, she stands, she looks about,
Which way to turn she cannot tell.
Poor Betty! it would ease her pain
If she had the heart to knock again;
--The clock strikes three--a dismal knell!
她停了一会儿，站起身，四处张望，
不知道该走哪条路。
可怜的贝蒂！她的痛苦会减轻些
要是她有勇气再敲一次门；
——时钟敲响了三点钟，凄凉的钟声！ 56
Then up along the town she hies,
No wonder if her senses fail,
This piteous news so much it shocked her,
She quite forgot to send the Doctor
To comfort poor old Susan Gale.
然后她沿着镇子往北而行，
要说她的感知力减弱了，倒也难怪，
这凄惨的消息给她的打击太大，
她完全忘了要请医生
去安慰可怜的老苏珊。 57
And now she's high upon the down,
And she can see a mile of road,
"Oh cruel! I'm almost three-score;
Such night as this was ne'er before,
There's not a single soul abroad."
现在她又来到那片丘陵的高处，
她能看见一哩的路，
“真是残酷啊！我几乎就要六十岁了；
在这样一个从没有过的夜晚，
周围一个人也没有。” 58
She listens, but she cannot hear
The foot of horse, the voice of man;
The streams with softest sound are flowing,
The grass you almost hear it growing,
You hear it now if e'er you can.
她听，但她听不见
马的脚步声，也没有人声；
只有溪流以最轻柔的声音在流淌，
还有那你几乎听到它生长的青草，
若你曾听见，此刻也可以。 59
The owlets through the long blue night
Are shouting to each other still:
Fond lovers, yet not quite hob nob, [9]
They lengthen out the tremulous sob,
That echoes far from hill to hill.
穿过长长的蓝色夜空
小猫头鹰们在彼此呼叫着：
这些多情的情侣，相谈并不甚欢，
它们拉长着震颤的呜咽声，
在山头间远远地回荡。 60
Poor Betty now has lost all hope,
Her thoughts are bent on deadly sin;
A green-grown pond she just has pass'd,
And from the brink she hurries fast,
Lest she should drown herself therein.
可怜的贝蒂此时失望至极，
她的想法全集中在致命的罪过上了；
她刚经过一面长满青苔的池塘，
她匆匆从它的边缘穿过，
以免她想把自己溺死在里面。 61
And now she sits her down and weeps;
Such tears she never shed before;
"Oh dear, dear pony! my sweet joy!
Oh carry back my idiot boy!
And we will ne'er o'erload thee more."
此刻她坐了下来，开始哭泣；
她从没流过这么多的眼泪；
“亲爱的小马驹！我的甜蜜欢欣啊！
带回我的傻孩子吧！
我们再也不让你驮过重的东西。” 62
A thought is come into her head:
"The pony he is mild and good,
And we have always used him well;
Perhaps he's gone along the dell,
And carried Johnny to the wood."
一个想法在她脑海里闪现；
“这小马驹，它温顺听话，
我们也总是善用它；
兴许它沿着溪谷一路而去，
把乔尼带到了树林里。” 63
Then up she springs as if on wings;
She thinks no more of deadly sin;
If Betty fifty ponds should see,
The last of all her thoughts would be
To drown herself therein.
然后她跳了起来，像是飞了起来；
她不再想致命的罪过；
纵是贝蒂看到五十个池塘，
她也不会想
把自己溺死。 64
Oh reader! now that I might tell
What Johnny and his horse are doing
What they've been doing all this time;
Oh could I put it into rhyme,
A most delightful tale pursuing!
读者啊！我现在就要说到
乔尼和他的马在做什么
他们这么长时间都在做什么；
欧，我能把它放进韵脚里么，
这亟待完成的一个最令人快意的故事！ 65
Perhaps, and no unlikely thought!
He with his pony now doth roam
The cliffs and peaks so high that are,
To lay his hands upon a star,
And in his pocket bring it home.
或许，也不是完全不可能的想法！
他带着他的小马驹现在正漫步
在峭壁和山顶之上，高得足以
伸手摘到一颗星星，
并装进口袋里带回家。 66
Perhaps he's turned himself about,
His face unto his horse's tail,
And still and mute, in wonder lost, [10]
All like a silent horse-man ghost,
He travels on along the vale.
或许他让自己转了个身，
他的脸朝着马尾巴，
寂静无言，完全陷入惊奇中，
全然像个安静的马人幽灵，
他沿着山谷继续游走。 67
And now, perhaps, he's hunting sheep,
A fierce and dreadful hunter he!
Yon valley, that's so trim and green,
In five months' time, should he be seen,
A desert wilderness will be.
此时，也许，他在猎羊，
他，一个凶猛而可怕的猎人呢！
那边的流域，整洁而葱翠，
五个月之后，他若是被人看到，
那定是在无人的荒野之地。 68
Perhaps, with head and heels on fire,
And like the very soul of evil,
He's galloping away, away,
And so he'll gallop on for aye, [11]
The bane of all that dread the devil.
或许，头和足跟都着了火，
就像那邪恶的魂灵，
他正向远处策马飞驰，
就这样疾驰下去，永无休止，
恶魔，一切恐惧的祸根。 69
I to the muses have been bound
These fourteen years, by strong indentures;
Oh gentle muses! let me tell
But half of what to him befel,
For sure he met with strange adventures.
我一直和缪斯们牢结在一起
这牢固的契约已有十四年；
优雅的缪斯啊！就让我说出
哪怕一半他所遭遇的事情吧，
可以肯定，他遭遇了非比寻常的经历。 70
Oh gentle muses! is this kind
Why will ye thus my suit repel?
Why of your further aid bereave me?
And can ye thus unfriended leave me?
Ye muses! whom I love so well.
优雅的缪斯啊！这称得上体贴么
为什么就这样拒绝我的请求？
为什么不进一步帮助我？
你们就这样让我孤立无援么？
缪斯啊！我多么热爱你们。 71
Who's yon, that, near the waterfall,
Which thunders down with headlong force,
Beneath the moon, yet shining fair,
As careless as if nothing were,
Sits upright on a feeding horse?
那边是谁，那个人，在瀑布近旁，
瀑布飞泻而下，带着俯冲的力量，
在月光之中，益发明亮清晰，
无忧无虑，仿佛身边并无一物，
端端地坐在一匹正吃草的马上？ 72
Unto his horse, that's feeding free,
He seems, I think, the rein to give;
Of moon or stars he takes no heed;
Of such we in romances read:
--Tis Johnny! Johnny! as I live.
说到他的马，它正自在地吃草呢，
他似乎，我以为，完全放任不管了；
月亮或是星星，他全不理会；
还有我们怀着浪漫之情读到的这句：
——是乔尼！乔尼！的的确确。 73
And that's the very pony too.
Where is she, where is Betty Foy?
She hardly can sustain her fears;
The roaring water-fall she hears,
And cannot find her idiot boy.
那也正是他的小马驹。
她在哪儿呢，贝蒂在哪儿呢？
她快要承受不了她的担心了；
她听见瀑布的咆哮声，
而没能发现她的智障男孩。 74
Your pony's worth his weight in gold,
Then calm your terrors, Betty Foy!
She's coming from among the trees,
And now all full in view she sees
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy.
你的小马驹价值和它等重的黄金，
平息你的恐慌吧，贝蒂！
她正从树丛里走出来，
此时在她的整个视野里，她看到了
她爱着的他，她的智障男孩。 75
And Betty sees the pony too:
Why stand you thus Good Betty Foy?
It is no goblin, 'tis no ghost,
'Tis he whom you so long have lost,
He whom you love, your idiot boy.
贝蒂也看见了小马驹：
为什么你就这样站着，好心的贝蒂？
那不是小精灵，不是幽灵，
那是你丢失良久的他，
你爱着的他，你的智障男孩。 76
She looks again--her arms are up--
She screams--she cannot move for joy;
She darts as with a torrent's force,
She almost has o'erturned the horse,
And fast she holds her idiot boy.
她又看了一眼，扬起胳膊，
她尖叫着，她欢喜得迈不动步子；
她飞奔过去，像是带着一股急流的力量，
她几乎把马掀翻，
紧紧地，她抱着她的智障男孩。 77
And Johnny burrs, and laughs aloud,
Whether in cunning or in joy,
I cannot tell; but while he laughs,
Betty a drunken pleasure quaffs,
To hear again her idiot boy.
乔尼发出啵啵声，大声笑起来，
是为讨欢心还是喜不自禁，
我不能断定；但是在他笑的时候，
贝蒂畅饮着醉人的喜悦，
为再次听到她的智障男孩。 78
And now she's at the pony's tail,
And now she's at the pony's head,
On that side now, and now on this,
And almost stifled with her bliss,
A few sad tears does Betty shed.
现在她在小马驹的尾部，
现在她又到了小马驹的头部，
一会儿在那侧，一会儿在这边，
快要为这极度的喜悦而窒息，
贝蒂流下了悲伤的泪水。 79
She kisses o'er and o'er again
Him whom she loves, her idiot boy;
She's happy here, she's happy there,
She is uneasy every where;
Her limbs are all alive with joy.
她一再地亲吻着
她爱着的他，她的智障男孩；
她的快乐遍及这里那里，
在哪里她都不能平静；
她手舞足蹈满心欢喜。 80
She pats the pony, where or when
She knows not, happy Betty Foy!
The little pony glad may be,
But he is milder far than she,
You hardly can perceive his joy.
她轻拍着小马驹，至于是哪里或是何时
她完全不知道，这幸福的贝蒂！
那小马驹或许也快乐，
但是它远比她来得温和，
你几乎不能察觉到它的喜悦。 81
"Oh! Johnny, never mind the Doctor;
You've done your best, and that is all."
She took the reins, when this was said,
And gently turned the pony's head
From the loud water-fall.
“欧！乔尼，别管什么医生了；
你已尽了全力，那就足够了。”
她拿过缰绳，一边说道，
并轻轻调转小马驹的头
离开喧嚣的瀑布。 82
By this the stars were almost gone,
The moon was setting on the hill,
So pale you scarcely looked at her:
The little birds began to stir,
Though yet their tongues were still.
这时星星几乎都隐退了，
月亮正落在山头上，
暗淡得你快要看不到它：
小鸟们开始躁动，
尽管它们的舌头还保持安静。 83
The pony, Betty, and her boy,
Wind slowly through the woody dale;
And who is she, be-times abroad,
That hobbles up the steep rough road?
Who is it, but old Susan Gale?
小马驹，贝蒂，还有她的男孩，
慢慢蜿蜒穿行于树木林立的山谷；
她是谁，一大早就出来，
蹒跚走在陡峭崎岖的路上？
除了老苏珊还能是谁呢？ 84
Long Susan lay deep lost in thought,
And many dreadful fears beset her,
Both for her messenger and nurse;
And as her mind grew worse and worse,
Her body it grew better.
苏珊久久躺着陷入沉思，
很多可怕的担心包围着她，
既担心她的信使，又担心她的看护人；
在她的情绪越变越糟之际，
她的身体在好转。 85
She turned, she tossed herself in bed,
On all sides doubts and terrors met her;
Point after point did she discuss;
And while her mind was fighting thus,
Her body still grew better.
她在床上辗转反侧，
疑虑和恐惧从四面八方袭来；
她逐条逐条地思量；
在她的头脑这么做着对抗的时候，
她的身体依然在好转。 86
"Alas! what is become of them?
These fears can never be endured,
I'll to the wood."--The word scarce said,
Did Susan rise up from her bed,
As if by magic cured. [12]
“天哪！她们到底怎么了？
再不能忍受这些担心，
我要去树林。”——话音刚落，
苏珊真的从床上起来了，
不可思议地痊愈了。 87
Away she posts up hill and down,
And to the wood at length is come,
She spies her friends, she shouts a greeting;
Oh me! it is a merry meeting,
As ever was in Christendom.
她快速穿过小山和丘陵，
终于来到了树林里，
她看见了，大声打起招呼；
天哪！这真是令人愉悦的相遇，
在基督教的世界里一向如此。 88
The owls have hardly sung their last,
While our four travellers homeward wend;
The owls have hooted all night long,
And with the owls began my song, [13]
And with the owls must end.
猫头鹰几乎还没唱完它们的最后一曲，
这边我们的四位旅行者动身回家；
猫头鹰叫了一整晚，
我的诗篇以猫头鹰开始，
也得以猫头鹰结尾了。 89
For while they all were travelling home,
Cried Betty, "Tell us Johnny, do, [14]
Where all this long night you have been,
What you have heard, what you have seen,
And Johnny, mind you tell us true."
因为当他们走在回家的路上，
贝蒂恳求道，“告诉我们吧，乔尼，快点，
这个长夜你都去了哪，
听见了什么，看见了什么，
乔尼，快如实地告诉我们吧。” 90
Now Johnny all night long had heard
The owls in tuneful concert strive;
No doubt too he the moon had seen;
For in the moonlight he had been
From eight o'clock till five.
你看，乔尼整晚都听到
猫头鹰们在优美的协奏曲中角力；
无疑，他也看见了月亮；
因为他一直沐浴在月光里
从晚上八点直到清晨五点。 91
And thus to Betty's question, he,
Made answer, like a traveller bold,
(His very words I give to you,)
"The cocks did crow to-whoo, to-whoo,
And the sun did shine so cold."
--Thus answered Johnny in his glory,
And that was all his travel's story.
因而就贝蒂的问题，他，
做出了回答，就像是一个无畏的旅行者，
（他说的原话，我来告诉你，）
“公鸡突呼突呼地叫，
太阳发的光好冷啊。”
——乔尼自鸣得意地这样回答，
那就是他整个旅行的故事。 92
【1】“when she hears what you have done, Oh! Betty she'll be in a fright.”：第4和第5段，作者虚拟了一个类似读者或听众的角色进来，这一句，我理解，就是作者以讲述者的身份对这个虚拟角色说的，而“what you have done”指的就是虚拟角色在第4第5段里对贝蒂说的话（好心的指手划脚）。
【2】“Has on the well-girt saddle set”：这一句，我理解，是“has somebody on something”的句式，让某人穿戴上某物的意思。句中“has”的宾语是后面的“Him whom she loves, her idiot boy”，中间还隔了一句“(The like was never heard of yet)”。作者为守住他的押韵模式之煞费苦心由此可见一斑，或许也可以说是The like was never heard of yet。
【3】“befal”，en.wiktionary.org上说befal是一个废弃词，等同于befall。
【4】“in a hurry”： [用于否定句]情愿地。
【5】“John”：Jonny是John的昵称。作者为了他的格律这里用了“John”。
【6】“purr”：也有的版本是curr。
【7】“out of humour”：情绪不好的；易发怒的。
【8】“out of store”：耗尽。
【9】“hob nob”：hobnob，亲切交谈。
【10】in wonder lost”：等于lost in wonder，为押韵把lost放到后面。
【11】“for aye”：等于“for ever”。
【12】“as if by magic”：象使用魔术般, 不可思议地; 飞快地。
【13】“song”：Poetry; verse.(诗歌；韵文)；A lyric poem or ballad.(抒情诗或民谣)。
【14】“cry”： [Archaic] To beg for; implore:([古语] 恳求；哀求)。
William Wordsworth的叙事体长诗The Idiot Boy最早在1798年出版。这首诗一共92段，第一段6行，最后一段7行，中间的90段都是5行，共计463行。中间的90段，每段按ABCCB的模式严格押韵。值得一提的是，第一段要是除去第5行剩下的5行也符合ABCCB的押韵模式；最后一段的前5行同样也符合。
Read Alps 2011年8月29日至9月18日
