此帐号已被封,内容无法查看 此帐号的内容被自由微信解封
文章于 2018年9月27日 被检测为删除。
查看原文
被微信屏蔽
其他

毛姆教你写比《人物》还棒的人物特稿:辜鸿铭(下)

毛姆 英文联播 2018-08-20
点击上方“英文联播”可以订阅哦!
毛姆笔下的辜鸿铭
"The Philosopher"

长白山人译

英文联播修订

威廉·萨默塞特·毛姆(英语:William Somerset Maugham,1874年1月25日-1965年12月16日),英国著名小说家,剧作家,散文家。他的作品常以冷静、客观乃至挑剔的态度审视人生,基调超然,带讽刺和怜悯意味。《人性的枷锁》为他奠定了伟大小说家的不朽的地位。著名的有戏剧《圈子》,长篇小说《人生的枷锁》、《月亮和六便士》等。毛姆在二十世纪二、三十年代到过中国两次,写了四十八篇随笔,集成《在中国屏风上》(On a Chinese Screen)一书。

点击文尾阅读原文阅读第一部分。


(Part II)

My host lit a cigarette. His voice at first had been thin and tired, but as he grew interested in what he said it gained volume (洪亮). He talked vehemently. There was in him none of the repose of the sage. He was a polemist (善辩者) and a fighter. He loathed the modern cry for individualism. For him society was the unit, and the family the foundation of society. He upheld the old China and the old school, monarchy, and the rigid canon of Confucius. He grew violent and bitter as he spoke of the students, fresh from foreign universities, who with sacrilegious hands tore down the oldest civilisation in the world.

主人点燃了一支烟。开始时他讲话的声音很细,显得疲惫无力;可是随著他对所讲的题目性趣增大,他的声音也变得洪亮起来。他满有激情地讲。此时哲学家不再秉着那圣人般的宁静。他成了一个善辩者和斗士。他对当代关于个人主义的呼声深恶痛绝。对他来讲社会是一个团体,而家庭则是这个团体的根基。他捍卫古老的中国,古老的学说,帝制和儒家的严格教条。当他谈到那些刚刚从国外大学归来的人就情绪激动,满是悲愤,指责他们用亵渎的双手无情地撕毁这个世界上最古老的文明。


"But you, do you know what you are doing?" he exclaimed. "What is the reason for which you deem yourselves our betters? Have you excelled us in arts or letters? Have our thinkers been less profound than yours? Has our civilisation been less elaborate, less complicated, less refined than yours? Why, when you lived in caves and clothed yourselves with skins we were cultured people. Do you know that we tried an experiment which is unique in the history of the world? We sought to rule this great country not by force, but by wisdom. And for centuries we succeeded.

可是你知道你们在做什么吗?”他愤愤地说道,“你们有什么理由认为你们的东西就比我们的好?你们在艺术或文学上超过了我们吗?我们的思想家没有你们的博大精深吗?我们的文明不如你们的完整,全面,优秀吗?当你们还在居山洞,穿兽皮,过著茹毛饮血的生活时,我们就已经是文明开化的民族了。你知不知道我们曾进行过人类历史上空前绝后的实验?我们曾寻求用智慧而非武力来治理这个伟大的国家。而且在许多个世纪里我们是成功了的。


Then why does the white man despise the yellow? Shall I tell you? Because he has invented the machine gun (机关枪). That is your superiority (优越感). We are a defenceless horde (群) and you can blow us into eternity. You have shattered (击碎) the dream of our philosophers that the world could be governed by the power of law and order. And now you are teaching our young men your secret. You have thrust your hideous (令人憎恶的) invention upon us. Do you not know that there are in this country four hundred millions of the most practical and industrious people in the world? Do you think it will take us long to learn? And what will become of your superiority when the yellow man can make as good guns as the white and fire them as straight? You have appealed to the machine gun and by the machine gun shall you be judged."

可是你们白种人为什么瞧不起我们黄种人?需要我来告诉你吗?就是因为你们发明了机关枪。这是你们的优势。我们是一个不设防的民族,你们可以靠武力把我们这个种族灭绝,我们的哲学家曾有过用法律和秩序治理国家的梦想,你们却把这一梦想打得粉碎。现在你们又来向我们的青年人传输你们的秘诀。你们将你们邪恶的发明强加给我们。可是你们难道不知道我们是一个对机械有著天赋的民族吗?难道你们不知道我们拥有四万万世界上最讲实效,最为勤奋的人们吗?难道你们真的认为我们需要很久的时间才能学会你们的技术吗?当黄种人也可以制造出同样精良的枪炮并迎面向你们开火时,你们白种人还会剩下什么优势吗?你们求助于机关枪,可是到最终你们将在枪口下接受审判。”

这是一大段辜鸿铭的独白,毛姆完全退场了,这一段滔滔不绝与前文的少言寡语形成鲜明的对比,打开了话匣子的辜鸿铭,人物性格呼之欲出。


But at that moment we were interrupted (打断). A little girl came softly in and nestled (依偎) close up to the old gentleman. She stared at(盯着) me with curious (好奇的) eyes. He told me that she was his youngest child. He put his arms round her and with a murmur of caressing words (轻声软语) kissed her fondly. She wore a black coat and trousers that barely reached her ankles, and she had a long pig-tail hanging down her back. She was born on the day the revolution was brought to a successful issue by the abdication of the emperor.

就是这时我们的谈话被打断了。一个小女孩悄悄地走进来,偎依在老人的身旁。她用好奇的眼光打量著我。老人告诉我这是他最小的女儿。老人把女儿揽在怀里,边与她轻声谈话边亲吻她。小女孩穿著一件黑色的上衣,黑色的裤子刚刚长及脚裸,一条长长的辨子坠在脑后。小女孩是有辛亥革命的当天出生的。那场革命成功地废黜了皇帝。


"I thought she heralded the Spring of a new era," he said. "She was but the last flower of this great nation's Fall."

“我想她的出生预示了一个新时代春天的到来,”他说,“她是我们这个伟大民族秋天里的最后一只花朵。”


From a drawer in his roll-top desk he took a few cash, and handing them to her, sent her away.

从他书桌的抽屉里老人拿出一些零用钱递给小女孩,打发她出去了。

小女孩的入场是一个转折点,她会如何看待这一场中西之争,想必都会给读者留下一个开放的问题,简单的父女依偎后,辜鸿铭激昂的情绪平静了。

"You see that I wear a queue," he said, taking it in his hands. "It is a symbol. I am the last representative of the old China."

“你看我留著一条辨子,”他把一边用手缕著辨子,一边说道,”它是一个象征。我是古老中国的最后一个代表。“


He talked to me, more gently now, of how philosophers in long past days wandered from state to state with their disciples, teaching all who were worthy to learn. Kings called them to their councils and made them rulers of cities. His erudition was great and his eloquent phrases gave a multi-coloured vitality to the incidents he related to me of the history of his country.

接著他用更为平和的语调同我谈起很久以前的哲学家。那时他们同弟子周游列国,向可以教化的人们宣传自己的学说。各国的国王很是善待他们,或是邀请他们出将入相,或是任命他们主治一方。他学识渊博,谈锋犀利,讲起他这个国家的历史事件来绘声绘色,娓娓动听。


I could not help thinking him a somewhat pathetic (令人怜悯的) figure. He felt in himself the great capacity to administer the state, but there was no king to entrust him with office; he had vast stores of learning which he was eager to impart to the great band of students that his soul hankered after, and there came to listen but a few, wretched, half-starved, and obstuse provincials.

我禁不住想他是一个悲剧性人物:他觉得自己有能力治理这个国家,可是却不再有皇帝能够任用他;他觉得自己才高八斗,有能力施教诲之责,他渴望他的灵魂受万众追随,可是前受教的却寥寥无几,且都是穷困潦倒,食不果腹,呆头笨脑的乡下人。

这一段评论好心酸,中国知识分子从小修习“齐家、治国、平天下”、期待着“朝为田舍郎,暮登天子堂”,初时无论何等愤世嫉俗,一旦得遇圣宠,便想干一番经天纬地的大事业,宋儒张载言:“为天地立心、为生民立命、为往圣继绝学、为天下开太平”,惟有怀才而不遇明主谓最大之悲剧,辜鸿铭大抵也不脱于此。


Once or twice discretion had made me suggest that I should take my leave, but he had been unwilling to let me go. Now at last I was obliged to. I rose. He held my hand.

有那么一二刻直觉告诉我该是告辞的时侯了,可是他却没有要我走的意思。最后我不得不向他告辞。我站起来,拉住了我的手。


"I should like to give you something as a recollection of your visit to the last philosopher in China, but I am a poor man and I do not know what I can give you that would be worthy of your acceptance."

“你来拜访中国的最后一个哲学家,我该送你点什么留作记念才是。可是我是一个穷人,我不知道送点什么值得你接受的东西。”


I protested that the recollection of my visit was in itself a priceless gift. He smiled.

我连忙说什么都不用送,这次拜访的记忆本身就是最好的纪念。他笑了。


"Men have short memories in these degenerate days, and I should like to give you something more substantial. I would give you one of my books, but you cannot read Chinese."

“在这个堕落的年代里,人们的记忆都变得短暂了,我还是应该送给你一件有形的东西。我想送给你一本我的拙作,可是你又不能读中文。”


He looked at me with amicable perplexity. I had an inspiration.

他带著困惑但友善的神情望著我。突然间我有了一个主意。


"Give me a sample of your calligraphy." I said.

“能不能给我一份您的书法作品?”我问道。


"Would you like that?" He smiled. "In my youth I was considered to wield the brush in a manner that is not entirely despicable."

你喜欢书法作品?”他笑了。“我年轻时侯的书法在人们的眼里还远不是一无是处呢。”


He sat down at his desk, took a fair sheet of paper, and placed it before him. He poured a few drops of water on a stone, rubbed the ink stick in it, and took his brush. With a few movement of the arm he began to write. And as I watched him I remembered with not a little amusement something else which had been told me of him. It appeared that the old gentleman whenever he could scrape a little money together, spent it wantonly in the streets inhabited by ladies to whom a euphemism is generally used. His eldest son, a person of standing (有身份的人) in the city, was vexed and humiliated by the scandal of this behaviour; and only his strong sense of filial piety (孝道) prevented him from reproaching the libertine with severity.

他在书桌边坐了下来,他拿出一张宣纸,展放在桌上。他在砚台上滴了几滴水,拿起墨在上面研好了墨,然后便提起笔来,空挥了几下才落笔。我站在一旁边看他写字,边想著关于他的一些不大风光的传闻。据传这位老先生,无论何时只要手头积攒一点钱,总是要挥霍在烟花巷里。他的大儿子是这个城市里一个颇有身份的人。对其父的行为感到恼火,觉得受了屈辱,若不是由于这种父子关系的存在,他早就会对这种浪荡行为大张挞伐了。


I daresay that to a son such looseness (不检点) would be disconcerting (令人不安的), but the student of human nature could look upon it with equanimity (镇定). Philosophers are apt to elaborate (阐释) their theories in the study, forming conclusions upon life which they know only at second hand, and it has seemed to me often that their works would have a more definite significance if they had exposed themselves to the vicissitudes (起伏) which befall the common run (大流) of men. I was prepared to regard the old gentleman's dalliance (鬼混) in hidden places with leniency (仁慈). Perhaps he sought but to elucidate the most inscrutible (难以理解的) of human illusions.

在我看来,这种不检点的行为对于其子来说是一件满难于启齿的丑事,但是对于研究人类本性的学者们来说则是一件需以平常心来对待的事情。哲学家们个个都极善于在研究中阐明自己的理论,并根据别人的生活经验得出结论;可是在我看来,哲学们若能够亲身经历人生的各种事情,他们所写的著作会更有价值。对于我自己,我是能以宽容的心来对待这位老人背地里所过的放荡生活。或许他只是在寻求去阐述人类幻想里最不可思议的事情。

无论毛姆怎么给辜鸿铭开脱,把狎妓的情节放在一个英雄人物塑造的末尾都是个不怀好意的把戏,在英文修辞中称为anti-climax(反高潮)。在中国文化中,从男女道德角度毁灭一个人是如此经久不衰,一个自由主义者可能对此不以为意,但一个儒家的倡导者实际上根本不能表里如一,这相当于把前文精心构筑的大厦一下子推倒了,这真的是毛姆想要的效果吗?


He finished. To dry the ink, he scattered a little ash on the paper and rising handed it to me.

他写完了。为了使墨能尽快些干涸他撒了些灰在纸上面,然后伸手递给我。


"What have you written?" I asked.

“你写的什么?”我问道。


I thought there was a slightly malicious gleam in his eyes.

我看到他的眼里飘过一丝幸灾乐祸的神情。


"I have ventured to offer you two little poems of my own."

“我冒昧送给你自己作的两首小诗。”


"I did not know you were a poet."

“我不知道您还是一位诗人。”


"When China was still an uncivilised country," he retorted with sarcasm, "all educated men could write verse at least with elegance."

“当中国还是一个未开化的民族的时候,”他挖苦道,“所有受过教育的人就能够写出优美的诗句了。”


I took the paper and looked at the Chinese characters. They made an agreeable pattern upon it.

我拿起纸来看了看上面的中国字。唯一能看明白的就是上面的字是相当有序地排列著的。


"Won't you also give me a translation?"

“您能不能告诉我一下上面写的是什么?”


"Tradutore—tradittore," he answered. "You cannot expect me to betray myself. Ask one of your English friends. Those who know most about China know nothing, but you will at least find one who is competent to give you a rendering of a few rough and simple lines."

“翻译是叛徒,”他回答道,“你不能指望我背叛自己。还是请你的英国朋友帮这个忙吧。那些自以为了解中国的人实际上什么也不了解,但我想你至少会找到人向你解释一下这两首诗的大概意思。”

Tradutore—tradittore:意大利文,translators, traitors.说的是翻译必定会背板原作。

毛姆把人物写活了,“翻译就是叛徒”是绝妙的点睛之笔,不但表现了辜鸿铭既迂腐又谐趣的性格,也暗示了中西文化其实根本不可相通,想来钱钟书先生说“东学西学,道术未裂;南海北海,心理攸同”可谓太乐观了。


I bade him farewell, and with great politeness he showed me to my chair. When I had the opportunity I gave the poems to a sinologue of my acquaintance, and here is the version he made. I confess that, doubtless unreasonably, I was somewhat taken aback when I read it.

我向他道了别,他则非常客气地一直送我上轿。后来我有机会遇到一位从事汉学研究的朋友,我请他把这两道诗翻译了出来。我不得不承认,每当我读到这两首诗,就不免想起和那位哲学家的会面。


You loved me not: your voice was sweet;
Your eyes were full of laughter; your hands were tender.
And then you loved me: your voice was bitter;
Your eyes were full of tears; your hands were cruel.
Sad, sad that love should make you
Unlovable.
当初你不爱我
你的声音是那么甜美
你的眼里充满了笑意
你的双手纤细温柔
后来你爱上了我
你的声音变得苦涩
你的眼里充满了泪水
你的双手僵硬乾涸
这是多么的令人悲伤
因为爱使你变得
不再可爱
I craved the years would quickly pass
That you might lose
The brightness of your eyes, the peach-bloom of your skin,
And all the cruel splendour of your youth.
The I alone would love you
And you at last would care.
The envious years have passed full soon
And you have lost
The brightness of your eyes, the peach-bloom of your skin,
And all the charming splendour of your youth.
Alas, I do not love you
And I care not if you care.
我曾乞求岁月匆匆
带走你明亮的双眼
你如桃花般娇嫩的皮肤
和你迷人的青春朝气
那样我就可以独自爱你
你也会在乎我的爱
岁月真的匆匆过了
带走了你明亮的眼睛
你如桃花般娇嫩的皮肤
和你迷人的青春朝气
可是我却不再爱你
也不再在乎你的爱
英文联播
每天五分钟 英文行天下
欢迎转发,让更多朋友分享学习的乐趣;更多精彩请点击文章顶部“英文联播”快速关注,也可在添加朋友中搜索微信公众号: yingwenlianbo(长按复制);试试长按二维码,也可以关注哦。文章均系原创,转载请注明出处。


    您可能也对以下帖子感兴趣

    文章有问题?点此查看未经处理的缓存