作者：哈代,劳伦斯,吉卜林,高尔斯华绥,等
出版社：商务印书馆有限公司
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
英国小说经典阅读.爱情篇试读：
英国小说经典阅读.爱情篇
英汉对照 刘荣跃 译
目录
读精彩小说，品美妙人生
（丛书译序）………………………刘荣跃Thomas Hardy
ENTER A DRAGOON
David Herbert Lawrence
THE HORSE DEALER’S DAUGHTER
Joseph Rudyard Kipling
LISPETH
YOKED WITH AN UNBELIEVER
ON THE STRENGTH OF A LIKENESS
FALSE DAWN
John Galsworthy
THE APPLE TREE
托马斯·哈代
：晚到的骑兵
........戴维·赫伯特·劳伦斯
：马贩的女儿
………约瑟夫·罗德雅德·吉卜林
：利斯佩思
………他的异教徒妻子
……相似的力量
…………假曙光
…………约翰·哥尔斯华馁：
苹果树下…………
略谈翻译的两大要素………………………
译者简介………………………读精彩小说，品美妙人生（丛书译序） 刘荣跃
1
这里奉献给读者的，是分别从幽默讽刺、爱情和传奇三个方面精选出来的一套精彩短篇小说。“精彩”二字是笔者选译的定位和标准，从而也形成了本丛书的特色和亮点。不同的选本都有各自的特点，笔者在选译本套丛书时，始终把精彩这一标准放在首位。因为精彩的小说任何时候都会受到广大读者的喜爱。众所周知，每个人都有一种本能，就是喜欢听好听的故事，读好看的小说。这种本能从人出生后不久到走完一生，都不会有多少改变。我没听说过不喜欢听精彩故事或读精彩小说的人。而这也正是文学能够深深地吸引人的地方。尽管有人说文学如何已大不如从前了，但我始终认为它永远都不会消失，它会永远伴随着我们的一生。它与我们的生活总是息息相关的，只是随着时代的变化它也发生了相应的变化而已。可不管怎样改变，无论是小孩还是成人，听精彩故事读精彩小说的本能绝不会改变。这是因为，那些一篇篇构思奇特美妙的小说总能够深深地吸引人，打动人，会使读者一口气读下去，并时时拍案叫绝，感到回味无穷。通过阅读这些作品后，我们总能够对于人生和社会获得一些感悟与认识，得到一些有益的启迪——而这样的启迪，绝非是通过说教得来的。说教的东西往往枯燥乏味，不可能使人像读精彩小说那样，在愉快而轻松的阅读中明白许多生活的道理。也正是精彩小说所具有的这种特殊魅力，使笔者很愿意作出努力为读者选译一套这样的好书。我在辛勤选译的过程中（因需要大量阅读原著进行筛选），本身也一次次地获得了美好的艺术享受。尽管我在阅读、选取、翻译和修改时，要反反复复接触这些小说，但我从没觉得枯燥，而总是怀着极大的喜悦去完善译文。如果是不好听不好看的小说，必然会使人感到乏味的！我因此也相信读者阅读了这些小说后，一定不会后悔，一定会觉得大有收获。这是源自于笔者从多年的翻译经验中所获得的自信。当我读到一篇篇精彩的作品时，往往会激动不已，同时按捺不住要把它们翻译出来，以便与更多的读者分享阅读的快乐。为读者提供外国的好书好作品，是译者的喜悦，也是译者的使命和职责。
2
这些精彩的小说，大多出自英美名家之手。我们虽然不一定迷信于名家，但他们之所以成为名家，自然是有其理由的。他们往往具有一些高超的创作手法，小说写得超凡出众，使作品充满了具大的魅力。像本丛书中的托马斯·哈代、D.H劳伦斯、约瑟夫·罗德亚德·吉卜林、华盛顿·欧文、马克·吐温和爱伦·坡等，都是世界文学殿堂里享有盛名的大家或颇有影响的作家，他们创作了很多优秀的作品。
本书中选译的《晚到的骑兵》、《马贩的女儿》和《苹果树下》等，都是精彩的好小说，必将给读者留下深刻印象。比如《苹果树下》就是一篇缠绵悱恻、令人难以忘怀的爱情故事。主人公阿舒斯特于自己的银婚纪念日，与妻子斯特拉到一个离别多年的农场附近去郊游。故地重游，往事不堪回首，二十六年前的情景历历在目，阿舒斯特回想起了那时自己热恋过的一个叫梅根的村姑。他们经常在那棵苹果树下，度过了多么甜蜜的时光。但狂喜中的他又充满困惑。他是一个城里人，而梅根只是一个十分单纯的乡下姑娘，世人会怎么看待他与她的爱情和婚姻呢？他们中间的一些障碍又如何克服？他分不清自己是爱梅根，还是因为她漂亮可爱而需要她。这时他遇上了一个也是漂亮可爱的城市姑娘斯特拉，斯特拉自然又有其独特的地方，而按照世人的看法他理应与她相爱结婚。经过一段时间的痛苦犹豫之后，他终于与斯特拉结为夫妻。在二十六年后的这天，他回到了当年逗留过的地方，一切都是那么熟悉。他看到路边有一座坟，便问一个老人，于是老人向他讲述了死者的故事。原来死者正是那个村姑，二十六年前因为自己所深爱的人无缘无故地离去，从此杳无音讯，她悲痛万分，竟在那棵苹果树下自杀身亡。人们没按她的愿望把她埋在苹果树下，而是埋在了交叉路口，这样她就不会孤独。她的坟上时时有人放上花儿。她的死，使阿舒斯特痛苦不已！他与那姑娘有着截然不同的生活背景和习俗等，这些都是他们不能结合的障碍。虽然一见钟情，但他们却无法逾越这些障碍。他和她毕竟是属于两个不同世界的人，要结合到一起自然会面对各种问题。他们的爱情悲剧不能不引人深思，使人震撼。
其余作家的作品在本书中均有介绍，不在此赘述。就英国的爱情小说而论，哈代的作品应该是首屈一指的，他堪称是这方面的大师，创作出了《苔丝》和《无名的裘德》等数部这样的长篇名著。此外他的中短篇小说也大多以爱情婚姻为题材（由笔者主译的《哈代爱情小说》多年前曾由文化艺术出版社出版）。吉卜林创作的作品材料多样，但他的《来自山上的故事集》则全都以爱情婚姻为题材，本书中的故事即全部选自其中。这些故事往往短小精致，同时不乏幽默意味。诺贝尔文学奖获得者高尔斯华绥主要以《福尔赛世家》和《有产业的人》等长篇闻名，主要揭露英国资产阶级典型人物的道德观念和思想意识，特别是人与人之间的金钱利害关系。而笔者在选译过程中，又发现他写的《苹果树下》这篇爱情故事相当不错，读后耐人寻味，堪称爱情小说中的精品。
3
此套丛书的分类，只是一个大体的划分，并非是绝对的。有的虽然选入幽默讽刺类，但也有爱情或传奇的成分；而选入另两类的作品，也同样会含有幽默讽刺的成分在里面，只是以哪一类为主体的问题。但不管它们属于哪一类，“名篇佳作”或“精彩小说”的定位和选取标准是没有变的。作为一个整体，这三类作品在很大程度上（尽管不能说全面）体现了英美短篇小说的创作精华，无论阅读还是收藏都不无意义。
又由于受篇幅限制的影响，另有一些好小说难以如选（如毛姆那篇《环境的力量》就不错）。这大概也是每一个选本所面临的局限。笔者在选译的时候，除了力求把握好内容外，还需要充分考虑到篇幅字数的问题。这方面的不足，或许在条件成熟时还可进一步完善吧。
作为与纯中文译本不同的英汉对照读物，必然对翻译的要求更高，因为译文要经得起对照检验才行——至少译者应尽最大努力做到这一点。笔者因而又逐字逐句对照原文进行了校对、修正，力求译得更忠实、准确和贴切，做到与原作“亦步亦趋”，让读者阅读译文时获得与阅读原文时一样的感受（当然读者需要达到相当的外语水平），或至少不会相差太大。我是这样努力的，但由于知识有限，错误在所难免。在此欢迎读者对译文中的不当之处提出批评——只要是诚恳客观的，实事求是的，译者必然十分感激，并将及时予以纠正。 2009年12月于天府之国·简阳托马斯·哈代
Thomas Hardy
托马斯·哈代（1840—1928），是英国小说家、诗人。创作出长篇
小说不朽之作《苔丝》和《无名的裘德》，另有《绿荫下》、《远离尘
嚣》、《还乡》和《卡斯特桥市长》等。此外他还创作了不少中短篇小
说集。他的重要诗作有抒情诗集《西撒克斯诗集》和史诗剧《统治者》。
哈代的这些小说反映了资本主义发展过程中小农经济和农民阶级的毁
灭以及在这一社会发展的必然过程中广大农民遭到的悲惨命运，对资本
主义社会进行了无情的攻击和嘲笑，揭示了它的虚伪本质。哈代善于观
察人们的精神活动，刻画人物复杂的内心世界，他所描绘的景物细致精
确，常能达到情景交融的境地。他的小说深刻地揭示出人们怎样受着环
境与习俗的影响。从《晚到的骑兵》中我们也可感悟到作者这样的认识。
他让我们看到命运有时真是很作弄人的。塞利娜两次差点要与所爱的人
结婚，都未能如愿，这真是多么令人遗憾的爱情故事。这样的爱情主题在
哈代的小说创作中颇有代表性。
ENTER A DRAGOON
I lately had a melancholy experience (said the gentleman who is answerable for the truth of this story). It was that of going over a doomed house with whose outside aspect I had long been familiar—a house, that is, which by reason of age and dilapidation was to be pulled down during the following week. Some of the thatch, brown and rotten as the gills of old mushrooms, had, indeed, been removed before I walked over the building. Seeing that it was only a very small house--which is usually called a “cottage-residence”—situated in a remote hamlet, and that it was not more than a hundred years old, if so much, I was led to think in my progress through the hollow rooms, with their cracked walls and sloping floors, what an exceptional number of abrupt family incidents had taken place therein--to reckon only those which had come to my own knowledge. And no doubt there were many more of which I had never heard.
It stood at the top of a garden stretching down to the lane or street that ran through a hermit-group of dwellings in Mellstock parish. From a green gate at the lower entrance, over which the thorn hedge had been shaped to an arch by constant clippings, a gravel path ascended between the box edges of once trim raspberry, strawberry, and vegetable plots, towards the front door. This was in colour an ancient and bleached green that could be rubbed off with the finger, and it bore a small long-featured brass knocker covered with verdigris in its crevices. For some years before this eve of demolition the homestead had degenerated, and been divided into two tenements to serve as cottages for farm labourers；but in its prime it had indisputable claim to be considered neat, pretty, and genteel.
The variety of incidents above alluded to was mainly owing to the nature of the tenure, whereby the place had been occupied by families not quite of the kind customary in such spots--people whose circumstances, position, or antecedents were more or less of a critical happy-go-lucky cast. And of these residents the family whose term comprised the story I wish to relate was that of Mr. Jacob Paddock the market-gardener, who dwelt there for some years with his wife and grown-up daughter.
I
An evident commotion was agitating the premises, which jerked busy sounds across the front plot, resembling those of a disturbed hive. If a member of the household appeared at the door it was with a countenance of abstraction and concern.
Evening began to bend over the scene；and the other inhabitants of the hamlet came out to draw water, their common well being in the public road opposite the garden and house of the Paddocks. Having
wound up their bucketsfull respectively they lingered, and spoke significantly together. From their words any casual listener might have gathered information of what had occurred.
The woodman who lived nearest the site of the story told most of the tale. Selina, the daughter of the Paddocks opposite, had been surprised that afternoon by receiving a letter from her once intended husband, then a corporal, but now a sergeant-major of dragoons, whom she had hitherto supposed to be one of the slain in the Battle of the Alma two or three years before.“She picked up wi'en against her father's wish, as we know, and before he got his stripes,” their informant continued. “Not but that the man was as hearty a feller as you'd meet this side o' London. But Jacob, you see, wished her to do better, and one can understand it. However, she was determined to stick to him at that time；and for what happened she was not much to blame, so near as they were to matrimony when the war broke out and spoiled all.”“Even the very pig had been killed for the wedding,” said a woman, “and the barrel o' beer ordered in. O, the man meant honourable enough. But to be off in two days to fight in a foreign country--'twas natural of her father to say they should wait till he got back.”
“And he never came,” murmured one in the shade.“The war ended but her man never turned up again. She was not sure he was killed, but was too proud, or too timid, to go and hunt for him.”“One reason why her father forgave her when he found out how matters stood was, as he said plain at the time, that he liked the man, and could see that he meant to act straight. So the old folks made the best of what they couldn't mend, and kept her there with 'em, when some wouldn't. Time has proved seemingly that he did mean to act straight, now that he has writ to her that he's coming. She'd have stuck to him all through the time, 'tis my belief；if t'other hadn't come along.”“At the time of the courtship,” resumed the woodman, “the regiment was quartered in Casterbridge Barracks, and he and she got acquainted by his calling to buy a penn'orth of rathe-ripes off that tree yonder in her father's orchard--though 'twas said he seed HER over hedge as well as the apples. He declared 'twas a kind of apple he much fancied；and he called for a penn'orth every day till the tree was cleared. It ended in his calling for her.”“Twas a thousand pities they didn't jine up at once and ha' done wi' it.”“Well；better late than never, if so be he'll have her now. But, Lord, she'd that faith in 'en that she'd no more belief that he was alive, when a' didn't come, than that the undermost man in our churchyard was alive. She'd never have thought of another but for that--O no!”
“Tis awkward, altogether, for her now.”“Still she hadn't married wi' the new man. Though to be sure she would have committed it next week, even the licence being got, they say, for she'd have no banns this time, the first being so unfortunate.”“Perhaps the sergeant-major will think he's released, and go as he came.”“O, not as I reckon. Soldiers bain't particular, and she's a tidy piece o' furniture still. What will happen is that she'll have her soldier, and break off with the master-wheelwright, licence or no--daze me if she won't.'
In the progress of these desultory conjectures the form of another neighbour arose in the gloom. She nodded to the people at the well, who replied “G'd night, Mrs. Stone,” as she passed through Mr.Paddock's gate towards his door. She was an intimate friend of the latter's household, and the group followed her with their eyes up the path and past the windows, which were now lighted up by candles inside.
II
Mrs. Stone paused at the door, knocked, and was admitted by Selina's mother, who took her visitor at once into the parlour on the left hand, where a table was partly spread for supper. On the “beaufet” against the wall stood probably the only object which would have attracted the eye of a local stranger in an otherwise ordinarily furnished room, a great plum-cake guarded as if it were a curiosity by a glass shade of the kind seen in museums--square, with a wooden back like those enclosing stuffed specimens of rare feather or fur. This was the mummy of the cake intended in earlier days for the wedding-feast of Selina and the soldier, which had been religiously and lovingly preserved by the former as a testimony to her intentional respectability in spite of an untoward subsequent circumstance, which will be mentioned. This relic was now as dry as a brick, and seemed to belong to a pre-existent civilization. Till quite recently, Selina had been in the habit of pausing before it daily, and recalling the accident whose consequences had thrown a shadow over her life ever since--that of which the water-drawers had spoken--the sudden news one morning that the Route had come for the --th Dragoons, two days only being the interval before departure；the hurried consultation as to what should be done, the second time of asking being past but not the third；and the decision that it would be unwise to solemnize matrimony in such haphazard circumstances, even if it were possible, which was doubtful.
Before the fire the young woman in question was now seated on a low stool, in the stillness of reverie, and a toddling boy played about the floor around her.“Ah, Mrs. Stone!” said Selina, rising slowly. “How kind of you to come in. You'll bide to supper? Mother has told you the strange news, of course?”“No. But I heard it outside, that is, that you'd had a letter from Mr. Clark--Sergeant-Major Clark, as they say he is now--and that he's coming to make it up with 'ee.”“Yes；coming to-night--all the way from the north of England where he's quartered. I don't know whether I'm happy or--frightened at it. Of course I always believed that if he was alive he'd come and keep his solemn vow to me. But when it is printed that a man is killed--what can you think?”
“It WAS printed?”“Why, yes. After the Battle of the Alma the book of the names of the killed and wounded was nailed up against Casterbridge Town Hall door. 'Twas on a Saturday, and I walked there o' purpose to read and see for myself；for I'd heard that his name was down. There was a crowd of people round the book, looking for the names of relations；and I can mind that when they saw me they made way for me--knowing that we'd been just going to be married--and that, as you may say, I belonged to him. Well, I reached up my arm, and turned over the farrels of the book, and under the ‘killed’ I read his surname, but instead of ‘John’ they'd printed ‘James,’ and I thought 'twas a mistake, and that it must be he. Who could have guessed there were two nearly of one name in one regiment.”“Well--he's coming to finish the wedding of 'ee as may be said；so never mind, my dear. All's well that ends well.”“That's what he seems to say. But then he has not heard yet about Mr.Miller；and that's what rather terrifies me. Luckily my marriage with him next week was to have been by licence, and not banns, as in John's case；and it was not so well known on that account. Still, I don't know what to think.'“Everything seems to come just 'twixt cup and lip with 'ee, don't it now, Miss Paddock. Two weddings broke off--'tis odd! How came you to accept Mr. Miller, my dear?”“He's been so good and faithful! Not minding about the child at all； for he knew the rights of the story. He's dearly fond o' Johnny, you know--just as if 'twere his own--isn't he, my duck? Do Mr. Miller love you or don't he?”
“Iss! An' I love Mr. Miller,” said the toddler.“Well, you see, Mrs. Stone, he said he'd make me a comfortable home； and thinking 'twould be a good thing for Johnny, Mr. Miller being so much better off than me, I agreed at last, just as a widow might--which is what I have always felt myself；ever since I saw what I thought was John's name printed there. I hope John will forgive me!”
“So he will forgive 'ee, since 'twas no manner of wrong to him. He
ought to have sent 'ee a line, saying 'twas another man.”
Selina's mother entered. “We've not known of this an hour, Mrs.Stone,” she said. “The letter was brought up from Lower Mellstock Post-office by one of the school children, only this afternoon. Mr.Miller was coming here this very night to settle about the wedding doings. Hark! Is that your father? Or is it Mr. Miller already come?”
The footsteps entered the porch；there was a brushing on the mat, and the door of the room sprung back to disclose a rubicund man about thirty years of age, of thriving master-mechanic appearance and obviously comfortable temper. On seeing the child, and before taking any notice whatever of the elders, the comer made a noise like the crowing of a cock and flapped his arms as if they were wings, a method of entry which had the unqualified admiration of Johnny.
“Yes--it is he,” said Selina constrainedly advancing.“What--were you all talking about me, my dear?” said the genial young man when he had finished his crowing and resumed human manners. “Why what's the matter,” he went on. “You look struck all of a heap.” Mr. Miller spread an aspect of concern over his own face, and drew a chair up to the fire.
“O mother, would you tell Mr. Miller, if he don't know?”
“MISTER Miller! and going to be married in six days!” he interposed.
“Ah--he don't know it yet!” murmured Mrs. Paddock.
“Know what?”“Well--John Clark--now Sergeant-Major Clark--wasn't shot at Alma after all. ”Twas another of almost the same name.”
“Now that's interesting! There were several cases like that.”
“And he's home again；and he's coming here tonight to see her.”“Whatever shall I say, that he may not be offended with what I've done?” interposed Selina.
“But why should it matter if he be?”“O! I must agree to be his wife if he forgives me--of course I must.”
“Must! But why not say nay, Selina, even if he do forgive 'ee?”“O no! How can I without being wicked? You were very very kind, Mr.Miller, to ask me to have you；no other man would have done it after what had happened；and I agreed, even though I did not feel half so warm as I ought. Yet it was entirely owing to my believing him in the grave, as I knew that if he were not he would carry out his promise；and this shows that I was right in trusting him.”“Yes. . .He must be a goodish sort of fellow,” said Mr. Miller, for a moment so impressed with the excellently faithful conduct of the sergeant-major of dragoons that he disregarded its effect upon his own position. He sighed slowly and added, “Well, Selina, tis for you to say. I love you, and I love the boy；and there's my chimney-corner and sticks o' furniture ready for 'ee both.”“Yes, I know! But I mustn't hear it any more now,” murmured Selina quickly. “John will be here soon. I hope he'll see how it all was when I tell him. If so be I could have written it to him it would have been better.”“You think he doesn't know a single word about our having been on the brink o't. But perhaps it's the other way--he's heard of it and that may have brought him.”“Ah--perhaps he has!” she said brightening. “And already forgives me.”“If not, speak out straight and fair, and tell him exactly how it fell out. If he's a man he'll see it.”“O he's a man true enough. But I really do think I shan't have to tell him at all, since you've put it to me that way!”
As it was now Johnny's bedtime he was carried upstairs, and when Selina came down again her mother observed with some anxiety, “I fancy Mr. Clark must be here soon if he's coming；and that being so, perhaps Mr. Miller wouldn't mind--wishing us good-night! since you are so determined to stick to your sergeant-major.” A little bitterness bubbled amid the closing words. “It would be less awkward, Mr. Miller not being here--if he will allow me to say it.”“To be sure；to be sure,” the master-wheelwright exclaimed with instant conviction, rising alertly from his chair. “Lord bless my soul,” he said, taking up his hat and stick, 'and we to have been married in six days! But Selina--you're right. You do belong to the child's father since he's alive. I'll try to make the best of it.”
Before the generous Miller had got further there came a knock to the door accompanied by the noise of wheels.
“I thought I heard something driving up!” said Mrs Paddock.
They heard Mr. Paddock, who had been smoking in the room opposite, rise and go to the door, and in a moment a voice familiar enough to Selina was audibly saying, “At last I am here again--not without many interruptions! How is it with 'ee, Mr. Paddock? And how is she? Thought never to see me again, I suppose?”
A step with a clink of spurs in it struck upon the entry floor.“Danged if I bain't catched!” murmured Mr. Miller, forgetting company-speech. “Never mind--I may as well meet him here as elsewhere；and I should like to see the chap, and make friends with en, as he seems one o' the right sort.” He returned to the fireplace just as the sergeant-major was ushered in.
III
He was a good specimen of the long-service soldier of those days；a not unhandsome man, with a certain undemonstrative dignity, which some might have said to be partly owing to the stiffness of his uniform about his neck, the high stock being still worn. He was much stouter than when Selina had parted from him. Although she had not meant to be demonstrative she ran across to him directly she saw him, and he held her in his arms and kissed her.
Then in much agitation she whispered something to him, at which he seemed to be much surprised.“He's just put to bed,” she continued. “You can go up and see him. I knew you'd come if you were alive! But I had quite gi'd you up for dead. You've been home in England ever since the war ended?”
“Yes, dear.”
“Why didn't you come sooner?”“That's just what I ask myself! Why was I such a sappy as not to hurry here the first day I set foot on shore! Well, who'd have thought it--you are as pretty as ever!”
He relinquished her to peep upstairs a little way, where, by looking through the ballusters, he could see Johnny's cot just within an open door. On his stepping down again Mr. Miller was preparing to depart.“Now, what's this? I am sorry to see anybody going the moment I've come,” expostulated the sergeant-major. “I thought we might make an evening of it. There's a nine gallon cask o' ‘Phoenix’ beer outside in the trap, and a ham, and half a rawmil' cheese；for I thought you might be short o' forage in a lonely place like this；and it struck me we might like to ask in a neighbour or two. But perhaps it would be taking a liberty?”“O no, not at all,” said Mr. Paddock, who was now in the room, in a judicial measured manner. “Very thoughtful of 'ee, only 'twas not necessary, for we had just laid in an extry stock of eatables and drinkables in preparation for the coming event.”“Twas very kind, upon my heart,” said the soldier, “to think me worth such a jocund preparation, since you could only have got my
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