我们等待那八点钟敲响,每个人的舌头干渴难当;因为八点钟响关系命运,一个人到时会命归黄泉。命运将会使唤一条套索,最好的最坏的一样勒脖。

We_had_no_other_thing_to_do,Save_to_wait_for_the_sign_to_come:So,like_things_of_stone_in_a_valley_lone,Quiet_we_sat_and_dumb:But_each_man’s_heart_beat_thick_and_quick_Like_a_madman_on_a_drum!

我们没有任何别的事可做,只好干坐着等待那个时刻,像寂静的沟里无声的石头,我们静静地坐着紧闭哑口,可每个人的心跳又快又急,如同一个疯子在鼓上乱击。

With_sudden_shock_the_prison_clock_Smote_on_the_shivering_air,And_from_all_the_gaol_rose_up_a_wail_Of_impotent_despair,Like_the_sound_that_frightened_marshes_hear_From_a_leper_in_his_lair.

牢房的钟猛然响起,震动了发抖的空气,沉重的绝望的哀叫,响彻在这整座大牢。如同振聋发聩的哀叫,来自患绝症者的窠巢。

And_as_one_sees_most_fearful_things_In_the_crystal_of_a_dream,We_saw_the_greasy_hempen_rope_Hooked_to_the_blackened_beam,And_heard_the_prayer_the_hangman’s_snare_Strangled_into_a_scream.

如人在梦的水晶球里,能看见最恐怖的东西,我们看见那油腻的麻索,从那黑乎乎的木梁垂落,听见那刽子手的圈套,把祈祷勒成一声尖叫。

And_all_the_woe_that_moved_him_so_That_he_gave_that_bitter_cry,And_the_wild_regrets,and_the_bloody_sweats,None_knew_so_well_as_I:For_he_who_live_more_lives_than_one_More_deaths_than_one_must_die.

他是因为所有的痛苦难当,才发出了令人痛苦的叫嚷,一声声遗憾,一滴滴血汗,谁也没有我明白那苦难;好好活着终归是一种快乐,九死一生还是比早死值得。

◎IV

There_is_no_chapel_on_the_day_On_which_they_hang_a_man:The_Chaplain’s_heart_is_far_too_sick,Or_his_face_is_far_to_wan,Or_there_is_that_written_in_his_eyes_Which_none_should_look_upon.So_they_kept_us_close_till_nigh_on_noon,And_then_they_rang_the_bell,And_the_Warders_with_their_jingling_keys_Opened_each_listening_cell,And_down_the_iron_stair_we_tramped,Each_from_his_separate_Hell.

在他们绞死人的日子,没有举行祈祷的仪式;牧师的心绪混乱不堪,牧师的脸色苍白不展,他眼睛里流露的神情,不该出现在他的眼睛。他们把我们死守到中晌,然后他们才把铃摇晃,看守拿着丁零丁零的钥匙,打开每个正在聆听的囚室,每个人走出各自的囚牢,我们缓缓走下铁的梯道。

Out_into_God’s_sweet_air_we_went,But_not_in_wonted_way,For_this_man’s_face_was_white_with_fear,And_that_man’s_face_was_grey,And_I_never_saw_sad_men_who_looked_So_wistfully_at_the_day.

我们尝到上帝的好空气,心情却和过去迥然有异,这个人脸色吓得煞白,那个人的脸灰绿如菜,我没见过人满心的悲伤,在这天却显得如此渴望。

I_never_saw_sad_men_who_looked_With_such_a_wistful_eye_Upon_that_little_tent_of_blue_We_prisoners_called_the_sky,And_at_every_careless_cloud_that_passed_In_happy_freedom_by.

我从未见满心悲痛的人,看上去会用渴望的眼神,把囚犯称为天空的幕布,打量得是那样心无旁骛,没让每片浮过的祥云,徒然展现自由的丰韵。

But_their_were_those_amongst_us_all_Who_walked_with_downcast_head,And_knew_that,had_each_go_his_due,They_should_have_died_instead:He_had_but_killed_a_thing_that_lived_Whilst_they_had_killed_the_dead.

不过在我们中间也走着,那些垂头丧气的另一伙,知道他们各自犯下罪过,知道他们迟早罪有应得,他只不过害死一条命,他们对死者也不留情。

For_he_who_sins_a_second_time_Wakes_a_dead_soul_to_pain,And_draws_it_from_its_spotted_shroud,And_makes_it_bleed_again,And_makes_it_bleed_great_gouts_of_blood_And_makes_it_bleed_in_vain!

因为对有罪的人再嫁祸,会让死的灵魂复活难过,把它拖出裹尸布,再让它血流如注,让它血淋淋流淌不止,白白流血却无补于事。

Like_ape_or_clown,in_monstrous_garb_With_crooked_arrows_starred,Silently_we_went_round_and_round_The_slippery_asphalte_yard;Silently_we_went_round_and_round,And_no_man_spoke_a_word.

如同人猿和小丑一样,穿着千奇百怪的服装,绕着光滑的铺油路的医院,我们默然转了一圈又一圈,我们默然转了一圈又一圈,没有一个人开口把话来谈。

Silently_we_went_round_and_round,And_through_each_hollow_mind_The_memory_of_dreadful_things_Rushed_like_a_dreadful_wind,An_Horror_stalked_before_each_man,And_terror_crept_behind.“)

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