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康拉德的憂傷我的憂傷(2)——那憂傷的大自然

(2023-03-25 20:33:28) 下一個

(原創:靈隱士)

康拉德的憂傷我的憂傷(2)——那憂傷的大自然

  不如一切就從大自然的描繪開始吧,畢竟被人類尊稱為大~~~自然,高廣博大,為人類提供一切所需的基本生存資料。

  (The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits. A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness. The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.)

  以上是小說開篇第一頁第二段的描寫。第二句中,一句話中竟同時表達出七種事物,內涵豐富至極,文筆纖細,讓人感覺筆尖如同觸角一般處處在蔓延,不停地去捕捉,特別是“red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits.”的部分,修辭風采委實驚人。最後一句中,用“dark,Gravesend,mourful,gloom,motionless”五個負麵情緒的詞,與“biggest,greatest”兩個正麵的詞形成一種對立,是大自然跟人類行為之間矛盾的融合,從而彌漫出一種淡淡的憂傷,與略帶詼諧的諷刺。
    
  敬佩之餘,嚐試著自行翻譯如下:

  泰晤士河源遠達海,如今延展在我們的眼前,望上去,此處像是一條無休無止水溝的起點。在視線可及的前方,海與天仿佛焊接在了一起,沒有一點變形與突兀的感覺。光線所照射到的地方,可看見桅杆隨著潮水一起飄流,而之上懸掛的風帆已被歲月浸染成深沉之色,看上去靜然不動,紅色的帆布塊如利刃一般朝天而起,與之連在一起的支撐斜杆也散發出黯淡的光芒。矮矮的河岸之上籠罩著光暈,平坦向前延伸,看似緩緩而消失,但是終會連至大海。送墓城(暗指倫敦)上方的空氣又濃又黑,散到了遠處又兜回來,安靜不動,擠壓成一團愁鬱,讓人憂傷,動也不動地俯視著這個地表之上最大,最偉的城市,沉思著。”

  (Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound. The old river in its broad reach rested unruffled at the decline of day, after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks, spread out in the tranquil dignity of a waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth. We looked at the venerable stream not in the vivid flush of a short day that comes and departs for ever, but in the august light of abiding memories.) 

  上述一段描寫來自第二頁。在第一句中使用了“less brilliant”與“more profound"作為表麵消減與內在增強的對比,在最後一句中通過“ vivid flush of a short day”與“august light of abiding memories”的並列使用,形成了一組短暫與長遠,輕靈動感與凝重雋永的對比。中間第二句較長,使用了三重嵌套的狀語從句,讓主句所表述的內容一級級逐步延展並且深廣寓意化。

  嚐試翻譯如下:

  旋即可見河水之中起了變化,靜謐的光彩雖然有所消減,可是這一切反而更加意味深遠。古老的江河,胸懷寬闊通達四方,世世代代孕育著聚居在兩岸的人類種族,用水路平靜從容地將人們引領到地表的最遠端,廣為開枝散葉,隻是今夕不同往日,於是身姿平靜地休養著,神態安詳。這是一條令人起敬的河流,當我們凝視著它,不應該僅僅關注當下那一縱即逝,短短一天之內水流所形成的局部變化,而應該看得長遠些,著眼於長長久久的記憶洪流,去發現那些傑出,深刻的閃光點。”

  (The sun set; the dusk fell on the stream, and lights began to appear along the shore. The Chapman lighthouse, a three-legged thing erect on a mud-flat, shone strongly. Lights of ships moved in the fairway--a great stir of lights going up and going down. And farther west on the upper reaches the place of the monstrous town was still marked ominously on the sky, a brooding gloom in sunshine, a lurid glare under the stars.)

  上述是來自第三頁中的一段描寫,一開始措辭簡單就像小學生,慢慢厲害了,到最後一句中出現了四個關鍵詞“monstrous town”,“ominously”,“brooding gloom”以及“lurid glare”,通過這些精致的措辭清楚地表達出主角當下的心境,同時對將要發生的黑暗行徑給出了暗示與預兆。

  嚐試翻譯如下:

  長河落日圓。暮靄降臨至河流之上,沿岸之處開始燈火湧動。貿易者燈塔三足著地,矗立在濕地之上,散發出耀目的光芒。船在水上行,燈光隨之自在地移動著身影,一上一下之間,光影頓時激蕩開來。在西邊更遠的高地之上,便是魔幻之鎮,此時寂然無動,仿佛銘刻在天空上麵一般,使人生出不祥之感,餘暉沉沉一片鬱鬱,星星點點光芒逼人,讓人不寒而栗。”

  不過短短三頁,就讓人開始陷入了陶醉——好美的大自然啊。隻是,這字裏行間,分明有那麽許多的憂傷呢。

  為什麽要這樣子?為什麽要這樣子搞破壞,讓讀者的心情憂傷呢?這康德,不,這康拉德。

 

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ling_yin_shi 回複 悄悄話 謝謝川姐,小弟通過康拉德,盡力在嚐試提升自己的修辭能力。:)
.川曄 回複 悄悄話 您的譯文是如此優美而富於韻味,令我迷戀不已啊
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