“呂蓓卡”（“蝴蝶夢”）－不朽的懸念傑作

如果有一本書我能一遍又一遍地讀的書，那就是由達芙妮·杜·穆裏埃寫的“呂蓓卡”（又譯“蝴蝶夢”）。我20多年前就迷上了這本書，一直想寫評論，但從來沒有得到一個機會。現在有點時間，先記下一點點心得。

“呂蓓卡”寫的是關於一位年輕的女士嫁給了一個富翁的故事。出身貧寒的女主角在一個偶然的機會遇到了聞名的“曼德利“”莊園的主人 - 德·溫特，並在一見鍾情之後戲劇般地結婚。 “呂蓓卡”的故事大部分是關於女主角在曼德利的新生活。

“呂蓓卡”是一個懸疑故事。呂蓓卡，是德·溫特的前妻，並在故事發生前就神秘地死亡。但雖然她已故去，但她卻像幽靈般地在故事中活著。她的極端美麗，她的“高貴”，她的嫻熟的的社交能力，和她對他人的巨大影響力 - 從仆人到上流社會的社交圈，無一不使她在各方麵影響著生者的生活，更這對年輕出生貧寒的女主人產生不可言喻的巨大挑戰。

許多人認為這本書其實是在寫呂貝卡 - 一個死去了的卻影響著生者的幽靈，但我不苟同。我認為“呂蓓卡”一書是在寫年輕女主人她自己 - 寫她是如何從一個天真的學生，一個“灰姑娘“一樣可憐的女孩，在愛情的力量鼓勵下終於變成為一個成熟，自信和富於勇氣的“曼德勒”莊園的女主人。

該故事以第一人稱的方式敘述，情節偶爾在過去與現實之間跳躍，描述極其微妙細膩，非常自然把人帶到情節中，分享敘述者的不尋常的心理冒險經曆。整個小說夢幻一般地引人入勝，讓人不自覺地進入女主人翁的心理角度，感受她的脆弱，恐懼，絕望，最後獲得信心，戰勝自我的喜悅。

是的，麗貝卡是一個懸念故事，但不是一個關於“死亡”，或“謀殺”的懸念，而是一個關於“生”，或者“再生”的懸念。此書在我個人看來是文學史上最為不朽的一部懸念名著。

If there is a book that I could read again and again, it is Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. I was obsessed with this book over 20 years ago, always wanted to write a review, but never get a chance. Now it's the time.

Rebecca is a story about a young lady who by chance married a wealthy man, Maxim de Winter, the owner of a stately estate known as "Manderley". "Rebecca" is the name of ex-wife of Mr. de Winter, who died mysteriously prior to story starts. Most of story is about happenings takes place during the young lady's new life in Manderly.

Rebecca is a mystery, for the mysterious death of Rebecca. Rebecca is died, yet is still "alive" among people who know her. Her extreme beauty, aristocratic manner, sophisticate social skill, and her tremendous influence to people - from servants to high class circles, inflicts (spoil?) new mistress' daily life. The young lady faces incredible challenge, both from the hostility of household - who still holds loyalty toward the ex-mistress, and her lack of confidence about her poor family background.

Many people believe that this book is all about Rebecca - a ghostly figure who affects lives, but I totally disagree. Rebecca is all about the young lady (narrator) herself - how she from a naive student, a "Cinderella" like poor girl, becomes a mature, confidence and courageous Mrs. de Winter.

The story was told by narrator, occasionally jumps between past and present. The depiction is extremely beautiful and contemplative, naturally draws you into the nightmarish past, sharing the narrator's amazing psychological adventure - how she eventually gains confidence, conquers her inner fear by strength of love.

Yes, Rebecca is a mystery, but not mystery of death, nor of a murder, it's a mystery of life, a life of reborn. For me, it is an immortal masterpiece of mystery ever created.