Write by Robert Browning
作者：罗伯特•布朗宁
(1812-1889)
Translate by Sacro Rampart
译者：萨苛•兰帕德
（1991-）
1 I.
My first thought was, he lied in every word,
我的第一个念头便是，他未有一句真实的话语
That hoary cripple, with malicious eye
那头发灰白的跛子，双眼透着恶毒之意
Askance to watch the working of his lie
请对他的谎言所造就的一切保持应有的怀疑
On mine, and mouth scarce able to afford
在我心底看来装腔作势实不足以得到施予
Suppression of the glee, that pursed and scored
他掩饰住心底的窃喜，露出那皱眉和伤淤
Its edge, at one more victim gained thereby.
仿佛因此在那刃口上，又搭上了一个牺牲品
2 II.
What else should he be set for, with his staff?
还有什么应该让他和他那根破拐杖决定？
What, save to waylay with his lies, ensnare
还有什么埋藏在他的谎言之下？除圈套外
All travellers who might find him posted there,
所有的旅人会在彼地感悟他的消息之灵通
And ask the road? I guessed what skull-like laugh
至于问路？我猜颅骨们会对其报以空洞的讥笑
Would break, what crutch 'gin write my epitaph
支起罗网的撑架将被破除——只不过是镌在我的墓志铭上
For pastime in the dusty thoroughfare,
留在满是尘埃的大道上任人消遣
3 III.
If at his counsel I should turn aside
倘若听从他的劝诫我应当偏离正道
Into that ominous tract which, all agree,
进入那不祥的地域，那儿的事物一致，
Hides the Dark Tower. Yet acquiescingly
将黑暗塔深深遮掩。在我心默许之下，
I did turn as he pointed: neither pride
我转向了他所指的路径，但我明悉：既不是骄傲
Nor hope rekindling at the end descried,
亦不是希望最终将远征的意志重燃
So much as gladness that some end might be.
而是那结局兴许会带来无尽的欢愉
4 IV.
For, what with my whole world-wide wandering,
那么，我携着什么在整个世界游走徘徊，
What with my search drawn out thro' years, my hope
是什么支持着我的搜寻——哪怕年复一年，是我的希望
Dwindled into a ghost not fit to cope
它却缩减为一个幻影，难以应付未来的艰险
With that obstreperous joy success would bring,
成功的到来往往伴随着喧闹的欢喜
I hardly tried now to rebuke the spring
如今我难以试图斥责春日
My heart made, finding failure in its scope.
我心已定，要在它的范围内搜寻失败者的足印
5 V.
As when a sick man very near to death
当死神向一个虚弱的人靠近之时
Seems dead indeed, and feels begin and end
他看上去确是了无气息，却在感受着开始与终结
The tears and takes the farewell of each friend,
那泪滴，那所得，那与每个挚友的道别
And hears one bid the other go, draw breath
听见他们逐个地被命令离开，深深地呼吸
Freelier outside, (``since all is o'er,'' he saith,
意识更散漫地游离，（“直到一切结束，”他喃喃道，
``And the blow falIen no grieving can amend;'')
没有谁的哀号能挽回那风暴中的狂坠；“）
6 VI.
While some discuss if near the other graves
当人们在一座墓穴旁高谈阔论
Be room enough for this, and when a day
为此留下足够的空间吧，而有朝一日
Suits best for carrying the corpse away,
马革裹尸，被运往无人知晓的地方
With care about the banners, scarves and staves:
请留意那旗帜，围巾与棍棒
And still the man hears all, and only craves
直到那人听完所有，唯余恳求
He may not shame such tender love and stay.
他或许不会为如此温柔的爱而羞耻——而决意停留
7 VII.
Thus, I had so long suffered in this quest,
至此，我为搜寻黑暗塔忍受了长久的时光
Heard failure prophesied so oft, been writ
如此多次，听别人失败的预告，以至那套言辞已成令状
So many times among ``The Band'' ---to wit,
如此多次，坐在“那群人“之间——也就是说，
The knights who to the Dark Tower's search addressed
那些搜寻黑暗塔的骑士全都无功而返
Their steps---that just to fail as they, seemed best,
他们的道路——与他们一样惨遭失败，似乎都是最好的
And all the doubt was now---should I be fit?
如今的问题在于——我会适合这事业吗？
8 VIII.
So, quiet as despair, I turned from him,
经过绝望般的死寂，我向他示以拒绝
That hateful cripple, out of his highway
那可憎的跛子，我走出他鼓吹的大道
Into the path he pointed. All the day
走进他指出的小径。整整一天
Had been a dreary one at best, and dim
这小径充其量是一条沉闷的路，而暗淡却
Was settling to its close, yet shot one grim
在它的尽头沉淀下来，露出斑驳而无情的本色。
Red leer to see the plain catch its estray.
血目扫视着那荒原，寻捕着迷途的旅人
9 IX.
For mark! no sooner was I fairly found
因为那标记！一瞬间我清楚地明白
Pledged to the plain, after a pace or two,
你必须发誓征服荒原，就在踏出一两步之后
Than, pausing to throw backward a last view
然后，停下来向往路掷出最后一眼
O'er the safe road, 'twas gone; grey plain all round:
安全的路途已告终，四至是灰白的荒原
Nothing but plain to the horizon's bound.
在视野中除了灰白别无他物
I might go on; nought else remained to do.
我也许得继续前行，否则就要在此逗留
10 X.
So, on I went. I think I never saw
于是，在路上，我想我从未见过
Such starved ignoble nature; nothing throve:
如此苍凉凋敝的情景；只剩下枯萎：
For flowers---as well expect a cedar grove!
那花朵——如同预期的一样，如同罗汗柏林一般！
But cockle, spurge, according to their law
而杂草与大戟 ，却遵从着自己生长的规律
Might propagate their kind, with none to awe,
无与畏惧地繁衍生息着
You'd think; a burr had been a treasure-trove.
你会认为，一只刺果已是此地的珍宝
11 XI.
No! penury, inertness and grimace,
不！这贫瘠，颓唐，伛偻，
In some strange sort, were the land's portion. ``See
这种奇怪的类型似乎就是这土地的命运。“观望，
``Or shut your eyes,'' said nature peevishly,
抑或合上你的双眼，”周遭急躁地喝道，
``It nothing skills: I cannot help my case:
“那根本无路可寻：我对我的现状无能为力：”
``'Tis the Last judgment's fire must cure this place,
“只有末日审判的烈焰能改变这里的面貌，”
``Calcine its clods and set my prisoners free.''
“直到那土块被煅成石灰，囚禁在此的幽魂才得解脱。“
12 XII.
If there pushed any ragged thistle-stalk
如果有粗糙的蓟梗冒出——
Above its mates, the head was chopped; the bents
遮掩了它的同族，尖头就会被砍下；即便那倾斜的样子
Were jealous else. What made those holes and rents
也会被同族所嫉妒。什么致使了那破洞和裂缝
In the dock's harsh swarth leaves, bruised as to baulk
在那野株粗糙的方叶上，肆虐由此仿佛戛然而止
All hope of greenness?'tis a brute must walk
至于所有青葱的希望？’都在那牲口的必然远离中破灭
Pashing their life out, with a brute's intents.
于那牲口的意图，不过是远走他乡另寻生活
13 XIII.
As for the grass, it grew as scant as hair
至于那些草，它们长得如同毛发一般稀松
In leprosy; thin dry blades pricked the mud
尖细而干枯的叶片扎向腐败的泥土
Which underneath looked kneaded up with blood.
在它们的身下仿佛糅合着血液
One stiff blind horse, his every bone a-stare,
一匹僵硬的盲马，它已瘦得皮包骨
Stood stupefied, however he came there:
麻木地站着，然而它来到此地：
Thrust out past service from the devil's stud!
可是自恶魔的种马群中逐出！
14 XIV.
Alive? he might be dead for aught I know,
它还活着?据我所知它将死于任何原因，
With that red gaunt and colloped neck a-strain,
你看那布满皱褶的红肿脖子绷直着，
And shut eyes underneath the rusty mane;
还有那生疏的鬃毛下紧闭的双眼；
Seldom went such grotesqueness with such woe;
不常有生物能忍受这样的畸形和这样的不幸
I never saw a brute I hated so;
从未有过一头牲口让我如此憎恨；
He must be wicked to deserve such pain.
它必然是因为邪恶而遭受着应得的报应
15 XV.
I shut my eyes and turned them on my heart.
我闭上我的双眼，试图将这景象从我心中驱除
As a man calls for wine before he fights,
如同一个酒客在打架前要先喝点
I asked one draught of earlier, happier sights,
我求助于一丝过去的气息，那幸福而快乐的时光
Ere fitly I could hope to play my part.
在我希望适当地发挥我的一部分之前
Think first, fight afterwards---the soldier's art:
先思忖，再出击——战士的技巧：
One taste of the old time sets all to rights.
品味过去的时日能让一切稳定下来
16 XVI.
Not it! I fancied Cuthbert's reddening face
不是这个！库斯伯特 的红脸在我脑海中浮现
Beneath its garniture of curly gold,
——在它卷曲的金发之下，
Dear fellow, till I almost felt him fold
亲爱的同伴，直到今天我几乎还能感觉到他的拥抱
An arm in mine to fix me to the place,
他如同我的扶手，为我准备好长旅的行囊
That way he used. Alas, one night's disgrace!
他行事的方式。唉，能让人彻夜难眠！
Out went my heart's new fire and left it cold.
快离开我心中新燃的篝火，留在那让它自生自灭。
17 XVII.
Giles then, the soul of honour---there he stands
随后杰勒斯 出现了，光荣的灵魂——他在站在那
Frank as ten years ago when knighted first.
如同十年前他首次授勋时一般坦诚
What honest man should dare (he said) he durst.
一个正直的人应当无所畏惧（他曾说），他践行着
Good---but the scene shifts---faugh! what hangman hands
这很好——但当场景切换——嘘！他被交到刽子手那里
Pin to his breast a parchment? His own bands
是什么将一张羊皮纸栓在他的胸前？他自己的裤腰带
Read it. Poor traitor, spit upon and curst!
看看吧。可怜的叛徒，唾星与咒骂同在！
18 XVIII.
Better this present than a past like that;
眼前的场景反而胜于过去的那些；
Back therefore to my darkening path again!
因此重新回到我那暗淡的小径中来吧！
No sound, no sight as far as eye could strain.
没有声音，没有我目所能及的景象
Will the night send a howlet or a bat?
黑夜会送来一只枭或蝙蝠与我作伴吗？
I asked: when something on the dismal flat
我请求道：当生物出现在这惨淡的平野上时
Came to arrest my thoughts and change their train.
请过来阻止我的思考，让我加入它们的行列
19 XIX.
A sudden little river crossed my path
忽然有一条小溪穿越我的小径
As unexpected as a serpent comes.
如同一条蛇从灌木丛中窜出
No sluggish tide congenial to the glooms;
没有与忧沉相应的迟缓浪流
This, as it frothed by, might have been a bath
看那泡沫沉闷地流过，或许是有什么在此沐浴
For the fiend's glowing hoof---to see the wrath
譬如魔鬼红热的巨蹄——凝视那愤怒吧
Of its black eddy bespate with flakes and spumes.
来自带着火星与泡沫的黑色漩涡的愤怒
20 XX.
So petty yet so spiteful! All along,
如此吝啬亦如此怀恨！自始至终，
Low scrubby alders kneeled down over it;
矮小的赤杨丛仿佛在这河流的面前跪倒；
Drenched willows flung them headlong in a fit
茂盛的柳林正面冲向它们
Of route despair, a suicidal throng:
一个自我毁灭的种群走上了不归路：
The river which had done them all the wrong,
那河从未给它们带来一点好处，
Whate'er that was, rolled by, deterred no whit.
臭水流滚滚而过，却一点也没法将它们威慑住
21 XXI.
Which, while I forded,---good saints, how I feared
当我涉水时——好心的圣人，请教我如何当心
To set my foot upon a dead man's cheek,
避免我的脚踏上一具死尸的面颊
Each step, or feel the spear I thrust to seek
我的每一步，都如同用矛在戳，试探着前行
For hollows, tangled in his hair or beard!
由于那些空洞，都被尸体的头发或胡子纠结着！
---It may have been a water-rat I speared,
——哦，我踩到了什么？那或许曾是只麝香鼠，
But, ugh! it sounded like a baby's shriek.
但是，唷！那听起来像是婴儿的尖叫
22 XXII.
Glad was I when I reached the other bank.
当我到达彼岸的时候，我是多么地高兴
Now for a better country. Vain presage!
此刻是因为看见一条好村子。空旷无人的预兆却在游弋！
Who were the strugglers, what war did they wage,
那些斗争者是谁，他们又向谁宣战，
Whose savage trample thus could pad the dank
谁的践踏如此野蛮，因而伴随着潮湿的脚步声
Soil to a plash? Toads in a poisoned tank,
它是在污水池里弄脏的？一个癞蛤蟆生息的毒害的水池
Or wild cats in a red-hot iron cage---
要不然便是野猫被关进了红热的铁笼——
23 XXIII.
The fight must so have seemed in that fell cirque.
这场战斗看上去似乎是发生在那座可怕的圆形山谷
What penned them there, with all the plain to choose?
有如此广阔的平原可供选择，却是什么把他们囚禁在那儿？
No foot-print leading to that horrid mews,
在通向那可怕密地的路上没有脚印，
None out of it. Mad brewage set to work
更没有从中出来的脚印。迷幻的酒气开始生效
Their brains, no doubt, like galley-slaves the Turk
他们的心灵，毫无疑问，就像被抓来当厨役的土耳其人
Pits for his pastime, Christians against Jews.
用挖坑来打发时间，好比基督徒在排犹
24 XXIV.
And more than that---a furlong on---why, there!
而且不仅如此——再往前一弗朗 ——为什么，那儿！
What bad use was that engine for, that wheel,
那引擎被用来行何种恶，那轮子，
Or brake, not wheel---that harrow fit to reel
或许是被刹住，或许根本没有轮子——那耙手适合到处乱爬
Men's bodies out like silk? with all the air
人的身体暴露得如同绸缎？而且都呈现如此模样
Of Tophet's tool, on earth left unaware,
那灼热地狱的工具，留在地面上无人听闻，
Or brought to sharpen its rusty teeth of steel.
或许是用作磨锐它那生锈的钢牙
25 XXV.
Then came a bit of stubbed ground, once a wood,
那么再向那残垣断壁靠近一点，一旦一根圆木，
Next a marsh, it would seem, and now mere earth
邻近一片沼泽，它看上去也曾像根圆木，如今则仅是泥土
Desperate and done with; (so a fool finds mirth,
伴随着绝望和疲惫；（如同一个傻子寻欢作乐，
Makes a thing and then mars it, till his mood
制造一样东西尔后将它损毁，直到他的情绪
Changes and off he goes!) within a rood---
改变，他便会离开！）在一个十字架内——
Bog, clay and rubble, sand and stark black dearth.
唯有泥沼、粘土和碎石，沙子与赤裸而阴郁的匮乏
26 XXVI.
Now blotches rankling, coloured gay and grim,
如今水疱正化着浓，色泽光鲜而可怖，
Now patches where some leanness of the soil's
如今那些小块而贫瘠的土地
Broke into moss or substances like boils;
仿佛变成了苔藓或是疮疖
Then came some palsied oak, a cleft in him
再看那棵微颤的橡木，在那上头有一个裂缝
Like a distorted mouth that splits its rim
就像一张自唇边豁开的歪嘴
Gaping at death, and dies while it recoils.
在死亡的面前张开，却在试图合上的一刻死亡
27 XXVII.
And just as far as ever from the end!
离终点的路途似乎从未减少！
Nought in the distance but the evening, nought
目光所及之处除了黑夜一无所有，一无所有
To point my footstep further! At the thought,
将我的足迹指向更远处！我正思考着，
great black bird, Apollyon's bosom-friend,
巨大的黑鸟，是亚玻伦的知己，
Sailed past, nor beat his wide wing dragon-penned
它飞驰而过，却不曾鼓动宽翼
That brushed my cap---perchance the guide I sought.
我的帽子被它刮了下来——我偶然找到的向导
28 XXVIII.
For, looking up, aware I somehow grew,
那么，抬起头来，注意我不经意间的成长，
'Spite of the dusk, the plain had given place
“黄昏的恶意，渐渐为坦白所取代
All round to mountains---with such name to grace
在群山环绕之间——有着这样一个名字修饰
Mere ugly heights and heaps now stolen in view.
却仅有丑陋的高地，其上的堆积如今已不见踪影
How thus they had surprised me,---solve it, you!
它们是如何使我惊奇——你，偷了它！
How to get from them was no clearer case.
如何将它们取回，估计是遥遥无期
29 XXIX.
Yet half I seemed to recognize some trick
过半之时我似乎分辨了某些诡计
Of mischief happened to me, God knows when---
它们将危及到我，天知道什么时候——
In a bad dream perhaps. Here ended, then,
也许在一场噩梦中。在这儿结束，而后，
Progress this way. When, in the very nick
由这条路前进。当真正的裂谷出现在眼前
Of giving up, one time more, came a click
宽阔得令人绝望，有一次，传来了咔嗒声
As when a trap shuts---you're inside the den!
如同一只捕兽夹有了收获——而你正在兽穴之中！
30 XXX.
Burningly it came on me all at once,
我忽然急切起来，
This was the place! those two hills on the right,
这就是那个地方！在右边有两座山，
Crouched like two bulls locked horn in horn in fight;
山体相互倾斜对立，就像两只相互打斗的公牛角；
While to the left, a tall scalped mountain... Dunce,
当你转向左边时，一座高耸的胜利之峰……蠢才，
Dotard, a-dozing at the very nonce,
老糊涂，恰恰在当前打盹，
After a life spent training for the sight!
在训练了一辈子的视力之后！
31 XXXI.
What in the midst lay but the Tower itself?
除了塔自身外，还有什么处在中间？
The round squat turret, blind as the fool's heart,
那圆而矮胖的塔楼，像傻子的心一般盲目，
Built of brown stone, without a counter-part
塔用褐色石头筑成，没有分立的碉楼
In the whole world. The tempest's mocking elf
塔在整个世界之下。好似风暴在嘲笑小矮人
Points to the shipman thus the unseen shelf
至此又如同向船长指出那看不见的搁板
He strikes on, only when the timbers start.
仅当那木板启用之时，他才会偶然想起。
32 XXXII.
Not see? because of night perhaps?---why, day
看不见？也许是因为黑夜？——为何，白日
Came back again for that! before it left,
又为它而重返！在它离开之前，
The dying sunset kindled through a cleft:
低迷的薄暮穿过裂谷投射而来
The hills, like giants at a hunting, lay,
那座山，就像个巨人在打猎，压倒，
Chin upon hand, to see the game at bay,---
双手上擎，看来角斗陷入了困境——
``Now stab and end the creature---to the heft!''
“赶紧将那猛兽刺杀——重重一击！”
33 XXXIII.
Not hear? when noise was everywhere! it tolled
听不见？当噪音无所不在！它缓慢而反复地响着
Increasing like a bell. Names in my ears
如同丧钟的声音在不断增大。钻进我耳朵的名字
Of all the lost adventurers my peers,---
那些迷途的冒险者，我的同辈们，——
How such a one was strong, and such was bold,
其中一个声音如此强，而如此清晰，
And such was fortunate, yet, each of old
而另一个又如此幸福，然而，它们都是往昔的声音
Lost, lost! one moment knelled the woe of years.
惑矣，惑矣！有一刻它为经年的苦难哀鸣
34 XXXIV.
There they stood, ranged along the hill-sides, met
他们曾站在那儿，沿着山脉而排列，聚集
To view the last of me, a living frame
来看我这最后一个，一个鲜活的人
For one more picture! in a sheet of flame
为了另一番景象！在一团火焰之中
I saw them and I knew them all. And yet
我看见了他们，而且我认识他们所有人。可是
Dauntless the slug-horn to my lips I set,
我大胆地将金属号角在我的唇边放好，
And blew. ``Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came.''
并吹响。“罗兰少爷临于黑暗塔下。”
影子的影子
