海倫·凱勒自傳《我的生活》第62期

One day we had a thrilling experience. There was a regatta in the Northwest Arm, in which the boats from the different warships were engaged. We went in a sail-boat along with many others to watch the races. Hundreds of little sail-boats swung to and fro close by, and the sea was calm. When the races were over, and we turned our faces homeward, one of the party noticed a black cloud drifting in from the sea, which grew and spread and thickened until it covered the whole sky. The wind rose, and the waves chopped angrily at unseen barriers. Our little boat confronted the gale fearlessly; with sails spread and ropes taut, she seemed to sit upon the wind. Now she swirled in the billows, now she sprang upward on a gigantic wave, only to be driven down with angry howl and hiss. Down came the mainsail. Tacking and jibbing, we wrestled with opposing winds that drove us from side to side with impetuous fury. Our hearts beat fast, and our hands trembled with excitement, not fear; for we had the hearts of vikings, and we knew that our skipper was master of the situation. He had steered through many a storm with firm hand and sea-wise eye. As they passed us, the large craft and the gunboats in the harbour saluted and the seamen shouted applause for the master of the only little sail-boat that ventured out into the storm. At last, cold, hungry and weary, we reached our pier.

有一天，我們經歷了一次驚心動魄的事件。當時在“西北軍駐地”正舉行一次賽舟會，而參賽船隻則來自不同的戰艦。我們隨同衆人一道登上一條帆船觀看比賽。上百條小艇來來回回地從我們身邊穿梭而過，海面風平浪靜。就在比賽結束，我們正準備回家的時候，人羣裏有個人發現從海上飄來了一團黑雲。這團黑雲迅速地擴散增厚，直到遮蔽了整個天空。此時風起雲涌，海浪猛烈地擊打着堤壩。我們的小船勇敢地面對狂風的襲擊，它鼓起風帆，纜繩緊繃，似乎正好坐在風波浪尖之上。很快，它便在波濤中左衝右突，它猛地躍上一個巨大的浪峯，頃刻間就被憤怒的嘶吼聲所吞沒。隨着主帆的下落，小船在浪濤中逆風而行。我們奮力地抵禦着風浪的侵襲，而身體卻被顛簸得東倒西歪。我們的心劇烈地跳動着，我們的手激動得連連顫抖，我們毫無畏懼。因爲我們就在“維京”號的核心位置，而我們的船長則是對付風浪的行家裏手，憑藉着堅實的手掌和一雙老練的眼睛，他曾多次駕船穿越風暴。風浪過後，港口中的大船和炮艦紛紛向我們（升旗）致敬，水手們也爲這艘小帆船在風暴中的壯舉而歡呼吶喊。終於，伴着寒冷、飢餓和滿身的疲憊，我們回到了碼頭。

Last summer I spent in one of the loveliest nooks of one of the most charming villages in New England. Wrentham, Massachusetts, is associated with nearly all of my joys and sorrows. For many years Red Farm, by King Philip's Pond, the home of Mr. J. E. Chamberlin and his family, was my home. I remember with deepest gratitude the kindness of these dear friends and the happy days I spent with them. The sweet companionship of their children meant much to me. I joined in all their sports and rambles through the woods and frolics in the water. The prattle of the little ones and their pleasure in the stories I told them of elf and gnome, of hero and wily bear, are pleasant things to remember. Mr. Chamberlin initiated me into the mysteries of tree and wild-flower, until with the little ear of love I heard the flow of sap in the oak, and saw the sun glint from leaf to leaf. Thus it is that

去年夏天，我在新英格蘭地區的一個最迷人最幽靜的村莊裏度過了一段愉快的時光。可以說，馬薩諸塞州的蘭瑟姆是一個幾乎涵蓋了我所有喜悅和悲傷的地方。很多年來，紅色農莊——菲利普國王池塘邊錢伯林先生和他的家人的住所，都曾是我的家。我由衷地感謝這些朋友們的仁慈和慷慨，我同他們在一起度過了最美好的時光。對我而言，同他們的子女建立起的友誼尤顯珍貴。他們所有的活動我都參加，我們還在林中漫步，在水中嬉戲。我爲他們講述精靈和土地神、英雄和狡猾的黑熊的故事，同這些小孩子們談天說地，感受着他們的快樂，這對我的確是一種令人愉快的回憶。錢伯倫先生教我辨認神祕的樹種和野花，直到我的耳朵似乎聽到了橡樹體內樹液流動的聲音，我的眼睛似乎看到了樹葉間閃爍的陽光。那景象如同這樣的詩句——

Even as the roots, shut in the darksome earth,

根，即使被封存在暗無天日的泥土中

Share in the tree-top's joyance, and conceive

依舊會分享到樹冠的喜悅，而且會想象着

Of sunshine and wide air and wing things,

陽光、遼闊的天宇以及林間的飛鳥，

By sympathy of nature, so do I gave evidence of things unseen.

自然和諧有序，我亦順應天地