冬日林中漫步

【導读】威廉·惠特曼·贝利（1843—1914）曾任布朗大学、麻省理工学院植物学教授。其父雅各布·惠特曼·贝利（1811—1857）是一个自然主义者，也是美国微观研究的先驱，曾任西点军校化学教授。家学渊源一定程度上折射出美国历史上一个人文与自然科学相得益彰的时期。

这篇优美的散文发表在1878年的美国《全国教育学刊》（National Journal of Education）上。文章以冬日林中漫步时的冰雪美景为主要聚焦对象，抒发了对神奇大自然的讴歌和对美好事物易逝的感叹。在结构上，由远及近（森林到后院）、由物及人、由景及情。语言上兼具美感和诗意，运用了比喻、拟人、夸张、用典、互文等多种修辞，最突出的是将大自然及其生灵、树木、溪流人格化。风格和主题上，隐约可见自然主义者爱默生、梭罗、布莱恩特和浪漫主义者朗费罗等人的印迹。“美之至者，其衰也忽”的主题亦与中国文艺美学颇有共通。

A walk in the wild woods is never without its charm. Even in the winter we find it profitable to keep up our acquaintance with Nature， and to pay her an occasional visit. She never pleads the shallow and fallacious excuse of domestic engagements， but we have a suspicion that about this time she is not the least busy lady in the land. Think of all the multitudinous plans she is maturing， to delight and surprise us in the spring！ Under the snow-beds are myriads of slumbering blossoms， not to speak of forms of higher life， which await but a word from the gentle goddess to come forth in vernal beauty.

We love to follow the paths made by some rabbit or other wild creature， and which lead into mysterious depths of forest. The silence would be appalling， were it not for that instinctive faith in the latent life about us. In places the snow is positively blue，—where， for instance， the “sombrous pines”1 cast their long shadows westward and mark the progress of the sun. Wonderful palaces have been built above the little brook， which bubbles， and whispers， and laughs as it plays sweet music on the tinkling ice. We gaze down colonnades of stately pillars， ornate as those of Thebes. Let Schlieman2 delve in the ruins of Mycenae： he can not unearth more wonderful remains than these. It requires good courage， and something of enthusiasm besides， to travel a foot over frozen snow; but there are days when it is quite out of the question for one to stay at home. Blue skies， jingling sleigh-bells， and crisp air all summon him out of doors. If he can skate， he has reached the triumph of locomotion， the poetry of earthly movement. A perfect skater suggests those exquisite statues of the Greeks， where a god is represented poised as if for flight. The anatomical absurdity of wings is dispensed with， and he seems to glide along by the very force of genius. There may be reason， perhaps， why we can not skate. At such times we wrap up well， and start off like some Alpine or Arctic explorer， with a convenience at hand of which these venturesome spirits are deprived，—viz.， the ready access to a returning horse-car.

Sometimes kind Nature undertakes a little dramatic performance in our back-yard， when we keep a reserved seat in the house and witness the spectacle in comfort. Where is the artist that can paint such a scene？ Does a childs imagination even， create anything so dazzling and bewildering？ Here is a pear-tree， whose withered fruit is transformed into sugared confections. For what fairy beauty are prepared these necklaces of pearl？ Who ground the iridescent facets of yonder diamonds that spangle in the sunlight， and， catching the subtle colors of the spectrum， gleam like shattered rainbows？ The oak has sheathed himself in mail， and even the tiny twigs are gauntleted. A light breeze causes the armor to creak and the joints to rattle， but the fabric is well-wrought and can endure the strain.

Beautiful beyond all description is the view adown the garden path， where the over-arching shrubs have formed a fret-work of crystal. Here are hung strings of orient pearls; tapestry and lace-work of superb patterns recall the splendors of medieval times; and here is a film or veil of frost so delicate that a breath would endanger it. The most homely objects are fringed with opaline icicles. A cluster of barberries， which has escaped the birds， is now an ear-drop of costly coral. What could the island-home of Edmund Dantes3 show that was in any way comparable to this splendor！

“Loveliest of lovely things are they

On earth， that soonest pass away.”4

Even as we look， the enchantment is broken. The rare decorations are dashed upon the ground， for with a shudder and a sigh， each branch seems to bow itself slightly and then cast off its armor. The jewels are dissolved in rain.

野外林中漫步總不乏妙趣。即使冬天，我们也会发现，与自然保持亲近，偶尔拜访一次，大有裨益。她从不以内事繁忙的浅薄托词欺人，但我们不免犹疑，在这个时候，她绝不会是这片国度最清闲的主人。想想她正在酝酿的那些数不胜数的计划吧，只为在春天里让我们愉悦和惊艳！白雪的被褥下，是千千万万沉睡的花，更不用说一些更高形式的生命，只待这位慈爱的女神一声令下，他们就要迸放出春之美丽。

我们喜欢循着兔子或其他某种野生动物的踪迹，走向森林深处的秘境。那里的寂静会让人胆颤心惊，好在我们对四周蛰伏的生命有着本能的信任。可以看见，在雪泛出纯蓝的地方，“阴沉的松树”向西投下长影，标记太阳的移动。小溪的上方建造了一座座美妙的宫殿，溪水汩汩地冒着泡，低语着，欢笑着，在叮当作响的融冰上演奏着甜美的音乐。我们注视着排成一列列的冰柱，庄严华美，不输底比斯神庙和宫殿的廊柱。让施里曼钻研他的迈锡尼遗址吧：他不可能找出比这些还美妙的遗迹。在冻雪上迈步需要不小的勇气，也需要某种热情;但是，总有些时日，你完全没法待在家里。蔚蓝的天空、清脆的雪橇铃、清冽的空气，都在召唤人们走出家门。如果会滑冰，还将体验到运动的喜悦，这也是世间运动的诗意所在。一个完美的滑手会让人想起希腊人那些精美的雕像，呈现的神作势欲飞。无需研究匪夷所思的鸟翼结构，仿佛仅凭天赋之力就能一路滑翔。或许，我们不会滑冰也属情有可原。在这样的时节，我们往往把自己裹得严严实实，出门时就像阿尔卑斯山或北极的某个探险者，而我们还享有这些颇具冒险精神之人所不具备的一项便利——那便是，随时乘坐马车回家。

有时候，善良的大自然会在我们的后院上演没那么盛大的戏剧的一幕，我们在家中预留一个席位，便可安逸地观赏。能描绘出这般景致的画家在哪儿呢？即便孩童的想象力也难创造出如此炫目迷人的作品吧？这里有棵梨树，干瘪的果实化作了覆满糖霜的蜜饯。这些珍珠项链又是做给什么样的美艳仙子？那边，一颗颗钻石在阳光下熠熠生辉，它们捕捉住光谱中微妙的色彩，折射出破碎彩虹般的光芒——是谁为它们打磨出色彩斑斓的切面？那棵橡树已经为自己套上铠甲，就连细枝也戴上了金属手套。一阵微风吹过，甲胄嘎吱作响，连接处也发出咔咔声，但这层甲胄做工精良，足以承受这样的张力。

沿着花园小径望去，景色美不胜收，无可比拟。鳞次栉比的灌木丛组成了水晶的回纹。这儿有一串串悬挂枝头的东方珍珠;图案华美的织锦和花边令人怀想中世纪的辉煌;这儿还有一层薄薄的霜纱，吹弹可破。最不起眼的东西的边缘也镶上了乳白的冰凌。一簇伏牛子躲过了鸟儿的采食，现在已是一串价值不菲的珊瑚耳坠。爱德蒙·唐泰斯的岛上家园何美之有，可以媲美如此胜景！

“美之至者，

其衰也忽。”

就在我们观注之际，幻境破碎。珍奇的饰物簌然掉落，哪怕只一个寒颤、一声叹息，条条树枝似乎也会微微点头，卸落甲胄。飞花碎玉，零落成雨。

（译者单位：北京语言大学）