英语散文:山路历险记

[16] My brother's truck, moving downhill fast, got far ahead of me. With it went the last vestiges of my courage. On one side of my little car the mountain rose like a gigantic wall of sheer rock. On the other side was thin air. I struggled desperately not to look over the edge.

[17] Traffic was streaming down the grade, mostly big trucks in the righthand lane. I wanted to join them there but I could not bring myself to steer to the right, toward the edge. Instead I kept inching to the left, going slower and slower in the passing lane, trying to hug the mountain wall.

Drivers behind me honked their horns angrily. Panic paralyzed me. I wanted to stop but there was no place to pull over. I tried to say the Lord's Prayer. My throat was too tight for words to come.

[18] Ahead of me I could see that the road made a sweeping turn to the left. A river of steel was rushing around that curve, moving fast under the pull of gravity. I knew that all I had to do was inch the steering wheel to the left and keep pace with traffic, but my arms were rigid. The fear that filled the car was stronger, much stronger, than I was.

[19] Behind me the impatient horns blared their angry chorus. I was absolutely certain that I was going to plunge straight ahead, through the flimsy barrier, then down, down, down through an endless drop. I moaned through clenched teeth. Again I tried to pray, this time silently. I begged God not to fail me, to take full control of the situation. Lord, save me from my fear.

[20] Then, abruptly, something unbelievable happened. The traffic roared on. The curve was coming closer. But suddenly, in a flash, the fear vanished. I experienced a presence, virtually a palpable sensation, of overwhelming love filling my car, washing over me, blotting our the stark panic. Another phrase from the Bible flashed into my mind; "Perfect love casteth out fear." I felt that perfect love, the Lord's love, reaching out to touch my shoulder. A voice, soundless yet perfectly real, said, You are safe now. I am here.

[16]弟弟的卡车飞速下山，我落后了好远。随之而去的还有我最后的那一丝胆量。我这渺小的汽车的一侧是直插云天的岩石峭壁，另一侧是悬崖上稀薄的空气。我竭尽全力不让自己往崖边上看。

[17]下坡的路上车流如潮，大卡车大都行驶在右车道上。我想加入到他们中间，可自己就是不听使唤，不但不能开向靠崖一侧的右边，反而不停地向左边峭壁上挤。车在通道上越走越慢，车身快要贴住峭壁了。我身后的司机们愤怒地按起了喇叭。惊恐完全慑服了我，使我几乎麻痹。我想要停车又没有地方靠边。我试图背诵主祷文，但喉咙发紧，说不出话来。

[18]我看见前方有个角度很小的左转弯，在地心引力的作用下，车流急速绕过弯处。我心里明白，我必须尽力行驶在左侧并与其他车辆保持同速，可我双臂僵硬。车里恐惧气氛迷漫，使我倍感自己弱小不堪。

[19]我身后不耐烦的喇叭声响成了一片。我绝望地感到自己就要向前直冲出那不堪一击的护栏，然后下坠，再下坠，坠入万丈深渊。悲鸣从咬紧的牙缝中挤出。我又一次试图祈祷，这次是默默的。我恳求上帝不要令我失望，千万控制住局面。上帝，救我于惊恐之中吧!

[20]蓦地，令人难以置信的情形出现了。车辆仍旧叫着。转弯处越来越近。然而惊慌失措的情绪瞬间全然不见了。我分明感到神灵的降临，一种清晰而巨大的爱的力量直扑车里，朝我涌来，顿时将惧伯一扫而光。另一句《圣经》中的名言闪过我心头：“伟大的爱使人无畏。”我感觉到了这种伟大的爱，来自上帝的爱，它从天而降。一个无声而又十分真切的声音说到：现在你安全了。我就在你身边。