英语散文:爱

There came and look'd him in the face
An angel beautiful and bright;
And that he knew it was a Fiend,
This miserable Knight!
一位美丽而欢快的天使，
直盯着骑士的脸庞凝视；
可是他知道这是个魔王，
我们这不幸的骑士！

And that, unknowing what he did,
He leap'd amid a murderous band,
And saved from outrage worse than death
The Lady of the Land;--
他不知道自己在做什么，
就冲进一帮嗜杀的匪徒，
从比死还坏的暴行之中
救出了那第一贵妇——

And how she wept and clasp'd his knees;
And how she tended him in vain--
And ever strove to expiate
The scorn that crazed his brain;--
她哭着抱住骑士的膝头，
徒然地把他看护和照顾；
为那种使他气疯的轻蔑
一直在努力地补救——

And that she nursed him in a cave;
And how his madness went away,
When on the yellow forest leaves
A dying man he lay;--
骑士在洞穴里受其照料，
直到躺在枯黄的树叶上，
已成了个濒临死亡的人，
他才摆脱了那癫狂——

His dying words--but when I reach'd
That tenderest strain of all the ditty,
My faltering voice and pausing harp
Disturb'd her soul with pity!
他临死的话——可那支歌中
我唱到这最动人的地方，
颤抖的声音和停下的琴
使她的心慢是悲怆！

All inpulses of soul and sense
Had thrill'd my guileless Genevieve;
The music and the doleful tale,
The rich and balmy eve;
灵魂和感情的一切冲动
激着我率直的热内薇芙：
还有音乐和哀怨的故事，
绚丽而芬芳的夜幕；

And hopes, and fears that kindle hope,
An undistinguishable throng,
And gentle wishes long subdued,
Subdued and cherish'd long!
希望和点燃希望的疑虑——
这是理也理不清的一团——
和克制已久的亲切愿望——
已怀有了很长时间！

She wept with pity and delight,
She blush'd with love and virgin shame;
And like the murmur of a dream,
I heard her breathe my name.
她因怜悯和快乐而哭泣，
为爱和处女的羞怯脸红；
我听见她轻唤我的名字，
像梦中的低低的话声。

Her bosom heaved--she stepp'd aside,
As conscious of my look she stept--
Then suddenly, with timorous eye
She fled to me and wept.
她胸部起伏，往边上一靠——
就好似感觉到我的眼神；
突然露出怯生生的样子，
她哭着扑进我怀中。

She half enclosed me with her arms,
She press'd me with a meek embrace;
And bending back her head, look'd up,
And gazed upon my face.
她的两臂松松地搂住我，
羞答答地把我抱在胸前；
她仰起了头，抬起了眼睛
久久地凝视我的脸。

'Twas partly love, and partly fear,
And partly 'twas a bashful art,
That I mightrather feel, than see,
The swelling of her heart.
一部分是凭着爱和疑虑，
一部分是凭着害羞的模样，
我才感觉到而不只看到
她心中的感情高涨。

I calm'd her fears, and she was calm,
And told her love with virgin pride;
And so I won my Genevieve,
My bright and beauteous Bride.
在我安慰下她消除疑虑，
骄傲地说出她处女的爱；
这样我赢得了热内薇芙——
这新娘美丽又光彩。