驻防军的生活对我很少有吸引力。我尽力去想象我的上司,米龙诺夫上尉该是个什么模样,结果认定他该是个严厉的、脾气大的老头,除了自己的公务,别的啥也不知道,可能为了鸡毛蒜皮的小事会罚我关禁闭,只让我啃面包喝生水。这时,天色暗下来……
难得哪一天G不用一大早出门去工作,便会裹着被单坐在床上,露出赤luǒ的背脊,鼻子上架着一幅角质框眼镜,把书中的章节读给他听。比如《吉檀迦利》中的第四十一节:
Where do you stand behind them all, my lover, hiding yourself in the shadows? They push you and pass you by on the dusty road, taking you for naught. I wait here weary hours spreading my offerings for you, while passers-by ccom and take my flowers, one by one, and my basket is nearly empty.
你站在他们身后,我的爱人,藏身在yīn影里的某个地方。满是沙尘的路上,他们推开你,从你身边经过,视你若虚无。我长时间的等在这里,摆开奉献给你的礼物。过路的人来到这里拿走我的鲜花,一朵接着一朵,直到我的篮子几乎空无。
The morning tcom is past, and the noon. In the shade of evening my eyes are drowsy with sleep. Men going hcom glance atcom and smile and fillcom with shcom. I sit like a beggar maid, drawing my skirt over my face, and when they askcom, what it is I want, I drop my eyes and answer them not.
早晨过去,中午紧接着也过去了。暮色里,我倦眼朦胧。归途中的人们瞟着我轻笑,让我满心羞侮。我像个乞丐似的坐着,拉起裙子盖住面孔。当他们问我在等什么,我垂下眼睛低头不语。
Oh, how, indeed, could I tell them that for you I wait, and that you have promised to ccom? How could I utter for shcom that I keep for my dowry this poverty. I hug this pride in the secret of my heart.
哦,说真的,我怎么能告诉他们我是在等你呢,而你也曾许诺一定会来的?我又要如何羞惭地说我的妆奁竟是这般的贫穷。我只能把这点骄傲当作秘密藏在心深处。
她故意用you替换掉其中所有的thy和thee,读那些句子的时候带着特别的音韵,没有太多的起伏,却又好像发自肺腑。不知是因为她读的书,还是停止吃yào带来的某种不为人知的副作用,他眼睛湿了,背过身不让她看到。但她还是发现了,嘲笑他,然后俯下身,长时间的吻他。
幸好,大多数时候,那些词句是会让他发笑的,笑她总是在读些不合时宜的古书。而现在,每当回忆起那些书中的片断,他便能重新感