在那阳光灿烂的午后

刘易斯·卡罗尔(Lewis Carroll),原名查尔斯·勒特威奇·道奇森(Charles Lutwidge Dodgson,1832~1898),英国牛津大学数学教授,著名童话小说家,其代表作有《爱丽丝奇境漫游记》(Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)和《爱丽丝镜中奇遇记》(Through the Looking-Glass)。

1862年7月一个金色的午后,卡罗尔携好友以及利德尔三姐妹泛舟美丽的泰晤士河(Thames)上,从牛津(Oxford)溯流而上去戈斯托(Godstow)。途中,利德尔三姐妹不肯安静下来欣赏沿途风光,缠着卡罗尔讲故事。经不住三个小女孩的央求,卡罗尔为她们讲了一个荒诞的奇幻故事。这个故事就是小说《爱丽丝奇境漫游记》的雏形,后来经扩充和修订,于1865年7月首次出版。

小说的扉页上印有这首序诗《在那阳光灿烂的午后》(All in the Golden Afternoon)。本诗语言生动欢快,寥寥数语,便将那个灿烂如金的午后如实呈现在读者眼前:泰晤士河波澜不惊,一叶小舟,翩然荡漾。三个小女孩天真烂漫,笑语声声,更为这个金色的午后平添了不少童趣。此情此景,卡罗尔又有什么理由拒绝她们想听故事的“无理”要求呢?他只能绞尽脑汁,构思情节,编撰出奇幻又美妙的怪诞故事,让三个小女孩听得如痴如醉。夕阳西下,小船满载欢笑,融入暮色之中。这如梦如幻的美景,宛如一幅油画,在卡罗尔心中定格,成为永恒的珍藏。

All in the golden afternoon

Full leisurely we glide;

For both our oars, with little skill,

By little arms are plied,

While little hands make vain pretence

Our wanderings to guide.

那日午后,阳光灿烂

泛舟河上,舒畅悠然

小小臂膀,荡桨行船

技艺不精,让人无奈

小手引航,装模作样

毫无方向,随意游荡

Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour,

Beneath such dreamy weather,

To beg a tale of breath too weak

To stir the tiniest feather!

Yet what can one poor voice avail,

Against three tongues together?

此刻天气,如梦一般

三人捣蛋,求听奇幻

要求精彩,扣人心弦

令人屏息,轻羽不颤

三人同声,一人何奈?

ImperiousPrima flashes forth

Her edict "to begin it"—

In gentler tone Secunda hopes

"There will be nonsense in it!"—

While Tertia interrupts the tale

Not more than once a minute.

老大专横,迫不及待

发号施令,“讲吧赶快”

老二礼貌,要求简单

“够怪够奇我才喜欢!”

故事开始,老三又来

片刻不休,插话不断

Anon, to sudden silence won,

In fancy they pursue

The dream-child moving through a land

Of wonders wild and new,

In friendly chat with bird or beast—

And half believe it true.

不久之后,突然寂静

三个小鬼,沉醉其间

追随女孩,奇境探险

充满野趣,处处新鲜

遇到鸟兽,亲切交谈

如此真切,貌似人间

And ever, as the story drained

The wells of fancy dry,

And faintly strove that weary one,

To put the subject by

"The rest next time—"

"It is next time!"

The happy voices cry.

讲述至此,已无灵感

幻想之泉,渐渐汲干

口干舌燥,疲惫不堪

“下次再说”,今天休战

“现在就说!”她们不干

欢快嗓门,齐声高喊

Thus grew the tale of Wonderland:

Thus slowly, one by one,

Its quaint events were hammered out—

And now the tale is done,

And home we steer, a merry crew,

Beneath the setting sun.

奇境故事,渐渐丰满

一点一滴,一段一段

离奇情节,渐次连贯

丝丝入扣,故事讲完

回家途中,欢笑满船

夕阳之下,久久不散

Alice! a childish story take,

And with gentle hand

Lay it where Childhood’s dreams are twined

In Memory’s mystic band,

Like pilgrim’s withered wreath of flowers

Plucked in a far-off land.

爱丽丝啊,请你细看

童稚故事,为你奉献

记忆深处,神秘之段

孩童梦想,温柔编缠

恰似圣徒,所采花环

来自远方,已然凋残