世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第26章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
却过于单一。在领略这番景『色』之后，山顶上那些棕褐刺目的稀疏草木反而 使人心情爽朗。这片石楠丛生之地宛如一片绿洲与趋避之地，我在这里漫游了很久，直到腿 脚淋湿；然后我又坐下让它们晾干，就这样在那里度过了几个小时的愉快时光。让我高兴的 是这里没有我们的同类前来打扰，然而，鸟类朋友却有很多。在小道附近的丛林中间，雄雉 的啼叫声警告我，我已经进入了禁猎区。不过，禁猎并不严格，因为我所熟识的食腐肉的乌 鸦正在那里为它的幼雏寻食。它低飞着穿过树梢间，从我身边掠过，随即逝去。在当下的季 节，即早夏时期，当它飞起来的时候，人们是很容易将它与它的近亲白嘴鸭辨别开来。在觅 食的时候，这种乌鸦在空中平稳而迅速地滑翔着，经常会改变方向，一会儿贴近地面，一会 儿又飞升得很高，但它一般会保持着大概与树梢平齐的高度。它滑翔与转弯的动作看起来跟 鲱鱼鸥相似，但在滑动的时候，翅膀会挺得直直的，那修长的尖端呈现出一种轻翘曲线。但 它们之间最主要的区别还是飞行时头部的姿势不同。白嘴鸭像苍鹭与鹤那样，总是把它的利 喙像长矛那样直挺挺地伸在前面。它飞翔的时候方向明确，毫不犹豫，它简直可说是跟着自 己的鼻子尖在跑，绝不左顾右盼。而那寻觅肉食的乌鸦却不停地转动着它的头部，就像海鸥 与猎狗那样，一会儿看这边，一会儿又看那边，仿佛正在彻底地搜查地面，或是睁大了眼睛 盯着什么模糊的东西。
这个地方不仅有乌鸦，当我从草丛中走出来时，一只喜鹊正在鸣叫，只是不肯『露』面；过 了一会儿，一只橙鸟也以它那独特的叫声向我鸣叫。对于这聒噪不已的警告和咒骂中所流『露』 的那种心情，对于这受惊的鸟儿在看到生人侵入其林中净地时胸中突然而生的盛怒，我有时 也有深深的同感。
这个地方有很多小鸟，好像这里的荒芜贫瘠对它们也有吸引力。各种山雀、鸣禽、云雀 以及其他鸟类都正在到处忙着寻找栖息的地方，它们唱着各种各样的歌，时而来自树顶，时 而来自地面，时而『逼』近，时而遥远；而随着歌唱者的或远或近，或上或下，也给这些歌声本 身带来不同的特点，这样所产生的效果自然就是有千万种声调，非常丰富。唯有峋鸭始终停 留在一个地方或保持一种姿势不变，歌声也总是重复着一个调子。尽管如此，这种鸟的鸣叫 也并没有像人们所说的那样单调……
birds
william henry hudson
for some time past i had been ascending a low； broad； flattopped hill； and o n forcing my way through the undergrowth into the open i found myself on the lev el plateau； an unenclosed spot overgrown with heather and scattered furze bushes ； with clumps of fir and birch trees。 before me and on either hand at this elev ation a vast extent of country was disclosed。 the surface was everywhere broken； but there was no break in the wonderful greenness； which the recent rain had in tensified。 there is too much green； to my thinking； with too much uniformity in its soft； bright tone； in south devon。 after gazing on such a landscape the brow n； harsh； scanty vegetation of the hilltop seemed all the more grateful。 the h eath was an oasis and a refuge； i rambled about in it until my feet and legs wer e wet； then i sat down to let them dry and altogether spent several agreeable ho urs at that spot； pleased at the thought that no human fellowcreature would in trude upon me。 feathered companions were； however； not wanting。 the crowing of c ock pheasants from the thicket beside the old road warned me that i was on prese rved grounds。 not too strictly preserved； however； for there was my old friend t he carrioncrow out foraging for his young。 he dropped down over the trees； swe pt past me； and was gone。 at this season； in the early summer； he may be easily distinguished； when flying； from his relation the rock。 when on the prowl the cr ow glides smoothly and rapidly through the air； often changing his direction； no w flying close to the surface； anon mounting high； but oftenest keeping nearly o n a level with the tree tops。 his gliding and curving motions are somewhat like those of the herringgull； but the wings in gliding are carried stiff and strai ght； the tips of the long flightfeathers showing a slight upward curve。 but th e greatest difference is in the way the head is carried。 the rook； like the hero n and stork； carries his beak pointing lancelike straight before him。 he knows his destination； and makes for it； he follows his nose； so to speak； turning ne ither to the right nor the left。 the foraging crow continually turns his head； g ulllike and harrierlike； from side to side； as if to search the ground thoro ughly or to concentrate his vision on some vaguely seen object。
not only the crow was there： a magpie chattered as i came from the brake； bu t refused to show himself； and a little later a jay screamed at me； as only a ja y can。 there are times when i am intensely in sympathy with the feeling expresse d in this earsplitting warning and execration； the startled solitary's outburst of uncontrolled rage at the abhorred sight of a fellowbeing in his woodland ha unt。
small birds were numerous at that spot； as if for them also its wildness and infertility had an attraction。 tits； warblers； pipits； finches； all were busy r anging from place to place； emitting their various notes now from the tree tops； then from near the ground； now close at hand； then far off； each change in the height； distance； and position of the singer giving the sound a different charac ter； so that the effect produced was one of infinite variety。 only the yellowh ammer remained constant in one spot； in one position； and the song at each repet ition was the same。 nevertheless this bird is not so monotonous a singer as he is reputed…
第1卷 第十一章
雾
乔治。斯莱思。斯特里特
乔治。斯莱思。斯特里特（1867—1936），英国作家，散文家，是一个写小品文的能手 。在本篇中，作者通过切身的体验，描述了他对世界闻名的雾都伦敦的感受。
无论它是美还是不美，一场伦敦大雾总是有值得大书特书的地方。它能给我们带来我们 每时每刻都需要的那种“变化”。最初，这个世界几乎是白茫茫的一片，然后，慢慢地一点 一点地清晰起来，这和我们平常所见完全不同。这时，就算是最愚蠢的人也不会察觉不到眼 前的景物起了变化。这种变化之大，绝不亚于从伦敦到格拉斯哥。又比如，回到家里，或来 到俱乐部，这种平凡单调的日常琐事，在雾天也几乎成为惊人的壮举，完成之后不免要深深 地松一口气，自幸安全脱险——这时人们至少得到一种不同寻常的新鲜之感。这时我们已经 不像是一个到俱乐部去玩的人，而像是一个航行遇险的海员在九死一生之际，终于得救，并 且受到一群以前非常淡漠而这时却非常激动的侍者们的热烈欢迎。的确，一场『迷』雾带给伦敦 人的变化非常之大，比起去里维埃拉避雾度假所带来的变化都要大。其次，雾还能使人的善 良之心和喜悦之情充分表现出来，这是伦敦人引以为荣的两大特点。当然，它也会把富人的 那种极度自私自利揭『露』出来。那些几乎是无忧无虑地活在世上的人，自然会因为这点小小不 便或痛哭流涕，或咒骂不已。但是为生计奔波的伦敦人，比如那些马车夫和汽车夫，比如你 和我，却会把我们那种欢快心情充分展现出来。某个星期一，我在海德公园拐角那个街区的 的一辆公共汽车顶端乘坐过半个小时，一路上与司机攀谈。人们往往对一个汽车司机感到失 望，因为他们认为他应该会说会骂，而他却没有这类长处。但是我们应该看到，这是个工作 非常辛苦但却又非常快乐的人，非常勤快，服务周到，笑口常开。他在自己的工作上是个行 家——这点在雾天最能突出——而他对工作的熟练程度很高，对于那种凭借经验，总以为从 事实际行业的人往往不是愚蠢就是冒失，因而就其绝大多数都不称职的人士来说，总是一件 快事吧。最后我离开他时，他的副手引我绕过车轮马蹄，一直把我送到人行道上，这时我有 一种感觉，觉得我的周围的确都是好人。上周日的晚上，我曾步行一英里回到我的寓所，一 路上，我每碰到一个人就向他问路。但是没有一个人给予粗鲁甚至简慢的回答：每个人都是 彬彬有礼，俏皮风趣，谈古论今，有说有笑。我们这个民族确实是个友好的民族，能体会这 一点，即使是遇上一次雾天，也是值得的。雾的另外一种乐趣，就如同我们听到某个百万富 翁摔断了腿时所感到的那种乐趣相差无几，只是在『性』质上比较温和比较冲淡而已。那种命运 特别好的人往往并不快乐，即使健康良好也不能把它驱除掉。在某个街区的一辆宽敞的布鲁 厄姆马车上坐着一位派头十足的老头，他口吐白沫，大发雷霆。看到这个情景，人们不禁会 想，在这件事上，命运总算暂时是公平的。
这些就是我们在一场伦敦的雾中所找到的一些乐趣。
fog
g。s。street
beauty or none； there is much to be said for a london fog。 it gives us all t hat “change〃 which we are always needing。 when our world is all but invisible； and growing visible bit by bit looks utterly different from its acomustomed self； the stupidest of us all can hardly fail to observe a change for our eyes at lea st as great as there would have been in going to glasgow。 when； arriving at one' s house or one's club； that monotonous diurnal incident seems an almost incredib le feat； acomcplished with profound relief and gratitude for a safe deliverance； one has at least an unacomustomed sensation。 one is not a man going into his clu b； but a mariner saved from shipwreck at the last gasp； to be greeted with emoti on by erst indifferent waiters。 yes； a fog gives londoners a more thorough chang e than going to the riviera to avoid it。 then it brings out the kindness and che erfulness； which are their prime claim to honour； into strong relief。 true； it a lso throws into relief the incomparable egoism of the prosperous among them。 peo ple with no serious cares or worries in the world of course bemoan and upbraid t his trifling inconvenience。 but the working； struggling londoners； cabmen and bu smen； you and i； display our indomitable goodhumour to advantage。 i stayed on top of a bus for half an hour in the block on monday at hyde park corner and tal ked with the driver。 people are often disappointed in a busdriver because they expect a wit and a pretty swearer。 they find neither； but they find an overwork ed man of extraordinary cheerfulness； responsive； ready to laugh。 he is master o f his business — a fact emphasised by the fog — to a degree refreshing to one whose experience of men professing some practical calling is that the great majo rity； some from mere stupidity； some from overhasty enthusiasm； are quite inco mpetent。 when finally i left him； his mate piloted me through wheels and horses to the pavement； and i felt i had been among folk who deserve to live。 on sunday night i walked a mile to my abode； and made a point of asking my whereabouts of every one i met。 not one churlish or even hurried answer： politeness； jokes； re miniscences； laughter。 we are a kindly people； and it is worth a fog to know it。 another pleasure of a fog is a mild but extended form of the pleasure we feel w hen we hear that a millionaire has broken his leg； the too fortunate are sufferi ng a discontent health cannot remove。 there was in that block a fat brougham co ntaining an importantlooking old man who foamed at the mouth； and one refle
