1891年,处在写作生涯巅峰期的王尔德遇见了阿尔弗雷德·“波西”·道格拉斯(Alfred "Bosie" Douglas),两人很快成为了同性恋人。四年后,因为这段“不敢说出名字的爱”,王尔德被判“有伤风化”罪而入狱。在狱中,王尔德开始反思从前的生活,思索痛苦和人生的意义,艺术和爱的真谛,最终将那些痛苦的泪水都化作优美而深沉的文字,写成了这封名为"de profundis"(从深处)的长信。

作者简介:奥斯卡·王尔德(Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900),英国维多利亚时代著名作家,“唯美主义运动”的领军人物,倡导“为艺术而艺术”(Art for art's sake)。他的代表作有戏剧《莎乐美》(Salome)《认真的重要性》(The Importance of Being Earnest),童话《快乐王子》(The Happy Prince) 《夜莺与玫瑰》(The Nightingale and the Rose),小说《道连·格雷的画像》(The Picture of Dorian Gray),以及书信《自深深处》(De Profundis)等。

【原著选段】

I want to get to the point when I shall be able to say, quite simply and without affectation, that the two great turning-points of my life were when my father sent me to Oxford, and when society sent me to prison. I will not say that is the best thing that could have happened to me, for that phrase would savour of too great bitterness towards myself. I would sooner say, or hear it said of me, that I was so typical a child of my age that in my perversity, and for that perversity’s sake, I turned the good things of my life to evil, and the evil things of my life to good. What is said, however, by myself or by others matters little. The important thing, the thing that lies before me, the thing that I have to do, if the brief remainder of my days is not to be maimed, marred,and incomplete, is to absorb into my nature all that has been done to me, to make it part of me, to accept it without complaint, fear, or reluctance. 

【朱纯深译本】

希望能达到那个境界,使我能够说,简简单单、自自然然地说,我人生有两大转折点:一是父亲送我进牛津,一是社会送我进监狱。我不说这对我是最好不过的事,因为那样的话我听着太苦涩了。我更愿意说,或者听人们说,我是这个时代的产儿,太典型了,以致于因为我的乖张变态,为了我的乖张变态,把自己生命中好的变成恶的,恶的变成好的。然而,自己怎么说,别人怎么说,都无关紧要。重要的事,迫在眉睫的事,我不得不做的事,好让自己在剩下无多的日子里不致凋零残缺,便是将加诸于我的一切尽皆吸收进自己的心性,使之成为我的一部分。既来则安,无怨无惧,也不耿耿于怀。

【读书笔记】

1、affectation n.矫揉造作;假装
【举例】Her affectations are insufferable. 她那装腔作势的样子真叫人受不了。
make an affectation of interest 假装出感兴趣的样子

2、savour of v.具有……的味道;带有……的意味/性质
【举例】The kitchen savoured of fresh bread. 厨房里有新鲜面包的气味。
rudeness savouring of contempt 带有轻蔑意味的粗鲁态度

3、remainder n.剩余部分;其余的人;存货
【举例】I'll pay you $100 deposit and the remainder on delivery. 我先付你100美元定金,剩余款项将在交货时结清。
20 students in the class are boys and the remainder are girls.  班上有20名男生,其余是女生。

4、reluctance n.不情愿;勉强
【举例】have reluctance to participate in the discussion 不愿参与讨论
He said this with great reluctance. 他极为勉强地这么说。
【相关词汇】
reluctant a.不情愿的;勉强的
He gave me reluctant assistance. 他老大不情愿地帮助了我。

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