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】

Where there is Sorrow there is holy ground. Some day you will realise what that means. You will know nothing of life till you do. Robbie, and natures like his, can realise it. When I was brought down from my prison to the Court of Bankruptcy between two policemen, Robbie waited in the long dreary corridor, that before the whole crowd, whom an action so sweet and simple hushed into silence, he might gravely raise his hat to me, as handcuffed and with bowed head I passed him by. Men have gone to heaven for smaller things than that. It was in this spirit, and with this mode of love that the saints knelt down to wash the feet of the poor, or stooped to kiss the leper on the cheek. When Wisdom has been profitless to me, and Philosophy barren, and the proverbs and phrases of those who have sought to give me consolation as dust and ashes in my mouth, the memory of that little lowly silent act of Love has unsealed for me all the wells of pity, made the desert blossom like a rose, and brought me out of the bitterness of lonely exile into harmony with the wounded, broken and great heart of the world.

【朱纯深译本】

悲怆中自有圣洁之境。总有一天你会领悟其中意思。否则就是对生活一无所知。罗比以及像他那种心地的人会明白的。当我夹在两个警察当中从监狱里被带到破产法庭时,罗比等在那长长的、凄凉的过道里,我戴着手铐低着头从他身边走过,这时他能庄重地当众扬起帽子向我致意,这亲切的、简简单单的一个动作,一下子让在场的人鸦雀无声。比这更小的举动就足以让人进天堂了。正是本着这种精神,正是因着这种爱,圣人会跪下给穷人洗脚,会俯身亲吻麻风病人的脸颊。在这个智慧于我无益,达观于我无补,引经据典安慰我的话于我如同灰土的时候,那小小的、谦恭的、无声的爱之举动,想起它,就为我开启了所有怜悯的源泉:让沙漠如玫瑰盛开,带我脱离囚牢的孤单与苦痛,让我与世界那颗受伤的、破碎的、伟大的心相依相连。

【读书笔记】

1、grave a.严肃的;庄重的;严重的;低沉的
【举例】His manner was grave and calm. 他举止庄重沉着。
a grave disease 重病
a grave decision 重大决定

2、bow v.鞠躬;下跪;让步;屈从;点头表示同意
【举例】bow to greet sb. 欠身迎接某人
bow to the inevitable 听天由命
bow before mone and power 在金钱和权势面前俯首帖耳
【相关词汇】
bowed a.低垂的;低头弓背的

3、seek v.[过去式及过去分词:sought]寻找;探求;试图,设法(后接不定式)
【举例】seek a quarrel 寻衅滋事
seek fame 沽名钓誉
He has sought to explain it. 他一直都试图对这件事作出解释。

4、exile v.流放;使长期离开家乡 n. 流亡,背井离乡;流亡者
【举例】He was exiled from his country for life. 他被终生放逐国外。
send sb. into exile 放逐某人
a government in exile 流亡政府

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