「美国文学」历史与想象：品读朗费罗的《铠甲骷髅》(4)

全文如下：
The Skeleton in Armor 铠甲骷髅 （杨德豫译）
“Speak! speak! thou fearful guest! “可怕的客人！你说！你说！
Who, with thy hollow breast 你那空洞的胸窝
Still in rude armor drest, 仍然披挂着粗笨的铠甲，
Comest to daunt me! 到这儿来惊吓我！
Wrapt not in Eastern balms, 不曾涂裹东方的香膏，
But with thy fleshless palms 无肉的手掌伸着，
Stretched, as if asking alms, 像是在乞求布施，
Why dost thou haunt me?” 为什么你缠住我？”
Then, from those cavernous eyes 于是，从那凹陷的眼眶
Pale flashes seemed to rise, 隐约现出惨白的微光，
As when the Northern skies 好似北国的天穹
Gleam in December; 在十二月闪亮；
And, like the water’s flow 好似十二月的水
Under December’s snow, 潜流在冰雪的底层，
Came a dull voice of woe 从心房深处吐出
From the heart’schamber. 含糊、凄切的语声。
“I was a Viking old! “我是个古代的海盗，
My deeds, though manifold, 有多种多样的事迹，
No Skald in song has told, 从没有歌唱者唱过它们，
No Saga taught thee! 也没有故事将它们告诉你。
Take heed, that in thy verse 留神！你必须把我的事迹
Thou dost the tale rehearse, 叙写在你的诗篇里，
Else dread a dead man’s curse; 否则，当心死者的诅咒！
For this I sought thee. 就为了这个，我才找你。