散文：Extra. A Letter Written by Emily Dickinson

It is Sunday now, John, and all have gone to church. The wagons¹ have done passing and I have come out in the new grass to listen to the anthems². Three or four hens have followed me and we sit side by side. And while they crow and whisper, I'll tell you what I see today, and what I would that you saw.

 

You remember the crumbling³ wall that divides us from Mr. Sweetzer; and the crumbling elms and evergreens⁴ and other crumbling things that spring and fade and cast their bloom within a simple twelve months? Well they are here! And skies on me fair and far that Italy in blue eye look down, up. See? Away a league from here on the way to heaven. And here a robin's just got home and giddy crows and jays and - will you trust me as I live - here's a bumble bee. Not such as summer brings, John, earnest manly⁵ bees, but a kind of a cockney, dressed in jaunty⁶ clothes. Much that is gay have I to show. If you were here with me, John, upon this April grass!

 

Then there are sadder features. Here and there, wings have gone to dust that fluttered so last year, a moldering prune⁷, an empty house in which a bird resided where last year's flies their errand ran and last year's crickets fell. We too are flying, fading, John. And the song here lies soon upon the lips that live us now will have hummed and ended.

 

Thank you for your letter, John. Glad I was to get it, and gladder had I got them both. And glad indeed to see if in your heart another lies bound one day to me amid your momentous⁸ cares, pleasant to know that langsyne has its own place. That nook and cranny still retain their accustomed guest and when busier cares and dustier days and cobwebs less on frequent shut what was away. Still as a ballad⁹ hummed and lost, remember early friend and drop a tear if a troubadour that strain may chance to sing.

 

 

约翰：今天是礼拜天，他们全都上教堂去了。车子消失了踪影，我走到新长出的草地上倾听着赞美诗。有三、四只母鸡尾随着我，我们并排坐在一起。它们叽叽咕咕地窃窃私语着，我要告诉你我今日的所见所闻，还有我将见到的那些你所看过的旧景旧物。

 

你可还记得隔着斯威则先生和我们的那堵烂墙，还有那些斑驳的榆树、常青树、以及别的摧枯拉朽的东西吗？在短短的十二个月里，它们由荣至枯，接而又复苏了生机。嗳，它们就在这儿呢！我头顶上，意大利的晴空辽远，蓝色的眼睛向下俯视着。就在上边。你看到了吗？一群队伍经过，远去了，走向天国。一只知更鸟正在归巢，这儿还有令人眼花缭乱的乌鸦与鸟儿，还有-无论如何请相信我 - 这儿还有一只大黄蜂。约翰，它可不像夏天里那些辛勤而雄赳赳的蜜蜂，而像是一个穿戴洋洋自得的伦敦东区的人。我一定得把这告诉你，这多让人感到欣喜快乐呀。约翰，如果你能和我一同在这四月的青草上，那该有多好！

 

还有些事是让人伤心的。每一处，去年曾经拍打的羽翼都化成了尘土，李子在腐烂，那座房子 - 鸟儿曾在里面栖息，去年蝇还在那儿奔忙，去年蟋蟀还在那儿戏耍 - 如今却已空空。我们也同样会飞舞着，然后老去，约翰。如今在我们唇上轻绕的曲子很快也要唱完了。

 

谢谢你的来信，约翰。我很高兴收到了信，更高兴的是收到了两封。看到在你心中有一份对我的深切关怀的确令我开怀，明白到你对旧情的珍重令我喜悦。有时候，忙碌、尘封的岁月与蛛网也不会将往日隔离，在我心灵深处，仍有一个僻静的角落永远都等待着故友的来访。那么在游吟诗人歌唱的时候，记着你的旧日朋友吧，也别忘了洒一滴清泪，无论歌谣唱起唱毕。

1 wagons   

n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车

参考例句：

• The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。
• They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。

2 anthems   

n.赞美诗( anthem的名词复数 )；圣歌；赞歌；颂歌

参考例句：

• They usually play the national anthems of the teams at the beginning of a big match. 在大型赛事开始前，他们通常演奏参赛国国歌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rise please, rise for the anthems of & . 请全体起立，奏和两国国歌。 来自互联网

3 crumbling   

adj.摇摇欲坠的

参考例句：

• an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
• The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

4 evergreens   

n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The leaves of evergreens are often shaped like needles. 常绿植物的叶常是针形的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pine, cedar and spruce are evergreens. 松树、雪松、云杉都是常绿的树。 来自辞典例句

5 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

6 jaunty   

adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意

参考例句：

• She cocked her hat at a jaunty angle.她把帽子歪戴成俏皮的样子。
• The happy boy walked with jaunty steps.这个快乐的孩子以轻快活泼的步子走着。

7 prune   

n.酶干；vt.修剪，砍掉，削减；vi.删除

参考例句：

• Will you prune away the unnecessary adjectives in the passage?把这段文字中不必要的形容词删去好吗？
• It is our job to prune the side branches of these trees.我们的工作就是修剪这些树的侧枝。

8 momentous   

adj.重要的，重大的

参考例句：

• I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合，我深感荣幸。
• The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。

9 ballad   

n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲

参考例句：

• This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
• This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。