内容正文:
Scene I.The heath.
Enter Edgar.
Edg.Yet better thus,and known to be contemn'd,
Than still contemn'd and flatter'd.To be worst,
The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune,
Stands still in esperance③,lives not in fear.
The lamentable change is from the best;
The worst returns to laughter.Welcome then,
Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace!
The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst
Owes nothing to thy blasts.
Enter Gloucester,led by an Old Man.
But who comes here?
My father,poorly led!World,world,O world!
But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee,
Life would not yield to age.
Old Man.O my good lord,
I have been your tenant,and your father's tenant,
These fourscore years.
Glou.Away,get thee away!Good friend,be gone.
·192·
第一场
荒野
埃德加上。
①contemn[k3n'temk轻
埃德加与其被人在表面上恭维而背地里鄙弃,那么还
蔑,蔑视
是像这样自己知道为举世所不容的好。一个最困
②dejected[di'd3 ektid]a.向
苦、最微贱、最为命运所屈辱的人,可以永远抱着
下的:落魄的
希冀而无所恐惧;从最高的地位上跌下来,那变化
3 esperance ['esparans]n.
希望
是可悲的,对于穷困的人,命运的转机却能使他欢
笑!那么欢迎你—跟我拥抱虚空的气流:被你刮
lamentable ['lamontobl]a.
可悲的:哀伤的
得狼狈不堪的可怜虫并不亏欠的丝毫情分。可是谁
来啦?
一老人率格洛斯特上。
埃德加我的父亲,让一个穷苦的老头儿领着他吗?
啊,世界,世界,世界!倘不是你的变幻无常,使
我们怨恨你,哪一个人是甘愿老去的?
老人啊,我的好老爷!我在老太爷手里就做您府上的
5 mutation [mju:'teifan]n.
佃户,一直做到您老爷手里,已经有八十年了。
变化:沉浮
格洛斯特去吧,好朋友,你快去吧;你的安慰对我一
⑥tenant[ten3nt)i.佃户
·193·
ACT IV
Thy comforts can do me no good at all;
Thee they may hurt.
Old Man.You cannot see your way.
Glou.I have no way,and therefore want no eyes;
I stumbled when I saw.Full oft'tis seen
Our means secure us,and our mere defects
Prove our commodities.Ah dear son Edgar,
The food of thy abused father's wrath!
Might I but live to see thee in my touch,
I'd say I had eyes again!
Old Man.How now?Who's there?
Edg.[Aside.]O gods!Who is't can say 'I am at the worst'?
I am worse than e'er I was.
Old Man.'Tis poor mad Tom.
Edg.[Aside.And worse I may be yet.The worst is not
So long as we can say 'This is the worst.'
Old Man.Fellow,where goest?
Glou.Is it a beggar-man?
Old Man.Madman and beggar too.
Glou.He has some reason,else he could not beg.
I'th'last night's storm I such a fellow saw,
Which made me think a man a worm.My son
Came then into my mind,and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him.I have heard more since.
As flies to wanton boys are we to th'gods.
They kill us for their sport.
Edg.
[Aside.How should this be?
Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow,
Ang'ring itself and others-Bless thee,master!
Glou.Is that the naked fellow?
·194·
第四幕
点没有用处,他们也许反会害你的。
老人您眼睛看不见,怎么走路呢?
格洛斯特我没有路,所以不需要眼睛:当我能够看见
的时候,我也会失足颠扑。我们往往因为有所自恃
而失之于大意,反不如缺陷却能对我们有益。啊!
埃德加好儿子,你的父亲受人之愚,错怪了你,要
是我能在未死以前,摸到你的身体,我就要说,我
又有了眼睛啦。
老人啊!那边是什么人?
埃德加(旁白)神啊!谁能够说,“我现在是最不幸
的?”我现在比从前才更不幸得多啦。
老人那是可怜的发疯的汤姆。
埃德加(旁白)也许我还要碰到更不幸的命运:当我
们能够说“这是最不幸的事”的时候,那还不是最
不幸的。
老人汉子,你到哪儿去?
格洛斯特是一个叫花子吗?
老人是个疯叫花子。
格洛斯特他的理智还没有完全丧失,否则他不会向人
乞讨。在昨晚的暴风雨里,我也看见这样一个家伙,
他使我想起一个人不过等于一条虫:那时候我的儿
子的影像就闪进了我的心里,可是当时我正在恨
他,不愿想起他:后来我才听到一些其他的话。天
神掌握着我们的命运,正像顽童捉到飞虫一样,为
①wanton[wontan]a.淘气
了戏弄的缘故而把我们杀害。
的,顽皮的
埃德加(旁白)怎么会有这样的事?在一个伤心人的
面前装傻,对自己、对别人,都是一件不愉快的行
为。(向格洛斯特)祝福你,先生!
格洛斯特他就是那个不穿衣服的家伙吗?
·195·
ACT IV
Old Man.Ay,my lord.
Glou.Then prithee get thee away.If for my sake
Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain
I'th'way toward Dover,do it for ancient love;
And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Who I'll entreat to lead me.
Old Man.Alack,sir,he is mad!
Glou.'Tis the time's plague when madmen lead the blind.
Do as I bid thee,or rather do thy pleasure.
Above the rest,be gone.
Old Man.I'll bring him the best'parel that I have,
Come on't what will.
Exit.
Glou.
Sirrah,naked fellow!
Edg.Poor Tom's a-cold.[Aside.I cannot daub it further.
Glou.Come hither,fellow.
Edg.[Aside.And yet I must.Bless thy sweet eyes,they bleed.
Glou.Know'st thou the way to Dover?
Edg.Both stile and gate,horseway and footpath.Poor Tom hath been scar'd
out of his good wits.Bless thee,good man's son,from the foul fiend!Five
fiends have been in poor Tom at once:of lust,as Obidicut;Hobbididence,
prince of darkness;Mahu,of stealing;Modo,of murder;Flibbertigibbet,
of mopping and mowing,who since possesses chambermaids and waiting
women.So,bless thee,master!
Glou.Here,take this purse,thou whom the heavens'plagues
Have humbled to all strokes.That I am wretched
Makes thee the happier.Heavens,deal so still!
Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man,
That slaves your ordinance③,that will not see
Because he does not feel,feel your pow'r quickly;
·196·
第四幕「
老人正是,老爷。
格洛斯特那么你去吧。我要请他领我到多佛去,要是
①twain[twein]n.〈古〉二,
两
你看在我的分上,愿意回去拿一点衣服来替他遮盖
遮盖身体,那就再好没有了;我们不会走远,从这
儿到多佛的路上,一二英里之内,你一定可以追上
我们。
老人唉,老爷!他是个疯子哩。
格洛斯特疯子带着瞎子走路,本来是这时代的一般
病态。照我的话,或者还是照你自己的意思做吧:
第一件事情是请你快去。老人我要把我所有的最
好的衣服拿来给他,不管它会引起怎样的后果。
(下)
格洛斯特喂,不穿衣服的家伙一
埃德加可怜的汤姆冷着呢。(旁白)我不能再假装下
去了。
格洛斯特过来,汉子。
埃德加(旁白)可是我不能不假装下去。一祝福你
的可爱的眼睛,它们在流血哩。
格洛斯特你认识到多佛去的路吗?
②stile[stail].阶梯
埃德加一处处关口城门,一条条马路人行道,我全认
识。可怜的汤姆被他们吓迷了心窍:祝福你,好人
的儿子,愿恶魔不来缠绕你!五个魔鬼一齐作弄着
可怜的汤姆;一个是色魔奥别狄克特:一个是哑鬼
霍别狄丹斯;一个是偷东西的玛呼:一个是杀人的
摩陀:一个是扮鬼脸的弗力勃铁捷贝特,他后来常
常附在丫头、使女的身上。好,祝福你,先生!
格洛斯特来,你这受尽上天凌虐的人,把这钱囊拿去:
我的不幸却是你的运气。天道啊。愿你常常如此!
③ordinance['s:dinons]n.法
让那穷奢极欲,把你的法律当作满足他自己享受的
令,条例
工具,因为知觉麻木而沉迷不悟的人,赶快感到你
·197·
ACT IV
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough.Dost thou know Dover?
Edg.Ay,master.
Glou.There is a cliff,whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confined deep.
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear
With something rich about me.From that place
I shall no leading need.
Edg.
Give me thy arm.
Poor Tom shall lead thee.
Exeunt.
·198·
第四幕「
的威力吧;从享用过度的人手里夺下一点来分给穷
人,让每一个都得到他所应得的一份吧。你认识多
佛吗?
埃德加认识,先生。
格洛斯特那边有一座悬崖,它的峭拔的绝顶俯瞰着幽
①brim[brim]n.边缘
深的海水;你只要领我到那悬崖的边上,我就给你
一些我随身携带的贵重的东西,你拿了去可以过些
舒服的日子,我也不用再烦你带路了。
埃德加把你的胳臂给我:让可怜的汤姆领着你走。(同
下)
·199·