英文原著欣赏：王尔德的黑暗童话

 　　对于大多数英语爱好者来说，当我们完成了在学校的教科书学习后，拓展阅读便是提升语言能力的下一个台阶。在刚刚接触英文书籍的时候，每个人或多或少都会感受到一点迷茫：我该读些什么?哪一类英文书籍适合我?生词太多看不懂怎么办?其实这些问题是每一个阅读者都会在初期遇到的，只要坚持探索，最终找到自己的兴趣所在，剩下的就是纯粹的愉悦和享受了。

　　在这里给大家介绍一位活跃在19世纪的爱尔兰著名作家：奥斯卡·王尔德(Oscar Wilde)。作为唯美主义文体的代表人物，王尔德把英语这门语言的美学价值可以说发挥到了极致。在代表作《道林·格雷的画像》(The Picture of Dorian Gray)中，细腻的语言加上略显黑暗的故事，栩栩如生地绘出19世纪英国贵族的奢靡。

　　小说故事在此不多作介绍，限于文章的篇幅，给大家推荐两处精彩的描述，以供众赏：

　　People say sometimes that Beauty is only superficial. That may be so. But at least it is not so superficial as Thought is. To me, Beauty is the wonder of wonders. It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.

　　“人们有时会说，美是肤浅的。也许是这样。但至少美不像思想那样肤浅。对我来说，美是奇迹中的奇迹。只有浅薄的人才不以貌取人。”世界真正的奥秘是有形的一切，而不是那些无形的事物。“ (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

　　But a chance tone of colour in a room or a morning sky, a particular perfume that you had once loved and that brings subtle memories with it, a line from a forgotten poem that you come across again, a cadence¹ from a piece of music that you had ceased to play – I tell you, Dorian, that is on things like these that our lives depend.

　　“但是，屋里某一种偶然的色调或清晨的天空，曾爱过的带给过你微妙回忆的香水，重温被遗忘的那一句诗，终止演奏的那一段乐章的旋律 – 我告诉你，道林， 我们的生命指望它们存活。” (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

　　How far I am away from the true temper of soul, this letter in its changing, uncertain moods, its scorn and bitterness, its aspirations² and tis failure to realise those aspirations, shows you quite clearly. But do not forget in what a terrible school I am sitting at my desk. And incomplete, imperfect, as I am, yet from me you may have still much to gain. You came to me to learn the Pleasure of Life and the Pleasure of Art. Perhaps I am chosen to teach you something much more wonderful, the meaning of Sorrow, and its beauty.

　　“这一封信所展示的我那变化无定的情绪、那些鄙薄和痛苦，那些志向和抱负以及抱负失败的悲哀，都向你清晰地表明我距离灵魂的真性情还有多远。但不要忘了，我是在多么可怕的学校里学到了这些功课。尽管我不完美，不圆满，你还是能够从我这里学到很多东西。你可以从我这儿学到生之欢娱、艺术之欢娱，或许，冥冥之中上苍选中了我来教你更为奇妙的东西：悲哀的意义，以及悲哀的美丽。”(《狱中记》，2012，高修娟译)

1 cadence   

n.（说话声调的）抑扬顿挫

参考例句：

• He delivered his words in slow,measured cadences.他讲话缓慢而抑扬顿挫、把握有度。
• He liked the relaxed cadence of his retired life.他喜欢退休生活的悠闲的节奏。

2 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。