《最后的珍珠》，1854 年
the Last pearl, 1854
我们身处一座富有且幸福的宅邸，宅邸里的主人、仆人们以及这家人的朋友们都满心欢喜。
we are in a rich, happy house, where the master, the servants, the friends of the family are full of joy and felicity.
因为就在这一天，一个儿子、家族的继承人诞生了，母亲和孩子都状况良好。
For on this day a son and heir has been born, and mother and child are doing well.
卧室里的灯被部分遮挡住了，窗户上挂着用某种昂贵丝绸材质制成的厚重窗帘。
the lamp in the bed-chamber had been partly shaded, and the windows were covered with heavy curtains of some costly silken material.
地毯又厚又软，就像一层苔藓铺就的。
the carpet was thick and soft, like a covering of moss.
一切都引人入眠，一切都呈现出迷人的静谧模样；保姆也发现了这点，因为她睡着了；她确实可以安然入睡，毕竟她周围的一切都彰显着幸福与福泽。
Everything invited to slumber, everything had a charming look of repose; and so the nurse had discovered, for she slept; and well she might sleep, while everything around her told of happiness and blessing.
宅邸的守护天使倚靠在床头；而在孩子上方，仿佛展开了一张由闪亮星星交织而成的网，每颗星星都是一颗幸福的珍珠。
the guardian angel of the house leaned against the head of the bed; while over the child was spread, as it were, a net of shining stars, and each star was a pearl of happiness.
生命中所有美好的星辰都已为这个新生儿带来了它们的礼物；这里闪耀着健康、财富、好运和爱情；简而言之，似乎人间人们所能期盼的一切都应有尽有了。
All the good stars of life had brought their gifts to the newly born; here sparkled health, wealth, fortune, and love; in short, there seemed to be everything for which man could wish on earth.
“这里应有尽有了。” 守护天使说道。
“Everything has been bestowed here,” said the guardian angel.
“不，并非一切。” 他身旁一个声音说道 —— 那是孩子的守护天使的声音；“有一位仙女还没有送来她的礼物，但她会的，即便要过好些年，她也会送来她的礼物；缺的就是最后这颗珍珠。”
“No, not everything,” said a voice near him — the voice of the good angel of the child; “one fairy has not yet brought her gift, but she will, even if years should elapse, she will bring her gift; it is the last pearl that is wanting.”
“缺了！” 守护天使叫道；“这里可不能缺任何东西；要是真缺了，那我们去取来；我们去找那位强大的仙女；我们去找她吧。”
“wanting!” cried the guardian angel; “nothing must be wanting here; and if it is such, let us fetch it; let us seek the powerful fairy; let us go to her.”
“她会来的，总有一天她会不请自来！”
“She will e, she will e some day unsought!”
“她的珍珠可不能缺失；它必须在那儿，这样皇冠戴起来的时候才会完整无缺。她在哪儿能被找到呢？她住在哪儿？” 守护天使说道。
“her pearl must not be missing; it must be there, that the crown, when worn, may be plete. where is she to be found? where does she dwell?” said the guardian angel.
“告诉我，我会去取来这颗珍珠。”
“tell me, and I will procure the pearl.”
“你愿意这么做吗？” 孩子的守护天使回应道。
“will you do that?” replied the good angel of the child.
“那我这就直接带你去找她，不管她在哪儿。她没有固定的居所；她在皇宫里施威，有时也会走进贫苦农民的简陋小屋；她所到之处都会留下踪迹。她随身带着礼物，不管是一个世界还是一件小玩意儿。她必须到这个孩子这儿来。你觉得等待她到来的时间会很漫长且毫无意义。好吧，那我们就去取这颗珍珠 —— 在这所有的财富当中唯一缺失的那颗。”
“then I will lead you to her directly, wherever she may be. She has no abiding place; she rules in the palace of the emperor, sometimes she enters the peasant’s humble cot; she passes no one without leaving a trace of her presence. She brings her gift with her, whether it is a world or a bauble. to this child she must e. You think that to wait for this time would be long and useless. well, then, let us go for this pearl — the only one lacking amidst all this wealth.”
然后他们手牵手飘向了仙女此刻正在逗留的地方。
then hand-in-hand they floated away to the spot where the fairy was now lingering.
那是在一座有着昏暗窗户和空房间的大房子里，里面弥漫着一种奇特的寂静。
It was in a large house with dark windows and empty rooms, in which a peculiar stillness reigned.
一整排窗户都敞开着，这样凛冽的风可以随意吹入，长长的白色窗帘在气流中来回飘动。
A whole row of windows stood open, so that the rude wind could enter at its pleasure, and the long white curtains waved to and fro in the current of air.
在其中一个房间的中央摆放着一口敞开的棺材，里面躺着一个女人的尸体，她正值青春年华，非常美丽。
In the centre of one of the rooms stood an open coffin, in which lay the body of a woman, still in the bloom of youth and very beautiful.
新鲜的玫瑰花瓣撒在她身上。
Fresh roses were scattered over her.
只有那纤细交叠的双手和那张高贵的脸能被看见，在死亡中因那庄严、诚挚的神情而显得熠熠生辉，那神情仿佛在诉说着她已步入一个更美好的世界。
the delicate folded hands and the noble face glorified in death by the solemn, earnest look, which spoke of an entrance into a better world, were alone visible.
棺材周围站着丈夫和孩子们，一大家子人，最小的还在父亲怀里。
Around the coffin stood the husband and children, a whole troop, the youngest in the father’s arms.
他们是来和母亲作最后的告别。
they were e to take a last farewell look of their mother.
丈夫亲吻着她的手，那只手现在就像一片枯叶，但不久之前还在为他们所有人辛勤地操劳着，做着充满爱意的事情。
the husband kissed her hand, which now lay like a withered leaf, but which a short time before had been diligently employed in deeds of love for them all.
悲伤的泪水顺着他们的脸颊滚落，重重地滴落在地板上，但没有人说一句话。
tears of sorrow rolled down their cheeks, and fell in heavy drops on the floor, but not a word was spoken.
这里弥漫的寂静诉说着无尽的悲痛。
the silence which reigned here expressed a world of grief.
他们迈着无声的脚步，仍在抽泣着，离开了房间。
with silent steps, still sobbing, they left the room.
房间里留着一盏燃烧的灯，一根长长的红色灯芯高高地伸出火焰之上，火焰在气流中摇曳着。
A burning light remained in the room, and a long, red wick rose far above the flame, which fluttered in the draught of air.
几个陌生男人走了进来，把棺材盖盖在了死者身上，然后把钉子牢牢地钉了进去；锤子的敲击声在房子里回荡，也在那些正在滴血的心间回响。
Strange men came in and placed the lid of the coffin over the dead, and drove the nails firmly in; while the blows of the hammer resounded through the house, and echoed in the hearts that were bleeding.
“你要带我去哪儿？” 守护天使问道。
“whither art thou leading me?” asked the guardian angel.
“这儿可没有什么仙女，她的珍珠能被算作生命中最好的礼物之一。”
“here dwells no fairy whose pearl could be counted amongst the best gifts of life.”
“是的，她就在这儿；就在这神圣的时刻，” 天使指着房间的一个角落回答道，就在那儿 —— 在她生前，母亲总是坐在鲜花和画作中间的那个位置：就在那个地方，她就像这所房子的幸福仙女一样，迎接过丈夫、孩子和朋友们，并且像一束阳光，把欢乐和愉悦散播在她周围，她是所有人的中心和核心 —— 就在那个确切的地方，坐着一个陌生女人，穿着长长的、飘逸的衣服，占据着那位已逝的妻子和母亲的位置。
“Yes, she is here; here in this sacred hour,” replied the angel, pointing to a corner of the room; and there, — where in her life-time, the mother had taken her seat amidst flowers and pictures: in that spot, where she, like the blessed fairy of the house, had weled husband, children, and friends, and, like a sunbeam, had spread joy and cheerfulness around her, the centre and heart of them all, — there, in that very spot, sat a strange woman, clothed in long, flowing garments, and occupying the place of the dead wife and mother.
她就是仙女，她的名字叫 “悲伤”。
It was the fairy, and her name was “Sorrow.”
一滴滚烫的眼泪滚落到她的膝上，变成了一颗珍珠，闪耀着彩虹的所有颜色。
A hot tear rolled into her lap, and formed itself into a pearl, glowing with all the colors of the rainbow.
天使抓住了它：这颗珍珠像一颗有着七重光芒的星星一样闪闪发光。
the angel seized it: the pearl glittered like a star with seven-fold radiance.
悲伤的珍珠，那最后一颗绝不能缺失的珍珠，增添了光泽，也诠释了其他所有珍珠的意义。
the pearl of Sorrow, the last, which must not be wanting, increases the lustre, and explains the meaning of all the other pearls.
“你看到那连接天地的彩虹的微光了吗？”
“do you see the shimmer of the rainbow, which unites earth to heaven?”
就这样，在这个世界和下一个世界之间架起了一座桥梁。
So has there been a bridge built between this world and the next.
透过墓穴的黑夜，我们向上凝视，越过星辰，直至万物的尽头。
through the night of the grave we gaze upwards beyond the stars to the end of all things.
然后我们看一眼悲伤的珍珠，在它里面隐藏着能将我们带往永恒幸福的翅膀。
then we glance at the pearl of Sorrow, in which are concealed the wings which shall carry us away to eternal happiness.
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