《一个故事》，1851 年

A Story, 1851

花园里所有的苹果树都开花了。

In the garden all the apple-trees were in blossom.

它们还没长出绿叶就急着开花了，院子里所有的小鸭都走来走去，猫也在：它在阳光下晒太阳，还舔着自己爪子上的阳光。

they had hastened to bring forth flowers before they got green leaves, and in the yard all the ducklings walked up and down, and the cat too: it basked in the sun and licked the sunshine from its own paws.

当人们望向田野，麦子长得多么漂亮，绿油油的，无与伦比！所有的小鸟都叽叽喳喳、飞来飞去，仿佛这一天是个盛大的节日；而事实上也的确如此，因为这天是星期日。

And when one looked at the fields, how beautifully the corn stood and how green it shone, without parison! and there was a twittering and a fluttering of all the little birds, as if the day were a great festival; and so it was, for it was Sunday.

所有的钟都在敲响，所有的人都去做礼拜了，他们看上去心情愉悦，穿着自己最好的衣服。

All the bells were ringing, and all the people went to church, looking cheerful, and dressed in their best clothes.

一切都洋溢着欢快的神情。

there was a look of cheerfulness on everything.

天气是如此温暖、如此美好，人们完全可以说：“上帝对我们人类的慈爱真是无边无际。”

the day was so warm and beautiful that one might well have said: “God’s kindness to us men is beyond all limits.”

但在教堂里面，牧师站在讲道坛上，大声且愤怒地讲着话。

but inside the church the pastor stood in the pulpit, and spoke very loudly and angrily.

他说所有人都是邪恶的，上帝会因为他们的罪孽惩罚他们，而且邪恶的人死后会被扔进地狱，永远受煎熬。

he said that all men were wicked, and God would punish them for their sins, and that the wicked, when they died, would be cast into hell, to burn for ever and ever.

他讲得非常激动，说他们的邪恶习性不会被消除，火焰也不会熄灭，他们永远都得不到安息。

he spoke very excitedly, saying that their evil propensities would not be destroyed, nor would the fire be extinguished, and they should never find rest.

这听起来太可怕了，而且他说得如此斩钉截铁；他把地狱描述成一个悲惨的洞穴，世间所有的垃圾都聚集在那里。

that was terrible to hear, and he said it in such a tone of conviction; he described hell to them as a miserable hole where all the refuse of the world gathers.

在炽热燃烧的硫磺火焰旁没有空气，他们脚下也没有地面；他们这些恶人越陷越深，永恒的寂静包围着他们！听到这一切太可怕了，因为牧师是发自内心在讲，教堂里所有的人都吓坏了。

there was no air beside the hot burning sulphur flame, and there was no ground under their feet; they, the wicked ones, sank deeper and deeper, while eternal silence surrounded them! It was dreadful to hear all that, for the preacher spoke from his heart, and all the people in the church were terrified.

与此同时，鸟儿在外面欢快地歌唱，阳光温暖而美好地照耀着，仿佛每一朵小花都说：“上帝啊，您对我们所有人的慈爱真是无边无际。” 的确，外面的景象和牧师的布道内容完全不同。

meanwhile, the birds sang merrily outside, and the sun was shining so beautifully warm, it seemed as though every little flower said: “God, thy kindness towards us all is without limits.” Indeed, outside it was not at all like the pastor’s sermon.

就在同一天晚上，上床睡觉时，牧师注意到他的妻子静静地坐在那里，若有所思。

the same evening, upon going to bed, the pastor noticed his wife sitting there quiet and pensive.

“你怎么了？” 他问她。

“what is the matter with you?” he asked her.

“嗯，我的问题是，” 她说，“我无法集中思绪，也不明白你今天在教堂里说的那些话的意思 —— 说有那么多恶人，而且他们应该永远受煎熬。唉！永远 —— 那是多久啊！我只是一个女人，在上帝面前也是个罪人，但我不忍心让哪怕是最恶劣的罪人永远受煎熬，我们无比善良的主又怎么能这样做呢，他深知恶行是如何从内外产生的呀？不，尽管你这么说，我还是无法想象那种情况。”

“well, the matter with me is,” she said, “that I cannot collect my thoughts, and am unable to grasp the meaning of what you said to-day in church — that there are so many wicked people, and that they should burn eternally. Alas! eternally — how long! I am only a woman and a sinner before God, but I should not have the heart to let even the worst sinner burn for ever, and how could our Lord to do so, who is so infinitely good, and who knows how the wickedness es from without and within? No, I am unable to imagine that, although you say so.”

那是秋天；树叶纷纷落下，这位严肃认真的牧师坐在一个垂死之人的床边。一位虔诚、忠实的灵魂永远地闭上了眼睛；她就是牧师的妻子。

It was autumn; the trees dropped their leaves, the earnest and severe pastor sat at the bedside of a dying person. A pious, faithful soul closed her eyes for ever; she was the pastor’s wife.

“…… 如果有人能在坟墓中安息并在主面前蒙恩，那肯定就是你了。” 牧师说道。

...”If any one shall find rest in the grave and mercy before our Lord you shall certainly do so,” said the pastor.

他合上她的双手，对着死去的女人诵读了一首诗篇。

he folded her hands and read a psalm over the dead woman.

她被埋葬了；两颗大大的泪珠从这位严肃的男人脸颊上滚落，牧师住宅里空荡荡、静悄悄的，因为它的太阳已经永远落下了。

She was buried; two large tears rolled over the cheeks of the earnest man, and in the parsonage it was empty and still, for its sun had set for ever.

她已经回家了。

She had gone home.

那是夜晚。

It was night.

一阵冷风掠过牧师的头顶；他睁开眼睛，感觉好像月光照进了他的房间。

A cold wind swept over the pastor’s head; he opened his eyes, and it seemed to him as if the moon was shining into his room.

然而并非如此；有一个身影站在他的床前，看上去就像他亡妻的鬼魂。

It was not so, however; there was a being standing before his bed, and looking like the ghost of his deceased wife.

她用那样一种亲切又哀伤的眼神注视着他，就好像她想对他说些什么。

She fixed her eyes upon him with such a kind and sad expression, just as if she wished to say something to him.

牧师从床上坐起来，向她伸出双臂，说道：“连你都不能得到永生的安息！你，最善良、最虔诚的女人，也在受苦吗？”

the pastor raised himself in bed and stretched his arms towards her, saying, “Not even you can find eternal rest! You suffer, you best and most pious woman?”

死去的女人点了点头，好像在说 “是”，然后把手放在胸口。

the dead woman nodded her head as if to say “Yes,” and put her hand on her breast.

“我不能为你在坟墓中求得安息吗？”

“And can I not obtain rest in the grave for you?”

“能。” 这就是回答。

“Yes,” was the answer.

“怎么做？”

“And how?”

“从那个将永受烈火煎熬的罪人头上给我一根头发 —— 就一根头发 —— 那个上帝要在地狱里判以永生惩罚的罪人。”