The Young King1

少年国王

It was the night before the day fixed for his coronation, and the young King was sitting alone in his beautiful chamber. His courtiers had all taken their leave of him, bowing their heads to the ground, according to the ceremonious usage of the day, and had retired to the Great Hall of the Palace, to receive a few last lessons from the Professor of Etiquette; there being some of them who had still quite natural manners, which in a courtier is, I need hardly say, a very grave offence.

加冕礼日的前一天晚上，少年国王独自坐在他那间漂亮的房子里。大臣们按照当朝隆重的礼节给他叩头后便告辞而去。他们退到皇宫的大殿中，跟礼仪老师再学习几堂课，因为他们当中有几个人的举止还相当随便。不用说，这对一名大臣来讲是大忌。

The lad—for he was only a lad, being but sixteen years of age—was not sorry at their departure, and had flung himself back with a deep sigh of relief on the soft cushions of his embroidered couch, lying there, wild—eyed and open—mouthed, like a brown woodland Faun, or some young animal of the forest newly snared by the hunters.

这位少年——他不过是个少年，仅仅十六岁——对大臣们的退朝一点儿也不觉得难过。他长长地舒了口气，一屁股倒在绣花沙发软垫上。他躺在那里，眼睛睁得大大的，张着嘴巴，像一位掌管林地的棕色农牧神，又像一只刚被猎人在森林中诱捕的小动物。

And, indeed, it was the hunters who had found him, coming upon him almost by chance as, bare—limbed and pipe in hand, he was following the flock of the poor goatherd who had brought him up, and whose son he had always fancied himself to be. The child of the old King's only daughter by a secret marriage with one much beneath her in station—a stranger, some said, who, by the wonderful magic of his lute—playing, had made the young Princess love him; while others spoke of an artist from Rimini, to whom the Princess had shown much, perhaps too much honour, and who had suddenly disappeared from the city, leaving his work in the Cathedral unfinished—he had been, when but a week old, stolen away from his mother's side, as she slept, and given into the charge of a common peasant and his wife, who were without children of their own, and lived in a remote part of the forest, more than a day's ride from the town. Grief, or the plague, as the court physician stated, or, as some suggested, a swift Italian poison administered in a cup of spiced wine, slew, within an hour of her wakening, the white girl who had given him birth, and as the trusty messenger who bare the child across his saddle—bow stooped from his weary horse and knocked at the rude door of the goatherd's hut, the body of the Princess was being lowered into an open grave that had been dug in a deserted churchyard, beyond the city gates, a grave where it was said that another body was also lying, that of a young man of marvellous and foreign beauty, whose hands were tied behind him with a knotted cord, and whose breast was stabbed with many red wounds.

的确，是猎人发现了他，几乎是碰巧遇到他。当时他四肢裸露，手里拿着笛子，跟在把他抚养大的牧羊人的羊群后面，那时他也以为自己就是穷牧羊人的儿子。这个孩子的母亲是老国王的独生女儿。她和一个地位比她低得多的男人私定了终身——有人说，那是个外地人，他能用鲁特琴弹奏出各种美妙动听的音乐，最终使年轻的公主钟情于他；又有人说，那个男人是个来自意大利里米尼的艺术家，公主很尊重他，没准都到了过于尊重的程度了。可后来他突然间从城里消失了，那幅没有完成的作品还留在大教堂里——少年国王出生才一个星期大时，被人从他熟睡的母亲身边偷偷抱走，交给了一对平凡的农家夫妇照管。这对夫妇自己没有孩子，他们住在森林深处，从城里骑马要一天多的时间才能到达那里。对于他母亲的死，宫廷御医声称是由于悲伤或是身染瘟疫，而另外有人说是因为饮了大量放了意大利急性毒药的香料酒。反正那位给予这孩子生命的白皙少女在醒来一个时辰后就死了。一位忠诚的差人把孩子放在鞍头上，当他从疲惫的马上屈身去敲响牧羊人简陋的小茅屋房门时，公主的尸体正被下葬到一个敞开的墓穴中，这个墓穴就挖在城门外一个荒凉的教堂墓地上。据说那个墓穴里还躺着另一具尸体，是个非常英俊的外地男人，双手被反绑着，打了个绳结，胸膛上有好多血淋淋的伤口。

Such, at least, was the story that men whispered to each other. Certain it was that the old King, when on his deathbed, whether moved by remorse for his great sin, or merely desiring that the kingdom should not pass away from his line, had had the lad sent for, and, in the presence of the Council, had acknowledged him as his heir.

至少，这就是人们私下暗传的故事。然而能确定的是，老国王在临终时，要么是追悔自己曾犯下的深重罪孽，要么仅仅是不希望自己的王国落入外人之手，就派人去找回那个少年，并当着满朝文武的面承认这少年是自己的继位人。

And it seems that from the very first moment of his recognition he had shown signs of that strange passion for beauty that was destined to have so great an influence over his life. Those who accompanied him to the suite of rooms set apart for his service, often spoke of the cry of pleasure that broke from his lips when he saw the delicate raiment and rich jewels that had been prepared for him, and of the almost fierce joy with which he flung aside his rough leathern tunic and coarse sheepskin cloak. He missed, indeed, at times the fine freedom of his forest life, and was always apt to chafe at the tedious Court ceremonies that occupied so much of each day, but the wonderful palace—JOYEUSE, as they called it—of which he now found himself lord, seemed to him to be a new world fresh—fashioned for his delight; and as soon as he could escape from the council—board or audience—chamber, he would run down the great staircase, with its lions of gilt bronze and its steps of bright porphyry, and wander from room to room, and from corridor to corridor, like one who was seeking to find in beauty an anodyne from pain, a sort of restoration from sickness. Upon these journeys of discovery, as he would call them—and, indeed, they were to him real voyages through a marvellous land, he would sometimes be accompanied by the slim, fair—haired Court pages, with their floating mantles, and gay fluttering ribands; but more often he would be alone, feeling through a certain quick instinct, which was almost a divination, that the secrets of art are best learned in secret, and that Beauty, like Wisdom, loves the lonely worshipper.

似乎就从少年被承认是继位人的那一刻起，他就表现出了对美异常强烈的激情，这也注定了他的一生将因此而受到巨大的影响。那些在他寝宫里侍候他的仆人常常讲起当时的情景：当他看见那些为他而准备的华丽服装和贵重宝石时，他兴奋地大叫起来，立马欣喜若狂地脱去身上的粗皮衣和粗羊皮外套。有时候他确实也很怀念那段在森林里自由自在的生活，还总是对占去一天大部分时间的冗长乏味的宫廷礼仪感到烦躁，但这毕竟是座富丽堂皇的宫殿——被人们称作 “逍遥殿” ——如今他是这里的主人，一切对他来说，就像是一个专为取悦他而建造的新世界。但凡他能够从会议室或接见室里逃出来，他便会沿着那两边立着镀金铜狮、用斑岩铺成台阶的华丽楼梯跑下去，从一个屋子转到另一个屋子，又从一条走廊绕到另一条走廊。他是那么热切地寻找美，如同一个人疼痛时急切地想要找到一剂止痛药，生病时渴望恢复健康一般。他将之称为发现之旅——对他而言，真有如漫游于神境中一般。有时他还会带上几个宫廷侍从，他们身材修长，头发金黄，身披轻扬的披风，上面飘着艳丽的缎带。但更多的时候，他是一个人，凭着某种直觉，也可以说是一种顿悟，敏锐地领悟到艺术的奥妙只可意会。美，亦如智慧，钟情于孤独的崇拜者。

Many curious stories were related about him at this period. It was said that a stout Burgo—master, who had come to deliver a florid oratorical address on behalf of the citizens of the town, had caught sight of him kneeling in real adoration before a great picture that had just been brought from Venice, and that seemed to herald the worship of some new gods. On another occasion he had been missed for several hours, and after a lengthened search had been discovered in a little chamber in one of the northern turrets of the palace gazing, as one in a trance, at a Greek gem carved with the figure of Adonis. He had been seen, so the tale ran, pressing his warm lips to the marble brow of an antique statue that had been discovered in the bed of the river on the occasion of the building of the stone bridge, and was inscribed with the name of the Bithynian slave of Hadrian. He had passed a whole night in noting the effect of the moonlight on a silver image of Endymion.

这段日子流传着很多有关他的奇闻轶事。据说有一位大腹便便的市长，代表全体市民发表了一通华而不实的演讲，说他看见少年国王对一幅刚从威尼斯带来的巨画崇拜得五体投地，这幅画宣扬的似乎是对几个新神的崇拜。还有一回他失踪了好几个小时，人们费尽周折才在宫殿北边角楼的一间小屋子里找到了他，当时他正痴呆呆地凝视着一块希腊宝石，上面雕刻着美少年阿多尼斯。另外有传言说亲眼看见他热吻一尊古罗马大理石雕像的前额。那尊雕像是人们修建石桥时在河床里发现的，雕像上还刻着罗马皇帝哈德良的比提尼亚籍奴隶的名字。他还曾熬通宵观察月光照在恩底弥翁银像上产生的效果。

All rare and costly materials had certainly a great fascination for him, and in his eagerness to procure them he had sent away many merchants, some to traffic for amber with the rough fisher—folk of the north seas, some to Egypt to look for that curious green turquoise which is found only in the tombs of kings, and is said to possess magical properties, some to Persia for silken carpets and painted pottery, and others to India to buy gauze and stained ivory, moonstones and bracelets of jade, sandal—wood and blue enamel and shawls of fine wool.

毋庸置疑，一切稀罕、昂贵的东西都对他具有极大的吸引力，都激起他想拥有它们的强烈欲望。为此他派出了许多商队，有的被派往北海，向那里的穷渔夫购买琥珀；有的被派往埃及，去寻找那种只有在国王的墓穴中才能找得到的奇特绿松石，据说这种宝石具有非凡的魔力；有的被派往波斯，购买丝织地毯和彩陶；还有的被派往印度，购买薄纱和彩绘象牙、月长石、玉镯、檀香木、蓝色珐琅，以及上等的羊毛披肩。

But what had occupied him most was the robe he was to wear at his coronation, the robe of tissued gold, and the ruby—studded crown, and the sceptre with its rows and rings of pearls. Indeed, it was of this that he was thinking to—night, as he lay back on his luxurious couch, watching the great pinewood log that was burning itself out on the open hearth. The designs, which were from the hands of the most famous artists of the time, had been submitted to him many months before, and he had given orders that the artificers were to toil night and day to carry them out, and that the whole world was to be searched for jewels that would be worthy of their work. He saw himself in fancy standing at the high altar of the cathedral in the fair raiment of a King, and a smile played and lingered about his boyish lips, and lit up with a bright lustre his dark woodland eyes.

然而，最让他费心的还是他登基加冕时要穿的金线织的长袍、镶嵌红宝石的皇冠，以及挂着一串串珍珠的权杖。其实，当他今晚靠在奢华的沙发上，望着大块的松木在敞开的壁炉里慢慢燃烧时，他想的就是这个。它们都是由当时最著名的艺术家亲手设计的，设计样式早在几个月前就呈交给他了。他也下令要求工匠们夜以继日地把它们赶制出来，还派人满世界地寻找配得上工匠们手艺的珠宝。想着想着，他仿佛看到了自己身穿雍容华贵的皇袍站在教堂里高高的祭坛上。这时他那仍显稚气的嘴唇上露出了笑容，那双森林中人特有的黑眼睛也熠熠生辉。

After some time he rose from his seat, and leaning against the carved penthouse of the chimney, looked round at the dimly—lit room. The walls were hung with rich tapestries representing the Triumph of Beauty. A large press, inlaid with agate and lapis—lazuli, filled one corner, and facing the window stood a curiously wrought cabinet with lacquer panels of powdered and mosaiced gold, on which were placed some delicate goblets of Venetian glass, and a cup of dark—veined onyx. Pale poppies were broidered on the silk coverlet of the bed, as though they had fallen from the tired hands of sleep, and tall reeds of fluted ivory bare up the velvet canopy, from which great tufts of ostrich plumes sprang, like white foam, to the pallid silver of the fretted ceiling. A laughing Narcissus in green bronze held a polished mirror above its head. On the table stood a flat bowl of amethyst.

过了一会儿，他站起来，倚靠着烟囱的雕花遮棚，环视光线昏暗的屋子。墙上挂着华丽的挂毯，上面栩栩如生地描绘着《美之凯旋》。一个镶嵌着玛瑙和琉璃的大衣柜占满了墙的一角。窗户对面立着一个精心制作的陈列柜，上面的漆格层不是镀了金粉就是镶着金片，格层上摆放着一些精美的威尼斯高脚玻璃杯，还有一个黑纹缟玛瑙杯子。丝织被单上绣着浅色的罂粟花，好像是那个困倦的手艺人来不及给它们添加更艳丽的丝线而不得已成了浅色似的。刻有条形凹槽的高大象牙柱撑起天鹅绒华盖，华盖上面大簇的鸵鸟毛像白色泡沫一样膨胀，一直延伸到用回纹装饰的银白色天花板上。青铜像那喀索斯笑盈盈地将一面亮光光的镜子举过头。桌上放着一只紫水晶做的浅口碗。

Outside he could see the huge dome of the cathedral, looming like a bubble over the shadowy houses, and the weary sentinels pacing up and down on the misty terrace by the river. Far away, in an orchard, a nightingale was singing. A faint perfume of jasmine came through the open window. He brushed his brown curls back from his forehead, and taking up a lute, let his fingers stray across the cords. His heavy eyelids drooped, and a strange languor came over him. Never before had he felt so keenly, or with such exquisite joy, the magic and the mystery of beautiful things.

他看到了外面大教堂的巨型圆顶，隐隐约约的，像个泡泡浮动在有些看不清的房屋上面。无精打采的哨兵在雾蒙蒙的近水平台上来回走着。远处的一片果树林里传来了夜莺的歌唱。一缕淡淡的茉莉花香从开着的窗户飘了进来。他把前额上的棕色卷发拂到后面，随后拿起一把鲁特琴，信手弹了起来。弹着弹着，他的眼皮沉重地耷拉下来，一股莫名的倦意袭遍全身。此前他从没有这么强烈、这么兴奋地感受到美的魔力和神秘。

When midnight sounded from the clock—tower he touched a bell, and his pages entered and disrobed him with much ceremony, pouring rose—water over his hands, and strewing flowers on his pillow. A few moments after that they had left the room, he fell asleep.

当钟楼传来午夜的钟声时，他按了一下铃，侍从们便进来了。他们遵照繁文缛节为他脱去衣服，往他手里倒上玫瑰香水，还在他的枕头上撒了鲜花。侍从们离开房间后没多久他就睡着了。

And as he slept he dreamed a dream, and this was his dream.

睡着后他做了一个梦，他梦到：

He thought that he was standing in a long, low attic, amidst the whir and clatter of many looms. The meagre daylight peered in through the grated windows, and showed him the gaunt figures of the weavers bending over their cases. Pale, sickly—looking children were crouched on the huge crossbeams. As the shuttles dashed through the warp they lifted up the heavy battens, and when the shuttles stopped they let the battens fall and pressed the threads together. Their faces were pinched with famine, and their thin hands shook and trembled. Some haggard women were seated at a table sewing. A horrible odour filled the place. The air was foul and heavy, and the walls dripped and streamed with damp.

他站在一间幽长又低矮的阁楼里，四周是一片唧唧复唧唧的织布声。微弱的日光透过格栅窗照进阁楼，他看到了织布工伏在织布机上的憔悴身影。一些面无血色、带着病容的孩子蹲在巨大的横梁上。当梭子飞快地穿过经线时，织布工便抬起沉重的筘座，让经线通过筘齿；梭子一停来，他们就立即放下筘座，把纬线推到一起。他们个个面黄肌瘦，一双双瘦骨嶙峋的手不停地抖动着。一些形容枯槁的妇女围着一张桌子做缝纫活。那个地方充满了刺鼻的臭气。空气既污浊又沉闷，墙壁因为潮湿不停地滴水，汇成了细流。

The young King went over to one of the weavers, and stood by him and watched him.

少年国王走近一位织布工，站在一旁看着他工作。

And the weaver looked at him angrily, and said, "Why art thou watching me? Art thou a spy set on us by our master? " "Who is thy master? " asked the young King.

织布工怒气冲冲地瞪着他说： “你为什么老盯着我？你是我们主人派来监视我们干活的探子吗？” “谁是你们的主人？” 少年国王问道。

"Our master! " cried the weaver, bitterly. "He is a man like myself. Indeed, there is but this difference between us—that he wears fine clothes while I go in rags, and that while I am weak from hunger he suffers not a little from overfeeding. " "The land is free, " said the young King, "and thou art no man's slave. " "In war, " answered the weaver, "the strong make slaves of the weak, and in peace the rich make slaves of the poor. We must work to live, and they give us such mean wages that we die. We toil for them all day long, and they heap up gold in their coffers, and our children fade away before their time, and the faces of those we love become hard and evil. We tread out the grapes, and another drinks the wine. We sow the corn, and our own board is empty. We have chains, though no eye beholds them; and are slaves, though men call us free. " "Is it so with all? " he asked. "It is so with all, " answered the weaver, "with the young as well as with the old, with the women as well as with the men, with the little children as well as with those who are stricken in years. The merchants grind us down, and we must needs do their bidding. The priest rides by and tells his beads, and no man has care of us. Through our sunless lanes creeps Poverty with her hungry eyes, and Sin with his sodden face follows close behind her. Misery wakes us in the morning, and Shame sits with us at night. But what are these things to thee? Thou art not one of us. Thy face is too happy. " And he turned away scowling, and threw the shuttle across the loom, and the young King saw that it was threaded with a thread of gold.

“我们的主人！” 织工痛苦地大叫道， “他跟我一样都是人。然而，我和他之间的唯一差别就在于——我破衣烂衫，他衣冠楚楚；我饿得骨瘦如柴，他撑得难受。” “这是个自由的国度，” 少年国王说， “你不是任何人的奴隶。” “在战争年代，” 织布工回答说， “强者把弱者变为奴隶，而在和平年代，富人把穷人变成奴隶。为了能糊口，我们必须劳作，可是他们给的工资少得可怜，我们生不如死。我们整天为他们卖苦力，他们的箱子里堆满了黄金，可我们的子女却未成年就夭折了；我们所爱的那些人也变得尖酸刻薄、令人讨厌。我们榨出葡萄汁，可品尝葡萄酒的是别人。我们种庄稼，可我们的餐桌空空如也。尽管肉眼看不见，可我们的确戴着枷锁；尽管人们称我们是自由人，可我们实际上是奴隶。” “这里所有的人都是这样的吗？” 少年国王问道。 “这里所有的人都这样，” 织布工答道， “不论是年幼的还是年长的，不论是男人还是女人，不论是小孩子还是挣扎了大半辈子的人。商人压榨我们，我们还得听从他们的吩咐。神父骑马走过，对着念珠念念有词，但没有谁真正关心我们。贫穷在我们阴暗的小巷里匍匐前行，眼里尽是饥饿；罪恶面无表情，紧随其后。早晨悲痛把我们唤醒，晚上耻辱与我们同坐。可是这些与你何干呢？你又不是我们中的一员。你看起来是那么快乐。” 说完织布工一脸不快地转过头去穿纺梭。这时少年国王看见梭子上穿过的是一根金线。

And a great terror seized upon him, and he said to the weaver, "What robe is this that thou art weaving? " "It is the robe for the coronation of the young King, " he answered; "what is that to thee? " And the young King gave a loud cry and woke, and lo! he was in his own chamber, and through the window he saw the great honey—coloured moon hanging in the dusky air.

他心里一紧，赶忙问织布工： “你们织的是什么长袍？” “这是少年国王加冕时穿的袍子，” 织布工回答道， “这和你有什么关系？” 这时少年国王大叫一声，惊醒了，瞧！他原来是在自己的房间里，透过窗户他看见昏黄的圆月挂在熹微的夜空上。

And he fell asleep again and dreamed, and this was his dream.

然后他又睡着了，又开始做梦，他的梦是这样的:

He thought that he was lying on the deck of a huge galley that was being rowed by a hundred slaves. On a carpet by his side the master of the galley was seated. He was black as ebony, and his turban was of crimson silk. Great earrings of silver dragged down the thick lobes of his ears, and in his hands he had a pair of ivory scales.

他躺在一艘大帆船的甲板上，床上有一百个奴隶在划桨。船长就坐在他身旁的地毯上。船长黑得堪比乌木，头戴深红色的丝织包头巾。船长那厚厚的耳垂上挂着一对硕大的银耳坠，他的手中拿着一杆象牙制的秤。

The slaves were naked, but for a ragged loin—cloth, and each man was chained to his neighbour. The hot sun beat brightly upon them, and the negroes ran up and down the gangway and lashed them with whips of hide. They stretched out their lean arms and pulled the heavy oars through the water. The salt spray flew from the blades.

奴隶们除了有一块破烂的缠腰布外，全身上下光溜溜的，他们每个人都被用铁链和身边的人锁在了一起。炎炎烈日烤在他们身上，此外还有黑人在跳板上跑来跑去，拿皮鞭抽打他们。他们伸出枯瘦的双臂，划动水中沉重的浆。船桨溅起咸咸的海水。

At last they reached a little bay, and began to take soundings. A light wind blew from the shore, and covered the deck and the great lateen sail with a fine red dust. Three Arabs mounted on wild asses rode out and threw spears at them. The master of the galley took a painted bow in his hand and shot one of them in the throat. He fell heavily into the surf, and his companions galloped away. A woman wrapped in a yellow veil followed slowly on a camel, looking back now and then at the dead body.

最终他们来到一个小海湾，开始测量水深。一阵微风从岸上吹来，给甲板和大三角帆上蒙上了一层细细的红沙。三个阿拉伯人骑着野毛驴，靠近帆船后就朝船上的人投梭镖。船长拉开一张漆了色的弓，射中了他们当中一人的咽喉。那人重重地栽到了波涛里，他的同伴也都落荒而逃。一位蒙着黄色面纱的女子骑着骆驼慢慢地跟在后面，还不时地回头看看那具死尸。

As soon as they had cast anchor and hauled down the sail, the negroes went into the hold and brought up a long rope—ladder, heavily weighted with lead. The master of the galley threw it over the side, making the ends fast to two iron stanchions. Then the negroes seized the youngest of the slaves and knocked his gyves off, and filled his nostrils and his ears with wax, and tied a big stone round his waist. He crept wearily down the ladder, and disappeared into the sea. A few bubbles rose where he sank. Some of the other slaves peered curiously over the side. At the prow of the galley sat a shark—charmer, beating monotonously upon a drum.

奴隶们一抛锚降帆，黑人就跑到船舱拿出一根长长的绳梯，并绑在铅锤上。船长把绳梯扔到船的一侧，又把绳梯的两端牢牢地系在两根铁柱上。接着黑人们抓住那个最年轻的奴隶，砸开他的脚镣，用蜡封住他的鼻孔和耳朵，又在他的腰间捆上一块大石头。他疲惫不堪地爬下绳梯，不一会儿就消失在海水中了。他下水的地方冒出了几个泡泡。其他一些奴隶在一旁好奇地张望着。一个戏耍鲨鱼的人坐在船头，单调地敲着鼓。

After some time the diver rose up out of the water, and clung panting to the ladder with a pearl in his right hand. The negroes seized it from him, and thrust him back. The slaves fell asleep over their oars.

过了一会儿，潜水者冒出水面。他喘着粗气，紧紧地抓住梯子，右手中握着一粒珍珠。黑人们从他手中夺去珍珠后，又把他推到海里。而这时其他的奴隶已靠在浆旁睡着了。

Again and again he came up, and each time that he did so he brought with him a beautiful pearl. The master of the galley weighed them, and put them into a little bag of green leather.

他上来了一次又一次，每次都带回一颗美丽的珍珠。船长把珍珠一一过了秤，并把它们放进一个绿皮革的小袋子里。

The young King tried to speak, but his tongue seemed to cleave to the roof of his mouth, and his lips refused to move. The negroes chattered to each other, and began to quarrel over a string of bright beads. Two cranes flew round and round the vessel.

少年国王想说点什么，可是他的舌头好像给上颚粘住了，嘴唇也动弹不了。黑人们喋喋不休，开始为一条闪亮的珠串互相争吵起来。两只鹤围绕着帆船飞个不停。

Then the diver came up for the last time, and the pearl that he brought with him was fairer than all the pearls of Ormuz, for it was shaped like the full moon, and whiter than the morning star. But his face was strangely pale, and as he fell upon the deck the blood gushed from his ears and nostrils. He quivered for a little, and then he was still. The negroes shrugged their shoulders, and threw the body overboard.