44

CURFEW SONG OF ENGLAND

英格兰晚钟之歌

haunts, resorts; dwelling-places.　　　　　　　　　aspirings, desires.
immortal, deathless.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　chime, sound.
sanctuaries, holy places.　　　　　　　　　　　　flitting,quick; fluttering
forsook, left; quitted.　　　　　　　　　　　　　scroll, manuscript.
gladdening, making glad; cheerful.　　　　　　　Yule-fagots, Christmas logs.

[The song is intended to show the hardship which the Curfew law brought on different classes of the peopl—especially on students and on watchers by sick-beds.]

1. Hark! from the dim church-tower,

The deep, slow curfew's chime!

A heavy sound unto hall and bower,

In England's olden time!

Sadly 'twas heard by him who came

From the fields of his toil at night

And who might not see his own hearth's flam

In his children's eyes make light.

2. Woe for the wanderer then

In the wild-deer's forests far!

No cottage-lamp to the haunts of men

Might guide him as a star.

And woe for him whose wakeful soul,

With lone aspirings filled

Would have lived o'er some immortal scroll

While the sounds of earth were stilled.

3. And yet a deeper woe

For the watchers by the bed,

Where the fondly loved in pain lay low,

And rest forsook the head;—

For the mother, doomed unseen to keep

By the dying babe her place,

And to feel its fl itting pulse, and weep

Yet not behold its face!

4. Darkness, in chieftain's hall!

Darkness, in peasant's cot!

While Freedom, under that shadowy pall,

Sat mourning o'er her lot.

Oh! the fi reside's peace we well may prize

For blood hath fl owed like rain

Poured forth to make sweet sanctuaries

Of England's homes again!

5. Heap the Yule-fagots high,

Till the red light fi lls the room

It is home's own hour, when the stormy sky

Grows thick with evening gloom.

Gather ye round the holy hearth,

And by its gladdening blaze,

Unto thankful bliss we will change our mirth,

With a thought of the olden days.

—FELICIA HEMANS

中文阅读

【这首歌谣主要是为了表现宵禁制度给英格兰各阶层的人带来的困苦，对病榻旁的学生和看望者尤其如此。】

1. 听吧！从昏暗的教堂钟楼上，

沉郁的宵禁晚钟隐隐传来！

沉闷的钟声飘到走廊尽头，林荫深处，

回荡在英格兰的中古时代！

辛劳的人从夜晚的田野归来，闻之心有戚戚，

他看不见家中温暖的壁火，

在他孩子的眼中这是夜里独有的光彩。

2. 流浪者更加悲哀，

他们只能遁入森林，与野鹿为伴！

小屋的灯火湮灭，

如指路的明星坠落。

他那不眠的内心亦感凄苦，

孤独的欲求充塞满满，

他希望在钟声消逝之后，

再经历一次记忆中的画面。

3. 更深的悲苦，

来自病榻旁的守护人，

他们深爱的人在疼痛的煎熬中躺在床上，

全身已不听大脑使唤；

这位妈妈在垂死的婴儿身旁，

在黑暗中注定无法站定，

也无法感受它的心跳，它的抽泣

更无法看见它的面庞！

4. 无边黑暗，淹没王宫大殿！

无边黑暗，淹没农家小院！

自由，也在这无边黑幕下，

凄苦独坐，哀伤待命。

噢！家庭的温暖我们何等珍视，

我们的热血一如雨露，

将流入悦目的圣殿，

把那里再次变成英格兰大地上的家园！

5. 圣诞夜的柴火高高堆起，

红红的火光令满堂生辉！

这是我们家庭的温馨时刻，

尽管浓云密布的天空在傍晚愈加黑暗。

围坐在神圣的炉边，

望着那喜悦跳动的火焰，

直到感恩的祝福敲击我们的欢笑，

让我们思考那遥远的昨天。

（费利西亚·赫门兹）