1. SOME years since, a German prince, making a tour of Europe, stopped at Venice for a short period. It was the close of summer the Adriatic was calm, the nights were lovely, and the Venetian women in the full enjoyment of those delicious spirits, that, in their climate, rise and fall with the coming and the departure of the fnest season of the year. Every day was given by the illustrious stranger to research among the records and antiquities of this singular city, and every night to amusement on the river Brenta. When the morning was nigh, it was the custom to return to sup at some of the palaces of the nobility.

2. In the commencement of his intercourse, all national distinctions were carefully suppressed but, as his intimacy increased, he was forced to see the lurking vanity of the Italians breaking out. One of its most frequent exhibitions was in the little dramas that wound up these stately festivals. The wit was constantly sharpened by some contrast of the Italian and the German, some slight aspersions on Teutonic rudeness, some remark on the history of a people untouched by the elegance of southern manners. The sarcasm was conveyed with Italian grace, and the offense softened by its humor. It was obvious that the only retaliation must be humorous.

3. At length, the prince, on point of taking leave, invited his entertainers to a farewell supper. He drew the conversation to the infinite superiority of the Italians, and, above all, of the Venetians,acknowledged the darkness in which Germany had been destined to remain so long, and looked forward with infinite sorrow to the comparative opinion of posterity upon the country to which so little of its gratitude must be due. "But, my lords," said he, "we are an emulous people, and an example like yours cannot be lost, even upon a German. I have been charmed with your dramas, and have contrived a little arrangement to give one of our country, if you will follow me to the great hall.”The company rose and followed him through the splendid suite of Venetian apartments to the hall, which was ftted up as a German barn.

4. The aspect of the room produced first surprise, and next a universal smile. It had no resemblance to their own gilded, sculptured, and sumptuous little saloons. However, it was only so much the more Teutonic. The curtain drew up. The surprise rose into loud laughter, even among the Venetians, who have been seldom betrayed into any thing beyond a smile, for generations together.

5. The stage was a temporary erection, rude and uneven The scene represented a wretched and irregular street, scarcely lighted by a few twinkling lamps, and looking the fit haunt of robbery and assassination. On a closer view, some of the noble spectators began to think it had some resemblance to an Italian street, and actually discovered in it one of the leading streets of their own famous city. But the play was on a German story they were under a German roof:the street was, notwithstanding its ill-omened similitude, of course, German. The street was solitary. At length, a traveler, a German, with pistols in a belt round his waist, and apparently exhausted by his journey, came pacing along. He knocked at several doors, but could obtain no admission. He then wrapped himself up in his cloak, sat down on a fragment of a monument, and soliloquized.

6. "Well, here have I come and this is my reception All palaces no inns all nobles, and not a man to tell me where I can lie down in comfort or in safety. Well, it can not be helped. A German does not much care campaigning has hardened us. Hunger and thirst, heat and cold, dangers of war and the roads, are not very formidable, after what we have had to work through from father to son. Loneliness, however, is not so well, unless a man can labor or read. Read! That's true, come out, Zimmermann ." He took a volume from his pocket, moved nearer to the decaying lamp, and soon seemed absorbed.

7. Another form soon attracted the eyes of the spectators. A long, light fgure came with a kind of visionary movement, from behind the monument, surveyed the traveler with keen curiosity, listened with apparent astonishment to his words, and in another moment had fxed itself gazing over his shoulder on the volume. The eyes of this singular being wandered rapidly over the page, and when it was turned, they were lifted to heaven with the strongest expression of wonder. The German was weary his head soon drooped over his study, and he closed the book.

8. "What," said he, rising and stretching his limbs, "is there no one stirring in this comfortless place? Is it not near day?”He took out his repeater, and touched the pendant it struck four. His mysterious attendant had watched him narrowly the repeater was traversed over with an eager gaze but when it struck, delight was mingled with the wonder that had till then flled its pale, intelligent countenance. "Four o’clock," said the German; "in my country, half the world would be thinking of going to their day's work by this time. In another hour, it will be sunrise. Well, then, I’ll do you a service, you nation of sleepers, and make you open your eyes.”He drew out one of his pistols, and fired it. The attendant form, still hovering behind him, had looked curiously upon the pistol, but on its going off, started back in terror, and with a loud cry that made the traveler turn.

9. "Who are you?”was his greeting to this strange intruder. "I will not hurt you," was the answer. "Who cares about that?”was the German's retort and he pulled out the other pistol. "My friend," said the fgure, "even that weapon of thunder and lightning cannot reach me now but if you would know who I am, let me entreat you to satisfy my curiosity a moment you seem a man of extraordinary powers.” "Well, then," said the German, in a gentle voice, "if you come as a friend, I shall be glad to give you information it is the custom of our country to deny nothing to those who love to learn.”

10. The former sighed deeply, and murmured, "And yet you are a Teuton. But you were just reading a little case of strange, and yet most interesting fgures was it a manuscript?” "No, it was a printed book.” "Printed? What is printing? I never heard but of writing.” "It is an art by which one man can give to the world, in one day, as much as three hundred could give by writing, and in a character of superior clearness, correctness, and beauty one by which books are made universal, and literature eternal.” "Admirable, glorious art!”said the inquirer, "who was its illustrious inventor?” "A GERMAN.”

11. "But another question. I saw you look at a most curious instrument, traced with figures it sparkled with diamonds but its greatest wonder was its sound. It gave the hour with miraculous exactness, and the strokes were followed by tones superior to the sweetest music of my day.” "That was a repeater.” "How? When I had the luxuries of the earth at my command, I had nothing to tell the hour better than the clepsydra and the sun-dial. But this must be incomparable, from its facility of being carried about, from its suitableness to all hours, and from its exactness. It must be an admirable guide even to a higher knowledge. All depends upon the exactness of time. It may assist navigation and astronomy. What an invention! Whose was it? He must be more than man.” "He was a GERMAN.”

12. "What, still a barbarian? I remember his nation. I once saw an auxiliary legion of them marching toward Rome. They were a bold, and brave, blue-eyed troop. The whole city poured out to see those northern warriors, but we looked on them only as savages. I have one more question, the most interesting of all. I saw you raise your hand with a small truncheon in it in a moment, something rushed out that seemed a portion of the fre of the clouds. Were they thunder and lightning that I saw? Did they obey your command? Was that truncheon a talisman? And are you a mighty magician? Was that truncheon a scepter commanding the elements? Are you a god?”

13. The strange inquirer had drawn back gradually as his feelings rose. Curiosity was now solemn wonder, and he stood gazing in an attitude that mingled awe with devotion. The German felt the sensation of a superior presence growing on himself, as he looked on the fixed countenance of this mysterious being. It was in that misty blending of light and darkness which the moon leaves as it sinks just before morn. There was a single hue of pale gray in the east, that touched its visage with a chill light the moon, resting broadly on the horizon, was setting behind the figure seemed as if it were standing in the orb. Its arms were lifted toward heaven, and the light came through its drapery with the mild splendor of a vision but the German, habituated to the vicissitudes of "perils by flood and field," shook off his brief alarm, and proceeded calmly to explain the source of this miracle. He gave a slight detail of the machinery of the pistol, and alluded to the history of gunpowder.

14. "It must be an effective instrument in the hands of man for either good or ill," said the former. "How much it must change the nature of war! How much it must influence the fate of nations! By whom was this wondrous secret revealed to the inhabitants of earth?” "A GERMAN.”

15. The form seemed suddenly to enlarge its feebleness of voice was gone its attitude was irresistibly noble. Before it uttered a word, it looked as if it were made to persuade and command. Its outer robe had been fung away it stood with an antique dress of brilliant white, gathered in many folds, and edged with a deep border of purple, a slight wreath of laurel, of dazzling green, was on its brow. It looked like the genius of eloquence. "Stranger," it said, pointing to the Apennines, which were then beginning to be marked by the twilight, "eighteen hundred years have passed, since I was the glory of all beyond those mountains. Eighteen hundred years have passed into the great food of eternity, since I entered Rome in triumph, and was honored as the leading mind of the great intellectual empire of the world. But I knew nothing of those things. I was a child to you we were all children to the discoverers of those glorious potencies. But has Italy not been still the mistress of mind? She was then the frst of the frst has she not kept her superiority? Show me her noble inventions. I must soon sink from the earth:let me learn still to love my country.”

16. The listener started back: "Who, what are you?” "I am a spirit;I was Cicero. Show me, by the love of a patriot, what Italy now sends out to enlighten mankind!”The German looked embarrassed but in a moment after, he heard the sound of a pipe and a tabor. He pointed in silence to the narrow street from which the interruption came. A ragged fgure tottered out with a barrel organ at his back, a frame of puppets in his hand, a hurdy-gurdy round his neck, and a string of dancing dogs in his train. Cicero uttered but one sigh; "Is this Italy?”The German bowed his head.

17. The organ struck up, the dogs danced, the Italian capered round them. Cicero raised his broad gaze to heaven. "These, the men of my country! These, the orators, the poets, the patriots of mankind! What scorn and curse of Providence can have fallen upon them?”As he gazed, tears suddenly suffused his eyes the first sunbeam struck across the spot where he stood a purple mist rose around him, and he was gone.

18. The Venetians, with one accord, started from their seats and rushed out of the hall. The prince and his suite had previously arranged every thing for leaving the city, and they were beyond the Venetian territory by sunrise. Another night in Venice, they would have been on their way to the other world.

中文阅读

1. 许多年前，一位德国王储去欧洲旅行，他曾在威尼斯作短暂停留。时值夏末，亚得里亚海岸宁静安然，夜晚温馨可人，威尼斯的女人们兴致勃勃地尽情享受着这怡人的良辰美景，如此佳景也随着最好的季节交替而更迭。白天，志向高远的陌生人在这里研究这座别具一格的城市的古址遗迹；到了夜晚，娱乐活动转移到了布兰塔河上；清晨，人们通常会返回，在闻名遐迩的地方啜饮小憩。

2. 起初，王子在与意大利人交往时，会很小心翼翼地避免民族冲突，但是，随着关系的日益亲密，他势必会看到意大利人行为处事中潜在的自负。这经常会在微型戏剧中体现出来，使节日的庄严气氛受到破坏。由于意大利语和德语的差别，再加上“日耳曼人粗鲁”的些许中伤，和一些以往的评论——“不被南方高雅人士认可的一个民族”，所以，风趣幽默的语言常常会变得黯然失色。这样的讽刺伴着意大利人的优雅而传播，其中的冒犯之意随着它的幽默而被淡化。显然，唯一的复仇方式就是——幽默。

3. 最终，在王子将要离开的时候，他邀请艺人们共进告别晚餐。他将话题转到意大利人，尤其是威尼斯人无与伦比的优越性上来，他承认德国人注定要在蒙昧黑暗中长行，他带着无限的悲痛预测着子孙后代给国家提出类似的意见，本应得的感激之情却一点儿也得不到。“不过，神们，”他说，“我们这个民族是争强好胜的民族，对像你们这样的模范民族，是不会失之交臂的。我一直对你们的戏剧很感兴趣，所以做了一些安排来展现我国一隅，不知大家是否肯赏脸跟我到大厅来呢？”众人遂起身跟着他穿过装饰华丽的威尼斯厅堂，来到了一个大厅，那里被装饰成了德国酒吧的样子。

4. 最初，房间的装饰让他们大吃一惊，随即人群迸发出一阵大笑。这个房间与他们那镶金饰银、镂空透视的奢华小厅是无法相提并论的，然而，这却是地地道道的日耳曼风格。窗帘拉开的那一瞬间，人们大吃一惊，放声大笑。这样的反应实属罕见，即使是威尼斯人，从古至今他们也很少让笑声出卖自己的内心。

5. 舞台是临时搭建的，外表简陋，台面也不平整。布景是一条萧条而不规则的街道，偶尔有星星点点的灯光闪烁，照亮了抢劫与谋杀案经常发生的地方。凑近一看，某些显贵会认为这代表的是意大利的街道，而且是他们著名城市的主街道。但是，这场戏讲的是发生在德国的故事，他们是在德国人的屋檐下，尽管外表看上去晦暗，但这的的确确是德国式的。这条街人迹罕至，终于，一位腰插手枪的德国旅行者在此落脚，他看上去已疲惫不堪，敲了几家门，却无法入住。于是他裹紧自己的披风，在一块纪念碑的残垣上坐了下来，开始自言自语。

6. “好啦，我到了，这里就是我的接待处。到处是宫殿，没有客栈。到处是贵族，没有一个人告诉我哪里可以住得舒服些、安全些。啊，无济于事。德国人对这些并不太在意，战争使我们变得坚强。我们世代经历艰险，现在饥渴、寒暑、战争与行路的危险并不能使我们畏惧。但是，孤独可不好，除非一个人能劳动或是读书。读书！是的！来吧，齐默曼。”他从口袋里拿出一本书，挪到一盏锈迹斑斑的灯下，很快沉浸到书里。

7. 另一场景很快吸引了观众的注意力。一道长形灯状的亮光如在幻境中移动，它从纪念碑的后面好奇地审视着旅行者，听着他的话似乎有些吃惊，它曾在他的肩膀后面一度注视着那本书。那双非凡的眼睛迅速在书页上浏览，当书页翻到另一页时，渴求的双眼凝望天空。德国人累了，很快就开始打盹，于是他把书合上了。

8. 他站起身，伸展四肢：“为什么还没人起来，搅扰一下这个让人感觉不舒服的地方？天不是快要亮了吗？”他拿出打簧表，触摸一下垂坠，表响了四下。他的那个神秘的随从就在他身旁看着他，一双渴望的眼睛注视着打簧表，伴随着钟声，喜悦与惊叹布满了它那苍白智慧的面容。“四点了，”德国人说，“在我们国家，一般人会在这个时间里开始一天的工作。再有一小时，太阳就会出来了。那好吧，你们这个瞌睡虫民族，我来服侍你们，让你们睁开眼睛吧。”他拔出一支枪，开了火。那个神秘的随从仍然在他身后徘徊，一直好奇地盯着手枪，但是当枪开火后，它吓坏了，大叫一声，旅行者闻声回过头。

9. “你是谁？”他用这样的话来问候这位入侵者，得到的回答是——“我不会伤害你的。”德国人回敬道：“我不管。”说着，他拔出了另一支枪。“朋友，”影子说，“即使是那如雷似电般的武器也不能把我制服，但是如果你想知道我是谁的话，那么我请你满足我的一点儿好奇心。你看起来像是个拥有非凡力量的人啊。”“那好吧，”德国人语气温和地说，“如果你是朋友的话，我倒是乐意告诉你，因为在我们国家，我们对乐意学习的人是言无不尽的。”

10. 影子深深地叹了口气，低语道：“你可是个日耳曼人啊，可是你刚才读的是看上去稀奇古怪却趣味横生的东西，那是手写稿吗？”“不是，那是印刷的书籍。”“印刷的？印的是什么？除了手写的，我还从来没有听说过其他形式的书呢。”“这是一种技术，一个人一天可以生产的书稿相当于三百倍的手写稿，并且字迹超级清晰、准确、美观。这种技术使得书籍得以普及，文学作品永垂不朽。”“这真是辉煌的技术，令人赞叹！”询问者说，“这位杰出的发明者是谁？”“一个德国人。”

11. “不过我还有一个问题。我看到你盯着一件貌似非常珍稀的东西，它闪着钻石般的光亮，但是最令人感到惊叹的是它发出的声音，它计时准确得出奇，伴随着敲击声，它发出的音调比我们这个时代最优美的音乐还要甜美百倍。”“那是打簧表。”“这是怎么一回事呢？只要我一声令下，就可以得到这件世上的奢侈品，我最好的计时器是水时计和日晷仪，可是这个仪器却与众不同，从材质装饰、任意时间的适用性，再到计时的精确性，都是其他计时器无法比拟的。这项技术一定是以更高级的知识为基础依据的，令人钦佩啊。一切工作都一直有赖于时间的精确性，它可以对航海和天文学有辅助作用。真是一项伟大的发明！是谁发明的？他一定是个超人。”“他是个德国人。”

12. “什么，也是个野蛮人吗？我记得这个民族。我曾看到他们的备用军团向古罗马进军，那是一支骁勇无畏的军团，士兵们长着蔚蓝色的眼睛。我们全城出动，一睹那些来自北方的武士，可我们还是把他们看成野蛮人。我还有一个问题，也是最有趣的一个问题。我看你举起手来，拿着一支小警棍，顷刻间一团带有火星的云喷涌而出，我看到的那是雷还是电呢？它们听你的命令吗？这根警棍是护身符吗？你是个拥有超能力的魔术师吗？还是——你就是上帝？”

13. 好奇的问话人感情变得激昂，逐渐地，它后退了。现在，好奇心变得庄重敬畏，它站在那里凝视着，目光里夹杂着敬重与忠诚。德国人看着这个神秘人镇定的面容，他感到一种优越感在自己胸中升腾起来。就在那光明与黑暗混杂的雾霭笼罩处，月亮在清晨到来之前沉落了。东方呈现出单一的灰白色调，寒光碰触着人的面庞，在广阔的地平线上小憩的月亮正在落下。影子就像是站在天体上一般，双臂高举伸向天空，光线透过它的纺衣照下来，给人一种光彩照人的视觉感受。可是德国人习惯了“海陆的危险环境”，稍稍放松了一下警惕心，便继续平静地向他解释这一奇迹产生的原因。他简单地介绍了一下手枪的机械构造原理，还提到了火药的发展史。

14. “无论对正义还是邪恶，这家伙一旦被握在人的手中就一定是一个有效的工具。”影子说，“它一定会改变战争的本质！它一定会影响民族的命运！是谁把这个绝顶的秘密告诉人类的？”“德国人。”

15. 影子似乎突然变大了，微弱的声音消失了。它变得高贵而不可抵御，未曾启齿，却恰似在说服和发号施令。它抛下外面穿的长袍，站在那里，穿着亮白色的，打有大量褶皱，缀有紫色宽边的古装，头戴一个小小的月桂花环，那绿色耀眼夺目，看上去就是个雄辩家。“陌生人，”它指着被黎明的光线照亮的亚平宁山脉说，“自从我成为众山脉的荣耀后，八百年过去了。自从我胜利地进入罗马，被誉为这世界上最智慧国家的智者先驱，八百年过去了，成为历史不朽的长河。可是我却对这些一无所知。对你来说，我还是个孩子。对那些发现这种伟大力量的人来说，我们都是孩童。那么，她就是首屈一指的，是龙中之龙。难道她不是最优越的吗？给我看看她高贵的发明吧。我马上就会从人间陨落，可是还是让我学到更多的东西吧。我爱我的祖国。”

16. 一直默默无语的德国人后退几步：“你是什么人？”“我是个精灵，是曾经的西塞罗。我以一个爱国者之名，请您明示现在意大利要怎样才能使人类开化？”德国人有些尴尬，不过过了片刻，他听到了笛子和鼓的声音。他默默地指向那狭窄的街道，声音就是从那里传来的。只见一个衣衫褴褛的人蹒跚而来，背上背着手摇风琴，手里拿着摆满了木偶的架子，脖子上挂着绞弦琴，身后有一队跳舞的小狗随行。西塞罗一声叹息：“这就是意大利？”德国人弯腰鞠躬。

17. 乐声响起，狗儿们起舞，意大利人围着雀跃。西塞罗仰天长叹：“这些人，我们国家的臣民，这些演说家、诗人，这些爱国者！上帝将对他们降下怎样的蔑视与诅咒啊？”他凝望着，眼里噙满了泪水。清晨第一缕阳光照到他站立的位置，紫色的雾霭升腾起来，他消失了。

18. 威尼斯人纷纷离席，离开大厅。王子和他的随从，为离开这个城市已经提前做好了一切准备，他们在日出之前就离开了威尼斯人的领地。当夜幕再次降临威尼斯的时候，他们已经在去往其他地方的路上了。 v8zEanFFSEB0eKtmG0mVkXBx8YyYeIL6wmXscnCRDP8uJbUAlwbXiQOCu6+Y99fk