The dumb book 一本不说话的书
作者：古文学 时间：2017/12/18 8:50:11 阅读：次 类别：英语童话
THEDUMBBOOK一本不说话的书
INthehigh-roadwhichledthroughawoodstoodasolitaryfarm-house;theroad,infact,ranrightthroughitsyard.Thesunwasshiningandallthewindowswereopen;withinthehousepeoplewereverybusy.Intheyard,inanarbourformedbylilacbushesinfullbloom,stoodanopencoffin;thithertheyhadcarriedadeadman,whowastobeburiedthatveryafternoon.Nobodyshedatearoverhim;hisfacewascoveredoverwithawhitecloth,underhisheadtheyhadplacedalargethickbook,theleavesofwhichconsistedoffoldedsheetsofblotting-paper,andwitheredflowerslaybetweenthem;itwastheherbariumwhichhehadgatheredinvariousplacesandwastobeburiedwithhim,accordingtohisownwish.Everyoneoftheflowersinitwasconnectedwithsomechapterofhislife.
"Whoisthedeadman?"weasked.
"Theoldstudent,"wasthereply."Theysaythathewasonceanenergeticyoungman,thathestudiedthedeadlanguages,andsangandevencomposedmanysongs;thensomethinghadhappenedtohim,andinconsequenceofthishegavehimselfuptodrink,bodyandmind.Whenatlasthehadruinedhishealth,theybroughthimintothecountry,wheresomeonepaidforhisboardandresidence.Hewasgentleasachildaslongasthesullenmooddidnotcomeoverhim;butwhenitcamehewasfierce,becameasstrongasagiant,andranaboutinthewoodlikeachaseddeer.Butwhenwesucceededinbringinghimhome,andprevaileduponhimtoopenthebookwiththedried-upplantsinit,hewouldsometimessitforawholedaylookingatthisorthatplant,whilefrequentlythetearsrolledoverhischeeks.Godknowswhatwasinhismind;butherequestedustoputthebookintohiscoffin,andnowheliesthere.Inalittlewhilethelidwillbeplaceduponthecoffin,andhewillhavesweetrestinthegrave!"
Theclothwhichcoveredhisfacewasliftedup;thedeadman’sfaceexpressedpeace-asunbeamfelluponit.Aswallowflewwiththeswiftnessofanarrowintothearbour,turninginitsflight,andtwitteredoverthedeadman’shead.
Whatastrangefeelingitis-surelyweallknowit-tolookthrougholdlettersofouryoungdays;adifferentliferisesupoutofthepast,asitwere,withallitshopesandsorrows.Howmanyofthepeoplewithwhominthosedaysweusedtobeonintimatetermsappeartousasifdead,andyettheyarestillalive-onlywehavenotthoughtofthemforsuchalongtime,whomweimaginedweshouldretaininourmemoriesforever,andshareeveryjoyandsorrowwiththem.
Thewitheredoakleafinthebookhererecalledthefriend,theschoolfellow,whowastobehisfriendforlife.
Hefixedtheleaftothestudent’scapinthegreenwood,whentheyvowedeternalfriendship.Wheredoeshedwellnow?Theleafiskept,butthefriendship.oesnolongerexist.Hereisaforeignhothouseplant,tootenderforthegardensoftheNorth.Itisalmostasifitsleavesstillsmeltsweet!Shegaveittohimoutofherowngarden-anobleman’sdaughter.
Hereisawater-lilythathehadpluckedhimself,andwateredwithsalttears-alilyofsweetwater.Andhereisanettle:whatmayitsleavestellus?Whatmighthehavethoughtwhenhepluckedandkeptit?Hereisalittlesnowdropoutofthesolitarywood;hereisanevergreenfromtheflower-potatthetavern;andhereisasimplebladeofgrass.
Thelilacbendsitsfreshfragrantflowersoverthedeadman’shead;theswallowpassesagain-"twit,twit;"nowthemencomewithhammerandnails,thelidisplacedoverthedeadman,whilehisheadrestsonthedumbbook-solongcherished,nowclosedforever!
THEEND
INthehigh-roadwhichledthroughawoodstoodasolitaryfarm-house;theroad,infact,ranrightthroughitsyard.Thesunwasshiningandallthewindowswereopen;withinthehousepeoplewereverybusy.Intheyard,inanarbourformedbylilacbushesinfullbloom,stoodanopencoffin;thithertheyhadcarriedadeadman,whowastobeburiedthatveryafternoon.Nobodyshedatearoverhim;hisfacewascoveredoverwithawhitecloth,underhisheadtheyhadplacedalargethickbook,theleavesofwhichconsistedoffoldedsheetsofblotting-paper,andwitheredflowerslaybetweenthem;itwastheherbariumwhichhehadgatheredinvariousplacesandwastobeburiedwithhim,accordingtohisownwish.Everyoneoftheflowersinitwasconnectedwithsomechapterofhislife.
"Whoisthedeadman?"weasked.
"Theoldstudent,"wasthereply."Theysaythathewasonceanenergeticyoungman,thathestudiedthedeadlanguages,andsangandevencomposedmanysongs;thensomethinghadhappenedtohim,andinconsequenceofthishegavehimselfuptodrink,bodyandmind.Whenatlasthehadruinedhishealth,theybroughthimintothecountry,wheresomeonepaidforhisboardandresidence.Hewasgentleasachildaslongasthesullenmooddidnotcomeoverhim;butwhenitcamehewasfierce,becameasstrongasagiant,andranaboutinthewoodlikeachaseddeer.Butwhenwesucceededinbringinghimhome,andprevaileduponhimtoopenthebookwiththedried-upplantsinit,hewouldsometimessitforawholedaylookingatthisorthatplant,whilefrequentlythetearsrolledoverhischeeks.Godknowswhatwasinhismind;butherequestedustoputthebookintohiscoffin,andnowheliesthere.Inalittlewhilethelidwillbeplaceduponthecoffin,andhewillhavesweetrestinthegrave!"
Theclothwhichcoveredhisfacewasliftedup;thedeadman’sfaceexpressedpeace-asunbeamfelluponit.Aswallowflewwiththeswiftnessofanarrowintothearbour,turninginitsflight,andtwitteredoverthedeadman’shead.
Whatastrangefeelingitis-surelyweallknowit-tolookthrougholdlettersofouryoungdays;adifferentliferisesupoutofthepast,asitwere,withallitshopesandsorrows.Howmanyofthepeoplewithwhominthosedaysweusedtobeonintimatetermsappeartousasifdead,andyettheyarestillalive-onlywehavenotthoughtofthemforsuchalongtime,whomweimaginedweshouldretaininourmemoriesforever,andshareeveryjoyandsorrowwiththem.
Thewitheredoakleafinthebookhererecalledthefriend,theschoolfellow,whowastobehisfriendforlife.
Hefixedtheleaftothestudent’scapinthegreenwood,whentheyvowedeternalfriendship.Wheredoeshedwellnow?Theleafiskept,butthefriendship.oesnolongerexist.Hereisaforeignhothouseplant,tootenderforthegardensoftheNorth.Itisalmostasifitsleavesstillsmeltsweet!Shegaveittohimoutofherowngarden-anobleman’sdaughter.
Hereisawater-lilythathehadpluckedhimself,andwateredwithsalttears-alilyofsweetwater.Andhereisanettle:whatmayitsleavestellus?Whatmighthehavethoughtwhenhepluckedandkeptit?Hereisalittlesnowdropoutofthesolitarywood;hereisanevergreenfromtheflower-potatthetavern;andhereisasimplebladeofgrass.
Thelilacbendsitsfreshfragrantflowersoverthedeadman’shead;theswallowpassesagain-"twit,twit;"nowthemencomewithhammerandnails,thelidisplacedoverthedeadman,whilehisheadrestsonthedumbbook-solongcherished,nowclosedforever!
THEEND