列夫·托尔斯泰/LeoTolstoy
列夫·托尔斯泰(1828—1910)，19世纪俄国最伟大的作家。托尔斯泰以自传体小说《童年》《少年》《青年》一举成名。长篇小说《战争与和平》是托尔斯泰创作历程中的第一座里程碑，是一部具有史诗和编年史特色的鸿篇巨制。长篇小说《安娜·卡列尼娜》是托尔斯泰第二部里程碑式的巨著，他的晚期作品中最著名的长篇小说《复活》也是世界文学宝库中的不朽名著之一。
PracticgforBetterLearng
Thkaboutthequestionbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
Doyoureberohappenedbeeenyouandyourotherthatipressedyoudeeplyyourchildhood?Shareitwithyourfriends.
Happy,happy,never-returngtiofchildhood!Howwehelplovganddwellguponitsrelles?Theycheerandelevatethesoul,aooneasourceofhigherjoys.
Sotis,whendreagofbygonedays,fancythat,tiredoutwithrunngabout,Ihavesatdownyhighar-chairbythetea-table.Itiste,andIhavelongscedrunkycupofilk.MyeyesareheavywithsleepasIsitthereandlisten.HowuldInotlistehatMaaisspeakgtosobody,andthatthesoundofhervoiceissolodioandkd?Howuchitsechoesrecalltoyheart!WithyeyesveiledwithdrowsessIgazeatherwistfully.Suddenlysheseestogrowsallerandsaller,andherfacevaoapot;yetIstillseeit—stillseeherasshelooksatandsiles.Sohowitpleasestoseehergrownsosall.Iblkandblk,yetshelookshanaboyreflectedthepupilofahenIroeyself,andthepicturefades.OnceoreIhalf-closeyeyes,andcastabouttotryandrecallthedrea,butithasgone,Irisetoyfeet,onlytofallbackfortablytothearchair.
“There!Youarefallgasleepaga,littleNis,”saysMaa.“Youhadbettergotoby-by.”
“No,Iwon’tgotosleep,Maa,”Ireply,thoughalostaudibly,forpleasantdreasarefillgallysoul.Thesoundsleepofchildhoodisweighgyeyelidsdown,andforafewonts.Isktosberandoblivionuntilawakenedbysoone.Ifeelysleepasthoughasofthandwerecaressg.Iknowitbythetouch,and,thoughstilldreag,Iseizeholdofitandpressittoylips.Everyoneelsehasgoobed,andonlyonedlereasburngthedrag-roo.Maahassaidthatsheherselfwillwake.ShesitsdownonthearofthechairwhichIaasleep,withhersofthandstrokgyhair,andIhearherbeloved,well-knownvoicesayyear:“Getup,ydarlg.Itistitogoby-by.”
Noenviogazeseeshernow.Sheisnotafraidtosheduponthewholeofhertendernessandlove.Idonotwakeup,yetIkissandkissherhand.
“Getup,then,yangel.”
Shepassesherotherarroundyneck,andherfgerstickleastheyoveacrossit.Therooisquietandhalf-darkness,buttheticklghastouchedynervesandIbegtoawake.Maaissittgnear—thatItell—andtouchg;Ihearhervoidfeelherpresehisatstroestup,tothrowyarsaroundherneck,tohideyheadherboso,andtosaywithasigh:
“Ah,dear,darlgMaa,howuchIloveyou!”
Shesileshersad,entgsile,takesyheadbeeenherohands,kissesontheforehead,andliftsontoherp.
“Doyoulovesouch,then?”shesays.Then,afterafewonts’silence,shentues:“Andyoutlovealways,andneverfet.IfyourMaashouldnolongerbehere,willyouproiseofether—never,Nilka?”andshekissesorefondlythanever.
“Oh,butyoutnotspeakso,darlgMaa,yowndarlgMaa!”IexciasIcspherknees,andtearsofjoyandlovefallfroyeyes.
How,afterseslikethis!Iwouldgoupstairs,andstandbeforethes,andsaywitharapturofeelg,“GodblessPapaandMaa!”aaprayerforybelovedotherwhichychildishlipshadlearnttolisp—theloveofGodandotherblendgstrangelyasgleeotion!
AftersaygyprayersIwouldyselfupthebedclothes.Myheartwouldfeellight,peaceful,andhappy,andonedreawouldfollowanother.Dreasofwhat?Theywereallofthevague,butallofthefullofpureloveandofasortofexpectationofhappess.Usually,also,therewouldbesofavoritetoy—achadogorharestucktothebed-rnerbehdthepillow,anditwouldpleasetothkhowwarandfortableandwellcared—foritwasthere.Also,IwouldprayGodtoakeeveryonehappy,sothateveryoneightbeed,andalsotosendfeweathertoorrowforourwalk.ThenIwouldturnyselfoverontotheotherside,andthoughtsanddreaswouldbeejubledaaogetheruntilatstIsleptsoundlyandpeacefully,thoughwithafacewetwithtears.
Doafterlifethefreshnessandlight-heartedness,thehildhood’syears?Whatbettertiisthereourlivesthaheobestofvirtues—gaietyandaboundlessyearngforaffe—areoursoleobjectsofpursuit?
Wherenowareourardentprayers?Wherenowareourbestgifts—thepuretearsofeotionwhichaguardianangeldrieswithasileasheshedsuponlovelydreasofeffablechildishjoy?itbethatlifehasleftsuchheavytracesuponone’sheartthatthosetearsaasiesareforevervanished?itbethattherereastoonlytherelleofthe?
参考译文
快乐的，快乐的，不再回来的童年时代啊！怎能不让我热爱和珍视对你的回忆呢？这些回忆让我精神亢奋、心灵欢快，是我无限乐趣的源泉。
有时，我会回忆起流逝的岁月。那时跑不动了，我就在茶桌旁那把高背安乐椅上安逸地坐下来；夜深了，我早就喝光我杯里的牛奶，迷迷糊糊地合上眼睛，静坐在那儿聆听妈妈在同什么人说话，她的声音是那么婉转优美！那声音不停地在我的心灵深处**漾，让我想起那段美妙的时光。我用迷糊的睡眼渴望地看着妈妈的脸。忽然，妈妈的身影逐渐变小，她的面孔缩小成了一个小点。可是，我依然可以看到她，她笑眯眯地瞥了我一眼。不知什么缘故，我喜欢看见妈妈变得这么小的样子。我眨了眨双眼，她的样子变得和瞳人里的小孩儿一样大了。后来我被惊醒了，画面也不见了。我半眯着眼睛，举目四望，努力想使梦中的景象再现，却一点儿也想不起来了。我站起来，又马上惬意地躺回安乐椅上。
“你又睡着了，小尼古拉斯，”妈妈对我说，“你还是上楼去睡比较好。”
“我不想睡，妈妈，”我朦朦胧胧地念叨，我心里装的都是那些迷幻而幸福的梦想。还是小孩的我抵挡不住那浓浓的睡意，眼皮慢慢合了起来，刹那间就进入了沉沉的梦乡，直到最终被人唤醒。朦胧间，我觉得有人用手在轻轻地抚摩我，这种触摸的感觉告诉我，是妈妈的手。睡梦中的我情不自禁地握住那只手，把它牢牢地按在嘴唇上。所有的人都已经离开，客厅里只剩下一根燃烧的蜡烛。妈妈说，她要自己叫醒我。妈妈坐在我睡的那张椅子的扶手上，用她那温暖的手抚摸着我的头发，用我熟悉的、暖人的声音在我耳边说：“起来吧，我的乖宝贝，该去睡觉了。”