安徒生童話:the Dumb Book一本不說話的書
the Dumb Book
by Hans Christian Andersen（1851）
IN the high-road which led through a wood stood a solitary farm-house； the road， in fact， ran right through its yard. The sun was shining and all the windows were open； within the house people were very busy. In the yard， in an arbour formed by lilac bushes in full bloom， stood an open coffin； thither they had carried a dead man， who was to be buried that very afternoon. Nobody shed a tear over him； his face was covered over with a white cloth， under his head they had placed a large thick book， the leaves of which consisted of folded sheets of blotting-paper， and withered flowers lay between them； it was the herbarium which he had gathered in various places and was to be buried with him， according to his own wish. Every one of the flowers in it was connected with some chapter of his life.
“Who is the dead man？” we asked.
“the old student，” was the reply. “They say that he was once an energetic young man， that he studied the dead languages， and sang and even composed many songs； then something had happened to him， and in consequence of this he gave himself up to drink， body and mind. When at last he had ruined his health， they brought him into the country， where someone paid for his board and residence. He was gentle as a child as long as the sullen mood did not come over him； but when it came he was fierce， became as strong as a giant， and ran about in the wood like a chased deer. But when we succeeded in bringing him home， and prevailed upon him to open the book with the dried-up plants in it， he would sometimes sit for a whole day looking at this or that plant， while frequently the tears rolled over his cheeks. God knows what was in his mind； but he requested us to put the book into his coffin， and now he lies there. In a little while the lid will be placed upon the coffin， and he will have sweet rest in the grave！”
the cloth which covered his face was lifted up； the dead man's face expressed peace—a sunbeam fell upon it. A swallow flew with the swiftness of an arrow into the arbour， turning in its flight， and twittered over the dead man's head.
What a strange feeling it is—surely we all know it—to look through old letters of our young days； a different life rises up out of the past， as it were， with all its hopes and sorrows. How many of the people with whom in those days we used to be on intimate terms appear to us as if dead， and yet they are still alive—only we have not thought of them for such a long time， whom we imagined we should retain in our memories for ever， and share every joy and sorrow with them.
the withered oak leaf in the book here recalled the friend， the schoolfellow， who was to be his friend for life. He fixed the leaf to the student's cap in the GREen wood， when they vowed eternal friendship. Where does he dwell now？ The leaf is kept， but the friendship does no longer exist. Here is a foreign hothouse plant， too tender for the gardens of the North. It is almost as if its leaves still smelt sweet！ She gave it to him out of her own garden—a nobleman's daughter.
Here is a water-lily that he had plucked himself， and watered with salt tears—a lily of sweet water. And here is a nettle： what may its leaves tell us？ What might he have thought when he plucked and kept it？ Here is a little snowdrop out of the solitary wood； here is an everGREen from the flower-pot at the tavern； and here is a simple blade of grass.
the lilac bends its fresh fragrant flowers over the dead man's head； the swallow passes again—“twit， twit；” now the men come with hammer and nails， the lid is placed over the dead man， while his head rests on the dumb book—so long cherished， now closed for ever！
在公路旁的一個樹林裏，有一個孤獨的農莊。人們沿着公路可以一直走進這農家的大院子裏去。太陽在這兒照着；所有的窗子都是開着的。房子裏面是一起忙碌的聲音；但在院子裏，在一個開滿了花的紫丁香組成的涼亭下，停着一口敞着的棺材。一個死人已經躺在裏面，這天上午就要入葬。棺材旁沒有守着任何一個悼念死者的人；沒有任何人對他流一滴眼淚。他的面孔是用一塊白布蓋着的，他的頭底下墊着一大本厚書。書頁是由一整張灰紙疊成的；每一頁上夾着一朵被忘記了的萎謝了的花。這是一本完整的植物標本，在許多不同的地方蒐集得來的。它要陪死者一起被埋葬掉，因爲這是他的遺囑。每朵花都聯繫到他生命的一章。“死者是誰呢？”我們問。回答是：“他是烏卜薩拉的一個老學生（註：烏卜薩拉是瑞典一個古老的大學。這兒常常有些學生，到老還沒有畢業。）。人們說：他曾經是一個活潑的年輕人；他懂得古代的文學，他會唱歌，他甚至還寫詩。但是由於他曾經遭遇到某種事故，他把他的思想和他的生命沉浸在燒酒裏。當他的健康最後也毀在酒裏的時候，他就搬到這個鄉下來。別人供給他膳宿。只要陰鬱的情緒不來襲擊他的時候，他是純潔得像一個孩子，因爲這時他就變得非常活潑，在森林裏跑來跑去，像一隻被追逐着的雄鹿。不過，只要我們把他喊回家來，讓他看看這本裝滿了幹植物的書，他就能坐一整天，一會兒看看這種植物，一會兒看看那種植物。有時他的眼淚就沿着他的臉滾下來：只有上帝知道他在想甚麼東西！但是他要求把這本書裝進他的棺材裏去。因此現在它就躺在那裏面。不一會兒棺材蓋子就會釘上，那麼他將在墳墓裏得到他的安息。”
他的面布揭開了。死人的面上露出一種和平的表情。一絲太陽光射在它上面。一隻燕子像箭似地飛進涼亭裏來，很快地掉轉身，在死人的頭上喃喃地叫了幾聲。
我們都知道，假如我們把我們年輕時代的舊信拿出來讀讀，我們會產生一種多麼奇怪的感覺啊！整個的一生和這生命中的希望和哀愁都會浮現出來。我們在那時來往很親密的一些人，現在該是有多少已經死去了啊！然而他們還是活着的，只不過我們長久沒有想到他們罷了。那時我們以爲永遠會跟他們親密地生活在一起，會跟他們一起共甘苦。
這書裏面有一起萎枯了的櫟樹葉子。它使這書的主人記起一個老朋友——一個老同學，一個終身的友伴。他在一個綠樹林裏面把這片葉子插在學生帽上，從那時其他們結爲“終身的”朋友。現在他住在甚麼地方呢？這片葉子被保存了下來，但是友情已經忘記了！
這兒有一棵異國的、在溫室裏培養出來的植物；對於北國的花園說來，它是太嬌嫩了；它的葉子似乎還保留着它的香氣。這是一位貴族花園裏的小姐把它摘下來送給他的。
這兒有一朵睡蓮。它是他親手摘下來的，並且用他的鹹眼淚把它潤溼過——這朵在甜水裏生長的睡蓮。
這兒有一根蕁麻——它的葉子說明甚麼呢？當他把它採下來和把它保存下來的時候，他心中在想些甚麼呢？
這兒有一朵幽居在森林裏的鈴蘭花；這兒有一朵從酒店的花盆裏摘下來的金銀花；這兒有一起尖尖的草葉！
開滿了花的紫丁香在死者的頭上輕輕垂下它新鮮的、芬芳的花簇。燕子又飛過去了。“唧唧！唧唧！”這時人們拿着釘子和錘子走來了。棺材蓋在死者身上蓋下了——他的頭在這本不說話的書上安息。埋葬了——遺忘了！
（1851年）
這是一首散文詩，收進安徒生於1851年出版的遊記《在瑞典》一書中，爲該書的第18章。這本“不說話的書”實際上說了許多話——說明了一個“老學生”的一生：“假如我們把我們年輕時代的舊信拿出來讀讀，我們會產生一種多麼奇怪的感覺啊！整個的一生和這生命中的希望和哀愁都會浮現出來。”正因爲那個“老學生”就要把保留着他“一生的希望和哀愁”的那本書裝進他的棺材裏去……那麼他將在墳墓裏得到他的安息。
