BENEATHANUMBRELLA
ByNathanielHawthorne
Pleasantisarainywinter'sday,withindoors!Thebeststudyforsuchaday,orthebestamusement,-callitwhichyouwill,-isabookoftravels,describingscenesthemostunlikethatsombreone,whichismistilypresentedthroughthewindows.Ihaveexperienced,thatfancyisthenmostsuccessfulinimpartingdistinctshapesandvividcolorstotheobjectswhichtheauthorhasspreaduponhispage,andthathiswordsbecomemagicspellstosummonupathousandvariedpictures.Strangelandscapesglimmerthroughthefamiliarwallsoftheroom,andoutlandishfiguresthrustthemselvesalmostwithinthesacredprecinctsofthehearth.Smallasmychamberis,ithasspaceenoughtocontaintheocean-likecircumferenceofanArabiandesert,itsparchedsandstrackedbythelonglineofacaravan,withthecamelspatientlyjourneyingthroughtheheavysunshine.Thoughmyceilingbenotlofty,yetIcanpileupthemountainsofCentralAsiabeneathit,tilltheirsummitsshinefarabovethecloudsofthemiddleatmosphere.And,withmyhumblemeans,awealththatisnottaxable,IcantransporthitherthemagnificentmerchandiseofanOrientalbazaar,andcallacrowdofpurchasersfromdistantcountries,topayafairprofitforthepreciousarticleswhicharedisplayedonallsides.Trueitis,however,thatamidthebustleoftraffic,orwhateverelsemayseemtobegoingonaroundme,therain-dropswilloccasionallybeheardtopatteragainstmywindow-panes,whichlookforthupononeofthequieteststreetsinaNewEnglandtown.Afteratime,too,thevisionsvanish,andwillnotappearagainatmybidding.Then,itbeingnightfall,agloomysenseofunrealitydepressesmyspirits,andimpelsmetoventureout,beforetheclockshallstrikebedtime,tosatisfymyselfthattheworldisnotentirelymadeupofsuchshadowymaterials,ashavebusiedmethroughouttheday.Adreamermaydwellsolongamongfantasies,thatthethingswithouthimwillseemasunrealasthosewithin.
Whenevehasfairlysetin,therefore,Isallyforth,tightlybuttoningmyshaggyovercoat,andhoistingmyumbrella,thesilkendomeofwhichimmediatelyresoundswiththeheavydrummingoftheinvisiblerain-drops.Pausingonthelowestdoorstep,IcontrastthewarmthandcheerfulnessofmydesertedfiresidewiththedrearobscurityandchilldiscomfortintowhichIamabouttoplunge.Nowcomefearfulauguries,innumerableasthedropsofrain.Didnotmymanhoodcryshameuponme,Ishouldturnbackwithindoors,resumemyelbow-chair,myslippers,andmybook,passsuchaneveningofsluggishenjoymentasthedayhasbeen,andgotobedinglorious.Thesameshiveringreluctance,nodoubt,hasquelled,foramoment,theadventurousspiritofmanyatraveller,whenhisfeet,whichweredestinedtomeasuretheeartharound,wereleavingtheirlasttracksinthehome-paths.
Inmyowncase,poorhumannaturemaybeallowedafewmisgivings.Ilookupward,anddiscernnosky,notevenanunfathomablevoid,butonlyablack,impenetrablenothingness,asthoughheavenandallitslightswereblottedfromthesystemoftheuniverse.Itisasifnatureweredead,andtheworldhadputonblack,andthecloudswereweepingforher.Withtheirtearsuponmycheek,Iturnmyeyesearthward,butfindlittleconsolationherebelow.Alampisburningdimlyatthedistantcorner,andthrowsjustenoughoflightalongthestreet,toshow,andexaggeratebysofaintlyshowing,theperilsanddifficultieswhichbesetmypath.Yonderdingilywhiteremnantofahugesnow-bank,-whichwillyetcumberthesidewalktillthelatterdaysofMarch,-overorthroughthatwintrywasteImuststrideonward.Beyond,liesacertainSloughofDespond,aconcoctionofmudandliquidfilth,ankle-deep,leg-deep,neck-deep,-inaword,ofunknownbottom,onwhichthelamplightdoesnotevenglimmer,butwhichIhaveoccasionallywatched,inthegradualgrowthofitshorrors,frommorntillnightfall.ShouldIflounderintoitsdepths,farewelltoupperearth!Andhark!howroughlyresoundstheroaringofastream,theturbulentcareerofwhichispartiallyreddenedbythegleam
ofthelamp,butelsewherebrawlsnoisilythroughthedensestgloom.O,shouldIbesweptawayinfordingthatimpetuousanduncleantorrent,thecoronerwillhaveajobwithanunfortunategentleman,whowouldfainendhistroublesanywherebutinamud-puddle!
Pshaw!Iwilllingernotanotherinstantatarm'slengthfromthesedimterrors,whichgrowmoreobscurelyformidable,thelongerIdelaytograpplewiththem.Nowfortheonset!Andto!withlittledamage,saveadashofraininthefaceandbreast,asplashofmudhighupthepantaloons,andtheleftbootfullofice-coldwater,beholdmeatthecornerofthestreet.Thelampthrowsdownacircleofredlightaroundme;andtwinklingonwardfromcornertocorner,Idiscernotherbeaconsmarshallingmywaytoabrighterscene.Butthisisalonesomeanddrearyspot.Thetalledificesbidgloomydefiancetothestorm,withtheirblindsallclosed,evenasamanwinkswhenhefacesaspatteringgust.Howloudlytinklesthecollectedraindownthetinspouts!Thepuffsofwindareboisterous,andseemtoassailmefromvariousquartersatonce.Ihaveoftenobservedthatthiscornerisahauntandloitering-placeforthosewindswhichhavenoworktodouponthedeep,dashingshipsagainstouriron-boundshores;norintheforest,tearingupthesylvangiantswithhalfaroodofsoilattheirvastroots.Heretheyamusethemselveswithlesserfreaksofmischief.See,atthismoment,howtheyassailyonderpoorwoman,whoispassingjustwithinthevergeofthelamplight!Oneblaststrugglesforherumbrella,andturnsitwrongsideoutward;anotherwhisksthecapeofhercloakacrosshereyes;whileathirdtakesmostunwarrantablelibertieswiththelowerpartofherattire.Happily,thegooddameisnogossamer,butafigureofrotundityandfleshlysubstance;elsewouldtheseaerialtormentorswhirlheraloft,likeawitchuponabroomstick,andsetherdown,doubtless,inthefilthiestkennelhereabout.
FromhenceItreaduponfirmpavementsintothecentreofthetown.Herethereisalmostasbrilliantanilluminationaswhensomegreatvictoryhasbeenwon,eitheronthebattle-fieldoratthepolls.Tworowsofshops,with
windowsdownnearlytotheground,castaglowfromsidetoside,whiletheblacknighthangsoverheadlikeacanopy,andthuskeepsthesplendorfromdiffusingitselfaway.Thewetsidewalksgleamwithabroadsheetofredlight.Therain-dropsglitter,asiftheskywerepouringdownrubies.Thespoutsgushwithfire.Methinksthesceneisanemblemofthedeceptiveglare,whichmortalsthrowaroundtheirfootstepsinthemoralworld,thusbedazzlingthemselves,tilltheyforgettheimpenetrableobscuritythathemsthemin,andthatcanbedispelledonlybyradiancefromabove.Andafterall,itisacheerlessscene,andcheerlessarethewanderersinit.Herecomesonewhohassolongbeenfamiliarwithtempestuousweatherthathetakestheblusterofthestormforafriendlygreeting,asifitshouldsay,\fareye,brother?\Heisaretiredsea-captain,wrappedinsomenamelessgarmentofthepea-jacketorder,andisnowlayinghiscoursetowardstheMarineInsuranceOffice,theretospinyarnsofgaleandshipwreck,withacrewofoldseadogslikehimself.Theblastwillputinitswordamongtheirhoarsevoices,andbeunderstoodbyallofthem.NextImeetanunhappyslipshodgentleman,withacloakflunghastilyoverhisshoulders,runningaracewithboisterouswinds,andstrivingtoglidebetweenthedropsofrain.Somedomesticemergencyorotherhasblownthismiserablemanfromhiswarmfiresideinquestofadoctor!Seethatlittlevagabond,-howcarelesslyhehastakenhisstandrightunderneathaspout,whilestaringatsomeobjectofcuriosityinashop-window!Surelytherainishisnativeelement;hemusthavefallenwithitfromtheclouds,asfrogsaresupposedtodo.
Hereisapicture,andaprettyone.Ayoungmanandagirl,bothenvelopedincloaks,andhuddledunderneaththescantyprotectionofacottonumbrella.Shewearsrubberovershoes;butheisinhisdancing-pumps;andtheyareontheirway,nodoubt,tosoniccotillon-party,orsubscription-ballatadollarahead,refreshmentsincluded.Thustheystruggleagainstthegloomytempest,luredonwardbyavisionoffestalsplendor.But,ah!amostlamentabledisaster.Bewilderedbythered,blue,andyellowmeteors,inanapothecary'
swindow,theyhavesteppeduponaslipperyremnantofice,andareprecipitatedintoaconfluenceofswollenfloods,atthecorneroftwostreets.Lucklesslovers!Wereitmynaturetobeotherthanalooker-oninlife,Iwouldattemptyourrescue.Sincethatmaynotbe,Ivow,shouldyoubedrowned,toweavesuchapatheticstoryofyourfate,asshallcallforthtearstodrownyoubothanew.Doyetouchbottom,myyoungfriends?Yes;theyemergelikeawater-nymphandariverdeity,andpaddlehandinhandoutofthedepthsofthedarkpool.Theyhurryhomeward,dripping,disconsolate,abashed,butwithlovetoowarmtobechilledbythecoldwater.Theyhavestoodatestwhichprovestoostrongformany.Faithful,thoughoverheadandearsintrouble!
OnwardIgo,derivingasympatheticjoyorsorrowfromthevariedaspectofmortalaffairs,evenasmyfigurecatchesagleamfromthelightedwindows,orisblackenedbyanintervalofdarkness.Notthatmineisaltogetherachameleonspirit,withnohueofitsown.NowIpassintoamoreretiredstreet,wherethedwellingsofwealthandpovertyareintermingled,presentingarangeofstronglycontrastedpictures.Here,too,maybefoundthegoldenmean.ThroughyondercasementIdiscernafamilycircle,-thegrandmother,theparents,andthechildren,-allflickering,shadow-like,intheglowofawood-fire.Bluster,fierceblast,andbeat,thouwintryrain,againstthewindow-panes!Yecannotdamptheenjoymentofthatfireside.Surelymyfateishard,thatIshouldbewanderinghomelesshere,takingtomybosomnight,andstorm,andsolitude,insteadofwifeandchildren.Peace,murmurer!Doubtnotthatdarkerguestsaresittingroundthehearth,thoughthewarmblazehidesallbutblissfulimages.Well;hereisstillabrighterscene.Astatelymansion,illuminatedforaball,withcut-glasschandeliersandalabasterlampsineveryroom,andsunnylandscapeshangingroundthewalls.See!acoachhasstopped,whenceemergesaslenderbeauty,who,canopiedbytwoumbrellas,glideswithintheportal,andvanishesamidlightsomethrillsofmusic.Willsheeverfeelthenight-windandtherain?Perhaps,-perhaps!AndwillDeathandSorr
中学必读经典英文短篇小说《Beneath an umbrella》赏析
