2024年05月03日 星期五
学院I was on the train to Rohana, and then a girl got on. The couple seeing her off were probably her parents, they seemed very anxious about her safety, and the woman gave the girl detailed instructions as to where to keep her things, when not to lean out of windows, and how to avoid speaking to strangers. 我 坐在前往罗哈那的火车上，随后上来了一个女孩子。送她的那对夫妇可能是她的父母，他们似乎对她的安全格外担忧，那位夫人详细地交代她应注意的事项，诸如东西该放哪，什么时候不要把身子探出窗外，以及如何避免与陌生人说话。
As I had become blind by then, I could not tell what the girl looked like. “Are you going all the way to Dehra Dun?” I asked her as the train pulled out of the station.
由于那时我的眼睛已经失明了，所以我无法得知女孩的模样。“你是一直坐到德哈拉顿么？”火车驶出车站时我问她。
I must have been sitting in a dark corner, because my voice startled her. She gave a little exclamation1, and said, “I didn't know anyone else was here.” 我肯定是一直坐在一个黑暗的角落里，因为我的声音吓她一跳。她发出一声轻呼，然后说：“我不知道这里有人。”
Well, it often happens that people with good eyesight fail to see what is right in front of them. They have too much to observe, I suppose.
唉，视力好的人常常看不到眼前的东西，我想是他们要看的东西太多了吧。
“I didn't see you either at first,” I said. “But I heard you come in.” I wondered if I would be able to prevent her from discovering that I couldn't see. I thought it shouldn't be too difficult.
“起先我也没看到你，”我说，“可我听到你进来了。”我寻思着能否别让她发现我是个盲人，我想这事儿应该不难。
“I'm getting down at Saharanpur,” the girl said. “My aunt is meeting me there. Where are you going?”
“我在撒拉兰普下车，”女孩说，“我阿姨会在那里接我。你是去哪？
“To Dehra Dun, and then to Mussoorie,” I replied.
“德哈拉顿，接着去穆所里。”我回答道。
“Oh, lucky you! I wish I were going to Mussoorie. I love the mountains. Especially in October.”
“哦，你真幸运！我真希望我到的也是穆所里，我喜欢那里的山，尤其是在十月份。”
“Yes, this is the best time.” I said, calling on my memories when I could see. “The hills are covered with wild dahlias2, the sun is delicious, and at night you can sit in front of a log fire and drink a little brandy.”
“是啊，这可是个黄金时间。”我边说边搜寻失明前（关于穆所里）的记忆。“满山遍野的野生大丽花，阳光明媚，夜晚你可以坐在篝火前小酌白兰地。”
She was silent. Then I made a mistake. “What is it like outside?” I asked. ”
她默不做声。这时我犯了个错。“外面看起来怎么样？”我问。
She seemed to find nothing strange in the question. Had she noticed already that I could not see? But her next question removed my doubts. “Why don't you look out of the window?” she asked quite naturally.
她似乎没听出我的问题有什么不对，她已经发现我是失明的了？但是她的下一个问题打消了我的疑虑。“你何不自己看下窗外？”她极其自然地问。
I moved easily along the berth and felt for the window ledge. The window was open and I faced it, making a pretense of studying the landscape. “Have you noticed,” I ventured, “that the trees seem to be moving while we seem to be standing still?”
我毫不费力地沿着座位摸索到了窗沿，窗户是开着的。我对着窗户，假装在欣赏风景。“你注意到了么？”我斗胆问道，“树似乎在移动，而我们仿佛还待在原地。”
“That always happens,” she said.
“通常都是这样的。”她说。
I turned to face the girl, and for a while we sat in silence. “You have an interesting face,” I commented. I was becoming quite daring, but it was a safe remark, few girls can resist flattery3.
我转过头来面对着女孩，两人沉默了一阵子。“你的脸很有个性，”我评论道，胆子是越来越大了，不过这句评论很安全，没有女孩子抗拒得了奉承的。
“You are very gallant4,” she said.
“你真会恭维人。”她说。
“We'll soon be at your station,” I said rather abruptly. As soon as she left the train, she would forget our brief encounter, but it would stay with me for the rest of the journey, and for some time after. “
你马上要到站了。”我冷不丁地说。她一下火车就会忘了我们短暂的邂逅，可这次邂逅会陪伴着我直到终点和旅行结束后的一段时间。
The engine's whistle shrieked5, the carriage wheels changed their sound and rhythm.
火车鸣响了汽笛，车轮改变了声音和节奏。
The girl got up to collect her things. The train drew slowly into the station. Outside, a high pitched female voice that must have belonged to the girl's aunt. “Goodbye,” said the girl.
女孩站起来开始收拾东西了。火车缓缓进站。外面一个女人的高嗓音传了过来，那一定是她的阿姨。“再见，”女孩说。
She was standing very close to me, so close that the perfume from her hair was tantalizing6. She moved away, and only the perfume still lingered where she had stood.
她站得离我很近，头发上的香气撩人心魄。她走了，只有那一股香味还缭绕在她待过的地方。
A man got into the compartment. Then the door banged shut, and the world was closed out again.
一个男子进了包厢，然后门重重地关上了，世界再次被隔开。
I returned to my seat, staring into daylight that was darkness for me.
我回到座位上，盯着对我来说是一片黑暗的白昼。
She was an interesting girl,” I said. “Can you tell me— did she keep her hair long or short?” “I don't remember,” he replied, sounding puzzled. “It was her eyes I noticed, not her hair. She had such beautiful eyes, but they were of no use to her—she was completely blind. Didn't you notice?”
“她真有意思，”我说，“你能不能告诉我，她的头发是长还是短？”“我不记得了，”他答道，声音听起来很困惑，“我注意的是她的眼睛，而不是头发。她有一双很美丽的眼，可是对她却毫无用处——她什么也看不见。难道你没注意到么？”
