第 8 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2024-12-13 14:16      字数:9322
  whatever we are commanded; or we should be a disgrace to the
  army; and very little deserve our pay。〃  〃You are brave fellows
  indeed;〃 said Minos; 〃but be pleased to face about; and obey my
  command for once; in returning back to the other world:  for what
  should such fellows as you do where there are no cities to be
  burned; nor people to be destroyed? But let me advise you to have
  a stricter regard to truth for the future; and not call the
  depopulating other countries the service of your own。〃  The
  captain answered; in a rage; 〃Dn me! do you give me the lie?〃
  and was going to take Minos by the nose had not his guards
  prevented him; and immediately turned him and all his followers
  back the same road they came。
  Four spirits informed the judge that they had been starved to
  death through povertybeing the father; mother; and two
  children; that they had been honest and as industrious as
  possible; till sickness had prevented the man from labor。  〃All
  that is very true;〃 cried a grave spirit who stood by。  〃I know
  the fact; for these poor people were under my cure。〃  〃You was; I
  suppose; the parson of the parish;〃 cries Minos; 〃I hope you had
  a good living; sir。〃  〃That was but a small one;〃 replied the
  spirit; 〃but I had another a little better。〃〃Very well;〃 said
  Minos; 〃let the poor people pass。〃 At which the parson was
  stepping forwards with a stately gait before them; but Minos
  caught hold of him and pulled him back; saying; 〃Not so fast;
  doctoryou must take one step more into the other world first;
  for no man enters that gate without charity。〃  A very stately
  figure now presented himself; and; informing Minos he was a
  patriot; began a very florid harangue on public virtue and the
  liberties of his country。  Upon which Minos showed him the utmost
  respect; and ordered the gate to be opened。  The patriot was not
  contented with this applause; he said he had behaved as well in
  place as he had done in the opposition; and that; though he was
  now obliged to embrace the court measures; yet he had behaved
  very honestly to his friends; and brought as many in as was
  possible。  〃Hold a moment;〃 says Minos:  〃on second
  consideration; Mr。 Patriot; I think a man of your great virtue
  and abilities will be so much missed by your country; that; if I
  might advise you; you should take a journey back again。  I am
  sure you will not decline it; for I am certain you will; with
  great readiness; sacrifice your own happiness to the public
  good。〃  The patriot smiled; and told Minos he believed he was in
  jest; and was offering to enter the gate; but the judge laid fast
  hold of him and insisted on his return; which the patriot still
  declining; he at last ordered his guards to seize him and conduct
  him back。
  A spirit now advanced; and the gate was immediately thrown open
  to him before he had spoken a word。  I heard some whisper; 〃That
  is our last lord mayor。〃
  It now came to our company's turn。  The fair spirit which I
  mentioned with so much applause in the beginning of my journey
  passed through very easily; but the grave lady was rejected on
  her first appearance; Minos declaring there was not a single
  prude in Elysium。
  The judge then addressed himself to me; who little expected to
  pass this fiery trial。  I confessed I had indulged myself very
  freely with wine and women in my youth; but had never done an
  injury to any man living; nor avoided an opportunity of doing
  good; that I pretended to very little virtue more than general
  philanthrophy and private friendship。  I was proceeding; when
  Minos bade me enter the gate; and not indulge myself with
  trumpeting forth my virtues。  I accordingly passed forward with
  my lovely companion; and; embracing her with vast eagerness; but
  spiritual innocence; she returned my embrace in the same manner;
  and we both congratulated ourselves on our arrival in this happy
  region; whose beauty no painting of the imagination can describe。
  CHAPTER VIII
  The adventures which the author met on his first entrance into
  Elysium。
  We pursued our way through a delicious grove of orange…trees;
  where I saw infinite numbers of spirits; every one of whom I
  knew; and was known by them (for spirits here know one another by
  intuition)。  I presently met a little daughter whom I had lost
  several years before。  Good gods! what words can describe the
  raptures; the melting passionate tenderness; with which we kissed
  each other; continuing in our embrace; with the most ecstatic
  joy; a space which; if time had been measured here as on earth;
  could not be less than half a year。
  The first spirit with whom I entered into discourse was the
  famous Leonidas of Sparta。  I acquainted him with the honors
  which had been done him by a celebrated poet of our nation; to
  which he answered he was very much obliged to him。  We were
  presently afterwards entertained with the most delicious voice I
  had ever heard; accompanied by a violin; equal to Signior
  Piantinida。  I presently discovered the musician and songster to
  be Orpheus and Sappho。
  Old Homer was present at this concert (if I may so call it); and
  Madam Dacier sat in his lap。  He asked much after Mr。 Pope; and
  said he was very desirous of seeing him; for that he had read his
  Iliad in his translation with almost as much delight as he
  believed he had given others in the original。  I had the
  curiosity to inquire whether he had really writ that poem in
  detached pieces; and sung it about as ballads all over Greece;
  according to the report which went of him。  He smiled at my
  question; and asked me whether there appeared any connection in
  the poem; for if there did he thought I might answer myself。  I
  then importuned him to acquaint me in which of the cities which
  contended for the honor of his birth he was really born?  To
  which he answered; 〃Upon my soul I can't tell。〃
  Virgil then came up to me; with Mr。 Addison under his arm。
  〃Well; sir;〃 said he; 〃how many translations have these few last
  years produced of my Aeneid?〃  I told him I believed several; but
  I could not possibly remember; for that I had never read any but
  Dr。 Trapp's。  〃Ay;〃 said he; 〃that is a curious piece indeed!〃  I
  then acquainted him with the discovery made by Mr。 Warburton of
  the Elusinian mysteries couched in his sixth book。  〃What
  mysteries?〃 said Mr。 Addison。  〃The Elusinian;〃 answered Virgil;
  〃which I have disclosed in my sixth book。〃  〃How!〃 replied
  Addison。  〃You never mentioned a word of any such mysteries to me
  in all our acquaintance。〃  〃I thought it was unnecessary;〃 cried
  the other; 〃to a man of your infinite learning:  besides; you
  always told me you perfectly understood my meaning。〃  Upon this I
  thought the critic looked a little out of countenance; and turned
  aside to a very merry spirit; one Dick Steele; who embraced him;
  and told him he had been the greatest man upon earth; that he
  readily resigned up all the merit of his own works to him。  Upon
  which Addison gave him a gracious smile; and; clapping him on the
  back with much solemnity; cried out; 〃Well said; Dick!〃
  I then observed Shakespeare standing between Betterton and Booth;
  and deciding a difference between those two great actors
  concerning the placing an accent in one of his lines:  this was
  disputed on both sides with a warmth which surprised me in
  Elysium; till I discovered by intuition that every soul retained
  its principal characteristic; being; indeed; its very essence。
  The line was that celebrated one in Othello
  PUT OUT THE LIGHT; AND THEN PUT OUT THE LIGHT。  according to
  Betterton。  Mr。 Booth contended to have it thus:
  Put out the light; and then put out THE light。  I could not help
  offering my conjecture on this occasion; and suggested it might
  perhaps be
  Put out the light; and then put out THY light。  Another hinted a
  reading very sophisticated in my opinion
  Put out the light; and then put out THEE; light; making
  light to be the vocative case。  Another would have altered the
  last word; and read
  PUT OUT THY LIGHT; AND THEN PUT OUT THY SIGHT。  But
  Betterton said; if the text was to be disturbed; he saw no reason
  why a word might not be changed as well as a letter; and; instead
  of 〃put out thy light;〃 you may read 〃put out thy eyes。〃  At last
  it was agreed on all sides to refer the matter to the decision of
  Shakespeare himself; who delivered his sentiments as follows:
  〃Faith; gentlemen; it is so long since I wrote the line; I have
  forgot my meaning。  This I know; could I have dreamed so much
  nonsense would have been talked and writ about it; I would have
  blotted it out of my works; for I am sure; if any of these be my
  meaning; it doth me very little honor。〃
  He was then interrogated concerning some other ambiguous passages
  in his works; but he declined any satisfactory answer; saying; if
  Mr。 Theobald had not writ about it sufficiently; there were three
  or four more new editions of his plays c