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双语·老屋子 第十七章

所属教程:译林版·老屋子

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2022年06月12日

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Chapter 17

At that time, Finn made a friend whom he had not chosen or wanted for himself, but whom Cordt gave him in his anxiety, because he thought he could never get any one better.

His name was Hans and they had known each other since they were children. He was a year older than Finn, not quite so tall, but more powerfully developed, with bright hair and eyes and disposition.

His father was a little man who sat among the people in the counting-house, where his father had sat before him. He and his little wife had no luck in life save their son. But at times they trembled for his future, because his ideas were so pronounced and took so wide a range.

For, even as he was taller than his father, so he would not be content with his measure in anything.

Above all, he did not want to sit in the offce, but to go out in the world, big as it was. And, from the time when he was a little boy, he believed that it was bigger than they told him.

Now that he had grown up and become conscious of his need and his powers and could not get anywhere, he went fearlessly to the master of the house and told him how the matter stood.

Cordt liked him and wanted to keep him for his house, but soon saw that he had nothing that could tempt him. He asked him what hewould like to be; and it appeared that Hans wanted to be an engineer.

Cordt looked at him and thought that his glance could blast rocks.

Then he promised his assistance and remained sitting in deep thought, while Hans went down the stairs singing.

Time passed. He advanced along his road and both he and the others could see that he was fully keeping pace with his dreams. Cordt did not lose sight of him and was pleased when he called. But Fru Adelheid did not like him, because he talked so loud and had such a heavy tread.

One evening, Cordt stood in Hans' room and talked to him as he had never talked to any one:

“I am your father's employer,”he said,“and my father was your grandfather's. My son will never be yours. For you mean to make your own way and be your own master. You would have done that even if no one had lent you a helping hand. That is true. But then you would have become bitter, perhaps, and distrustful and narrow-minded in the use of your strength. From this I delivered you. To-day, I come to ask for a return.”

Hans had taken the hand which he put out to him and stood ill at ease, without understanding. And Cordt sat down wearily and sat long without speaking further.

At last, he woke from his thoughts and looked at the young man, who could not interpret his glance, but was moved by it:

“I do not wish that you were my son,”he said.“I have a son and he is a good lad and I love him. He has not your strength of character, but then he does not need it. His path was smoothed and shaded from the day when he was born and grew up. But he can giveyou many things which you have not.”

He listened to his own words, to the way in which they kept on shaping themselves into an apology for Finn, a prayer for forbearance towards him. He suffered at this; and Hans, who saw his distress, felt, without understanding, that something important and tragic was taking place in this great house, where he and his had earned their living.

“Will you try if you can be his friend?”

Hans was quite willing.

Cordt looked at him and gauged his strength. He looked round in the little low-ceilinged room which contained nothing but what served Hans in his work. He looked out of the window, where the roofs intersected one another, dirty and grey against the sky: smoke rose from hundreds of chimneys, the noise of the courtyard and the street filled the room, the window was broken and pasted up with paper.

Then he again turned his eyes to the man who sat amidst these mean surroundings and grew up strong. And Cordt knew that he was not standing here as his benefactor and his father's employer, who was opening his rich house to him. He stood here as one who could beg and nothing more.

“You know you used to play together as children,”he said.

And, when he had said that, he was overcome with emotion, because he remembered that Finn had never played. Hans thought the same thing, but could not fnd the words that should be spoken on this occasion and the silence became heavy and painful to both of them.

To say something at all costs, Hans asked if Finn was ill.

Then Cordt understood that Hans must long since have pronounced his judgment on the pale, silent heir of the house and that the judgment could not be good.

He rose, tired of seeking for guarded phrases. He laid his hands on Hans' shoulders and looked at him in such a way that Hans never forgot it:

“Do you be David,”he said.“Come to us with your harp. And come of your own accord and come when we send for you.”

第十七章

那时,芬交了一个朋友,然而,这朋友不是他自己选择的,而是处在焦虑中的科特给他安排的,因为在科特看来,芬自己交不到更好的朋友了。

他的名字叫汉斯,他和芬从小就认识。汉斯比芬大一岁,没有芬高,但更强壮,金黄色的头发,明亮的眼睛,性格也非常活泼。

汉斯的父亲是个小个子男人,在账房里做最普通的工作。他和他的妻子生活中没什么运气可言,除了他们的儿子。但有时,他们也为汉斯的未来担心,因为汉斯的想法很明显而且很广泛。

虽然汉斯已经长得比他父亲高,但他对自己的各个方面都很不满意。

首先,他不想坐在办公室里,而是想去外面的世界闯闯。从他还是小男孩的时候起,他就确信,外面的世界要比别人口中的大很多。

现在汉斯已长大成人,对自己的需求和能力非常了解,但却哪里都不能去,于是他勇敢地找到房子的主人,跟科特说了说事情的情况。

科特很喜欢汉斯,希望留他在家里做事,但科特很快发现,没什么工作能引起汉斯的兴趣。科特问汉斯,他将来想成为什么样的人。汉斯说他想成为一名工程师。

科特看着他,心里不禁感叹,汉斯的眼神足以炸裂岩石。

科特答应会帮助汉斯,但当汉斯唱着歌儿走下楼梯时,科特却仍旧陷在自己的沉思里。

时间流逝。汉斯一直坚持自己的梦想,他和其他所有人都明白,汉斯正有条不紊地为梦想奋斗。科特一直都在注意汉斯,当汉斯再次拜访时,科特显得很高兴。但阿德尔海德不喜欢汉斯,因为汉斯说话聒噪,走起路来脚步沉重。

一天晚上,科特站在汉斯的屋子里,用一种前所未有的方式跟汉斯聊天,“我是你父亲的老板,我父亲是你祖父的老板。我儿子则永远不会成为你的老板。因为你决意要走自己的路,成为你自己的老板。即便没有人帮助你,你也会那么做。没错。但你可能会变得愤世嫉俗,在使用你的才华力量时变得疑心重重,心胸狭窄。我把你从这一切中解救出来,给你帮助。现在,我希望你能回报我。”

汉斯握住科特向他伸出的手,不舒服地站着,没有理解科特的意思。科特疲惫地坐下来,很久没有说话。

最终,科特从他的沉思中回过神来,看着眼前这个无法洞晓他的年轻人,科特被那眼神感动,“我并不希望你是我的儿子,我有一个儿子,他是个好孩子,我很爱他。他没有你的意志力,但他也不需要。他的未来平坦无比。他可以给你很多你没有的东西。”

科特听着自己说的话,这些话不断变成对芬的道歉,祈祷芬的原谅。科特痛苦不已,而汉斯,看到了他的难过,以为这大房子里发生了可怕的事情。

“你能试着成为芬的朋友吗?”

汉斯非常愿意。

科特看着汉斯,估量着他的力量。科特环视了汉斯那狭小的、屋顶很低的房间,除了汉斯工作需要的工具就别无他物。他望向窗外,蓝天下一片脏兮兮的灰色屋顶交织交错,成百上千的烟囱里炊烟袅袅,院子和街道上的噪音填满了这间屋子,窗户的玻璃已碎,用纸糊着。

然后,他看着坐在这样嘈杂环境中强壮的汉斯。科特知道,站在这里的他,绝不是扮演汉斯的慈善家或是他父亲的老板的角色,对汉斯打开自家富有的门。站在这里的科特,仅仅是一位恳求者。

“你知道你们小的时候曾一起玩耍。”

当科特说完这句,他竟激动起来,因为他想起,芬从来没有玩过什么。汉斯也想着同样的事情,但在这种情况下却不知道该说什么。此刻,沉默对于两人而言变得沉重而煎熬。

为了打破沉默,汉斯问道,芬是不是生病了。

科特立刻明白,汉斯一定很久没有注意到这位脸色苍白、生性沉默的房子的继承人了。

科特站了起来,厌烦了谨慎地回答。他搭着汉斯的肩膀,看着汉斯,那眼神让汉斯一辈子都不会忘记,“请你作为大卫(1),带着你的竖琴来我们身边,当你自己愿意的时候,或者当我们请你的时候。”

————————————————————

(1) 《圣经》中,大卫被神称为“合我心意的人”。

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