海伦·凯勒自传《我的生活》第21期

　　第十章

　　Just before the Perkins Institution closed for the summer, it was arranged that my teacher and I should spend our vacation at Brewster, on Cape Cod, with our dear friend, Mrs. Hopkins. I was delighted, for my mind was full of the prospective joys and of the wonderful stories I had heard about the sea.

　　临近帕金斯学院放暑假时，我和老师打算去科德角的布鲁斯特度假，一起同行的还有我们亲密的朋友霍普金斯夫人。我很兴奋，因为我满脑子里想的都是快乐的旅程和关于大海的神奇故事。

　　My most vivid recollection of that summer is the ocean. I had always lived far inland and had never had so much as a whiff of salt air; but I had read in a big book called "Our World" adescription of the ocean which filled me with wonder and an intense longing to touch themighty sea and feel it roar. So my little heart leaped high with eager excitement when I knew that my wish was at last to be realized.

　　我对那个夏天的最生动的记忆就是海洋。我一直生活在内陆，从来没有如此近距离地呼吸过带咸味的空气。但是我曾读到过一本厚厚的，叫做《我们的世界》的书，书中对于海洋的描述令我产生了十分迫切的冲动，我渴望能触摸到雄浑的大海，领略到巨浪的咆哮。我知道我的愿望终于要实现了，我那颗小小的心脏激动得怦怦直跳。

　　No sooner had I been helped into my bathing-suit than I sprang out upon the warm sand and without thought of fear plunged into the cool water. I felt the great billows rock and sink. Thebuoyant motion of the water filled me with an exquisite, quivering joy. Suddenly my ecstasygave place to terror; for my foot struck against a rock and the next instant there was a rush of water over my head. I thrust out my hands to grasp some support, I clutched at the water and at the seaweed which the waves tossed in my face. But all my frantic efforts were in vain. The waves seemed to be playing a game with me, and tossed me from one to another in their wild frolic. It was fearful! The good, firm earth had slipped from my feet, and everything seemed shut out from this strange, all-enveloping element--life, air, warmth and love. At last, however, the sea, as ifweary of its new toy, threw me back on the shore, and in another instant I was clasped in my teacher’s arms. Oh, the comfort of the long, tender embrace! As soon as I had recovered from my panic sufficiently to say anything, I demanded: "Who put salt in the water?"

　　刚换好游泳衣，我就冲向了温暖的沙滩，根本顾不得考虑海浪是大是小了。我触摸到了巨大的如浪涛般起伏的岩石，还有石头上的水洼。在起伏的海水中漂流，我高兴得浑身颤抖。但是紧接着，我的喜悦就变成了恐惧。我的脚撞到了一块岩石，随后，一股水流又涌上了我的头顶。我伸出手想抓住某个能支撑的东西，可我只是抓到了随波逐流的海草。疯狂的努力是徒劳的，海浪似乎在同我玩一出游戏。在*的戏耍当中，它把我随意地抛来抛去。这真是太可怕了!舒适、坚实的陆地从我脚下溜走了，所有的一切——生命、空气、关怀和友爱——似乎都被这种异样的自然环境挡在了外面。终于，大海似乎对它的新玩具感到了厌倦，于是又把我抛回到岸上。接着，我就被老师紧紧地搂住了。哦!这个持久、温柔的拥抱是多么舒服啊!一从恐慌中恢复过来，我就提出了请求：“谁能从海水里捞出盐来?”