散文意象美的再现

第七节

散文意象美的再现

在散文翻译中译者要充分发挥译语的表达力，力求生动地再现原文的意象画面和思想情感内涵。龚光明在《翻译思维学》中认为，译语是“原语激发想象，并诉诸语言的结果，神思（艺术想象）具有突破时空限制、始终不离感性的特点，并受情感和语言两个因素的制约，因而，在理解和表达方面应控制好度的阀域，过犹不及，两者都是不可取的”。显象是“形象语言描述过程中的思维形式”，文学翻译是“以语言为工具来塑造形象，是间接显象的过程。表达是将脑内想象出来的再造意象显现为描述意向，输出脑外”，“真正的美文的翻译，要求译者运用简练的笔触，富于暗示性的、形象化的语言和意象，创造出一个既充满艺术生气又寄托深微、意余言外的意境，含蓄曲折地表现出作者纯真自然的情感和深沉高远的意绪，从而使译语读者体会到言有尽而意无穷的深意和美感”。刘宓庆在《现代翻译理论》中认为：“如果译者尽最大可能调动自己的主观能动性，使翻译的客观性得当抑制或克服，则翻译可能成为得心应手的脑力劳动。功到之日，理解中难词难句迎刃而解，表达时遣词造句顺理成章，词语呼之欲出；文思流畅，情态贴切。这时，译者不仅不感到方寸之地，步履难移，反而会觉得与作者息息相关，呼应相通，感物吟志，情怀与共。这个广阔的令人神往的天地就是所谓‘化境’。”着名散文翻译家刘士聪强调散文翻译要再现原文的意象美、意境美、神韵美、情感美、志趣美，他在《汉英·英汉美文翻译与鉴赏》中所收录的译文就富于诗情画意，韵味悠长。下面是英国作家德昆西的Dream和杨自伍的译文：

I thought that it was a Sunday morning in May；that it was Easter Sunday，and as yet very early in the morning． I was standing，as it seemed to me，at the door of my cottage． Right before me lay the very scene which could really be commanded from that situation，but exalted，as was usual，and solemnized by the power of dreams． There were the same mountains，and the same lovely valley at their feet；but the mountains were raised to more than Alpine height，and there was interspace far larger between them of savannahs and forest lawns；the hedges were rich with white roses；and no living creature was to be seen，excepting that in the green churchyard there were cattle tranquilly reposing upon the verdant graves，and particularly round about the grave of a child whom I had tenderly loved，just as I had really beheld them，a little before sunrise，in the same summer when that child died． I gazed upon the wellknown scene，and I said to myself，“It yet wants much of sunrise；and it is Easter Sunday，and that is the day on which they celebrate the firstfruits of Resurrection． I will walk abroad，old griefs shall be forgotten today；for the air is cool and still，and the hills are high，and stretch away to heaven；and the churchyard is as verdant as the forest lawns，and the forest lawns are as quiet as the churchyard；and with the dew I can wash the fever from my forehead；and then I shall be unhappy no longer．”I turned，as if to open my garden gate，and immediately I saw upon the left a scene far different；but which yet the power of dreams had reconciled into harmony． The scene was an oriental one；and there also it was Easter Sunday，and very early in the morning． And at a vast distance were visible，as a stain upon the horizon，the domes and cupolas of a great city - an image or faint abstraction，caught perhaps in childhood from some pictures of Jerusalem． And not a bowshot from me，upon a stone，shaded by Judean palms，there sat a woman；and I looked，and it was - Ann！She fixed her eyes upon me earnestly；and I said to her at length，“So，then，I have found you at last．”I waited，but she answered me not a word． Her face was the same as when I saw it last；the same，and yet，again，how different！Seventeen years ago，when the lamplight of mighty London fell upon her face，as for the last time I kissed her lips（lips，Ann，that to me were not polluted），her eyes were streaming with tears． The tears were no longer seen． Sometimes she seemed altered；yet again sometimes not altered；and hardly older． Her looks were tranquil，but with unusual solemnity of expression，and now I gazed upon her with some awe． Suddenly her countenance grew dim；and，turning to the mountains，I perceived vapors rolling between us：in a moment all had vanished；thick darkness came on；and in the twinkling of an eye I was far away from the mountains，and by lamplight in London，walking again with Ann - just as we had walked，when both children，eighteen years before，along the endless terraces of Oxford Street．

我想起来了，那是五月间一个礼拜天的清晨，那一天是复活节星期日，一大早天才蒙蒙亮。恍恍惚惚之中，我站在自家小屋的门口。就在我的面前展现出了那么一番景色，从我那个位置其实能够尽收眼底，可是由于梦幻的力量，它显得超凡出尘，一派肃穆气象。梦里的感觉往往如此。丛山依旧，山麓令人神往的幽谷依旧；不过群山挺然参天，高于阿尔卑斯峰，诸山相距空旷。丰草如茵，林地开阔，错落其间；树篱上的白玫瑰娟娟弥望；远近看不见任何生物，唯有苍翠的教堂庭院里，牛群静静地卧躺在那片郁郁葱葱的墓地歇息，好几头围绕着一个小孩的坟墓。我曾对她一腔柔情，那年夏天是在旭日东升的前一刻，那孩子死去了，我如同当年那样望着牛群。我又凝视起这片多么熟悉的景色，自言自语起来。“这里太需要朝阳了；今天是复活节星期日；大家要在这一天庆贺耶稣复活后刚结的果实。我要出去走走；往日的伤悲今天要忘掉才好；空气凉爽，纹丝不动，山冈高高的，绵延不绝，通向天堂；教堂庭院满目葱茏，宛如林中空地，林中空地寂静无声，宛如教堂庭院；还有，我可以用露水清洗额头上的炽热，然后我就再也不会闷闷不乐了。”我转过身来，好像要推开花园的大门，顿时我看到左边的景色大不一样；好在梦幻的力量已经把它和右边的景色调和起来了。这番景色大有东方情调；也是复活节星期日，一大早天才蒙蒙亮。眺望远方，城郭的圆顶尖塔依稀可见，宛若地平线上的一抹色斑——一个形象，或淡淡的抽象概念，也许是儿时从描绘耶路撒冷的什么画面上捕捉到的。离我不到一箭之遥，一块石头上，掩映在朱丽亚的棕榈树的浓荫之下，有位女子坐在那儿；我一眼望过去，原来是——安！

她把目光含情脉脉地投在我身上；我终于向她开口了：“这么说来，我总算找到你了。”我等待着：可是她一个字也不答理我。她的容颜一如我上回见到的模样，不过今非昔比了！那是十七年前，当时气势雄伟的伦敦城的灯光泻落在她的脸庞，我是最后一次吻着她的嘴唇（嘴唇，安，在我心目中是没有玷污过的），所以她的双眼泪水涟涟。现在再也看不到她的泪水了。时而她显得模样已变，时而又显得风采不减当年，并不见老。她面容安详，不过带着异常庄重的神色；我此刻不无敬畏地凝望着她，可是忽然间她的表情变得黯然了；然后，我转身面对群山，感觉到在两人之间雾霭滚滚降落；过了片刻，一切俱已消失；暝色四下，一片昏暗；霎时间，我远离群山。在绵延无际的牛津大街的灯光下，再一次和安漫步街头——就像十七年前我们漫步一样，那时我俩还是两小无猜。

杨自伍在《英国文化选本》中认为德昆西“曾对梦境进行心理分析，研究儿童经历化为梦中象征后与文学创作源泉的联系”，其散文“充满激情并将经历、书卷、梦境融为一体”。Dreams生动地描写了“我”的一次梦中经历，展现了奇特的梦中幻境，表达了“我”对已故情人的怀念，作品真挚感人，如诗如画。原作开头，“我”在恍惚之中进入梦乡，开始一场奇异的梦境游历，as it seemed to me暗示“我”所描绘的是虚幻的景象，exalted、solemnized描写梦中景象带给“我”的庄严肃穆的感受。杨译“恍恍惚惚之中”准确地表达了as it seemed to me的含义，“超凡出尘”、“肃穆气象”传达了梦中景象带给“我”的感受和体验。There were the same mountains，and the same lovely valley at their feet用两个same强调梦中景色让“我”感到十分熟悉和亲切，杨译“丛山依旧，山麓令人神往的幽谷依旧”用两个“依旧”强调了“我”的一种亲切感。but the mountains were raised to more than Alpine height，and there was interspace far larger between them of savannahs and forest lawns；the hedges were rich with white roses描写“我”梦境中的迷人景色。杨译“挺然参天”、“空旷”、“丰草如茵”、“林地开阔”、“错落其间”、“娟娟弥望”生动地再现了“我”梦境中那旖旎的自然风光。

“我”看见教堂庭院里一个小孩的坟墓，勾起了对往事的回忆，green verdant用绿色象征生命，与象征死亡的墓地形成强烈对比，“我”从静卧的牛群（cattle tranquilly reposing）联想到安卧在墓地里的小孩。杨译“苍翠、郁郁葱葱”与上文的“丰草如茵，林地开阔，错落其间”相照应，描写墓地周围草木葱茏；“一腔柔情”表达了“我”对那位已故小孩的深切怀念。“我”触景生情，思绪万千，不禁喃喃自语。西方文学对自然景色的描写往往带有浓厚的宗教色彩。原文中“我”梦中游历的时间背景是复活节星期日，是人们庆祝耶稣复活的节日。“我”看到小孩的坟墓内心悲伤，但又想从耶稣的复活中寻求精神的寄托和安慰。杨译用四字语（纹丝不动、绵延不绝、满目葱茏、寂静无声），富于文采，“教堂庭院满目葱茏，宛如林中空地，林中空地寂静无声，宛如教堂庭院”保留了the churchyard is as verdant as the forest lawns，and the forest lawns are as quiet as the churchyard的chiasmus（回文）手法，再现了原作语言节奏的回环美。原作的场景描写构思巧妙，“我”的梦中景象分为两幅画面：右边描写大自然的葱茏和墓地的寂静，左边展现“我”与已故女友重逢的场面。作者将女友昔日的容貌与现在的形象做了比较，事过境迁，往事如烟，女友的容颜在“我”眼里已变得模糊朦胧，飘忽不定（Sometimes she seemed altered；yet again sometimes not altered；and hardly older． Her looks were tranquil，but with unusual solemnity of expression，and now I gazed upon her with some awe． Suddenly her countenance grew dim）。“我”浮想联翩，迷离恍惚之中仿佛又回到了十七年前，与女友漫步在牛津街头。杨译“雾霭滚滚降落”、“暝色四下”、“一片昏暗”、“绵延无际”生动地再现了原文朦胧缥缈的氛围和意境，“两小无猜”传达了“我”对昔日女友的深切怀念。