第5章 BINGEN ON THE RHINE 莱茵河畔的宾根
A soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers;
There was lack of woman's nursing, there was dearth of woman's tears;
But a comrade stood beside him, while his life-blood ebbed away,
And bent, with pitying glances, to hear what he might say.
The dying soldier faltered, as he took that comrade's hand,
And he said: “I never more shall see my own, my native land:
Take a message and a token to some distant friends of mine;
For I was born at Bingen — at Bingen on the Rhine.
“Tell my brothers and companions, when they meet and crowd around,
To hear my mournful story, in the pleasant vineyard ground,
That we fought the battle bravely; and when the day was done,
Full many a corse lay ghastly pale beneath the setting sun.
And amidst the dead and dying were some grown old in wars —
The death-wound on their gallant breasts, the last of many scars;
But some were young, and suddenly beheld life's morn decline;
And one had come from Bingen — fair Bingen on the Rhine.
“Tell my mother that her other sons shall comfort her old age,
And I was aye a truant bird, that thought his home a cage;
For my father was a soldier, and, even as a child,
My heart leaped forth to hear him tell of struggles fierce and wild;
And when he died, and left us to divide his scanty hoard,
I let them take whate'er they would, but kept my father's sword;
And with boyish love I hung it where the bright light used to shine,
On the cottage-wall at Bingen — calm Bingen on the Rhine!
Tell my sister not to weep for me, and sob with drooping head,
When the troops are marching home again, with glad and gallant tread;
But to look upon them proudly, with a calm and steadfast eye,
For her brother was a soldier too, and not afraid to die.
And if a comrade seek her love, then ask her in my name
To listen to him kindly, without regret or shame;
And to hang the old sword in its place (my father's sword and mine),
For the honour of old Bingen — dear Bingen on the Rhine!
“There's another — not a sister: in the happy days gone by,
You'd have known her by the merriment that sparkled in her eye;
Too innocent for coquetry — too fond for idle scorning! —
O friend, I fear the lightest heart makes sometimes heaviest mourning!
Tell her the last night of my life (for ere this moon be risen
My body will be out of pain — my soul be out of prison
I dreamed I stood with her, and saw the yellow sunlight shine
On the vine-clad hills of Bingen — fair Bingen on the Rhine
“I saw the blue Rhine sweep along; I heard, or seemed to hear,
The German songs we used to sing in chorus sweet and clear;
And down the pleasant river, and up the slanting hill,
That echoing chorus sounded, through the evening calm and still;
And her glad blue eyes were on me, as we passed with friendly talk
Pown many a path beloved of yore, and well-remembered walk;
And her little hand lay lightly, confidingly in mine; —
But we'll meet no more at Bingen — loved Bingen on the Rhine!”
His voice grew faint and hoarser; his grasp was childish weak;
His eyes put on a dying look; he sighed, and ceased to speak:
His comrade bent to lift him, but the spark of life had fled;
The soldier of the Legion in a foreign laud — was dead!
And the soft moon rose up slowly, and calmly she looked down
On the red sand of the battle-field, with bloody corses strown;
Yea, calmly on that dreadful scene her pale light seemed to shine,
As it shone on distant Bingen — fair Bingen on the Rhine!
—Caroline Norton.
Words
comfort,soothe.
comrade,companion.
confidingly,trustfully.
coquetry,flirtation.
decline,fall away.
faltered,trembled.
foreign,distant.
merriment,happiness.
mournful,sad.
scanty,meager.
steadfast,unwavering.
truant,wandering.
军团中一名战士在阿尔及尔奄奄一息，
没有女性的护理，也没有女人为他流下眼泪；
当他的生命迹象在衰退，只有一名战友站在他身旁，
他俯下身，怜惜地凝望，听他说话。
奄奄一息的战士颤抖着，握住战友的手，
他说：“我再也见不到我自己的祖国，
请向我远方的朋友们带去我的讯息，
因为我出生在宾根——莱茵河畔的宾根。”
告诉我的兄弟和同伴，当他们聚于一处，
在欢愉的葡萄园中，聆听我哀伤的过往；
我们勇猛地战斗，日子就这样过去，
众多尸体沉寂在落日之下。
在已死与将死的人们之中，一些人在战争中老去，
他们身上的最后一处伤痕，是死亡刻在他们勇敢的胸膛；
另一些人如此年轻，但在生命的黎明时分凋零，
其中一人便来自于宾根——莱茵河畔美丽的宾根。
告诉我的母亲，我的兄弟们会代替我照顾年迈的她，
我就像一支逃脱牢笼的小鸟；
父亲是名军人，当我还是个孩子，
我的心沉浸于他讲的故事里，那些激烈的战斗；
当他去世，让我们兄弟分割他的所剩积蓄，
他们拿走了其他所有，但我留下了父亲的剑；
怀着少年的情怀，我将它挂在曾熠熠生辉的高墙，
在那宾根的茅舍里的高墙——莱茵河畔安详的宾根！
“告诉我的姐妹不要为我哭泣，也不要垂下头呜咽，
当部队再次踏着欢愉的步伐来到我们的家乡；
她只要骄傲地望着他们，用平静、坚定的眼神，
因为他的兄弟也是一名战士，对于死亡毫不畏惧；
若一名士官追求她，并向她追问起我的姓名，
让她认真倾听，不要悲伤或者羞愧；
让她将父亲与我共有的那柄剑挂在原处，
为了宾根的荣耀——莱茵河畔的宾根！
还有另外一个重要的人，但并非也是我的姐妹，
在那些逝去的日子里，你会看到她眼睛里欢快的光亮；
她如此单纯乐观，不会卖弄风情，也不会蔑视懒惰！
朋友，我真害怕些许沉重的哀伤会伤害她的心灵！
告诉她在我生命的最后一天，在月亮升起之前，
我的身躯再也不会感受到疼痛，我的灵魂再不会受到羁绊。
我梦想着站在她的身旁，看着金黄的阳光，
照耀在宾根藤蔓覆盖的山上——莱茵河畔的美丽宾根。
我看到蔚蓝的莱茵河流淌着，我听到了，似乎能够听到，
我们过去愉快地合唱着德国之歌，如此悦耳清晰；
沿着欢愉的河流，在倾斜的山顶，
歌声在这里回荡，回荡在静谧的夜里；
她幽兰色的眼睛愉快地望着我，友好的交谈就这样过去，
我们过去爱在一条幽径漫步，每一次都让我难以忘记；
她的小手轻轻地放在我的手里，饱含着对我的信任；
然而我们将不会重逢在宾根——莱茵河畔我挚爱的宾根。
他的声音逐渐微弱、沙哑，他抓住同伴的手也开始变得无力，
他的眼神涣散着死亡的无神，他叹息着，不再说话；
战友俯下身子去扶他，但他的生命之光却在逐渐消退；
这个年轻的战士死在了他乡！
温柔的月亮缓缓升起，平静地照耀着大地，
照亮了战场血红的地面，这里布满了战士们的血肉之躯；
他苍白的目光变得平静，洒在这片死亡之地，
如它照耀在遥远的宾根——莱茵河畔美丽的宾根！
——卡洛琳·诺顿