評論
打印
My Mother.
我的母親
Thursday, November 10th.
星期四，11月10號。
In the presence of your brother's teacher you failed in respect to your mother! Let this never happen again, my Enrico, never again! Your irreverent word pierced my heart like a point of steel. I thought of your mother when, years ago, she bent the whole of one night over your little bed, measuring your breathing, weeping blood in her anguish, and with her teeth chattering with terror, because she thought that she had lost you, and I feared that she would lose her reason; and at this thought I felt a sentiment of horror at you. You, to offend your mother! Your mother, who would give a year of happiness to spare you one hour of pain, who would beg for you, who would allow herself to be killed to save your life! Listen, Enrico. Fix this thought well in your mind. Reflect that you are destined to experience many terrible days in the course of your life: the most terrible will be that on which you lose your mother. A thousand times, Enrico, after you are a man, strong, and inured to all fates, you will invoke her, oppressed with an intense desire to hear her voice, if but for a moment, and to see once more her open arms, into which you can throw yourself sobbing, like a poor child bereft of comfort and protection.
安利柯！當你弟弟的先生來的時候，你對母親說了非常失禮的話了！像那樣的事，不要再有第二次?。∥衣犚娔隳窃?，心里苦得好像針刺！我記得，數年前你病的時候，你母親恐怕你病不會好，終夜坐在你床前，數你的脈搏，算你的呼吸，擔心得至于啜泣。我以為你母親要發瘋了，很是憂慮。一想到此，我對于你的將來，有點恐怖起來。你會對你這樣的母親說出那樣不該說的話！真是怪事！那是為要救你一時的痛苦不惜舍去自己一年間的快樂，為要救你生命不惜舍去自己生命的母親哩。安利柯??！你領記著！你在一生中，當然難免要嘗種種的艱苦，而其中最苦的一事，就是失了母親。你將來年紀大了，嘗遍了世人的辛苦，必然會幾千次地回憶你的母親來的。一分鐘也好，但求能再聽聽母親的聲音，只一次也好，但求再在母親的懷里作小兒樣的哭泣：這樣的時候必定會有的。
How you will then recall every bitterness that you have caused her, and with what remorse you will pay for all, unhappy wretch! You will beg her forgiveness, you will venerate her memory--in vain; conscience will give you no rest; that sweet and gentle image will always wear for you an expression of sadness and of reproach which will put your soul to torture. Oh, Enrico, beware; this is the most sacred of human affections; unhappy he who tramples it under foot. The assassin who respects his mother has still something honest and noble in his heart; the most glorious of men who grieves and offends her is but a vile creature. Never again let a harsh word issue from your lips, for the being who gave you life. And if one should ever escape you, let it not be the fear of your father, but let it be the impulse of your soul, which casts you at her feet, to beseech her that she will cancel from your brow, with the kiss of forgiveness, the stain of ingratitude. I love you, my son; you are the dearest hope of my life; but I would rather see you dead than ungrateful to your mother. Go away, for a little space; offer me no more of your caresses; I should not be able to return them from my heart.
那時，你憶起了對于亡母曾經給予種種苦痛的事來，不知要怎樣地流后悔之淚呢！這不是可悲的事嗎？你如果現在使母親痛心，你將終生受良心的責備吧！母親的優美慈愛的面影，將來在你眼里將成了悲痛的輕蔑的樣子，不絕地使你的靈魂苦痛吧！??！安利柯！須知道親手之愛是人間所有的感情中最神圣的東西。破壞這感情的人，實是世上最不幸的。人雖犯了殺人之罪，只要他是敬愛自己的母親的，其胸中還有美的貴的部分留著；無論如何有名的人，如果他是使母親哭泣、使母親苦痛的，那就真是可鄙可賤的人物。所以，對于親生的母親，不該再說無禮的話，萬一一時不注意，把話說錯了，你該自己從心里悔罪，投身于你母親的膝下，請求赦免的接吻，在你的額上拭去不孝的污痕。我原是愛著你，你在我原是最重要的珍寶。可是，你對于你母親如果不孝，我寧愿還是沒有了你好。不要再走近我！不要來抱我！我現在沒有心來擁抱你！
Thy Father.
父親。
