勃朗宁《我的前公爵夫人》：凶手的自白书 My Last Duchess - Browning

My Last DuchessRobert BrowningThat’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands. Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said “Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance, But to myself they turned (since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, How such a glance came there; so, not the first Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not Her husband’s presence only, called that spot Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough For calling up that spot of joy. She had A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast, The dropping of the daylight in the West, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule She rode with round the terrace—all and each Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame This sort of trifling? Even had you skill In speech—which I have not—to make your will Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss, Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse— E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet The company below, then. I repeat, The Count your master’s known munificence Is ample warrant that no just pretense Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!我的前公爵夫人罗伯特.勃朗宁（飞白 译）墙上的这幅面是我的前公爵夫人，看起来就像她活着一样。如今,我称它为奇迹：潘道夫师的手经一日忙碌，从此她就在此站立。你愿坐下看看她吗？我有意提起潘道夫，因为外来的生客（例如你）凡是见了画中描绘的面容、那真挚的眼神的深邃和热情，没有一个不转向我（因为除我外再没有别人把画上的帘幕拉开），似乎想问我可是又不大敢问；是从哪儿来的——这样的眼神？你并非第一个人回头这样问我。先生，不仅仅是她丈夫的在座使公爵夫人面带欢容，可能潘道夫偶然说过：“夫人的披风盖住她的手腕太多，”或者说：“隐约的红晕向颈部渐渐隐没这绝非任何颜料所能复制。”这种无聊话，却被她当成好意，也足以唤起她的欢心。她那颗心——怎么说好呢？——要取悦容易得很，也太易感动。她看到什么都喜欢，而她的目光又偏爱到处观看。先生，她对什么都一样！她胸口上佩戴的我的赠品，或落日的余光；过分殷勤的傻子在园中攀折给她的一枝樱桃，或她骑着绕行花圃的白骡——所有这一切都会使她同样地赞羡不绝，或至少泛起红晕。她感激人．好的！但她的感激（我说不上怎么搞的）仿佛把我赐她的九百年的门第与任何人的赠品并列。谁愿意屈尊去谴责这种轻浮举止？即使你有口才（我却没有）能把你的意志给这样的人儿充分说明：“你这点或那点令我讨厌。这儿你差得远而那儿你超越了界限。”即使她肯听你这样训诫她而毫不争论，毫不为自己辩解，——我也觉得这会有失身份，所以我选绝不屈尊。哦，先生，她总是在微笑，每逢我走过；但是谁人走过得不到同样慷慨的微笑？发展至此，我下了令：于是一切微笑都从此制止。她站在那儿，像活着一样。请你起身客人们在楼下等。我再重复一声：你的主人——伯爵先生闻名的大方足以充分保证：我对嫁妆提出任何合理要求都不会遭拒绝；当然．如我开头声明的，他美貌的小姐才是我追求的目标。别客气，让咱们一同下楼吧。但请看这海神尼普顿在驯服海马，这是件珍贵的收藏，是克劳斯为我特制的青铜铸像。［Colette有话说］这是一首谋杀者的自白。罗伯特·勃朗宁（Robert Browning，1812－1889），英国诗人、剧作家，主要作品有《戏剧抒情诗》(Dramatic Lyrics)，《环与书》(The Ring and the Book)，诗剧《巴拉塞尔士》(Paracelsus)。他的夫人伊丽莎白·布朗宁，又称勃朗宁夫人，也是英国维多利亚时代受人尊敬的诗人之一。《我的前公爵夫人》作于1842年，是勃朗宁早期戏剧独白诗的佳作之一。戏剧独白诗（Dramatic Monologue）的说话者所面对的不是读者，而是剧中人，这样一首诗宛如一篇小说，不明确交代场景，但是读者能够从字里行间体察出特定的情境，读出一个非常鲜活的人像。这首诗中的独白者是一位意大利文艺复兴时期的公爵。他预备再度结婚，对象是一位伯爵小姐，伯爵先生派来使者谈判婚事。公爵领着使者参观他的艺术收藏，中间有他已故夫人的画像。本诗就是公爵在画像前对伯爵使者谈论他对前妻的不满。读到最后我们才会发现，因为前妻不愿做他循规蹈矩的所有物，公爵大概是把她除掉了。诗歌用“英雄排偶句”（heroic couplet）写成，十分口语化，这个看似彬彬有礼、实则冷酷无情的公爵性格非常鲜明。BGM：恰空-巴赫

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