LESSON 34

THE SOLDIER’S REST

士兵的休息

Sir Walter Scott, 1771-1832, the great Scotch poet and novelist, was born in Edinburgh. Being a feeble child, he was sent to reside on his grandfather’s estate in the south of Scotland. Here he spent several years, and gained much knowledge of the traditions of border warfare, as well as of the tales and ballads pertaining to it. He was also a great reader of romances in his youth. In 1779 he returned to Edinburgh, and became a pupil in the high school. Four years later, he entered the university; but, in neither school nor college, was he distinguished for scholarship. In 1797 he was admitted to the practice of law,—a profession which he soon forsook for literature. His first poems appeared in 1802. The “Lay of the Last Minstrel” was published in 1805, “Marmion” in 1808, and “The Lady of the Lake” in 1810. Several poems of less power followed. In 1814 “Waverley,” his first novel, made its appearance, but the author was unknown for some time. Numerous other novels followed with great rapidity, the author reaping a rich harvest both in fame and money. In 1811 he purchased an estate near the Tweed, to which he gave the name of Abbotsford. In enlarging his estate and building a costly house, he spent vast sums of money. This, together with the failure of his publishers in 1826, involved him very heavily in debt. But he set to work with almost superhuman effort to pay his debts by the labors of his pen. In about four years, he had paid more than $300,000; but the effort was too much for his strength, and hastened his death.

In person, Scott was tall, and apparently robust, except a slight lameness with which he was affected from childhood. He was kindly in disposition, hospitable in manner, fond of outdoor pursuits and of animals, especially dogs. He wrote with astonishing rapidity, and always in the early morning. At his death, he left two sons and two daughters. A magnificent monument to his memory has been erected in the city of his birth. The following selection is from “The Lady of the Lake.”

Soldier, rest! thy warfare o’er,
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking;
Dream of battlefields no more,
Days of danger, nights of waking.
In our isle’s enchanted hall,
Hands unseen thy couch are strewing,
Fairy strains of music fall,
Every sense in slumber dewing.
Soldier, rest! thy warfare o’er,
Dream of battlefields no more;
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking,
Morn of toil, nor night of waking.
No rude sound shall reach thine ear,
Armor’s clang, or war steed champing,
Trump nor pibroch summon here
Mustering clan, or squadron tramping.
Yet the lark’s shrill fife may come,
At the daybreak from the fallow,
And the bittern sound his drum,
Booming from the sedgy shallow.
Ruder sounds shall none be near,
Guards nor warders challenge here,
Here’s no war steed’s neigh and champing,
Shouting clans or squadrons stamping.
Huntsman, rest! thy chase is done;
While our slumb’rous spells assail ye,
Dream not, with the rising sun,
Bugles here shall sound reveille.
Sleep! the deer is in his den;
Sleep! thy hounds are by thee lying;
Sleep! nor dream in yonder glen,
How thy gallant steed lay dying.
Huntsman, rest; thy chase is done,
Think not of the rising sun,
For at dawning to assail ye,
Here no bugle sounds reveille.

【中文阅读】

士兵，躺下休息吧！战争已经结束，
没有打扰地美美睡上一觉；
战场上的噩梦不再，
危险的白天，行军的夜晚，
在我们岛上那被施了魔法的大厅里，
你用看不见的手，
将华美的乐段，
洒向梦乡的露珠中每一种感觉。
士兵，躺下休息吧！战争已经结束，
战场上的噩梦不再，
没有打扰地美美睡上一觉，
劳作的清晨，行军的夜晚都不再，
没有狂暴的声音传到你耳畔，
连同铠甲铮铮，战马咀嚼声，
号角和风笛声也绝响了
亦不复检阅或者军队沉重的脚步声。
然而，百灵鸟尖厉的鸣声会不期而至，
就在休耕地的拂晓。
麻鸦的叫声刺透了他的耳鼓，
隆隆声就来自莎草茂密的地洼。
更狂暴的声音就在附近，
卫兵还有守卫也奈何不得，
这里没有战马的嘶鸣和咀嚼声，
也没有众人高呼或者军队沉重的脚步声。
猎人，躺下休息吧！打猎已经结束；
当我们催人欲眠的咒语困扰你时，
不要在太阳升起时就进入梦乡，
这里吹响起床的号角。
睡吧！鹿还在窝里呢；
睡吧！你的猎犬就躺在你身旁；
睡吧！不要在那边的幽谷里入梦，
你那匹雄壮的马惬意地在地上躺着。
猎人，躺下休息吧；打猎已经结束，
不要老想着升起的太阳，
拂晓时分会令你困扰，
这里没有起床的号角。