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CHAPTER 42. I SLEEP THE SLEEP
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 When I woke, the ground was moist about me, and my track to the grave was growing a quicksand. In its ancient course the river was swelling1, and had begun to shove at its burden. Soon it would be roaring down the precipice3, and, divided in its fall, rushing with one branch to resubmerge the orchard4 valley, with the other to drown perhaps the monster horde5, and between them to isle6 the Evil Wood. I set out at once on my return to those who sent me.
 
When I came to the precipice, I took my way betwixt the branches, for I would pass again by the cottage of Mara, lest she should have returned: I longed to see her once more ere I went to sleep; and now I knew where to cross the channels, even if the river should have overtaken me and filled them. But when I reached it, the door stood open still; the bread and the water were still on the table; and deep silence was within and around it. I stopped and called aloud at the door, but no voice replied, and I went my way.
 
A little farther, I came where sat a grayheaded man on the sand, weeping.
 
“What ails7 you, sir?” I asked. “Are you forsaken8?”
 
“I weep,” he answered, “because they will not let me die. I have been to the house of death, and its mistress, notwithstanding my years, refuses me. Intercede9 for me, sir, if you know her, I pray you.”
 
“Nay, sir,” I replied, “that I cannot; for she refuses none whom it is lawful10 for her to receive.”
 
“How know you this of her? You have never sought death! you are much too young to desire it!”
 
“I fear your words may indicate that, were you young again, neither would you desire it.”
 
“Indeed, young sir, I would not! and certain I am that you cannot.”
 
“I may not be old enough to desire to die, but I am young enough to desire to live indeed! Therefore I go now to learn if she will at length take me in. You wish to die because you do not care to live: she will not open her door to you, for no one can die who does not long to live.”
 
“It ill becomes your youth to mock a friendless old man. Pray, cease your riddles11!”
 
“Did not then the Mother tell you something of the same sort?”
 
“In truth I believe she did; but I gave little heed12 to her excuses.”
 
“Ah, then, sir,” I rejoined, “it is but too plain you have not yet learned to die, and I am heartily13 grieved for you. Such had I too been but for the Lady of Sorrow. I am indeed young, but I have wept many tears; pardon me, therefore, if I presume to offer counsel:—Go to the Lady of Sorrow, and ‘take with both hands’ * what she will give you. Yonder lies her cottage. She is not in it now, but her door stands open, and there is bread and water on her table. Go in; sit down; eat of the bread; drink of the water; and wait there until she appear. Then ask counsel of her, for she is true, and her wisdom is great.”
 
He fell to weeping afresh, and I left him weeping. What I said, I fear he did not heed. But Mara would find him!
 
The sun was down, and the moon unrisen, when I reached the abode14 of the monsters, but it was still as a stone till I passed over. Then I heard a noise of many waters, and a great cry behind me, but I did not turn my head.
 
Ere I reached the house of death, the cold was bitter and the darkness dense15; and the cold and the darkness were one, and entered into my bones together. But the candle of Eve, shining from the window, guided me, and kept both frost and murk from my heart.
 
The door stood open, and the cottage lay empty. I sat down disconsolate16.
 
And as I sat, there grew in me such a sense of loneliness as never yet in my wanderings had I felt. Thousands were near me, not one was with me! True, it was I who was dead, not they; but, whether by their life or by my death, we were divided! They were alive, but I was not dead enough even to know them alive: doubt WOULD come. They were, at best, far from me, and helpers I had none to lay me beside them!
 
Never before had I known, or truly imagined desolation! In vain I took myself to task, saying the solitude17 was but a seeming: I was awake, and they slept—that was all! it was only that they lay so still and did not speak! they were with me now, and soon, soon I should be with them!
 
I dropped Adam’s old spade, and the dull sound of its fall on the clay floor seemed reverberated18 from the chamber19 beyond: a childish terror seized me; I sat and stared at the coffin-door.—But father Adam, mother Eve, sister Mara would soon come to me, and then—welcome the cold world and the white neighbours! I forgot my fears, lived a little, and loved my dead.
 
Something did move in the chamber of the dead! There came from it what was LIKE a dim, far-off sound, yet was not what I knew as sound. My soul sprang into my ears. Was it a mere20 thrill of the dead air, too slight to be heard, but quivering in every spiritual sense? I KNEW without hearing, without feeling it!
 
The something was coming! it drew nearer! In the bosom21 of my desertion awoke an infant hope. The noiseless thrill reached the coffin-door—became sound, and smote22 on my ear.
 
The door began to move—with a low, soft creaking of its hinges. It was opening! I ceased to listen, and stared expectant.
 
It opened a little way, and a face came into the opening. It was Lona’s. Its eyes were closed, but the face itself was upon me, and seemed to see me. It was white as Eve’s, white as Mara’s, but did not shine like their faces. She spoke23, and her voice was like a sleepy night-wind in the grass.
 
“Are you coming, king?” it said. “I cannot rest until you are with me, gliding24 down the river to the great sea, and the beautiful dream-land. The sleepiness is full of lovely things: come and see them.”
 
“Ah, my darling!” I cried. “Had I but known!—I thought you were dead!”
 
She lay on my bosom—cold as ice frozen to marble. She threw her arms, so white, feebly about me, and sighed—
 
“Carry me back to my bed, king. I want to sleep.”
 
I bore her to the death-chamber, holding her tight lest she should dissolve out of my arms. Unaware25 that I saw, I carried her straight to her couch.
 
“Lay me down,” she said, “and cover me from the warm air; it hurts—a little. Your bed is there, next to mine. I shall see you when I wake.”
 
She was already asleep. I threw myself on my couch—blessed as never was man on the eve of his wedding.
 
“Come, sweet cold,” I said, “and still my heart speedily.”
 
But there came instead a glimmer26 of light in the chamber, and I saw the face of Adam approaching. He had not the candle, yet I saw him. At the side of Lona’s couch, he looked down on her with a questioning smile, and then greeted me across it.
 
“We have been to the top of the hill to hear the waters on their way,” he said. “They will be in the den2 of the monsters to-night.—But why did you not await our return?”
 
“My child could not sleep,” I answered.
 
“She is fast asleep!” he rejoined.
 
“Yes, now!” I said; “but she was awake when I laid her down.”
 
“She was asleep all the time!” he insisted. “She was perhaps dreaming about you—and came to you?”
 
“She did.”
 
“And did you not see that her eyes were closed?”
 
“Now I think of it, I did.”
 
“If you had looked ere you laid her down, you would have seen her asleep on the couch.”
 
“That would have been terrible!”
 
“You would only have found that she was no longer in your arms.”
 
“That would have been worse!”
 
“It is, perhaps, to think of; but to see it would not have troubled you.”
 
“Dear father,” I said, “how is it that I am not sleepy? I thought I should go to sleep like the Little Ones the moment I laid my head down!”
 
“Your hour is not quite come. You must have food ere you sleep.”
 
“Ah, I ought not to have lain down without your leave, for I cannot sleep without your help! I will get up at once!”
 
But I found my own weight more than I could move.
 
“There is no need: we will serve you here,” he answered. “—You do not feel cold, do you?”
 
“Not too cold to lie still, but perhaps too cold to eat!”
 
He came to the side of my couch, bent27 over me, and breathed on my heart. At once I was warm.
 
As he left me, I heard a voice, and knew it was the Mother’s. She was singing, and her song was sweet and soft and low, and I thought she sat by my bed in the dark; but ere it ceased, her song soared aloft, and seemed to come from the throat of a woman-angel, high above all the region of larks28, higher than man had ever yet lifted up his heart. I heard every word she sang, but could keep only this:—
 
     “Many a wrong, and its curing song;
        Many a road, and many an inn;
      Room to roam, but only one home
        For all the world to win!”
 
and I thought I had heard the song before.
 
Then the three came to my couch together, bringing me bread and wine, and I sat up to partake of it. Adam stood on one side of me, Eve and Mara on the other.
 
“You are good indeed, father Adam, mother Eve, sister Mara,” I said, “to receive me! In my soul I am ashamed and sorry!”
 
“We knew you would come again!” answered Eve.
 
“How could you know it?” I returned.
 
“Because here was I, born to look after my brothers and sisters!” answered Mara with a smile.
 
“Every creature must one night yield himself and lie down,” answered Adam: “he was made for liberty, and must not be left a slave!”
 
“It will be late, I fear, ere all have lain down!” I said.
 
“There is no early or late here,” he rejoined. “For him the true time then first begins who lays himself down. Men are not coming home fast; women are coming faster. A desert, wide and dreary29, parts him who lies down to die from him who lies down to live. The former may well make haste, but here is no haste.”
 
“To our eyes,” said Eve, “you were coming all the time: we knew Mara would find you, and you must come!”
 
“How long is it since my father lay down?” I asked.
 
“I have told you that years are of no consequence in this house,” answered Adam; “we do not heed them. Your father will wake when his morning comes. Your mother, next to whom you are lying,——”
 
“Ah, then, it IS my mother!” I exclaimed.
 
“Yes—she with the wounded hand,” he assented30; “—she will be up and away long ere your morning is ripe.”
 
“I am sorry.”
 
“Rather be glad.”
 
“It must be a sight for God Himself to see such a woman come awake!”
 
“It is indeed a sight for God, a sight that makes her Maker31 glad! He sees of the travail32 of His soul, and is satisfied!—Look at her once more, and sleep.”
 
He let the rays of his candle fall on her beautiful face.
 
“She looks much younger!” I said.
 
“She IS much younger,” he replied. “Even Lilith already begins to look younger!”
 
I lay down, blissfully drowsy33.
 
“But when you see your mother again,” he continued, “you will not at first know her. She will go on steadily34 growing younger until she reaches the perfection of her womanhood—a splendour beyond foresight35. Then she will open her eyes, behold36 on one side her husband, on the other her son—and rise and leave them to go to a father and a brother more to her than they.”
 
I heard as one in a dream. I was very cold, but already the cold caused me no suffering. I felt them put on me the white garment of the dead. Then I forgot everything. The night about me was pale with sleeping faces, but I was asleep also, nor knew that I slept.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 swelling OUzzd     
n.肿胀
参考例句:
  • Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
  • There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。
2 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室
参考例句:
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
3 precipice NuNyW     
n.悬崖,危急的处境
参考例句:
  • The hut hung half over the edge of the precipice.那间小屋有一半悬在峭壁边上。
  • A slight carelessness on this precipice could cost a man his life.在这悬崖上稍一疏忽就会使人丧生。
4 orchard UJzxu     
n.果园,果园里的全部果树,(美俚)棒球场
参考例句:
  • My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
  • Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。
5 horde 9dLzL     
n.群众,一大群
参考例句:
  • A horde of children ran over the office building.一大群孩子在办公大楼里到处奔跑。
  • Two women were quarrelling on the street,surrounded by horde of people.有两个妇人在街上争吵,被一大群人围住了。
6 isle fatze     
n.小岛,岛
参考例句:
  • He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
  • The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。
7 ails c1d673fb92864db40e1d98aae003f6db     
v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 );感到不舒服;处境困难;境况不佳
参考例句:
  • He will not concede what anything ails his business. 他不允许任何事情来干扰他的工作。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Measles ails the little girl. 麻疹折磨着这个小女孩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 Forsaken Forsaken     
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词
参考例句:
  • He was forsaken by his friends. 他被朋友们背弃了。
  • He has forsaken his wife and children. 他遗弃了他的妻子和孩子。
9 intercede q5Zx7     
vi.仲裁,说情
参考例句:
  • He was quickly snubbed when he tried to intercede.当他试着说情时很快被制止了。
  • At a time like that there has to be a third party to intercede.这时候要有个第三者出来斡旋。
10 lawful ipKzCt     
adj.法律许可的,守法的,合法的
参考例句:
  • It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
  • We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。
11 riddles 77f3ceed32609b0d80430e545f553e31     
n.谜(语)( riddle的名词复数 );猜不透的难题,难解之谜
参考例句:
  • Few riddles collected from oral tradition, however, have all six parts. 但是据收集的情况看,口头流传的谜语很少具有这完整的六部分。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
  • But first, you'd better see if you can answer riddles. 但是你首先最好想想你会不会猜谜语。 来自辞典例句
12 heed ldQzi     
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心
参考例句:
  • You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
  • For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。
13 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
14 abode hIby0     
n.住处,住所
参考例句:
  • It was ten months before my father discovered his abode.父亲花了十个月的功夫,才好不容易打听到他的住处。
  • Welcome to our humble abode!欢迎光临寒舍!
15 dense aONzX     
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
参考例句:
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
16 disconsolate OuOxR     
adj.忧郁的,不快的
参考例句:
  • He looked so disconsolate that It'scared her.他看上去情绪很坏,吓了她一跳。
  • At the dress rehearsal she was disconsolate.彩排时她闷闷不乐。
17 solitude xF9yw     
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句:
  • People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
  • They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。
18 reverberated 3a97b3efd3d8e644bcdffd01038c6cdb     
回响,回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 ); 使反响,使回荡,使反射
参考例句:
  • Her voice reverberated around the hall. 她的声音在大厅里回荡。
  • The roar of guns reverberated in the valley. 炮声响彻山谷。
19 chamber wnky9     
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所
参考例句:
  • For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
  • The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
20 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
21 bosom Lt9zW     
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的
参考例句:
  • She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
  • A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。
22 smote 61dce682dfcdd485f0f1155ed6e7dbcc     
v.猛打,重击,打击( smite的过去式 )
参考例句:
  • Figuratively, he could not kiss the hand that smote him. 打个比方说,他是不能认敌为友。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • \"Whom Pearl smote down and uprooted, most unmercifully.\" 珠儿会毫不留情地将这些\"儿童\"踩倒,再连根拔起。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
23 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
24 gliding gliding     
v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的
参考例句:
  • Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
  • The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。
25 unaware Pl6w0     
a.不知道的,未意识到的
参考例句:
  • They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
  • I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。
26 glimmer 5gTxU     
v.发出闪烁的微光;n.微光,微弱的闪光
参考例句:
  • I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她,感到了一线希望。
  • A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。
27 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
28 larks 05e5fd42fbbb0fa8ae0d9a20b6f3efe1     
n.百灵科鸟(尤指云雀)( lark的名词复数 );一大早就起床;鸡鸣即起;(因太费力而不想干时说)算了v.百灵科鸟(尤指云雀)( lark的第三人称单数 );一大早就起床;鸡鸣即起;(因太费力而不想干时说)算了
参考例句:
  • Maybe if she heard the larks sing she'd write. 玛丽听到云雀的歌声也许会写信的。 来自名作英译部分
  • But sure there are no larks in big cities. 可大城市里哪有云雀呢。” 来自名作英译部分
29 dreary sk1z6     
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的
参考例句:
  • They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
  • She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。
30 assented 4cee1313bb256a1f69bcc83867e78727     
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
  • "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对,”汤姆表示赞同地说,“他们不杀女人——真伟大!
31 maker DALxN     
n.制造者,制造商
参考例句:
  • He is a trouble maker,You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼,你不要跟他在一起。
  • A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
32 travail ZqhyZ     
n.阵痛;努力
参考例句:
  • Mothers know the travail of giving birth to a child.母亲们了解分娩时的痛苦。
  • He gained the medal through his painful travail.他通过艰辛的努力获得了奖牌。
33 drowsy DkYz3     
adj.昏昏欲睡的,令人发困的
参考例句:
  • Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉,还引起了头疼。
  • I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。
34 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
35 foresight Wi3xm     
n.先见之明,深谋远虑
参考例句:
  • The failure is the result of our lack of foresight.这次失败是由于我们缺乏远虑而造成的。
  • It required a statesman's foresight and sagacity to make the decision.作出这个决定需要政治家的远见卓识。
36 behold jQKy9     
v.看,注视,看到
参考例句:
  • The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
  • The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。


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