Chapter 64

On the slope of the desolate¹ river among tall grasses I asked her, ‘Maiden, where do you go shading your lamp with your mantle²? My house is all dark and lonesome---lend me your light!’ she raised her dark eyes for a moment and looked at my face through the dusk. ‘I have come to the river,’ she said, ‘to float my lamp on the stream when the daylight wanes³ in the west.’ I stood alone among tall grasses and watched the timid flame of her lamp uselessly drifting in the tide.
 
In the silence of gathering⁴ night I asked her, ‘Maiden, your lights are all lit---then where do you go with your lamp? My house is all dark and lonesome---lend me your light.’ She raised her dark eyes on my face and stood for a moment doubtful. ‘I have come,’ she said at last, ‘to dedicate my lamp to the sky.’ I stood and watched her light uselessly burning in the void.
 
In the moonless gloom of midnight I ask her, ‘Maiden, what is your quest, holding the lamp near your heart? My house is all dark and lonesome---lend me your light.’ She stopped for a minute and thought and gazed at my face in the dark. ‘I have brought my light,’ she said, ‘to join the carnival⁵ of lamps.’ I stood and watched her little lamp uselessly lost among lights.
 
在荒凉的河岸上，深草丛中，我问她：“姑娘，你用披纱遮着灯，要到哪里去呢？我的房子黑暗寂寞――把你的灯借给我用罢！”她抬起乌黑的眼睛，从暮色中看了我一会。“我到河边来。”她说，“要在太阳西下的时候，把我的灯飘浮到水上去。”我独立在深草中看着她的灯的微弱的火光，无用地在潮水上飘流。
 
在薄暮的寂静中，我问她：“你的灯火都已点上了――那麽你拿着这灯到哪里去呢？我的房子黑暗寂寞――把你的灯借给我罢。”她抬起乌黑的眼睛望着我的脸，站着沉吟了一会。最后她说：“我来是要把我的灯献给上天。”我站着看她的灯光在天空无用的燃点着。
 
在无月的夜半朦胧之中，我问她：“姑娘，你作什么把灯抱在心前呢？我的房子黑暗寂寞――把你的灯借给我罢。”她站住沉思了一会，在黑暗中注视着我的脸。她说：“我是带着我的灯，来参加灯会的。”我站着看着她的灯，无用地消失在众光之中。

1 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

2 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

3 wanes   

v.衰落( wane的第三人称单数 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• The moon waxes till it becomes full, and then wanes. 月亮渐盈，直到正圆，然后消亏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The moon waxes and wanes every month. 月亮每个月都有圆缺。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 carnival   

n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演

参考例句：

• I got some good shots of the carnival.我有几个狂欢节的精彩镜头。
• Our street puts on a carnival every year.我们街的居民每年举行一次嘉年华会。