Chapter 68

Thy sunbeam comes upon this earth of mine with arms outstretched and stands at my door the livelong day to carry back to thy feet clouds made of my tears and sighs and songs.
 
With fond delight thou wrappest about thy starry¹ breast that mantle² of misty³ cloud, turning it into numberless shapes and folds and colouring it with hues⁴ everchanging.
 
It is so light and so fleeting⁵, tender and tearful and dark, that is why thou lovest it, O thou spotless and serene⁶. And that is why it may cover thy awful white light with its pathetic shadows.
 
你的阳光射到我的地上，整天地伸臂站在我门前，把我的眼泪，叹息和歌曲变成的云彩，带回放在你的足边。
 
你喜爱地将这云带缠绕在你的星胸之上，绕成无数的形式和褶纹，还染上变幻无穷的色彩。
 
它是那样的轻柔，那样的飘扬、温软、含泪而黯淡，因此你就爱惜它，呵，你这庄严无暇者。这就是为什么它能够以它可怜的阴影遮盖你可畏的白光。

1 starry   

adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的

参考例句：

• He looked at the starry heavens.他瞧着布满星星的天空。
• I like the starry winter sky.我喜欢这满天星斗的冬夜。

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 misty   

adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的

参考例句：

• He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。
• The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

4 hues   

色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点

参考例句：

• When the sun rose a hundred prismatic hues were reflected from it. 太阳一出，更把它映得千变万化、异彩缤纷。
• Where maple trees grow, the leaves are often several brilliant hues of red. 在枫树生长的地方，枫叶常常呈现出数种光彩夺目的红色。

5 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。

6 serene   

adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的

参考例句：

• He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
• He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。