第70章 啞書 The Dumb Book(第3/4 頁)

不同的生活從過去浮現出來，帶著所有的希望和悲傷。

what a strange feeling it is — surely we all know it — to look through old letters of our young days; a different life rises up out of the past, as it were, with all its hopes and sorrows.

在那些日子裡，我們曾經親密無間的許多人，在我們看來彷彿已經去世了，然而他們還活著 —— 只是我們已經很久沒有想起他們了，我們曾以為會永遠把他們留在記憶裡，與他們分享每一份喜悅和悲傷。

how many of the people with whom in those days we used to be on intimate terms appear to us as if dead, and yet they are still alive — only we have not thought of them for such a long time, whom we imagined we should retain in our memories for ever, and share every joy and sorrow with them.

這本書裡的這片乾枯的橡樹葉讓他想起了那位朋友，那位同學，本應是他一生的摯友。

the withered oak leaf in the book here recalled the friend, the schoolfellow, who was to be his friend for life.

他們在綠樹林裡把這片樹葉別在學生帽上，當時他們發誓要結下永恆的友誼。

he fixed the leaf to the student’s cap in the green wood, when they vowed eternal friendship.

他現在住在哪裡呢？樹葉還留著，但友誼已不復存在。

where does he dwell now? the leaf is kept, but the friendship does no longer exist.

這裡有一株外來的溫室植物，對於北方的花園來說太嬌弱了。它的葉子彷彿還散發著甜香呢！這是一位貴族小姐從自家花園裡送給他的。

here is a foreign hothouse plant, too tender for the gardens of the North. It is almost as if its leaves still smelt sweet! She gave it to him out of her own garden — a nobleman’s daughter.

這裡有一朵他親手採摘的睡蓮，曾用鹹澀的淚水澆灌過 —— 一朵淡水百合。

here is a water-lily that he had plucked himself, and watered with salt tears — a lily of sweet water.

這裡還有一株蕁麻：它的葉子會向我們訴說些什麼呢？