加拿大华人论坛 多伦多 Toronto天国花园

在加拿大

从前有一位国王的儿子，谁也没有他那么多美丽的书：世界上所发生的事情，在这些书本里他都读得到，而且也可以在一些美丽的插图中看得见。他可以知道每个民族和每个国家。不过天国花园在什么地方，书上却一字也没有提到。而他最想知道的正是这件事情。当他还是一个小孩、但已经可以上学的时候，他的祖母曾经告诉他，说：天国花园里每朵花都是最甜的点心，每颗花蕊都是最美的酒；这朵花上写的是历史，那朵花上写的是地理和乘法表。一个人只须吃一块点心就可以学一课书；他越吃得多，就越能学到更多的历史、地理和乘法表。那时他相信这话。不过他年纪越大，学到的东西越多，就变得越聪明。他知道，天国花园的美景一定是很特殊的。“啊，为什么夏娃要摘下知识之树的果子呢？为什么亚当要吃掉禁果呢？如果我是他的话，这件事就决不会发生，世界上也就永远不会有罪孽存在了。”这是他那时说的一句话。等他到了17岁，他仍然说着这句话。“天国花园”占据了他整个的思想。有一天他在森林里散步。他是单独地在散步，因为这是他生活中最愉快的事情。黄昏到来了，云块在密集着，雨在倾盆地下着，好像天空就是一个专门泻水的水闸似的。天很黑，黑得像在深井中的黑夜一样。他一会儿在潮湿的草上滑一脚，一会儿在崎岖的地上冒出的光石头上绊一跤。一切都浸在水里。这位可怜的王子身上没有一丝是干的。他不得不爬到一大堆石头上去，因为这儿的水都从厚青苔里沁出来了。他几乎要倒下来了。这时他听到一个奇怪的嘘嘘声。于是他看到面前有一个发光的大地洞。洞里烧着一堆火；这堆火几乎可以烤熟一只牡鹿。事实上也是这样。有一只长着高大的犄角的美丽的牡鹿，被穿在一根叉子上，在两根杉树干之间慢慢地转动。火边坐着一个身材高大的老女人，样子很像一位伪装的男人。她不断地添些木块到火里去。“请进来吧！”她说。“请在火旁边坐下，把你的衣服烤干吧。”“这儿有一股阴风吹进来！”王子说，同时他在地上坐下来。“我的孩子们回来以后，那还要糟呢！”女人回答说。“你现在来到了风之洞。我的儿子们就是世界上的四种风。你懂得吗？”“你的儿子现在在什么地方呢？”王子问。“嗨，当一个人发出一个糊涂的问题的时候，这是很难回答的，”女人说。“我的儿子各人在做着各人自己的事情。他们正在天宫里和云块一道踢毽子。”于是她朝天上指了一下。“啊，真有这样的事情！”王子说。“不过你说话的态度粗鲁，一点也没有我周围的那些女人的温柔气息。”“是的，大概她们都没有别的事情可做吧！如果我要叫我的儿子们听话，我得要厉害一点才成。这点我倒是做得到，虽然他们都是一些固执的家伙。请你看看墙上挂着的四个袋子吧；他们害怕这些东西，正如你从前害怕挂在镜子后面的那根竹条一样。我告诉你，我可以把这几个孩子叠起来，塞进袋子里去。我们不须讲什么客气！他们在那里面待着，在我认为没有必要把他们放出来以前，他们不能出来到处撒野。不过，现在有一个回来了！”这是北风。他带着一股冰冷的寒气冲进来。大块的雹子在地上跳动，雪球在四处乱飞。他穿着熊皮做的上衣和裤子。海豹皮做的帽子一直盖到耳朵上。他的胡子上挂着长长的冰柱。雹子不停地从他的上衣领子上滚下来。“不要马上就到火边来！”王子说，“否则你会把手和面孔冻伤的。”“冻伤？”北风说，不禁哈哈大笑起来。“冰冻！这正是我最喜欢的东西！不过你是一个什么少爷？你怎么钻进风之洞里来了？”“他是我的客人！”老女人说。“如果你对于这解释感到不满意的话，那么就请你钻进那个袋子里去——现在你懂得我的用意了吧！”这话马上发生效力。北风开始叙述他是从什么地方来的，他花了将近一个月的工夫到了些什么地方去过。“我是从北极海来的，”他说。“我和俄国猎海象的人到白令岛①去过。当他们从北望角开出的时候，我坐在他们的船舵上打盹。当我偶尔醒过来的时候，海燕就在我的腿边飞。这是一种很滑稽的鸟儿！它们猛烈地拍几下翅膀，接着就张着翅膀停在空中不动，然后忽然像箭似的向前飞走。”“不要东扯西拉，”风妈妈说。“你到白令岛去过吗？”“那儿才美哪！那儿跳舞用的地板，平整得像盘子一样！那儿有长着青苔的半融的雪、尖峭的岩石、海象和北极熊的残骸。它们像生满了绿霉的巨人的肢体。人们会以为太阳从来没有在那儿出现过。我把迷雾吹了几下，好让人们可以找到小屋。这是用破船的木头砌成的一种房子，上面盖着海象的皮——贴肉的那一面朝外。房子的颜色是红绿相间的；屋顶上坐着一个活的北极熊，在那儿哀叫。我跑到岸上去找雀窠，看到光赤的小鸟张着嘴在尖叫。于是我朝它们无数的小咽喉里吹一口气，教它们把嘴闭住。更下面一点，有许多大海象在拍着水，像一些长着尺把长牙齿和猪脑袋的活肠子或大蛆！”“我的少爷，你的故事讲得很好！”妈妈说。“听你讲的时候，我连口水都流出来了！”“于是打猎开始了！长鱼叉插进海象的胸脯里去，血喷出来像喷泉一样洒在冰上。这时我也想起了我的游戏！我吹起来，让我的那些船——山一样高的冰块——向他们的船中间冲过去。嗨，船夫吹着口哨，大喊大嚷！可是我比他们吹得更厉害。他们只好把死的海象、箱子和缆绳扔到冰上去！我在他们身上撒下雪花，让他们乘着破船，带着他们的猎物，漂向南方，去尝尝咸水的滋味。他们永远也不能再到白令岛来了！”“那么你做了一件坏事了！”风妈妈说。“至于我做了些什么好事，让别人来讲吧！”他说。“不过现在我的西方兄弟到来了。所有兄弟之中我最喜欢他。他有海的气息和一种愉快的清凉味。”“那就是小小的西风吗？”王子问。“是，他就是西风，”老女人说。“不过他并不是那么小，从前他是一个可爱的孩子，不过那已经是过去的事了。”他的样子像一个野人，不过他戴着一顶宽边帽来保护自己的面孔。他手上拿着一根桃花心木的棒子——这是在美洲一个桃花心木树林里砍下来的。这可不是一件小玩意儿啦。“你是从什么地方来的？”妈妈问。“从荒凉的森林里来的！”他说。“那儿多刺的藤蔓在每株树的周围建立起一道篱笆，水蛇在潮湿的草里睡觉，人类在那儿似乎是多余的。”“你在那儿干吗？”“我在那儿看一条顶深的河，看它从岩石中冲下来，变成水花，溅到云块中去，托住一条虹。我看到野水牛在河里游泳，不过激流把它冲走了。它跟一群野鸭一起漂流。野鸭漂到河流要变成瀑布的地方就飞起来了。水牛只好随着水滚下去！我觉得这好玩极了，我吹起一股风暴，把许多古树吹到水里去，打成碎片！”“你没有做过别的事吗？”老女人问。“我在原野上翻了几个跟头：我摸抚了野马，摇下了可可核。是的，是的，我有很多故事要讲！不过一个人不能把他所有的东西都讲出来。这一点你是知道的，老太太。”他吻了他的妈妈一下，她几乎要向后倒下去了。他真是一个野蛮的孩子！现在南风到了。他头上裹着一块头巾，身上披着一件游牧人的宽斗篷。“这儿真是冷得够呛！”他说，同时加了几块木材到火里去。“人们立刻可以感觉出北风已经先到这儿来了。”“这儿真太热，人们简直可以在这儿烤一只北极熊。”北风说。“你本人就是一只北极熊呀！”南风说。“你想要钻进那个袋子里去吗？”老女人问。“请在那边的石头上坐下来，赶快告诉我你到什么地方去过。”“到非洲去过，妈妈！”他回答说。“我曾在卡菲尔人①的国土里和霍屯督人②一起去猎过狮子！那儿平原上的草绿得像橄榄树一样！那儿角马③在跳舞。有一只鸵鸟跟我赛跑，不过我的腿比它跑得快。我走到那全是黄沙的沙漠里去——这地方的样子很像海底。我遇见一队旅行商，他们把最后一只骆驼杀掉了，为的是想得到一点水喝，不过他们所得到的水很少。太阳在上面烤，沙子在下面炙。沙漠向四面展开，没有边际。于是我在松散的细沙上打了几个滚，搅起一阵像巨大圆柱的灰沙。这场舞才跳得好哪！你应该瞧瞧单峰骆驼呆呆地站在那儿露出一副多么沮丧的神情。商人把长袍拉到头上盖着。他倒在我面前，好像倒在他的阿拉④面前一样。他们现在被埋葬了——沙子做成的一个金字塔堆在他们身上。以后我再把它吹散掉的时候，太阳将会把他们的白骨晒枯了。那么旅人们就会知道，这儿以前曾经有人来过。否则谁也不会相信，在沙漠中会有这样的事情。”“所以你除了坏事以外，什么事情也没有做！”妈妈说。“钻进那个袋子里去！”在他还没有发觉以前，她已经把南风拦腰抱住，按进袋子里去。他在地上打着滚，不过她已经坐在袋子上，所以他也只好不作声了。“你的这群孩子倒是蛮活泼的！”王子说。“一点也不错，”她回答说，“而且我还知道怎样管他们呢！现在第四个孩子回来了！”这是东风，他穿一套中国人的衣服。“哦！你从哪个地区来的？”妈妈说。“我相信你到天国花园里去过。”“我明天才飞到那儿去，”东风说。“自从我上次去过以后，明天恰恰是100年。我现在是从中国来的——我在瓷塔周围跳了一阵舞，把所有的钟都弄得叮当叮当地响起来！官员们在街上挨打；竹条子在他们肩上打裂了，而他们却都是一品到九品的官啦。他们都说：‘多谢恩主！’不过这不是他们心里的话。于是我摇着铃，唱：‘丁，当，锵！’”“你太顽皮了！”老女人说。“你明天到天国花园去走走也好；这可以教育你，对你有好处。好好地在智慧泉里喝几口水吧，还请你带一小瓶给我。”“这个不成问题，”东风说。“不过你为什么把我的弟兄南风关在袋子里呢？把他放出来呀！他可以讲点凤凰的故事给我听，因为天国花园的那位公主，每当我过了一个世纪去拜望她的时候，她总是喜欢听听凤凰的故事。请把袋子打开吧！这样你才是我最甜蜜的妈妈呀，我将送给你两包茶——两包我从产地摘下的又绿又新鲜的茶！”“唔，为了这茶的缘故，也因为你是我所喜欢的一个孩子，我就把袋子打开吧！”她这么做了。南风爬了出来，不过他的神气很颓丧，因为这位陌生的王子看到了他受惩罚。“你把这张棕榈树叶带给公主吧！”南风说。“这树叶是现在世界上仅有的那只凤凰带给我的。他用尖嘴在叶子上绘出了他这100年的生活经历。现在她可以亲自把这记载读一读。我亲眼看见凤凰把自己的窠烧掉，他自己坐在里面，像一个印度的寡妇①似的把自己烧死。干枝子烧得多么响！烟多么大！气味多么香！最后，一切都变成了火焰，老凤凰也化为灰烬。不过他的蛋在火里发出红光。它轰然一声爆裂开来，于是一只小凤凰就飞出来了。他现在是群鸟之王，也是世界上唯一的一只凤凰。他在我给你的这张棕榈叶上啄开了一个洞口：这就是他送给公主的敬礼！”①在古时封建的印度，一个女人在丈夫死后，就用火把自己烧死，以表示她的“贞节”。“现在我们来吃点东西吧！”风妈妈说。他们都坐下来吃那只烤好了的牡鹿。王子坐在东风旁边，他们马上就成了很要好的朋友。“请告诉我，”王子说，“你们刚才谈的那位公主究竟是怎样的一个人呢？天国花园在什么地方呢？”“哈，哈，”东风说。“你想到那儿去吗？嗯，那么你明天跟我一起飞去吧！不过，我得告诉你，自从亚当和夏娃以后，什么人也没有到那儿去过。你在《圣经》故事中已经读到过关于他们的故事了吧？”“读到过！”王子说。“当他们被赶出去以后，天国花园就坠到地里去了；不过它还保留着温暖的阳光、温和的空气以及它一切的美观。群仙之后就住在里面，幸福之岛也在那儿——死神从来不到这岛上来，住在这儿真是美极了！明天你可以坐在我的背上，我把你带去：我想这办法很好。但是现在我们不要再闲聊吧，因为我想睡了。”于是大家都去睡了。大清早，王子醒来时，他可是吃惊不小，他已经高高地在云块上飞行。他骑在东风的背上，而东风也老老实实地背着他：他们飞得非常高，下边的森林、田野、河流和湖泊简直像是映在一幅大地图上的东西。“早安！”东风说。“你还可以多睡一会儿，因为下面的平地上并没有什么东西好看。除非你愿意数数那些教堂！它们像在绿板上用粉笔画的小点子。”他所谓的绿板就是田野和草地。“我没有跟你妈妈和你的弟兄告别，真是太没有礼貌了！”王子说。“当一个人在睡觉的时候，他是应该得到原谅的！”东风说。于是他们加快飞行的速度。人们可以听到他们在树顶上飞行，因为当他们经过的时候，叶子和柔枝都沙沙地响起来了。人们也可以在海上和湖上听到，因为他们飞过的时候，浪就高起来，许多大船也向水点着头，像游泳的天鹅。将近黄昏的时候，天就暗下来，许多大城市真是美丽极了。有许多灯在点着，一会儿这里一亮，一会儿那里一亮。这景象好比一个人在燃着一张纸，看到火星后就散开来，像小孩子走出学校门一样。王子拍着双手，不过东风请求他不要这样做，他最好坐稳一点，不然就很容易掉下来，挂在教堂的尖顶上。黑森林里的苍鹰在轻快地飞翔着。但是东风飞得更轻快。骑着小马的哥萨克人在草原上敏捷地飞驰过去了，但王子更敏捷地在空中飞过去。“现在你可以看到喜马拉雅山了！”东风说。“这是亚洲最高的山。过一会儿我们就要到天国花园了！”他们更向南飞，空中立刻有一阵花朵和香料的气味飘来。处处长着无花果和石榴，野葡萄藤结满了红葡萄和紫葡萄。他们两个人就在这儿降下来，在柔软的草地上伸开肢体。花朵向风儿点头，好像是说：“欢迎你回来！”“我们现在到了天国花园了吗？”王子问。“没有，当然没有！”东风回答说。“不过我们马上就要到了。你看到那边石砌的墙吗？你看到那边的大洞口吗？你看到那洞口上悬着的像绿帘子的葡萄藤吗？我们将要走进那洞口！请你紧紧地裹住你的大衣吧。太阳在这儿灼热地烤着，可是再向前一步，你就会感到冰冻般的寒冷。飞过这洞子的雀子总有一只翅膀留在炎热的夏天里，另一只翅膀留在寒冷的冬天里！”“这就是到天国花园去的道路吗？”王子问。他们走进洞口里去！噢！里面冷得像冰一样，但是时间没有多久。东风展开他的翅膀；它们亮得像最光耀的火焰。这是多么奇怪的一个洞子啊！悬在他们头上的是一大堆奇形怪状的、滴着水的石块。有些地方是那么狭小，他们不得不伏在地上爬；有些地方又是那么宽广和高阔，好像在高空中一样。这地方很像墓地的教堂，里面有发不出声音的风琴管，和成了化石的旗子。“我们通过死神的道路来到天国！”王子说。但是东风一个字也不回答。他指着前面，那儿有一道美丽的蓝色在发出闪光。上面的石块渐渐变成一层烟雾，最后变得像月光中的一块白云。他们现在呼吸到凉爽温和的空气，新鲜得好像站在高山上，香得好像山谷里的玫瑰花。有一条像空气一样清亮的河在流着，鱼儿简直像金子和银子。紫红色的鳝鱼在水底下嬉戏，它们卷动一下就发出蓝色的光芒。宽大的睡莲叶子射出虹一样的色彩。被水培养着的花朵像油培养着灯花一样，鲜艳得像橘黄色的焰光。一座坚固的大理石桥，刻得非常精致而富有艺术风味，简直像是用缎带和玻璃珠子砌成的。它横在水上，通到幸福之岛——天国花园，在这儿开出一片花朵。东风用双手抱着王子，把他带到这个岛上。花朵和叶子唱出他儿时最悦耳的歌曲，不过它们唱得那么美，人类的声音是决唱不出来的。生长在这儿的东西是棕榈树呢，还是庞大的水草？王子从来没有看到过这么青翠和庞大的树木。许多非常美丽的攀援植物垂下无数的花彩，像圣贤著作中书缘上那些用金黄和其他色彩所绘成的图案，或是一章书的头一个字母中的花纹。这可说是花、鸟和花彩所组成的“三绝”。附近的草地上有一群孔雀在展开光亮的长尾。是的，这都是真的！不过当王子摸一下这些东西的时候，他发现它们并不是鸟儿，而是植物。它们是牛蒡，但是光耀得像华丽的孔雀屏。虎和狮子，像敏捷的猫儿一样，在绿色的灌木林中跳来跳去。这些灌木林发出的香气像橄榄树的花朵。而且这些老虎和狮子都是很驯服的。野斑鸠闪亮得像最美丽的珍珠。它们在狮子的鬃毛上拍着翅膀。平时总是很羞怯的羚羊现在站在旁边点着头，好像它也想来玩一阵子似的。天国的仙女到来了。她的衣服像太阳似的发着亮光，她的面孔是温柔的，正如一个快乐的母亲对于自己的孩子感到幸福的时候一样。她是又年轻，又美丽。她后面跟着一群最美丽的使女，每人头上都戴着一颗亮晶晶的星。东风把凤凰写的那张叶子交给她，她的眼睛发出快乐的光彩。她挽着王子的手，把他领进王宫里去。那儿墙壁的颜色就像照在太阳光中的郁金香。天花板就是一大朵闪着亮光的花。人们越朝里面望，花萼就越显得深。王子走到窗子那儿去，在一块玻璃后面朝外望。这时他看到知识之树、树旁的蛇和在附近的亚当和夏娃。“他们没有被赶出去么？”他问。仙女微笑了一下。她解释着说，时间在每块玻璃上烙下了一幅图画，但这并不是人们惯常所见的那种图画。不，这画里面有生命：树上的叶子在摇动，人就像镜中的影子似的在来来往往。他又在另一块玻璃后面望。他看见雅各梦见通到天上的梯子①长着大翅膀的安琪儿在上上下下地飞翔。的确，世界上所发生的事情全都在玻璃里活动着。只有时间才能刻下这样奇异的图画。仙女微笑了一下，又把他领到一间又高又大的厅堂里去。墙壁像是透明的画像，面孔一个比一个好看。这儿有无数幸福的人们，他们微笑着，歌唱着；这些歌声和笑声交融成为一种和谐的音乐。最上面的是那么小，小得比绘在纸上作为最小的玫瑰花苞的一个小点还要小。大厅中央有一株绿叶茂密、枝丫低垂的大树；大大小小的金黄苹果，像橘子似的在叶子之间悬着。这就是知识之树。亚当和夏娃曾吃过这树上的果子。每一片叶子滴下一滴亮晶晶的红色露珠；这好像树哭出来的血眼泪。“我们现在到船上去吧！”仙女说，“我们可以在波涛上呼吸一点空气。船会摇摆，可是它并不离开原来的地点。但是世界上所有的国家将会在我们眼前经过。”整个的河岸在移动，这真是一种奇观。积雪的阿尔卑斯山，带着云块和松林，现在出现了；号角吹出忧郁的调子；牧羊人在山谷里高声歌唱。香蕉树在船上垂下长枝；乌黑的天鹅在水上游泳，奇异的动物和花卉在岸上显耀着自己。这是新荷兰①——世界五大洲之一。它被一系列的青山衬托着，在眼前浮过去了。人们听到牧师的歌声，看到原始人踏着鼓声和骨头做的喇叭声在跳舞。深入云霄的埃及金字塔，倒下的圆柱和一半埋在沙里的斯芬克斯②，也都在眼前浮过去了。北极光照在北方的冰河上——这是谁也仿造不出来的焰火。王子感到非常幸福。的确，他所看到的东西，比我们现在所讲的要多100倍以上。“我能不能永远住在这儿？”他问。“这要由你自己决定！”仙女回答说。“如果你能不像亚当那样去作违禁的事，你就可以永远住在这儿！”“我决不会去动知识树上的果子！”王子说。“这儿有无数的果子跟那个果子同样美丽。”“请你问问你自己吧。假如你的意志不够坚强，你可以跟送你来的东风一道回去。他快要飞回去了。他只有过了100年以后才再到这儿来；在这儿，这段时间只不过像100个钟头；但就罪恶和诱惑说来，这段时间却非常漫长。每天晚上，当我离开你的时候，我会对你喊：‘跟我一块儿来吧！’我也会向你招手，不过你不能动。你不要跟我一道来，因为你向前走一步，你的欲望就会增大。那么你就会来到长着那棵知识之树的大厅。我就睡在它芬芳的垂枝下面；你会在我的身上弯下腰来，而我必然会向你微笑。不过如果你吻了我的嘴唇，天国就会坠到地底下去，那么你也就失掉它了。沙漠的厉风将会在你的周围吹，冰凉的雨点将会从你的头发上滴下来。忧愁和苦恼将会是你的命运。”“我要在这儿住下来！”王子说。于是东风就在他的前额上吻了一下，同时说：“请放坚强些吧。100年以后我们再在这儿会见。再会吧！再会吧！”东风展开他的大翅膀。它们发出的闪光像秋天的麦田或寒冷冬天的北极光。“再会吧！再会吧！”这是花丛和树林中发出的声音。鹳鸟和鹈鹕成行地飞起，像飘荡着的缎带，一直陪送东风飞到花园的边境。“现在我们开始跳舞吧！”仙女说。“当我和你跳完了，当太阳落下去了的时候，我将向你招手。你将会听到我对你喊：‘跟我一道来吧。’不过请你不要听这话，因为在这100年间我每晚必定说一次这样的话。你每次经过这样一个考验，你就会获得更多的力量；最后你就会一点也不想这话了。今晚是头一次。我得提醒你！”仙女把他领到一个摆满了透明的百合花的大厅里。每朵花的黄色花蕊是一个小小的金色竖琴——它发出弦乐器和芦笛的声音。许多苗条的美丽女子，穿着雾似的薄纱衣服，露出她们可爱的肢体，在轻盈地跳舞。她们歌唱着生存的快乐，歌唱她们永不灭亡，天国花园永远开着花朵。太阳落下来了。整个天空变成一片金黄，把百合花染上一层最美丽的玫瑰色。王子喝着这些姑娘所倒出的、泛着泡沫的美酒，感到从来没有过的幸福。他看到大厅的背景在他面前展开；知识之树在射出光芒，使他的眼睛发花。歌声是柔和的，美丽的，像他母亲的声音，也像母亲在唱：“我的孩子！我亲爱的孩子！”于是仙女向他招手，向他亲热地说：“跟我来吧！跟我来吧！”于是他就向她走去。他忘记了自己的诺言，忘记了那头一个晚上。她在招手，在微笑。环绕在他周围的芬芳的气息越变越浓，竖琴也奏得更好听。在这长着知识之树的大厅里，现在似乎有好几个面孔在向他点头和歌唱，“大家应该知道，人类是世界的主人！”从知识树的叶子上滴下来的不再是血的眼泪；在他的眼中，这似乎是放亮的红星。“跟我来吧！跟我来吧！”一个颤抖的声音说。王子每走一步，就感到自己的面孔更灼热，血流得更快。“我一定来！”他说。“这不是罪过，这不可能是罪过！为什么不追求美和快乐呢？我要看看她的睡态！只要我不吻她，我就不会有什么损失。我决不做这事，我是坚强的，我有果断的意志！”仙女脱下耀眼的外衣，分开垂枝，不一会儿就藏进树枝里去了。“我还没有犯罪，”王子说，“而且我也决不会。”于是他把树枝向两边分开。她已经睡着了，只有天国花园里的仙女才能有她那样美丽。她在梦中发出微笑，他对她弯下腰来，他看见她的睫毛下有泪珠在颤抖。“你是在为我哭吗？”他柔声地说。“不要哭吧，你——美丽的女人！现在我可懂得天国的幸福了！这幸福现在在我的血液里流，在我的思想里流。在我这个凡人的身体里，我现在感到了安琪儿的力量，感到了永恒的生命。让这永恒的夜属于我吧，有这样的一分钟已经就够丰富了。”于是他吻了她眼睛里的眼泪，他的嘴唇贴上了她的嘴唇——这时一个沉重可怕的雷声响起来了，任何人从来都没有听见过。一切东西都沉陷了；那位美丽的仙女，那开满了花的乐园——这一切都沉陷了，沉陷得非常深。王子看到这一切沉进黑夜中去，像远处亮着的一颗小小的明星。他全身感到一种死的寒冷。他闭起眼睛，像死去了似的躺了很久。冷雨落到他的面上，厉风在他的头上吹，于是他恢复了知觉。“我做了些什么呢？”他叹了一口气。“我像亚当一样犯了罪！所以天国就沉陷下去了！”于是他睁开眼睛。远处的那颗明星，那颗亮得像是已经沉陷了的天国的星——是天上的一颗晨星。他站起来，发现自己在大森林里风之洞的近旁，风妈妈正坐在他的身边：她有些儿生气，把手举在空中。“在第一天晚上，”她说，“我料想到结果必定是如此！是的，假如你是我的孩子，你就得钻进袋子里去！”“是的，你应该钻进去才成！”死神说。这是一位强壮的老人，手中握着一把镰刀，身上长着两只大黑翅膀。“他应该躺进棺材里去，不过他的时间还没有到；我只是把他记下来，让他在人世间再旅行一些时候，叫他能赎罪，变得好一点！总有一天我会来的。在他意料不到的时候，我将把他关进一个黑棺材里去，我把他顶在我的头上，向那一颗星飞去。那儿也有一个开满了花的天国花园。如果他是善良和虔诚的，他就可以走进去。不过如果他有恶毒的思想，如果他的心里还充满了罪过，他将和他的棺材一起坠落，比天国坠落得还要深。只有在隔了一千年以后我才再来找他，使他能有机会再坠落得更深一点，或是升向那颗星——那颗高高地亮着的星！”（1839年）

评论
The Garden of Paradise there was once a king's son, no one had so many beautiful books as he. in them he could read of everything that had ever happened in this world, and he could see it all pictured in fine illustrations. he could find out about every race of people and every country, but there was not a single word about where to find the garden of paradise, and this, just this, was the very thing that he thought most about.when he was still very young and was about to start his schooling, his grandmother had told him that each flower in the garden of paradise was made of the sweetest cake, and that the pistils were bottles full of finest wine. on one sort of flower, she told, history was written, on another geography, or multiplication tables, so that one only had to eat cake to know one's lesson, and the more one ate, the more history, geography, or arithmetic one would know.at the time he believed her, but when the boy grew older and more learned and much wiser, he knew that the glories of the garden of paradise must be of a very different sort."oh, why did eve have to pick fruit from the tree of knowledge, and why did adam eat what was forbidden him? now if it had only been i, that would never have happened, and sin would never have come into the world." he said it then, and when he was seventeen he said it still. the garden of paradise was always in his thoughts.he went walking in the woods one day. he walked alone, for this was his favorite amusement. evening came on, the clouds gathered, and the rain poured down as if the sky were all one big floodgate from which the water plunged. it was as dark as it would be at night in the deepest well. he kept slipping on the wet grass, and tripping over the stones that stuck out of the rocky soil. everything was soaking wet, and at length the poor prince didn't have a dry stitch to his back. he had to scramble over great boulders where the water trickled from the wet moss. he had almost fainted, when he heard a strange puffing and saw a huge cave ahead of him. it was brightly lit, for inside the cave burned a fire so large that it could have roasted a stag. and this was actually being done. a magnificent deer, antlers and all, had been stuck on a spit, and was being slowly turned between the rough-hewn trunks of two pine trees. an elderly woman, so burly and strong that she might have been taken for a man in disguise, sat by the fire and threw log after log upon it."you can come nearer," she said. "sit down by the fire and let your clothes dry.""there's an awful draft here," the prince remarked, as he seated himself on the ground."it will be still worse when my sons get home," the woman told him. "you are in the cave of the winds, and my sons are the four winds of the world. do i make myself clear?""where are your sons?" the prince asked."such a stupid question is hard to answer," the woman told him. "my sons go their own ways, playing ball with the clouds in that great hall. "and she pointed up toward the sky."really!" said the prince. "i notice that you have a rather forceful way of speaking, and are not as gentle as the women i usually see around me.""i suppose they have nothing better to do. i have to be harsh to control those sons of mine. i manage to do it, for all that they are an obstinate lot. see the four sacks that hang there on the wall! they dread those as much as you used to dread the switch that was kept behind the mirror for you. i can fold the boys right up, let me tell you, and pop them straight into the bag. we don't mince matters. there they stay. they aren't allowed to roam around again until i see fit to let them. but here comes one of them."it was the north wind who came hurtling in, with a cold blast of snowflakes that swirled about him and great hailstones that rattled on the floor. he was wearing a bear-skin coat and trousers; a seal-skin cap was pulled over his ears; long icicles hung from his beard; and hailstone after hailstone fell from the collar of his coat."don't go right up to the fire so quickly," the prince warned him. "your face and hands might get frostbite.""frostbite!" the north wind laughed his loudest. "frostbite! why, frost is my chief delight. but what sort of 'longleg' are you? how do you come to be in the cave of the winds?""he is here as my guest," the old woman intervened. "and if that explanation doesn't suit you, into the sack you go. do i make myself clear?"she made herself clear enough. the north wind now talked of whence he had come, and where he had traveled for almost a month."i come from the arctic sea," he told them. "i have been on bear island with the russian walrus hunters. i lay beside the helm, and slept as they sailed from the north cape. when i awoke from time to time the storm bird circled about my knees. there's an odd bird for you! he gives a quick flap of his wings, and then holds them perfectly still and rushes along at full speed.""don't be so long-winded," his mother told him. "so you came to bear island?""it's a wonderful place! there's a dancing floor for you, as flat as a platter! the surface of the island is all half-melted snow, little patches of moss, and outcropping rocks. scattered about are the bones of whales and polar bears, colored a moldy green, and looking like the arms and legs of some giant."you'd have thought that the sun never shone there. i blew the fog away a bit, so that the house could be seen. it was a hut built of wreckage and covered with walrus skins, the fleshy side turned outward, and smeared with reds and greens. a love polar bear sat growling on the roof of it."i went to the shore and looked at bird nests, and when i saw the featherless nestlings shrieking, with their beaks wide open, i blew down into their thousand throats. that taught them to shut their mouths. further along, great walruses were wallowing about like monstrous maggots, with pigs' heads, and tusks a yard long.""how well you do tell a story, my son," the old woman said. "my mouth waters when i hear you!""the hunt began. the harpoon was hurled into the walrus's breast, and a streaming blood stream spurted across the ice like a fountain. this reminded me of my own sport. i blew my sailing ships, those towering icebergs, against the boats until their timbers cracked. ho! how the crew whistled and shouted. but i outwhistled them all. overboard on the ice they had to throw their dead walruses, their tackle, and even their sea chests. i shrouded them in snow, and let them drift south with their broken boats and their booty alongside, for a taste of the open sea. they won't ever come back to bear island." "that was a wicked thing to do," said the mother of the winds."i'll let others tell of my good deeds," he said. "but here comes my brother from the west. i like him best of all. he has a seafaring air about him, and carries a refreshing touch of coolness wherever he goes.""is that little zephyr?" the prince asked."of course it's zephyr," the old woman replied, "but he's not little. he was a nice boy once, but that was years ago."he looked like a savage, except that he wore a broad-rimmed hat to shield his face. in his hand he carried a mahogany bludgeon, cut in the mahogany forests of america. nothing less would do!"where have you come from?" his mother asked."i come from the forest wilderness," he said, "where the thorny vines make a fence between every tree, where the water snake lurks in the wet grass, and where people seem unnecessary.""what were you doing there?""i gazed into the deepest of rivers, and saw how it rushed through the rapids and threw up a cloud of spray large enough to hold the rainbow. i saw a wild buffalo wading in the river, but it swept him away. he swam with a flock of wild ducks, that flew up when the river went over a waterfall. but the buffalo had to plunge down it. that amused me so much that i blew up a storm, which broke age-old trees into splinters.""haven't you done anything else?" the old woman asked him."i turned somersaults across the plains, stroked the wild horses, and shook cocoanuts down from the palm trees. yes indeed, i have tales worth telling, but one shouldn't tell all he knows. isn't that right, old lady?" then he gave her such a kiss that it nearly knocked her over backward. he was certainly a wild young fellow.then the south wind arrived, in a turban and a bedouin's billowing robe."it's dreadfully cold in here," he cried, and threw more wood on the fire. "i can tell that the north wind got here before me.""it's hot enough to roast a polar bear here," the north wind protested."you are a polar bear yourself," the south wind said."do you want to be put into the sack?" the old woman asked. "sit down on that stone over there and tell me where you have been.""in africa, dear mother," said he. "i have been hunting the lion with hottentots in kaffirland. what fine grass grows there on the plains. it is as green as an olive. there danced the gnu, and the ostrich raced with me, but i am fleeter than he is. i went into the desert where the yellow sand is like the bottom of the sea. i met with a caravan, where they were killing their last camel to get drinking water, but it was little enough they got. the sun blazed overhead and the sand scorched underfoot. the desert was unending."i rolled in the fine loose sand and whirled it aloft in great columns. what a dance that was! you ought to have seen how despondently the dromedaries hunched up, and how the trader pulled his burnoose over his head. he threw himself down before me as he would before allah, his god. now they are buried, with a pyramid of sand rising over them all. when some day i blow it away, the sun will bleach their bones white, and travelers will see that men have been there before them. otherwise no one would believe it, there in the desert.""so you have done nothing but wickedness!" cried his mother. "into the sack with you!" and before he was aware of it, she picked the south wind up bodily and thrust him into the bag. he thrashed about on the floor until she sat down on the sack. that kept him quiet."those are boisterous sons you have," said the prince."indeed they are," she agreed, "but i know how to keep them in order. here comes the fourth one."this was the east wind. he was dressed as a chinaman."so that's where you've been!" said his mother. "i thought you had gone to the garden of paradise.""i won't fly there until tomorrow," the east wind said. "tomorrow it will be exactly a hundred years since i was there. i am just home from china, where i danced around the porcelain tower until all the bells jangled. officials of state were being whipped through the streets. bamboo sticks were broken across their shoulders, though they were people of importance, from the first to the ninth degree. they howled, 'thank you so much, my father and protector,' but they didn't mean it. and i went about clanging the bells and sang, 'tsing, tsang, tsu!' ""you are too saucy," the old woman told him. "it's a lucky thing that you'll be off to the garden of paradise tomorrow, for it always has a good influence on you. remember to drink deep out of the fountain of wisdom and bring back a little bottleful for me.""i'll do that," said the east wind. "but why have you popped my brother from the south into the sack? let's have him out. he must tell me about the phoenix bird, because the princess in the garden of paradise always asks me about that bird when i drop in on her every hundred years. open up my sack, like my own sweet mother, and i'll give you two pockets full of tea as green and fresh as it was when i picked it off the bush.""well-for the sake of the tea, and because you are my pet, i'll open the sack."she opened it up, and the south wind crawled out. but he looked very glum, because the prince, who was a stranger, had seen him humbled."here's a palm-leaf fan for the princess," the south wind said. "it was given to me by the old phoenix, who was the only one of his kind in the world. on it he scratched with his beak a history of the hundred years that he lived, so she can read it herself. i watched the phoenix bird set fire to her nest, and sat there while she burned to death, just like a hindoo widow. what a crackling there was of dry twigs, what smoke, and what a smell of smoldering! finally it all burst into flames, and the old phoenix was reduced to ashes, but her egg lay white-hot in the blaze. with a great bang it broke open, and the young phoenix flew out of it. now he is the ruler over all the birds, and he is the only phoenix bird in all the world. as his greetings to the princess, he thrust a hole in the palm leaf i am giving you.""let's have a bite to eat," said the mother of the winds.as they sat down to eat the roast stag, the prince took a place beside the east wind, and they soon became fast friends."tell me," said the prince, "who is this princess you've been talking so much about, and just where is the garden of eden?""ah, ha!" said the east wind. "would you like to go there? then fly with me tomorrow. i must warn you, though, no man has been there since adam and eve. you have read about them in the bible?""surely," the prince said."after they were driven out, the garden of paradise sank deep into the earth, but it kept its warm sunlight, its refreshing air, and all of its glories. the queen of the fairies lives there on the island of the blessed, where death never comes and where there is everlasting happiness. sit on my back tomorrow and i shall take you with me. i think it can be managed. but now let's stop talking, for i want to sleep."and then they all went to sleep. when the prince awoke the next morning, it came as no small surprise to find himself high over the clouds. he was seated on the back of the east wind, who carefully held him safe. they were so far up in the sky that all the woods, fields, rivers, and lakes looked as if they were printed on a map spread beneath them."good morning," said the east wind. "you might just as well sleep a little longer. there's nothing very interesting in this flat land beneath us, unless you care to count churches. they stand out like chalk marks upon the green board."what he called "the green board" was all the fields and pastures."it was not very polite of me to leave without bidding your mother and brothers farewell," the prince said."that's excusable, when you leave in your sleep," the east wind told him, as they flew on faster than ever.one could hear it in the tree tops. all the leaves and branches rustled as they swept over the forest, and when they crossed over lakes or over seas the waves rose high, and tall ships bent low to the water as if they were drifting swans.as darkness gathered that evening, it was pleasant to see the great cities with their lights twinkling here and spreading there, just as when you burn a piece of paper and the sparks fly one after another. at this sight the prince clapped his hands in delight, but the east wind advised him to stop it and hold on tight, or he might fall and find himself stuck upon a church steeple.the eagle in the dark forest flew lightly, but the east wind flew more lightly still. the cossack on his pony sped swiftly across the steppes, but the prince sped still more swiftly."now," said the east wind, "you can view the himalayas, the highest mountains in asia. and soon we shall reach the garden of paradise."they turned southward, where the air was sweet with flowers and spice. figs and pomegranates grew wild, and on untended vines grew red and blue clusters of grapes. they came down here, and both of them stretched out on the soft grass, where flowers nodded in the breeze as if to say: "welcome back.""are we now in the garden of paradise?" the prince asked."oh, no!" said the east wind. "but we shall come to it soon. do you see that rocky cliff, and the big cave, where the vines hang in a wide curtain of greenery? that's the way we go. wrap your coat well about you. here the sun is scorching hot, but a few steps and it is as cold as ice. the bird that flies at the mouth of the cave has one wing in summery and the other in wintry air.""so this is the way to the garden of paradise," said the prince, as they entered the cave.brer-r-r! how frosty it was there, but not for long. the east wind spread his wings, and they shone like the brighest flames. but what a cave that was! huge masses of rock, from which water was trickling, hung in fantastic shapes above them. sometimes the cave was so narrow that they had to crawl on their hands and knees, sometimes so vast that it seemed that they were under the open sky. the cave resembled a series of funeral chapels, with mute organ pipes and banners turned to stone."we are going to the garden of paradise through the gates of death, are we not?" the prince asked.the east wind answered not a word, but pointed to a lovely blue light that shone ahead of them. the masses of stone over their heads grew more and more misty, and at last they looked up at a clear white cloud in the moonlight. the air became delightfully clement, as fresh as it is in the hills, and as sweetly scented as it is among the roses that bloom in the valley.the river which flowed there was clear as the air itself, and the fish in it were like silver and gold. purple eels, that at every turn threw off blue sparks, frolicked about in the water, and the large leaves of the aquatic flowers gleamed in all of the rainbow's colors. the flowers themselves were like a bright orange flame, which fed on the water just as a lamplight is fed by oil.a strong marble bridge, made so delicately and artistically that it looked as if it consisted of lace and glass pearls, led across the water to the island of the blessed, where the garden of paradise bloomed.the east wind swept the prince up in his arms and carried him across to the island, where the petals and leaves sang all the lovely old songs of his childhood, but far, far sweeter than any human voice could sing. were these palm trees that grew there, or immense water plants? such vast and verdant trees the prince had never seen before. the most marvelous climbing vines hung in garlands such as are to be seen only in old illuminated church books, painted in gold and bright colors in the margins or twined about the initial letters. here was the oddest assortment of birds, flowers, and twisting vines.on the grass near-by, with their brilliantly starred tails spread wide, was a flock of peacocks. or so they seemed, but when the prince touched them he found that these were not birds. they were plants. they were large burdock leaves that were as resplendent as a peacock's train. lions and tigers leaped about, as lithe as cats, in the green shrubbery which the olive blossoms made so fragrant. the lions and tigers were quite tame, for the wild wood pigeon, which glistened like a lovely pearl, brushed the lion's mane with her wings, and the timid antelopes stood by and tossed their heads as if they would like to join in their play.then the fairy of the garden came to meet them. her garments were as bright as the sun, and her face was as cheerful as that of a happy mother who is well pleased with her child. she was so young and lovely, and the other pretty maidens who followed her each wore a shining star in their hair. when the east wind gave her the palm-leaf message from the phoenix, her eyes sparkled with pleasure.she took the prince by his hand and led him into her palace, where the walls had the color of a perfect tulip petal held up to the sun. the ceiling was made of one great shining flower, and the longer one looked up the deeper did the cup of it seem to be. the prince went to the window. as he glanced out through one of the panes he saw the tree of knowledge, with the serpent, and adam and eve standing under it."weren't they driven out?" he asked.the fairy smilingly explained to him that time had glazed a picture in each pane, but that these were not the usual sort of pictures. no, they had life in them. the leaves quivered on the trees, and the people came and went as in a mirror.he looked through another pane and there was jacob's dream, with the ladder that went up to heaven, and the great angels climbing up and down. yes, all that ever there was in the world lived on, and moved across these panes of glass. only time could glaze such artistic paintings so well.the fairy smiled and led him on into a vast and lofty hall, with walls that seemed transparent. on the walls were portraits, each fairer than the one before. these were millions of blessed souls, a happy choir which sang in perfect harmony. the uppermost faces appeared to be smaller than the tiniest rosebud drawn as a single dot in a picture. in the center of the hall grew a large tree, with luxuriantly hanging branches. golden apples large and small hung like oranges among the leaves. this was the tree of knowledge, of which adam and eve had tasted. a sparkling red drop of dew hung from each leaf, as if the tree were weeping tears of blood."now let us get into the boat," the fairy proposed. "there we will have some refreshments on the heaving water. though the rocking boat stays in one place, we shall see all the lands in the world glide by."it was marvelous how the whole shore moved. now the high snow-capped alps went past, with their clouds and dark evergreen trees. the alpine horn was heard, deep and melancholy, and the shepherds yodeled gaily in the valley. but soon the boat was overhung by the long arching branches of banana trees. jet-black swans went swimming by, and the queerest animals and plants were to be seen along the banks. this was new holland and the fifth quarter of the globe that glided past, with its blue hills in the distance. they heard the songs of the priests and saw the savages dance to the sound of drums, and trumpets of bone. the cloud-tipped pyramids of egypt, the fallen columns, and sphinxes half buried in the sands, swept by. the northern lights blazed over the glaciers around the pole, in a display of fireworks that no one could imitate. the prince saw a hundred times more than we can tell, and he was completely happy."may i always stay here?" he asked."that is up to you," the fairy told him. "unless, as adam did, you let yourself be tempted and do what is forbidden, you may stay here always.""i won't touch the fruit on the tree of knowledge," the prince declared. "here are thousands of other fruits that are just as attractive.""look into your heart, and, if you have not strength enough, go back with the east wind who brought you here. he is leaving soon, and will not return for a hundred years, which you will spend as quickly here as if they were a hundred hours."but that is a long time to resist the temptation to sin. when i leave you every evening, i shall have to call, ' come with me,' and hold out my hands to you. but you must stay behind. do not follow me, or your desire will grow with every step. you will come into the hall where the tree of knowledge grows. i sleep under the arch of its sweet-smelling branches. if you lean over me i shall have to smile, but if you kiss me on the mouth this paradise will vanish deep into the earth, and you will lose it. the cutting winds of the wasteland will blow about you, the cold rain will drip from your hair, and sorrow and toil will be your destiny.""i shall stay," the prince said.the east wind kissed his forehead. "be strong," he said, "and in a hundred years we shall meet here again. farewell! farewell!" then the east wind spread his tremendous wings that flashed like lightning seen at harvest time or like the northern lights in the winter cold."farewell! farewell!" the leaves and trees echoed the sound, as the storks and the pelicans flew with him to the end of the garden, in lines that were like ribbons streaming through the air."now we will start our dances," the fairy said. "when i have danced the last dance with you at sundown, you will see me hold out my hands to you, and hear me call. 'come with me.' but do not come. every evening for a hundred years, i shall have to repeat this. every time that you resist, your strength will grow, and at last you will not even think of yielding to temptation. this evening is the first time, so take warning!"and the fairy led him into a large hall of white, transparent lilies. the yellow stamens of each flower formed a small golden harp, which vibrated to the music of strings and flutes. the loveliest maidens, floating and slender, came dancing by, clad in such airy gauze that one could see how perfectly shaped they were. they sang of the happiness of life-they who would never die-and they sang that the garden of paradise would forever bloom.the sun went down. the sky turned to shining gold, and in its light the lilies took on the color of the loveliest roses. the prince drank the sparkling wine that the maidens offered him, and felt happier than he had ever been. he watched the background of the hall thrown open, and the tree of knowledge standing in a splendor which blinded his eyes. the song from the tree was as soft and lovely as his dear mother's voice, and it was as if she were saying, "my child, my dearest child."the fairy then held out her hands to him and called most sweetly:"follow me! oh, follow me!"forgetting his promise-forgetting everything, on the very first evening that she held out her hands and smiled-he ran toward her. the fragrant air around him became even more sweet, the music of the harps sounded even more lovely, and it seemed as though the millions of happy faces in the hall where the tree grew nodded to him and sang, "one must know all there is to know, for man is the lord of the earth." and it seemed to him that the drops that fell from the tree of knowledge were no longer tears of blood, but red and shining stars."follow me! follow me!" the quivering voice still called, and at every step that the prince took his cheeks flushed warmer and his pulse beat faster."i cannot help it," he said. "this is no sin. it cannot be wicked to follow beauty and happiness. i must see her sleeping. no harm will be done if only i keep myself from kissing her. and i will not kiss her, for i am strong. i have a determined will."the fairy threw off her bright robe, parted the boughs, and was instantly hidden within them."i have not sinned yet," said the prince, "and i shall not!"he pushed the branches aside. there she lay, already asleep. lovely as only the fairy of the garden of paradise can be, she smiled in her sleep, but as he leaned over her he saw tears trembling between her lashes."do you weep for me?" he whispered. "do not weep, my splendid maiden. not until now have i known the bliss of paradise. it runs through my veins and through all my thoughts. i feel the strength of an angel, and the strength of eternal life in my mortal body. let eternal night come over me. one moment such as this is worth it all." he kissed away the tears from her eyes, and then his lips had touched her mouth.thunder roared, louder and more terrible than any thunder ever heard before, and everything crashed! the lovely fairy and the blossoming paradise dropped away, deeper and deeper. the prince saw it disappear into the dark night. like a small shining star it twinkled in the distance. a deathly chill shook his body. he closed his eyes and for a long time he lay as if he were dead.the cold rain fell in his face, and the cutting wind blew about his head. consciousness returned to him."what have i done?" he gasped. "like adam, i have sinned-sinned so unforgivably that paradise has dropped away, deep in the earth."he opened his eyes and he still saw the star far away, the star that twinkled like the paradise he had lost-it was the morning star in the sky. he rose and found himself in the forest, not far from the cave of the winds. the mother of the winds sat beside him. she looked at him angrily and raised her finger."the very first evening!" she said. "i thought that was the way it would be. if you were my son, into the sack you would certainly go.""indeed he shall go there!" said death, a vigorous old man with a scythe in his hand, and long black wings. "yes, he shall be put in a coffin, but not quite yet. now i shall only mark him. for a while i'll let him walk the earth to atone for his sins and grow better. but i'll be back some day. some day, when he least expects me, i shall put him in a black coffin, lift it on my head, and fly upward to the star. there too blooms the garden of paradise, and if he is a good and pious man he will be allowed to enter it. but if his thoughts are bad, and his heart is still full of sin, he will sink down deeper with his coffin than paradise sank. only once in a thousand years shall i go to see whether he must sink still lower, or may reach the star-that bright star away up there."

评论
中国的长城是人类文明史上最伟大的建筑工程，可是在西方，中国还有一个古建筑的知名度远高于它，那是什么呢？

  ·中文新闻 迈尔圣诞活动被取消后，尽管越来越多的人呼吁在维多利亚州建
·中文新闻 昆士兰州警官据称在班达伯格肇事逃逸中被偷来的汽车撞倒，青