椭圆形画像英文短篇小说微小说

1/1椭圆形画像英文短篇小说-微小说

TheOvalPortrait

爱伦坡著

1

THECHATEAUintowhichmyvalethadventuredtomakeforcibleentrance,ratherthanpermitme,inmydesperatelywoundedcondition,topassanightintheopenair,wasoneofthosepilesofcommingledgloomandgrandeurwhichhavesolongfrownedamongtheAppennines,notlessinfactthaninthefancyofMrs.Radcliffe.Toallappearanceithadbeentemporarilyandverylatelyabandoned.Weestablishedourselvesinoneofthesmallestandleastsumptuouslyfurnishedapartments.Itlayinaremoteturretofthebuilding.Itsdecorationswererich,yettatteredandantique.Itswallswerehungwithtapestryandbedeckedwithmanifoldandmultiformarmorialtrophies,togetherwithanunusuallygreatnumberofveryspiritedmodernpaintingsinframesofrichgoldenarabesque.Inthesepaintings,whichdependedfromthewallsnotonlyintheirmainsurfaces,butinverymanynookswhichthebizarrearchitectureofthechateaurenderednecessary-inthesepaintingsmyincipientdelirium,perhaps,hadcausedmetotakedeepinterest;sothatIbadePedrotoclosetheheavyshuttersoftheroom-sinceitwasalreadynight-tolightthetonguesofatallcandelabrumwhichstoodbytheheadofmybed-andtothrowopenfarandwidethefringedcurtainsofblackvelvetwhichenvelopedthebeditself.IwishedallthisdonethatImightresignmyself,ifnottosleep,atleastalternatelytothecontemplationofthesepictures,andtheperusalofasmallvolumewhichhadbeenfounduponthepillow,andwhichpurportedtocriticiseanddescribethem.

我受了重伤，我的随从不忍心让我在外面过夜，就领我闯进了一座城堡。这是座雄伟地屹立在亚平宁山区多年的一座阴森而雄壮的城堡，决不亚于拉德克利夫夫人在她的小说中所幻想的那种。从各种迹象来看，城堡的仆人离去的时间不会太久。我们主仆两人在一间最狭孝陈设最美的屋子里住下来。它位于这座城堡边上的一个塔楼里。看得出室内原来的装饰相当富丽，但现在已破旧不堪了。四壁悬挂着花毯和各种各样的战利品，此外还挂着很多惟妙惟肖的绘画，画框都是金色花纹的，连墙角都挂着画。或许是伤势过重，我的神志不甚糊涂，只是呆呆地望着这些画出神。这时天色已晚，我叮嘱彼德罗把百叶窗全都关上。把屋里的蜡烛统统点亮，然后拉开床前的黑天鹅绒帷慢。这样。即使我不能入睡，至少也可以宁静地观赏一番这些画，也可以读一读枕头上放着的一本小书，那是对这些画进行解释和评价的书。

2

Long-longIread-anddevoutly,devotedlyIgazed.Rapidlyandgloriouslythehoursflewbyandthedeepmidnightcame.Thepositionofthecandelabrumdispleasedme,andoutreachingmyhandwithdifficulty,ratherthandisturbmyslumberingvalet,Iplaceditsoastothrowitsraysmorefullyuponthebook.

Buttheactionproducedaneffectaltogetherunanticipated.Theraysofthenumerouscandles(forthereweremany)nowfellwithinanicheoftheroomwhichhadhithertobeenthrownintodeepshadebyoneofthebed-posts.Ithussawinvividlightapictureallunnoticedbefore.Itwastheportraitofayounggirljustripeningintowomanhood.Iglancedatthepaintinghurriedly,andthenclosedmyeyes.WhyIdidthiswasnotatfirstapparenteventomyownperception.Butwhilemylidsremainedthusshut,Iranoverinmymindmyreasonforsoshuttingthem.Itwasanimpulsivemovementtogaintimeforthought-tomakesurethatmyvisionhadnotdeceivedme-tocalmandsubduemyfancyforamoresoberandmorecertaingaze.InaveryfewmomentsIagainlookedfixedlyatthepainting.

ThatInowsawarightIcouldnotandwouldnotdoubt;forthefirstflashingofthecandlesuponthatcanvashadseemedtodissipatethedreamystuporwhichwasstealingovermysenses,andtostartlemeatonceintowakinglife.

Theportrait,Ihavealreadysaid,wasthatofayounggirl.Itwasamereheadandshoulders,doneinwhatistechnicallytermedavignettemanner;muchinthestyleofthefavoriteheadsofSully.Thearms,thebosom,andeventheendsoftheradianthairmeltedimperceptiblyintothevagueyetdeepshadowwhichformedtheback-groundofthewhole.Theframewasoval,richlygildedandfiligreedinMoresque.Asathingofartnothingcouldbemoreadmirablethanthepaintingitself.Butitcouldhavebeenneithertheexecutionofthework,northeimmortalbeautyofthecountenance,whichhadsosuddenlyandsovehementlymovedme.Leastofall,couldithavebeenthatmyfancy,shakenfromitshalfslumber,hadmistakentheheadforthatofalivingperson.Isawatoncethatthepeculiaritiesofthedesign,ofthevignetting,andoftheframe,musthaveinstantlydispelledsuchidea-musthavepreventedevenitsmomentaryentertainment.Thinkingearnestlyuponthesepoints,Iremained,foranhourperhaps,halfsitting,halfreclining,withmyvisionrivetedupontheportrait.Atlength,satisfiedwiththetruesecretofitseffect,Ifellbackwithinthebed.Ihadfoundthespellofthepictureinanabsolutelife-likelinessofexpression,which,atfirststartling,finallyconfounded,subdued,andappalledme.WithdeepandreverentaweIreplacedthecandelabruminitsformerposition.Thecauseofmydeepagitationbeingthusshutfromview,Isoughteagerlythevolumewhichdiscussedthepaintingsandtheirhistories.Turningtothenumberwhichdesignatedtheovalportrait,Itherereadthevagueandquaintwordswhichfollow:

我拿着书，一一对着画观赏起来。不知不觉已至半夜，烛台的位置离我很远，我又不忍心唤醒酣睡的随从，费了好大力气才将烛台端在手中，以便照亮手中的这本书。

烛台上插着好多支蜡烛，交织的烛光照在了室内的一个壁龛上，原先这个壁龛被一根柱子遮住了。此时我转过身来才发觉刚才根本没有留意到的一幅画，画上是一个妙龄少女。我朝她匆忙地瞥了一眼，就闭上了眼睛，连我自己都不理解为什么我会这佯。稍后，我寻思一下，我之所以闭上眼睛是为了能安静地思索一下是否视觉哄骗了我，也为了能定睛看个清晰。片刻之后，我便睁开眼睛认真地端详起这幅画像来。我已经看得很清晰，再也不用怀疑什么了。烛光把画面照得通亮，刚才那种恍惚的幻觉已经荡然无存了，神志也变得非常糊涂。

正如我开头所见，画上是个少女。只画了头部和双肩，用的是半身晕映画像法，和萨利的头像画法很接近。双膀、胸脯、光明的头发和画面背景协调地溶为一体。画框是椭圆形的，还镀了金，作为一件艺术品，这幅画真令人赞美不已。但是，不论是作品的超群艺术，还是画中人的美色艳姿，都不至于这样突如其来地打动我的心弦。不管我怎样的神志不清，总不会把画中人当成现实活动中的人。我半坐半倚，一边仔细地思索着，一边还是紧紧地盯着画像。就这样，大约过了一个时辰。我渐渐领悟到了这幅画的构思、画法、画框的特色以及其中的神秘，于是我把烛台放回原来的地方，然后仰面躺在床上。是的，是画中人的神情逼真生动的魅力，才使我初见这幅画时心情非常感动，由于躺在床上看不到画像，于是我拿起那本评述这些绘画及指明出处的书来。翻到标明椭圆形的肖像的那一页，看到了如下一段文字枯涩、词句含蓄的说明：

3

Shewasamaidenofrarestbeauty,andnotmorelovelythanfullofglee.Andevilwasthehourwhenshesaw,andloved,andweddedthepainter.He,passionate,studious,austere,andhavingalreadyabrideinhisArt;sheamaidenofrarestbeauty,andnotmorelovelythanfullofglee;alllightandsmiles,andfrolicsomeastheyoungfawn;lovingandcherishingallthings;hatingonlytheArtwhichwasherrival;dreadingonlythepalletandbrushesandotheruntowardinstrumentswhichdeprivedherofthecountenanceofherlover.Itwasthusaterriblethingforthisladytohearthepainterspeakofhisdesiretopourtrayevenhisyoungbride.Butshewashumbleandobedient,andsatmeeklyformanyweeksinthedark,highturret-chamberwherethelightdrippeduponthepalecanvasonlyfromoverhead.Buthe,thepainter,tookgloryinhiswork,whichwentonfromhourtohour,andfromdaytoday.Andbewasapassionate,andwild,andmoodyman,whobecamelostinreveries;sothathewouldnotseethatthelightwhichfellsoghastlyinthatloneturretwitheredthehealthandthespiritsofhisbride,whopinedvisiblytoallbuthim.Yetshesmiledonandstillon,uncomplainingly,becauseshesawthatthepainter(whohadhighrenown)tookafervidandburningpleasureinhistask,andwroughtdayandnighttodepictherwhosolovedhim,yetwhogrewdailymoredispiritedandweak.Andinsoothsomewhobeheldtheportraitspokeofitsresemblanceinlowwords,asofamightymarvel,andaproofnotlessofthepowerofthepainterthanofhisdeeploveforherwhomhedepictedsosurpassinglywell.Butatlength,asthelabordrewnearertoitsconclusion,therewereadmittednoneintotheturret;forthepainterhadgrownwildwiththeardorofhiswork,andturnedhiseyesfromcanvasmerely,eventoregardthecountenanceofhiswife.Andhewouldnotseethatthetintswhichhespreaduponthecanvasweredrawnfromthecheeksofherwhosatebesidehim.Andwhenmanyweeksbadpassed,andbutlittleremainedtodo,saveonebrushuponthemouthandonetintupontheeye,thespiritoftheladyagainflickeredupastheflamewithinthesocketofthelamp.Andthenthebrushwasgiven,andthenthetintwasplaced;and,f