
編者按:自由這兩個(gè)字眼一直貫穿著人類的發(fā)展史,從古至今是無數(shù)人的奮斗目標(biāo)。多麗絲#8226;萊辛以另類的筆觸和別樣的觀點(diǎn)將女性對(duì)自由的追求多層次地呈現(xiàn)在我們面前,原來生命的價(jià)值存在于堅(jiān)持不懈的努力和對(duì)夢(mèng)想的追求中。
The Golden Notebook (Excerpt)
Free Women: One
自由女性Ⅰ
Anna meets her friend Molly in the summer of 1957 after a separation…
一九五七年夏天,安娜和她的朋友莫莉別后重逢……
The two women were alone in the London flat.
兩個(gè)女人在倫敦的一個(gè)公寓里。
\"The point is,\" said Anna, as her friend came back from the telephone on the landing, \"the point is, that as far as I can see, everything's cracking up.\"
“關(guān)鍵在于,”當(dāng)她的朋友從樓梯口的電話機(jī)旁回來時(shí),安娜說,“關(guān)鍵在于我能感覺到,所有的一切都在瀕臨崩潰。”
Molly was a woman much on the telephone. When it rang she had just inquired, \"Well, what's the gossip?\" Now she said, \"That's Richard, and he's coming over. It seems today's his only free moment for the next month. Or so he insists.\"
莫莉很喜歡打電話。剛剛電話鈴一響她就說:“哦,有什么閑言碎語嗎?”現(xiàn)在她說:“是查理打來的,他馬上過來。到下個(gè)月為止他好像只有今天有空。也許他是故意這么說的。”
\"Well I'm not leaving,\" said Anna.
“哦,那我就不走了。”安娜說。
\"No, you stay just where you are.\"
“不,你不用離開,盡管留在這就好。”
Molly considered her own appearance - she was wearing trousers and a sweater, both the worse for wear. \"He'll have to take me as I come, \"she concluded, and sat down by the window, \"He wouldn't say what it's about - another crisis with Marion, I suppose.\"
莫莉正在考慮自己的打扮——她穿著長褲和毛衣,看起來都很糟糕。“不過,既然他來了就得習(xí)慣我這個(gè)樣子,”她一邊斷定地說一邊在窗戶旁坐下,“他不會(huì)說來的原因,我想可能又和瑪麗安出什么問題了。”

\"Didn't he write to you?\" asked Anna, cautious.
“他給你寫過信嗎?”安娜小心翼翼地問。
\"Both he and Marion wrote - ever such bonhomous letters. Odd, isn't it?\"
“他和瑪麗安都寫過——都是些很親熱的信。很奇怪,不是嗎?”
This odd, isn't it? was the characteristic note of the intimate conversations they designated gossip. But having struck the note, Molly swerved off with, \"It's no use talking now, because he's coming right over, he says.\"
莫莉在說“很奇怪,不是嗎?”這句話時(shí)用的是她們平時(shí)聊天所慣用的特有親密語氣。不過,這次一開口她就換了語氣:“現(xiàn)在說這個(gè)沒什么意義,他馬上就要過來了。他是這么跟我說的。”
\"He'll probably go when he sees me here,\" said Anna, cheerfully, but slightly aggressive. Molly glanced at her, keenly, and said, \"Oh, but why?\"
“看見我在這,他說不定就走了。”安娜興致很高顯得有點(diǎn)自鳴得意。莫莉目光銳利地掃了她一眼:“為什么這么說?