Slight unpremeditated Words are borne
By every common Wind into the Air;
Carelessly utterd, die as soon as born,
And in one instant give both Hope and Fear:
Breathing all Contraries with the same Wind
According to the Caprice of the Mind.
But Billetdoux are constant Witnesses,
Substantial Records to Eternity;
Just Evidences, who the Truth confess,
On which the Lover safely may rely;
Theyre serious Thoughts, digested and resolvd;
And last, when Words are into Clouds devolvd.
不加思索的輕率話語,
被每一次平凡的呼吸載入空氣;
隨便說說,剛出口即消失,
一瞬間給人希望和恐懼:
同一氣息呼出萬般矛盾心腸,
追隨心靈無常的遐想。
但情書則是恒常的見證,
直至永恒的實(shí)體記錄;
公道的證物,它道出真誠,
戀人能在其上安心依附;
它們是嚴(yán)肅的思想,經(jīng)過深思熟慮;
當(dāng)話語在云外消失,它們還將延續(xù)。
作者簡介
阿芙拉·貝恩(1640—1689)是英國文學(xué)史上第一位以寫作謀生的職業(yè)女作家。她一生著作頗豐,在短短20年的寫作生涯中,她創(chuàng)作了十九部戲劇作品、十四部中短篇小說、大量詩歌以及長篇書信體小說《一個(gè)貴公子與表妹的情書》。《奧魯諾克》是其最為重要的小說,它是英國文學(xué)中最早一部同情黑人奴隸的佳作。