第六届英语世界杯翻译大赛

第六届英语世界杯翻译大赛AGardenThatWelcomesStrangersByAllenLacyIdonotknowwhatbecameofher,andIneverlearnedhername.ButIfeelthatIknewherfromthegardenshehadsolovinglymadeovermanydecades.Thehouseshelivedinliestwomilesfrommine – asimple,two-storystructurewiththeboxyplan,steeply-pitchedroofandunadornedlinesthataretypicalofhousesbuiltinthemiddleofthenineteenthcenturyneartheNewJerseyshore.Hergardenwasequallysimple.Shewasnotaconventionalgardenerwhodideverythingbythebook,followingthecommonadvicetovaryherplantingssotherewouldbesomethinginbloomfromthefirstcrocusinthespringtothelastchrysanthemuminthefall.Shehadnorespectfortherulethatsaysthattall-growingplantsbelongattherearofaperennialborder,lowonesinthefrontandmiddle-sizedonesinthemiddle,withoccasionalexceptionsfordramaticaccent.Inhergarden,everythingwasaccent,everythingwastall,andtheevidencewasplainthatshelovedthreekindsofplantandthreeonly:roses,clematisandlilies,intermingledpromiscuouslyt

opleasanteffectbutnoapparentdesign.Shegrewadozensortsofclematis,perhaps50plantsinall,trainedandtiedsothattheyclamberedupmetalrods,eachrodcrownedintermittentlythroughoutthesummerbyaroundedprofusionoflargeblossomsofdarkpurple,richcrimson,palelavender,lightblueandgleamingwhite.Hertasteinroseswasold-fashioned.Therewasn'tasinglemodernhybridtearoseorfloribundainsight.Instead,shefavoredtherosesofotherages – theYorkandLancasterrose,thecabbagerose,thedamaskandtherugosaroseinseveralvarieties.Shepropagatedherrosesherselffromcuttingsstuckdirectlyinthegroundandprotectedbyupendedgallonjugs.Lilies,Ibelievewerehergreatestlove.ExceptforsomeMadonnaliliesitisimpossibletonamethem,sincethewoodenflatsstoodcasuallyhereandthereintheflowerbed,allthicklyplantedwithdarkgreenlilyseedlings.Theoccasionalpapertagflutteringfromaseedpodwiththedateandrecordofacrossshowedthatshewasanamateurhybridizerwithsomespecialfondnessforliliesofawarmmuskmelonsha

deorapalelemonyellow.Shebelievedinsharinghergarden.Byhercurbtherewasasign:“Thisismygarden,andyouarewelcomehere.Takewhateveryouwishwithyoureyes,butnothingwithyourhand.”Untilfiveyearsago,hergardenwasalwaysimmaculatelytended,thelawnkeptfertilizedandmowed,theflowerbedfreeofweeds,thetallliliescarefullystaked.Butthensomethinghappened.Idon'tknowwhatitwas,butthelawnwasmowedlessfrequently,thennotatall.Tallgrassinvadedtheroses,theclematis,thelilies.Theelmtreeinherfrontyardsickenedanddied,andwhenacoastalgalestruck,thebranchesthatfellwereneverremoved.Witheveryyear,theneglecthasgrownworse.Wildhoneysuckleandbittersweetrunrampantinthegarden.Sumac,ailanthus,poisonivyandotheruninvitedthingsthreatenthefewliliesandclematisandrosesthatstillstruggleforsurvival.Lastyearthehouseitselfwentdead.Thefrontdoorwaspadlockedandthewindowscoveredwithsheetsofplywood.Formanymonthstherehasbeenaforsalesignoutfront,replacingthesigninvitingstrangerstosha

rehergarden.Idrivebythathousealmostdailyandhavebeentemptedtoloadashovelinmycartrunk,stopathercurbandrescueafewliliesfromthesmotheringthicketofweeds.Thelawsoftrespassandthefactthatherhousesitsacrossthestreetfromapolicestationhavegivenmethecowardicetoresisttemptation.Buthergardenhasremindedmeofmortality;gardenersandthegardenstheymakearefragilethings,creaturesoftime,hostagestochanceandtodecay.Lastweek,theforsalesignoutfrontcamedownandthewindowswereunboarded.Acrewofpaintersarrivedandsomeonecutdownthedeadelmtree.Thismorningtherewasamovingvaninthedrivewayunloadingaswingset,abarbecuegrill,agrandpianoandahousefulofsensiblefurniture.Ayoungfamilyismovingintothathouse.Ihopethatamongtheirnumberisagardenerwhosespecialfondnessforoldrosesandclematisandlilieswillseetoitthatallelseisputasideuntilthatflowerbedisrestoredtosomethingofitsformerself.(选自Patterns:AShortProseReader,byMaryLouConlin,publishedbyHoughtonMifflinCompany,1983.)