打开心世界（2020）

他回复我说从我这儿得到一句好话
he observed in response that it seemed to be quite a favor
也是很难得的事
to get a kind word from me.
我告诉他 如果他能嫁给自己
And I told him that if he was married to himself,
他就会发现我说的是大实话
he’d soon find out what a favor it was.
我妈妈总是说有了孩子
My mother always said that having children
可以解决这个问题
would resolve that dilemma.
我母亲也说过
My mother made the same claim.
但是
And yet…
看我们俩现在
Here we are…
都没有孩子
Both childless.
我的女儿内莉 她本来要五岁了
My daughter, Nellie, would have been five today.
哦
Oh.
她怎么死的
How did she pass?
白喉
Diphtheria.
去年九月
Last September.
我很抱歉
I’m so sorry.
你好哦
-Hello. -Oh.
下午好
Good afternoon.
我是戴尔
I’m Dyer.
泰莉
Tallie.
哦 很晚了吧 我该走了
Oh, it’s late, isn’t it? I should be getting on.
你不用在意我的
Don’t go on my account.
哦 不是你的问题
Oh, no.
你的披肩真漂亮
That’s a nice wrap you have.
谢谢
Thank you.
从来没有人夸过我的衣服
I never receive compliments for my clothes.
真高兴你来了
I’m so glad you’ve come.
你让我今天过得很开心
Meeting you has made my day.
是吗
It has?
嗯
Well…
我很高兴能让你开心
How pleasant and uncommon it is to make someone’s day.
2月14日星期四
Thursday, February 14th.
戴尔发烧的第三个晚上
Dyer’s third night with the fever.
把这个喝了
Drink this.
我想多生生病 那样的话
I plan on getting sick more often.
我的妻子会冲我微笑
My wife smiles at me.
答应我 不要死
Promise me you’re not gonna die.
这我不能控制
That would be the opposite of my intention.
我试着让他舒服一些
I’ve restored him somewhat
试了灌肠治疗
with an enema of molasses,
用糖浆温水和猪油灌肠
warm water and lard.
还在他的鼻子滴了松节油
Also a drop of turpentine next to his nose.
我花了一整天回忆我和泰莉的谈话
I spent the day reconsidering my conversation with Tallie.
我们比较了小时候的床
We compared childhood beds…
我的是稻草的
Mine in which the straw
总是散架 很松软
was always breaking up and thinning out.
她说她的床非常硬
And hers, which was as hard, she claimed,
像法老王的心一样
as the Pharaoh’s heart.
我应该好好照顾你
I should be taking care of you.
你是应该
I agree.
她的举止甜美 平静亲切
Her manner is sweet and calm and gracious.
然而她的精神似乎在变好
And yet her spirits seem to quicken
希望能和我进一步交谈
at the prospect of further conversation with me.
我发现 我有很多想说的
I find that everything I wish to tell her
在她面前说不出口了
loses its eloquence in her presence.
你是怎么认识戴尔的
So how did you come to meet Dyer?
他是邻居家的长子
He was the oldest son of a neighbor.
他在我父亲的农场帮忙
He helped out on my father’s farm.
他是不是立刻就被你迷住了
And was he instantly smitten by you?
是不是
He was, wasn’t he?
他立刻被你迷住了
He was instantly smitten by you.
他喜欢我所谓的良好判断力
He admired what he viewed as my practical good sense.
你不喜欢“被迷住”这样的词 是吗
You don’t countenance words like “smitten”, do you?
我想我用的词跟你用的一样
I suspect I use all the same words you do.
我怀疑你用的不一样
I suspect you don’t.
在说话的时候 因为你很害羞
In speech, yes, because you’re shy.
但我敢打赌你会写很多东西
But I bet you’re more accomplished in your writing.
谢谢
Thank you.
你的判断力 这就是你丈夫喜欢你的地方吗
Your good sense, that’s all your husband was smitten with?
还有我的高效
And my efficient habits.
就只有这些
That’s all?
我心灵手巧
My handy ways.
戴尔喜欢有关机械的东西
Dyer likes mechanical things.
我觉得他肯定会更快乐
I have no doubt he would’ve been happier
如果他可以追寻
had he been allowed to pursue
他与生俱来的的科学天赋
the natural scientific bent of his mind.
但是 环境迫使他务农
Circumstances forced him into farming.
所以 尽管如此 他仍然不可遏制的爱上了你
And despite all of that, his heart compelled him to you?
额
Well…
这个问题 你可以自己去问问他
You would have to ask him about that.
如果我问的是你 你会怎么回答
And what would you say if I asked you?
我想他作为求婚者
I suppose that as a suitor, he was…
虽然待人不够宽厚 但他至少是正直的
not generous, but he was just.
而且他非常深情 虽然不够长情
And that he was affectionate, if not constant.
我不确定他是否是合适的人选
I wasn’t sure of his suitability.
但是我的家人觉得一切都会变好
But my family felt that more improving
也许就在不远的将来
might be in the offing.
毕竟这是一条只能一直往前走的路
After all, it is a long lane that has no turning.
你们都有很多值得感恩的事情
You both have much to be thankful for.
是的
We do.
现在还为时过早
It’s still too soon.
对不起
Sorry.
2月19日星期二
Tuesday, February 19th.
我的不情愿似乎成了他的耻辱
My reluctance seems to have become his shame.
他本来就不多的晚间娱乐时光
His nighttime pleasures, which were never numerous,
甚至变得更少了
have curtailed even more.
到目前为止我一直拒绝接受 他在
And I have so far refused to engage his persistence
另一个孩子的问题上执着的请求
on the subject of another child.
晚上好
Evening.
这是我丈夫芬尼
This is my husband Finney.
你已经认识戴尔了
And you already know Dyer.
我们之前见过
Our paths have crossed.
这就是我一直提到的阿比盖尔
And this is the Abigail that I’ve been mentioning.
我老婆说起你的时候 就好像你与这间屋子息息相关
My wife talks about you as if you’re all about the house,
一切都让她想起你
and everything reminds her of you.
哦 她不在的时候
Oh, well, it’s all I can do but sit cross-legged and morose
我只能闷闷不乐地盘腿坐着
whenever she’s away.
请进 -谢谢
-Come in. -Thank you.
雨下得这么大 把我们的工厂都淋坏了
The rain so heavy that it broke down our mill.
你有没有想念我
Did you miss me?
想了
Yes.
你看起来不太一样了
You look different.
没有
No…
芬尼看起来似乎很讨人喜欢
Finney seems agreeable.
是的 只要他愿意的话
Yes, he is, when he chooses to be.
我想我应该敬你一杯
I guess I’m supposed to offer a toast.
但说到社交礼仪
But when it comes to the social graces,
我简直是一窍不通
I’m about as smooth as coming down a rocky hill in the dark.
我丈夫的意思是 他很开心
What my husband means is he’s so happy
终于能聚在一起,
to finally get together,
并且再次见到戴尔
and to see Dyer again.
干杯
Cheers.
我很珍视我妻子的一部分原因
Part of what I value about my wife
是她教会我如何与我的同胞们交往
is how she taught me to associate with my fellow beings.
芬尼你选的领带真漂亮
Finney, that’s a handsome neck tie you’ve chosen.
谢谢你
Thank you.
但是我的脖子
But with my neck,
让我的头看起来就像家禽车里的鸡一样突出来
my head sticks out like a chicken in a poultry wagon.
你的馅饼美味极了
Your tart was wonderfully savory.
你喜欢吗 我太高兴了
Oh, did you like it? I’m so glad.