【導讀】威廉·惠特曼·貝利（1843—1914）曾任布朗大學、麻省理工學院植物學教授。其父雅各布·惠特曼·貝利（1811—1857）是一個自然主義者，也是美國微觀研究的先驅，曾任西點軍?；瘜W教授。家學淵源一定程度上折射出美國歷史上一個人文與自然科學相得益彰的時期。

這篇優(yōu)美的散文發(fā)表在1878年的美國《全國教育學刊》（National Journal of Education）上。文章以冬日林中漫步時的冰雪美景為主要聚焦對象，抒發(fā)了對神奇大自然的謳歌和對美好事物易逝的感嘆。在結構上，由遠及近（森林到后院）、由物及人、由景及情。語言上兼具美感和詩意，運用了比喻、擬人、夸張、用典、互文等多種修辭，最突出的是將大自然及其生靈、樹木、溪流人格化。風格和主題上，隱約可見自然主義者愛默生、梭羅、布萊恩特和浪漫主義者朗費羅等人的印跡?！懊乐琳?，其衰也忽”的主題亦與中國文藝美學頗有共通。

A walk in the wild woods is never without its charm. Even in the winter we find it profitable to keep up our acquaintance with Nature， and to pay her an occasional visit. She never pleads the shallow and fallacious excuse of domestic engagements， but we have a suspicion that about this time she is not the least busy lady in the land. Think of all the multitudinous plans she is maturing， to delight and surprise us in the spring！ Under the snow-beds are myriads of slumbering blossoms， not to speak of forms of higher life， which await but a word from the gentle goddess to come forth in vernal beauty.

We love to follow the paths made by some rabbit or other wild creature， and which lead into mysterious depths of forest. The silence would be appalling， were it not for that instinctive faith in the latent life about us. In places the snow is positively blue，—where， for instance， the “sombrous pines”1 cast their long shadows westward and mark the progress of the sun. Wonderful palaces have been built above the little brook， which bubbles， and whispers， and laughs as it plays sweet music on the tinkling ice. We gaze down colonnades of stately pillars， ornate as those of Thebes. Let Schlieman2 delve in the ruins of Mycenae： he can not unearth more wonderful remains than these. It requires good courage， and something of enthusiasm besides， to travel a foot over frozen snow; but there are days when it is quite out of the question for one to stay at home. Blue skies， jingling sleigh-bells， and crisp air all summon him out of doors. If he can skate， he has reached the triumph of locomotion， the poetry of earthly movement. A perfect skater suggests those exquisite statues of the Greeks， where a god is represented poised as if for flight. The anatomical absurdity of wings is dispensed with， and he seems to glide along by the very force of genius. There may be reason， perhaps， why we can not skate. At such times we wrap up well， and start off like some Alpine or Arctic explorer， with a convenience at hand of which these venturesome spirits are deprived，—viz.， the ready access to a returning horse-car.

Sometimes kind Nature undertakes a little dramatic performance in our back-yard， when we keep a reserved seat in the house and witness the spectacle in comfort. Where is the artist that can paint such a scene？ Does a childs imagination even， create anything so dazzling and bewildering？ Here is a pear-tree， whose withered fruit is transformed into sugared confections. For what fairy beauty are prepared these necklaces of pearl？ Who ground the iridescent facets of yonder diamonds that spangle in the sunlight， and， catching the subtle colors of the spectrum， gleam like shattered rainbows？ The oak has sheathed himself in mail， and even the tiny twigs are gauntleted. A light breeze causes the armor to creak and the joints to rattle， but the fabric is well-wrought and can endure the strain.

Beautiful beyond all description is the view adown the garden path， where the over-arching shrubs have formed a fret-work of crystal. Here are hung strings of orient pearls; tapestry and lace-work of superb patterns recall the splendors of medieval times; and here is a film or veil of frost so delicate that a breath would endanger it. The most homely objects are fringed with opaline icicles. A cluster of barberries， which has escaped the birds， is now an ear-drop of costly coral. What could the island-home of Edmund Dantes3 show that was in any way comparable to this splendor！

“Loveliest of lovely things are they

On earth， that soonest pass away.”4

Even as we look， the enchantment is broken. The rare decorations are dashed upon the ground， for with a shudder and a sigh， each branch seems to bow itself slightly and then cast off its armor. The jewels are dissolved in rain.

野外林中漫步總不乏妙趣。即使冬天，我們也會發(fā)現(xiàn)，與自然保持親近，偶爾拜訪一次，大有裨益。她從不以內事繁忙的淺薄托詞欺人，但我們不免猶疑，在這個時候，她絕不會是這片國度最清閑的主人。想想她正在醞釀的那些數(shù)不勝數(shù)的計劃吧，只為在春天里讓我們愉悅和驚艷！白雪的被褥下，是千千萬萬沉睡的花，更不用說一些更高形式的生命，只待這位慈愛的女神一聲令下，他們就要迸放出春之美麗。

我們喜歡循著兔子或其他某種野生動物的蹤跡，走向森林深處的秘境。那里的寂靜會讓人膽顫心驚，好在我們對四周蟄伏的生命有著本能的信任?？梢钥匆?，在雪泛出純藍的地方，“陰沉的松樹”向西投下長影，標記太陽的移動。小溪的上方建造了一座座美妙的宮殿，溪水汩汩地冒著泡，低語著，歡笑著，在叮當作響的融冰上演奏著甜美的音樂。我們注視著排成一列列的冰柱，莊嚴華美，不輸?shù)妆人股駨R和宮殿的廊柱。讓施里曼鉆研他的邁錫尼遺址吧：他不可能找出比這些還美妙的遺跡。在凍雪上邁步需要不小的勇氣，也需要某種熱情;但是，總有些時日，你完全沒法待在家里。蔚藍的天空、清脆的雪橇鈴、清冽的空氣，都在召喚人們走出家門。如果會滑冰，還將體驗到運動的喜悅，這也是世間運動的詩意所在。一個完美的滑手會讓人想起希臘人那些精美的雕像，呈現(xiàn)的神作勢欲飛。無需研究匪夷所思的鳥翼結構，仿佛僅憑天賦之力就能一路滑翔?；蛟S，我們不會滑冰也屬情有可原。在這樣的時節(jié)，我們往往把自己裹得嚴嚴實實，出門時就像阿爾卑斯山或北極的某個探險者，而我們還享有這些頗具冒險精神之人所不具備的一項便利——那便是，隨時乘坐馬車回家。

有時候，善良的大自然會在我們的后院上演沒那么盛大的戲劇的一幕，我們在家中預留一個席位，便可安逸地觀賞。能描繪出這般景致的畫家在哪兒呢？即便孩童的想象力也難創(chuàng)造出如此炫目迷人的作品吧？這里有棵梨樹，干癟的果實化作了覆滿糖霜的蜜餞。這些珍珠項鏈又是做給什么樣的美艷仙子？那邊，一顆顆鉆石在陽光下熠熠生輝，它們捕捉住光譜中微妙的色彩，折射出破碎彩虹般的光芒——是誰為它們打磨出色彩斑斕的切面？那棵橡樹已經為自己套上鎧甲，就連細枝也戴上了金屬手套。一陣微風吹過，甲胄嘎吱作響，連接處也發(fā)出咔咔聲，但這層甲胄做工精良，足以承受這樣的張力。

沿著花園小徑望去，景色美不勝收，無可比擬。鱗次櫛比的灌木叢組成了水晶的回紋。這兒有一串串懸掛枝頭的東方珍珠;圖案華美的織錦和花邊令人懷想中世紀的輝煌;這兒還有一層薄薄的霜紗，吹彈可破。最不起眼的東西的邊緣也鑲上了乳白的冰凌。一簇伏牛子躲過了鳥兒的采食，現(xiàn)在已是一串價值不菲的珊瑚耳墜。愛德蒙·唐泰斯的島上家園何美之有，可以媲美如此勝景！

“美之至者，

其衰也忽。”

就在我們觀注之際，幻境破碎。珍奇的飾物簌然掉落，哪怕只一個寒顫、一聲嘆息，條條樹枝似乎也會微微點頭，卸落甲胄。飛花碎玉，零落成雨。

（譯者單位：北京語言大學）