“Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless?”
不經意間,谷秋莎背出這段簡·愛對羅切斯特所說的名言開頭,她相信眼前的男孩很難通過這輪考試,若能把中文翻譯出來謝天謝地了。
“You think wrong!”讓人意想不到,司望直接說出了后面的英文,“I have as much soul as you, and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh; it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal, as we are!”
當他聲情并茂字正腔圓地背誦完畢,谷秋莎已不敢直視這孩子的雙眼。十年前,谷秋莎送給申明一本《簡·愛》的原版小說,那是她爸爸去美國考察時帶回來的,她記得申明反復背誦過這段英文。
“就仿佛我們兩人穿過墳墓?!?/p>
她情不自禁用中文念出這句,司望低垂眼簾,目光隱藏在長長的睫毛后面:“對不起,我看過英文原著,但只會背這段英文。”
“司望,你明白這句話的意思嗎?”
“明白?!?/p>
“就好像經歷過一樣?”
他停頓幾秒鐘,搖搖頭:“不知道?!?/p>
谷秋莎也不知該說什么好?兩人沉默著向前走去,在蘇州河邊最僻靜的那段,一輛破爛的吉普車停在路邊。
這輛車怎么看都有些眼熟,雖然四個輪子癟了兩個,車前臉差不多掉了,牌子車標也都沒了,只有一副外地牌照斜插在后面。她仍能看出這是一輛老款JEEP,后面車窗上畫著一朵紅玫瑰插在白骷髏中,雖然厚厚的灰塵與污垢令其暗淡,但可確定是原來車上的噴涂。