ROBERT BROWNING
羅伯特·布朗寧
（1812—1889）

【作者與作品簡介】

陳維杭

My Last Duchess

That's my last Duchess painted on the wall，

Looking as if she were alive. I call

That piece a wonder，now：Frà Pandolf's hands¹

Worked busily a day，and there she stands.²

Will't please you sit and look at her？³ I said

“Frà Pandolf by design，⁴ for never read

Strangers like you that pictured countenance，⁵

The depth and passion of its earnest glance，⁶

But to myself they turned⁷（since none puts by

The curtain I have drawn for you，but I）⁸

And seemed as they would ask me，if they durst，⁹

How such a glance came there； so，not the first

Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir，'twas not

Her husband's presence only，called that spot

Of joy into the Duchess' cheek：¹⁰ perhaps

Frà Pandolf chanced to say，“Her mantle laps

Over my lady's wrist too much，”¹¹ or “Paint

Must never hope to reproduce the faint

Half-flush that dies along her throat：”¹² such stuff

Was courtesy，she thought，and cause enough

For calling up that spot of joy.¹³ She had

A heart — how shall I say？ — too soon made glad，¹⁴

Too easily impressed； she liked whate'er

She looked on，and her looks went everywhere.¹⁵

Sir，'twas all one！¹⁶ my favor at her breast，¹⁷

The dropping of the daylight in the West，

The bough of cherries some officious fool¹⁸

Broke in the orchard for her，the white mule

She rode with round the terrace — all and each

Would draw from her alike the approving speech，

Or blush，at least. She thanked men，— good！¹⁹ but thanked

Somehow — I know not how — as if she ranked

my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name²⁰

With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame

This sort of trifling？²¹ Even had you skill

In speech — （which I have not） — to make your will

Quite clear to such an one，²² and say，“Just this

Or that in you disgusts me； here you miss，

Or there exceed the mark”²³ — and if she let

Herself be lessoned so，nor plainly set

Her wits to yours，forsooth，and made excuse，²⁴

— E'en then would be some stooping；²⁵ and I choose

Never to stoop. Oh，sir，she smiled，no doubt，

Whene'er I passed her； but who passed without

Much the same smile？ This grew； I gave commands；²⁶

Then all smiles stopped together.²⁷ There she stands

As if alive. Will't please you rise？²⁸ We'll meet

The company below²⁹ then. I repeat，

The Count your master's known munificence

Is ample warrant that no just pretence

Of mine for dowry will be disallowed；³⁰

Though his fair daughter's self，as I avowed

At starting，is my object.³¹ Nay，we'll go

Together down，sir. Notice Neptune，though，

Taming a sea-horse，thought a rarity，³²

Which Claus of Innsbruck³³ cast in bronze for me！

【題解】

布朗寧這首《戲劇獨白詩》取材于意大利奧爾豐素二世、費拉拉公爵（Alfonso II，Duke of Ferrara）的私生活。費拉拉公爵第一任妻子盧克利齊婭 （Lucrezia）結(jié)婚三年后，于1561年死亡。此后，費拉拉公爵通過代理人協(xié)商，娶了提洛爾伯爵（Count of Tyrol）的侄女。布朗寧在詩中以公爵的口氣向代理人介紹他的情況。詩中暗示的殺妻一事，未必是真事。但是，公爵的冷酷無情和專注于金錢交易的特性，則表露無遺。

【注釋】

1.Frà Pandolf's hands：（這幅畫） 出自Pandolf之手；Frà Pandolf：an imaginery painter，詩人虛構(gòu)的畫家；Frà：意為 “教兄”，當時許多畫家均為教士，故稱。

2.there she stands：這幅畫現(xiàn)在就掛在這里。

3.Will't please you sit and look at her：Will it please you to sit and look at her.

4.by design：有意識地； 意為知你必然要問畫家是誰，故不等你發(fā)問，事先告訴你。

5.never read ... countenance：Strangers like you never read that pictured countenance； read：理解，領(lǐng)會； pictured countenance：畫像上的面容。

6.The depth and passion of its earnest glance：its：指countenance，面容上的目光所流露的那深沉的情意。

7.But to myself they turned：意為客人們總是不能理解畫像的表情，而總是轉(zhuǎn)過身來問我。

8.since none puts by ... but I：因為除我以外，無人可以為客人拉開遮蓋畫像的帷幕。暗示公爵愛護此畫是因為它是一件藝術(shù)品而不是對夫人的懷念。

9.if they durst：如果他們有勇氣（問我）； durst：dare的過去式，主要用于虛擬式中，現(xiàn)已不常用。

10.'twas not ... cheek：it was not her husband's presence only which called etc.，公爵夫人臉上之所以露出那片喜悅的紅暈，不只是因為有丈夫在旁； 'twas：it was； called：喚起，使露出，前面省略that （關(guān)系代詞）。

11.Her mantle laps ... much：夫人的外套將她的手蓋得太多了； 這是假想畫家在為公爵夫人畫像時對她說的話； Her和my lady均是畫家對公爵夫人的稱呼，用第三人稱來稱呼表示尊敬。

12.dies along her throat：（那片淡淡的紅暈） 沿著喉部逐漸消失； die在此有暗示公爵殺妻。

13.such stuff ... joy：公爵夫人以為畫家的那番話是禮貌的表示，因而值得為之（cause enough） 感到高興。此處講夫人臉上紅暈的來歷，公爵認為她大可不必為這種恭維話激動，似乎有失尊嚴。

14.how shall I say：我該怎么說才好；too soon made glad：要使她心里高興十分容易。

15.she liked whate'er ... everywhere：她什么都愛看，看到了什么都喜歡。

16.'twas all one：指以下列舉的一切在寫公爵夫人的眼中都是同等之物。

17.my favor at her breast：我送給她的胸飾； favor：a thing given or worn as a token of favor.

18.some officious fool：某個多事的蠢才； officious：volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed，meddlesome.

19.She thanked men，— good：她向人道謝——那好??！ 語含諷刺。

20.a nine-hundred-years-old name：公爵家系有九百年的光榮歷史。公爵不滿意他夫人把普通人（anybody）的禮品和他名門望族的悠久歷史的榮譽同等看待。

21.Who'd stoop to blame ... trifling：誰能降低身份去指責這種雞毛蒜皮的小事呢？

22.such an one：指公爵夫人。

23.here you miss ... mark：這兒你做得不夠，那兒你又太過分； mark：是miss和exceed的賓語。

24.be lessoned so，nor plainly set ... excuse：要是她能夠聽從教訓，也不公然和你頂嘴，一爭高低，找個臺階下，那倒也罷了； forsooth：in truth，certainly，“真是！”

25.E'en then would be some stooping：即便如此，（對我來說） 也有點屈尊降格； E'en：even.

26.This grew：這種情況變本加厲，愈來愈嚴重；I gave commands：我下了命令。

27.Then all smiles stopped together：一般認為這是暗示公爵下令將其妻殺掉。布朗寧在答Corson問時說：“Yes，I meant that the commands were that she be put to death.” 停了會又說：“Or he might have had her shut up in a convent.” 但是，這是布朗寧的發(fā)揮，并不是真事。

28.Will't please you rise：Will it please you to rise； 結(jié)構(gòu)和第5行一樣。

29.We'll meet ... below：公爵轉(zhuǎn)過話題，提示應(yīng)該到樓下去和代理人的公司進行談判了。

30.The Count your master's known munificence ... disallowed：你主人伯爵大人素以慷慨聞名 （munificence），這可以保證（ample warrant） 他不會拒絕我對于嫁妝的正當要求 （just pretence）； 剛說完殺死前妻之事，即對來客提出嫁妝的要求； Count：the Count of Tyrol.

31.Though his fair daughter's self，as I avowed ... object：雖然如我一開始就已申明，我所追求的是他美麗的女兒本人。公爵要娶的原是提洛爾伯爵的侄女，這里改為他的女兒。

32.Notice Neptune，though ... rarity：不過，請你看看海神馴服海馬的銅像，據(jù)說是絕世的杰作； thought：which is thought.

33.Claus of Innsbruck：Innsbruck地方的藝術(shù)家Claus，也是虛構(gòu)的雕塑家； Innsbruck：在今奧地利境內(nèi)，為當時提洛爾邦的首府，以當?shù)窨碳抑Q。

Meeting at Night