| 目 录 上一节 下一节 
生活还是需要这样日复一日地过下去，日子不得不在这卑微、绝望、低下而恼人的奴役的无奈中消遣着时光，神经的每一个角落都在沮丧不堪，每一个细胞都在渐渐沉睡--这种在精神上百般无奈的折磨，这种在生命深处一滴一滴、一个时寸一个时寸，日复一日地缓缓离去，对于男人们和女人们这才算得上是真正的考验。 When Tom stood face to face with his persecutor, and heard his threats, and thought in his very soul that his hour was come, his heart swelled bravely in him, and he thought he could bear torture and fire, bear anything, with the vision of Jesus and heaven but just a step beyond; but, when he was gone, and the present excitement passed off, came back the pain of his bruised and weary limbs,--came back the sense of his utterly degraded, hopeless, forlorn estate; and the day passed wearily enough. 当汤姆与他的主人正面站着，听着他的威胁恐吓，此刻他不得不相信属于自己的最后时刻已经来临，一下子他便变得更加勇敢了。他觉得自己承受鞭答、火烧不会有太大问题，他坚信自己能够战胜所有折磨。凭他的感觉基督和天堂也不过在一尺之远了。就在烈格雷一走开，他心血澎湃的激动时刻一过，便感觉到身上的伤口痛苦难忍，四肢已无知觉。在别人眼里抬不起头、地位低下、又没指望的情况下，悲凉的心情又占据了他所有思绪，一天的生活简直慢得让人无法忍受。 Long before his wounds were healed, Legree insisted that he should be put to the regular field-work; and then came day after day of pain and weariness, aggravated by every kind of injustice and indignity that the ill-will of a mean and malicious mind could devise. Whoever, in _our_ circumstances, has made trial of pain, even with all the alleviations which, for us, usually attend it, must know the irritation that comes with it. Tom no longer wondered at the habitual surliness of his associates; nay, he found the placid, sunny temper, which had been the habitude of his life, broken in on, and sorely strained, by the inroads of the same thing. He had flattered himself on leisure to read his Bible; but there was no such thing as leisure there. In the height of the season, Legree did not hesitate to press all his hands through, Sundays and week-days alike. Why shouldn't he?--he made more cotton by it, and gained his wager; and if it wore out a few more hands, he could buy better ones. At first, Tom used to read a verse or two of his Bible, by the flicker of the fire, after he had returned from his daily toil; but, after the cruel treatment he received, he used to come home so exhausted, that his head swam and his eyes failed when he tried to read; and he was fain to stretch himself down, with the others, in utter exhaustion. 还没等到汤姆的伤口全部恢复，烈格雷便一再强调，一定要他到地里做事。生活就这样日复一日地令人苦不堪言，那个狼心狗肺的坏东西又在对他打坏主意，使出所有手段、残暴和凶狠的招数去攻击他，这些更使汤姆加深了痛苦。在我们当中任何一人，只要尝试过痛苦的滋味，就会感觉出是从痛苦中引发而来的是什么样暴跳如雷的坏性子。就算这有许多种花样俱全的神药来帮助我们，事情也仍然不会改变。汤姆目睹所有伙伴们的粗暴行为、放肆无礼的脾气一点也不以为然。还不止是这些，一直以来他还觉得自己是个十分和睦的人，在一样的痛苦煎熬中和种种的摧残下，也同样受到阻碍，不易继续了。开始他还想着能在空余时间看看《圣经》，但在烈格雷那庄园里，根本就没有空余这个词的存在。在农活最繁忙的情况下，烈格雷会自然而然地把自己身边的所有人手都派去，像台机器地不停劳作，就连星期日也不放过。他为什么这样做呢？要是这样的话他不仅仅是收更多的棉花，还能够赢得和其他人打的赌，如果累死几个黑奴，他还可以买更年青力壮的劳动能手。开始几天疲惫不堪地干完地里的活回来后，汤姆还利用那微弱的火光，翻看一下《圣经》。就在他受到各种各样的摧残之后，他干完活回来时已经精疲力尽，他挣扎着想读《圣经》，此时头晕眼花，因而也就只有和那些人一样倒下便睡。 Is it strange that the religious peace and trust, which had upborne him hitherto, should give way to tossings of soul and despondent darkness? The gloomiest problem of this mysterious life was constantly before his eyes,--souls crushed and ruined, evil triumphant, and God silent. It was weeks and months that Tom wrestled, in his own soul, in darkness and sorrow. He thought of Miss Ophelia's letter to his Kentucky friends, and would pray earnestly that God would send him deliverance. And then he would watch, day after day, in the vague hope of seeing somebody sent to redeem him; and, when nobody came, he would crush back to his soul bitter thoughts,--that it was vain to serve God, that God had forgotten him. He sometimes saw Cassy; and sometimes, when summoned to the house, caught a glimpse of the dejected form of Emmeline, but held very little communion with either; in fact, there was no time for him to commune with anybody. 直到今天为止，一直以来就这样支撑着他的宗教信仰和心中的那份安慰，然而又被那百般无奈。没法安宁的思绪所占去了。这难道有什么稀奇吗？在那变化万千的人生旅途中，一个最让人无法接受的问题在他身边不停地演变着：灵魂惨遭毒蛇般的摧残，坏人每次都获胜，挺胸阔步，上帝却丝毫没有反应。在磨难与煎熬当中，汤姆的躯体苦苦挣扎了几个星期，接着又是好几个月。他记起了以前奥菲利亚小姐送他一位肯塔基朋友的信，便真心祝福着，恳求仁慈的上帝能给他派来救兵。他抱着一种试试的态度等待着，日盼夜盼为了祈祷上帝能奇迹般给他派来救兵。当他领悟到不会有人来时，发现这自始至终是没有目的的等待时，他的心灵深处又有着这样一种想法：信仰上帝根本起不了作用，他早被上帝给遗忘了。他偶尔也会遇到卡西，偶尔他被叫到主人们所住的地方，能看到十分忧郁的埃米琳，可是他与她们两个从来没有交谈过，说实在的，他无法抽出时间与任何人交谈。 One evening, he was sitting, in utter dejection and prostration, by a few decaying brands, where his coarse supper was baking. He put a few bits of brushwood on the fire, and strove to raise the light, and then drew his worn Bible from his pocket. There were all the marked passages, which had thrilled his soul so often,--words of patriarchs and seers, poets and sages, who from early time had spoken courage to man,--voices from the great cloud of witnesses who ever surround us in the race of life. Had the word lost its power, or could the failing eye and weary sense no longer answer to the touch of that mighty inspiration? Heavily sighing, he put it in his pocket. A coarse laugh roused him; he looked up,--Legree was standing opposite to him. 一个夜晚，汤姆垂头丧气、闷闷不乐地在一堆柴火边坐着，把粗饼烤烤便把它充当晚餐。他又添了一些柴火，尽量使火能烧得更旺，接着又从口袋里拿出那本破旧的《圣经》。有些他做过标记，在以前的生活中，时常让他的灵魂异常兴奋的句子都依旧在那儿--全部是些始祖、先知，诗人与圣人们讲的话。从它们诞生那日开始已在激励着人类，它们是那些专门为上帝作证的人的声音。它们还会在我们的生命过程中，一直伴随在我们左右，永远被我们铭记在心。此刻是这些话已经失去了力量？然而还是那日渐衰败的视力和渐渐麻木的感觉再也无能为力感应这种万能的启示！汤姆深深地吐了口气，把《圣经》又放回口袋。这时他被一阵嘶哑的怪笑声惊动，他把头仰起，却发现烈格雷就在他的对面站着。 
是你！死东西！"他说，"你似乎感到自己的宗教快不灵了吧？我早有所闻，直到现在我才让你的脑袋瓜明白这一点。" The cruel taunt was more than hunger and cold and nakedness. Tom was silent. 这样残酷的讽刺比严刑拷打、饥饿、寒冷和被人赤身裸体还要痛苦。汤姆沉默不语。 "You were a fool," said Legree; "for I meant to do well by you, when I bought you. You might have been better off than Sambo, or Quimbo either, and had easy times; and, instead of getting cut up and thrashed, every day or two, ye might have had liberty to lord it round, and cut up the other niggers; and ye might have had, now and then, a good warming of whiskey punch. Come, Tom, don't you think you'd better be reasonable?--heave that ar old pack of trash in the fire, and join my church!"" 他妈的你真是个没用的东西，"烈格雷叫道，"当初我买下你的时候，本来想待你好一点。你本可以比桑博或昆博他们还要舒服，还要过得快活些。别说像你现在，每过一至两天就会受苦受罚挨打挨骂。你完全可以自由自在，耀武扬威，还可以揍揍其他的黑奴，也还可以时常地喝上一杯上好的热威士忌混合酒。是啊！汤姆，难道你不认为自己该放聪明些吗？还不把那本没用的破书扔到柴火中去，来信我的这种教吧！" "The Lord forbid!" said Tom, fervently." 上帝是绝对不同意这样做的！"汤姆满怀信心，意志坚定地说道。 "You see the Lord an't going to help you; if he had been, he wouldn't have let _me_ get you! This yer religion is all a mess of lying trumpery, Tom. I know all about it. Ye'd better hold to me; I'm somebody, and can do something!"" 你想，上帝肯定不会帮你。如果他诚心帮你的话，今天你就不会落在我的手中！汤姆，你这狗屁宗教完全是欺骗人的谎言。我可是了解得一清二楚，你最明智的选择还是来投靠我，我可数得上是有名的人物，能做出一番大事！" 
不可能，主人，"汤姆说，"我不会改变自己的信仰。无论上帝帮不帮我，我都会全心全意依赖他，信仰他直到我死。" "The more fool you!" said Legree, spitting scornfully at him, and spurning him with his foot. "Never mind; I'll chase you down, yet, and bring you under,--you'll see!" and Legree turned away." 那你就更是个大傻瓜了！"烈格雷说着，向汤姆嘲讽地吐了吐舌头，又不怀好意地踢了他一下。"没关系，你迟早都要向我屈服，看你嘴硬！"说完，他调头就走。 When a heavy weight presses the soul to the lowest level at which endurance is possible, there is an instant and desperate effort of every physical and moral nerve to throw off the weight; and hence the heaviest anguish often precedes a return tide of joy and courage. So was it now with Tom. The atheistic taunts of his cruel master sunk his before dejected soul to the lowest ebb; and, though the hand of faith still held to the eternal rock, it was a numb, despairing grasp. Tom sat, like one stunned, at the fire. Suddenly everything around him seemed to fade, and a vision rose before him of one crowned with thorns, buffeted and bleeding. Tom gazed, in awe and wonder, at the majestic patience of the face; the deep, pathetic eyes thrilled him to his inmost heart; his soul woke, as, with floods of emotion, he stretched out his hands and fell upon his knees,--when, gradually, the vision changed: the sharp thorns became rays of glory; and, in splendor inconceivable, he saw that same face bending compassionately towards him, and a voice said, "He that overcometh shall sit down with me on my throne, even as I also overcome, and am set down with my Father on his throne." 当沉重的心理压力达到人的心理所能承受的极限时，人们会立即想办法来摆脱这种压力。最深重的苦难的到来，往往都需要巨大的欢乐与勇气。汤姆现在正是如此。主人不敬神灵的百般嘲讽让他早已失落的心灵更增添了伤痕，他的情绪十分低落。即使他那意志坚定的手依然死死地紧抓住那块永恒的岩石，但这种向往的做法却是没有知觉的、没有目标的。汤姆很无奈地靠在火边，好像不知做什么才好。一瞬间，他身边所发生的一切都化为乌有。一个头戴刑法帽子、受尽折磨浑身血淋淋的人浮现在他眼前。汤姆用惊讶的眼神注视着那严肃而紧绷的脸，那双似乎有神却又带忧郁的眼睛深深地被打动了。他的灵魂慢慢张开双眼，他内心的苦水被感情激荡着，奔流着，他默默无闻地伸出了双手，向地上跪了下去。这幅场面千奇百态地变化着。那刺目的魔法变成了一道道灿烂的光芒，在难以想象的夺目的光辉里，他看见有一张慈祥的面庞在注视着他。一个声音在他耳边回荡："胜利者，我要赐他宝座与我同坐一起，就像我获胜了，我的父亲赐我同他坐在宝座上一样。" How long Tom lay there, he knew not. When he came to himself, the fire was gone out, his clothes were wet with the chill and drenching dews; but the dread soul-crisis was past, and, in the joy that filled him, he no longer felt hunger, cold, degradation, disappointment, wretchedness. From his deepest soul, he that hour loosed and parted from every hope in life that now is, and offered his own will an unquestioning sacrifice to the Infinite. Tom looked up to the silent, ever-living stars,--types of the angelic hosts who ever look down on man; and the solitude of the night rung with the triumphant words of a hymn, which he had sung often in happier days, but never with such feeling as now: 汤姆忘记了自己究竟在那躺了多长时问。当他完全清醒过来的时候，炉火已经熄了，他的衣服被潮湿的寒气打湿了。可怕的幽灵危机已经过去，他发自内心的喜悦，以后再也感觉不到人世的饥饿、寒冷和令人绝望的屈辱了。在他的灵魂深处，自从他有生命的那一刻起，尘世的一切幸福希冀几乎与他绝缘。因此他把全部的真情与意愿毫无保留地奉献给仁慈的上帝。汤姆抬起头看了看挂在天边的星星，那群默默无闻的永恒的家伙总在黑暗来临时俯视人类！汤姆开始唱歌，他唱起了一首以前在快乐的日子里常常歌颂胜利的赞美诗，雄厚的嗓声打破了寂静的夜空，汤姆带着以前从未有的激情，动情地唱道：
| |
