目 录 上一节 下一节 
到地球如雪般融化时，太阳的光辉不再照耀大地；关注人类那万能的上帝在召唤我，他永远不会将我抛弃。 "And when this mortal life shall fail, And flesh and sense shall cease, I shall possess within the veil A life of joy and peace. 在可贵的生命走到尽头，肉体和灵魂都将化为虚有；我依然享受快乐，宁静，在那神奇的天国。 "When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining like the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we first begun." 当我们在天国生活了万年之久，幸福依旧如旭日东升；我们在赞美上帝的心情如初，正如我们刚刚跨进天国。 Those who have been familiar with the religious histories of the slave population know that relations like what we have narrated are very common among them. We have heard some from their own lips, of a very touching and affecting character. The psychologist tells us of a state, in which the affections and images of the mind become so dominant and overpowering, that they press into their service the outward imagining. Who shall measure what an all-pervading Spirit may do with these capabilities of our mortality, or the ways in which He may encourage the desponding souls of the desolate? If the poor forgotten slave believes that Jesus hath appeared and spoken to him, who shall contradict him? Did He not say that his, mission, in all ages, was to bind up the broken-hearted, and set at liberty them that are bruised? 所有了解我们黑奴宗教历史的人都知道，有关奴隶之间的描写是极为常见的。他们亲口叙述了自己悲惨的身世，常常是催人泪下，感人甚深。心理学家曾经说过，有这样一种类似现象：在一个人的情感和幻想排斥心理难以抑制的时候，他常常会使命自身外部的感官为之效力，极力将一些虚幻的想象，构思成具体鲜明的个体。有谁能够预估到万能的神灵会怎样利用我们这种潜在的动力呢！又有谁能预估出他人对那些可怜人起着多大的鼓舞作用呢？如果一位被众人遗忘的不幸黑奴相信耶稣总有一天会出现在他面前，跟他说话，谁又敢驳斥他的这种想法呢？书上明明写着，仁慈的耶稣无处不在，他的使命不就是慰藉世间千千万万受伤害的灵魂，解救人类的苦难吗？ When the dim gray of dawn woke the slumberers to go forth to the field, there was among those tattered and shivering wretches one who walked with an exultant tread; for firmer than the ground he trod on was his strong faith in Almighty, eternal love. Ah, Legree, try all your forces now! Utmost agony, woe, degradation, want, and loss of all things, shall only hasten on the process by which he shall be made a king and a priest unto God! 黎明的曙光撒向大地，唤醒了辛苦一天还在沉睡中的人们，他们又要下地干活了。在这群疲惫不堪、衣衫褴褛的可怜人当中，有一位踏着轻松明快的步子，似乎忘记了他现在身居何方，劳苦工作。因为他对万能上帝的信仰比他脚下踏着的这片土地还要踏实、坚硬。他在心里不停地呼唤，来吧！烈格雷，使出你最狠的一招吧！极度的残暴、苦刑、屈辱和穷困只会让他早日回到上帝的身边，做一位仁慈的神父或一名圣明的君主。 
以后，这位被欺压的奴隶，他的心灵被一种不容侵犯的气氛打动着，而那无以言喻的救世主成了心目中最美好的殿堂。他忘掉了尘世的遗憾和悲哀，不再追求世俗所谓的希冀和渴望，面对一切的诱惑，他心止如水。那颗受尽了欺凌伤痕累累的心，经过长时间地苦苦挣扎，已经完全和神灵的意志融为一体了。生命剩下的历程是那么地短促，而天国幸福的召唤却唾手可得，近在咫尺。因此，即使是人间最深重的痛苦，也无法再伤及他的灵魂了。 All noticed the change in his appearance. Cheerfulness and alertness seemed to return to him, and a quietness which no insult or injury could ruffle seemed to possess him. 他超出寻常的反应，引起了所有的人的注意。他似乎又回复到原来那个欢乐的人身上。他的态度是那么地平静安详，似乎任何屈辱、苦刑都无法使他受到伤害。 "What the devil's got into Tom?" Legree said to Sambo. "A while ago he was all down in the mouth, and now he's peart as a cricket."" 莫非汤姆有鬼魂附身呀？"烈格雷对桑博说道，"前几天他还没精打采的样子，今天却如此般神气活现。" "Dunno, Mas'r; gwine to run off, mebbe."" 主人，我也搞不清他究竟是为什么？莫非是想逃跑？" "Like to see him try that," said Legree, with a savage grin, "wouldn't we, Sambo?"" 哦，是吗？但愿如此！我倒是很希望让他逃跑一次，让他试试被抓回来受苦刑的那种滋味。桑博，你说呢？"烈格雷冷笑道。 
对，主人说得对！嘿！嘿！嘿！"桑博讨好地说。"看他掉在沼泽地里，浑身是泥，被猎狗追得到处乱跑那才有趣呢！天啦！上次我们抓莫莉的时候，把我都乐坏了。现在想想，如果那时不是我把猎狗赶跑的话，说不定她已被撕成碎片，全身上下都是疤痕呢？" "I reckon she will, to her grave," said Legree. "But now, Sambo, you look sharp. If the nigger's got anything of this sort going, trip him up."" 我想她恐怕要带着这些疤痕下地狱了，"烈格雷接着说，"哦，桑博，记住了！从今天开始你得好好看着他，一旦他有什么想逃走的企图，你就要想办法制止他。" "Mas'r, let me lone for dat," said Sambo, "I'll tree de coon. Ho, ho, ho!"" 主人，您放心，这件事就包在我身上了！如果他是主人手下的一只狐狸，我就是主人手下的一位猎人。嘿！嘿！嘿！"桑博奸笑道。 This was spoken as Legree was getting on his horse, to go to the neighboring town. That night, as he was returning, he thought he would turn his horse and ride round the quarters, and see if all was safe. 烈格雷在桑博说完之后，便骑着马去附近的城镇了。晚上，他回来之后，觉得有必要去奴隶们住的地方看看，便调转马头，巡察那里的情况去了。 It was a superb moonlight night, and the shadows of the graceful China trees lay minutely pencilled on the turf below, and there was that transparent stillness in the air which it seems almost unholy to disturb. Legree was a little distance from the quarters, when he heard the voice of some one singing. It was not a usual sound there, and he paused to listen. A musical tenor voice sang, 这天晚上，夜色很美，月亮的银灰把高大的楝树的影子牵得细长，印在葱翠的草地上，四周景物清晰可见，非常寂静，让人有种不忍心打破这种安逸静谧气氛的心理。烈格雷走近奴隶居住区的时候，突然，听到从里面传来了一阵歌声。这在那儿可是非常罕见的事，他忍不住停下了脚步侧耳细听。只听见有一个男高音在唱道，声音十分好听。 
当我能在天上的宫阙，找到我的官衔，我便对恐惧挥手说再见，再拭去有泪滴的眼睛。 "Should earth against my soul engage, And hellish darts be hurled, Then I can smile at Satan's rage, And face a frowning world. 就算整个地球都对我进攻，瞧着我的胸口放出浸有剧毒的利箭，我仍然笑对撒旦喜怒容颜，坦然地面对不公平的全世界。 "Let cares like a wild deluge come, And storms of sorrow fall, May I but safely reach my home, My god, my Heaven, my All." 即使忧患像洪水般汹涌，即使苦难像暴风雨般倾盆而下，我只求能够让自己重建家园，我的上帝、天堂和万有世界。 "So ho!" said Legree to himself, "he thinks so, does he? How I hate these cursed Methodist hymns! Here, you nigger," said he, coming suddenly out upon Tom, and raising his riding-whip, "how dare you be gettin' up this yer row, when you ought to be in bed? Shut yer old black gash, and get along in with you!"" 哦！"烈格雷恍然大悟道，"我现在才明白，原来他是这么想的！该死的赞美诗，你完全腐蚀了他的灵魂！闭嘴！你这个死家伙。"他快步走到汤姆面前，扬起马鞭威胁道："你的胆子真够大的，大家都在睡觉，你却还如此大声吵闹！如果不想被我打死的话，现在最好闭上那张乌鸦嘴，滚回去睡觉！" "Yes, Mas'r," said Tom, with ready cheerfulness, as he rose to to in." 好的！主人，我马上回去睡觉。"汤姆一点也不生气地回答道。很乐意地服从了烈格雷的命令，大踏步往房间里走去。 
汤姆满不在乎、得意的表情，深深地激怒了烈格雷。他追上前去，瞧着汤姆的头部和胸部一阵猛抽。 "There, you dog," he said, "see if you'll feel so comfortable, after that!"" 听着，你这头蠢猪，这下你还开心吗？"烈格雷痛骂道。 But the blows fell now only on the outer man, and not, as before, on the heart. Tom stood perfectly submissive; and yet Legree could not hide from himself that his power over his bond thrall was somehow gone. And, as Tom disappeared in his cabin, and he wheeled his horse suddenly round, there passed through his mind one of those vivid flashes that often send the lightning of conscience across the dark and wicked soul. He understood full well that it was GOD who was standing between him and his victim, and he blasphemed him. That submissive and silent man, whom taunts, nor threats, nor stripes, nor cruelties, could disturb, roused a voice within him, such as of old his Master roused in the demoniac soul, saying, "What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?--art thou come to torment us before the time?" 鞭子抽在汤姆的身上，但他却感觉不到那种深深的痛楚。躯体上的惩罚伤及不了他的灵魂，他再也不像以前那么难受了。汤姆呆若木鸡般站在那里，没有丝毫惧怕，烈格雷非常清楚，自己一向用来惩治黑奴们的铁腕政策对他已经失效了，面对汤姆，它几乎毫无用处。当汤姆转身走进属于他的那间小屋，烈格雷迅速调转马头。与此同时，他的脑海中闪出了一丝光亮，这种光亮通常会阻止那些恶人继续行恶下去，复苏他本性的善良。他心里面清楚，是上帝站在他和汤姆面前，保护着那位受难者啊！想到这，他忍不住大骂起来，开始诅咒谩骂上帝。讨厌那个沉默不语的汤姆，不论受到怎么样的欺凌、惩罚、威胁、虐待和耻辱他都能沉得住气，对此无动于衷。这会令他更为生气，怨恨和不满，一如昔日他的救世主激怒了魔鬼的灵魂，使得凶残的魔鬼发出这样的怨恨："属于纳萨雷特人的耶稣主啊！我干什么与你有何相干？你为了向世人称告你的仁慈，来惩罚我了吗？"
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