The shadow on the stone

踪影

by/Thomas Hardy  

　　I went by the Druid stone

　　That broods in the garden whiteand lone

　　And I stopped and looked at theshifting shadows

　　That at some moments fallthereon

Fromthe tree hard by with a rhythmic swing

我漫步经过一块石碑

　　它晶莹而又孤零零立在花园中

　　我停步注视着

　　碑上移动的树影

　　树枝在有节奏的摆动

　　And they shaped in my imagining

　　To the shade that a well-knownhead and shoulders

Threwthere when she was gardening.

　  在我的想象里

　　影子化作我熟悉的头和双肩

　　是她在园中操作的身影

　　I thought her behind my back,

　　Yea, her I long had learned tolack,

　　And I said: "I am sure youare standing behind me,

　　Though how do you get into thisold track?"

　　And there was no sound but thefall of a leaf

Asa sad response; and to keep down my grief

我想准是她站在我的背后

　　我久已失去她的音容

　　我说：“我知道你在我背后

　　可你怎么到这常来的旧径?”

　　寂然无语，只有凄凉的落叶声

　　我抑制住我的悲哀

　　I would not turn my head todiscover

　　That there was nothing in mybelief

　　Yet I wanted to look and see

That nobody stood at the back of me

我不愿回过头去

　　怕看不到一个人影

　　可是我又想看个分明

　　看背后有否人踪

　　But I thought once more:"Nay, I'll not unvision

　　A shape which, somehow, theremay be."

　　So I went on softly from theglade

　　And left her behind me throwingher shade

　　As she were indeed anapparition

Myhead unturned lest my dream should fade

　但我又想：“可不能使这一形象消失,

　　她就在我身后也很可能。”

　　我悄悄离开花园

　　留下她的身影在我背后

　　她好象真是一个幻影

我头也不回，怕我的梦消失无踪