世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第20章
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excerpts from “jonathan
livingstone seagull〃
richard d。 bach
most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight — h ow to get from shore to food and back again。 for most gulls； it is not flying th at matters； but eating。 for this gull； though； it was not eating that mattered； but flight。 more than anything else； jonathan livingston seagull loved to fly。
this kind of thinking； he found； is not the way to make one's self popular w ith other birds。 even his parents were dismayed as jonathan spent whole days alo ne； making hundreds of lowlevel glides； experimenting。
he didn't know why； for instance； but when he flew at altitudes less than ha lf his wingspan above the water； he could stay in the air longer with less effor t。 his glides ended not with the usual feetdown splash into the sea； but with long flat wake as he touched the surface with him feet tightly streamlined again st his body。 when he began sliding in to feetup landings on the beach then pac ing the length of his slide in the sand； his parents were very much dismayed ind eed。
“why； jon； why。〃 his mother asked。 “why is it so hard to be like the rest of the flock； jon。 why can't you leave low flying to the pelicans； the albatross 。 why don't you eat。 son； you're bone and feathers！〃
“i don't mind being bone and feathers； mom。 i just want to know what i can do in the air and what i can't； that's all。 i just want to know。〃
“see here； jonathan；〃 said his father； not unkindly。 “winter isn't far awa y。 boats will be few； and the surface fish will be swimming deep。 it you must st udy； then study food； and how to get it。 this flying business is all very well； but you can't eat a glide； you know。 don't you forget that the reason you fly is to eat。〃
jonathan nodded obediently。 for the next few days he tried to behave like th e other gulls； he really tried； screeching and fighting with till flock around t he piers and fishing boats； diving on scraps of fish and bread。 but he couldn't make it work。
it's all so pointless； he thought； deliberately dropping a hardwon anchovy to a hungry old gull chasing him。 i could be spending all this time learning to fly。 there's so much to learn！
…
“why aren't there more of us here。 why； where i came from there were…〃
“…thousands and thousands of gulls。 i know。〃 sullivan shook his head。 “th e only answer i can see； jonathan； is that you are pretty well a oneinamil lion bird。 most of us came along ever so slowly。 we went from one world into ano ther that was almost exactly like it； forgetting right away where we had come fr om； not caring here we were headed； living for the moment。 do you have any idea how many lives we must have gone through before we even got the first idea that there is more to life than eating； or fighting； power in the flock。 a thousand l ives； jon； ten thousand！ and then another hundred lives until we began to learn that there is such a thing as perfection； and another hundred again to get the i dea that our purpose for living is to find that perfection and show it forth…〃
河之歌
威廉。s『毛』姆
沿着整条河都可以听见歌声。它洪亮而有力度，那是船夫，他们划着木船顺流而下，船 尾翘得很高，船边系着桅杆。这也许是比较急促的号子。那些纤夫拉着纤逆流而上，如果拉 的是小木船，也许就只要五六个人，如果拉的是要过急滩的扬着横帆的大船，就要二百多人 。一个汉子站在船中央不停地击鼓助威，引导他们加劲。于是他们用尽全身的力量，像着了 魔似的，腰弯成两折，有时力量要全部用完了就全身趴在地上匍匐前进，就像田里的牲口。 他们用力，拼命用力，对抗着水流无情的威慑之力。领头的在纤绳前后不停地奔跑，见到有 人没有用尽全力，就用竹板打他的光背。每个人都必须竭尽全力，否则就要前功尽弃。就这 样他们还是唱着激昂热烈的号子，那汹涌澎湃的河水号子。我不知道用怎样的词语才能描写 出这其中的拼搏，它体现除了紧绷的心弦，几乎要断裂的筋肉，同时也体现了人类以顽强的 精神克服着无情的自然力。虽然绳子可能扯断，大船可能倒退，但险滩最终能通过，在结束 筋疲力尽的一天之后，可以痛快地吃上一顿饱饭……
然而最让人难受的却是苦力的歌，他们背着从船上卸下的大包，沿着陡坡爬上城墙。他 们不停地来回地上下，和着没有尽头的劳动响起有节奏的喊声：嗨，哟——嗨，哟。他们赤 脚『裸』背，脸上的汗水不断地向下流。他们的歌是痛苦的呻『吟』，失望的叹息，让人听来心碎不 已，简直不像是人的声音。这是在无尽的悲凉中的呼喊的灵魂，只不过配上了有节奏的音乐 而已。那终曲简直就是人『性』泯灭的低泣。生活如此艰难、如此残酷，这喊声正是最后绝望的 抗议。这就是河之歌。
the song of the river
william s。 maugham
you hear it all along the river。 you hear it； loud and strong； from the rowe rs as they urge the junk with its high stem； the mast lashed alongside； down the swift running stream。 you hear it from the trackers； a more breathless chant； a s they pull desperately against the current； half a dozen of them perhaps if the y are taking up a sampan； a couple of hundred if they are hauling a splendid jun k； its square sail set； over a rapid。 on the junk a man stands amidships beating a drum incessantly to guide their efforts； and they pull with all their strengt h； like men possessed； bent double； and sometimes in the extremity of their trav ail they crawl on the ground； on all fours； like the beasts of the field。 they s train； strain fiercely； against the pitiless might of the stream。 the leader goe s up and down the line and when he sees one who is not putting all his will into the task he brings down his split bamboo on the naked back。 each one must do hi s utmost or the labour of all is vain。 and still they sing a vehement； eager cha nt； the chant of the turbulent waters。 i do not know how words can describe what there is in it of effort。 it serves to express the straining heart； the breakin g muscles； and at the same time the indomitable spirit of man which overcomes th e pitiless force of nature。 though the rope may part and the great junk swing ba ck； in the end the rapid will be 蚯 蚓
佚名
世界各地都可以发现蚯蚓，它们有助于建造世界，它们有助于土地长出人类所需的粮食 。你觉得这种说法很奇怪吗？
现在，让我们来看看蚯蚓是怎么做到这些的吧。蚯蚓生存于地下，它们在地下钻来钻去 ，把泥土钻成一条条蜿蜒而长的孔道，如同街道一般。那些“长廊”或者“隧道”可以使泥 土松弛，所以有利于植物的根部生长。
这些孔道也有助于空气轻易地透进泥土里面。蚯蚓在泥土里不停地钻来钻去，就如同人 们在地面上用耙子、铲或犁来掘松泥土一样。
蚯蚓首要的工作还是使土壤更加肥沃。当它们建造房子的时候，总是让自己长长的身体 蘸满泥土，并带到地上，堆成小堆，这就是人们所叫的蚯蚓粪。在每天早上或下雨之后，你 都可以在花园的小径上发现有蚯蚓粪。
每年都有成千上万的蚯蚓在忙碌工作着，它们每年可以挖动数以吨计的泥土。它们用嘴 使泥土疏松并使之变得肥沃。那些本来是硬如坚石的土壤，经它们钻动之后就变得肥沃而富 饶了。
the earthworm
anonymous
earthworms are found in all parts of the world。 they help to build the world 。 they help to prepare the earth to bring forth the food of man。 do you think th at very strange。
now let us see how this is done。 the worms live underground。 they make long； winding halls； like streets； some inches below the top soil。 the halls or littl e tunnels help to keep the earth loose； so that the fine roots of the plants can grow well in it。
these tunnels also serve to help the air move more easily through the soil。 by their constant motion below the surface the worms till the earth； as rakes； s pades； or ploughs till it above。
the chief work of the earthworms is to enrich the soil。 when they make their houses； they fill their long bodies with the earth； and carry it to the top of the ground。 there they pile it in heaps； called wormcasts。 early in the day or after a rain you can find these wormcasts over all the garden paths。
there are so many worms busy all the time that each year they bring up tons of earth。 they make the earth fine and loose by pinching it off with their mouth s。 fields once stony and hard have become rich and fine。
人与自然
汉密尔顿。怀特。马堡
汉密尔顿。怀特。马堡（1846—1916），美国著名批评家、散文家。人与自然的关系是 人们永远关注的主题，马堡也不例外，他在本篇中对人与自然关系的阐述，让我们获益匪浅 。
从地球上出现人类开始，人与自然之间的亲密关系也随之诞生，而且不断地被发扬光大 ，这种关系每一世纪都比以前变得更为明智而深远。所以，我们求助于自然，并把自然视为 人类的最年长和最有影响力的老师。从某一个观点来看，自然曾一度是我们的监工，现在却 变为我们的奴仆。但从另一个观点来看，自然一直是我们的最忠实的朋友、教导者和启发者 。这种和谐紧密的关系，如果仅仅是少数人的特权，而大多数人并不能享有，那便会在人们 心目中引发一种神秘和情趣。但是事实上，这种亲密关系是被天下所有的人共享的，这就使 那和谐紧密的关系失去神秘和情趣。对于少数人来说，这种关系在每个时代都充满了奇妙和 美好；对于多数人来说，这种关系只是理所当然的一件事。天空照耀着每一个人，但是只有 在少数人的心目中具有一种变化多端的壮丽，他们在每一个午夜的天空都能看出一种蕴含着 创造『性』的能力的庄严肃穆之美，不论那种景象重复多少次，都不会使那种美模糊不清。如果 星辰每一千年才照耀一次大地，人们将怀着敬畏尊崇的心情凝视那种美景，而那种美景如果 夜夜在全世界的上空出现，不但不会减损，反而更为增加它的奇妙。同样，基于相同的原因 ，我们对于夏日天空的那种由浮云聚散飘忽所形成的一日之间千变万化的纤巧秀丽或壮丽动 人的景『色』，也都漠然置之。海洋的神秘、恐怖和韵律，有助于医疗疲惫心灵和烦躁精神的森 林所具有的奥妙和慑人魂魄的魔力；在其幽深之处保有光与大气之奥秘的山峦所呈现的庄严 肃穆之美；从不模仿或重复、永远以一种出人意表的新鲜的美丽来冲击人类想像力的风景变 幻无穷——谁能感受到这些奇异景物的全部力量，或者能从它们那里得到它们所赐予的健康 、快乐和丰美呢？
man and nature
hamilton wright mabie
the intimacy between man and nature began with the birth of man on the earth ； and becomes each century more intelligent and farreaching。 to nature； theref ore； we turn as to the oldest aim most influential teacher of our race； from one point of view once our taskmaster； now our servant； from another point of vie w； our constant friend； instructor and inspirer。 the very intimacy of this relat ion robs it of a certain mystery and richness which it would have for all minds if it were the reward of the few instead of being the privilege of the many。 to the few it is； in every age； full of wonder and beauty； to the many it is a matt er of course。 the heavens shine for all； but they have a changing splendor to th ose only who see in every midnight sky a majesty of creative energy and resource which no repetition of the spectacle can dim。 if the stars shone but once in a thousand years； men would gaze； awestruck and worshipful； on a vision which is not less but more wonderful because it shines nightly above the whole earth。 in like manner； and for the same reason； we become indifferent to that delicately beautiful or sublimely impressive sky scenery which the clouds form and reform； compose and dissipate； a thousand times on a summer day。 the mystery； the terror ； and the music
