阿尔及利亚商务签证:学习并欣赏钱钟书的一篇英文

学习并欣赏钱钟书的一篇英文

钱钟书在上世纪四十年代完成他的那本小说"围城"后,于该书出版之际写了一篇英文的"前言",现在全文一字不落地抄录如下:

Author's Preface

In this book I intended to write about a certain segment of society and a certain kind of people in modern China. In writing about these people, I did not forget they are human beings, still human beings with the basic nature of hairless, two-legged animals. The characters are of course fictitious, so those with a fondness for history need not trouble themselves trying to trace them out.

The writing of this book took two years altogether. It was a time of great grief and disruption, during which I thought several times of giving up. Thanks to Madame Yang Chiang, who continuously urged me on while holding other matters at bay, I was able through the accumulation of many small moments to find the time to finish it. This book should be dedicated to her. But lately it seems to me that dedicating a book is like the fine rhetoric about offering one's life to one's country, or handing the reins of the government back to the people. This is but the vain and empty juggling of language. Despite all the talk about handing it over, the book remains like the
flying knife of the magician - released without ever leaving the hand. And when he dedicates his work in whatever manner he chooses, the work is still the author's own. Since my book is a mere trifle, it does not call for such ingenious disingenuousness. I therefore have not bothered myself about the dedication.

Ch'ien Chung-Shu
December 15, 1946

这篇作者自撰的英文"前言"尽管篇幅很段,但是先生精悍,简朴而极恰当的英文表述,以及字里行间散发出的"钱氏"特有的自然而不动声色的幽默,让人阅后宛如有阳春三月沐浴煦阳,一点美酒佳肴之后的微醉满足之感. 作者在文章开篇简明扼要地说明本小说的写作内容,是描述有关"现代中国的某些社会片段以及某些特定类型的人物," 紧接着,笔锋一转,强调"笔下的这些特定类型人物皆具有身上无毛,两腿走路的人类之共性", 并呼吁那些具有"历史考据癖"的人勿枉费心力去辩识这些人物,因为他们都是虚构的小说形象.我想凡是阅读过"围城"的人们,肯定都会对自己的阅读经历有过非常美好的记忆,除了享受作者那天才般地,对不同类型人物内心入木三分的精神勾画外,作者那些在恰当的时机,恰当出现的风趣而又深刻的文字语言真是让饥渴的读者大饱眼福,饕餮一顿畅快淋漓的精神大餐. 在文中第二段作者回忆自己差点放弃了这本小说的写作,只是在夫人杨绛的鼓励与协助下才将全书最终完成. 钱先生在此用英文写道,"who continously urged me on while holdng other matters at bay," 这是非常贴切,恰当而又漂亮的一句英文! 为什么我们一提起钱钟书先生,一股油然而生的,且带着微笑的敬意马上就从内心升腾而起,原因很简单,就是因为先生有着过硬的语言真功夫! 在此,先生信手就,"
holding other matetrs at bay," 若没有深厚广博的英语语言功底,作为一个英语非母语者,是不大容易写出类似的句子的.接下来,作者继续谈论"献文"的话题, 首先声明此小说是献给太太杨绛的,然后思路一转弯,又强调历来的献文说只不过是一个漂亮的修辞手段罢了,比如,一个人总说要把自己的生命献给自己的祖国,或皇帝总说要把权力归还民众等等; 实际上你写的文章就像魔术师耍飞刀一样,飞了一阵儿最终还是回到自己手里. 最后,先生保持一贯的谦逊口吻,说自己的这本小说是,"a mere trifle", 因此不需要人们," call for such ingenious disingenuousness." 这句话,"since my book is a mere trifle, it does not call for such ingenious disingenuousness" 是全文的最精彩之处! 我们该如何准确,恰当地把它翻译成汉语呢? 尤其是,"ingenious disingenuousness" 这句? 能否译成"因为我的这本小说仅仅是个小玩意儿,所以大家不必为此教真耗费脑力,"? 总之,钱先生天资聪慧,加上一生勤奋,博览群书,故笔下文章总能精彩纷呈,中英文佳句叠出; 我们若能经常拜读先生及其他真正大家之作,倒也算是为自己寻找到一个知识进步的灯塔,在他们的人格及学术魅力之光照耀下,总能让我们少走一点弯路,使我们前行的道路变得更通畅一些.