《月亮看見的》，1840 年

what the moon Saw, 1840.

引言

INtRodUctIoN

這是一件奇怪的事情，當我感受最強烈、最深刻的時候，我的手和我的舌頭似乎都被束縛住了，以至於我不能恰當地描述或準確地描繪出我內心湧起的想法；然而我是一個畫家；我的眼睛告訴了我這一點，所有看過我的素描和幻想的朋友也都這麼說。

It is a strange thing, when I feel most fervently and most deeply, my hands and my tongue seem alike tied, so that I cannot rightly describe or accurately portray the thoughts that are rising within me; and yet I am a painter; my eye tells me as much as that, and all my friends who have seen my sketches and fancies say the same.

我是一個窮孩子，住在最狹窄的一條小巷裡；但我並不缺少光，因為我的房間在房子的高處，可以眺望到鄰近屋頂的廣闊景色。

I am a poor lad, and live in one of the narrowest of lanes; but I do not want for light, as my room is high up in the house, with an extensive prospect over the neighbouring roofs.

在我剛到這個城鎮生活的頭幾天裡，我感到非常沮喪和孤獨。我看到的不再是昔日的森林和青山，而只有一片煙囪林立的 “森林”。然後我一個朋友也沒有；沒有一張熟悉的面孔向我打招呼。

during the first few days I went to live in the town, I felt low-spirited and solitary enough. Instead of the forest and the green hills of former days, I had here only a forest of chimney-pots to look out upon. And then I had not a single friend; not one familiar face greeted me.

於是，一天晚上，我心情沮喪地坐在窗前；不一會兒，我開啟窗戶向外望去。哦，我的心是多麼歡快地跳動起來！終於看到了一張熟悉的面孔 —— 一張圓圓的、友好的臉，一張我在家鄉認識的好朋友的臉。事實上，是月亮在看著我。他一點也沒變，親愛的老月亮，和他過去透過荒野上的柳樹向下看著我的時候一模一樣的臉。

So one evening I sat at the window, in a desponding mood; and presently I opened the casement and looked out. oh, how my heart leaped up with joy! here was a well-known