IN the fifth century, just as now, the sun rose every morning and every evening retired to rest. —-
在五世纪，和现在一样，太阳每天早上升起，每晚都会休息。 —-

In the morning, when the first rays kissed the dew, the earth revived, the air was filled with the sounds of rapture and hope; —-
早晨，当第一缕阳光亲吻露水时，大地复苏，空气中充满了欢乐和希望的声音； —-

while in the evening the same earth subsided into silence and plunged into gloomy darkness. —-
而在晚上，同样的大地陷入寂静中，沉入了阴暗的黑暗中。 —-

One day was like another, one night like another. —-
一个白天和另一个黑夜，没有什么不同。 —-

From time to time a storm-cloud raced up and there was the angry rumble of thunder, or a negligent star fell out of the sky, or a pale monk ran to tell the brotherhood that not far from the monastery he had seen a tiger—and that was all, and then each day was like the next.
时而有一朵暴风云飞过，雷声怒吼；或者有一颗孤星从天空中坠落，或者一个苍白的修道士跑来告诉兄弟们，在修道院附近他看到了一只老虎-也就这些，然后每一天都和前一天一样。

The monks worked and prayed, and their Father Superior played on the organ, made Latin verses, and wrote music. —-
修道士们工作、祈祷，他们的上级在弹奏风琴，做拉丁诗，写音乐。 —-

The wonderful old man possessed an extraordinary gift. —-
这位了不起的老人拥有非凡的天赋。 —-

He played on the organ with such art that even the oldest monks, whose hearing had grown somewhat dull towards the end of their lives, could not restrain their tears when the sounds of the organ floated from his cell. —-
他的艺术演奏让人感动，即使是那些年老、听力已经有些衰退的修道士，听到他的琴声从房间传出时也忍不住流泪。 —-

When he spoke of anything, even of the most ordinary things—for instance of the trees, of the wild beasts, or of the sea—they could not listen to him without a smile or tears, and it seemed that the same chords vibrated in his soul as in the organ. —-
当他谈论任何事情时，甚至是最平凡的事情，比如树木、野兽或者大海，他们都无法不带着微笑或泪水聆听，就像他的灵魂和风琴的声音产生共鸣。 —-

If he were moved to anger or abandoned himself to intense joy, or began speaking of something terrible or grand, then a passionate inspiration took possession of him, tears came into his flashing eyes, his face flushed, and his voice thundered, and as the monks listened to him they felt that their souls were spell-bound by his inspiration; —-
如果他被愤怒所感动，或沉浸在强烈的喜悦中，或开始谈论可怕或伟大的事情，那么激情的灵感就会占据他的身心，他的眼中闪烁着泪水，脸上泛起红潮，声音轰鸣，修道士们聆听着他，感觉自己被他的灵感所迷住； —-

at such marvellous, splendid moments his power over them was boundless, and if he had bidden his elders fling themselves into the sea, they would all, every one of them, have hastened to carry out his wishes.
在这样奇妙、辉煌的时刻，他对他们的影响是无边无际的，如果他命令长老们投身于大海，他们每一个人都会急忙遵从他的命令。

His music, his voice, his poetry in which he glorified God, the heavens and the earth, were a continual source of joy to the monks. —-
他的音乐、他的声音、他颂扬上帝、天堂和地球的诗歌，对修道士们来说是源源不断的快乐之源。 —-

It sometimes happened that through the monotony of their lives they grew weary of the trees, the flowers, the spring, the autumn, their ears were tired of the sound of the sea, and the song of the birds seemed tedious to them, but the talents of their Father Superior were as necessary to them as their daily bread.
有时候, 由于生活的单调乏味, 他们对树木、花朵、春天、秋天感到厌倦, 他们的耳朵厌倦了海浪声, 鸟儿的歌声似乎令他们感到厌烦, 但他们的院长的才华对他们来说就像每日面包一样必不可少。

Dozens of years passed by, and every day was like every other day, every night was like every other night. —-
几十年过去了, 每一天都与其他几天相同, 每一个夜晚也与其他几个夜晚相同。 —-

Except the birds and the wild beasts, not one soul appeared near the monastery. —-
除了鸟类和野兽, 没有任何人出现在修道院附近。 —-

The nearest human habitation was far away, and to reach it from the monastery, or to reach the monastery from it, meant a journey of over seventy miles across the desert. —-
最近的人居地离这里很远, 从修道院到那里, 或从那里到修道院都需要跨越七十英里的沙漠。 —-

Only men who despised life, who had renounced it, and who came to the monastery as to the grave, ventured to cross the desert.
只有那些鄙视生活、已放弃生活的人, 才敢穿越沙漠来到修道院。

What was the amazement of the monks, therefore, when one night there knocked at their gate a man who turned out to be from the town, and the most ordinary sinner who loved life. —-
因此, 当有一天晚上有一个敲击他们大门的人时, 修道士们感到非常惊讶, 并且这个人竟然是来自城镇, 一个最普通的罪人, 他热爱生活。 —-

Before saying his prayers and asking for the Father Superior’s blessing, this man asked for wine and food. —-
在祈祷并请求院长的祝福前, 这个人要求酒和食物。 —-

To the question how he had come from the town into the desert, he answered by a long story of hunting; —-
他对于如何从城镇来到沙漠的问题回答了一个长长的打猎故事； —-

he had gone out hunting, had drunk too much, and lost his way. —-
他出去打猎，喝醉了，迷失了方向。 —-

To the suggestion that he should enter the monastery and save his soul, he replied with a smile: —-
当有人建议他进入修道院拯救自己的灵魂时，他笑着回答说： —-

“I am not a fit companion for you!”
“我不适合做您的伴侣！”

When he had eaten and drunk he looked at the monks who were serving him, shook his head reproachfully, and said:
当他吃喝完后，他看着为他服务的僧侣们，不悦地摇了摇头，说道：

“You don’t do anything, you monks. You are good for nothing but eating and drinking. —-
“你们这些僧侣什么也不做。你们除了吃喝就一无是处。 —-

Is that the way to save one’s soul? Only think, while you sit here in peace, eat and drink and dream of beatitude, your neighbours are perishing and going to hell. —-
你们就这样来拯救自己的灵魂吗？只想想吧，当你们坐在这里安心地吃喝和梦想快乐时，你们的邻居们正受苦并堕入地狱。 —-

You should see what is going on in the town! —-
你们应该看看城里发生了什么！ —-

Some are dying of hunger, others, not knowing what to do with their gold, sink into profligacy and perish like flies stuck in honey. —-
有些人挨饿而死，另一些人不知道该怎么处理他们的财富，沉溺于放荡并像陷入蜜中的苍蝇一样毁灭。 —-

There is no faith, no truth in men. Whose task is it to save them? —-
人们没有信仰，没有真相。谁的任务是来拯救他们？ —-

Whose work is it to preach to them? It is not for me, drunk from morning till night as I am. —-
谁的工作是向他们传教？我这样整天喝醉了的人不能胜任这个任务。 —-

Can a meek spirit, a loving heart, and faith in God have been given you for you to sit here within four walls doing nothing?”
柔和的心灵、充满爱的心和对上帝的信仰是给你的吗？是为了让你坐在这四面墙之间什么都不做吗？”

The townsman’s drunken words were insolent and unseemly, but they had a strange effect upon the Father Superior. —-
城镇居民醉酒般的言辞无礼而不合时宜，但这却对老院长产生了奇怪的影响。 —-

The old man exchanged glances with his monks, turned pale, and said:
老人与他的僧侣们交换了眼神，脸色一变，说道：

“My brothers, he speaks the truth, you know. —-
“兄弟们，他说的是实话，你们都知道。 —-

Indeed, poor people in their weakness and lack of understanding are perishing in vice and infidelity, while we do not move, as though it did not concern us. —-
的确，穷人因为他们的软弱和缺乏理解力，在邪恶和不信仰中消亡，而我们却没有丝毫动摇，仿佛这与我们无关。 —-

Why should I not go and remind them of the Christ whom they have forgotten?”
我为什么不能去提醒他们已经忘记的基督呢？”

The townsman’s words had carried the old man away. —-
镇上人的话让老人感动了。 —-

The next day he took his staff, said farewell to the brotherhood, and set off for the town. —-
第二天，他拿起拐杖，向兄弟会告别，踏上了前往城镇的旅途。 —-

And the monks were left without music, and without his speeches and verses. —-
而修道士们却失去了音乐，失去了他的演讲和诗歌。 —-

They spent a month drearily, then a second, but the old man did not come back. —-
他们度过了一个悲伤的月份，然后是第二个月份，但老人没有回来。 —-

At last after three months had passed the familiar tap of his staff was heard. —-
在三个月过去后，他的拐杖熟悉的敲击声再次响起。 —-

The monks flew to meet him and showered questions upon him, but instead of being delighted to see them he wept bitterly and did not utter a word. —-
修道士们飞奔过去迎接他，并纷纷向他提问，但他却哭得很伤心，一句话也没有说。 —-

The monks noticed that he looked greatly aged and had grown thinner; —-
修道士们注意到他看起来更老了，瘦了下来； —-

his face looked exhausted and wore an expression of profound sadness, and when he wept he had the air of a man who has been outraged.
他的脸看起来精疲力尽，流露出深深的悲伤，当他哭泣时，他的神情像是受到了侮辱的人。

The monks fell to weeping too, and began with sympathy asking him why he was weeping, why his face was so gloomy, but he locked himself in his cell without uttering a word. —-
修道士们也开始哭泣，同情地问他为什么哭泣，为什么他的脸如此阴郁，但他默默地关上了自己的房门。 —-

For seven days he sat in his cell, eating and drinking nothing, weeping and not playing on his organ. —-
他在自己的牢房里坐了七天，什么都不吃不喝，哭泣着，不再弹奏手风琴。 —-

To knocking at his door and to the entreaties of the monks to come out and share his grief with them he replied with unbroken silence.
对于敲门的声音和修道士们的请求，让他出来与他们共享悲伤，他只回答了沉默。

At last he came out. Gathering all the monks around him, with a tear- stained face and with an expression of grief and indignation, he began telling them of what had befallen him during those three months. —-
最终，他出来了。他聚集了所有的修道士，带着满脸泪痕和悲愤的表情，开始向他们讲述在那三个月里发生在他身上的事情。 —-

His voice was calm and his eyes were smiling while he described his journey from the monastery to the town. —-
他的声音平静，眼神微笑，同时描述了从修道院到城镇的旅程。 —-

On the road, he told them, the birds sang to him, the brooks gurgled, and sweet youthful hopes agitated his soul; —-
在路上，他告诉他们鸟儿对他歌唱，小溪潺潺作响，甜美的青春希望激荡着他的灵魂； —-

he marched on and felt like a soldier going to battle and confident of victory; —-
他继续前行，感觉自己像一名走向战斗并对胜利充满信心的士兵； —-

he walked on dreaming, and composed poems and hymns, and reached the end of his journey without noticing it.
他忘我地行走着，谱写诗歌和赞美诗，毫不察觉地到达了旅程的终点。

But his voice quivered, his eyes flashed, and he was full of wrath when he came to speak of the town and of the men in it. —-
但当他提到这个城镇和城里的人时，他的声音颤抖，眼神凶狠，心中充满了愤怒。 —-

Never in his life had he seen or even dared to imagine what he met with when he went into the town. —-
他的一生中从未见过，甚至无法想象他进入这个城镇时经历的事情。 —-

Only then for the first time in his life, in his old age, he saw and understood how powerful was the devil, how fair was evil and how weak and faint-hearted and worthless were men. —-
只有在他的晚年，他第一次看到并理解了魔鬼的力量有多么强大，邪恶有多么美丽，以及人有多么软弱、胆怯和无价值。 —-

By an unhappy chance the first dwelling he entered was the abode of vice. —-
不幸的是，他进入的第一个住所就是邪恶的所在。 —-

Some fifty men in possession of much money were eating and drinking wine beyond measure. —-
大约有五十个手握巨额财富的人正在无节制地吃喝。 —-

Intoxicated by the wine, they sang songs and boldly uttered terrible, revolting words such as a God-fearing man could not bring himself to pronounce; —-
被酒精麻醉，他们唱歌，并大胆地说出可怕、令人厌恶的话，一个虔诚信仰上帝的人是无法说出口的； —-

boundlessly free, self-confident, and happy, they feared neither God nor the devil, nor death, but said and did what they liked, and went whither their lust led them. —-
他们无比自由、自信和快乐，既不怕上帝，也不怕魔鬼和死亡，他们说和做他们喜欢的事情，驰骋于他们的欲望所指引的地方。 —-

And the wine, clear as amber, flecked with sparks of gold, must have been irresistibly sweet and fragrant, for each man who drank it smiled blissfully and wanted to drink more. —-
这款琥珀色的酒，闪烁着金色的光芒，一定是无法抗拒的甜美与芬芳，每个喝了它的人都幸福地笑着，并想喝更多。 —-

To the smile of man it responded with a smile and sparkled joyfully when they drank it, as though it knew the devilish charm it kept hidden in its sweetness.
对于人的微笑，它也回应以微笑，当他们喝下它时，它快乐地闪闪发亮，仿佛它知道自己隐藏在甜美中的恶魔魅力。

The old man, growing more and more incensed and weeping with wrath, went on to describe what he had seen. —-
老人越来越愤怒，他哭泣着，并继续描述他所看到的。 —-

On a table in the midst of the revellers, he said, stood a sinful, half-naked woman. —-
在那些狂欢者中间的桌子上，他说有一个罪恶的、半裸的女人。 —-

It was hard to imagine or to find in nature anything more lovely and fascinating. —-
很难想象或找到在大自然中更加可爱和迷人的事物了。 —-

This reptile, young, longhaired, dark-skinned, with black eyes and full lips, shameless and insolent, showed her snow-white teeth and smiled as though to say: —-
这只爬行动物，年轻、长发、深肤色、黑眼睛、丰唇，无耻又傲慢，露出雪白的牙齿微笑，仿佛在说： —-

“Look how shameless, how beautiful I am. —-
“看我多么无耻，多么美丽。 —-

” Silk and brocade fell in lovely folds from her shoulders, but her beauty would not hide itself under her clothes, but eagerly thrust itself through the folds, like the young grass through the ground in spring. —-
“丝绸和锦缎从她的肩膀上垂落成美丽的褶皱，但她的美丽却没有藏在衣服下面，热切地穿过褶皱，就像春天里年轻的草穿过地面一样。 —-

The shameless woman drank wine, sang songs, and abandoned herself to anyone who wanted her.
这个无耻的女人喝酒、唱歌，任凭任何人摆布。

Then the old man, wrathfully brandishing his arms, described the horse- races, the bull-fights, the theatres, the artists’ studios where they painted naked women or moulded them of clay. —-
随后，愤怒地挥动双臂的老人描述了赛马、斗牛、剧院，艺术家工作室里绘画裸体女性或用黏土塑造她们的情景。 —-

He spoke with inspiration, with sonorous beauty, as though he were playing on unseen chords, while the monks, petrified, greedily drank in his words and gasped with rapture. . . .
他充满灵感地讲述着，声音铿锵有力，仿佛他在弹奏看不见的琴弦，而僧侣们目瞪口呆地倾听着他的话语，陶醉地喘息。. . .

After describing all the charms of the devil, the beauty of evil, and the fascinating grace of the dreadful female form, the old man cursed the devil, turned and shut himself up in his cell. . . .
在描述了魔鬼的所有魅力、邪恶的美和可怕的女性形式的迷人风姿之后，老人诅咒了魔鬼，转身关上了自己的小房间. . .

When he came out of his cell in the morning there was not a monk left in the monastery; —-
当他早晨走出房间的时候，修道院里已经没有一名僧侣了； —-

they had all fled to the town.
他们都逃到了城里。