“Go along, they are ringing already; and mind, don’t be naughty in church or God will punish you.”
“走吧，他们已经在敲钟了；要记住，在教堂里不要调皮，否则上帝会惩罚你。”

My mother thrusts a few copper coins upon me, and, instantly forgetting about me, runs into the kitchen with an iron that needs reheating. —-
妈妈把几枚铜币塞给我，然后立刻忘记了我的存在，拿着需要重新加热的熨斗跑进了厨房。 —-

I know well that after confession I shall not be allowed to eat or drink, and so, before leaving the house, I force myself to eat a crust of white bread, and to drink two glasses of water. —-
我知道忏悔之后我将不被允许吃喝，所以，在离开家之前，我强迫自己吃了一块白面包的外壳，喝了两杯水。 —-

It is quite spring in the street. The roads are all covered with brownish slush, in which future paths are already beginning to show; —-
在街上，春天已经到来。道路上都被褐色的泥泞覆盖着，未来的道路已经开始显示出来； —-

the roofs and side-walks are dry; the fresh young green is piercing through the rotting grass of last year, under the fences. —-
屋顶和人行道都是干燥的；新鲜嫩绿的色彩在去年腐烂的草地下钻出来，在围栏下。 —-

In the gutters there is the merry gurgling and foaming of dirty water, in which the sunbeams do not disdain to bathe. —-
在沟渠里，有着污浊水的欢快咕噜声和泡沫，阳光射入其中。 —-

Chips, straws, the husks of sunflower seeds are carried rapidly along in the water, whirling round and sticking in the dirty foam. —-
木屑、稻草、葵花籽壳在水中迅速被冲走，在肮脏的泡沫中旋转和粘在一起。 —-

Where, where are those chips swimming to? —-
那些木屑游向何处？ —-

It may well be that from the gutter they may pass into the river, from the river into the sea, and from the sea into the ocean. —-
它们很可能从沟渠流到河里，从河流到海里，再从海洋流入大洋。 —-

I try to imagine to myself that long terrible journey, but my fancy stops short before reaching the sea.
我试着想象那漫长而可怕的旅程，但我的想象在到达海洋之前停止了。

A cabman drives by. He clicks to his horse, tugs at the reins, and does not see that two street urchins are hanging on the back of his cab. —-
一辆马车师傅路过。他对马拍了下嘴，拉了拉缰绳，并没有注意到有两个街头顽童搭在他的马车后面。 —-

I should like to join them, but think of confession, and the street urchins begin to seem to me great sinners.
我想加入他们，但想到要去忏悔，这些街头顽童开始在我眼中看起来是大罪人。

“They will be asked on the day of judgment: —-
“在审判日他们将会被问道： —-

‘Why did you play pranks and deceive the poor cabman?’” I think. —-
‘你为什么捉弄和欺骗可怜的车夫？’”我想。 —-

“They will begin to defend themselves, but evil spirits will seize them, and drag them to fire everlasting. —-
“他们会开始为自己辩护，但邪恶的灵魂将会抓住他们，并将他们拖入永恒的火焰中。 —-

But if they obey their parents, and give the beggars a kopeck each, or a roll, God will have pity on them, and will let them into Paradise.”
但是如果他们听从父母的话，给乞丐每人一便士，或者一个面包卷，上帝会怜悯他们，让他们进入天堂。

The church porch is dry and bathed in sunshine. There is not a soul in it. —-
教堂门廊干燥，阳光洒满。里面一个人都没有。 —-

I open the door irresolutely and go into the church. —-
我迟疑地打开门，走进教堂。 —-

Here, in the twilight which seems to me thick and gloomy as at no other time, I am overcome by the sense of sinfulness and insignificance. —-
在这里，我感到罪恶和渺小的意识深深地笼罩着我，比任何其他时候都要浓重和阴郁。 —-

What strikes the eye first of all is a huge crucifix, and on one side of it the Mother of God, and on the other, St. John the Divine. —-
首先映入眼帘的是一座巨大的十字架，十字架的一侧是圣母玛利亚，另一侧是圣经中的约翰。 —-

The candelabra and the candlestands are draped in black mourning covers, the lamps glimmer dimly and faintly, and the sun seems intentionally to pass by the church windows. —-
蜡烛架和烛台上披着黑色的丧葬覆盖物，灯光昏暗微弱，阳光似乎有意绕过教堂的窗户。 —-

The Mother of God and the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, depicted in profile, gaze in silence at the insufferable agony and do not observe my presence; —-
圣母玛利亚和耶稣基督所钟爱的门徒，以侧面形象安静地凝视着不可忍受的痛苦，没有注意到我的存在； —-

I feel that to them I am alien, superfluous, unnoticed, that I can be no help to them by word or deed, that I am a loathsome, dishonest boy, only capable of mischief, rudeness, and tale- bearing. —-
我感到他们对我是陌生的，多余的，不被注意到的，我无法通过言语或行动帮助他们，我是一个可憎的、不诚实的孩子，只会制造麻烦、粗鲁和传话。 —-

I think of all the people I know, and they all seem to me petty, stupid, and wicked, and incapable of bringing one drop of relief to that intolerable sorrow which I now behold.
我想到我所认识的所有人，他们都显得琐碎、愚蠢和邪恶，无法为我现在所看到的那种难以忍受的悲伤带来丝毫的宽慰。

The twilight of the church grows darker and more gloomy. —-
教堂的黄昏变得更加黑暗和阴郁。 —-

And the Mother of God and St. John look lonely and forlorn to me.
圣母玛利亚和圣经中的约翰对我来说显得孤独而凄凉。

Prokofy Ignatitch, a veteran soldier, the church verger’s assistant, is standing behind the candle cupboard. —-
Prokofy Ignatitch，一位老兵充当教堂门口的助手，站在蜡烛橱后面。 —-

Raising his eyebrows and stroking his beard he explains in a half-whisper to an old woman: —-
他扬起眉毛，抚摸胡须，半声地对一位老妇人解释道： —-

“Matins will be in the evening to-day, directly after vespers. —-
“今天晚上将会有晚祷，直接接着晚祷进行早课。 —-

And they will ring for the ‘hours’ to-morrow between seven and eight. —-
明天会在七点到八点之间鸣响‘时辰’的钟声。” —-

Do you understand? Between seven and eight.”
明白了吗？在七和八之间。”

Between the two broad columns on the right, where the chapel of Varvara the Martyr begins, those who are going to confess stand beside the screen, awaiting their turn. —-
在右边的两根宽柱之间，烈士巴巴拉教堂的开始处，等待忏悔的人站在屏风旁边。 —-

And Mitka is there too— a ragged boy with his head hideously cropped, with ears that jut out, and little spiteful eyes. —-
还有密特卡——一个衣衫褴褛的男孩，头发剪得丑陋，耳朵突出，还有一双恶毒的眼睛。 —-

He is the son of Nastasya the charwoman, and is a bully and a ruffian who snatches apples from the women’s baskets, and has more than once carried off my knuckle-bones. —-
他是佣人纳斯塔西娅的儿子，是个恶霸和恶棍，从女人的篮子里抢苹果，不止一次偷走了我的骰子。 —-

He looks at me angrily, and I fancy takes a spiteful pleasure in the fact that he, not I, will first go behind the screen. —-
他生气地看着我，我想他对于他将会先进屏风后面而不是我感到恶意的快乐。 —-

I feel boiling over with resentment, I try not to look at him, and, at the bottom of my heart, I am vexed that this wretched boy’s sins will soon be forgiven.
我感到愤怒冲动，不想看着他，心底里烦恼这个可怜男孩的罪过很快就会得到宽恕。

In front of him stands a grandly dressed, beautiful lady, wearing a hat with a white feather. —-
在他面前站着一位穿戴华丽的美丽女士，戴着一顶白色羽毛帽子。 —-

She is noticeably agitated, is waiting in strained suspense, and one of her cheeks is flushed red with excitement.
她明显非常激动，处于紧张的等待，她的一颊因兴奋而泛红。

I wait for five minutes, for ten. . . . A well-dressed young man with a long thin neck, and rubber goloshes, comes out from behind the screen. —-
我等了五分钟，十分钟……一位身穿整齐的年轻人带着一条细长的脖子和橡胶套鞋从屏风后面走了出来。 —-

I begin dreaming how, when I am grown up, I will buy goloshes exactly like them. —-
我开始幻想，长大后我会买一双和他一模一样的套鞋。 —-

I certainly will! The lady shudders and goes behind the screen. It is her turn.
我一定会的！那位女士颤栗着进入了屏风后面。轮到她了。

In the crack, between the two panels of the screen, I can see the lady go up to the lectern and bow down to the ground, then get up, and, without looking at the priest, bow her head in anticipation. —-
在屏风的两个面板之间的缝隙中，我可以看到女士走到讲桌前，俯身至地，然后站起来，不看牧师，低头期待。 —-

The priest stands with his back to the screen, and so I can only see his grey curly head, the chain of the cross on his chest, and his broad back. —-
牧师背对着屏风站着，所以我只能看到他灰色蓬松的头发，胸前的十字链，和宽厚的背部。 —-

His face is not visible. Heaving a sigh, and not looking at the lady, he begins speaking rapidly, shaking his head, alternately raising and dropping his whispering voice. —-
他的脸看不见。他叹了口气，不看女士，开始迅速地说话，摇着头，声音时而高声时而低声。 —-

The lady listens meekly as though conscious of guilt, answers meekly, and looks at the floor.
女士虔诚地听着，仿佛意识到了罪过，回答得谦卑，低头看着地板。

“In what way can she be sinful?” I wonder, looking reverently at her gentle, beautiful face. —-
“她怎么可能会犯罪呢？”我惊叹地看着她温柔美丽的脸庞。 —-

“God forgive her sins, God send her happiness. —-
“上帝原谅她的罪孽，上帝给她幸福。” —-

” But now the priest covers her head with the stole. “And I, unworthy priest . . . —-
但现在神父用披 stole 覆盖住她的头。“而我，卑鄙的神父… —-

” I hear his voice, “. . . by His power given unto me, do forgive and absolve thee from all thy sins. . . .”
我听见他的声音，“凭祂所赐给我的力量，我宣告，从你的一切罪孽中释放并赦免你…”

The lady bows down to the ground, kisses the cross, and comes back. —-
女士鞠躬至地，亲吻十字架，然后回来。 —-

Both her cheeks are flushed now, but her face is calm and serene and cheerful.
她的两颊现在通红，但她的脸庞宁静、平和、愉快。

“She is happy now,” I think to myself, looking first at her and then at the priest who had forgiven her sins. —-
“她现在很幸福，”我自言自语地想着，先看着她，然后看着赦免她罪孽的神父。 —-

“But how happy the man must be who has the right to forgive sins!”
“但是，能有权利去宽恕罪孽的人一定很幸福吧！”

Now it is Mitka’s turn, but a feeling of hatred for that young ruffian suddenly boils up in me. —-
现在轮到Mitka了，但我突然涌起对那个年轻无赖的仇恨。 —-

I want to go behind the screen before him, I want to be the first. —-
我想在他之前走到这个屏风后面，我想要第一个。 —-

Noticing my movement he hits me on the head with his candle, I respond by doing the same, and, for half a minute, there is a sound of panting, and, as it were, of someone breaking candles. —-
注意到我的动作，他用蜡烛打我头，我回以同样的动作，半分钟里传出喘息声，仿佛有人在打破蜡烛。 —-

. . . We are separated. My foe goes timidly up to the lectern, and bows down to the floor without bending his knees, but I do not see what happens after that; —-
…我们被分开。我的敌人胆怯地走到讲台前，弯下腰却不弯膝盖，但我没看到之后发生了什么； —-

the thought that my turn is coming after Mitka’s makes everything grow blurred and confused before my eyes; —-
想到轮到我了，我的视线开始模糊混乱； —-

Mitka’s protruding ears grow large, and melt into his dark head, the priest sways, the floor seems to be undulating. . . .
Mitka 突出的耳朵变大了，融入他黑亮的脑袋，神父摇晃着，地板看起来在波动…

The priest’s voice is audible: “And I, unworthy priest . . .”
神父的声音可以听见：“而我，卑鄙的神父…”

Now I too move behind the screen. I do not feel the ground under my feet, it is as though I were walking on air. —-
现在我也走到了屏幕后面。我感觉不到脚下的地面，仿佛我在踏空。 —-

. . . I go up to the lectern which is taller than I am. —-
. . . 我走到比我高的讲台前。 —-

For a minute I have a glimpse of the indifferent, exhausted face of the priest. —-
有一会儿，我瞥见了神父冷漠疲惫的脸庞。 —-

But after that I see nothing but his sleeve with its blue lining, the cross, and the edge of the lectern. —-
但之后，我只看见他的袖子和蓝色内衬，十字架以及讲台的边缘。 —-

I am conscious of the close proximity of the priest, the smell of his cassock; —-
我意识到神父就在我身边，他的袈裟散发着一股气味； —-

I hear his stern voice, and my cheek turned towards him begins to burn. . . . —-
我听到他严厉的声音，我的脸颊转向他的时候开始发烫……。 —-

I am so troubled that I miss a great deal that he says, but I answer his questions sincerely in an unnatural voice, not my own. —-
我如此困惑，以至于错过了他说的很多话，但我以不是自己的声音诚实地回答他的问题。 —-

I think of the forlorn figures of the Holy Mother and St. John the Divine, the crucifix, my mother, and I want to cry and beg forgiveness.
我想到了忧伤的圣母和圣约翰，十字架，我的母亲，我想哭泣并乞求宽恕。

“What is your name?” the priest asks me, covering my head with the soft stole.
“你叫什么名字？”神父问我，用柔软的披肩遮住我的头。

How light-hearted I am now, with joy in my soul!
我现在多么轻松愉快，心中充满了喜悦！

I have no sins now, I am holy, I have the right to enter Paradise! —-
我现在没有罪了，我是神圣的，我有权进入天堂！ —-

I fancy that I already smell like the cassock. —-
我想象着我已经闻起来像那神父的袈裟。 —-

I go from behind the screen to the deacon to enter my name, and sniff at my sleeves. —-
我从屏幕后面走向执事，写下我的名字，并闻了闻自己的袖子。 —-

The dusk of the church no longer seems gloomy, and I look indifferently, without malice, at Mitka.
教堂的黄昏不再显得阴暗，我漠视地看着米特卡，没有恶意。

“What is your name?” the deacon asks.
“你叫什么名字？”执事问道。

“Fedya.”
“费德亚。”

“And your name from your father?”
“你父亲的名字是什么？”

“I don’t know.”
“我不知道。”

“What is your papa’s name?”
“你爸爸叫什么名字？”

“Ivan Petrovitch.”
“伊凡·彼得罗维奇。”

“And your surname?”
“那你的姓是什么？”

I make no answer.
我没有回答。

“How old are you?”
“你多大了？”

“Nearly nine.”
“快九岁了。”

When I get home I go to bed quickly, that I may not see them eating supper; —-
当我回到家，我赶快上床睡觉，为了不看见他们在吃晚餐； —-

and, shutting my eyes, dream of how fine it would be to endure martyrdom at the hands of some Herod or Dioskorus, to live in the desert, and, like St. Serafim, feed the bears, live in a cell, and eat nothing but holy bread, give my property to the poor, go on a pilgrimage to Kiev. I hear them laying the table in the dining-room—they are going to have supper, they will eat salad, cabbage pies, fried and baked fish. —-
闭上眼睛，幻想着在一位希律或迪奥斯科罗斯的手中忍受殉道是多么的美好，生活在沙漠中，像谢拉菲莫斯圣人一样喂熊，住在一个小屋里，只吃神圣的面包，将我的财产给穷人，去基辅朝圣。我听到他们正在餐厅摆饭桌——他们要吃晚餐，吃沙拉、包子、煎鱼和烤鱼。 —-

How hungry I am! I would consent to endure any martyrdom, to live in the desert without my mother, to feed bears out of my own hands, if only I might first eat just one cabbage pie!
我有多饿啊！我愿意忍受任何殉道，没有我的母亲在沙漠中生活，亲手喂熊，只要我可以先吃一个包子！

“Lord, purify me a sinner,” I pray, covering my head over. —-
“主啊，洁净我这个罪人，”我祈祷着，把头盖住。 —-

“Guardian angel, save me from the unclean spirit.”
“守护天使，保护我免受不洁之灵的侵扰。”

The next day, Thursday, I wake up with my heart as pure and clean as a fine spring day. —-
第二天，星期四，我醒来时，心灵像一个清澈而干净的春天一样纯净。 —-

I go gaily and boldly into the church, feeling that I am a communicant, that I have a splendid and expensive shirt on, made out of a silk dress left by my grandmother. —-
我欢快而大胆地走进教堂，感觉自己是一位领圣体的信徒，身上穿着一件华丽昂贵的衬衫，是我祖母留下的丝质裙子做的。 —-

In the church everything has an air of joy, happiness, and spring. —-
教堂里的一切都带着喜悦、幸福和春天的气息。 —-

The faces of the Mother of God and St. John the Divine are not so sorrowful as yesterday. —-
圣母玛利亚和圣约翰的表情没有昨天那么悲伤。 —-

The faces of the communicants are radiant with hope, and it seems as though all the past is forgotten, all is forgiven. —-
领圣体的人们的脸上充满了希望的光芒，似乎所有的过去都被遗忘，一切都被宽恕。 —-

Mitka, too, has combed his hair, and is dressed in his best. —-
米特卡也梳理了头发，穿着他最好的衣服。 —-

I look gaily at his protruding ears, and to show that I have nothing against him, I say:
我欢快地看着他突出的耳朵，并且为了表明我对他没意见，我说：

“You look nice to-day, and if your hair did not stand up so, and you weren’t so poorly dressed, everybody would think that your mother was not a washerwoman but a lady. —-
“你今天看起来很好，如果你的头发不那么翘起来，你的穿着不那么破烂，每个人都会认为你的妈妈不是个洗衣妇，而是位女士。 —-

Come to me at Easter, we will play knuckle-bones.”
复活节的时候来找我，我们一起玩拇指战。”

Mitka looks at me mistrustfully, and shakes his fist at me on the sly.
米特卡狐疑地看着我，偷偷地对我挥舞着拳头。

And the lady I saw yesterday looks lovely. —-
昨天我见到的那位女士看起来很漂亮。 —-

She is wearing a light blue dress, and a big sparkling brooch in the shape of a horse-shoe. —-
她穿着一件淡蓝色的裙子，还有一个闪闪发光的马蹄形胸针。 —-

I admire her, and think that, when I am grown-up, I will certainly marry a woman like that, but remembering that getting married is shameful, I leave off thinking about it, and go into the choir where the deacon is already reading the “hours.”
我欣赏她，想着等我长大了，肯定会娶这样的女人，但是想到结婚是可耻的，就不再考虑了，走进唱诗班，执事已经开始诵读“小时”。