早秋

譯/薇薇安

Early Autumn

□ Langston Hughes

When Bill was very young， they had been in love. Many nights they had spent walking， talking together. Then something not very important had come between them， and they didn抰 speak. Impulsively， she had married a man she thought she loved. Bill went away， bitter about women.

Yesterday， walking across Washington Square， she saw him for the first time in years.

揃ill Walker， ?she said.

He stopped. At first he did not recognize her， to him she looked so old.

揗ary! Where did you come from? ?Unconsciously， she lifted her face as though wanting a kiss， but he held out his hand. She took it.

揑 live in New York now， ?she said.

揙h-?smiling politely. Then a little frown came quickly between his eyes.

揂lways wondered what happened to you， Bill.?揑抦 a lawyer. Nice firm， way downtown.?揗arried yet? ?揝ure. Two kids.?揙h， ?she said.

A great many people went past them through the park. People they didn抰 know. It was late afternoon. Nearly sunset. Cold.

揂nd your husband? ?he asked her.

揥e have three children. I work in the bursar?s office at Columbia.?揧ou抮e looking very . . .?(he wanted to say old) ? . . well，?he said.

She understood. Under the trees in Washington Square， she found herself desperately reaching back into the past. She had been older than he then in Ohio. Now she was not young at all. Bill was still young.

揥e live on Central Park West， ?she said. 揅ome and see us sometime.?揝ure， 攈e replied. 揧ou and your husband must have dinner with my family some night. Any night. Lucille and I抎 love to have you.?The leaves fell slowly from the trees in the Square. Fell without wind. Autumn dusk. She felt a little sick.

揥e抎 love it， ?she answered.

揧ou ought to see my kids. ?He grinned.

Suddenly the lights came on up the whole length of Fifth Avenue， chains of misty brilliance in the blue air.

揟here抯 my bus， ?she said.

He held out his hand. 揋oodbye.?揥hen . . .?she wanted to say， but the bus was ready to pull off. The lights on the avenue blurred， twinkled， blurred. And she was afraid to open her mouth as she entered the bus. Afraid it would be impossible to utter a word.

Suddenly she shrieked very loudly. 揋oodbye! 擝ut the bus door had closed.

The bus started. People came between them outside， people crossing the street， people they didn抰 know. Space and people. She lost sight of Bill. Then she remembered she had forgotten to give him her address - or to ask him for his - or tell him that her youngest boy was named Bill too.

早 秋

□ [美]蘭斯頓·休斯 譯/薇薇安

當他們墜入愛河之時，比爾還年輕。無數個夜晚，他們在一起散步，談心。后來，因為一些似乎并不是很重要的事情，兩人形同陌路。她，一時沖動，嫁給了一個她自以為愛的男人。比爾則懷著對女人的怨憤，離去了。

之后的許多年，他們都沒有再見面。而昨日，她在穿過華盛頓廣場時，這些年第一次見到了他。

“比爾·沃克。” 她喊道。

他駐足，并沒有一下子認出她來。對他來說，她顯得過于蒼老。

“瑪麗！你從哪兒來？”

她下意識地仰起臉，想等他的一吻，但他卻只是伸出手。她握了握這只手。

“我現在住在紐約。”她說。

“是嗎？”——他禮貌地笑，但很快皺了下眉。

“一直想知道你怎么樣了，比爾。”

“我現在是個律師。在市中心，一家不錯的公司。”

“結婚了？”

“當然。兩個孩子。”

“哦。”她應著。

無數陌生人從他們身邊穿過，穿過公園。已是傍晚，夕陽西下，寒冷蕭瑟。

“那么，你丈夫？”他問她。

“我們有三個孩子。我在哥倫比亞大學的財務處工作。”

“你看起來很……”（他想說老）“……健康，”他說。

她明白。站在華盛頓廣場的樹林下，她發現往昔的記憶如潮水般涌向她。在俄亥俄州的時候，她就比比爾大了。現在，她已芳華不再，但比爾依然年輕如故。

“我們住在中央公園西路，” 她說，“什么時候有時間就過來看看。”

“一定。”他回答說，“找個晚上，你和你丈夫一定要和我的家人吃個飯。露西爾和我隨時都歡迎你們。”

廣場上，枯葉從樹上慢慢飄下，無風自落。秋天的薄暮里，她感到有些不適。

“我們也很愿意。”她回答。

“你應該看看我的孩子。”他露齒一笑。

忽然，路燈亮了，照亮了整個第五大道，在憂郁的空氣中凝成兩條朦朧的光帶。

“我等的車來了。”她說。

他揮手道：“再見。”

“什么時候……”她正想說點什么，但車門就要關了。路燈在她的視線中模糊，閃爍，模糊。上車后，她害怕張口說話，害怕自己一個字也說不出來。

突然，她大聲尖叫：“再見！”但車門已經關上。

車開了。陌生的人們從他們身邊穿過，在街道上穿行。車漸行漸遠，距離和人群使比爾消失在她的視線中。這時，她才想起她忘記給他她的地址——或向他要他的地址——或告訴他，她最小的兒子也叫比爾。