歸向桃花源

華盛頓·歐文(Washington Irving， 1783～1859)出生于美國紐約市一位富商之家。雖然父母希望他成為律師，讓他學習法律，他卻偏愛文學創(chuàng)作。1807年，歐文與他人合作創(chuàng)辦了《雜拌》(Salmagundi)雜志。1809年，他出版了《紐約外史》(A History of New York)，以幽默風趣的語言贏得了紐約讀者的喜愛。1815年，歐文前往歐洲。1820年，他出版了文集《見聞札記》(The Sketch Book)。《見聞札記》中既有文筆典雅、反映人生感悟的散文，也有構思精巧的虛構故事，為歐文贏得了國際聲譽，使他成為第一位可以與歐洲作家比肩的美國作家。歐文的其他代表作還有《布雷斯布里奇田莊》(Bracebridge Hall)、《旅客談》(Tales of a Traveller)、《阿爾罕伯拉》(Tales of the Alhambra)等。短篇小說《睡谷的傳說》(The Legend of Sleepy Hollow)選自文集《見聞札記》，是一篇膾炙人口的經典之作。該小說自1912年首次被搬上銀幕以來，曾有多個電影版本相繼面世。1999年，好萊塢著名導演蒂姆·伯頓(Tim Burton)將《睡谷的傳說》改編后重拍，片名為《斷頭谷》(Sleepy Hollow)，在戲劇化與幽默感兼顧的情況下將歐文的小說原著提升到一個新的高度。

Excerpts1)

In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent2) the eastern shore of the Hudson， at that broad expansion of the river denominated3) by the ancient Dutch navigators the Tappan Zee4)， and where they always prudently shortened sail5) and implored the protection of St. Nicholas6) when they crossed， there lies a small market town or rural port， which by some is called Greensburgh， but which is more generally and properly known by the name of Tarry Town…. Not far from this village， perhaps about two miles， there is a little valley or rather lap of land among high hills， which is one of the quietest places in the whole world. A small brook glides through it， with just murmur enough to lull7) one to repose; and the occasional whistle of a quail8) or tapping of a woodpecker is almost the only sound that ever breaks in upon the uniform tranquility.

I recollect that， when a stripling9)， my first exploit in squirrel-shooting was in a grove of tall walnut-trees that shades one side of the valley. I had wandered into it at noontime， when all nature is peculiarly quiet， and was startled by the roar of my own gun， as it broke the Sabbath10) stillness around and was prolonged and reverberated by the angry echoes. If ever I should wish for a retreat whither I might steal from the world and its distractions， and dream quietly away the remnant of a troubled life， I know of none more promising than this little valley.

From the listless11) repose of the place， and the peculiar character of its inhabitants， who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers， this sequestered12) glen13) has long been known by the name of SLEEPY HOLLOW， and its rustic lads are called the Sleepy Hollow Boys throughout all the neighboring country. A drowsy， dreamy influence seems to hang over the land， and to pervade the very atmosphere. Some say that the place was bewitched by a High German doctor， during the early days of the settlement; others， that an old Indian chief， the prophet or wizard of his tribe， held his powwows14) there before the country was discovered by Master Hendrick Hudson15)…. The dominant spirit， however， that haunts this enchanted region， and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air， is the apparition16) of a figure on horseback， without a head. It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian17) trooper， whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball， in some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War18)， and who is ever and anon seen by the country folk hurrying along in the gloom of night， as if on the wings of the wind. His haunts are not confined to the valley， but extend at times to the adjacent roads， and especially to the vicinity of a church at no great distance. Indeed， certain of the most authentic historians of those parts， who have been careful in collecting and collating the floating facts concerning this spectre19)， allege that the body of the trooper having been buried in the churchyard， the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head， and that the rushing speed with which he sometimes passes along the Hollow， like a midnight blast， is owing to his being belated， and in a hurry to get back to the churchyard before daybreak.

Such is the general purport of this legendary superstition， which has furnished materials for many a wild story in that region of shadows; and the spectre is known at all the country firesides， by the name of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

It is remarkable that the visionary propensity I have mentioned is not confined to the native inhabitants of the valley， but is unconsciously imbibed20) by every one who resides there for a time. However wide awake they may have been before they entered that sleepy region， they are sure， in a little time， to inhale the witching influence of the air， and begin to grow imaginative， to dream dreams， and see apparitions.

I mention this peaceful spot with all possible laud， for it is in such little retired Dutch valleys， found here and there embosomed in the great State of New York， that population， manners， and customs remain fixed， while the great torrent of migration and improvement， which is making such incessant changes in other parts of this restless country， sweeps by them unobserved. They are like those little nooks of still water， which border a rapid stream， where we may see the straw and bubble riding quietly at anchor， or slowly revolving in their mimic harbor， undisturbed by the rush of the passing current. Though many years have elapsed since I trod the drowsy shades of Sleepy Hollow， yet I question whether I should not still find the same trees and the same families vegetating in its sheltered bosom.

In this by-place21) of nature there abode， in a remote period of American history， that is to say， some thirty years since， a worthy wight22) of the name of Ichabod Crane23)， who sojourned， or， as he expressed it， “tarried，” in Sleepy Hollow， for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity. He was a native of Connecticut， a State which supplies the Union with pioneers for the mind as well as for the forest， and sends forth yearly its legions of frontier woodmen and country schoolmasters. The cognomen24) of Crane was not inapplicable to his person. He was tall， but exceedingly lank25)， with narrow shoulders， long arms and legs， hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves， feet that might have served for shovels， and his whole frame most loosely hung together. His head was small， and flat at top， with huge ears， large green glassy eyes， and a long snipe26) nose， so that it looked like a weather-cock perched upon his spindle27) neck to tell which way the wind blew. To see him striding along the profile of a hill on a windy day， with his clothes bagging and fluttering about him， one might have mistaken him for the genius of famine descending upon the earth， or some scarecrow28) eloped from a cornfield.

1.英文節(jié)選摘自小說的開頭部分，主要描述了“睡谷”的周圍環(huán)境，并介紹了男主人公伊卡博德·克蘭的個人情況。

2.indent [?n?dent] vt. 使凹進，使凹入

3.denominate [d??n?m?ne?t] vt. 為??命名

4.Tappan Zee：塔潘齊，哈德遜河最寬的河段

5.sail [se?l] n. 帆

6.St. Nicholas：圣尼古拉斯，圣誕老人原型，土耳其歷史上真實存在的一位主教

7.lull [l?l] vt. 使平靜；使安靜

8.quail [kwe?l] n. 鵪鶉

9.stripling [?str?pl??] n. 年輕人，小伙子

10.Sabbath [?s?b?θ] n. [宗]安息日

11.listless [?l?stl?s] adj. 倦怠的

12.sequestered [s??kwest?(r)d] adj. 隱蔽的；僻靜的

13.glen [ɡlen] n. 峽谷；幽谷

14.powwow [?pa??wa?] n. (北美印第安人祈求神靈治病或保佑戰(zhàn)斗勝利等而舉行的)帕瓦儀式(通常伴有巫術、盛宴等)

15.Hendrick Hudson：即亨利·哈德遜(Henry Hudson， 1565?～1611?)，英國探險家與航海家，哈德遜灣、哈德遜河等即是以其名字來命名的。……