文章点睛
《蔷薇》一文在情节上是故事中套故事，在情感抒发上则凝聚了两代人的怀旧。已到迟暮之年的老妇人回想起自己初为人妇时与丈夫一起途经意大利一座小山城时的所见所闻。途中，他们意外结识了当地一位颇有声望的伯爵，并应邀前往他家的花园做客。园中一株硕大秀颀、郁郁葱葱的蔷薇树吸引了这对新婚夫妇的眼球。于是已到耄耋之年但又孑然一身的老伯爵向他们平静地道来自己年轻时的一段旧情。
曾经一厢情愿而又年少气盛的伯爵在花园中苦苦等待情人时，愤懑之下折下了一段蔷薇枝，回家之后将其栽入了自家的花园中。时隔多年，当日那株脆弱的枝条长成了他们眼前的参天大树。
临行时，夫妇收到伯爵作为礼物赠送给夫人的一截蔷薇枝。夫人回到故国的家中后也将其栽入园中。又一段人生韶华匆匆逝去，待到这株蔷薇长成大树时，新娘已成老妇。她忘却了伯爵的名字，忘却了当初那座山城的名字，唯有晨光中依稀的日出之景仍浮现在她脑海中。
The old lady had always been proud of the great rose-tree in her garden，and was fond of telling how it had grown from a cutting she had brought years before from Italy，when she was first married.She and her husband had been travelling back in their carriage from Rome（it was before the time of railways）and on a bad piece of road south of Siena[1]they had broken down[2]，and had been forced to pass the night in a little house by the road-side.The accommodation[3]was wretched of course；she had spent a sleepless night，and rising early had stood，wrapped up，at her window，with the cool air blowing on her face，to watch the dawn.She could still，after all these years，remember the blue mountains with the bright moon above them，and how a far-off town on one of the peaks had gradually grown whiter and whiter，till the moon faded，the mountains were touched with the pink of the rising sun，and suddenly the town was lit as by an illumination，one window after another catching and reflecting the sun’s beam，till at last the whole little city twinkled[4]and sparkled[5]up in the sky like a nest of stars.
That morning，finding they would have to wait while their carriage was being repaired，they had driven in a local conveyance[6]up to the city on the mountain，where they had been told they would find better quarters[7]；and there they had stayed two or three days.It was one of the miniature[8]Italian cities with a high church，a pretentious[9]piazza[10]，a few narrow streets and little palaces，perched[11]，all compact and complete，on the top of a mountain，within and enclosure of walls hardly larger than an English kitchen garden.But it was full of life and noise，echoing all day and all night with the sounds of feet and voices.
The Cafe of the ****** inn where they stayed was the meeting place of the notabilities[12]of the little city；the Sindaco[13]，the avvocato[14]，the doctor，and a few others；and among them they noticed a beautiful，slim[15]，talkative[16]old man，with bright black eyes and snow-white hair-tall and straight and still with the figure of a youth，although the waiter told them with pride that the Conte[17]was molto vecchio[18]―would in fact be eighty in the following year.He was the last of his family，the waiter added-they had once been great and rich people-but he had no descendants[19]；in fact the waiter mentioned with complacency[20]，as if it were a story on which the locality[21]prided itself，that the Conte had been unfortunate in love，and had never married.
The old gentleman，however，seemed cheerful enough；and it was plain that he took an interest in the strangers，and wished to make their acquaintance[22].This was soon effected by the friendly waiter；and after a little talk the old man invited them to visit his villa[23]and garden which were just outside the walls of the town.So the next
afternoon，when the sun began to descend，and they saw in glimpses through door-ways and windows，blue shadows beginning to spread over the brown mountains，they went to pay their visit.It was not much of a place，a small，modernized，stucco[24]villa，with a hot pebbly garden，and in it a stone basin[25]with torpid[26]gold-fish，and a statue of Diana[27]and her hounds[28]against the wall.But what gave a glory to it was a gigantic[29]rose-tree which clambered[30]over the house，almost smothering[31]the windows，and filling the air with the perfume of its sweetness.Yes，it was a fine rose，the Conte said proudly when they praised it，and he would tell the Signora[32]about it.And as they sat there，drinking the wine he offered them，he alluded[33]with the cheerful indifference[34]of old age to his love-affair，as though he took for granted that they had heard of it already.
“The lady lived across the valley there beyond that hill.I was a young man then，for it was many years ago.I used to ride over to see her；it was a long way，but I rode fast，for young men，as no doubt the Signora knows，are impatient.But the lady was not kind，she would keep me waiting，oh，for hours；and one day when I had waited very long I grew very angry，and as I walked up and down in the garden where she had told me she would see me，I broke one of her roses，broke a branch from it；and when I saw what I had done，I hid it inside my coat-so-；and when I came home I planted it，and the Signora sees how it has grown.If the Signora admires it，I must give her a cutting to plant also in her garden；I am told the English have beautiful gardens that are green，and not burnt with the sun like ours.”
The next day，when their mended carriage had come up to fetch them，and they were just starting to drive away from the inn，the Conte’s old servant appeared with the rose-cutting neatly wrapped up，and the compliments and wishes for a buon viaggio[35]from her master.The town collected to see them depart，and the children hold a rush of feet behind them for a few moments，but soon they were far down towards the valley；the little town with all its noise and life was high above them on its mountain peak.
She had planted the rose at home，where it had grown and flourished[36]in a wonderful manner；and every June the great mass of leaves and shoots[37]still broke out into a passionate[38]splendour[39]of scent and crimson[40]colour，as if in its root and fibres[41]there still burnt the anger and thwarted desire of that Italian lover.Of course the old Conte must have died many years ago；she had forgotten his name，and had even forgotten the name of the mountain city that she had stayed in，after first seeing it twinkling at dawn in the sky，like a nest of stars.
洛根？皮尔索尔？史密斯
老太太一直为她园中那株高大的蔷薇树感到骄傲。她经常乐此不疲地跟人讲这树是怎么由一根从意大利带回的枝条长起来的。那是好多年以前的事，她还刚刚是个新娘子。她和丈夫正从罗马乘坐马车回国（那时还没有火车）。在辛拿城南一段崎岖的路上，车子出了毛病，他俩只好被迫暂时到路边一所小宅院去过夜。屋内的陈设当然是简陋极了；她度过了一个不眠之夜，次日很早起身，披衣凝立窗前，在拂面的习习晨风中，观望天色破晓。虽然事隔多年，她仍然记得青山之上皓月高悬的景色，远山之颠的一座城镇，逐渐泛白，继而月落，徐徐升起的朝阳将群山染成绯红；旋即，城镇似为巨焰所映，斗然大亮，扇扇窗扉在朝霞的照耀下，摇曳生姿；直到最后，整座小城在苍穹下晶莹透亮，宛若一抹星云。
由于修车尚待时日，那天早上他们便搭乘当地车辆去了那座山城，因为据说在那可以觅到较好的住处；他们在那里逗留了两三天。那是一座典型的意大利式小城，城中有一座高耸的教堂，一个颇为矫饰的广场，几条狭窄的街道，几所处于一座山头之上的矮小楼房，紧凑齐全，周围有城墙环绕，占地比起一个英国的家厨菜园也大不了多少。然而这里却充满生机，热闹非凡，轮蹄喧哗，彻夜不休。
他们下榻的一家普通旅店中的餐馆是小城中名流聚会的地方，包括市长、律师、医生，以及一些其他人物。其中有一位老人引起了他们的注意。他风度翩翩、消瘦健谈，乌黑的眸子炯炯有神，头发已经雪白―他的体格修长挺立，仍具有年轻人的身段，虽然侍者骄傲地对他们讲，这位伯爵已经年纪很大了―实际上翌年将满八十。他是他家族的末代子孙，侍者补充到―他家曾经是名门望族―但他没有后代；伯爵在爱情上受过挫折，从此未曾结婚。实际上侍者提及此事时颇为沾沾自喜，仿佛这是当地民众引以为荣的一段故事。
这位老先生兴致很高；显然他对这两位陌生人很感兴趣，并愿意结识他们。这事随即由友好的侍者促成；于是，在一番短暂的交谈之后，老人便邀请他们去他的别墅与花园做客，地址即在城墙之外不远的地方。于是次日下午，当夕阳开始西沉，门窗启处，蓝色暗影已渐渐笼罩棕褐的山岭时，他们遂欣然前往拜访。老人的家并不气派恢宏―一座小巧的现代式灰墁别墅，另有一个热气蒸腾的软石路面花园，石砌水池之中浮游着一些懒散的金鱼，池旁靠墙处并有一尊女猎神及其猎犬的雕像。但是足为这小园增色的是其中一巨株蔷薇，树身过屋，绿荫翳窗，浓香沁满园。的确，这是一株不错的蔷薇，伯爵听了客人夸奖之后得意地说，并说他乐意把树的来历讲给夫人听听。于是当他们坐定之后，一边饮着酒时，他便以那种老年人满不在乎的欣然神情，略微提了提他的一段旧情，仿佛他相信他们对此一定早有所闻似的。
“那位小姐就住在那座山背后的河谷对岸。那时我还是个少年，因为这已是多年前的事了。我常常骑马过去看她；路途漫漫，但我骑得很快，这点夫人当然理解，年轻人总是性急的。但这位小姐有点儿冷酷，喜欢叫人等个不休，哈哈，往往让我一等就是几个小时；一天，我因为等得过久而生气起来。当我在我们约定的那个花园中踱来踱去时，我折了她的一朵，应该说一枝，蔷薇；当我发现自己做了这么一件事时，我便把那枝蔷薇藏在外套里面―就像这样―；回来以后我就把它种上了，而夫人也已看到，它长得多好。如果夫人喜欢的话，我当然要奉赠一枝，好把它栽在园里；听说英国人的花园非常美丽，青葱翠绿，不像我们此地给太阳晒得那么燥热。”
第二天，修好了的马车来迎接他们。正当他们即将离开旅馆之时，伯爵的老仆人赶来，奉上包扎精致的蔷薇枝条一束，并代其主人转致一路平安之意。城中的人也都跑来向他们道别，儿童尾随车子的脚步声乱哄了一阵。但不久车子已经往下走了很远，进入河谷地带，而这座人声鼎沸的山顶小城则早已高高地在他们头顶之上了。
她把蔷薇栽在家中，它生根发芽，以长成一棵枝繁叶茂的大树；每逢六月，浓碧的枝叶丛中，猩红馥郁，香气撩人，蔚成一派情如火灼的奇观，仿佛它的根茎之间依旧燃烧着那位意大利情人的愤怒与郁悒。当然那老伯爵此时早已去世多年；他的名字也已被忘却，甚至连她住过的那座山城的名字，她也都记不起了，虽然她曾经在拂晓之时看它在空中闪烁发光，宛若一抹星云。
作者简介
About the Author
Logan Peasall Smith：洛根？皮尔索尔？史密斯（1865-1946）是一位出生于美国的散文家、批评家，并且在训诂学（对古书字句解释的学科）领域也是一位颇有声望的作家。他儿时曾在英国居住，先后就学于哈佛福特学院和哈佛学院，并于1891年毕业于牛津大学。本文选自他的著名散文选《琐事集》。
V
词汇扫雷
ocabulary
1.Siena：意大利城镇名
2.break down：出故障，停止运作
3.accommodation：住处
4.twinkle：闪烁，闪耀
5.sparkle：闪闪发光
6.conveyance：运输工具，交通工具
7.quarters：住房，宿舍
8.miniature：微型
9.pretentious：自我炫耀的，矫饰的。文中指广场相对于这么一个简朴的山城显得有点过于浮华。
10.piazza：特指意大利都市中的广场或市场
11.perch：处在……的顶上（边缘）
12.notability：（一般用复数）要人，名人
13.Sindaco：意语，市长
14.Avvocato：意语，律师
15.slim：苗条的
16.talktative：能说会道的
17.Conte：意语，伯爵
18.molto vecchio：意语，相当于英语very old，年纪很大。
19.descentant：后代
20.complacency：自满，自鸣得意
21.locality：地区
22.make sb’s acquaintance：结识某人
23.villa：别墅
24.stucco：（涂建筑物的外墙用的）灰泥
25.basin：水池
26.torpid：懒散的
27.Diana：戴安娜（罗马神话中处女守护神，狩猎女神和月亮女神）
28.hound：猎犬
29.gigantic：巨大的
30.clamber：爬上
31.smother：使……窒息
32.Signora：意语，夫人
33.allude：隐射，略微谈及
34.indifference：漠然
35.buon viaggio：意语，相当于英语safe journey，一路顺风。
36.flourish：繁盛
37.shoot：（植物的）牙，苗，嫩枝
38.passionate：激情四溢的，热情奔放的
39.splendour：胜景
40.crimson：猩红色的
41.fibre：（植物的）纤维
小编点评
《琐事集》是融作者洛根？皮尔索尔？史密斯日常生活中独具慧眼的感悟为一体的散文集，充满哲理，给人以启迪。其中《蔷薇》一篇更是连颇为健忘的小编都过目不忘的经典之作。
爱情是人类笔端永恒的话题。故事里的人像花朵样绽放、枯萎，扮演着各自在爱情中的角色：一厢情愿的少年、他傲慢任性的情人、欢欣雀跃的英国新娘和时过境迁、任往事随风而过的老伯爵、老妇人。但是，任凭一代又一代人的老去、死亡，爱情作为人类一份充沛、说不尽而又道不明的情感，仍然像这株株散发着浓烈香味的蔷薇树一样，永开不败。