单首循环 | 奥斯卡·王尔德《年轻的国王》节选 The Young King

The Young King
By Oscar Wilde

And the young King bowed his head again, and prayed, and when he had finished his prayer he rose up, and turning round he looked at them sadly.

And lo! through the painted windows came the sunlight streaming upon him, and the sunbeams wove round him a tissued robe that was fairer than the robe that had been fashioned for his pleasure. The dead staff blossomed, and bare lilies that were whiter than pearls. The dry thorn blossomed, and bare roses that were redder than rubies. Whiter than fine pearls were the lilies, and their stems were of bright silver. Redder than male rubies were the roses, and their leaves were of beaten gold.

He stood there in the raiment of a king, and the gates of the jewelled shrine flew open, and from the crystal of the many-rayed monstrance shone a marvellous and mystical light. He stood there in a king's raiment, and the Glory of God filled the place, and the saints in their carven niches seemed to move. In the fair raiment of a king he stood before them, and the organ pealed out its music, and the trumpeters blew upon their trumpets, and the singing boys sang.

And the people fell upon their knees in awe, and the nobles sheathed their swords and did homage, and the Bishop's face grew pale, and his hands trembled. 'A greater than I hath crowned thee,' he cried, and he knelt before him.

And the young King came down from the high altar, and passed home through the midst of the people. But no man dared look upon his face, for it was like the face of an angel.

少年国王再一次低下头去祈祷，祷告完毕他便站起身来，转过头去悲伤地望着他们。

啊！看那，阳光透过彩色的玻璃窗照在他的身上，光线在他的四周织出一件金袍，比那件为取悦于他而编织的王袍更加美丽。干枯的枝条怒放出鲜花，那是比珍珠还要洁白的百合花。干枯的荆棘也开花了，开放出比红宝石还要红的红玫瑰。比上等珍珠还洁白的百合花，它们的根茎是由亮闪闪纠银子做成的。比红宝石更红的玫魂，它们的叶子是由金子铸造的。

他身穿国王的衣服站在那里，珠宝镶嵌的神龛打开了盖子，从光芒四射的圣体匣的水晶上放出异常神奇的光。他身着国王的衣服站在那儿，这里就充满了上帝的荣光，连壁龛中的圣徒们也好像在动。身穿国王的华贵衣服，他站在了他们的面前，风琴奏出了乐曲，喇叭手吹响了他们的喇叭，唱诗班的孩子们在放声歌唱。

百姓们敬畏地跪下身来，贵族们收回宝剑并向少年国王行礼，主教大人的脸色变得苍白，双手颤抖不已。“给你加冕的人比我更伟大。”他大声说道，并跪倒在国王面前。

少年国王从高高的祭坛上走下来，穿过人群朝自己的房间走去。此时没有一个人敢看他的脸，因为那容貌就跟天使一样。 
译文：https://www.douban.com/group/topic/11595244/