第15章 The Thunderstorm 雷暴

Washington Irving ( b. 1783, d. 1859 ). This distinguished author, whose works have enriched American literature, was born in the city of New York. He had an ordinary school education, and began his literary career at the age of nineteen, by writing for a paper published by his brother. His first book, "Salmagundi," was published in 1807. Two years later he published "Knickerbocker's History of New York." In 1815 he sailed for Europe, and remained abroad seventeen years, during which time he wrote several of his works. From 1842 to 1846 he was minister to Spain. The last years of his life were passed at "Sunnyside," near Tarrytown, N.Y. He was never married. "The Life of Washington," his last work, was completed in the same year in which he died. Mr. Irving's works are characterized by humor, chaste sentiment, and elegance and correctness of expression. The following selection is from"Dolph" in "Bracehridge Hall."

In the second day of the voyage, they came to the Highlands. It was the latter part of a calm, sultry day, that they floated gently with the tide between these stern mountains. There was that perfect quiet which prevails over nature in the languor of summer heat. The turning of a plank, or the accidental falling of an oar, on deck, was echoed from the mountain side and reverberated along the shores; and, if by chance the captain gave a shout of command, there were airy tongues that mocked it from every cliff.

Dolph gazed about him, in mute delight and wonder, at these scenes of nature's magnificence. To the left, the Dunderberg reared its woody precipices, height over height, forest over forest, away into the deep summer sky. To the right, strutted forth the bold promontory of Antony's Nose, with a solitary eagle wheeling about it;while beyond, mountain succeeded to mountain, until they seemed to lock their arms together and confine this mighty rive in their embraces.

In the midst of this admiration, Dolph remarked a pile of bright, snowy clouds peering above the western heights. It was succeeded by another, and another, each seemingly pushing onward its predecessor, and towering, with dazzling brilliancy, in the deep blue atmosphere; and now muttering peals of thunder were faintly heard rolling behind the mountains. The river, hitherto still and glassy, reflecting pictures of the sky and land, now showed a dark ripple at a distance, as the wind came creeping up it. The fishhawks wheeled and screamed, and sought their nests on the high, dry trees; the crows flew clamorously to the crevices of the rocks; and all nature seemed conscious of the approaching thunder gust.

The clouds now rolled in volumes over the mountain tops; their summits still bright and snowy, but the lower parts of an inky blackness. The rain began to patter down in broad and scattered drops; the wind freshened, and curled up the waves; at length, it seemed as if the bellying clouds were torn open by the mountain tops, and complete torrents of rain came rattling down. The lightning leaped from cloud to cloud, and streamed quivering against the rocks, splitting and rending the stoutest forest trees. The thunder burst in tremendous explosions; the peals were echoed from mountain to mountain; they crashed upon Dunderberg, and then rolled up the long defile of the Highlands, each headland making a new echo, until old Bull Hill seemed to bellow back the storm.

For a time the scudding rack and mist and the sheeted rain almost hid the landscape from the sight. There was a fearful gloom, illumined still more fearfully by the streams of lightning which glittered among the raindrops. Never had Dolph beheld such an absolute warring of the elements; it seemed as if the storm was tearing and rending its way through the mountain defile, and had brought all the artillery of heaven into action.

Washington Irving

华盛顿·欧文（1783～1859年）是19世纪美国最著名的作家，号称美国文学之父。他出生于纽约市，19岁的欧文在《早晨纪事报》上发表了几篇书信体散文，崭露头角。他的第一部作品《大杂烩》出版于1807年。两年后他出版了《纽约外史》。1842年再度赴马德里，出任美国驻西班牙公使。1846年回国，晚年是在他曾经描写过的“睡谷”塔里敦附近度过。他终生未婚，《华盛顿传》是他最后的作品，在他去世的那年完成的。欧文先生的作品语言幽默、质朴、流畅而优美。本文选自《布雷斯布里奇庄园》。

旅程的第二天，他们来到高原地区。那是一个无风又闷热的黄昏，他们在峻峭的群山之间顺潮行驶。大自然中的一切事物在夏日的炙烤下都显得无比倦怠。木板扭动，或是船桨落下时偶尔触碰甲板发出的声音，从山那边传来的回声沿着海岸不断地回荡。只要船长大喊一声口令，就仿佛在每一个峭壁上都有有好多张嘴在模仿他说的话。

道尔夫盯着他周围这些大自然的奇观，自得其乐，充满了好奇。左边，顿德斯堡高耸着树木茂密的峭壁，一层高过一层，树林层层叠叠，直抵高远的夏日天际。右边，矗立着安东尼，一只孤独的雄鹰正展翅飞过。远处，山峦叠嶂，绵延起伏。

这时，道尔夫注意到一堆明亮、雪白的云朵，在西山顶上向他窥望着。云朵一层压着一层，每一层都好像将前面的一层用力往前推着，最上面的一层垒进茫茫的蓝天里。隐约可以听到群山后面雷声滚滚。水面刚才还像镜子一样平静光滑，倒映着蓝天和高山，这时也被一阵风吹起暗色的波浪。鱼鹰盘旋呜叫着，飞上干燥的树顶栖息。乌鸦乱作一团，飞向岩石的缝隙。自然界的万物都意识到，一场暴风雨就要来临了。

山顶的云朵这时聚做一团，虽然云尖还是明亮雪白的，但其余的地方已经是泼墨般乌黑。大颗雨点没头没脑地砸下来，风儿清新，卷起浪花。不久，厚厚的云朵好像被尖耸的山峰刺穿了一样，大雨倾泻而下。闪电在云层之间滚来滚去，岩石都跟着颤抖起来，林中的树木也东摇西摆。雷声接踵而至，在群山中回响着。它们先来到顿德堡，又沿着山间隘路上了海兰德，沿途在每个山头都留下了新的回声，老布尔山也向暴风雨吠叫着。

有一段时间，疾风、迷雾和倾盆大雨遮蔽了眼前的一切。四周是一片让人恐惧的昏暗，大雨中不时闪耀的闪电更让人心惊。道尔夫还从未见识过如此狂暴的自然界，就好像暴雨在山崖中撕开一道裂缝，并且汇集了所有天堂的武器开始作战。

华盛顿·欧文