wind sand and stars st.antoine de saint-exupery-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ced　thousands　of　years；　I　had　bee　the　witness　of　this　miserly　rain　from　the　stars。　The　marvel　of　marvels　was　that　there　on　the　rounded　back　of　the　planet；　between　this　magnetic　sheet　and　those　stars；　a　human　consciousness　was　present　in　which　as　in　a　mirror　that　rain　could　be　reflected。　
　　III　
　　Once；　in　this　same　mineral　Sahara；　I　was　taught　that　a　dream　might　partake　of　the　miraculous。　Again　I　had　been　forced　down；　and　until　day　dawned　I　was　helpless。　Hillocks　of　sand　offered　up　their　luminous　slopes　to　the　moon；　and　blocks　of　shadow　rose　to　share　the　sands　with　the　light。　Over　the　deserted　work…yard　of　darkness　and　moonray　there　reigned　a　peace　as　of　work　suspended　and　a　silence　like　a　trap；　in　which　I　fell　asleep。　
　　When　I　opened　my　eyes　I　saw　nothing　but　the　pool　of　nocturnal　sky；　for　I　was　lying　on　my　back　with　outstretched　arms；　face　to　face　with　that　hatchery　of　stars。　Only　half　awake；　still　unaware　that　those　depths　were　sky；　having　no　roof　between　those　depths　and　me；　no　branches　to　screen　them；　no　root　to　cling　to；　I　was　seized　with　vertigo　and　felt　myself　as　if　flung　forth　and　plunging　downward　like　a　diver。　
　　But　I　did　not　fall。　From　nape　to　heel　I　discovered　myself　bound　to　earth。　I　felt　a　sort　of　appeasement　in　surrendering　to　it　my　weight。　Gravitation　had　bee　as　sovereign　as　love。　The　earth；　I　felt；　was　supporting　my　back；　sustaining　me；　lifting　me　up；　transporting　me　through　the　immense　void　of　night。　I　was　glued　to　our　planet　by　a　pressure　like　that　with　which　one　is　glued　to　the　side　of　a　car　on　a　curve。　I　leaned　with　joy　against　this　admirable　breast…work；　this　solidity；　this　security；　feeling　against　my　body　this　curving　bridge　of　my　ship。　
　　So　convinced　was　I　that　I　was　in　motion；　that　I　should　have　heard　without　astonishment；　rising　from　below；　a　creaking　of　something　material　adjusting　itself　to　the　effort；　that　groaning　of　old　sailing　vessels　as　they　heel；　that　long　sharp　cry　drawn　from　pinnaces　plaining　of　their　handling。　But　silence　continued　in　the　layers　of　the　earth；　and　this　density　that　I　could　feel　at　my　shoulders　continued　harmonious；　sustained；　unaltered　through　eternity。　I　was　as　much　the　inhabitant　of　this　homeland　as　the　bodies　of　dead　galley…slaves；　weighted　with　lead；　were　the　inhabitants　of　the　sea。　
　　I　lay　there　pondering　my　situation；　lost　in　the　desert　and　in　danger；　naked　between　sky　and　sand；　withdrawn　by　too　much　silence　from　the　poles　of　my　life。　I　knew　that　I　should　wear　out　days　and　weeks　returning　to　them　if　I　were　not　sighted　by　some　plane；　or　if　next　day　the　Moors　did　not　find　and　murder　me。　Here　I　possessed　nothing　in　the　world。　I　was　no　more　than　a　mortal　strayed　between　sand　and　stars；　conscious　of　the　single　blessing　of　breathing。　And　yet　I　discovered　myself　filled　with　dreams。　
　　They　came　to　me　soundlessly；　like　the　waters　of　a　spring；　and　in　the　beginning　I　could　not　understand　the　sweetness　that　was　invading　me。　There　was　neither　voice　nor　vision；　but　the　presentiment　of　a　presence；　of　a　warmth　very　close　and　already　half　guessed。　Then　I　began　to　grasp　what　was　going　on；　and　shutting　my　eyes　I　gave　myself　up　to　the　enchantments　of　my　memory。　
　　Somewhere　there　was　a　park　dark　with　firs　and　linden…trees　and　an　old　house　that　I　loved。　It　mattered　little　that　it　was　far　away；　that　it　could　not　warm　me　in　my　flesh；　nor　shelter　me；　reduced　here　to　the　role　of　dream。　It　was　enough　that　it　existed　to　fill　my　night　with　its　presence。　I　was　no　longer　this　body　flung　up　on　a　strand；　I　oriented　myself；　I　was　the　child　of　this　house；　filled　with　the　memory　of　its　odors；　with　the　cool　breath　of　its　vestibules；　with　the　voices　that　had　animated　it；　even　to　the　very　frogs　in　the　pools　that　came　here　to　be　with　me。　I　needed　these　thousand　landmarks　to　identify　myself；　to　discover　of　what　absences　the　savor　of　this　desert　was　posed；　to　find　a　meaning　in　this　silence　made　of　a　thousand　silences；　where　the　very　frogs　were　silent。　
　　No；　I　was　no　longer　lodged　between　sand　and　stars。　I　was　no　longer　receiving　from　this　scene　its　chill　message。　And　I　had　found　out　at　last　the　origin　of　the　feeling　of　eternity　that　came　over　me　in　this　wilderness。　I　had　been　wrong　to　believe　it　was　part　of　sky　and　sand。　I　saw　again　the　great　stately　cupboards　of　our　house。　Their　doors　opened　to　display　piles　of　linen　as　white　as　snow。　They　opened　on　frozen　stores　of　snow。　The　old　housekeeper　trotted　like　a　rat　from　one　cupboard　to　the　next；　forever　counting；　folding；　unfolding；　re…counting　the　white　linen；　exclaiming；　〃Oh；　good　Heavens；　how　terrible　！〃　at　each　sign　of　wear　which　threatened　the　eternity　of　the　house；　running　instantly　to　burn　out　her　eyes　under　a　lamp　so　that　the　woof　of　these　altar　cloths　should　be　repaired；　these　three…master's　sails　be　mended；　in　the　service　of　something　greater　than　herself　…a　god；　a　ship。　
　　Ah；　I　owe　you　a　page；　Mademoiselle！　When　I　came　home　from　my　first　journeyings　I　found　you　needle　in　hand；　up　to　the　knees　in　your　white　surplices；　each　year　a　little　more　wrinkled；　a　little　more　round…shouldered；　still　preparing　for　our　slumbers　those　sheets　without　creases；　for　our　dinners　those　cloths　without　seams；　those　feasts　of　crystal　and　of　snow。　
　　I　would　go　up　to　see　you　in　your　sewing…room；　would　sit　down　beside　you　and　tell　you　of　the　dangers　I　had　run　in　order　that　I　might　thrill　you；　open　your　eyes　to　the　world；　corrupt　you。　You　would　say　that　I　hadn't　changed　a　whit。　Already　as　a　child　I　had　torn　my　shirts　…　〃How　terrible！〃　…　and　skinned　my　knees；　ing　home　as　day　fell　to　be　bandaged。　
　　No；　Mademoiselle；　no　！　I　have　not　e　back　from　the　other　end　of　the　park　but　from　the　other　end　of　the　world！　I　have　brought　back　with　me　the　acrid　smell　of　solitude；　the　tumult　of　sand…storms；　the　blazing　moonlight　of　the　tropics！　〃Of　course！〃　you　would　say。　〃Boys　will　run　about；　break　their　bones　and　think　themselves　great　fellows。〃　
　　No；　Mademoiselle；　no　！　I　have　seen　a　good　deal　more　than　the　shadows　in　our　park。　If　you　knew　how　insignificant　these　shadows　are；　how　little　they　mean　beside　the　sands；　the　granite；　the　virgin　forests；　the　vast　swamplands　of　the　earth　！　Do　you　realize　that　there　are　lands　on　the　globe　where；　when　men　meet　you；　they　bring　up　their　rifles　to　their　cheeks？　Do　you　know　that　there　are　deserts　on　earth　where　men　lie　down　on　freezing　nights　to　sleep　without　roof　or　bed　or　snowy　sheet？　〃What　a　wild　lad！〃　you　would　say。　
　　I　could　no　more　shake　her　faith　than　I　could　have　shaken　the　faith　of　a　candle…woman　in　a　church。　I　pitied　her　humble　destiny　which　had　made　her　blind　and　deaf。　
　　But　that　night　in　the　Sahara；　naked　between　the　stars　and　the　sand；　I　did　her　justice。　
　　What　is　going　on　inside　me　I　cannot　tell。　In　the　sky　a　thousand　stars　are　magnetized；　and　I　lie　glued　by　the　swing　of　the　planet　to　the　sand。　A　different　weight　brings　me　back　to　myself。　I　feel　the　weight　of　my　body　drawing　me　towards　so　many　things。　My　dreams　are　more　real　than　these　dunes；　than　that　moon；　than　these　presences。　My　civilization　is　an　empire　more　imperious　than　this　empire。　The　marvel　of　a　house　is　not　that　it　shelters　or　warms　a　man；　nor　that　its　walls　belong　to　him。　It　is　that　it　leaves　its　trace　on　the　language。　Let　it　remain　a　sign。　Let　it　form；　deep　in　the　heart；　that　obscure　range　from　which；　as　waters　from　a　spring；　are　born　our　dreams。　
　　Sahara；　my　Sahara！　You　have　been　bewitched　by　an　old　woman　at　a　spinning…wheel！　
　　Wind；　Sand　and　Stars　by　Antoine　de　Saint…Exupery　
　　Chapter　5　…　The　Plane　and　the　PlanetTitle：　Wind；　Sand；　and　Stars　
　　Author：　Antoine　de　Saint…Exupery　
　　Translator：　Lewis　Galantiere　
　　Publisher：　Harcourt　Brace　Javanovich；　New　York；　1967　
　　Date　first　posted：　February　2000　
　　Date　most　recently　updated：　January　2006　
　　XML　markup　by　Wesman　02/23/2000。　
　　Wind　Sand　and　Stars
　　Antoine　de　Saint…Exupery
　　6
　　0asis
　　I　have　already　said　so　much　about　the　desert　that　before　speaking　of　it　again　I　should　like　to　describe　an　oasis。　The　oasis　that　es　into　my　mind　is　not；　however；　remote　in　the　deep　Sahara。　One　of　the　miracles　of　the　airplane　is　that　it　plunges　a　man　directly　into　the　heart　of　mystery。　You　are　a　biologist　studying；　through　your　porthole；　the　human　ant…hill；　scrutinizing　objectively　those　towns　seated　in　their　plain　at　the　centre　of　their　highways　which　go　off　like　the　spokes　of　a　wheel　and；　like　arteries；　nourish　them　with　the　quintessence　of　the　fields。　A　needle　trembles　on　your　manometer；　and　this　green　clump　below　you　bees　a　universe。　You　are　the　prisoner　of　a　greensward　in　a　slumbering　park。　
　　Space　is　not　the　measure　of　distance。　A　garden　wall　at　home　may　enclose　more　secrets　than　the　Great　Wall　of　China；　and　the　soul　of　a　little　girl　is　better　guarded　by　silence　than　the　Sahara's　oases　by　the　surrounding　sands。　I　dropped　down　to　earth　once　somewhere　in　the　world。　It　was　near　Concordia；　in　the　Argentine；　but　it　might　have　been　anywhere　at　all；　for　mystery　is　everywhere。　
　　A　minor　mishap　had　forced　me　down　in　a　field；　and　I　was　far　from　dreaming　that　I　was　about　to　live　through　a　fairy…tale。　The　old　Ford　in　which　I　was　driven　to　town　betokened　nothing　extraordinary；　and　the　same　was　to　be　said　for　the　un…remarkable　couple　who　took　me　in。　
　　〃