小學英語 安徒生童話系列（十）In the Uttermost Parts of the Sea在遙遠的海極閱讀素材

IntheUttermostPartsoftheSeabyHansChristianAndersen（1855）SOMEyearsago，largeshipsweresenttowardsthenorthpole，toexplorethedistantcoasts，andtotryhowfarmencouldpenetrateintothoseunknownregions.Formorethanayearoneoftheseshipshadbeenpushingitswaynorthward，amidsnowandice，andthesailorshadenduredmanyhardships；tillatlengthwintersetin，andthesunentirelydisappeared；formanyweekstherewouldbeconstantnight.Allaround，asfarastheeyecouldreach，nothingcouldbeseenbutfieldsofice，inwhichtheshipremainedstuckfast.ThesnowlaypiledupinGREatheaps，andofthesethesailorsmadehuts，intheformofbee-hives，someofthemaslargeandspaciousasoneofthe“Hunsgraves，”andothersonlycontainingroomenoughtoholdthreeorfourmen.Itwasnotquitedark；thenorthernlightsshotforthredandblueflames，likecontinuousfireworks，andthesnowglittered，andreflectedbackthelight，sothatthenightherewasonelongtwilight.Whenthemoonwasbrightest，thenativescameincrowdstoseethesailors.Theyhadaverysingularappearanceintheirrough，hairydressesoffur，andridinginsledgesovertheice.Theybroughtwiththemfursandskinsingreatabundance，sothatthesnow-housesweresoonprovidedwithwarmcarpets，andthefursalsoservedforthesailorstowrapthemselvesin，whentheysleptundertheroofsofsnow，whileoutsideitwasfreezingwithacoldfarmoreseverethaninthewinterwithus.Inourcountryitwasstillautumn，thoughlateintheseason；andtheythoughtofthatintheirdistantexile，andoftenpicturedtothemselvestheyellowleavesonthetreesathome.Theirwatchespointedtothehoursofevening，andtimetogotosleep，althoughintheseregionsitwasnowalwaysnight.Inoneofthehuts，twoofthemenlaidthemselvesdowntorest.Theyoungerofthesemenhadbroughtwithhimfromhomehisbest，hisdearesttreasureaBible，whichhisgrandmotherhadgivenhimonhisdeparture.Everynightthesacredvolumerestedunderhishead，andhehadknownfromhischildhoodwhatwaswritteninit.Everydayhereadinthebook，andwhilestretchedonhiscoldcouch，theholywordshehadlearntwouldcomeintohismind： “IfItakethewingsofthemorning，andflytotheuttermostpartsofthesea，eventhereThouartwithme，andThyrighthandshallupholdme；”andundertheinfluenceofthatfaithwhichtheseholywordsinspired，sleepcameuponhim，anddreams，whicharethemanifestationsofGodtothespirit.Thesoullivesandacts，whilethebodyisatrest.Hefeltthislifeinhim，anditwasasifheheardthesoundofdear，well-knownmelodies，asifthebreezesofsummerfloatedaroundhim；andoverhiscouchshonearayofbrightness，asifitwereshiningthroughthecoveringofhissnow-roof.Heliftedhishead，andsawthatthebrightgleamingwasnotthereflectionoftheglitteringsnow，butthedazzlingbrightnessofthepinionsofamightyangel，intowhosebeamingfacehewasgazing.Asfromthecupofalily，theangelrosefromamidsttheleavesoftheBible；and，stretchingouthisarm，thewallsofthehutsunkdown，asthoughtheyhadbeenformedofalight，airyveilofmist，andtheGREenhillsandmeadowsofhome，withitsruddywoods，layspreadaroundhiminthequietsunshineofalovelyautumnday.Thenestofthestorkwasempty，butripefruitstillhungonthewildapple-tree，althoughtheleaveshadfallen.Theredhipsgleamedonthehedges，andthestarlingwhichhunginthegreencageoutsidethewindowofthepeasantshut，whichwashishome，whistledthetunewhichhehadtaughthim.Hisgrandmotherhunggreenbirds-foodaroundthecage，ashe，hergrandson，hadbeenaccustomedtodo.Thedaughterofthevillageblacksmith，whowasyoungandfair，stoodatthewell，drawingwater.Shenoddedtothegrandmother，andtheoldwomannoddedtoher，andpointedtoaletterwhichhadcomefromalongwayoff.Thatverymorningtheletterhadarrivedfromthecoldregionsofthenorth；there，wheretheabsentonewassweetlysleepingundertheprotectinghandofGod.Theylaughedandweptovertheletter；andhe，faraway，amidiceandsnow，undertheshadowoftheangelswings，weptandsmiledwiththeminspirit；forhesawandhearditallinhisdream.FromthelettertheyreadaloudthewordsofHolyWrit： “Intheuttermostpartsofthesea，Thyrighthandshallupholdme.”Andastheangelspreadhiswingslikeaveiloverthesleeper，therewasthesoundofbeautifulmusicandahymn.Thenthevisionfled.Itwasdarkagaininthesnow-hut：buttheBiblestillrestedbeneathhishead，andfaithandhopedweltinhisheart.Godwaswithhim，andhecarriedhomeinhisheart，even“intheuttermostpartsofthesea.”有幾艘大船開到北極去；它們的目的是要發(fā)現(xiàn)陸地和海的界線，同時也要試驗一下，人類到底能夠向前走多遠。它們在霧和冰中已經(jīng)航行了好幾年，而且也吃過不少的苦頭?，F(xiàn)在冬天開始了，太陽已經(jīng)不見了。漫長的黑夜將要一連持續(xù)好幾個星期。四周是一望無際的冰塊。船只已經(jīng)凝結在冰塊的中間。雪堆積得很高；從雪堆中人們建立起蜂窠似的小屋有的很大，像我們的古塚（註：這是指歐洲現(xiàn)存的一些史前期的古墓（KaempehAie）。它們比一般墳墓大。）；有的還要大，可以住下三四個人。但是這兒并不是漆黑一團；北極光射出紅色和藍色的光彩，像永遠不滅的、大朵的焰火。雪發(fā)出亮光，大自然是一起黃昏的彩霞。當天空是最亮的時候，當?shù)氐耐寥司统扇航Y隊地走出來。他們穿著毛茸茸的皮衣，樣子非常新奇。他們坐著用冰塊制作成的雪橇，運輸大捆的獸皮，好使他們的雪屋能夠鋪上溫暖的地氈。這些獸皮還可以當做被子和褥子使用。當外面正在結冰、冷得比我們嚴寒的冬天還要冷的時候，水手們就可以裹著這些被子睡覺。在我們住的地方，這還不過是秋天。住在冰天雪地里的他們也不禁想起了這件事情。他們記起了故鄉(xiāng)的太陽光，同時也不免記起了掛在樹上的紅葉。鐘上的時針指明這正是夜晚和睡覺的時候。事實上，冰屋里已經(jīng)有兩個人躺下來要睡了。這兩個人之中最年輕的那一位身邊帶著他最好和最貴重的寶物一部圣經(jīng)。這是他動身前他的祖母送給他的。他每天晚上把它放在枕頭底下，他從兒童時代起就知道書里面寫的是甚么東西。他每天讀一小段，而且每次翻開的時候，他就讀到這幾句能給他安慰的神圣的話語：“我若展開清晨的翅膀，飛到海極居住，就是在那里，你的手必引導我，你的右手，也必扶持我（註：引自圣經(jīng)舊約全書詩篇第139篇第9至第10節(jié)。）。”他記住這些含有真理的話，懷著信心，閉起眼睛；於是他睡著了，做起夢來。夢就是上帝給他的精神上的啟示。當身體在休息的時候，靈魂就活躍起來，他能感覺到這一點；這好像那些親愛的、熟識的、舊時的歌聲；這好像那在他身邊吹動的、溫暖的夏天的風。他從他睡的地方看到一漂白光在他身上擴展開來，好像是一件甚么東西從雪屋頂上照進來了似的。他抬起頭來看，這白天并不是從墻上、或從天花板上射來的。它是從安琪兒肩上的兩個大翅膀上射下來的。他朝他的發(fā)光的、溫柔的臉上望去。這位安琪兒從圣經(jīng)的書頁里升上來，好像是從百合的花萼里升上來似的。他伸開手臂，雪屋的墻在向下墜落，好像不過是一層輕飄的薄霧似的。故鄉(xiāng)的綠草原、山丘和赤褐色的樹林在美麗的秋天的太陽光中靜靜地展開來。鸛鳥的窠已經(jīng)空了，但是野蘋果樹上仍然懸著蘋果，雖然葉子都已經(jīng)落掉了。玫瑰射出紅光；在他的家一個農(nóng)舍的窗子面前，一只八哥正在一個小綠籠子里唱著歌。這只八哥所唱的就正是他以前教給它的那支歌。祖母在籠子上掛些鳥食，正如他她的孫子以前所作過的那樣。鐵匠的那個年輕而美麗的女兒，正站在井邊汲水。她對祖母點著頭