A Wife In LondonThomas HardyIShe sits in the tawny vapourThat the Thames-side lanes have uprolled,Behind whose webby fold-on-foldLike a waning taperThe street-lamp glimmers cold.

A messenger’s knock cracks smartly,Flashed news in her handOf meaning it dazes to understandThough shaped so shortly:He—he has fallen—in the far South LandII’Tis the morrow; the fog hangs thicker,The postman nears and goes:A letter is brought whose lines discloseBy the firelight flickerHis hand, whom the worm now knows:Fresh—firm—penned in highest feather—Page-full of his hoped return,And of home-planned jaunts of brake and burnIn the summer weather,And of new love that they would learn.

伦敦的妻子哈代(一)泰晤士河边条条小巷一片浓雾，她独自坐在褐色雾气的深处，透过重重的雾帐，街灯象一支残烛，闪着寒冷的微光。

敲门声清晰响亮，送信人把急电交到她手上。

电文内容虽然简短，却使她猛一下眩晕倘恍：他——在南方遥远的土地上——阵亡(二)第二天清晨大雾更浓，邮递员送信来去匆匆。

闪闪的炉火照着一封家书，字字行行都是他亲笔写出，而那只手呀，此刻已有蛆虫光顾。

墨迹犹新，字体坚实，意气昂扬，满篇都倾诉他渴望还乡：他打算就在明朗的夏天，徜徉在故乡的溪畔林间，他们要把爱情重新体验。

张玲　张扬 译【A Wife In London 伦敦的妻子查看网站：[db:时间]】