世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第32部分
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e to that which comes from watching the waves break over a wall in a storm 。 and to be within the mill at such a time is to know something of sound's very sources； it is the cave of noise itself。 no doubt there are dens of hammering en ergy which are more shattering； but the noise of a windmill is largely natural； the product of wood striving with the good sou'wester； it fills the ears rathe r than assaults them。 the effect； moreover，is by no means lessened by the absen ce of the wind itself and the silent nonchalance of the miller and his man； who move about in the midst of this appalling racket with the quiet efficiency of ve rgers。
in my mill； of course； there is no such uproar； nothing but the ocomasional s haking of the crosspieces of the idle sails。 everything is still； and the pity of it is that everything is in almost perfect order for the day's work。 the mil l one day — some score years ago — was full of life； the next； and ever after； mute and lifeless； like a stream frozen in a night or the palace in tennyson's ballad of the ‘sleeping beauty。' there is no decay — merely inanition。 one or two of the applewood cogs have been broken from the great wheel； a few floor p lanks have been rotted； but that is all。 a week's overhauling would put everythi ng right。 but it will never come； and the cheerful winds that once were to drive a thousand english mills so happily now bustle over the channel in vain。
林 鸟
威廉。亨利。哈德逊
威廉。亨利。哈德逊（1841—1922），英国博物学家兼作家。自幼酷爱自然，尤其喜欢 观察鸟类的生活习惯，他的散文清新自然，朴实亲切。
有很长的一段时间，我总是在攀登一座低矮宽阔的平顶小山。当我从灌木丛中脱身而出 ，又出现在一片空地时，我已身在一片平坦的高地，周围非常空旷，到处是石楠与荆棘丛生 的地方，这中间偶尔也有几处稠密的冷杉与桦木之类的植物。在我面前以及高地的两侧，一 眼望去，都是广袤的原野；地面上的景物有时会中断，但这蔚为大观的青葱翠绿却是连绵不 断的，这可能跟最近降雨量的充沛有关。在我看来，南德文郡的绿『色』实在是很多的，但是它 『色』调的柔和与亮度却过于单一。在领略这番景『色』之后，山顶上那些棕褐刺目的稀疏草木反而 使人心情爽朗。这片石楠丛生之地宛如一片绿洲与趋避之地，我在这里漫游了很久，直到腿 脚淋湿；然后我又坐下让它们晾干，就这样在那里度过了几个小时的愉快时光。让我高兴的 是这里没有我们的同类前来打扰，然而，鸟类朋友却有很多。在小道附近的丛林中间，雄雉 的啼叫声警告我，我已经进入了禁猎区。不过，禁猎并不严格，因为我所熟识的食腐肉的乌 鸦正在那里为它的幼雏寻食。它低飞着穿过树梢间，从我身边掠过，随即逝去。在当下的季 节，即早夏时期，当它飞起来的时候，人们是很容易将它与它的近亲白嘴鸭辨别开来。在觅 食的时候，这种乌鸦在空中平稳而迅速地滑翔着，经常会改变方向，一会儿贴近地面，一会 儿又飞升得很高，但它一般会保持着大概与树梢平齐的高度。它滑翔与转弯的动作看起来跟 鲱鱼鸥相似，但在滑动的时候，翅膀会挺得直直的，那修长的尖端呈现出一种轻翘曲线。但 它们之间最主要的区别还是飞行时头部的姿势不同。白嘴鸭像苍鹭与鹤那样，总是把它的利 喙像长矛那样直挺挺地伸在前面。它飞翔的时候方向明确，毫不犹豫，它简直可说是跟着自 己的鼻子尖在跑，绝不左顾右盼。而那寻觅肉食的乌鸦却不停地转动着它的头部，就像海鸥 与猎狗那样，一会儿看这边，一会儿又看那边，仿佛正在彻底地搜查地面，或是睁大了眼睛 盯着什么模糊的东西。
这个地方不仅有乌鸦，当我从草丛中走出来时，一只喜鹊正在鸣叫，只是不肯『露』面；过 了一会儿，一只橙鸟也以它那独特的叫声向我鸣叫。对于这聒噪不已的警告和咒骂中所流『露』 的那种心情，对于这受惊的鸟儿在看到生人侵入其林中净地时胸中突然而生的盛怒，我有时 也有深深的同感。
这个地方有很多小鸟，好像这里的荒芜贫瘠对它们也有吸引力。各种山雀、鸣禽、云雀 以及其他鸟类都正在到处忙着寻找栖息的地方，它们唱着各种各样的歌，时而来自树顶，时 而来自地面，时而『逼』近，时而遥远；而随着歌唱者的或远或近，或上或下，也给这些歌声本 身带来不同的特点，这样所产生的效果自然就是有千万种声调，非常丰富。唯有峋鸭始终停 留在一个地方或保持一种姿势不变，歌声也总是重复着一个调子。尽管如此，这种鸟的鸣叫 也并没有像人们所说的那样单调……
birds
william henry hudson
for some time past i had been ascending a low； broad； flattopped hill； and o n forcing my way through the undergrowth into the open i found myself on the lev el plateau； an unenclosed spot overgrown with heather and scattered furze bushes ； with clumps of fir and birch trees。 before me and on either hand at this elev ation a vast extent of country was disclosed。 the surface was everywhere broken； but there was no break in the wonderful greenness； which the recent rain had in tensified。 there is too much green； to my thinking； with too much uniformity in its soft； bright tone； in south devon。 after gazing on such a landscape the brow n； harsh； scanty vegetation of the hilltop seemed all the more grateful。 the h eath was an oasis and a refuge； i rambled about in it until my feet and legs wer e wet； then i sat down to let them dry and altogether spent several agreeable ho urs at that spot； pleased at the thought that no human fellowcreature would in trude upon me。 feathered companions were； however； not wanting。 the crowing of c ock pheasants from the thicket beside the old road warned me that i was on prese rved grounds。 not too strictly preserved； however； for there was my old friend t he carrioncrow out foraging for his young。 he dropped down over the trees； swe pt past me； and was gone。 at this season； in the early summer； he may be easily distinguished； when flying； from his relation the rock。 when on the prowl the cr ow glides smoothly and rapidly through the air； often changing his direction； no w flying close to the surface； anon mounting high； but oftenest keeping nearly o n a level with the tree tops。 his gliding and curving motions are somewhat like those of the herringgull； but the wings in gliding are carried stiff and strai ght； the tips of the long flightfeathers showing a slight upward curve。 but th e greatest difference is in the way the head is carried。 the rook； like the hero n and stork； carries his beak pointing lancelike straight before him。 he knows his destination； and makes for it； he follows his nose； so to speak； turning ne ither to the right nor the left。 the foraging crow continually turns his head； g ulllike and harrierlike； from side to side； as if to search the ground thoro ughly or to concentrate his vision on some vaguely seen object。
not only the crow was there： a magpie chattered as i came from the brake； bu t refused to show himself； and a little later a jay screamed at me； as only a ja y can。 there are times when i am intensely in sympathy with the feeling expresse d in this earsplitting warning and execration； the startled solitary's outburst of uncontrolled rage at the abhorred sight of a fellowbeing in his woodland ha unt。
small birds were numerous at that spot； as if for them also its wildness and infertility had an attraction。 tits； warblers； pipits； finches； all were busy r anging from place to place； emitting their various notes now from the tree tops； then from near the ground； now close at hand； then far off； each change in the height； distance； and position of the singer giving the sound a different charac ter； so that the effect produced was one of infinite variety。 only the yellowh ammer remained constant in one spot； in one position； and the song at each repet ition was the same。 nevertheless this bird is not so monotonous a singer as he is reputed…
第1卷 第十一章
雾
乔治。斯莱思。斯特里特
乔治。斯莱思。斯特里特（1867—1936），英国作家，散文家，是一个写小品文的能手 。在本篇中，作者通过切身的体验，描述了他对世界闻名的雾都伦敦的感受。
无论它是美还是不美，一场伦敦大雾总是有值得大书特书的地方。它能给我们带来我们 每时每刻都需要的那种“变化”。最初，这个世界几乎是白茫茫的一片，然后，慢慢地一点 一点地清晰起来，这和我们平常所见完全不同。这时，就算是最愚蠢的人也不会察觉不到眼 前的景物起了变化。这种变化之大，绝不亚于从伦敦到格拉斯哥。又比如，回到家里，或来 到俱乐部，这种平凡单调的日常琐事，在雾天也几乎成为惊人的壮举，完成之后不免要深深 地松一口气，自幸安全脱险——这时人们至少得到一种不同寻常的新鲜之感。这时我们已经 不像是一个到俱乐部去玩的人，而像是一个航行遇险的海员在九死一生之际，终于得救，并 且受到一群以前非常淡漠而这时却非常激动的侍者们的热烈欢迎。的确，一场『迷』雾带给伦敦 人的变化非常之大，比起去里维埃拉避雾度假所带来的变化都要大。其次，雾还能使
