格列佛游记——阿真的故事-1

Long, long ago, there lived a man in the town of Niigata. His name was Chosei Nagao.

　　Nagao was the son of a physician and he studied medical science, because his father wanted him to become a doctor. When he was very young, he was engaged to the daughter of one of his father's friends. She was called O-Tei. Both families agreed they should be married as soon as Nagao finished his studies. But O-Tei was in poor health. When she was fifteen years old, she fell seriously ill. She thought, "I am going to die soon. Before I die, I want to say good-bye to Nagao-sama." So she sent for Nagao. As he sat down next to her bed, she began to say:

　　"Nagao-sama, we were engaged to marry from childhood, and we had decided to get married at the end of this year. But now I am going to die. I want to live for some years longer, but that won't give us happiness. That will give us trouble and grief, I think. As I am a frail girl, I can't be a good wife for you. I am going to die, but please don't grieve. Please say to me, 'I won't grieve over your death.' Besides, I believe that we will meet again."

　　"Indeed we can meet again, in heaven," Nagao answered earnestly.

　　"No, no!" she said softly, "I don't mean in heaven. I mean that we'll meet again in this world, though I'll be buried tomorrow."

　　Nagao looked at her wonderingly, because he could not understand her. She smiled at him and went on speaking in her gentle dreamy voice:

　　"Yes, I say that we'll meet again in this world─in your present life, Nagao-sama...If you wish it...I will be born as a girl again, and grow up and become a woman. You must wait for a long time...Fifteen or sixteen years. But you are now only nineteen years old..."

　　He answered, "My dear, I will surely wait for you. But how will I know you in another body, under another name, if you don't have a mark?"

　　"I have no idea," she said. "Only the gods and buddhas know how and where we will meet again. But if you are eager to meet me again, I'll be able to come back to you, I believe. Remember my words."

　　At this, she stopped speaking and closed her eyes. She was dead.

　　很久以前，新舄有一位名叫长尾长生的人。

　　长尾是一位内科医生的儿子，他念医科，因为他父亲要他成为一名医生。在他年幼时，就与父亲一个朋友的女儿订了亲。这位小姐名叫阿真。两家都同意长尾一完成学业就让他们完婚。但阿真身体很差。在她十五岁时，生了一场重病。她心想：『我就快要死了。在我死前，我要跟长尾先生告别。』所以她就派人请长尾到她家。当他在她床边坐下时，她开始说：

　　『长尾先生，我们从小就订了亲，而且也已决定于今年年底结婚。但现在我就快死了，我想再多活几年，但那样也不会带给我们幸福。我想那只会带给我们烦恼和悲伤。因为我是个体弱多病的女子，我无法成为你的好妻子。我就快死了，但请不要悲伤。请你对我说：「我不会为你的死而悲伤。」而且，我相信我们还会再见面的。』

　　长尾真挚地回答：『我们确实可以在天堂相见。』

她轻声地说：『不！不！我不是指在天堂和你相见。我是说我们还可以在这个世上相见，虽然我明天就要被埋葬了。』

　　长尾迷惑地看着她，因为他不明白她的意思。她对他微笑，继续以梦幻般温柔的声音说：

　　『是的，我是说我们还可以在这个世上相见──在你今生之内相见。长尾先生……如果你愿意的话……我将转世再生为女儿身，然后长大成人。你必须等很长的一段时间……十五年或者十六年。但是你现在才十九岁……』

　　他答道：『亲爱的，我一定会等你。但如果你身上没有什幺标记，我又怎幺能知道那个长相不同，名字不同的人就是你呢？』

　　她说：『我不知道。只有神和菩萨才会知道我们将如何重逢，何处重逢。但如果你渴望再见到我，我相信我一定能回到你身边。你要记住我的话。』

　　说完，她便闭上眼睛，过世了。