世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第17章
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心灵从其一切窒 碍之中解脱出来，使之充满喜悦。
dancers
john galsworthy
i was taken by a friend one afternoon to a theatre。 when the curtain was rai sed； the stage was perfectly empty save for tall grey curtains which enclosed it on all sides； and presently through the thick folds of those curtains children came dancing in； singly； or in pairs； till a whole troop of ten or twelve were a ssembled。 they were all girls； none； i think； more than fourteen years old； one or two certainly not more than eight。 they wore but little clothing； their legs； feet and arms being quite bare。 their hair； too； was unbound； and their faces； grave and smiling； were so utterly dear and joyful； that in looking on them one felt transported to some garden of hesperides； a where self was not；and the spir it floated in pure ether。 some of these children were fair and rounded； others d ark and elflike； but one and all looked entirely happy； and quite unselfcons cious； giving no impression of artifice； though they had evidently had the highe st and most careful training。 each flight and whirling movement seemed conceived there and then out of the joy of being — dancing had surely never been a labou r to them； either in rehearsal or performance。 there was no tiptoeing and postur ing； no hopeless muscular achievement； all was rhythm； music； light； air； and； a bove all things； happiness。 smiles and love had gone to the fashioning of their performance； and smiles and love shone from every one of their faces and from th e clever white turnings of their limbs。
amongst them — though all were delightful — there were two who especially riveted my attention。 the first of these two was the tallest of all the children ； a dark thin girl； in whose every expression and movement there was a kind of g rave； fiery love。
during one of the many dances； it fell to her to be the pursuer of a fair ch ild； whose movements had a very strange soft charm； and this chase； which was li ke the hovering of a dragonfly round some waterlily； or the wooing of a moon beam by the june night； had in it a most magical sweet passion。 that dark； tende r huntress； so full of fire and yearning； had the queerest power of symbolising all longing； and moving one's heart。 in her； pursuing her white love with such w istful fervour； and ever arrested at the very movement of conquest； one seemed t o see the great secret force that hunts through the world； on and on； tragically unresting； immortally sweet。
the other child who particularly enchanted me was the smallest but one； a br ownhaired fairy crowned with a halfmoon of white flowers； who wore a scanty little rosepetalcoloured shift that floated about her in the most delightful fashion。 she danced as never child danced。 every inch of her small head and bod y was full of the sacred fire of motion； and in her little pas seul she seemed t o be the very spirit of movement。 one felt that joy had flown down； and was inha biting there； one heard the rippling of joy's laughter。 and； indeed； through all the theatre had risen a rustling and whispering； and sudden bursts of laughing rapture。
i looked at my friend； he was trying stealthily to remove something from his eyes with a finger。 and to myself the stage seemed very misty； and all things i n the world lovable； as though that dancing fairy had touched them with tender f ire； and made them golden。
god knows where she got that power of bringing joy to our dry hearts： god kn ows how long she will keep it！ but that little flying love had in her the qualit y that lies deep in colour； in music； in the wind； and the sun； and in certain g reat works of art — the power to set the heart free from every barrier； and flo od it with delight。
声 誉
佚名
在每个领域里，一旦出了名就会使一些入『迷』者虔敬地表示赞扬和尊崇，这是种容易使人 陶醉的东西。一位表演家很容易相信自己的成就和报章舆论所说的一样。可是大多数人，大 多数艺人并没有得到声名和财富。那些失败的表演者又如何呢？其他任何一个失败者又如何 呢？奇怪的是，对很多人来说，失败常常也会起一种报偿的作用！有些人因为庆幸自己不像 你那样地失败，就会对你表示同情，而你的亲朋们也会降低对你的期望，你就不必去同那些 才智胜于你而获得成功的人们较量。他们会帮你找借口解释你不成功不出名的原因，说什么 ：你太敏感呀；你对金钱不感兴趣呀；你对声名所能带来的权力没有兴趣呀；因为声誉会使 你丧失隐私权，所以你不感兴趣呀，等等——这些无非都是借口而已，但这对失败者或假装 不关心自己失败的人来说，都多少能带来一点安慰。
历史已充分证明在生命中的某些时刻遭遇失败确实能促使有些人更努力奋斗，继续深信 自己，并取得成功。美国小说家托马斯。沃尔夫的第一部小说《安琪儿，往家里看》在出版 之前，被退稿39次，终于开始了他的写作事业并赢得了声誉。贝多芬从不屈服于他的专横的 父亲，还忍气当过乐师，但终于克服一切，成为了全世界最伟大最著名的音乐家。贝斯达洛 齐是19世纪意大利著名教育家，他从事各项事业一无成就，但最后专心于儿童教育，从而研 讨了新教育法的基本原理，形成一种新的教育理论。托马斯。爱迪生在10岁左右上四年级时 被赶出校外，因为教师觉得他又笨又倔强。这种以失败为动力，奋发向上，成名成家的人还 有许多例子可举。但不幸的是，对多数人来说，失败是奋斗的结束，而不是开始。成名者的 失败事例即使有，也只是少数。
那么，我们为什么要追求声誉呢？你在追求声誉吗？你希望许多人都知道你并赞赏你吗 ？你想要那些往往随声誉而来的金钱吗？你希望传媒注意你在公开或私下里的一言一行吗？ 你想要他们像猎狗似的追逐你，向你提问，想办法拆你的台脚吗？这在美国政界中非常明显 ，你要出名就得成为反对你的每个人的目标，当然也是传播媒介的目标。声誉把一切灯光打 亮，一边给你权力和威望，另一边也把“你”赶出你的自身之外：你必须成为公众意想之中 的你，而不是那个真实的你或者可能的你。像表演家一样，政治家必须去讨好他的听众，这 就往往意味着要讲一点自己并不完全相信或同意的话。所以相信政治家的人是如此之少，这 就不足为奇了。但是我们还没有回答本节开始所提的问题：为什么大家都追求声誉呢？我们 想到的理由有下列几点：为了显示出某方面的超越成就；赢得许多人的景仰爱慕；为了成为 一个人人都提到的人；在亲朋前显示你超乎于他们对你的想象之上。也许你还可加些其他理 由，但我觉得上述各点当然是普遍的。
……
我相信声誉和赞扬、影响和权力。成功和失败、现实和幻想都好像是精密地编织在一匹 光洁无缝的织品之中，即我们称之为现实的东西。对那些拼命追求声誉、财富和赞赏的人们 ，我要说：祝您好运。但当你已抓住了成功、声誉的尾巴之后，你将会做什么呢？一直追逐 下去吗？如你确实抓住了它的话，就舍命也不要松手，因为下坠总比坠地要少痛苦一点。走 在这苍茫而不可理喻的星球上的芸芸过客们，我盼你们不久就能功成名就，或近乎功成名就 吧！
fame
anonymous
fame brings celebrity and high regard from adoring and loyal fans in each fi eld of endeavor and it is heady stuff。 a performer can easily come to believe th at he or she is as good as his or her press。 but most people； most artists do no t gain fame and fortune。 what about those performers who fail； or anyone who fai ls。 curiously enough； failure often serves as its own reward for many people！ it brings sympathy from others who are delighted not to be you； and it allows fami ly and friends to lower their expectations of you so that you need not compete w ith those who have more talent and who sucomeed。 and they find excuses and explan ations for your inability to sucomeed and become famous： you are too sensitive； y ou are not interested in money； you are not interested in the power that fame br ings and you are not interested in the loss of privacy it demands； etc。 — all e xcuses； but comforting to those who fail and those who pretend not to notice the failure。
history has amply proven that some failure for some people at certain times in their lives does indeed motivate them to strive even harder to sucomeed and to continue believing in themselves。 thomas wolfe； the american novelist； had his first novel look homeward； angel rejected 39 times before it was finally publish ed and launched his career and created his fame。 beethoven overcame his tyrannic al father and grudging acomeptance as a musician to become the greatest； most fam ous musician in the word； and pestalozzi； the famous italian educator in the 19t h century； failed at every job he ever had until he came upon the idea of teachi ng children and developing the fundamental theories to produce a new form of edu cation。 thomas edison was thrown out of school in fourth grade； at about age 10； because he seemed to the teacher to be quite dull and unruly。 many other cases may be found of people who failed and used the failure to motivate them to achie ve； to sucomeed； and to become famous。 but； unfortunately； for most people failur e is the end of their struggle； not the beginning。 there are few； if any； famous failures。
well then； why does anyone want fame。 do you。 do you want to be known to man y people and admired by them。 do you want the money that usually comes with fame 。 do you want the media to notice everything you do or say both in public and in private。 do you want them hounding you； questioning you and trying to undo you。 in american politics it is very obvious that to be famous is to be the target o f everyone who disagrees with you as well as of the media。 fame turns all the li ghts on and while it gives power and prestige； it takes the you out of you： you must be what the public thinks you are； not what you really are or could be。 the politician； like the performer； must pl
