20170713 获奖短文-时间之沙 the sands of time - 斯蛋Stan朗读

英音朗读者 | 为孤独正名

The Sands of Time

Clara Cowan

“Kathryn, Kathryn?” repeated the call, interrupting my thoughts.

“凯瑟琳，凯瑟琳？”不断有人叫我，打断我的思绪。

I can feel the warm rays of searing sun beating down on me. There is not one single fluffy cloud in the tranquil, cornflower sky. Below, the sea is a picture of perfect calm; little waves washing onto unspoiled, golden sands. The smell of sharp, salty sea stings my nostrils and everything seems wonderful with my lovely family here.

我能感到灼烧的太阳放出光束打在我身上，暖意十足。宁静的、深蓝的天空中，没有一朵松软的云。天空之下，海面是一片完美的平静，一个个小波浪冲刷着无人侵扰的金色沙滩。大海那股强烈的咸味刺激着我的鼻孔，有我亲爱的家人在身边，一切都显得美好。

A delightful picnic is packed carefully in the boot of our trusty, red car. All the same, I can’t help feeling something’s not quite right. Everything seems sort of hazy.

我家那辆可靠的红色汽车的后备箱里，装着我们的野餐，想想就高兴。虽然如此，我却总觉得什么地方不对劲。一切都模模糊糊的。

Never mind, I’m not going to dwell on it, especially now Dad’s unpacking our glorious lunch. We’re allowed to tuck in, so I sprint over and begin eating before my two greedy elder brothers devour it all!

不管他，懒得去想这些。特别是现在，爸爸正在取出我们丰盛的午餐。大人叫我们可以吃了，于是我冲过去就吃起来，免得被我两个馋嘴的哥哥一抢而空。

Yet still there’s that nagging feeling at the back of my mind, but I’m choosing to ignore it and go for a relaxing swim.

但潜意识中，我还是又种不安的感觉。但我决定忽略它，去游泳放松一下。

It’s so peaceful out here. I close my eyes and lie back comfortably on my lilo listening to the screech of gulls overhead. I can see my family enjoying themselves on the beach. I don’t know why I was so worried. Everything’s fine, just fine. My eyes grow heavy as I’m overcome with tiredness. My eyelids start to droop…

这个地方真是平静。我闭上眼睛，舒服地躺在气垫上，听着空中海鸥的鸣叫。我能看到我的家人在海滩上玩的很尽兴。但我不知道我怎么会那么焦虑。一切都很好，真的很好。我感到很疲惫，眼睛变得沉重，眼皮开始打架。

After what seems only a few minutes, I awake and stare in horror at the blurred horizon. A mist seems to have descended, swiftly enveloping me. I peer frantically for my beloved family; waving, screaming at the top of my voice but it’s futile.

也就过了几分钟吧，我醒了，惶恐地看着模糊的地平面。似乎有一阵雾袭来，迅速把我包裹。我疯狂地找寻我深爱的家人，挥手，尖叫，但都徒劳。

They can’t hear me. They can’t see me. It’s too late. The mist has now engulfed them. Salty tears begin streaming down my face. Uncontrollably.

他们听不见我，看不见我，都太晚了。他们已经被雾吞噬。咸咸的泪水流的满脸都是，不可控制。

**********************

“Kathryn, dear. It’s your granddaughter!” announced the care worker cheerily, gently shaking granny’s arm.

“凯瑟琳，亲爱的。是你孙女来啦！”护工轻柔地摇着外婆的胳膊，欣喜地叫着她。

She just sits there. Indifferent. Her frail, wrinkled hands tremble, oblivious to the world around her. She looks at me blankly as though she doesn’t know me. Maybe she doesn’t anymore.

她就那么坐着。不为所动。她纤弱的、爬满皱纹的双手颤抖着，对周遭的世界置若罔闻。她空洞地望着我，好像不认识我。或许她再也不会认得我了。

It’s hard to remember my dear granny without dementia. It’s only been a few years since it all began; yet it seems like forever.

我想不起来我亲爱的奶奶在患上痴呆前，是什么样。她患病不过几年，我却感觉已是一辈子。

Sometimes I ask mum what she was like before but it’s not the same as really knowing her. Despite this I love her just the same. She squeezes me tightly as though she’ll never let go, perhaps an indication as to how loving she once was.

有时我会问妈妈她以前什么样，但听来的终究不如自己真正了解她。不管怎样，我还是爱她。她紧紧抓着我，像是不愿放我走，大概是想告诉我，她曾经多爱我。

Experts say it’s important to engage and stimulate people with dementia, by looking through photos or even just having conversations. Suddenly I remember the cardboard box of old photos I used to enjoy looking at when I was little.

医生说，一定要多陪痴呆患者，要刺激他们，比如给他们看照片，或者就只是和他们说话。我突然想起那个纸盒，小时候特别爱看里面的照片。

With renewed interest, I rush to get them from under her bed and blow off the thick covering of dust. That’s when I see it – a picture of my granny in her youth, surrounded by her family, standing grinning happily up at the camera on a beautiful beach.

我重新打起精神，赶紧从她床底拿出纸盒，吹走上面厚厚的灰。这时我看到一张照片，是奶奶年轻的时候，和她家人在一起，她站在美丽的沙滩上，露着牙齿对着镜头开心地笑着。

A flicker of recollection momentarily passes across her face...

一瞬间，回忆，从她脸上，一闪而过……

故事分两个部分，以两个人的口吻分别叙述：第一部分是奶奶的口吻，第二部分是孙女的口吻。

其实，第二部分发生在前。孙女去看望她已患上痴呆多年的奶奶，细腻的言语中充满了她对奶奶的爱。

她突然想起来大夫的话，可以给奶奶看照片唤起回忆。于是她找出奶奶年轻时和家人去海边度假的照片给她看。

所以才有了第一部分以奶奶为视角的叙述。看到照片后，奶奶穿越到了那一年，她和家人去海边玩耍，和哥哥们抢吃的。因为这照片，奶奶进入了梦境般的回忆。也许是激动，也许是悲痛，她在回忆中无助地哭。

全文的语言略显沉重，但我觉得这是一种沉重的爱。甚至也有一种释怀感，因为痴呆的奶奶又有了回忆，又有了情感。

奶奶的痴呆或许是不可逆的，但至少，我曾把她唤醒，即便只是一瞬间。“一瞬间，回忆，从她脸上，一闪而过……”

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