(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, the Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES.
(MUSIC)
Our story is called "The Diamond Lens. " It was written by Fitz-James O'Brien. Today we will hear the second and final part of the story. Here is Maurice Joyce with part two of "The Diamond Lens."
(MUSIC)
MAURICE JOYCE: When I was a child, someone gave me a microscope. I spent hours looking through that microscope, exploring Nature's tiny secrets. As I grew up, I became more interested in my microscope than in people.
When I was twenty years old, my parents sent me to New York City to study medicine. I never went to any of my classes. Instead, I spent all my time, and a lot of my money, trying to build the perfect microscope. I wanted to make a powerful lens that would let me see even the smallest parts of life. But all my experiments failed.
Then one day, I met a young man, who lived in the apartment above mine. Jules Simon told me about a woman who could speak to the dead. When I visited Madame Vulpes, she let me speak to the spirit of the man who invented the microscope. The spirit of Anton Leeuwenhoek told me how to make a perfect lens from a diamond of one hundred forty carats.
But where could I find a diamond that big?
When I returned home, I went to Simon's apartment. He was surprised to see me and tried to hide a small object in his pocket. I wanted to discover what it was, so I brought two bottles of wine to his apartment. We began to drink. By the time we had finished the first bottle, Simon was very drunk.
"Simon, I know you have a secret. Why don't you tell me about it?" Something in my voice must have made him feel safe. He made me promise to keep his secret. Then he took a small box from his pocket. When he opened it, I saw a large diamond shaped like a rose. A pure white light seemed to come from deep inside the diamond.
Simon told me he had stolen the diamond from a man in South America. He said it weighed exactly one hundred forty carats.
Excitement shook my body. I could not believe my luck. On the same evening that the spirit of Leeuwenhoek tells me the secret of the perfect lens, I find the diamond I need to create it.
I decided to steal Simon's treasure.
I sat across the table from him as he drank another glass of wine. I knew I could not simply steal the diamond. Simon would call the police. There was only one way to get the diamond. I had to kill Simon.
Everything I needed to murder Simon was right there in his apartment. A bottle full of sleeping powder was on a table near his bed. A long thin knife lay on the table. Simon was so busy looking at his diamond that I was able to put the drug in his glass quite easily. He fell asleep in fifteen minutes.
I put his diamond in my pocket and carried Simon to the bed. I wanted to make the police think Simon had killed himself. I picked up Simon's long thin knife and stared down at him. I tried to imagine exactly how the knife would enter Simon's heart if he were holding the knife himself.
I pushed the knife deep into his heart. I heard a sound come from his throat, like the bursting of a large bubble. His body moved and his right hand grabbed the handle of the knife. He must have died immediately.
I washed our glasses and took the two wine bottles away with me. I left the lights on, closed the door and went back to my apartment.
Simon's death was not discovered until three o'clock the next day. One of the neighbors knocked at his door and when there was no answer, she called the police. They discovered Simon's body on the bed. The police questioned everyone. But they did not learn the truth. The police finally decided Jules Simon had killed himself, and soon everyone forgot about him. I had committed the perfect crime.
For three months after Simon's death, I worked day and night on my diamond lens. At last the lens was done. My hands shook as I put a drop of water on a piece of glass. Carefully, I added some oil to the water to prevent it from drying. I turned on a strong light under the glass and looked through the diamond lens.
For a moment, I saw nothing in that drop of water. And then I saw a pure white light. Carefully, I moved the lens of my microscope closer to the drop of water.
Slowly, the white light began to change. It began to form shapes. I could see clouds and wonderful trees and flowers. These plants were the most unusual colors: bright reds, greens, purples, as well as silver and gold. The branches of these trees moved slowly in a soft wind. Everywhere I looked, I could see fruits and flowers of a thousand different colors.
"How strange," I thought, "that this beautiful place has no animal life in it."
Then, I saw something moving slowly among the brightly-colored trees and bushes. The branches of a purple and silver bush were gently pushed aside. And, there, before my eye, stood the most beautiful woman I had ever seen! She was perfect: pink skin, large blue eyes and long golden hair that fell over her shoulders to her knees.
She stepped away from the rainbow-colored trees. Like a flower floating on water, she drifted through the air. Watching her move was like listening to the sound of tiny bells ringing in the wind.
She went to the rainbow-colored trees and looked up at one of them. The tree moved one of its branches that was full of fruit. It lowered the branch to her, and she took one of the fruits. She turned it in her tiny hands and began to eat.
How I wished I had the power to enter that bright light and float with her through those beautiful forests.
Suddenly, I realized I had fallen in love with this tiny creature! I loved someone who would never love me back. Someone who is a prisoner in a drop of water. I ran out of the room, threw myself on my bed and cried until I fell asleep.
Day after day, I returned to my microscope to watch her. I never left my apartment. I rarely even ate or slept.
One day, as usual, I went to my microscope, ready to watch my love. She was there, but a terrible change had taken place. Her face had become thin, and she could hardly walk. The wonderful light in her golden hair and blue eyes was gone. At that moment, I would have given my soul to become as small as she and enter her world to help her.
What was causing her to be so sick? She seemed in great pain. I watched her for hours, helpless and alone with my breaking heart. She grew weaker and weaker. The forest also was changing. The trees were losing their wonderful colors.
Suddenly, I realized I had not looked at the drop of water for several days. I had looked into it with the microscope, but not at it. As soon as I looked at the glass under the microscope, I understood the horrible truth. I had forgotten to add more oil to the drop of water to stop it from drying. The drop of water had disappeared.
I rushed again to look through the lens. The rainbow forests were all gone.
My love lay in a spot of weak light. Her pink body was dried and wrinkled. Her eyes were black as dust. Slowly she disappeared forever.
I fainted and woke many hours later on pieces of my microscope. I had fallen on it when I fainted. My mind was as broken as the diamond lens. I crawled to my bed and withdrew from the world.
I finally got better, months later. But all my money was gone. People now say I am crazy. They call me "Linley, the mad scientist."
No one believes I spoke to the spirit of Leeuwenhoek. They laugh when I tell them how I killed Jules Simon and stole his diamond to make the perfect lens. They think I never saw that beautiful world in a drop of water.
But I know the truth of the diamond lens. And now, so do you.
(MUSIC)
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: You have just heard "The Diamond Lens" by Fitz-James O'Brien. It was adapted for Special English by Dona de Sanctis. Your storyteller was Maurice Joyce.
重点解析
1.pick up 捡起
He picked his cap up from the floor and stuck it back on his head.
他从地板上拾起帽子，重新戴在头上。
2.stare at 盯着
Don't stare at me — it's impolite!
别盯着我看——这是不礼貌的！
3.step away 走开
I took a step away from both Logan and Parry.
我跨出一步，从洛根和帕里身边走开。
4.I ran out of the room, threw myself on my bed and cried until I fell asleep.
我跑出房间，一头栽在床上，哭着就睡着了。
ran out 跑走
He opened the door and ran out in great excitement..
他打开门，非常激动地跑了出去。
5.I finally got better, months later.
几个月后，我终于康复了。
get better 好转
The doctor fixed the rib, dosed him heavily with drugs, and said he would probably get better.
医生接好了肋骨，给他服用了大剂量的药，并说他可能会有所好转。
6.I had fallen on it when I fainted.
原来是我晕倒时，将它摔在了地上。
fall on 落在
They fell on the sandwiches with alacrity.
他们快活地扑向三明治。
参考译文
雪莉·格里菲思：现在为您演播，美国之音慢速英语节目，美国故事。
我们的故事叫做《钻石透镜》，作者菲茨·詹姆斯·奥布赖恩。今天我们来讲述第二部分，演播毛里斯·乔伊斯。
毛里斯·乔伊斯：孩提时代，有人送了我一架显微镜。我对着它一看就是好几个小时，探索大自然的奥秘。我渐渐长大，对显微镜的兴趣愈发浓烈，甚至超过对人。
二十岁时，我的父母送我去纽约学医。我没上过一节正经课。相反，我倾尽时间，倾注重金，尝试建造一架完美的显微镜。我想做出一个强大的镜头，好让我看清生命的一丝一毫。但我的一切努力终告失败。
然后有一天，我遇到了一个年轻人，他住我楼上。朱尔·西蒙告诉我有一个女人，能通死灵。于是我去拜访了Madame Vulpes，在她的帮助下，我与显微镜的已故发明者得以对话。安东·列文虎克的灵魂告诉我，如何用一颗140克拉的钻石做出完美的透镜。
但是，我到哪儿去找那么大的钻石啊？
我回到家，去了西蒙的住处。他惊讶地看到我，试图把一个小物件藏在口袋里。我想知道那是什么，于是我带了两瓶酒，去了他那。我们开始喝酒。喝完第一瓶，西蒙已经酩酊大醉。
“西蒙，我知道你有个秘密。你为什么不告诉我呢？”我的声音一定给了他某种安全感。他让我答应保守他的秘密。然后从口袋里掏出一个小盒子。当他打开盒子，我看到了一颗巨大的钻石，形如玫瑰。钻石深处似乎射出了一道纯净的白光。
西蒙告诉我，他在南美洲偷了一个人的钻石。他说它的重量正好是140克拉。
我的身体因兴奋而颤抖。我简直不敢相信自己竟有如此好运。就在列文虎克的灵魂告诉我完美透镜秘密的同一天晚上，我找到了我需要的钻石。
我决定把这个宝贝从西蒙那儿偷走。
我和他隔着桌子面对面坐着，他又喝了一杯。我知道我不能就这样偷走钻石。西蒙会报警的。只有一种方法可以如愿。那就是杀掉西蒙。
在他的公寓里，有我谋杀西蒙需要的一切。他床边的一张桌子上摆着一瓶安眠药粉。桌上放着一把又细又长的刀。西蒙醉心于他的钻石，而我把药粉放进他的杯子里，易如反掌。他十五分钟就睡着了。
我把他的钻石放在口袋，把西蒙抱到床上。我想让警察认为西蒙是自杀而死。我捡起西蒙那把又细又长的刀，盯着他。我试着想象，如果他自己拿着刀，刀子会怎样刺入心脏。
我把刀深深地插进他的心脏。我听到他喉咙发出了声音，像一个巨大泡泡破裂的声音。他的身体动了，右手抓住了刀柄。他一定当场毙命。
我把我们用过的玻璃杯洗了，两个酒瓶也带走了。我留了灯没关，把门掩上，回到我的房间。
直到第二天三点，才有人发现西蒙死了。一个邻居敲他的门，没人应，她给警察打了电话。他们在床上发现了西蒙的尸体。警察对每个人一一问询。但他们并未获知真相。警察最终认定朱尔·西蒙是自杀，很快大家便将他遗忘。我的犯罪过程完美无痕。
西蒙死后的三个月里，我一心扑在钻石透镜的研制上，日夜不辍。最后，我做成了。当我在玻璃垫片上滴上一滴水时，我的手颤抖了。我小心地往水里加了点油，防止它蒸发。我在玻璃垫片下打上强光，透过钻石镜片观察。
有那么一会儿，我在那滴水里什么也没看见。随后我看到了一道纯净的白光。我小心地把显微镜的镜头移到水滴附近。
慢慢地，白光开始有了变化。它开始成形。我能看见朵朵白云，绿树鲜花。它们异彩纷呈：明亮的红，绿，紫，还有银色和金色。这些树枝在微风中摇曳。我目光所及之处，都能看到果实和花朵，万紫千红。
“真奇怪啊，”我想，“这个美丽的地方竟然没有动物驻足。”
然后，我看到有东西在颜色瑰丽的树木和灌丛间缓慢穿梭。它将紫色和银色的灌丛轻轻推开。在我眼前，站着一个女人，她的美丽我前所未见！完美无暇：肌肤粉嫩，眼睛又大又蓝，金发披肩，直抵膝头。
她从彩虹色的树旁步步移开。像水面上一朵漂浮的花，在空中飘荡。看她动着，就像倾听微风中响起的钟铃。
她走到彩虹树边，抬头看着其中一棵。树动了动枝条，那个枝条上满是果实。它把树枝抚在她身上，她摘了一颗果子。她用小手把它打开，开始吃了起来。
我多么希望我能钻进那明亮的光中，和她一起穿过那片美丽的森林。
突然，我意识到我爱上了这个小人！我爱上了一个永远不会爱我的人。她被禁锢在这滴水中。我跑出房间，一头栽在床上，哭着就睡着了。
日复一日，我回到显微镜前看她。我不再出门。甚至茶饭不思，夜不能寐。
有一天，像往常一样，我来到显微镜前，准备看我的爱人。她在那里，但可怕的变化发生了。她的脸变薄，几乎难以挪步。金发碧眼中的奇妙光芒消失不见。在那一刻，我可以让出灵魂，和她比肩而立，进入她的世界去帮助她。
是什么让她发生了改变？她似乎极度痛苦。我凝望着她，好几个小时过去了，我孤独无助，悲痛心碎。她越来越虚弱。森林也在变化。树木失去了异彩。
突然，我意识到我已经好几天没看那滴水了。我曾用显微镜研究过它，但从来没有看过它。
我一看显微镜下的玻璃垫片，就明白了可怕的事实。我忘了在那滴水里加油，以防止它变干。水滴已经消失了。
我又冲过去，看进镜头。彩虹森林消失了。
我的爱人躺在微弱的灯光下。她粉嫩的身体因晒干而皱起。她的眼睛灰如尘土。慢慢地，她永远消失了。
我昏了过去，几个小时后醒来，发现身边的显微镜片碎了一地。原来是我晕倒时，将它摔在了地上。我的心绪像钻石透镜一样支离破碎。我爬上床，退出了那个世界。
几个月后，我终于康复了。但我所有的钱全都没了踪影。现在人们说我疯了。他们叫我“疯子科学家林利”。
没有人相信我和列文虎克有过通灵对话。当我告诉他们我是如何将朱尔·西蒙杀死，偷了他的钻石，制造出完美的透镜时，他们笑了。他们认为我从没在一滴水中看到过那个美丽的世界。
但我知道钻石透镜真的存在过。而现在，你也一样。
雪莉·格里菲思：您刚刚听到的是《钻石透镜》，作者菲茨·詹姆斯·奥布赖恩。Dona De Sanctis将其改编为VOA慢速英语节目。演播毛里斯·乔伊斯。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
