被愛懲罰

Punished by Love

野獸整晚輾轉反側，思緒萬千。第二天早上，他餵飽他的女人，說：「我不能再這樣了。我要帶你回營地。收拾你的東西。」

Beast did not sleep all night, tossing and turning with all that was on his mind. The next morning, he fed his woman and said, “I can’t do this anymore. I’m taking you back to the camp. Pack your things.”

「為什麼，我的主人？」女孩驚訝地問。「我不想走。」 「你愛我嗎？」他問她。

“Why, my lord?” asked the maid surprised. “I don’t want to go.” “Do you love me?” he asked her.

「是的，我的主人，」女孩說。

“Yes, my lord,” said the maid.

「你在撒謊。你愛的是我擁有的和我給你的東西。」 「但我的主人，我喜歡和你在一起。」

“You’re lying. You love what I have and the things I give you.” “But my lord, I like being with you.”

「當然，你喜歡！你喜歡這裡，因為我照顧你，但我不能和一個對我冷漠的人一起生活。你更可能愛上打你的人。來吧，我們走。」

“Of course, you do! You like it here because I take care of you, but I can’t live with someone who is indifferent towards me. You’re more likely to love someone who beats you. Come on, let’s go.”

女孩哭了起來。然而，野獸已經做出了決定，無法安撫。他把枕頭遞給她，輕輕推她走向出口。

The maid burst into tears. However, Beast had made his decision and was not to be placated. He handed her the pillow and gently pushed her towards the exit.

他們在森林中默默地走著。女孩拖著腳步，低著頭，抱著枕頭，不時抽泣。野獸的心情比烏雲還要陰沉。他知道自己這樣做很殘忍，行為不當。他所做的讓他感覺不好，也讓她感覺很糟，但他看不到其他解決辦法。這很痛苦，但和她在一起，時刻提醒著她對他的冷漠會更痛苦。

They walked through the forest in silence. The maid trudged onwards her head drooping and the cushion held to her stomach letting out a sob from time to time. Beast’s mood was darker than the clouds. He understood that what he was doing was cruel and that he was behaving badly. What he was doing was making him feel bad and making her feel very bad, but he could see no other solution. It hurt, a lot but it would hurt even more to be with her and constantly be reminded of her indifference towards him.

野獸把她帶到一個可以看到部落營地的地方，從那裡，她獨自繼續前行。野獸轉身，慢慢地，毫無熱情地走回他的山洞，那裡不再有他的女人。她曾經在那裡，但現在不在了。他感到身體不適，但無法改變行為。他不知道怎麼做。他唯一能看到的理由是，至少她沒有假裝讓他覺得自己對她有意義。但她甚至沒有試過。

Beast led her to a spot from where the tribe’s camp was visible and from there, she carried on alone. Beast turned around and walked slowly and entirely without enthusiasm back to his cave where his woman would no longer be. She used to be there, but she was not there anymore. He literally felt physically ill but could not behave otherwise. He did not know how. The only justification he could see was that at least she had not pretended to make it look as if he meant something to her. But she had not even tried.

他只是遺憾人類會從她那裡奪走一切，珠寶、枕頭、夾克和褲子。他為她感到遺憾，但這是她自己的錯。但他能責怪她什麼呢？她對他做了什麼？沒有假裝愛他？她為什麼要假裝？她為什麼有義務愛他？僅僅因為他為她做了什麼？我們真的會因為某個特定原因或某件事而愛上某人嗎？

He was just sorry that humans would take everything from her, the jewelry, the pillow, the jacket and pants. He felt sorry for her, but it was her own fault. But what was he to blame her for? What had she done to him? Failed to pretend that she loved him? And why should she pretend? And why was she obliged to love him? Simply because he had done something for her? Do we really fall in love for a specific reason or for the sake of a thing?

---

* * *

從回憶中醒來，毛茸茸的野獸發現自己正茫然地在「探險隊蓋子」的隊伍中徘徊，隊伍仍在尋找解決蓋子問題的方法。

Awakening from his reminiscing, Shaggy Beast found himself wandering numbly amongst the team of ‘Expedition Lid’, which continued its search for a solution to the lid problem.

他對與女友分手後的記憶以及如何獨自在山洞中生活的記憶模糊不清。他只記得自己不斷責怪自己行為不當、不道德，而當他不責怪自己時，他就在為自己辯解。結果，他的心變得堅硬，這似乎是他獲得目前野獸外貌的原因。儘管如此，他還沒有失去愛的能力。

His memory of what happened after breaking up with his girlfriend and how he had lived on alone in his cave was a blur. All he could remember was that he constantly blamed himself for behaving badly, immorally, and that when he wasn’t blaming himself, he was justifying himself. As a result, his heart had hardened, and this appeared to be the reason why he had acquired his current bestial appearance. That said, he had not yet lost the ability to love.

然而，他已經變成了一個很難讓其他人去愛的類型。他和布倫希爾德有什麼機會嗎？這太荒謬了。就好像造物主故意懲罰他當時行為不佳一樣。毫無疑問，這是在懲罰他，以便野獸最終能理解一些事情。畢竟，他仍然不明白為什麼愛會被賦予，愛是如何產生的，或者為什麼有時候會愛上一個無法回應自己愛的人？

And yet he had become the type that it would be hard for anyone else to love. What were his chances with Brunhilda? It was ridiculous. It was as if the Creator were purposely punishing him for behaving so unattractively back then. And no doubt, it was punishing him so that Beast would finally come to understand something. After all, he still did not understand why love is given, how it arises or why one sometimes loves another who is unable to love them back?

世界上有誰能回答這些問題嗎？也許，當涉及到愛時，對於我們所有的「如何」和「為什麼」都沒有答案？也許愛必須被接受為它本來的樣子。也許你必須無條件地去愛，不問任何問題？然而，如果你不能問問題，那麼不去愛會不會更好？然而，愛不會問「你能愛嗎？」或「你想愛嗎」。它只是像疾病一樣襲來，然後「這是你自己的問題」，正如他們所說。

Was there anyone in the world who could answer of all these questions? Perhaps, when it came to love, there were no answers to all our how’s and why’s? Maybe love had to be taken as it was. Maybe you had to love unconditionally without asking any questions? Yet if you couldn’t ask questions, might it not be better not to love at all? And still, love does not ask ‘can you love?’ or ‘do you want to love’. It simply hits you like a disease, and then ‘it’s your own problem’ as they say.

疾病？最近的「殺愛」療法場景在野獸腦海中浮現，他回想起那些給他留下最深刻印象的話，就好像是專門為他而說的：「你不值得被愛，哪怕一點點。」

Disease? The recent ‘love-killing’ therapy session sprang up in Beast’s mind and he recalled the words which had made the deepest impression on him as if they were meant for him personally: ‘you aren’t worth loving, not even a little bit’.

因此，仍然被沮喪的想法折磨著，野獸默默地在我們朋友的陪伴下艱難前行。他的沉思被突然響起的警報聲打斷，那聲音像是救護車。在那一刻，車輛轉過街角，掛著閃爍的燈光，像聖誕樹一樣。追上小隊後，它急剎車停下。

And so, still torturing himself with depressing thoughts, Beast drudged along silently in the company of our friends. His reverie was interrupted by the sudden noise of a siren, which sounded like an ambulance. In that moment, the vehicle turned the corner, hung with flashing beacons, like a Christmas tree. Having caught up with the little company, it braked sharply and stopped.

「哦，看，是那個瘋狂的醫生！」黃色潛水艇驚呼。

“Oh look, it’s that same crazy doctor!” exclaimed Yellow Submarine.

女醫生從救護車上下來，雙手叉腰地對他們說。

The female doctor climbed out of the ambulance and addressed them, arms akimbo.

「啊，我的老朋友們，實習生！你們要去哪裡？我一直在懷疑……我想你們中可能有人生病了。我當時有這種懷疑，但不知怎的忽略了，」她說，盯著野獸。說話時，兩名健壯的男護士從她身後出現。

“Ah, my old friends, interns! Where are you headed? I have been having doubts about... I think one of you might be sick after all. I had my suspicions at the time but somehow overlooked it,” she said, staring at Beast. As she spoke, two strapping male nurses appeared from behind her.

「你完全誤會了，親愛的同事，」Eejit代表大家回答，他在打太極方面很有經驗。「我們都非常健康，遠離你專業範疇的疾病。」

“You are deeply mistaken, dear colleague,” answered Eejit, speaking for them all, well-practiced in giving the run-around. “We are all perfectly healthy and very far from suffering the disease that comes under your profile.”

「但這個毛茸茸的，你認為他健康嗎？一個人能把自己弄成這樣！他顯然是急性復發的案例！」

“But this one, the shaggy one, is he healthy in your opinion? Just how much of a state can a person get themselves into! He’s clearly a case of acute relapse!”

「是的，確實，我們的同伴昨天有點過火。他現在需要的是一個清醒站，而不是你那非常尊敬的休克療法。」

“Yes, indeed, our comrade just went a little over the top yesterday. What he needs now is a sobering-up station, not your very respectable shock therapy.”

野獸怒視了Eejit一眼，但他足夠謹慎，沒有說什麼。他們都面臨著大麻煩的危險，而醫生並不打算放手。

Beast gave Eejit an angry, side-long glance but he was prudent enough not to say anything. They were all in danger of getting into major trouble and the doctor was not letting up.

「你們騙不了我。我能在一英里外聞到病人的味道。」Eejit試圖改變話題。「那麼，我可以問一下你們從哪裡來，去哪裡嗎？」

“You can’t fool me. I can smell the sick a mile away.” Eejit made an attempt to change the topic of conversation. “And where are you rushing from and to, may I ask?”

「我們接到了一名非常危險的病人。幸運的是，意識清醒的市民及時報告。想像一下，我們發現病人在街上徘徊，衣衫不整，處於完全不適的狀態下讀詩。這樣的病人隨時可能感染其他人。」

“We’ve picked up a very dangerous patient. Fortunately, conscious citizens reported it in time. Imagine, we found the patient loitering in the street all disheveled and reading poetry in what can only be described as a state of total inadequacy. A patient like this might infect another at any time.”

「啊，是的，想像一下！」Eejit充滿魅力地說。「真好，你們總是為公共健康把關。我們能不能快速看一下病人，借鑒一下你們寶貴的經驗？畢竟，我們是年輕的實習生，必須以你們為榜樣！」

“Ah, yes, imagine!” said Eejit piling on the charm. “It is so good that you are always on guard for public health. Would it be possible to let us have a quick look at the patient as an appropriation of your valuable experience? After all, we are young trainees, and obliged to take our example from you!”

「好吧，那麼，作為這個身份，是的，我想可以，看吧。」

“Well, all right then, in that capacity, yes, I suppose so, look.”

醫生打開了救護車的門。裡面坐著一個年輕但垂頭喪氣的女人。她一遍又一遍地讀著同樣的詩，搖晃著身體，目光茫然。

The doctor opened the ambulance door. Inside sat a young but crestfallen woman. She was reading the same poems over and over, rocking her body and looking into nowhere.

「我已經不再微笑，

’I have stopped smiling,

冰冷的風凍住了我的嘴唇，少了一個希望，

The icy wind freezes my lips, One hope less,

多了一首憂傷的歌。

One song more morose.

而這首歌，我不自覺地給予嘲弄和蔑視，

And this song, I unwittingly give to mockery and defiance

因為這超出了所有的承受範圍——

Because it is beyond all bearing –

一顆愛的靈魂沉默的痛苦。」¹

The pain of a loving soul’s silence.’¹

「你看看這病會導致什麼！」醫生告誡她的「實習生」說。「詩也病了，但至少說了真話。希望越少，歌就越健康，我們將生活在一個更快樂、更健康的社會中。為了不讓嘴唇凍住，你必須穿暖和點，使用護唇膏。任何無法忍受的痛苦，我們都會修復並立即解決。」

“You see what the disease can lead to!” The doctor said, admonishing her ‘trainees’. “The poetry is also sick, but at least it speaks the truth. The less silly hopes, the healthier songs there will be, and we shall all live in a happier, healthier society. And so, your lips don’t freeze you must dress warmly and use lip balm. And anything that is unbearably painful, we will fix and instantly put right.”

從那時起，事件發展得如此迅速，以至於醫生和護士們完全目瞪口呆，幾乎沒有時間思考，更不用說行動了。整個團隊也驚呆了。在他們眼前，野獸的外貌突然變化，就像在電影裡一樣。看電影是一回事，但在現實中，這看起來遠不真實。短短幾秒鐘，毛茸茸的怪物變成了一個有著棕色長髮的英俊年輕人，穿著黑色天鵝絨西裝，配有金色鈕扣和雪白的襯衫。

From then onwards, events developed so rapidly that the doctor and the nurses, were completely dumbfounded, and barely had time to think let alone move. The whole team froze in amazement, too. Right before their eyes, Beast’s appearance suddenly transformed, just like in the movies. It’s one thing to see it in the movies, but in reality, it looked far from real. In a matter of moments, the shaggy monster was transformed into an attractive, young man with brown hair to his shoulders, dressed in a black velvet suit with gold buttons and a snow-white shirt.

在場的所有人中，只有野獸沒有注意到他的變化。他在救護車門後看到的景象讓他的心凍住了。那是他的女人！不，那不可能是她，就是那個女人，畢竟已經過了多少千年？然而，他能記得那時的自己，而他現在也在這裡，儘管是以不同的形式。真的可能是她嗎？她也被懲罰了，並以某種無法理解的方式發現自己在這裡，面臨同樣的問題？

Of all those present, only Beast failed to notice his transformation. What he saw behind the ambulance door made his heart freeze. It was his woman! No, it could hardly be her, that very same woman, for how many millennia had passed since then? And yet he could remember himself in those times and he was here, too, albeit in a different form. Was it really possible that it could be she? And could it really be that she too had been punished, and had in some incomprehensible way found herself here with the same problem?

沒有時間站在那裡思考或試圖弄清楚。野獸，或者更確切地說，他的新「釋放」，抓住那個女人，把她扛在肩上，就像上次一樣，帶著她跑走了，直到他的力量允許為止……

There was no time to stand there thinking, trying to work it out. Beast, or rather his new ‘release’, grabbed the woman, threw her over his shoulder, and just like the last time, ran away with her for as long as his strength would allow ...

A. Akhmatova

A. Akhmatova

因愛受罰

Punished by Love

Beast整夜輾轉反側，思緒萬千，難以入眠。翌日清晨，他將女人餵飽後，嚴肅地說：「我再也受不了這樣了，我要帶你回到營地。把你的東西收拾好。」

Beast did not sleep all night, tossing and turning with all that was on his mind. The next morning, he fed his woman and said, “I can’t do this anymore. I’m taking you back to the camp. Pack your things.”

「為什麼，我的主人？」那少女驚訝地問：「我不想走。」

“Why, my lord?” asked the maid surprised. “I don’t want to go.” “Do you love me?” he asked her.

「是的，我的主人，」那少女回答。

“Yes, my lord,” said the maid.

「你在撒謊。你愛的是我擁有的一切與我所給予的東西。」

“You’re lying. You love what I have and the things I give you.” “But my lord, I like being with you.”

「當然你喜歡！你喜歡這裡，是因為我照顧你；但我無法與對我漠不關心的人共度餘生。你更容易愛上一個會打你的人。來吧，我們走。」

“Of course, you do! You like it here because I take care of you, but I can’t live with someone who is indifferent towards me. You’re more likely to love someone who beats you. Come on, let’s go.”

那少女頓時哭了起來。然而，Beast已下定決心，毫不容人挽留。他將枕頭遞給她，輕輕推向出口。

The maid burst into tears. However, Beast had made his decision and was not to be placated. He handed her the pillow and gently pushed her towards the exit.

兩人默默穿過森林。那少女垂著頭，艱難前行，抱著枕頭，時不時輕聲啜泣。Beast心情陰沉如烏雲，他明白自己所做的是殘酷且不當，這既讓自己痛苦，也讓她極度難受，可他卻找不到其他出路。這讓他極為痛苦，但與她相伴只會不斷提醒他她對他的冷漠，那樣的痛苦會更甚。

They walked through the forest in silence. The maid trudged onwards her head drooping and the cushion held to her stomach letting out a sob from time to time. Beast’s mood was darker than the clouds. He understood that what he was doing was cruel and that he was behaving badly. What he was doing was making him feel bad and making her feel very bad, but he could see no other solution. It hurt, a lot but it would hurt even more to be with her and constantly be reminded of her indifference towards him.

Beast帶她來到一處能眺望部落營地的地方，然後她便獨自前行。Beast轉身慢慢、毫無熱情地返回他的山洞，那裡，再也沒有他的女人。曾經她就在那裡，但如今卻消失不見。他感到生理上的極度不適，卻無法改變自己的行為，不知如何是好。他唯一可以自我辯解的理由，只是因為她至少沒有佯裝出他在她心中具有【Importance】的地位——她連這點努力都未曾做出。

Beast led her to a spot from where the tribe’s camp was visible and from there, she carried on alone. Beast turned around and walked slowly and entirely without enthusiasm back to his cave where his woman would no longer be. She used to be there, but she was not there anymore. He literally felt physically ill but could not behave otherwise. He did not know how. The only justification he could see was that at least she had not pretended to make it look as if he meant something to her. But she had not even tried.

他僅僅感到遺憾的是，人們會奪走她的一切：珠寶、枕頭、夾克與褲子。他對她心生憐憫，但又認為這全是她自找的。然而，他又怎能責怪她？她對他做了什麼？只因她沒裝出愛他的樣子？又何必偽裝？為何她就必須愛他？僅僅因為他對她有所付出？我們真的是因為某個具體理由而墜入愛河，還是僅僅為了那份存在？

He was just sorry that humans would take everything from her, the jewelry, the pillow, the jacket and pants. He felt sorry for her, but it was her own fault. But what was he to blame her for? What had she done to him? Failed to pretend that she loved him? And why should she pretend? And why was she obliged to love him? Simply because he had done something for her? Do we really fall in love for a specific reason or for the sake of a thing?

---

* * *

從回憶中猛然甦醒後，蓬頭垢面的Beast發現自己茫然徘徊在「Expedition Lid」隊伍中，而他們仍在尋找解決「蓋子」問題的方案。(Note: 「Expedition Lid」 保留原文)

Awakening from his reminiscing, Shaggy Beast found himself wandering numbly amongst the team of ‘Expedition Lid’, which continued its search for a solution to the lid problem.

關於與女友分手後他如何獨自一人在山洞生活的記憶已變得模糊，他只記得自己不停地責備自己行為不當、道德敗壞，而在不自責時又在為自己辯解。如此一來，他的心變得冰硬，這似乎正是他獲得現今獸性外貌的原因。話雖如此，他仍未失去愛的能力。

His memory of what happened after breaking up with his girlfriend and how he had lived on alone in his cave was a blur. All he could remember was that he constantly blamed himself for behaving badly, immorally, and that when he wasn’t blaming himself, he was justifying himself. As a result, his heart had hardened, and this appeared to be the reason why he had acquired his current bestial appearance. That said, he had not yet lost the ability to love.

然而，他已變成那種令任何人都難以愛上的類型。與Brunhilda的可能性又有幾何？真是荒謬，就好像造物主故意懲罰他當初那般毫無魅力的行為。不無疑問，這是為了讓Beast終於明白些什麼。畢竟，他依然不了解愛情是如何降臨、如何產生，或為何有時會愛上那個無法回報愛意的人。

And yet he had become the type that it would be hard for anyone else to love. What were his chances with Brunhilda? It was ridiculous. It was as if the Creator were purposely punishing him for behaving so unattractively back then. And no doubt, it was punishing him so that Beast would finally come to understand something. After all, he still did not understand why love is given, how it arises or why one sometimes loves another who is unable to love them back?

世上究竟有誰能回答這些疑問？也許在愛情面前，我們所有的「怎樣」與「為何」根本無解？或許愛情只能順其自然，必須無條件地愛，而不問前因後果；但若無法提出疑問，是否不如乾脆不去愛？然而，愛情從不問「你能愛嗎？」或「你想愛嗎？」它猶如突如其來的疾病般襲來，然後就變成「這是你自己的問題」，正如人們所說。

Was there anyone in the world who could answer of all these questions? Perhaps, when it came to love, there were no answers to all our how’s and why’s? Maybe love had to be taken as it was. Maybe you had to love unconditionally without asking any questions? Yet if you couldn’t ask questions, might it not be better not to love at all? And still, love does not ask ‘can you love?’ or ‘do you want to love’. It simply hits you like a disease, and then ‘it’s your own problem’ as they say.

疾病？最近那場「愛情殺戮」療程浮現在Beast腦海中，他隨即記起那些給他留下最深印象的話語，彷彿是專門為他而說：「你根本不值得被愛，哪怕一點也不值得。」

Disease? The recent ‘love-killing’ therapy session sprang up in Beast’s mind and he recalled the words which had made the deepest impression on him as if they were meant for him personally: ‘you aren’t worth loving, not even a little bit’.

就這樣，Beast一邊折磨著自己沉重的思緒，一邊默默與同伴們艱難前行。突然，一陣類似救護車的警報聲打斷了他的沉思。那一瞬間，車輛轉彎而入，閃爍的警示燈彷彿一棵聖誕樹。當它追上那群小夥伴後，猛然急剎，停了下來。

And so, still torturing himself with depressing thoughts, Beast drudged along silently in the company of our friends. His reverie was interrupted by the sudden noise of a siren, which sounded like an ambulance. In that moment, the vehicle turned the corner, hung with flashing beacons, like a Christmas tree. Having caught up with the little company, it braked sharply and stopped.

「噢，看啊，那不就是那位瘋狂的醫生嗎！」Yellow Submarine驚呼道。

“Oh look, it’s that same crazy doctor!” exclaimed Yellow Submarine.

那位女醫生從救護車中走出，雙手叉腰地對眾人說話。

The female doctor climbed out of the ambulance and addressed them, arms akimbo.

「啊，我老朋友們，實習醫生們！你們要去哪裡？我一直有所懷疑……我覺得你們中有人可能真的生病了。我當時就有所懷疑，但卻不知怎麼地忽略了，」她邊說邊盯著Beast看。這時，兩位健壯的男護士從她身後現身。

“Ah, my old friends, interns! Where are you headed? I have been having doubts about... I think one of you might be sick after all. I had my suspicions at the time but somehow overlooked it,” she said, staring at Beast. As she spoke, two strapping male nurses appeared from behind her.

「你完全錯了，親愛的同事，」Eejit替大家回應道，他常以拖延搪塞見長。「我們都健康得很，根本不會患上你所說的那種病。」

“You are deeply mistaken, dear colleague,” answered Eejit, speaking for them all, well-practiced in giving the run-around. “We are all perfectly healthy and very far from suffering the disease that comes under your profile.”

「但那個，蓬頭垢面的那位，你覺得他健康嗎？一個人能弄成這副模樣，究竟是怎麼回事！他明顯是急性復發的病例！」

“But this one, the shaggy one, is he healthy in your opinion? Just how much of a state can a person get themselves into! He’s clearly a case of acute relapse!”

「沒錯，我們的同伴昨天確實有些過火了。他現在需要的是一個清醒站，而不是你那極為正經的電擊療法。」

“Yes, indeed, our comrade just went a little over the top yesterday. What he needs now is a sobering-up station, not your very respectable shock therapy.”

Beast怒氣沖沖地斜瞥了Eejit一眼，但他謹慎到沒有再說什麼。他們都處於陷入大麻煩的邊緣，而那位醫生毫不退讓。

Beast gave Eejit an angry, side-long glance but he was prudent enough not to say anything. They were all in danger of getting into major trouble and the doctor was not letting up.

「你騙不了我，我能從一英里外聞出病患的氣味。」 Eejit試圖轉換話題，「請問，你是從哪裡趕來，又要趕往何處？」

“You can’t fool me. I can smell the sick a mile away.” Eejit made an attempt to change the topic of conversation. “And where are you rushing from and to, may I ask?”

「我們接了一位非常危險的病人。幸運的是，有意識的市民及時報告了這件事。試想，我們發現這病人衣衫不整、神態恍惚地在街上閒逛，還在讀詩，狀態簡直可以用徹底不堪形容。這樣的病人隨時可能把別人傳染了。」

“We’ve picked up a very dangerous patient. Fortunately, conscious citizens reported it in time. Imagine, we found the patient loitering in the street all disheveled and reading poetry in what can only be described as a state of total inadequacy. A patient like this might infect another at any time.”

「啊，沒錯，試想一下！」Eejit滿是魅力地附和道，「你總是如此警惕維護公共衛生，真是太好了。是否可以讓我們稍微看看這位病人，從中學習你寶貴的經驗？畢竟，我們都是年輕的見習生，理應以你為榜樣！」

“Ah, yes, imagine!” said Eejit piling on the charm. “It is so good that you are always on guard for public health. Would it be possible to let us have a quick look at the patient as an appropriation of your valuable experience? After all, we are young trainees, and obliged to take our example from you!”

「好吧，那麼，既然如此，就讓你們看看吧。」

“Well, all right then, in that capacity, yes, I suppose so, look.”

那位醫生打開了救護車的門，裡面坐著一位年輕但垂頭喪氣的女子。她反覆閱讀著同樣的詩句，搖晃著身體，目光空洞。

The doctor opened the ambulance door. Inside sat a young but crestfallen woman. She was reading the same poems over and over, rocking her body and looking into nowhere.

「我已不再微笑，

’I have stopped smiling,

寒風凍結我的雙唇，少了一縷希望，

The icy wind freezes my lips, One hope less,

多了一首愁悶的歌。「

One song more morose.

「而這首歌，我不自覺地獻給嘲弄與挑戰」

And this song, I unwittingly give to mockery and defiance

「因為那痛苦已超出一切承受的極限——」

Because it is beyond all bearing –

「那愛之靈魂沉默的痛楚。」¹

The pain of a loving soul’s silence.’¹

「你看，這病症會帶來什麼後果！」醫生邊責備著她的‘見習生’邊說：「詩歌同樣染上病態，但至少它道出了真相。愚蠢的希望越少，歌聲就會越健康，我們也能生活在一個更快樂、更健康的社會中。所以，為免雙唇凍裂，你必須著暖並塗上護唇膏；任何無法忍受的痛楚，我們都將立刻修復，把它消除。」

“You see what the disease can lead to!” The doctor said, admonishing her ‘trainees’. “The poetry is also sick, but at least it speaks the truth. The less silly hopes, the healthier songs there will be, and we shall all live in a happier, healthier society. And so, your lips don’t freeze you must dress warmly and use lip balm. And anything that is unbearably painful, we will fix and instantly put right.”

從那時起，事態發展得極為迅速，醫生與護士們皆驚愕得語塞，連思考甚至行動的時間都不足；整個團隊亦目瞪口呆。就在他們眼前，Beast的外貌猝然發生了變化，就像電影裡那樣呈現。雖說在銀幕上能看見這種變化，但現實中卻顯得虛幻得多。短短數分鐘內，那個蓬亂怪物竟搖身一變，成了一位迷人的年輕男子，肩上棕色長髮、身著黑色天鵝絨西裝，鑲有金扣，配以一件潔白襯衫。

From then onwards, events developed so rapidly that the doctor and the nurses, were completely dumbfounded, and barely had time to think let alone move. The whole team froze in amazement, too. Right before their eyes, Beast’s appearance suddenly transformed, just like in the movies. It’s one thing to see it in the movies, but in reality, it looked far from real. In a matter of moments, the shaggy monster was transformed into an attractive, young man with brown hair to his shoulders, dressed in a black velvet suit with gold buttons and a snow-white shirt.

在場的人無一不驚，但唯獨Beast未曾察覺自己的蛻變；當他打開救護車門所見之景令他心如冰凍——那正是他的女人！不，那幾乎不可能是她，畢竟自那時以來已有數千年。然而，他卻依稀記得那時的自己，而他也曾出現在那段時光中，儘管今非昔比。難道真有可能是她？難道她也曾受過懲罰，並以某種難以理解的方式回到這裡，面臨著同樣的困境？

Of all those present, only Beast failed to notice his transformation. What he saw behind the ambulance door made his heart freeze. It was his woman! No, it could hardly be her, that very same woman, for how many millennia had passed since then? And yet he could remember himself in those times and he was here, too, albeit in a different form. Was it really possible that it could be she? And could it really be that she too had been punished, and had in some incomprehensible way found herself here with the same problem?

根本無暇站在那裡苦思冥想，試圖理清這一切。Beast——或者說他那全新的「釋放」狀態——猛抓起那女人，把她搭在肩上，然後正如上次一般，以自己所有的力量，奮力逃離……

There was no time to stand there thinking, trying to work it out. Beast, or rather his new ‘release’, grabbed the woman, threw her over his shoulder, and just like the last time, ran away with her for as long as his strength would allow ...

A. 阿赫瑪托娃

A. Akhmatova