我的生活海伦凯勒摘抄 海伦·凯勒自传《我的生活》第21期

海伦·凯勒自传《我的生活》第21期  

Chapter X
Just before the Perkins Institution closed for the summer
it was arranged that my teacher and I should spend our vacation at Brewster
on Cape Cod
with our dear friend
Mrs. Hopkins. I was delighted
for my mind was full of the prospective joys and of the wonderful stories I had heard about the sea.
My most vivid recollection of that summer is the ocean. I had always lived far inland and had never had so much as a whiff of salt air; but I had read in a big book called "Our World" a description of the ocean which filled me with wonder and an intense longing to touch the mighty sea and feel it roar. So my little heart leaped high with eager excitement when I knew that my wish was at last to be realized.
我对那个夏天的最生动的记忆就是海洋。我一直生活在内陆，从来没有如此近距离地呼吸过带咸味的空气。但是我曾读到过一本厚厚的，叫做《我们的世界》的书，书中对于海洋的描述令我产生了十分迫切的冲动，我渴望能触摸到雄浑的大海，领略到巨浪的咆哮。我知道我的愿望终于要实现了，我那颗小小的心脏激动得怦怦直跳。
No sooner had I been helped into my bathing-suit than I sprang out upon the warm sand and without thought of fear plunged into the cool water. I felt the great billows rock and sink. The buoyant motion of the water filled me with an exquisite
quivering joy. Suddenly my ecstasy gave place to terror; for my foot struck against a rock and the next instant there was a rush of water over my head. I thrust out my hands to grasp some support
I clutched at the water and at the seaweed which the waves tossed in my face. But all my frantic efforts were in vain. The waves seemed to be playing a game with me
and tossed me from one to another in their wild frolic. It was fearful! The good
firm earth had slipped from my feet
and everything seemed shut out from this strange
all-enveloping element--life
air
warmth and love. At last
however
the sea
as if weary of its new toy
threw me back on the shore
and in another instant I was clasped in my teacher's arms. Oh
the fort of the long
tender embrace! As soon as I had recovered from my panic sufficiently to say anything
I demanded: "Who put salt in the water?"