這是兇手的獨白。
這首詩的內(nèi)容量非常大，適合一讀再讀，因為第一遍可能看不懂。
我的前公爵夫人
羅伯特.勃朗寧
（飛白 譯）
墻上的這幅面是我的前公爵夫人，
看起來就像她活著一樣。如今,
我稱它為奇跡：潘道夫師的手
經(jīng)一日忙碌，從此她就在此站立。
你愿坐下看看她嗎？我有意提起
潘道夫，因為外來的生客（例如你）
凡是見了畫中描繪的面容、
那真摯的眼神的深邃和熱情，
沒有一個不轉(zhuǎn)向我（因為除我外
再沒有別人把畫上的簾幕拉開），
似乎想問我可是又不大敢問；
是從哪兒來的——這樣的眼神？
你并非第一個人回頭這樣問我。
先生，不僅僅是她丈夫的在座
使公爵夫人面帶歡容，可能
潘道夫偶然說過：“夫人的披風
蓋住她的手腕太多，”或者說：
“隱約的紅暈向頸部漸漸隱沒
這絕非任何顏料所能復制?！?/p>
這種無聊話，卻被她當成好意，
也足以喚起她的歡心。她那顆心——
怎么說好呢？——要取悅?cè)菀椎煤埽?/p>
也太易感動。她看到什么都喜歡，
而她的目光又偏愛到處觀看。
先生，她對什么都一樣！她胸口上
佩戴的我的贈品，或落日的余光；
過分殷勤的傻子在園中攀折
給她的一枝櫻桃，或她騎著
繞行花圃的白騾——所有這一切
都會使她同樣地贊羨不絕，
或至少泛起紅暈。她感激人．好的！
但她的感激（我說不上怎么搞的）
仿佛把我賜她的九百年的門第
與任何人的贈品并列。誰愿意
屈尊去譴責這種輕浮舉止？即使
你有口才（我卻沒有）能把你的意志
給這樣的人兒充分說明：“你這點
或那點令我討厭。這兒你差得遠
而那兒你超越了界限?！奔词顾下?/p>
你這樣訓誡她而毫不爭論，
毫不為自己辯解，——我也覺得
這會有失身份，所以我選
絕不屈尊。哦，先生，她總是在微笑，
每逢我走過；但是誰人走過得不到
同樣慷慨的微笑？發(fā)展至此，
我下了令：于是一切微笑都從此制止。
她站在那兒，像活著一樣。請你起身
客人們在樓下等。我再重復一聲：
你的主人——伯爵先生聞名的大方
足以充分保證：我對嫁妝
提出任何合理要求都不會遭拒絕；
當然．如我開頭聲明的，他美貌的小姐
才是我追求的目標。別客氣，讓咱們
一同下樓吧。但請看這海神尼普頓
在馴服海馬，這是件珍貴的收藏，
是克勞斯為我特制的青銅鑄像。
“我下了令：于是一切微笑都從此制止。”注意這句話，它將告訴你一個讓人不寒而栗的事實：公爵直接或間接地害死了前公爵夫人。
然后再試著思考幾個問題，并從文本中找答案。
一、公爵為什么要謀殺自己如花似玉的妻子？她真的像公爵描述的那樣不堪嗎？
二、海神馴服海馬，象征著什么？
三、公爵為什么要和來使介紹前公爵夫人的畫？他的目的可能達到嗎？
思考完畢。關(guān)于公爵的性格和為人，以及公爵夫人的形象相信讀者心里已經(jīng)清晰了。
這首詩和芥川龍之介的《地獄變》有異曲同工之妙。同樣是不可靠的敘述者，同樣是暴戾殘忍，手上沾染鮮血的上位者。讀者需要小心地邁過矯飾的沼澤，撥開層層迷霧，發(fā)現(xiàn)可怖的真相。《地獄變》的畫面感和本詩一樣強，感興趣的可以讀一讀。
勃朗寧的原文也值得一讀。
My Last Duchess
Robert Browning
That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said
“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps
Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps
Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart—how shall I say— too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace—all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked
Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech—which I have not—to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse—
E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene’er I passed her; butwho passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will’t please you rise?We’ll meet
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master’s known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretense
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!
