两个老妇的脚声跟着背影远远地消失了。
The footfalls of two old women disappeared in the distance as well as their receding figures.
我的前面是阴暗， 又似乎是空虚。
I was faced with darkness or, perhaps, emptiness.
但是四周只有几点垂死的灯光。
Ihad been searching for dazzling brilliance, only to find a few dying lamplights around me.
我的脚不感到疲倦。
The walk didn't tire my feet.
我不记得我已经走了若干时候，也不知道还 要走若干路程。
I didn't know how long I had been walking, or how far still had to gO.
一个影子在后面紧紧跟着我。
I found a shadow following me closely and quietly.
他走路没有声音。
He walked away noiselessly.
我好像听见他在 我的耳边低声讲话。
It seemed that he had been whispering into my ear.
我回过头，看不见一个人， 等我再往前走，我又听见有人在我 后面说话。
I looked back.
But not a soul in sight.
"你是谁，为什么紧紧跟着我？
Why have you been following me closely?" 'I'm your shadow.
" "那么请你出来，让我见你一面。
I've always been at your heels. "Then please come out so that I can take a look at you.
" 我似乎听见一声 "啊哟"，过了半晌，耳语又响起来： "你不会找到光明。
I'm tired of your gabbling." He fell into silence, but kept tailing after me. "Say, please show up and let me see you," I demanded again out 1 impatience. "Why have you been hiding yourself in the dark?" of T "No, I won't show up, he faltered. "I can't g0 Darkness provides cover for me.
Without darkness. 196 "Then you know where I'm going?" Iasked suddenly. "No, I don't.
But I want to follow you." "Let me tell you, I'm going to look for light." Thereupon, I seemed to hear a voice exclaiming, "Aiyo!" Then, after quite a while, I heard the whisper again. "You'll never find light.
" "但是你知道这地方离光明还有若干路程？
You'd better turn back and take another way." "T' 1l keep going forward, and never stop until find light." "But do you know how far from here you"ll have to gO before you find light?
" "你会什么也看不见，就疲倦地死在中途。
So long as live, g0 where there's light." "You" ll die of exhaustion before you find anything.
" "我宁愿让兀鹰啄我的肉，却不想拿它们去喂狗。
Your dead body will be left unburied in the wilderness for vultures to eat."" "I would rather have my dead body pecked by vultures than fed to I dogs.
我宁愿疲劳地 死在荒野，却不想安乐地躺在温暖的家中。
I would rather die of exhaustion than lie comfortably in my warm home." 'All people will laugh at you and forget you.
你口渴，没有人递给你 一杯水。
Nobody will hand you a cup of water when you are thirsty.
你倒下去，没有人搀扶你一把。
Nobody will come to your help when you fall down.
你呻吟，便有人向你投掷石 子。
People will throw stones at you when you groan.
" "我为什么要别人的同情？
You'l never gain any sympathy all your life." "Why should I need other people's sympathy?
"那么你不怕寂寞？
Do I disbelieve myself or the way I'm following?" "Then aren't you afraid of loneliness?
你不知道前面的路便是用寂寞铺砌的？
Don't you know the way ahead is all paved with loneliness?" "Yes.
我的脚踏在寂寞上面，我的步子就显得更有力，寂寞 会成为我的忠实伴侣。
I'll walk with even more vigorous steps the moment I set foot on loneliness.
" "你这个傻子，即使你得到光明，你拿它来做什么用？
Loneliness will be my faithful companion." "You bloody fool, even if you got light, what good would it do you?