NowandthenIhavetestedmyseeingfriendstodiscoverwhattheysee.RecentlyIwasvisitedbyaverygoodfriendwhohadjustreturnedfromalongwalkinthewoods,andIaskedherwhatshehadobserved."Nothinginparticular,"shereplied.ImighthavebeenincreduloushadInotbeenaccustomedtosuchresponses,forlongagoIbecameconvincedthattheseeingseelittle.
有时我会试探我的非盲的朋友们,想知道他们看见了什么。最近我的一位非常要好的朋友来看我,她刚刚在树林里走了很长时间,我问她看见了什么。“没什么特别的,”她回答说。如不是我早已习惯了这样的回答,我也许不会轻易相信,因为很久以前我就相信了有眼人看不见什么。
Howwasitpossible,Iaskedmyself,towalkforanhourthroughthewoodsandseenothingworthyofnote?Iwhocannotseefindhundredsofthingstointerestmethroughmeretouch.Ifeelthedelicatesymmetryofaleaf.Ipassmyhandslovinglyaboutthesmoothskinofasilverbirch,ortheroughshaggybarkofapine.InspringItouchthebranchesoftreeshopefullyinsearchofabud,thefirstsignofawakeningNatureafterherwinter’ssleepIfeelthedelightful,velvetytextureofaflower,anddiscoveritsremarkableconvolutions;andsomethingofthemiracleofNatureisrevealedtome.Occasionally,ifIamveryfortunate,Iplacemyhandgentlyinasmalltreeandfeelthehappyquiverofabirdinfullsong.Iamdelightedtohavecoolwatersofabrookrushthroughmyopenfingers.TomealushcarpetofpineneedlesorspongygrassismorewelcomethanthemostluxuriousPersianrug.Tomethepageantofseasonsisathrillingandunendingdrama,theactionofwhichstreamsthroughmyfingertips.Attimesmyheartcriesoutwithlongingtoseeallthesethings.IfIcangetsomuchpleasurefrommeretouch,howmuchmorebeautymustberevealedbysight.Yet,thosewhohaveeyesapparentlyseelittle.Thepanoramaofcolorandactionfilltheworldistakenforgranted.Itishuman,perhaps,toappreciatelittlethatwhichwehaveandtolongforthatwhichwehavenot,butitisagreatpitythatintheworldoflightandthegiftofsightisusedonlyasmereconvenienceratherthatasameansofaddingfullnesstolife.
我问自己在树林中走了一小时,怎么可能什么值得注意的东西都没有看到呢?而我一个盲人仅仅通过触摸就发现了数以百计的有趣的东西。我感到树叶的对称美,用手摸着白桦树光滑的树皮或是松树那粗糙的厚厚的树皮。春天里我满怀着希望触摸着树枝寻找新芽,那是大自然冬眼后醒来的第一个征象。我感到了花朵的可爱和茸茸的感觉,发现它层层叠叠地绽开着,大自然的神奇展现在我的面前。当我把手轻轻地放在一棵小树上,如果幸运的话,偶尔会感到歌唱的小鸟欢快的颤动。我会愉快地让清凉的溪水从手之间流过。对我来说,满地厚厚的松针和松软的草坪比奢华的波斯地毯更惹人喜爱。对我来说四季变换的景色如同一场动人心魄的不会完结的戏剧,剧中的人物动作从我的指尖流过。我的心不时在呐喊,带着对光明的渴望。既然仅仅通过触摸就能使我获得如此多的喜悦,那么光明定会展示更多美好的事物啊。可惜的是那些有眼睛的人分明看到很少,整个世界缤纷的色彩和万物的活动都被认为是理所当然。也许不珍惜已经拥有的,想得到还没有得到的是人的特点,但是在光明的世界里只把视觉用做一种方便的工具,而不是丰富生活的工具,这是令人多么遗憾的事情啊。
Oh,thethingsthatIshouldseeifIhadthepowerofsightforthreedays!