Princely lads and alluring maidens
Adrift in a boat, their hearts inaccord;
The boat’s prow describes a slowturn
As they exchange wine cups;
The oars become intertwined,
And the boat moves across the floatingduckweed;
The maidens with their slenderwaists simply bound
Cast glances behind them.
Summer begins where the springleaves off;
The leaves are tender, the flowersin bloom.
Protecting their dresses from thedampness, smiles adorning their faces,
They gather up their skirts, takingcare not to capsize the boat.
This paints for us a picture of thepleasant excursions of those days. They must have been truly memorable events; itis a pity that we can no longer enjoy such pastimes.
I then recalled the lines from
“Tune of the West Isle”.
Gathering lotuses at Nantang in thefall,
The lotus blossoms rise above ourheads.
Bending over to pluck the lotusseeds,
Lotus seeds as transparent as thewater.
If tonight there were lotusgatherers, the lotus blossoms here too would “rise above their heads.” But itis not enough to have before me only these rippling shadows. All of thisstirred up in me a sense of longing for the South. With these thoughts in mymind, I suddenly raised my head and found that my steps had carried me to myown gate; I softly pushed it open and entered. I was greeted by completesilence; my wife had long since fallen fast asleep.
* The name of one of the author’schildren.朱自清的《荷塘月色》英语翻译]相关文章：