英文诗歌欣赏：My Last Duchess

　　作者：罗伯特·布朗宁( 1812年5月7日–1889年12月12日)是一位英国诗人和剧作家，其戏剧诗的掌握，特别是戏剧独白，让他最著名的维多利亚时代的诗人之一。

　　经典英文诗歌My Last Duchess

　　by 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; but who 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 pretence

　　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!