《白夜》开篇：英文原著带中文翻译

It was a wonderful night, such a night as is only possible when we are young, dear reader. The sky was so starry, so bright that, looking at it, one could not help asking oneself whether ill-humoured and capricious people could live under such a sky. That is a youthful question too, dear reader, very youthful, but may the Lord put it more frequently into your heart!... Speaking of capricious and ill-humoured people, I cannot help recalling my moral condition all that day. From early morning I had been oppressed by a strange despondency. It suddenly seemed to me that I was lonely, that every one was forsaking me and going away from me. Of course, any one is entitled to ask who "every one" was. For though I had been living almost eight years in Petersburg I had hardly an acquaintance. But what did I want with acquaintances? I was acquainted with all Petersburg as it was; that was why I felt as though they were all deserting me when all Petersburg packed up and went to its summer villa. I felt afraid of being left alone, and for three whole days I wandered about the town in profound dejection, not knowing what to do with myself. Whether I walked in the Nevsky, went to the Gardens or sauntered on the embankment, there was not one face of those I had been accustomed to meet at the same time and place all the year. They, of course, do not know me, but I know them. I know them intimately, I have almost made a study of their faces, and am delighted when they are gay, and downcast when they are under a cloud. I have almost struck up a friendship with one old man whom I meet every blessed day, at the same hour in Fontanka. Such a grave, pensive countenance; he is always whispering to himself and brandishing his left arm, while in his right hand he holds a long gnarled stick with a gold knob. He even notices me and takes a warm interest in me. If I happen not to be at a certain time in the same spot in Fontanka, I am certain he feels disappointed. That is how it is that we almost bow to each other, especially when we are both in good humour. The other day, when we had not seen each other for two days and met on the third, we were actually touching our hats, but, realizing in time, dropped our hands and passed each other with a look of interest.

那是一个奇妙的夜晚，亲爱的读者，只有当我们年轻的时候，才能有这样的夜晚。天空星光灿烂，如此明亮，仰望星空，人不禁要问：在这样一片天空下，难道还会有脾气暴躁、反复无常的人吗？这也是一个年轻人的问题，亲爱的读者，非常年轻的问题，但愿上帝更频繁地把这个问题放进您心里！……说到脾气暴躁、反复无常的人，我不禁回想起自己那一整天的精神状态。从清早起，我就被一种奇怪的忧郁压抑着。我忽然觉得，自己很孤独，所有的人都抛弃了我，离我而去。当然，任何人都有权问一句，这个「所有的人」究竟是谁。尽管我在彼得堡住了将近八年，却几乎没有一个熟人。可是我要熟人做什么呢？没有熟人，我也熟悉整个彼得堡；正因为如此，当整个彼得堡收拾行装，纷纷前往郊外别墅的时候，我才觉得所有的人都抛弃了我。我害怕独自留下，整整三天，我在城里四处游荡，陷入深深的沮丧，不知道自己该怎么办。无论是走在涅瓦大街上，还是去逛花园，或者沿着河堤漫步，一年到头在同一时间、同一地点惯常遇见的面孔，如今一张也见不到了。他们当然不认识我，可我却认识他们。我熟悉他们，几乎研究过他们的面容，他们高兴时我也高兴，他们愁云满面时我也沮丧。我几乎和一位老人交上了朋友，我每天都能在丰坦卡河畔同一时刻遇见他。他的面容那么庄重，那么沉思，他总是自言自语，挥舞着左臂，右手则拄着一根长长的、有节疤的手杖，杖头镶着金球。他甚至注意到了我，对我怀有深切的关注。如果我在某个时刻没有出现在丰坦卡河畔的老地方，我确信他会感到失望。正因为如此，我们几乎要互相鞠躬致意，尤其是当我们两人心情都好的时候。前几天，我们两天没见面，第三天相遇时，我们差点就要碰帽致意，但及时醒悟过来，放下手，彼此带着关注的神情擦肩而过。