格列佛游记——阿真的故事-2

As Nagao loved O-Tei very much, his grief was very deep. He made a ceremonial tablet for her, and wrote her name on it. He put the ceremonial tablet in his personal shrine, and every day he set offerings before it. Every day he thought, "What strange things O-Tei said just before she died!" And he thought about these things over and over again. He hoped to please her spirit, so he wrote a solemn promise. He wrote: "I will make you my wife if you come back to me in another body." He put the promise in the shrine beside the tablet of O-Tei.

　　In spite of his promise, as Nagao was an only son, he had to marry. His father chose a girl as his wife, and he married her. After he married, he continued to set offerings before the tablet of O-Tei. But gradually, as years went by, her image began to fade from his memory.

　　During those years many misfortunes came upon him. His parents died, then his wife and his only child died, too. He was alone in the world. He left his house and set out on a long journey. He wanted to forget his sorrows.

　　One day, during his travels, he arrived at Ikao. Ikao was a mountain village, which was famous for its hot springs and for the beautiful scenery around it. He stopped at a village inn. In the inn, a young girl came and waited on him. His heart leaped as soon as he saw her face. She looked very much like O-Tei.

　　He was very surprised and asked her: "Miss, you look very much like a girl I knew long ago. When you came into this room, I was very surprised. Now please tell me. What's your native place, and what's your name?"

　　At once she answered:

　　"My name is O-Tei. And you are Chosei Nagao of Echigo. Seventeen years ago I died in Niigata. After my death you made a promise to marry me if I could come back to this world in the body of a woman. And you put it in the shrine beside my tablet. And therefore I came back."

　　As she spoke these last words, she fell down unconscious.

　　A few days later, Nagao married the girl, and their marriage was full of happiness.

　　After that first day, she never called herself O-Tei again. She did not remember her previous existence in Niigata. Only for that brief moment did the memory of her former life enter her mind.

　　因为长尾深爱着阿真，所以他很悲伤。他为她立了一个牌位，并在上面写上她的名字。他将她的牌位放在自设的神龛内，每天供上祭品。他天天都在想：『阿真临终前说的话好奇怪啊！』他反反复覆地想着这些事情。他希望抚慰她的在天之灵，于是就写了一句郑重的誓言。他写着：『如果你化作另一个人回到我身边，我将娶你为妻。』他将这句誓言放在神龛内阿真的牌位旁。

　　虽然长尾已许下诺言，但由于是家中的独子，他仍必须结婚。他父亲为他挑了个女孩子，然后他们便结了婚。婚后，他仍然继续在阿真的牌位前供上祭品，但随着时间一年一年地流逝，她的形貌在他的记忆中日渐模糊。

　　那几年中，许多不幸降临在他身上。他的双亲过世，后来，他的妻子和唯一的孩子也过世了。他孤苦伶仃，于是便离开家园，开始一段漫长的旅程。他想要忘掉一切忧伤。

　　在旅途中，有一天他来到了伊香保。伊香保是山里的一个小村落，那里以温泉和周围美丽的风景闻名。他在村里的一家旅店休息。在旅店里，一位年轻女孩过来服侍他。他一看到那个女孩的脸，旋即怦然心动。因为她长得很像阿真。

　　他惊讶地问她：『小姐，你长得很像我多年前认识的一个女孩。当你走进房间时，我吓了一跳。现在，请告诉我，你的出生地在哪里？妳尊姓大名？』

她立刻回答说：

　　『我叫阿真，你是越后的长尾长生。十七年前我死于新舄。我死后，你曾向我承诺，如果我能再化作女儿身回到这个世界，你就会娶我为妻。而且你将这誓言放在神龛里我的牌位旁。所以，我就回来了。』

　　她说完最后那些话时，就倒地失去知觉了。

　　几天后，长尾与这个女孩子成亲，过着幸福美满的婚姻生活。

　　在他们重逢那天以后，她就不曾再自称是阿真。她已不记得她前生在新泻的一切。她上辈子的记忆只有在他们重逢的片刻曾出现在她的脑际。