Life is beautiful

The Story

By Brandi Carlile

 

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you

I climbed across the mountain tops
Swam all across the ocean blue
I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules
But baby I broke them all for you
Because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do
I was made for you

You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed
They don't know my head is a mess
No, they don't know who I really am
And they don't know what
I've been through like you do
And I was made for you...

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you

 致柯恩  普希金  1825

我忆起了那美妙的一瞬：
我初次看见你的倩影，
那如攸忽的昙花之一现，
有如纯净的美底精灵。

 

处身在喧腾的浮华漩涡中，
一种无望的忧郁使我疲倦，
但你的玉容和温柔的声音
却久久萦系在我的心间。
 
岁月流逝。骤然的风暴
摧毁了以往的种种梦幻，
我忘了你的温柔的声音，
也忘了你天庭似的容颜。

 

我静静挨过了一天又一天，
在乡野里，守着幽禁的暗影，
没有神性的启示，没有灵感，
没有生命和眼泪，没有爱情。

 

而突然，我的灵魂被摇醒：
因为又出现了你的倩影，
有如攸忽的昙花之一现，
有如纯净的美底精灵。

 

我的心在欢乐地激荡，
因为在那里面，重又苏醒
不只是神性的启示和灵感，
还有生命、眼泪和爱情。

I went to the cinema today. Becoming Jane, a semi-biographical film about Jane Austen, centers around her purported romance with young Tom Lefroy.

The same as Pride and Prejudice (film, 2005), Becoming Jane has the typical style of English film: moderate story, picturesque scenery, elegant music and charming actors and actresses. "Jane Austen's most extraordinary romance was her own." printed on the film's post. Although the music sounds a little bit too modern and new age-like for the theme, I like this film. I like the beautiful love story and the way it was told, gentle and elegant, especially the last part when Jane reads her own book. She sat in the center, with Jane Lefroy by her side, her admirers surrounding and Mr Lefroy standing at her face in a distance. Holding in two hands a book of which the pages look yellowish, she reads

 "She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both; by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance. But no such happy marriage could now teach the admiring multitude what connubial felicity really was. "

Then, Jane closed the book. The applause rose. She looked up to Mr Lefroy. And after a few seconds, Mr Lefroy began clapping too, with a ring on the finger.

During the whole time in the cinema, I couldn't stop asking myself this question: shall I or shall I not believe in love? And can I? The question itself is idealistic and hopeful, whatever the answer is. The word Jane Austen reads is from Elizabeth to Mr Darcy in the novel, and we all know that Jane reads it for Mr Lefroy. Jane says "My characters will have, after a little of trouble, all that they desire." But she didn't. Or maybe, she did. At the age of 42, when asked by Cassandra if there were anything she wanted, Jane responded with her last words: "Nothing, but death." Or maybe, as people remark, her life with romance and without marriage made her Jane Austen.

Walking out of the cinema, I seemed to have got the answer, that cliche: C'est la vie.