（八）给我一个坚强的理由
西班牙有一句关于迷迭香的古老谚语：
“…谁经过迷迭香
而不愿喷一点香
他对女人的爱不在乎，
也不会为自己而活……”
（…Who passeth by the rosemarie
And careth not to take a spraye
For woman’s love no care has he,
Nor shall he though he live for aye… ）
这句话表明对迷迭香的香气漠不关心的男人无法给予女人真爱，对其他享乐也不敏感。
西班牙人大约于13世纪开始商业种植迷迭香，从15世纪到18世纪，它成为咸肉的流行调味品。迷迭香已经深入到该国居民生活的方方面面。
英国作家乔治·鲍罗（George Borrow ）在1843年出版的游记《西班牙圣经》（The Bible in Spain）里讲述了关于迷迭香可以辟邪的迷信，现将部分章节翻译如下：
第三章：
“这些人中的大多数都以最大的憎恶谈论牧师制度和僧侣制度，并说他们宁愿选择死亡，也不愿再次屈服于之前的束缚。我非常质疑他们在这一点上是否尊重邻居和熟人的看法，他们向我保证，在他们的西班牙边境地区，所有人都是同一想法，他们对教皇及其僧侣的关注度几乎和唐·卡洛斯一样的少；因为后者是侏儒和暴君，其他人则是掠夺者和强盗。我告诉他们不要将宗教与牧师制度混为一谈，尽管他们对后者深恶痛绝，也一定不要忘记向神和基督寻求救赎，他们必须时时刻刻学习圣言。他们全都表达了对基督和圣母的虔诚信仰。”(Most of these men spoke of priestcraft and the monkish system with the utmost abhorrence, and said that they should prefer death to submitting again to the yoke which had formerly galled their necks. I questioned them very particularly respecting the opinion of their neighbours and acquaintances on this point, and they assured me that in their part of the Spanish frontier all were of the same mind, and that they cared as little for the Pope and his monks as they did for Don Carlos; for the latter was a dwarf (chicotito) and a tyrant, and the others were plunderers and robbers. I told them they must beware of confounding religion with priestcraft, and that in their abhorrence of the latter they must not forget that there is a God and a Christ to whom they must look for salvation, and whose word it was incumbent upon them to study on every occasion; whereupon they all expressed a devout belief in Christ and the Virgin.
“这些人虽然在许多方面都比周围的农民开明，但在另外一些方面也很矇昧。他们相信巫术和特殊魅力的功效。那天晚上风很大，大约九点钟，我们听到有人朝门边疾跑，然后大声敲门。门被打开后，冲进来一个骑在驴子上的野蛮人。他穿着一件破烂的在西班牙语里被称为‘砸嘛拉’的羊皮夹克 ，羊皮马裤一直垂到膝盖以下。他的腿是裸露的。在他的阔边帽四周绑着大量的草药，这些草药在英语中被称为迷迭香，在西班牙语中被称为romero，在葡萄牙的乡村俗语中被称为alecrim，源于斯堪的纳维亚ellegren一词，表示一种小精灵植物，很可能是被汪达尔人带到南部的。该男子似乎因恐惧而疯狂，说女巫一直在追赶他，在他的头上盘旋了2里格（注：旧时长度单位，1约里格3英里或4.8公里）。他来自西班牙边远地区，带着饭和其他物品。他说，他的妻子紧随其后，很快就到了。大约一刻钟后，她出现了，也骑着一头驴子，全身被雨水淋透了“。
（These men, though in many respects more enlightened than the surrounding peasantry, were in others as much in the dark; they believed in witchcraft and in the efficacy of particular charms. The night was very stormy, and at about nine we heard a galloping towards the door, and then a loud knocking; it was opened, and in rushed a wild-looking man mounted on a donkey; he wore a ragged jacket of sheepskin, called in Spanish zamarra, with breeches of the same as far down as his knees; his legs were bare. Around his sombrero, or shadowy hat, was tied a large quantity of the herb which in English is called rosemary, in Spanish romero, and in the rustic language of Portugal, alecrim; which last is a word of Scandinavian origin (ellegren), signifying the elfin plant, and was probably carried into the south by the Vandals. The man seemed frantic with terror, and said that the witches had been pursuing him and hovering over his head for the last two leagues. He came from the Spanish frontier with meal and other articles; he said that his wife was following him and would soon arrive, and in about a quarter of an hour she made her appearance, dripping with rain, and also mounted on a donkey.）
“我问那些走私的朋友们，为什么他的帽子上戴着迷迭香呢？他们告诉我，这可以很好地防范女巫以及避免旅途上的坏运气。我没有时间去反驳这种迷信，因为第二天早上五点钟就准备出发了，我希望充分利用短暂的时间来睡个好觉。”
(I asked my friends the contrabandistas why he wore the rosemary in his hat; whereupon they told me that it was good against witches and the mischances on the road. I had no time to argue against this superstition, for, as the chaise was to be ready at five the next morning, I wished to make the most of the short time which I could devote to sleep.)
第四章：
“我四点钟起床，吃了一些点心后，下了楼，发现那个陌生的男人和他的妻子在烟囱一角睡觉，火堆仍在燃烧。他们很快醒来，开始准备早餐，其中包括盐沙丁鱼，在余烬上烤着。那个女人演唱了一段在西班牙很流行的动听的赞美诗，是这样开头的：
‘很早以前有一座山，牧羊人彻夜不眠，
在伯利恒的圣塔附近，他们在深夜里守着羊群。
他们绕着树干朝一棵巨大的燃烧的橡木点头，
噼啪作响的火焰从那里升起，清除了黑暗。’
得知我即将离开时，她说：‘送给您一些我丈夫的迷迭香，使您远离危险，防止任何不测。’我很愚蠢地让她把一些迷迭香戴在我的帽子上。赶骡子的人到了，我向友善的女主人道别，和我的仆人一起上了骡车。”
（I rose at four, and after having taken some refreshment, I descended and found the strange man and his wife sleeping in the chimney corner by the fire, which was still burning. They soon awoke, and began preparing their breakfast, which consisted of salt sardinhas, broiled upon the embers. In the mean time the woman sang snatches of the beautiful hymn, very common in Spain, which commences thus:—
“Once of old upon a mountain, shepherds overcome with sleep,
Near to Bethlehem’s holy tower, kept at dead of night their sheep;
Round about the trunk they nodded of a huge ignited oak,
Whence the crackling flame ascending bright and clear the darkness broke.”
On hearing that I was about to depart, she said, “You shall have some of my husband’s rosemary, which will keep you from danger, and prevent any misfortune occurring.” I was foolish enough to permit her to put some of it in my hat; and, the man having by this time arrived with his mules, I bade farewell to my friendly hostesses, and entered the chaise with my servant.）
“我当时评论了一句，说拉着我们的一群骡子是我见过的最好的;最大的那只可能接近十六手掌那么高；赶车人用蹩脚的法语告诉我，他爱这些骡子胜过爱他的妻子和孩子。我们转过修道院的拐角，然后沿着通往西南大门的街道行驶。车夫在一座大房子的门前停下来，下车后说，还很早，他不敢冒然前行，我们很可能会被打劫，而他本人也会被强盗杀死，因为住在镇上的强盗会担心他认出他们。住在这所房子里的一家人正要去里斯本，大约在一刻钟后出发，与他们结伴通行可避免危险，我们可利用他们随带的士兵保驾护航。我告诉他我一点也不害怕，并命令他继续前进。他不答应，把我们留在街上。我们等了一个小时，有两辆马车驶到房屋门口，但这一家人似乎还没有准备好，于是车夫也下车走了。大约半小时后，这家人出来了，整理好行李后，他们去叫车夫，但找不着他。他们到处寻他不见，又花了一个多小时，才雇到了另一个车夫。但护兵尚未露面，一位仆人被两次派往营房，他们这才姗姗来迟。终于一切准备就绪，他们出发了。”
（I remarked at the time, that the mules which drew us were the finest I had ever seen; the largest could be little short of sixteen hands high; and the fellow told me in his bad French that he loved them better than his wife and children. We turned round the corner of the convent and proceeded down the street which leads to the south-western gate. The driver now stopped before the door of a large house, and having alighted, said that it was yet very early, and that he was afraid to venture forth, as it was very probable we should be robbed, and himself murdered, as the robbers who resided in the town would be apprehensive of his discovering them, but that the family who lived in this house were going to Lisbon, and would depart in about a quarter of an hour, when we might avail ourselves of an escort of soldiers which they would take with them, and in their company we should run no danger. I told him I had no fear, and commanded him to drive on; but he said he would not, and left us in the street. We waited an hour, when two carriages came to the door of the house, but it seems the family were not yet ready, whereupon the coachman likewise got down and went away. At the expiration of about half an hour the family came out, and when their luggage had been arranged they called for the coachman, but he was nowhere to be found. Search was made for him, but ineffectually, and an hour more was spent before another driver could be procured; but the escort had not yet made its appearance, and it was not before a servant had been twice despatched to the barracks that it arrived. At last everything was ready, and they drove off.）
“那期间我一直没有看到我们的那位车夫，我完全以为他彻底抛弃了我们。几分钟后，我看到醉醺醺的他在街上蹒跚走着，试图唱马赛曲。我什么也不说，而是坐着观察他。他站着盯了骡子一阵子，用法语说着不连贯的废话。最后他说：‘我没那么醉，我可以驾车。’然后他拉着骡子朝大门进发。出城时，他做了几次徒劳的尝试，试图爬上那只上了鞍子的最小的骡子。他终于成功了，并立即开始以惊人的速度冲刺。我们到达了一条狭窄的石头小路的分叉处，走这条小路可以避免绕着城墙走一大圈 – 通常这是前去位于东北方向的通往里斯本的道路的必经之途;他说：‘我要走这条路，我们将在一分钟内赶上那家人 ’；于是我们走了那条路，路几乎不够宽，无法容纳骡车，而且陡峭曲折。我们继续前行，时而爬坡时而下坡，车轮裂了，车身剧烈晃动，以至于我们有随时被抛出车外之虞。我意识到如果我们留在车厢里，车子必将裂成碎片，因为我们的重量足以使其毁损。我用葡萄牙语让他停下来，但他愈发鞭打并刺激这些动物。我雇来的这个人恳请我看在上帝的份上同他讲法语，那是唯一可以安抚他的方式。我照做了，恳求他让我们下车自己走，直到走出这条危险的道路。这正是安东尼奥期待的结果。他立刻停了下来，说道：‘先生，您是主人，您只需下令，我就会服从。’ 我们下了车，一直走，走到了大路上，然后又坐回车子里。”
All this time I had seen nothing of our own coachman, and I fully expected that he had abandoned us altogether. In a few minutes I saw him staggering up the street in a state of intoxication, attempting to sing the Marseillois hymn. I said nothing to him, but sat observing him. He stood for some time staring at the mules and talking incoherent nonsense in French. At last he said, “I am not so drunk but I can ride,” and proceeded to lead his mules towards the gate. When out of the town he made several ineffectual attempts to mount the smallest mule which bore the saddle; he at length succeeded, and instantly commenced spurring at a furious rate down the road. We arrived at a place where a narrow rocky path branched off, by taking which we should avoid a considerable circuit round the city wall, which otherwise it would be necessary to make before we could reach the road to Lisbon, which lay at the north-east; he now said, “I shall take this path, for by so doing we shall overtake the family in a minute”; so into the path we went; it was scarcely wide enough to admit the carriage, and exceedingly steep and broken; we proceeded; ascending and descending, the wheels cracked, and the motion was so violent that we were in danger of being cast out as from a sling. I saw that if we remained in the carriage it must be broken in pieces, as our weight must insure its destruction. I called to him in Portuguese to stop, but he flogged and spurred the beasts the more. My man now entreated me for God’s sake to speak to him in French, for, if anything would pacify him, that would. I did so, and entreated him to let us dismount and walk, till we had cleared this dangerous way. The result justified Antonio’s anticipation. He instantly stopped and said, “Sir, you are master, you have only to command and I shall obey.” We dismounted and walked on till we reached the great road, when we once more seated ourselves.
“那家人大约在我们前方四分之一英里处，我们刚刚坐回车子，他快骡加鞭试图赶上；他的斗篷从肩膀上掉了下来，为了重新整理好，他把牵着大骡子的缰绳从手上放开，绳子缠住了那只可怜的动物的腿，它重重地倒下，挣扎了片刻，然后横躺在路上，车轴压在了身上。我朝前飞去，摔倒了泥土里，那个醉醺醺的车夫跌落在被杀死的骡子尸体上。
我大怒，尖叫道：‘你这个酒鬼叛徒，羞于讲自己国家的语言，您毁坏了赖以生存的事物，去饿死吧。’ ‘帕西恩西亚’，他说，开始踢骡子的脑袋，试图让它站起来。但是我把他推下来，拿起从他的口袋里落下来的刀，割断了绑在骡车上的带子。但它已经没有生气了，死亡蒙住了它的双眼。
那个家伙仍处于醉醺醺的状态，一开始似乎轻描淡写地形容他的损失，说：‘ 骡子死了，这是上帝的意愿，她应该死，还能说些什么？ 帕西恩西亚。’ 同时，我打发安东尼奥去镇上租用骡子，并从车上拿下行李，在路边等他来”。
（The family were about a quarter of a mile in advance, and we were no sooner reseated, than he lashed the mules into full gallop for the purpose of overtaking it; his cloak had fallen from his shoulder, and, in endeavouring to readjust it, he dropped the string from his hand by which he guided the large mule, it became entangled in the legs of the poor animal, which fell heavily on its neck, it struggled for a moment, and then lay stretched across the way, the shafts over its body. I was pitched forward into the dirt, and the drunken driver fell upon the murdered mule.
I was in a great rage, and cried, “You drunken renegade, who are ashamed to speak the language of your own country, you have broken the staff of your existence, and may now starve.” “Paciencia,” said he, and began kicking the head of the mule, in order to make it rise; but I pushed him down, and taking his knife, which had fallen from his pocket, cut the bands by which it was attached to the carriage, but life had fled, and the film of death had begun to cover its eyes.
The fellow, in the recklessness of intoxication, seemed at first disposed to make light of his loss, saying, “The mule is dead, it was God’s will that she should die, what more can be said? Paciencia.” Meanwhile, I despatched Antonio to the town for the purpose of hiring mules, and, having taken my baggage from the chaise, waited on the roadside until he should arrive.）
“酒气开始从这个家伙的大脑中散发出来。他握紧双手，大声喊道：‘圣母玛利亚保佑，我该怎么办？我该如何养活自己？我去哪里找另一只骡子！我的骡子，我最好的骡子死了，她在路上跌倒，突然死了！我去过法国和其他国家，见过各种各样的动物，但我从未见过这样的骡子。但是她死了，我的骡子死了，她在路上跌倒，突然死了！ ’ 他在这种压力下持续了很久，他的哀叹始终是：‘我的骡子死了，她在路上跌倒，突然死了。’最后，他从死骡的脖子上摘下项圈，戴在另一只骡子的脖子上，有些吃力地摆好车轴。
从镇子的方向出来了一个大约十三岁的漂亮男孩，以野兔般的速度沿着道路奔跑：他在死骡前停下来，泪流满面：他是安东尼奥 的儿子，刚刚从父亲那儿听说了这个事故。可怜的家伙受不了了，跑到男孩跟前，说：‘别哭了，我们的面包没了，但这是上帝的旨意。 骡子死了！’ 然后，他扑向地面，发出可怕的哭声。他说：‘我本来可以承受自己的损失的，可是我看到自己的孩子哭了，我就变成了傻瓜。’我给他两三枚皇冠（crown, 英国硬币），并说了一些安慰话。安慰他说，我丝毫不怀疑，如果他戒酒，万能的上帝会同情他并挽回他的损失。最后，他镇定下来，将行李放在车上，我们回到了小镇，我发现了两匹出色的骡子在旅馆等着我。我没有看到那位西班牙女士，不然我会告诉她迷迭香在这种情况下根本没什么用”。
（The fumes of the liquor began now to depart from the fellow’s brain; he clasped his hands and exclaimed, “Blessed Virgin, what is to become of me? How am I to support myself? Where am I to get another mule! For my mule, my best mule is dead, she fell upon the road, and died of a sudden! I have been in France, and in other countries, and have seen beasts of all kinds, but such a mule as that I have never seen; but she is dead—my mule is dead—she fell upon the road and died of a sudden!” He continued in this strain for a considerable time, and the burden of his lamentation was always, “My mule is dead, she fell upon the road, and died of a sudden.” At length he took the collar from the creature’s neck, and put it upon the other, which with some difficulty he placed in the shafts.
A beautiful boy of about thirteen now came from the direction of the town, running along the road with the velocity of a hare: he stopped before the dead mule and burst into tears: it was the man’s son, who had heard of the accident from Antonio. This was too much for the poor fellow: he ran up to the boy, and said, “Don’t cry, our bread is gone, but it is God’s will; the mule is dead!” He then flung himself on the ground, uttering fearful cries. “I could have borne my loss,” said he, “but when I saw my child cry, I became a fool.” I gave him two or three crowns, and added some words of comfort; assuring him I had no doubt that, if he abandoned drink, the Almighty God would take compassion on him and repair his loss. At length he became more composed, and placing my baggage in the chaise, we returned to the town, where I found two excellent riding mules awaiting my arrival at the inn. I did not see the Spanish woman, or I should have told her of the little efficacy of rosemary in this instance.）
这本书讲述了作者于1835年至1838年（第一次卡洛斯战争期间）作为圣经推销员在西班牙的旅行经历。此书让作者声名鹊起，得到了金钱和认可，多次再版，并翻译成法文和德文。色彩烂漫的文字、生动的描述、起承转合的经历，无不让读者陶醉于烂漫的西班牙风情。
我并没有在网站上发现这部小说的中文译本，也许此书并未被介绍到中国。我们这一代70后对西班牙的最初了解大多来自于三毛的作品。她的文字既温柔又狂野，活力四射，她曾说过一句：“一个人至少拥有一个梦想，有一个理由去坚强。心若没有栖息的地方，到哪里都是在流浪。”
读经典和写花草，已让我足够快乐和强大，这就是我坚强的理由。
