New Yorker今年十月刊出的訪問“Leonard Cohen Makes It Darker”成了Leonard Cohen的最後訪問。我提過這是一篇寫得好精彩的訪問。精彩,因爲裏面有一段描寫太動人了。
Leonard Cohen的繆思是Marianne, 一個挪威女子,二人在希臘一個小島相識相愛。 Leonard Cohen的好幾首歌都是獻給她的。兩人後來雖然分開了,但感情幾十年一直不變。 今年七月,Leonard 收到消息,知道Marianne病危,可能命不久矣。他馬上寫了封信給Marianne,信這樣寫:
Well Marianne, it’s come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine. And you know that I’ve always loved you for your beauty and your wisdom, but I don’t need to say anything more about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.
Marianne slept slowly out of this life yesterday evening. Totally at ease, surrounded by close friends. Marianne
昨晚Marianne在睡眠中安靜地走了。她走得很平靜,好朋友都伴在身邊。
Your letter came when she still could talk and laugh in full consciousness. When we read it aloud, she smiled as only Marianne can. She lifted her hand, when you said you were right behind, close enough to reach her.
It gave her deep peace of mind that you knew her condition. And your blessing for the journey gave her extra strength. . . . In her last hour I held her hand and hummed “Bird on the Wire,” while she was breathing so lightly. And when we left the room, after her soul had flown out of the window for new adventures, we kissed her head and whispered your everlasting words. 知道你瞭解她的情況,令她深感平安。你的祝福給了她額外的力量……在她彌留的最後一個小時,她的呼吸很輕,我握住她的手,對她哼起“鋼綫上的鳥”。她的靈魂飛出窗外追尋新事物後,我們離開房間,走時我們吻別她的頭,低聲哼唱你那永恒的歌。
So long, Marianne . . .
再見,Marianne……
“So long, Marianne” 和“Bird on the Wire” 都是Cohen獻給Marianne的歌。