拉尔夫·W. 埃利森(Ralph W. Ellison)
It was a beautiful college. The buildings were old and covered with vines and the roads gracefully winding, lined with ledges and wild roses that dazzled the eyes in the summer sun. Honeysuckle and purple wisteria hung heavy from the trees and white magnolias mixed with their scents in the bee-humming air. I've recalled it often. How the grass turned green in the springtime and how the mocking birds fluttered their tails and sang, how the moon shone down on the buildings, how the bell in the chapel tower rang out the precious short-lived hours; how the girls in bright summer dresses promenaded the grassy lawn.
- honeysuckle [ˈhʌnɪsʌkl] n. 〈植〉忍冬
- wisteria [wɪˈstɪərɪə] n. 紫藤
- magnolia [mæɡˈnəʊlɪə] n. 木兰花
- flutter [ˈflʌtə] v. 振动，挥动
- promenade [ˌprɒmɪˈnɑːd] v. 在(某处)散步
那是一所美丽的大学。建筑物很古老，上面爬满了藤蔓植物，校园内道路曲曲弯弯，优雅别致，路边有一排排的壁架，野玫瑰盛开，在夏日阳光下十分鲜艳耀眼。忍冬和紫藤沉甸甸地从树上挂下来，白玉兰的香气扑鼻，弥散在蜜蜂嗡嗡作响的空气中。我常常回忆起那所大学。春天里草怎样变绿；鸫鸟怎样振动尾羽歌唱；月光怎样朗朗地照在大楼上；小教堂塔上的钟怎样报时，宣布短暂宝贵的时刻已过去；少女们穿着鲜艳的夏装怎样在草坪上散步。
拉尔夫·W. 埃利森(1914—1994)，美国黑人作家，唯一的一部长篇小说《隐身人》(Invisible Man ，1952) 获得美国图书奖。另有散文集《影子和动作》(Shadow and Act ，1964)。他在国内任教，也去国外讲学，获多种荣誉。