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--天真的孩子，
呼吸的那樣柔和！
只感到生命充沛在四肢，
對死亡，她知道什麼？
我碰到一個鄉下小姑娘，
她說，她今年八歲；
蜷曲的頭髮盤繞在頭上，
密密叢叢的一堆。
她一身山林鄉野氣息，
胡亂穿幾件衣衫；
眼睛挺秀氣，十分秀氣，
那模樣叫我歡喜。
「你兄弟姐妹一共幾個？
說給我聽聽，小姑娘！」
「幾個？一共是七個，」她說，
驚奇地向我張望。
「他們在哪兒？說給我聽聽。」
她說：「我們是七個；
兩個當水手，在海上航行，
兩個在康韋住著。」
「還有兩個躺進了墳地--
我姐姐和我哥哥；
靠近他們，教堂邊，小屋裏，
住著我媽媽和我。」
「你說有兩個在康韋住著，
有兩個到了海上，
卻又說你們還有七個！
是怎麼算的，好姑娘？」
這位小姑娘隨口回答：
「我們七兄弟姐妹，
有兩個睡在那棵樹底下--
那兒是教堂的墳墓。」
「你到處跑來跑去，小姑娘，
你手腳多麼活潑；
既然墳墓裏睡下了一雙，
那你們還剩五個。」
「墳墓看得見，青綠一片，」
這位小姑娘答道，
「離我家門口十二步左右，
兩座墳相挨相靠。」
「那兒，我常常織我的毛襪，
把手絹四邊縫好；
我常常靠近墳頭坐下，
給他們唱一支小調。」
「先生，只要碰上了好天氣，
太陽下山了，還不暗，
我便把我的小粥碗端起，
上那兒吃我的晚飯。」
「我姐姐珍妮先走一步；
她躺著，哼哼叫叫，
上帝解除了她的痛苦，
她便悄悄地走掉。」
「她被安頓在墳地裏睡下；
等她的墓草一乾，
我們便在她墳邊玩耍--
我和我的哥哥約翰。」
「等倒下了雪，地下一片白，
我可以亂跑亂滑，
我哥哥約翰卻又離開，
在姐姐身邊躺下。」
「有兩個進了天國，」我說，
「那你們還剩幾個？」
小姑娘答得又快又利索：
「先生！我們是七個。」
「可他們死啦，那兩個死啦！
他們的靈魂在天國！」
這些話我說了也是白搭，
小姑娘還是堅持回答：
「不！我們是七個！」
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A SIMPLE Child,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
I met a little cottage Girl:
She was eight years old, she said;
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad:
Her eyes were fair, and very fair;
—Her beauty made me glad.
'Sisters and brothers, little Maid,
How many may you be?'
'How many? Seven in all,' she said,
And wondering looked at me.
'And where are they? I pray you tell.'
She answered, 'Seven are we;
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.
'Two of us in the church-yard lie,
My sister and my brother;
And, in the church-yard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother.'
'You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven!—I pray you tell,
Sweet Maid, how this may be.'
Then did the little Maid reply,
'Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree.'
'You run above, my little Maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the church-yard laid,
Then ye are only five.'
'Their graves are green, they may be seen,'
The little Maid replied,
'Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,
And they are side by side.
'My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them.
'And often after sun-set, Sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
'The first that died was sister Jane;
In bed she moaning lay, 50
Till God released her of her pain;
And then she went away.
'So in the church-yard she was laid;
And, when the grass was dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and I
'And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side.'
'How many are you, then,' said I,
'If they two are in heaven?'
Quick was the little Maid's reply,
'O Master! we are seven.'
'But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!'
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little Maid would have her will,
And said, 'Nay, we are seven!'
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