在麦克莱斯菲尔德医院那一天,我们在草地玩耍,弟弟跌倒了,起来后膝盖出现一道深深的切痕。我们跟着他悻悻回到屋内,然后送他去医院缝合伤口,他的尖叫如声纳,随着针尖移动。当晚大夫让他住下。这个医院见证了我们童年所有的不幸,当年哥哥就死在那儿。我们离开时,一个房间里传来叫喊,就像有人在欢庆。父亲说,他们就是在那将坏消息告诉家属的。男人们发出的嚎叫如此悲痛欲绝,犹如犬吠。之后,父亲驾车送我们回去,仪表盘发出柔和的微光,我们看到他悄悄哭了。作者 / [英国]马修伯恩翻译 / 昨非Macclesfield HospitalMy younger brother fell in the grassas we played, and rosewith a thick gash across his knee-cap,we followed him dirge-likeback to the house.We took him to hospitalto get it stitched, his screamspitched like sonar dependingon where the needle was.They kept him over night.This place has seen allof our childish misfortunesbut it is also the placewhere my older brother died.As we left we heard whoopingfrom a room that sounded likecelebration, my father saidits where they tell youthe bad news,it was the sound of menso distraught that they barked.Later, in the soft glowof the dash board dialsmy father quietly weptwhile he drove.Matthew Byrne