雪的优雅

by Justin Isherwood

life has states of grace independent of 1）catechism. My list includes fog， darkness， thunder， mud， autumn， Blue Jay nests， canoes， campfires， woodpiles， smell of horses， new potatoes， wild grape wine， 2）camomile tea， black and white photographs， rocking-chairs. Of these the most gracious is snow. Every true and genuine grace is free. If a collection plate slides by beforehand， if oaths are taken， if a ticket is required， it may be comforting， it may be cosy， but it aint grace. Grace is self-made， self-powered， self-administered. I am thinking about snow because outside my window it is， at this very moment， snowing. Lazy， good-for-nothin snow falling out of a still and motionless atmosphere.

When I was a kid I got interested in growing crystals. I brewed a 3）supersaturated solution of table salt and 4）potassium 5）nitrate. Then， by sprinkling in a little flour on the surface of the supersaturated solution， you can make it snow inside a jar exactly the way it snows over the township. I have seen 6）excelsior snow， snow born out of a clear sky when a moist air mass drifts over cold ground. I recall walking to the house after evening chores， and midway between the barn and the house it was snowing. There were no clouds and 7）Orion was standing proud and red-shouldered on the ridge road， and snow was sifting out of nowhere， as if I was in a jar of supersaturated solution myself.

You can hear the sound of 8）crystallization， a tinkling is how I would describe it， like a window pane mixed with a BB gun.

9）Astrophysical journals like to entertain amateurs with what it would be like to encounter the 10）event horizon of a black hole. I admit a black hole would make an interesting 11）contraption at the county fair， and when Im done with life and sex and books and 12）trout， I shall volunteer to ride the business. Until then I believe snow is a fair 13）approximation.

Grace is what gods are supposed to feel like on a good day. Grace is how come the gods didnt invent the shopping mall. Grace is when you kind of blend into something wider and you dont care. This is why I hold snow as a beauty too often left to saints.

生命中有许多优雅的事物，它们往往是独立于教义之外的。在我看来，这些事物包括雾霭、黑夜、雷声、泥土、秋天、冠蓝鸦巢、独木舟、篝火、柴堆、马的气味、小土豆、山葡萄酒、甘菊茶、黑白照片和摇椅。其中，最雅致的便是雪。真正的优雅都是免费的。如果一件事物需要事先捐款，需要宣誓，需要门票进场，那它可能是令人欣慰的，也可能是惬意的，但它和优雅无关。优雅是浑然天成的、自给自足的、自我管理式的。我想着雪，因为此时此刻，窗外正下着雪。慵懒的雪花正缓缓地从寂静的天空中落下来。

我小时候对结晶体的形成很感兴趣。我用食盐和硝酸钾配制了一种过饱和溶液。然后，在这种溶液上撒一点面粉，你就能让罐子里头下起雪，就像镇上下雪一样。我见过细刨花般精致的雪，当潮湿的气团飘到冰冷的地面上空时，雪便从天而降。我记得在夜晚劳作之后走向屋子，从谷仓到屋子的路上一直都在下雪。万里无云，猎户星座骄傲地屹立在山脊上，肩头的参宿第四星放出闪亮的红光。而雪花像从哪里筛下来似的，我就像身处于装着过饱和溶液的罐子里头。

你可以听见结晶的声音，那是一种清脆的叮当声，就像BB枪打在玻璃窗上的声音。

天体物理学期刊喜欢用“遇到黑洞表面会怎样”这个难题来娱乐业余爱好者。我承认黑洞在县集市上会是个有趣的玩意儿，当我享受够生活、性、书籍和鳟鱼之后，我也会愿意做起这桩生意。在那之前，我相信雪是最新奇有趣的事物。

优雅就是诸神在美好的一天应有的感觉；优雅就是神的世界没有发明购物商场的原因；优雅就是当你陷入了一个更虚无宽广的世界中却满不在乎。这就是为什么我认为雪是一位美人，常常用以描绘圣洁的事物。翻译：Cass撒一点面粉，你就能让罐子里头下起雪，就像镇上下雪一样。我见过细刨花般精致的雪，当潮湿的气团飘到冰冷的地面上空时，雪便从天而降。我记得在夜晚劳作之后走向屋子，从谷仓到屋子的路上一直都在下雪。万里无云，猎户星座骄傲地屹立在山脊上，肩头的参宿第四星放出闪亮的红光。而雪花像从哪里筛下来似的，我就像身处于装着过饱和溶液的罐子里头。

你可以听见结晶的声音，那是一种清脆的叮当声，就像BB枪打在玻璃窗上的声音。

天体物理学期刊喜欢用“遇到黑洞表面会怎样”这个难题来娱乐业余爱好者。我承认黑洞在县集市上会是个有趣的玩意儿，当我享受够生活、性、书籍和鳟鱼之后，我也会愿意做起这桩生意。在那之前，我相信雪是最新奇有趣的事物。

优雅就是诸神在美好的一天应有的感觉；优雅就是神的世界没有发明购物商场的原因；优雅就是当你陷入了一个更虚无宽广的世界中却满不在乎。这就是为什么我认为雪是一位美人，常常用以描绘圣洁的事物。翻译：Cass