死亡并不可怕,可怕的是死亡所带来的失去。
但如果意识到死亡本身亦是一种获得,一种生命的证明,那么即使是怕死的懦夫,也将不怯于死亡。
明白这种道理的我,庄生,正走向刑场。
如今,我深刻地知晓我是一个活生生的懦夫,哪怕我的精神正怒吼着我的躯壳,让其停下颤抖。但面对行刑场,面对生命的失去,何人会不颤抖?灵魂深处的恐惧,逐渐侵染上我的嵴梁。于是我闭上了眼,吟诵了诗:
Because I could not stop for Death —
He kindly stopped for me —
The Carriage held but just Ourselves —
And Immortality.
We slowly drove — He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility —
We passed the School, Children strove
At Recess — in the Ring —
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain —
We passed the Setting Sun —
Or rather — He passed Us —
The Dews drew quivering and Chill —
For only Gossamer, my Gown —
My Tippet — only Tulle —
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground —
The Roof was scarcely visible —
The Cornice — in the Ground —
Since then — 'tis Centuries — and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity —
——《因为我不能停步等候死神》
行刑场的喧闹声寂静,耳旁唯有师父最后的问候:
「你知晓你所犯何罪?」
我的师父早已死亡,这点我早已知晓,故而我只是欺骗了自己,正如我生前所犯下的罪那般。
我将坠入《神曲》的第十层,因为造假罪。
回想十年前化蝶而与羊羔自由奔跑在被森林环绕的草原花海上,那时沐浴着阳光,虽无臂膀,但仍自由振翅逍遥。如今虽有人形,却受拘于窄小的断头台,凝视着远方的城堡,那里有着称王的绵羊。无论是生前还是生后,我都为绵羊所困。
死前的希冀——我低头,却问向师父,虽知其不会回答我的疑问。
我问她:
「绵羊,好吃吗?」
寒冷的冰铁刃坠在了我的脖颈,我的头颅坠向了地面,冰凉,随后而至的却是血染的温暖。
不知何人喃喃道:
「谢谢,欢迎来到罪与罚的世界,凡人称我为,拉。」