They knew that Louise Mallard had a weak heart. So they broke2 the bad news gently. Her husband, Brently, was dead.
“There was a train accident, Louise,” said her sister Josephine, quietly.
Her husband's friend, Richards, brought the news, but Josephine told the story. She spoke in broken sentences3.
“Richards...was at the newspaper office. News of the accident came. Louise...Louise, Brently's name was on the list. Brently...was killed, Louise.”
Louise did not hear the story calmly, like some women would. She could not close her mind or her heart to the news4. Like a sudden storm, her tears broke out. She cried, at once, loudly in her sister's arms. Then, just as suddenly, the tears stopped. She went to her room alone. She would not let anyone follow her.
In front of the window stood a large, comfortable armchair. Into this she sank and looked out of the window. She was physically exhausted5 after her tears. Her body felt cold; her mind and heart were empty.
Outside her window she could see the trees. The air smelled like spring rain. She could hear someone singing far away. Birds sang near the house. Blue sky showed between the clouds. She rested.
She sat quietly, but a few weak tears still fell. She was young, with a fair, clam face that showed certain strength. But now there was a dull stare6 in her eyes. She looked out of the window at the blue sky.
She was not thinking, or seeing. She was waiting.
There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it with fear. What was it? She did not know. It was too subtle7 to name. But she felt it creeping8 out of the sky. It was reaching her through the sound, the smell, and the color that filled the air.
Slowly she became excited. Her breath came fast; her heart beat faster. She was beginning to recognize9 the thing that was approaching to take10 her. She tried to beat it back11 with her will12, but failed. Her mind was as weak as her two small white hands. When she stopped fighting against it, a little word broke13 from her lips.
“Free,” she whispered. “Free, free, free!” The dull stare and look of fear went from her eyes. They stayed keen14 and bright. Her heart beat fast, and the blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body. A sudden feeling of joy held her15.
She did not ask if her joy was wrong. She saw her freedom clearly and could not stop to think of smaller things.
She knew that she would weep again when she saw her husband's body. The kind hands, now dead and still. The loving face, now fixed and gray. But she looked into the future and saw many long years to come that would belong to her alone. And now she opened and spread her arms out to those years in welcome.
There would be no one else to live for during those years. She would live for herself alone. There would be no powerful will bending hers16. Men and women always believe they can tell others what to do and how to think. Suddenly Louise understood that this was wrong and that she could break away17 and be free of18 it.
And yet, she had loved him—sometimes. Often she had not. What did love mean now? Now she understood that freedom is stronger than love.
“Free! Body and soul free19!” she kept whispering.
Her sister Josephine was waiting outside the door.
“Please open the door,” Josephine cried. “You will make yourself sick. What are you doing in there, Louise? Please, please, let me in!”
“Go away. I am not making myself sick.” No, she was drinking in20 life through that open window.
She thought joyfully of all those days before her. Spring days, summer days. All kinds of days that would be her own. She began to hope life would be long. It was only yesterday that life seemed so long!
After a while she got up and opened the door. Her eyes were bright; her cheeks were red. She didn't know how strong and well she looked—so full of joy. They went downstairs, where Richards was waiting.
Someone was opening the door. It was Brently Mallard, who entered, looking dirty and tired, carrying a suitcase and an umbrella. He was not killed in the accident. He didn't even know there had been one. He stood surprised at Josephine's sudden cry. He didn't understand why Richards moved suddenly between them, to hide Louise from her husband.
But Richards was too late.
When the doctors came, they said she had died of21 heart disease—of joy that kills22.
1. Kate Chopin (凯特·肖邦)（1851－1904）， 美国女作家，生活于19世纪末。那时要求社会上、经济上及政治上与男人平等的“新女性”早已在文学作品上出现，但像凯特·肖邦那样如此大胆而坦率地描写妇女对摆脱不幸婚姻的要求还属少见。
2． break [breik] v．（向……）透露／传达（不好的消息）
3． broken adj．不连贯的，支离破碎的（句子）
4． 此句意为“她不可能对这个消息置之不理”
5． physically adv． 身体上，肉体上exhausted [ig?謖z?夼?蘼stid] adj． 极其疲倦的
6． a dull stare目光呆滞
7． subtle adj． 难以捉摸的
8． creep v． 悄悄地移动
9． recognize v． 意识到，认识到
10． take sb． 控制某人；左右某人
11． beat．．．back 反击
12． will [wil] n． 意志；意志力
13． (a word) break [breik] v． （话语从唇间）迸出
14． keen adj． 敏锐的
15． hold (sb．) 控制某人
16． bend [bend] v． 使屈服；使顺从
17． break away 脱离，摆脱
18． be free of sth． 不受……的影响
19． body and soul 彻底地；全副身心地
20． drink in 尽情地看；入神地听
21． die of 死于……
22． 此句意为“她死于心脏病——死于心脏承受不了的喜悦。”阅读此文时，读者应该注意路易斯·拉德并不是死于因丈夫死而复生的喜悦，而是死于因为自由得而复失引起的悲伤。