年复一年他们在追猎，

Over the years they hunted,

叛逃的钟表学徒，

the wayward apprentice watchmakers,

改换门庭的

the disappointing sons who transformed

不肖之子，细察

their surnames, hunted over acres

门枢和齿轮的圆弧，

of hinges, cogs, calluses, hidden whiskey,

脚鸡眼和私藏的威士忌，

mustaches a breath from feral,

检视野猫的胡须

poured an ocean of fortune

倾泄大海一般的财富

into fabrications of brass and iron,

把钢和铜编织在一起，

spent entire seasons strumming

用一个又一个季节

massive harps of wire into perfect

拔弄无穷无尽的琴弦

calibrations of invisibility,

让它们精妙协调一同消隐，

prayed to the gods of adjustable mirrors,

向变形镜中的神灵祈祷，

cursed the gods of temperamental gaslights,

诅咒忽明忽暗的煤气灯，

broke the legs of imitators and thieves,

打断模仿者和小偷的腿，

chewed holes in each other’s pockets,

在彼此的口袋上挖洞，

harnessed nightmares of giant silver hoops

操纵噩梦一般巨大的银环，

making endless passes over the bodies

无数次越过死人的尸身，

of the dead, hoisted high a cenotaph

高举千百只被献祭兔子的纪念碑，

for hundreds of sacrificed rabbits,

小心地把几里长的细丝

breathed miles of delicate thread

吹进它们肺的迷宫，

into the lost labyrinths of their lungs,

只是为了让一个女人飘浮

all to make a woman float

让一个女人飘浮

to make a woman float

他们之中从来没有人想过，

and none of them ever thought

征求一下她的意见。

of simply asking her.