Over the years they hunted,

年复一年他们在追猎，

the wayward apprentice watchmakers,

叛逃的钟表学徒，

the disappointing sons who transformed

改换门庭的

their surnames, hunted over acres

不肖之子，细察

of hinges, cogs, calluses, hidden whiskey,

门枢和齿轮的圆弧，

mustaches a breath from feral,

脚鸡眼和私藏的威士忌，

poured an ocean of fortune

检视野猫的胡须

into fabrications of brass and iron,

倾泄大海一般的财富

spent entire seasons strumming

把钢和铜编织在一起，

massive harps of wire into perfect

用一个又一个季节

calibrations of invisibility,

拔弄无穷无尽的琴弦

prayed to the gods of adjustable mirrors,

让它们精妙协调一同消隐，

cursed the gods of temperamental gaslights,

向变形镜中的神灵祈祷，

broke the legs of imitators and thieves,

诅咒忽明忽暗的煤气灯，

chewed holes in each other’s pockets,

打断模仿者和小偷的腿，

harnessed nightmares of giant silver hoops

在彼此的口袋上挖洞，

making endless passes over the bodies

操纵噩梦一般巨大的银环，

of the dead, hoisted high a cenotaph

无数次越过死人的尸身，

for hundreds of sacrificed rabbits,

高举千百只被献祭兔子的纪念碑，

breathed miles of delicate thread

小心地把几里长的细丝

into the lost labyrinths of their lungs,

吹进它们肺的迷宫，

all to make a woman float

只是为了让一个女人飘浮

to make a woman float

让一个女人飘浮

and none of them ever thought

他们之中从来没有人想过，

of simply asking her.

征求一下她的意见。