双城记

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. We had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short. The period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

这是最好的时代，这是最坏的时代；这是智慧的年代，这是愚蠢的年代；这是信仰的时期，这是怀疑的时期；这是光明的季节，这是黑暗的季节；这是希望之春，这是绝望之冬；我们拥有一切，我们一无所有；我们正走向天堂，我们都在奔向与其相反的地方； 简而言之，那时和现在是如此的相像，某些嚷的最凶的权威人士坚持要用最高级来形容它，评说是好是坏，都是只用最高级。

时之圣者也，时之凶者也。此亦蒙昧世，此亦智慧世。此亦笃信之年，此亦大惑之年。此亦光明时节，此亦黯淡时节。此亦多丽之阳春，此亦绝念之穷冬。人或万物具备，人或一事无成。我辈其青云直上，我辈其黄泉永坠。当时有识之士咸谓人间善恶或臻至极，亦必事有所本，势无可绾。但居之习之可也。（二十世纪初，与林纾同时闻名的翻译家魏易译。）

It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.

这是我一生中最乐意做的事， 这里是我最好的安息之所 。