八
幸运的是哈代活得足够长，不致落入他的成就或他的错误所构成的陷阱。因此，我们可以集中关注他的成就，或许还可以捎带关注一下这些成就的人性内涵，如果你们不愿意，也可以不谈这些。这里就有一首诗，题为《身后》(Afterwards)。此诗大约写于一九一七年，当时世界上有许多人都在相互倾轧，当时我们这位诗人七十七岁。
当今世在我颤抖的停留背后锁上它的后门，
当五月拍打它那翅膀似的欣喜的绿叶，
精致的翅膀像新纺的丝绸，邻居们会说吗：
“他这个人向来喜欢留意这些事情。”
如果是在黄昏，像眼睑无声地一眨，
一只身披露珠的苍鹰掠过暗影，
落上一丛被风扭曲的荆棘，这凝望者也许会想：
“这场景他生前一定十分熟悉。”
如果我的离去是在一片飞蛾舞动的温暖夜晚，
当一只刺猬偷偷钻过那片草地，
有人会说：“他曾力保这些无辜生灵不受伤害，
但他收效甚微，如今他已死去。”
如果他们听说我终于长眠，站在门口，
他们仰望布满星辰的天空，如冬日所见，
那些再也见不到我的人会涌起思绪吗：
“对于这些奥秘他曾独具慧眼。”
有谁会说吗，当我的丧钟在暮色中敲响，
一阵迎面的风中断了悠扬的钟声，
直到钟声再起，就像一阵新的轰鸣：
“他听不见了，但他过去很留意这些事情。”
When the Present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay,
And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings,
Delicatefilmed as newspun silk, will the neighbours say,
“He was a man who used to notice such things”？
If it be in the dusk when, like an eyelid's soundless blink,
The dewfallhawk comes crossing the shades to alight
Upon the windwarped upland thorn, a gazer may think,
“to him this must have been a familiar sight.”
If I pass during some nocturnal blackness, mothy and warm,
When the hedgehog travels furtively over the lawn,
One may say,“He strove that such innocent creatures should come to no harm,
But he could do little for them; and now he is gone.”
If, when hearing that I have been stilled at last, they stand at the door,
Watching the fullstarred heavens that winter sees
Will this thought rise on those who will meet my face no more,