Literature, Short Story: ‘Doctor Heidegger’s Experiment’

Short Story: ‘Doctor Heidegger's Experiment’

Now, the VOA Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES.

We present the short story "Doctor Heidegger's Experiment" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Here is Barbara Klein with the story.

That very unusual man, old Doctor Heidegger, once invited four friends to meet him in his office. There were three white-bearded gentlemen, Mister Medbourne, Colonel Killigrew, and Mister Gascoigne. And, there was a thin old lady whose husband had died, so she was called the Widow Wycherly.

They were all sad old creatures who had been unfortunate in life. As a young man, Mister Medbourne had lost all his money in a badly planned business deal. Colonel Killigrew had wasted his best years and health enjoying the pleasures of women and drink. Mister Gascoigne was a ruined politician with an evil past.

As for the Widow Wycherly, tradition tells us that she was once a great beauty. But shocking stories about her past had led the people of the town to reject her. So, she lived very much alone.

It is worth stating that each of these three men were early lovers of the Widow Wycherly. And they had once been on the point of killing each other over her.

"My dear old friends," said Doctor Heidegger, "I would like your help in one of my little experiments." He motioned for them to sit down.

Doctor Heidegger's office was a very strange place. The dark room was filled with books, cobwebs, and dust. An old mirror hanging between two bookcases was said to show the ghosts of all the doctor's dead patients. On another wall hung a painting of the young woman Doctor Heidegger was to have married long ago. But she died the night before their wedding after drinking one of the doctor's medicines. The most mysterious object in the room was a large book covered in black leather. It was said to be a book of magic.

On the summer afternoon of our story, a black table stood in the middle of the room. On it was a beautiful cut-glass vase. Four glasses were also on the table.

Doctor Heidegger was known for his unusual experiments. But his four guests did not expect anything very interesting.

The doctor picked up his black leather book of magic. From its pages he removed a dried-up old rose.

"This rose," said the doctor, "was given to me fifty-five years ago by Sylvia Ward, whose painting hangs on this wall. I was to wear it at our wedding. Would you think it possible that this ancient rose could ever bloom again?" "Nonsense!" said the Widow Wycherly with a toss of her head. "You might as well ask if an old woman's lined face could ever bloom again." "See!" answered Doctor Heidegger.

He reached for the vase and threw the dried rose into the water it contained. Soon, a change began to appear. The crushed and dried petals moved and slowly turned from brown to red. And there was the rose of half a century looking as fresh as when Sylvia Ward had first given it to her lover.

"That is a very pretty trick," said the doctor's friends. "What is the secret?" "Did you ever hear of the Fountain of Youth?" asked Doctor Heidegger. "The Spanish explorer Ponce De Leon went in search of it centuries ago. But he was not looking in the right place. If I am rightly informed, the famous Fountain of Youth is in southern Florida. A friend of mine has sent me the water you see in the vase." The doctor filled the four glasses with water from the Fountain of Youth. The liquid produced little bubbles that rose up to the silvery surface. The old guests agreed to drink the water, although they did not believe in its power.

"Before you drink, my friends," the doctor said, "you should draw up a few general rules as guidance before you pass a second time through the dangers of youth. You have had a lifetime of experience to direct you. Think what a shame it would be if the wisdom of your experiences did not act as a guide and teacher.

"The doctor's four friends answered him with a laugh. The idea that they would ever repeat the mistakes of their youth was very funny.

"Drink, then," said the doctor. "I am happy that I have so well chosen the subjects of my experiment." They raised the glasses to their lips. If the liquid really was magical, it could not have been given to four human beings who needed it more. They seemed as though they had never known youth or pleasure. They looked like they had always been the weak, unhappy creatures who were bent over the doctor's table. They drank the water.

There was an almost immediate improvement among the guests. A cheerful glow like sunshine brightened their faces. They looked at one another imagining that some magic power had really started to smooth the lines on their faces.

"Quick! Give us more of this wondrous water!" they cried.

"We are younger, but we are still too old!" "Patience!" said Doctor Heidegger who watched the experiment with scientific coolness. "You have been a long time growing old. Surely you could wait half an hour to grow young!

"Again he filled their glasses. The four guests drank the liquid in one swallow. As the liquid passed down their throats it seemed to change their whole systems. Their eyes grew clear and bright. Their hair turned from silver to darker shades.

"My dear widow, you are lovely!" cried Colonel Killigrew, who watched as the signs of age disappeared from her face.

The widow ran to the mirror.

The three men started to behave in such a way that proved the magic of the Fountain of Youth's water. Mister Gascoigne's mind turned to political topics. He talked about nationalism and the rights of the people. He also told secrets softly to himself.

All this time Colonel Killigrew had been shouting out happy drinking songs while his eyes turned towards the curvy body of the Widow Wycherly.

Mister Medbourne was adding dollars and cents to pay for a proposed project. It would supply the East Indies with ice by linking a team of whales to the polar icebergs.

As for the Widow Wycherly, she stood in front of the mirror greeting her image as a friend she loved better than anything in the world.

"My dear old doctor," she cried, "please give me another glass!" The doctor had already filled the glasses again. It was now near sunset and the room was darker than ever. But a moon-like light shined from within the vase. The doctor sat in his chair watching. As the four guests drank their third glass of water, they were silenced by the expression on the doctor's mysterious face. The next moment, the exciting rush of young life shot through their blood. They were now at the happy height of youth. The endless cares, sadness, and diseases of age were remembered only as a troubled dream from which they had awoken.

"We are young!" they cried.

The guests were a group of happy youngsters almost crazy with energy. They laughed at the old-fashioned clothing they wore. They shouted happily and jumped around the room.

The Widow Wycherly - if such a young lady could be called a widow - ran to the doctor's chair and asked him to dance. "Please excuse me," answered the doctor quietly. "My dancing days were over long ago. But these three young men would be happy to have such a lovely partner." The men began to argue violently about who would dance with her. They gathered around the widow, each grabbing for her.

Yet, by a strange trick owing to the darkness of the room, the tall mirror is said to have reflected the forms of three old, gray men competing for a faded, old woman.

As the three fought for the woman's favor, they reached violently for each other's throats. In their struggle, they turned over the table. The vase broke into a thousand pieces. The Water of Youth flowed in a bright stream across the floor.

The guests stood still. A strange coldness was slowly stealing over them all. They looked at Doctor Heidegger who was holding his treasured rose. The flower was fading and drying up once more.The guests looked at each other and saw their looks changing back. "Are we grown old again so soon?" they cried.

In truth they had. The Water of Youth had powers that were only temporary.

"Yes, friends, you are old again," the doctor said. "And the Water of Youth lies wasted on the ground. But even if it flowed in a river at my door, I still would not drink it. This is the lesson you have taught me!" But the doctor's four friends had learned no such lesson. They decided at that moment to travel to Florida and drink morning, noon, and night from the Fountain of Youth.

You have heard the American Story "Doctor Heidegger's Experiment" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Your storyteller was Barbara Klein. This story was adapted into Special English and produced by Dana Demange. Listen again next week for another American Story in VOA Special English.

Transcript of radio broadcast: 13 March 2009

Short Story: ‘Doctor Heidegger’s Experiment’ Kurzgeschichte: 'Doktor Heideggers Experiment' Relato corto: "El experimento del doctor Heidegger Nouvelle : "L'expérience du docteur Heidegger" (en anglais) 短編小説：『ハイデガー博士の実験 Conto: "A experiência do Dr. Heidegger". Kısa Öykü: 'Doktor Heidegger'in Deneyi' 短篇小说：“海德格尔博士的实验”

Now, the VOA Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES. Şimdi, VOA Özel İngilizce programı, AMERİKAN HİKAYELERİ.

We present the short story "Doctor Heidegger's Experiment" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Here is Barbara Klein with the story.

That very unusual man, old Doctor Heidegger, once invited four friends to meet him in his office. ||незвичайний||||||запросив|||||||| O çok sıradışı adam, yaşlı Doktor Heidegger, bir keresinde dört arkadaşını ofisinde buluşmaya davet etti. Той дуже незвичайний чоловік, старий доктор Хейдеггер, одного разу запросив чотирьох друзів зустрітися з ним у його кабінеті. There were three white-bearded gentlemen, Mister Medbourne, Colonel Killigrew, and Mister Gascoigne. ||||с белой бородой|||||||| ||||бородатих|||||Кіллігру||| Там були троє бородатих джентльменів: містер Медборн, полковник Кіллігрев і містер Гаскойн. And, there was a thin old lady whose husband had died, so she was called the Widow Wycherly. ||||||||||||||||вдова| І була тонка стара жінка, чоловік якої помер, тому її називали Вдовою Вайчерлі.

They were all sad old creatures who had been unfortunate in life. |||||существа||||неудачливыми|| Hepsi de hayatlarında talihsizlikler yaşamış üzgün yaşlı yaratıklardı. Вони всі були сумними старими істотами, які не мали удачі в житті. As a young man, Mister Medbourne had lost all his money in a badly planned business deal. У молодості містер Медборн втратив всі свої гроші в погано спланованій діловій угоді. Colonel Killigrew had wasted his best years and health enjoying the pleasures of women and drink. Полковник Кіллігру wasting свої найкращі роки та здоров'я, насолоджуючись задоволеннями жінок та алкоголю. Mister Gascoigne was a ruined politician with an evil past. ||||зруйнований|політик|||| Bay Gascoigne, kötü bir geçmişi olan yıkık bir politikacıydı. Містер Гаскойн був зруйнованим політиком з жахливим минулим.

As for the Widow Wycherly, tradition tells us that she was once a great beauty. Що стосується вдови Вайчерлі, то традиція розповідає, що вона колись була великою красунею. But shocking stories about her past had led the people of the town to reject her. Ancak geçmişiyle ilgili şok edici hikâyeler kasaba halkının onu reddetmesine yol açmıştı. Але шокуючі історії про її минуле змусили людей в містечку відкинути її. So, she lived very much alone. Отже, вона жила дуже сама.

It is worth stating that each of these three men were early lovers of the Widow Wycherly. Слід зазначити, що кожен з цих трьох чоловіків був раннім коханцем вдови Вайчерлі. And they had once been on the point of killing each other over her. І вони колись були на межі вбивства один одного через неї.

"My dear old friends," said Doctor Heidegger, "I would like your help in one of my little experiments." "Мої дорогі старі друзі," сказав доктор Хайдеггер, "я хотів би вашої допомоги в одному з моїх маленьких експериментів." He motioned for them to sit down. |показал||||| |показав||||| Він жестом запросив їх сісти.

Doctor Heidegger's office was a very strange place. Кабінет доктора Хайдеггера був дуже дивним місцем. The dark room was filled with books, cobwebs, and dust. Темна кімната була заповнена книжками, павутинням і пилом. An old mirror hanging between two bookcases was said to show the ghosts of all the doctor's dead patients. ||||||шафах|||||||||||| Старе дзеркало, що висіло між двома книжковими шафами, казали, показувало привидів усіх мертвих пацієнтів лікаря. On another wall hung a painting of the young woman Doctor Heidegger was to have married long ago. На іншій стіні висіла картина молодої жінки, за яку лікар Хайдеггер мав одружитися давно. But she died the night before their wedding after drinking one of the doctor's medicines. Але вона померла в ніч перед їхнім весіллям після того, як випила один з лікарських засобів. The most mysterious object in the room was a large book covered in black leather. Наймістичнішим об'єктом у кімнаті була велика книга, прикрита чорним шкірою. It was said to be a book of magic. Говорили, що це була книга магії.

On the summer afternoon of our story, a black table stood in the middle of the room. У літній післяобідній час нашої історії чорний стіл стояв посеред кімнати. On it was a beautiful cut-glass vase. На ньому була красива вазочка із нарізного скла. Four glasses were also on the table. На столі також було чотири кухлі.

Doctor Heidegger was known for his unusual experiments. Доктор Хайдеггер був відомий своїми незвичайними експериментами. But his four guests did not expect anything very interesting. Але його чотири гості не очікували нічого надто цікавого.

The doctor picked up his black leather book of magic. Доктор узяв свою чорну шкіряну книгу магії. From its pages he removed a dried-up old rose. З його сторінок він витягнув висохлу стару троянду.

"This rose," said the doctor, "was given to me fifty-five years ago by Sylvia Ward, whose painting hangs on this wall. ||||||||||||||||||вішає||| "Цю троянду," сказав лікар, "мені подарувала Сільвія Уорд п'ятдесят п'ять років тому, чия картина висить на цій стіні. I was to wear it at our wedding. Я мав носити її на нашому весіллі. Would you think it possible that this ancient rose could ever bloom again?" |||||||||||цвести| Ви б думали, що ця давня троянда коли-небудь знову розквітне? "Nonsense!" "Нонсенс!" said the Widow Wycherly with a toss of her head. ||||||поворотом||| ||||||поворотом||| сказала Вдова Вайчерлі, кинувши голову назад. "You might as well ask if an old woman's lined face could ever bloom again." "Ти, мабуть, так само можеш запитати, чи може коли-небудь розквітнути зморшкувате обличчя старої жінки." "See!" "Дивись!" answered Doctor Heidegger. відповів доктор Хайдеггер.

He reached for the vase and threw the dried rose into the water it contained. Він потягнувся за вазою і кинув стару троянду у воду, що вона містила. Soon, a change began to appear. Незабаром почали з'являтися зміни. The crushed and dried petals moved and slowly turned from brown to red. ||||пелюстки|||||||| Зім'яті та висохлі пелюстки зрушилися і повільно змінили колір з коричневого на червоний. And there was the rose of half a century looking as fresh as when Sylvia Ward had first given it to her lover. І була ружа півстоліття, виглядаючи так свіжо, як коли Сільвія Вард вперше подарувала її своєму коханому.

"That is a very pretty trick," said the doctor's friends. "Це дуже гарний трюк," сказали друзів лікаря. "What is the secret?" "Який секрет?" "Did you ever hear of the Fountain of Youth?" ||||||||молодості "Чи чuli ти коли-небудь про К fountain молодості?" asked Doctor Heidegger. запитав доктор Хайдеггер. "The Spanish explorer Ponce De Leon went in search of it centuries ago. |||||Леон||||||| "Іспанський дослідник Понсе де Леон шукав його століття тому. But he was not looking in the right place. ||||дивився|||| Але він не дивився в правильному місці. If I am rightly informed, the famous Fountain of Youth is in southern Florida. |||правильно|||||||||| Якщо я правильно поінформований, то знаменитий Фонтан Молодості знаходиться на півдні Флориди. A friend of mine has sent me the water you see in the vase." Друг надіслав мені воду, яку ви бачите у вазі. The doctor filled the four glasses with water from the Fountain of Youth. Лікар наповнив чотири склянки водою з Фонтана Молодості. The liquid produced little bubbles that rose up to the silvery surface. |||маленькие|пузырьки||||||| ||||||||||сріблясту| Рідина виробляла маленькі бульбашки, які піднімалися до сріблястої поверхні. The old guests agreed to drink the water, although they did not believe in its power. ||||||||хотя||||||| Старі гості погодилися випити воду, хоча вони не вірили в її силу.

"Before you drink, my friends," the doctor said, "you should draw up a few general rules as guidance before you pass a second time through the dangers of youth. "Перед тим, як пити, мої друзі," сказав доктор, "вам слід скласти кілька загальних правил як орієнтир перед тим, як знову пройти через небезпеки юності. You have had a lifetime of experience to direct you. У вас є життєвий досвід, який може вас направити. Think what a shame it would be if the wisdom of your experiences did not act as a guide and teacher. |||стыд||||||||||||||||| Подумайте, яким жаль було б, якби ваша мудрість, отримана з вашого досвіду, не стала б для вас путівником і вчителем.

"The doctor's four friends answered him with a laugh. The idea that they would ever repeat the mistakes of their youth was very funny. Ідея про те, що вони коли-небудь повторять помилки своєї юності, була дуже смішною.

"Drink, then," said the doctor. "Пий тоді," сказав лікар. "I am happy that I have so well chosen the subjects of my experiment." "Я щасливий, що так добре вибрав теми свого експерименту." They raised the glasses to their lips. If the liquid really was magical, it could not have been given to four human beings who needed it more. Якщо рідина справді була магічною, її не могли б дати чотирьом людським істотам, які її потребували більше. They seemed as though they had never known youth or pleasure. Вони здавалося, ніби ніколи не знали юності або задоволення. They looked like they had always been the weak, unhappy creatures who were bent over the doctor's table. Вони виглядали так, ніби завжди були слабкими, нещасними істотами, які схилилися над столом лікаря. They drank the water.

There was an almost immediate improvement among the guests. Серед гостей спостерігалось майже миттєве покращення. A cheerful glow like sunshine brightened their faces. Веселий блиск, як сонячне світло, освітлював їхні обличчя. They looked at one another imagining that some magic power had really started to smooth the lines on their faces. Вони дивилися один на одного, уявляючи, що якась магічна сила справді почала згладжувати лінії на їхніх обличчях.

"Quick! Give us more of this wondrous water!" |||||чудесной| |||||чудове| they cried.

"We are younger, but we are still too old!" "Ми молодші, але все ще занадто старі!" "Patience!" "Терплячка!" said Doctor Heidegger who watched the experiment with scientific coolness. |||||||||холоднокровністю сказав доктор Гейдеггер, який спостерігав за експериментом з науковим спокоєм. "You have been a long time growing old. "Ви вже давно старієте. Surely you could wait half an hour to grow young! Звичайно, ви могли б почекати півгодини, щоб молодіти!

"Again he filled their glasses. "Знову він наповнив їхні келихи. The four guests drank the liquid in one swallow. ||||||||потягуванні Чотири гості випили рідину одним ковтком. As the liquid passed down their throats it seemed to change their whole systems. ||||||горла||||||| Коли рідина проходила вниз їхніми горлами, здавалося, що вона змінює всю їхню систему. Their eyes grew clear and bright. Їхні очі стали ясними і яскравими. Their hair turned from silver to darker shades.

"My dear widow, you are lovely!" "Моя дорога вдова, ти чудова!" cried Colonel Killigrew, who watched as the signs of age disappeared from her face. закричав полковник Кіллігрю, який спостерігав, як ознаки віку зникають з її обличчя.

The widow ran to the mirror. Вдова побігла до дзеркала.

The three men started to behave in such a way that proved the magic of the Fountain of Youth's water. Троє чоловіків почали вести себе так, що це доводило магію води Джерела Молодості. Mister Gascoigne's mind turned to political topics. |Гаскойна||||| Розум містера Гаскоїна звернувся до політичних тем. He talked about nationalism and the rights of the people. |||націоналізм|||||| Він говорив про націоналізм та права людей. He also told secrets softly to himself. Він також тихо шептав секрети самому собі.

All this time Colonel Killigrew had been shouting out happy drinking songs while his eyes turned towards the curvy body of the Widow Wycherly. ||||||||||пиття||||||||||||| Увесь цей час полковник Кіллінгру був у настрої, співаючи веселі пісні про пиття, поки його погляд звертався до вигнутої фігури вдови Вайчерлі.

Mister Medbourne was adding dollars and cents to pay for a proposed project. |Медборн|||||центов|||||| Містер Медборн складав долари й центи, щоб оплатити запропонований проект. It would supply the East Indies with ice by linking a team of whales to the polar icebergs. |||||||||||||китів||||айсберги Це б постачало Східні Індії льодом, з’єднуючи команду китів з полярними айсбергами.

As for the Widow Wycherly, she stood in front of the mirror greeting her image as a friend she loved better than anything in the world. Що стосується вдови Уайчерлі, то вона стояла перед дзеркалом, вітаючи своє відображення як друга, якого любила більше за все на світі.

"My dear old doctor," she cried, "please give me another glass!" "Мій дорогий старий лікар," крикнула вона, "будь ласка, дай мені ще один келих!" The doctor had already filled the glasses again. Лікар вже знову наповнив склянки. It was now near sunset and the room was darker than ever. ||||||||||ніж| Зараз вже наближався захід сонця, і кімната була темнішою, ніж будь-коли. But a moon-like light shined from within the vase. |||||світилося|||| Але місячне світло світило зсередини вази. The doctor sat in his chair watching. Лікар сидів у своєму кріслі та спостерігав. As the four guests drank their third glass of water, they were silenced by the expression on the doctor's mysterious face. Коли четверо гостей випили свій третій стакан води, їх змусило замовкнути вираження на таємничому обличчі лікаря. The next moment, the exciting rush of young life shot through their blood. |||||прилив||молодой||||| В наступну мить захопливий порив молодого життя пронісся їхньою кров'ю. They were now at the happy height of youth. ||||||высоте|| Вони були тепер на щасливій висоті молодості. The endless cares, sadness, and diseases of age were remembered only as a troubled dream from which they had awoken. |||||||||||||||||||прокинулися Нескінченні турботи, сум, і хвороби старості згадувалися лише як неспокійний сон, з якого вони прокинулися.

"We are young!" "Ми молоді!" they cried.

The guests were a group of happy youngsters almost crazy with energy. Гості були групою щасливих молодих людей, майже божевільних від енергії. They laughed at the old-fashioned clothing they wore. Вони сміялися з застарілої одягу, яку носили. They shouted happily and jumped around the room. Вони весело кричали і скакали по кімнаті.

The Widow Wycherly - if such a young lady could be called a widow - ran to the doctor's chair and asked him to dance. "Please excuse me," answered the doctor quietly. "My dancing days were over long ago. "Мої дні танців давно підійшли до кінця. But these three young men would be happy to have such a lovely partner." Але ці троє молодих чоловіків були б щасливі мати таку чудову партнерку." The men began to argue violently about who would dance with her. ||||ссориться|яростно|||||| Чоловіки почали запекло сперечатися про те, хто буде танцювати з нею. They gathered around the widow, each grabbing for her. ||||||хватая|| Вони зібралися навколо вдови, кожен намагаючись схопити її.

Yet, by a strange trick owing to the darkness of the room, the tall mirror is said to have reflected the forms of three old, gray men competing for a faded, old woman. |||||из-за||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||внаслідок||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Проте, через дивний трюк, зумовлений темрявою кімнати, кажуть, що високий дзеркало відбивало постаті трьох старих, сивих чоловіків, які змагались за згаслу, стару жінку.

As the three fought for the woman's favor, they reached violently for each other's throats. |||боролись||||||||||| |||боролися|||||||||||горла Поки троє боролися за прихильність жінки, вони з насильством тягнули один одного за горло. In their struggle, they turned over the table. У своїй боротьбі вони перевернули стіл. The vase broke into a thousand pieces. Ваза розбилася на тисячу шматків. The Water of Youth flowed in a bright stream across the floor. Вода молодості текла яскравою струмком по підлозі.

The guests stood still. Гості стояли нерухомо. A strange coldness was slowly stealing over them all. ||холодность|||||| ||холодність|||||| Дивна холодність повільно охоплювала їх всіх. They looked at Doctor Heidegger who was holding his treasured rose. |||||||||драгоценную| |||||||||дорожчою| Вони дивилися на доктора Хайдеггера, який тримав свою дорогоцінну троянду. The flower was fading and drying up once more.The guests looked at each other and saw their looks changing back. |||||сохнути||||||||||||||| Квітка знову в'янула і висохла. Гості подивились один на одного і побачили, як їхні погляди знову змінюються. "Are we grown old again so soon?" "Ми знову так швидко постаріли?" they cried. закричали вони.

In truth they had. В правді, вони мали. The Water of Youth had powers that were only temporary. Вода молодості мала сили, які були лише тимчасовими.

"Yes, friends, you are old again," the doctor said. "Так, друзі, ви знову старі," - сказав лікар. "And the Water of Youth lies wasted on the ground. |||||лежит|потеряно||| "І вода молодості проливається на землю. But even if it flowed in a river at my door, I still would not drink it. Але навіть якби вона текла рікою біля мого порогу, я б все одно не пив її. This is the lesson you have taught me!" |||урок|||| Це той урок, який ти мені дав!" But the doctor's four friends had learned no such lesson. Але четверо друзів доктора не засвоїли такого уроку. They decided at that moment to travel to Florida and drink morning, noon, and night from the Fountain of Youth. Вони в той момент вирішили поїхати до Флориди і пити з Джерела Молодості вранці, вдень і вночі.

You have heard the American Story "Doctor Heidegger's Experiment" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Ви чули американську історію "Експеримент доктора Хайдеггера" Натаніела Готорна. Your storyteller was Barbara Klein. This story was adapted into Special English and produced by Dana Demange. ||||||||||Дана| Listen again next week for another American Story in VOA Special English.

Transcript of radio broadcast: 13 March 2009