去巨石阵（Stonehenge）是我早就计划中的行程，可以说是我哈代故乡行的延续；可因时间与交通工具的选择问题，一直拖到今日终成行。中午从伦敦城市中心区Oriental London Visitors Centre乘大巴出发，两个小时的车程即到达位于Wiltshire的巨石阵（Stonehenge）。

作为世界上著名的史前文化遗存，巨石阵（Stonehenge）为何而建，学界一直争论不休。当然在英国本土，有关Stonehenge的传说也很多。而对我来说，参观Stonehenge可能更具别样的意义，毕竟哈代最著名的小说之一Tess中一个重要的场景就在Stonehenge，而Stonehenge也在哈代的Wessex王国之中心位置。正是在这里，与Angel一起在荒原上逃命的Tess享受了最后一晚的自由，之后被警察拘捕，接受审判，最终被施以绞刑。

按世俗的眼光来看，Tess是个fallen woman，是个criminal；但在作家哈代看来，一直到死，Tess是个pure woman。不仅小说的副标题如此揭示，关键在Stonehenge这一重要的场景，又累又饿的Tess躺在一块巨石上休息，之后平静地接受警察的拘捕，她留给读者的最后一句话就是：I am ready，不禁让人回想起被钉在十字架上的耶稣基督。事实上在哈代看来，那块巨石就是一个祭坛，Tess即是那祭坛上的祭品。不管是在远古还是在旧约时代，献祭给冥冥之中的神灵或旧约中上帝的祭品必须具备两个条件：神圣与纯洁。至此，哈代想表达什么，无需我们赘言。

在哈代时代，也许Stonehenge周边还是荒原，可今日的Stonehenge却被大片金黄色的麦田与牧场包围着。为不破坏Stonehenge景致，游客中心以及景区出入口均建在地平面下，并以隧道贯通。而Stonehenge周边围以低矮的绳缆，游客只可远观不可近玩。这样也好，不管游客再多（据说作为世界遗产的Stonehenge，每年的游客都在百万以上），从不同的角度都能欣赏Stonehenge全景，拍照时也不必担心有游客闯入你的镜头。

看过太多太多蓝天白云下、或朝霞满天、或落日余晖中的Stonehenge的图片，今天我在这凄风冷雨的日子里，来从不同角度冷观Stonehenge，寻找Tess休息过的那块巨石，也许更能体会Tess的悲剧命运。

按：虽已经是七月中旬，可英国这段时间一直多雨，气温多在摄氏十几度徘徊，来此的游客多是身着厚厚的外套，倘若碰到有人穿着冬日的羽绒服，并不觉得奇怪。

附：哈代对Stonehenge的描述

They had proceeded thus gropingly two or three miles further when on a sudden Clare became conscious of some vast erection close in his front, rising sheer from the grass. They had almost struck themselves against it.

"What monstrous place is this?" said Angel.

"It hums," said she. "Hearken!"

He listened. The wind, playing upon the edifice, produced a booming tune, like the note of some gigantic one-stringed harp. No other sound came from it, and lifting his hand and advancing a step or two, Clare felt the vertical surface of the structure. It seemed to be of solid stone, without joint or moulding. Carrying his fingers onward he found that what he had come in contact with was a colossal rectangular pillar; by stretching out his left hand he could feel a similar one adjoining. At an indefinite height overhead something made the black sky blacker, which had the semblance of a vast architrave uniting the pillars horizontally. They carefully entered beneath and between; the surfaces echoed their soft rustle; but they seemed to be still out of doors. The place was roofless. Tess drew her breath fearfully, and Angel, perplexed, said----

"What can it be?"

Feeling sideways they encountered another tower-like pillar, square and uncompromising as the first; beyond it another and another. The place was all doors and pillars, some connected above by continuous architraves.

"A very Temple of the Winds," he said.

The next pillar was isolated; others composed a trilithon; others were prostrate, their flanks forming a causeway wide enough for a carriage and it was soon obvious that they made up a forest of monoliths grouped upon the grassy expanse of the plain. The couple advanced further into this pavilion of the night till they stood in its midst.

"It is Stonehenge!" said Clare.

"The heathen temple, you mean?"

"Yes. Older than the centuries; older than the d'Urbervilles! Well, what shall we do, darling? We may find shelter further on."

But Tess, really tired by this time, flung herself upon an oblong slab that lay close at hand, and was sheltered from the wind by a pillar. Owing to the action of the sun during the preceding day the stone was warm and dry, in comforting contrast to the rough and chill grass around, which had damped her skirts and shoes.

"I don't want to go any further, Angel," she said, stretching out her hand for his. "Can't we bide here?"

…

she fell asleep. The band of silver paleness along the east horizon made even the distant parts of the Great Plain appear dark and near; and the whole enormous landscape bore that impress of reserve, taciturnity, and hesitation which is usual just before day. The eastward pillars and their architraves stood up blackly against the light, and the great flame-shaped Sun-stone beyond them; and the Stone of Sacrifice midway. Presently the night wind died out, and the quivering little pools in the cup-like hollows of the stones lay still. At the same time something seemed to move on the verge of the dip eastward--a mere dot. It was the head of a man approaching them from the hollow beyond the Sun-stone. Clare wished they had gone onward, but in the circumstances decided to remain quiet. The figure came straight towards the circle of pillars in which they were.

…

"What is it, Angel?" she said, starting up. "Have they come for me?"

"Yes, dearest," he said. "They have come."

"It is as it should be," she murmured. "Angel, I am almost glad--yes, glad! This happiness could not have lasted. It was too much. I have had enough; and now I shall not live for you to despise me!"

She stood up, shook herself, and went forward, neither of the men having moved.

"I am ready," she said quietly.