[99~100]这片树林遍染黄金与灰烬:夕阳渐渐下沉,把最后一抹余晖照在树林,此时叶丛的颜色就象熄灭了火但留有余烬的炭,既已灰暗,也还闪着金光,类似所谓“明灭相间的炭”。雪莱《为诗一辩》:“诗不象推理那样靠意志的推动。谁也不能说:‘我将要写出一首诗。’最伟大的诗人也没法这样说;因为创造活动中的心灵就象一块明灭相间的炭,而某种不可见的影响力,例如一阵变化莫测的风,将其唤醒而使之进入短暂的灵明状态;这种能力由内而生,就象在其发展过程中枯萎与变化的一朵花的颜色,我们天性中的意识部份无法预知其到来与离去。”马拉美此处也许在暗示艺术创造上的灵感所发生的时机,而所谓捉住仙后则指向创造本身。雪莱的原文值得摘录在此:“Poetry is not like reasoning, a power to be exerted according to the determination of the will. A man cannot say, “I will compose poetry.” The greatest poet even cannot say it; for the mind in creation is as a fading coal, which some invisible influence, like an inconstant wind, awakens to transitory brightness; this power arises from within, like the color of a flower which fades and changes as it is developed, and the conscious portions of our natures are unprophetic either of its approach or its departure. ”注意fading coal就是一种明灭相间的状态,将熄未全熄;transitory brightness,这个brightness也就是诗中葡萄一节所用的clarté(即第57行“当我吸尽葡萄的光明”的光明),除了本义的“光明”意义外,还有一种“灵明”义;另外conscious一词也值得注意,与之对应的则是潜意识,如梦、睡眠,这些词在马拉美的诗中多次出现。