中英文互譯短篇文章
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中英文互譯短篇文章篇1:Mayhew
生活的道路
William S. Maugham
威廉·S.毛姆
The lives of most men are determined by their environment. They accept the circumstancesamid which fate has thrown them not only with resignation but even with good will. They arelike streetcars running contentedly on their rails and they despise the sprightly flivver thatdashes in and out of the traffic and speeds so jauntily across the open country. I respectthem;they are good citizens, good husbands, and good fathers, and of course somebody hasto pay the taxes; but I do not find them exciting. I am fascinated by the men, few enough in allconscience, who take life in their own hands and seem to mould it to their own liking. It may bethat we have no such thing as free will, but at all events we have the illusion ofit. At acrossroad it does seem to us that we might go either to the right or the left and, the choiceonce made, it is difficult to see that the whole course of the world's history obliged us to takethe turning we did.
對于大多數(shù)人來說,生活是由環(huán)境決定的。他們在命運的撥弄面前,不僅逆來順受,甚至還能隨遇而安。這些人猶如街上的有軌電車,滿足于在自己的軌道上運行;而對于那些不時出沒于車水馬龍間和歡快地奔馳在曠野上的廉價小汽車卻不屑一顧。我尊重這些人;他們是守法的公民、盡職的丈夫、慈祥的父親。當(dāng)然,總得有人繳納種種稅款;可是,我并不覺得他們使人振奮。另有些人把生活掌握在自己手里,似乎在按照自己的意愿創(chuàng)造生活,盡管這樣的人寥若晨星,他們卻深深地吸引了我。自由意志這玩意兒對我們來說也許純屬子虛烏有;但不管怎么說,它確實存在于我們的幻想之中。每逢站在十字路口,我們好像能在左右兩條道路中任選其一,可一旦選定之后,卻又很難認識到那實際是世界歷史的整個進程左右了我們的轉(zhuǎn)折點。
I never met a more interesting man than Mayhew. He was a lawyerin Detroit. He was an able anda successful one. By the time he was thirty-five he had a large and a lucrative praaice, he hadamassed a competence, and he stood on the threshold of a distinguished career. He had ana cute brain, anattractive personality, and uprightness. There was no reason why he shouldnot become, financially or politically, a power in the land. One evening he was sitting in his clubwith a group of friends and they were perhaps a little worse (or the better) for liquor. One ofthem had recently come from Italy and he told them of a house he had seen at Capri, a houseon the hill, overlooking the Bay of Naples, with a large and shady garden. He described to themthe beauty of the most beautifulisland in the Mediterranean.
我從未見到過比梅休更有意思的人了。他是底特律的一名律師,為人能干,事業(yè)上也很成功。35歲時就門庭若市,收入可觀,累累勝訴,聲名昭著,前程似錦。他頭腦靈活,性格招?喜歡,為人又很正直,在這個國家里不變得有錢或有勢才怪呢。一天晚上,他與一些朋友在俱樂部聚會。喝了酒之后,他們也許有點醉意(或更清醒)了,其中一人剛從意大利回來,跟大家談起了在卡普里島看到的一幢房子。那是一幢坐落在小山上的房屋,還有個綠葉成蔭的大花園。從屋里望出去,那不勒斯灣盡收眼底。他娓娓動聽地把地中海這個最美的島嶼夸了一番。
"It sounds fine," said Mayhew. "Is that house for sale?"
“聽起來倒真不錯!”梅休說,“那房子賣不賣?”
"Everything is for sale in Italy."
“在意大利什么東西都賣。”
"Let's send'em a cable and make an offer for it."
“我們打個電報,出個價把那房子買下來。”
"What in heaven's name would you do with a house in Capri?"
“天哪!你買卡普里的一所房子干什么用啊?”
"Live in it," said Mayhew.
“住唄!”梅休說。
He sent for a cable form, wrote it out, and dispatched it. In a few hours the reply came back.The offer was accepted.
他叫人取來一張電報單,填好后就發(fā)了出去。沒過幾小時,回電來了,買賣成交。
Mayhew was no hypocrite and he made no secret of the fact that he would never have done sowild a thing if he had been sober, but when he was he did not regret it. He was neither animpulsive nor an emotional man, but a very honest and sincere one. He would never havecontinued from bravado in a course that he had come to the conclusion was unwise. Hemade up his mind to do exactly as he had said. He did not care for wealth and he had enoughmoney on which to live in Italy. He thought he could do more with life than spend it oncomposing the trivial quarrels of unimportant people.
梅休絕對不是偽君子。他毫不隱諱地承認,如果當(dāng)時頭腦清醒的話,他決不至于做出如此輕率的事。但此刻他清醒了,也決不反悔。他不是個一沖動就魯莽從事的人,也不多愁善感。他為人十分正直、誠懇。無論干什么,只要意識到所干的并不明智,他就馬上會停下來,從不會因一時逞能而一味蠻干下去。他決心不折不扣地履行自己的諾言。
He had no definite plan. He merely wanted to get away from a life that had given him allit hadto offer. I suppose his friends thought him crazy; some must have done all they could todissuade him. He arranged his affairs, packed up his ffirniture, and started.
梅休并不在乎錢財,他有的是錢,足夠在意大利花的。他想使生活過得更有價值,不愿再把這大好年華浪費在調(diào)停蕓蕓眾生因區(qū)區(qū)小事引起的吵鬧中。他沒有明確的計赳。他只是想拋棄這已不能再使他滿意的生活。我想他的朋友們一定以為他瘋了。有些人肯定是費盡唇舌勸他千萬別這么做??墒撬才藕檬诸^的事務(wù),把家具裝了箱,毅然上路了。
Capri is a gaunt rock of austere outline, bathed in a deep blue sea; but its vineyards, greenand smiling, give it a soft and easy grace. It is friendly,remote, and debonair. I find it strangethat Mayhew should have settled on this lovely island, for I never knew a man more insensibleto beauty I do not know what he sought there: happiness, freedom, or merely leisure; I knowwhat he found. In this place which appeals so extravagantly to the senses he lived a life entirelyof the spirit. For the island is rich with historic associations and over it broods always theenigmatic memory of Tiberius the Emperor. From his windows which overlooked the Bay ofNaples, with the noble shape of Vesuvius changing colour with the changing light, Mayhew saw ahundred places that recalled the Romans and the Greeks. The past began to haunt him. All thathe saw for the first time, for he had never been abroad before, excited his fancy; and in his soulstirred the creative imagination. He was a man of energy. Presently he made up his mind towrite a history. For some time he looked about for a subject, and at last decided on the secondcentury of the Roman Empire. It was little known and it seemed to him to offer problemsanalogous with those of our own day.
卡普里島是一塊外形突兀的荒涼的巖石,沐浴在深藍色的海洋里。但是它的蔥綠的葡萄園仿佛在向人微笑,使這個海島增添了幾分令人舒爽的溫柔寧靜的姿色??ㄆ绽飴u遠離塵囂,卻景色宜人,生氣盎然。我真感到奇怪,梅休竟會找這么一個可愛的海島定居,因為我實在不相信還有誰會比他對美更無動于衷的了。我不知道他到那兒去想追求什么,是尋幸福,求自由,或者只是為了優(yōu)游歲月;但我知道他找到了什么。在這個島上,人的感官本會受到強烈的刺激,而他卻過上了純精神的生活。因為這個島上盡是能夠勾起你聯(lián)想的歷史遺跡,總叫你想到提比略大帝的神秘故事。他站在窗前就能俯視那不勒斯灣。每當(dāng)日移光變,維蘇威火山的雄姿也隨之變換色澤。此時,他憑窗遠望,看到上百處殘蹤遺跡,因而聯(lián)想起羅馬和希臘的盛衰。他開始不停地思考起古代社會來。過去他從未到過國外,現(xiàn)在第一次開了眼界,什么都使他神馳遐想。腦海中創(chuàng)造性的想象聯(lián)翩浮來。他是個精力充沛的人,立刻就決定要筆耕史學(xué)。他花了一些時間尋找題目,最終選定了羅馬帝國的第二世紀。這個題目很少為人所知。梅休認為帝國當(dāng)時存在的問題與當(dāng)今社會的情況頗有巧合之處。
He began to collect books and soon he had an immense library. His legal training had taughthim to read quickly. He settled down to work. At first hehad been accustomed to foregather inthe evening with the painters, writers,and such like who met in the little tavern near the Piazza,but presently hewithdrew himself, for his absorption in his studies became more pressing. Hehad been accustomed to bathe in that bland sea and to take long walks among the pleasantvineyards, butlittle by little, grudging the time, he ceased to do so. He worked harder than hehad ever worked in Detroit. He would start at noon and work all through the night till thewhistle of the steamer that goes every morning from Capri to Naples told him that it was fiveo'clockand time to go to bed. His subject opened out before him, vaster and more significant,and he imagined a work that would put him forever beside the great historians of the past. Asthe years went by he was to be found seldom in the ways of men. He could be tempted to comeout of his house only by agame o' chess or the chance of an argument. He loved to set hisbrain against another's. He was widely read now, not only in history, but in philosophy andscience; and he was a skilful controversialist, quick, logical, and incisive.
他開始收集有關(guān)著作,不久就有了大量藏書。搞法律時受的訓(xùn)練教會了他如何快速閱讀。他著手工作了。起初,,他慣于在黃昏時分到市場附近的一個小酒店和聚在那里的畫家、作家等文人墨客共同消磨一段時光,但不久他就深居簡出了,因為研究工作日趨緊張,使他抽不出時間。一開始他也常到溫和的海水中去洗澡,不時在可愛的葡萄園之間散步。但由于舍不得時間,漸漸地他不再洗澡,也不散步了。他干得要比在底特律賣力得多,常常是正午開始工作,徹夜不眠,待到汽笛一鳴,才恍然意識到已是清晨五點,從卡普里到那不勒斯的船只正要起錨出航,該是睡覺的時候了。他的主題在他面前展開了,涉及的內(nèi)容越來越廣泛,意義越來越重大。他在遐想,一旦巨著完成,他將躋身于歷代偉大的史學(xué)家之列,永垂史冊。時間一年年過去,人們很少看到他與外界來往,只有一場棋賽或是一次辯論,才能誘使他走出家門。他就是愛與人斗智?,F(xiàn)在他已博覽群書,不僅讀歷史,還讀哲學(xué)與科學(xué)。他能爭善辯,思路敏捷,說理邏輯嚴密,批判尖銳辛辣。
But he had good-humour and kindliness; though he took a very human pleasure in victory, hedid not exult in it to your mortification.
但他心地是善良的。當(dāng)然,每逢勝利他也免不了滿腔歡欣與快樂,這是人之常情。不過他并不沾沾自喜,而讓別人下不了臺。
When first he came to the island he was a big, brawny.fellow, with thick black hair and a blackbeard, of a powerful physique; but gradually his skin became pale and waxy; he grew thin andfrail. It was an odd contradiction in the most logical of men that, though a convinced andimpetuous materialist,he despised the body; he looked upon it as a vile instrument which hecould force to do the spirit's bidding. Neither illness nor lassitude prevented him from going onwith his work. For fourteen years he toiled uluemittingly. He made thousands and thousands ofnotes. He sorted and classified them. Hehad his subjea at his finger ends, and at last was readyto begin. He sat down to write. He died.
當(dāng)他初到海島時,個子高大結(jié)實,一頭濃密的黑發(fā)和一把黑胡須,是一個身強力壯的人。但漸漸地他的皮膚日見蒼白,人也瘦弱了。盡管他是一個堅定不移的、甚至近于偏激的唯物論者,卻不把肉體放在眼里。這在一位最講究邏輯的人身上,可真是自相矛盾得叫人不可思議。他把肉體視為微不足道的工具,認為他可以驅(qū)使肉體去完成精神賦予的使命。病魔和疲勞都不能使他停止工作。整整14年,他埋頭苦干,鍥而不舍,做了千萬條注釋,又把這些注釋分門別類整理有序。對于自己的主題,他了如指掌,終于萬事俱備,他坐下來去寫那煌煌巨著。然而他死了。
The body that he, the materialist, had treated so contumeliously took its revenge on him.
這位唯物論者曾極度蔑視肉體,如今肉體對他進行了報復(fù)。
That vast accumulation of knowledge is lost for ever. Vain was that ambition,surely not anignoble one, to set his name beside those of -Gibbon and Mommsen . His memory is treasuredin the hearts of a few friends, fewer,alas! as the years pass on, and to the world he isunknown in death as he was in life.
那長年累月積累起來的知識也隨著他的死而化為烏有。他曾想與吉本和蒙森齊名。這雄心無疑是高尚的,然而如今只是一場空。幾個朋友還懷念著他,可嘆的是,隨著歲月的流逝,記得他的人也越來越少。在這個大干世界上,他死后默默無聞,猶如他生前一樣。
And yet to me his life was a success. The pattern is good and complete. Hedid what he wanted,and he died when his goal was in sight and never knew the bitterness of an end achieved.
然而,在我看來,他的一生是成功的。他的生活道路是完美的。因為他干了他想干的事。當(dāng)目標在望時,他與世長辭,因而也就幸免了達到目標后的心酸與痛苦。
中英文互譯短篇文章篇2:Luck
好運氣
Mark Twain
馬克·吐溫
I was at a dinner in London given in honor of one of the most celebrated English military menof his time. I do not want to tell you his real name and titles. I will just call him LieutenantGeneral Lord Arthur Scoresby. I cannot describe my excitement when I saw this great andfamous man. There he sat, the man himself, in person, all covered with medals. I could not takemy eyes off him. He seemed to show the true mark of greatness. His fame had no effect onhim. The hundreds of eyes watching him, the worship of so many people did not seem to makeany difference to him.
事情發(fā)生在倫敦的一次宴會上。這次宴會是為當(dāng)代英國威名顯赫的兩三位軍事將領(lǐng)之一舉行的。由于下面即將說明的原因,我將不提他的真實姓名和各種頭銜。我將稱他為陸軍中將阿瑟·斯考茲比勛爵、皇家護衛(wèi)騎士、巴斯爵士,等等,等等,等等。鼎鼎大名的人物具有多大的魅力130年前他在克里米亞戰(zhàn)役中嶄露頭角,名聲大噪,歷久不衰。從那時以后我曾無數(shù)次聽見人們談到他,而此刻他本人就坐在那兒。我盯著這位半神半人似的人物,看呀,看呀,看呀,好像這就是我的美酒佳肴。我注視著他,搜尋他的一切特點并默記在心:他的面部表情安詳、矜持、高貴、嚴肅;他的氣質(zhì)中具有樸素、誠實的品格,這是一眼就看得出的;他對自己的豐功偉績雖然躊躇滿志,但卻不露聲色——好像不知道成百雙充滿崇敬之情的眼睛正注視著他;好像不知道出自人們內(nèi)心的一股深厚的愛慕之情,一種真誠的崇拜,正朝他涌來。
Next to me sat a clergyman, who was an old friend of mine. He was not always a clergyman.During the first half of his life he was a teacher in the military school at Woolwich. There was astrange look in his eye as he leaned toward me and whispered – "Privately – he is a completefool." He meant, of course, the hero of our dinner.
坐在我左邊的牧師是我的老相識。他現(xiàn)在是牧師,可前半輩子卻是在戎馬生涯中度過的,而且還當(dāng)過伍立奇軍事學(xué)校的教官。就在我剛談到的這個時刻,他眼中隱隱約約閃現(xiàn)出一種十分離奇的目光,一邊用手勢指著宴會上的那位英雄,一邊俯過頭來輕輕地,但卻是滿有把握地對我說:“私下說說一他是個頭號大傻瓜。”
This came as a shock to me. I looked hard at him. I could not have been more surprised if hehas said the same thing about Nepoleon, or Socrates, or Solomon. But I was sure of two thingsabout the clergyman. He always spoke the truth. And, his judgment of men was good.Therefore, I wanted to find out more about our hero as soon as I could.
這個評語使我大吃一驚。如果他說的是拿破侖、蘇格拉底或是所羅門,我也不會感到更驚奇了。有兩點我是清楚的:這位牧師說話句句真實可靠;而且他很有知人之明。因此我斷定,毫無疑問,世人是錯看了這位英雄:他的確是個傻瓜。于是我就想在方便的時候向這位孤身獨處的牧師問清楚,他是怎樣發(fā)現(xiàn)這個秘密的。
Some days later I got a chance to talk with the clergyman, and he told me more. These are hisexact words:
過了些日子,機會來到了,下面就是這位牧師告訴我的話:
About forty years ago, I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich, when youngScoresby was given his first examination. I felt extremely sorry for him. Everybody answeredthe questions well, intelligently, while he – why, dear me – he did not know anything, so tospeak. He was a nice, pleasant young man. It was painful to see him stand there and giveanswers that were miracles of stupidity.I knew of course that when examined again he wouldfail and be thrown out. So, I said to myself, it would be a simple, harmless act to help him asmuch as I could. I took him aside and found he knew a little about Julius Ceasar's history. But,he did not know anything else. So, I went to work and tested him and worked him like a slave. Imade him work, over and over again, on a few questions about Ceasar, which I knew he wouldbe asked.If you will believe me, he came through very well on the day of the examination. Hegot high praise too, while others who knew a thousand times more than he were sharplycriticized. By some strange, lucky accident, he was asked no questions but those I made himstudy. Such an accident does not happen more than once in a hundred years. Well, all throughhis studies, I stood by him, with the feeling a mother has for a disabled child. And he alwayssaved himself by some miracle.
大約40年前,我在伍立奇軍事學(xué)校當(dāng)教官。年輕的斯考茲比參加初試時,我在他那個小組。班上別的學(xué)員回答問題都很漂亮,而他一一唉,天啊,他可說是一無所知,我的憐憫之心不禁為之大動。誰都看得出他是個好孩子,可親可愛,又很天真;此刻他站在那兒,呆若木雞,回答問題時的愚昧無知真是荒謬絕倫,叫人看了十分痛心。我的憐憫心都被他激發(fā)起來了。我暗自思忖,復(fù)試時他肯定是要被刷掉的;既然如此,盡我所能來減輕他摔下來的痛苦,也就只不過是一種無害的慈悲舉動而已。我把他叫到一旁,發(fā)現(xiàn)他還知道一點兒愷撒大帝的歷史,既然他別的什么也不知道,于是我就輔導(dǎo)他,逼他像奴隸船上的奴隸一樣拼命準備有關(guān)愷撒大帝的一些老生常談的問題,而我知道這些問題是會考到的。信不信由你,考試那天他居然名列前茅!就憑這點兒純釋是表面功夫的“死記硬背”他過了關(guān),而且還受到贊揚;而別人呢,雖然比他強一千倍,卻被淘汰了。由于某種奇妙幸運的機遇一—這種機遇—百年也難碰到第二次,除了他準備的狹窄范圍之外,沒其妙。這么說吧,自始至終我都守護著他,我對他的感情就像一位母親對待自己的瘸腿小孩一樣;但他卻總是能從困境中自己解脫出來——明擺著全是憑奇跡。
I thought that what in the end would destroy him would be the mathematics examination. Idecided to make his end as painless as possible. So, I pushed facts into his stupid head forhours. Finally, I let him go to the examination to experience what I was sure would be hisdismissal from school. Well, sir, try to imagine the result. I was shocked out of my mind. Hetook first prize! And he got the highest praise.
當(dāng)然啰,到頭來揭穿他、要他命的還是數(shù)學(xué)。我打定主意盡量叫他死得痛快點兒;于是我選定了考官最可能出的題目的路子對他反反復(fù)復(fù)進行填鴨式的硬灌,然后讓他聽天由命。您想想那結(jié)果吧:叫我大吃一驚,他居然榮獲頭獎!全場向他熱烈鼓掌祝賀。
I felt guilty day and night – what I was doing was not right. But I only wanted to make hisdismissal a little less painful for him. I never dreamed it would lead to such strange, laughableresults. I thought that sooner or later one thing was sure to happen: The first real test once hewas through school would ruin him.
睡覺?一個星期我都睡不著。我日日夜夜受著良心的折磨。我做的這一切純粹是出于惻隱之心,只是為了讓這可憐的小伙子別摔得太慘。我做夢也沒有想到,事情的結(jié)果竟是如此之荒.唐透頂。我感到像弗蘭肯斯坦一樣有罪,難過。我讓一個呆瓜可能有機會青云直上,榮膺重任;而結(jié)局只能是:時機一到,他和他的事業(yè)前程都會一塊兒完蛋。
Then, the Crimean War broke out. I felt that sad for him that there had to be a war. Peacewould have given this donkey a chance to escape from ever being found out as being sostupid. Nervously, I waited for the worst to happen. It did. He was appointed an officer. Acaptain, of all things! Who could have dreamed that they would place such a responsibility onsuch weak shoulders as his.
克里米亞戰(zhàn)爭這時剛剛爆發(fā)。我暗中想,當(dāng)然得有一場戰(zhàn)爭。要是在和平時期,就沒有機會叫這頭蠢驢在死之前不露出本相。我等著火山爆發(fā)?;鹕焦槐l(fā)了??墒腔鹕奖l(fā)時卻驚得我目瞪口呆。官方公報上發(fā)表他為作戰(zhàn)團隊的一名上尉!比他強的人服役到老,頭發(fā)都灰白了,才能爬到這樣高的位置誰又預(yù)料得到他們竟會把責(zé)任如此重大的一副擔(dān)子放在這樣稚嫩而不堪勝任的肩膀上?要是他們叫他當(dāng)一名扛大旗的軍士,我還勉強受得了;可是叫他當(dāng)上尉一想想看!這真把我嚇了個半死。
I said to myself that I was responsible to the country for this. I must go with him and protectthe nation against him as far as I could. So, I joined up with him. And anyway we went to thefield.
我是個愛好安逸、不好活動的人,可是想想看我干了件什么事。我自思自想,這件事我要對國家負責(zé),我一定得跟他一起去盡我所能保護國家不受他的禍害。于是我拿出歷年辛辛苦苦工作、點點滴滴節(jié)省下來的一點積蓄,嘆了口氣,跑到他那個團隊買了個扛大旗的差使,跟部隊一起開赴戰(zhàn)場。
And there – oh dear, it was terrible. Mistakes, fearful mistakes – why, he never did anythingthat was right – nothing but mistakes. But, you see, nobody knew the secret of how stupid hereally was. Everybody misunderstood his actions. They saw his stupid mistakes as works ofgreat intelligence. They did, honestly! His smallest mistakes made a man in his right mind cry,and shout and scream too – to himself, of course. And what kept me in a continual fear wasthe fact that every mistake he made increased his glory and fame. I kept saying to myself thatwhen at last they found out about him, it will be like the sun falling out of the sky.
哎喲喲,真可怕。犯錯誤?——他可只會犯錯誤,別的什么也干不出來。但是你得明白,這家伙的秘密誰也沒窺破過。大伙兒都錯看了他,并且對他的所作所為每次都必然做出錯誤的解釋。結(jié)果是,他們把這個白癡所犯的大錯竟然當(dāng)成是天才的杰作。我一點也不瞎說,他們就是這樣胡搞的!他最微小的錯誤也足夠叫一個頭腦清醒的人大喊起來;這些錯誤的確叫我大喊起來——這叫我私下里大發(fā)雷霆、破口大罵。老是使我直冒冷汗的是,每次他犯下一個新的錯誤,他的英名就愈加大放異彩!我不斷地對自己說,他這樣青云直上,、有朝一日真相揭穿的時候,那會像太陽從天上掉下來。
He continued to climb up, over the dead bodies of his superiors. Then, in the hottest momentof one battle down went our colonel. My heart jumped into my mouth, for Scoresby was thenext in line to take his place. Now, we are in for it, I said…
他的上級不斷陣亡,他也就踏著他們的尸體步步高升。最后,在某戰(zhàn)役最熾烈的時刻,我們的上校也犧牲了。我嚇得心都快從口里跳出來了,因為斯考茲比是第二名軍銜最高的軍官!瞧吧,我說,不到十分鐘咱們?nèi)嫉玫降鬲z里報到,沒錯。
The battle grew hotter. The English and their allies were steadily retreating all over the field. Ourregiment occupied a position that was extremely important. One mistake now would bringtotal disaster. And what did Scoresby do this time – he just mistook his left hand for his righthand…that was all. An order came for him to fall back and support our right. Instead, he movedforward and went over the hill to the left. We were over the hill before this insane movementcould be discovered and stopped. And what did we find? A large and unsuspected Russian armywaiting! And what happened – were we all killed? That is exactly what would have happened inninety-nine cases out of a hundred. But no – those surprised Russians thought that no oneregiment by itself would come around there at such a time.
戰(zhàn)斗打得異常激烈,聯(lián)軍在整個戰(zhàn)場上節(jié)節(jié)敗退。我們團隊所踞的陣地十分重要;此刻出錯必會招致全軍覆沒。在這一發(fā)千鈞之際,,這個頭號大傻瓜是怎樣指揮的呢?他把團隊從陣地撤出,下令向鄰近的一座小山包發(fā)起沖鋒,而那里連一個敵兵的影子也沒有!“一錯再錯!”我自言自語地說,“這下子到底是全完蛋啦。”我們一個勁兒往前沖,敵人還來不及發(fā)現(xiàn)和制止我們的瘋狂行動,我們就已經(jīng)沖上了山脊。我們看到了什么呢?誰也想不到竟是俄軍整整一個軍的后備隊!結(jié)果如何呢?是不是把我們吃掉了呢?百分之九十九的情況下,那必然是我們的下場。但是,不,那些俄國人推測:在這種時刻,單單一個團隊是決不會像羊群放牧似的在這兒出現(xiàn)的。
It must be the whole British army, they thought. They turned tail, away they went over the hilland down into the field in wild disorder, and we after them. In no time, there was the greatestturn around you ever saw. The allies turned defeat into a sweeping and shining victory.
必定是英軍全軍出擊,必定是俄軍的詭計已被識破而不能得逞;因此他們就掉頭亂跑,從山上跑到山下,混亂不堪,我們則尾追不舍;他們自己破壞了俄軍堅強的中央陣地,撕開了一個缺口,于是俄軍立即全線大潰敗,那情形真是少見,結(jié)果聯(lián)軍反敗為勝,獲得了偉大、輝煌的勝利!坎羅伯特元帥看到這一切,又驚又喜,贊嘆不已,立即召見斯考茲比,擁抱他,在戰(zhàn)場上當(dāng)著全軍的面給他授勛!
The allied commander looked on, his head spinning with wonder, surprise and joy. He sentright off for Scoresby, and put his arms around him and hugged him on the field in front of allthe armies. Scoresby became famous that day as a great military leader – honored throughoutthe world. That honor will never disappear while history books last.
那一次斯考茲比犯的是什么錯誤?只不過是把右手當(dāng)成了左手——如此而已。命令叫他往后靠,支援我方右翼;而他呢,他卻往前靠,越過小山包向左方運動。但是那一天,他卻一舉成名,成了一位神奇的天才軍事家,譽滿全球。只要世上還有歷史書存在,這種榮譽就永放光芒。
He is just as nice and pleasant as ever, but he still does not know enough to come in out of therain. He is the stupidest man in the universe. Until now, nobody knew it but Scoresby andmyself. He has been followed, day by day, year by year, by a strange luck. He has been ashining soldier in all our wars for years. He has filled his whole military life with mistakes. Everyone of them brought him another honorary title. Look at his chest, flooded with British andforeign medals. Well, sir, every one of them is the record of some great stupidity or other.They are proof that the best thing that can happen to a man is to be born lucky. I say again, asI did at the dinner, Scoresby's a complete fool.
他是一位非常和藹可親、平易近人的好人,但他就是不知道下雨了應(yīng)當(dāng)進屋躲躲。這話一點不假。他是宇宙間夭字第一號的蠢驢;半個鐘頭以前除了他自己和我之外還沒有旁人知道內(nèi)情。日復(fù)一日,年復(fù)一年,他交的全是好運,一種極不尋常的、令人驚嘆不已的好運。在一代人的時期內(nèi),他參加過我們的歷次戰(zhàn)爭,戰(zhàn)功彪炳;他在戎馬生涯中始終不斷犯錯誤,然而這些錯誤總是使他榮膺爵士、從男爵、勛爵或是別的什么稱號。瞧他的胸脯兒,嘿,密密麻麻掛滿了本國和外國的勛章。你瞧,每枚勛章都是某件荒.唐透頂?shù)拇朗碌挠涗?,這些勛章加在一起就證明:人生在世所能碰到的最最好的事就是一出娘胎就交上好運氣。我在宴會上說過,我現(xiàn)在再說一遍,斯考茲比是個頭號大傻瓜。
中英文互譯短篇文章篇3:Love Is Not Like Merchandise
愛情不是商品
A reader in Florida, apparently bruised by some personal experience, writes in to complain, "IfI steal a nickel's worth of merchandise, I am a thief and punished; but if I steal the love ofanother's wife, I am free."
佛羅里達州的一位讀者顯然是在個人經(jīng)歷上受過創(chuàng)傷, 他寫信來抱怨道: “如果我偷走了五分錢的商品, 我就是個賊, 要受到懲罰, 但是如果我偷走了他人妻子的愛情, 我沒事兒。”
This is a prevalent misconception in many people's minds---that love, like merchandise, canbe "stolen". Numerous states, in fact, have enacted laws allowing damages for "alienation ofaffections".
這是許多人心目中普遍存在的一種錯誤觀念——愛情, 像商品一樣, 可以 “偷走”。實際上,許多州都頒布法令,允許索取“情感轉(zhuǎn)讓”賠償金。
But love is not a commodity; the real thing cannot be bought, sold, traded or stolen. It is anact of the will, a turning of the emotions, a change in the climate of the personality.
但是愛情并不是商品;真情實意不可能買到,賣掉,交換,或者偷走。愛情是志愿的行動,是感情的轉(zhuǎn)向,是個性發(fā)揮上的變化。
When a husband or wife is "stolen" by another person, that husband or wife was already ripefor the stealing, was already predisposed toward a new partner. The "love bandit" was onlytaking what was waiting to be taken, what wanted to be taken.
當(dāng)丈夫或妻子被另一個人“偷走”時,那個丈夫或妻子就已經(jīng)具備了被偷走的條件,事先已經(jīng)準備接受新的伴侶了。這位“愛匪”不過是取走等人取走、盼人取走的東西。
We tend to treat persons like goods. We even speak of the children "belonging" to theirparents. But nobody "belongs" to anyone else. Each person belongs to himself, and to God.Children are entrusted to their parents, and if their parents do not treat them properly, thestate has a right to remove them from their parents' trusteeship.
我們往往待人如物。我們甚至說孩子“屬于”父母。但是誰也不“屬于”誰。人都屬于自己和上帝。孩子是托付給父母的,如果父母不善待他們,州政府就有權(quán)取消父母對他們的托管身份。
Most of us, when young, had the experience of a sweetheart being taken from us by somebodymore attractive and more appealing. At the time, we may have resented this intruder---but aswe grew older, we recognized that the sweetheart had never been ours to begin with. It wasnot the intruder that "caused" the break, but the lack of a real relationship.
我們多數(shù)人年輕時都有過戀人被某個更有誘惑力、更有吸引力的人奪去的經(jīng)歷。在當(dāng)時,我們興許怨恨這位不速之客---但是后來長大了,也就認識到了心上人本來就不屬于我們。并不是不速之客“導(dǎo)致了”決裂,而是缺乏真實的關(guān)系。
On the surface, many marriages seem to break up because of a "third party". This is, however,a psychological illusion. The other woman or the other man merely serves as a pretext fordissolving a marriage that had already lost its essential integrity.
從表面上看,許多婚姻似乎是因為有了“第三者”才破裂的。然而這是一種心理上的幻覺。另外那個女人,或者另外那個男人,無非是作為借口,用來解除早就不是完好無損的婚姻罷了。
Nothing is more futile and more self-defeating than the bitterness of spurned love, thevengeful feeling that someone else has "come between" oneself and a beloved. This is always adistortion of reality, for people are not the captives or victims of others---they are free agents,working out their own destinies for good or for ill.
因失戀而痛苦,因別人“插足”于自己與心上人之間而圖報復(fù),是最沒有出息、最自作自受的樂。這種事總是歪曲了事實真相,因為誰都不是給別人當(dāng)俘虜或犧牲品——人都是自由行事的,不論命運是好是壞,都由自己來作主。
But the rejected lover or mate cannot afford to believe that his beloved has freely turned awayfrom him--- and so he ascribes sinister or magical properties to the interloper. He calls him ahypnotist or a thief or a home-breaker. In the vast majority of cases, however, when a homeis broken, the breaking has begun long before any "third party" has appeared on the scene.
但是,遭離棄的情人或配偶無法相信她的心上人是自由地背離他的——因而他歸咎于插足者心術(shù)不正或迷人有招。他把他叫做催眠師、竊賊或破壞家庭的人。然而,從大多數(shù)事例看,一個家的破裂,是早在什么“第三者”出現(xiàn)之前就開始了的。
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