名著精读:《小妇人》第一章:朝圣 第9节

CHAPTER ONE第一章

PLAYING PILGRIMS 朝圣

Beth ate no more, but crept away to sit in her shadowy corner and brood over the delight to come, till the others were ready.

贝思不再吃了，她悄悄走到幽暗的屋角坐下，默默想着那即将到来的欢乐，直到大家吃完。

"I think it was so splendid in Father to go as chaplain when he was too old to be drafted, and not strong enough for a soldier," said Meg warmly.

“爸爸已超过征兵年龄，身体也不适宜当兵，我认为他去当随军牧师真是太好了，”梅格热切地说。

"Don't I wish I could go as a drummer, a vivan--what's its name? Or a nurse, so I could be near him and help him," exclaimed Jo, with a groan.

“我真想当个鼓手，或者当个--什么来着？或者去当个护士，这样我就可以在他身边帮忙，”乔大声说道，一边哼了一声。

"It must be very disagreeable to sleep in a tent, and eat all sorts of bad-tasting things, and drink out of a tin mug," sighed Amy.

“睡帐篷，吃不堪入口的食物，用大锡杯喝水，这一定十分难受，”艾美叹道。

"When will he come home, Marmee?" asked Beth, with a little quiver in her voice.

“他什么时候回家，妈妈？”贝思声音微颤地问道。

"Not for many months, dear, unless he is sick. He will stay and do his work faithfully as long as he can, and we won't ask for him back a minute sooner than he can be spared. Now come and hear the letter."

“不出几个月，亲爱的，除非他病倒。他在部队一天就会尽忠职守一天。我们也不会要求他提早一分钟回来。现在来读信吧！”

They all drew to the fire, Mother in the big chair with Beth at her feet, Meg and Amy perched on either arm of the chair, and Jo leaning on the back, where no one would see any sign of emotion if the letter should happen to be touching. Very few letters were written in those hard times that were not touching, especially those which fathers sent home. In this one little was said of the hardships endured, the dangers faced, or the homesickness conquered. It was a cheerful, hopeful letter, full of lively descriptions of camp life, marches, and military news, and only at the end did the writer's heart over-flow with fatherly love and longing for the little girls at home.

她们都围近火边，妈妈坐在大椅子上，贝思坐在她脚边，梅格和艾美一边一个靠在椅子扶手上，乔故意倚在背后，这样读到信中感人的地方时别人也不会觉察到她表情的变化。在那种艰难的日子里，信，尤其是父亲们写回家的信，往往都催人泪下。但这封信却极少谈及受到的艰难险阻和压抑的乡愁，描述的都是些生动的军营生活、行军情况和部队新闻，读了令人心情振奋，只是在信尾才展露出一颗深沉的慈父爱心以及渴望回家和妻女们团聚的愿望。

d [bru:d] v. 孵, 沉思

It's no use brooding over one's past mistakes.
老是抱着过去的错误是没用的。

lain n. 本堂神父, 专职教士

The chaplain tried toreform the criminal.
牧师试着去帮那名罪犯改邪归正。

t [drɑ:ft] vt. 起草, 征兵, 选秀

John was drafted into the Army last year.
约翰去年被应征入伍。

greeable adj. 不愉快的, 厌恶的, 不为人喜的

Some fruits are disagreeable to the taste.
有几种果子味道不好。

h v. 栖息, 就位, 位于

The small village perched on a hill.
这个小村庄位于山上。

ship n. 艰难, 困苦

Hardship disposes man to meet adversity.
艰苦能让人适应逆境。

erly adj. 父亲的, 如父亲的, 慈爱的

Let me give you some fatherly advice.
我来向你提供一些父亲般的忠告。

　　
all drew to the fire, Mother in the big chair with Beth at her feet, Meg and Amy perched on either arm of the chair, and Jo leaning on the back, where no one would see any sign of emotion if the letter should happen to be touching.

【难句解析】draw to 意思是“逼近、接近”；mother和Beth后均省略了sat;

【句子翻译】她们都围近火边，妈妈坐在大椅子上，贝思坐在她脚边，梅格和艾美一边一个靠在椅子扶手上，乔故意倚在背后，这样读到信中感人的地方时别人也不会觉察到她表情的变化。