《高级英语》课文逐句翻译（8）_第2页

　　这意味着弗劳尔斯夫人平时也买冰，而镇上大多数人家只是在星期六下午才买冰，放在木头做的冰淇凌冷藏机内，整个夏天也不过只买几次。

　　It followed that Mrs. Flowers would have ice on an ordinary day， when most families in our town bought ice late on Saturdays only a few times during the summer to be used in the wooden ice-cream freezers.

　　“坐吧，玛格丽特，坐到那边桌子旁。”

　　“Have a seat， Marguerite. Over there by the table.”

　　她端着一个用茶布盖着的盘。

　　She carried a platter covered with a tea towel.

　　尽管她事先说过她已经好久没有做点心了，我还是相信就像她的其他任何东西一样，点心也会十分精美可口。

　　Although she warned that she hadn't tried her hand at baking sweets for some time， I was certain that like everything else about her the cookies would be perfect.

　　我吃点心的时候，她开始给我讲我们后来称之为“我生活中的一课”的第一部分。

　　As I ate she began the first of what we later called “my lesson in living.”

　　她告诉我不能宽容无知，但可以理解文盲。

　　She said that must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy.

　　她认为有些人虽然没有上过学，但却比大学教授更有知识，甚至更聪明。

　　That some people， unable to go to school， were more educated and even more intelligent than college professors.

　　她还鼓励我认真倾听被乡下人称为常识的一些俗语。她说这些朴实谚语是一代代人集体智慧的结晶。

　　She encouraged me to listen carefully to what country people called mother wit. That in those homely sayings was couched the collective wisdom of generations

　　我吃完点心后，她把桌子打扫干净，从书架上拿了一本又厚又小的书。

　　When I finished the cookies she brushed off the table and brought a thick， small book from the bookcase.

　　我读过《双城记》，认为这本书符合我心目中浪漫主义小说的标准。

　　I had read A Tale of Two Cities and found it up to my standards as a romantic novel.

　　她翻开第一页，于是我平生第一次听到了诗朗诵。

　　She opened the first page and I heard poetry for the first time in my life.

　　“这是最辉煌的时代也是最糟糕的时代……”她的声音圆润，随着言语的起伏而抑扬顿挫，就像在唱歌一样。

　　“It was the best of times and the worst of times. . .” Her voice slid in and curved down through and over the words. She was nearly singing.

　　我想看一下她读的是否真的和我过去看的一样？

　　I wanted to look at the pages. Were they the same that I had read？

　　还是像赞美诗一样，书页上满是音符？

　　Or were there notes， music， lined on the pages， as in a hymn book？

　　她的声音开始慢慢低沉下来。

　　Her sounds began cascading gently.

　　我听过很多次布道，因此我知道她的朗诵就要结束了，但我还没有真正听见或听懂一个词。

　　I knew from listening to a thousand preachers that she was nearing the end of her reading， and I hadn't really heard， heard to understand， a single word.

　　“你觉得怎么样？”

　　“How do you like that？”

　　我这才意识到她在期待我的回答。

　　It occurred to me that she expected a response.

　　我的舌间还留有香草的余味，她的朗诵对我来说很奇妙。

　　The sweet vanilla flavor was still on my tongue and her reading was a wonder in my ears.

　　我得说点什么了。

　　I had to speak.

　　我说：“是的，夫人。”我至少得说这些，我也只能说这些。

　　I said， “Yea， ma'am.” It was the least I could do， but it was the most also.

　　“还有一件事。你把这本诗集拿去，背下其中的一首。下次你再来看我时，我希望你背诵给我听。”

　　'There s one more thing. Take this book of poems and memorize one for me. Next time you pay me a visit， I want you to recite.“

　　在经历了成年后的复杂生活后，我多次试图弄清楚为什么当年她送给我的礼物一下子就让我陶醉了。

　　I have tried often to search behind the sophistication of years for the enchantment I so easily found in those gifts.

　　书中的内容已经忘却，但余韵仍存。

　　The essence escapes but its aura remains.

　　被准许，不，是被邀请进入一群陌生人的私人生活中，与他们共同分享喜悦和恐惧，这使我读贝奥武夫时就犹如喝一杯蜜酒，读奥立佛？特威斯特时，犹如饮一杯热奶茶，忘记了那犹如南方苦艾酒般的痛苦经历。

　　To be allowed， no， invited， into the private lives of strangers， and to share their joys and fears， was a chance to exchange the Southern bitter wormwood for a cup of mead with Be-owulf or a hot cup of tea and milk with Oliver Twist.

　　当我大声地说“这比我做过的任何一件事都好得多”时，我眼中涌出了爱的泪水，那是为了自己的忘我

　　When I said aloud， “It is a far， far better thing that I do， than I have ever done…” tears of love filled my eyes at my selflessness.

　　在我第一次去她家回来，我跑下山去冲到马路上（路上很少有车经过），快到店铺时我还居然没忘了停下来。

　　On that first day， I ran down the hill and into the road （few cars ever came along it） and had the good sense to stop running before I reached the Store.

　　有人喜欢我，这是多么的不同啊。

　　was liked， and what a difference it made.

　　有人尊敬我，并不是因为我是汉德森夫人的外孙女或是贝利的妹妹，而是因为我是玛格丽特？约翰逊。

　　I was respected not as Mrs. Henderson's grandchild or Bailey's sister but for just being Marguerite Johnson.

　　孩提时的逻辑永远不需要证实（所有的结论都是绝对的）。

　　Childhood's logic never asks to be proved （all conclusions are absolute）。

　　我从来没有想过为什么弗劳尔斯夫人会选中我来表示关怀，也从来没想过也许是奶奶曾请求她开导我一下。

　　1 didn't question why Mrs. Flowers had singled me out for attention， nor did it occur to me that Momma might have asked her to give me a little talking to.

　　我只关心她曾给我做点心吃，还给我读她最喜欢的书。这些足以证明她喜欢我

　　All I cared about was that she had made tea cookies for me and read to me from her favorite book. It was enough to prove that she liked me.

　　奶奶和贝利在店铺里等我。

　　Momma and Bailey were waiting inside the Store.

　　他问：“她给了你什么？”他已经看到那些书了，但我把装着他那份点心的纸袋放在怀里，用诗集挡住。

　　He said. “My， what did she give you？” He had seen the books， but I held the paper sack with his cookies in my arms shielded by the poems.

　　奶奶说：“小姐，我知道你的举止像位女士。

　　Momma said， “Sister， I know you acted like a little lady. That do my heart good to see settled people take to you all.

　　我已经尽最大努力了，上帝知道，但这些天……“她的声音低下来，”快去把衣服换了。

　　I'm trying my best， the Lord knows， but these days…“ Her voice trailed off. ”Go on in and change your dress