美國(guó)語(yǔ)文第六冊(cè) 第183期:占卜者(1)

Harley sat down on a large stone by the wayside, to take a pebble from his shoe, when he saw, at some distance, a beggar approaching him.

哈特利坐在道邊一塊大石頭上，拾起腳下一個(gè)小石子。這時(shí)，他看到遠(yuǎn)處有一位乞丐正朝他這邊走來(lái)。

He had on a loose sort of coat, mended with different-colored rags, among which the blue and russet were predominant.

他穿了一件寬大的外套，上面補(bǔ)著各色補(bǔ)丁，其中藍(lán)色和黃褐色補(bǔ)丁尤為顯眼。

He had a short, knotty stick in his hand, and on the top of it was stuck a ram's horn;

他手上拿著一根很短的有瘤節(jié)的棍子，頂端綁著一只公羊角;

he wore no shoes, and his stockings had entirely lost that part of them which would have covered his feet and ankles;

他沒(méi)有穿鞋，覆蓋腳和踝關(guān)節(jié)的那部分長(zhǎng)襪也完全不見(jiàn)了蹤影。

in his face, however, was the plump appearance of good humor; he walked a good, round pace, and a crook-legged dog trotted at his heels.

然而，他圓潤(rùn)的臉上現(xiàn)出的卻是愉快的神情。他邁著輕松的方步，一條腿上有傷的狗緊緊跟著他。

"Our delicacies," said Harley to himself, "are fantastic; they are not in nature!

“我們的美餐，”哈特利自語(yǔ)道，“太誘人了;從根本上講他們不是一路的!

That beggar walks over the sharpest of these stones barefooted,

那位乞丐赤腳踩在最尖的石子上，

whilst I have lost the most delightful dream in the world from the smallest of them happening to get into my shoe."

就是這個(gè)碰巧進(jìn)到我鞋里的最不起眼的東西，把我的美夢(mèng)給攪了。”

 

The beggar had by this time come up, and, pulling off a piece of a hat, asked charity of Harley.

這時(shí)，乞丐來(lái)到近前，掀了掀帽子，求哈特利施舍。

The dog began to beg, too.

那條狗也做出搖尾乞憐的樣子。

It was impossible to resist both;

簡(jiǎn)直無(wú)法拒絕他們。

and, in truth, the want of shoes and stockings had made both unnecessary, for Harley had destined sixpence for him before.

其實(shí)，沒(méi)穿鞋和長(zhǎng)襪不是求人施舍的必要理由，因?yàn)楣乩郧敖o過(guò)他六便士。

The beggar, on receiving it, poured forth blessings without number; and, with a sort of smile on his countenance,

乞丐邊接過(guò)錢，嘴里邊念念有詞說(shuō)了些祝福的話;他臉上綻出微笑表示贊許，

said to Harley that if he wanted to have his fortune told, Harley turned his eye briskly upon the beggar;

問(wèn)哈特利是否想占卜財(cái)運(yùn)——哈特利的目光迅速轉(zhuǎn)向乞丐。

it was an unpromising look for the subject of a prediction, and silenced the prophet immediately.

對(duì)于預(yù)卜先知來(lái)說(shuō)，乞丐的表情不會(huì)給人帶來(lái)任何期許，于是，這位先知馬上不做聲了。