美國語文第六冊 第211期:瑞普·凡·溫克爾(1)

The appearance of Rip, with his long, grizzled beard, his rusty fowling piece, his uncouth dress, and an army of women and children at his heels,

瑞普花白的長須，拎著那把銹跡斑斑的獵槍，一身裝束恍若故人，身邊圍著一群婦女和孩子，

soon attracted the attention of the tavern politicians.

他的外表很快就引起小酒館里熱衷于政治的一群人的側目。

They crowded around him, eying him from head to foot with great curiosity.

他們紛紛圍攏過來，將他圍在當中，頗為好奇地從頭到腳打量他。

The orator bustled up to him, and, drawing him partly aside, inquired on which side he voted. Rip stared in vacant stupidity,

那位演說者趕忙上前將他拉到一旁，問他投哪一邊的票。瑞普茫然地盯著此人，

Another short but busy little fellow pulled him by the arm, and, rising on tiptoe, inquired in his ear "whether he was Federal or Democrat."

半晌無語。另一位身材矮小忙前忙后的人拽住他胳膊，踮起腳尖湊到他耳畔問：“他是聯(lián)邦黨人還是民主黨人。”

 

Rip was equally at a loss to comprehend the question; when aknowing, self-important old gentleman, in a sharp cocked hat, made his way through the crowd,

瑞普仍舊茫然不知所措;這時，一位似有見識高傲的老紳士，戴了一頂尖尖的三角帽，邊推開眾人走了進來，

putting them to the right and left with his elbows as he passed, and planting himself before Van Winkle,

邊用胳膊示意左右退下，兀自出現(xiàn)在凡·溫克爾面前，

with one arm akimbo, the other resting on his cane, his keen eyes and sharp hat, penetrating, as it were, into his very soul, demanded, in an austere tone,

一只手叉著腰，另一只手拄著手杖，他那雙銳利的雙眸和尖尖的帽子在某種程度上似乎洞穿了他的內心，以一種嚴肅的口吻，

what brought him to the election with a gun on his shoulder, and a mob at his heels, and whether he meant to breed a riot in the village.

質問瑞普為什么要肩膀上扛著槍來參加選舉，且領著一干人等，想生亂滋事不成。

"Alas! gentlemen," cried Rip, somewhat dismayed, "I am a poor, quiet man, a native of the place, and a loyal subject of the king, God bless him!"

“哎呀，老先生，”瑞普大聲說，有點驚愕。“我是個窮人，在當?shù)赝辽灵L，是英王的忠實臣民，蒼天可鑒!”