英國語文第四冊(雙語):理查德·阿科萊特先生的故事(2)

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A number of people, tickled with the originality of the placard, and not unmindful of the penny saved,

很多光顧這家“地下理發(fā)店”的人都不是為了省那一便士，而是被這塊獨特的招牌所吸引；

began to patronize the "Subterraneous Barber;" and he soon drew so many customers away from the higher-priced shops that they were obliged to come down,

很快，很多顧客都不再去比這家店貴的地方理發(fā)，那些理發(fā)店也迫不得已把價格降為一便士。

after a while, to a penny as well. Not to be outdone, Arkwright lowered his charge to a half-penny,

為了留住顧客，理查德·阿科萊特將價錢調(diào)為了半個便士，

and so retained his rank as the cheapest barber in the place.

這樣一來，他的理發(fā)店就永遠是本地區(qū)最便宜的店鋪。

Arkwright's parents had been very poor people; and as he was the youngest of a family of thirteen,

阿科萊特的家庭不富裕；由于他才十三歲，

it may be readily supposed that all the schooling he got was of the most meagre kind,

是家里最小的孩子，不難想到，他受的教育應(yīng)該是最少的

—if, indeed, he ever was at school at all.

——當(dāng)然，如果說他曾上過學(xué)的話。

He was of a very ardent temperament, however, and when he once took a thing in hand,

他待人熱情，但是一旦認定一件事情，

he stubbornly persevered in carrying it through to the end.

就會善始善終。

About the year 1760, being then nearly thirty years of age, Arkwright got tired of the shaving,

大概1760年的時候，阿科萊特已經(jīng)三十歲了，他對理發(fā)、刮胡子這份工作感到厭倦，

which brought him but a very scanty livelihood,

雖說他以此為生，但是這并沒能給他帶來好生活，

and resolved to try his fortune in a trade where there was more scope for his activity.

他決心碰碰運氣，去經(jīng)商，他可以在商界大展身手。

He therefore began business as a dealer in hair,

因此，他開始做頭發(fā)交易，

travelling up and down the country to collect it, dressing it himself, and then disposing of it in a prepared state to the wig-makers.

在全國范圍內(nèi)來回奔走、收購頭發(fā)，并自己加工，隨后將這些頭發(fā)賣給做假發(fā)的人。

He throve so well, that in a short time he was able to lay by a little money and to marry.

他的生意做得不錯，因此能省下一些錢來娶妻結(jié)婚。

He was very fond of spending what leisure time he had in making experiments in mechanics;

他很喜歡利用閑暇時間擺弄機械；

and for a while he was very much taken up with an attempt to solve the attractive problem of perpetual motion.

過了一段時間后，他開始想要解決永動機的問題。

Although he of course left the question unsolved, the bent thus given to his thoughts had most valuable consequences.

雖然他沒能解決這個問題，但這給了他最受用的東西。