Running along the brook, down to the hatchery, what heavenly joy this was when school was over! We would play in the hay, the constant tweeting of the hatchlings—a constant background symphony. Then on to our old haunt, the hazel grove. No hazards there, nothing but the healing sound of silence.
放學(xué)后,有什么比沿著小溪跑到孵卵處更能給人如在天堂般的快樂(lè)!我們會(huì)在干草中嬉戲,孵出的小鳥(niǎo)不停地鳴叫,這是不間斷的背景交響樂(lè)。接著,到我們經(jīng)常去的小榛樹(shù)林。那兒除了有治療功用的寂靜之外,沒(méi)有任何危險(xiǎn)的東西。
There was that freckled little girl with her hazel eyes who would come with us. Oh, was she a cutie! “when I grow up, I’m going to marry you.” I said to her on more than one occasion. “don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched!” she would invariably reply with a haughty laugh. “time will tell.” I would sigh to myself. At least, I did not detect any note of rejection or hatred, she was just playing hard to get.
有一個(gè)長(zhǎng)著雀斑的、淡褐色眼睛的小女孩會(huì)跟著我們。噢,她真漂亮!“我長(zhǎng)大了要娶你,”我不止一次這么對(duì)她說(shuō),“不要在蛋還沒(méi)孵出時(shí)就數(shù)雞!”她總是高傲地笑著回答。“等著瞧,”我會(huì)對(duì)自己嘆氣道。至少,我沒(méi)有從中聽(tīng)出任何拒絕或者憎恨的意思。她只是讓我覺(jué)得很難做到。
Well, time has moved on, and my hasty words of all those years ago have come back to haunt me . I did marry that girl, but now she is gross and fat. Some people talk of marriage as a safe haven, heaven even, but for me it has turned out to be nothing less than purgatory here on earth. My innocent childhood dreams have vanished in a haze, trapped as I am in a monotonous routine of bondage.
好了,時(shí)間過(guò)去了,這么多年前我說(shuō)的草率的話重又縈繞在我心頭。我的確娶了那個(gè)女孩,但是,她現(xiàn)在既粗俗,又肥胖。有的人說(shuō)婚姻是安全的避難所,甚至說(shuō)是天堂,但對(duì)于我來(lái)說(shuō),它簡(jiǎn)直是地球上的煉獄。由于如今的我已深陷在單調(diào)乏味的日常生活的束縛中而難以自拔,那么童年時(shí)間的天真夢(mèng)想自然也就隨著薄霧的消失而消失殆盡了。
How am I to heal my broken heart? Would I feel better if I took a hatchet to her, just to end this nightmare? Nonsense! Let me hasten to say that I could never do such a thing! Anyway, it would be far too hazardous for my own well-being. I would get caught, and then what?
我如何為我破碎的心療傷呢?如果我向她舉起一把短柄斧,結(jié)束這場(chǎng)噩夢(mèng),我會(huì)感覺(jué)好一些嗎?胡說(shuō)八道!讓我趕快說(shuō)我永遠(yuǎn)不能做這樣的事情!總之,對(duì)于我自己的幸福來(lái)說(shuō),那樣太冒險(xiǎn)了。我會(huì)被捕,然后呢?
Words:
Hasten vt.加速
Hasty adj.急急忙的,草率的
Hatch vt.孵化
Hatchery n.孵卵所
Hatchet n.短柄斧
Hatchling n.人工孵化的魚(yú)苗或小鳥(niǎo)
Hatred n.憎惡,憎恨
Haughty adj.(指人或態(tài)度)高傲自大的
Haunt vt.(思想,回憶等)縈繞心頭。 n.(某人)常去的地方。
Haven n.避難所,安全地。
Heaven n.天,天堂
Heavenly adj.天空的,天上的,超絕的
Hay n.干草
Hazard n.危險(xiǎn),危害物
Hazardous adj.危險(xiǎn)的,冒險(xiǎn)的
Haze n.薄霧
Hazel adj.榛樹(shù)的,淡褐色的
Heal vt.康復(fù),治愈
Healing adj.有治療功效的。