精美英文欣赏:善心可依(下)

What he looked for in others was a "good heart", and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him.

他所期望的是人家"善良的心"，当他得到时，人家真的对他很好。

Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don' t know precisely¹ what a "good heart" is.

如今我已经长大成人，我明白了"善良的心"是评价人的恰当的标准，尽管我仍不很清楚它的确切涵义，

But I know the times I don't have one myself.

但是我却知道我有缺乏善心的时候。

Unable to engage in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way.

虽然父亲不能参加许多活动，但他仍然没法以某种方式参与进来。

When a local sandlot baseball team found itself without a manager, he kept it going.

当一个地方棒球队发现缺少一个领队时，他便作了领队。

He was a knowledgeable² baseball fan and often took me to Ebbets Field to see the Brooklyn Dodgers³ play.

因为他是个棒球迷，有丰富的棒球知识，他过去常带我地埃比茨棒球场观看布鲁克林的鬼精灵队的比赛。

He liked to go to dances and parties, where he could have a good time just sitting and watching.

他喜欢参加舞会和晚会，乐意坐着看。

On one memorable⁴ occasion a fight broke out at a beach party, with everyone punching and shoving.

记得有一次的海边晚会上，有人打架，动了拳头，推推搡搡。

He wasn't content to sit and watch, but he couldn't stand unaided on the soft sand.

他不甘于坐在那里当观众，但又无法在松软的沙滩上自己站起来。

In frustration⁵ he began to shout, "I'll fight anyone who will sit down with me!"

于是，失望之下，他吼了起来："谁想坐下和我打？"

Nobody did. But the next day people kidded him by saying it was the first time any fighter was urged to take a dive even before the bout⁶ began.

没有人响应。但是第二天，人们都取笑他说比赛还没开始，拳击手就被劝认输，这还是头一次看见。

I now know he participated in some things vicariously through me, his only son.

现在我知道一些事情他是通过我--他唯一的儿子来做的。

When I played ball (poorly), he "played" too.

当我打球时(尽管我打得很差)，他也在"打球"。

When I joined the Navy he "joined" too.

当我参加海军时，他也"参加"。

And when I came home on leave, he saw to it that I visited his office.

当时我回家休息时，他一定要让我去他的办公室，

Introducing me, he was really saying, "This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this, too, if things had been different."

在介绍我时，他真真切切地说，"这是我儿子，但也是我自己，假如事情不是这样的话，我也会去参军的;

Those words were never said aloud.

这些话从来没有被他这样大声说过。

He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctance⁷ to be seen with him during our walks.

父亲离开我们已经很多年了，但是我时常想起他。我不知道他是否意识到我曾经不愿意让人看到和他走在一起的心理。

If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it.

假如他知道这一切，我现在感到很遗憾，因为我从没告诉过他我是多么愧疚、多么不孝、多么悔恨。

I think of him when I complain about trifles, when I am envious⁸ of another''s good fortune, when I don't have a "good heart".

每当我为一些琐事而抱怨时，为别人的好运而妒忌时，为我自己缺乏"善心"时，我就会想起我的父亲。

1 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

2 knowledgeable   

adj.知识渊博的；有见识的

参考例句：

• He's quite knowledgeable about the theatre.他对戏剧很有心得。
• He made some knowledgeable remarks at the meeting.他在会上的发言颇有见地。

3 dodgers   

n.躲闪者，欺瞒者( dodger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a crackdown on fare dodgers on trains 对火车逃票者的严厉打击
• But Twain, Howells, and James were jeeringly described by Mencken as "draft-dodgers". 不过吐温、豪威尔斯和詹姆斯都是被门肯讥诮地叫做“逃避兵役的人。” 来自辞典例句

4 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

6 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

7 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

8 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。