美国语文第五册 第17期:请别多管闲事(3)

 　　What was to be done? Charles began to pick up the feathers one by one; 下步该做什么？查尔斯迅速逐一拣拾羽绒。

　　but the old gentleman, who was in an adjoining room, hearing a scuffle, and guessing the cause of it,  此刻，那位老人走进房间，原来他就在隔壁，听到了这边的手忙脚乱，猜到了事情的原委经过。

　　entered the room, to the consternation¹ of Charles Brown, 使查尔斯.布朗大为惊愕的是，他很快就被打发回家。

　　who was very soon dismissed as a boy who had not principle enough to resist even a slight temptation. 没有足够定力的少年，竟然无法抵制如此微小的诱惑。

　　When the room was once more arranged, Henry Wilkins was placed there until such time as he should be sent for. 当房间再度安排妥当，亨利.威尔金斯被带了进来。他亦得单独待上一段时间。

　　No sooner was he left to himself than his attention was attracted by a plate of fine, ripe cherries. 片刻工夫，看到一盘鲜艳熟透的莓果，他的眼球就错不开了。

　　Now Henry was uncommonly² fond of cherries, and he thought it would be impossible to miss one cherry among so many. 亨利喜爱莓果，称得上情有独钟。他暗中思忖，这么大一盘莓果，不品咂上一颗似乎绝无可能。

　　He looked and longed, and longed and looked, for some time, and just as he had got off his seat to take one, 他左盯右看，心里七上八下。就在他站起来，准备抓起一颗，

　　he heard, as he thought, a foot coming to the door; but no, it was a false alarm. 他听见，不，他以为有脚步声走来，原来却是闹钟滴嗒声，弄得他虚惊一场。

　　Taking fresh courage, he went cautiously and took a very fine cherry, 亨利重新鼓起勇气，小心翼翼走上前，抓了只艳红的果子。

　　for he was determined³ to take but one, and put it into his mouth. It was excellent; 原本他只拿一颗，但品尝后发现，那莓果味道实在太好，

　　and then he persuaded himself that he ran no risk in taking another; this he did, and hastily popped it into his mouth. 他不停地说服自己，绝不能冒险再拿一颗，然而还是伸出了手。仓促中，果实“砰”的一声落进他的嘴里。

　　Now, the old gentleman had placed a few artificial cherries at the top of the others, filled with Cayenne pepper; 原来，老人在莓果上放了几颗人造果实，里面夹杂辣椒或胡椒面，

　　one of these Henry had unfortunately taken, and it made his month smart and burn most intolerably. 亨利不巧拿到那颗假果，刚进口，那辛辣味道让他实在无法忍受。

　　The old gentleman heard him coughing, and knew very well what was the matter. 老人听见隔壁咳嗽声，便已洞悉这边发生的事情。

　　The boy that would take what did not belong to him, if no more than a cherry, was not the boy for him. 那可怜的少年，拿取不属于自己的东西，尽管不过一颗莓子，对老人来说，也就完全失去了聘用意义。

　　Henry Wilkins was sent about his business without delay, with his mouth almost as hot as if he had put a burning coal in to it. 威尔金斯毫不迟延地被带了出去，当时他的口腔冒火，嘴里像塞了块燃煤。

1 consternation   

n.大为吃惊，惊骇

参考例句：

• He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。
• Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

2 uncommonly   

adv. 稀罕(极，非常)

参考例句：

• an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童
• My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。