美国语文第五册 第32期:尊重安息日(2)

 　　One Saturday evening, between light and dark, a stranger from one of the coaches, asking for a barber, was directed by the hostler to the cellar opposite. 一个周六的晚上，天快擦黑了。一位从马车上下来的陌生人想要理发，原来，带客人来的人就是他理发店对面的马夫。

　　Coming in hastily, he requested to be shaved quickly, while they changed horses, as he did not like to violate the Sabbath. 匆忙走进小店后，客人一边将马缰递给马夫，一边催促理发匠尽快给他理发，他可不想破了安息日规矩。

　　This was touching¹ the barber on a tender chord. 这句话，触动了理发匠心思，

　　He burst into tears; asked the stranger to lend him a half-penny to buy a candle, as it was not light enough to shave him with safety. 他不禁涕泗横流。原来屋里太黑，他唯恐做起活来不稳当，只有开口向客人先支借半便士买根蜡烛，

　　He did so, revolving² in his mind the extreme poverty to which the poor man must be reduced. 客人照他的吩咐做了。理发匠贫困潦倒如此，让来客思忖良久。

　　When shaved, he said, there must be something extraordinary in your history, which I have not now time to hear. 你的经历肯定与众不同，理发完毕后，客人说道,我现在没有时间，

　　Here is half a crown for you. 先付你两个半便士，

　　When I return, I will call and investigate your case. 等会回来，我再找你好好聊聊。

　　What is your name? "William Reed," said the astonished barber. 你叫什么名字？“威廉.瑞德。”理发师告诉陌生人，心里有点吃惊。

　　"William Reed?" echoed the stranger: "William Reed? by your dialect you are from the West." “威廉.瑞德？” 陌生人问道，“你的方言听起来，好像西边来的？”

　　Yes, sir, from Kingston, near Taunton. 不错，先生，我老家在陶顿旁边金斯敦。

　　"William Reed from Kingston, near Taunton? What was your father's name?" "Thomas." "Had he any brother?" “来自陶顿旁边金斯敦的威廉.瑞德，你父亲叫什么？”“托马斯。”“他有兄弟吗？”

　　Yes, sir, one, after whom I was named; but he went to the Indies, and, as we never heard from him, we supposed him to be dead. 有，先生，他有一个兄弟，在我洗礼后，他便去了西印度群岛，此后就再也没有音讯了，我们觉得他已经不在人世了。

1 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

2 revolving   

adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
• The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。