美国语文第五册 第49期:英王查尔斯二世与威廉-佩恩先生(1)

 　　King Charles says, Well, friend William! I have sold you a noble province in North America; 英王查尔斯威廉说，对哎，威廉老友！我把北美一处不错的地方交付于你，

　　but still, I suppose you have no thoughts of going thither¹ yourself? 可是我觉得你根本不想去，对吗？

　　Yes, I have, I assure thee, friend Charles; and I am just come to bid thee farewell. 不，陛下，恰恰相反，我就是来和您道别的。

　　What! venture yourself among the savages² of North America! 天呀！你真敢与北美野蛮人厮混一起？

　　Why, man, what security have you that you will not be in their war kettle in two hours after setting foot on their shores? 呃，一旦你落脚北美海滩，不出两小时，一群土著就会刀斧鸣鼓地对你发动进攻，你如何保住自家性命？

　　The best security in the world. 那里才是世上最安全的地方。

　　I doubt that, friend William; I have no idea of any security against those cannibals but in a regiment³ of good soldiers, with their muskets⁴ and bayonets. 安全？威廉，我的朋友，就那些野蛮食人族来说，我完全不知道还有什么安全可言！除非你带上全副武装的军队！

　　And mind, I tell you beforehand, that, with all my good will for you and your family, to whom I am under obligations, I will not send a single soldier with you. 听着，我可事先奉告你，出于我的好意，以及我照顾你与你的家庭的责任，我绝对不会派一兵一卒随你去美洲。

　　I want none of thy soldiers, Charles: I depend on something better than thy soldiers. 我不需要您任何兵卒，查尔斯陛下，我希望不战而屈人之兵。

　　Ah! what may that be? 英王查尔斯哎呀！怎么说？

　　Why, I depend upon themselves; on the working of their own hearts; on their notions of justice; on their moral sense. 嗯，我要指望他们自己；依赖他们的独立思考、他们的正义观念、包括他们自身道德感。

　　A fine thing, this same moral sense, no doubt; but I fear you will not find much of it among the Indians of North America. 不错，绝对无须怀疑这种高尚的道德感；可我担心在北美印第安人部落里，你或许难以找到什么道德感。

　　And why not among them as well as others? 那么，为什么就道德感来说，他们不如其他民族？

　　Because if they had possessed⁵ any, they would not have treated my subjects so barbarously as they have done. 如果印第安人具备哪怕一点点道德意识，他们就不会那么野蛮地杀戮我的臣民了。

1 thither   

adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的

参考例句：

• He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
• He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

2 savages   

未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There're some savages living in the forest. 森林里居住着一些野人。
• That's an island inhabited by savages. 那是一个野蛮人居住的岛屿。

3 regiment   

n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制

参考例句：

• As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
• They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。

4 muskets   

n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The watch below, all hands to load muskets. 另一组人都来帮着给枪装火药。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• Deep ditch, single drawbridge, massive stone walls, eight at towers, cannon, muskets, fire and smoke. 深深的壕堑，单吊桥，厚重的石壁，八座巨大的塔楼。大炮、毛瑟枪、火焰与烟雾。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

5 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。