美国语文第五册 第242期:最好的复仇(3)

 　　“Ah,” said Mr. Grant, my saying was true! I said you would live to repent¹ writing that pamphlet.  “哦，我所说的是真心话，我说过你会活到你后悔写宣传册的那一天，

　　I did not mean it as a threat.  我并不认为这是威胁，

　　I only meant that some day you would know us better, and be sorry you had tried to injure us.  只是觉得，总有一天你会更加了解我们，并对无耻伤害我们感到抱歉。

　　I see you repent of it now.“I do, I do!” said the grateful man;  我现在看到你的真诚悔过。”“我悔过，我确实错了！”那批发商人感激涕零地说：

　　“I bitterly repent it.” Well, well, my dear fellow, you know us now.  “我实在后悔我所做的事。”好了，好了，亲爱的朋友，你现在对我们有了初步了解，

　　How do you get on? What are you going to do?  你如何经营下去？准备做什么？”

　　The poor man stated he had friends who could assist him when his certificate was obtained.  那可怜的家伙告诉格兰特先生，一旦他的执照证书拿到后，他的朋友们会给予帮助。

　　But how are you off in the meantime? “但是，你如何从目前困境中摆脱出来？

　　And the answer was, that, having given up every farthing to his creditors²,  那位批发商告诉格兰特先生，哪怕对自己债权人放弃丁点利益，

　　he had been compelled to stint³ his family of even common necessaries,  他也要被迫节省或压缩家庭生活最基本开销，

　　that he might be enabled to pay the cost of his certificate.  这样才有能力支付执照费用。

　　My dear fellow, this will not do; your family must not suffer. 亲爱的朋友，这没有用，你的全家不能受罪。

　　Be kind enough to take this ten-pound note to your wife from me.  从我这拿上十英镑支票给你夫人吧。

　　There, there, my dear fellow! Nay⁴, do not cry; it will all be well with you yet.   请收下，收下吧，亲爱的朋友！好了，不要哭了，一切都会好起来的。

　　Keep up your spirits, set to work like a man, and you will raise your head among us yet. 振作精神，像男人那样承担责任，你一定会在我们中间重新昂起头。

　　The overpowered man endeavored in vain to express his thanks; the swelling⁵ in his throat forbade words.  这位内心纠结的汉子竭力想表达他的谢意，然而一切徒然无助。他哽咽地说不出话来，

　　He put his handkerchief to his face and went out of the door, crying like a child.  拿出手帕捂住脸，走出门后，顿时像孩子那样嚎啕大哭起来。

1 repent   

v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔

参考例句：

• He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
• Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。

2 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 stint   

v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事

参考例句：

• He lavished money on his children without stint.他在孩子们身上花钱毫不吝惜。
• We hope that you will not stint your criticism.我们希望您不吝指教。

4 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

5 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。