美国语文第五册 第289期:泼冷水的艺术(5)

 　　Again, there is the want of sympathy; and that is, perhaps, the ruling cause in most men’s minds who have given themselves up to discourage. 或许在大多数放弃自己、甘愿沉沦人的心里，关键原因在于缺乏同情心。

　　They are not tender enough, or sympathetic enough, to appreciate all the pain they are giving, when, in a dull plodding¹ way, 他们不够温情脉脉，缺乏足够悲悯，无法感悟挫折失败给予人类的所有痛苦。他们以某种单调乏味方式，

　　they lay out argument after argument to show that the project which the poor inventor has set his heart upon, 安排策划一场又一场创新会论辩，展示某位蹩脚发明者全身心投入的创意，

　　and upon which, perhaps, he has staked his fortune, will not succeed. 或许，那家伙在给他的运气押宝撞大运，恐怕注定不会成功。

　　But what inventors suffer, is only a small part of what mankind in general endure from thoughtless and unkind discouragement. 然而，由于轻率或可恶的气馁，在人类经历的整体苦难中，创新者乖舛命运所占比例甚小。

　　Those high-souled men belong to the suffering class, and must suffer; 那些灵魂高尚的人隶属受难阶层，且必须历经劫难；

　　but it is in daily life that the wear and tear of discouragement tells so much. 不过庸常生活中，能够果敢地承受气馁失意最为难能可贵。

　　Propose a small party of pleasure to an apt discourager, and see what he will make of it. 不妨提议对易于失落之人举办小型欢乐聚会，观察他如何策划安排。

　　It soon becomes sicklied over with doubt and despondency; 由于疑虑失望诸多因素，破绽势必很快显露；

　　and, at last, the only hope of the proposer is, that his proposal, when realized, will not be an ignominious² failure. 而提议一旦付诸实施，提议者唯一指望不要遭遇可耻失败；

　　All hope of pleasure, at least for the proposer, has long been out of the question. 最终看来，至少对提议者来说，所有快乐希望已经毫无可能。

1 plodding   

a.proceeding in a slow or dull way

参考例句：

• They're still plodding along with their investigation. 他们仍然在不厌其烦地进行调查。
• He is plodding on with negotiations. 他正缓慢艰难地进行着谈判。

2 ignominious   

adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的

参考例句：

• The marriage was considered especially ignominious since she was of royal descent.由于她出身王族，这门婚事被认为是奇耻大辱。
• Many thought that he was doomed to ignominious failure.许多人认为他注定会极不光彩地失败。