美国语文第五册 第300期:弗吉尼亚人(2)

 　　Their hospitality was boundless¹. No stranger was ever sent away from their gates. 弗吉尼亚州贵族世家的豪爽待客令人称奇，他们不会打发上门的陌生人，

　　The gentry² received one another, and traveled to each other's houses, in a state almost feudal³. 在几乎完全封建制的全州境内，上流家庭彼此经常设宴款待，达官名媛争相登门互访。

　　The question of slavery was not born at the time of which we write. 当时奴隶制问题尚未见争端，

　　To be the proprietor⁴ of black servants shocked the feelings of no Virginia gentleman; 该州贵族世家拥有众多黑奴，使得贵族名流圈外的下层阶层颇为震惊，

　　nor, in truth, was the despotism exercised over the negro race generally a savage⁵ one. 事实上，那类专制管理未必将黑人种族作为野蛮人肆意欺凌。

　　The food was plenty: the poor black people lazy and not unhappy. 当地黑人食物充足，他们贫困懒惰，也并非不快乐。

　　You might have preached negro emancipation⁶ to Madam Esmond of Castlewood as you might have told her to let the horses run loose out of the stables; 你或许向卡斯尔伍德庄园埃斯蒙德夫人兜售过黑奴解放之类新潮思想，如同你曾经对她游说，不妨解开拴马桩上的马群缰绳，两者间该有异曲同工之妙。

　　she had no doubt but that the whip and the corn bag were good for both. 倘若鞭子或玉米对主人及黑奴并非缺一不可，埃斯蒙德夫人没准对你的观点深信不疑。

　　Her father may have thought otherwise, being of a skeptical⁷ turn on very many points, 由于对诸多观点持怀疑态度，埃斯蒙德夫人的父亲想法或见解有所不同，

　　but his doubts did not break forth⁸ in active denial, and he was rather disaffected⁹ than rebellious¹⁰, 但他的怀疑不会在主动否认中爆发，与其说他的行为颇为格格不入，倒不如说是更为愤懑不平的表露。

　　At one period, this gentleman had taken a part in active life at home, and possibly might have been eager to share its rewards; 有一段时期，这位绅士在家里极为活跃，很可能他急于分享家庭管理之类悬赏，

　　but in latter days he did not seem to care for them. 但后来似乎对此又失去兴趣。

　　A something had occurred in his life, which had cast a tinge¹¹ of melancholy¹² over all his existence. 假如他生活中发生什么事，他的全身都会留下阴郁味道。

　　He was not unhappy,—to those about him most kind, 老绅士倒不是不开心，对周围所有人，他都极为仁慈钟爱，

　　most affectionate, obsequious¹³ even to the women of his family, whom he scarce ever contradicted; 甚至到了顺从附和的地步，哪怕对家里女流之辈亦不例外。他极少与她们发生牴牾或产生矛盾，

　　but there had been some bankruptcy¹⁴ of his heart, which his spirit never recovered. 然而始终内心沉沦、难以自拔，精神上从未彻底放松。

　　He submitted to life, rather than enjoyed it, and never was in better spirits than in his last hours when he was going to lay it down. 老人逆来顺受地屈从生活，而非自在地享受生活；即便死亡将至，不得不撒手尘寰面对死神，他的心境绝不见得比平时更糟。

1 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

2 gentry   

n.绅士阶级，上层阶级

参考例句：

• Landed income was the true measure of the gentry.来自土地的收入是衡量是否士绅阶层的真正标准。
• Better be the head of the yeomanry than the tail of the gentry.宁做自由民之首，不居贵族之末。

3 feudal   

adj.封建的，封地的，领地的

参考例句：

• Feudal rulers ruled over the country several thousand years.封建统治者统治这个国家几千年。
• The feudal system lasted for two thousand years in China.封建制度在中国延续了两千年之久。

4 proprietor   

n.所有人；业主；经营者

参考例句：

• The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
• The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

5 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

6 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 disaffected   

adj.（政治上）不满的，叛离的

参考例句：

• He attracts disaffected voters.他吸引了心怀不满的选民们。
• Environmental issues provided a rallying point for people disaffected with the government.环境问题把对政府不满的人们凝聚了起来。

10 rebellious   

adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的

参考例句：

• They will be in danger if they are rebellious.如果他们造反，他们就要发生危险。
• Her reply was mild enough,but her thoughts were rebellious.她的回答虽然很温和，但她的心里十分反感。

11 tinge   

vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息

参考例句：

• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。
• There was a tinge of sadness in her voice.她声音中流露出一丝忧伤。

12 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

13 obsequious   

adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的

参考例句：

• He looked at the two ladies with an obsequious air.他看着两位太太,满脸谄媚的神情。
• He was obsequious to his superiors,but he didn't get any favor.他巴结上司，但没得到任何好处。

14 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。