美国语文第六册 第48期:耐儿之死(5)

 　　They were to gather fresh leaves and berries for her bed. 他们马上就要为她的灵床洒下新鲜树叶和浆果。

　　And now the bell, the bell she had so often heard by night and day, and listened to with solemn pleasure, 现在那个钟声，她过去常常听到的钟声，不论晚上白天总是用一种肃穆的愉快心情静静地听着的钟声，

　　almost as a living voice, rung its remorseless toll¹ for her, so young, so beautiful, so good. 几乎把它当做一种被赋予生命的声音，就要无情地为她徐徐敲响了。她那样年轻，那般美丽，又是何等善良。

　　Decrepit² age, and vigorous life, and blooming youth, and helpless infancy,—on crutches³, 上了年纪的老人、健康的成年人、朝气蓬勃的年轻人、需要父母帮助的小孩子——一齐涌了出来，

　　in the pride of health and strength, in the full blush of promise, in the mere⁴ dawn of life, gathered round her. 这些人或以健康和体力为傲，或前途一片光明，或正值人生之黎明——都一起聚在她的墓前。

　　Old men were there, whose eyes were dim and senses failing, 老年人在那里，他们老眼昏花，知觉也衰退了；

　　grandmothers, who might have died ten years ago, and still been old, the deaf, the blind, the lame⁵, the palsied,  祖母们也在那里，本来十年前她们就到寿了，不过仍然活着——聋子、瞎子、瘸子、半身不遂的人、

　　the living dead, in many shapes and forms, to see the closing of that early grave. 各式各样的活死人，在坟墓即将封闭时都赶来看最后一眼。

　　Along the crowded path they bore her now, pure as the newly fallen snow that covered it, whose day on earth had been as fleeting⁶. 他们从挤满各色人等的道路中抬着她走，她全身洁白得像是刚刚落到地面的雪花儿，而她在尘世上的日子竟转瞬即逝。

　　Under that porch, where she had sat when heaven, in its mercy, brought her to that peaceful spot, 人们抬着她从门廊底下穿过，那是她从前经常坐着玩耍的地方，当上天仁慈地把她带到那个安静的地方时，

　　she passed again, and the old church received her in its quiet shade. 她又一次从这里经过，那古老的教堂把她接到它那静谧的荫蔽处安葬。

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 decrepit   

adj.衰老的，破旧的

参考例句：

• The film had been shot in a decrepit old police station.该影片是在一所破旧不堪的警察局里拍摄的。
• A decrepit old man sat on a park bench.一个衰弱的老人坐在公园的长凳上。

3 crutches   

n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑

参考例句：

• After the accident I spent six months on crutches . 事故后我用了六个月的腋杖。
• When he broke his leg he had to walk on crutches. 他腿摔断了以后，不得不靠拐杖走路。

4 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

5 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

6 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。