美国语文第六册 第66期:在弗吉尼亚制宪大会上的演讲(2)

 　　Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. 被背叛后不是一个吻就能了事的。

　　Ask yourselves, how this gracious reception of our petition comports¹ with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. 我们不妨扪心自问，对我们的请愿书这种得体的接受是如何使切断我们的水源，以及令我们的土地陷入暗无天日的战争准备显得冠冕堂皇的。

　　Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation²? 对需要爱和和解的事业，难道战舰和军队是必要的吗？

　　Have we shown ourselves so unwilling³ to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? 难道我们的做法显得对和解如此不情愿，以至于必须动用军事力量来赢得我们的爱吗？

　　Let us not deceive ourselves. 我们不要自欺了。

　　These are the implements⁴ of war and subjugation,— the last arguments to which kings resort. 这些都是战争和镇压的工具而已，争论最后的焦点是必须诉诸于王权。

　　I ask, gentlemen, what means this martial⁵ array, if its purpose be not to force us into submission⁶? 尊敬的先生们，我倒要问一下，如果英国人的目的不是强迫我们服从的话，那么这种战争安排意味着什么？

　　Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive⁷ for it? 有谁能说出还有其他可能的动机？

　　Has Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? 在这个世界上除了大不列颠还有哪个敌人会集结这么多的军舰和军队？

　　No, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. 没有，能这么做的只有它。他们是在向我们示意：他们除了动武以外，没有别的选择。

　　They are sent over to bind⁸ and rivet⁹ upon us those chains which the British ministry¹⁰ have been so long forging. 他们被派到这儿来捆绑然后给我们套上枷锁，要知道英国政府长久以来一直在为我们锻造这些枷锁。

　　And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? 我们除了反抗，还能做什么？难道我们极力抗辩吗？

　　We have been trying that for the last ten years. 在这十年里我们一直在争辩，可是有用吗？

　　Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. 对于这个主题我们还能提出什么新的解决办法吗？不能。

　　We have held the subject up in every light in which it was capable; but it has been all in vain. 每个可能的解决办法我们都尝试过了，但是所有的一切都证明徒劳无益。

1 comports   

v.表现( comport的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She always comports herself with great dignity. 她的举止总是很端庄。
• He comports himself with modesty. 他表现得很谦虚。 来自辞典例句

2 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

3 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

4 implements   

n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• Primitive man hunted wild animals with crude stone implements. 原始社会的人用粗糙的石器猎取野兽。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They ordered quantities of farm implements. 他们订购了大量农具。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

6 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。

7 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

8 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

9 rivet   

n.铆钉；vt.铆接，铆牢；集中(目光或注意力)

参考例句：

• They were taught how to bore rivet holes in the sides of ships.有人教他们如何在船的舷侧钻铆孔。
• The rivet heads are in good condition and without abrasion.铆钉钉头状况良好，并无过度磨损。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。