美国语文第六册 第143期:洗礼(5)

 When the psalm¹ ceased, an echo, like a spirit's voice, was heard dying away, high up among the magnificent architecture of the cliffs; 在赞美诗结束时，一声回音就像神灵的叹息一样慢慢地隐去，在巍峨耸立的悬崖间盘旋着；

and once more might be noticed in the silence, the reviving voice of the waterfall. 在静谧中更加撞击人们耳鼓的是，瀑布那复苏的流淌声。

Just then, a large stone fell from the top of the cliff into the pool, a loud voice was heard, 就在这时候，一块大石头从悬崖顶端掉进水潭里，传来巨大的声音，

and a plaid was hung over on the point of a shepherd's staff. 在牧羊人群的头顶上，悬起一块毛呢长披肩。

Their wakeful sentinel had descried² danger, and this was his warning. 他们那警觉的岗哨发现有危险情况，发出警报。

Forthwith, the congregation rose. 会众见状马上都站了起来。

There were paths, dangerous to unpracticed feet, along the ledges³ of the rocks, leading up to several caves and places of concealment⁴. 在小道上沿着岩石的突出部分攀爬是危险的，他们迅速爬到洞穴和躲藏的地方。

The more active and young assisted the elder, more especially the old pastor⁵, and the women with the infants; 年轻人主动帮助年长者，特别是年长的牧师和带着孩子的妇女，

and many minutes had not elapsed, till not a living creature was visible in the channel of the stream, 时间在一分一秒地流逝，直到众人都消失在小溪的水渠里，

but all of them were hidden, or nearly so, in the clefts⁶ and caverns⁷. 所有人差不多都躲进巨石的裂口和大山洞里了。

The shepherd who had given the alarm, had lain down again instantly in his plaid on the greensward, upon the summit of these precipices⁸. 发出警报的牧羊人立刻在峭壁顶端的草皮上摊开毛呢长披。

A party of soldiers was immediately upon him, and demanded what signals he had been making, and to whom; 一群士兵马上发现了他，问他发的是什么信号，向谁发的；

 

1 psalm   

n.赞美诗，圣诗

参考例句：

• The clergyman began droning the psalm.牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。
• The minister droned out the psalm.牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。

2 descried   

adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的

参考例句：

• He descried an island far away on the horizon. 他看到遥远的地平线上有个岛屿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At length we descried a light and a roof. 终于，我们远远看见了一点灯光，一所孤舍。 来自辞典例句

3 ledges   

n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台

参考例句：

• seabirds nesting on rocky ledges 海鸟在岩架上筑巢
• A rusty ironrod projected mournfully from one of the window ledges. 一个窗架上突出一根生锈的铁棒，真是满目凄凉。 来自辞典例句

4 concealment   

n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒

参考例句：

• the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒
• Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。

5 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

6 clefts   

n.裂缝( cleft的名词复数 )；裂口；cleave的过去式和过去分词；进退维谷

参考例句：

• Clefts are often associated with other more serious congenital defects. 裂口常与其他更严重的先天性异常并发。 来自辞典例句
• Correction of palate clefts is much more difficult and usually not as satisfactory. 硬腭裂的矫正更为困难，且常不理想。 来自辞典例句

7 caverns   

大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Within were dark caverns; what was inside them, no one could see. 里面是一个黑洞，这里面有什么东西，谁也望不见。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• UNDERGROUND Under water grottos, caverns Filled with apes That eat figs. 在水帘洞里，挤满了猿争吃无花果。

8 precipices   

n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Sheer above us rose the Spy-glass, here dotted with single pines, there black with precipices. 我们的头顶上方耸立着陡峭的望远镜山，上面长着几棵孤零零的松树，其他地方则是黑黝黝的悬崖绝壁。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• Few people can climb up to the sheer precipices and overhanging rocks. 悬崖绝壁很少有人能登上去。 来自互联网