月亮和六便士 第四十五章(2)

 I did not altogether believe my eyes. 我不太敢相信自己的眼睛。

The days that had passed since I left Wellington seemed extraordinary and unusual. 自从离开威灵顿以后，日子似乎过得非常奇特。

Wellington is trim and neat and English; it reminds you of a seaport¹ town on the South Coast. 威灵顿整齐有序，富于英国风味，使人想到英国南岸的一座滨海城市。

And for three days afterwards the sea was stormy. Gray clouds chased one another across the sky. 这以后我在海上航行了三天，波浪滔天，乌云在空中互相追逐。

Then the wind dropped, and the sea was calm and blue. 三天以后风停了，大海变得非常寂静，一片碧蓝。

The Pacific is more desolate² than other seas; its spaces seem more vast, and the most ordinary journey upon it has somehow the feeling of an adventure. 太平洋看来比别的海洋更加荒凉，烟波浩渺，即使在这个水域上作一次最普通的旅行也带有冒险意味。

The air you breathe is an elixir³ which prepares you for the unexpected. 你吸到胸中的空气象是补身的甘香酒，叫你精神振奋，准备经历一些你从来未料到的事。

Nor is it vouchsafed⁴ to man in the flesh to know aught that more nearly suggests the approach to the golden realms of fancy than the approach to Tahiti. 但是你除了知道已经驶进塔希提，朦胧中感到走近一块黄金的国土外，它绝不向你泄露别的秘密。

Murea, the sister isle⁵, comes into view in rocky splendour, rising from the desert sea mysteriously, like the unsubstantial fabric⁶ of a magic wand. 与塔希提构成姊妹岛的莫里阿岛进入你的视野，危崖高耸，绚烂壮丽，突然从茫茫的海水里神秘地一跃而出，象魔棍召唤出的一幅虚无飘渺的彩锦。

With its jagged outline it is like a Monseratt of the Pacific, 莫里阿巉岩嶙峋，有如蒙特塞拉特岛（蒙特塞拉特岛是英属西印度群岛中的一个岛屿）被移植到太平洋中。

and you may imagine that there Polynesian knights⁷ guard with strange rites⁸ mysteries unholy for men to know. 面对这幅景象，你会幻想波利尼西亚的武士正在那里进行奇特的宗教仪式，用以阻止世俗凡人了解某些秘密。

The beauty of the island is unveiled as diminishing distance shows you in distincter shape its lovely peaks, 当距离逐渐缩小，美丽的峰峦形状愈加真切时，莫里阿岛的美丽便完全呈现出来，

but it keeps its secret as you sail by, and, darkly inviolable, seems to fold itself together in a stony⁹, inaccessible¹⁰ grimness. 但是在你的船只从它旁边驶过时，你会发现它仍然重门深锁，把自己闭合为一堆人们无法接近的阴森可怖的巨石，没有人能闯入它那幽森的奥秘中去。

It would not surprise you if, as you came near seeking for an opening in the reef, it vanished suddenly from your view, 谁也不会感到惊奇：只要船只驶到近处，想在珊瑚礁寻觅一个入口，它就会突然从人们的视线里消失，

and nothing met your gaze but the blue loneliness of the Pacific. 映入你眼帘的仍是太平洋一片茫茫碧波。

Tahiti is a lofty green island, with deep folds of a darker green, in which you divine silent valleys; 塔希提却是另外一番景象，它是一个高耸海面的绿葱葱的岛屿，暗绿色的深褶使你猜到那是一条条寂静的峡谷。

there is mystery in their sombre depths, down which murmur¹¹ and plash cool streams, 这些幽深的沟壑有一种神秘气氛，凄冷的溪流在它深处琤琤鸣溅，

and you feel that in those umbrageous¹² places life from immemorial times has been led according to immemorial ways. 你会感到，在这些浓荫郁郁的地方，远自太古以来生活就一直按照古老的习俗绵绵不息地延续到现在。

Even here is something sad and terrible. 塔希提也存在着某些凄凉、可怖的东西。

But the impression is fleeting¹³, and serves only to give a greater acuteness to the enjoyment¹⁴ of the moment. 但这种印象并没有长久留在你的脑中，这只能使你更加敏锐地感到当前生活的欢乐。

It is like the sadness which you may see in the jester's eyes when a merry company is laughing at his sallies; 这就象一群兴高采烈的人在听一个小丑打浑，正在捧腹大笑时，会在小丑的眼睛里看到凄凉的眼神一样；

his lips smile and his jokes are gayer because in the communion of laughter he finds himself more intolerably alone. 小丑的嘴唇在微笑，他的笑话越来越滑稽，因为在他逗人发笑的时候他更加感到自己无法忍受的孤独。

For Tahiti is smiling and friendly; it is like a lovely woman graciously prodigal¹⁵ of her charm and beauty; 因为塔希提正在微笑，它一边微笑一边对你表现出无限的情谊，它象一个美丽的妇人，既娴雅又浪漫地向你展示她的全部美貌和魅力，

and nothing can be more conciliatory than the entrance into the harbour at Papeete. 特别是在船只刚刚进入帕皮提港口的时候，你简直感到心醉神驰。

The schooners¹⁶ moored¹⁷ to the quay¹⁸ are trim and neat, the little town along the bay is white and urbane¹⁹, 泊在码头边的双桅帆船每一艘都那么整齐、干净，海湾环抱着的这座小城洁白、文雅，

and the flamboyants, scarlet²⁰ against the blue sky, flaunt²¹ their colour like a cry of passion. 而法国火焰式建筑物在蔚蓝的天空下却红得刺目，象激情的呼喊一般，极力炫示自己鲜艳的色彩。

They are sensual with an unashamed violence that leaves you breathless. 它们是肉感的，简直大胆到不顾廉耻的地步，叫你看了目瞪口呆。

And the crowd that throngs²² the wharf²³ as the steamer draws alongside is gay and debonair²⁴; it is a noisy, cheerful, gesticulating crowd. It is a sea of brown faces. 当轮船靠近码头时，蜂拥到岸边的人群兴高彩烈而又彬彬有礼。他们一片笑语喧哗，人人挥舞着手臂。从轮船上望去，这是一个棕色面孔的海洋。

You have an impression of coloured movement against the flaming blue of the sky. 你会感到炎炎碧空下，色彩在炫目地旋转移动。

Everything is done with a great deal of bustle²⁵, the unloading of the baggage, the examination of the customs; and everyone seems to smile at you. 不论从船上往下卸行李也好，海关检查也好，做任何事都伴随着大声喧闹，而每个人都象在向你微笑。

It is very hot. The colour dazzles you. 天气非常热。绚烂的颜色耀得你睁不开眼睛。

1 seaport   

n.海港，港口，港市

参考例句：

• Ostend is the most important seaport in Belgium.奥斯坦德是比利时最重要的海港。
• A seaport where ships can take on supplies of coal.轮船能够补充煤炭的海港。

2 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

3 elixir   

n.长生不老药，万能药

参考例句：

• There is no elixir of life in the world.世界上没有长生不老药。
• Keep your mind awake and active;that's the only youth elixir.保持头脑清醒和灵活便是保持年轻的唯一灵丹妙药。

4 vouchsafed   

v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺

参考例句：

• He vouchsafed to me certain family secrets. 他让我知道了某些家庭秘密。
• The significance of the event does, indeed, seem vouchsafed. 这个事件看起来确实具有重大意义。 来自辞典例句

5 isle   

n.小岛，岛

参考例句：

• He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
• The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。

6 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

7 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

8 rites   

仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
• He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。

9 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

10 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

11 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

12 umbrageous   

adj.多荫的

参考例句：

• They have not been as umbrageous in demanding their territory back. 他们从未以如此好战的态度要求归还领土。 来自互联网

13 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。

14 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

15 prodigal   

adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的

参考例句：

• He has been prodigal of the money left by his parents.他已挥霍掉他父母留下的钱。
• The country has been prodigal of its forests.这个国家的森林正受过度的采伐。

16 schooners   

n.（有两个以上桅杆的）纵帆船( schooner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You've already drunk three schooners of sherry. 你已经喝了三大杯雪利酒了。 来自辞典例句
• Might l beg the honour of pouring the privileged schooners myself? 请问我能不能自己倒尊贵的大杯酒？ 来自电影对白

17 moored   

adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London. 该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。
• We shipped (the) oars and moored alongside the bank. 我们收起桨，把船泊在岸边。

18 quay   

n.码头，靠岸处

参考例句：

• There are all kinds of ships in a quay.码头停泊各式各样的船。
• The side of the boat hit the quay with a grinding jar.船舷撞到码头发出刺耳的声音。

19 urbane   

adj.温文尔雅的，懂礼的

参考例句：

• He tried hard to be urbane.他极力作出彬彬有礼的神态。
• Despite the crisis,the chairman's voice was urbane as usual.尽管处于危机之中，董事长的声音还象通常一样温文尔雅。

20 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

21 flaunt   

vt.夸耀，夸饰

参考例句：

• His behavior was an outrageous flaunt.他的行为是一种无耻的炫耀。
• Why would you flaunt that on a public forum?为什么你们会在公共论坛大肆炫耀？

22 throngs   

n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群，挤满( throng的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She muscled through the throngs of people, frantically searching for David. 她使劲挤过人群，拼命寻找戴维。 来自辞典例句
• Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. 我们这两位朋友在桥上从人群中穿过，慢慢地往前走。 来自辞典例句

23 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

24 debonair   

adj.殷勤的，快乐的

参考例句：

• He strolled about,look very debonair in his elegant new suit.他穿了一身讲究的新衣服逛来逛去，显得颇为惬意。
• He was a handsome,debonair,death-defying racing-driver.他是一位英俊潇洒、风流倜傥、敢于挑战死神的赛车手。

25 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。