英语小达人 375 The Story of a Fire(2)

 　　And now the iron hook fell at his feet, and the fireman stood upon the step with the rescued lad in his arms, just as the pentup flame burst lurid¹ from the attic² window, reaching with impotent fury for its prey³. The next moment they were safe upon the great ladder waiting to receive them below.

　　这时候，铁钩落到了孩子的脚下，接着，消防队员站在踏脚上，用双手抱下了小男孩。就在这一刹那，一片火光，烈焰终于冲破浓烟，猛地从顶楼窗口喷了出来，想攫住它嘴边的猎物，可是却只能白白地冒火了。接着，消防队员和小男孩安然踏上了在下面候着他们的大梯子。

　　Then such a shout went up! Men fell on each other's necks, and cried and laughed at once. Strangers slapped one another on the back with glistening⁴ faces, shook hands, and behaved generally like men gone suddenly mad. Women wept in the street. The driver of a car stalled in the crowd, who had stood through it all speechless, clutching the reins⁵, whipped his horses into a gallop⁶ and drove away, yelling like a Comanche, to relieve his feelings. The boy and his rescuer were carried across the street without anyone knowing how. Policemen forgot their dignity and shouted with the rest. Fire, peril⁷, terror, and loss were alike forgotten in the one touch of nature that makes the whole world kin⁸.

　　一下于，爆发出一阵热烈的欢呼声。男人们互相搂着脖子，又是叫，又是笑。互不相识的人拍打着对方的背脊，相互握手，脸上喜气洋洋，一个个象突然疯了似的。女人们在街上哭泣。一个马车夫连车带入被阻塞在人群牛，他紧握缰绳，自始至终没说过一句话，这时一声响鞭，策马驱车，飞驰而去，象科曼契人那样叫喊着，以发泄他心中的情感。那个小男孩和他的救命恩人被人们高抬着穿过大街，谁也不知道怎么会这样的。警察也忘了他们自己的身分，跟着别人高声欢呼。这四海之内皆兄弟的本性使人们把大火、险情、恐惧和损失全都忘得一千二净。

　　Fireman John Binns was made captain of his crew, and the Bennett medal was pinned on his coat on the next parade day.

　　救火员约翰．宾斯被任命为消防队长。在下一次检阅中，宾斯的外衣上给佩上了一枚贝内特奖章。

1 lurid   

adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的

参考例句：

• The paper gave all the lurid details of the murder.这份报纸对这起凶杀案耸人听闻的细节描写得淋漓尽致。
• The lurid sunset puts a red light on their faces.血红一般的夕阳映红了他们的脸。

2 attic   

n.顶楼，屋顶室

参考例句：

• Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
• What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理？

3 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

4 glistening   

adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。
• Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》

5 reins   

感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带

参考例句：

• She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

6 gallop   

v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展

参考例句：

• They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
• The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

7 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

8 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。