英译汉散文赏析：信任 Trust

 　　TRUST

　　信任

　　Last night I was driving from Harrisburg to Lewisburg, Pa., a distance of about eighty miles. It was late. I was late and if anyone asked me how fast I was driving, I'd have to plead the Fifth Amendment¹ to avoid self－incrimination. Several times I got stuck behind a slow－moving truck on a narrow road with a solid white line on my left, and I was clinching² my fists with impatience³.

　　昨天晚上我驾车从哈里斯堡驶往宾西法尼亚州的刘易斯堡，路程约为80英里。天色已晚。我迟到了，如果有人问我行驶速度有多快，我得求助于美国宪法的第五条修正案，不要自证有罪。我好几次被堵在一辆开得缓慢的卡车后面，路面很窄，而且我左边是不可超越的白线，于是我捏紧双拳，有点按捺不住了。

　　At one point along an open highway, I came to a crossroads with a traffic light. I was alone on the road by now, but as I approached the light, it turned red and I braked to a halt. I looked left, right and behind me. Nothing. Not a car, no suggestion of headlights,but there I sat, waiting for the light to change, the only human being for at least a mile in any direction.

　　在公路的某一处，我行驶到了有交通灯的一个十字路口。这时路上只剩下我一个了，但当我快到路口时，交通灯变成了红灯，于是我刹了车。我左看右看，又向后面望了望．毫无动静。没有车子，也没有车灯的影儿，但我就那么坐在那儿，等着红灯变绿，方圆一英里内就我一个人。

　　I started wondering why I refused to run the light. I was not afraid of being arrested, because there was obviously no cop around, and there certainly would have been no danger in going through it.

　　我开始想，为什么我不闯红灯呢？我不怕被抓着，因为很明显周围并没有警察，闯红灯肯定也不会有任何危险。

　　Much later that night, after I'd met with a group in Lewisburg and had climbed into bed near midnight, the question of why I'd stopped for that light came back to me. I think I stopped because it's part of a contract we all have with each other. It's not only the law, but it's an arrangement we have, and we trust each other to honor it: we don't go through red lights. Like most of us, I'm more apt to be restrained from doing something bad by the social convention that disapproves⁴ of it than by any law against it.

　　那天夜里，我在刘易斯堡会见了一些朋友，接近午夜时上床后，我又回想起了我为什么要停下来而不闯过去呢。我想，我停了下来，是因为它是我们相互间的一种公约。这不仅是法律，而且也是我们共有的一个协议；我们互相信任，都要遵守：我们不能闯红灯。像我们大多数人一样，我要善于克制自己，不做社会行为准则不许做的坏事，而不仅是因为有法律禁止它。

　　It's amazing that we ever trust each other to do the right thing, isn't it? And we do, too. Trust is our first inclination⁵. We have to make a deliberate decision to mistrust someone or to be suspicious or skeptical⁶. Those attitudes don't come naturally to us.

　　我们从来都是彼此信任会做正确的事，这难道不令人惊奇吗？我们也的确是这样的。信任是我们的第一本能。要让我们不信任某人，猜疑，不相信，那是非常不容易的，因为这种态度对我们很不自然。

　　It's a damn good thing too, because the whole structure of our society depends on mutual⁷ trust, not distrust. This whole thing we have going for us would fall apart if we didn't trust each other most of the time. We do what we say we'll do; we show up when we say we'll show up; we deliver when we say we'll deliver; and we pay when we say we'll pay.

　　这也是一件很好的事情，因为我们整个社会结构是靠互相信任而不是猜疑来维系的。如果我们大部分时间互不信任，那么整个社会秩序将崩溃。我们说到做到；我们说什么时候到场，就什么时候到场；我们说什么时候交货，就什么时候交货；我们说什么时候付款，就什么时候付款。

　　We trust each other in these matters, and when we don't do what we've promised, it's a deviation⁸ from the normal. It happens often that we don't act in good faith and in a trustworthy manner, but we still consider it unusual, and we're angry or disappointed with the person or organization that violates the trust we have in them.

　　在这些问题上，我们互相信任，要是我们违约的话，那是不正常的。虽然我们常发生不守信用的事，但我们仍认为这是不正常的；对有负我们对其信任的个人或组织，我们感到生气或失望。

　　I was so proud of myself for stopping for the red light that night.

　　我为那天晚上没有闯红灯而感到骄傲。

1 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

2 clinching   

v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）

参考例句：

• Joe gets clinching evidence of the brains role when he dreams. 乔做梦时得到了大脑发生作用的决定性依据。 来自辞典例句
• Clinching, wrestling, pushing, or seizing, without attempting a throw or other technique. 抱，扭摔，推或抓而没有摔或其它的技术。 来自互联网

3 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

4 disapproves   

v.不赞成( disapprove的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She disapproves of unmarried couples living together. 她反对未婚男女同居。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her mother disapproves of her wearing transparent underwear. 她母亲不赞成她穿透明的内衣。 来自辞典例句

5 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

6 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

7 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

8 deviation   

n.背离，偏离；偏差，偏向；离题

参考例句：

• Deviation from this rule are very rare.很少有违反这条规则的。
• Any deviation from the party's faith is seen as betrayal.任何对党的信仰的偏离被视作背叛。