4-5 冬季晚钟节（最后一天）

Lost-in-the-Dark Bells

(Last Day)

　　

In the Lincolnshire village of Burgh-le-Marsh there was once a chunk¹¹ of land called Bell String Acre. It got its name, the local legend tells, because of a near escape. On a dark winter's night early in the seventeenth century, they say, a ship's captain was threading² his craft along this difficult stretch³ of coast when he suddenly heard church bells. "If I can hear those," the captain reasoned, "then I must be far too close to shore for comfort." Swiftly he adjusted his position, thus saving himself and his ship. In gratitude², he soon afterwards bought a piece of property at Burgh-le-Marsh. Rent on this Bell String Acre, he specified³, should go toward the upkeep⁴ of the church bell's pull-rope, so that it might ring out its helpful warnings, he stipulated⁵, "for ever."

　　

Another less charming story tells how the townspeople refused to ring the bell, for they all relished⁶ the idea of plundering⁶ shipwrecks⁷, but that a clergyman ran to the tower and clanged⁷ the bell. His heroic act saved the ship, but then the cleric died of exhaustion⁸. (And then it is said, the grateful captain married the clergyman's daughter.)

　　

In any case, the sailor's request is honored all winter long in Burgh-le-Marsh. Beginning every October 10, the "curfew⁸ bell" rings nightly at 8 p.m.. April 7 is the last night of the bells --that is, till the next October.

 

注释:

1.chunk [tFQNk] n. 〈口〉大块，相当大的部分（或数量）

2.thread [Wred] vt. 穿过，通过

3.stretch [stretF] n. 一段距离（或路程）

4.upkeep [5Qpki:p] n. （房屋、设备等的）保养，维修，维持

5.stipulate⁴ [5stipjuleit] vt. 规定，（作为条件）讲定，约定

6.relish⁵ [5reliF] vt. 从……得到乐趣，爱好，指望

7.clang [klAN] vt. 使当当响，使铿锵响

8.curfew [5kE:fju:] n. 灭火熄灯就寝的晚钟（声）

 

冬季晚钟节

（最后一天）

 

在林肯郡的伯勒马什村里，有一块地叫做“钟绳地产”。根据当地的传说，这个名字是因为一次险情的避免而得来的。据说事情发生在很久以前的17世纪，在一个漆黑的冬夜，有一位船长正驾船沿着这一段危险的海岸航行。突然他听到了教堂的钟声。“如果我能听到钟声，”船长推断，“那真是太危险了：海岸应该是近在咫尺!”他迅速地调整了航向，从而救了自己，也救了船。出于感激，不久他就在伯勒马什买了一块地产。他规定，出租这块地的收入要用来专门维修、保养教堂的钟绳，使教堂的钟“永远”都能发出助人的警报。

根据另一个不那么动人的传说，镇里的人不肯敲钟，因为他们热衷于抢劫失事船的残骸。但是有一位牧师跑上了塔，敲响了钟。他的英雄行为拯救了船，但他自己却累死了。（据说后来满怀感激之情的船长娶了牧师的女儿。）

不管怎么说，在伯勒马什，整个冬天水手的请求都得到尊重。从每年的10月10日起，每天晚上8点“晚钟”就会敲响。4月7日是敲钟的最后一天——也就是说直到第二年的10月。

1 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

2 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

3 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。

4 stipulate   

vt.规定，（作为条件）讲定，保证

参考例句：

• International rules stipulate the number of foreign entrants.国际规则规定了外国参赛者的人数。
• Some manufacturers stipulate the price at which their goods are to be sold.有些制造商规定出售他们生产的商品的价格。

5 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

6 plundering   

掠夺，抢劫( plunder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The troops crossed the country, plundering and looting as they went. 部队经过乡村，一路抢劫掳掠。
• They amassed huge wealth by plundering the colonies. 他们通过掠夺殖民地聚敛了大笔的财富。

7 shipwrecks   

海难，船只失事( shipwreck的名词复数 )； 沉船

参考例句：

• Shipwrecks are apropos of nothing. 船只失事总是来得出人意料。
• There are many shipwrecks in these waters. 在这些海域多海难事件。

8 exhaustion   

n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述

参考例句：

• She slept the sleep of exhaustion.她因疲劳而酣睡。
• His exhaustion was obvious when he fell asleep standing.他站着睡着了，显然是太累了。