美丽新世界Brave New World 第14章(1)

 　　THE Park Lane Hospital for the Dying was a sixty-story tower of primrose¹ tiles.

　　公园巷弥留医院是一幢樱草花色砖瓦修建的六十层楼大厦。

　　As the Savage² stepped out of his taxicopter a convoy³ of gaily-coloured aerial hearses rose whirring from the roof and darted⁴ away across the Park,

　　野蛮人下了出租飞机，一列五彩缤纷的空中灵车正好从房顶簌簌飞起，掠过公园，

　　westwards, bound for the Slough⁶ Crematorium.

　　向西边的羽蜕火葬场飞去。

　　At the lift gates the presiding porter gave him the information he required,

　　在电梯门口门卫组长把他需要的消息告诉了他。

　　and he dropped down to Ward⁵ 81 (a Galloping⁷ Senility ward, the porter explained) on the seventeenth floor.

　　他在十七层楼下了电梯，来到八十一号病房（组长解释那是急性衰老病房）。

　　美丽新世界.jpg

　　It was a large room bright with sunshine and yellow paint, and containing twenty beds, all occupied.

　　病房很大，因为阳光和黄色涂料显得明亮。共有二十张床，每张床上都有病人。

　　Linda was dying in company—in company and with all the modern conveniences.

　　琳妲跟别的病人一起，快要死了——跟别的病人一起，享有一切现代化的设备。

　　The air was continuously alive with gay synthetic⁸ melodies.

　　空气里永远流荡着合成音乐愉快的乐曲，

　　At the foot of every bed, confronting its moribund⁹ occupant, was a television box.

　　每一张床床尾都有一部电视机，正对着垂死的人，

　　Television was left on, a running tap, from morning till night.

　　从早到晚开着，像永不关闭的水龙头。

　　Every quarter of an hour the prevailing¹⁰ perfume of the room was automatically changed.

　　病室里的主要香味一刻钟自动改变一次。

　　"We try," explained the nurse, who had taken charge of the Savage at the door,

　　“我们设法，”从门口起就负责陪同野蛮人的护士解释道，

　　we try to create a thoroughly¹¹ pleasant atmosphere here–something between a first-class hotel and a feely-palace, if you take my meaning.

　　在这儿创造一种充分的愉快气氛，介乎第一流宾馆和感官片宫之间——如果你能明白我的意思的话。

　　"Where is she?" asked the Savage, ignoring these polite explanations.

　　“她在哪儿？”野蛮人不理会她这些礼貌的解释，问道。

　　The nurse was offended. "You are in a hurry," she said.

　　护士觉得受了冒犯。“你倒是很着急呢。”她说。

　　"Is there any hope?" he asked.

　　“有希望没有？”他问。

　　"You mean, of her not dying?" (He nodded.) "No, of course there isn't.

　　“你是说不死的希望吗？”（他点点头）“当然不会有。

　　"When somebody's sent here, there's no..." Startled by the expression of distress¹² on his pale face, she suddenly broke off.

　　“当然不会有。送到这儿来的都是没有希望的……”她一见他苍白的脸上那痛苦的表情便吃了一惊，住了嘴。

　　"Why, whatever is the matter?" she asked.

　　“怎么，有什么事大不了的？”她问。

　　She was not accustomed to this kind of thing in visitors.

　　对于客人的这种反应她很不习惯

　　(Not that there were many visitors anyhow: or any reason why there should be many visitors.) "You're not feeling ill, are you?"

　　（不过，不是因为这儿的客人不多，其实客人也不应该多。）“你该不是生病了吧？”

　　He shook his head.

　　他摇摇头。

1 primrose   

n.樱草，最佳部分，

参考例句：

• She is in the primrose of her life.她正处在她一生的最盛期。
• The primrose is set off by its nest of green.一窝绿叶衬托着一朵樱草花。

2 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

3 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

4 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

6 slough   

v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃

参考例句：

• He was not able to slough off the memories of the past.他无法忘记过去。
• A cicada throws its slough.蝉是要蜕皮的。

7 galloping   

adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The horse started galloping the moment I gave it a good dig. 我猛戳了马一下，它就奔驰起来了。
• Japan is galloping ahead in the race to develop new technology. 日本在发展新技术的竞争中进展迅速，日新月异。

8 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

9 moribund   

adj.即将结束的，垂死的

参考例句：

• The moribund Post Office Advisory Board was replaced.这个不起作用的邮局顾问委员会已被替换。
• Imperialism is monopolistic,parasitic and moribund capitalism.帝国主义是垄断的、寄生的、垂死的资本主义。

10 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

11 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

12 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。