英语短文名人故事 政界精英 第4期:托马斯·杰斐逊

 　　Thomas Jefferson 托马斯·杰斐逊

　　While the Presidential election was taking place in the House of Representatives,  当总统选举正在众议院进行的时候，

　　amid scenes of great excitement, strife¹ and intrigue², which was to decide whether Jefferson or Burr should be the chief magistrate³ of the nation, 在决定到底应该是杰斐逊还是博尔做国家总统的异常激烈而又充满斗争和阴谋的一幕幕当中，

　　Jefferson was stopped one day, as he was coming out of the Senate chamber⁴, by Governor Morris, a prominent leader of the Federalists. 一天，正当杰斐逊走出参议院的时候，他被莫里斯州长，一个卓越的北部联邦同盟盟员的领导人拦住了。

　　Mr. Morris said, "I wish to have an earnest talk with  you, Mr. Jefferson, on the alarming situation of things." 莫里斯先生说:“杰斐逊先生，我想就这一令人担忧的形势和你进行一次诚恳的交谈。”

　　"I am very glad," said Jefferson, "to talk matters over with you." 我非常愿意，”杰弗逊说，“和你讨论这些问题。”

　　"As you well know," said Mr. Morris, "I have been strenuously⁵ opposing you, as have also the large majority of the States." “正像你所熟知的那样，”莫里斯先生说，“我一直都在坚决反对你，就像美国的绝大多数人那样。”

　　"To be frank with you," he continued, "we are very much afraid of you.  “说实话，”他接着说，“我们都很怕你。

　　We fear, first, that you will turn all the Federalists out of office; second, that you will put down the navy;third, that you will wipe off the public debt.   我们担心，第一，你会把所有的联邦主义者赶出政府.第二，你会削减海军；第三，你会了结公债。

　　Now, if you will declare, or authorize⁶ your friends to declare that you will not take these steps, your election will be made sure." 现在，如果你宣布，或者授权你的朋友们宣布你将不采取这些措施，那么你的选举就会得到保证。”

　　Mr. Jefferson replied, "Governor Morris, I naturally want to be President, and yet I cannot make any terms to obtain the position.  杰斐逊先生回答道:“莫里斯州长，我自然想当总统，然而我不能为获得这一职位而达成任何协议。

　　I shall never go into the office by capitulation. 我将永远不会通过投降而就职的。

　　I cannot have my hands tied by any conditions which would hinder me from pursuing the measures which I deem best for the public good.  我的双手不能被任何将妨碍我追求那些我认为对公众利益最有利的措施的情况所束缚。

　　I must be perfectly⁷ free.The world can judge my future course by that which I have hither to follow.  我必须完全自由。世界可以判断迄今为止我一直在遵循的未来的路线。

　　I am thankful to you for your interest, but I cannot make the slightest promise." 我感谢你对此的兴趣，但我不能做丝毫的承诺。

1 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

2 intrigue   

vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋

参考例句：

• Court officials will intrigue against the royal family.法院官员将密谋反对皇室。
• The royal palace was filled with intrigue.皇宫中充满了勾心斗角。

3 magistrate   

n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官

参考例句：

• The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
• John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 strenuously   

adv.奋发地，费力地

参考例句：

• The company has strenuously defended its decision to reduce the workforce. 公司竭力为其裁员的决定辩护。
• She denied the accusation with some warmth, ie strenuously, forcefully. 她有些激动，竭力否认这一指责。

6 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

7 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。