精灵鼠小弟 第80期:约会时刻到来

 The afternoon lying around camp, trying on different shirts to see which looked best on him and combing his whiskers.

一下午，他都在他的营地试穿不同的衬衫，想知道哪一件穿起来更帅，他还不停地用梳子梳他的胡子。

He would no sooner get a clean shirt on than he would discover that it was wet under the arms, from nervous perspiration¹, and he would have to change it for a dry one.

可是他最后穿上的那件衬衫后来却被弄脏了，因为由于太紧张，腋下的汗把它弄湿了，于是他只好又换上一件干的。

He put on a clean shirt at two o'clock, another at three o'clock, and another at quarter past four.

他在两点钟换了一件干净的衬衫，在三点钟又换了一件，在四点十五分则又换了一件。

This took up most of the afternoon.

下午剩下的时间就这么被用掉了。

As five o'clock drew near, Stuart grew more and more nervous.

马上就到五点钟了，斯图亚特心里越来越紧张。

He kept looking at his watch, glancing up the path, combing his hair, talking to himself, and fidgeting.

他不停地看着表，往小路那里瞅，梳理头发，自言自语，心烦意乱。

The day had turned chilly² and Stuart was almost sure that there was going to be rain.

天色越来越阴，斯图亚特想一定是快下雨了。

He couldn't imagine what he would do if it should rain just as Harriet Ames showed up to go canoeing³.

他不知道如果他和哈丽雅特划船时天下起雨该怎么办。

At last five o'clock arrived.

最后，五点钟终于到了。

Stuart heard someone coming down the path.

斯图亚特听到有人走过来的声音。

It was Harriet.

正是哈丽雅特。

She had accepted his invitation.

她已经接受了他的邀请。

Stuart threw himself down against a stump⁴ and tried to strike an easy attitude, as though he were accustomed⁵ to taking girls out.

斯图亚特倚在树桩旁，尽量装出一副悠闲的样子，好像他常和女孩子约会一样。

He waited till Harriet was within a few feet of him, then got up.

他一直等到哈丽雅特来到身边才起身。

1 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

2 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

3 canoeing   

n.划独木舟，玩独木舟；皮划艇运动

参考例句：

• We were canoeing in the lake. 我们在湖中划独木舟。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• You can take part in activities from canoeing to bird watching. 你可以参与从划独木舟到观鸟等各种活动。 来自辞典例句

4 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

5 accustomed   

adj.习惯的，惯常的(to)

参考例句：

• This is his accustomed hour to go to bed.这是他就寝的惯常时间。
• They are accustomed to this sort of work.他们惯于干这种工作。