双语有声阅读：经比萨和锡耶纳到罗马(4)

Hence，when we came to Spezzia，we found that the Magra，an unbridged river on the high-road to Pisa，was too high to be safely crossed in the Ferry Boat，and were fain to wait until the afternoon of next day，when it had，in some degree，subsided. Spezzia，however，is a good place to tarry at； by reason，firstly，of its beautiful bay； secondly，of its ghostly Inn； thirdly，of the head-dress of the women，who wear，on one side of their head，a small doll's straw hat，stuck on to the hair；which is certainly the oddest and most roguish head-gear that ever was invented.

 

当我们到达斯培西亚时，发现马格拉河水位太高,以至于乘渡船不能安全过河。马格拉河上又没有通往比萨的桥梁。于是,我们欣然接受了事实,等第二天下午水势稍平时再过河。不过,斯培西亚却是个滞留的好地方。苜先是因为它那美丽的海湾;其次是恐怖的客找;最后则是那里女性的头饰。女人们在头的一侧,都佩戴一顶玩偶草相，这种草帽的确是那种最怪异、最顽皮的设计。

The Magra safely crossed in the Ferry Boat - the passage is not by any means agreeable，when the current is swollen¹ and strong - we arrived at Carrara，within a few hours. In good time next morning，we got some ponies，and went out to see the marble quarries².

我们乘渡船安全地渡过了马格拉河一当水流湍急、河水上涨时，渡河一点也不令人惬意—数小时后，我们到达卡拉拉。笫二天早上，我们找来了几四小马去参观采石场。

They are four or five great glens，running up into a range of lofty hills，until they can run no longer，and are stopped by being abruptly³ strangled by Nature. The quarries，'or caves，as they call them there，are so many openings，high up in the hills，on either side of these passes，where they blast and excavate⁴ for marble： which may turn out good or bad; may make a man's fortune very quickly，or ruin him by the great expense of working what is worth nothing. Some of these caves were opened by the ancient Romans，and remain as they left them to this hour.

采石场从四五个巨大的峡谷，向上一直延伸到一群高山上,直到被大自然的鬼斧神工挡住去路,不能再延伸为止。采石场，或者当地人们所谓的“窑洞”,其实就是在山上的很多洞穴。人们可以在这些洞穴中的任何一个洞口爆炸、开凿大理石。这种开采运气可好可坏:它可以使一个人暴亩，也可以使一个人倾其所有,血本无归。这些山洞有些是罗马人开采的，至今仍保留农被遗弃时的样子。

1 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

2 quarries   

n.（采）石场( quarry的名词复数 )；猎物（指鸟，兽等）；方形石；（格窗等的）方形玻璃v.从采石场采得( quarry的第三人称单数 )；从（书本等中）努力发掘（资料等）；在采石场采石

参考例句：

• This window was filled with old painted glass in quarries. 这窗户是由旧日的彩色菱形玻璃装配的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They hewed out the stones for the building from nearby quarries. 他们从邻近的采石场开凿出石头供建造那栋房子用。 来自辞典例句

3 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

4 excavate   

vt.挖掘，挖出

参考例句：

• They plan to excavate a large hole.他们计划挖个大洞。
• A new Danish expedition is again excavating the site in annual summer digs.一支新的丹麦探险队又在那个遗址上进行一年一度的夏季挖掘。