血字的研究 52犹他之花(2)（在线收听）

On the farm thus acquired John Ferrier built himself a substantial log- house, which received so many additions in succeeding years that it grew into a roomy villa.

费瑞厄就这样获得了他的一份土地。他在这篇土地上建筑了一座坚实的木屋。这座木屋由于逐年增建，渐渐成了一所宽敞的别墅。

He was a man of a practical turn of mind, keen in his dealings and skilful with his hands.

费瑞厄是一个重视实际的人，为人处世精明，长于技艺。

His iron constitution enabled him to work morning and evening at improving and tilling his lands.

他的体格也十分健壮，这就使他能够从早到晚，孜孜不倦地在他的土地上进行耕作和改良。

Hence it came about that his farm and all that belonged to him prospered exceedingly.

因此，他的田庄非常兴旺。

In three years he was better off than his neighbours, in six he was well-to-do, in nine he was rich, and in twelve there were not half a dozen men in the whole of Salt Lake City who could compare with him.

三年之内，他便赶过了他的邻居；六年之中就成为小康之家；九年，他就十分富有了；到了十二年之后，整个盐湖城地方，能够和他比拟的便不到五、六个人了。

From the great inland sea to the distant Wasatch Mountains there was no name better known than that of John Ferrier.

从盐湖这个内陆海起，一直到遥远的瓦撒起山区为止，在这个地区以内，再没有比约翰·费瑞厄的声名更大的了。

There was one way and only one in which he offended the susceptibilities of his co-religionists.

但是，只有一件事，费瑞厄却伤害了他同教人的感情。

No argument or persuasion could ever induce him to set up a female establishment after the manner of his companions.

这便是，不管怎样和他争论，不管怎样向他劝说，都不能使他按照他的伙伴们那种方式娶妻成家。

He never gave reasons for this persistent refusal, but contented himself by resolutely and inflexibly adhering to his determination.

他从来没有说明他一再拒绝这样做的理由究竟是什么，他只是坚决而毫不动摇地固执己见。

There were some who accused him of lukewarmness in his adopted religion, and others who put it down to greed of wealth and reluctance to incur expense.

因此，有些人指责他对于他所信奉的宗教并不虔诚。也有一些人认为他是吝啬财物，不肯破费。

Others, again, spoke of some early love affair, and of a fair-haired girl who had pined away on the shores of the Atlantic.

还有一些人猜测他早先必定有过一番恋爱经历，也许在大西洋沿岸有过一位金发女郎，曾经为他憔悴而死。

Whatever the reason, Ferrier remained strictly celibate.

不管原因是什么，费瑞厄却依然故我地过着严谨的独身生活。

In every other respect he conformed to the religion of the young settlement, and gained the name of being an orthodox and straight-walking man.

除了这一点以外，在其他各个方面，他对于这个新兴殖民地上的这个宗教却是奉行不懈的，而且被公认为是一个笃信正教、行为正派的人。

Lucy Ferrier grew up within the log-house, and assisted her adopted father in all his undertakings.

露茜·费瑞厄在这个木屋中长大片来，她帮助义父处理一切事务。

The keen air of the mountains and the balsamic odour of the pine trees took the place of nurse and mother to the young girl.

山区清新的空气和松林中飘溢的脂香，都象慈母般地抚育着这个年轻的少女。

As year succeeded to year she grew taller and stronger, her cheek more ruddy and her step more elastic.

岁月一年又一年地过去了，露茜也一年年长大成人了；她长得亭亭玉立，十分健美，她的面颊愈见娇艳，她的步态也日益轻盈。

Many a wayfarer upon the high road which ran by Ferrier's farm felt long-forgotten thoughts revive in his mind as he watched her lithe, girlish figure tripping through the wheatfields,

多少路人在经过费瑞厄家田庄旁的大道时，瞧见露茜苗条的少女身影轻盈地穿过麦田。

or met her mounted upon her father's mustang, and managing it with all the ease and grace of a true child of the West.

或者碰见她骑着她父亲的马，显出道地的西部少年所具有的那种成熟而又优美的姿态，往日的情景不禁浮上人们的心头

So the bud blossomed into a flower, and the year which saw her father the richest of the farmers left her as fair a specimen of American girlhood as could be found in the whole Pacific slope.

当年的葩蕾今天已经开放成一朵好花。这些年来，岁月一面使她的父亲变成了农民中最富裕的人，同时，也使她长成为太平洋沿岸整个山区里难得的一个标致的美洲少女。