血字的研究 49沙漠中的旅客(7)

On the ledge¹ of rock above this strange couple there stood three solemn buzzards, who, at the sight of the newcomers, uttered raucous² screams of disappointment and flapped sullenly³ away.

在这对奇怪人物头上的岩石上，落着三只虎视眈眈的巨雕，它们一见另外的人们来到，便发出一阵失望的啼声，无可奈何地飞走了。

The cries of the foul⁴ birds awoke the two sleepers⁵, who stared about them in bewilderment.

巨雕的啼声惊醒了这两个熟睡的人，他们惶惑地瞧着面前的人们。

The man staggered to his feet and looked down upon the plain which had been so desolate⁶ when sleep had overtaken him, and which was now traversed by this enormous body of men and of beasts.

这个男子摇摇摆摆地站了起来，向着山下望去。当睡魔捉住他的时候还是一起凄凉的荒原上，现在却出现了无数的人马。

His face assumed an expression of incredulity as he gazed, and he passed his bony hand over his eyes.

他的脸上露出不敢相信的神情，他举其他那枯瘦的手放在眼眉上仔细观瞧。

"This is what they call delirium⁷, I guess," he muttered.

他喃喃自语道："我想这就是所谓的神经错乱了吧。"

The child stood beside him, holding on to the skirt of his coat, and said nothing, but looked all round her with the wondering, questioning gaze of childhood.

小女孩站在他的身旁，紧紧地拉着大人的衣角，她什么也没有说，带着孩童所有的那种惊奇的眼光，四面呆瞧着。

The rescuing party were speedily able to convince the two castaways that their appearance was no delusion⁸.

来救他俩的人们很快就使这两个落难人相信了，他们的出现并不是出于他俩的幻觉。

One of them seized the little girl and hoisted⁹ her upon his shoulder, while two others supported her gaunt companion, and assisted him towards the wagons¹⁰.

其中一个人抱起小女孩，把她放在肩上，另外两个人扶着她那片弱不堪的同伴，一同向车队走去。

"My name is John Ferrier," the wanderer explained; "me and that little un are all that's left o'twenty-one people.

这个流浪者自报姓名说："我叫约翰·费瑞厄。二十一个人里只剩下我和这个小东西了。

The rest is all dead o' thirst and hunger away down in the south."

他们在南边因为没吃没喝，都已死了。"

"Is she your child?" asked someone.

有人问道："她是你的孩子吗？"

"I guess she is now," the other cried, defiantly¹¹; "she's mine 'cause I saved her.

这个男子大胆地承认下来，他说："我想，现在她是我的孩子了。她应该算是我的了，因为我救了她。

No man will take her from me. She's Lucy Ferrier from this day on. Who are you, though?"

谁也不能把她夺走了，她从今天气就叫做露茜·费瑞厄了。可是，你们是谁呀？"

he continued, glancing with curiosity at his stalwart, sunburned rescuers; "there seems to be a powerful lot of ye."

他好奇地瞧了瞧他的这些高大健壮、面目黧黑的救命恩人，接着说，"你们好象人很多呢。"

"Nigh unto ten thousand," said one of the young men; "we are the persecuted¹² children of God–the chosen of the Angel Moroni."

一个年轻人说："差不多上万。我们是受到迫害的上帝儿女，天使梅罗娜的选民。"

"I never heard tell on him," said the wanderer. "He appears to have chosen a fair crowd of ye."

这个流浪者说："我没有听到过这位天使的事情，可是她似乎选到了你们这么多实在不坏的臣民了。"

"Do not jest at that which is sacred," said the other, sternly.

另外一个人严肃地说："谈神的事不准随便说笑。

"We are of those who believe in those sacred writings, drawn¹³ in Egyptian letters on plates of beaten gold, which were handed unto the holy Joseph Smith at Palmyra.

我们是信奉摩门经文的人，这些经文是用埃及文写在金叶上的，在派尔迈拉交给了神圣的约瑟·史密斯。

We have come from Nauvoo, in the state of Illinois, where we had founded our temple.

我们是从伊利诺州的瑙伏城来的，在那里我们曾经建立了我们自己的教堂。

We have come to seek a refuge from the violent man and from the godless, even though it be the heart of the desert."

我们现在是逃避那个专横的史密斯和那些目无神明的人们的，即使是流落沙漠上也心甘情愿。"

The name of Nauvoo evidently recalled recollections to John Ferrier. "I see," he said; "you are the Mormons."

提到瑙伏城，费瑞厄很快地就想起来了，他说："我知道了，你们是摩门教徒。"

"We are the Mormons," answered his companions with one voice. "And where are you going?"

"我们是摩门教徒。"大家异口同声地说。"那么你们现在往哪里去呢？"

"We do not know. The hand of God is leading us under the person of our Prophet. You must come before him. He shall say what is to be done with you."

"我们自己也不知道。上帝凭借着我们的先知指引着我们。你必须去见见先知，他会指示怎么安置你的。"

1 ledge   

n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁

参考例句：

• They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
• Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。

2 raucous   

adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的

参考例句：

• I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。
• They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。

3 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

4 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

5 sleepers   

n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环

参考例句：

• He trod quietly so as not to disturb the sleepers. 他轻移脚步，以免吵醒睡着的人。 来自辞典例句
• The nurse was out, and we two sleepers were alone. 保姆出去了，只剩下我们两个瞌睡虫。 来自辞典例句

6 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

7 delirium   

n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋

参考例句：

• In her delirium, she had fallen to the floor several times. 她在神志不清的状态下几次摔倒在地上。
• For the next nine months, Job was in constant delirium.接下来的九个月，约伯处于持续精神错乱的状态。

8 delusion   

n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑

参考例句：

• He is under the delusion that he is Napoleon.他患了妄想症，认为自己是拿破仑。
• I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.我误认为他要娶我。

9 hoisted   

把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。
• The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。

10 wagons   

n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车

参考例句：

• The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。
• They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。

11 defiantly   

adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地

参考例句：

• Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

13 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。