美国小学英语教材6:第183课 西班牙擦鞋童(2)

He stood now with his work box set on the railing of the bridge, begging the passers-by to let him polish their shoes.

他现在站在那里，工具箱放在大桥的栏杆上，乞求过路人让他给他们擦鞋。

But they shook their heads, and with a kind word went on their way.

但是他们摇了摇头，说了几句客气话就继续上路了。

Up the steep road that led from the valley, Pepin could see his older brother coming from the grist mill where he worked.

在通往山谷的陡峭山路上，佩平可以看到哥哥从他工作的磨坊里出来。

With lagging steps, Pepin went to meet him.

佩平慢吞吞地走过去见他。

As they stopped at the door of their house right at the edge of the bluff¹, Pepin sighed.

他们在悬崖边的家门口停了下来，这时佩平叹了口气。

Why are you so sad today? his brother asked kindly².

他哥哥亲切地问道：你今天为什么这么难过啊？

No work. I ask and ask, and there's nothing to do, Pepin answered.

佩平回答：没有生意，我问了一遍又一遍，可一点儿生意也没有。

If I could only go to some other town, to one of the cities, where there are more people and where they aren't so poor!

要是我能到别的城镇去，到一个人更多而且不这么穷的城市去就好了!

Why can't you? his brother asked. No money, only one little dog, and it wouldn't take me far on the train, hardly to the next station.

他哥哥问：为什么不去呢？我没有钱，只有一只小狗，坐火车也走不了多远，几乎到不了下一站。

Pepin, could you go if I'd loan you my donkey?” his brother asked. Yes, but how would you get back and forth³ to the mill?

佩平，如果我把我的驴子借给你，你能去吗？他哥哥问道。能去，但是你去磨坊，来回要怎么办呢？

I'll walk, his brother offered.

他哥哥回答：我走着去。

THE WONDERS OF GRANADA

格拉纳达的奇迹

A few days later Pepin set out toward the mountains, on the donkey.

几天后，佩平骑着驴朝山里走去。

His mother had filled one of his saddle bags with food enough to last until he could earn more money,

他妈妈在他的一个马鞍袋里装满了食物，足以让他撑到他能挣更多的钱为止。

and in the other bag he carried an old quilt to cover him when he slept along the road at night.

在另一个袋子里，他装了一条旧被子，晚上睡在路边时，可以盖在身上。

Behind him was strapped⁴ his boot-blacking box, ready for any work he might pick up along the way.

他把擦鞋的工具箱绑在身后，为路上可能遇到的任何生意做好准备。

For several days Pepin rode steadily⁵ westward⁶ through the mountain passes toward Granada.

一连几天，佩平骑马稳步向西，穿过了通往格拉纳达的大山。

He was sure he could get work there; it was a larger city than Ronda, and many travelers came to see its fine old palace, the Alhambra.

他确信能在那里找到生意，这个城市比隆达更大，许多游客都来这里参观美丽的古老宫殿——阿尔罕布拉宫。

1 bluff   

v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗

参考例句：

• His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
• John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。

2 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

3 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

4 strapped   

adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

6 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。