美国语文第四册 第93期:正确的方式(3)

 　　Time pressed, and Jenny's countenance¹ became more and more overcast², 时间越来越紧迫，珍妮的表情也变得越来越忧愁，

　　but Andrew could think of no way in which he could take the little girl home without being late and losing his standing³ in the school. 但是安德鲁还是没有想出办法，既能将小女孩送回家还不至于上课迟到，让他在学校的威信扫地。

　　It was impossible to get her across the stream at any place nearer than the "big bridge;" 除了“大桥”那里，没有任何更近的地方可以送她过河；

　　he would not take her that way, and make up a false story to account for his lateness at school, 而他又不能去那里送她之后编个故事来解释为什么迟到；

　　and he could not leave her alone or take her with him. 他既不能把她留在原地又不能带她去学校。

　　What was to be done? While several absurd and impracticable plans were passing through his brain, 怎么办呢？正当若干个荒唐而不切实际的计划在他脑子里闪过时，

　　the school bell began to ring, and he must start immediately to reach the schoolhouse in time. 学校的钟声开始响起来，他必须开始往教室那边赶了。

　　And now his anxiety and perplexity became more intense than ever; 现在，他的焦虑和困窘比任何时候都更加强烈。

　　and Jenny, looking up into his troubled countenance, began to cry. 珍妮抬起头，看到他发愁的样子，哭了起来。

　　Andrew, who had never before failed to be at the school door before the first tap of the bell, began to despair. 从来都是在第一遍钟声响起前踏进校门的安德鲁现在开始感到绝望了。

　　Was there nothing to be done? 难道就没有任何办法了吗？

　　Yes! a happy thought passed through his mind. 是的！一个两全齐美的想法闪过脑海。

　　How strange that he should not have thought of it before! 之前没想到真是太奇怪了！

　　He would ask Dominie Black to let him take Jenny home. 他先去和布莱克校长说明情况，

　　What could be more sensible and straightforward⁴ than such a plan? 让他带珍妮回家。什么计划能比这个更合理更直接呢？

　　Of course, the good old schoolmaster gave Andrew the desired permission, and everything ended happily. 当然，善良的老校长允许了安德鲁这样做，一切得以圆满地解决。

　　But the best thing about the whole affair was the lesson that the young Scotch⁵ boy learned that day. 但是整个过程中最好的事是那名苏格兰少年学到了一课。

　　The lesson was this: when we are puzzling our brains with plans to help ourselves out of trouble, 这一课是：当我们绞尽脑汁想帮助自己摆脱困境时，

　　let us always stop a moment in our planning, and try to think if there is not some simple way out of the difficulty, 让我们停下片刻，试着想想是否还有更简单、

　　which shall be in every respect perfectly⁶ right. 从各方面都更完美的脱困办法。

　　If we do this, we shall probably find a way more easy and satisfactory than any which we can devise. 如果我们这样做，就可能会找到比原先计划中更简单易行、更令人满意的办法。

1 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

2 overcast   

adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天

参考例句：

• The overcast and rainy weather found out his arthritis.阴雨天使他的关节炎发作了。
• The sky is overcast with dark clouds.乌云满天。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

5 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

6 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。