美国语文第四册 第166期:休伊德和特劳先生(3)

 　　"Don't be afraid," said the stranger; this is not Mr. Toil¹, the schoolmaster, but a brother of his, who was bred a farmer. “不要害怕，”陌生人说，“这不是特劳校长，而是他的一个当农民的兄弟。

　　He won't trouble you, unless you become a laborer² on his farm. 除非你是他农场的工人，否则他不会找你麻烦的。

　　Hugh believed what his companion said, but was glad when they were out of sight of the old farmer who bore such a singular resemblance to Mr. Toil. 休相信同伴说的话，很高兴地离开了这个和特劳先生长相惊人相似的人。

　　The two travelers came to a spot where some carpenters were building a house. 两人来到了一个地方，那里木匠们正在盖房子。

　　Hugh begged his companion to stop awhile,  休求同伴等一会，

　　for it was a pretty sight to see how neatly³ the carpenters did their work with their saws, planes, and hammers; 木匠们用他们的锯、刨子、锤子利索地干活的情景很有趣；

　　and he was beginning to think he too should like to use the saw, and the plane, and the hammer, and be a carpenter himself. 他开始想象也想拿起那些锯、刨子、锤子，成为一名木匠。

　　But suddenly he caught sight of something that made him seize his friend's hand, in a great fright. 可是突然，他看到了什么，害怕地抓住朋友的手。

　　"Make haste! quick, quick!" cried he; "there's old Mr. Toil again." “快点！快，快！”休叫起来，“又看到老特劳了。”

　　The stranger cast his eyes where Hugh pointed⁴ his finger, and saw an elderly man, 休用手指着，陌生人顺着手指的方向看去，

　　who seemed to be overseeing the carpenters,  一个老年人似乎是监工，

　　as he went to and fro about the unfinished house, marking out the work to be done, and urging the men to be diligent⁵; 他走来走去，给要做的工作做着标记，督促人们更用力气；

　　and wherever he turned his hard and wrinkled visage, they sawed and hammered as if for dear life. 严肃而布满皱纹的脸在哪里出现，那里的木匠们就都拼命地工作。

　　"Oh, no! this is not Mr. Toil, the schoolmaster," said the stranger; it is another brother of his who follows the trade of carpenter. “哦，不！这不是特劳校长，”陌生人说，这是他的从事木匠工作的另一个兄弟。

　　"I am very glad to hear it," quoth Hugh; "but if you please, sir, I should like to get out of his way as soon as possible." “听见你这么说我就放心了，”休说，“可是，先生，我想尽快离开这儿。”

1 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

2 laborer   

n.劳动者，劳工

参考例句：

• Her husband had been a farm laborer.她丈夫以前是个农场雇工。
• He worked as a casual laborer and did not earn much.他当临时工，没有赚多少钱。

3 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 diligent   

adj.勤勉的，勤奋的

参考例句：

• He is the more diligent of the two boys.他是这两个男孩中较用功的一个。
• She is diligent and keeps herself busy all the time.她真勤快，一会儿也不闲着。