美国语文第四册 第186期:最好的资本(2)

 　　So would I. Did you hear what those gentlemen said to Grandpa today? 我也是。你们听到今天那些绅士们对祖母说的话了吗？

　　I would like to have that said of me when I was dead; 我真希望我死的时候别人也这么说我。

　　and Franz felt with regret that he had not appreciated Uncle John enough. 弗兰斯遗憾地觉得自己以前对约翰舅舅敬仰得不够。

　　"What did they say?" asked Jack¹, who had been much impressed by the scenes of the day. “他们说什么了？”杰克问，今天的情景给杰克留下了深刻的印象。

　　Why, one of the partners of Mr. Laurence, where Uncle John has been ever so long,  嗯，劳伦斯先生的一个合伙人和约翰舅舅共事过很长时间，

　　was saying that he was conscientious² almost to a fault as a business man, and above reproach in all things. 他说他作为商人的责任心几乎到了挑剔的程度，他做的所有事情都无可指责。

　　Another gentleman said no money could repay the fidelity³ and honesty with which Uncle John had served him, and then Grandpa told them the best of all. 另一个商人说任何金钱都无法酬报约翰舅舅服务的忠诚和诚实，然后祖母讲了约翰舅舅做的一件了不起的事。

　　Uncle John once had a place in the office of a man who cheated, 约翰舅舅曾经在某个人的公司做事，那个人做了骗人的事，

　　and when this man wanted uncle to help him do it, uncle wouldn't, though he was offered a big salary. 当他让舅舅帮助他骗人的时候，舅舅拒绝了，尽管他许诺给他很高的薪水。

　　The man was angry, and said, "You will never get on in business with such strict principles;" 那个人很难生气，说，“你这么有原则性，在生意上不会取得成功的；”

　　and uncle answered back, "I never will try to get on without them," and left the place for a much harder and poorer one. 舅舅回答他说，‘我永远不会通过骗人取得成功。’后来舅舅离开了那儿，从事了一份更艰苦收入更少的工作。”

　　"Good!" cried several of the boys warmly, for they were in the mood to understand and value the little story as never before. “太棒了！”几个男孩热情地叫了起来，因为他们了解这个小故事的价值。

　　"He wasn't rich, was he?" asked Jack. No. “他不是富人，是吗？”杰克问。不是。

　　He never did anything to make a stir in the world, did he? No. 他从来没有做过什么惊天动地的事，是吗？没做过。

　　He was only good? 他只是一个好人？

　　"That's all;" and Franz found himself wishing that Uncle John had done something to boast of, for it was evident that Jack was disappointed by his replies. “完全如此！”弗兰斯此时知道自己希望约翰舅舅做过什么值得吹嘘的事，杰克对他的回答显然有些失望。

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 conscientious   

adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的

参考例句：

• He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责，也很懂行。
• He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。

3 fidelity   

n.忠诚，忠实；精确

参考例句：

• There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。
• His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。