美国语文第五册 第9期:温柔的手(4)

 　　"Dick!" said the farmer in a peremptory¹ voice, giving the rein² a quick jerk as he spoke³. “狄克！”那农夫严厉地呵斥，一边猛地拉动缰绳，

　　But Dick moved not a step. "Dick! you vagabond! get up." 狄克竟然没有挪步，“狄克！你这个懒鬼！快走呀。”

　　And the farmer's whip cracked sharply by the pony⁴'s ear. 农夫鞭子在小马耳边尖锐地乍响。

　　It availed not, however, this second appeal. Dick stood firmly disobedient. 依然毫不奏效。接下来，农夫语气变得委婉甚至恳求，小马驹还是无动于衷。

　　Next the whip was brought down upon him with an impatient hand; but the pony only reared up a little. 然后，主人急躁的鞭子甩在了狄克身上，那马驹只是稍稍后退，

　　Fast and sharp the strokes were next dealt to the number of half a dozen. 接着又来了六七下快速猛烈的鞭笞，

　　The man might as well have beaten the wagon⁵, for all his end was gained. 那农夫如果早知道他最终束手无策，还不如起先就鞭打那马车罢。

　　A stout⁶ lad now came out into the road, and, catching⁷ Dick by the bridle⁸, jerked him forward,  一位身材粗硕的妇人走过来，她抓住马笼头猛地往前拉，

　　using, at the same time, the customary language on such occasions, 嘴里不停叨唠类似场合那些粗鄙的话，

　　but Dick met this new ally with increased stubbornness, planting his fore⁹ feet more firmly and at a sharper angle with the ground. 但狄克愈发倔犟，死活不走，甚至还将它的前蹄翘起，死死地抵住地面。

　　The impatient boy now struck the pony on the side of the head with his clinched¹⁰ hand, and jerked cruelly at his bridle. 这会儿，那位不耐烦的男孩用钳子般手掌猛力撞击狄克头部，然后死命猛拽马的笼头，

　　It availed nothing, however; Dick was not to be wrought¹¹ upon by any such arguments. 毫不奏效，狄克不会在这样暴力下尥开蹄子。

　　"Don't do so, John!" I turned my head as the maiden's sweet voice reached my ear. “约翰，别这样！”我一转头，那位姑娘的温柔声音传了过来。

　　She was passing through the gate into the road, and in the next moment had taken hold of the lad and drawn¹² him away from the animal. 她正迈过大门，来到路上。姑娘一把抓住那莽撞的家伙，将他从狄克身边甩开。

　　No strength was exerted in this; she took hold of his arm, and he obeyed her wish as readily as if he had no thought beyond her gratification. 她毫不费力地抓住了他的一只胳膊，他好像也相当乐意地与其配合，好像压根没有忤逆她的意思。

1 peremptory   

adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的

参考例句：

• The officer issued peremptory commands.军官发出了不容许辩驳的命令。
• There was a peremptory note in his voice.他说话的声音里有一种不容置辩的口气。

2 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

5 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

6 stout   

adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的

参考例句：

• He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
• The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

8 bridle   

n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒

参考例句：

• He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。
• I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。

9 fore   

adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部

参考例句：

• Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
• I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。

10 clinched   

v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）

参考例句：

• The two businessmen clinched the deal quickly. 两位生意人很快达成了协议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Evidently this information clinched the matter. 显然，这一消息使问题得以最终解决。 来自辞典例句

11 wrought   

v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的

参考例句：

• Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。
• It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。

12 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。