美国语文第五册 第68期:小镇水泵(3)

 　　Drink, and make room for that other fellow, who seeks my aid to quench¹ the fiery² fever of last night's potations, which he drained from no cup of mine. 喝吧，再给那家伙腾点地方。此刻，那醉醺醺的家伙需要我，才能平息他内心的炽烈。昨晚，他饮尽的全是酒，没有一滴水。

　　Welcome, most rubicund³ sir! You and I have been strangers hitherto; 欢迎你！面颊通红的先生！你我至今素不相识，

　　nor, to confess the truth, will my nose be anxious for a closer intimacy⁴, till the fumes⁵ of your breath be a little less potent⁶. 亦没有说过心里话，但愿我能与你贴得更近些，稍微减轻点你的炙热痛苦。

　　Mercy on you, man! The water absolutely hisses⁷ down your red-hot gullet, 可怜的人，我怜悯你！水可以彻底消退你咽喉的烈火煎熬，

　　and is converted quite into steam in the miniature Tophet, which you mistake for a stomach. 在你喉腔的微小地狱里全部化为缕缕水气，可你误把喉咙当做胃，

　　Fill again, and tell me, on the word of an honest toper, did you ever, in cellar, tavern⁸, or any other kind of dramshop,  不停地牛饮海灌猫尿。请你以诚实酒鬼的名义告诉我，是否曾经在地窖或酒馆、甚至像样点的酒吧，

　　spend the price of your children's food for a swig half so delicious? 挥霍花尽你孩子的生活费，一大口喝下大半瓶，痛饮中不能自抑？

　　Now, for the first time these ten years, you know the flavor of cold water. 十年来，你第一次终究明白了凉水滋味。

　　Good-by; and whenever you are thirsty, recollect⁹ that I keep a constant supply at the old stand. 再见，无论什么时候，倘若再干渴冒火，不妨回想一下，我会在老地方给你送上清冽甘甜的凉水。

　　Who next? Oh, my little friend, you are just let loose from school, 下一个轮到谁？哦，我的小朋友。你不过想从紧张的校园里放松自己。

　　and come hither to scrub your blooming face, and drown the memory of certain taps of the ferule, 过来！洗洗你那花朵般的小脸，暂时忘掉学校里那些清规戒律，

　　and other schoolboy troubles, in a draught¹⁰ from the Town Pump. 还有与小伙伴争吵的闷闷不乐。在小镇水泵这里痛快地喝上一气，

　　Take it, pure as the current of your young life; take it, and may your heart and tongue never be scorched¹¹ with a fiercer thirst than now. 喝吧，这水纯净得好像你年轻生命启程的小溪；喝吧，但愿你的身心永远不会像现在受尽饥渴的折磨。

1 quench   

vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制

参考例句：

• The firemen were unable to quench the fire.消防人员无法扑灭这场大火。
• Having a bottle of soft drink is not enough to quench my thirst.喝一瓶汽水不够解渴。

2 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

3 rubicund   

adj.(脸色)红润的

参考例句：

• She watched the colour drain from Colin's rubicund face.她看见科林原本红润的脸渐渐失去了血色。
• His rubicund face expressed consternation and fatigue.他那红通的脸显得又惊惶又疲乏。

4 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

5 fumes   

n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体

参考例句：

• The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。

6 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

7 hisses   

嘶嘶声( hiss的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The speaker was received with a mixture of applause and hisses. 那演说者同时得到喝彩声和嘘声。
• A fire hisses if water is thrown on it. 把水浇到火上，火就发出嘶嘶声。

8 tavern   

n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店

参考例句：

• There is a tavern at the corner of the street.街道的拐角处有一家酒馆。
• Philip always went to the tavern,with a sense of pleasure.菲利浦总是心情愉快地来到这家酒菜馆。

9 recollect   

v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得

参考例句：

• He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。
• She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。

10 draught   

n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计

参考例句：

• He emptied his glass at one draught.他将杯中物一饮而尽。
• It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught.可惜这房间没北窗，没有过堂风。

11 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。