美国语文第五册 第69期:小镇水泵(4)

 　　There, my dear child, put down the cup, and yield your place to this elderly gentleman, 过来，我可爱的孩子，放下杯子，给走过来这位年迈绅士让条路来。

　　who treads so tenderly over the paving stones that I suspect he is afraid of breaking them. 老人缓步地走过街上石子路，脚步很轻，我怀疑他似乎害怕会把石子踩碎。

　　What! he limps by without so much as thanking me, as if my hospitable¹ offers were meant only for people who have no wine cellars. 天呀！那老人蹒跚地走过，压根没想到对我心存感激，好像我的好意不过为了那些家里没有酒窖的酒鬼。

　　Well, well, sir, no harm done, I hope! Go, draw the cork², tip the decanter; 好了，好了，先生，但愿你一点没有受伤！请过来，拔掉软木塞，倾倒那个热水瓶；

　　but when your great toe shall set you a-roaring, it will be no affair of mine. 不过，一旦你那了不得的脚拇指让你咆哮起来，那可与我真是毫不相干。

　　If gentlemen love the pleasant titillation³ of the gout, it is all one to the Town Pump. 如果绅士们都喜欢这种蹭痒游戏，对小镇水泵来说，也没什么！

　　This thirsty dog, with his red tongue lolling out, does not scorn my hospitality, 这条干渴至极的狗，它红红的舌头耷拉外面，它并不厌恶我的殷勤好客。

　　but stands on his hind⁴ legs, and laps eagerly out of the trough. 此时，它倚着后腿立起，急切地拍打水槽里流出的水，

　　See how lightly he capers⁵ away again! Jowler, did your worship ever have the gout? 看呀，它那么快乐地再次雀跃跑开！好一条大颌狗！你的拜神仪式中竟然还有这等乐趣？

　　Your pardon, good people! I must interrupt my stream of eloquence⁶, 请你们原谅，好心的人。我得打断一下我的连珠妙语。

　　and spout⁷ forth⁸ a stream of water to replenish⁹ the trough for this teamster and his two yoke¹⁰ of oxen, 我得赶紧喷水，眼见水槽里的水快要见底了。那个赶车的人走过来了，牵着他的双轭牛车，

　　who have come all the way from Staunton, or somewhere along that way. 也许从斯坦顿或其他什么地方一路匆匆赶来。

　　No part of my business gives me more pleasure than the watering of cattle. 没有什么事情能比我能为畜群提供饮水更开心。

　　Look! how rapidly they lower the watermark on the sides of the trough, till their capacious stomachs are moistened with a gallon or two apiece, 看！水槽两边的水位标降得多快，直到它们个个喝得肚鼓腰圆，

　　and they can afford time to breathe, with sighs of calm enjoyment¹¹! 不时地打上几声响嚏，发出快乐的喘息！

　　Now they roll their quiet eyes around the brim of their monstrous¹² drinking vessel¹³. 好了，它们此刻正安详地望着各自鼓胀的胃囊。

　　An ox is your true toper. 牛们，你们才是真正的豪饮者。

1 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

2 cork   

n.软木，软木塞

参考例句：

• We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
• Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

3 titillation   

n.搔痒，愉快；搔痒感

参考例句：

4 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

5 capers   

n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• I like to fly about and cut capers. 我喜欢跳跳蹦蹦闹着玩儿。 来自辞典例句
• He always leads in pranks and capers. 他老是带头胡闹和开玩笑。 来自辞典例句

6 eloquence   

n.雄辩；口才，修辞

参考例句：

• I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。
• The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。

7 spout   

v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱

参考例句：

• Implication in folk wealth creativity and undertaking vigor spout.蕴藏于民间的财富创造力和创业活力喷涌而出。
• This acts as a spout to drain off water during a rainstorm.在暴风雨季，这东西被用作喷管来排水。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 replenish   

vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满

参考例句：

• I always replenish my food supply before it is depleted.我总是在我的食物吃完之前加以补充。
• We have to import an extra 4 million tons of wheat to replenish our reserves.我们不得不额外进口四百万吨小麦以补充我们的储备。

10 yoke   

n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶

参考例句：

• An ass and an ox,fastened to the same yoke,were drawing a wagon.驴子和公牛一起套在轭上拉车。
• The defeated army passed under the yoke.败军在轭门下通过。

11 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

12 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

13 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。