美国语文第五册 第92期:香水月季(5)

 　　Then why do you see the geranium or rose so carefully nursed in the old cracked teapot in the poorest room, 那么，为什么那些穷家陋户的破漏茶壶或瓦罐里，居然还种着天竺葵或月季，

　　or the morning-glory planted in a box and twined about the window? 或者木箱里还养着牵牛花，沿窗户向上缠绕攀爬？

　　Do not these show that the human heart yearns¹ for the beautiful in all ranks of life? 这些难道不是说明，不管人的职业高贵或低下，人们内心难道不是同样渴望美？追求美？

　　You remember, Kate, how our washerwoman sat up a whole night, after a hard day's work, to make her first baby a pretty dress to be baptized in. 凯特，你还记得，有一次，我们家洗衣女工干了一天活回到家，为了第二天的洗礼仪式，通宵达旦地为孩子缝制新裙子吗？

　　Yes, and I remember how I laughed at you for making such a tasteful little cap for it. 是的，记得，那时我还嘲笑你，费心劳神地做那么雅致的婴儿帽。

　　True, Kate, but I think the look of perfect delight with which the poor woman regarded her baby in its new dress and cap was something quite worth creating; 不错，凯特，漂亮的外貌当然使人愉悦，那可怜女人觉得，只要她的孩子能穿上新衣、戴上新帽，她付出一些辛苦当然值得，

　　I do believe she could not have felt more grateful if 1 had sent her a barrel² of flour. 更相信，如果那时我再送上一把鲜花，在她看来，不管怎样感激涕零，都难以表达她的心情。

　　Well, I never thought before of giving anything to the poor but what they really needed, 是的，我以前从未想到周济穷人，除非他们确实需要，

　　and I have always been willing to do that when I could without going far out of my way. 虽然，我一直想做力所能及的善事，却不愿偏离自己直觉太远。

　　Ah! cousin, if our heavenly Father gave to us after this mode³, 哎呀！表妹，倘若天堂的圣父亦依据这种方式馈赠我们，

　　we should have only coarse⁴, shapeless piles of provisions⁵ lying about the world,  那么在这个世界上，或许，我们只有那些粗鄙不堪或乱七八糟的东西，

　　instead of all this beautiful variety of trees, and fruits, and flowers. 而不会类似现在，那些花草、树木以及果实等等的美丽组合。

　　Well, well, cousin, I suppose you are right, but have mercy on my poor head; 得了，得了，表姐，我觉得你说得都对，发发慈悲，饶过我这不开窍的可怜脑瓜，

　　it is too small to hold so many new ideas all at once, so go on your own way; 怎能转眼装下那么多新鲜念头，你还是忙你的去吧。

　　and the little lady began practicing a waltzing step before the glass with great satisfaction. 接着，对着镜子，小姑娘悠然自得地练习华尔兹舞步起来。

1 yearns   

渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Every man yearns for sympathy in sorrow. 每个遇到不幸的人都渴望得到同情。
• What I dread is to get into a rut. One yearns for freshness of thought and ideas. 我害怕的就是墨守成规。人总是向往新思想和新观念的。

2 barrel   

n.圆桶；一桶的量；枪管；vt.把...装桶

参考例句：

• I drew off three pints of beer from the barrel.我从酒桶里抽出三品脱啤酒。
• The man rolled the barrel into the yard.那个人把圆桶滚进院子。

3 mode   

n.方式，样式，模式，风格，时兴；[音乐]调式

参考例句：

• Wearing jeans is out of mode at present.现在穿牛仔裤过时了。
• His mode of doing business is offensive to me.他干事情的方式叫我很不喜欢。

4 coarse   

adj.粗的，粗糙的；粗劣的；粗俗的

参考例句：

• His coarse habits have gradually fined away.他的粗俗习惯渐渐变得文雅起来了。
• She never wears clothes made of coarse material.她从来不穿粗布衣服。

5 provisions   

n.粮食，食品

参考例句：

• The campers got their provisions at the village shop. 野营者在乡村商店买食物。
• Both sides have to act according to the provisions of the agreement. 双方都应按照协议条款办事。