美国语文第五册 第107期:马萨诸塞州的监狱叛乱(7)

 　　No situation of greater interest than this can be conceived. 已到千钧一发的危急关口。

　　At one end of the hall, a fearful multitude of the most desperate and powerful men in existence, waiting for the assault; 大厅两端，罪犯与强悍军人正僵持对峙。一大群恐怖至极的困兽犹斗等待攻击，

　　at the other, a little band of disciplined men, waiting with arms presented, and ready, upon the least motion or sign, to begin the carnage; 一小群训练有素的军人，端着枪严阵以待，等待手势或行动指令迅即开始屠杀；

　　and their tall and imposing¹ commander, holding up his watch to count the lapse² of three minutes, given as the reprieve³ to the lives of hundreds. 他们高大勇猛、威风凛凛的指挥官举着表计算三分钟滴答，从而决定数百人的生杀予夺。

　　No poet or painter can conceive a spectacle of more dark and terrible sublimity⁴; 没有笔墨可以描绘比这幕场景更为黑暗恐怖的生死凝重；

　　no human heart can conceive a situation of more appalling⁵ suspense⁶. 没有人可以预知这种骇人听闻的惊险悬念。

　　For two minutes not a person nor a muscle moved; 双方互相僵持，时针滴答接近两分钟，所有的人纹丝不动，甚至身上肌肉亦不曾抖动。

　　not a sound was heard in the unwonted stillness of the prison, except the labored⁷ breathings of the infuriated wretches⁸, 除却愤怒凶残的沉重喘息，甚至听不到一根针落的声音。

　　as they began to pant between fear and revenge: at the expiration⁹ of two minutes, 在恐惧与复仇纠结中，两分钟时间到了，暴徒们呼吸急促起来。

　　during which they had faced the ministers of death with unblenching eyes,  刚才面对死神毫不退缩的眼神出现变化。

　　two or three of those in the rear, and nearest the further entrance, went slowly out; 人群队伍后面，临近门口地方，三两人慢慢地退到门外，接着又走了好几个。

　　a few more followed the example, dropping out quietly and deliberately¹⁰:  离开的人一声不吭、格外谨慎地退出。

　　and before half of the last minute was gone, every man was struck by the panic, and crowded for an exit, and the hall was cleared, as if by magic. 最后30秒过后，深陷恐慌的囚犯们潮水般挤向出口，整个大厅刹那间变得空空荡荡，仿佛奇迹发生。

　　Thus the steady firmness of moral force and the strong effect of determination, 囿于道德力量的稳健，坚韧的心理强势，

　　acting¹¹ deliberately, awed¹² the most savage¹³ men, and suppressed a scene of carnage, 指挥的谨慎运作，才会使穷凶至恶者产生敬畏，从而抑制了一场血腥杀戮，

　　which would have instantly followed the least precipitancy or exertion¹⁴ of physical force. 因为哪怕丁点轻率鲁莽或物力冲突都会让所有努力前功尽弃。

1 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

2 lapse   

n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效

参考例句：

• The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
• I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

3 reprieve   

n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解

参考例句：

• He was saved from the gallows by a lastminute reprieve.最后一刻的缓刑令把他从绞架上解救了下来。
• The railway line, due for closure, has been granted a six-month reprieve.本应停运的铁路线获准多运行6 个月。

4 sublimity   

崇高，庄严，气质高尚

参考例句：

• It'suggests no crystal waters, no picturesque shores, no sublimity. 这决不会叫人联想到晶莹的清水，如画的两岸，雄壮的气势。
• Huckleberry was filled with admiration of Tom's facility in writing, and the sublimity of his language. 对汤姆流利的书写、响亮的内容，哈克贝利心悦诚服。

5 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

6 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

7 labored   

adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
• They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句

8 wretches   

n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋

参考例句：

• The little wretches were all bedraggledfrom some roguery. 小淘气们由于恶作剧而弄得脏乎乎的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The best courage for us poor wretches is to fly from danger. 对我们这些可怜虫说来，最好的出路还是躲避危险。 来自辞典例句

9 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

10 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

11 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

12 awed   

adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The audience was awed into silence by her stunning performance. 观众席上鸦雀无声，人们对他出色的表演感到惊叹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was awed by the huge gorilla. 那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

14 exertion   

n.尽力，努力

参考例句：

• We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture.我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。
• She was hot and breathless from the exertion of cycling uphill.由于用力骑车爬坡，她浑身发热。