美国语文第五册 第319期:北极光(3)

 　　Overhead the sky was of a clear, thin gold, with heavy masses of violet cloud stretched across from north to south, 头顶天空清澈无比，夹杂稀疏细薄的金黄，紫罗兰色的厚实云团从北往南横铺天穹，

　　and thickening as they got near the horizon. 愈接近地平面，云团愈发厚重。

　　Down at their feet, near the shore, a dusky line of huts and houses was scarcely visible; 在他们站立的脚下，那块毗邻岸边的地方，成排的房屋村舍隐约憧憧，

　　and over these lay a pale blue film of peat smoke that did not move in the still air. 一柱蓝色泥炭炊烟隐绰升起，在静谧的空中悄然凝固。

　　Then they saw the bay into which the White Water runs, 他们然后看见那条大河急速奔腾流入海湾，

　　and they could trace the yellow glimmer¹ of the river stretching into the island through a level valley of bog² and morass³. 目光追随黄色的微光溯河而上，那道星云流过等高的沼泽与山谷，

　　Far away towards the east lay the bulk of the island,—dark green undulations of moorland and pasture; 最后流入那座小岛，岛屿大半向东延伸很远，很远；黑暗中，远处荒原牧野现出墨绿色的波浪起伏，

　　and there, in the darkness, the gable of one white house had caught the clear light of the sky, and was gleaming westward⁴ like a star. 天空清澈的极光射在一处白色房舍的山墙，墙体向西缓慢漂移，宛如飘曳浮动的半空星辰。

　　But all this was as nothing to the glory that began to shine in the southeast, 不过，上述风景委实算不上精彩。此刻的东南方天空朦胧发光，

　　where the sky was of a pale violet over the peaks of Mealasabhal and Suainabhal. 美那沙巴和苏恩那巴高耸顶峰上，

　　There, into the beautiful dome⁵, rose the golden crescent of the moon, warm in color, as though it still retained the last rays of the sunset. 天空洇出一条浅淡紫色，一轮金色新月从那里升起然后跃入苍莽天穹，艳黄月牙，似乎挽住夕阳最后一缕辉煌；

　　A line of quivering gold fell across Loch Roag, and touched the black hull⁶ and spars of the boat in which Sheila had been sailing in the morning. 一道金光泻落，颤抖地粼粼扫过洛赫罗格海湾，扫过黑黢黢的船身还有桅杆，那条当天清早希拉扬帆出海的小船。

1 glimmer   

v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光

参考例句：

• I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她，感到了一线希望。
• A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。

2 bog   

n.沼泽；室...陷入泥淖

参考例句：

• We were able to pass him a rope before the bog sucked him under.我们终于得以在沼泽把他吞没前把绳子扔给他。
• The path goes across an area of bog.这条小路穿过一片沼泽。

3 morass   

n.沼泽，困境

参考例句：

• I tried to drag myself out of the morass of despair.我试图从绝望的困境中走出来。
• Mathematical knowledge was certain and offered a secure foothold in a morass.数学知识是确定无疑的,它给人们在沼泽地上提供了一个稳妥的立足点。

4 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

5 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

6 hull   

n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳

参考例句：

• The outer surface of ship's hull is very hard.船体的外表面非常坚硬。
• The boat's hull has been staved in by the tremendous seas.小船壳让巨浪打穿了。