美国语文第六册 第142期:洗礼(4)

 At the close of divine service, a row of maidens¹, all clothed in purest white, came gliding² off from the congregation, 在礼拜快要结束时，从会众中闪出一队身着洁白服装的少女，

and, crossing the murmuring stream on stepping stones, arranged themselves at the foot of the pulpit with those who were about to be baptized. 穿过汩汩流淌的溪水，踏上石头，与那些好像要接受洗礼的人一起在讲坛下面排成队列。

Their devout³ fathers, just as though they had been in their own kirk, 她们虔诚的父亲们就像在自己的苏格兰教会那样，

had been sitting there during worship, and now stood up before the minister. 在做礼拜期间一直坐在那儿，现在他们全都站在牧师面前。

The baptismal water, taken from that pellucid⁴ pool, was lying, consecrated⁵, in an appropriate receptacle, 从那个清澈的水潭里取来的洗礼用的水，被奉为神圣的赐物，盛在相应的容器里。

formed by the upright stones that composed one side of the pulpit, and the holy rite⁶ proceeded. 这个容器是由讲坛一侧的立石天然形成的，就这样，神圣的仪式开始了。

Some of the younger ones in that semicircle kept gazing down into the pool, in which the whole scene was reflected; 这些年轻人中有的围成半圆形，不错眼珠地盯着水潭，整个情景都被反射到潭水里了；

and now and then, in spite of the grave looks and admonishing⁷ whispers of their elders, 尽管年长一些的人神情肃穆，告诫他们不要低声耳语，

letting fall a pebble⁸ into the water, that they might judge of its depth, 可是这些年轻人不时地向水潭里扔小石子，

from the length of time that elapsed before the clear air bells lay sparkling on the agitated⁹ surface. 他们从石子飞行的时间和在水面激起的水花来判断水潭有多深。

The rite was over, and the religious service of the day closed by a psalm¹⁰. 仪式结束了，在唱赞美诗后，一天的宗教活动告一段落。

The mighty¹¹ rocks hemmed¹² in the holy sound, and sent it in a more compact volume, clear, sweet, and strong, up to heaven. 巨大的石头聚拢着这神圣的声音，整个空谷都在回荡着，清晰、悠扬而又高亢，直冲云霄。

 

1 maidens   

处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• Transplantation is not always successful in the matter of flowers or maidens. 花儿移栽往往并不成功，少女们换了环境也是如此。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

2 gliding   

v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的

参考例句：

• Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
• The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。

3 devout   

adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)

参考例句：

• His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
• The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。

4 pellucid   

adj.透明的，简单的

参考例句：

• She has a pair of pellucid blue eyes.她有一双清澈的蓝眼睛。
• They sat there watching the water of the pellucid stream rush by.他们坐在那儿望著那清澈的溪水喘急流过。

5 consecrated   

adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献

参考例句：

• The church was consecrated in 1853. 这座教堂于1853年祝圣。
• They consecrated a temple to their god. 他们把庙奉献给神。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

7 admonishing   

v.劝告( admonish的现在分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责

参考例句：

• It is waste of time, admonishing you. 劝告你简直是浪费工夫。 来自辞典例句
• To date, the Doctrine of Cheng Fu still exerts its admonishing effect. 时至今日，承负说仍具有警示作用。 来自互联网

8 pebble   

n.卵石，小圆石

参考例句：

• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。

9 agitated   

adj.被鼓动的，不安的

参考例句：

• His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
• She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

10 psalm   

n.赞美诗，圣诗

参考例句：

• The clergyman began droning the psalm.牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。
• The minister droned out the psalm.牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。

11 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

12 hemmed   

缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围

参考例句：

• He hemmed and hawed but wouldn't say anything definite. 他总是哼儿哈儿的，就是不说句痛快话。
• The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides. 士兵们被四面包围了。