美国语文第六册 第146期:洗礼(8)

 and a slight current of air, as if propelled by it, 一股气流仿佛是被驱赶过来的，

passed whispering along the sweetbriers, and the broom, and the tresses of the birch trees. 轻轻地漫过多花蔷薇、金盏花和桦树的枝叶。

It came deepening, and rolling, and roaring on; and the very Cartland Craigs shook to their foundation, as if in an earthquake. 这股气流越来越大，向前翻滚着，发出咆哮声，连峭壁岩石的底部都在摇晃，好像是地震。

"The Lord have mercy upon us! What is this?" “上帝已经饶恕我们了！这是怎么回事？”

And down fell many of the miserable¹ wretches² on their knees, and some on their faces, upon the sharp-pointed rocks. 许多可怜的家伙都跪卧在地上，尖利的石块砸在一些人的脸上。

Now, it was like the sound of many myriads³ of chariots rolling on their iron axles down the strong channel of the torrent⁴. 现在，这个场面就像有无数战车的铁车轴碾过洪流似的。

The old, gray-haired minister issued from the mouth of Wallace's Cave, and said, in a loud voice, "The Lord God terrible reigneth!" 那位年事已高、一头灰白头发的牧师从华莱士的洞穴口闪身出来，嗓音洪亮地说：“万能的上帝发威了！”

A waterspout had burst up among the moorlands, and the river, in its power, was at hand. 在沼泽地和河流之间，水直往上喷涌，眼看着就成了一片汪洋。

There it came, tumbling along into that long reach of cliffs, and, in a moment, filled it with one mass of waves. 洪水翻滚着涌进悬崖的狭长地带。不一会儿，悬崖间就波浪腾涌了。

Huge, agitated⁵ clouds of foam⁶ rode on the surface of a blood-red torrent. 在洪水的表面涌起巨大的泡沫。

An army must have been swept off by that flood. 在洪水面前，一支军队不堪一击。

The soldiers perished in a moment; 顷刻间，士兵们就命丧黄泉了。

but high up in the cliffs, above the sweep of destruction, were the Covenanters, men, women, and children, 在悬崖的顶端，在被摧毁的连绵巨石上站着的盟约者、男人、妇女和孩子们，

uttering prayers to God, unheard by themselves, in the raging thunder. 齐声祷告上帝，在电闪雷鸣中，他们的祈祷声连他们自己也听不见。

 

1 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

2 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

3 myriads   

n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Each galaxy contains myriads of stars. 每一星系都有无数的恒星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sky was set with myriads of stars. 无数星星点缀着夜空。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 torrent   

n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发

参考例句：

• The torrent scoured a channel down the hillside. 急流沿着山坡冲出了一条沟。
• Her pent-up anger was released in a torrent of words.她压抑的愤怒以滔滔不绝的话爆发了出来。

5 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。

6 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。