走遍全世界53:瓦尔登湖

At the approach of spring the red squirrels got under my house, two at a time, directly under my feet as I sat reading or writing, and kept up the queerest chuckling¹ and chirruping and vocal² pirouetting and gurgling sounds that ever were heard; and when I stamped they only chirruped the louder, as if past all fear and respect in their mad pranks³, defying humanity to stop them. No, you don't - chickaree - chickaree. They were wholly deaf to my arguments, or failed to perceive their force, and fell into a strain of invective⁴ that was irresistible⁵.

春天临近时，赤松鼠来到了我的屋子底下，成双成对，正当我静坐阅读或写作的时候，它们就在我脚下，不断地发出最奇怪的叽叽咕咕的叫声，不断地长嘶短鸣，要是我蹬了几脚，叫声就更加高，好像它们的疯狂的恶作剧已经超过了畏惧的境界，无视于人类的禁令了。你别——叽叽咕咕地叫。对于我的驳斥，它们听也不听，它们不觉得我气势汹汹，反而破口大骂，弄得我毫无办法。

The first sparrow of spring! The year beginning with younger hope than ever! The faint silvery warblings heard over the partially⁶ bare and moist fields from the bluebird, the song sparrow, and the red-wing, as if the last flakes⁸ of winter tinkled⁹ as they fell! What at such a time are histories, chronologies, traditions, and all written revelations? The brooks¹¹ sing carols and glees to the spring. The marsh¹² hawk¹³, sailing low over the meadow, is already seeking the first slimy life and awakes.

春天的第一只麻雀！这一年又在从来没有这样年轻的希望之中开始了！最初听到很微弱的银色的啁啾之声传过了一部分还光秃秃的、湿润的田野，那是发自青岛、离雀和红翼鸫的，仿佛冬天的最后的雪花在叮当地飘落！在这样的一个时候，历史、编年纪、传说，一切启示的文字又算得了什么？小溪向春天唱赞美诗和四部曲。沼泽上的鹰隼低低地飞翔在草地上，已经在寻觅那初醒的脆弱的生物了。

The sinking sound of melting snow is heard in all dells, and the ice dissolves apace in the ponds. The grass flames up on the hillsides like a spring fire - "et primitus oritur herba imbribus primoribus evocate" - as if the earth sent forth¹⁴ an inward heat to greet the returing sun; not yellow but green is the color of its flame; - the symbol of perpetual youth, the grass-blade, like a long green ribbon, streams from the sod into the summer, checked indeed by the frost, but anon pushing on again, lifting its spear of last year's hay with the fresh life below. It grows as steadily¹⁵ as the rill oozes¹⁶ out of the ground. It is almost identical with that, for in the growing days of June, when the rills are dry, the grass-blades are their channels, and from year to year the herds¹⁷ drink at this pernnial green stream, and the mower¹⁸ draws from it betimes their winter supply.

在所有的谷中，听得到融雪的滴答之声，而湖上的冰在迅速地溶化。小草像春火在山腰燃烧起来了，—— "et primitus oritur herba imbribus primoribus evocata" ——好像大地上送上了一个内在的热力来迎接太阳的归来；而火焰的颜色，不是黄的，是绿的，——永远的青春的象征，那草叶，像一根长长的绿色缎带，从草地上流出来流向夏季。是的，它给霜雪阻拦过，可是它不久又在向前推进，举起了去年的干草的长茎，让新的生命从下面升起来。它像小泉源的水从地下淙淙的冒出来一样。它与小溪几乎是一体的，因为在六月那些长日之中，小溪已经干涸了，这些草叶成了它的小道，多少个年代来，牛羊从这永恒的青色的溪流上饮水，到了时候，刈草的人把它们割去供给冬天的需要。

So our human life but dies down to its root, and still puts forth its green blade to eternity¹⁹.

我们人类的生命即使绝灭，只是绝灭不了根，那根上仍能茁生绿色的草叶，至于永恒。

英语词汇整理：

1. queer adj. 古怪的，奇怪的

eg: What a queer story!
一个多么离奇的故事！

相关短语：
be queer for [美国俚语]对……着了迷的，迷上了……的
on the queer [俚语]形迹可疑；不老实
queer fish 怪人；没人要的鱼
queer theory 酷儿理论
queer bird 古怪的家伙

2. pirouette vi. 用脚尖旋转

eg: The ballet-dancer pirouetted continuously.
芭蕾舞演员连续用脚尖旋转。

3. gurgle vi. 汩汩地流

eg: The water gurgled as it ran down the plug-hole.
水汨汨地从塞孔中流下去。

相关短语：
drink gurgle 喝水

4. defy vt. 藐视，挑衅，反抗

eg: They believe it is essential to defy convention.
他们认为对抗流俗是绝对必要的。

相关短语:
defy someone to do something 激某人做某事
defy sb's will 违反某人的意志
defy one's superior 违抗上司

5. invective n. 恶言谩骂，痛骂

eg: He retorted the invective on her.
他用恶言讽刺还击她。

6. moist adj. 潮湿的，湿润的

eg: The soil is reasonably moist after the September rain.
9月的雨水之后，土壤适度湿润。

相关短语:
moist air 湿空气
moist soil 湿地
moist heat 温湿
moist climate 湿润气候

7. flake⁷ n. 薄片，小片

eg: Large flakes of snow began swiftly to fall.
大片大片的雪花开始飞快地落下。

相关短语：
flake off 剥落
flake ice 冰屑；薄片冰
snow flake 雪花；雪片

8. chronology n. 年代学；年表

eg: Now, this chronology doesn't prove that politics drives changes in inequality.
现在这个年表并不能证明政治主导着不平等变化。

同近义词：
fasti n.[图情]年表；年代学

9. brook¹⁰ n. 小河，溪

eg: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
去融化爱，就像一条正在奔流的小溪哼唱着自己的旋律直到晚上。

P.S.：用作动词时，解释为“容许，容忍”

eg: I will brook no interference.
我决不容许任何干涉行径。

10. carol n. 颂歌，欢乐的歌

eg: The singing of Christmas carols is a custom derived²⁰ from early dance routines of pagan origin.
唱圣诞歌这一传统源自异教早期的舞蹈仪式。

相关短语：
christmas carol [基督教]圣诞颂歌

11. glee n. 欢喜，高兴

eg: He was a charming mixture of glum²¹ and glee. 
他是一个很有魅力的人，时而忧伤时而欢笑。

相关短语：
glee club 合唱团

12. marsh n. 沼泽，湿地

eg: He led them away from a marsh. 
他把他们带离沼泽。

相关短语：
marsh gas 甲烷，沼气
salt marsh 盐沼；盐碱滩

13. slimy adj. 粘滑的

eg: His feet slipped in the slimy mud.
他因脚下黏糊糊的泥而滑倒了。

相关短语：
slimy milk 粘乳
slimy ground 泥泞地

14. dissolve vt. 使溶解，解散，消除

eg: Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
微微加热直到糖溶解。

相关短语：
dissolve away 消失；消散
dissolve in 溶入
dissolve in tears (使)痛哭流涕
dissolve into tears 痛哭流涕
dissolve into 溶化成(某物)

15. perpetual adj. 永久的，永恒的

eg: It is the secret of perpetual youth.
它是青春永驻的秘诀。

16. rill n. 小河

eg: Flowed like a rill in the morning beam. 
像晨光中的溪流一样流淌。

相关短语：
rill erosion 细沟侵蚀；细流冲蚀

17. perennial²² adj. 永久的，反复出现的，多年生的

eg: Politics provides a perennial subject for argument.
政治是一种长期争论不休的话题。

相关短语：
perennial plant 多年生植物
perennial grasses 多年生牧草
perennial ryegrass 黑麦草
perennial root 宿根

18. eternity n. 永恒，无穷

eg: I have always found the thought of eternity terrifying.
我总觉得永生的想法很可怕。

相关短语：
launch into eternity 一命归阴
send someone to eternity 使某人死去
through all eternity 永远
 

1 chuckling   

轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I could hear him chuckling to himself as he read his book. 他看书时，我能听见他的轻声发笑。
• He couldn't help chuckling aloud. 他忍不住的笑了出来。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

2 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

3 pranks   

n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Frank's errancy consisted mostly of pranks. 法兰克错在老喜欢恶作剧。 来自辞典例句
• He always leads in pranks and capers. 他老是带头胡闹和开玩笑。 来自辞典例句

4 invective   

n.痛骂，恶意抨击

参考例句：

• He retorted the invective on her.他用恶言讽刺还击她。
• His command of irony and invective was said to be very classic and lethal.据说他嬉笑怒骂的本领是极其杰出的，令人无法招架的。

5 irresistible   

adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的

参考例句：

• The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。
• She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

6 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

7 flake   

v.使成薄片；雪片般落下；n.薄片

参考例句：

• Drain the salmon,discard the skin,crush the bones and flake the salmon with a fork.将鲑鱼沥干，去表皮，粉碎鱼骨并用餐叉子将鱼肉切成小薄片状。
• The paint's beginning to flake.油漆开始剥落了。

8 flakes   

小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人

参考例句：

• It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。
• It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

9 tinkled   

（使）发出丁当声，（使）发铃铃声( tinkle的过去式和过去分词 )； 叮当响着发出，铃铃响着报出

参考例句：

• The sheep's bell tinkled through the hills. 羊的铃铛叮当叮当地响彻整个山区。
• A piano tinkled gently in the background. 背景音是悠扬的钢琴声。

10 brook   

n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让

参考例句：

• In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
• The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。

11 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 marsh   

n.沼泽，湿地

参考例句：

• There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。
• I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。

13 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

14 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

15 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

16 oozes   

v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的第三人称单数 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出

参考例句：

• The spring oozes out of a rock. 泉水从岩石中渗出。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Blood oozes from a wound. 血从伤口渗出。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

18 mower   

n.割草机

参考例句：

• We need a lawn mower to cut the grass.我们需要一台草坪修剪机来割草。
• Your big lawn mower is just the job for the high grass.割高草时正需要你的大割草机。

19 eternity   

n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷

参考例句：

• The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
• Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

20 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 glum   

adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的

参考例句：

• He was a charming mixture of glum and glee.他是一个很有魅力的人，时而忧伤时而欢笑。
• She laughed at his glum face.她嘲笑他闷闷不乐的脸。

22 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。