【双语有声阅读】内卡河上木筏行(4)

So I chartered the raft and the crew and took all the responsibilities on myself.

 

于是，我租下了这条木筏，雇了他的舵手，一切责任由我承担。

With a rattling¹ song the starboard watch bent² to their work and hove the cable short, then got the anchor home, and our bark moved off with a stately, stride，and soon was bowling³ along at about two knots an hour.

伴着一阵激昂的号子声，右舷的舵手们开始忙活了起来， 他们收起缆索，升起筏锚，我们的木筏便飞速地向前游去。很快，时速就达到了20海里。

Our party were grouped amidships.

我们—行人聚集在木筏的中央。

 

At first the talk was a little gloomy, and ran mainly upon the shortness of life, the uncertainty⁴ of it, the perils⁵ which beset⁶ it, and the need and wisdom of being always prepared for the worst；this shaded off into low-voiced references to the dangers of the deep, and kindred matters；but as the gray cast began to redden and the mysterious solemnity and silence of the dawn to give place to the joy-songs of the birds, the talk took a cheerier tone, and our spirits began to rise steadily⁷.

 

起初，大家的谈话有些低沉，主要围绕着短暂且难测的，其间危机重重生命，随时做好最坏的准备是必需的也是明智的。这种交谈渐渐变成低语，内容都是些海洋的危险之类的。然而，当灰色的东方出现红霞， 在黎明那神秘的庄严和静寂中传来小鸟欢快的歌声时，大家的谈话也欢快了许多，我们的情绪也逐渐高昂了起来。

Germany, in the summer, is the perfection of the beautiful, but nobody has understood, and realized, and enjoyed the utmost possibilities of this soft and peaceful beauty unless he has voyaged down the Neckar on a raft.

夏日的徳国是至善至美的。但是，如果不乘木筏从内卡河流而下，是不可能理解、感知和享受这种至高的温柔、平和的美妙的。

The motion of a raft is the needful motion； it is gentle, and gliding⁸, and snnooth, and noiseless；it calms down all feverish⁹ activities, it soothes¹⁰ to sleep all nervous hurry and impatience；under its restful influence all the troubles and vexations and sorrows that harass¹¹ the mind vanish away, and existence becomes a dream,a charm,a deep and tranquil¹² ecstasy¹³.

木筏的漯流是不可或缺的运动，它柔美、顺滑、流畅、无声；它平息一切狂躁的行为；缓和所有不安的仓促和急躁情绪。在其宁静的影响之下，一切影响情绪的烦恼、悲伤都销声匿迹，变成一个梦、一种魅力、一种深深的、宁静的喜悦。

How it contrasts with hot and perspiring¹⁴ pedestrianism, and dusty and deafening¹⁵ railroad rush, and tedious jolting¹⁶ behind tired horses over blinding white roads!

炎热、辛劳的徒步行走，与尘土飞扬、隆隆行驶的火车，还有在炫目的大道路颠簸的疲惫的马车，形成了鲜明的对比啊！

1 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

2 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

3 bowling   

n.保龄球运动

参考例句：

• Bowling is a popular sport with young and old.保龄球是老少都爱的运动。
• Which sport do you 1ike most,golf or bowling?你最喜欢什么运动，高尔夫还是保龄球？

4 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

5 perils   

极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境）

参考例句：

• The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
• With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难？

6 beset   

v.镶嵌；困扰，包围

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。

7 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。

8 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。

9 feverish   

adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的

参考例句：

• He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。
• They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。

10 soothes   

v.安慰( soothe的第三人称单数 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦

参考例句：

• Fear grasps, love lets go. Fear rankles, love soothes. 恐惧使人痛心，爱使痛苦减轻。 来自互联网
• His loe celebrates her victories and soothes her wounds. 他的爱庆祝她的胜利，也抚平她的创伤。 来自互联网

11 harass   

vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰

参考例句：

• Our mission is to harass the landing of the main Japaness expeditionary force.我们的任务是骚乱日本远征军主力的登陆。
• They received the order to harass the enemy's rear.他们接到骚扰敌人后方的命令。

12 tranquil   

adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的

参考例句：

• The boy disturbed the tranquil surface of the pond with a stick. 那男孩用棍子打破了平静的池面。
• The tranquil beauty of the village scenery is unique. 这乡村景色的宁静是绝无仅有的。

13 ecstasy   

n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷

参考例句：

• He listened to the music with ecstasy.他听音乐听得入了神。
• Speechless with ecstasy,the little boys gazed at the toys.小孩注视着那些玩具，高兴得说不出话来。

14 perspiring   

v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He had been working hard and was perspiring profusely. 他一直在努力干活，身上大汗淋漓的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• So they "went it lively," panting and perspiring with the work. 于是他们就“痛痛快快地比一比”了，结果比得两个人气喘吁吁、汗流浃背。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

15 deafening   

adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The noise of the siren was deafening her. 汽笛声震得她耳朵都快聋了。
• The noise of the machine was deafening. 机器的轰鸣声震耳欲聋。

16 jolting   

adj.令人震惊的

参考例句：

• 'she should be all right from the plane's jolting by now. “飞机震荡应该过了。
• This is perhaps the most jolting comment of all. 这恐怕是最令人震惊的评论。