【双语有声阅读】背影(2)

The next morning, I'd ferry across the river to Pukou，and，from there，catch an afternoon train for Beijing.

 

第二日上午便须渡江到浦口，下午上车北去。

Father said he was too busy to go and see me off at the railway station, but would ask a hotel waiter that he knew to accompany me there instead.

父亲因为事忙，本已说定不送我，叫旅馆里一个熟识的茶房陪我同去。

He urged the waiter again and again to take good care of me, but still did not quite trust him.

他再三嘱咐茶房，甚是仔细。

He hesitated for quite a while about what to do.

但他还是不放心，怕茶房不妥帖；颇鋳躇了一会。

As a matter of fact, nothing would matter at all because I was already twenty then and had gone to Beijing quite a few times.

其实我那年已二十岁，北京已来往过两三次，是没有什么要紧的了。

After some wavering, he finally decided¹ that he himself would accompany me to the station.

他踌躇了一会，终于决定还是自己送我去。

I repeatedly tried to talk him out of it, but he only said, never mind!

我再三回劝他 不必去；他只说：不要紧，

It won't be comfortable for them to go there!

他们去不好！

We entered the railway station after crossing the river.

我们过了江，进了车站。

While I was at the booking office buying a ticket, father saw to my luggage.

我买票，他忙着照顾行李。

There was quite a bit of luggage and he had to bargain with the porter over the fee.

行李太多了，得向脚夫行些小费，才可过去。他便又忙着和他们讲价钱。

I was then such a smart-aleck that I frowned upon the way father was haggling² and on the verge³ of chipping in a few words when the bargain was finally clinched⁴.

我那时真是聪明过分，总觉他说话不大漂亮，非自己插嘴不可。

Getting on the train with me, he picked me a seat close to the carriage door.

但他终于讲定了价钱，就送我上车。他给我拣定了靠车门的一张椅子；

I put on the brownish fur-lined overcoat he had tailor-made for me.

我将他给我做的紫毛大衣铺好座位。

He told me to be watchful⁵ on the way and I be careful not to catch cold at night.

他嘱我路上小心，夜里要警醒些，不要受凉。

He also asked the train attendants to take good care of me.

又嘱托茶房好好照应我。

I sniggered at father for being so impractical⁶ for it was utterly⁷ useless to entrust⁸ me to those attendants, who cared for nothing but money.

我心里暗笑他的迂；他们只认得钱，托他们真是白托！

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 haggling   

v.讨价还价( haggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I left him in the market haggling over the price of a shirt. 我扔下他自己在市场上就一件衬衫讨价还价。
• Some were haggling loudly with traders as they hawked their wares. 有些人正在大声同兜售货物的商贩讲价钱。 来自辞典例句

3 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

4 clinched   

v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）

参考例句：

• The two businessmen clinched the deal quickly. 两位生意人很快达成了协议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Evidently this information clinched the matter. 显然，这一消息使问题得以最终解决。 来自辞典例句

5 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

6 impractical   

adj.不现实的，不实用的，不切实际的

参考例句：

• He was hopelessly impractical when it came to planning new projects.一到规划新项目，他就完全没有了实际操作的能力。
• An entirely rigid system is impractical.一套完全死板的体制是不实际的。

7 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

8 entrust   

v.信赖，信托，交托

参考例句：

• I couldn't entrust my children to strangers.我不能把孩子交给陌生人照看。
• They can be entrusted to solve major national problems.可以委托他们解决重大国家问题。