美国语文第六册 第211期:瑞普·凡·温克尔(1)（在线收听）

The appearance of Rip, with his long, grizzled beard, his rusty fowling piece, his uncouth dress, and an army of women and children at his heels,

瑞普花白的长须，拎着那把锈迹斑斑的猎枪，一身装束恍若故人，身边围着一群妇女和孩子，

soon attracted the attention of the tavern politicians.

他的外表很快就引起小酒馆里热衷于政治的一群人的侧目。

They crowded around him, eying him from head to foot with great curiosity.

他们纷纷围拢过来，将他围在当中，颇为好奇地从头到脚打量他。

The orator bustled up to him, and, drawing him partly aside, inquired on which side he voted. Rip stared in vacant stupidity,

那位演说者赶忙上前将他拉到一旁，问他投哪一边的票。瑞普茫然地盯着此人，

Another short but busy little fellow pulled him by the arm, and, rising on tiptoe, inquired in his ear "whether he was Federal or Democrat."

半晌无语。另一位身材矮小忙前忙后的人拽住他胳膊，踮起脚尖凑到他耳畔问：“他是联邦党人还是民主党人。”

Rip was equally at a loss to comprehend the question; when aknowing, self-important old gentleman, in a sharp cocked hat, made his way through the crowd,

瑞普仍旧茫然不知所措；这时，一位似有见识高傲的老绅士，戴了一顶尖尖的三角帽，边推开众人走了进来，

putting them to the right and left with his elbows as he passed, and planting himself before Van Winkle,

边用胳膊示意左右退下，兀自出现在凡·温克尔面前，

with one arm akimbo, the other resting on his cane, his keen eyes and sharp hat, penetrating, as it were, into his very soul, demanded, in an austere tone,

一只手叉着腰，另一只手拄着手杖，他那双锐利的双眸和尖尖的帽子在某种程度上似乎洞穿了他的内心，以一种严肃的口吻，

what brought him to the election with a gun on his shoulder, and a mob at his heels, and whether he meant to breed a riot in the village.

质问瑞普为什么要肩膀上扛着枪来参加选举，且领着一干人等，想生乱滋事不成。

"Alas! gentlemen," cried Rip, somewhat dismayed, "I am a poor, quiet man, a native of the place, and a loyal subject of the king, God bless him!"

“哎呀，老先生，”瑞普大声说，有点惊愕。“我是个穷人，在当地土生土长，是英王的忠实臣民，苍天可鉴！”