月亮和六便士 第五十五章(1)

 Chapter 55 第五十五章

Mr. Coutras was an old Frenchman of great stature¹ and exceeding bulk. 库特拉斯医生是一个又高又胖的法国人，已经有了一把年纪。

His body was shaped like a huge duck's egg; 他的体型好象一只大鸭蛋，

and his eyes, sharp, blue, and good-natured, rested now and then with self-satisfaction on his enormous paunch. 一对蓝眼睛的的逼人，却又充满了善意，时不时地带着志满意得的神情落在自己鼓起的大肚皮上。

His complexion² was florid and his hair white. He was a man to attract immediate³ sympathy. 他的脸色红扑扑的，配着一头白发，让人一看见就发生好感。

He received us in a room that might have been in a house in a provincial⁴ town in France, and the one or two Polynesian curios had an odd look. 他接见我们的地方很象在法国小城市里的一所住宅，两件波利尼西亚的摆设在屋子里显得非常刺眼。

He took my hand in both of his—they were huge—and gave me a hearty⁵ look, in which, however, was great shrewdness. 库特拉斯医生用两只手握住我的手——他的手很大——，亲切地看着我；但是从他的眼神我却可以看出他是个非常精明的人。

When he shook hands with Capitaine Brunot he enquired⁶ politely after Madame et les enfants. 在他同布吕诺船长握手的时候，他很客气地问候夫人和孩子。

For some minutes there was an exchange of courtesies and some local gossip about the island, the prospects⁷ of copra and the vanilla⁸ crop; 我们寒暄了几句。又闲扯了一会儿本地的各种新闻，今年椰子和香草果的收成等等。

then we came to the object of my visit. 这以后谈话转到我这次来访的本题。

I shall not tell what Dr. Coutras related to me in his words, but in my own, for I cannot hope to give at second hand any impression of his vivacious⁹ delivery. 我现在只能用自己的语言把库特拉斯给我讲的故事写下来；他当时给我叙述时，绘声绘色，他的原话经我一转述就要大为减色，

He had a deep, resonant¹⁰ voice, fitted to his massive frame, and a keen sense of the dramatic. 他的嗓音低沉，带着回音，同他魁梧的体格非常相配。他说话时很善于表演。

To listen to him was, as the phrase goes, as good as a play; and much better than most. 听他讲话，正象一般人爱用的一个譬喻，就象在观看戏剧，而且比大多数戏演得更为精彩。

1 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

2 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

5 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

6 enquired   

打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问

参考例句：

• He enquired for the book in a bookstore. 他在书店查询那本书。
• Fauchery jestingly enquired whether the Minister was coming too. 浮式瑞嘲笑着问部长是否也会来。

7 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

8 vanilla   

n.香子兰，香草

参考例句：

• He used to love milk flavoured with vanilla.他过去常爱喝带香草味的牛奶。
• I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie.我在馅饼里加了一块香草冰激凌。

9 vivacious   

adj.活泼的，快活的

参考例句：

• She is an artless,vivacious girl.她是一个天真活泼的女孩。
• The picture has a vivacious artistic conception.这幅画气韵生动。

10 resonant   

adj.(声音)洪亮的，共鸣的

参考例句：

• She has a resonant voice.她的嗓子真亮。
• He responded with a resonant laugh.他报以洪亮的笑声。