英国卫报：残酷的斗羊世界(6)

The trainers massaged¹ the animals’ flanks and horns and pulled their tails, seemingly as much to soothe² their own nerves as to rouse their beasts.

驯兽师们按摩着动物的腹部和角，拉着它们的尾巴，似乎是为了舒缓他们自己的神经，也是为了唤醒他们的野兽。

Among the crowd, there was a popular favourite.

在人群中，有一个最受欢迎的人。

“Lawyer, you’re a king!” they shouted.

"律师，你是个国王！"他们喊道。

“This year, you’ll win it all!”

"今年，你将赢得一切！"

As the fight began, they fell silent.

当战斗开始时，他们陷入了沉默。

Lawyer and Blanco circled one another, locked eyes and shuffled⁴ backwards⁵.

律师和布兰科绕着对方转了一圈，对视了一下，然后向后退了一步。

Then they ran straight ahead and crashed into each other with full force. The crowd, enchanted⁶, rushed forward.

然后他们径直向前跑，全力撞向对方。群众被迷住了，纷纷向前冲去。

(Since the crowd forms the ring in which the sheep fight, they can shrink, expand or dissolve the field of battle at any time.)

(由于人群形成了羊群战斗的圈，他们可以在任何时候缩小、扩大或解散战场）。

The referee⁷ tried to restore order among the crowd and on the pitch.

裁判员试图恢复人群中和球场上的秩序。

The sheep edged backwards and their trainers huddled⁸ around them briefly⁹.

羊群向后退去，它们的训练员短暂地挤在它们周围。

Lawyer and Blanco knocked heads a few more times, half-heartedly.

律师和布兰科又半心半意地敲了几下头。

Each thwack rang out like a hammer striking a wall.

每一次 "砰 "的一声都像锤子敲击墙壁一样响起。

But Blanco had begun to look bored and Lawyer was searching for a gap in the crowd through which he might wander off.

但布兰科已经开始显得很无聊，而“律师”正在人群中寻找一个可以走开的地方。

It’s hard to call a match – a fight shouldn’t go above 30 hits, but there’s no clear ending, and sometimes the sheep establish which is the dominant¹⁰ one before the humans are ready to accept it.

很难说是一场比赛——一场战斗不应该超过30下，但没有明确的结局，有时在人类准备接受之前，羊群就已经确立了哪个是主导者。

Farid explained that Blanco had effectively won with the first hit.

法里德解释说，布兰科的第一击实际上就已经赢了。

Blanco’s nonchalance¹¹ and Lawyer’s gentle approach towards removing himself from the scene seemed to confirm this.

布兰科的不慌不忙和律师对自己离开现场的温和态度似乎证实了这一点。

But Lawyer’s trainer was not ready to concede defeat.

但“律师”的训练师并不准备认输。

Although there was a referee, casually¹² dressed in denim¹³ shorts and a T-shirt, the crowd made the calls itself.

虽然有一个裁判，随意地穿着牛仔短裤和T恤，但观众自己做出了决定。

Blanco’s supporters finally rushed forward, crying “Well done! Let’s go!”

布兰科的支持者们终于冲上前去，喊着 "干得好！"。

They rubbed his horns and kissed him on both cheeks, tore their shirts off, and danced him out through the gates and into the streets of El Harrach.

我们走吧！" 他们揉着他的角，亲吻他的两边脸颊，撕掉他们的上衣，为他跳起舞来，穿过大门，来到埃尔哈拉赫的街道。

Lawyer’s trainer led him away, forlorn.

律师的训导员领着他离开了，怅然若失。

I asked Farid what was going to happen to the sheep.

我问法里德，这只羊会发生什么。

“Ah yes. He’ll get eaten for Eid, inshallah,” he replied.

"啊，是的。他会在开斋节时被吃掉，在真主保佑下，"他回答说。

Next up was the big one: Messi v Pogba.

接下来是一场大戏：梅西对决博格巴。

Messi was spry and petite; Pogba looked burly but slow.

梅西身手矫健，身材娇小；博格巴看起来很壮实，但动作缓慢。

The match started unpromisingly: Pogba sniffed¹⁴ delicately at Messi’s butt¹⁵.

比赛的开始并不令人满意：博格巴细细地嗅着梅西的屁股。

Messi then rushed Pogba, who ran terrified out of the ring.

梅西随后冲向博格巴，博格巴吓得跑出了圈外。

Messi’s supporters began hollering.

梅西的支持者们开始呼喊起来。

But Pogba’s trainers, both with scarred faces and prison tattoos¹⁶, were not defeated.

但博格巴的训练师们，都是脸上有疤痕和监狱纹身的人，并没有被打败。

Grabbing a horn each, they hauled him back into the ring as he dug his hooves into the ground.

他们每人抓住一个角，把它拖回了擂台，把蹄子插进土里。

Now the sheep locked eyes and began their backwards shuffle³, but this time Pogba backed up so far that he found himself among the crowd, and did his best to blend in.

现在，羊群锁定了目光，开始向后洗牌，但这次博格巴退得很远，他发现自己在人群中，并尽力融入其中。

Hauled in once more, Pogba stared Messi down.

博格巴再次被拖住，盯住了梅西。

The crowd hissed¹⁷ attentively¹⁸.

人群聚精会神地发出嘘声。

The sheep observed one another, Messi taut¹⁹ and focused, Pogba chewing nervously²⁰.

绵羊们互相观察着，梅西紧绷着脸，注意力集中，博格巴则紧张地咀嚼着。

Then Messi trotted²¹ off amiably²².

然后梅西友好地走了。

The crowd broke into a polite round of applause.

人群爆发出礼貌的掌声。

1 massaged   

按摩，推拿( massage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He massaged her back with scented oil. 他用芳香油按摩她的背部。
• The script is massaged into final form. 这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

2 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

3 shuffle   

n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走

参考例句：

• I wish you'd remember to shuffle before you deal.我希望在你发牌前记得洗牌。
• Don't shuffle your feet along.别拖着脚步走。

4 shuffled   

v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼

参考例句：

• He shuffled across the room to the window. 他拖着脚走到房间那头的窗户跟前。
• Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them. 西蒙笨拙地拖着脚朝他们走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

6 enchanted   

adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
• He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。

7 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

8 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

9 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

10 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

11 nonchalance   

n.冷淡，漠不关心

参考例句：

• She took her situation with much nonchalance.她对这个处境毫不介意。
• He conceals his worries behind a mask of nonchalance.他装作若无其事，借以掩饰内心的不安。

12 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

13 denim   

n.斜纹棉布；斜纹棉布裤，牛仔裤

参考例句：

• She wore pale blue denim shorts and a white denim work shirt.她穿着一条淡蓝色的斜纹粗棉布短裤，一件白粗布工作服上衣。
• Dennis was dressed in denim jeans.丹尼斯穿了一条牛仔裤。

14 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 butt   

n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶

参考例句：

• The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
• He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。

16 tattoos   

n.文身( tattoo的名词复数 )；归营鼓；军队夜间表演操；连续有节奏的敲击声v.刺青，文身( tattoo的第三人称单数 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的胳膊上刺满了花纹。
• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的双臂刺满了纹身。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 hissed   

发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对

参考例句：

• Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过？
• The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。

18 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 taut   

adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的

参考例句：

• The bowstring is stretched taut.弓弦绷得很紧。
• Scarlett's taut nerves almost cracked as a sudden noise sounded in the underbrush near them. 思嘉紧张的神经几乎一下绷裂了，因为她听见附近灌木丛中突然冒出的一个声音。

20 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

21 trotted   

小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
• Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。

22 amiably   

adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地

参考例句：

• She grinned amiably at us. 她咧着嘴向我们亲切地微笑。
• Atheists and theists live together peacefully and amiably in this country. 无神论者和有神论者在该国和睦相处。 来自《简明英汉词典》