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VOA慢速英语2018-- 'Hearts and Crosses,' by O. Henry, Part Two

时间:2018-08-11 15:27:44

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(单词翻译)

 

We present Part Two of the short story "Hearts and Crosses," by O. Henry. The story was originally1 adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State.

One day, a man named Bartholomew, not an important man, stopped at the Nopalito ranch2 house. It was noon and he was hungry. He sat down at the dinner table. While he was eating, he talked.

“Mrs. Yeager,” he said, “I saw a man on the Seco Ranch with your name. Webb Yeager. He was foreman there. He was a tall yellow-haired man. Not a talker. Someone of your family?”

“A husband,” said Santa. “That is fine for the Seco Ranch. Mr. Yeager is the best foreman in the West.”

Everything at the Nopalito Ranch had been going well.

For several years they had been working at the Nopalito with a different kind of cattle3. These cattle had been brought from England, and they were better than the usual Texas cattle. They had been successful at the Nopalito Ranch, and men on the other ranches4 were interested in them.

As a result, one day a cowboy5 arrived at the Nopalito Ranch and gave the queen this letter:

“Mrs. Yeager — The Nopalito Ranch:

"I have been told by the owners of the Seco Ranch to buy 100 of your English cattle. If you can sell these to the Seco, send them to us in the care of the man who brings this letter. We will then send you the money.

"Webb Yeager, Foreman, Seco Ranch.”

Business is business to a queen as it is to others. That night the 100 cattle were moved near the ranch house, ready for an early start the next morning.

When night came and the house was quiet, did Santa Yeager cry alone? Did she hold that letter near to her heart? Did she speak the name that she had been too proud to speak for many weeks? Or did she place the letter with other business letters, in her office?

Ask if you will, but there is no answer. What a queen does is something we cannot always know. But this you shall be told:

In the middle of the night, Santa went quietly out of the ranch house. She was dressed in something dark. She stopped for a moment under a tree. There was moonlight, and a bird was singing, and there was a smell of flowers. Santa turned her face toward6 the southeast and threw three kisses in that direction, for there was no one to see her.

Then she hurried quietly to a small building. What she did there, we can only guess. But there was the red light of a fire, and noise as if Cupid might be making his arrows7.

Later she came out with some strange iron8 tool in one hand. In the other hand she carried something that held a small fire. She hurried in the moonlight to the place where the English cattle had been gathered.

Most of the English cattle were a dark red. But among those 100 there was one as white as milk.

And now Santa caught that white animal as cowboys9 catch cattle. She tried once and failed. Then she tried again, and the animal fell heavily. Santa ran to it, but the animal jumped up.

Again she tried and this time she was successful. The animal fell to earth again. Before it could rise, Santa had tied its feet together.

Then she ran to the fire she had carried here. From it she took that strange iron tool. It was white hot.

There was a loud cry from the animal as the white-hot iron burned its skin. But no one seemed to hear. All the ranch were quiet. And in the deep night quiet, Santa ran back to the ranch house and there fell onto a bed. She let the tears from her eyes, as if queens had hearts like the hearts of ranchmen’s wives; and as if a queen’s husband might become a king, if he would ride back again.

In the morning, the young man who had brought the letter started toward the Seco Ranch. He had cowboys with him to help with the English cattle. It was 90 miles, six days’ journey.

The animals arrived at Seco Ranch one evening as the daylight was ending. They were received and counted by the foreman of the ranch.

The next morning at eight, a horseman came riding to the Nopalito ranch house. He got down painfully from the horse and walked to the house. His horse took a great breath10 and let his head hang and closed his eyes.

But do not feel sorry for Belshazzar, the horse. Today he lives happily at Nopalito, where he is given the best care and the best food. No other horse there has ever carried a man for such a ride.

The horseman entered the house. Two arms fell around his neck, and someone cried out in the voice of a woman and queen together: “Webb, oh, Webb!”

“I was wrong,” said Webb Yeager. “I was a — ” and he named a small animal with a bad smell, an animal no one likes.

“Quiet,” said Santa. “Did you see it?”

“I saw it,” said Webb.

What were they speaking of? Perhaps you can guess, if you have read the story carefully.

“Be the cattle queen,” said Webb. “Forget what I did, if you can.

"I was as wrong as — ”

“Quiet!” said Santa again, putting her fingers upon his mouth. “There’s no queen here. Do you know who I am? I am Santa Yeager, First Lady of the Bedroom. Come here.”

She led him into a room. There stood a low baby’s bed. And in the bed was a baby, a beautiful, laughing baby, talking in words that no one could understand.

“There is no queen on this ranch,” said Santa again. “Look at the king. He has eyes like yours, Webb. Get down on your knees and look at the king.”

There was a sound of steps outside and Bud11 Turner was there at the door. He was asking the same question he had asked almost a year ago.

“Good morning. Shall I drive those cattle to Barber’s or — ” He saw Webb and stopped, with his mouth open.

“Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba!” cried the king, waving his arms.

“You hear what he says, Bud,” said Webb Yeager. “We do what the king commands.”

And that is all, except for one thing. When old man Quinn, owner of the Seco Ranch, went to look at his new English cattle, he asked his new foreman, “What is the Nopalito Ranch’s mark?”

“X over Y,” said Wilson.

“I thought so,” said Quinn. “But look at that white animal there. She has another mark — a heart with a cross inside. Whose mark is that?”

Words in This Story

ranch – n. a large farm especially in the U.S. where animals such as cattle, horses, and sheep are raised

foreman – n. a person who is in charge of a group of workers

cattle – n. cows, bulls12, or steers13 that are kept on a farm or ranch for meat or milk

cowboy – n. a man who rides a horse and whose job is to take care of cows or horses especially in the western U.S.

queen – n. a girl or woman who is highly14 respected and very successful or popular

proud – n. very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related15 to

Cupid – n. the god of attraction16, affection17 and love in ancient Rome

king – n. a boy or man who is highly respected and very successful or popular


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1 originally dJCxl     
adv.本来,原来,最初,就起源而论,独创地
参考例句:
  • Originally I didn't want to go.我本意不想去。
  • After much discussion they settled on the plan originally proposed.他们讨论了很久,然后确定了原来提出的那个计划。
2 ranch dAUzk     
n.大牧场,大农场
参考例句:
  • He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
  • The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。
3 cattle FOwzt     
n.牛,牲口,畜生
参考例句:
  • He has twenty head of cattle on the farm.他在农场养了20头牛。
  • On big farms cattle are usually stamped with brands.在大农场,牲畜通常是打烙印的。
4 ranches 8036d66af8e98e892dc5191d7ef335fc     
大农场, (兼种果树,养鸡等的)大牧场( ranch的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They hauled feedlot manure from the ranches to fertilize their fields. 他们从牧场的饲养场拖走肥料去肥田。
  • Many abandoned ranches are purchased or leased by other poultrymen. 许多被放弃的牧场会由其他家禽监主收买或租用。
5 cowboy FvIz7l     
n.牛仔,牛郎,牧童
参考例句:
  • I felt sure I had all the skills to be a cowboy.我确信自己具备当牛仔的一切本领。
  • He loved to see cowboy movies.他爱看牛仔影片。
6 toward on6we     
prep.对于,关于,接近,将近,向,朝
参考例句:
  • Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
  • Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了,并跑了过去。
7 arrows arrows     
n.箭( arrow的名词复数 );矢;箭号;箭头
参考例句:
  • He shot arrows one by one, but each missed. 他射了一箭又一箭,但都未能射中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • They fired poisoned arrows at us. 他们向我们射出毒箭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 iron raHzm     
n.铁,熨斗,坚强,烙铁,镣铐;vt.烫平,熨,用铁包;vi. 烫衣服
参考例句:
  • The iron has lost its magnetic force.这块铁已失去了磁力。
  • We need an electrician to mend the iron.我们要请电工修理熨斗。
9 cowboys 72a97fb793d496318518aebc7e9298b2     
n.牧牛工( cowboy的名词复数 );牛仔;冒失鬼;(尤指无能的)缺德的商人
参考例句:
  • children playing a game of cowboys and Indians 玩美国西部牛仔与印第安人游戏的孩子们
  • There are too many cowboys in the business these days. 近来商界中,瞎吵胡闹的家伙太多。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 breath 9SCyv     
n.呼吸,气息,微风,迹象,精神,一种说话的声音
参考例句:
  • I'm just going out for a breath of fresh air.我正要出去呼吸新鲜空气。
  • While climbing up the stairs the old man always loses his breath.那老人上楼时总是气喘吁吁的。
11 bud mc6yu     
vi.发芽,萌芽;n.芽,花蕾
参考例句:
  • Some flowers bud their leaves very early in spring.有些花在春季里很早发出叶来。
  • A bad habit in a child should be nipped in the bud.应该尽早把孩子的坏习惯改过来。
12 bulls 79c318bf85ee49ec7d43630eea149bfb     
n.公牛( bull的名词复数 );法令;力大如牛的人;(象、鲸等动物的)雄兽
参考例句:
  • Riding bulls is always an exciting event at a rodeo. 骑公牛总是放牧人竞技会上激动人心的表演。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Two white bulls were sacrificed and a feast was held. 献祭了两头白牛,并举行了盛宴。 来自辞典例句
13 steers e3d6e83a30b6de2d194d59dbbdf51e12     
n.阉公牛,肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 );操纵;控制;引导
参考例句:
  • This car steers easily. 这部车子易于驾驶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Good fodder fleshed the steers up. 优质饲料使菜牛长肉。 来自辞典例句
14 highly XdFxR     
adv.高度地,极,非常;非常赞许地
参考例句:
  • It is highly important to provide for the future.预先做好准备非常重要。
  • The teacher speaks very highly of the boy's behaviour.老师称赞这个男孩的表现。
15 related vkGzSv     
adj.有关系的,有关联的,叙述的,讲述的
参考例句:
  • I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
  • We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。
16 attraction 0OkyF     
n.吸引人的事物;吸引;吸引力
参考例句:
  • The main attraction of the place is the nightlife.这个地方最具吸引力的是夜生活。
  • Amy is always the centre of attraction at parties.艾米总是聚会上的中心人物。
17 affection LxGzj     
n.喜爱;爱慕,感情;倾向,意向
参考例句:
  • The handsome young man excited affection in a girl.那位英俊的年轻男子引起了一个女孩的爱慕之情。
  • He has a deep affection for his old friend.他对老朋友感情很深。

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