马克-吐温：勇气 Courage（双语美文）

　　In the matter of courage we all have our limits. There never was a hero who did not have his bounds¹. I suppose it may be said of Nelson and all the others whose courage has been advertised² that there came times in their lives when their bravery knew it had come to its limit.

　　在勇气问题上，人人都有极限。从来就没有胆大包天的英雄好汉。我想，可以说，纳尔逊和所有那些被大量宣传的勇士，一生中都有勇气达到极限的时候。

　　I have found mine a good many times. Sometimes this was expected--often it was unexpected³. I know a man who is not afraid to sleep with a rattle-snake, but you could not get him to sleep with a safety-razor.

　　我就多次发现自己的勇气到了极限。有时是意料之中的——经常是出乎意料的。我认识一个人.此君不怕与响尾蛇同寝，可你无法让他与保安剃刀共眠。

　　I never had the courage to talk across a long, narrow room. I should be at the end of the room facing all the audience. If I attempt to talk across a room I find myself turning this way and that, and thus at alternate⁴ periods I have part of the audience behind me. You ought never to have any part of the audience behind you; you never can tell what they are going to do.

　　我从来就没有勇气在狭长房间的中央发表讲话。我得站在房间的一头，面对全体听众。如果我试图站在房间中央讲话，我就会不断地转身，这样，就不断有部分听众在我背后。你们永远不能让自己背后有听众;你们永远闹不清他们要干什么。

　　I'll sit down.

　　我得坐下了。

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