美国语文第六册 第301期:夜间奇遇(1)
第八十六课 夜间奇遇
Not long since, a gentleman was traveling in one of the counties of Virginia,
就在不久前，一位绅士在弗吉尼亚州的某县旅行，
and about the close of the day stopped at a public house to obtain refreshment and spend the night.
约摸天黑时分进了一家酒吧，要了茶点，准备在那儿过夜。
He had been there but a short time, before an old man alighted from his gig,
在一位上了年纪的人驾着他的两轮马车闪过时，他只在那儿呆了不长时间，
with the apparent intention of becoming his fellow guest at the same house.
显然这位老者打算与这位旅行者在同一家酒吧结伴过夜。
As the old man drove up, he observed that both the shafts of his gig were broken,
在这位老者将车停下时，他注意到马车两侧的车轴都断了，
and that they were held together by withes, formed from the bark of a hickory sapling.
用山胡桃树幼苗树皮做成的细枝条捆绑在一起。
Our traveler observed further that he was plainly clad, that his knee buckles were loosened,
我们这位旅行者进一步注意到，这位老者膝盖上的裤扣都松了，
and that something like negligence pervaded his dress. Conceiving him to be one of the honest yeomanry of our land,
衣着显得有点漫不经心。想必他是一位老实可靠的自耕农，
the courtesies of strangers passed between them, and they entered the tavern.
他们走进小旅馆时，举手投足尽显异乡人的风范。
It was about the same time, that an addition of three or four young gentlemen was made to their number,
几乎在同一时间，另外三四位年轻的绅士也相继进来，
most, if not all of them, of the legal profession. As soon as they became conveniently accommodated,
如果不是全部的话，至少大多都从事法律职业。他们一旦适应这里的气氛，
the conversation was turned, by one of the latter, upon the eloquent harangue which had that day been displayed at the bar.
交谈便展开了，后来的这拨人其中一位高谈阔论，是那天酒吧中最显眼的一位。
It was replied by the other that he had witnessed, the same day, a degree of eloquence no doubt equal, but it was from the pulpit.
在同一天，其雄辩的程度能与他不相上下的是教堂神职人员的布道。
