手机APP下载

您现在的位置: 首页 > 英语听力 > 双语有声读物 > 富兰克林自传 > 正文

第22期:初回波士顿(5)

来源:可可英语 编辑:max   可可英语APP下载 |  可可官方微信:ikekenet
  


扫描二维码进行跟读打分训练

We proceeded to Philadelphia.

我们向费城前进了。
I received on the way Vernon's money, without which we could hardly have finish'd our journey.
在路上我收到了佛南的钱,假如没有这笔钱,我们几乎就到不了我们的目的地。
Collins wished to be employ'd in some counting-house; but, whether they discover'd his dramming by his breath, or by his behaviour, tho' he had some recommendations, he met with no success in any application, and continu'd lodging and boarding at the same house with me, and at my expense.
高令斯想当会计,但是,虽然他有一些推荐信,人家或是从他的呼吸或是从他的举止看出了他好醉酒,他找工作一直没有成功,继续跟我在同一个地方膳宿,费用由我负担。
Knowing I had that money of Vernon's, he was continually borrowing of me, still promising repayment as soon as he should be in business.
因为他知道我身边有佛南这笔钱,他就不断地向我借贷,口头上还说等他一有职业就还我。
At length he had got so much of it that I was distress'd to think what I should do in case of being call'd on to remit it.
到了后来,他用了那么多佛南的钱,当我想到假如佛南要我把款子汇去的话,我将怎么办时,我感到焦虑不安。
His drinking continu'd, about which we sometimes quarrel'd; for, when a little intoxicated, he was very fractious.
他还是经常不断地喝酒。我们有时也为了这件事争吵过,因为当他稍有醉意的时候,他的脾气是很坏的。
Once, in a boat on the Delaware with some other young men, he refused to row in his turn.
有一次,当他跟几个其他的年轻人在道拉瓦泛舟,轮到他划船时,他不肯。
"I will be row'd home," says he.
他说:“我要别人把我划回家去。”
"We will not row you," says I.
我说:“我们决不替你划。”
"You must, or stay all night on the water," says he, "just as you please."
他说:“你们非划不可,否则就在水上过夜,随你们的便吧。”
The others said, "Let us row; what signifies it?"
旁边的人说:“让我们划吧,这有什么关系?”
But, my mind being soured with his other conduct, I continu'd to refuse.
但是,因为我气他另外的事情,我还是不肯划。
So he swore he would make me row, or throw me overboard; and coming along, stepping on the thwarts, toward me,
所以他起誓他一定要我划船,否则就把我扔入河中,这样他站在坐板上向我走过来。
when he came up and struck at me, I clapped my hand under his crutch, and, rising, pitched him head-foremost into the river.
当他跑上来打我时,我一手抓住了他的腿,同时站了起来,把他两脚朝天地扔入水中。
I knew he was a good swimmer, and so was under little concern about him;
我知道他善于泅水,所以我并不为他担忧。
but before he could get round to lay hold of the boat, we had with a few strokes pull'd her out of his reach;
但是在他转过身来攀住船舷之前,我们划了几下把船划到他够不到的地方。
and ever when he drew near the boat, we ask'd if he would row, striking a few strokes to slide her away from him.
每当他泅近船旁时,我们总是问他究竟他愿否划船,同时划几下使船离开他。
He was ready to die with vexation, and obstinately would not promise to row.
他气得要死,固执地不肯答应划船。
However, seeing him at last beginning to tire, we lifted him in and brought him home dripping wet in the evening.
但是当我们后来看到他有点疲乏时,我们把他捞了起来,在一个黄昏里我们把他全身湿淋淋地送回家去。
We hardly exchang'd a civil word afterwards, and a West India captain, who had a commission to procure a tutor for the sons of a gentleman at Barbados, happening to meet with him, agreed to carry him thither.
此后我们总是相互顶撞吵嘴,一个西印度的船主受人的委托要替巴巴多群岛的一个地主的儿子找一个家庭教师,偶然遇见了他,同意送他到那里去。
He left me then, promising to remit me the first money he should receive in order to discharge the debt; but I never heard of him after.
这样他离开了我,约好他一领到钱就把它汇给我偿清债务,但是此后我一直没有听到他的消息。
The breaking into this money of Vernon's was one of the first great errata of my life;
动用佛南这笔款项是我一生中早期重大的错误之一。
and this affair show'd that my father was not much out in his judgment when he suppos'd me too young to manage business of importance.
这件事说明了当我父亲认为我太年轻,还不能经营重大企业时,他的判断是相当正确的。
But Sir William, on reading his letter, said he was too prudent.
但是当威廉爵士读了我父亲的信时,他说我父亲过分迂谨了。
There was great difference in persons; and discretion did not always accompany years, nor was youth always without it.
他说人不能一概而论,年长的人不一定谨慎,年轻的人也不全是轻率的。
"And since he will not set you up," says he, "I will do it myself. Give me an inventory of the things necessary to be had from England, and I will send for them.
“既然他不肯帮你开业,”他说,“我自己来。你把必须从英国购买的东西开一张单子给我,我去订购。
You shall repay me when you are able; I am resolv'd to have a good printer here, and I am sure you must succeed."
你以后有能力时再付还给我好了。我决定要使这里有一家优良的印刷铺,我相信你一定会成功。”
This was spoken with such an appearance of cordiality, that I had not the least doubt of his meaning what he said.
他说这话时,态度是这样的诚挚,我深信他不是说着玩的。
I had hitherto kept the proposition of my setting up, a secret in Philadelphia, and I still kept it.
在那时以前,我把在费城开业的计划保守秘密,那时候我仍然秘不告人。
Had it been known that I depended on the governor, probably some friend, that knew him better, would have advis'd me not to rely on him,
但是假如人家知道我把希望寄托在州长身上,可能一些知道他性格的友人会劝我不要信他,
as I afterwards heard it as his known character to be liberal of promises which he never meant to keep.
因为后来我听说他滥许心愿而又不打算履行诺言的脾气是尽人皆知的。
Yet, unsolicited as he was by me, how could I think his generous offers insincere? I believ'd him one of the best men in the world.
但是因为我根本没有请求他帮助,我怎么会想到他那慷慨的援助会是虚伪的呢?我还以为他是世界上最好的人呢。
I presented him an inventory of a little print'-house, amounting by my computation to about one hundred pounds sterling.
我开了一张小印刷铺设备的清单,据我的估计约需一百英镑左右,我把清单交给州长。
He lik'd it, but ask'd me if my being on the spot in England to chuse the types, and see that everything was good of the kind, might not be of some advantage.
他很高兴,但是问我假如我自己在英国能够亲自在场选择铅字,并且检查各种机件的质量,是不是方便些。
"Then," says he, "when there, you may make acquaintances, and establish correspondences in the bookselling and stationery way."
他说:“那么,当你在那里的时候,你可以认识一些人,并且可以在贩卖书籍和文具方面建立通信关系。”
I agreed that this might be advantageous.
我同意这样做或许会是有益的。
"Then," says he, "get yourself ready to go with Annis;" which was the annual ship, and the only one at that time usually passing between London and Philadelphia.
“那么,”他说,“做好准备坐安妮丝号去。”安妮丝号是当时一年一度经常来往伦敦与费城之间的唯一船只。
But it would be some months before Annis sail'd, so I continued working with Keimer,
但是离开安妮丝号启碇,还有几个月的时间,所以我继续和凯谋在一块儿工作,
fretting about the money Collins had got from me, and in daily apprehensions of being call'd upon by Vernon, which, however, did not happen for some years after.
一面为高令斯从我这里拿去的钱焦急着,每天唯恐佛南来提款,但是过了几年一直没有发生这件事。
I believe I have omitted mentioning that, in my first voyage from Boston, being becalm'd off Block Island, our people set about catching cod, and hauled up a great many.
我相信我忘了讲这件事:在我第一次从波士顿来费城的旅途中,因为风浪太大,船停靠在勃劳克岛,乘客开始捕捉鳕鱼,并且拖了许多上来。
Hitherto I had stuck to my resolution of not eating animal food, and on this occasion I consider'd, with my master Tryon,
到这时为止,我坚守我不食荤食的决心,在这种场合,我同意我的老师屈理昂,
the taking every fish as a kind of unprovoked murder, since none of them had, or ever could do us any injury that might justify the slaughter.
认为每捉一条鱼等于是一种无缘无故的谋杀,因为鱼过去既没有伤害我们,将来也不会,我们没有正当的理由去杀害它们。
All this seemed very reasonable. But I had formerly been a great lover of fish, and, when this came hot out of the frying-pan, it smelt admirably well.
这一切好像十分合情合理。但是在过去我是非常爱吃鱼的,所以当热气腾腾的鱼刚从炸锅里拿出来时,它芬芳扑鼻,美妙非常。
I balanc'd some time between principle and inclination, till I recollected that, when the fish were opened, I saw smaller fish taken out of their stomachs; then thought I, "If you eat one another, I don't see why we mayn't eat you."
我好一会踌躇于原则和爱好之间,直到后来我记起了在剖鱼时,看见有人从鱼肚里拿出小鱼来,这时候我想:“假如你们自己互相吞食,我为什么不能吃你们呢?”
So I din'd upon cod very heartily, and continued to eat with other people, returning only now and then occasionally to a vegetable diet.
这样我痛快地吃了一顿鳕鱼,以后还继续跟别人在一起吃鱼,只是偶然有时恢复蔬食罢了。
So convenient a thing is it to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.
做一个有理性的生物原是这样方便,因为理性能使人找到或是制造理由去干人心里想干的事。

重点单词   查看全部解释    
discretion [di'skreʃən]

想一想再看

n. 谨慎,判断力,个人选择,选择的自由
[计

 
distress [dis'tres]

想一想再看

n. 痛苦,苦恼,不幸
vt. 使痛苦,使苦恼

联想记忆
computation [.kɔmpju'teiʃən]

想一想再看

n. 计算,计算机的使用,计算方法,计算结果

 
hitherto ['hiðə'tu:]

想一想再看

adv. 到目前为止,迄今

联想记忆
occasionally [ə'keiʒənəli]

想一想再看

adv. 偶尔地

 
tutor ['tju:tə]

想一想再看

n. 家庭教师,导师
v. 当家庭教师,当导师

联想记忆
commission [kə'miʃən]

想一想再看

n. 委员会,委托,委任,佣金,犯罪
vt.

联想记忆
tire ['taiə]

想一想再看

n. 轮胎,金属圈
v. 使疲倦,厌烦

 
striking ['straikiŋ]

想一想再看

adj. 吸引人的,显著的
n. 打击

 
advantageous [.ædvən'teidʒəs]

想一想再看

adj. 有利的,有助的,有益的

联想记忆

    阅读本文的人还阅读了:
  • 第17期:抵达费城(5) 2024-05-17
  • 第18期:初回波士顿(1) 2024-05-18
  • 第19期:初回波士顿(2) 2024-05-19
  • 第20期:初回波士顿(3) 2024-05-21
  • 第21期:初回波士顿(4) 2024-05-22
  • 发布评论我来说2句

      最新文章

      可可英语官方微信(微信号:ikekenet)

      每天向大家推送短小精悍的英语学习资料.

      添加方式1.扫描上方可可官方微信二维码。
      添加方式2.搜索微信号ikekenet添加即可。