LESSON 11 Battle of Trafalgar, and death of Nelson
第十一课 特拉法尔加战役和纳尔逊之死
October 21, 1805
1805年10月21日
Early on the morning of September 14th, Nelson reached Portsmouth, and having despatched his business on shore, endeavoured to elude the populace by taking a by-way to the beach; but a crowd collected in his train, pressing forward to obtain a sight of his face. Many were in tears, and many knelt before him and blessed him as he passed.
9月14日纳尔逊一大早便来到林茨茅斯(英国港市),他已经在岸上处理完了自己的事情。为了避开民众,他故意绕道儿走海路来到这里;不过还是有一大群民众挤在他的火车前,相互推攮着只为见他一面。许多人流下了眼泪,还有许多人会在他经过的时候在他面前下跪祝福。
England has had many heroes, but never one who so entirely possessed the love of his fellow-countrymen as Nelson. All men knew that his heart was as humane as it was fearless; that there was not in his nature the slightest alloy of selfishness or cupidity, but that, with perfect and entire devotion, he served his country with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength: and therefore they loved him as truly and as fervently as he loved England.
英格兰出过很多英雄,但是只有纳尔逊如此深受祖国同胞们的爱戴。他们都知道纳尔逊有着一颗既仁慈又无惧的心,这颗心的本质没有掺杂一丁点的自私和贪欲,有的只是尽心尽力、尽善尽美的无私奉献,他把自己所有的心力、自己的整个灵魂以及自己的全部力量都倾注给了自己的祖国:所以,他的祖国同胞们是如此炙热地爱着他,就像他们是如此炙热地爱着自己的祖国。
They pressed upon the parapet to gaze after him when his barge pushed off; and he returned their cheers by waving his hat. The sentinels, who endeavoured to prevent them from trespassing upon this ground, were wedged among the crowd; and an officer, who (not very prudently, upon such an occasion) ordered them to drive the people down with their bayonets, was compelled speedily to retreat; for the people would not be debarred from gazing till the last moment upon the hero—the darling hero of England!……
纳尔逊的船只始发之时民众全都趴在护栏上目送着他离开,他则挥动着自己的帽子来回应民众们的欢呼喝彩。一名试图阻拦民众进入此片区域的守卫也被挤进了人群之中;还有一名军官(面对此种情形不怎么谨慎的人)命令士兵们用刺刀驱赶民众,但是却被民众给迅速击退了;只因这些无法被阻止的民众太想看着他们的英雄到最后一刻——望着他们最敬爱的英格兰英雄!
At daybreak, the combined fleets were distinctly seen from the Victory's deck, formed in a close line of battle ahead, on the starboard tack, about twelve miles to leeward, and standing to the south.
黎明时分,从胜利号军舰的甲板上便能清晰地看见在前方排成一排紧密战线的联合舰队,他们此刻是右舷受风航行,距离下风向大约12英里,此刻正面朝南方。