評論
打印
The roar of the hurricane now was overwhelming. The house shook, and the ceiling in the living room was falling piece by piece. The French doors in an upstairs room blew in with an explosive sound, and the group heard gun-like reports as other upstairs windows disintegrated. Water rose above their ankles.
颶風的咆哮聲壓倒了一切。房子搖晃著，起居室的天花板一塊塊掉下來。樓上一個房問的法蘭西式兩用門砰地一聲被風吹開了。樓下的人還聽到樓上其他玻璃窗破碎時發出的劈劈啪啪的響聲。積水已經漫到腳踝上了。
Then the front door started to break away from its frame. John and Charlie put their shoulders against it, but a blast of water hit the house, flinging open the door and shoving them down the hall. The generator was doused, and the lights went out. Charlie licked his lips and shouted to John. "I think we' re in real trouble. That water tasted salty." The sea had reached the house, and the water was rising by the minute!
隨后，前門開始從門框上脫落。約翰和查理用肩膀抵住¨，但一股水浪沖擊過來。撞開了大門，把兩人都掀倒在地板上。發電機泡在水里，電燈熄滅了。查理舔了舔嘴唇，對著約翰大喊道："這回可真是大難臨頭了。這水是成的。"海水已經漫到屋子跟前?積水仍不斷上漲。
"Everybody out the back door to the cars!" John yelled. "We' II pass the children along between us. Count them! Nine!"
"都從后門到汽車上去!"約翰提高嗓門大叫道。"我們把孩子們一個個遞過去，數一數!一共九個!"
The children went from adult to adult like buckets in a fire brigade. But the cars wouldn't start; the electrical systems had been killed by water. The wind was too Strong and the water too deep to flee on foot. "Back to the house!" john yelled. "Count the children! Count nine!"
孩子們從大人手上像救火隊的水桶一樣被遞了過去。可是汽車不能發動了?它的點火系統被水泡壞了。水深風急。又不可能靠兩只腳逃命。"回屋里去!.'約翰高聲喊道。"數一數孩子們。一共九個!"
As they scrambled back, john ordered, "Every-body on the stairs!" Frightened, breathless and wet, the group settled on the stairs, which were protected by two interiorwalls. The children put the cat, Spooky, and a box with her four kittens on the landing. She peered nervously at her litter. The neighbor's dog curled up and went to sleep.
等他們爬著回到屋里后。約翰又命令道："都到樓梯上去!于是大家都跑到靠兩堵內墻保護的樓梯上歇著。個個嚇得要命，氣喘吁吁，渾身濕透。孩子們把取名為斯普琪的一只貓和一個裝著四只小貓仔的盒子放在樓梯平臺上。斯普琪心神不定地打量著自己的幼仔，鄰人的那條狗已蜷起身子睡著了。
