評(píng)論
打印
Solomon looked a little graver as he finished his dinner, and glanced from time to time at the boy's bright face. When dinner was done, and the cloth was cleared away (the entertainment had been brought from a neighbouring eating-house), he lighted a candle, and went down below into a little cellar, while his nephew, standing on the mouldy staircase, dutifully held the light. After a moment's groping here and there, he presently returned with a very ancient looking bottle, covered with dust and dirt.
所羅門吃完晚飯的時(shí)候，神情比剛才沉著一些；他不時(shí)向孩子快活的臉看一眼。當(dāng)晚餐已經(jīng)結(jié)束，桌布已經(jīng)撤走（這頓飯菜是從鄰近的小餐館里取來(lái)的）以后，他點(diǎn)亮了一支蠟燭，下樓走到一個(gè)小地窖里；他的外甥則站在生了霉的樓梯上，孝順地拿著蠟燭照他；他這里那里摸索了一番之后，不久就拿著一個(gè)樣子很古老并積滿了灰塵的瓶子回來(lái)了。
'Why, Uncle Sol!' said the boy, 'what are you about? that's the wonderful Madeira! - there's only one more bottle!'
“哎呀，所爾舅舅！”孩子說(shuō)道，“你想干什么？那是珍貴的馬德拉白葡萄酒①呀！那里只剩下一瓶了。”
Uncle Sol nodded his head, implying that he knew very well what he was about; and having drawn the cork in solemn silence, filled two glasses and set the bottle and a third clean glass on the table.
'You shall drink the other bottle, Wally,' he said, 'when you come to good fortune; when you are a thriving, respected, happy man; when the start in life you have made to-day shall have brought you, as I pray Heaven it may! - to a smooth part of the course you have to run, my child. My love to you!'
所爾舅舅點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭，表示他很清楚他想干什么。在一片肅靜中，他拔出軟木塞，倒?jié)M了兩只玻璃杯，然后把酒瓶和第三只干凈的空玻璃杯放在桌子上。
“沃利，”他說(shuō)道，“當(dāng)你交了好運(yùn)的時(shí)候，當(dāng)你成為一個(gè)取得成功、受人尊敬、生活幸福的人的時(shí)候，當(dāng)你今天在生活中已經(jīng)邁出的第一步將把你引向一條康莊大道上去的時(shí)候——我向上天祈禱，它會(huì)把你引向那里去的——，你將喝另外那瓶酒，我的孩子。為我對(duì)你的愛干杯！”
Some of the fog that hung about old Sol seemed to have got into his throat; for he spoke huskily. His hand shook too, as he clinked his glass against his nephew's. But having once got the wine to his lips, he tossed it off like a man, and smacked them afterwards.
'Dear Uncle,' said the boy, affecting to make light of it, while the tears stood in his eyes, 'for the honour you have done me, et cetera, et cetera. I shall now beg to propose Mr Solomon Gills with three times three and one cheer more. Hurrah! and you'll return thanks, Uncle, when we drink the last bottle together; won't you?'
老所爾周圍籠罩著的迷霧，有些似乎已經(jīng)跑到他的喉嚨里去了，因?yàn)樗v話的聲音干啞了。當(dāng)他和外甥碰杯時(shí)，他的手也哆嗦了。但是當(dāng)他把酒杯一舉到唇邊的時(shí)候，他卻像堂堂男子漢一樣，一口喝光，然后咂咂嘴。
“親愛的舅舅，”孩子眼中含著淚水，但卻故意裝出沒把這件事放在心上的樣子，說(shuō)道，“為了感謝你對(duì)我所表示的恩情，等等，等等，我現(xiàn)在建議為所羅門·吉爾斯先生歡呼三乘三次再加一次。萬(wàn)歲！舅舅，當(dāng)我們一起喝那最后一瓶酒的時(shí)候，你再來(lái)回敬我的這次祝酒，好嗎？”
注釋：toss n. 投擲；搖蕩；投擲的距離；擲幣賭勝負(fù)
vt. 投擲；使…不安；突然抬起；使…上下?lián)u動(dòng)；與…擲幣打賭
vi. 輾轉(zhuǎn)；被亂扔；顛簸；擲錢幣決定某事
例句：
1. Elsewhere, it is a toss-up.
在別處，這是碰運(yùn)氣的事。
2. The decision depended on the toss of a coin.
那項(xiàng)決定是靠擲硬幣的方法做出的。
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①馬德拉（Madeira）是在非洲西北部大西洋中的一個(gè)島，所產(chǎn)的葡萄酒很有名。
