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In the academy I attended, elocution was taught in a way I shall never forget—never!
在我讀書的學院，演說術的傳授方式我一輩子也忘不了——永生難忘！
We had a yearly exhibition, and the favorites of the preceptor were allowed to speak a piece; and a pretty time they had of it.
我們每年都要公開示范，老師讓自己喜愛的學生讀一段文字，經過一段時間他們就能掌握演講的要領。
Somehow I was never a favorite with any of my teachers after the first two or three days;
不知怎么地，從上兩三天課后我就不再為任何老師所喜歡；
and, as I went barefooted, I dare say it was thought unseemly, or perhaps cruel, to expose me upon the platform.
當我赤足走上講臺時，我敢說沒有誰認為這很得體，讓我出現在講臺上本身就有點殘酷。
And then, as I had no particular aptitude for public speaking,
因此，我在當眾演講方面沒有什么天資，
and no relish for what was called oratory, it was never my luck to be called up.
對于所謂的演說術也不抱什么樂趣。對我而言，被叫起來演講從來就不是什么幸運的事情。
Among my schoolmates, however, was one—a very amiable, shy boy—to whom was assigned, at the first exhibition I attended,
然而在我的同學中，有一位非常和藹、害羞的男生，在我第一次參加公開示范時，指定他來示范演講，
that passage in Pope's Homer beginning with, "Aurora, now, fair daughter of the dawn!"
那篇選段是蒲伯的《荷馬》，該文開頭是這樣的：“現在，曙光女神奧羅拉，黎明女神那位漂亮的女兒！”
This the poor boy gave with so much emphasis and discretion, that, to me, it sounded like "O roarer!"
這可憐的孩子太過強調和謹慎，以至于在我聽起來，就像是“啊，奧羅雷！”
and I was wicked enough, out of sheer envy, I dare say, to call him "O roarer!"
出于純粹的嫉妒，我感到頗不耐煩，直接想叫他“啊，奧羅雷！”
a nickname which clung to him for a long while, though no human being ever deserved it less;
這個綽號伴他很長時間，盡管沒有別人配得上這個綽號。
for in speech and action both, he was quiet, reserved, and sensitive.
就說話和舉止兩者來說，他過于內斂、含蓄和敏感了。
