評論
打印
At the close of divine service, a row of maidens, all clothed in purest white, came gliding off from the congregation,
在禮拜快要結束時，從會眾中閃出一隊身著潔白服裝的少女，
and, crossing the murmuring stream on stepping stones, arranged themselves at the foot of the pulpit with those who were about to be baptized.
穿過汩汩流淌的溪水，踏上石頭，與那些好像要接受洗禮的人一起在講壇下面排成隊列。
Their devout fathers, just as though they had been in their own kirk,
她們虔誠的父親們就像在自己的蘇格蘭教會那樣，
had been sitting there during worship, and now stood up before the minister.
在做禮拜期間一直坐在那兒，現在他們全都站在牧師面前。
The baptismal water, taken from that pellucid pool, was lying, consecrated, in an appropriate receptacle,
從那個清澈的水潭里取來的洗禮用的水，被奉為神圣的賜物，盛在相應的容器里。
formed by the upright stones that composed one side of the pulpit, and the holy rite proceeded.
這個容器是由講壇一側的立石天然形成的，就這樣，神圣的儀式開始了。
Some of the younger ones in that semicircle kept gazing down into the pool, in which the whole scene was reflected;
這些年輕人中有的圍成半圓形，不錯眼珠地盯著水潭，整個情景都被反射到潭水里了；
and now and then, in spite of the grave looks and admonishing whispers of their elders,
盡管年長一些的人神情肅穆，告誡他們不要低聲耳語，
letting fall a pebble into the water, that they might judge of its depth,
可是這些年輕人不時地向水潭里扔小石子，
from the length of time that elapsed before the clear air bells lay sparkling on the agitated surface.
他們從石子飛行的時間和在水面激起的水花來判斷水潭有多深。
The rite was over, and the religious service of the day closed by a psalm.
儀式結束了，在唱贊美詩后，一天的宗教活動告一段落。
The mighty rocks hemmed in the holy sound, and sent it in a more compact volume, clear, sweet, and strong, up to heaven.
巨大的石頭聚攏著這神圣的聲音，整個空谷都在回蕩著，清晰、悠揚而又高亢，直沖云霄。
