評論
打印
LESSON 16 Napoleon and the young English sailor
第十六課 拿破侖和年輕的英國水手
I love contemplating—apart
我喜歡苦思冥想，
From all his homicidal glory—
撇開他血雨腥風里嗜殺成性的赫赫戰績，
The traits that soften to our heart
感動我們心靈的，
Napoleon's story.
還有他作為普通人的鐵骨柔腸。
'Twas when his banners at Boulogne
當他的軍艦停泊在布倫港，
Armed in our island every freeman,
島上人員全副武裝，
His navy chanced to capture one
他的海軍士兵偶然捕獲一位
Poor British seaman.
可憐的英國水手。
They suffered him, I know not how,
我不知為何，他們任由這位英國水手，
Unprisoned on the shore to roam;
在岸邊不受監管地隨意游蕩，
And aye was bent his youthful brow
他年輕的臉上，
On England's home.
流露出對家鄉英格蘭的渴望。
His eye, me thinks, pursued the flight
我想，他的眼睛艷羨地追隨著，
Of birds to Britain, half way over,
鳥兒的飛行足跡，
With envy—they could reach the white
它們可以半道飛臨可愛的故鄉
Dear cliffs of Dover.
英國多佛的白色峭壁。
A stormy midnight watch, he thought,
他暗自思忖，如果狂風暴雨不能把他的艦艇
Than this sojourn would have been dearer,
帶回故鄉英格蘭，
If but the storm his vessel brought
寧可做午夜暴風雨的的值守人
To England nearer.
也比在異鄉漂泊更美好。
At last, when care had banished sleep,
思鄉之憂日日折磨著他，讓他夜不能寐，
He saw one morning, dreaming, doting,
終于有天清晨，冥冥中朝思暮想的
An empty hogshead from the deep
一只空空的大木桶，從遠處的深海
Come shoreward floating.
向岸邊漂浮過來。
He hid it in a cave, and wrought
他暗藏木桶于洞穴中，加工勞作
The live-long day, laborious, lurking,
只要還活著，避開敵人視線，費勁力氣改造
Until he launched a tiny boat,
直到奇跡出現，
By mighty working.
那艘小舟可以下水起航。
Ah me! it was a thing beyond
哎呀！小舟簡陋得真是無法形容啊！
Description! —such a wretched wherry
這么可憐的一葉小舟
Perhaps ne'er ventured on a pond,
或許一個小小水塘都渡不過，
Or crossed a ferry.
更別提穿越波濤洶涌的渡口。
For ploughing in the salt sea field,
船體未涂瀝青，沒有羅盤，沒有裝龍骨，
It would have made the boldest shudder;
無帆，無舵
Untarred, uncompassed, and unkeeled, —
小舟在波濤洶涌的大海上行進，
No sail— no rudder!
即使最無所畏懼的勇士也會不寒而栗。
