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LESSON 35 The siege of Quebec
第三十五課 圍攻魁北克
The closing scene of French dominion in Canada was marked by circumstances of deep and peculiar interest. The pages of romance can furnish no more striking episode than the Battle of Quebec. The skill and daring of the plan which brought on the combat, and the success and fortune of its execution, are unparalleled. A broad, open plain, offering no advantages to either party, was the field of fight. The contending armies were nearly equal in military strength, if not in numbers. The chiefs of both were men already of honourable fame. France trusted firmly in the wise and chivalrous Montcalm: England trusted hopefully in the young and heroic Wolfe. The magnificent stronghold which was staked upon the issue of the strife stood close at hand. For miles and miles around, the prospect extended over as fair a land as ever rejoiced the sight of man—mountain and valley, forest and waters, city and solitude, grouped together in forms of almost ideal beauty.
那些深刻卻又奇妙的事情標(biāo)志著法國在加拿大統(tǒng)治的結(jié)束。在這些事件中，最有名的就是魁北克戰(zhàn)役。戰(zhàn)爭中使用的計劃之靈巧勇敢以及計劃實施起來的成功使無與倫比的。這場戰(zhàn)役的戰(zhàn)場在一篇開闊的大平原上，這對雙方都沒有利。除了人數(shù)，兩軍實力相當(dāng)。雙方的首領(lǐng)都是德高望重之人。法軍的統(tǒng)帥是有勇有謀的蒙特卡姆，而英軍則把希望寄托在年輕的英雄烏爾夫身上。雙方的大本營都在戰(zhàn)場附近。周圍數(shù)英里內(nèi)的風(fēng)光是別處所無法比擬的——山川河流，森林河谷，城市鄉(xiāng)村，這些景象加在一起簡直是人間仙境。
Quebec stands on the slope of a lofty eminence on the left bank of the St. Lawrence. A table-land extends westward from the citadel for about nine miles. The portion of the heights nearest the town on the west is called the Plains of Abraham. Wolfe had discovered a narrow path winding up the side of the steep precipice from the river. For miles on either side there was no other possible access to the heights. Up this narrow path Wolfe decided to lead secretly his whole army, and make the plains his battle-ground!
魁北克位于圣勞倫斯河左岸的山坡上。城堡向西是一塊平地，綿延約九英里。西邊最靠近城鎮(zhèn)的哪一部分叫亞伯拉罕平原。烏爾夫發(fā)現(xiàn)了一條小徑，從河里一直綿延在陡峭的絕壁上。要想登上這塊高地，除了這條路，方圓數(shù)英里內(nèi)都找不到其它的路。烏爾夫打算率領(lǐng)全軍從這條羊腸小道上去，在平原上與敵作戰(zhàn)。
The extraordinary daring of the enterprise was its safety. The wise and cautious Montcalm had guarded against all the probable chances of war; but he was not prepared against an attempt for which the pages of romance can scarcely furnish a parallel.
這個計劃最大的問題就是其安全性。聰明又小心的蒙特卡姆已經(jīng)在所有可能的路口拍了崗哨；但是他沒有想到這一點，這一點也恰恰是他們不可比擬的。
