第3章 August——Charles Dickens

内容导读

查尔斯·狄更斯，小说家，英国现实主义时期的主要代表人物。他的作品多展现社会底层人物的生活，如《雾都孤儿》等。这篇《八月》虽是描写秋季农忙时下层人民辛苦劳作的情景，但因八月天高云淡、秋高气爽的自然环境，让人心生轻松愉悦之感。

英文正文

There is no month in the whole year, in which nature wears a more beautiful appearance than in the month of August. Spring has many beauties, and May is a fresh and blooming month, but the charms of this time of year areenchanted by their contrast with the winter season. August has no such advantage. It comes when we remember nothing but clear skies, green fields, and sweet-smelling flowers—when the recollectio of snow, and ice, and bleak winds, has faded from our minds as completely as they have disappeared from the earth—and yet what a pleasant time it is!Orchards and cornfields ring with the hum of labors; trees bend beneath the thick clusters of rich fruit which bow their branches to ground; and the corn, piled in gracefulsheaves, or waving in every light breath that sweeps above it, as if itwooedthe sickle, tinges the landscape with a golden hue. A mellow softness appears to hang over the whole earth; the influence of the season seems to extend itself to the very wagon, whose slow motion across the well-reaped field, is perceptible only to the eye, but strikes no harsh sound upon the ear.

As the coach rolls swiftly past the fields and orchards which skirt the road, groups of women and children, piling the fruit in sieves, or gathering the scattered ears of corn, pause for an instant from their labor, and shading the sun burnt face with a still browner hand, gaze upon the passengers with curious eyes,while some stouturchin, too small to work but too mischievous to be left at home, scrambles over the side of basket in which he has beendepositedfor security, and kicks and screams with delight.The reaper stops in his work, and stands with folded arms, looking at the vehicle as it whirls past; and the rough cart-horsesbestowa sleepy glance upon the smart coach team, which says , as plainly as a horse's glance can, “It's all very fine to look at, but slow going, over a heavy field, is better than warm work like that, upon a dusty road, after all.” You cast a look behind you, as you turn a corner of the road. The women and children have resumed their labor; the reaper once more stoops to his work; the cart-horses has moved on; and all are again in motion.

中文译文

八月

查尔斯·狄更斯

一年之中，没有任何一个月份的自然风貌能比得上八月的美景。春天的景色美不胜收；五月也是一个清新的花开时节，因为有冬天的对比，所以五月的美格外炫目；然而，八月却没有这样的优势。当八月到来的时候，我们只记得明朗的天空，绿油油的田野，以及那些馨香四溢的花朵——记忆中的冰雪、寒风都已不见，仿佛它们已从地球上消失了。然而，八月是一个多么美妙的季节啊！在果园和麦田里，到处都洋溢着工作的欢声笑语；被累累硕果压弯了腰的树枝一直垂到地面；还有金黄色的玉米，有的会优雅地聚在一起，有的则向微风轻轻地“摆手”，仿佛等待着收割的日子，要为周围的景致染上耀眼的金色。整个大地似乎笼罩在一种纯粹的柔美之中。这样的季节似乎影响到了那辆马车，它缓缓地驶过已收割完的麦田，这一切只能用眼睛捕捉，却无法用耳朵听到。

马车轻快地驶过路边的田野和果园。妇女和孩子们正忙碌着，有的把水果往筛子上堆放，有的则捡起散落在地上的玉米穗。他们偶尔停下手中的活儿，用深褐色的手臂挡住已被晒黑的脸，并以一种好奇的目光望着马车上的乘客。一些调皮的幼童，因为太小而不能上学，又十分淘气，不能留在家里，于是，家长为了孩子的安全，就把他们放在了篮子里；而此时，他们正悄悄地趴在篮边，兴奋地又踢又叫。收割的人群也停下手中的活儿，环抱着双臂看着马车从前面经过。那匹拉货的马也用那双困倦的眼睛向对面看了一眼，它的眼神似乎在说：“看起来不错，虽然要在凹凸不平的田野上慢慢地行走，但总比辛苦地工作强得多，尤其是尘土飞扬的路上。”当你转弯时，回头看一眼身后吧，妇女和孩子们又忙碌起来，收割的人弯下了腰，拉货的马车又继续前进了。一切都恢复成先前的样子。

词汇速记

enchant v. 迷惑，施魔法

sheave n. 捆，束

woo v. 追求，求爱

urchin n. 顽童，淘气鬼

deposit v. 存放

bestow v. 使用，放置，授予

美句欣赏

①Orchards and cornfields ring with the hum of labors; trees bend beneath the thick clusters of rich fruit which bow their branches to ground; and the corn, piled in graceful sheaves, or waving in every light breath that sweeps above it, as if it wooed the sickle, tinges the landscape with a golden hue.然而，八月是一个多么美妙的季节啊！在果园和麦田里，到处都洋溢着工作的欢声笑语；被累累硕果压弯了腰的树枝一直垂到地面；还有金黄色的玉米，有的会优雅地聚在一起，有的则向微风轻轻地“摆手”，仿佛等待着收割的日子，要为周围的景致染上耀眼的金色。

②…while some stout urchin, too small to work but too mischievous to be left at home, scrambles over the side of basket in which he has been deposited for security, and kicks and screams with delight.一些调皮的幼童，因为太小而不能上学，又十分淘气，不能留在家里，于是，家长为了孩子的安全，就把他们放在了篮子里；而此时，他们正悄悄地趴在篮边，兴奋地又踢又叫。