美国语文第四册 第136期:道德勇气(3)

 　　It was no light act of courage in those days for a little fellow to say his prayers publicly, even at Rugby. 在当时一个小孩子当众祷告需要不小的勇气，在整个拉格比也是这样。

　　A few years later, when Arnold's manly¹ piety² had begun to leaven³ the school, the tables turned: 几年后，阿诺德校长以勇敢和虔诚开始潜移默化地转变这种风气，

　　before he died, in the Schoolhouse at least, and I believe in the other houses, the rule was the other way. 在他去世前，至少拉格比学校的情形不同了。我想其他学校里并没有什么变化。

　　But poor Tom had come to school in other times. 但是可怜的汤姆没赶上好时候，

　　The first few nights after he came he did not kneel down because of the noise, 他来的头几晚因为喧闹没有跪地祷告，

　　but sat up in bed till the candle was out, and then stole out and said his prayers, in fear lest some one should find him out. 而是坐在床上，等蜡烛熄灭后溜出去祷告，怕让别人看到。

　　So did many another poor little fellow. 可怜的小孩子很多都这么做。

　　Then he began to think that he might just as well say his prayers in bed, 后来他想干脆就在床上祷告吧，然后他想，

　　and then that it did not matter whether he was kneeling, or sitting, or lying down. 不论是跪着还是坐着或躺着有什么关系。

　　And so it had come to pass with Tom, as with all who will not confess their Lord before men; 这就是事情的经过，不愿意当着别人的面祷告的人都是这么做的；

　　and for the last year he had probably not said his prayers in earnest a dozen times. 最后一年，他很多次祷告都敷衍了事。

　　Poor Tom! the first and bitterest feeling, which was like to break his heart, was the sense of his own cowardice⁴. 可怜的汤姆，最先也是最令他痛苦的就是他的懦弱，这让他的心都碎了。

　　The vice⁵ of all others which he loathed⁶ was brought in and burned in on his own soul. 他想到了别的令他厌恶的罪恶，这些罪恶现在让他的灵魂备受煎熬。

　　He had lied to his mother, to his conscience, to his God. 他对母亲、自己的良心和上帝说了谎。

　　How could he bear it? 他怎么能容忍呢？

　　And then the poor, little, weak boy, whom he had pitied and almost scorned for his weakness, had done that which he, braggart⁷ as he was, dared not do. 然而，这可怜的柔弱的男孩，这个曾让他感到怜悯，甚至鄙视男孩，却做了这件他这么自负的人都没有勇气做的事。

1 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

2 piety   

n.虔诚，虔敬

参考例句：

• They were drawn to the church not by piety but by curiosity.他们去教堂不是出于虔诚而是出于好奇。
• Experience makes us see an enormous difference between piety and goodness.经验使我们看到虔诚与善意之间有着巨大的区别。

3 leaven   

v.使发酵；n.酵母；影响

参考例句：

• These men have been the leaven in the lump of the race.如果说这个种族是块面团，这些人便是发酵剂。
• The leaven of reform was working.改革的影响力在起作用。

4 cowardice   

n.胆小，怯懦

参考例句：

• His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。
• His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 loathed   

v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢

参考例句：

• Baker loathed going to this red-haired young pup for supplies. 面包师傅不喜欢去这个红头发的自负的傻小子那里拿原料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Therefore, above all things else, he loathed his miserable self! 因此，他厌恶不幸的自我尤胜其它！ 来自英汉文学 - 红字

7 braggart   

n.吹牛者；adj.吹牛的，自夸的

参考例句：

• However,Captain Prien was not a braggart.不过，普里恩舰长却不是一个夸大其词的人。
• Sir,I don't seek a quarrel,not being a braggart.先生，我并不想寻衅挑斗，也不是爱吹牛的人。