月亮和六便士 第五十章(2)

 I told Tiare the story of a man I had known at St. Thomas's Hospital. 我给蒂阿瑞讲了一个我在圣托玛斯医院认识的人的故事。

He was a Jew named Abraham, a blond, rather stout¹ young man, shy and very unassuming; but he had remarkable² gifts. 这是个犹太人，姓阿伯拉罕。他是个金黄头发、身体粗壮的年轻人。性格腼腆，对人和气，但是很有才能。

He entered the hospital with a scholarship, and during the five years of the curriculum gained every prize that was open to him. 他是靠着一笔奖学金入学的，在五年学习期间，任何一种奖金只要他有机会申请就绝对没有旁人的份儿。

He was made house-physician and house-surgeon. 他先当了住院内科医生，后来又当了住院外科医生。

His brilliance³ was allowed by all. 没有人不承认他的才华过人。

Finally he was elected to a position on the staff, and his career was assured. 最后他被选进领导机构中，他的前程已经有了可靠的保证。

So far as human things can be predicted, it was certain that he would rise to the greatest heights of his profession. Honours and wealth awaited him. 按照世情推论，他在自己这门事业上肯定会飞黄腾达、名利双收的。

Before he entered upon his new duties he wished to take a holiday, 在正式上任以前，他想度一次假；

and, having no private means, he went as surgeon on a tramp steamer to the Levant. 因为他自己没有钱，所以在一艘开往地中海的不定期货船上谋了个医生位置。

It did not generally carry a doctor, but one of the senior surgeons at the hospital knew a director of the line, and Abraham was taken as a favour. 这种货轮上一般是没有医生的，只是由于医院里有一名高级外科医生认识跑这条航线的一家轮船公司的经理，货轮看在经理情面上才录用了阿伯拉罕。

In a few weeks the authorities received his resignation of the coveted⁴ position on the staff. 几个星期以后，医院领导人收到一份辞呈，阿伯拉罕声明他决定放弃这个人人嫉羡的位置。

It created profound astonishment⁵, and wild rumours⁶ were current. 这件事使人们感到极其惊诧，千奇百怪的谣言不胫而走。

Whenever a man does anything unexpected, his fellows ascribe it to the most discreditable motives⁷. 每逢一个人干出一件出人意料的事，他的相识们总是替他想出种种最令人无法置信的动机。

But there was a man ready to step into Abraham's shoes, and Abraham was forgotten. 但是既然早就有人准备好填补他留下的空缺，阿伯拉罕不久也就被人遗忘了。

Nothing more was heard of him. He vanished. 以后再也没人听到他的任何消息。这个人就这样从人们的记忆里消失了。

1 stout   

adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的

参考例句：

• He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
• The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。

2 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 brilliance   

n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智

参考例句：

• I was totally amazed by the brilliance of her paintings.她的绘画才能令我惊歎不已。
• The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。

4 coveted   

adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图

参考例句：

• He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。
• Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

6 rumours   

n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传

参考例句：

• The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
• Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

7 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。