第三级-《三个陌生人》-第8课

前情提要 

原来那个小个子男人并不是逃犯，他是逃犯钟表匠的兄弟，真正的钟表匠就是刚刚坐在壁炉旁边的那个男人。时过境迁，牧羊人芬内尔和他的妻子已经去世了，他们的孩子也已经长成了一位老妇人……

故事原文

The Three Strangers and Other Stories 8

三个陌生人 8

WHAT THE SHEPHERD SAW

牧羊人所见

A Story of Four Moonlight Nights

四个月明之夜的故事

1  First night

1 第一夜

The Christmas moon was showing her cold face to the low hills called the Marlbury Downs, in the southwestern part of England known as Mid-Wessex. Here sheep were kept out on the hills all year round(1), and lambs were born as early as December. Shepherds needed to be on the hills day and night at this time of year, and often used small wheeled huts where they could rest and keep warm, while keeping a careful eye on(2) the sheep.

圣诞节的冷月照耀着一片叫做马尔博瑞丘陵的低矮山丘，这片山丘坐落在英格兰西南部的中维塞克斯。这里的山上一年四季都放牧着羊群，而这里的羊羔早在每年的12月便会出生。每年的这个时节，牧羊人们都必须夜以继日地待在山上。他们通常待在一种带轮子的小屋里，以便在照料羊群的同时能休息和取暖。

On a high piece of land one of these huts stood inside a little circle of trees, which kept it out of the icy wind and also hidden from any passers-by. The hut was made of(3) wood, and had a door and two windows. The north one looked out on the eight hundred sheep which were in the shepherd's care, and the south window gave a view of three ancient stones, built in the shape of a doorway. These great stones, which village people called the Devil's Door, had been there for over two thousand years. They were worn and weather-beaten, but tonight looked almost new in the silver light of the moon.

一片高地之上，有一间小屋掩映在一小圈树木中，由此既免受了刺骨寒风的侵袭，又躲避了过路人的视线。小屋用木头制成，有一扇门和两扇窗户。从北面的窗户望出去可以看到牧羊人看管的八百头羊，从南面的窗户望出去则是堆成门形的三块古老的石头。这些巨石被村民们称为“魔鬼之门”，已经在那里矗立了两千多年。它们斑驳残破、饱经风霜，但今夜在银色的月光照耀下，却宛若新生。

Inside the hut a young shepherd boy was waiting for his master, who entered at that moment.

小木屋里，一名牧羊少年正等着他的主人。就在这个时候，主人走了进来。

'Are ye sleepy?' asked the old man crossly.

“你就困了吗？”老人生气地问。

'N — no, master,' replied the boy, who was a little frightened of the shepherd and his heavy stick.

“不——没有，主人。”男孩回答道，他有些害怕牧羊人和他的粗棍子。

'The sheep should be all right until the morning now,' said the shepherd, 'but one of us must stay here, so I'll leave ye, do ye hear? I'll go home and sleep for a few hours. Run down to my cottage and fetch me if anything happens(4). Ye can have a bit of a sleep in the chair by the stove but only for a few minutes, mind! Make sure ye stay awake the rest of the time, and don't let that fire go out!'

“羊群在天亮前应该没事了，”牧羊人说，“不过我们当中必须有人留在这儿，所以我得让你留下，你听到了吗？我要回家睡几个小时。如果发生了什么事，就跑下山到我家去找我。你可以在火炉旁的椅子上睡一小会儿，不过就几分钟，记住！别的时间你都得醒着。还有，别让火熄了！”

The old man closed the door, and disappeared. The boy went out to check on(5) the sheep and new-born lambs, then came back into the hut and sat down by the warm stove. Soon his eyes closed, his head dropped, and he was asleep.

老人关上门走了。男孩出去查看了一下羊群和刚出生的羊羔，然后走回到小屋里，坐在温暖的炉火旁。很快，他就合上了眼皮，垂下头睡着了。

When he woke up, he could hear down in the valley the clock at Shakeforest Towers striking eleven. The sound carried well in the cold night air. He looked out of the north window and saw the sheep, lying on the grass as quietly as before. He next looked out of the opposite window, towards the stones of the Devil's Door, white and ghostly in the moonlight. And in front of them stood a man.

醒来时，他听见山谷里舍克弗洛斯特城堡的钟敲了11下。钟声在清冷的夜空中传得很远。他从北面的窗户望出去，看到羊群依然安静地卧在草地上。接着，他朝相反方向的窗户望出去，看到“魔鬼之门”的石头惨白而诡异地矗立在月光中。石门前站着一个人。

（原文中出现高光标示内容请见核心语言点）

核心语言点

1. all year round 一年四季；终年

例句：

It's hot and humid in Guangdong all year round.

广东一年四季炎热潮湿。

The cockroaches were everywhere all year round.

一年四季到处都是蟑螂。

2. keep an eye on 盯着看；注意者

例句：

We keep a watchful eye on our elderly neighbors.

我们密切注意我们年迈的邻居。

Will you keep an eye on my suitcase while I get something to eat?

你可以帮忙看一下我的行李吗？我去吃点东西。

3. be made of 由……制作而成

例句：

The box is made of wood.

这个盒子是由木头制成的。

The topping is made entirely of cheese.

这些浇料完全是由奶酪制成的。

4. if anything happens 如果发生什么事情的话

例句：

Don't worry. I'll be there for you if anything happens.

别担心，如果发生什么事的话，我一定会帮你的。

5. check on 查看

例句：

The nurse checked on the patients regularly.

护士要经常查看病人的状况。

Honey, can you go upstairs and check on the kids?

亲爱的，你能上楼去看看孩子们吗？