Chapter 4 私塾时光 中英文对照

Chapter4 School Days

第4章私塾时光

When Tom started school at Mr Stelling’s, he foundthe lessons abstract and difficult. Neither he nor his father could understandhow learning Latin and Geometry would help him in his future career, but theyassumed that Mr Stelling must know best. Stelling was a strict tutor who, if astudent didn’t understand a lesson, punished him by giving him even more work.It was not his fault, he said, if a boy was too stupid to learn.

在斯泰令先生家，汤姆刚开始学习，就感到课程抽象、艰深，他和他父亲都不明白学拉丁文和几何对他将来的事业能有什么好处，但他们都认为斯泰令先生一定比他们懂得多。斯泰令先生是个严师，一般他认为如果一个孩子不明白他的课程，那么应该用更多的作业来惩罚他。如果一个孩子太笨，学不会，那可不是他作为老师的不是。

At Christmas time Tom went home for the holidays.The Moss family came to Dorlcote Mill for Christmas Day, but the party wasrather spoiled by Mr Tulliver. He was angry because a farmer who had a farmfurther up the river Ripple, was starting an irrigation scheme for his farm. MrTulliver felt sure that this scheme would deprive him of enough water to powerhis mill. In actual fact, Mr Tulliver didn’t know the details of the scheme,but he was certain that he was in the right and that his enemy, the lawyer Wakem,must be involved in the case. Wakem was a clever but ruthless lawyer who hadhumiliated Mr Tulliver in the past. Mrs Tulliver and Mrs Moss were worried thatMr Tulliver’s obsession with the irrigation scheme and his hatred for Wakemwould result in another lawsuit.

汤姆回家过圣诞节时，莫斯姑妈也来朵尔考特磨坊和他们一起过。但是他们的家庭聚会全被塔利弗先生搅了。他很生气，因为在瑞普河上游的一个农民开始实施一项给自己庄稼的灌溉计划。塔利弗觉得这项灌溉计划一定会导致自己的磨坊水力不足。可实际上，塔利弗先生对这项灌溉计划的细节并不清楚，但他确信自己没错，而他的敌人——韦克姆律师也肯定和这事有关。韦克姆是个聪明但无情的律师，过去曾经羞辱过塔利弗。塔利弗太太和莫斯姑妈都很担心塔利弗先生，对那个灌溉计划过分关注，加上对韦克姆的憎恨，恐怕会让他再度官司缠身。

That night Tom nervously told his father that thenext term there would be another boy studying at Mr Stelling’s too. This boywas Philip Wakem, the son of Wakem the lawyer, and Tom thought his father wouldbe angry. But Mr Tulliver only said, “The boy is a poor creature. He’s ahunchback who is like his dead mother in character. I don’t think he’s like hisfather at all.” Secretly Mr Tulliver was pleased and proud that his son and thefamous lawyer’s son would be educated together.

当天晚上，汤姆忐忑地告诉父亲，下学期会有另外一个孩子来和斯泰令学习。这个孩子是菲利普•韦克姆，正是那个律师的儿子，汤姆觉得他父亲会生气。可是塔利弗只是说： “那孩子很可怜，他是个驼背，性格更像他过世的妈妈。我觉得他和他父亲一点也不像。”私下里，塔利弗很高兴，甚至有点得意，因为他的儿子能和著名律师的公子受到同样的教育。

At the beginning of the next term, Tom and Philipkept their distance from each other. Philip was shy and embarrassed about hisdeformity, and Tom was sure that Philip must be a bad person like his father.Philip had already studied a lot and was a good student.

第二个学期开始后，汤姆和菲利普保持着距离。对于自己的生理缺陷，菲利普有点自惭形秽，汤姆则认为菲利普和他父亲一样也是个坏人。菲利普已经学了很多，是个好学生。

Tom was impressed by his companion’s knowledge, andsurprised when Philip offered to help him with his studies. Tom was puzzled todiscover that the son of “that devil” Wakem was in fact a pleasant companion.He also realised that Philip was much cleverer than he was, but Tom was notjealous. In his heart he felt superior to Philip because of the deformity thatmade him so physically weak and vulnerable.

菲利普的博识给汤姆印象很深，当他主动帮他学习时，汤姆更是吃惊，也很困惑，因为这个“邪恶的”韦克姆的儿子实际上是个好伙伴。他也意识到菲利普要比他聪明很多，但汤姆并不嫉妒他。他心理感到自己比菲利普优越，因为他的身体缺陷让他看上去那么虚弱，那么弱不禁风。

Maggie came twice to visit Tom at Mr Stelling’s. Onher second visit, she and Philip became good friends. They shared a love ofbooks and an affection for Tom. One day, when they were alone, Philip askedher, “If I were your brother, Maggie, would you love me like you love Tom?”

玛吉到斯泰令的私塾去看过汤姆两次。第二次去的时候和菲利普成了好朋友。他们都爱书也爱汤姆。有一天，他们单独在一起时，菲利普问玛吉：“玛吉，如果我是你哥哥，你会像爱汤姆那样爱我吗？”

“Of course I would,” replied Maggie. “And I wouldlove you more because I would feel so sorry for you.”

“我当然会了，”玛吉回答说，“而且因为我可怜你，我会爱你多一点的。”

Seeing Philip’s expression, she realised that shehad said the wrong thing. “And you are so clever...” she added quickly.

看到菲利普的表情，她意识自己说错话了，她马上加了一句：“你又这么聪明……”

“I’m very fond of you, Maggie,” Philip said. “I’llalways remember you and your lovely dark eyes.” Maggie studied his small, paleface. “I think you love me more than Tom does!” she smiled. “Let me kiss you,Philip.”

菲利普说：“我很喜欢你，玛吉。我会永远记住你和你的黑眼睛。”玛吉仔细看了看他小小的、苍白的脸庞说：“我觉得你比汤姆更爱我。”她微笑着说，“让我亲亲你吧，菲利普。”

“But nobody ever kisses me,” replied Philip.

“可是还从来没人亲过我呢。”菲利普说。

“Then I will kiss you every time we meet,” promisedMaggie.

“那以后我们每次见面，我都亲你。”玛吉信誓旦旦的说。

But the next term Tom’s friendship with Philipbegan to cool as the competition between the students increased. The lawsuitagainst the irrigation scheme had started now and Mr Tulliver had told Tom tostay away from Wakem’s son. There was trouble at home and Maggie couldn’t visitMr Stelling’s any more.

然而第二学期，汤姆和菲利普的友情却淡化了，因为学生之间的竞争更激烈了。而对灌溉计划的起诉也进入了司法程序，塔利弗先生让汤姆离韦克姆之子远点。因为家里出了乱子，玛吉也不能再去斯泰令家了。

One morning when Tom was near the end of hisstudies, he was amazed to find Maggie waiting for him in Mr Stelling’s studywhen he came downstairs. Maggie was now thirteen, but she looked older. Herface was tired and she looked worried.

一天早上，汤姆完成一天的学习，走下楼，吃惊的发现玛吉正在斯泰令书房里等他。玛吉现在十三岁了，但她看起来更成熟些。她很疲惫，似乎很焦急。

“Something terrible has happened,” she said to Tom.

“出了可怕的事了。”她对汤姆说。

“Father has lost the lawsuit,” guessed Tomimmediately.

“爸爸官司打输了。”汤姆立刻就猜出来了。

“Yes,” she said. “But it’s much worse than that.Oh, Tom! He has lost all his money and now he’s going to lose the mill too topay his debts! But the worst thing is we think he’s lost his mind. He’s veryill. He doesn’t recognise anyone except me. You must leave school and come homewith me immediately.”

“是啊，”她说，“可是比那还糟。噢，汤姆！他所有的钱都没了，要卖掉磨坊还债了！可更糟的是，我觉得他连神智也都不清了。他病得很重，除了我他谁也不认识。你得马上走，跟我回家。”

The Stellings watched as Tom and Maggie walked tomeet the public stagecoach that would take them home. It seemed they werewalking away from their childhood into a new adult life of sorrow and trouble.

斯泰令目送他们步行去坐送他们回家的公共马车。仿佛从此他们就从童年时代走向了满是痛苦与波折的成年新生活。

单词

assume /əˈsjuːm/ v. 认为，假定

strict /strɪkt/ adj. 严格的

spoil /spɔɪl/ v. 破坏，糟蹋

deprive /dɪˈpraɪv/ v. 使丧失，剥夺

power /ˈpaʊə(r)/ v. 供以动力，激励

in the right 正确，站在正义的一边

ruthless /ˈruːθləs/ adj. 无情的，残忍的

hatred /ˈheɪtrɪd/ n. 憎恨，敌意

hunchback /ˈhʌntʃbæk/ n. 驼背的人

at all 根本，完全（用于否定句）

deformity /dɪˈfɔːməti/ n. 畸形，残疾

puzzled /ˈpʌzld/ adj. 困惑的，茫然的

physically /ˈfɪzɪkli/ adj. 身体上，肉体上

vulnerable /ˈvʌlnərəbl/ adj. （身体上或感情上）脆弱的，易受……伤害的

share /ʃeə(r)/ v. 分享

affection /əˈfekʃn/ n. 喜爱，钟爱 

pale /peɪl/ adj. 苍白的

cool /kuːl/ v. 冷淡下来

lawsuit /ˈlɔːsuːt/ n. 起诉，诉讼（尤指非刑事案件）

irrigation /ˌɪrɪˈɡeɪʃn/ n. 灌溉

stay away from 躲避，离……远点

guess /ɡes/ v. 猜测，推测

lose one's mind 失去理智，精神错乱

stagecoach /ˈsteɪdʒkəʊtʃ/ n. 公共马车，驿站马车

childhood /ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/ n. 童年

sorrow /ˈsɒrəʊ/ n. 痛苦，悲伤