E03 马克·吐温：回忆母亲（三）

E03 马克·吐温：回忆母亲（三）

课程导读

上节课我们了解到，马克·吐温的妈妈说话从不高谈阔论、咬文嚼字，可要是心中的同情和义愤被激起，就会瞬间化身成连语言大师都要叹服的雄辩之人。今天这节课，我们将通过两个小故事来进一步感受这位母亲身上的其他可贵品质。

英文原文

She had a horror of snakes and bats, which I hid in pockets and sewing baskets; otherwise she was entirely fearless.

她除了怕我藏在口袋和针线篮里的蛇和蝙蝠，别的什么都不怕。

One day I saw a vicious devil of a Corsican, a common terror in the town, chasing his grown daughter with a heavy rope in his hand, threatening to wear it out on her.

有一天，我看见一个魔鬼般的科西嘉人——城里公认的恶根——手里提着一根很粗的绳子，一边追赶已经是大姑娘的女儿，一边扬言要打她打到绳子磨断。

Cautious male citizens let him pass but my mother spread her door wide to the refugee, and then, instead of closing and locking it after her, stood in it, barring the way.

胆小怕事的男人没有一个敢上前阻止。只有我母亲敞开大门，让那姑娘进来躲避。姑娘进来之后，她没有关门上锁，而是站在门口挡住那个家伙的去路。

The man swore, cursed, threatened her with his rope; but she only stood straight and fine, and lashed him, shamed him, derided and defied him until he asked her pardon, gave her his rope and said with a blasphemous oath that she was the bravest woman he ever saw. He found in her a longfelt want—somebody who was not afraid of him.

那人恶毒地咒骂着，挥舞着手里的绳子吓唬她。可她直挺挺地站着，一动不动，指责他，羞辱他，嘲弄他，直到那人求她原谅，还把绳子交到她手里，然后对天发誓，声称她是他见过的最勇敢的女人。他终于在她身上实现了自己长久以来的愿望——找到一个不怕他的人。

One day in St. Louis she walked out into the street and surprised a burly cartman who was beating his horse over the head with the butt of a heavy whip.

有一天，在圣路易斯，她正在大街上走，突然看见一个五大三粗的车夫用沉甸甸的鞭柄劈头盖脸地打马的头。

She took the whip away from him and made such a persuasive appeal that he was tripped into saying he was to blame, and into volunteering a promise that he would never abuse a horse again.

她一把夺过马鞭，好言相劝，直到那人不得不承认错误，还表示再也不会虐待马了。