CHAPTER 2 第二章

CHAPTER 2 第二章



SATURDAY morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond the village and above it, was green with vegetation and it lay just far enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy, reposeful, and inviting.

星期六的早晨到了，夏天的世界，陽光 明媚，空氣新鮮，充滿了生機。每個人的心中都蕩漾著一首歌，有些年輕人情不自禁地唱出了這首歌。每個人臉上都洋溢著歡樂，每個人的腳步都是那麽輕盈。洋槐 樹正開著花，空氣裏彌漫著芬芳的花香。村莊外面高高的卡第夫山上覆蓋著綠色的植被，這山離村子不遠不近，就像一塊“樂土”，甯靜安詳，充滿夢幻，令人向 往。

brimming盈满的
spring 跳,彈跳,湧出,生長,裂開

bloom花,開花,青春,鋼塊

fragrance芬芳,香味

blossoms花,花開的狀態,興旺期

vegetation n. 植物

dreamy a. 空幻的,夢想的

reposeful adj. 平稳的,沉著的

inviting a. 引人動心的,有魅力的

delectable*a. 快樂的, 可喜的, 愉快的

Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost plank; repeated the operation; did it again; compared the insignificant whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of unwhitewashed fence, and sat down on a tree-box discouraged. Jim came skipping out at the gate with a tin pail, and singing ~Buffalo Gals. Bringing water from the town pump had always been hateful work in Tom's eyes, before, but now it did not strike him so. He remembered that there was company at the pump. White, mulatto, and negro boys and girls were always there waiting their turns, resting, trading playthings, quarrelling, fighting, skylarking. And he remembered that although the pump was only a hundred and fifty yards off, Jim never got back with a bucket of water under an hour -- and even then somebody generally had to go after him. Tom said:

湯姆出現在人行道上，一只手拎著一桶灰漿，另一只手拿著一把長柄刷子。他環顧柵欄，所 有的快樂，立刻煙消雲散，心中充滿了惆怅。柵欄可是三十碼長，九英尺高啊。生活對他來說太乏味空洞了，活著僅是一種負擔。他歎了一口氣，用刷子蘸上灰漿， 沿著最頂上一層木板刷起來。接著又刷了一下，二下。看看剛刷過的不起眼的那塊，再和那遠不著邊際的柵欄相比，湯姆灰心喪氣地在一塊木箱子上坐下來。這時， 吉姆手裏提著一個錫皮桶，嘴中唱著“布法羅的女娃們”蹦蹦跳跳地從大門口跑出來。在湯姆眼中，到鎮上從抽水機裏拎水，一向是件令人厭煩的差事，現在他可不 這樣看了。他記得在那裏有很多伴兒。有白人孩子，黑人孩子，還有混血孩子，男男女女都在那排隊等著提水。大家在那兒休息，交換各自玩的東西，吵吵鬧鬧，爭 鬥嬉戲。而且他還記得盡管他們家離拎水處只有一百五十碼左右，可是吉姆從沒有在一個小時裏拎回一桶水來——有時甚至還得別人去催才行。湯姆說：

whitewash[ˊhwaitwɒʃ]n. 白色塗料,白粉膠泥水,塗脂抹粉

survey[sәːˊvei]vt. 俯瞰,眺望;調查,審視,概括地觀察;測量,勘定C俯視;C概觀,調查;測量

gladness[ˊglædnis]n. 歡樂,歡喜,喜悅

-melancholy[ˊmelәnkɒli]n. 憂鬱,悲哀,愁思a. 憂鬱的,使人悲傷的,愁思的

yards n. 碼

hollow[ˊhɒlou]n. 洞,窟窿,山谷a. 空的,虛偽的,空腹的,凹的vi. 形成空洞vt. 挖空

existence[igˊzistәns]n. 存在,生存,生活,生活方式
burden[ˊbәːdn]n. 負擔,重載,擔子,責任vt. 裝貨于,麻煩,使負擔
sigh[sai]n. 嘆息vi. 嘆息,渴望vt. 嘆息著說
plank[plæŋk]n. 厚木板,支架vt. 鋪板,立刻付款vi. 睡在板上
insignificant[insigˊnifikәnt]a. 無關重要的,無意義的,瑣碎的

whitewash[ˊhwaitwɒʃ]n. 白色塗料,白粉膠泥水,塗脂抹粉
streak[striːk]n. 條理,斑紋,傾向vt. 加條紋vi. 變成條紋,飛跑

continent[ˊkɒntinәnt]n. 大陸,洲a. 自制的,克制的

pail[peil]n. 桶,提桶,一桶的量

strike[straik]v. 打擊,攻擊,撞擊,擊中,發現,襲擊,使患上,使留下…印象n. 打擊,攻擊,撞擊

company[ˊkʌmpәni]n. C公司;U陪伴;U同伴;U賓客,客人;C群,隊,伙;C連,連隊

mulatto[mjuˊlætou]n. 白人和黑人的混血兒a. 白黑混血兒的,黃褐色的

plaything[ˊpleiθiŋ]n. 玩具,被玩弄的人

quarrel[ˊkwɑːәl]n. 吵架,反目,怨言,方形的東西vi. 吵架,爭論,挑剔

skylark[ˊskailɑːk]n. 雲雀,發瘋般的胡鬧vi. 開玩笑,胡鬧



 "Say, Jim, I'll fetch the water if you'll whitewash some."

“喂，吉姆，如果你來刷點牆，我就去提水。”



Jim shook his head and said: "Can't, Mars Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an' git dis water an' not stop foolin' roun' wid anybody. She say she spec' Mars Tom gwine to ax me to whitewash, an' so she tole me go 'long an' 'tend to my own business -- she 'lowed she'd 'tend to de whitewashin'."

吉姆搖搖頭，說：“不行，湯姆少爺。老太太，她叫我去提水，不准在路上停下來和人家玩。她說她猜到湯姆少爺你會讓我刷牆，所以她吩咐我只管幹自己的活，莫管他人閑事——她說她要親自來看看你刷牆。”

shook[ʃuk]vbl. shake的過去式

missis[ˊmisiz]n. 太太,妻子

Mars: Mr.

Ole:Old

tole:told

an': Short for "and"

git: Total and utter tosser who is incapable of doing anything other than annoying people, and not in a way that is funny to others. Best used idly. e.g. "Git."

dis: this, to disrespect some one

foolin':fooling

roun':round

wid: with

gwine: gone

ax:ask

whitewashin': whitewashing

'tend: [同] crop , cut back , dress , lop , prune , snip , trim , clip [例] dress the plants in the garden

de: the

'lowed: said

"Oh, never you mind what she said, Jim. That's the way she always talks. Gimme the bucket -- I won't be gone only a a minute. SHE won't ever know."

“咳，吉姆，你別管她對你說的那一套。她總是這樣說的。把水桶給我——我很快就回來。她不會知道的。”

Gimme[口]=give me(或give it to me)



"Oh, I dasn't, Mars Tom. Ole missis she'd take an' tar de head off'n me. 'Deed she would."

“哦，不，我可不敢，湯姆少爺。老太太她會把我的頭給擰下來的，她真的會的！”

dasn't:doesn't

Deed:did



"She! She never licks anybody -- whacks 'em over the head with her thimble -- and who cares for that, I'd like to know. She talks awful, but talk don't hurt -- anyways it don't if she don't cry. Jim, I'll give you a marvel. I'll give you a white alley!"

“她嗎？她從來沒揍過任何人——她不過是用頂針在頭上敲敲罷了——誰還在乎這個，我倒是想問問你。她不過是嘴上說得凶，可是說說又傷害不了你——只要她不大叫大嚷就沒事。吉姆，我給你一個好玩意，給你一個白石頭子兒！”

'em:them

whack[hwæk] vt. 敲擊,重打,瓜分,匆忙做好vi. 重擊n. 重擊,重打,嘗試,正常狀態,一次

thimble[ˊθimbl]n. 頂針,嵌環,套管

alley[ˊæli]*n. 小徑, 小巷, 巷, 弄, 胡同, 滾球道, 彈石, 彈珠

Jim began to waver.

吉姆開始動搖了。
waver[ˊweivә]n. 動搖,躊躇,揮動者vi. 搖擺,顫抖,擺動,搖曳,猶豫

"White alley, Jim! And it's a bully taw."

“白石頭子，吉姆！這可是真正好玩的石頭子啊。”

bully[ˊbuli]n. 欺凌弱小者,土霸vt. 威脅,恐嚇,欺負vi. 欺負a. 好的,第一流的ad. 十分

taw[tɒː]vt. 用明礬和鹽揉制vi. 發出石彈n. 彈石,彈石遊戲,彈石基線

"My! Dat's a mighty gay marvel, I tell you! But Mars Tom I's powerful 'fraid ole missis --"

“嘿，老實說，那是個挺不錯的好玩意。可是湯姆少爺，我害怕老太太……”

Dat's:that's

'fraid: afraid



"And besides, if you will I'll show you my sore toe."

“還有，吉姆，只要你答應了的話，我還給你看我那只腳趾頭，那只腫痛的腳趾頭。”

sore[sɒː]a. 一碰就痛的,悲傷的,痛的,給予痛苦的n. 痛處,潰瘍,瘡



Jim was only human -- this attraction was too much for him. He put down his pail, took the white alley, and bent over the toe with absorbing interest while the bandage was being unwound. In another moment he was flying down the street with his pail and a tingling rear, Tom was whitewashing with vigor, and Aunt Polly was retiring from the field with a slipper in her hand and triumph in her eye. But Tom's energy did not last. He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied. Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work -- the very thought of it burnt him like fire. He got out his worldly wealth and examined it -- bits of toys, marbles, and trash; enough to buy an exchange of WORK, maybe, but not half enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom. So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys. At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him! Nothing less than a great, magnificent inspiration.

吉 姆到底是個凡人，不是神仙——這誘惑對他太大了。他放下水桶，接過白石頭子兒，還饒有興趣地彎著腰看湯姆解開纏在腳上的布帶子，看那只腫痛的腳趾。可是， 一會兒之後，吉姆的屁股直痛，拎著水桶飛快地沿著街道跑掉了；湯姆繼續用勁地刷牆，因為波莉姨媽此時從田地幹活回來了。她手裏提著一只拖鞋，眼裏流露出滿 意的神色。不過，湯姆這股勁沒持續多久。他開始想起原先為這個休息日所作的一些玩耍的安排，心裏越想越不是滋味。再過一會兒，那些自由自在的孩子們就會蹦 跳著跑過來，做各種各樣開心好玩的遊戲，他們看到他不得不刷牆幹活，會大肆嘲笑挖苦他的——一想到這，湯姆心裏就像火燒似的難受。他拿出他全部的家當寶 貝，仔細地看了一陣——有殘缺不全的玩具、一些石頭子、還有一些沒有什麽用處的東西。這些玩意足夠用來換取別的孩子為自己幹活，不過，要想換來半個小時的 絕對自由，也許還差得遠呢。于是他又把這幾件可憐的寶貝玩意裝進口袋，打消了用這些來收買那些男孩子的念頭。正在這灰心絕望的時刻，他忽然靈機一動，計上 心來。這主意實在是聰明絕倫，妙不可言。

bent[bent]a. 彎曲的,決心的n. vbl. 彎曲n. 愛好

bend over俯身于…

absorbing[әbˊsɒːbiŋ]a. 吸引人的,非常有趣的

bandage[ˊbændidʒ]n. 繃帶

unwound[ʌnˊwaund]vbl. unwind的過去式和過去分詞a. 未卷繞的,鬆散的

unwind[ʌnˊwaind]vt. 展開

tingling發麻; 麻刺感; 麻感

vigor[ˊvigә]n. 精力,活力

slipper[ˊslipә]n. 拖鞋,制輪器vt. 用拖鞋打

triumph[ˊtraiәmf]n. 勝利,成功vi. 勝利,成功;狂歡,喜悅

sorrow[ˊsɑːou]n. 悲傷,哀惜,不幸vi. 悲傷,懊悔,遺憾

multiply[ˊmʌltiplai]vt. 乘,使相乘;倍增vi. 增加

tripping[ˊtripiŋ]a. 絆倒的,輕快的

Expedition[ˊekspiˊdiʃәn]n. 考察,探險;考察隊,探險隊

thought[θɒːt]n. 想法,思想,思維,思潮,關心,掛念v. vbl. think的過去式和過去分詞

marble[ˊmɑːbl]n. 大理石,石彈,雕刻品a. 大理石的,冷酷無情的,堅硬的

trash[træʃ]n. 垃圾,廢物 ;vt. 廢棄,vt. 破壞,損壞; 向...投擲垃圾;n. 搗毀行動,破壞行動

straiten[ˊstreitn]vt. 使為難,使窮困,限制

burst[bәːst]vi. 爆裂,炸破vt. 使…破裂,使…炸破n. 突然破裂,爆發

magnificent[mægˊnifisnt]a. 華麗的,高尚的,豐富的



He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. Ben Rogers hove in sight presently -- the very boy, of all boys, whose ridicule he had been dreading. Ben's gait was the hop-skip-and-jump -- proof enough that his heart was light and his anticipations high. He was eating an apple, and giving a long, melodious whoop, at intervals, followed by a deep-toned ding-dong-dong, ding-dong-dong, for he was personating a steamboat. As he drew near, he slackened speed, took the middle of the street, leaned far over to star-board and rounded to ponderously and with laborious pomp and circumstance -- for he was personating the Big missouri, and considered himself to be drawing nine feet of water. He was boat and captain and engine-bells combined, so he had to imagine himself standing on his own hurricane-deck giving the orders and executing them:

他拿起刷子，一聲不響地幹了起 來。不一會兒，本·羅傑斯出現了——在所有的孩子們當中，正是這個男孩叫湯姆最害怕。湯姆最怕他的譏諷。本走路好像是做三級跳——這證明他此時的心情輕松 愉快，而且還打算幹點痛快高興的事。他正在吃蘋果，不時地發出長長的、好聽的“嗚——”的叫聲，隔會兒還“叮當當、叮當當”地學鈴聲響，他這是在扮演一只 蒸汽輪船。他越來越近，于是他減慢速度，走到街中心，身體傾向右舷，吃力、做作地轉了船頭使船逆風停下——他在扮演“大密蘇裏號”，好像已吃水九英尺深。 他既當船，又當船長還要當輪機鈴。因此他就想象著自己站在輪船的頂層甲板上發著命令，同時還執行著這些命令。

tranquilly[ˊtræŋkwili]ad. 安靜地,平靜地

hove[houv]vbl. heave的過去式

heave[hiːv]n. 舉,拋,起伏,鼓起vt. 用力舉起,使脹起,使鼓起vi. 拋出,起伏,喘息,凸起

ridicule[ˊridikjuːl]n. 嘲笑,愚弄,笑柄vt. 嘲笑,嘲弄,愚弄

dread[dred]n. 恐懼,可怕的人,可怕的事a. 可怕的,可怖的vt. vi. 恐懼,害怕

gait[geit]n. 步法,步態vt. 訓練…的步法

anticipation[ænˊtisiˊpeiʃәn]n. 期待,預料

melodious[mәˊloudiәs]a. 旋律美妙的,調子優美的,音樂性的

whoop[hwuːp]n. 大叫,吶喊,喘息聲,小塊vi. 叫喊,喘息vt. 高聲說,喚起

personate[ˊpәːsneit]vt. 扮演,偽裝,假冒,擬人化a. 假面狀的

slacken[ˊslækәn]vt. 使鬆弛,放鬆,放慢vi. 變鬆馳,減弱,呆滯

leaned = lean

lean[liːn]vi. 傾斜,屈身;倚,靠,依賴vt. 使傾斜;把…靠在某種東西上n. 傾斜,傾向

ponderously*adv. 沉重地, 沉悶地
-laborious*a. 艱苦的, 費勁的, 勤勞的
pomp*n. 壯麗, 盛觀, 誇耀
circumstance*n. 情況, 形勢, 環境, 境況, 境遇

"Stop her, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling!" The headway ran almost out, and he drew up slowly toward the sidewalk.

“停船，夥計！叮——啊鈴！”船幾乎停穩了，然後他又慢慢地向人行道靠過來。

headway[ˊhedwei]n. 前進,航行速度,進展

run out跑出,用光,耗盡
  

"Ship up to back! Ting-a-ling-ling!" His arms straightened and stiffened down his sides.

“調轉船頭！叮——啊鈴——鈴！”他兩臂伸直，用力往兩邊垂著。

straighten[ˊstreitn]vt. 弄直,使正確,整頓,清理,使改正vi. 直起來,改正,好轉

stiffen[ˊstifn]vt. 使堅硬,使僵硬,使生硬,使粘稠vi. 變粘,變硬,變猛烈

"Set her back on the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow! ch-chow-wow! Chow!" His right hand, meantime, describing stately circles -- for it was representing a forty-foot wheel.

“右舷後退，叮——啊鈴——鈴！嚓嗚——嚓——嚓嗚！嚓嗚！”他一邊喊著，一邊用手比劃著畫個大圈——這代表著一個四十英尺大轉輪。
meantime[ˊmiːntaim]n. 此際,其時ad. 其間

stately[steitli]a. 雄偉的,莊嚴的

"Let her go back on the labboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ch-chow-chow!" The left hand began to describe circles.

“左舷後退！叮——啊鈴——鈴！嚓嗚——嚓——嚓嗚——嚓嗚！”左手開始畫圈。



"Stop the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Stop the labboard! Come ahead on the stabboard! Stop her! Let your outside turn over slow! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ow-ow! Get out that head-line! lively now! Come -- out with your spring-line -- what're you about there! Take a turn round that stump with the bight of it! Stand by that stage, now -- let her go! Done with the engines, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling!"

"Sh't! s'h't! sh't!" (trying the gauge-cocks).

“ 右舷停！叮——啊鈴——鈴！左舷停！右舷前進！停！外面慢慢轉過來！叮——啊鈴——鈴！嚓——嗚——嗚！把船頭的繩索拿過來！快點！喂——再把船邊的繩索 遞過來——你在發什麽呆！把繩頭靠船樁繞住好，就這麽拉緊——放手吧！發動機停住，夥計！叮——啊鈴——鈴！希特——希特——希特！”（摹仿著汽門排氣的 聲音。）

stump[stʌmp]n. 殘株,樹樁,煙蒂,講演台vt. 砍斷,挑戰,難住vi. 蹣跚而走
bight[bait]n. 海灣,繩圈vt. 結成繩圈

gauge[geidʒ]n. 標準度量,計量器vt. 精確計量,估計

cock[kɒk]n. 公雞,公鳥,龍頭,頭目,錐形小幹草堆vt. 使聳立,使豎起

Tom went on whitewashing -- paid no attention to the steamboat. Ben stared a moment and then said: "Hi-Yi! you're up a stump, ain't you!"

湯姆繼續刷柵欄，——不去理睬那只蒸汽輪船，本瞪著眼睛看了一會兒，說：“哎呀，你日子不好過了，是不是？”



No answer. Tom surveyed his last touch with the eye of an artist, then he gave his brush another gentle sweep and surveyed the result, as before. Ben ranged up alongside of him. Tom's mouth watered for the apple, but he stuck to his work. Ben said:

湯姆沒有回答。只是用藝術家的眼光審視他最後刷的那一塊，接著輕輕地刷了一下。又像剛才那樣打量著柵欄。本走過來站在他身旁。看見那蘋果，湯姆饞得直流口水，可是他還是繼續刷他的牆。本說：

gentle[ˊdʒentl]a. 有禮貌的,文雅的;柔和的,和緩的;出身高貴的

sweep[swiːp]n. 掃除,打掃,肅清,視野,範圍,全勝vt. 掃除,用手指彈,猛拉,掃蕩,肅清,衝走

alongside[әˊlɒŋsaid]prep. 與…並排,在…旁邊

"Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?"

“嘿，老夥計，你還得幹活呀，咦？”

chap[tʃæp]n. 小伙子,顎,龜裂vt. vi. 皸裂
  

Tom wheeled suddenly and said: "Why, it's you, Ben! I warn't noticing."

湯姆猛然地轉過身來說道：“咳！是你呀，本。我還沒注意到你呢。”

wheel[hwiːl]n. 輪子,車輪,輪,旋轉,週期,機構,重要人物vt. 旋轉,裝以車輪,轉動

"Say -- I'm going in a-swimming, I am. Don't you wish you could? But of course you'd druther work -- wouldn't you? Course you would!"

“哈，告訴你吧，我可是要去遊泳了。難道你不想去嗎？當然啦，你甯願在這幹活，對不對？當然你情願！”



Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said:

湯姆打量了一下那男孩，說：

contemplate[ˊkɒntempleit]vt. 注視,沉思,打算vi. 冥思苦想
  

"What do you call work?"

“你說什麽？這叫幹活？”



"Why, ain't that work?"

“這還不叫幹活，叫幹什麽？”



Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: "Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain't. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer."

湯姆重新又開始刷牆，漫不經心地說：“這也許是幹活，也許不是。我只知道這對湯姆·索亞來說倒是很得勁。”



"Oh come, now, you don't mean to let on that you like it?"

“哦，得了吧！難道你的意思是說你喜歡幹這事？”



The brush continued to move.

刷子還在不停地刷著。



"Like it? Well, I don't see why I oughtn't to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?"

“喜歡幹？哎，我真搞不懂為什麽我要不喜歡幹，哪個男孩子能天天有機會刷牆？”



That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth -- stepped back to note the effect -- added a touch here and there -- criticised the effect again -- Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:

這倒是件新鮮事。于是，本停止了啃蘋果。湯姆靈巧地用刷子來回刷著——不時地停下來退後幾步看看效果——在這補一刷，在那補一刷——然後再打量一下效果——本仔細地觀看著湯姆的一舉一動，越看越有興趣，越看越被吸引住了。後來他說：

nibble[ˊnibl]n. 半字節n. 半位元組,細咬,輕咬,啃vt. vi. 一點一點地咬,細咬,吹毛求疵
daintily[ˊdeintili]ad. 優美爽口,難以取悅地,講究

forth[fɒːθ]ad. 向前方,向前

criticise[ˊkritisaiz]vt. vi. 批評,吹毛求疵,非難

absorbed[әdˊsɒːbәd]a. 全神貫注的,一心一意的

"Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little."

“喂，湯姆，讓我來刷點兒看看。”



Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind:

湯姆想了一下，正打算答應他；可是他立刻又改變了主意：

consent[kәnˊsent]n. U同意,贊成vi. 同意,贊成

alter[ˊɒːltә]vt. 改變,更改,修改

"No -- no -- I reckon it wouldn't hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly's awful particular about this fence -- right here on the street, you know -- but if it was the back fence I wouldn't mind and she wouldn't. Yes, she's awful particular about this fence; it's got to be done very careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it's got to be done."

“不——不行，本——我想 這恐怕不行。要知道，波莉姨媽對這面牆是很講究的——這可是當街的一面呀——不過要是後面的，你刷刷倒也無妨，姨媽也不會在乎的。是呀，她對這道牆是非常 講究的。刷這牆一定得非常精心。我想在一千，也許在兩千個孩子裏，也找不出一個能按波莉姨媽的要求刷好這道牆的。”

particular[pәˊtikjulә]a. 特別的,特殊的,詳細的,挑剔的,苛求的n. 細節,細目,詳情
  

"No -- is that so? Oh come, now -- lemme just try. Only just a little -- I'd let you, if you was me, Tom."

“哦，是嗎？哎，就讓我試一試吧。我只刷一點兒——湯姆，如果我是你的話，我會讓你試試的。”



"Ben, I'd like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly -- well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn't let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn't let Sid. Now don't you see how I'm fixed? If you was to tackle this fence and anything was to happen to it --"

“本，我倒是願意，說真的。可是，波莉姨媽——唉，吉姆想刷，可她不叫他刷，希德也想幹，她也不讓希德幹。現在，你知道我該有多麽為難？要是你來擺弄這牆，萬一出了什麽毛病……”

Injun[ˊindʒәn]n. 美國印第安人
fixed[fikst]a. 固定的,不變的,準備好的

tackle[ˊtækl]n. 工具,復滑車,滑車,裝備,扭倒vt. 固定,處理,抓住vi. 扭倒

"Oh, shucks, I'll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say -- I'll give you the core of my apple."

“啊，沒事，我會小心仔細的。還是讓我來試試吧。嘿——我把蘋果核給你。”

shucks[ʃʌks]int. 表示不滿或歉意時所發的字眼

core[kɒː]n. 核心,果心,爭論的核心vt. 挖…的核

"Well, here -- No, Ben, now don't. I'm afeard --"

“唉，那就……不行，本，算了吧。我就怕……。”

afeard a. 恐懼的
  

"I'll give you all of it!"

“我把這蘋果全給你！”



Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart.

湯姆把刷子讓給本，臉上顯示出不情願，可心裏卻美滋滋的。

reluctance[riˊlʌktәns]n. 不願,勉強,厭惡

alacrity[әˊlækriti]n. 敏捷,輕快,樂意
  

And while the late steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more innocents. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy Fisher for a kite, in good repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in for a dead rat and a string to swing it with -- and so on, and so on, hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, from being a poor poverty-stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling in wealth. He had besides the things before mentioned, twelve marbles, part of a jews-harp, a piece of blue bottle-glass to look through, a spool cannon, a key that wouldn't unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, a glass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, six fire-crackers, a kitten with only one eye, a brass doorknob, a dog-collar -- but no dog -- the handle of a knife, four pieces of orange-peel, and a dilapidated old window sash.

當剛才那只“大密蘇裏號”在陽光下幹活， 累得大汗淋漓的時候，這位離了職的藝術家卻在附近的陰涼下，坐在一只木桶上，跷著二郎腿，一邊大口大口地吃著蘋果，一邊暗暗盤算如何再宰更多的傻瓜。這樣 的小傻瓜會有許多。每過一會兒，就有些男孩子從這經過；起先他們都想來開開玩笑，可是結果都被留下來刷牆。在本累得精疲力盡時，湯姆早已經和比利·費施做 好了交易。比利用一個修得很好的風筝換來接替本的機會。等到比利也玩得差不多的時候，詹尼·米勒用一只死老鼠和拴著它的小繩子購買了這個特權——一個又一 個的傻小子受騙上了當，接連幾個鍾頭都沒有間斷。下午快過了一半的時候，湯姆早上還是個貧困潦倒的窮小子，現在一下子就變成了腰包鼓鼓的闊佬了。除了以上 提到的那些玩意以外，還有十二顆石頭子；一只破口琴；一塊可以透視的藍玻璃片；一門線軸做的大炮；一把什麽鎖也不開的鑰匙；一截粉筆；一個大酒瓶塞子；一 個錫皮做的小兵；一對蝌蚪；六個鞭炮；一只獨眼小貓；一個門上的銅把手；一根拴狗的頸圈——卻沒有狗——一個刀把；四片桔子皮；還有一個破舊的窗框。
steamer[ˊstiːmә]n. 汽船,蒸汽機
barrel[ˊbærәl]n. 桶,大琵琶桶;一桶的量;圓筒,槍管;大量
shade[ʃeid]n. 蔭,陰暗,蔭涼處,遮光物,燈罩,簾,濃淡,些微vi. 漸變vt. 使陰暗,使漸變

dangle[ˊdæŋgl]vi. 搖晃地懸掛著,追求vt. 使搖晃地懸掛n. 搖晃地懸掛

munch[mʌntʃ]vt. vi. 用力咀嚼,大聲咀嚼

slaughter[ˊslɒːtә]n. 殘殺,屠殺,大量殺戮vt. 殘殺,屠殺,虧本出售

innocent[ˊinәsnt]a. 清白的;天真的,單純的;無知的,頭腦簡單的;沒有…的n. 天真無邪的人
lack[læk]n. 缺乏,不足vi. 缺乏,短少,沒有缺乏,短少,沒有;需要

material[mәˊtiәriәl]n. 材料,物資,素材,布料,資料a. 物質的,肉體的,具體的

along[әˊlɒŋ]prep. 沿著,順著ad. 往前,一直向前

fag sb out使累極,使精疲力竭

string[striŋ]n. 字符串,細繩,索,帶子;一串,一行,一列v. 縛,扎,穿,串起,排成一列

swing[swiŋ]n. 搖擺,振幅,音律,節奏,漲落,秋千,旋轉,自由活動vi. 搖擺,懸掛,旋轉;vi. [俚]趨附時尚,趕時髦;活躍,活潑; 亂搞男女關系

poverty-stricken a. 為貧窮所困惱的,非常貧窮的

literally[ˊlitәrәli]ad. 逐字地,按照字面上地,不誇張地

beside[biˊsaid]prep. 在…旁邊,在…附近;與…相比,比得上

jaws n. 口,狹口,咽喉,險地

harp[hɑːp]n. 豎琴vi. 彈奏豎琴,不停的說

spool[spuːl]n. 線軸,纏線用的框vt. 纏繞在線軸上,纏繞

cannon[ˊkænәn]n. 大砲,加農砲vt. vi. 砲轟

chalk[tʃɒːk]n. 粉筆,白堊vt. 用粉筆寫,記錄

stopper[ˊstɒpә]n. 阻止的人,木塞,制止器vt. 用塞子塞住,閉嘴

decanter[diˊkæntә]n. 餐桌用的有塞子的波璃瓶

soldier[ˊsouldʒә]n. 軍人,士兵,兵蟻vi. 從軍,盡職,偷懶;n. [美俚](黑手黨的)打手,受雇用的暴徒

tadpole[ˊtædpoul]n. 蝌蚪

brass[bræs]n. 黃銅,黃銅制品a. 黃銅的,銅管樂器的vt. vi. 鍍以黃銅,支付

doorknob[ˊdɒːnɒb]n. 門把

collar[ˊkɒlә]n. 衣領,頸間vt. 控制,扭住衣領,抓取

peel[piːl]n. 皮vt. 削…皮vi. 蛻皮,剝落,脫皮
dilapidated[diˊlæpideitid]a. 毀壞的,荒廢的,要塌似的
sash[sæʃ]n. 框格,肩帶,腰帶vt. 裝以窗框,系上腰帶

He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while -- plenty of company -- and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn't run out of whitewash he would have bankrupted every boy in the village.

他一直過得舒舒服服，悠閑自在——同伴很多——而且牆整整被刷了三遍。要不是他的灰漿用光了的話，他會讓村裏的每個孩子都掏空腰包破産的。

plenty[ˊplenti]n. 許多,大量,充足的,豐富a. 充裕的,足夠的,很多的
coat[kәut]n. 外套,上衣;皮毛,表皮;層,塗層vt. 塗上,蓋上,包上
bankrupt[ˊbæŋkrʌpt]a. 破產的,倒閉的;缺乏的,喪失的

Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it -- namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain. If he had been a great and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book, he would now have comprehended that Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. And this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, that would turn it into work and then they would resign.

湯姆自言自語道，這世 界原來並不是那麽空洞乏味啊。他已經不知不覺地發現了人類行為的一大法則——那就是為了讓一個大人或一個小孩渴望幹什麽事，只需設法將這事變得難以到手就 行了。如果他是位偉大而明智的哲學家，就像這本書的作者，他就會懂得所謂“工作”就是一個人被迫要幹的事情，至于“玩”就是一個人沒有義務要幹的事。這個 道理使他明白了為什麽做假花和蹬車輪就算是工作，而玩十柱戲和爬勃朗峰就算是娛樂。英國有錢的紳士在夏季每天駕著四輪馬拉客車沿著同樣的路線走上二三十 裏，他們為這種特權竟花了很多錢。可是如果因此付錢給他們的話，那就把這樁事情變成了工作，他們就會撒手不幹了。

covet[ˊkʌvit]vt. vi. 妄想,垂涎
attain[әˊtein]vt. 達到,完成;到達vi. 到達
wise[waiz]a. 明智的,慎慮的,聰明的,賢明的,博學的,明白的,狡猾的
philosopher[fiˊlɒsәfә]n. 哲學家,哲人,思想家
comprehend[kɒmpriˊhen]vt. 理解,包括
artificial[ɑːtiˊfiʃәl]a. 人工的,人造的;矯揉造作的,不自然的
tread[tred]n. 踏,步態,梯級,交尾,鞋底vi. 踏,行走,交尾vt. 踩,踏,踐踏,跳
mill[mil]n. 壓榨機,磨坊,制造廠vt. 碾磨,磨細,攪拌,使亂轉,打vi. 亂轉,被碾磨
amusement[әˊmjuːzmәnt]n. 娛樂的狀態,娛樂,樂事
gentlemen[ˊdʒentlmen]n. 紳士們
considerable[kәnˊsidәrәbl]a. 相當的,可觀的,重要的
wages n. 工資
resign[riˊzain]vt. 放棄,辭去;把…交託給;使順從vi. 辭職


The boy mused awhile over the substantial change which had taken place in his worldly circumstances, and then wended toward headquarters to report.

湯姆思考了一會那天發生在他身邊的實質性變化，然後就到司令部報告去了。

muse[mjuːz]v. 沉思,默想,冥想n. 繆斯,詩人,詩興,詩才
awhile*a. 片刻, 一會兒

substantial[sәbˊstænʃәl]n. 重要部分,本質a. 實質上的,物質的,有內容的,結實的
circumstances n. 情況
wend[wend]vi. 行,走vt. 往

CHAPTER I 第一章

CHAPTER I　第一章

"TOM!"
“湯姆！”

No answer.
沒人答應。

"TOM!"
“湯姆！”

No answer.
又沒人答應。

"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!"
“真不知道這孩子又在搞什麽！湯姆！”

No answer.
還是沒人答應。

The
old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the
room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or
never looked through them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her
state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not
service -- she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as
well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely,
but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:
這老太太拉低眼鏡從鏡片上方朝房間看了
看，然後她又擡高眼鏡從鏡片下面看。她很少或者幹脆說她從來沒戴正眼鏡來找像一個小男孩這樣小的東西。這副眼鏡是很考究的，也是她的驕傲，她配這副眼鏡不
是為了實用，而是為了“裝飾”，為了“漂亮”。她看東西時，即使戴上兩片爐子蓋也照樣看得一清二楚。她茫然不知所措地愣了一會兒。然後雖然不是凶神惡煞
般，但嗓門高得讓每個角落都能聽到，她說：

"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll --"
“好，我發誓如果我抓住你，我就——”

She
did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching
under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the
punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat.
她話沒有說完，因為這時她正彎腰用掃把往床下猛搗，每搗幾下，她需要停下來換口氣。結果，只搗出來一只貓。

"I never did see the beat of that boy!"
“我還從沒有見過這麽令人吃驚的孩子！”

She
went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the tomato
vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. So she
lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance and shouted:
她走到敞開的門口，站在那裏朝滿園子的西紅柿藤和吉普遜草叢中看，想找到湯姆，可還是沒有。于是她亮開嗓子朝遠處，高聲喊到：

"Y-o-u-u Tom!"
“湯姆呀，湯姆！”

There
was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to seize a
small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight.
這時在她身後傳來一聲輕微的響聲，她轉身一把抓住了一個小男孩的短外套的衣角，他想跑都跑不掉了。

"There! I might 'a thought of that closet. What you been doing in there?"
“嘿！我早該想到那個壁櫥，你躲在那裏幹什麽？”

"Nothing."
“沒幹什麽。”

"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What is that truck?"
“沒幹什麽？！瞧你那雙手，再看你那張嘴，還有那渾身是什麽？”

"I don't know, aunt."
“我不知道，姨媽。”

"Well,
I know. It's jam -- that's what it is. Forty times I've said if you
didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch."
“哎，我知道，那是蜜餞——對，就是。我已跟你講過有四十遍了，不要動我的蜜餞，否則我就扒你的皮。把鞭子遞給我。”

The switch hovered in the air -- the peril was desperate --
鞭子在空中呼嘯——情況萬分緊急。

"My! Look behind you, aunt!"
“不得了！瞧你身後是什麽，姨媽！”

The
old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The lad
fled on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and disappeared
over it.
老太太以為有危險，急忙撩起裙子，轉過身去。湯姆撥腿就逃，頃刻他爬過高高的木柵欄，一轉眼就消失得無影無蹤。

His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle laugh.
他的波莉姨媽站在那兒先是一愣，隨後突然輕聲笑了起來。

"Hang
the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks enough
like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old fools
is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, as
the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days,
and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how
long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he
can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down
again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing my duty by that boy,
and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile
the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for
us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my
own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash
him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so,
and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man
that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the
Scripture says, and I reckon it's so. He'll play hookey this evening,*
and [* Southwestern for "afternoon"] I'll just be obleeged to make him
work, to-morrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him work
Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more
than he hates anything else, and I've got to do some of my duty by him,
or I'll be the ruination of the child."
“這個該死的，我怎麽老是不吸取教訓？他玩這把戲也不是頭
一遭了。難道我不該有所提防嗎？人老了，糊塗才是最大的糊塗蛋。俗話說得好，老狗學不會新把戲。可是天啦！他耍的鬼把戲裏從來沒有兩天一樣的，誰能猜出下
個鬼主意是什麽？他似乎知道，他能折磨我多長時間，我才會動肝火，而且他也知道他只要想個法哄哄我，惹我大笑一場，就會萬事皆休，我也不會揍他一頓。我對
他是敢怒不能揍。我對那孩子沒盡到責任，上帝知道那是真的。《聖經》裏說：‘孩子不打不成器。’我太溺愛那孩子，我也知道這對我倆都不好。他一肚鬼點子。
哎呀，但他是我那死去的親姐姐的兒子，可憐的孩子，我怎麽也不忍心揍他。每一次饒了他，我良心都受譴責；可是每一回打他，我都有點心痛不忍。哎，哎，就像
《聖經》所說的，人為母生，光陰荏苒，充滿苦難。我看這話說得一點都不錯。今天下午他要是逃學，明天我就想法讓他幹點活，懲罰懲罰他。星期六讓他幹活，恐
怕苛刻了點，因為所有的孩子都放了假，他又恨透了幹活，比恨什麽都厲害。可是我不得不對他盡到我的責任，否則我會把這個孩子給毀了。”

Tom
did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home barely
in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's wood and
split the kindlings before supper -- at least he was there in time to
tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the work.
Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already through
with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a quiet boy,
and had no adventurous, troublesome ways.
湯姆真的沒去上課，而且痛痛快快地玩了一場。他回家時
正好趕上幫那小黑孩吉姆的忙，幫他在晚飯前鋸第二天用的木頭，劈引火用的柴——至少他及時趕到那兒，把他所幹的事講給吉姆聽，而活卻是吉姆幹了四分之三。
湯姆的弟弟（確切地說是同母異父的弟弟）希德已幹完了他那份活（撿碎木塊），因為他是個不聲不響的孩子，從不幹什麽冒險的事，也不惹什麽麻煩。

While
Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity offered,
Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and very deep
-- for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like many
other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she was
endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she loved
to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low cunning.
Said she:
湯姆吃晚飯的時候，總是瞅機會偷糖吃，波莉姨媽這時開始問他，話裏充滿了詭計，而且非常巧妙——因為她要設點圈套，套他說出實話來。跟其他許多頭腦簡單的人一樣，她很自負，並且相信自己很有點子，會耍弄詭秘狡猾的手腕，把自己極易被人識破的詭計當作最高明的計策，她說：

"Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?"
“湯姆，學校裏挺熱的，對吧？”

"Yes'm."
“是的，姨媽。”

"Powerful warm, warn't it?"
“熱的厲害，對不對？”

"Yes'm."
“對，姨媽。”

"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?"
“你是不是想去遊泳來著，湯姆。”

A
bit of a scare shot through Tom -- a touch of uncomfortable suspicion.
He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said:
湯姆忽然感到有點慌張——一絲不安和疑惑掠過心頭。他偷眼察看波莉姨媽的臉色，可什麽也沒有看出來。于是他說：

"No'm -- well, not very much."
“沒有啊，姨媽——呃，沒怎麽想去。”

The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said:
老太太伸出手摸摸湯姆的襯衣，說道：

"But
you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to reflect that
she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing that
that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew where
the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move:
“可是你現在卻並不怎麽熱，是吧！”她已發現襯衣是幹的，卻沒有人知道她內心的真正用意，為此她感到很得意。而湯姆猜透了她的心思，所以他為防老太太的下一招來了個先發制人。

"Some of us pumped on our heads -- mine's damp yet. See?"
“有的人往大家頭上打水——你瞧，我的頭發還是濕的呢！”

Aunt
Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of circumstantial
evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new inspiration:
波莉姨媽很懊惱，她居然沒注意到這個明擺著的事實，以致錯過了一次機會。可接著她靈機一動，計上心來：

"Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!"
“湯姆，你往頭上澆水的時候，不必拆掉我給你襯衫上縫的領子吧？把上衣的紐扣解開！”

The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His shirt collar was securely sewed.
湯姆臉上的不安馬上就消失了。他解開上衣，襯衣的領子還是縫的好好的。

"Bother!
Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey and been
a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a singed
cat, as the saying is -- better'n you look. This time."
“真是怪事。得，算了吧！我看你曠課去遊泳了！我認為你就像俗話裏說的燒掉了毛的貓一樣——並不像表面看起來的那樣壞。就這一次，下不為例。”

She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once.
她一面為自己的計謀落空而難過，一面又為湯姆這一次竟能如此溫順聽話而高興。

But Sidney said:
可是希德卻說：

"Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white thread, but it's black."
“哼，我記得你好像給他縫領子用的是白線，可現在卻是黑線。”

"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!"
“嘿，我的確用白線縫的！湯姆！”

But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said:
可湯姆沒等聽完話就走了。他走出門口的時候說：

"Siddy, I'll lick you for that."
“希德，為這我可要狠狠揍你一頓。”

In
a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into the
lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them -- one needle
carried white thread and the other black.
在一個安全的地方，湯姆仔細檢查了別在上衣翻領上的兩根大針，針上還穿著線，一根繞著白線，另一根繞著黑線。

He
said:"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it!
sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black.
I wish to geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other -- I can't keep the run
of 'em. But I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!"
他說：“如果不是希德，她是永遠不會注意到的。真討厭！有時她用白線縫，有時又用黑線。我真希望她總是用一種線——換來換去我實在記不住。不過，我發誓非揍希德一頓不可，我要好好教訓教訓他。”

He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very well though -- and loathed him.
湯姆不是村裏的模範男孩，但他對那位模範男孩非常熟悉，並且很討厭他。

Within
two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. Not
because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him than a
man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore them
down and drove them out of his mind for the time -- just as men's
misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This
new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just
acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed.
It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble,
produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short
intervals in the midst of the music -- the reader probably remembers
how to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon
gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth
full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an
astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet -- no doubt, as far as
strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with
the boy, not the astronomer.
不到兩分鍾，甚至更短，他已將全部煩惱給忘記了。就像大人們的煩惱也是煩惱一樣，
他忘記煩惱並不是因為他的煩惱對他不怎麽沈重和難受，而是因為一種新的、更強烈的興趣暫時壓倒並驅散了他心中的煩悶——就像大人們在新奇感受的興奮之時，
也會暫時忘卻自己的不幸一樣。這種新産生的興趣就是一種新的吹口哨方法，它很有價值，是剛從一個黑人那學到的，現在他正要一心練習練習又不想被別人打擾。
這聲音很特別，像小鳥的叫聲，一種流暢而委婉的音調。在吹這個調子的時候，舌頭斷斷續續地抵住口腔的上腭——讀者若曾經也是孩子的話，也許還記得該怎樣吹
這種口哨。湯姆學得很勤奮，練得很專心，很快就掌握了其中要領。于是他沿街大步流星地走著，口中吹著口哨，心裏樂滋滋的，那股樂勁如同天文學家發現了新行
星時一般，僅就樂的程度之深之強烈而言，此時的湯姆絕對比天文學家還
要興奮。

The summer evenings
were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom checked his whistle. A
stranger was before him -- a boy a shade larger than himself.
夏天的下午很長，這時天還沒有黑。湯姆的口哨聲忽然停住了，因為在他面前出現了一個陌生人——一個比他大一點的男孩。

A
new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive curiosity in the
poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy was well
dressed, too -- well dressed on a week-day. This was simply astounding.
His cap was a dainty thing, his closebuttoned blue cloth roundabout was
new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on -- and it
was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of ribbon. He had
a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The more Tom
stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his nose at his
finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed to him to
grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved -- but only
sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all the
time. Finally Tom said:
在聖彼德堡這個貧窮、破落的小村子裏，不管是男的還是女的，老的還是少的，只要是新來的，就
能引起人們的好奇心。而且這個男孩穿得非常講究——在平常工作日竟穿戴如此整齊，僅這就讓湯姆對他刮目相看。他的帽子很精致，藍色的上衣扣得緊緊的，又新
又整潔，他的褲子也是一樣。他竟然還穿著鞋——要知道，今天可是星期五！他甚至還打了條領帶，那是條顔色鮮亮的絲質領帶。他擺出一副城裏人的架勢，湯姆對
此感到很不自在。湯姆眼盯著他那套漂亮的衣服，鼻子翹得高高的。可是他越看越是覺得自己身上的衣服很寒酸破舊。兩個人都一聲不吭。一個挪動一步，另一個也
挪一步——可都是斜著步子兜圈子。他倆面對面，眼對眼這樣相持了很長時間，最後還是湯姆先開了腔：

"I can lick you!"
“我能打得過你！”

"I'd like to see you try it."
“我倒想見識見識。”

"Well, I can do it."
“那好，我就打給你看。”

"No you can't, either."
“得了，你不行。”

"Yes I can."
“我行。”

"No you can't."
“你就是不行。”

"I can."
“我就是行。”

"You can't."
“不行！”

"Can!"
“行！”

"Can't!"
“不行！”

An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said:
兩個人都不自在地停了下來。接著湯姆問道：

"What's your name?"
“你叫什麽名字？”

"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe."
“這也許你管不著！”

"Well I 'low I'll make it my business."
“哼，我就管得著！”

"Well why don't you?"
“好，那你就管管看。”

"If you say much, I will."
“要是你再啰嗦，我就管給你看。”

"Much -- much -- MUCH. There now."
“啰嗦——啰嗦——偏要啰嗦，看你能怎麽樣？”

"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, don't you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to."
“哎，你認為你自己很了不起，是不是？如果我想打倒你的話，一只手背在後面都能打過你。”

"Well why don't you do it? You say you can do it."
“好啊，你說你能打過我，那你為什麽不動手啊？”

"Well I will, if you fool with me."
“如果你老是嘴硬的話，我就打給你看。”

"Oh yes -- I've seen whole families in the same fix."
“嘿——你這種人我見得多了，盡吹大話下不了台！”

"Smarty! You think you're some, now, don't you? Oh, what a hat!"
“哈！你自以為是個人物呢！瞧，你那帽子！”

"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it off -- and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs."
“你要是看不順眼你就把它摘下來呀，如果你敢碰，我就揍扁你！”

"You're a liar!"
“你吹牛。”

"You're another."
“你也是吹牛。”

"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up."
“你光是講大話，不敢動手。”

"Aw -- take a walk!"
“噢，滾你的蛋吧！”

"Say -- if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a rock off'n your head."
“告訴你——要是你再罵我的話，我就用石頭砸碎你的腦袋。”

"Oh, of course you will."
“那好，你就來砸啊！”

"Well I will."
“我肯定會的。”

"Well why don't you do it then? What do you keep saying you will for? Why don't you do it? It's because you're afraid."
“那你為什麽不來試試？你老是吹牛不敢動手，哦，我知道你害怕了。”

"I ain't afraid."
“我才不怕呢！”

"You are."
“你怕！”

"I ain't."
“我不怕！”

"You are."
“你就是怕！”

Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said:
兩個人暫停了一會兒，接著又眼對眼，身子側身子兜著圈子走了幾步。忽然兩個人肩抵著肩。湯姆說：

"Get away from here!"
“你從這滾吧！”

"Go away yourself!"
“你自己滾吧！”

"I won't."
“我不滾。”

"I won't either."
“我也不滾。”


So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and both
shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with hate. But
neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both were hot and
flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, and Tom said:
于是他倆站在那兒，雙方都斜著一只腳撐著勁，用盡力氣想把對手往後推，兩個人都憤恨地瞪著對方。可是誰都沒占優勢。他們直鬥得渾身燥熱，滿臉通紅，然後兩人稍稍放松，卻都小心謹慎地提防著對方。這時，湯姆又說：

2009/09/02
-shoving*vbl. 推, 擠, 撞

-brace*n. 支柱, 曲柄, 支撐, 一對;  v. 緊縛, 支撐, 激勵, 打起精神

might*n. 力氣, 權力;  v. aux.可能, 也許

main*a. 主要的, 重要的, 全力的;  n. 主要部分, 幹線, 體力, 力量

-glower*v. 瞪眼, 怒目而視;  n. 瞪眼, 怒目, 不悅的臉色, 燈絲

-struggling*a. 努力的, 奮鬥的, 苦鬥的

flush*n. 流溢, 面紅, 旺盛, 發燒, 驚飛的鳥, 一手同花的五張牌;  a. 豐足的, 齊平的

-strain*v. 拉緊, 繃緊, 損傷, 扭傷, 緊張, 勉強, 盡力, 使勁;  n. 拉緊, 張力, 應變, 緊張, 傾向, 作風

2009/09/03

-watchful*a. 注意的, 警戒的, 警醒的

"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he can
thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too."
“你是個膽小鬼，是個狗崽子。我要向我大哥哥告你的狀，他只要動動小指頭就能把你捏碎，我會讓他揍你的。”

-coward*n. 懦弱的人, 膽小的人

-pup*n. 小狗, 幼畜, 學生;  v. 生小狗

-thrash*v. 打, 鞭打, 使逆行, 勝過, 推敲, 使顛簸, 打鼓, 擊, 顛簸, 逆行;  n. 打撲, 划水

"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger
than he is -- and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too."
[Both brothers were imaginary.]
“我可不怕你什麽大哥哥，我有一個比你大哥還大的大哥哥——而且我大哥哥能把你的大哥哥從那堵籬笆圍牆扔過去。”（兩個人的所謂的大哥哥都是虛構的。）
-imaginary*a. 想像中的, 假想的, 虛構的, 幻想的, 虛數的

"That's a lie."
“你撒謊。”

"Your saying so don't make it so."
“你講的也不是真的。”

Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:
湯姆用大腳趾頭在地上的灰土上劃了一道線，說：

"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep."
“你若敢跨過這道線，我就把你打趴在地上，讓你站不起來。誰敢，誰就得吃不了兜著走。”

The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:
這個新來的男孩毫不猶豫地跨過那道線，說：
promptly*adv. 敏捷地, 迅速地

"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it."
“你說你敢打我，現在來看看你怎麽打法。”

"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out."
“你不要逼我！你最好還是當心點。”
crowd*n. 群眾, 一伙;  v. 擁擠, 擠滿, 擠進

"Well, you said you'd do it -- why don't you do it?"
“哎，你不是說要打我嗎？——你為什麽不動手啊？”

"By jingo! for two cents I will do it."
“得了，你要是肯給我兩個分幣，我就動手。”
jingo*n. 侵略主義, 沙文主義

The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out
with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys
were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and
for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and
clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered
themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and
through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and
pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he.
新來的男孩果真從衣服口袋裏
掏出兩個分幣，嘲弄地攤開手掌。湯姆一把將錢打翻在地。立刻兩個人像兩只爭食的貓一樣，在地上的塵土裏滾打，撕扯起來，緊接著又是扯頭發，又是揪衣領，拼
命地捶打對方的鼻子，抓對方的臉。兩個人都弄得渾身是土，卻又都威風凜凜。最後誰勝誰敗逐漸見了分曉，湯姆從塵土中爬起來，騎在那個男孩的身上，攥緊拳頭
使勁地打那個男孩。“挨夠了嗎？求饒吧！”他說。

Copper*n. 銅(元素符號Cu，原子序29，原子量63.546), 銅幣, 銅製品

derision*n. 嘲笑

struck*a. 受罷工影響的;  n. vbl. strike的過去式和過去分詞

strike*v. 打擊, 攻擊, 撞擊, 擊中, 發現, 襲擊, 使患上, 使留下...印象;  n. 打擊, 攻擊, 撞擊

tumble in*跌入, 跌進...; 嵌入, 鑲上; 上床睡覺

grip*n. 緊握, 柄, 手提包, 掌握, 支配, 控制;  v. 抓緊, 抓住, 抱住, 吸住, 掌握, 支配

tug*v. 拉, 用力拉;  n. 用力拉, 拖船, 苦幹, 掙扎, 繩索

tore*vbl. tear的過去式

tear*n. 淚, 淚滴, 眼淚, 撕, 扯, 裂縫, 激怒, 飛奔;  v. 流淚, 撕, 撕破, 趕快, 飛奔

scratch*v. 搔, 抓, 挖出, 擦, 劃;  n. 草稿, 抓痕, 搔, 抓, 擦傷, 刮擦聲, 亂寫, 零, 起跑線, 未中的一擊

glory*n. v. 光榮, 榮譽, 壯麗, 輝煌, 自豪, 得意, 狂喜

presently*a. 一會兒, 不久, 現在, 目前

confusion*n. 混亂, 混淆, 無秩序

take form*成形, 具有一定形式

fog*n. 霧, 迷惑, 苔蘚;  v. 被霧籠罩, 變模糊, 使困惑

astride*adv. 跨著, 跨騎地;  a. 跨著的, 跨騎的;   prep. 跨, 跨越

pound*n. 磅, 英鎊, 重擊, 魚塘, 拘留所, 獸欄;  v. 強烈打擊, 搗爛, 監禁

fist*n. 拳, 拳頭, 手, 筆跡;  n. v. 緊握, 掌握, 用拳打

The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying -- mainly from rage.
那個男孩只想掙脫出來。他氣得嚎啕大哭。

struggle*v. 掙扎, 鬥爭, 奮鬥;  n. 鬥爭, 戰鬥, 掙扎, 努力

rage*n. 憤怒, 情緒激動, 狂暴;  v. 大怒, 狂吹, 風行

"Holler 'nuff!" -- and the pounding went on.
湯姆還在不停地捶打，說：“求饒吧！”
go on*繼續, 持續; 發生, 進行; 亮了

At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up and said:
那男孩只好擠出幾個字：“饒了我！”湯姆讓他站起來，對他說：
smother*v. 使喘不過氣, 使窒息, 悶死, 悶熄, 忍住, 抑制, 覆蓋;  n. 濃煙

"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next time."
“現在你知道我的厲害了吧！以後最好給我小心點，看看在跟誰嘴硬。”


The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing,
snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and
threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out."
To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and
as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw
it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like
an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he
lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the
enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the
window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called
Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went
away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy.
這位新來的男孩拍拍身上的塵
土，哭哭啼啼地走開了。他不時地回過頭來，搖晃著腦袋，嚇唬湯姆：“下次要是抓住你，我就，我就……”湯姆對此不屑一顧，趾高氣揚地走開了。他的背剛一轉
過來，那男孩子就抓起一塊石頭朝他砸過來，正打在湯姆的背上，接著就夾著尾巴，像羚羊似的飛快地跑掉了。湯姆窮追不舍，直追到他家。他就站在人家大門口，
嚷著叫那男孩出來較量，可是那個對手只是在窗子
裏朝他擠鼻子弄眼，拒不迎戰。最後那對手的媽媽出來了，咒罵湯姆是個邪惡下流、沒有家教的壞孩子，喝斥他趕快滾開。于是湯姆就走了，不過，他臨走時說還要尋機再教訓教訓那混小子一頓。

sob*v. 啜泣, 嗚咽, 哭訴, 哭得使;  n. 啜泣, 嗚咽

snuffle*n. 鼻音, 鼻息, 鼻塞;  v. 抽鼻子, 嗅, 聞, 鼻子塞住, 發出鼻音說, 嗅著去找

occasionally*a. 有時候, 偶而

jeer*n. 嘲笑, 譏諷, 戲弄;  v. 嘲弄, 揶揄, 戲弄

start off*開始; 出發, 動身, 起程

in high
feather興高采烈

snatch*n. 搶奪, 攫取, 片段;  v. 奪取, 攫取

antelope*n. 羚羊, 羚羊皮

traitor*n. 叛徒, 叛國者, 賣國賊

vicious*a. 邪惡的, 墮落的, 品性不端的, 惡毒的, 惡性的, 有錯誤的

vulgar*a. 粗俗的, 庸俗的, 普通的, 通俗的, 本土的

He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in
at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt;
and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn
his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in
its firmness.
那天晚上，他回到家時已經很遲了。當他小心翼翼地從窗戶往裏爬時，猛然間發現了有人埋伏，仔細一看，原來是他的波莉姨媽。她看到他衣服被弄成那副樣子，原來就打算讓湯姆在星期六休息日幹活的決心現在就更加堅定了。

pretty*a. 漂亮的, 可愛的, 優美的, 機靈的, 狡猾的, 恰當的;  adv. 相當, 頗

cautiously*adv. 慎重地

uncover*v. 揭露, 揭開, 暴露, 脫帽致敬, 揭去蓋子

ambuscade*n. 埋伏(=ambush), 伏兵, 埋伏處;  v. 埋伏, 伏擊

resolution*n. 解析度, 決心, 決定, 提案, 消除, 解答, 解決, 分解, 轉變, 堅定

captivity*n. 囚禁, 被關

*adamantine*a. 非常堅硬的, 堅定不移

firmness*n. 堅固, 堅牢, 堅定