Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We welcome the seasons by the riverside,

我們在河邊迎接一年四季。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

crowning the youngest girl with flowers in the spring, holding a summer festival on Midsummer Eve, giving thanks for the harvest in the autumn,

春天在河邊為最年輕的姑娘戴上花冠，夏天在河邊歡慶“仲夏前夜”，秋天在河邊豐收而感恩，

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

and throwing a holy wreath into the current in the winter.

冬天往河中拋撒一個冬表花環(huán)。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

After a long period of rain the river may overflow its banks.

久雨這后，河水會泛濫成災(zāi)，

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

This is a rare occurrence as our climate seldom guest to extremes.

但是在我們這里，氣候很少發(fā)生異常，河水極少泛濫。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We are lucky in that only the lower fields, which make up a very small proportion of our farm, are effected by flooding,

值得慶幸的是，只有低洼的受到洪水影響，而低洼地在我們農(nóng)場比例很小。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

but other farms are less favorably sited, and flooding can sometimes spell disaster for their owners.

其他農(nóng)場地勢欠佳，洪水有時會給農(nóng)場主帶來災(zāi)難。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

One had winter we watched the river creep up the lower meadows.

有一年冬天，天氣不好，我們眼看著河水浸沒了地勢較低的草場。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

All the cattle had been moved into stalls and we stood to lose little.

所有的牲口已提前轉(zhuǎn)移到畜圈里，沒有造成什么損失。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We were, however, worried about our nearest neighbors, whose farm was low lying and who were newcomers to the district.

不過，我們很為我們的近鄰擔(dān)心。他們的農(nóng)場地勢低洼，而且他們又新來乍到。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

As the floods had put the telephone out of order, we could not find out how they were managing.

由于洪水造成了電話中斷，我們無法了解他們情況。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

From an attic window we could get a sweeping view of the river where their land joined ours,

從頂樓窗口看去，我們農(nóng)場與他們農(nóng)場接壤處的那段河流一覽無余。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

and at the most critical juncture we took turns in watching that point.

在最緊急的時刻，我們輪流監(jiān)視那段河流的險情。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

The first sign of disaster was a dead sheep floating down.Next came a horse, swimming bravely,

災(zāi)難的第一跡象是一只死羊順流而下，接著一匹活馬勇敢地與水搏擊。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

but we were afraid that the strength of the current would prevent its landing anywhere before it became exhausted.

但我們擔(dān)心，洪水力量將使它上岸之前就筋疲力盡了。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

Suddenly a raft appeared, looking rather like Noah's ark, carrying the whole family, a few hens, the dogs, cat, and bird in a cage.

突然，出現(xiàn)了一只筏子，看起來很像諾亞方舟，上面載著他們?nèi)依闲。€有幾只母雞、幾只狗，一只貓與一只鳥籠，那里頭有一只小鳥。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We realized that they must have become unduly frightened by the rising flood,

我們意識到他們一定是被不斷上漲的洪水嚇壞了。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

for their house, which had sound foundations, would have stood stoutly even if it had been almost submerged.

因為他們的房子地基牢固，即使洪水幾乎滅頂也不會倒塌。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

The men of our family waded down through our flooded meadows with boathooks, in the hope of being able to grapple a corner of the raft and pull it out of the current towards our bank.

我家的男人們手拿船篙過被水淹沒草場，希望能夠鉤住筏子一角，將它拽出激流，拖回岸邊。

Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river

We still think it a miracle that they we able to do so.

他們終于成功了。至今我們?nèi)哉J為這是個奇跡。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

I stopped to let the car cool off and to study the map.

我停下車，讓汽車發(fā)動機冷卻一下，同時查看一下地圖。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

I had expected to be near my objective by now, but everything still seemed alien to me.

我本想離目的地已經(jīng)不遠，但周圍一切對我仍很陌生。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

I was only five when my father had taken me abroad, and that we eighteen years ago.

我5歲那年，父親就帶我出了國，那是18年前的事了。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

When my mother had died after a tragic accident, he did not quickly recover from the shock and loneliness.

當(dāng)時我母親在一次事故中慘死，父親未能很快從悲痛與孤獨中恢復(fù)過來。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

Everything around him was full of her presence, continually reopening the wound.

他身邊的一切都是母親的影子不斷勾起他的傷感。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

So he decided to emigrate.

于是他決定移居他國。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

In the new country he became absorbed in making a new life for the two of us, so that he gradually ceased to grieve.

在這個新的國家里，父親專心致志地為我們倆開創(chuàng)一種新的生活，慢慢地不傷心了。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

He did not marry again and I was brought up without a woman's care;

父親沒有再娶，因此，我在沒有母親的環(huán)境里長大成人。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

but I lacked for nothing, for he was both father and mother to me.

但我卻什么都不缺，他既當(dāng)父親又當(dāng)母親。

Lesson 57 Back in the old country

He always meant to go back on day, but not to stay.

他總想將來回國看看，但卻不愿長期住下去，