第二冊第4篇：釣魚翁
Washingthon Irving 華盛頓.歐文
How comforting it is to see a cheerful and contented old age; and to behold a poor fellow, like this, after being tempest-tost through life, safely moored in a snug and quiet harbour in the evening of his days ! His happiness, how- ever, sprung from within himself, and was independent of external circumstances; for he had that inexhaustible good-nature, which is the most precious gift of Heaven, spreading itself like oil over the troubled sea of thought, and keeping the mind smooth and equable in the roughest weather.
見到一位歡樂愉快，心滿意足的老人，特別是看到這樣一位貧窮的人，一生飽經(jīng)風暴的顛簸，最終卻在一個平靜安寧的港灣里停泊下來，安度晚年，這是多么令人欣慰啊! 然而，他的歡愉乃出自深心，不受外界環(huán)境的影響，因為他有永不厭煩的好脾氣--這是最珍貴的天賦，能象油那樣在洶涌的思想海洋上延展開來，使心潮在狂風暴雨襲擊下也能保持平靜安寧。
On inquiring further about him I learned that he was a universal favorite in the village, and the oracle of the tap- room; where he delighted the rustics with his songs(1), and, like Sindbad(2), astonished them with his stories of strange lands, and shipwrecks, and sea-fights. He was much noticed too by gentlemen sportsmen of the neighborhood; had taught several of them the art of angling; and was a privileged visitor to their kitchens(3). The whole tenor of his life was quiet and inoffensive, being principally passed about the neighboring streams, when the weather and season were favorable; and at other times he employed himself at home(4), preparing his fishing tackle for the next campaign(5), or manufacturing rods, nets, and flies(6), for his patrons and pupils among the gentry.
經(jīng)過進一步打聽，我了解到他在村子里深受眾人喜愛。他在酒店里是一位博古通今，未卜先知的智者。在那里，他的歌聲使得鄉(xiāng)里們笑逐顏開，他象《天方夜譚》里的辛巴德，用那些異鄉(xiāng)仙境，沉船和海戰(zhàn)的故事使他們聽得目瞪口呆。他也頗受當?shù)貝酆眠\動的紳士們的青睞。他曾經(jīng)給幾位紳士傳授過釣魚的竅門，從而被特許進入他們的廚房。他生活淡泊清靜，與世無爭。風和日麗季節(jié)宜人時，他主要是在附近的溪流消磨時光，其他時間，則在家中忙碌，或是為下次捕魚準備漁具，或是為鄉(xiāng)紳中的主顧和弟子制作魚桿，魚網(wǎng)和魚餌。
英文注釋：
(1)where he delighted…with his songs：在那里他以歌聲使……高興。where是關系副詞，指在tap-room里。
(2)Sindbad：辛巴德，《天方夜譚》中的人物，曾作過七次冒險航行而成為巴格達的富翁。
(3)a privileged visitor to their kitchens：含'備受恩寵，得以賞飯'之意。十九世紀之前英美鄉(xiāng)村的大戶人家常在廚房賞飯給寵愛的農(nóng)夫。
(4)he employed himself at home：他在家中忙碌。 employ oneself后一般接介詞in所構(gòu)成的詞組，解作"從事于...."。
(5)the next campaign：下次戰(zhàn)役。這里把釣魚比作一次戰(zhàn)役，表示他鄭重其事。
(6)flies：fly的復數(shù)，作釣餌用的假蠅。
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