美國語文第五冊 第49期：英王查爾斯二世與威廉-佩恩先生（01）
King Charles says, Well, friend William! I have sold you a noble province in North America;
英王查爾斯威廉說，哎，威廉老友！我把北美一處不錯的地方交付于你，
but still, I suppose you have no thoughts of going thither yourself?
可是我覺得你根本不想去，對嗎？
Yes, I have, I assure thee, friend Charles; and I am just come to bid thee farewell.
不，陛下，恰恰相反，我就是來和您道別的。
What! venture yourself among the savages of North America!
天呀！你真敢與北美野蠻人廝混一起？
Why, man, what security have you that you will not be in their war kettle in two hours after setting foot on their shores?
呃，一旦你落腳北美海灘，不出兩小時(shí)，一群土著就會刀斧鳴鼓地對你發(fā)動進(jìn)攻，你如何保住自家性命？
The best security in the world.
那里才是世上最安全的地方。
I doubt that, friend William; I have no idea of any security against those cannibals but in a regiment of good soldiers, with their muskets and bayonets.
安全？威廉，我的朋友，就那些野蠻食人族來說，我完全不知道還有什么安全可言！除非你帶上全副武裝的軍隊(duì)！
And mind, I tell you beforehand, that, with all my good will for you and your family, to whom I am under obligations, I will not send a single soldier with you.
聽著，我可事先奉告你，出于我的好意，以及我照顧你與你的家庭的責(zé)任，我絕對不會派一兵一卒隨你去美洲。
I want none of thy soldiers, Charles: I depend on something better than thy soldiers.
我不需要您任何兵卒，查爾斯陛下，我希望不戰(zhàn)而屈人之兵。
Ah! what may that be?
英王查爾斯哎呀！怎么說？
Why, I depend upon themselves; on the working of their own hearts; on their notions of justice; on their moral sense.
嗯，我要指望他們自己；依賴他們的獨(dú)立思考、他們的正義觀念、包括他們自身道德感。
A fine thing, this same moral sense, no doubt; but I fear you will not find much of it among the Indians of North America.
不錯，絕對無須懷疑這種高尚的道德感；可我擔(dān)心在北美印第安人部落里，你或許難以找到什么道德感。
And why not among them as well as others?
那么，為什么就道德感來說，他們不如其他民族？
Because if they had possessed any, they would not have treated my subjects so barbarously as they have done.
如果印第安人具備哪怕一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)道德意識，他們就不會那么野蠻地殺戮我的臣民了。
