美國語文第五冊 第296期：野鴿過客（05）
As the period of their arrival approached, their foes anxiously prepared to receive them.
當鴿群快要飛臨森林上空時，鳥類天敵正焦急地等待捕獲它們。
Some were furnished with iron pots containing sulphur, others with torches of pine knots, many with poles, and the rest with guns.
有的人拿著裝有硫黃的鐵罐，還有人擎著松節(jié)火把，更多的人拿著棍棒樹干，還有的人扛著槍支。
The sun was lost to our view, yet not a pigeon had arrived.
太陽落入西邊邊陲，人們見不到丁點鴿子的蹤影，
Everything was ready, and all eyes were gazing on the clear sky, which appeared in glimpses amidst the tall trees.
萬事俱備。那株株參天大樹蓊郁濃蔭遮天蔽日，唯有樹頂流瀉出窄細光亮，透過少許光亮，人們在仰望中焦急等待。
Suddenly there burst forth the general cry of, “Here they come!”
突然，人群中爆發(fā)一陣叫喊，“野鴿來了！”
The noise which they made, though yet distant, reminded me of a hard gale at sea passing through the rigging of a close-reefed vessel.
人們分散距離頗遠，森林里一片嘈雜鼎沸。此情此景，令我突然想起海面狂風乍起，猛地撲向緊緊收起船帆的小船。
As the birds arrived and passed over me, I felt a current of air that surprised me.
當鴿群逐漸飛近掠過我的頭頂，一陣驚悚讓我的心痙攣收緊。
Thousands were soon knocked down by the pole men. The birds continued to pour in.
成千上萬只鳥兒即將倒斃于這幫明火執(zhí)仗的屠夫腳下。野鴿黑壓成片、洶涌不斷地飛來，涌來，撲來，
The fires were lighted, and a magnificent as well as wonderful and almost terrifying sight presented itself.
無數只火把已經點燃，一襲壯觀恢弘的殺戮大幕正在拉開。
The pigeons, arriving by thousands, alighted everywhere, one above another,
遮天蔽日的野鴿落下來了，雨點般疊落下來，舉目滿眼的鴿子到處翻飛，粗碩酒桶般、
until solid masses, as large as hogsheads, were formed on the branches all round.
成群成團地急遽降落，迅速擠滿周圍所有高矮不等的大小枝椏。
