LESSON 11 Battle of Trafalgar, and death of Nelson
第十一課 特拉法爾加戰(zhàn)役和納爾遜之死
October 21, 1805
1805年10月21日
Early on the morning of September 14th, Nelson reached Portsmouth, and having despatched his business on shore, endeavoured to elude the populace by taking a by-way to the beach; but a crowd collected in his train, pressing forward to obtain a sight of his face. Many were in tears, and many knelt before him and blessed him as he passed.
9月14日納爾遜一大早便來到林茨茅斯(英國港市),他已經在岸上處理完了自己的事情。為了避開民眾,他故意繞道兒走海路來到這里;不過還是有一大群民眾擠在他的火車前,相互推攮著只為見他一面。許多人流下了眼淚,還有許多人會在他經過的時候在他面前下跪祝福。
England has had many heroes, but never one who so entirely possessed the love of his fellow-countrymen as Nelson. All men knew that his heart was as humane as it was fearless; that there was not in his nature the slightest alloy of selfishness or cupidity, but that, with perfect and entire devotion, he served his country with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength: and therefore they loved him as truly and as fervently as he loved England.
英格蘭出過很多英雄,但是只有納爾遜如此深受祖國同胞們的愛戴。他們都知道納爾遜有著一顆既仁慈又無懼的心,這顆心的本質沒有摻雜一丁點的自私和貪欲,有的只是盡心盡力、盡善盡美的無私奉獻,他把自己所有的心力、自己的整個靈魂以及自己的全部力量都傾注給了自己的祖國:所以,他的祖國同胞們是如此炙熱地愛著他,就像他們是如此炙熱地愛著自己的祖國。
They pressed upon the parapet to gaze after him when his barge pushed off; and he returned their cheers by waving his hat. The sentinels, who endeavoured to prevent them from trespassing upon this ground, were wedged among the crowd; and an officer, who (not very prudently, upon such an occasion) ordered them to drive the people down with their bayonets, was compelled speedily to retreat; for the people would not be debarred from gazing till the last moment upon the hero—the darling hero of England!……
納爾遜的船只始發(fā)之時民眾全都趴在護欄上目送著他離開,他則揮動著自己的帽子來回應民眾們的歡呼喝彩。一名試圖阻攔民眾進入此片區(qū)域的守衛(wèi)也被擠進了人群之中;還有一名軍官(面對此種情形不怎么謹慎的人)命令士兵們用刺刀驅趕民眾,但是卻被民眾給迅速擊退了;只因這些無法被阻止的民眾太想看著他們的英雄到最后一刻——望著他們最敬愛的英格蘭英雄!
At daybreak, the combined fleets were distinctly seen from the Victory's deck, formed in a close line of battle ahead, on the starboard tack, about twelve miles to leeward, and standing to the south.
黎明時分,從勝利號軍艦的甲板上便能清晰地看見在前方排成一排緊密戰(zhàn)線的聯合艦隊,他們此刻是右舷受風航行,距離下風向大約12英里,此刻正面朝南方。