英國語文第六冊(雙語):解放萊頓(2)

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Leyden was sublime in its despair. A few murmurs were, however, occasionally heard at the steadfastness of the magistrates; and a dead body was placed at the door of the burgomaster, as a silent witness against his inflexibility. A party of the more faint-hearted even assailed the heroic Adrian Vander Werf with threats and reproaches as he passed along the streets. A crowd had gathered around him as he reached a triangular place in the centre of the town, into which many of the principal streets emptied themselves, and upon one side of which stood the church of St. Pancras.

萊頓城已經(jīng)陷入絕望當中，人們開始時不時地抱怨地方行政官們的堅硬態(tài)度，甚至有人將死尸放在市長家的門口以此作為對頑固市長的無聲反抗。英勇的市長阿德里安·范德爾·維爾福先生走在街頭，而一幫膽小鼠輩竟向其吐出威脅和責罵之詞。當市長走到市中心圣潘克拉斯教堂附近的一片三角區(qū)域時，原本許多空空蕩蕩的主街道竟一下子多出很多人，他們?nèi)繃谑虚L周圍。

There stood the burgomaster, a tall, haggard, imposing figure, with dark visage and a tranquil but commanding eye. He waved his broad-leaved felt hat for silence, and then exclaimed, in language which has been almost literally preserved, "What would ye, my friends? Why do ye murmur that we do not break our vows and surrender the city to the Spaniards?—a fate more horrible than the agony which she now endures. I tell you I have made an oath to hold the city; and may God give me strength to keep my oath! I can die but once, whether by your hands, the enemy's, or by the hand of God. My own fate is indifferent to me; not so that of the city intrusted to my care. I know that we shall starve if not soon relieved; but starvation is preferable to the dishonoured death which is the only alternative. Your menaces move me not. My life is at your disposal. Here is my sword; plunge it into my breast, and divide my flesh among you. Take my body to appease your hunger, but expect no surrender so long as I remain alive."……

市長就站在那里，他很高大，黝黑的皮膚，儀表堂堂，然而面容憔悴，平靜的毫無波瀾的眼眸里透著絲絲威嚴。他揮動著一頂闊邊氈帽來示意大家安靜，之后他說道(接近原話)，“朋友們，你們怎么了？你們在抱怨什么呢？不是說好了要堅守誓言絕不把萊頓城拱手讓給西班牙人嗎？如果你們放棄了，那萊頓城的命運只會更加悲慘，而現(xiàn)在的痛苦又算得了什么呢？你們知道，我曾發(fā)誓要誓死守住萊頓，愿上帝賜予我力量，助我守住誓言！人終得一死，無論是被你們殺死、被敵人殺死、還是被上帝殺死都并無差別。我對自己的命本就毫不憐惜，但卻將我身上所肩負的萊頓城的命運看得比任何事物都更重要。我知道，如果不能馬上得到救濟我們就會挨餓，可是，挨餓難道比受盡恥辱死去還要更難以忍受嗎？你們的威脅對我毫無用處，我的命就握在你們手里?？?，這就是我的劍，將它刺進我的心臟吧，把我的血肉分給大家，用我的身體來為你們充饑。不過，只要我還活著，你們就休想投降?！薄?/p>

On the 28th of September a dove flew into the city, bringing a letter from Admiral Boisot. In this despatch the position of the fleet at North Aa was described in encouraging terms, and the inhabitants were assured that, in a very few days at furthest, the long-expected relief would enter their gates.

9月28日那天，萊頓城飛來一只信鴿，上面綁著荷蘭艦隊司令鮑伊索特將軍寫的一封加急信。信上說我方艦隊在諾斯沃的局勢一片大好。鮑伊索特將軍保證說，萊頓市民期待已久的救援艦隊最多只需數(shù)日便能抵達萊頓。

The tempest came to their relief. A violent equinoctial gale, on the night of the 1st and 2nd of October, came storming from the north-west, shifting after a few hours fully eight points, and then blowing still more violently from the southwest. The waters of the North Sea were piled in vast masses upon the southern coast of Holland, and then dashed furiously landward, the ocean rising over the earth and sweeping with unrestrained power across the ruined dikes. In the course of twenty-four hours the fleet at North Aa, instead of nine inches, had more than two feet of water……

一場暴風雨的到來加快了萊頓市民的獲救進程。10月1日和10月2日的晚上，一場二分點風暴從西北方向肆虐而來并在短短數(shù)小時內(nèi)變至八點，接著又從西南方向更加猛烈的襲來。北海的海水在荷蘭南部海岸不斷地堆積，之后向內(nèi)陸猛沖而去，海水不停地上漲并漫過地表，之后以雷霆之勢橫掃了殘破的堤壩。駐扎在諾斯沃的艦隊在一天的時間內(nèi)水位上漲了不止9英寸(約2分米)，而是足足2英尺(6分米)……

On it went, sweeping over the broad waters. As they approached some shallows which led into the great Mere, the Zeelanders dashed into the sea, and with sheer strength shouldered every vessel through!

艦隊繼續(xù)前進著在廣闊的水面上橫掃而過。當他們到達通向大米雷的一些淺水區(qū)域附近時，澤蘭德人則猛地扎進海里，使盡渾身力氣將每艘艦艇用肩膀推離淺水區(qū)域。