美國語文第五冊 第292期：野鴿過客（01）
The multitudes of wild pigeons in our woods are astonishing.
最終看來，至少對提議者來說，所有快樂希望已經(jīng)毫無可能。
Indeed, after having viewed them so often, and under so many circumstances,
我的確經(jīng)常在不少地方見過大批野鴿，即便現(xiàn)在，
I even now feel inclined to pause and assure myself that what I am going to relate is a fact.
也堅(jiān)持認(rèn)為不要輕率做出結(jié)論，以確保自己陳述皆為事實(shí)。
Yet I have seen it all, and that, too, in the company of persons who, like myself, were struck with amazement.
我和同伴都見過大批野鴿，彼此感受心同，那種形容毋庸說是身心震撼，難以言說的刻骨銘心。
In the autumn of 1813 I left my house at Henderson, on the banks of the Ohio, on my way to Louisville.
1813年秋天，離開坐落于俄亥俄河岸漢德森的家，我前去路易斯維爾。
In passing over the Barrens, a few miles beyond Hardinsburgh,
途中，當(dāng)馬車穿越一片荒原，駛過哈丁斯博格數(shù)英里后，
I observed the pigeons flying, from northeast to southwest, in greater numbers than I thought I had ever seen them before,
我看到天空中由東北往西南方向飛來的黑壓壓的鴿群，眼見鴿群數(shù)量愈來愈多，甚至超過我有生以來所見總和，
and feeling an inclination to count the flocks that might pass within the reach of my eye in one hour,
我心血來潮，突然想做次統(tǒng)計(jì)，計(jì)算一小時(shí)內(nèi)目力所及范圍內(nèi)飛過的鴿群數(shù)，
I dismounted, seated myself on an eminence, and began to mark with my pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed.
于是我便走下車，找處高坡坐下，開始用鉛筆做記號，每見一個(gè)鴿群飛過就用圓點(diǎn)做個(gè)標(biāo)注。
In a short time, finding the task which I had undertaken impracticable, as the birds poured in in countless multitudes, I rose,
不一會兒，我便發(fā)現(xiàn)我的記錄完全無濟(jì)于事，鴿群鋪天蓋地不斷涌來，成片成隊(duì)委實(shí)難計(jì)其數(shù)。
and, counting the dots then put down, found that one hundred and sixty-three had been made in twenty-one minutes
我站立起來，數(shù)了數(shù)剛記下的標(biāo)記，短短21分鐘里，竟有163個(gè)鴿群在我眼前呼嘯而過。
I traveled on, and still met more the farther I proceeded.
我接著往前走，愈發(fā)見到更多，
The air was literally filled with pigeons; the light of noonday was obscured as by an eclipse;
整座天空完全成為鴿子的飛翔世界。鴿群掠飛，宛如日食遮天蔽日，正午陽光亦隨即黯淡起來。
and the continued buzz of wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose.
鴿群翼翅發(fā)出的嗡嗡翕動(dòng)聲，竟然讓我產(chǎn)生昏昏欲睡的時(shí)空錯(cuò)覺。
