英語背誦文選第二冊(陳冠商)29．The Angler 釣 魚 翁
- 聽力原文
- 參考譯文
29．The Angler
How comforting it is to see a cheerful and contented old age; and to behold
a poor fellow, like this, after being tempest-tost through life, safely
moored in a snug and quiet harbour in the evening of his days ! His
happiness, how- ever, sprung from within himself, and was independent of
external circumstances; for he had that inexhaustible good-nature, which
is the most precious gift of Heaven, spreading itself like oil over the
troubled sea of thought, and keeping the mind smooth and equable in the
roughest weather.
On inquiring further about him I learned that he was a universal favorite
in the village, and the oracle of the tap- room; where he delighted the
rustics with his songs(1), and, like Sindbad(2), astonished them with his
stories of strange lands, and shipwrecks, and sea-fights. He was much
noticed too by gentlemen sportsmen of the neighborhood; had taught several
of them the art of angling; and was a privileged visitor to their
kitchens(3). The whole tenor of his life was quiet and inoffensive, being
principally passed about the neighboring streams, when the weather and
season were favorable; and at other times he employed himself at home(4),
preparing his fishing tackle for the next campaign(5), or manufacturing
rods, nets, and flies(6), for his patrons and pupils among the gentry.
釣 魚 翁
見到一位歡樂愉快，心滿意足的老人，特別是看到這樣一位貧窮的人，一生
飽經(jīng)風(fēng)暴的顛簸，最終卻在一個(gè)平靜安寧的港灣里停泊下來，安度晚年，這是多
么令人欣慰啊 1 然而，他的歡愉乃出自深心，不受外界環(huán)境的影響，因?yàn)樗杏?/span>
不厭煩的好脾氣--這是最珍貴的天賦，能象油那樣在洶涌的思想海洋上延展開
來，使心潮在狂風(fēng)暴雨襲擊下也能保持平靜安寧。
經(jīng)過進(jìn)一步打聽，我了解到他在村子里深受眾人喜愛。他在酒店里是一位博
古通今，未卜先知的智者。在那里，他的歌聲使得鄉(xiāng)里們笑逐顏開，他象《天方
夜譚》里的辛巴德，用那些異鄉(xiāng)仙境，沉船和海戰(zhàn)的故事使他們聽得目瞪口呆。
他也頗受當(dāng)?shù)貝酆眠\(yùn)動的紳士們的青睞。他曾經(jīng)給幾位紳士傳授過釣魚的竅門，
從而被特許進(jìn)入他們的廚房。他生活淡泊清靜，與世無爭。風(fēng)和日麗季節(jié)宜人時(shí)，
他主要是在附近的溪流消磨時(shí)光，其他時(shí)間，則在家中忙碌，或是為下次捕魚準(zhǔn)
備漁具，或是為鄉(xiāng)紳中的主顧和弟子制作魚桿，魚網(wǎng)和魚餌。
華盛頓．歐丈
(1)where he delighted¼with his songs：在那里他以歌聲使¼¼高興。
where 是關(guān)系副詞，指在 tap-room 里。
(2)Sindbad：辛巴德，《天方夜譚》中的人物，曾作過七次冒險(xiǎn)航行而成為
巴格達(dá)的富翁。
(3)a privileged visitor to their kitchens：含'備受恩寵，得以賞飯'
之意。十九世紀(jì)之前英美鄉(xiāng)村的大戶人家常在廚房賞飯給寵愛的農(nóng)夫。
(4)he employed himself at home：他在家中忙碌。 employ oneself 后一
般接介詞 in 所構(gòu)成的詞組，解作"從事于．．．．"。
(5)the next campaign：下次戰(zhàn)役。這里把釣魚比作一次戰(zhàn)役，表示他鄭重
其事。
(6)flies：fly 的復(fù)數(shù)，作釣餌用的假蠅。
