LESSON 16 Napoleon and the young English sailor

第十六课 拿破仑和年轻的英国水手

I love contemplating—apart

我喜欢苦思冥想，

From all his homicidal glory—

撇开他血雨腥风里嗜杀成性的赫赫战绩，

The traits that soften to our heart

感动我们心灵的，

Napoleon's story.

还有他作为普通人的铁骨柔肠。

'Twas when his banners at Boulogne

当他的军舰停泊在布伦港，

Armed in our island every freeman,

岛上人员全副武装，

His navy chanced to capture one

他的海军士兵偶然捕获一位

Poor British seaman.

可怜的英国水手。

They suffered him, I know not how,

我不知为何，他们任由这位英国水手，

Unprisoned on the shore to roam;

在岸边不受监管地随意游荡，

And aye was bent his youthful brow

他年轻的脸上，

On England's home.

流露出对家乡英格兰的渴望。

His eye, me thinks, pursued the flight

我想，他的眼睛艳羡地追随着，

Of birds to Britain, half way over,

鸟儿的飞行足迹，

With envy—they could reach the white

它们可以半道飞临可爱的故乡

Dear cliffs of Dover.

英国多佛的白色峭壁。

A stormy midnight watch, he thought,

他暗自思忖，如果狂风暴雨不能把他的舰艇

Than this sojourn would have been dearer,

带回故乡英格兰，

If but the storm his vessel brought

宁可做午夜暴风雨的的值守人

To England nearer.

也比在异乡漂泊更美好。

 

At last, when care had banished sleep,

思乡之忧日日折磨着他，让他夜不能寐，

He saw one morning, dreaming, doting,

终于有天清晨，冥冥中朝思暮想的

An empty hogshead from the deep

一只空空的大木桶，从远处的深海

Come shoreward floating.

向岸边漂浮过来。

He hid it in a cave, and wrought

他暗藏木桶于洞穴中，加工劳作

The live-long day, laborious, lurking,

只要还活着，避开敌人视线，费劲力气改造

Until he launched a tiny boat,

直到奇迹出现，

By mighty working.

那艘小舟可以下水起航。

Ah me! it was a thing beyond

哎呀！小舟简陋得真是无法形容啊！

Description! —such a wretched wherry

这么可怜的一叶小舟

Perhaps ne'er ventured on a pond,

或许一个小小水塘都渡不过，

Or crossed a ferry.

更别提穿越波涛汹涌的渡口。

For ploughing in the salt sea field,

船体未涂沥青，没有罗盘，没有装龙骨，

It would have made the boldest shudder;

无帆，无舵

Untarred, uncompassed, and unkeeled, —

小舟在波涛汹涌的大海上行进，

No sail— no rudder!

即使最无所畏惧的勇士也会不寒而栗。