大学英语精读3双语版 (2)

第二章

Text

课文

Aunt Bettie is faced with a difficult decision.

Bettie阿姨面对一个困难的决定。

A wounded Union soldier is found hiding in a farmhouse near her home.

在她家附近的一个农舍里发现了一个受伤的联合战士。

She has to decide whether to help him or let him be captured.

她不得不决定是帮他还是让他被俘。

What will she choose to do?

她选择怎样做？

THE WOMAN WHO WOULD NOT TELL

不肯告发的女人

"I never did hate the Yankees. All that I hated was the war…"

“我从来就不恨北方佬，我所恨的只是战争……”

That's how my great-aunt Bettie began her story.

我的姨婆贝蒂一讲起她的故事来，总是用这样的话开头。

I heard it many times as a child, whenever my family visited Aunt Bettie in the old house in Berryville, Virginia.

她的故事，在我还小的时候就听过多遍。姨婆住在弗吉尼亚利维尔一所旧房子里。每逢我们一家去看望她，她都要讲她的故事。

Aunt Bettie was almost 80 years old then. But I could picture her as she was in the story she told me-barely 20, pretty, with bright blue eyes.

那时姨婆都快80岁了。但我可以想象到故事里她的容貌——刚刚20岁，长着一双亮晶晶的蓝眼睛，非常漂亮。

Bettie Van Metre had good reason to hate the Civil War.

贝蒂·范·米特完全有理由憎恨内战。

One of her brothers was killed at Gettysburg,

她有个兄弟死在葛底斯堡战场上，

another taken prisoner.

还有一位当了俘虏。

The her young husband, James,

接着，她年轻的丈夫詹姆斯

a ]Confederate officer, was captured and sent to an unknown prison camp somewhere.

——南部联邦的一名军官——也被俘虏，关到某地一所不为人知的俘虏营里。

One hot day in late September Dick Runner,

9月下旬的一个热天，迪克·朗纳

a former slave,

一个以前的奴隶，

came to Bettie with a strange report.

来到贝蒂处，告诉她一件奇怪的事。

He had been checking a farmhouse half a mile away from the Van Metre home,

他在察看范·米特家半英里处的一所农舍时，

a farmhouse he thought was empty.

本以为那是所空房子，

But inside, he heard low groans.

但在屋里，他听到有人低声呻吟。

Following them to the attic,

他随着呻吟声来到顶楼，

he found a wounded Union soldier,

发现了一名受伤的联邦士兵，

with a rifle at his side.

在他的身边放着一支步。

When Aunt Bettie told me about her first sight of the bearded man in the stained blue uniform,

贝蒂姨婆跟我讲起她第一次看到那个身着污渍斑斑的蓝军服、长着胡须的人时，

she always used the same words.

她总是说：

"It was like walking into a nightmare:

“我就像步入一场梦境：

those awful bandages, that dreadful smell.

可怕的绷带，吓人的气味。

That's what war is

really like, child: no bugles and banners.

孩子，那才是战争真实的写照：没有军号，也没有战旗。

Just pain and filth, futility and death."

有的只是痛苦和污秽，无益与死亡。”

To Bettie Van Metre this man was not an enemy but rather a suffering human being.

在贝蒂·范·米特眼里，这个伤兵不是敌人，而是一个受苦受难的人。

She gave him water and tried to clean his terrible wounds.

她给他水喝，并设法擦净他那可怕的伤口。

Then she went out into the cool air and leaned against the house,

然后她走出农舍，到外面呼吸一点清凉的空气，她倚在屋旁，

trying not to be sick as she thought of what she had seen

想到她所见到的这一切，真是恶心难忍，

that smashed right hand. That missing left leg.

——他那只打烂的右手，那条失去的左腿。

The man's papers Bettie found in the attic established his identity:

贝蒂在顶楼上找到的伤兵的证件，证实他的身份

Lt, Henry Bedell, Company D, 11 th Vermont Volunteers, 30 years old.

是第十一佛蒙特志愿军D连中尉亨利·比德尔，30岁。

She knew that she should report the presence of this Union officer to the Confederate army.

她知道应该把这个联邦军官的情况向南方联邦的报告，

But she also knew that she would not do it.

可是她也明白她不会那样做。

This is how she explained it to me:

她是这样向我解释的：

"I kept wondering if he had a wife somewhere

“我一直在想，他是不是在什么地方有一位妻子，

waiting, and hoping, and not knowing just as I was.

等着他，盼着他，可又毫无音信——就像我一样。

It seemed to me that the only thing that mattered was to get her husband back to her."

在我看来，唯一重要的是让她的丈夫重新回到她的身旁。”

Slowly, patiently, skillfully,

慢慢地、耐心地、巧妙地，

James Van Metre's wife fanned the spark of life that flickered in Henry Bedell.

詹姆斯·范·米特的妻子点燃了亨利·比德尔身上奄奄一息的生命火花。

Of drugs or medicines she had almost none.

要说药品，她几乎没有。

And she was not willing to take any from the few supplies at the Confederate hospital.

而她又不肯从南方联邦医院里极少的一点医药用品里去拿。

But she did the best she could with what she had.

但她尽其所有作了一切努力。

As his strength returned,

当比德尔的体力有所恢复时，

Bedell told Bettie about his wife and children in Westfield, Vermont.

他向贝蒂叙说了他在佛蒙特韦斯菲尔德妻子和子女的情况。

And Bedell listened as she told him about her brothers and about James.

当贝蒂讲起她的兄弟和詹姆斯时，比德尔也仔细倾听着。

" I knew his wife must be praying for him," Aunt Bettie would say to me,

“我知道我的妻子一定在为他祈祷，”贝蒂姨婆

总是跟我讲，

"just as I was praying for James. It was strange how close I felt to her."

“就像我为詹姆斯祈祷一样。真奇怪，我和她的感情多么接近。”

The October nights in the valley grew cold.

山谷地带，10月的夜晚变以越来越冷。

The infection in Bedell's wounds flared up.

比德尔的伤口感染突然加剧。

With Dick and his wife, Jennie, helping,

在迪克和他妻子的帮助下，

she moved the Union officer at night,

贝蒂趁黑夜将这位联邦军官

to a bed in a hidden loft above the warm kitchen of her own home.

搬到她自家暖和的厨房上面的一个不易发现的客楼上。

But the next day,

但在第二天，

Bedell had a high fever. Knowing that she must get help or he would die,

比德尔发起高烧。贝蒂明白她必须求人帮助。否则他将死去，

she went to her long- time friend and family doctor, Graham Osborne.

因此找到她的家庭医生，多年的朋友格雷厄姆·奥斯本。

Dr. Osborne examined Bedell,

奥斯本医生为比德尔作了检查，

then shook his head.

然后摇摇头，

There was little hope, he said,

说希望甚微，

unless proper medicine could be found.

除非能弄到合适的药品。

"All right, then," Bettie said.

“那好，”贝蒂说。

"I'll get it from the Yankees Harpers Ferry."

“我到哈珀斯渡口北方军那儿去弄！”

The doctor told her she was mad.

医生说她想必疯了。

The Union headquarters were almost 20 miles away.

联邦军的司令部在将近20英里之外，

Even if she reached them,

即使找到了北方佬，

the Yankees would never believe her story.

他们也决不会相信她的话。

"I'll take proof," Bettie said.

“我把证据带去，”贝蒂说。

She went to the loft and came back with a blood-stained paper bearing the officia.War Department seal.

她到客楼上取下一份往血迹斑斑的文件，上面盖着陆军部的官印。

"This is a record of his last last promotion," she said.

“这是他最后一次晋升的记录，”她说：

"When I show it, they'll have to believe me."

“我让他们看这个，他们一定会相信我。”

She made the doctor write out a list of the medical items he needed.

她叫医生写下所需药品的清单。

Early the next morning she set off.

次日一早，她就登程赶路。

For five hours she drove, stopping only to rest her horse.

她驱车5个小时，马要休息时，她才停一停。

The sun was almost down when she finally stood before the commanding officer at Harpers Ferry.

当她终于到达哈珀斯渡口，找到司令官的时候，太阳都快落山了。

Gen. John D. Stevenson listened,

约翰·D·史蒂文森将军听了她的叙述，

but did not believe her.

但不信她的话。

"Madam," he said,"Bedll's death was reported to us."

“夫人，”他说。“我们已经接到比德尔阵亡的报告。”

He's alive,

Bettie insisted.But he won't be much longer unless he has the medicines on that list.

“他还活着，”贝蒂坚持说；“不过他得到单子上的药品，否则他就活不了多久了。

"Well," the general said finally,

“好吧，”将军最后说。

" I'm not going to risk the lives of a patrol just to find out ." He turned to a junior officer.

“我不想为了搞清这点事，而拿一个巡逻队的生命去冒险。”他转向一个下级军官说：

"See that Mrs. Van Metre gets the supplies,"

“你负责让范·米特太太得到这些药品。”

He turned aside Bettie's thanks.

他对贝蒂的感谢并没有怎么理会，

"You're a brave woman," he said,

“不管你讲的是真是假，”他却说道，

"whether you're telling the truth or not."

“你是一位勇敢的女性。”

With the medicines that Bettie carried to Berryville,

有了贝蒂带回贝利维尔的药品，

Dr, Osbrne brought Bedell through the crisis.

奥斯本医生才将比德尔从垂危之中拯救了过来。

Ten days later Bedell was hobbling on a pair of crutches that Dick had made for him.

10天后，比德尔就能拄着迪克为他制作的拐杖一瘸一拐地行走了。

I can't go on putting you in danger,Bedell told Bettie."I'm strong enough to travel now.

“我不能再连累你了，”比德尔对贝蒂说道：“我现在的身体已经够好了，

I'd like to go back as soon as possible."

可以走了。我想尽早回去。”

So it was arranged that Mr. Sam, one of Bettie's neighbors and friends.

于是，他们作了安排，由贝蒂的邻居和朋友萨姆先生

Should go and help Bettie deliver Bedell to Union headquarters at Harpers Ferry in his wagon.

用他的运货马车协助贝蒂将比德尔送交驻守在哈珀斯渡口的联邦军司令部。

They hitched Bettie's mare alongside Mr. Sam's mule.

他们将贝蒂的马和萨姆先生的骡一起套上车。

Bedell lay down in an old box filled with hay,

比德尔躺在一个装满干草的旧木箱内，

his rifle and crutches beside him.

他将步和拐杖放在身边。

It was a long, slow journey that almost ended in disaster.

行程迟缓而漫长，差一点以灾难而告终。

Only an hour from the Union lines,

在离联邦军防线仅有1小时路程时，

two horsemen suddenly appeared.

突然出现了两个骑马的人。

One pointed a pistol, demanding money while the other pulled Mr. Sam from the wagon.

一个举着手，逼着要钱。另一人将萨姆从车上拉了下来，

Shocked, Bettie sat still.

贝蒂吓呆了，坐着一动不动。

Then a rifle shot cracked out,

就在这时，一声响，

and the man with the pistol fell to the ground dead.

拿手的歹徒应声倒地身亡。

A second shot, and the other man went sprawling. It was Bedell shooting!

又一声响，另一个歹徒也躺倒地上。是比德尔开的！

Bettie watched him lower the

rifle and brush the hay out of his hair.

贝蒂看着他放下步，掸掉头发里的干草。

"Come on, Mr. Sam," he said.

“上车吧，萨姆先生，”他说道：

"Let's keep moving."

“我们赶路吧！”

At Harpers Ferry,

在哈珀斯渡口，

the soldiers stared in surprise at the old farmer and the girl.

士兵们惊奇地盯着这位老农民和这位年轻的女子看。

They were even more amazed when the Union officer with the missing leg rose from his hay-filled box.

当缺了一条腿的联邦军的军官从装着干草的木箱里站起来时，他们更是惊愕不已。

Bedell was sent to Washington. There he told his story to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton .

比德尔被派去华盛顿。在华盛顿，他把情况向陆军埃德温·M·斯坦顿作了汇报。

stanton wrote a letter of thanks to Bettie

斯坦顿给贝蒂写了一封感谢信，

and signed an order to free James Van Metre from prison.

并签署了一项将詹姆斯·范·米特从战俘营释放的命令。

But first James had to be found.

可是首先必须找到詹姆斯。

It was arranged for Bedell to go with Bettie as she searched for her husband

经过安排，由比德尔陪同贝蒂寻找她的丈夫。

Records showed that a James Van Metre had been sent to a prison camp in Ohio.

有文件记载，有个叫詹姆斯·范·米特的曾被送到俄亥俄的一个战俘营。

But when the ragged prisoners were paraded before Bettie,

可是当那些衣衫褴褛的俘虏们被带到贝蒂面前时，

James was not there.

詹姆斯却不在里面。

A second prison was checked, with the same result.

又查了一个俘虏营，结果也是一样。

Bettie Van Metre fought back a chilling fear that her husband was dead.

贝蒂·范·米特拼命抑制着一种令人战粟不已的恐惧感，她担心她的丈夫已经死去了。

Then at Fort Delaware,

后来在特拉华堡，

near the end of the line of prisoners a tall man stepped out

在靠近一排战俘的末尾处，一个高个子的人从队伍里走了出来，

and stumbled into Bettin's arms.

蹒跚着扑到贝蒂怀里。

Bettie held him, tears streaming down her face.

贝蒂拥抱着他，泪流满面。

And Henry Bedell, standing by on his crutches, wept, too.

拄着拐杖站立一旁的亨利·比德尔也流泪了。

New Words

单词

Tell vi.

告发

Yankee n.

北方佬；美国佬

Great-aunt n.

全部，大人物

Civil a.

国内的；民间的

Confederate a.

南部邦联的

Capture vt.

俘虏；夺得

Unknown a.

不知道的，未知的

Former a.

以前的

Farmhouse n.

农舍，农家

Groan n.

呻吟（声）

Attic n.

阁楼

Union, n.

（美国南北战争期间的）联邦；美国

Rifle n.

步

Awful a.

可怕的，威严的

Bandage n.

绷带

Dreadful a.

可怕的

Bugle n.

军号，喇叭

Filth n.

污秽

Futili

ty n.

无益，无用

Futile a.

琐细的，无用的

Lean vi.

靠，倚

Establish vt.

确立，证实

Identity n.

身份

Identical a.

同一的；完全相同的

Lt. Abbr.

陆军中尉

Company n.

连

Volunteer n.

志愿兵

Presence n.

出席，到场

Skillfully ad.

灵巧地、娴熟地

Skillful a.

灵巧的，熟练的

Fan vt.

扇，扇动；激起

Spark n.

火花

Flicker vi.

闪动，闪烁

Drug n.

药

Supply n.

补给品

Pray vi.

祈祷

Valley n.

山谷；流域

Infection n.

感染；传染

Infect vt.

传染，感染

Flare vi.

（火焰）闪耀

Loft n.

阁楼

Ferry vi.

渡口；渡船

Headquarters n.

司令部

Proof n.

证据

Bear vt.

负担，忍受

Seal n.

印，图章

Item n.

条；项

Commanding a.

指挥的，居高临下的

Commanding officer

指挥官

Command vt.

指挥

Gen. Abbr.

将军

Madam n.

夫人，太太，女士，小姐

Risk vt.

冒……的风险

Patrol n.

巡逻队

Junior a.

年少的，下级的

Hobble vi.

跛行；蹒跚

Crutch n.

拐杖

Wagon n.

四轮运货马（牛）车

Hitch vt.

钩住，拴住，套住

Mare n.

母马，母驴

Alongside prep.

横靠

Mule n.

骡

Disaster n.

灾难

Line n.

路线，防线

Horseman n.

养马的人，骑师

Pistol n.

手

Crack v.

（使）发出爆裂声

Sprawl vi.

爬行，蔓生

Lower vt.

放下；放低

Secretary n.

，大臣；秘书

Ragged a.

衣衫褴褛的；破旧的

Parade vt.

使列队行进

Chill v.

（使）感动冷；（使）冷

Fort n.

要塞，保垒

Stumble vi.

绊倒，使困惑

Stream vi.

流，涌

Take prisoner

俘虏

Flare up

突发；加剧；突然发光；突然发怒

Write out

写出

Brush aside

不理；漠视

Bring through

救活

Berryville

贝里维尔（美国地名）

Virginia

弗吉尼亚（美国州名）

Bettie van Metre

由蒂·范·米特

The Civil War

（美国）南北战争

Gettysburg

葛底斯堡（美国城市）

Dick Runer

迪克·朗纳

Henry Bedell

亨利·贝德尔

Vermont

佛蒙特（美国州名）

Westfield

韦斯菲尔德（美国地名）

Jennie

詹妮（女子名）

Graham Osborne

各雷厄姆·奥斯本

Harpers Ferry

哈珀斯渡口（美国地名）

Stevenson

史蒂文森（姓氏）

Secretary of War

（美国）陆军

Edwin M.Stanton

埃德温·M·斯坦顿

Ohio

俄亥俄（美国州名）

Fort Delaware

特拉华堡（美国地名）