🔊 I lost no time, of course, in telling my mother all that I knew, and perhaps should have told her long before, and we saw ourselves at once in a difficult and dangerous position. Some of the man’s money-if he had any-was certainly due to us, but it was not likely that our captain’s shipmates, above all the two specimens seen by me, Black Dog and the blind beggar, would be inclined to give up their booty in payment of the dead man’s debts. The captain’s order to mount at once and ride for Doctor Livesey would have left my mother alone and unprotected, which was not to be thought of. Indeed, it seemed impossible for either of us to remain much longer in the house; the fall of coals in the kitchen grate, the very ticking of the clock, filled us with alarms. The neighbourhood, to our ears, seemed haunted by approaching footsteps; and what between the dead body of the captain on the parlour floor and the thought of that detestable blind beggar hovering near at hand and ready to return, there were moments when, as the saying goes, I jumped in my skin for terror. Something must speedily be resolved upon, and it occurred to us at last to go forth together and seek help in the neighbouring hamlet. No sooner said than done. Bare-headed as we were, we ran out at once in the gathering evening and the frosty fog.

我当然一刻也不耽搁,把所知的一切都告诉了母亲,或许早该告诉她了,我们立刻发现自己陷入了艰难而危险的境地。那人的钱--如果他真有钱的话--本该付给我们一些,但船长的同伙,尤其是被我见到的那两个家伙--黑狗和那个瞎眼乞丐,多半不肯放弃赃物来替死人还债。船长临终前命我们立即上马去找利夫西医生,那会让母亲孤身一人、无人保护,这绝不可行。的确,我们俩似乎都无法在屋里久留了；厨房炉栅里煤块的掉落声、时钟的滴答声,都让我们心惊胆战。在我们听来,四周仿佛鬼影幢幢,脚步声由远及近；加上客厅地板上船长的尸首,以及想到那个可憎的瞎眼乞丐就在附近徘徊、随时可能回来,有那么些时刻,正如俗话所说,我吓得魂不附体。必须赶紧拿个主意,最后我们想到一起出去,到邻近的小村寻求帮助。说干就干。我们连帽子都没戴,就在暮色四合、寒雾弥漫中跑了出去。

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specimens /ˈspesɪmənz/

n. 样本,标本➕

🔊

booty /ˈbuːti/

n. 战利品（尤指在战争中掠夺来的）➕

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detestable /dɪˈtestəb(ə)l/

adj. 可憎的,令人厌恶的➕

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hovering /ˈhʌvərɪŋ/

v. 盘旋,徘徊（在附近）➕

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speedily /ˈspiːdɪli/

adv. 迅速地,快速地➕

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hamlet /ˈhæmlɪt/

n. 小村庄➕

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frosty /ˈfrɒsti/

adj. 严寒的,结霜的；冷淡的➕

🔊 The hamlet lay not many hundred yards away, though out of view, on the other side of the next cove; and what greatly encouraged me, it was in an opposite direction from that whence the blind man had made his appearance and whither he had presumably returned. We were not many minutes on the road, though we sometimes stopped to lay hold of each other and hearken. But there was no unusual sound-nothing but the low wash of the ripple and the croaking of the inmates of the wood.

小村就在几百码外,虽然看不见,在下一个海湾的另一边；更让我鼓舞的是,它位于瞎眼乞丐出现和可能返回的相反方向。我们在路上没走几分钟,尽管不时停下来互相抓住、侧耳倾听。但没有任何异常声响--只有海浪轻柔的冲刷声和林中栖居者的呱呱鸣叫。

🔊

cove /kəʊv/

n. 小海湾,河湾➕

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hearken /ˈhɑːk(ə)n/

v. 倾听,注意听（文学或古旧用法）➕

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ripple /ˈrɪp(ə)l/

n. 涟漪,微波；一阵（感觉或声音）➕

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croaking /ˈkrəʊkɪŋ/

n. 呱呱叫声（如青蛙或乌鸦发出的）➕

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inmates /ˈɪnmeɪts/

n. （监狱、精神病院等的）同住者,囚犯；居民➕

🔊 It was already candle-light when we reached the hamlet, and I shall never forget how much I was cheered to see the yellow shine in doors and windows; but that, as it proved, was the best of the help we were likely to get in that quarter. For-you would have thought men would have been ashamed of themselves-no soul would consent to return with us to the Admiral Benbow. The more we told of our troubles, the more-man, woman, and child-they clung to the shelter of their houses. The name of Captain Flint, though it was strange to me, was well enough known to some there and carried a great weight of terror. Some of the men who had been to field-work on the far side of the Admiral Benbow remembered, besides, to have seen several strangers on the road, and taking them to be smugglers, to have bolted away; and one at least had seen a little lugger in what we called Kitt’s Hole. For that matter, anyone who was a comrade of the captain’s was enough to frighten them to death. And the short and the long of the matter was, that while we could get several who were willing enough to ride to Dr. Livesey’s, which lay in another direction, not one would help us to defend the inn.

我们到达小村时已是烛光时分,我永远忘不了看到门窗透出黄色光芒时心中是多么振奋；但事实证明,这就是我们在那里能得到的最好帮助了。因为--你本以为人们会感到羞愧--没有一个人愿意跟我们回“本葆海军上将”客栈。我们越是诉说困境,他们--无论男女老少--就越是紧守家门,不愿出来。弗林特船长这个名字,虽然我陌生,但对那里的一些人来说却如雷贯耳,令人闻风丧胆。此外,有些曾在本葆客栈远处田里干活的人记得在路上见过几个陌生人,以为是走私犯,便逃之夭夭；至少有一人看到一艘小帆船停在我们称为基特洞的地方。总之,只要是船长的同伙,就足以把他们吓破胆。归根结底,尽管我们能找到几个人愿意骑马去利夫西医生家--那在另一个方向--却无一人肯帮我们守卫客栈。

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candle-light /ˈkænd(ə)llaɪt/

n. 烛光➕

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clung /klʌŋ/

v. （cling的过去式）紧紧抓住；粘住；坚持（信念）➕

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smugglers /ˈsmʌɡləz/

n. 走私者➕

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bolted /ˈbəʊltɪd/

v. （bolt的过去式）迅速逃跑,惊跑；（门）闩上➕

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lugger /ˈlʌɡə(r)/

n. 斜桁帆小船（一种小型帆船）➕

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comrade /ˈkɒmreɪd/

n. 同志,战友；伙伴➕

🔊 They say cowardice is infectious; but then argument is, on the other hand, a great emboldener; and so when each had said his say, my mother made them a speech. She would not, she declared, lose money that belonged to her fatherless boy; "If none of the rest of you dare," she said, "Jim and I dare. Back we will go, the way we came, and small thanks to you big, hulking, chicken-hearted men. We’ll have that chest open, if we die for it. And I’ll thank you for that bag, Mrs. Crossley, to bring back our lawful money in."

人们说怯懦会传染；但另一方面,据理力争也能壮人胆；于是等每个人都说完后,母亲向他们发表了一番讲话。她宣称,绝不会丢掉属于她这没爹孩子的钱；“如果你们其他人都不敢,”她说,“吉姆和我敢。我们这就原路返回,才不谢你们这些高大魁梧、胆小如鼠的家伙。我们定要打开那只箱子,哪怕搭上性命。克罗斯利太太,我还得借你的袋子用用,好把我们的合法钱财装回来。”

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infectious /ɪnˈfekʃəs/

adj. 传染性的；有感染力的➕

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emboldener /ɪmˈbəʊldənə(r)/

n. 鼓励者,壮胆之物➕

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hulking /ˈhʌlkɪŋ/

adj. 庞大笨重的,笨拙的➕

🔊

chicken-hearted /ˈtʃɪkɪn ˈhɑːtɪd/

adj. 胆小的,怯懦的➕

🔊 Of course I said I would go with my mother, and of course they all cried out at our foolhardiness, but even then not a man would go along with us. All they would do was to give me a loaded pistol lest we were attacked, and to promise to have horses ready saddled in case we were pursued on our return, while one lad was to ride forward to the doctor’s in search of armed assistance.

我当然说我会跟母亲一起去,他们自然都惊呼我们鲁莽,但即便如此,还是没有一个人愿意同行。他们能做的只是给我一把上了膛的手枪,以防我们遇袭,并答应备好马鞍,万一我们回来时被追赶；同时派一个小伙子骑马先去医生那儿寻求武装援助。

🔊

foolhardiness /ˈfuːlhɑːdinəs/

n. 鲁莽,有勇无谋➕

🔊 My heart was beating finely when we two set forth in the cold night upon this dangerous venture. A full moon was beginning to rise and peered redly through the upper edges of the fog, and this increased our haste, for it was plain, before we came forth again, that all would be as bright as day, and our departure exposed to the eyes of any watchers. We slipped along the hedges, noiseless and swift, nor did we see or hear anything to increase our terrors, till, to our relief, the door of the Admiral Benbow had closed behind us.

我们俩在这寒冷的夜晚踏上这趟冒险之旅时,我的心怦怦直跳。一轮满月正开始升起,从雾霭上缘透出红光,这更让我们加快脚步,因为很明显,等我们再出来时,四下会亮如白昼,我们的行踪将暴露在任何监视者眼前。我们沿着树篱悄无声息地疾行,既没看到也没听到任何加剧恐惧的东西,直到“本葆海军上将”客栈的门在身后关上,我们才松了口气。

🔊

peered /pɪəd/

v. （peer的过去式）凝视,费力地看➕

🔊

redly /ˈredli/

adv. 发红地,带红色地➕

🔊 I slipped the bolt at once, and we stood and panted for a moment in the dark, alone in the house with the dead captain’s body. Then my mother got a candle in the bar, and holding each other’s hands, we advanced into the parlour. He lay as we had left him, on his back, with his eyes open and one arm stretched out.

我立刻插上门闩,我们在黑暗中站定,喘了口气,整栋房子只有我们和船长的尸体。接着母亲在柜台拿了支蜡烛,我们手拉手走进客厅。他还像我们离开时那样躺着,仰面朝天,双眼圆睁,一只胳膊伸得笔直。

🔊

panted /ˈpæntɪd/

v. （pant的过去式）喘气,气喘吁吁➕

🔊 "Draw down the blind, Jim," whispered my mother; "they might come and watch outside. And now," said she when I had done so, "we have to get the key off THAT; and who’s to touch it, I should like to know!" and she gave a kind of sob as she said the words.

“把窗帘拉下来,吉姆,”母亲低声说,“他们可能在外面监视。现在,”等我拉好后她说,“我们得从‘那个’身上取钥匙；可谁去碰它呢,我倒想知道！”说着,她哽咽了一下。

🔊

whispered /ˈwɪspərd/

v. 低语,耳语➕

🔊

blind /blaɪnd/

n. 百叶窗；盲人➕

🔊

sob /sɑːb/

n. 抽泣,呜咽➕

🔊 I went down on my knees at once. On the floor close to his hand there was a little round of paper, blackened on one side. I could not doubt that this was the BLACK SPOT; and taking it up, I found written on the other side, in a very good, clear hand, this short message: "You have till ten tonight."

我立刻跪下来。在他手边的地板上有一小张圆纸片,一面是黑的。我毫不怀疑这就是“黑券”；拿起来一看,另一面用非常工整清晰的笔迹写着短短一句:“今晚十点前。”

🔊

blackened /ˈblækənd/

adj. 变黑的,熏黑的➕

🔊 "He had till ten, Mother," said I; and just as I said it, our old clock began striking. This sudden noise startled us shockingly; but the news was good, for it was only six.

“他活到十点,妈妈,”我说；话音刚落,我们那口旧钟敲响了。这突如其来的声音把我们吓了一大跳；但消息是好的,因为才六点。

🔊

striking /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

v. 敲击；罢工；给人深刻印象的➕

🔊

startled /ˈstɑːrtld/

v. 使惊吓,使吃惊➕

🔊

shockingly /ˈʃɑːkɪŋli/

adv. 令人震惊地,惊人地➕

🔊 "Now, Jim," she said, "that key."

“现在,吉姆,”她说,“钥匙。”

🔊 I felt in his pockets, one after another. A few small coins, a thimble, and some thread and big needles, a piece of pigtail tobacco bitten away at the end, his gully with the crooked handle, a pocket compass, and a tinder box were all that they contained, and I began to despair.

我逐一摸索他的口袋。几枚小硬币、一个顶针、一些线和粗针、一截咬过的辫子烟、他那把弯柄短刀、一个袖珍罗盘、一个火绒盒--这就是全部东西,我开始绝望了。

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thimble /ˈθɪmb(ə)l/

n. 顶针（缝纫时戴在手指上保护手指的工具）➕

🔊

pigtail /ˈpɪɡteɪl/

n. 辫子；此处指一种烟草制品（烟草辫）➕

🔊

gully /ˈɡʌli/

n. 小刀,短刀（尤指水手用刀）➕

🔊

tinder box /ˈtɪndə bɒks/

n. 火绒盒（旧时取火工具）➕

🔊 "Perhaps it’s round his neck," suggested my mother.

“也许挂在他脖子上,”母亲提醒道。

🔊 Overcoming a strong repugnance, I tore open his shirt at the neck, and there, sure enough, hanging to a bit of tarry string, which I cut with his own gully, we found the key. At this triumph we were filled with hope and hurried upstairs without delay to the little room where he had slept so long and where his box had stood since the day of his arrival.

我强忍厌恶,撕开他颈部的衬衫,果然,钥匙挂在一小段焦油绳上,我用他自己的短刀割断绳子,取了下来。这次成功让我们满怀希望,立刻匆匆上楼,来到他睡了这么久、箱子从到来之日就摆着的小房间。

🔊

repugnance /rɪˈpʌɡnəns/

n. 强烈的厌恶,反感➕

🔊

tarry /ˈtɑːri/

adj. 涂了焦油的,沾有焦油的➕

🔊 It was like any other seaman’s chest on the outside, the initial "B" burned on the top of it with a hot iron, and the corners somewhat smashed and broken as by long, rough usage.

它外表跟其他水手的箱子没什么两样,顶部用烙铁烫着字母“B”,箱角有些破损,像是经年累月粗暴使用所致。

🔊

initial /ɪˈnɪʃ(ə)l/

n. （姓名的）首字母➕

🔊

smashed /smæʃt/

adj. 破碎的,被打碎的➕

🔊 "Give me the key," said my mother; and though the lock was very stiff, she had turned it and thrown back the lid in a twinkling.

“把钥匙给我,”母亲说；尽管锁很紧,她一转就开,眨眼间掀起了箱盖。

🔊

twinkling /ˈtwɪŋklɪŋ/

n. 瞬间,一眨眼➕

🔊 A strong smell of tobacco and tar rose from the interior, but nothing was to be seen on the top except a suit of very good clothes, carefully brushed and folded. They had never been worn, my mother said. Under that, the miscellany began-a quadrant, a tin canikin, several sticks of tobacco, two brace of very handsome pistols, a piece of bar silver, an old Spanish watch and some other trinkets of little value and mostly of foreign make, a pair of compasses mounted with brass, and five or six curious West Indian shells. I have often wondered since why he should have carried about these shells with him in his wandering, guilty, and hunted life.

一股浓烈的烟草和焦油味从箱内升起,但顶部除了一套非常考究的衣服--刷得干干净净、叠得整整齐齐--什么也看不见。母亲说那衣服从没穿过。下面开始是杂七杂八的东西:一个象限仪、一个锡制小杯、几根烟卷、两对非常漂亮的手枪、一块银条、一块老旧的西班牙表和一些其他不值钱的小饰物（多半是外国货）、一副黄铜镶嵌的圆规、五六个奇特的西印度贝壳。后来我常想,他为何在漂泊、罪恶、被追捕的一生中随身带着这些贝壳。

🔊

miscellany /mɪˈseləni/

n. 杂集,混合物➕

🔊

quadrant /ˈkwɒdrənt/

n. 象限仪,四分仪➕

🔊

canikin /ˈkænɪkɪn/

n. 小罐子,小杯➕

🔊

brace /breɪs/

n. 一对,一双➕

🔊

trinkets /ˈtrɪŋkɪts/

n. 小饰品,廉价首饰➕

🔊

mounted /ˈmaʊntɪd/

adj. 安装好的,镶嵌的➕

🔊

curious /ˈkjʊəriəs/

adj. 奇特的,好奇的➕

🔊

West Indian /ˌwest ˈɪndiən/

adj. 西印度群岛的➕

🔊

wandering /ˈwɒndərɪŋ/

adj. 流浪的,漫游的➕

🔊

guilty /ˈɡɪlti/

adj. 有罪的,内疚的➕

🔊

hunted /ˈhʌntɪd/

adj. 被追捕的,受迫害的➕

🔊 In the meantime, we had found nothing of any value but the silver and the trinkets, and neither of these were in our way. Underneath there was an old boat-cloak, whitened with sea-salt on many a harbour-bar. My mother pulled it up with impatience, and there lay before us, the last things in the chest, a bundle tied up in oilcloth, and looking like papers, and a canvas bag that gave forth, at a touch, the jingle of gold.

此时,我们还没找到什么值钱东西,除了银条和小饰物,但这些都不是我们想要的。底下是一件旧船用斗篷,在许多港口的沙洲上被海盐染得发白。母亲不耐烦地把它掀开,眼前出现了箱子里最后两样东西:一个油布捆的包裹,看起来像是文件；还有一个帆布袋,一碰就发出金币的叮当声。

🔊

boat-cloak /ˈbəʊt kləʊk/

n. 船用斗篷➕

🔊

whitened /ˈwaɪtnd/

adj. 变白的,漂白的➕

🔊

sea-salt /ˈsiː sɔːlt/

n. 海盐➕

🔊

harbour-bar /ˈhɑːbə bɑː/

n. 港口沙洲,港口的沙坝➕

🔊

impatience /ɪmˈpeɪʃəns/

n. 不耐烦,急躁➕

🔊

oilcloth /ˈɔɪlklɒθ/

n. 油布,防水布➕

🔊

canvas /ˈkænvəs/

n. 帆布,画布➕

🔊

jingle /ˈdʒɪŋɡl/

n. 叮当声,广告歌➕

🔊 "I’ll show these rogues that I’m an honest woman," said my mother. "I’ll have my dues, and not a farthing over. Hold Mrs. Crossley’s bag."

“我要让这些恶棍看看,我是个诚实的女人,”母亲说。“我只要我应得的,一个子儿也不多拿。拿着克罗斯利太太的袋子。”

🔊

rogues /rəʊɡz/

n. 流氓,无赖➕

🔊

dues /djuːz/

n. 应付款,会费➕

🔊

farthing /ˈfɑːðɪŋ/

n. 法新（旧时英国铜币,价值四分之一便士）➕

🔊 And she began to count over the amount of the captain’s score from the sailor’s bag into the one that I was holding.

她开始从水手的袋子里数出船长欠的账,装进我拿着的那个袋子。

🔊

score /skɔː/

n. 账目,欠款➕

🔊 It was a long, difficult business, for the coins were of all countries and sizes-doubloons, and louis-d’ors, and guineas, and pieces of eight, and I know not what besides, all shaken together at random. The guineas, too, were about the scarcest, and it was with these only that my mother knew how to make her count.

这是个漫长而费劲的活儿,因为硬币来自各国、大小不一--达布隆、金路易、几尼、八里亚尔银币,还有其他我叫不上名的,全都胡乱混在一起。几尼差不多是最少的,母亲只知道用这些来计数。

🔊

doubloons /dʌˈbluːnz/

n. 达布隆（西班牙旧金币）➕

🔊

louis-d’ors /ˈluːi dɔːr/

n. 路易金币（法国旧金币）➕

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guineas /ˈɡɪniz/

n. 几尼（英国旧金币,价值21先令）➕

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pieces of eight /ˌpiːsɪz əv ˈeɪt/

n. 八里亚尔币（西班牙旧银币）➕

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random /ˈrændəm/

adj. 随机的,任意的➕

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scarcest /ˈskeəsɪst/

adj. 最稀少的,最缺乏的➕

🔊 When we were about half-way through, I suddenly put my hand upon her arm, for I had heard in the silent frosty air a sound that brought my heart into my mouth-the tap-tapping of the blind man’s stick upon the frozen road. It drew nearer and nearer, while we sat holding our breath. Then it struck sharp on the inn door, and then we could hear the handle being turned and the bolt rattling as the wretched being tried to enter; and then there was a long time of silence both within and without. At last the tapping recommenced, and, to our indescribable joy and gratitude, died slowly away again until it ceased to be heard.

我们数到一半时,我突然把手按在她胳膊上,因为在寂静寒冷的空气中,我听到一个让我心提到嗓子眼的声音--瞎眼乞丐的拐杖敲在冰冻路面上的嗒嗒声。它越来越近,我们屏息坐着。接着,拐杖尖锐地敲在客栈门上,然后我们能听到门把手转动、门闩咔嗒作响,那可怜虫试图进来；之后内外都陷入了长时间的寂静。最后,嗒嗒声重新响起,并慢慢远去,直到再也听不见,这让我们说不出的欣喜和感激。

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tap-tapping /ˈtæp tæpɪŋ/

n. 轻敲声➕

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frozen /ˈfrəʊzn/

adj. 冻结的,冰冻的➕

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wretched /ˈretʃɪd/

adj. 可怜的,悲惨的➕

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rattling /ˈrætlɪŋ/

n. 嘎嘎声,咔嗒声➕

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recommenced /ˌriːkəˈmenst/

v. 重新开始➕

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indescribable /ˌɪndɪˈskraɪbəbl/

adj. 难以形容的,无法描述的➕

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gratitude /ˈɡrætɪtjuːd/

n. 感激,感谢➕

🔊 "Mother," said I, "take the whole and let’s be going," for I was sure the bolted door must have seemed suspicious and would bring the whole hornet’s nest about our ears, though how thankful I was that I had bolted it, none could tell who had never met that terrible blind man.

“妈妈,”我说,“全拿上,咱们快走吧,”因为我确信闩上的门肯定显得可疑,会招来整个马蜂窝,尽管我多么庆幸闩了门,没遇过那个可怕瞎眼乞丐的人是无法体会的。

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hornet’s nest /ˈhɔːnɪts nest/

n. 马蜂窝；麻烦的处境➕

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suspicious /səˈspɪʃəs/

adj. 可疑的,多疑的➕

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thankful /ˈθæŋkfl/

adj. 感激的,感谢的➕

🔊 But my mother, frightened as she was, would not consent to take a fraction more than was due to her and was obstinately unwilling to be content with less. It was not yet seven, she said, by a long way; she knew her rights and she would have them; and she was still arguing with me when a little low whistle sounded a good way off upon the hill. That was enough, and more than enough, for both of us.

但母亲尽管害怕,却不肯多拿一分一毫,也固执地不愿少拿。她说离七点还早得很；她知道自己的权利,非要拿到不可；她还在跟我争辩时,远处山坡上传来一声低低的哨音。这对我们俩来说,已经足够了,甚至太多了。

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fraction /ˈfrækʃn/

n. 一小部分,分数➕

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obstinately /ˈɒbstɪnətli/

adv. 固执地,顽固地➕

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content /kənˈtent/

adj. 满足的,满意的➕

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rights /raɪts/

n. 权利➕

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arguing /ˈɑːɡjuːɪŋ/

v. 争论,争吵➕

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whistle /ˈwɪsl/

n. 口哨声,哨子➕

🔊 "I’ll take what I have," she said, jumping to her feet.

“我就拿这些吧,”她说着,跳起身来。

🔊 "And I’ll take this to square the count," said I, picking up the oilskin packet.

“我拿这个来抵账,”我说着,捡起了油布包裹。

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square /skweə/

v. 结清,使平衡➕

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oilskin /ˈɔɪlskɪn/

n. 油布,防水油布➕

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packet /ˈpækɪt/

n. 小包,数据包➕

🔊 Next moment we were both groping downstairs, leaving the candle by the empty chest; and the next we had opened the door and were in full retreat. We had not started a moment too soon.

紧接着,我们都摸索着下楼,把蜡烛留在空箱子旁；再下一刻,我们打开门,全力撤退。我们动身得一点也不早。

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groping /ˈɡrəʊpɪŋ/

v. 摸索,探索➕

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retreat /rɪˈtriːt/

n. 撤退,退却➕

🔊 The fog was rapidly dispersing; already the moon shone quite clear on the high ground on either side; and it was only in the exact bottom of the dell and round the tavern door that a thin veil still hung unbroken to conceal the first steps of our escape. Far less than half-way to the hamlet, very little beyond the bottom of the hill, we must come forth into the moonlight. Nor was this all, for the sound of several footsteps running came already to our ears, and as we looked back in their direction, a light tossing to and fro and still rapidly advancing showed that one of the newcomers carried a lantern.

雾正迅速消散；月亮已经清晰照亮两侧的高地；只有山谷正底部和客栈门周围还挂着一层薄纱,未受破坏,掩蔽了我们逃跑的最初几步。离小村还远不到一半路,刚过山脚不远,我们就必须暴露在月光下。不仅如此,奔跑的脚步声已经传入我们耳中,我们朝那个方向回头看去,一盏灯晃来晃去、迅速逼近,表明新来者中有一人提着灯笼。

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dispersing /dɪˈspɜːsɪŋ/

v. 消散,分散➕

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dell /del/

n. 小山谷,幽谷➕

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tavern /ˈtævən/

n. 客栈,酒馆➕

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veil /veɪl/

n. 面纱,遮蔽物➕

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unbroken /ʌnˈbrəʊkən/

adj. 未打破的,连续的➕

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conceal /kənˈsiːl/

v. 隐藏,隐瞒➕

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footsteps /ˈfʊtsteps/

n. 脚步声➕

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tossing /ˈtɒsɪŋ/

v. 摇摆,抛掷➕

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advancing /ədˈvɑːnsɪŋ/

v. 前进,推进➕

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newcomers /ˈnjuːkʌməz/

n. 新来者,新手➕

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lantern /ˈlæntən/

n. 灯笼,提灯➕

🔊 "My dear," said my mother suddenly, "take the money and run on. I am going to faint."

“亲爱的,”母亲突然说,“拿着钱快跑。我要晕倒了。”

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faint /feɪnt/

v. 昏倒,变得微弱➕

🔊 This was certainly the end for both of us, I thought. How I cursed the cowardice of the neighbours; how I blamed my poor mother for her honesty and her greed, for her past foolhardiness and present weakness! We were just at the little bridge, by good fortune; and I helped her, tottering as she was, to the edge of the bank, where, sure enough, she gave a sigh and fell on my shoulder. I do not know how I found the strength to do it at all, and I am afraid it was roughly done, but I managed to drag her down the bank and a little way under the arch. Farther I could not move her, for the bridge was too low to let me do more than crawl below it. So there we had to stay-my mother almost entirely exposed and both of us within earshot of the inn.

我想,这下我们俩肯定完了。我多么痛恨邻居们的怯懦；多么责备我可怜的母亲,怪她太诚实又太贪婪,怪她过去的鲁莽和现在的虚弱！幸好我们刚走到小桥边；我扶着她,摇摇晃晃地走到河岸边缘,果然,她叹了口气,倒在我肩上。我不知道哪来的力气做这些,恐怕动作很粗鲁,但我还是设法把她拖下河岸,到桥拱下一点的地方。再远我就挪不动她了,因为桥太低,我只能爬进去。所以我们只好待在那里--母亲几乎完全暴露在外,我们俩都在客栈的听力范围内。

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cowardice /ˈkaʊədɪs/

n. 懦弱,胆小➕

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greed /ɡriːd/

n. 贪婪,贪心➕

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weakness /ˈwiːknəs/

n. 虚弱,弱点➕

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tottering /ˈtɒtərɪŋ/

adj. 蹒跚的,摇摇欲坠的➕

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arch /ɑːtʃ/

n. 拱门,拱形➕

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crawl /krɔːl/

v. 爬行,缓慢移动➕

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earshot /ˈɪəʃɒt/

n. 听力范围➕

Chapter four: The Sea-Chest (第四章:航海箱)

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