Middlemarch — Page 1

English → Chinese FINALE. PRELUDE. Level 9/10

Who that cares much to know the history of man, and how the mysterious mixture behaves under the varying experiments of Time, has not dwelt, at least briefly, on the life of Saint Theresa, has not smiled with some gentleness at the thought of the little girl walking forth one morning hand-in-hand with her still smaller brother, to go and seek martyrdom in the country of the Moors?

凡是热切渴望了解人类历史、探究这神秘的混合体在时间的种种考验下如何展现自身的人，谁不曾至少短暂地驻足于圣特蕾莎的生平，谁不曾在想到那个小女孩某天清晨与她年纪更小的弟弟手牵着手走出门去、前往摩尔人的国度寻求殉道时，露出一丝温柔的微笑？

Out they toddled from rugged Avila, wide-eyed and helpless-looking as two fawns, but with human hearts, already beating to a national idea; until domestic reality met them in the shape of uncles, and turned them back from their great resolve.

他们蹒跚地走出粗犷的阿维拉城，像两只睁大眼睛、神情茫然的小鹿，却怀揣着一颗颗人类的心，心中已然跳动着某种民族的理想；直到现实以舅舅的形象迎面而来，将他们从那宏大的志愿中拉了回去。

That child-pilgrimage was a fit beginning.

那一次孩童式的朝圣之旅，是一个恰如其分的开端。

Theresa's passionate, ideal nature demanded an epic life: what were many-volumed romances of chivalry and the social conquests of a brilliant girl to her?

特蕾莎热情而理想化的天性渴求一种史诗般的生活：那些卷帙浩繁的骑士传奇，以及一个才华横溢的女孩在社交场上的种种征服，对她而言又算得了什么？

Her flame quickly burned up that light fuel; and, fed from within, soared after some illimitable satisfaction, some object which would never justify weariness, which would reconcile self-despair with the rapturous consciousness of life beyond self.

她内心的火焰迅速燃尽了那些轻浮的柴薪；而后由内在的力量滋养，腾空而起，追寻某种无边无际的满足，某种永远不会让人感到倦怠的目标——那目标能够调和自我绝望与超越自我之生命那令人心醉的意识。

She found her epos in the reform of a religious order.

她在改革一个宗教修会的事业中找到了属于自己的史诗。

That Spanish woman who lived three hundred years ago, was certainly not the last of her kind.

那位生活在三百年前的西班牙女性，certainly不是同类中的最后一人。

Vocabulary

凡是: fánshì — Every; all; any that meets a certain condition
热切: rèqiē — Eager, fervent, ardent in desire or feeling
渴望: kěwàng — To yearn for; strong desire or longing
了解: liǎojiě — To understand; to know about something
人类: rénlèi — Humanity; humankind; the human race
历史: lìshǐ — History; the record of past events
探究: tànjīu — To explore and investigate; to probe deeply
这: zhè — This; referring to something nearby or just mentioned
神秘: shénmì — Mysterious; enigmatic; full of mystery
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification
混合体: hùnhétǐ — A mixture; a composite of different elements
在: zài — At; in; located at; exist at a place or time
时间: shíjiān — Time; a period or point in time
种种: zhǒngzhǒng — Various kinds; all sorts of different things
考验: kǎoyàn — A test or trial; to put through an ordeal
下: xià — Under; below; beneath a condition or circumstance
如何: rúhé — How; in what way; to what extent
展现: zhǎnxiàn — To display; to reveal; to show oneself or something
自身: zìshēn — Oneself; one's own self or nature
人: rén — Person; human being; people
谁: shuí — Who; which person
不曾: bùcéng — Never; has never done or experienced something
至少: zhìshǎo — At least; minimum; not less than
短暂: duǎnzàn — Brief; short-lived; lasting only a short time
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb
驻足: zhùzú — To pause; to stop and linger somewhere
于: yú — At; in; on; classical preposition indicating location
生平: shēngpíng — One's life; the course of a person's life
想到: xiǎngdào — To think of; to call to mind; to imagine
那个: nàge — That; that one; referring to a specific thing or person
小女孩: xiǎo nǚhái — Little girl; a young female child
某天: mǒu tiān — One day; a certain unspecified day
清晨: qīngchén — Early morning; the early hours after dawn
与: yǔ — And; with; together with (formal/literary)
她: tā — She; her (third-person female pronoun)
年纪: niánjì — Age; one's years; how old someone is
更小: gèng xiǎo — Even younger; smaller than something else
弟弟: dìdi — Younger brother
手牵着手: shǒu qiānzhe shǒu — Hand in hand; holding each other's hands
走出: zǒuchū — To walk out of; to leave a place on foot
前往: qiánwǎng — To head toward; to go to a destination
国度: guódù — A kingdom; a realm; a country or domain
寻求: xúnqiú — To seek; to search for something desired
殉道: xùndào — Martyrdom; dying for one's religious faith
时: shí — When; at the time of; a moment or period
露出: lùchū — To reveal; to show; to let something appear
一丝: yīsī — A hint of; a trace; a tiny amount of
温柔: wēnróu — Gentle; tender; soft and affectionate
微笑: wēixiào — A smile; to smile gently
他们: tāmen — They; them (third-person plural)
蹒跚: pánshān — To toddle; to walk unsteadily; to stagger
粗犷: cūguǎng — Rough; rugged; wild and unpolished
城: chéng — City; town; walled settlement
像: xiàng — Like; resembling; similar to
两只: liǎng zhī — Two (animals or small creatures); a pair
睁大: zhēngdà — To open wide (eyes); to widen one's gaze
眼睛: yǎnjīng — Eyes; the organs of sight
神情: shénqíng — Expression; look on one's face; demeanor
茫然: mángrán — Bewildered; blank; at a loss; confused
小鹿: xiǎolù — Fawn; a small young deer
却: què — Yet; but; however (contrast conjunction)
怀揣: huáichuāi — To harbor; to hold in one's heart or bosom
着: zhe — Aspect particle indicating ongoing state or action
一颗颗: yī kē kē — One by one (of heart-shaped or small round things)
心: xīn — Heart; mind; the emotional core of a person
心中: xīnzhōng — In one's heart; within the mind
已然: yǐrán — Already; has already become so
跳动: tiàodòng — To beat; to throb; pulsating movement
某种: mǒu zhǒng — A certain kind; some type of something
民族: mínzú — Ethnic group; nation; people sharing culture
理想: lǐxiǎng — Ideal; an aspiration; perfect vision of something
直到: zhídào — Until; up to the point when something happens
现实: xiànshí — Reality; the real world; practical circumstances
以: yǐ — With; by means of; using (literary preposition)
舅舅: jiùjiu — Uncle (mother's brother)
形象: xíngxiàng — Image; form; the appearance or figure of something
迎面: yíngmiàn — Face to face; coming head-on toward someone
将: jiāng — About to; will; (literary marker of future action)
从: cóng — From; starting from a place or time
那: nà — That; referring to something previously mentioned
宏大: hóngdà — Grand; vast; magnificent in scale or ambition
志愿: zhìyuàn — Aspiration; ambition; a cherished goal or wish
中: zhōng — In; within; the middle of something
一次: yīcì — Once; one time; a single occurrence
孩童: háitóng — Child; a young boy or girl
式的: shì de — Style of; in the manner of; characteristic of
朝圣: cháoshèng — Pilgrimage; a journey to a sacred place
之旅: zhī lǚ — A journey of; a trip characterized by something
是: shì — To be; is; am; are (linking verb)
一个: yīgè — One; a single (general measure word)
恰如其分: qià rú qí fèn — Just right; perfectly fitting; exactly appropriate
开端: kāiduān — Beginning; starting point; the opening of something
热情: rèqíng — Passion; enthusiasm; warmth toward others
而: ér — And; yet; while (literary conjunction connecting clauses)
理想化: lǐxiǎnghuà — To idealize; having an idealistic nature
天性: tiānxìng — Natural disposition; innate character; inborn nature
渴求: kěqiú — To crave; to desperately seek or desire something
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of; one type of something
史诗: shǐshī — Epic; a grand narrative poem or heroic tale
般的: bān de — Like; resembling; of the same kind as
生活: shēnghuó — Life; daily living; way of life
那些: nàxiē — Those; referring to plural things previously mentioned
卷帙浩繁: juǎnzhì hàofán — Voluminous; consisting of numerous lengthy books
骑士: qíshì — Knight; a mounted warrior of the medieval era
传奇: chuánqí — Legend; romance; a legendary or remarkable story
以及: yǐjí — As well as; and also; together with
才华横溢: cáihuá héngyì — Overflowing with talent; brilliantly gifted
女孩: nǚhái — Girl; a young female person
社交: shèjiāo — Social; relating to social interaction or society
场上: chǎng shàng — On the scene; in the arena or social setting
征服: zhēngfú — To conquer; to win over; to overcome
对: duì — For; toward; regarding; concerning something
而言: ér yán — For; speaking of; in terms of (formal expression)
又: yòu — Again; also; moreover; on top of that
算得了: suàn de liǎo — Count as; amount to; worth considering
什么: shénme — What; anything; something (interrogative pronoun)
内心: nèixīn — Inner heart; one's innermost feelings or thoughts
火焰: huǒyàn — Flame; fire; a burning blaze
迅速: xùnsù — Rapid; swift; quickly and without delay
燃尽: ránjìn — To burn up completely; to consume by fire
了: le — Particle indicating completion or change of state
轻浮: qīngfú — Frivolous; flippant; lacking seriousness
柴薪: cháixīn — Firewood; wood used as fuel for burning
而后: érhòu — Then; afterward; subsequently (literary)
由: yóu — By; from; through; due to (preposition)
内在: nèizài — Inner; internal; intrinsic; from within
力量: lìliàng — Strength; power; force; capability
滋养: zīyǎng — To nourish; to nurture; to sustain growth
腾空而起: téngkōng ér qǐ — To soar up into the air; to rise dramatically
追寻: zhuīxún — To pursue; to search for; to quest after
无边无际: wúbiān wújì — Boundless; limitless; without edge or end
满足: mǎnzú — Satisfaction; to satisfy; to be content
永远: yǒngyuǎn — Forever; always; eternally
不会: bùhuì — Will not; cannot; unlikely to do something
让人: ràng rén — To make people feel; to cause someone to
感到: gǎndào — To feel; to sense; to experience an emotion
倦怠: juàndài — Weariness; fatigue; exhaustion and lack of motivation
目标: mùbiāo — Goal; target; objective; aim
能够: nénggòu — To be able to; capable of doing something
调和: tiáohé — To reconcile; to harmonize; to blend together
自我: zìwǒ — Self; the ego; one's own identity
绝望: juéwàng — Despair; hopelessness; utter loss of hope
超越: chāoyuè — To transcend; to surpass; to go beyond limits
之: zhī — Of; 's (literary possessive/linking particle)
生命: shēngmìng — Life; existence; the vitality of a living being
令人心醉: lìng rén xīnzuì — Enchanting; captivating; making one's heart intoxicated
意识: yìshí — Consciousness; awareness; to become aware of
改革: gǎigé — Reform; to reform; to change a system for the better
宗教: zōngjiào — Religion; a system of faith and worship
修会: xiūhuì — Religious order; a monastic or clerical organization
事业: shìyè — Cause; career; undertaking; a life's work
找到: zhǎodào — To find; to locate; to successfully discover
属于: shǔyú — To belong to; to be part of something
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself; yourself; one's own self
那位: nà wèi — That (person); referring respectfully to someone
三百年前: sānbǎi nián qián — Three hundred years ago; in the past by three centuries
西班牙: Xībānyá — Spain; the country in southwestern Europe
女性: nǚxìng — Female; woman; the female gender
绝非: juéfēi — Absolutely not; by no means; definitely not
同类: tónglèi — Of the same kind; peers; those of the same category
最后: zuìhòu — Last; final; ultimately; in the end
一人: yī rén — One person; alone; a single individual

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