The Scarlet Letter — Page 9

English → Chinese Full Text Level 8/10

Another figure in the scene is the outward-bound sailor in quest of a protection; or the recently arrived one, pale and feeble, seeking a passport to the hospital.

场景中还有另一种人物，那就是即将出航的水手，前来寻求一份通行证；或是刚刚抵港的水手，面色苍白、身体虚弱，寻求一张入院的凭证。

Nor must we forget the captains of the rusty little schooners that bring firewood from the British provinces; a rough-looking set of tarpaulins, without the alertness of the Yankee aspect, but contributing an item of no slight importance to our decaying trade.

我们也不能忘记那些驾驶着锈迹斑斑的小纵帆船、从英属殖民地运来木柴的船长们；他们是一群外表粗犷的老水手，缺乏美国佬那种机敏劲儿，却为我们日渐衰落的贸易贡献着不可小觑的一份力量。

Cluster all these individuals together, as they sometimes were, with other miscellaneous ones to diversify the group, and, for the time being, it made the Custom-House a stirring scene.

将所有这些人聚集在一起，再加上其他形形色色的人来丰富这个群体，就如同他们有时汇聚于此一般，海关大楼顿时便成了一处热闹非凡的场景。

More frequently, however, on ascending the steps, you would discern—in the entry, if it were summer time, or in their appropriate rooms, if wintry or inclement weather—a row of venerable figures, sitting in old-fashioned chairs, which were tipped on their hind legs back against the wall.

然而更为常见的情形是，当你走上台阶，便会看到——若是夏日，则在门廊里，若是寒冬或天气恶劣，则在各自的房间里——一排年迈的身影，坐在老式的椅子上，椅子的后腿抵着墙壁向后倾斜着。

Oftentimes they were asleep, but occasionally might be heard talking together, in voices between speech and a snore, and with that lack of energy that distinguishes the occupants of almshouses, and all other human beings who depend for subsistence on charity, on monopolized labor, or anything else, but their own independent exertions.

他们常常昏昏入睡，但偶尔也能听见他们相互交谈，声音介于说话与鼾声之间，带着那种懒散倦怠的神情——这种神情是济贫院里的住客们所特有的，也是一切依靠施舍、垄断性劳动或其他手段而非自身独立奋斗为生的人们所共有的。

These old gentlemen—seated, like Matthew, at the receipt of customs, but not very liable to be summoned thence, like him, for apostolic errands—were Custom-House officers.

这些老先生们——像马太一样坐在税关的收税处，却远没有他那般可能被召离此地去执行使徒的差遣——正是海关的官员们。

Vocabulary

场景: chǎnjǐng — Scene or setting in a story or place
中: zhōng — In, among, within a place or group
还有: hái yǒu — Also, there is also, in addition
另一种: lìng yī zhǒng — Another kind or type of something
人物: rénwù — Person, character, or figure of note
那就是: nà jiù shì — That is to say, namely, that would be
即将: jíjiāng — About to, on the verge of happening soon
出航: chū háng — Set sail, depart on a sea voyage
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification
水手: shuǐshǒu — Sailor, seaman working on a ship
前来: qián lái — Come forward, arrive at a place
寻求: xúnqiú — Seek, look for something needed
一份: yī fèn — One copy or one portion of something
通行证: tōngxíngzhèng — Pass, permit allowing entry or travel
或是: huò shì — Or, alternatively, or perhaps
刚刚: gānggāng — Just now, a moment ago, recently
抵港: dǐ gǎng — Arrive at port, reach the harbor
面色: miànsè — Facial complexion, color of one's face
苍白: cāngbái — Pale, pallid, lacking color in face
身体: shēntǐ — Body, physical condition or health
虚弱: xūruò — Weak, feeble, lacking physical strength
一张: yī zhāng — One sheet or one piece of document
入院: rù yuàn — Enter hospital, be admitted for treatment
凭证: píngzhèng — Certificate, proof, voucher for verification
我们: wǒmen — We, us, first person plural pronoun
也: yě — Also, too, as well, likewise
不能: bù néng — Cannot, must not, be unable to
忘记: wàngjì — Forget, fail to remember something
那些: nàxiē — Those, referring to previously mentioned things
驾驶着: jiàshǐ zhe — Piloting or steering a vehicle continuously
锈迹斑斑: xiù jì bān bān — Covered in rust spots, heavily rusted
小: xiǎo — Small, little in size
从: cóng — From, since, starting from a point
英属: Yīng shǔ — British-owned, belonging to Britain
殖民地: zhímíndì — Colony, territory ruled by foreign power
运来: yùn lái — Transport here, bring goods by carrying
木柴: mùchái — Firewood, wood used as fuel
船长们: chuánzhǎngmen — Captains, plural of ship captain
他们: tāmen — They, them, third person plural pronoun
是: shì — Are, is, to be verb
一群: yī qún — A group, a crowd of people or animals
外表: wàibiǎo — Outward appearance, exterior look
粗犷: cūguǎng — Rugged, rough, unrefined in manner
老水手: lǎo shuǐshǒu — Old sailor, veteran seaman with experience
缺乏: quēfá — Lack, be deficient in something needed
那种: nà zhǒng — That kind of, that type of thing
机敏劲儿: jīmǐn jìnr — Sharpness, quick-witted alertness and energy
却: què — Yet, but, however, contrasting conjunction
为: wèi — For, on behalf of, contributing to
日渐: rì jiàn — Gradually day by day, increasingly over time
衰落: shuāiluò — Decline, deteriorate, fall into decay
贸易: màoyì — Trade, commerce between parties or nations
贡献着: gòngxiàn zhe — Contributing, making a contribution continuously
不可小觑: bù kě xiǎo qù — Not to be underestimated, significant and powerful
力量: lìliàng — Strength, force, power or influence
将: jiāng — Will, about to, or gather something
所有: suǒyǒu — All, every one of, belonging to all
这些: zhèxiē — These, referring to nearby mentioned things
人: rén — Person, people, human being
聚集: jùjí — Gather together, assemble in one place
在: zài — At, in, located at a place
一起: yīqǐ — Together, at the same time or place
再: zài — Again, additionally, furthermore
加上: jiā shàng — Add on, plus, in addition to
其他: qítā — Other, the rest, remaining ones
形形色色: xíng xíng sè sè — All kinds and sorts, varied and diverse
来: lái — Come, used to indicate purpose or action
丰富: fēngfù — Enrich, make abundant, rich and varied
这个: zhège — This, this particular one thing
群体: qúntǐ — Group, community, collective of people
就: jiù — Then, just, exactly, right away
如同: rútóng — Just like, as if, similar to
有时: yǒushí — Sometimes, occasionally, at certain times
汇聚: huìjù — Converge, gather and flow together
一般: yībān — General, ordinary, just like something
海关: hǎiguān — Customs, government agency controlling imports
大楼: dàlóu — Large building, multi-story office building
顿时: dùnshí — Immediately, all at once, instantly
便: biàn — Then, thereupon, at once
成了: chéngle — Became, turned into something
一处: yī chù — A place, one location or spot
热闹非凡: rènào fēifán — Extraordinarily lively and bustling with activity
然而: rán'ér — However, yet, but on the other hand
更为: gèng wéi — Even more, to a greater degree
常见: chángjiàn — Common, frequently seen, often encountered
情形: qíngxíng — Situation, circumstance, state of affairs
当你: dāng nǐ — When you, at the time you do something
走上: zǒu shàng — Walk up to, step onto something
台阶: táijiē — Steps, staircase leading to a building
便会: biàn huì — Then you will, would accordingly
看到: kàn dào — See, catch sight of something
若是: ruò shì — If it is, supposing that, in case
夏日: xiàrì — Summer day, a day in summer
则: zé — Then, in that case, accordingly
门廊: ménláng — Porch, corridor or entryway of building
里: lǐ — Inside, within a place or space
寒冬: hándōng — Cold winter, harsh and freezing season
或: huò — Or, either, alternatively
天气: tiānqì — Weather, atmospheric conditions outside
恶劣: èliè — Harsh, terrible, very bad conditions
各自: gèzì — Each, respective, separately on their own
房间: fángjiān — Room, indoor space in a building
一排: yī pái — A row, a line of things arranged
年迈: niánmài — Elderly, aged, advanced in years
身影: shēnyǐng — Figure, silhouette of a person
坐在: zuò zài — Sitting at or on something
老式: lǎoshì — Old-fashioned, outdated style or design
椅子: yǐzi — Chair, seat for one person
上: shàng — On top of, above, upon a surface
后腿: hòutuǐ — Rear legs of a chair or animal
抵着: dǐ zhe — Pressing against, propped up against something
墙壁: qiángbì — Wall, interior surface of a room
向后: xiàng hòu — Backward, leaning in a rearward direction
倾斜: qīngxié — Tilt, lean, incline at an angle
着: zhe — Particle indicating ongoing action or state
常常: chángcháng — Often, frequently, habitually
昏昏入睡: hūnhūn rù shuì — Doze off drowsily, fall into a daze
但: dàn — But, however, nevertheless
偶尔: ǒu'ěr — Occasionally, once in a while, sometimes
也能: yě néng — Also able to, can also do something
听见: tīngjiàn — Hear, perceive sound with ears
相互: xiānghù — Mutually, each other, reciprocally
交谈: jiāotán — Converse, talk with each other
声音: shēngyīn — Sound, voice, noise made by something
介于: jiè yú — Between, falling somewhere between two things
说话: shuōhuà — Speaking, talking, using words to communicate
与: yǔ — And, with, together with
鼾声: hānshēng — Snoring sound made during sleep
之间: zhījiān — Between, among, in the middle of
带着: dài zhe — Carrying, bearing, with an expression or item
懒散: lǎnsǎn — Lazy, lax, lacking energy or motivation
倦怠: juàndài — Weary, fatigued, tired and listless
神情: shénqíng — Expression, look on one's face
这种: zhè zhǒng — This kind of, this type of thing
住客们: zhùkèmen — Residents, lodgers living in a place
所: suǒ — Particle used before verbs in passive constructions
特有的: tèyǒu de — Unique to, characteristic of, peculiar to
也是: yě shì — Also is, is also, likewise
一切: yīqiè — Everything, all things without exception
依靠: yīkào — Rely on, depend on something or someone
施舍: shīshě — Charity, alms, giving to the needy
垄断性: lǒngduàn xìng — Monopolistic, exclusive control over something
劳动: láodòng — Labor, work, physical or manual effort
手段: shǒuduàn — Means, method, way of achieving something
而非: ér fēi — Rather than, instead of, not but
自身: zìshēn — Oneself, one's own self or abilities
独立: dúlì — Independent, self-reliant, free from dependence
奋斗: fèndòu — Struggle, strive hard toward a goal
为生: wéi shēng — Make a living, earn one's livelihood
人们: rénmen — People, folks, human beings in general
共有的: gòng yǒu de — Shared, commonly held by all
老先生们: lǎo xiānshengmen — Old gentlemen, elderly men as a group
像: xiàng — Like, resemble, similar to something
一样: yīyàng — The same as, just like, identical
远没有: yuǎn méiyǒu — Far from having, nowhere near as much
他: tā — He, him, third person singular male
那般: nà bān — That way, like that, in that manner
可能: kěnéng — Possibly, likely, may or might happen
被: bèi — Passive marker, indicating action done to subject
此地: cǐ dì — This place, here, the current location
去: qù — Go, to go somewhere or do something
执行: zhíxíng — Execute, carry out a task or mission
正是: zhèng shì — Exactly is, precisely, it is just so
官员们: guānyuánmen — Officials, government officers as a group

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