White nights, and other stories — Page 2

English → Chinese Full Text Level 7/10

For though I had been living almost eight years in Petersburg I had hardly an acquaintance.

虽然我在彼得堡生活了将近八年，却几乎没有一个相识的人。

But what did I want with acquaintances?

但我要相识的人又有什么用呢？

I was acquainted with all Petersburg as it was; that was why I felt as though they were all deserting me when all Petersburg packed up and went to its summer villa.

我熟悉整个彼得堡本来的样子；正因如此，当整个彼得堡收拾行囊、纷纷前往避暑别墅时，我感觉仿佛所有人都抛弃了我。

I felt afraid of being left alone, and for three whole days I wandered about the town in profound dejection, not knowing what to do with myself.

我害怕被独自留下，整整三天我在城中漫无目的地游荡，心情极度沮丧，不知道该拿自己怎么办。

Whether I walked in the Nevsky, went to the Gardens or sauntered on the embankment, there was not one face of those I had been accustomed to meet at the same time and place all the year.

无论我是漫步在涅瓦大街、前往花园，还是在堤岸上闲逛，都看不到一张我整年来习惯在同一时间同一地点遇见的面孔。

They, of course, do not know me, but I know them.

他们当然不认识我，但我认识他们。

I know them intimately, I have almost made a study of their faces, and am delighted when they are gay, and downcast when they are under a cloud.

我非常熟悉他们，几乎把他们的面孔当作一门学问来研究，他们高兴时我也欢喜，他们愁眉不展时我也跟着沮丧。

I have almost struck up a friendship with one old man whom I meet every blessed day, at the same hour in Fontanka.

我几乎与一位老人成了朋友，每天都在同一时刻于冯坦卡河畔与他相遇。

Such a grave, pensive countenance; he is always whispering to himself and brandishing his left arm, while in his right hand he holds a long gnarled stick with a gold knob.

他面容严肃而沉思；总是自言自语，挥舞着左臂，右手握着一根顶端镶有金钮的长而节瘤丛生的手杖。

He even notices me and takes a warm interest in me.

他甚至注意到了我，并对我表示出热切的关心。

If I happen not to be at a certain time in the same spot in Fontanka, I am certain he feels disappointed.

如果我碰巧没有在某一时刻出现在冯坦卡河畔的同一地点，我相信他一定会感到失望。

Vocabulary

虽然: suīrán — Although; even though; used to introduce a concession.
我: wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun.
在: zài — At; in; to be located at a place.
生活: shēnghuó — Life; to live; daily existence and lifestyle.
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or change of state.
将近: jiāngjìn — Almost; nearly; approaching a certain amount or time.
八年: bā nián — Eight years; a period of eight years.
却: què — Yet; but; however; indicates contrast or unexpectedness.
几乎: jīhū — Almost; nearly; very close to but not quite.
没有: méiyǒu — Don't have; there is no; negates possession or existence.
一个: yī gè — One; a single; general measure word for people or things.
相识: xiāngshí — Acquaintance; to know each other; mutually familiar.
的: de — Structural particle linking modifier to noun.
人: rén — Person; people; human being.
但: dàn — But; however; introduces a contrasting statement.
要: yào — To want; to need; will; expresses desire or necessity.
又: yòu — Again; also; additionally; repeated or additional action.
有: yǒu — To have; there is; to exist; indicates possession.
什么: shénme — What; whatever; used in questions or indefinite references.
用: yòng — Use; usefulness; to employ something for a purpose.
呢: ne — Sentence-final particle expressing rhetorical question or continuation.
熟悉: shúxī — To be familiar with; to know something well.
整个: zhěnggè — Entire; whole; the complete totality of something.
本来: běnlái — Originally; as it should be; naturally; from the start.
样子: yàngzi — Appearance; look; manner; the way something looks.
正因如此: zhèng yīn rúcǐ — Precisely because of this; exactly for this reason.
当: dāng — When; at the time of; while something is happening.
收拾: shōushi — To pack up; to tidy; to put things in order.
行囊: xíngnáng — Travel bag; luggage; belongings packed for a journey.
纷纷: fēnfēn — One after another; in succession; in large numbers.
前往: qiánwǎng — To go to; to head toward a destination.
避暑: bìshǔ — To escape summer heat; to spend time at a cool retreat.
别墅: biéshù — Villa; country house; a residence used for vacation.
时: shí — When; at the time; used to indicate a point in time.
感觉: gǎnjué — Feeling; sensation; to feel or sense something.
仿佛: fǎngfú — As if; seemingly; it seems like; resembling somewhat.
所有人: suǒyǒu rén — Everyone; all people; every single person.
都: dōu — All; both; every; indicates totality or inclusiveness.
抛弃: pāoqì — To abandon; to forsake; to leave someone or something behind.
害怕: hàipà — To be afraid; to fear; to feel frightened.
被: bèi — Passive marker; indicates the subject receives the action.
独自: dúzì — Alone; by oneself; without any companions.
留下: liúxià — To stay behind; to be left; to remain in a place.
整整: zhěngzhěng — Fully; exactly; a complete and whole amount of time.
三天: sān tiān — Three days; a period of three days.
城中: chéng zhōng — In the city; within the urban area; inside the town.
漫无目的: màn wú mùdì — Aimlessly; without purpose; wandering with no direction.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb or phrase to a verb.
游荡: yóudàng — To wander; to roam; to drift about without purpose.
心情: xīnqíng — Mood; state of mind; one's emotional disposition.
极度: jídù — Extremely; to the utmost degree; exceedingly intense.
沮丧: jǔsàng — Depressed; dejected; feeling low and disheartened.
不知道: bù zhīdào — To not know; to be unaware of something.
该: gāi — Should; ought to; indicates what is appropriate or necessary.
拿: ná — To take; to hold; to do something with.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself; self; reflexive pronoun referring to the subject.
怎么办: zěnme bàn — What to do; how to handle a situation or problem.
无论: wúlùn — No matter; regardless of; used before conditions or options.
是: shì — To be; is; am; are; the copula verb in Chinese.
漫步: mànbù — To stroll; to walk leisurely; a slow relaxed walk.
花园: huāyuán — Garden; park; a cultivated outdoor space with plants.
还是: háishì — Or; still; used to connect alternatives or show persistence.
堤岸: dī'àn — Embankment; riverbank; a raised bank along a waterway.
上: shàng — On; above; upper; indicates location on a surface.
闲逛: xiánguàng — To stroll idly; to wander around leisurely without purpose.
看不到: kàn bu dào — Cannot see; unable to catch sight of something.
一张: yī zhāng — One; measure word for flat objects like faces or paper.
整年: zhěng nián — The whole year; an entire year; all year long.
来: lái — To come; used as verb complement indicating direction.
习惯: xíguàn — Habit; to be accustomed to; a customary practice.
同一: tóngyī — Same; identical; the very same one being referenced.
时间: shíjiān — Time; period; a point or duration of time.
地点: dìdiǎn — Location; place; a specific spot or venue.
遇见: yùjiàn — To encounter; to meet by chance; to run into someone.
面孔: miànkǒng — Face; facial appearance; a person's countenance.
他们: tāmen — They; them; third-person plural pronoun.
当然: dāngrán — Of course; naturally; certainly; goes without saying.
不: bù — No; not; negation particle used before verbs and adjectives.
认识: rènshi — To know; to recognize; to be acquainted with someone.
非常: fēicháng — Very; extremely; unusually; to a very high degree.
把: bǎ — Preposition marking the object of a disposal construction.
当作: dàngzuò — To regard as; to treat as; to consider something to be.
一门: yī mén — One; measure word for academic subjects or disciplines.
学问: xuéwèn — Knowledge; learning; scholarship; academic or intellectual study.
研究: yánjiū — To research; to study in depth; academic investigation.
高兴: gāoxìng — Happy; glad; pleased; feeling joy or delight.
也: yě — Also; too; as well; indicates addition or similarity.
欢喜: huānxǐ — Joyful; delighted; to feel happiness and pleasure.
愁眉不展: chóu méi bù zhǎn — To look worried; furrowed brows showing anxiety or sadness.
跟着: gēnzhe — Following; along with; to follow behind someone.
与: yǔ — And; with; together with; formal conjunction or preposition.
一位: yī wèi — One; a polite measure word for a respected person.
老人: lǎorén — Old person; elderly person; an aged man or woman.
成了: chéngle — Became; turned into; successfully formed a relationship.
朋友: péngyou — Friend; companion; a person one has friendly relations with.
每天: měitiān — Every day; daily; each and every day without exception.
时刻: shíkè — Moment; at all times; a specific point or period in time.
于: yú — At; in; on; formal preposition indicating location or time.
河畔: hépàn — Riverside; riverbank; the area alongside a river.
他: tā — He; him; third-person singular masculine pronoun.
相遇: xiāngyù — To meet; to encounter each other; to come across someone.
面容: miànróng — Facial expression; countenance; the look on one's face.
严肃: yánsù — Serious; solemn; grave in manner or expression.
而: ér — And; but; while; connects clauses or contrasts qualities.
沉思: chénsī — Deep in thought; to ponder; absorbed in contemplation.
总是: zǒngshì — Always; invariably; at all times without exception.
自言自语: zì yán zì yǔ — To talk to oneself; to mutter; speaking without an audience.
挥舞: huīwǔ — To wave; to brandish; to swing something in the air.
着: zhe — Particle indicating ongoing action or attached state.
左臂: zuǒ bì — Left arm; the arm on the left side of the body.
右手: yòushǒu — Right hand; the hand on the right side of the body.
握着: wòzhe — Holding; gripping; grasping something firmly in the hand.
一根: yī gēn — One; measure word for long thin objects like sticks.
顶端: dǐngduān — Top end; tip; the uppermost part of an object.
镶有: xiāng yǒu — Inlaid with; set with; decorated by embedding something.
长: cháng — Long; lengthy; having great length or extent.
丛生: cóngshēng — Growing in clusters; knotted; thickly covered or overgrown.
手杖: shǒuzhàng — Walking stick; cane; a stick used for support while walking.
甚至: shènzhì — Even; even to the extent that; going as far as.
注意到: zhùyì dào — To notice; to become aware of; to take note of.
并: bìng — And; moreover; used to connect parallel actions or clauses.
对: duì — Toward; to; regarding; preposition indicating direction or target.
表示出: biǎoshì chū — To show; to express; to demonstrate a feeling or attitude.
热切: rèqiē — Earnest; keen; eagerly showing strong interest or concern.
关心: guānxīn — Care; concern; to show interest in someone's wellbeing.
如果: rúguǒ — If; in case; supposing that; introduces a conditional clause.
碰巧: pèngqiǎo — By chance; coincidentally; happening to occur accidentally.
某一: mǒu yī — A certain; some particular; referring to an unspecified one.
出现: chūxiàn — To appear; to show up; to come into view suddenly.
相信: xiāngxìn — To believe; to trust; to have confidence in something.
一定: yīdìng — Certainly; definitely; surely; with great certainty.
会: huì — Will; can; to be likely to; expresses ability or prediction.
感到: gǎndào — To feel; to sense; to experience an emotion or sensation.
失望: shīwàng — Disappointed; to feel let down; losing hope or expectation.

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