An interesting career
有趣的事业
As a child in rural England, Jim Brown was very much interested in Greek mythology.
吉姆·布朗是一个英国乡下长大的孩子，孩提时候，他对希腊神话非常感兴趣。
Sitting up late at night, he would garble up a Maria of the ancient Greek's mythical tales.
每天深夜，他都会如饥似渴地阅读许多古希腊神话故事。
Mind you when he was not reading, Jim was usually up to some naughty childhood prank or other.
有一点值得注意，如果不读神话的话，吉姆经常会和其他孩子一样淘气，喜欢做个恶作剧什么的。
He spent a great deal of time outdoors.
在室外活动上他总是花费大量时间，
And his life's ambition was to become a Greek naturalist.
他一生的最大愿望就是做一个伟大的自然主义者。
He was fascinated with mushrooms in particular. As it happened, he was living near Shorewood forest at the time.
他对蘑菇尤其感兴趣。凑巧的是，当时他正住在舍伍德森林附近，
And it was easy for him to enjoy his hobby. One particular interest of his were any mutations that might appear.
所以要满足这种嗜好还是很容易的，森林里任何可能发生的变化都让他感到兴奋。
Life took its course and after school, Jim was drafted as a navel cadet.
然而，生活的道路有它自己的取向。
All that drill and exercises helped him grow into a strong and muscular young man.
毕业以后，吉姆应征入伍，成为一名海军学员。
The key attraction is on any dance floor during shore leave.
部队各种各样的操练和演习把吉姆锻炼成了一个强壮的年轻人，每一次休假离船上岸的时候，他都会成为舞会中注目的焦点。
On leaving the navy, Jim decided to immigrate to the United States.
离开海军的前夕，吉姆决定移民去美国，
Soon after he took American nationality.
而且很快就获得了美国国籍。
Gone were his naturalistic bent and his naive pursuit of myth, but unlike so many others, he never pursued a career full of naked ambition.
此时，他对自然主义的爱好和他对神话的天真追求都已消失殆尽，但和其他人不同的是，吉姆从来就不追求那种充斥着赤裸裸的野心的所谓事业。
One guide in principle he believed in was that his mutual benefit, even though he got involved in a merrier business.
他坚信一条指导原则：相互受益；即使他总是被无数宗生意方面的事情包围着。
His investment in natural gas exploration turned out to be highly profitable.
他投资于天然气的开发勘探，并取得了巨额利润。
As he was an extremely generous and munificent man, he used to proportion the money he had made to donate a magnificent mural by a famous sculptor to the municipal offices of center Rosa, his chosen home town.
同时，他也非常慷慨大方，用所挣的一部分钱买了一幅由著名雕刻家制作的富丽堂皇的壁画作品，并把它捐赠绐了他所选择的家乡—圣罗莎市的市政机关。