BBC英国史

What's truly amazing and very touching about the spring and summer of 1642

1642年春夏 真正令人震惊和触动的是

is the abundance of evidence we have about the agonies of allegiance:

大量史料证明当时很多人 处在忠义难两全的窘境之中

The real soul searching that people went through when they were pondering the most painful and weightiest decision of their lives

人们向灵魂深处探寻 试图做出他们一生中 最痛苦最重大的抉择

which side to join themselves to,and how earnestly and how honestly they tried to justify that decision to their families,

他们该加入哪个阵营 他们急切而坦诚地试图向 亲朋好友证明决定的正确性

their friends and not least, to themselves.

更重要的是要向他们自己证明

Cruellest of all, it tore fathers away from sons.

最残酷的是这场战争竟导致父子反目

The sad history of one Buckinghamshire family says it all.

白金汉郡一家人家的遭遇是这场悲剧的缩影

The Verneys had been the very model of a loving, companionable gentry family,

瓦内一家本来是 和睦的模范家庭

but they were torn apart in this crisis.

但在这次危机中却四分五裂

Ralph had sat next to his father during the great parliaments of 1640,

在1640年那次伟大的议会上 拉尔夫就坐在他父亲身边

but now he not only expressed support for the parliamentary cause

当下他不仅表明要支持议会

but actually swore the oath required of all members after the militia ordinance.

而且依照民兵条例 对议会宣誓效忠

Now, oaths were very serious things in the 17th century,

在十七世纪宣誓是很严肃的事情

and taking this one split Ralph not only from his father,

为了履行誓言拉尔夫不得不离开父亲

but from his hothead younger Royalist brother Edmund,

离开他忠诚于保皇党的弟弟埃德蒙

who absolutely failed to see why Ralph should not be honouring not only his father but the king.

弟弟显然不能理解 拉尔夫此刻选择 违抗父命违抗王命的原因

And yet, and yet, the Verneys did remain a family.

尽管如此瓦内们仍然是一家人

Ralph had made his vow to parliament,

拉尔夫宣誓效忠议会

but his father felt under no less obligation to Charles.

他父亲则觉得应该追随查理

It was a bond of personal loyalty which held,despite Edmund having little enthusiasm for what the king had done.

尽忠只是为了履行义务 事实上埃德蒙 对国王的所作所为毫无好感

词汇解析

1、go through

经历，经受（尤指苦难或艰难时期）

He was going through a very difficult time.

他正处于非常艰难的时期。

South Africa was going through a period of irreversible change.

南非正在经历一场不可逆转的变革。

翻阅；翻找；整理

It was evident that someone had gone through my possessions.

显然有人翻过我的物品。

通读；彻查

Going through his list of customers is a massive job.

查阅他的客户名单是个相当费劲的活儿。

重复；例行做

Every night, they go through the same routine: he throws open the bedroom window, she closes it.

他们每天晚上都要上演这么一出戏：他打开卧室的窗户，她又把它关上。

（法律、协议等）被通过；（决定）被批准

The bill might have gone through if the economy was growing.

要是当时经济在增长的话，该法案或许也就获得通过了。

2、absolute

完全的；彻底的

It's not really suited to absolute beginners.

它并不真正适合从零开始的初学者。

A sick person needs absolute confidence and trust in a doctor.

病人需要对医生有绝对的信心和信任。

十足的；地道的

About 12 inches wide is the absolute minimum you should consider.

12英寸左右的宽度绝对是你应考虑的最低值。

I think it's absolute nonsense.

我认为那十足是无稽之谈。