名著阅读

Abel was a shrewd, grave giant, illiterate, kind of heart, older than the other boys and with as good or better manners in the presence of ladies. There was little snobbery in the Troop. Too many of their fathers and grandfathers had come up to wealth from the small farmer class for that. Moreover, Abel was the best shot in the Troop, a real sharpshooter who could pick out the eye of a squirrel at seventy-five yards, and, too, he knew all about living outdoors, building fires in the rain, tracking animals and finding water. The Troop bowed to real worth and moreover, because they liked him, they made him an officer. He bore the honor gravely and with no untoward conceit, as though it were only his due. But the planters' ladies and the planters’ slaves could not overlook the fact that he was not born a gentleman, even if their men folks could.

艾布尔是个精明沉着的大个儿，不识字，心地和善，比别的小伙子年龄大些，在妇女面前也表现得较有礼貌。"营"里很少有骄下媚上的现象。他们的父亲和祖父大多是以小农致富的，不会有那种势利眼。而且艾布尔是"营"里最好的射击手，一杆真正的"神枪"，他能够在７５码外瞄准一只松鼠的眼睛，也熟悉野外生活，会在雨地里生火，会捕捉野兽，会寻找水源。"营"里很尊重有本事的人，而且由于大伙喜欢他，所以让他当了军官。他严肃对待这种荣誉，不骄傲自大，好像这不过是他的本份。可是那些农场主太太们和他们的农奴们却不能宽恕他并非生来就是上等人这一事实，尽管她们都做到了。
　
In the beginning, the Troop had been recruited exclusively from the sons of planters, a gentleman’s outfit, each man supplying his own horse, arms, equipment, uniform and body servant. But rich planters were few in the young county of Clayton, and, in order to muster a full-strength troop, it had been necessary to raise more recruits among the sons of small farmers, hunters in the backwoods, swamp trappers, Crackers and, in a very few cases, even poor whites, if they were above the average of their class.These latter young men were as anxious to fight the Yankees, should war come, as were their richer neighbors; but the delicate question of money arose.

开始，这个"营"只从农场主的子弟中招募营丁，因而可以说是个上层的组织；他们每人自备马匹、武器、装备、制服和随身仆人。但是有钱的农场主在克莱顿这个新辟的县毕竟很少，同时为了建立一支充实的武装力量，便必须从小农户和森林地带的猎户、沼泽地捕兽者、山地居民，有时甚至穷白人（只要他们在本阶级的一般水平之上）的子弟中招募更多的新兵。后一部分青年人也和他们的富裕邻居一样，渴望着战争一爆发便去找北方佬，但金钱这个微妙的问题却随之产生了。

词汇释义

1.shrewd adj. 精明的

His skill in negotiating earned him a reputation as a shrewd tactician.
他的谈判技巧使他赢得了精明战略家的名声。

2.snobbery n. 充绅士气派, 俗不可耐的性格

Her novel is a satire on social snobbery.
她的小说是描写势利小人的讽刺作品.

3.squirrel n. 松鼠, 松鼠皮毛 vt. 储存

A squirrel hoards nuts for the winter.
松鼠为过冬贮藏坚果。

4.conceit n. 自负, 自大，个人观点，幻想，巧妙的构思

This young man is full of conceit.
这个年轻人非常自负。

5.exclusively [iks'klu:sivli] adv. 排他地(独占地,专门地,仅仅,只)

This room is exclusively for women.
这个房间是供妇女专用的。

6.delicate ['delikit] n. 精美的东西 adj. 精美的,微妙的,美味的,纤细的,脆弱的,敏锐的

The international situation is very delicate at present.
目前的国际形势极其微妙。