名著阅读

From planters’ homes and swamp cabins, a varied array of firearms came to each muster. There were long squirrel guns that had been new when first the Alleghenies were crossed, old muzzle-loaders that had claimed many an Indian when Georgia was new, horse pistols that had seen service in 1812, in the Seminole wars and in Mexico, silver-mounted dueling pistols, pocket derringers, double-barreled hunting pieces and handsome new rifles of English make with shining stocks of fine wood.
　
从农场主家里和沼泽地的棚屋里，一队一队的年轻人携带着武器奔向每个集合点。其中有初次越过阿勒格尼山脉时还很新的用来打松鼠的长杆枪，有佐治亚新开辟时打死过许多印地安人的老式毛瑟枪，有在1812年以及墨西哥和塞米诺尔战争中服过役的马上用的手枪，还有决斗用的镶银手枪、短筒袖珍手枪、双筒猎枪，漂亮的带有硬木枪托的英制新式来福枪，等等。

Drill always ended in the saloons of Jonesboro, and by nightfall so many fights had broken out that the officers were hard put to ward off casualties until the Yankees could inflict them. It was during one of these brawls that Stuart Tarleton had shot Cade Calvert and Tony Fontaine had shot Brent. The twins had been at home, freshly expelled from the University of Virginia, at the time the Troop was organized and they had joined enthusiastically; but after the shooting episode, two months ago, their mother had packed them off to the state university, with orders to stay there. They had sorely missed the excitement of the drills while away, and they counted education well lost if only they could ride and yell and shoot off rifles in the company of their friends.
　　
结束操练时，常常要在琼斯博罗一些酒馆里演出最后的一幕。到了傍晚，争斗纷纷发生，使得军官们十分棘手，不得不在北方佬打来之前便忙着处理伤亡事件了。就是在这样一场斗殴中，斯图尔特·塔尔顿开枪伤了凯德·卡尔弗特，托尼·方丹打伤了布伦特。那时这对孪生兄弟刚刚被弗吉尼亚大学开除回到家里，同时营队成立的时候，他们热情地参加了。可是枪伤事件发生以后，也就是说两个月前，他们的母亲打发他们去进了州立大学，命令他们留在那里不要回来。他们痛苦地怀念着操练时那股兴奋劲儿，觉得只要能够和伙伴们一起骑着马，嘶喊，射击，哪怕牺牲上学的机会也值得。

词汇释义

1.swamp n. 沼泽,湿地 v. 淹没,陷于沼泽

The heavy rain has turned the small garden into a swamp.
大雨使这小花园变成了一块沼泽地。

2.firearm n. 火器, 枪炮

3.muster v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起 n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

The troops mustered on the hill.
部队在小山上集合。

4.squirrel n. 松鼠, 松鼠皮毛 vt. 储存

The squirrel is a lovely small animal.
松鼠是一种可爱的小动物。

5.dueling n. 决斗，抗争

6.derringer n. <美>大口径短口手枪

7.brawl n. 争吵，大声的吵闹 vi. 争吵，发出大声吵闹

He is a timid boy; it's impossible for him to brawl with anyone.
他是一个胆小的男孩, 他不可能和任何人吵架。

8.episode n. 插曲,情节,片段,逸事

The first episode goes out next Friday evening at 8.00 pm.
下星期五晚上8时播出第一集.

9. sorely adv. 剧烈地, 痛苦地，极度地

We shall miss her sorely.
我们将会非常想念她。

难句解析

1.They had sorely missed the excitement of the drills while away, and they counted education well lost if only they could ride and yell and shoot off rifles in the company of their friends.

【难句解析】in the company of意思是“与...在一起”；

【句子翻译】他们痛苦地怀念着操练时那股兴奋劲儿，觉得只要能够和伙伴们一起骑着马，嘶喊，射击，哪怕牺牲上学的机会也值得。