名著阅读

From them he learned what he found useful, and the rest he dismissed. He found poker the most useful of all Southern customs, poker and a steady head for whisky; and it was his natural aptitude for cards and amber liquor that brought to Gerald two of his three most prized possessions, his valet and his plantation. The other was his wife, and he could only attribute her to the mysterious kindness of God.

从他们那里他学到了他发现有用的东西，其余的便拒绝了。他发现玩扑克牌是所有的南方习俗中最有用的，只要会打扑克，加上一个喝威士忌的海量，就行了。玩牌和喝酒是杰拉尔德的天生癖性，给他带来了平生三样最受赞赏的财富中的两位，即他的管家和他的农常另一样便是他的妻子，他只能把她看作是上帝的神奇赐予了。

The, valet. Pork by name, shining black, dignified and trained in all the arts of sartorial elegance, was the result of an all-night poker game with a planter from St. Simons Island, whose courage in a bluff equaled Gerald’s but whose head for New Orleans rum did not. Though Pork’s former owner later offered to buy him back at twice his value, Gerald obstinately refused, for the possession of his first slave, and that slave the “best damn valet on the Coast,” was the first step upward toward his heart’s desire, Gerald wanted to be a slave owner and a landed gentleman.

他的管家叫波克，举止庄严，黑得又光又亮，且有全副出色的裁缝手艺，是他打了个通宵的扑克牌从一位圣·西蒙斯岛的地主手中赢来的。那个地主在敢于虚张声势方面与杰拉尔德不相上下，可是喝起新奥尔良朗姆酒来就不行了。尽管波克原先的主人后来要求以双倍的价钱把他买回去，杰拉尔德却断然地拒绝了，因为这是他占有的第一个奴隶，而且绝对是"海滨最好的管家"，称得上是他实现平生渴望的好开端，怎么能放弃呀？杰拉尔德一心一意要当奴隶主和拥有地主的上等人呢。

词汇释义

1.dismiss[dis'mis] vt. 解散，开除，逃避，（法律）驳回

He dismissed the unpleasant subject and talked about something else.
他不谈论这个令人不愉快的话题，而去谈论别的事情。

2.aptitude['æptitju:d] n. 才能，资质

Edison had a remarkable aptitude for inventing new things.
爱迪生具有发明创造的非凡才能。

3.amber n. 琥珀色，琥珀 adj. 琥珀色的，琥珀的

Amber satin and white lace are exactly what she desires.
琥珀色的缎子和白色的饰带正是她所想要的。

4.possession n. 财产，所有，拥有

The people had to gather up their few possessions and escaped abroad.
人们不得不收拾起仅有的一点财物逃到国外去。

5.attribute vt. 把 ... 归于 n. 属性，特征，标志，象征

They attribute their success to their teacher's encouragement.
他们把成功归因于老师的鼓励。

6.dignified['dignifaid] adj. 有威严的，有品格的 v. 使高贵，使有威严的 vbl. 使威严的，使高贵的

The farmhouse is dignified by the great elm around it.
这家农舍由于周围的大榆树而增光不少。

7.sartorial adj. 裁缝的，缝纫的

8.obstinately adv. 固执地，顽固地

Len remained obstinately silent.
莱恩固执地一言不发。

难句解析

1.He found poker the most useful of all Southern customs, poker and a steady head for whisky; and it was his natural aptitude for cards and amber liquor that brought to Gerald two of his three most prized possessions, his valet and his plantation. The other was his wife, and he could only attribute her to the mysterious kindness of God.

【难句解析】aptitude for...“在...上的天分”，She has an aptitude for language learning. 她在语言学习上很有天分；attribute sb. to...“将...视为”；

【句子翻译】他发现玩扑克牌是所有的南方习俗中最有用的，只要会打扑克，加上一个喝威士忌的海量，就行了。玩牌和喝酒是杰拉尔德的天生癖性，给他带来了平生三样最受赞赏的财富中的两位，即他的管家和他的农常另一样便是他的妻子，他只能把她看作是上帝的神奇赐予了。

2.Though Pork’s former owner later offered to buy him back at twice his value, Gerald obstinately refused, for the possession of his first slave, and that slave the “best damn valet on the Coast,” was the first step upward toward his heart’s desire, Gerald wanted to be a slave owner and a landed gentleman.

【难句解析】offer to的意思是“提议、愿意”，He offered to accomodate me. 他提出为我提供食宿；possession of sth.“对某物的占有”，All the farm is in the possession of him. 这整个农场都归他所有；

【句子翻译】尽管波克原先的主人后来要求以双倍的价钱把他买回去，杰拉尔德却断然地拒绝了，因为这是他占有的第一个奴隶，而且绝对是"海滨最好的管家"，称得上是他实现平生渴望的好开端，怎么能放弃呀？杰拉尔德一心一意要当奴隶主和拥有地主的上等人呢。