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As these reflections presented themselves to the Captain's mind, and by slow degrees assumed this shape and form, his visage cleared like a doubtful morning when it gives place to a bright noon. His eyebrows, which had been in the highest degree portentous, smoothed their rugged bristling aspect, and became serene; his eyes, which had been nearly closed in the severity of his mental exercise, opened freely; a smile which had been at first but three specks - one at the right-hand corner of his mouth, and one at the corner of each eye - gradually overspread his whole face, and, rippling up into his forehead, lifted the glazed hat: as if that too had been aground with Captain Cuttle,and were now, like him, happily afloat again.
当这些想法出现在船长心中，逐渐成形的时候，他的脸色开朗起来，就像阴云密布的早晨退让给阳光灿烂的中午一样。他的眉毛原先极为不祥地紧皱着，现在不再直直地竖立，而是舒展开来，安祥平静；他的眼睛原先在紧张的思想活动过程中几乎已经闭上了，现在则随意地张开；他的微笑最初只出现在三小点——嘴的右角和两只眼角——，现在逐渐扩展到整个脸庞，向上波送到前额，掀起了那顶上了光的帽子；这帽子原先仿佛跟卡特尔船长一样搁了浅，现在则又跟他一样，愉快地漂浮起来了。
Finally, the Captain left off biting his nails, and said, 'Now, Wal'r, my boy, you may help me on with them slops.' By which the Captain meant his coat and waistcoat.
船长终于不再咬指甲，说：“现在，沃尔特，我的孩子，你帮我穿上衣服吧！”船长指的是他的外衣和背心。
Walter little imagined why the Captain was so particular in the arrangement of his cravat, as to twist the pendent ends into a sort of pigtail, and pass them through a massive gold ring with a picture of a tomb upon it, and a neat iron railing, and a tree, in memory of some deceased friend. Nor why the Captain pulled up his shirt-collar to the utmost limits allowed by the Irish linen below, and by so doing decorated himself with a complete pair of blinkers; nor why he changed his shoes, and put on an unparalleled pair of ankle-jacks, which he only wore on extraordinary occasions. The Captain being at length attired to his own complete satisfaction, and having glanced at himself from head to foot in a shaving-glass which he removed from a nail for that purpose, took up his knotted stick, and said he was ready.
沃尔特想不出，船长系领带为什么会那么用心，他把垂下的两端拧成像辫子一样的东西，然后穿进一个大金戒指中，戒指上刻着一幅图画，画中有一座坟墓、一条洁净的铁栏杆和一株树，它是纪念某个死去的朋友的。沃尔特也想不出船长为什么把衬衫领子使劲往上拉，拉到下面的爱尔兰亚麻布衬衫所许可的最大限度，这样一来他看上去就有了一副完好的遮眼罩来装饰自己了。沃尔特也想不出，船长为什么脱下鞋子，换上那双世上无双的短靴，那是他在不寻常的场合才穿的。船长终于穿着完毕，自己完全感到称心满意；他从墙钉上取下一面修脸用的镜子，从头到脚把自己打量了一番，然后拿起他那根多节的手杖说，他已经准备好了。
The Captain's walk was more complacent than usual when they got out into the street; but this Walter supposed to be the effect of the ankle-jacks, and took little heed of. Before they had gone very far, they encountered a woman selling flowers; when the Captain stopping short, as if struck by a happy idea, made a purchase of the largest bundle in her basket: a most glorious nosegay, fan-shaped, some two feet and a half round, and composed of all the jolliest-looking flowers that blow.
当他们走上街道的时候，船长的步态比往常显得更加踌躇满志，但沃尔特以为那是由于短靴的作用，对它并不注意。他们没走多远，遇到一位卖花的女人，船长突然停下脚步，仿佛心血来潮，闪出一个巧妙主意似的；他把她篮子里最大的一束花买下来，那是一个极为光彩夺目、芳香四溢的花束，形状像扇子，周围约有两英尺半，全都由最鲜艳的花朵组成。
Armed with this little token which he designed for Mr Dombey, Captain Cuttle walked on with Walter until they reached the Instrument-maker's door, before which they both paused.
卡特尔船长准备了这份打算送给董贝先生的礼品之后，跟沃尔特继续向前走去，直到他们到达仪器制造商门前，两人才都停下脚步。
重点讲解
一.present:n.礼物, 现在 adj.出席的, 现在的, 当前的, 存在的 v.提出, 赠送, 呈现
【语法用法】
at present，for the present都属于固定搭配格式，不能修改成at the present，in present等其他格式。前者指“现在”，后者指“暂时”；
at present同presently意思不同，但前者常用于现在时，表示“目前”，后者则常用于将来时，表示“一会儿”；
present和gift的比较：present指“礼物”，但gift可以不是“礼物”。Birthday/Christmas gift中，gift属于礼物。在别人需要而将东西送给他时，如一本旧

书或是把书捐给图书馆，都属于gift，但不算送“礼”；
表示“把…送给（某人)”的几种说法：{He presented a book to her.
He presented her with a book.
He made her a present of a book.
He made a present of a book to her.
值得注意的是，present 作动词时，很少有双宾语。}
present作形容词时，常用于名词后，指“出席的”。
There are other people present.
还有其他人出席。
【错句举例与错句分析】
错句: Go to the post office and wait there; I will come at present.
订正: Go to the post office and wait there; I will presently.
翻译: 你到邮局那等会，我一会就来。
分析: 表示“一会儿”，用presently，at present常用现在时，表“现在”。
【词义辨析】
1.modern, contemporary, current, recent, present, up-to-date
这些形容词均有“现代的、当代的”之意。
modern指现代或近代，时期可长可短；也可指新颖、时髦的。
contemporary仅指当今这个时代，不涉及任何过去的时代，但可表示不同的人或物存在于同一时代。
current指目前存在和发生的。
recent表示新近的，最近的，时间的长短依据所修饰的人或物而定。
present是这些词中语气最强的一个。指现在正发生、起作用的。
up-to-date一般用于非正式场合，指很时新、能反映当前的最新发展。
2.offer, present, propose, volunteer
这些动词均含“提出、提供”之意。
offer最普通用词，多指主动提出或提供意见或东西等，但是否接受由对方自行决定。
present既可指提出意见、建议等，又可指拿出某物供人欣赏或赠送。
propose指直接而主动地提出问题或建议等，也指在讨论或争辨中提出具体意见或建议。
volunteer与offer同义，侧重出于自愿，而不是奉命做某事。
二.pause:n.暂停, 中止, 犹豫不决 vi.停顿, 中止
【词义辨析】
1.break, rest, pause, interval, recess, cease, stop, end
这些名词均含有“中止，停止，休息”之意。
break非正式用词，指突然的或短时间的中止，如工作或活动期间短暂休息。
rest指统称的休息。
pause指短暂的中断或停止，含再进行下去的意味。
interval指一出戏在幕与幕之间，音乐会上下串场之间或演出中预先安排的休息；也可泛指事件之间的一段时间。
recess正式用词，指业务活动或工作中短暂的或长时间的休息。
cease正式用词，侧重逐渐结束某活动或状态，含永远结束的意味。
stop普通用词，指迅速或突然中止某行为、活动或状态。
end多指“自然的结束”。
2.cease, pause, stop, halt, quit, end
这些动词均含有“停止”之意。
cease指逐渐、徐徐中止某种状态的存在。书面用词。
pause指暂时的、瞬间的停顿，隐含有再进行之意。
stop指动作、运行、进展等被停下来，含突然、断然的意味。
halt侧重突然地、决定性地终止、停止某一活动。
quit指最终彻底停止某事，有时暗示遭到失败或面临挫折。
end多指“自然的结束”。如：
The book ends on page 364．
该书在第364页结束。
【例句用法】
There was a pregnant pause before she answered my question.
她耐人寻味地停顿了一下才回答我的问题。
His words were followed by a pregnant pause.
他说完话，接着是一段意味深长的停顿。