(单词翻译:单击)
大家好。不知道您有没有尝试过闭着眼睛走在路上,即使身边有人牵着你的手,心中也会有种莫名的不安与恐慌。Colonel中校就因为不愿继续在无助,寂寞和黑暗里继续活着,而打算选择结束自己的生命。正是因为Charlie的坚持才让他明白,即便眼睛瞎了,即便老了,他依然可以做点什么,依然充满魅力。两个在迷途中的人就是在相互扶持的路上,萌生出了父子般的情感。最后,在类似学校公审的大会上,也是Coleney中校以Charlie父母好友的身份出席,并用充满激情和极富煽动力的演讲帮助Charlie解决了困境。一起来听。
Colonel: I don't know who went to this place. William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryant, William Tell, whoever. Their spirit is dead, if they ever had one. It's gone. You're building a rat ship here, a vessel for seagoing snitches. And if you think you're preparing these minnows for manhood, you’d better think again, because I say you are killing the very spirit①...this institution proclaims it instills. What a shame! What kind of a show are you guys putting on here today? I mean, the only class② in this act is sitting next to me. I'm here to tell you this boy's soul is intact. It's non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here, and I'm not gonna say who, offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn't selling. 我不知道谁念过博德。塔夫,伯恩,铁尔,等等。他们精神已死,如果曾经有的话。现在什么都没了。你在这培育的是老鼠大队。一堆卖友求荣客。如果你以为在锻炼虾兵成龙头,还是三思吧,因为你正扼杀了这所学府所坚持的精神。真是耻辱。你们今天给我看的是什么秀?唯一有格调的就坐在我旁边!我可以告诉你,这孩子的灵魂没有被污染。无庸争辩。为什么我知道?有人,我不说是谁,要收买他,但查理不为所动。
Headmaster: Sir, you're out of order. 你太过份了。
Colonel: I show you out of order. You don't know what out of order is, Mr. Trask. I'd show you, but I'm too old, I'm too tired, too fucking blind. If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take...a flamethrower to this place! Out of order? Who the hell you think you're talking to? I've been around③, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothing like the sight...of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sending this splendid foot soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs④, but I say you are executing his soul! And why? Because he's not a Baird man. Baird men. You hurt this boy, you're gonna be Baird bums, the lot of you. And, Harry, Jimmy,Trent, wherever you are out there, fuck you too!我告诉你什么叫过份。你根本不知道什么叫过份,我想给你示范一下,但我现在太老太累又瞎。如果是五年前,我会带喷火枪来这儿!你以为你在跟谁说话?我是见过世面的,明白吗?有一度,我还看得见,我见过很多很多,更年轻的男孩,胳膊掉了,腿被炸断。但那些都不及丑陋的灵魂可怕。灵魂不可能有义肢。你以为你只是把这好青年像落荒狗似的送回家,我说你是处死了他的灵魂。为什么?因为他不是博德人。博德人,伤了这男孩你就是博德孬种,你们全是。而哈瑞,吉米,博德,不管你们坐在哪里,去你妈的!
相当激动的情绪,相当激烈的言辞。不过,Colonel中校的演讲还没有落幕,更多精彩我我们留到下期。还是先来看看文章当中的几个特殊用法吧。
1. the very spirit, very作副词的用法大家都很熟悉了。其实它还可以用作形容词,表示正是;恰好的;真正的。比如:You are the very man I’m looking for. 你正是我要找的人。
2. the only class, 口语当中class有高质量的;出色风度的这样的意思。比如,a girl with real class就表示有风度的姑娘。这里指代Charlie是现场最有品的人。
3. I’ve been around. Have been around是个一个固定用法。相当于一个形容词,表示阅历多的;世故深的。比如:Most writers have been around a lot. 很多作家阅历甚广。本段内容里,Colonel中校对校长的不敬反击,说自己也是见过大世面的人。
4. with his tail between his legs, 这个表达法和汉语中我们常说的夹着尾巴逃跑了意思差不多。
好了,本期我们就听到这里吧。下期再见。