LESSON 49 The sailor's mother

第四十九课 水手的妈妈

One morning (raw it was and wet, A foggy day in winter time),

一个早上（冬天的一个雾霾天，阴冷寒湿），

A woman on the road I met,

我在路上见到一位女士。

Not old, though something past her prime;

虽然有东西遮盖住面貌，但是能看出年纪不大，

Majestic in her person, tall and straight;

出身高贵，身形高而挺直，

And like a Roman matron's was her mien and gait.

从神态和走路的步态上看，像是罗马贵族。

The ancient spirit is not dead;

古老的精神并未消失，

Old times, thought I, are breathing there:

我想古时代的风韵依然存在：

Proud was I that my country bred such strength, a dignity so fair:

我很自豪我的国家孕育出如此的力量，高贵美丽：

She begged an alms, like one in poor estate;

她正在领取救济品，像是深处困境，

I looked at her again, nor did my pride abate.

我又一次看向她，但是我的自豪感丝毫未减。

When from these lofty thoughts I woke.

我怀着崇高的想法，

"What is it," said I, "that you bear beneath the covert of your cloak,protected from this cold damp air?"

问道：是什么让你甘愿忍受在斗篷的掩盖之下，在这种寒冷天气来到这里？

She answered, soon as she the question heard,

她听到后回答说：

"A simple burden, sir—a little singing-bird."

先生，我的负担很小，只有一只唱歌的小鸟。

And, thus continuing, she said,

接着她继续说道：

"I had a son, who many a day sailed on the seas, but he is dead,—

我有个儿子，出海死了，

In Denmark he was cast away;

埋葬在丹麦，

And I have travelled weary miles,

我已经走了一段很疲惫的路程，

to see if aught which he had owned might still remain for me

我想看看他生前拥有的东西有没有为我留下来。

The bird and cage they both were his:

这只鸟和鸟笼都是我儿子的，

'Twas my son's bird; and neat and trim

这是我儿子养的鸟，很干净整洁，

He kept it: many voyages this singing-bird had gone with him:

他带着这只唱歌的鸟儿出过很多次海，

When last he sailed, he left the bird behind;

但是最后一次出海的时候把它留了下来，

From bodings, as might be, that hung upon his mind.

或许当时他就有不祥的预感了吧。

He to a fellow-lodger's care Had left it, to be watched and fed,

他把它留给了一位房客朋友照看喂养，

And pipe its song in safety;—there I found it when my son was dead;

我在我儿子死的地方发现了它。它当时正在唱歌，

And now, God help me for my little wit!

现在，上帝以我对儿子的执念而帮助了我，

I bear it with me, sir; he took so much delight in it."

我收养了它，因为我儿子曾在它身上得到很多快乐。

— Wordsworth

— 华兹华斯

QUESTIONS

问题

What was the old woman carrying? Where did she carry it? To whom had it belonged? What was he? What had become of him? What did he usually do with the bird when he went to sea? Why had he not taken it on his last voyage? Where had she found it? Why was she carrying it with her?

这位老妇人带了什么东西？她要带它去哪？它原本属于谁？他又是谁？他发生了什么？当他出海时他通常带着这只鸟做什么？为什么最后一次出海没有带上它？她又是在哪找到它的？她为什么要带着它？