美国语文第五册 第39期:致命的虫豸(1)

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　　An unexpected sight of either of these reptiles¹ will make even the lords of creation recoil²; 这两种虫豸，无论哪一种与你不期而遇，哪怕作为生物界主宰的人类亦会惊恐万分；

　　but there is a species of worm, found in various parts of this country, 不过，还有一种极为特异的蠕虫，这种蠕虫在美国不少地区业已相继发现，

　　which conveys a poison of a nature so deadly that, compared with it, even the venom³ of the rattlesnake is harmless. 这种蠕虫分泌出某种致命的天然毒液，与其相比，响尾蛇对人的伤害委实是小巫见大巫。

　　To guard our readers against this foe⁴ of human kind is the object of this lesson. 本文旨在指导读者如何预防来自人类敌人的伤害。

　　This worm varies much in size. 这种蠕虫体形差异很大。

　　It is frequently an inch in diameter, but, as it is rarely seen except when coiled, its length can hardly be conjectured⁵. 通常其直径达到一英寸，但除非蠕虫盘绕成团，这种情形极为鲜见，因此蠕虫长度几乎难以估测。

　　It is of a dull lead color, and generally lives near a spring or small stream of water, 蠕虫呈暗铅色，通常盘踞在泉水或细小溪流附近，

　　and bites the unfortunate people who are in the habit of going there to drink. The brute⁶ creation it never molests⁷. 对前去饮水的人发动攻击。蠕虫从不攻击猛兽，

　　They avoid it with the same instinct that teaches the animals of India to shun⁸ the deadly cobra. 与此同时，那些北美猛兽出于相同本能亦尽量避免与蠕虫接触，甚至知道如何避开致命的眼镜蛇。

　　Several of these reptiles have long infested⁹ our settlements, to the misery¹⁰ and destruction of many of our fellow citizens. 世界上存在好几种长期侵扰人类的爬行虫豸，它们给人们生命酿成不幸或导致灾难。

　　I have, therefore, had frequent opportunities of being the melancholy¹¹ spectator of the effects produced by the subtile poison which this worm infuses. 这种蠕虫刺入人体哪怕极少或微量体液，亦会给人带来不可避免的悲剧。不幸的是，这类受害者对我来说，实在是司空见惯。

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