美国语文第五册 第110期:慷慨的俄国农民(1)

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　　"The short and simple annals of the poor" engross² my pen; 《贫民简略编年史》一书，耗费我大量的写作时间，

　　and while I record the history of Flor Silin's virtues³, though I speak of a poor peasant, I shall describe a noble man. 包括叙述具有无私美德的菲洛·斯林一生，这位慷慨好施、品质高尚的人只是俄罗斯一位穷苦农民。

　　I ask no eloquence⁴ to assist me in the task; modest worth rejects the aid of ornament⁵ to set it off. 我无需用花哨雄辩的语言维系自己写作，唯有内心谦卑，摒弃辞藻华美，才能径入主题。

　　It is impossible, even at this distant period, to reflect without horror on the miseries⁶ of that year known in Lower Volga by the name of the "Famine Year." 即使年代沧桑久远，回想起来，我的内心恐惧依然挥之不去，总会联想那本题为《饥馑记年》一书中描述的当年纪实。

　　I remember the summer, whose scorching⁷ heats had dried up all the fields, and the drought had no relief but from the tears of the ruined farmer. 我还记得灾难发生的那个夏天，炙热烧焦舔干田野里所有庄稼，干旱未见丝毫减轻，绝望无助的农民眼里只有泪水。

　　I remember the cold, comfortless autumn, and the despairing rustics⁸, crowding round their empty barns,  那年秋天，天气寒冷难挨。饥饿的乡民聚集在自家空空的谷仓周围，

　　with folded arms and sorrowful countenances⁹, pondering on their misery¹⁰, instead of rejoicing, as usual, at the golden harvest. 他们束手无策，脸上满是悲哀迷惘，村庄不再像往年那样，庆贺秋天丰收季节的来临。

　　I remember the winter which succeeded, and I reflect with agony on the miseries it brought with it. 我还清楚记得那个接踵而至的冬天，空中弥漫一股濒死气息，

　　Whole families left their homes to become beggars on the highway. 无数家庭背井离乡外出乞讨。

　　At night the canopy¹¹ of heaven served them as their only shelter from the piercing winds and bitter frost. 夜晚，饥民们只能在野外露天安歇栖身，尽管天寒地冻，北风刺骨，那是他们歇宿的唯一选择。

　　To describe these scenes would be to harm the feelings of my readers; therefore, to my tale. 就我书中记录来看，描述那些悲哀场面可能会伤害读者的情感。

　　In those days I lived on an estate not far from Simbirsk; 当年饿殍遍野，我居住的地方离辛比尔斯克不远，

　　and, though but a child, I have not forgotten the impression made on my mind by the general calamity¹². 尽管我那时尚且年幼，那场饿殍遍野的恐怖印象仍然记忆犹新。

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