美国语文第五册 第230期:捕捉野马(6)

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　　but a noose³ was slipped over her head, and her struggles were in vain.  可一条套索套上它的头颈，顷刻之间，它的拼命挣扎完全失去意义。

　　It was some time, however, before she gave over rearing and plunging⁴, and lashing⁵ out with her feet on every side.  然而，好大一会儿工夫，那母马狂乱地尥蹄乱跳，前蹄后蹄死命猛踢，

　　The two rangers⁶ then led her along the valley, by two strong lariats,  两位骑手用两条结实的绳索死死拽住马，

　　which enabled them to keep at a sufficient distance on each side to be out of the reach of her hoofs⁷,  沿着河谷兜转，绳索很长，骑手与马匹才能保持相当距离，确保不会被马踢到。

　　and whenever she struck out in one direction she was jerked in the other.  无论马朝哪边拼命挣脱，另一边绳索亦会紧紧拴着它动弹不得。

　　In this way her spirit was gradually subdued⁸. 最后，那马终于被驯服地安静下来。

　　As to Tonish, who had marred⁹ the whole scene by his precipitancy,  那位由于鲁莽草率而打乱整个围猎计划的托尼斯，

　　he had been more successful than he deserved, having managed to catch a beautiful cream-colored colt about seven months old,  此行收获不小，他捕获了一匹大约七个月大小的奶油色马驹，

　　that had not strength to keep up with its companions.  那弱小马驹实在无力跟上马群。

　　The mercurial¹⁰ little Frenchman was beside himself with exultation¹¹.  那位活泼机智、矮小的法国佬大喜过望地站在托尼斯身边，

　　It was amusing to see him with his prize.  看着托尼斯收获，开怀放肆地大笑起来。

　　The colt would rear and kick, and struggle to get free, when Tonish would take him about the neck,  小马驹后尥前踢，挣扎着想逃走，突然，托尼斯一把抓住它的脖子，

　　wrestle¹² with him, jump on his back, and cut as many antics as a monkey with a kitten.  朝它打个响亮呼哨，一个鹞子翻身跃到它的背上，像猴子耍逗小猫般尽情作乐，扮出一连串滑稽不堪的怪脸。

　　Nothing surprised me more, however, than to witness how soon these poor animals,  没有任何事情能比这更让人激动不已，看着这些可怜的野马，

　　thus taken from the unbounded freedom of the prairie, yielded to the dominion¹³ of man.  如此迅捷地被人们从它们无拘无束、自由生活的大草原上掳走，从此，它们不得不屈从人的意志。

　　In the course of two or three days the mare and colt went with the led horses and became quite docile¹⁴.  两三天内，那匹母马和小马驹将被牵到备用马群中，很快将接受人为残酷的驯服。

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