美国语文第六册 第186期:占卜者(4)

（单词翻译）

With a tolerably good memory, and some share of cunning, I succeed reasonably well as a fortune teller¹.

由于记忆力颇好，在某种程度上也少不了狡猾，作为一名占卜者我能成功就显得合情合理了。

With this, and showing the tricks of that dog, I make shift to pick up a livelihood².

再者，那条狗很会玩把戏，因此我就这样谋生。”

"My trade is none of the most honest,

“我干的这一行算不上诚实，

yet people are not much cheated after all, who give a few half-pence for a prospect³ of happiness, which I have heard some persons say, is all a man can arrive at in this world.

不过人们毕竟没有被骗多少钱，我曾听一些人说过，那些给几便士来占卜未来幸福的，都是一个人来到这个世界上的人。

But I must bid you good day, sir; for I have three miles to walk before noon,

但是先生，我必须和你赌今天天气好，因为在中午前我还要步行三英里，

to inform some boarding-school young ladies whether their husbands are to be peers of the realm or captains in the army;

向寄宿学校的年轻女士打听她们的丈夫是否是有身份的人，或者在军队担任军官；

a question which I promised to answer them by that time."

那时，我保证回答她们提出的一个问题。”

Harley had drawn⁴ a shilling from his pocket; but Virtue⁵ bade him to consider on whom he was going to bestow⁶ it.

哈特利从衣袋里掏出一先令；但是，道德天使让他对应该把这一先令给谁略加思量。

Virtue held back his arm; but a milder form, a younger sister of Virtue's, not so severe as Virtue, nor so serious as Pity, smiled upon him;

道德天使拽住了他的胳膊，不过这是一种温和的方式，是道德天使的妹妹，不像道德天使那样严厉。也不像怜悯天使那样庄重，他脸上浮出微笑。

his fingers lost their compression; nor did Virtue appear to catch the money as it fell.

他的手指没有紧捏着那一先令，显然道德天使也不会紧攥着钱的。

It had no sooner reached the ground than the watchful⁷ cur (a trick he had been taught) snapped it up;

就在这一先令快要落地时，那条警觉的狗赶忙衔住，

and, contrary to the most approved method of stewardship⁸, delivered it immediately into the hands of his master.

但不同于其他管家的是，它马上把钱交到主人的手上。