【名著阅读】名著精读《飘》第一章 第23节

来源:仪征中学 时间:2023-04-28
 

Fewsmallfarmersownedhorses.Theycarriedontheirfarmoperationswithmulesandtheyhadnosurplusofthese,seldommorethanfour.Themulescouldnotbesparedtogoofftowar,eveniftheyhadbeenacceptablefortheTroop,whichtheyemphaticallywerenot.Asforthepoorwhites,theyconsideredthemselveswelloffiftheyownedonemule.Thebackwoodsfolksandtheswampdwellersownedneitherhorsesnormules.

小农中很少有人是有马的。他们是使用骡子耕作,也没有富余的,最多不过四头骡子。这些骡子即使营里同意接受,也不能从田里拉到战场呀,何况营里还口口声声说不要呢。至于那些穷白人,他们只要有一头骡子便自以为满不错了。边远林区的人和沼泽地带的居民既无马也没有骡子。

Theylivedentirelyofftheproduceoftheirlandsandthegameintheswamp,conductingtheirbusinessgenerallybythebartersystemandseldomseeingfivedollarsincashayear,andhorsesanduniformswereoutoftheirreach.Buttheywereasfiercelyproudintheirpovertyastheplanterswereintheirwealth,andtheywouldacceptnothingthatsmackedofcharityfromtheirrichneighbors.

他们完全靠林地里的出产和沼泽中的猎物过活,做生意也是以物换物,一年看不见五元现金,要自备马匹、制服是办不到的。可是这些人身处贫困仍非常骄傲,就像那些拥有财富的农场主一样;他们决不接受来自富裕邻居的任何带施舍意味的东西。

So,tosavethefeelingsofallandtobringtheTroopuptofullstrength,Scarlettsfather,JohnWilkes,BuckMunroe,JimTarleton,HughCalvert,infacteverylargeplanterintheCountywiththeoneexceptionofAngusMacintosh,hadcontributedmoneytocompletelyoutfittheTroop,horseandman.Theupshotofthematterwasthateveryplanteragreedtopayforequippinghisownsonsandacertainnumberoftheothers,butthemannerofhandlingthearrangementswassuchthatthelesswealthymembersoftheoutfitcouldaccepthorsesanduniformswithoutoffensetotheirhonor.

在这种局面下,为了保持大家的感情和把军营建成一个充实的组织,思嘉的父亲,约翰·威尔克斯,巴克·芒罗,吉姆·塔尔顿,休·卡尔弗特,实际除宁格斯·麦金托什以外,全县每个大农场主,都捐钱把军营全面装面起来,马匹和人员也一样。这件事是由每个农场主同意出钱装备自己的儿子和别的若干人开始的,但经过适当的安排以后,营里那些不怎么富裕的成员也就能够坦然接受他们的马匹和制服而不觉得有失体面了。

TheTroopmettwiceaweekinJonesborotodrillandtoprayforthewartobegin.Arrangementshadnotyetbeencompletedforobtainingthefullquotaofhorses,butthosewhohadhorsesperformedwhattheyimaginedtobecavalrymaneuversinthefieldbehindthecourthouse,kickedupagreatdealofdust,yelledthemselveshoarseandwavedtheRevolutionary-warswordsthathadbeentakendownfromparlorwalls.

营队每周在琼斯博罗集合两次,进行操练和祈祷战争早日发生。马匹还没有备齐,但那些有马的人已经在县府背后的田野里搞起了他们想象中的骑兵演习,搅起满天灰尘土,扯着嘶的嗓子叫喊着,挥舞着从客厅墙上取下来的革命战争时代的军刀。

Thosewho,asyet,hadnohorsessatonthecurbinfrontofBullardsstoreandwatchedtheirmountedcomrades,chewedtobaccoandtoldyarns.Orelseengagedinshootingmatches.Therewasnoneedtoteachanyofthe

 
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