英国语文第五册(双语):起火的大草原(6)
"Would you think to deprive the fire of its victims in this childish manner?" exclaimed Middleton.
“你认为用这样幼稚的方式就可以免受火灾的威胁吗？“米德尔顿大叫着。
A faint but solemn smile passed over the features of the old man, as he answered,
一丝苍白而又严肃的笑容掠过老者的脸，他随着回答道：
"Your grandfather would have said, that when the enemy was nigh, a soldier could do no better than obey."
“你祖父说过，当敌人在附近的时候，战士所能做的就是服从命令。”
The captain felt the reproof, and instantly began to imitate the industry of Paul, who was tearing the decayed herbage from the ground in a sort of desperate compliance with the trapper's direction.
队长意识到了话语中的责备的语气，立刻开始模仿勤快的保罗——他正撕扯着土地上残败的杂草，即使有一丝绝望，也顺从了老猎人的方法。
Even Ellen lent her hands to the labour; nor was it long before Inez was seen similarly employed, though none among them knew why.
艾伦甚至搭了一把手，不消一会儿，伊内兹也开始做同样的事情，尽管没人知道为什么要这样做。
A very few moments sufficed to lay bare a spot of some twenty feet in diameter.
片刻的功夫足够他们把直径二十英尺的一块土地暴露在面前。
To one side of this little area the trapper brought the females, directing Middleton and Paul to cover their light and inflammable dresses with the blankets of the party.
在这一小块土地的一头，猎人和女人们一起指导米德尔顿和保罗用大家的毯子盖住了身上容易着火的衣物。
Then the old man, crossing to the other side, approached the grass, which still environed them in a dangerous circle, and selecting a handful of the driest of the herbage, he placed it over the pan of his rifle.
然后老人走到另一头，来到杂草边，高高的茅草把他们围在一个危险的圆圈里面。老人拣出来一簇枯草，放在来复枪的支撑盘附近，
The light combustible kindled at the flash.
引火点燃了枯草。
Then he placed the little flame in a bed of the standing fog, and patiently awaited the result.
然后他把小小的火苗放在了冒着青烟的席草上，并退到这块圆形土地中间来，他耐心地等待着结果。
The subtle element seized with avidity upon its new fuel, and in a moment forked flames were gliding among the grass, as the tongues of ruminating animals are seen rolling among their food, apparently in quest of its sweetest portions.
微小的火苗贪婪地攫取着新的燃料，片刻火苗分叉，滑行穿过草原，火舌翻滚，就像反刍的动物，明显在追逐着最甜美的食物。
"Now," said the old man, holding up a finger, and laughing in his peculiarly silent manner, "you shall see fire fight fire.
老人的神情古怪而沉静，表情中显露出一丝笑意，他用手指头指着说；“现在，你们会看到火苗吞噬火苗！
Ah's me! many is the time I have burned a path from wanton laziness to pick my way across a tangled bottom."
这就是我的方法！我用这种方法多次烧出一条出路，我绝不是过度的懒惰，只是为了弄清如何走出去，为了寻找办法。”
