美國語文第四冊 第24期：真正的男子漢（04）
He said, "Katy is in the house!" "In what room?" asked Fred.
湯姆說：“凱蒂在房子里！”“在哪間？”弗雷德問道。
"In that one, "pointing to a window in the upper story.
“就是那間。”湯姆指向了樓上的一扇窗戶。
It was no time for words, but for instant, vigorous action.
沒時(shí)間多說了，得馬上采取有力的行動。
The staircase was already on fire; there was but one way to reach Katy, and that full of danger.
樓梯已經(jīng)著火了?，F(xiàn)在只有一條路能到凱蒂房間，而這條路卻又異常危險(xiǎn)。
The second floor might fall at any moment, and Fred knew it.
弗雷德知道，房子的二樓隨時(shí)都有可能坍塌。
But he trusted in an arm stronger than his own, and silently sought help and guidance.
但是他信任那些比他有力氣的大人，然后輕聲地向他們尋求幫助和指導(dǎo)。
A ladder was quickly brought, and placed against the house.
人們很快拿來了一架梯子，把它搭在了房子外墻上。
Fred mounted it, followed by the hired man, dashed in the sash of the window,
弗雷德爬上了梯子，雇來的人緊隨其后，先后從窗框沖了進(jìn)去。
and pushed his way into the room where the poor child lay nearly suffocated with smoke.
他立刻奔向凱蒂的房間，那個(gè)可憐的孩子在里面被濃煙嗆得幾乎要窒息了。
He roused her with some difficulty, carried her to the window, and placed her upon the sill.
他費(fèi)力地叫醒凱蒂，將她抱到窗邊，放在窗臺上。
She was instantly grasped by strong arms, and carried down the ladder, Fred following as fast as possible.
她隨即被一雙強(qiáng)有力的胳膊緊緊抓住并抱下了梯子。弗雷德以最快的速度緊跟其后。
They had scarcely reached the ground before a crash of falling timbers told them that they had barely escaped with their lives.
他們剛一站到地面上就聽到了木頭掉落的撞擊聲，這說明剛才他們差點(diǎn)就沒機(jī)會逃命了。
Tom Barton never forgot the lesson of that night;
湯姆.巴頓永遠(yuǎn)也忘不了那天夜里的一課。
and he came to believe, and to act upon the belief, in after years, that true manliness is in harmony with gentleness, kindness, and self-denial.
在之后的歲月里，他開始相信并且用行動實(shí)踐這一信念，即真正的男子漢是溫柔、善良和自我犧牲的統(tǒng)一。
