美國語文第五冊 第66期：小鎮(zhèn)水泵（01）

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Noon, by the north clock!

中午，北方時鐘報時！

Noon, by the east! High noon, too, by those hot sunbeams which fall, scarcely aslope, upon my head, and almost make the water bubble and smoke in the trough under my nose.

中午，東方時鐘報時！正午，那熾火的光幾乎垂直瀉落到我的頭頂，我鼻子下水槽里的水即將沸騰冒煙，

Truly, we public characters have a tough time of it!

坦率地說，我們這些公眾人物居然身受如此磨難。

And among all the town officers, chosen at the yearly meeting, where is he that sustains, for a single year, the burden of such manifold duties as are imposed, in perpetuity, upon the Town Pump?

如果鎮(zhèn)政府大小一干官員，若有人被選中參加小鎮(zhèn)年度會議，是否意味一年內(nèi)他應該履行那些五花八門的職責，類似那些被永久賦予小鎮(zhèn)水泵身上的諸多義務(wù)？

The title of town treasurer is rightfully mine, as guardian of the best treasure the town has.

通過某種正當方式，我被授以小鎮(zhèn)財務(wù)長官的頭銜，如同小鎮(zhèn)那些寶貴資產(chǎn)的監(jiān)護人。

The overseers of the poor ought to make me their chairman, since I provide bountifully for the pauper, without expense to him that pays taxes.

那些濟貧會執(zhí)事們真該提名我為主席，由于我慷慨地為乞丐或貧民提供幫助，更無需讓他們繳稅。

I am at the head of the fire department, and one of the physicians of the board of health.

我是小鎮(zhèn)消防部門當仁不讓的主管，同時行使鎮(zhèn)上衛(wèi)生理事會醫(yī)生的崇高職責。

As a keeper or the peace, all water drinkers confess me equal to the constable.

作為小鎮(zhèn)的維護者，或者毋庸說安寧生活的守護者，所有飲水居民無不承認我的作用好比治安巡警。

I perform some of the duties of the town clerk, by promulgating public notices, when they are pasted on my front.

一旦鎮(zhèn)政府頒布公告張貼到我的身上，我甚至亦能履行小鎮(zhèn)官員的相應管理義務(wù)。

To speak within bounds, I am chief person of the municipality,

就言論許可范圍來說，我是小鎮(zhèn)當局的重要人物兼政務(wù)形象。

and exhibit, moreover, an admirable pattern to my brother officers by the cool, steady, upright, downright, and impartial discharge of my business, and the constancy with which I stand to my post.

此外，鑒于我的冷靜穩(wěn)定、誠信爽直，以及公正地勝任工作，堅持履行職責，對我的兄弟官員來說，難保不成為令人欽佩的光輝榜樣。

Summer or winter, nobody seeks me in vain;

無論寒寒暑秋冬，無論什么人，我一概有求必應。

for all day long I am seen at the busiest corner, just above the market, stretching out my arms to rich and poor alike;

從早到晚，我成天呆在市場上最繁忙的地方，不管窮人富人，都是以禮相待。

and at night I hold a lantern over my head, to show where I am, and to keep people out of the gutters.

每逢夜晚，我會在我的頭頂掛上一盞燈，表明我的存在，提醒鎮(zhèn)上居民小心溝坎。