美國語文第五冊 第272期：英吉利海峽追逐戰(zhàn)（02）
A few men were, however, seen clinging with wild frenzy to the cordage,
然而，就在那時，桅桿上端有幾位水兵拼命想抓住繩索，
dropping from rope to rope, like wounded birds fluttering through a tree,
卻接二連三地急遽掉落，“嘭”“嘭”地重重地摔進大海，猶如受傷鳥兒胡亂拍打顫抖的雙翼，
until they fell heavily into the ocean, the sullen ship sweeping by them in a cold indifference.
從樹叢高處跌落下來，盡管滿腔掠過不悅的神情，但官兵們只能束手無策。
At the next instant, the spars and masts of their enemy exhibited a display of men similar to their own,
緊接著，敵艦甲板的桅桿上亦有士兵陸續(xù)掉進海里，重復(fù)再現(xiàn)美艦甲板上的場景。
when Griffith again placed the trumpet to his mouth, and shouted aloud,
這時，格里菲斯船長再次拿起喇叭高聲叫喊，
“Give it to them; drive them from their yards, boys; scatter them with your grape; unreeve their rigging!”
“士兵們！開始炮擊！將敵人從桅桿上轟下來！連續(xù)炮擊，炸掉他們的桅桿！咬死他們！”
The crew of the American wanted but little encouragement to enter on this experiment with hearty good will,
微不足道的戰(zhàn)場煽情，一丁點由衷的熱切鼓勵，美軍防衛(wèi)艦上士兵們頓時群情激奮，
and the close of his cheering words was uttered amid the deafening roar of his own cannon.
勇氣倍增，船長激昂的話音未落，全船隨即淹沒在艦船發(fā)出一連串震耳欲聾的炮聲轟鳴。
The Pilot had, however, mistaken the skill and readiness of their foe;
然而，敵艦迅速敏捷的應(yīng)變能力，還是超出了領(lǐng)航員的估計與判斷，
for, notwithstanding the disadvantageous circumstances under which the Englishman increased his sail,
盡管面對英國人加大航速的不利局面，美軍防衛(wèi)艦并未亂了陣腳，
the duty was steadily and dexterously performed.
船艦仍然正常有序行進。
The two ships were now running rapidly on parallel lines,
兩艘戰(zhàn)艦互為平行地快速行駛，
hurling at each other their instruments of destruction with furious industry,
雙方猛烈地互相開炮攻擊，短兵相接，炸彈紛飛，
and with severe and certain loss to both, though with no manifest advantage in favor of either.
交火雙方損失慘重，但尚未有任何一方明顯占有上風(fēng)。
Both Griffith and the Pilot witnessed, with deep concern, this unexpected defeat of their hopes;
格里菲斯與領(lǐng)航員憂心忡忡地望著兩艦慘烈廝殺，這場未曾料想的海上激戰(zhàn)使他們原以為勝劵在握的希望落空，
