The elder was peaceful, studious, and silent; the younger was warlike and noisy.
老大平和好學(xué)且沉默寡言,老二則挑釁好戰(zhàn),沉湎嬉鬧。
He was quick at learning when he began, but very slow at beginning.
每每開(kāi)始學(xué)習(xí),他反應(yīng)很快;一旦進(jìn)入課程便顯得格外魯鈍。
No threats of the ferule would provoke Harry to learn in an idle fit, or would prevent George from helping his brother in his lesson.
來(lái)自戒尺的懲戒對(duì)游手好閑的哈里無(wú)濟(jì)于事;同時(shí),亦無(wú)法阻止喬治協(xié)助弟弟躲避用功。
Harry was of a strong military turn, drilled the little negroes on the estate,
哈里的軍事悟性極高,他習(xí)慣模仿軍官,居然有模有樣地訓(xùn)練莊園一批黑人少年,
and caned them like a corporal, having many good boxing matches with them, and never bearing malice if he was worsted;
經(jīng)常習(xí)慣模仿軍士用藤杖鞭打那些少年,或與他們進(jìn)行激烈的拳擊競(jìng)賽,即使被打趴在地,哈里斷然亦不會(huì)心懷惡意或萌生怨恨;
—whereas George was sparing of blows, and gentle with all about him.
相反,喬治從不與人毆斗,對(duì)人總是溫和友善。
As the custom in all families was, each of the boys had a special little servant assigned him: and it was a known fact that George,
像當(dāng)?shù)厮匈F族家庭一樣,每個(gè)貴族男孩都有專(zhuān)門(mén)伺童跟從伺候,喬治有件軼事在當(dāng)?shù)責(zé)o人不曉。
finding his little wretch of a blackamoor asleep on his master's bed, sat down beside it,
一天,喬治發(fā)現(xiàn)自己伺童居然在他這個(gè)主人的床上睡著了,他一聲不吭地在床邊坐下,
and brushed the flies off the child with a feather fan, to the horror of old Gumbo,
拿起一把羽毛扇給那個(gè)小壞蛋攆蚊蟲(chóng);
the child's father, who found his young master so engaged, and to the indignation of Madam Esmond,
讓孩子爸爸、老黑奴甘博萬(wàn)分恐懼的是,埃斯蒙德夫人知道此事后惱怒萬(wàn)分
who ordered the young negro off to the proper officer for a whipping.
眼前兒子的年輕主子手腳一直忙活不停。她即刻吩咐攆走那小壞蛋去接受鞭刑。
In vain George implored and entreated— burst into passionate tears, and besought a remission of the sentence.
喬治的祈求全然無(wú)用,竟然在旁邊嚎啕大哭起來(lái),他苦苦哀求母親赦免他的仆從,
His mother was inflexible regarding the young rebel's punishment, and the little negro went off beseeching his young master not to cry.
當(dāng)然,埃斯蒙德夫人壓根不會(huì)放過(guò)對(duì)這個(gè)黑色小反骨的懲罰,那位小伺童卻走上前懇求他的小主人不要哭泣。