评论
打印
One Chance
一次机会
The tiny antique silver pin lay in my hand. I stared hard at the solemn face looking back at me from the oval frame.
那枚小小的旧银别针就放在我的手上。我紧盯着那张从椭圆形镜框里反过来看着我的严肃面孔。
I was looking for some resemblance between my ancestor and myself.
我在寻找我的祖先和我自己之间的某些相似之处。
Her brow was broad and strong, the eyes kind and forgiving.
她的眉毛宽大浓密，眼睛里温和慈祥。
She wore a stiff black bonnet, a high white collar and a coarsely woven shawl around her shoulders.
她戴着一顶绷紧的黑色软帽，高白领，肩上披着一条做工粗糙的披肩。
In examining her face more closely, maybe I could identify some similarity around the eyes and the nose.
再近点观察她的脸孔，或许我能在眼睛和鼻子周围辨认出一些相似的地方。
An inner strength shone from the eyes of this diminutive lady who had helped lead her family from Ireland to the New World.
从这位身材矮小的女士的眼里，透射出一种内在的力量，她曾帮助和带领她的家庭，从爱尔兰来到了新世界。
The times, in Ireland during the 1770's, were difficult for everyone.
那时候，在18世纪70年代的爱尔兰，人人处境艰难。
John and Lily Love and all the tenants of the Barren's Court Estate were suffering after terrible floods destroyed their crops.
一场特大洪水毁掉了他们的庄稼之后，约翰和莉莉·洛夫一家像其他所有的巴伦斯宫廷庄园的佃户一样痛苦不堪。
The landlord was generous in allowing the land rent to fall into arrears, due to the difficult times.
庄园主还算慷慨，鉴于这个艰难时期，允许佃户们拖欠租金。
However, as weather conditions continued to worsen, the little family became pessimistic and felt desperate about the direction of their lives.
然而，天气状况持续恶化，这个小家庭变得悲观起来，对他们的生活前途感到绝望。
Nearly every family at this time had at least one member of their family who had left for the New World.
那个时候，几乎每个家庭至少有一名家庭成员出走前往新世界。
The ugly face of famine was lurking everywhere. It was not possible with one acre of arable land to make a living.
饱受饥荒之苦的憔悴面容到处都是。要靠一英亩耕地生活是不可能的。
Late one night, after the children were in bed, John and Lily discussed the possibility of making a reservation aboard a sailing ship bound for America.
一天夜里，孩子们入睡以后，约翰和莉莉讨论起预定船只前往美国的可能性。
John had noticed a poster in the town square, that posted by a ship's owner trying to recruit people for his ship.
就在当天，约翰在市镇广场上看到一张海报，是船主张贴出来招揽乘客的。
John knew that conditions aboard ship would not be ideal for Lily, her new infant son and the two elder boys; however, she acknowledged that settling in America would be the only way for the family to gain some independence and to earn a living.
约翰知道船上的条件对莉莉不大合适，她有一个刚出生的婴儿和两个大点的男孩，但是，她认为在美国定居将是这个家庭取得独立和谋生的唯一出路。
More importantly, it was rumored that land was free in the new country. Lily gave her consent to leave.
更重要的是，据说在那个新国家土地是免费的。莉莉也赞成出去。
In port, the sailing ship, Hannah, under the command of Captain Mitchell lay at anchor.
在港口，那艘帆船“汉纳”号，在米切尔船长的指挥下，正抛锚停泊。
The adventure of crossing the Atlantic Ocean bound for Philadelphia would take two to three months.
跨越大西洋前往费城的冒险要花两到三个月。
Passengers were assured there would be the best provisions and plenty of barrels of fresh water.
乘客们被许诺有最好的食品供应和充足的淡水。
Storms could be fierce and living conditions below deck would be primitive.
暴风雨可能很猛烈，甲板下面的生活条件将是很单调的。
John joined the long queue and eventually after a lengthy wait, reached the revenue table.
约翰加入到了那长长的队列里，等了很久以后，终于来到付款台前。
He affixed his signature to the contract promising to pay five pounds per person for berths aboard ship.
他在合同上签了字，按要求为乘坐那艘船的每个人付5英镑。
The clerk returned the receipt to John indicating that the sum of money had been paid.
办事员为约翰开了收据，表示钱已付清。
Once under sail the three hundred passengers found themselves crowded into miserable conditions.
可是一上船，三百名乘客发现船上非常拥挤，条件很恶劣。
The smell of so many people crowded together was offensive. The breadth of the vessel was narrow and the headroom below deck minimal.
这么多人挤在一起，气味简直让人受不了。船舱狭窄又很低矮。
As the tiny craft sailed out of Lough Foyle, and entered the Atlantic Ocean, it started to roll ominously and those aboard wondered if they would survive the long voyage ahead or be swallowed up by the enormous waves.
小船驶离洛夫福伊进入大西洋的时候，就开始不祥地摇晃起来，船上的人担心他们是否能够安全完成航程还是会被巨浪吞噬。
Seasickness was everywhere and people had no appetite.
到处都是晕船的，人们没有食欲。
The food, instead of being of high quality as promised, was too often rotten and the water was brackish.
伙食没有承诺的那么好，还常常是腐烂的，水也有咸味。
