第二十一课 忠诚
A barking sound the shepherd heers,
牧羊人希尔听到了一阵吠声,
A cry as of a dog or fox;
那是一种像狗或是狐狸的悲泣;
He halts, and searches with his eye
他停止前进,用眼睛逡巡着
Among the scattered rocks:
在散落的岩石之间:
And now at distance can discern
现在离看清前方还有一段距离
A stirring in a brake of fern;
他在一簇蕨类植物面前刹住了车;
And instantly a dog is seen,
立即地,他在那里看到了一只狗,
Glancing through that covert green.
他在那深厚的绿色中观察着。
The dog is not of mountain breed;
这只狗不属于高山品种;
Its motions, too, are wild and shy;
它的动作也是野性中带着羞涩;
With something, as the shepherd thinks,
应该是出了什么事,牧羊人这样想着,
Unusual in its cry;
这不寻常的吠声;
Nor is there any one in sight
这里没有一个人
All round, in hollow or on height;
遍及四周,这是一个海拔较高的凹陷处;
Nor shout nor whistle strikes his ear—
刚才钻入他耳朵的既不是大喊声也不是口哨声——
What is the creature doing here?
那是什么东西在这里干什么?
It was a cove, a huge recess,
这里是一个山洞,一个巨大的凹陷处,
That keeps, till June, December's snow;
这里还残留着经年的积雪;
A lofty precipice in front,
前面是一个悬崖,
A silent tarn below;
再下面是平静且沉寂的湖;
Far in the bosom of Helvellyn,
在赫尔维林山深处的怀抱里,
Remote from public road or dwelling,
远离公路和居民区,
Pathway or cultivated land,
小道和耕地,
From trace of human foot or hand.
追溯着人类的点滴痕迹。
Not free from boding thoughts, a while
好一会,预感到这些不是白来的
The shepherd stood; then made his way
牧羊人站着,然后前进了
O'er rocks and stones, following the dog
穿过遍布的岩石和石头,跟着这条狗前进
As quickly as he may;
竭尽全力,快速前行;
Nor far had gone before he found
没走多远,他发现
A human skeleton on the ground!
地上躺着一具人体的骨骼!