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LESSON 54 Brave women
第五十四课 勇敢的女人们
Upon the banks of a river in the State of Kentucky,
在肯塔基州靠近河岸的地方，
there was once a fort to which the settlers frequently resorted as a place of refuge from the savages.
曾经有一个要塞，定居者们经常将其作为躲避野蛮人的避难所。
Its gallant defence by a handful of pioneers against the allied Indians of Ohio,
它是英勇的国防先锋队与俄亥俄州的盟军印第安人交战的地方，
led by two renegade white men, was one of the most desperate affairs in the Indian wars of the West.
这些印第安人由两个叛变的白人率领，这是西部印第安战争中最绝望的事情之一。
The pioneers had not the slightest idea of their approach,
先锋队对于他们逼近好似没有丝毫察觉，
when, in a moment, a thousand rifles gleamed in the corn-fields one summer night!
直到在一个时刻，一千步枪在一个夏夜闪烁在玉米田里！
That very evening the garrison had chanced to gather under arms,
当天傍晚，驻军就已经冒险带着武器聚集，
to march to the relief of another station that was similarly invested.
前去救援另一个同样被围攻的据点。
They were therefore unexpectedly prepared for the attack.
他们准备突袭。
The Indians saw at a glance that the moment was not favourable to them;
印第安人一眼就看到这对他们不利；
and having failed to surprise the garrison,
他们也未能对驻军造成奇袭，
they attempted to decoy them from the fastness by presenting themselves in small parties before it.
他们派出小部队，试图引诱他们从堡垒里面出来。
The whites were too wise to risk a battle till help should arrive, so they resolved to stand a siege.
白人太聪明，在救援到达前不想冒险战斗，所以他们决定围攻。
But the fort, which was merely a collection of log cabins, arranged in a hollow square,
但是这个要塞，仅仅只不过是几间小木屋，坐落在一个空旷的广场，
was unhappily not supplied with water;
不幸的是里面没有供水；
and the besieged were aware that the enemy had placed his real force in ambush near a neighbouring spring.
被围困的人知道，他们的敌人已经把真正的兵力埋伏在临近一个泉水边。
The females of the station determined to supply it with water from this very spring!
这个据点的女人们决定用这个泉中的水来给要塞做供给！
But how? Woman's wit never devised a bolder plan,
但是怎样供应呢？女人的智慧从未提出过这样大胆的计划，
and woman's courage never carried one more dangerous into successful execution.
女人的勇气也从未把一个更危险的计划付诸实施。
