千里之行，始于足下。第2頁(yè)/共2頁(yè)精品文檔推薦張春柏漢譯英附錄二短文翻譯練習(xí)附錄二：短文翻譯練習(xí)

英譯漢：

1.TheHistoryofAprilFools’Day

HowdoyouthinkAprilFools’Dayoriginated?

Wasthereahistoricepidemicofspringfever-tomfooleryinatinyFinnishtownintheearly1800s?DidaNewYorkerin1910findacockroachinhiscoffeecupanddecidetorecreatetheexperienceforhisofficemate,therebysparkingafamousApril1stlawsuit?

Inaconvincingtestimonialtothesayingthattruthisstrangerthanfiction,we’lltellyouthestory,oratleastpresentthemostviabletheoryofhowAprilFools’Daycametobe.

Onceuponatime,backin16th-centuryFrance,beforecomputers,peoplecelebratedNewYear’sDayonMarch25,theadventofspring.Itwasafestivetime.TheypartiedsteadilyuntilApril1.In1564,whenthecalendarreformedandbecameGregorian（格里高利歷，即陽(yáng)歷）,KingCharlesIXproclaimed,perhapspompously,thatNewYear’sDayshouldbecelebratedonJanuary1insteadofinthespring.Diehardconservativesresistedthechange(orperhapsdidn’thearaboutitduetotheabsenceofe-mail)andcontinuedtocelebrateNewYear’sfromMarch25toApril1.Duringthisperiodofspringfestivity,themoreflexibleFrenchmockedtherigidrevelersbysendingthemfoolishgiftsandinvitationstonon-existentparties.ThevictimofanAprilFools’Dayprankwascalleda“poissond’avril2”,oran“Aprilfish”,becauseatthattimeofyear,thesunwasleavingthezodiacalsignofPisces（雙魚(yú)座）.

AprilFools’DayhititsstrideinEnglandinthe18thcentury,andwasbroughttocolonialAmericabytheEnglish,Scottish,andFrench.

WemayneverlearnthetrueoriginofAprilFoolsDay.However,thedeeperquestionfacingustodayis,“What’sthebestgagIcanpulloff?”4

2.TheSphinx

Laius,kingofThebes,waswarnedbyanoraclethattherewasdangertohisthroneandlifeifhisnew-bornsonshouldbesufferedtogrowup.Hethereforecommittedthechildtothecareofaherdsmanwithorderstodestroyhim;buttheherdsman,movedwithpity,yetnotdaringentirelytodisobey,tiedupthechildbythefeetandlefthimhangingtothebranchofatree.Inthisconditiontheinfantwasfoundbyapeasant,whocarriedhimtohismasterandmistress,bywhomhewasadoptedandcalledOedipus,orSwollen-foot.

ManyyearsafterwardsLaiusbeingonhiswaytoDelphi,accompaniedonlybyoneattendant,metinanarrowroadayoungmanalsodrivinginachariot.Onhisrefusaltoleavethemayattheircommandtheattendantkilledoneofhishorses,andthestranger,filledwithrage,slewbothLaiusandhisattendant.TheyoungmanwasOedipuswhothusunknowinglybecametheslayerofhisownfather.

ShortlyafterthiseventthecityofThebeswasafflictedwithamonsterwhichinfestedthehighroad.ItwascalledtheSphinx.Ithadthebodyofalionandtheupperpartofawoman.Itlaycrouchedonthetopofarock,andarrestedalltravelerswhocamethatway,proposingtothemariddle,withtheconditionthatthosewhocouldsolveitshouldpasssafe,butthosewhofailedshouldbekilled,Notonehadyetsucceededinsolvingit,andallhadbeenslain.Oedipuswasnotdauntedbythesealarmingaccounts,butboldlyadvancedtothetrial.TheSphinxaskedhim,“Whatanimalisthatwhichinthemorninggoesonfourfeet,atnoonontwo,andintheeveninguponthree?”O(jiān)edipusreplied,“Man,whoinchildhoodcreepsonhandsandknees,inmanhoodwalkserect,andinoldagewiththeaidofastaff.”TheSphinxwassomortifiedatthesolvingofherriddlethatshecastherselfdownfromtherockandperished.

ThegratitudeofthepeoplefortheirdeliverancewassogreatthattheymadeOedipustheirking,givinghiminmarriagetheirqueenJocasta.Oedipus,ignorantofhisparentage,hadalreadybecometheslayerofhisfather;inmarryingthequeenhebecamethehusbandofhismother.Thesehorrorsremainedundiscovered,tillatlengthThebeswasafflictedwithfamineandpestilence,andtheoraclebeingconsulted,thedoublecrimeofOedipuscametolight.Jocastaputanendtoherownlife,andOedipus,seizedwithmadness,toreouthiseyesandwanderedawayfromThebes,dreadedandabandonedbyallexcepthisdaughters,whofaithfullyadheredtohim,tillafteratediousperiodofmiserablewanderinghefoundtheterminationofhiswretchedlife.

3.MyFather

MyfatherlivedinasmallwoodenhouseinwesternCanada,wherehecarvedhimselfoutafruitorchardfromthehillsideandtheforest.Hehadchosenitwithoneofthemostbeautifulviewintheworld,anopenvalleyandariverwinding,withmountainsbeyond,andtheKootenaylakejustvisibleinthenorthandbuilthimselfawidewindow,tolookoutonthreesides.Thiswindow,andsixChippendalechairswhichhehadrescuedinafarmer’ssale,andafewofhissketchesonthewalls,werealltheluxuryoftheplace.Ispenttwowinterswithhim,andoncebroughthimapotofprimulaswhilethesnowstilllayheavyallaround;buthesoontookoccasiontosaycasuallythathewasnotfondofforcedplants:theytookawaysomethingforhimofthefirstraptureofthespring.Hisloveswereverydeepandgentle;theyseemednottobecenteredinislandsofpossession,likemosthumanloves,buttobediffusedamongpeopleandanimalsandplants,andeventheshapesofthingshesaw;forhewasamostsensitiveartist.HelivedamongflowersandwasfirstinhisvalleytosendforbulbsfromHollandandtofillhisorchardwithdaffodilsunderthefloweringtrees.Hewasagoodriderandagreatwalkerandfondofthewoodsmenandthehunters,andthosewhospendhalftheyearawayfromtheirfellowmenvisitingtrapsinthemountainforests.

Fouryearsbeforehisdeath,whenhewasseventy-two,astroketookawayfromhimtheopen-airlifeheloved;andthoughbythestrengthofhiswillhemanaged,stepbystepwiththepassingmonths,towalkamileorsowithasticktoleanon,mostofhistimecametobespentinthewindowsthatlookedoutonhisview.Here,hetoldme,thechangingcloudsandthelightoftheriverwouldfillhismindwith

pleasantnessforhoursatatimeandleadhisthoughtsintoendlessvariation:andIbelievethistobetrue,andthathewashappy,fornotonlydidhenevercomplain,buthiswholeatmospherewasoneofserenityandpeacefulinterestinallthingsastheycame.Andlater,whenIhavethoughtofhappinessandwhatitmaybe,Ihavealwaysseenhisgentleoldheadinthewindow,withthehillsidefulloftamepheasantsandpigeons,andthevalleyandthemountainsbeyond,andhavefeltthatthesecretmusthavesomethinginitofthoseolderworldswhichwereasrealtohimasours.

4.CulturalConflict

“Internationalcommunication”iscommunicationbetweenmembersofdifferentcultures.Thisdefinitionissimple.Buttheprocessiscomplex.Interculturalcommunicationinvolvesdifferingperceptions,attitudes,andinterpretations.Weknowthateventwopeoplefromthesameculturecanhavecommunicationproblems.Peoplecanintentionallyhurteachotherbysomethingtheysayordo.Isn’titlogical,then,thatcommunicationproblemscanbecompoundedamongpeoplewhodonothavethebenefitofsharedexperiences(i.e.languageandculture)?

Culturesdonotcommunicate;individualsdo.Everyonehasauniquestyleofcommunication.Butculturesdetermineageneralstylefortheirmembers.Therelationshipoftheindividualtohiscultureisanalogoustoanactorandhisdirector.Theactorputshisownpersonalityintohisactingbutisneverthelessinfluencedbythedirector.Wearenotalwaysawareofthesubtleinfluencesofourculture.Likewise,wemaynotperceivethatothersareinfluencedbytheirculturesaswell.

Problemsandmisinterpretationsdonotresulteverytimemembersfromtwoculturescommunicate.However,whenculturalconflictsdoarise,theymaybeperceivedaspersonalratherthancultural.Inthefollowingexampleitisaculturalmisunderstandingthatcreatesnegativefeelingsandconfusion:

Ayoungwomanfromonecultureislookingoutofthewindowandseesamaleacquaintancefromanotherculture.Hesignalstoherbypuckeringhislips.Shequicklylooksawayfromthewindow.Latersheignoreshim.Heisconfusedandsheisangry.

Themisunderstandingwasduetothewoman’sfailuretounderstandtheman’snonverbalsignal.Inherculture,hisgestureconveysasexualadvance.Accordingtohisculture,hewasonlysaying(nonverbally),“Oh,thereyouare.I’vebeenlookingforyou.”Thewoman’smisinterpretationresultedinherangryreactionandhisconfusion.Ifthetwohadknownmoreabouteachother’snonverbalcues,theycouldhaveavoidedtheculturalconflict.

Somemisunderstandingsareinsignificantandcanbeeasilyignoredorremedied.Otherconflictsaremoreseriousinthattheycancausemisunderstandingsandcreatepersistentnegativeattitudestowardforeigners.

Difficultiesininterculturalcommunicationarisewhenthereislittleornoawarenessofdivergentculturalvaluesandbeliefs.Incross-culturalinteraction,speakerssometimesassumethatwhattheybelieveisright,becausetheyhavegrownupthinkingtheirwayisthebest.Thisethnocentricassumptioncanresultinnegativejudgmentsaboutothercultures.Anothermanifestationofethnocentricattitudesisthatpeoplebecomecriticalofindividualsfromdifferentcultures.

Sometimesnegativereactionsdonotresultfromactualinteractionbutratherfromthefixed,preconceivedbeliefswehaveaboutotherpeople.Theseover-generalizedbeliefsor“stereotypes”frequentlyshapepeople’sperceptionsofeachother.

Stereotypesoriginateanddevelopfromnumeroussourcessuchasjokes,textbooks,movies,andtelevision.MoviesaboutcowboysandIndiansportraycowboysas“civilized”andIndiansaswildand“primitive.”AchildwhoknowsabouttheAmericanIndianonlythroughwatchingthesemovieswillhaveadistortedandfalseimageofthisgroupofpeople.Stereotypesperpetuateinaccuraciesaboutreligious,racial,andculturalgroups.

Stereotypedbeliefspreventusfromseeingpeopleasindividualswithuniquecharacteristics.Negativestereotypesleadtoprejudice,suspicion,intolerance,orhatredofotherculturalgroups.

Culturalconflictsoccurasaresultofmisinterpretations,ethnocentrism,stereotypes,andprejudice.Preventingtheseconflictsispossiblewithincreasedawarenessofourownattitudesaswellassensitivitytocrossculturaldifferences.Developinginterculturalsensitivitydoesnotmeanthatweneedtoloseourculturalidentities—butratherthatwerecognizeculturalinfluenceswithinourselvesandwithinothers.

5.ThePleasuresofReading

Allthewisdomoftheages,allthestoriesthathavedelightedmankindforcenturies,areeasilyandcheaplyavailabletoallofuswithinthecoversofbooks—butwemustknowhowtoavailourselvesofthemostunfortunatepeoplearethosewhohaveneverdiscoveredhowsatisfyingitistoreadgoodbooks.

IfIaminterestedinpeople,inmeetingthemandfindingoutaboutthem,someofthemostremarkablepeopleI’vemetexistedonlyinawriter’simagination,thenonthepagesofhisbook,andthen,again,inmyimagination.I’vefoundinbooksnewfriends,newsocieties,newwords.

IfIaminterestedinpeople,othersareinterestednotsomuchinwhoasinhow.Whointhebooksincludeseverybodyfromscience-fictionsupermantwohundredcenturiesinthefutureallthewaybacktothefirstfiguresinhistory;HowcoverseverythingfromtheingeniousexplanationsofSherlockHolmestothediscoveriesofscienceandwaysofteachingmannerstochildren.

Readingisapleasureofthemind,whichmeansthatitisalittlelikeasport:youreagernessandknowledgeandquicknessmakeyouagoodreader.Readingisfun,notbecausethewriteristellingyousomething,butbecauseitmakesyourmindwork...yourownimaginationworksalongwiththeauthor’sorevengoesbeyondhis.Yourexperience,comparedwithhis,bringsyoutothesameordifferentconclusions,andyourideasdevelopasyouunderstandhis.

Everybookstandsbyitself,likeaone-familyhouse,butbooksinalibraryarelikehousesinacity.Althoughtheyareseparate,togethertheyalladduptosomething;theyareconnectedwitheachotherandwithothercities,Thesameideas,orrelatedones,turn

upindifferentplaces;thehumanproblemsthatrepeatthemselvesinliferepeatthemselvesinliterature,butwithdifferentsolutionsaccordingtodifferentwritingsatdifferenttimes.Booksinfluenceeachother;theylinkthepast,thepresentandthefutureandhavetheirowngenerations,likefamilies.Whereveryoustartreadingyouconnectyourselfwithoneofthefamiliesofideas,and,inthelongrun,younotonlyfindoutabouttheworldandthepeopleinit;youfindoutaboutyourself,too.

Readingcanonlybefunifyouexpectittobe.Ifyouconcentrateonbookssomebodytellsyou,you“ought”toread,youprobablywon’thavefun.Ifyouputdownabookyoudon’tlikeandtryanothertillyoufindonethatmeanssomethingtoyou,andthenrelaxwithit,youwillalmostcertainlyhaveagoodtimetoread,youprobablywon’thavefun.Ifyouputdownabookyoudon’tlikeandtryanothertillyoufindonethatmeanssomethingtoyou,andthenrelaxwithit,youwillalmostcertainlyhaveagoodtime—andifyoubecome,asaresultofreading,better,wiser,kinder,ormoregentle,youwon’thavesufferedduringtheprocess.

6.COMPANIONSHIPOFBOOKS

SamuelSmiles

Amanmayusuallybeknownbythebookshereadsaswellasbythecompanyhekeeps;forthereisacompanionshipofbooksaswellasofmen;andoneshouldalwaysliveinthebestcompany,whetheritbeofbooksorofmen.

Agoodbookmaybeamongthebestoffriends.Itisthesametodaythatitalwayswas,anditwillneverchange.Itisthemostpatientandcheerfulofcompanions.Itdoesnotturnitsbackuponusintimesofadversityordistress.Italwaysreceivesuswiththesamekindness;amusingandinstructingusinyouth,andcomfortingandconsolingusinage.

Menoftendiscovertheiraffinitytoeachotherbythelovetheyhaveeachforabook—justastwopersonssometimesdiscoverafriendbytheadmirationwhichbothhaveforathird.Thereisanoldproverb,“Loveme,lovemydog.”Butthereismorewisdominthis:“Loveme,lovemybook.”Thebookisatruerandhigherbondofunion.Mencanthink,feel,andsympathizewitheachotherthroughtheirfavoriteauthor.Theyliveinhimtogether,andheinthem.

“Books,”saidHazlitt,“windintotheheart;thepoet’sverseslidesinthecurrentofourblood.Wereadthemwhenyoung,werememberthemwhenold.Wefeelthatithashappenedtoourselves.Theyaretobehadverycheapandgood.Webreathebuttheairofbooks.”

Agoodbookisoftenthebestumofalifeenshriningthebestthatlifecouldthinkout;fortheworldofaman’slifeis,forthemostpart,buttheworldofhisthoughts.Thusthebestbooksaretreasuriesofgoodwords,thegoldenthoughts,which,rememberedandcherished,becomeourconstantcompanionsandcomforters.“Theyareneveralone,”saidSirPhilipSidney,“thatareaccompaniedbynoblethoughts.”

Thegoodandtruethoughtmayintimesoftemptationbeasanangelofmercypurifyingand

guardingthesoul.Italsoenshrinesthegermsofaction,forgoodwordsalmostalwaysinspiretogoodworks.

Bookspossessanessenceofimmortality.Theyarebyfarthemostlastingproductsofhumaneffort.Templesandstatuesdecay,butbookssurvive.Timeisofnoaccountwithgreatthoughts,whichareasfreshtodayaswhentheyfirstpassedthroughtheirauthor’sminds,agesago.Whatwasthensaidandthoughtstillspeakstousasvividlyaseverfromtheprintedpage.Theonlyeffectoftimehasbeentosiftoutthebadproducts;fornothinginliteraturecanlongsurvivebutwhatisreallygood.

Booksintroduceusintothebestsociety;theybringusintothepresenceofthegreatestmindsthathaveeverlived.Wehearwhattheysaidanddid;weseethemasiftheywerereallyalive;wesympathizewiththem,enjoywiththem,grievewiththem;theirexperiencebecomesours,andwefeelasifwewereinameasureactorswiththeminthesceneswhichtheydescribe.

Thegreatandgooddonotdieeveninthisworld.Embalmedinbooks,theirspiritswalkabroad.Thebookisalivingvoice.Itisanintellecttowhichonestilllistens.Henceweeverremainundertheinfluenceofthegreatmenofold.Theimperialintellectsoftheworldareasmuchalivenowastheywereagesago.

7.SignificanceofWildlifeProtection

Withrapidextinctionofmanywildspecies,moreandmorepeoplecometorealizethegreatsignificanceofwildlifeprotection.

Wehavetounderstandtheprobleminanewlightthatweprotectourselvesthroughprotectingwildlife.Ontheonehand,anyspeciesofwidlife,asacriticaljointoftheecologicalchain,helpstoestablishtheecologicalbalance.Ifonespeciesbecomesextinct,itwilldisappearforever.Whatismore,itwillinevitablyresultintheextinctionofachainofwildlifeandthedisruptionoftheecologicalbalance.Unpredictabledisastersmayoccur.Ontheotherhand,withthedevelopmentofmodernscienceandtechnology,manisjustbeginningtolearnaboutwildlife.Forexample,ifwildrubbertreeshadbeenextincttwocenturiesago,therewouldbenoautoindustrytoday.Moreover,wildlifepreservesunknowngeneticcodes,whichmayturnouttobeofvitalimportanceandfreehumanbeingsfromfataldiseasesandnaturaldisastersinthefuture.

Itisimperativeforustoprotectwildliferightnowbeforeitistoolate,becausemanhasalreadypollutedtheenviroXXXentseriouslyandthreatenedtheexistenceofmanywildspecies.Let’takeactionstoprotectwildlife.Learningtoliveinharmonywithallwildlifeispartofmodemcivilization.

8．COLNING

CLONINGissuddenlyinthenews,thankstorevolutionarytechniquesdevelopedbygeneticengineersandothernewbreedsofbiologists.Thenewspapersarefullofstoriesdescribinghowscientistscanproduceaclone,oranidenticalcopy,ofanorganismfromjustasinglecell.Biologists

nowhavetheabilitytoclonesomeplantsandsmallanimals.Canpeoplebefarbehind?

Allofthisseemsfrighteningtomany,notquiterighttosome,justplainstartlingtoothers.Perhapsthebasicquestionis:howcancloningexperimentscontributetofuturehumanwelfare?

WHATISACLONE?

Acloneisanorganismoragroupoforganismscreatedfromasingleparent.Theprocessofcloningisreallyafromofasexualreproduction.Youknowthatsexualreproductioninvolvestheunionofsexcells:thespermfromthemaleparentandtheeggfromthefemaleparent.Thenucleusofeachsexcell-calledapronucleus-containsonlyonesetofchromosomeswiththeirgenesandnotthetwosetsthatarefoundinthemucleiofallothercells,calledbodycells,andwhichgiveeachspeciesitscharacteristicchromosomenumber.Theunionofspermandegginfertilizationproducestwofullsetsofchromosomes.Itisthefirststepinthecreationofanewanduniqueindividualwithtraitsandcharacteristicsinheritedfrombothparents.

Cloningisasexual.Thereisonlyoneparent.Andtheoffspringhasthehereditarytraitsofthatsingleparent.

Theword“clone”comesfromtheancientGreekroot,klon,meaningatwigorslip.Takingatwigorcuttingfromaplantandgrowingitintoanotherplantisactuallycloningtheplant.

Today,however,theword“cloning”isusedinaslightlydifferentway.Ithascometomeantheproductionofanorganismfromjustasinglecelltakefromthebodyofaplantoranimal.Thissinglecell,beingabodycellandnotasexcell,containstwosetsofchromosomes—onesetfromitsmotherandonesetfromitsfather.Itthushasallthegeneticinformationnecessarytoproduceacompleteindividualifitisstimulatedtogrow.

9.ElectronicMail(E-mail)

Duringthepastfewyears,scientiststheworldoverhavesuddenlyfoundthemselvesproductivelyengagedinatasktheyoncespenttheirlivingavoidingwriting,butparticularlyletterwriting.Luredbyelectronicmail’sseductiveblendofspeed,convenience,skillfully,evencheerfullytappingoutagreatdealofcorrespondence.

Electronicnetworks,wovenintothefabricofscientificcommunicationthesedays,aretheroutetocolleaguesindistantcountries,shareddata,bulletinboardsandelectronicjournals.Anyonewithapersonalcomputers,amodemandthesoftwaretolinkcomputersovertelephonelinescansignon.Anestimatedfivemillionscientistshavedoneso,withmorejoiningeveryday,mostofthemcommunicatingthroughabundleofinterconnecteddomesticandforeignroutesknowncollectivelyastheinternet,ornet.

E-mailisstaringtoedgeoutthefax,thetelephone,overnightmailand,ofcourselandmail.Itshrinkstimeanddistancebetweenscientificcollaborators,inpartbecauseitisconvenientlyasynchronous(writescantypewhiletheircolleaguesacrosstimezonessleep;theirmessagewillbewaiting).Ifitisnotyetspeeddiscoveries,itiscertainlyacceleratingdisclosures.

10.OtherWorlds

Fromwhatweknowofoursolarsystem,itappearsunlikelythatwewilfindintelligentlifeasweknowitonanyoftheotherplanets.Somemicroorganismsandplantsmightexist,butbehingsshapedlikemanorthefabledMartianmonstersarenotlikely.Humanlife,accordingtoscientists,developedonthisplanetbecauseoftheuniquecombinationofmanyfactors—theearth’sdistancefromthesun,thecompositionofouratmosphere,thestructureoftheearth’ssurfacethepresenceofcertainorganismsonthefaceoftheplant.Yetmanyask,arewetheonlyonesintheuniverse?

Althoughastronomershaveneveractuallyseenaplanetoutsideofoursolarsystem,theynowrecongnziethatothersolarsystemsexist.Withpowerfulradiotelescopes,theyhavelocatedthesedistantsystem.AstronomerHarlowShapleyhasestimatedthattheremaybelifeintheplanetarysystemofoneoutofamillionstars.

Let’stakethismillion-to-onechancethatastronomerShapleybelievesandseewhatthechancesreallyare!Ourbestscientificinformationtellsusthatthereareover100billionstarsinourowngalaxy,andthatthereareabout100milliongalaxiesintheuniverse.Theymeansthattherearesome10quintillionstarsintheuniverse.

Supposethatonlyoneoutofamillionofthesestarsisasunlikeourownsun.Thatwouldmeanthattherearesome10trillionpossibleothersunsintheuniverse.Again,letususeShpley’sone-out-a-millionchancetofindhowmanyofthesesunscouldpossiblyhaveaplanetlikeearth—aplanet93millionmilesaway,aplanetwithoxygenintheairforbreathing,aplanetonwhichmancouldliveashedoesonearth.Therewouldbeabout10millionotherplanetsintheuniversethatcouldphysicallyresembletheearth.

Finally,supposeweusetheone-in-a-millionchancetofindouthowmanyofthesehavehumanlifejustaswehaveonearth.Wewouldthenfindthatthereare10other“earths”withhumanlifesomewhereinthisvastuniverse.

Naturally,itwouldbequiteatasktofindthese10outofthemillionsuponofstarsandplanetsintheuniverse.Butifwedid,whatwouldmanbelike?Wouldhestillbeinthecave-manstage?Orwouldhehavedevelopedasocietyfarbeyondours?Whatwouldhappenifwedidmeetamanfromouterspace?

Itistheseunknownsandman’sunendingthirstforknowledgethattakeusintospaceinsearchofotherpossibleworldslikeours.

11.SundayBeforetheWar

--JohnCiardi

OnSunday,inaremotevalleyintheWestofEngland,wherethepeoplearefewandscatteredandplacid,therewasnomoresignamongthemthanamongthequiethillsoftheanxietythatholdstheworld.Theyhadnonewsandseemedtowantnone.Thepostmasterhadbeenorderedtostayalldayinhislittlepost-office,andthatwassomethingunusualthatinterestedthem,butonlybecauseitaffected

thepostmaster.

Itrainedinthemorning,buttheafternoonwasclearandgloriousandshining,withallthedistancesrevealedfarintotheheartofWalesandtothehighridgesoftheWelshmountains.Thecottagesofthatvalleyarenotgatheredintovillages,buttwoorthreetogetherorlonelyamongtheirfruit-treesonthehillside;andthecottagers,whoarealwayscourteousandfriendly,saidawordortwoasonewentby,butjustwhattheywouldhavesaidonanyotherdayandwithoutanyquestionaboutthewar.Indeed,theyseemedtoknow,ortowishtoknow,aslittleaboutthatastheearthitself,whichbeautifulthereatanytime,seemedthatafternoontowearanextremeandpatheticbeauty.Thecountry,morethananyotherinEngland,hasthesecretofpeace.Itisnotwild,thoughitlooksintothewildnessofWales;butallitscultivation,itsorchardsandhopyardsandfieldsofgoldenwheat,seemtohavethebeautyoftimeuponthem,asifmentherehadlonglivedhappilyupontheearthwithnodesireforchangenorfearofdecay.Itisnotthesadbeautyofapastcutofffromthepresent,butamellownessthatthepresentinheritsfromthepast;andinthemellownessallthehillsideseemsagardentothespaciousfarmhousesandthelittlecottages;eachleduptobyitsownnarrow,flowerylane.TherethemeadowsarealllawnswiththelustrousgreenofspringeveninAugust,andoftenover-shadowedbyoldfruit-trees—cherry,orapple,orpear;andonSundayaftertheraintherewasanAprilgloryandfreshnessaddedtothequietofthelatersummer.

Nowhereandneverintheworldcantherehavebeenadeeperpeace;andthebellsfromthelittleredchurchdownbytheriverseemedtobethemusicofit,asthesongofbirdsisthemusicofspring.Thereonesawhowbeautifulthelifeofmancanbe,andhowmenbytheinnocentlaboursofmanygenerationscangivetotheearthabeautyithasneverknowninitswildness.Andallthispeace,oneknew,wasthreatened;andthethreatcameintoone’smindasifitwereasoundlessmessagefromoverthegreateastwardplain;andwithitthebeautyseemedunsubstantialandstrange,