读钱钟书的三封英文信(三)
My Dear Lin,
I am deeply grateful, but I have smiting of conscience. As you know, I have my own ration of sugar, and I must not deprive you of yours. As to the dim sum, a healthy young man has more need of them to stay his hunger between the meals――much more that and old man does. So I am returning them with heartfelt thanks――accompanied with a little token of esteem. The latest No. of Broadsheet is worth glancing at.
Your thankfully
林:
很感谢你,但我深感不安。正如你知道的,白糖,我有自己的定量,我不应该取你的。至于那些精美的点心,健康的小伙子比老人更加迫切需要,以便在两顿饭之间充饥。所以我怀着衷心的谢意把糖和点心还给你,同时附上一些英文报纸杂志,聊表敬意。最近一期的Broadsheet(报纸)值得一看。
钱钟书 谨上
注解:
1、这封信没署日期。大概写于1972年钱钟书、杨绛离开河南明港,提前返回北京的几个月前。信中提到“白糖”、“点心”等话,指的是林书武为了感谢钱钟书赠送英语书报、对其学习上的指导,送给钱钟书的东西。
2、smite和conscience搭配,是地道的英语,如:His conscience smote him. (他受到了良习的谴责),也可以说成:He had smiting of conscience. 3、to deprive you of yours:意为“夺取你的东西”,不能说成to deprive yours。
4、to stay ones hunger是地道的英语,学生往往想不到这种用法。“充饥”,不要说成to fill ones hunger,要采用这里的说法。
5、a little token of esteem:当时钱钟书还送给林书武一些英文报纸杂志。
散文 英语本文地址:http://www.dioenglish.com/writing/essay/43117.html