全家感到意外的是收到迪人的信,说他在香港没赶上船,还住在旅馆里。
To theamazement of thefamily,they now received a letter from Tijen that he had not caughttheboat at Hong Kong and was staying at a hotelthere.
大出家人的意外,体仁来的一封信,说他在香港没赶上船,现在正住在旅馆里。
To theamazement of thefamily,they now received a letter from Tijen that he had not caughttheboat at Hong Kong and was staying at a hotelthere.
信写得含含糊糊, 信上写得也不清楚。
Theletter was not clear.
他的行李明明已经装船,因为信上说他已去电新加坡的轮船公司把行李卸下送回香港, 显然是他的行李已经上了船,因为信上说他已经给新加坡的轮船公司打电报,叫公司把他的行李送回来。
Apparently his baggage had been sent on boardtheship, for theletter said that he had telegraphedthecompany at Singapore to send his baggage back.
这就让人莫名其妙了,因为他搭上下一班船去新加坡取行李才是合情合理的。
This was puzzling, for it would have been logical for him to takethenext ship and claim his baggage at Singapore.
这就叫人难解了,因为他坐下一班船到新加坡再取行李,才合乎情理。
This was puzzling, for it would have been logical for him to takethenext ship and claim his baggage at Singapore.
事实真相是这样的:迪人在从天津启航的船上结识的一名英国回来的留学生告诉他英国贵族学校里老生如何欺负新生,打架,受罪的情形,新生还得服侍高年级学生,给他们端菜上饭和擦皮靴等。
What had happened was that on boardtheboat from Tientsin, he had madetheacquaintance of a returned student from England who told him aboutthehazing at English public schools andthefights and hardships and about fags who had to serve dinners and shine shoes for thesenior students.
事情是,他正在天津开出的船上结识的一个从英国留学回来的学生,那个学生告诉他英国私立学校怎样欺负新生,打架、受苦,还有新生要给高班学生端饭,擦皮鞋。
What had happened was that on boardtheboat from Tientsin, he had madetheacquaintance of a returned student from England who told him aboutthehazing at English public schools andthefights and hardships and about fags who had to serve dinners and shine shoes for thesenior students.
他把这些情形讲得绘声绘色,更增强效果,那日子听起来是十分凄惨的。
Theteller colored his stories a little for effect, and it sounded like a dismal life.
说话的那个留英学生为了动听,自然难免渲染几分,那种生活听来当然可怕。
Theteller colored his stories a little for effect, and it sounded like a dismal life.
因为迪人已经把他引用过的孟子所说的“天将降大任于斯人也”之前必先“劳其筋骨,饿其体肤”忘得一干二净了。
For Tijen had forgotten all aboutthepassage he had quoted from Mencius about Heaven "belaboring a man's muscles and bones and starving his body" before "calling him to do great things."
当时体仁已经完全忘记他从《孟子》上引证的那句古话,在“降大任于斯人”之前,一定要“劳其筋骨,饿其体肤”了。
For Tijen had forgotten all aboutthepassage he had quoted from Mencius about Heaven "belaboring a man's muscles and bones and starving his body" before "calling him to do great things."
他下不了决心,行李都已送上船之后竞在最后一刻决定不去了。
He could not make up his mind, and at thelast minute, after having sent his baggage down to theboat, he decided not to go.
他拿不定主意。
He could not make up his mind, and at thelast minute, after having sent his baggage down to theboat, he decided not to go.
在把行李都送上了船之后,终于决定不去了。
He could not make up his mind, and at thelast minute, after having sent his baggage down to theboat, he decided not to go.
他在香港有的是钱可花,那任意花费的机会也是前所未有的。
At Hong Kong he had plenty of money to spend andthechance to spend it with a freedom unknown to him before.
在香港,他有足够的钱可以用,在前所未有的自由之下,又有了花钱的机会。
At Hong Kong he had plenty of money to spend andthechance to spend it with a freedom unknown to him before.
他性喜结交朋友,又有足够的钱,在旅社里就交了许多朋友,跟随他们去那些饮酒作乐的场合。
Being gregarious by nature and obviously well provided with money, he made many friends at thehotel, who took him to carous-ing parties.
因为他天性好交友,又有足够的钱花,在饭店里就交了好多朋友,那些朋友就带着他去花天酒地乱混。
Being gregarious by nature and obviously well provided with money, he made many friends at thehotel, who took him to carous-ing parties.
他对香港的生活见识得越多就越是喜欢。
Themore he saw of Hong Kong life,thebetter he liked it.
他越看香港的生活,越觉得香港可爱。
Themore he saw of Hong Kong life,thebetter he liked it.
他出远门的意图模糊了,写回家的信自然也是含糊的。
As he did not know his own intentions, he could not makethem clear in his letter.
因为他自己心里打算怎么样,自己也不清楚,自然在信里也写不清楚。
As he did not know his own intentions, he could not makethem clear in his letter.
三天以后又收到一封信,他告诉家里他喜欢香港,想在这里学好英文再放洋。
Thenext mail that came three days later brought word to his family that he liked Hong Kong and wanted to perfect his Englishthere before going abroad.