《每天读点英文 背诵名篇佳作全集》 
 作者:马钟元
 出版社:中国宇航出版社

 本书是由中国宇航出版社出版的畅销读物《每天读点英文》系列经典英文全集,让您365天享受阅读。 

 

 

Accepting the Command of the Army
奉命统领全军
乔治•华盛顿
乔治•华盛顿(1732—1799),美国第一任总统。1787年,他主持了制宪会议,制定了美国宪法。由于他在美国独立战争和建国大业中的重要作用,华盛顿通常被称为美国国父,与亚伯拉罕•林肯一起被学者们列为美国历史上最伟大的总统。本文是选自乔治•华盛顿在1775年就任全军总司令时写给爱妻一封信。文中多处使用shall构成平行结构,以达到增强语气的效果,同时表现出作者的责任感与自信。
 

You may believe me, when I assure you in the most solemn① manner that, so far from seeking this employment, I have used every effort in my power to avoid it, not only from my unwillingness to part with you and the family, but from a consciousness of its being a trusty② too great for my capacity; and I should enjoy more real happiness in one month with you at home than I have the most distant prospect of finding abroad, if my stay were to be seven times seven③ years. But as it has been a kind of destiny that has thrown me upon this service, I shall hope that my undertaking it is designed to answer some good purpose.
I shall rely confidently on that Providence④ which has heretofore preserved and been bountiful to me, not doubting but⑤ that I shall return safe to you in the fall. I shall feel no pain from the toil or danger of the campaign; my unhappiness will flow from the uneasiness I know you will feel from being left alone. I therefore beg that you will summon your whole fortitude, and pass your time as agreeably as possible. Nothing will give me so much sincere satisfaction as to hear this, and to hear it from your own pen.

翻译(反白可见)
      请相信我,我郑重地向你保证我从未主动寻求过这个使命,而是尽我所能,想方设法地回避它。不只是因为我不想与你和家人分开,更是因为我深刻地意识到,这个使命任重道远,凭我的能力,恐难胜任。如果让我在外漂泊数十载,探寻非常遥远的幸福,我宁愿在家里与你团聚一个月,享受真正的幸福。但命运既然已经将这个使命赋予了我,我真心希望奉命履行的这个职责能够使我有所成就……
      我由衷地信仰一直保佑和赐福于我的上帝,坚信秋天的时候我会安然无恙地回到你的身边。出征所带来的磨难与危险,不会使我感到丝毫痛苦;想到你独自一人焦虑不安地在待在家中,我就痛苦不已。因此,我恳请你鼓足勇气,尽可能开心地生活。没有什么事情比听到你过得开心的消息,而且这消息是你亲笔写信告诉我的,更能使我感到欣慰了。