英国语文第三册 第63期:英勇的女儿(下)

 II. （二）

Before her journey was half done, winter overtook her, and greatly increased her hardships;  她的旅途还没到一半，冬天就来了，这大大增加了她旅途的难度；
but some carriers with whom she fell in were very kind to her.  但是她搭上了一些运输工人的车，他们都对她很好。
When her cheek was frost-bitten, they rubbed it with snow;  她的脸颊被冻伤，他们用雪帮她消肿取暖；
when no sheep-skin could be got for her, they gave her theirs by turns, and took every possible care of her. 她没有羊皮外套，他们就轮流把自己的给她使用，并尽可能地照顾她。
Her next mishap 1 was to be tumbled out of a barge 2 on the river Volga.  接下来她的厄运又降临，她在伏尔加河的一条船上掉了下去。
This did so much harm to her health, that, before continuing her journey,  这对她的身体造成很大伤害，所以在继续前行之前，
she had to spend some months in a nunnery, where the nuns 3 were very kind to her. 她不得不在一个尼姑庵休养数月，在那里她受到了尼姑们的善待。
At last, after a journey of eighteen months, she reached St. Petersburg.  最后，历经十八个月，她终于到达了圣彼得堡。
She stood day after day for a fortnight on the steps of the Senate-house, holding out a petition to the senators;  两周来，她天天在上院的阶梯站着，向参议院们展示她的请愿书；
but without success. After many failures, she was fortunate enough to find friends who were able to take her to the Czar;  但都没有结果。失败多次后，她幸运地找到了一些朋友，能带她见沙皇；
and he was very kind to her, and promised that her father's trial should be at once revised. 沙皇对她很好，并答应她会立刻重审她父亲的案子。
The result was, that the Czar pardoned her father, and allowed him to return with his wife from Siberia. 结果是，沙皇赦免了她的父亲，并同意让他带着妻子从西伯利亚回来。
When the Czar, touched with her noble bearing, asked Catherine if she had anything to ask for herself,  沙皇被凯瑟琳高尚的举动感动了，并询问凯瑟琳要不要为自己请求点东西。
she replied that she would be quite satisfied if he would also pardon two poor old gentlemen,  她回答说如果沙皇能赦免两位可怜的老人，她就很满足了，
who had been kind to her in her exile. Her request was at once granted. 这两个人在他们一家的流放生活中对她很好。她的请求马上得到了批准。
Very touching 4 was the meeting between the heroic daughter and the parents whom she had delivered. 这个英勇的女儿和被释放的父母见面时，场景十分感人。
When she came into their presence, they at once fell on their knees, to thank her;  父母双双下跪感谢她；
but she exclaimed, "It is God that we have to thank for your wonderful deliverance!" 但是她大喊说，“我们应该感谢上帝，是他让你们得到了完美解放！”
But Catherine's health had been completely broken by her great exertions 5.  然而，由于过度劳累，凯瑟琳的身体完全垮下了。
She had bought her parents' freedom with her own life. 她用自己的生命换来了父母的自由。
One morning, a few months afterwards, when the nuns with whom she lived went into her room,  几个月后的一天早上，和她一起住的尼姑在她的房间
they found her with her hands clasped, quietly sleeping her last long sleep. 发现她双手紧握，安详地与世长辞。