在我讀書的學(xué)院,演說(shuō)術(shù)的傳授方式我一輩子也忘不了——永生難忘!
We had a yearly exhibition, and the favorites of the preceptor were allowed to speak a piece; and a pretty time they had of it.
我們每年都要公開(kāi)示范,老師讓自己喜愛(ài)的學(xué)生讀一段文字,經(jīng)過(guò)一段時(shí)間他們就能掌握演講的要領(lǐng)。
Somehow I was never a favorite with any of my teachers after the first two or three days;
不知怎么地,從上兩三天課后我就不再為任何老師所喜歡;
and, as I went barefooted, I dare say it was thought unseemly, or perhaps cruel, to expose me upon the platform.
當(dāng)我赤足走上講臺(tái)時(shí),我敢說(shuō)沒(méi)有誰(shuí)認(rèn)為這很得體,讓我出現(xiàn)在講臺(tái)上本身就有點(diǎn)殘酷。
And then, as I had no particular aptitude for public speaking,
因此,我在當(dāng)眾演講方面沒(méi)有什么天資,
and no relish for what was called oratory, it was never my luck to be called up.
對(duì)于所謂的演說(shuō)術(shù)也不抱什么樂(lè)趣。對(duì)我而言,被叫起來(lái)演講從來(lái)就不是什么幸運(yùn)的事情。
Among my schoolmates, however, was one—a very amiable, shy boy—to whom was assigned, at the first exhibition I attended,
然而在我的同學(xué)中,有一位非常和藹、害羞的男生,在我第一次參加公開(kāi)示范時(shí),指定他來(lái)示范演講,
that passage in Pope's Homer beginning with, "Aurora, now, fair daughter of the dawn!"
那篇選段是蒲伯的《荷馬》,該文開(kāi)頭是這樣的:“現(xiàn)在,曙光女神奧羅拉,黎明女神那位漂亮的女兒!”
This the poor boy gave with so much emphasis and discretion, that, to me, it sounded like "O roarer!"
這可憐的孩子太過(guò)強(qiáng)調(diào)和謹(jǐn)慎,以至于在我聽(tīng)起來(lái),就像是“啊,奧羅雷!”
and I was wicked enough, out of sheer envy, I dare say, to call him "O roarer!"
出于純粹的嫉妒,我感到頗不耐煩,直接想叫他“啊,奧羅雷!”
a nickname which clung to him for a long while, though no human being ever deserved it less;
這個(gè)綽號(hào)伴他很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間,盡管沒(méi)有別人配得上這個(gè)綽號(hào)。
for in speech and action both, he was quiet, reserved, and sensitive.
就說(shuō)話和舉止兩者來(lái)說(shuō),他過(guò)于內(nèi)斂、含蓄和敏感了。