The Story of Ebenezer Webster 埃比尼泽·韦伯斯特的故事

詹姆斯·鲍德温

Many years ago there lived in New Hampshire a poor farmer， whose name was Ebenezer Webster.

许多年前，新罕布什尔州住着一个贫穷的农民，他的名字叫埃比尼泽·韦伯斯特。

His little farm was in the hills， not far from the Merrimac River. It was a beautiful place to live in; but the ground was poor， and there were so many rocks that you would wonder how anything could grow among them.

他的小农场坐落在群山之中，离梅里马克河不远。这是一个美丽的地方，但土地很贫瘠，有很多岩石，多到你可能会想，怎么会有东西在这些岩石中生长。

Ebenezer Webster was known far and wide as a brave， wise man. When any of his neighbors were in trouble or in doubt about anything， they always said， “We will ask Captain Webster about it.”

埃比尼泽·韦伯斯特作为一位勇敢、睿智的人而广为人知。当他的邻居遇到麻烦或对任何事情有疑问时，他们总是说：“我们会去问韦伯斯特上尉。”

They called him Captain because he had fought the French and Indians and had been a brave soldier in the Revolutionary War. Indeed， he was one of the first men in New Hampshire to take up arms for his country.

他们称他为上尉是因为他曾与法国人和印第安人作战，在独立战争中是一名勇敢的士兵。事实上，他是新罕布什尔州第一批为国家拿起武器的人之一。

When he heard that the British were sending soldiers to America to force the people to obey the unjust laws of the king of England， he said， “We must never submit1 to this.”

当他听说英国派遣士兵到美国，强迫人民遵守英国国王的不公正法律时，他说：“我们决不能屈服。”

So he went among his neighbors and persuaded2 them to sign a pledge3 to do all that they could to defend the country against the British. Then he raised a company of two hundred men and led them to Boston to join the American army.

于是，他走到邻居们中间，说服他们签署承诺，会尽一切努力保卫国家不受英国人的侵略。然后他组建了一个200人的连队，带领他们到波士顿加入美国军队。

The Revolutionary War lasted several years; and during all that time， Captain Webster was known as one of the bravest of the American patriots4.

独立战争持续了几年，在此期间，韦伯斯特上尉作为美国最勇敢的爱国者之一而聞名。

One day， at West Point， he met General Washington. The patriots were in great trouble at that time， for one of their leaders had turned traitor5 and had gone to help the British. The officers and soldiers were much distressed6， for they did not know who might be the next to give them up.

一天，在西点军校，华盛顿将军会见了他。当时爱国者们遇到了大麻烦，因为他们的一位领袖叛变去帮英国人了。官兵们非常痛苦，因为他们不知道谁是下一个抛弃他们的人。

As I have said， Captain Webster met General Washington. The general took the captains hand， and said， “I believe that I can trust you， Captain Webster.”

正如我所说，华盛顿将军会见了韦伯斯特上尉。将军握着上尉的手说：“我相信我可以信任你，韦伯斯特上尉。”

This made Captain Webster feel very happy. When he went back to his humble7 home among the New Hampshire hills， he was never so proud as when telling his neighbors about this meeting with General Washington.

这让韦伯斯特上尉感到非常高兴。当他回到新罕布什尔州位于山间简陋的家时，他最自豪的莫过于告诉邻居们他与华盛顿将军的这次会晤。

If you could have seen Captain Webster in those days， you would have looked at him more than once. He was a remarkable8 man. He was very tall and straight， with dark， glowing eyes， and hair as black as night. His face was kind， but it showed much firmness9 and decision.

如果你能在那些日子里见到韦伯斯特上尉，你就会不止一次地注视着他了。他是个了不起的人。他又高又挺拔，有一双明亮的眼睛，头发像黑夜一样漆黑。他的脸很和善，但却显得很坚定果断。

He had never studied in school; but he had tried， as well as he could， to educate himself. It was on account of his honesty and good judgment that he was looked up to as the leading man in the neighborhood.

他从未上过学，但他尽了最大的努力自学。正是因为他的诚实和良好的判断力，他在邻里中被尊为领袖人物。

In some way， I do not know how， he had gotten a little knowledge of the law. And at last， because of this as well as because of his sound common sense， he was appointed10 judge of the court in his county.

在某種程度上，我不知道他是如何获得法律知识的。最后，因为这一点以及他健全的常识，他被任命为所在郡的法院法官。

This was several years after the war was over. He was now no longer called Captain Webster， but Judge Webster.

这是战争结束后的几年，他现在不再被称为韦伯斯特上尉，而是韦伯斯特法官。

It had been very hard for him to make a living for his large family on the stony farm among the hills. But now his office as judge would bring him three hundred or four hundred dollars a year. He had never had so much money in his life.

对他来说，在群山间的石头农场里养活一大家子人是非常困难的。但现在他的法官职位每年会给他带来三百或四百美元的收入。他一生中从未有过这么多钱。

“Judge Webster，” said one of his neighbors， “what are you going to do with the money that you get from your office？ Going to build a new house？”

“韦伯斯特法官，”他的一个邻居说，“你从办公室里拿到的工资怎么办？要盖新房子吗？” “Well， no，” said the judge. “The old house is small， but we have lived in it a long time， and it still does very well.”

“不，”法官说。“这所老房子很小，但我们在里面住了很长时间了，质量仍然很好。”

“Then I suppose you are planning to buy more land？” said the neighbor.

“那我猜你打算买更多的地？”邻居说。

“No， indeed， I have as much land now as I can work on. But I will tell you what I am going to do with my money. I am going to try to educate my boys. I would rather do this than have lands and houses.”

“不，真的，我现在有足够耕种的土地了。但我会告诉你我要用我的钱做什么。我要尽力教育我的孩子们。我宁愿这样做，也不愿拥有土地和房子。”