The tall Paul gave me a call. He wanted to buy a ball at the mall. When we walked past the city hall, there came a big squall. We saw a stall fall down, and we were both appalled. Then Paul was galled by a falling wall. Then I felt a pall of darkness covering all. From then on, I became a thrall to horror beyond recall. I wish no mishap had ever befallen us at all.
中译〕 那高高的保罗给我一个电话。他要到购物街买个球。当我们走过市政府时，来了一阵大风，我们看到一个摊位倒掉了，而我们两位都吓坏了。接着保罗被落墙伤到了。然后我感到一片乌黑笼罩一切。从那时起，我变成难以追忆之恐怖的奴隶。我希望不幸根本没落在我们上头。
〔注解〕
1. mall 是几条街许多商店组成的购物区或购物中心。
2. squall 是突起的、通常短暂的一阵狂风，常带雨、雪、雹等。而有所谓 a white squall (无云狂风) 与 a black squall (乌云狂风) 之区别。
3. gall 是「擦伤、磨伤」，当名词时另有「胆汁、五倍子」之含义。
4. pall 原指「棺衣、柩衣」，可引申指阴沉的「幕罩」。
5. thrall 是「奴隶」， “a thrall to ...” 为「…之奴」，如 a thrall to vice (恶之奴)。
6. beyond recall 或 past recall 是「追忆莫及的、想不起的」。
7. mishap 为「不幸」，befall somebody 为「落在某人身上」。 |
