美国语文第六册 第120期:拉法耶特和罗伯特·莱克斯(2)
那些拳拳爱国的人多么值得敬仰;他们在所有土地上赢得了无尚崇敬;
how joyful their welcome, how affecting their farewell to that beloved stranger!
他们的到来受到热烈欢迎，对那个他们深爱的陌生人来说，与他们告别的场景令其何等动容啊!
But the pageant has fled, and the very materials that gave it such depths of interest are rapidly perishing:
但是，壮观的场面已经远去，赋予这种场面浓厚兴趣的特别因素也急速消失了。
and a humble, perhaps a nameless grave, shall hold the last soldier of the Revolution.
一座不起眼，也许连名字都没有留下的坟墓，里面躺着的是为大革命而牺牲的最后一位士兵。
And shall they ever meet again?
他们会再相逢吗?
Shall the patriots and soldiers of '76, the "Immortal Band," as history styles them,
爱国者和在1776年那场战争中浴血的士兵，作为历史为他们打上烙印的“不朽的一群人”，
meet again in the amaranthine bowers of spotless purity, of perfect bliss, of eternal glory?
会在没有丝毫瑕疵的纯粹、极乐和永恒的荣耀的地方，在紫红的庇荫处再度相逢吗?
Shall theirs be the Christian's heaven, the kingdom of the Redeemer?
他们会进入基督天国，救世主的王国里吗?
The heathen points to his fabulous Elysium as the paradise of the soldier and the sage.
那位异教徒表明他那寓言般的极乐世界为士兵和圣人的天国。
But the Christian bows down with tears and sighs,
但是基督徒弯腰屈服，泪流满面，哀叹不止，
for he knows that not many of the patriots, and statesmen, and warriors of Christian lands are the disciples of Jesus.
因为他清楚没有多少爱国者、政治家和基督教勇士是耶稣的门徒。
But we turn from Lafayette, the favorite of the old and the new world, to the peaceful benevolence, the unambitious achievements of Robert Raikes.
不过，我们还是要从拉法耶特这位旧世界和新世界的幸运儿，转向仁慈和没有野心的罗伯特·莱克斯。
Let us imagine him to have been still alive, and to have visited our land, to celebrate this day with us.
我们不妨设想他还活着，造访我们现在生活的这片土地，与我们共庆今天胜利的情形。
