第48课

旁白 neutral

In this much-travelled world, there are still thousands of places which are inaccessible to tourists.

在这个人们频繁往来的世界上，仍然有成千上万个旅游者望而却步的地方。

旁白 neutral

We always assume that villagers in remote places are friendly and hospitable.

我们总是认为，住在偏远地方的村民是友好而殷勤好客的。

旁白 neutral

But people who are cut off not only from foreign tourists, but even from their own countrymen can be hostile to travellers.

但是，那些不仅与外国旅游者隔绝，甚至与本国同胞也隔绝的人们，却可能对旅游者怀有敌意。

旁白 neutral

Visits to really remote villages are seldom enjoyable--as my wife and I discovered during a tour through the Balkans.

访问真正偏僻的村庄，很少有什么乐趣可言——我和我妻子在巴尔干半岛旅行时就发现了这一点。

旁白 neutral

We had spent several days in a small town and visited a number of old churches in the vicinity.

我们在一个小镇上呆了几天，参观了附近的一些古老的教堂。

旁白 neutral

These attracted many visitors, for they were not only of great architectural interest, but contained a large number of beautifully preserved frescoes as well.

这些教堂吸引了许多旅游者，因为它们不仅有很高的建筑价值，而且还保存了大量的制作精美的壁画。

旁白 neutral

On the day before our departure, several bus loads of tourists descended on the town.

在我们动身的前一天，好几车游客涌入了小镇。

旁白 neutral

This was more than we could bear, so we decided to spend our last day exploring the countryside.

这太让我们受不了了，于是我们决定最后一天到乡下去。

旁白 neutral

Taking a path which led out of the town, we crossed a few fields until we came to a dense wood.

我们沿着一条从小镇延伸出去的小路，穿过几片田地，来到一片茂密的树林。

旁白 neutral

We expected the path to end abruptly, but we found that it traced its way through the trees.

我们本以为小路会突然中断，不料它却在树林中蜿蜒而行。

旁白 neutral

We tramped through the wood for over two hours until we arrived at a deep stream.

我们在树林里跋涉了两个多小时，来到一条很深的溪流前。

旁白 neutral

We could see that the path continued on the other side, but we had no idea how we could get across the stream.

我们看到小路在对岸延伸，但不知道怎样才能穿过溪流。

旁白 neutral

Suddenly my wife spotted a boat moored to the bank.

突然，我妻子发现了一条系在岸边的船。

旁白 neutral

In it there was a boatman fast asleep.

船上有一个船夫，睡得很熟。

旁白 neutral

We gently woke him up and asked him to ferry us to the other side.

我们轻轻地把他叫醒，请他把我们摆渡到对岸。

旁白 neutral

Though he was reluctant to do so at first, we eventually persuaded him to take us.

虽然他开始不情愿，但我们最终说服他带我们过去了。

旁白 neutral

The path led to a tiny village perched on the steep sides of a mountain.

小路通向一个坐落在陡峭山腰上的小村庄。

旁白 neutral

The place consisted of a straggling unmade road which was lined on either side by small houses.

这个地方只有一条弯弯曲曲的土路，两旁是些小房子。

旁白 neutral

Even under a clear blue sky, the village looked forbidding, as all the houses were built of grey mud bricks.

即使在晴朗的蓝天下，这个村庄看上去也令人望而生畏，因为所有的房子都是用灰色土坯建造的。

旁白 neutral

The village seemed deserted,

村庄似乎空无一人，

旁白 neutral

the only sign of life being an ugly-looking black goat on a short length of rope tied to a tree in a field nearby.

唯一的生命迹象是在附近的一块田地里，有一只拴在树上的黑山羊，它被短绳系着，面目丑陋。

旁白 neutral

Sitting down on a dilapidated wooden fence near the field, we opened a couple of tins of sardines and had a picnic lunch.

我们在田边一处破旧的木栅栏旁坐了下来，打开了两罐沙丁鱼罐头，吃起了野餐。

旁白 neutral

All at once, I noticed that my wife seemed to be filled with alarm.

突然，我注意到我妻子好像惊恐万状。

旁白 neutral

Looking up I saw that we were surrounded by children in rags who were looking at us silently as we ate.

我抬起头，看到我们已经被一群衣衫褴褛的孩子围住了，他们一言不发地看着我们吃东西。

旁白 neutral

We offered them food and spoke to them kindly, but they remained motionless.

我们给他们食物，和善地对他们说话，但他们仍然一动不动。

旁白 neutral

I concluded that they were simply shy of strangers.

我断定他们只是害羞，不愿见陌生人。

旁白 neutral

When we later walked down the main street of the village, we were followed by a silent procession of children.

后来我们沿着村里的主要街道走去，一群默默无声的孩子跟在我们后面。

旁白 neutral

The village which had seemed deserted, immediately came to life.

这个村庄，本来似乎空无一人，立刻变得活跃起来。

旁白 neutral

Faces appeared at windows.

窗户里出现了脸庞。

旁白 neutral

Men in shirt sleeves stood outside their houses and glared at us.

穿着衬衫的男人站在屋外，怒视着我们。

旁白 neutral

Old women in black shawls peered at us from doorways.

披着黑色披肩的老妇人从门道里窥视着我们。

旁白 neutral

The most frightening thing of all was that not a sound could be heard.

最令人恐惧的是，一点声音都听不到。

旁白 neutral

There was no doubt that we were unwelcome visitors.

毫无疑问，我们是不受欢迎的客人。

旁白 neutral

We needed no further warning.

我们不再需要更多的警告了。

旁白 neutral

Turning back down the main street,

我们转身沿着主要街道往回走，

旁白 neutral

we quickened our pace and made our way rapidly towards the stream where we hoped the boatman was waiting.

加快了脚步，迅速朝小溪走去，我们希望船夫还在那里等着。