英译汉 Grant_and_Lee.docx

英译汉 Grant_and_Lee.docx

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英译汉

GrantandLee:

AStudyinContrasts

WhenUlyssesS.GrantandRobertE.LeemetintheparlorofamodesthouseatAppomattoxCourtHouse,Virginia,onApril9,1865,toworkoutthetermsforthesurrenderofLee’sArmyofNorthernVirginia,agreatchapterinAmericanlifecametoaclose,andagreatnewchapterbegan.

ThesemenwerebringingtheCivilWartoitsvirtualfinish.Tobesure,otherarmieshadyettosurrender,andforafewdaysthefugitiveConfederategovernmentwouldstruggledesperatelyandvainly,tryingtofindsomewaytogoonlivingnowthatitschiefsupportwasgone.ButineffectitwasalloverwhenGrantandLeesignedthepapers.Andthelittleroomwheretheywroteoutthetermswasthesceneofoneofthepoignant,dramaticcontrastsinAmericanhistory.

Theyweretwostrongmen,theseoddlydifferentgenerals,andtheyrepresentedthestrengthsoftwoconflictingcurrentsthat,throughthem,hadcomeintofinalcollision.

BackofRobertE.LeewasthenotionthattheoldaristocraticconceptmightsomehowsurviveandbedominantinAmericanlife.

LeewastidewaterVirginia,andinhisbackgroundwerefamily,culture,andtradition…theageofchivalrytransplantedtoaNewWorldwhichwasmakingitsownlegendsanditsownmyths.HeembodiedawayoflifethathadcomedownthroughtheageofknighthoodandtheEnglishcountrysquire.Americawasalandthatwasbeginningalloveragain,dedicatedtonothingmuchmorecomplicatedthantheratherhazybeliefthatallmenhadequalrightsandshouldhaveanequalchanceintheworld.InsuchalandLeestoodforthefeelingthatitwassomehowofadvantagetohumansocietytohaveapronouncedinequalityinthesocialstructure.

Thereshouldbealeisureclass,backedbyownershipofland;inturn,societyitselfshouldbekeyedtothelandasthechiefsourceofwealthandinfluence.Itwouldbringforth（accordingtothisideal）aclassofmenwithastrongsenseofobligationtothecommunity;menwholivednottogainadvantageforthemselves,buttomeet

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thesolemnobligationswhichhadbeenlaidonthembytheveryfactthattheywereprivileged.Fromthemthecountrywouldgetitsleadership;tothemitcouldlookforthehighervalues—ofthought,ofconduct,ofpersonaldeportment—togiveitstrengthandvirtue.

Leeembodiedthenoblestelementsofthisaristocraticideal.Throughhim,thelandednobilityjustifieditself.Forfouryears,theSouthernstateshadfoughtadesperatewartoupholdtheidealsforwhichLeestood.Intheend,italmostseemedasiftheConfederacyfoughtforLee;asifhehimselfwastheconfederacy…thebestthingthatthewayoflifeforwhichtheConfederacystoodcouldeverhavetooffer.

HehadpassedintolegendbeforeAppomattox.Thousandsoftired,underfed,poorlyclothedConfederatesoldiers,longsincepastthesimpleenthusiasmoftheearlydaysofthestruggle,somehowconsidered Leethesymbolofeverythingfor whichtheyhadbeenwillingtodie.Buttheycouldnotquiteputthisfeelingintowords.IftheLostCause,sanctifiedbysomuchheroismandsomanydeaths,hadalivingjustification,itsjustificationwasGeneralLee.

Grant,thesonofatannerontheWesternfrontier,waseverythingLeewasnot.Hehadcomeupthehardwayandembodiednothinginparticularexcepttheeternaltoughnessandsinewyfiberofthemenwhogrewupbeyondthemountains.Hewasoneofabodyofmenwhoowedreverenceandobeisancetonoone,whowereself–relianttoafault,whocaredhardlyanythingforthepastbutwhohadasharpeyeforthefuture.

Thesefrontiermenwerethepreciseoppositesofthetidewateraristocrats.Backofthem,inthegreatsurgethathadtakenpeopleovertheAllegheniesandintotheopeningWesterncountry,therewasadeep,implicitdissatisfactionwithapastthathadsettledintogrooves.Theystoodfordemocracy,notfromanyreasonedconclusionabouttheproperorderingofhumansociety,butsimplybecausetheyhadgrownupinthemiddleofdemocracyandknewhowitworked.Theirsocietymighthaveprivileges,buttheywouldbeprivilegeseachmanhadwonforhimself.Formsandpatternsmeantnothing.Nomanwasborntoanything,exceptperhapstoachancetoshowhowfarhecouldrise.Lifewascompetition.

Yetalongwiththisfeelinghadcomeadeepsenseofbelonging toanationalcommunity.TheWesternerwhodevelopedafarm,openedashop,orsetupinbusinessasatrader,couldhopetoprosperonlyashisowncommunityprospered—andhiscommunityranfromtheAtlantictothePacificandfromCanadadowntoMexico.Ifthelandwassettled,withtownsandhighwaysandaccessiblemarkets,hecouldbetterhimself.Hesawhisfateintermsofthenation’sowndestiny.Asitshorizonsexpanded,sodidhis.Hehad,inotherwords,anacutedollars–and–centsstakeinthecontinuedgrowthanddevel