Secret Message
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
M argaret could tell something was wrong the moment she heard Mother’s voice.
Margaret一听到母亲的声音,
“Margaret!
“玛格丽特!
Come here!”
过来!”
Mother called.
母亲打电话来
Margaret set bowls of corn pudding in front of her two little brothers, wiped her hands on her apron, and hurried into the parlor.
玛格丽特把一碗玉米布丁放在她两个小兄弟面前,将她的手擦去围裙上,并匆匆跑入客厅.
Mother sat in front of the fire, holding a small scrap of paper in her hands.
母亲坐在火前,手里拿着一小片纸.
“What is it?
“这是什么?
Another message?”
另有消息吗? “
Margaret asked.
玛格丽特问。
She knew Mother was part of a group of spies helping the Patriots now that the war for independence was going on.
她知道母亲是一群间谍的一部分 帮助爱国者 现在独立战争正在进行
She had often seen a red-haired man come by their farmhouse.
她经常看到一个红发男人来他们的农舍。
After he left, Mother would rush to bring information to the Blue Boar Inn, fifteen miles away.
在他离开后,母亲会匆忙地把信息带到15英里外的"蓝猪旅店".
It was dangerous work, but the British soldiers didn’t usually suspect women of being spies.
但英国士兵通常并不怀疑女性是间谍。
So far, Mother had escaped notice.
到目前为止,母亲已经逃脱了注意。
Margaret could only hope that would continue.
玛格丽特只能希望这种情况继续下去。
Mother held up the scrap of paper.
妈妈拿起废纸
“Yes, and an important one.
“是的,也是一个重要的问题。
General Howe and a force of ten thousand men are planning an attack tomorrow—at White Marsh, where William is.”
豪将军和一万人的军队 计划明天在White Marsh发动攻击 威廉在那里 “
Margaret gasped.
玛格丽特喘了口气
William was Margaret’s older brother.
威廉是玛格丽特的哥哥.
He was an aide-de-camp to General Washington.
他是华盛顿将军的助手
The army had been encamped in the region for several weeks.
军队在该地区扎营了几个星期。
Margaret didn’t want to think about what could happen if they were taken by surprise.
玛格丽特不想想,
Margaret usually stayed home with the boys while Mother passed along these messages.
玛格丽特通常在家陪男孩们,而母亲传递这些讯息.
However, Mother had been sick for several days.
然而,母亲已经生病了几天。
She still looked tired, pale, and weak.
她看起来还是很疲惫 苍白和软弱
Margaret knew she was worried about William, too.
玛格丽特知道她也担心威廉.
“Mother,” she said, “let me go this time.
她说,“妈妈,”这次让我走。
You stay with the boys and rest.”
你和孩子们呆在一起休息 “
“No, Margaret,” Mother protested.
“不,玛格丽特,”母亲抗议。
“It’s too far and too dangerous.”
“太远了,太危险了。 “
Mother was right—the colonies were dangerous right now.
妈妈说得对 殖民地现在很危险
British sentries stopped anyone who looked suspicious.
英国哨兵阻止了任何可疑的人
Margaret had heard stories of spies who had been arrested and executed.
玛格丽特曾听说过间谍被捕被处决的故事.
She knew that even a young girl wouldn’t be spared if she was caught.
她知道即使一个年轻女孩被抓了也不会幸免。
Margaret was afraid, but she pictured William huddled by his campfire with the other soldiers.
玛格丽特很害怕,但她想象出威廉被他和其他士兵的营火所困.
If this message wasn’t delivered quickly, many more lives would be at stake.
若不迅速传达这一讯息,
Margaret pushed down the fear inside her.
玛格丽特把她内心的恐惧推倒了
“Mother, you’re sick.
“妈妈,你生病了。
I’ll be safe, and I’ll be fast,” she insisted.
她坚持说,
Mother nodded and pressed the paper into Margaret’s hands.
母亲点了头,把纸塞入玛格丽特手中。
“You’re right.
" 你说得对。
I am not strong enough to ride that far today.
我不够强壮,今天骑那么远。
Thank you, Margaret.”
谢谢 玛格丽特 “
Margaret turned the paper in her hands.
玛格丽特把报纸翻到她手里
“This is blank,” she said.
她说,“这是空白的”。
Mother smiled.
母亲笑出.
“It’s written in invisible ink.
" 这是用隐形墨水写的.
Just one of our little tricks.
只是我们的一个小把戏
Now bring me your cloak.”
现在把你的斗篷给我 “
“Why?”
“为什么?”
Margaret asked, taking her thick red cloak from the peg near the door.
玛格丽特问起,从门边的钉子上取出她厚红色的外衣.
“I’ll show you.”
" 我会告诉你。 “
With a small pair of scissors, Mother cut a few of the stitches on the cloth- covered top button of Margaret’s cloak.
母亲用一把剪刀将布上的一些缝合缝了下来,
As Margaret watched, Mother lifted the edge of the cloth covering the button and laid the note flat against the bare button.
正如玛格丽特所观察的那样,母亲将布被遮住扣子的边缘抬起并平地将纸条放在赤裸的扣子上.
Then she smoothed the cloth back under the button and secured it with two neat stitches.
然后她把布放回按钮下并用两通整齐的缝合缝接住.
“There—the message is safe.”
" 信息是安全的。 “
Mother held up the cloak.
妈妈举起斗篷
It looked just the same as before.
和以前一样
No one could have ever known there was a paper folded into the top button.
没人会知道上面有纸折叠的
Mother took Margaret’s face in her hands.
母亲把玛格丽特的脸拿在手里.
“Margaret, listen to me,” she said.
她说,“Margaret,听我说,”
“It can be hard to know who to trust these days, so you must not let on.
“现在很难知道谁可以信任,所以你绝不能让别人相信。
Don’t speak to anyone but the innkeeper.”
除了旅店主, “
“How will I let him know I have the message?”
“我怎样才能让他知道我有这个消息? “
Margaret asked.
玛格丽特问。
“Tell him you need to hang up your cloak.
“告诉他你需要挂起你的斗篷。
He’ll understand.”
他会明白的。 “
Margaret felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.
玛格丽特觉得眼中流了眼泪,但她很快地眨了眼.
She couldn’t cry right now—too many people were depending on her.
她现在不能哭,
Be brave, she told herself.
要勇敢,她告诉自己。
Before she could change her mind, Margaret found herself in the stable tightening the girth on her favorite horse, Brownie.
在她改变主意之前,玛格丽特发现自己在她最爱的一匹马"布朗"(Brownie)上被收紧的马厩中.
Quickly, she mounted and rode to the front of the house.
快,她骑起马到房子前面
The snow fell thickly on her head and shoulders, and coated Brownie’s mane.
雪倒在她头上和肩膀上,
The air bit her cheeks and nose.
空气咬她的脸颊和鼻子。
With her heart already pounding in her chest, Margaret nudged Brownie into a canter and followed the familiar rutted path from the gate out onto the main road.
玛格丽特把布朗尼塞入罐子 沿着熟悉的路 从大门走到主干道
Her journey had begun.
她的旅程已经开始了。
The Culper Ring T he Culper Ring was a real-life network of spies organized by George Washington and directed by spy Benjamin Tallmadge during the Revolutionary War.
库尔珀环 THE Culper Ring是革命战争期间由乔治·华盛顿组织并被间谍本杰明·塔克马德(英语:Benjamin Tallmadge)所指导的一个真实的间谍网络.
The spies carried information that had a direct effect on the war.
间谍携带了对战争有直接影响的情报.
They uncovered and captured British spies and passed information to Patriots about surprise Redcoat attacks and battle plans.
他们揭发并抓获了英国间谍,并向"爱国者"传递了雷德科特出其不意的袭击和战斗计划的信息.
The Culper Ring used creative techniques such as writing in code and using invisible ink.
克勒珀环形山采用了以代码写作和使用隐形墨水等创造性技术.
Spies would write in lime juice, vinegar, or other liquids that would turn brown when heated, revealing the valuable message.
间谍会用石灰汁、醋或其他液体书写 发热后会变成褐色的液体 揭示出有价值的信息
Top: A list of code words and numbers used by the Culper Ring Bottom: Benjamin Tallmadge H urry, hurry!
Top: Culper Ring Bottom 使用的代码词和数字列表 : 本杰明·塔克马吉 快点,快点!
Margaret’s mind beat a rhythm that matched the pounding of Brownie’s hooves on the frozen ground.
玛格丽特的心跳节奏与被冰冻地上打出布朗尼的蹄子相匹配。
The dirt road stretched before her, curving into the horizon.
泥道伸向她面前,曲折入地平线.
Fields lay on either side of the road, dotted with frozen white stubble from the hay harvest.
田地倒在路的两侧,用干草收成后被冻成的白色地块来点缀.
It would be late afternoon before she reached the crossroads where the inn stood.
可能要到下午才到达旅馆所在的十字路口。
The camp was seven miles beyond that.
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She knew where— Mother had described it.
她知道母亲说到哪里了
Now she pictured a vast field covered in snow and filled with hungry, half-frozen men huddled by their fires.
现在她描绘出一片被雪所覆盖的广大田地, 并充满了饥饿,半被冻住的人被他们的大火所笼罩.
Margaret slowed Brownie to let the mare breathe.
玛格丽特减缓了布朗尼让母马呼吸的速度.
Margaret’s feet were numb in the stirrups.
玛格丽特的脚被打得麻木了。
She changed hands on the reins every few minutes, sliding the other hand under her cloak.
她每几分钟就换一副手 在她外衣下滑倒
Soon, she spotted a British sentry up ahead.
很快,她发现一个英国哨兵在前面。
The Redcoat stood by the side of the road, musket held firmly across his chest.
红衣军站在路边,枪口坚固地夹住他的胸口.
“Halt!”
哈尔特!
he shouted when he saw her.
他看见她时大叫
“What is your business?”
“你们有什么关系? “
Margaret’s fingers trembled as she reined Brownie in.
玛格丽特的手指颤抖,
“Sir, I’m going to town to look for Dr.
“先生,我要去城里找医生。
Cottingham.
考廷汉.
My mother is very sick.”
我妈妈病得很重 “
Her mouth felt dry as she spoke.
她说话时口感干燥.
The soldier narrowed his eyes.
士兵缩小了眼睛。
Margaret wondered if he could hear her heart pounding.
玛格丽特想知道他能不能听到她的心跳
She widened her eyes and hoped she looked innocent.
她睁开眼睛,希望自己看起来是无辜的.
The soldier scowled and stepped forward as if to grab Brownie’s reins.
这名士兵大喊大叫,
Margaret gasped, but his hands stayed on his musket, and he jerked his head.
玛格丽特喘了口气,但他的手留在他的枪上,他打他的头.
“Ride on,” he commanded.
" 骑上"他命令。
Letting out a great breath, Margaret released the reins and urged Brownie into a gallop.
玛格丽特放出一口气,释放了绳子,并催促了布朗尼走入跑道.
She bent over Brownie’s neck, sweating under her cloak as the horse’s powerful body stretched out beneath her.
她俯视了布朗尼的脖子,
“Please, hurry, girl,” she begged, pushing the tired horse on.
“请快点,女孩,”她乞求,将疲劳的马推上去。
At last, the Blue Boar rose up in front of her.
终于,蓝猪在她面前起身.
Margaret drew up at the door and threw Brownie’s reins over the rail in front.
玛格丽特在门口画画,把布朗尼的管子扔到前面的铁道上.
Inside, the inn was warm and steamy.
里面的客栈暖和而蒸发.
It smelled of the stew cooking over the open fireplace.
它闻到在露天壁炉上做炖菜的味道.
Farmers and soldiers were scattered among the tables, and loud laughter and the clink of metal dishes filled the air.
农民和士兵被分散在桌子上,大声的笑声和金属盘子的接合使空气充斥.
Margaret hesitated as she stepped over the threshold.
玛格丽特在越过门槛时犹豫了下来.
There were so many people!
这么多人!
Could they see her secret?
他们能看到她的秘密吗?
Any one of them could be a loyalist spy for the British.
他们中的任何一个都可能成为英国人的忠实间谍.
Her finger fluttered to the button with the note, and she forced herself to put her hands at her side.
她的手指用纸条向扣子上挥去,她强迫自己把双手放在她身边.
Margaret kept her cloak gathered around her and her hood hiding her face as she made her way inside.
玛格丽特让她的斗篷聚集在她周围,而她的兜帽遮住她的脸,当她走进去的时候.
“Yes?”
“是吗? “
The innkeeper was a rough-looking man with long sideburns.
客栈店主是一个粗糙相貌的人,有长长的侧骨.
“Sir, I, um –” Was that man at that near table looking at her?
"先生,我,嗯-" 那个男人在桌子旁边看着她吗?
What if the innkeeper didn’t understand?
如果店主不明白呢?
How could she pass on the message without anyone noticing?
她怎么能在没人注意到的情况下传递信息?
“Yes?”
“是吗? “
The innkeeper asked again, impatiently this time.
客栈老板再次问起,这次不耐烦.
“Please sir, I need to hang up my cloak.
“请先生,我要挂起我的斗篷。
It is very wet.
湿透了
My mother wouldn’t want me riding home in a wet cloak.”
我母亲不希望我穿湿外衣回家。 “
She let her eyes meet the innkeeper’s as she held out the wet cloak and gently touched the top button.
当她拿着湿外衣并轻轻地摸到上个按钮时,
She silently begged him to understand.
她默默地恳求他谅解.
She saw his eyes flick over the cloak and button as understanding dawned on his face.
她看见他的眼睛从斗篷和扣子上闪来 当理解在他的脸上黎明。
“Yes, warm yourself, girl,” he growled.
“是的,温暖自己,女孩,”他咆哮。
“I’ll dry your cloak myself.”
" 我会亲自把你的外衣干干. “
He took the cloak and turned his back to the room.
他拿起斗篷回了房间.
After several long minutes, he draped it over her shoulders again.
过了几分钟,他又在她肩上画了一遍
Looking down, Margaret saw that the fabric covering the top button was loose.
低头看 玛格丽特看到覆盖上扣的布料松了.
“Get yourself home in this cold,” the innkeeper said.
旅馆老板说,
“Tell your mother that all will be well.”
“告诉你的母亲,一切都会好的。 “
Margaret felt a thrill go right to her heart as she secured her cloak and tucked the loose fabric under the button.
玛格丽特觉得很兴奋,她把外衣放在了扣子下 将松散的织物放入心底。
The message was delivered.
信息已经送达。
The men could prepare for the attack, and perhaps William would come back to them—one day.
这些人可以准备攻击,也许威廉有一天会回来。
Outside, Margaret mounted Brownie once again, relieved that she had completed her mission.
外出,玛格丽特再次上架了"布朗尼"(Brownie),松了一口气说她已经完成了自己的使命.
She could hardly wait to get home and tell Mother.
她等不及要回家告诉妈妈了
She didn’t even mind the thought of the long, cold miles ahead.
她甚至不在乎前面漫长而寒冷的一英里。
Sybil Ludington S ybil Ludington was only sixteen when she rode her horse through the night on April 26, 1777, to warn members of her father’s regiment of an attack by British troops on the nearby town of Danbury.
西比尔·卢丁顿 S Ybil Ludington在1777年4月26日夜间骑马去警告她父亲的团员英国军队对附近城镇丹伯里发动攻击时才16岁.
When the messenger bearing the crucial information about the attack arrived at the Ludington farm, he was too tired to ride any farther.
当携带攻击关键情报的使者到达卢丁顿农场时,他太累了,无法再骑更远了.
So Sybil mounted her own horse and rode between 20 and 40 miles (32–64 km) from farm to farm, rousing the soldiers so they could gather to ward off the attack.
于是西比尔骑起自已的马来从农场到农场行驶了20到40英里(32到64公里),激起出兵,以便他们聚集起来来躲避攻击.
The Patriot soldiers arrived too late to defeat the British, but Sybil’s strength and bravery were not forgotten.
爱国军士兵来得太晚了,击败了英军,但西比尔的实力和勇敢并没有被遗忘.
This artwork shows Sybil Ludington gathering soldiers.
这幅画让西比尔·路丁顿 聚集了士兵
Glossary aide-de-camp (n.)
词汇助理-de-camp(n.)
(adj.)
(中文(简体) ).