翻译来源——综合英语网络课程

       And as they journeyed, poking about with their walking sticks after the precious substance of their quest, there gathered over their heads the devil of a storm.
旅途中，他们用手杖摸索着走路，寻找着他们所需要的珍贵的素材。这时，一场暴风雨正在他们的头顶聚集。
       And at the proper moment the storm burst and the rain came down and the poets left off seeking for copy and huddled under a hawthorn tree. And they appeared as two proud exotic birds, lighted down from the Lord knows where.
顷刻间暴雨倾盆，诗人停止了收集素材，蜷缩在一棵山楂树下。他们像两只古怪的鸟雀，从只有上天知道的地方来此落脚。
       And there was a lodge near the hawthorn tree, and the lodgekeeper's wife looked out and, seeing the two, she exclaimed: "Lord, look what the wet brings out!" And the rain increased fearfully.
山楂树旁有一个农夫住的小屋，农夫的妻子向外张望时看到了这两个人，她惊叫了起来，“天啊，瞧这场雨带来了什么！”而雨也越发肆虐起来。

       And after a while she looked out again and the poets were changed, for their bloom was impaired, the rain had clotted their hair, and the scarlet cravat of the one had become crimson from saturation. And rain dripped from all their extremities.
过了一会，她再次向外看时，诗人已不再是原来的样子，他们原有的锐气、光彩消失了。雨水使他们的头发黏在了一起，一绺一绺的。其中一位的猩红色领带被雨水浸透，变成了暗红色。雨水顺着他们的身体流下来。
       And the lodgekeeper's wife was grieved for them and called out: "Young men, will you not come in? Why play the heron who stands lugubrious with his feet in cold water when it is open to you to become as sparrows twittering with gladness beneath the eaves?'
农妇很同情他们，喊道：“年轻人，为什么不进来呢？为什么要扮演忧郁地站立在冷水中的白鹭，而不选择在屋檐下快快乐乐叽叽喳喳的麻雀呢？”
       But they bowed politely and replied: "Thanks awfully, ma'am, but we are poets and we like it."
但是他们礼貌地弯腰行礼，回答说：“真是太感激了，女士。可我们是诗人，喜欢这样。”

       And the lodgekeeper's wife sneered at them, remarking: "They have certainly had a drop too much." But they, smiling deprecatingly upon her, responded: "Madam, you are pleased to be dry." "And you," quote she, "are pleased to be wet." And she slammed-to the window, casting up her eyes and inquiring rhetorically, "Did you ever?" and "What next?"
农妇讥讽道：“他们一定是喝多了。”但是这两位诗人不以为然，微笑着回答说：“女士，只要你没湿就好。”“而你们，”她说，“就淋去吧。”她砰地关上了窗户，斜视着他们，咕囔着说：“怎么这样呢？从没见过这样的事！看他们怎么办？”
       And the rain came down like hell, leaping a foot high and sousing all things.
大雨滂沱，积水有一英尺高，万物都被雨水浸湿。
       And after another while, the lodgekeeper's wife looked out again, and the two had gathered closer about the trunk of the hawthorn-tree, and they were as two old crows, for their shoulders were up and their beaks were down and they were unbelievably dishevelled.
又过了一会，农妇又向外看了看，那两个人更紧地蜷缩在树干旁，像两只老乌鸦，双肩高耸，鸟喙下垂，模样狼狈不堪。

       And she shouted to them again, for she was a charitable woman, saying: "0 miserable gentlemen, in the name of civilization and common-sense, come inside."
因为她是位仁慈的妇人，她又大声喊叫起来“噢，可怜的先生们，看在人情事理的份上，进来吧。”
       But they dared not turn their faces to her, lest the water should run down their necks; so, revolving themselves all of a piece, they replied: "Renewed thanks, ma'am, but we are very well, for we are acquiring copy." And they cowered under the deluge with great earnestness of purpose.
但是，他们不敢把脸转向她，生怕雨水顺着脖颈流下来，所以他们把整个身体转过来，答道：“再次感谢您的好意，夫人，我们感觉很好，我们正在收集素材呢。”他俩心怀坚定的目标，在暴雨中瑟瑟发抖。
But the lodgekeeper's wife did not understand the word copy, so that she was amazed beyond measure and the power of comment was taken from her.
农妇并不懂得什么叫“素材”，因此非常惊愕，不知说什么好。

自己坐沙发~\(≥▽≤)/~啦啦啦