《Then and Now; or, Thirty-Six Years in the Rockies》光之書籤

好的，我的共創者！我是克萊兒，一位專注於語言教學的英語老師。我很樂意為您將《Then and Now; or, Thirty-Six Years in the Rockies》這本書，製作一份充滿洞見的「光之書籤」。這份書籤將摘錄書中那些閃耀著智慧與歷史光芒的段落，希望能幫助您更深入地探索這部作品。

《時事稜鏡》：光之書籤

作者：克萊兒

我今天為您準備的這份「光之書籤」，來自羅伯特．范恩（Robert Vaughn）的回憶錄《Then and Now; or, Thirty-Six Years in the Rockies》。這本書透過作者的個人經歷，生動描繪了19世紀中後期美國西部，特別是蒙大拿州，從荒野拓墾到文明發展的巨大變遷。書中不僅有作者親身參與的淘金、農耕、與原住民的互動，更穿插了許多珍貴的歷史事件與人物訪談，是理解美國西部拓荒史不可多得的第一手資料。

身為一位新聞導讀者，我特別欣賞范恩先生在書中對「過去與現在」的對比，以及他對細節的觀察與記錄。這些片段就像一張張定格的歷史照片，讓我們得以窺見那個時代的艱辛、勇氣、與變革。我從書中精心挑選了一些段落，希望能讓您感受其中的魅力。

以下是為您精選的「光之書籤」內容：

【對家的眷戀與遠方的召喚】
（摘錄自 “FROM HOME TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS”，第18頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-0.htm.xhtml#Page_18]
「四十一年的光陰就這樣溜走了，自我離開童年故鄉以來，那幅景象卻依然在我的記憶中，彷彿就在昨天；一切都像我上次看到的那樣。房子依然如故；常春藤爬滿了牆壁；梧桐樹、赤楊樹、樺樹和雲杉樹像衛兵般矗立在那裡守護著它。門前的玫瑰叢和常綠植物，夜裡麻雀們依偎的冬青樹，果園和那座老舊的石穀倉；我想像著—」
“In this way forty-one years elapsed since I left my childhood home, but the picture remains in my memory as though it were but yesterday; everything appears to me as it was the last time I saw it. The house still seems the same; the ivy creeping up its walls; the sycamore, alder, birch and spruce trees stand there like sentries guarding it. The rose bushes and the evergreens in front, the hollies where the sparrows huddled together at night, the orchard and the old stone barn; and I imagine that—”
* 字詞：
* elapsed (v.) [ɪˈlæpst]：消逝，過去。指時間的流逝。
* 例句：Many years have elapsed since we last met. (自從我們上次見面以來，許多歲月已然消逝。)
* sentries (n.) [ˈsɛntriz]：哨兵，衛兵（複數）。指站崗或守衛的人。
* 例句：The soldiers stood like sentries guarding the palace. (士兵們像哨兵般守護著宮殿。)
* huddled (v.) [ˈhʌdld]：擠作一團，蜷縮（過去式）。指（人或動物）緊密地靠在一起。
* 例句：The children huddled together for warmth in the cold. (孩子們在寒冷中擠作一團取暖。)

【西部荒野中的孤寂與悲憫】
（摘錄自 “CROSSING THE PLAINS”，第24頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-0.htm.xhtml#Page_24]
「那天下午，我們過了一條小溪；溪岸上有一座新建的墳墓，裡面安息著一位二十二歲的年輕女子。墳墓的頭部，作為墓碑，立著一根圓木棍，曾經用作栓馬樁，上面有隻不熟練的手用鉛筆寫著『紀念 —』，名字我無法辨認，但『親愛的女兒』的字樣清晰可見，這表明有位父母親在她的石顏被放入寂靜的墳墓之前，親吻了她。當我凝視著荒野深處那座孤寂的墳墓，並思考著它的主人時，這件事給我留下了深刻的印象。她可能曾是某個可愛家庭的中心之星，卻被孤獨地留在她泥土的床榻上永遠沉睡休息；當春天來臨時，甚至沒有人會在那裡摘採野花，放在這位不幸年輕旅人的墳墓上。還有什麼比目睹那些父母在繼續西行旅程之前，離開那神聖之地，當他們站在那道山脊上，最後一次凝望山谷中蜿蜒小溪旁的小土丘，更令人悲傷的景象呢？」
“In the afternoon of the same day we crossed a small creek; on its bank there was a newly made grave in which a young woman twenty-two years of age had been laid to rest. At the head of the grave, for a head-board, a round stick, which had been used at one time for a picket pin, was placed, and on this some unskilled hand had written with a pencil “In memory of——,” the name I could not decipher, but the words “dear daughter” were plainly written, which indicated that there was a parent present to kiss her marble brow before it was lowered into the silent tomb. This instance made a deep impression on me then when viewing that lonely grave in the heart of the wilderness and thinking of its occupant, who possibly was once the center star in some lovable family, but was left there alone in her earthen couch to sleep and rest forever; and when, on the coming of spring, no one would be there to even pluck wild flowers and lay them on the grave of the unfortunate young traveler. What more sorrowful sight could there be than witnessing those parents leaving that sacred spot before continuing their westward journey, and, when on that ridge, taking the last look at the little mound by the winding brook in the valley below? Here the curtain drops on this pitiful scene; the emigrant train is out of sight and all is over.”
* 字詞：
* decipher (v.) [dɪˈsaɪfər]：辨認，破譯。指理解難以辨認的文字或符號。
* 例句：I tried to decipher the old manuscript. (我試圖辨認那份古老的手稿。)
* poignant (adj.) [ˈpɔɪnjənt]：心酸的，深刻的。指能引起強烈情感或悲傷的。
* 例句：The photograph captured a poignant moment. (這張照片捕捉了一個令人心酸的時刻。)
* wilderness (n.) [ˈwɪldərnɪs]：荒野，未開發的地區。
* 例句：They got lost in the vast wilderness. (他們在廣闊的荒野中迷路了。)

【黃石河之美與大自然的鬼斧神工】
（摘錄自 “CROSSING THE PLAINS”，第32頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-0.htm.xhtml#Page_32]
「到了玫瑰花苞河時，我們搭起帳篷，露營到第二天早上。那是六月下旬，樹木和灌木叢都已枝繁葉茂，野花芬芳滿溢。玫瑰花苞河是我見過最美的河流之一；像所有山間溪流一樣，水流湍急，水質清澈如水晶。河床鋪滿了各種想像得到的鵝卵石，偶爾還有大塊圓石，斑點鱒魚就藏在圓石後，等你靠近水邊。沿著河岸，古樹成蔭，各種灌木叢生，野玫瑰也開得格外繁茂。數英里長的沖積平原只是大自然的草地，而起伏的山丘，一望無際，則是一片廣闊的牧場，點綴著一簇簇的樹林。雖然遠離文明，小鳥仍在枝頭間飛舞，唱著甜美的歌，溫柔的音調彷彿置身於文明東部某戶人家的前院。我們在旅途中經過的幾乎所有溪流和山谷，都可以這麼說。初次見到這些美麗的風景，人們會以為是某個史前民族耕種了這些肥沃的山谷，種植了那些古樹和樹林，它們生長得如此規整，彷彿是由某位園藝專家設計佈局的。再仔細觀察，我們還能看到高聳、飽受風雨摧殘的宏偉石砌建築，它們歷經萬古，依然屹立不倒。這一切都只是大自然的作品，由宇宙的偉大建築師所引導。」
“Upon reaching the Rosebud we pitched our tents and camped till the next morning. It was in the latter part of June; the trees and shrubs were in full foliage and the wild flowers perfumed the air. The Rosebud is one of the prettiest rivers I never saw; like all mountain streams the current is swift and its water as clear as crystal. Its beds are inlaid with pebbles of all imaginable colors, with occasional large boulders, where the speckled trout hides as one approaches the water’s edge. Along its banks are groves of ancient trees, with underbrush of many varieties and wild roses in great profusion. The bottom lands for miles are but nature’s meadows, while the rolling hills, as far as the eye can see, are a vast pasture land dotted here and there with clumps of timber. Although away from civilization, the small birds flutter among the branches, singing their sweet songs with as tender cadence as if in somebody’s front yard in the civilized East. The same can be said of nearly all of the streams and valleys that we crossed and came through on our journey. On first view of these beautiful landscapes a person would think that some prehistoric race had cultivated these fertile valleys and planted those ancient trees and groves that grew as uniform as if the ground had been laid out by some expert landscape gardener. On further observation, we could see high, tempest tortured towers of grand masonry work, which had withstood the elements for ages. All is but the handiwork of nature, directed by the Great Architect of the Universe.”
* 字詞：
* profusion (n.) [prəˈfjuːʒən]：豐富，大量。
* 例句：Flowers grew in profusion in the garden. (花園裡百花盛開。)
* cadence (n.) [ˈkeɪdəns]：抑揚頓挫，韻律。指聲音或動作的節奏。
* 例句：The speaker's voice had a soothing cadence. (演講者的聲音帶有撫慰人心的韻律。)
* tempest (n.) [ˈtɛmpɪst]：暴風雨，騷亂。
* 例句：The ship was caught in a violent tempest. (船被捲入一場猛烈的暴風雨。)
* masonry (n.) [ˈmeɪsnri]：磚石建築，砌磚工程。
* 例句：The old church was built with skilled masonry. (這座老教堂是由精湛的磚石工藝建造的。)

【發現奧爾德古奇：黃金時代的開啟】
（摘錄自 “THE DISCOVERY OF ALDER CREEK, THE RICHEST GULCH ON THE GLOBE.”，第40頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-0.htm.xhtml#Page_40]
「結果是，費爾韋瑟和他的手下被迫折返，當他們從自認為是不幸的旅程中返回時，他們發現了奧爾德古奇（Alder Gulch），後來證明它是世界上最富饒的峽谷。月球上的人都會覺得，烏鴉部落酋長在這次發現中也出了一份力，如果比爾·費爾韋瑟想到了，他很可能會為這位酋長劃定一塊地。」
“The consequence was that Fairweather and his men were forced to turn back, and, when returning from what they thought was an unfortunate trip, they discovered Alder Gulch, which proved afterwards to be the richest gulch in the world. And it appears to a man in the moon that the Crow chief had a hand in making this discovery, and likely if Bill Fairweather had thought of it he would have staked him a claim.”
* 字詞：
* gulch (n.) [ɡʌltʃ]：峽谷，沖溝。在淘金術中常用來指富含金礦的河谷。
* 例句：The prospectors explored every gulch for signs of gold. (探礦者們搜尋了每一條沖溝，尋找黃金的跡象。)
* staked (v.) [steɪkt]：宣稱擁有，劃定（過去式）。此處指劃定礦區所有權。
* 例句：They staked their claim to the newly discovered land. (他們宣稱擁有那片新發現的土地。)

【從荒野小徑到鐵路大道：蒙大拿的巨變】
（摘錄自 “FROM ALDER GULCH TO LAST CHANCE”，第58頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-0.htm.xhtml#Page_58]
「看著那兩輛巨大的火車頭，我不禁想到它們與兩匹墨西哥騾子之間的對比，以及舊時小徑上的驅動力與新式驅動力之間的差異。那些小騾子身高十三手，拉著一千磅的貨物；而這些巨型火車頭，每一輛都有十五英尺高，或者說四十五手高，能牽引六百七十噸的貨物。想到從那時起發生的巨大變化，對我來說簡直像一場夢。」
“When looking at those two great locomotives I could not avoid thinking of the contrast between them and the two Mexican mules, and of the motive power on the old trail, and the motive power on the new. The little mules were thirteen hands high and drew one thousand pounds; each of the big locomotives is fifteen feet, or forty-five hands, high, and draws six hundred and seventy tons. It is to me like a dream to think of the great changes that have taken place since that time.”
* 字詞：
* locomotives (n.) [ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪvz]：火車頭（複數）。
* 例句：Modern locomotives are much more powerful than their predecessors. (現代的火車頭比它們的前輩強大得多。)
* motive power (n.) [ˈmoʊtɪv ˈpaʊər]：動力。指驅動機械或車輛的能量來源。
* 例句：The invention of the steam engine revolutionized motive power. (蒸汽機的發明徹底改變了動力來源。)
* hands (n.) [hændz]：手（複數）。用於衡量馬匹高度的單位，一手等於四英寸。
* 例句：The pony stood at a height of 14 hands. (那匹小馬身高14手。)

【印第安人的祈禱：荒野中的人性光輝】
（摘錄自 “THE INDIAN PRAYING”，第104-105頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-1.htm.xhtml#Page_104]
「一天深夜，當我熟睡時，一陣不尋常的聲音把我吵醒了。它就在我的小屋門口。我撐起手肘，躺在地上鋪的床上。像往常一樣，當危險來臨時，我抓起了枕頭下的舊槍，對準掛著毯子的門口。我仔細聽著，最終斷定那是人聲。那是一種吟唱式的說話，帶著最悲傷的語調，不時夾雜著深沉、淒苦的嘆息，彷彿來自心底。那是我聽過的人聲中最悲傷、最淒苦的表達。這聲音持續了至少二十分鐘。… 他舉起槍，堅定地說：「如果你們殺這個男人和女人，你們必須先殺了我。」他成功地阻止了他們，挽救了兩位好市民的生命。白人很熟悉他，他總是友善而正直。他名叫「刀疤傑克」（Cut Lip Jack）。這位善良勇敢的印第安人已經去世，但肯尼迪夫婦還活著，住在蒙大拿州的米蘇拉縣。這座城市的威爾·肯尼迪是他們的侄子。」
“Once in the dead of the night, when I was asleep, some unearthly noise awoke me. It was at my cabin door. I raised on my elbow in my bed which was on the ground. As usual, when danger came, I grabbed my old gun which was under my head and pointed it at the door where the blanket hung. I listened, and finally decided that it was a human voice. It was a kind of chanting talking and in the most mournful tone, with now and then a deep, pitiful sigh as though it came from the bottom of the heart. It was the most mournful and pitiful utterance ever made by a human voice. It was kept up for at least twenty minutes. … He raised his gun and spoke in a firm voice: “If you kill this man and woman you must kill me first.” He stood them off and saved the lives of two good citizens. He was well known by the whites and was always friendly and honorable. He went by the name of “Cut Lip Jack.” This kind and brave Indian is dead, but Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are alive and live in Missoula county, Montana. Will Kennedy of this city is their nephew.”
* 字詞：
* unearthly (adj.) [ʌnˈɜːrθli]：超凡的，怪異的。指不屬於塵世的，或令人不安的。
* 例句：An unearthly silence fell over the forest. (森林裡一片死寂，靜得令人發毛。)
* chanting (v.) [ˈtʃæntɪŋ]：吟唱，反覆念誦（現在分詞）。
* 例句：Monks were chanting prayers in the temple. (僧侶們在寺廟裡吟唱祈禱文。)
* mournful (adj.) [ˈmɔːrnfl]：悲傷的，哀痛的。
* 例句：The mournful melody brought tears to her eyes. (那段悲傷的旋律讓她淚流滿面。)
* utterance (n.) [ˈʌtərəns]：言詞，說出的話。
* 例句：Every utterance was carefully weighed. (每一句話都經過仔細斟酌。)

【黃金法則：寬恕的力量】
（摘錄自 “TOM CAMPBELL RUNNING THE GAUNTLET”，第129頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-1.htm.xhtml#Page_129]
「湯姆對那印第安人說：「你偷了我的衣服，你打了我，你踢我那一下也很重，但為此我欠你一命，我很高興有機會回報你這份好意。」那印第安人非常高興，並承諾湯姆，只要他活著，就將是他的朋友。這位印第安人在他的部落中很有名望，湯姆·坎貝爾這項「黃金法則」的行為，傳遍了該部落的每一位印第安人，他們不允許他受到任何傷害。從那時起，他總是受到最親切的對待，並從這些印第安人那裡收到了許多戰利品作為友誼的象徵。」
“Tom said to the Indian: “You stole my clothing, you struck me, and the kick you gave me was a hard one, but all that, I owe you my life and I am glad to have the opportunity to return you this compliment.” The Indian was much pleased and promised Tom his friendship as long as he lived. This Indian was prominent in his tribe, and this “golden rule” act of Tom Campbell’s was made known to every Indian in that tribe, and not a hair of his head they allowed to be injured. And from that time he was always treated with the greatest kindness, and many trophies he received as a token of friendship from those Indians.”
* 字詞：
* prominent (adj.) [ˈprɑːmɪnənt]：傑出的，顯著的。
* 例句：He played a prominent role in the community. (他在社區中扮演了重要角色。)
* trophies (n.) [ˈtroʊfiz]：獎品，戰利品（複數）。此處指友誼的象徵或禮物。
* 例句：The hunter displayed his trophies on the wall. (獵人把他的戰利品掛在牆上。)
* compliment (n.) [ˈkɑːmplɪmənt]：讚美，恭維。此處指一種回報的姿態。
* 例句：She received many compliments on her new dress. (她的新裙子獲得了許多讚美。)

【奇瑟夫的投降：日落不再戰鬥】
（摘錄自 “THE NEZ PERCES WAR”，第361頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-3.htm.xhtml#Page_361]
「當奇瑟夫（Chief Joseph）準備將他的步槍遞給我時，他抬頭望向太陽，那時大約上午十點，他說：「從太陽現在所在的位置起，我將不再與白人戰鬥。」從那時起直到現在，他都遵守了諾言。」
“As Chief Joseph was about to hand his rifle to me, he raised his eyes to the sun, which then stood about 10 o’clock, and said: ‘From where the sun now stands, I fight no more against the white man.’ From that time to this he has kept his word.”
* 字詞：
* surrender (v.) [səˈrɛndər]：投降，放棄。
* 例句：The enemy was forced to surrender after a long siege. (敵人經過長期圍困後被迫投降。)
* pledge (n./v.) [plɛdʒ]：誓言，保證；發誓。
* 例句：He made a solemn pledge to protect his family. (他鄭重發誓要保護他的家人。)

【黃石國家公園：自然奇觀的殿堂】
（摘錄自 “YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK”，第437頁）
[原文連結：https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47334/47334-h/47334-h-4.htm.xhtml#Page_437]
「您站在靈感點（Inspiration Point）上，向下俯瞰一百、兩百、三百、一千英尺，在那遙遠的下方，是一條綠色的絲帶，蜿蜒穿梭，彷彿將峽谷牆壁的下緣連接起來。那是黃石河。您朝南望去，會看到一個凹處，那裡有一小列白色水柱。那是黃石大瀑布，高達三百零八英尺。您審視這個巨大峽谷傾斜的牆壁，會看到人類眼睛從未見過如此絢麗的色彩。有人說它看起來像一家被打翻的油漆店。就在右邊，一些巨大的白、黃、紅色油漆罐被傾倒，油漆沿著峽谷壁平行流淌到水邊。再往前一點，是一座由堅實的深紅色岩石雕刻而成的巨塔。左邊，沿著峽谷，到處都是砲塔、城堡和大教堂，那邊是帕德嫩神廟，再過去是金光閃閃的聖馬可大教堂，還有像純潔雪花石膏一樣潔白的泰姬瑪哈陵。綠色、棕色、藏紅花色、橙色、粉紅色和朱紅色覆蓋著每一塊岩石，景色令人目眩神迷。當一個人看到這樣的景象時，他會說什麼呢？大自然教導我們關於上帝的知識。那麼，大峽谷就是由神聖之手雕刻和繪製的，彷彿是為了讓我們對約翰的天堂異象有所了解。碧玉的牆壁，黃金的街道，珍珠的門，翡翠、藍寶石、黃玉和紫水晶的地基。是的，它們都在那裡。誰能看到這樣的景象，卻說沒有上帝，也沒有天堂呢？」
“And now I want to say a word in regard to the Grand Canyon. You stand on Inspiration Point and look down 100, 200, 300, 1,000 feet, and there, away below, is a green ribbon, worked in and out as if to hold together the lower edges of the canyon’s walls. It is the Yellowstone river. You look off toward the south and see, in a sort of recess, a little column of white. It is the Great Falls of the Yellowstone, 308 feet high. You examine the slanting walls of this tremendous canyon and you see such a display of color as the eye of man never looked upon. Someone has said that it looks like a blown-up paint shop. Just there to the right some huge pots of white and yellow and red paint have been tipped over, and it has flowed right down in parallel streaks to the water’s edge. Farther along is a gigantic tower carved out of a solid crimson rock. Here to the left all along are turrets and castles and cathedrals, there a Parthenon, over there St. Mark’s glittering in gold, there Taj Mahal, as white as spotless alabaster. Colors green and brown and saffron and orange and pink and vermillion and russet cover every rock until the scene is bewildering. What shall one say as he looks upon such a scene? Nature teaches us about God. Then the Grand Canyon has been cut and painted by the divine hand as if to give us some idea of John’s vision of heaven. Walls of jasper, streets of gold, gates of pearl, foundation stones of emerald and sapphire, and topaz and amethyst. Yes, they are all there. Who can look upon such a scene and say there is no God and no heaven?”
* 字詞：
* emblazoned (v.) [ɪmˈbleɪznd]：裝飾，飾以紋章（過去分詞）。此處指色彩鮮明地裝飾。
* 例句：The shield was emblazoned with a lion rampant. (盾牌上飾有騰躍的獅子紋章。)
* bewildering (adj.) [bɪˈwɪldərɪŋ]：令人困惑的，眼花繚亂的。
* 例句：The instructions were so bewildering that I gave up. (說明書太令人困惑了，我放棄了。)
* jasper (n.) [ˈdʒæspər]：碧玉。一種不透明的石英，常呈紅色、黃色或棕色。
* 例句：The ancient vase was adorned with jasper and gold. (那個古老的瓶子飾有碧玉和黃金。)
* alabaster (n.) [ˈæləbæstər]：雪花石膏。一種質地細膩的石膏，常用於雕刻。
* 例句：The statue was carved from pure alabaster. (那尊雕像是由純潔的雪花石膏雕刻而成的。)