舌战(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
舌　战
henry beecher, a prominent congregational clergyman in america in the 19th century, was a foe of slavery. during the antebellum period, he raised funds to buy weapons for those willing to oppose slavery, and the rifles bought with this money became known as"beecher's bibles".during the american civil war, his church raised and equipped a volunteer infantry regiment. he once went on a speaking tour in england to undermine support for the south by explaining the north's war aims. while addressing a crowd of rebel sympathisers in manchester, beecher was asked a difficult question:"why didn't you whip the confederates in 60 days, as you said you would?""because," he replied,"we found we had americans to fight instead of englishmen.

"亨利．比彻是十九世纪美国公理会著名牧师，对奴隶制度深恶痛绝，南北战争前，致力筹款为反对奴隶制度者买武器，买得的步枪后来就称为「比彻圣经」。南北战争期间，公理会招募并装备了一个志愿步兵团。比彻曾到英国四处演讲，解释北方联盟的战争目标，以免英国人支持南部联邦。他在曼彻斯特向一群南部支持者致辞时，有人刁难说：「你们说过六十天内会打败南军，怎么到现在都未能取胜？」比彻回答说：「因为我们发觉对敌的是美国人，不是英国人。」
【附注】 antebellum本是拉丁文，意思是 before the war（战前的）。