不敢僭越(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。
不敢僭越
during the siege of vicksburg in 1863 in the american civil war, a catholic nun, sister serephena, escorted by a small black boy, was speaking to a confederate corporal when a shell suddenly landed at their feet, with its fuse still burning. the three of them were transfixed with horror and the corporal leapt backward and took to his heels ignominiously. the little black boy picked up the smouldering shell and threw it as far as he could away from them. he was only just in time as the shell exploded in mid-air.
“ why didn't you do that immediately? ” asked the trembling nun. “ your hesitation might have cost us our lives. ”

“ lord! miss sister serephena, ” said the little boy. “ i got too much respect for white folks to do a thing like that while there was a white gentleman standing there. ”
美国内战期间，维克斯堡一八六三年被围攻。有一天，天主修女瑟雷赫纳由一个黑种小男孩陪伴，正和南军一名下士交谈，忽然有枚榴弹落在他们身旁，引信还在燃烧。三人吓呆了，那下士向后一跃，很不光采的逃之夭夭。那黑种小男孩拾起闷燃的榴弹，尽力往远处掷去，还未地即告爆炸，慢一点就来不及了。
瑟雷赫纳修女浑身发抖，问那小男孩：「你为什么不马上动手？迟迟疑疑，可能送了我们性命。」
小男孩说：「唉，瑟雷赫纳修女小姐，我非常尊敬白人，刚才既然有一位白种绅士站在那，我不敢僭越。」

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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。
不敢僭越

美国内战期间，维克斯堡一八六三年被围攻。有一天，天主修女瑟雷赫纳由一个黑种小男孩陪伴，正和南军一名下士交谈，忽然有枚榴弹落在他们身旁，引信还在燃烧。三人吓呆了，那下士向后一跃，很不光采的逃之夭夭。那黑种小男孩拾起闷燃的榴弹，尽力往远处掷去，还未地即告爆炸，慢一点就来不及了。
瑟雷赫纳修女浑身发抖，问那小男孩：「你为什么不马上动手？迟迟疑疑，可能送了我们性命。」
小男孩说：「唉，瑟雷赫纳修女小姐，我非常尊敬白人，刚才既然有一位白种绅士站在那，我不敢僭越。」

during the siege of vicksburg in 1863 in the american civil war, a catholic nun, sister serephena, escorted by a small black boy, was speaking to a confederate corporal when a shell suddenly landed at their feet, with its fuse still burning. the three of them were transfixed with horror and the corporal leapt backward and took to his heels ignominiously. the little black boy picked up the smouldering shell and threw it as far as he could away from them. he was only just in time as the shell exploded in mid-air.
“ why didn't you do that immediately? ” asked the trembling nun. “ your hesitation might have cost us our lives. ”
“ lord! miss sister serephena, ” said the little boy. “ i got too much respect for white folks to do a thing like that while there was a white gentleman standing there. ”