The harbour had already witnessed such a colourful spectacle. It was decked out with flags and because the day was warm, we were all wearing gay summer frocks and looking out best for the occasion. The time we waited seemed endless; but little by little the speck took the form of a ship and , in a short time, it came so near that we could make out its name: Candia, printed in large letters on the prow.
Now the crowd of about five hundred could hardly be held back. People were jumping up and down, waving; and little boys climbed on to stationary vehicles to get a better view. As the tugs piloted the great ship into the harbour, everybody peered eagerly at the troops lined along the railing. Soldiers on board waved to us wildly, shouting out the names of people they recognized or wanted to see. The two young men in the crowd who were holding a big banner with ‘Welcome Home!’ painted on it almost fell over in their excitement to lift it higher. An old man put his hat on the end of his walking-stick and twirled it round and round until it slipped off and fell into the sea. Women were crying; others laughing; and some did not quite know whether to laugh or cry. Someone called out ‘There’s your daddy!’ and a small boy of four was held high in the air to see his father whom he had never seen before. Now the troops were directly above us. Our excitement had mounted to peak, for soon they would disembark!
(from Coming Home)
speck 小点，微点troopship 部队运输船witness 目睹，见证spectacle 场面，景象deck out 装饰，打扮frock 服装，外衣prow 船头stationary 静止的.，不动的tug 拖船pilot （给船）领航railing 栏杆，扶手twirl 使快速旋转disembark 下船，登陆The Bonfire
欢庆篝火At one moment, the bomb site had been a dark, bare area with a few shadowy figures lugging heavy objects, and then – as the match tickled up the paraffin, fire leapt out. In a moment the whole place was a wild inferno of crackling flames, jumping squibs, shooting rackets, bouncing bangers and whizzers. Dozens of demonic figures yelled and leapt about, for in a few seconds the children had multiplied into hundreds.
Up, up, shot the flames, sending great sprays and showers of sparks into the night, all the old chairs, full of worm, beetle, and dry horse hair, caught like tinder and made a glowing core to the fire. Whizzers and bangers were now going off all over the place, exploding like jumping jacks in the very middle of the crowd, and starting yells of dismay and small fights. Screaming girls ran away and were pursued. All the windows in the houses around the bomb site had shot up, and their inhabitants were yelling protests and complaints, but not one of the children listened. Some of the adults saw the fun of the fire, but the duller ones, who were only greedy for their rights as citizens, rang up the police, the fire brigade, the Vicar or anyone else they fancied.
(from Magnolia Buildings by Elizabeth Stuckley) Pleasure Spots
bonfire 篝火，营火
shadow 朦胧的，模糊的
lug （用力）拖拉
tickle up 点燃，使起火
paraffin 煤油
inferno 地狱，火海
crackle 劈啪作响
squib 爆竹
banger 奇响爆竹
whizzer （点燃后发出厂嘶嘶声响的）爆竹
demonic 魔鬼般的
yell 叫喊，叫嚷
spray 如浪花般飞溅的火星
tinder 引为物，火种
dismay 惊愕，恐慌
inhabitant 居住者
protest 抗议，不满
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