第 3 课 · Matterhorn Man

Matterhorn man

马特洪峰人（指当年攀登马特洪峰的登山者）

Modern alpinists try to climb mountains by a route which will give them good sport, and the more difficult it is, the more highly it is regarded.

现代登山运动员力求选择一条能给他们带来很大乐趣的路线来攀登高山，路线越艰难，评价就越高。

In the pioneering days however, this was not the case at all.

然而，在登山运动的开拓时期，情况却完全不是这样。

The early climbers were looking for the easiest way to the top because the summit was the prize they sought, especially if it had never been attained before.

早期登山者寻找的是通往山顶最容易的路线，因为顶峰就是他们追求的奖赏，尤其是当它还从未有人登顶过时。

It is true that during their explorations they often faced difficulties and dangers of the most perilous nature, equipped in a manner which would make a modern climber shudder at the thought, but they did not go out of their way to court such excitement.

诚然，在探险途中他们常常遇到极其危险的困难和危险，其装备之简陋足以令现代登山者一想起来就不寒而栗，但他们并非故意去寻求这种刺激。

They had a single aim, a solitary goal -- the top!

他们只有一个目的，一个唯一的目标——登上顶峰！

It is hard for us to realize nowadays how difficult it was for the pioneers.

如今我们很难体会到，当年的开拓者们是何等艰辛。

Except for one or two places such as Zermatt and Chamonix, which had rapidly become popular.

除了一两个很快便声名鹊起的地方——如采尔马特和夏蒙尼——之外。

Alpine villages tended to be impoverished settlements cut off from civilization by the high mountains.

阿尔卑斯山里的村庄往往只是贫穷破败的聚落，被崇山峻岭与文明世界隔绝开来。

Such inns as there were were generally dirty and flea-ridden; the food simply local cheese accompanied by bread often twelve months old, all washed down with coarse wine.

当时仅有的几家客栈，通常又脏又是跳蚤成群；食物只是本地奶酪，配着常常存放了十二个月的面包，再灌下几口粗劣的葡萄酒。

Often a valley boasted no inn at all, and climbers found shelter wherever they could -- sometimes with the local priest (who was usually as poor as his parishioners), sometimes with shepherds or cheese-makers.

山谷里往往连一家客栈都没有，登山者只好就地寻宿——有时借宿当地神父家（神父通常和他的教民一样穷），有时借宿牧羊人或制奶酪的人家。

Invariably the background was the same:dirt and poverty, and very uncomfortable.

而背景无一例外都是一样的：肮脏、贫穷，而且极不舒适。

For men accustomed to eating seven-course dinners and sleeping between fine linen sheets at home, the change to the Alps must have been very hard indeed.

对于在家吃惯了七道菜的正餐、睡惯了细亚麻床单的人来说，初到阿尔卑斯山的变化必定是非常难熬的。