LESSON 17 THE VENOMOUS WORM 致命毒蟲

John Russell (b.1793, d.1863) graduated at Middlebury College, Vt., in 1818.He was at one time editor of the “Backwoodsman,” published at Grafton, Ill., and later of the “Louisville Advocate.”He was the author of many tales of western adventure and of numerous essays, sketches, etc.His language is clear, chaste, and classical; his style concise, vigorous, and sometimes highly ornate.

1.Who has not heard of the rattlesnake or copperhead? An unexpected sight of either of these reptiles^[1] will make even the lords of creation recoil^[2]; but there is a species of worm, found in various parts of this country, which conveys a poison of a nature so deadly that, compared with it, even the venom of the rattlesnake is harmless.To guard our readers against this foe of human kind is the object of this lesson.

2.This worm varies much in size.It is frequently an inch in diameter, but, as it is rarely seen except when coiled, its length can hardly be conjectured.It is of a dull lead color, and generally lives near a spring or small stream of water, and bites the unfortunate people who are in the habit of going there to drink.The brute creation it never molests.They avoid it with the same instinct that teaches the animals of India to shun the deadly cobra^[3].

3.Several of these reptiles have long infested^[4] our settlements, to the misery and destruction of many of our fellow citizens.I have, therefore, had frequent opportunities of being the melancholy spectator of the effects produced by the subtile^[5] poison which this worm infuses^[6].

4.The symptoms of its bite are terrible.The eyes of the patient become red and fi ery, his tongue swells to an immoderate size, and obstructs^[7] his utterance; and delirium^[8] of the most horrid character quickly follows.Sometimes, in his madness, he attempts the destruction of his nearest friends.

5.If the suff erer has a family, his weeping wife and helpless infants are not unfrequently the objects of his frantic fury.In a word, he exhibits, to the life, all the detestable passions that rankle^[9] in the bosom of a savage; and such is the spell in which his senses are locked, that no sooner has the unhappy patient recovered from the paroxysm^[10] of insanity occasioned by the bite, than he seeks out the destroyer for the sole purpose of being bitten again.

6.I have seen a good old father, his locks as white as snow, his step slow and trembling, beg in vain of his only son to quit the lurking place of the worm.My heart bled when he turned away; for I knew the fond hope that his son would be the “staff of his declining years,” had supported him through many a sorrow.

7.Youths of America, would you know the name of this reptile? It is called the WORM^[11] OF THE STILL^[12].^[13]

【中文閱讀】

約翰·羅素（1793—1863）于1818年畢業于美國佛蒙特州米德爾伯里學院。他曾擔任在伊利諾伊州格拉夫頓市出版的《蠻荒者》雜志的編輯，隨后成為《路易斯維爾之聲》的編輯。他曾寫過許多西部冒險小說，以及大量的雜文和隨筆。他的語言清晰干凈，遣詞造句傳統古典，文風簡潔熱情，但有時辭藻過于華麗。

1.可有人不曾聽說過響尾蛇或銅斑蛇？要是在不經意間看到這兩種蟲豸，哪怕是造物主都會在它們面前驚恐畏縮。但是，這世上還有另一種蠕蟲，這種蠕蟲在美國各地已相繼被發現，它身上能分泌出致命的毒素，與這種劇毒相比，響尾蛇的毒液都算得上溫和無害。本文旨在指導讀者如何防備這個危害人類生命的致命敵人。

2.這種蠕蟲的體型差異很大。它的直徑常常能達到一英寸，但是，由于這種蠕蟲常常盤繞成團，很少有人見過它完全舒展開來的樣子，因此很難估測它的實際長度。這種蠕蟲呈暗鉛色，通常盤踞在泉水或細小溪流附近，并在不經意間叮咬那些前去飲水的不幸的人。它從不騷擾那些兇猛的野獸，因為那些猛獸本能地避開它，正如印度動物本能地避開致命的眼鏡蛇那樣。

3.這種致命的爬行蟲豸當中，有許多蠕蟲已經長期侵擾人類的住處，給人們帶來痛苦與災難。這種蠕蟲只需刺入人體極少或微量毒液，便足以給人帶來不可避免的悲劇。不幸的是，這類受害者對我來說，實在是司空見慣。

4.被這種毒蟲咬傷后的癥狀極其可怕。受害者的眼睛變得紅腫而炙熱，舌頭過度腫脹，連發音都變得含糊，緊接著會產生可怕的幻覺。處于癲狂狀態下的受害者，甚至會攻擊身邊最親密的朋友。

5.如果受害者有家小，他哭泣的妻子和無助的嬰兒便不可避免地成為他狂暴時攻擊的對象。換句話說，他會無法遏制地表現出野蠻內心的瘋狂情緒，在這種時候，他感覺不到外界的反應。哪怕受害者間歇性地從被蟲豸嚙噬后的癲狂狀態中蘇醒，他仍會瘋狂地尋找這種毒蟲，就為了再度被它嚙噬。

6.我曾經見過一位慈祥的年邁父親，他的鬢發近乎雪白，步履顫抖蹣跚，卻仍然徒勞地苦苦央求他唯一的兒子離開那毒蟲盤踞的場所。當他艱難地轉身離開時，我的心在滴血。我知道，他仍然幻想著兒子是他“垂暮之年的唯一依靠”，而這種幻想，曾伴隨他度過許多悲痛的時刻。

7.美國的年輕人們，你們可知道這種毒蟲叫什么名字？它就是鴉片。

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【注釋】

[1] Reptiles, animals that crawl, as snakes, lizards, etc.

[2] Recoil, to start back, to shrink from.

[3] Cobra, a highly venomous reptile inhabiting the East Indies.

[4] Infested, troubled, annoyed.

[5] Subtile, acute, piercing.

[6] Infuses, introduces.

[7] Obstructs, hinders.

[8] Delirium, a wandering of the mind.

[9] Rankle, to rage.

[10] Paroxysm, a f it, a convulsion.

[11] Worm, a spiral metallic pipe used in distilling liquors.

[12] Still, a vessel used in distilling or making liquors.

[13] 譯注：WORM OF THE STILL，原本指液體濃縮后的產物像蟲一樣呈長條形，人們將這種固態物卷成團，以節約空間，后來，有人開始從罌粟花汁液中提煉出鴉片以便吸食，因此便用WORM OF THE STILL指代鴉片。