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At the close of divine service, a row of maidens, all clothed in purest white, came gliding off from the congregation,
在礼拜快要结束时，从会众中闪出一队身着洁白服装的少女，
and, crossing the murmuring stream on stepping stones, arranged themselves at the foot of the pulpit with those who were about to be baptized.
穿过汩汩流淌的溪水，踏上石头，与那些好像要接受洗礼的人一起在讲坛下面排成队列。
Their devout fathers, just as though they had been in their own kirk,
她们虔诚的父亲们就像在自己的苏格兰教会那样，
had been sitting there during worship, and now stood up before the minister.
在做礼拜期间一直坐在那儿，现在他们全都站在牧师面前。
The baptismal water, taken from that pellucid pool, was lying, consecrated, in an appropriate receptacle,
从那个清澈的水潭里取来的洗礼用的水，被奉为神圣的赐物，盛在相应的容器里。
formed by the upright stones that composed one side of the pulpit, and the holy rite proceeded.
这个容器是由讲坛一侧的立石天然形成的，就这样，神圣的仪式开始了。
Some of the younger ones in that semicircle kept gazing down into the pool, in which the whole scene was reflected;
这些年轻人中有的围成半圆形，不错眼珠地盯着水潭，整个情景都被反射到潭水里了；
and now and then, in spite of the grave looks and admonishing whispers of their elders,
尽管年长一些的人神情肃穆，告诫他们不要低声耳语，
letting fall a pebble into the water, that they might judge of its depth,
可是这些年轻人不时地向水潭里扔小石子，
from the length of time that elapsed before the clear air bells lay sparkling on the agitated surface.
他们从石子飞行的时间和在水面激起的水花来判断水潭有多深。
The rite was over, and the religious service of the day closed by a psalm.
仪式结束了，在唱赞美诗后，一天的宗教活动告一段落。
The mighty rocks hemmed in the holy sound, and sent it in a more compact volume, clear, sweet, and strong, up to heaven.
巨大的石头聚拢着这神圣的声音，整个空谷都在回荡着，清晰、悠扬而又高亢，直冲云霄。
